RESIDENT Magazine F A I T H F U L LY S E R V I N G T H E W E S L E Y C H A P E L / N E W TA M PA C O M M U N I T Y • JULY 2017
YOUR LOCAL EVENTS SOURCE
SKIP SKIP THE THE DRIVE DRIVE DOWN DOWN I-275 I-275 -- CHECK CHECK OUT OUT OUR OUR
BIG LIST OF
EVENTS
TEACHERS TO PARENTS:
...all in town
Tag You're It! LOCAL AUTHORS-
TOP BOOKS! PAGE 30
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Bob E INSID
THOMPSON Having Fun With Work is
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July 2017 | Page 3
table of contents JULY 2017
5
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
22
HYPERLOCAL COUPONS
6
TEAM BIOS
24
THE YOGA CORNER
8
FINANCIAL ADVICE
25
A RESOLUTION OF FAITH
9
BUSINESS OF THE MONTH:
26
BUSINESS HIGHLIGHT: PIONEER HERBAL PRODUCTS
KEEPS CARPET 10
EVENTS
27
COLOR ME ABSTRACT
12
LOCAL CLUB NEWS
29
HOW TO PROTECT
13
BEAUTY VIP
14
FEATURED STORY
29
IT'S MOVIE TIME!
17
LOCAL EATS
30
PET OF THE MONTH
19
CHURCHES IN TOWN
20
TEACHERS TO PARENTS: TAG YOU'RE IT!
Page 4 | July 2017
YOURSELF ONLINE
& TOP BOOK READS COVER STORY:
BOB THOMPSON
HAVING FUN WITH WORK IS SERIOUS BUSINESS! COVER SHOT BY MIKE OSSOLA PHOTOGRAPHY
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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Photo by Thompson Brand Images Hair & make-up by Angela DiLeone, VIP Beauty Mobile Stylist
STEPHANIE COSTOLO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
H
appy 241st Birthday to the United States of America!
business and it is so inspiring!
Also, check out our Business of the Month – Keeps Carpet - to find The staff members here at Resident out what helpful services they offer Magazine are all enjoying the hot to local residents. You’ll also find summer days and we hope you Beauty VIP, The Yoga Corner and are too! This month we have a of course our BIG List of Events – plethora of content that’s helpful as All in Town, as well as much more! well as interesting! Our incredible photographer Bob Thompson is Thank you for reading. Thank you our feature story this month – for supporting. We appreciate you! he’s learned how to integrate his different passions into a successful
RESIDENT Magazine Residents are welcome to submit stories, articles, important information, new ideas & photos. SEND TO EDITORIAL@RESIDENTMAGAZINE.NET
For advertising information call: Stephanie Costolo 813-422-5551 WWW.RESIDENTMAGAZINE.NET | FOR RATES & INFO CALL: 813-422-5551
HAPPY From Resident Magazine Faithful member of the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce. Serving Wesley Chapel and New Tampa.
© 2016 RESIDENT Magazine. All rights reserved. RESIDENT Magazine is currently published monthly, distributed by the U.S. Postal Service free to all residents and advertisers in the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel area. Lists are for reference only and do not imply official sanction or recommendation by RESIDENT Magazine. Editorial submissions are welcome. Publisher reserves the right to reject or edit all submissions for length and clarity. The publisher is not responsible for errors or omissions. Unless otherwise noted, the views, opinions and advertising presented in this publication do not necessarily represent those of the Publisher.
July 2017 | Page 5
team bios STEPHANIE COSTOLO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Driven and passionate, Stephanie’s strengths lie in marrying day-to-day strategies with the bigger picture. As a lover of both business and psychology, she weaves those worlds together naturally. She is an Air Force veteran, has a BS in Behavioral Science and a Masters Degree in Entrepreneurship in Applied Technologies from USF.
PATTI SMITH ADVISOR
Patti Smith brings over 24 years of experience in advertising and publishing. She contributes to the team her insight and knows how to think out of the box. When Patti isn't busy helping others, she spends time with her beautiful daughter Loryn.
DAVID HERRMANN ASSOCIATE
David has been helping local businesses grow for the last 5 years in the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel area. As a PGA Member for 18 years, he has done everything from playing professionally to running both semi and private golf courses. David and his wife Kelly are new parents to Axel Stone and their daughter Kendal Victoria.
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SUSAN GULASH ART DIRECTOR
Susan Gulash is a creative individual who loves the complete design process - from research to conception to completion. She has over 13 years experience in graphic/ web design, and is the owner of Gulash Graphics. She attended and graduated from IRSC & USF. She enjoys spending time with her husband and two girls.
WENDY M. DODD ASSISTANT EDITOR
Wendy is an enthusiastic freelancer and blogger for Melanoma and patient advocacy. A Michigan Native, she earned an Associates in Business while pursuing a Master's in Psychology. Her expansive professional skills, ranging from front-line medical treatments to government and legal proficiency demonstrate the diversity in both her personal life and chosen career path. Her passion for photography and dedication to spreading love and compassion emanates from her cherished free time with her husband and their three children.
PAT GUSTAS ASSOCIATE
Pat, a native of Northwest Indiana calls Wesley Chapel her home for the past three years. She owned her own business for 35 years and was an Ad Junct teacher at the local community college. Pat and her husband now enjoy life and their four young grandchildren. As a Resident Magazine sales associate, Pat enjoys meeting local business people and helping them grow their successes.
BOB THOMPSON PHOTOGRAPHER
Bob is thrilled to bring his passion for photography to Resident Magazine. He shoots for magazines and corporations as well as local businesses. By last count he has photographed over 40,000 people in his 23 years as a photographer! He is a dad, husband, proud Rotarian, musician, emcee, and is excited to play a part in the growth of Wesley Chapel and New Tampa.
HEATHER MORALES EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
Heather Morales grew up in Nevada but always promised herself she would live near the beach. A Florida resident of more than 10 years now, she still can’t get enough of the ocean and spends her free time on the water paddle boarding.
JANETH LOPEZ ASSOCIATE
Janeth Lopez is a military spouse of over 20 years and recently relocated to the New Tampa area. She has several years experience helping military families and is thrilled to meet the local business owners in the area. She is a dedicated mother of two teenagers that keep her busy and enjoys visiting with her parents who live in Wesley Chapel.
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July 2017 | Page 7
FI NAN CIAL
ADVICE
TAKE A FRESH LOOK
AT YOUR FINANCES
R
emember those financial resolutions you committed to at the beginning of the year? If they seem like a distant memory, the start of summer can be a great time for a reset. Follow the tips below to refocus on your financial goals during the dog days of summer.
reflect, organize and make a conscious commitment to take responsibility for your financial future.
3. Create, update or review your plan of action. A financial plan provides a road map for spending and saving, and encourages you to allocate your money toward the items or 1. Start with a clean slate. experiences that matter most to Review your financial situation you. Your plan should include and recent spending patterns. how you will handle your day-toIs your spending aligned with day finances, achieve long-term your financial goals? Regoals such as paying off your evaluate any bad money habits home mortgage, retiring on your that may be holding you back terms or going on your dream from making better financial vacation. If a large expense decisions. Remind yourself comes along, you may need to rethat healthy financial behaviors evaluate your financial priorities. can become part of your daily Adjust as necessary and then get routine. back on track as soon as possible. Likewise, if you receive a raise or windfall, consider how the 2. Commit to fi nancial additional funds can be applied stability. It’s easier to do to your financial plan. something when you are intentional. Just like you set aside an afternoon to clean 4. Spend within reason. Your out the garage, set aside a plan can provide you with few hours to clean up your guardrails to keep long-term finances. During this time, goals in sight as you satisfy nearPage 8 | July 2017
term wants and needs. When you know your emergency fund, retirement and other goals are on track, you can purchase tickets to the big game or plan a family trip without any financial guilt. 5. Prepare for the unexpected. Life can throw challenging curveballs. Unexpected events such as unplanned medical bills or losing your job can greatly impact your bottom line. Although you may not know when these curveballs are coming, assess your insurance policies to ensure you’re fully covered, and make an “emergency fund” one of your priorities. Consider reviewing your life, disability, health, home and auto insurance policies with a financial professional, who can help you identify and close any gaps in coverage. If you’ve acquired artwork, collectibles, technology or other valuables, make sure they are covered under your current home insurance plan. Also, use this as a time to update beneficiaries on your policies if needed.
6. Find joy in the process. The desire to keep your finances in good order is an admirable aspiration, and it has lasting impacts. Focusing on your finances today may help you to secure a more comfortable financial future for you and your family tomorrow. Consider working with a financial professional to help create a plan to reach your goals. With renewed energy and a welldefined plan, you can feel good about your financial choices.
Lauren Hopper is a Financial Advisor with Mclendon & Associates, a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. She offers fee-based financial planning and asset management strategies and has been in practice for 16 years. You may contact her at lauren.s.hopper@ampf.com.
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KEEPS CARPET
Keeps Carpet takes great pride in having served residential and commercial customers alike throughout the Wesley Chapel community for 23 years!
L
BY WENDY M. DODD
ooking to add a little something more to your home? Whether you're looking for a complete redesign or to add a little color here and
there, Keeps Carpet takes great pride in having served residential and commercial customers alike throughout the Wesley Chapel community for 23 years.
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BUSINESS OF THE MONTH
Leslie Egan, Owner of Keeps Carpet for the past 9 years, and Debbie Spanger, Design Consultant since 2007, have the knowledge and expertise to inspire the home of your dreams today. They offer the comfort of a small, local business with big benefits like in house installation services that monitor quality from start to finish and dedication to pride in workmanship backed with quality products. Don't have the time? Keeps offers a convenient shop-at-home service with just what your looking for! All it takes from you is a simple phone call with one of Keeps design specialists! They will gather a concept of what you're looking for and schedule a date and time to bring various samples to browse in the comfort of your home. Keeps offers free estimates on an extensive variety of tile, laminate, hardwood, vinyl and carpet floor
coverings. Carrying the newest in easy clean-up, long lasting Luxury Vinyl Tile, or LVT, in a large range of styles and colors is just one of the ways Keeps has maintained a competitive advantage over the traditional big box stores. They also stock a wide range of newly revived wall coverings and customizable drapery hardware for those difficult to fit window designs in addition to the latest in motorized remote controlled drapery for those hard to reach windows. Big box stores may boast everything under one roof, but Keeps Carpet takes pride in knowing their customers and products, and knowing them well. Contact Leslie or Debbie at (813) 862-1974 to schedule your free flooring estimate or in-home color consultation today!
July 2017 | Page 9
July EVENTS UPCOMING
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
JULY 1 BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS ORIENTATION/ TRAINING EVENT Time: 10:30am Location: Wesley Chapel Honda, 27750 Wesley Chapel Blvd., Wesley Chapel Cost: Free to attend. For further information call 813-997-6881.
FRESH MARKET Time: 10:00am - 2:00pm Location: The Shops at Wiregrass, 28211 Paseo Dr #100 Cost: For more information visit www.theshopsatwiregrass.com
JULY 2 ALL AMERICAN WARRIORS BBQ Time: 1:00pm - 5:00pm Location: Golfer's Grail, 10019 N. Dale Mabry Hwy #100, Tampa Cost: BBQ including hot dogs, hamburgers, beef brisket and sides. Contest entries for simulated shooting and indoor golf. 50/50 Raffle (3 for $5, 8 for $10 and 20 for $20)// Silent Auction. LADIES ONLY CONCEALED CARRY CLASS Time: 4:00pm - 7:00pm Location: Pioneer Florida Museum, 15602 Pioneer Museum Rd, Dade City Cost: $75. Call 352-567-0262 for further information. JULY 3 YOGA ON THE LAWN Time: 6:30pm - 7:30pm Location: The Shops at Wiregrass, 28211 Paseo Dr #100 Cost: For more information visit www.theshopsatwiregrass.com JULY 4 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION Time: 5:00pm - 9:00pm Location: Avalon Park West, 5227 Autumn Ridge Drive, Wesley Chapel
Page 10 | July 2017
Cost: Free to attend. For further information email AnaLee@ AvalonParkWest.com SPARKLEBRATION Time: 4:00pm - 9:00pm Location: Pasco County Fairgrounds, Florida 52, Dade City Cost: Admission is $5 for those 13 and up; Parking: $5 JULY 11 WALKING AWAY FROM KNEE PAIN Time: 12:00pm - 1:00pm Location: Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel - 4th Floor Classroom 2600 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. Wesley Chapel, FL 33544 Cost: Free to attend. NEWBORN CARE CLASS, 1-NIGHT CLASS Time: 6:00pm - 8:30pm Location: Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel - 4th Floor Classroom 2600 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. Wesley Chapel, FL 33544 Cost: Fees Apply. BALANCED HORMONES, BALANCED LIFE Time: 6:00pm - 7:00pm Location: Health & Wellness Center Classroom, 2nd Floor 2700 Healing Way Wesley Chapel, Cost: Free to attend.
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Includes information from the following:
JULY 11 - 13 ZOO CAMP- DADE CITY'S WILD THINGS Time: 12:00pm - 1:00pm Location: Dade City's Wild Things, 37237 Meridian Ave., Dade City, FL 33525 Cost: 1 Day Camp $85, 3 Day Camp $175. Contact for further information dadecityswildthings. com, 352-567-WILD (9453) Includes a free T-Shirt, lunch and photos of your child's incredible experience. JULY 15 FRESH MARKET Time: 10:00am - 2:00pm Location: The Shops at Wiregrass, 28211 Paseo Dr #100 Cost: For more information visit www.theshopsatwiregrass.com JULY 15 - JULY 16 HAITI MEETS KENYA TRIBAL DANCES BOOTCAMP Time: July 15th Class for Children 2:00pm-2:45pm, Adults 3:00pm7:00pm, July 16th 11:00am3:00pm Location: Saturday at Afrofit, inc. Studio / Sunday at Coquina Beach, 2650 Gulf Drive, Bradenton Beach, FL 34217 (South Entrance) Cost: https://afrofittampabayafrofitinc.ticketleap.com/ haiti-meets-kenya-tribal-dancesbootcamp/details
JULY 18 DIABETES AND ITS MANAGEMENT: MYTHS AND REALITIES Time: 12:00pm -1:00pm Location: Health & Wellness Center Classroom, 4th Floor 2700 Healing Way Wesley Chapel, Cost: Free to attend.
JULY 25 - AUGUST 8 PREPARED CHILDBIRTH CLASSES, 3-WEEK SERIES Time: 6:00pm -8:30pm Location: Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel 2600 Bruce B Downs Blvd. Wesley Chapel Cost: Fees apply.
JULY 19 PRIMEBAR GIRLS NIGHT OUT & NETWORKING Time: 5:30pm - 8:30pm Location: Primebar, 2001 Piazza Ave, Wesley Chapel Cost: Free to attend, but must register at eventbrite by visiting www.facebook.com/ events/135479517019287.
National Hot Dog Day July 19 JULY 23 PREPARED CHILDBIRTH, 1 DAY EXPRESS CLASS Time: 1:00pm -5:00pm Location: Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel 2600 Bruce B Downs Blvd. Wesley Chapel Cost: Fees apply.
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July 2017 | Page 11
LOCAL CLUB NEWS
GFWC woman's club
of new Tampa
gfwcwomansclubnewtampa.com
newtamparotary.org
facebook.com/RotaryClubOfNewTampa/ Twitter@NewTampaRotary For more information, visit www.newtamparotary.org/
Speakers Schedule The Rotary Club of New Tampa’s membership represents a crosssection of the community’s business and professional men and women. Membership in the Rotary Club of New Tampa provides the opportunity to become connected to the community, work with others in addressing community needs and interacting with other professionals in the community. New members are welcome. Club meetings are held Fridays at 7:00a.m. at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club. Speaker Schedule for July 2017 Date July 7
July 14 July 21 July 28
Speaker
Topic
Mallori Page, club’s representative to S4TL(Seminar For Tomorrow’s Leaders)
Reporting on her experience at Rotary’s leadership camp
Hassan Shibley, Executive Director of local C.A.I.R. (Council on Islamic Relations)
Relations between Islamic Americans and institutions and non-Islamic Americans
Past District Governor Bob Arnold Members of Rotary Club of New Tampa
By Debbie Ferri, PR/Communications
O
ur Executive Board 2017-2018 was installed at our May luncheon. Pat Kaufman, President – Elaine Jones, Vice President, - Caraloyn Paul, Treasurer – Mynette Steele, Secretary. Members Sharon Sutton, (PR/Communications Chair), Vicki Christensen, (Programs Chair), Barb Johnson, (Newsletter) and Kim Kelly, (Fundraising Chair)-not pictured, were also recognized. Congratulations to all of you! The club also supported Red Nose Day. Red Nose Day is a mission to end child poverty – one nose at a time.
Please check out our Facebook page and website for dates/ locations of our upcoming summer luncheons. If interested in joining this great group of women, please contact membership at womansclubnewtampa@ gmail.com. Please check out our Facebook page, GFWC Woman’s Club of New Tampa, and our website, gfwcwomansclubnewtampa.com for more information.
Introduction To The RLI (Rotary Leadership Institute) Presentations concerning each speaker’s vocation
Rotary brings together a global network of volunteer leaders dedicated to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. Rotary connects 1.2 million members of more than 34,000 Rotary clubs in over 200 countries and geographical areas. Their work impacts lives at both the local and international levels, from helping families in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world.
Page 12 | July 2017
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Hair Loss Beaut y VIP reasons and
treatment
W? O N K U O DID Y ttern hair loss
a Female-p a strong genetic s usually hanent that can be compo from either the inherited r or father. mothe
medications and contraception. Another treatment option is hair transplantation in which tiny hair follicles taken from one area of the scalp are transplanted into the affected areas. It can be very effective and produce permanent results that are natural looking. Since there is no structural problem with the hair with female-pattern hair loss, women should continue their regular hair styling regimen. Sometimes women think they should stop washing, coloring, or perming their hair, but these things won’t impact the course of hair loss or speed up the process. Hyperandrogenism, a medical condition characterized by excessive production of male hormones called androgens, can cause hair loss in affected women. Although hair loss stemming from hyperandrogenism may be treated with minoxidil, you need to seek care for the other conditions. After diagnosing the reason with the doctor, find a great educated stylist. Your stylist can help you figure out the best shampoo and haircut to help you through the process of growing your hair back while trying some different things to see what works best with your situation.
M
any women with any kind of hair loss or thinning suffer in silence, changing their hairstyles trying all different kinds of products and soon to be wearing wigs or weaves and anything to get them by. But the sooner you seek care, the better. Hair loss affects as many as many as 5% of women under 30 and 60% of those older than 70. Women have many different treatment options. Female-pattern hair loss, which usually has a strong genetic component that can be inherited from either the mother or father, can also be referred to as androgenetic alopecia. This type of hair loss can start as early as the late teens and the earlier it starts, the more severe the hair loss tends to be. Most women with pattern hair loss don't get a receding hairline or bald spot on top of the scalp as is common in men. Instead, there is visible thinning over the crown. In men and women, hairs are miniaturized because of a shortened growth cycle where the hair stays on the head for a shorter period of time. These
wispy hairs, which resemble forearm hairs, do not achieve their usual length. The first sign of hair loss that most women notice is often widening of their part or that their ponytail is smaller. Most female hair loss is treated with Rogaine or many other name brand regrowth serums and shampoos. When products like these are used once daily, that treatment typically repairs the hair on 81% of women who try it. But be patient because it usually takes 4 to 5 months to see noticeable growth and you must use it daily. Unfortunately when you stop using these products, the hair growth will slow down. New research shows that women who load up on iron supplements have a better chance of growing hair back and it helps with less loss. There are also red light therapy treatments that increase the circulation that makes the hair follicle agitated to produce hair growth. In some cases, a hormonal abnormality, such as excess male hormones known as androgens, may be responsible for hair loss in women. One clue that hormones are involved is if the hair loss pattern resembles that of a man’s hair loss. This can be treated with prescription
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Note: This Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this publication.
Angela DiLeone Vip Beauty Mobile Stylist Voted #1 photography hair and makeup artist and nominated Best of Bay consecutively, Angela DiLeone is educated in over 23 beauty brands and services. She carries dual licenses in several states and has been published in numerous books and magazines. Along with being a hair and makeup artist, Angela is also an author, educator and motivational speaker for multiple beauty brands promoting women empowerment. If you have any questions about specific beauty products or techniques, please feel free to send me an email at Angela@ VipBeautyStylist.com. Questions for Vip Beauty Stylist Angela DiLeone email -Angela@VipBeautyStylist.com. July 2017 | Page 13
Page 14 | July 2017
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Bob Thompson T hompson
HAVING FUN WITH WORK
O
BY WENDY M. DODD
ne thing leads to another…
Childhood Music Lessons Air Force Sergeant Europe Wife Photography Mentor Baby with Down Syndrome Anandi Speaking for United Way Giving Back creating Thompson Event Partners. Bob Thompson’s life seemed compartmentalized for years, but every compartment served a purpose in preparing him to fuse those talents and experiences to create a truly unique business; Thompson Event Partners. We often can’t understand why certain life experiences happen until years after the fact, and sometimes not even then. If we are able to look at our lives as a whole, it’s possible to see how each moment and experience has prepared us for the next, allowing each step we take to propel us toward living a life in which we can combine our passions, talents and resources. When we allow ourselves to combine our passions, talents and resources, we lead a life of fulfillment; one that is beneficial to others. And isn’t that what it’s all about? Just ask Bob Thompson. Thompson has spent nearly 25 years perfecting his craft on the photography scene since his first professional job in 1993. His images are a perfect reflection of Bob's true desire to connect with his clients on a personal level. His
IS
SERIOUS BUSINESS!
PHOTOS BY THOMPSON BRAND IMAGES & Mike Ossola Photography
calm, welcoming demeanor can coax smiles from even the toughest of photo subjects, even inspiring his subjects with a new-found relationship with their own selfimage. A long time member of the Rotary Club of New Tampa and the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce, Thompson's list of encouraging talents don't stop at photography. An Emcee for over 10 years for Rotary events, both locally and nationally, he is also a standout community leader often donating his time behind the podium, mic and guitar for numerous local organizations. Aside from his thriving events business, Bob is also a doting husband to Anandi and father to Buddy, their son. Bob's outgoing personality is ever present in his personal life as he has enjoyed spending his free time supporting Buddy Baseball, Special Olympics and Easter Seals with his family. Resident Magazine wanted to see just what drives Thompson's limitless enthusiasm. RM (Resident Magazine): Lets start with your personal life, your wife and son.
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BT (Bob Thompson): Anandi, my wife of 28 years, owns WEllcome Om Yoga Studio, and is a partner in this new events business where she’s positioning herself to develop and deliver yoga and wellness programs, as well as training and development programs for events and conferences. She actually changed her name to Anandi last year when she was initiated formally into the yoga lineage she’s been practicing for 26 years by Yogi Amrit Desai, who gave her the name. Our son, Eric, or Buddy, was born on August 22nd here in Tampa. We'd only been in Tampa four to five months, building our client base and expanding the company when he arrived four weeks early. The pregnancy had progressed without any problems, even being born a month early, he seemed to be doing great. The next day was when everything went downhill. Doctors informed us that Buddy might have Down syndrome and holes in his heart. Just days after we were home, he became severely jaundice and was readmitted to the ICU, a place we would frequent over the next 18 months. Until his heart
was fixed he needed full time oxygen, feeding tube, and fulltime monitoring for a malady of other health issues that can arise with Down syndrome. It was a tough go, but we created a good routine. I was working as a musician many nights until around 2 in the morning typically, and I would handle a photo session here and there so I took the night shift of medications and feedings. Anandi would head off to work during the day. It was very rough for a while. Once his heart was fixed, 17 months later, he improved considerably and kept improving from that day forward. Today he is lean and muscular; he never gets sick and you'd never know any of that happened by looking at him today. Now he's heading to college in the fall. Eric's Gift: A Book on the Discovery of Unconditional Love in the 47th Chromosome is a book that Anandi wrote about Buddy's journey with Down Syndrome when it appeared he wasn’t going to make it. Buddy ended up becoming a poster child for the United Way when he was about 4 years old. He was on billboards and posters all around the city, and United Way really stepped up and helped with a lot of the Continued on page 16
July 2017 | Page 15
Bo b T h o m ps o n
I was able to build a decent client base and get my photography business up and running. At this point, the majority of my professional time has been spent as a photographer, going on 25 years now. We are currently expanding our events business and I'm spending more time doing emcee and entertainment work. RM: How did you transition from working as a government contractor in Maryland to opening your own photography business in Florida?
me some time to find my niche there, and I even left for a spell, but when I came back, I was all in. Rotary became my way to give needs we had for Buddy. As back after receiving so much help a result of that, Anandi was with Buddy. Rotary was my direct doing speaking engagements access to community service. The all around town for the United Way, sharing her book along the more involved I got, the more I saw opportunities to help. When you're way. a performer like me it's a pretty I'm often asked how I got started easy connection on how you can in dedicating so much of my life contribute to your community and to serving our community. I was all of those events that help to raise the visibility of our community. never really a person of service before we moved here. It was the Now it has become a habit that I'm help and compassion we received very proud of, I love making events great for our community and from so many, especially the ultimately helping people. United Way, when we needed anything for Buddy's care. Their In one regard, it almost becomes a willingness to step up when we selfish activity because it makes me needed it most inspired me to feel great to contribute. It's about give back. as win-win as you'll ever find. RM: Tell us about the I also want to mention the Buddy community service aspect of aspect, and what this community your life. has provided for him as he's grown. He is an honorary Rotarian and he BT: About 15 years ago when gets up at meetings and addresses we opened our photography the crowd, he also helps sing the studio in Tampa, Thompson last song of each set at my musical Studios, a friend suggested performances around the area. I go to a local Rotary Having Buddy come up to sing at meeting because it was full of community leaders, movers and a public event... I can't even tell you what that does for me. As a shakers. So I attended the New dad, the experience for my son to Tampa Rotary and ended up be on stage performing with me, joining to help get my business that will get me every time. Then off the ground. It didn’t take I watch the people and there is me long to realize that's not a look on their faces when we're why you join Rotary. It took both doing our thing on stage.
Continued from page 15
Page 16 | July 2017
They understand who he is and everything he's getting out of the experience and it brings the house down every time. I really want to thank the community for what they've provided to my son and my wife. It's taken this community to raise Buddy into the man he is today. Him growing up as healthy as he has and about to head to college is not a predictable outcome for a young man with Down syndrome; it has everything to do with being raised in a supportive, encouraging and loving community. RM: Tell us about your life as a creative professional. BT: In 1991, my wife and I lived in Columbia, Maryland where I'd recently left the Air Force. I was stationed at National Security Agency (NSA) and then afterwards worked as a government contractor for a short time. We came to Tampa with big dreams of starting a new life, although when we rolled into town with our U-Haul, neither of us had jobs and we were expecting our first child. In April '93, I worked as a full time musician doing gigs five to six nights a week here in Tampa while building up my photography business. I had just finished a photography apprenticeship, but music was my main income until
BT: You know, a little serendipity. When I was working in government, I worked at The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines. That’s fancy for saying that I calculated figures and produced a monthly report of the nation's steel scrap supply. It wasn't a bad job -- okay, it was BORING! Although it was pretty good money and a good company to work for in downtown DC. Then I took a self-improvement seminar while I was at the Bureau. One of the projects we did had certain criteria; to create enthusiasm while involving your community. I decided to take photographs of my co-workers at the Department of the Interior doing something they loved. The idea behind it was to create a gallery with the images to help us all get to know each other more intimately, and reveal something unique about each person that people didn’t know. As it turns out, that was my transition out of that industry. It was my first experience of actually organizing and executing photo shoots. I think I did about 20. Another push in that direction was a follow-on seminar I did with someone I consider a mentor; he was a commercial photographer in Virginia and DC for 15 years. He asked me one day how serious I was about my passion Continued on page 17
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HAVING FUN WITH WORK IS SERIOUS BUSINESS! Continued from page 16
for photography, I said, "try me!” So he did, offering me an apprenticeship for one hundred dollars a week. About the time I began working with this mentor is when we decided to move to Tampa, giving me four months to study up on everything I could related to photography. RM: What within you helped make that decision?
I've always wanted life to be fun, for better or for worse. BT:
I'd rather take a chance and have a little more fun. Becoming a photographer sounded like an adventure; it had everything I was looking for. The next thing you know, 25 years goes by and I can look back and say everything worked out okay.
I wouldn't say it was the perfect way to transition into a new career, as soon-to-be parents we were unemployed in a new city, hundreds of miles away from our home. Our son was born with special needs, but thankfully we had many miracles along the way. We had some very compassionate people in the right places to help us at the right times. RM: How did your passion for music come about? BT: It all started when I was about 5 years old growing up in California, it was just my dad, Tom, my brother, Tom Jr. and I. An accordion salesman knocked on our door one day and I was mesmerized. I begged my father to buy me one. He couldn't of course, but somehow he scraped enough together to get me lessons. To this day I don't know how he did it, because we really didn't have much. After some time spent in accordion lessons, at the second studio I
attended, I met a great teacher, Francine French. She'd played on the Lawrence Welk show and toured nationally as an accordion player with a trio. Before I knew it, she was moving into our house, and it turned out my dad had been dating my accordion teacher all along (laughs)! She put me in touch with some of her own mentors, and the training was intense but I was good at it. The issue was when I got into puberty; I'd already been very shy and pretty much afraid of everything, and I was very small. I was that kid most likely to be stuffed into a locker, and playing the accordion was no help, not to mention I was never going to get a girlfriend that way. So it was right around that age that I decided to transition from an accordion to a guitar. I played multiple instruments throughout high school, from the trombone to the baritone, the piano the drums. As a senior in high school I did pick up the accordion again, and more recently have rediscovered it again. Playing instruments stays with you; it's something you never quite leave behind. RM: What was your dream job as a kid? BT: I remember wanting to be a marine biologist or an airline pilot. As a kid I remember growing up on the beaches of southern California, I'd get lost by myself looking for sea anemones and crabs so I think that's where the marine part came into play. An uncle I'd only met once or twice before was a pilot for United Airlines and I remember that being impactful as well. Once I got to high school I was struggling quite a bit, I didn't have a lot of aspirations. My dad and Francine had twin girls, and along with my brother and we moved up to Washington State when my dad was 38. Whidbey Island is in the Puget Sound, a long beautiful island with inlets and sounds, it's amazing. We became a wilderness family. We built little log houses and lived off the land. That was the best thing that ever happened to me; it resonated with me. I excelled in school, played sports, took up music and even became class president. Nature is my church to this day, where I go to just be with it all. I didn't know that about myself until we moved up there. RM: What advice would you give to someone wanting to turn a hobby, such as photography, into a business? BT: Learn the craft of photography first. These days it can seem deceivingly simple to be a photographer. Especially now that the cameras themselves are so capable. Someone who loves taking pictures can buy a $500 camera that can do anything, put up a website for $10 a month and they think they're in business. Continued on page 18
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s t a E l a c o L Culvers 2303 Sun Vista Drive Lutz, FL 813.949.1414 Ciccio Cali 17004 Palm Pointe Dr Tampa, FL 813.975.1222 Marcos Pizza 27616 Wesley Chapel Blvd Wesley Chapel, FL 813.528.8910 OTB Delight Café 2653 Bruce B Downs Blvd Suite 121 Wesley Chapel, FL 813.973.8880 The Great Catch by Taste of Boston 1930 Land O Lakes Blvd Lutz, FL 813-994-9797 and 5039 1st Street, Zephyrhills, FL 813.782.7770 Wolf’s Den 27607 SR 56 Wesley Chapel, FL 813.907.9124
NEW TAMPA LUTZ WESLEY CHAPEL July 2017 | Page 17
Bo b T h o m ps o n Continued from page 17
Not to be too critical, but I think sometimes people don't realize there is much to learn about photography and light; a craft to it. I was very lucky to have learned what I did from my mentor; he showed me how to approach photographing any person, place or thing in a way that reveals the authentic nature of that person, place or thing, perhaps the objective of photography itself, and if we’re really doing our jobs, in a new way not seen before. To make money with it, it obviously requires an aptitude for business as well. I know quite a few good photographers that are not in business anymore because they just couldn't manage that side of it. Then there is the ability to relate to people. When I look back over 25 years of clients, more often than not, that client becomes a friend, so really, I'm in the business of creating relationships. It's not different than many fields; I know when I connect with a client on a personal level they're more likely to stay my client. That has been one of the most rewarding things for me; serving the same clients year after year, connecting with people over time. My advice for people who want to connect with others? Make eye contact, pronounce their name correctly, take an interest in who they are, and mean it. Sincerity is important. The ability to connect with people authentically is just as or more important to the success of a photographer as are the f-stops and shutter speeds.
ever done. If you compare it to music, which I've been performing my whole life, you have a guitar, a stage and a microphone. And then you get into the song, which carries you along. Stand up comedy is you, a microphone and an audience and whatever words you say. There is nothing to do except talk. It’s easily the most vulnerable performance of my career. My wife signed me up for a comedy class as a birthday present.
Once I knew how much it terrified me, I knew I needed to do it. I had no aspirations to create a
job out of being a stand up comic; it was the experience I wanted and I knew it would be a huge step for me.
RM: Now that you're able to merge all these passions together, do you feel more fulfillment? BT: Absolutely. You know, as a kid, I never had that kind of confidence you’ll see with some of these 15 year-olds on America’s
Got Talent. I was always scared that I would never be good enough. For me, what's
really fun now, is finally feeling free enough in my own being to let it fly 100%, every time without anything in the way. Now it's fun and
way more fulfilling. I can bring all of that forth at any given time and say, this is what I can do. I've played through that nervousness for all those years. Continued on page 19
RM: Tell us what you’re up to these days. BT: I'm expanding my Thompson Brand Images to Thompson Event Partners by combining the professional skills I've mastered over the years into one area of service. Music, comedy, and speaking engagements are incorporated with an event planner to help bring energy to events where typically the liveliness is a little low.
RM: In what ways do you perform?
At each event we evaluate where we can infuse energy and life into the mix. I often begin events by leading the room in a song, if not humor. Maybe it's appropriate to play a few tunes throughout our time there, get people up and dancing. We want to make our events enjoyable for everyone attending. We've all been at that one party, where the speaker is just dragging on and on, and you're sitting there trying to stay awake. Our goal is to help you avoid that and keep the energy levels up for everyone involved.
BT: I'm a singer, guitar player, an emcee, speaker and I have also been a stand up comic. It is the most terrifying thing I have
I've learned to be uninhibited, more forward and vulnerable, and that really seems to be generating a great response from audiences.
Page 18 | July 2017
It’s gratifying to bring all of what I can to one arena, so to speak, and make my difference. Juggling my photography business with my music gigs and my emcee gigs and keeping up all the separate websites and social media had me going out of my mind. I'm excited to bring together these different tools that I have collected on my journey and let them fly in one context.
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HAVING FUN WITH WORK IS SERIOUS BUSINESS! Continued from page 18
It took putting myself in those positions, leaning directly into the all of those gigs that stretched me - that fearful stuff. Having a wife that understands who I am right to my core, she could see that possibility for me even when I couldn't. She reminds me even though I feel and even remark that I’m new as an emcee, that I was doing this back in my Air Force days in the mid 1980’s! I've been doing all of this my whole life, and I’m now turning it into something I can really work with. My wife and I are at a pivotal point in life; our only son is heading off to college for four years. Anandi and I are about to be free to travel and have a full schedule of our own and we're looking forward to enjoying that part of our lives again. We love the event business and will be incorporating that into our travel as well. RM: What can people expect to see from your events business? BT: To expand to include services way beyond what I offer myself. Anandi is becoming a big part of that; in her corporate career she often planned year-long events for 150 executives around the world. She is also a presenter and trainer. Part of our Thompson Event Planners will be to train and develop attendees in breakout sessions such as for strategic planning, how to be a public speaker or community leader, etc. We're beginning to develop that content. Between the two of us, along with other great people we have in our lives, we've built this core of very talented presenters that can really turn heads. This is a company aimed at enhancing the events we’re involved with and making them memorable. RM: What is your favorite place you've ever traveled?
BT: You could just draw a big circle around Europe. My heart probably belongs to Germany though. We lived there for almost 5 years and that's actually where my wife and I met when she was a Russian linguist and I was a German linguist in the Air Force. We traveled throughout Europe; I don't think there was much we missed. We've always said that if by some crazy serendipitous happening it was possible to go back to Germany we would, and I think that holds true to this day for both Anandi and I. RM: What's the best piece of advice you've been given? BT: I guess what comes to mind is a philosophy my dad had; he always said his job was to open as many doors as possible for his kids. Experience as much as we possibly could, which was indeed great advice. It was then our job to go through those doors and find the one that worked best for us. In that regard, he gave me the freedom to do what I think is quite unconventional. I didn't have a traditional upbringing; nothing in our lives had really been conventional. When high school was done and most of my classmates went on to college, that wasn't what I had in mind. He supported that. I wanted to live life and he encouraged me to try everything. RM: What regrets, if any, do you have? BT: Sometimes I wish I could have been freer, sooner. I wonder if I could have been this free when I was 30 or 25, how might things have unfolded? I wouldn't say that's really a regret though. Everything has turned out, no matter how risky or foolish it seemed at the time. It worked out beautifully. RM: If you could put up a billboard anywhere and have it say anything, what would it say? BT: “Find your way to make a difference.” Having photographed over 40,000 people over the span of his career, when asked of this amazing accomplishment Bob explains, "It’s simple. I love people and I love making beautiful pictures. The two go hand in hand quite nicely. I still get a little charge every time I look down on the screen and see a great image.” If you've ever attended events in Wesley Chapel, New Tampa, or even downtown, chances are you've run into Bob Thompson a time or two. Whether he’s in the front of the room as emcee, presenting to a Chamber of Commerce breakfast, singing his heart out, or shooting a fortune 500 commercial event, Bob Thompson is on the move. And all of it seems to be making a difference. “Isn’t that the point?” he asks with a smile.
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Churches in Town The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 13510 North 42nd St Tampa, FL 33612 813.979.6051 St. Andrew Presbyterian Church 5340 Primrose Lake Circle Tampa, FL 33647 813.513.8822 Bridgeway Church 30660 Wells Rd Wesley Chapel, FL 33545 813.907.1313 Grace Community 30243 Wells Rd Wesley Chapel, FL 33545 813.994.9363 New Walk Church 35008 SR 54 Zephyrhills, FL 33541 813.469.9299 St. James United Methodist 16202 Bruce B Downs, Tampa FL 33647 813.971.4790 St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church 9724 Cross Creek Blvd Tampa, FL 33647 813.907.7746 Victorious Life Church 6224 Old Pasco Rd Wesley Chapel, FL 33544 813.973.2230
NEW TAMPA ZEPHYRHILLS WESLEY CHAPEL July 2017 | Page 19
Teachers To Parents:
TAG YOU'RE IT! BY WENDY M. DODD
M
ost of us are about a month or so into our summer vacay with the kids. How are we holding up? Sanity still in tact? Yeah, mine either. That last week before school is out I'm Mom of the Year, pinning cool yummy treats and creative summer activities, and after that initial induction week I'm likely to be found hiding out in the depths of my closet scarfing down a Snickers before I'm discovered by the pack. Kids are high energy; parents barely have enough to get thru work and dinner. In our house, we have a pretty impressive age gap, our oldest just turned 17 and the baby is 6. Truth is, there really isn't a magical sanity saver no matter how many bloggers proclaim they've found it. Just a little creativity and a mommy's (or daddy's) intuition can go a long way! 1. Be Present. Not that I've totally mastered this myself, but there's definitely a connection between the quality time I spend with the little buggers and how many outbursts we have. And yes, that goes for both of us. As a mom, I'm more fulfilled when I've spent some good down time with any of the kids. A quick game of Yahtzee, maybe head outside for horseshoes or toss a ball around. Just make sure you're all in. Make sure they're all in. No phones. No cameras. Just presence. 2. Phone a Friend. Better yet, text a friend. The mother of your kids’ BFF to be exact. My kid's BFF's mom happens to rock, and I love her for that. Offer to take both darlings for an evening or two, and with a bit of luck they'll return the favor. Bada boom bada bing, date night sitter dilemma solved.
Page 20 | July 2017
3. Bring back the 80's. (Or 70's, or even the 60's!) Make them do crazy things...like play outside! What's your brightest childhood memory? Playing tag with the neighborhood kids? Chasing fire flies into the night sky? And don't get me started on the rooftop star gazing in the sweet country air! Don't worry if they get a little bored. That's when the magic happens. Imaginations run wild and that youthful curiosity comes alive. 4. Stick to a speciďŹ c bedtime. Just like adults, when kids are sleep deprived they get a little crabby. And we all know where crabby gets us. Stick to a time frame if that's how your household works. That's about all we manage most days, just be sure to meet that cut-off time. 5. Keep it simple. It's no secret most kids have more than enough to keep them entertained these days. Electronics galore, endless TV and perpetual social media updates. Setting up a simple, low-budget Summer Bucket List where everyone contributes a few ideas can be an exciting venture even the big kids can get behind. Deliver hand picked flowers to someone you love, a picnic at the park or an evening of games. We still laugh about that bar of soap that helped my brother lose one of his (already loose) front teeth, right Mom? In the end, they'll forget most of the craziness and remember the effort mom and dad put in to make summer memorable at any cost. You know your kids, their likes and dislikes, and that's a great drawing board for entertainment!
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! E R E H lved T o v n T I U th u o O Y e T GHEow to Get th n Politics i
a Ma By Arian
I
n an increasingly tumultuous political environment, it is more important than ever for the voice of America’s youth to be heard. After all, the politicians we elect, from municipal leaders to federal presidents, decide the state of our schools, environment, and healthcare. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always bring the youth out in droves. In fact, according to The Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement only 50% of citizens aged 18-29 participated in the 2016 presidential election , the lowest of any age group. But why aren’t young people voting? Low voter turnout among the youth is often falsely attributed to a lack of interest and preoccupation with social media. However, the reason for the disconnect is more political. Many young adults are disillusioned with American politics which they view as corrupt, where candidates seem to care more about corporate connections than refugee crises. Let’s take a note from across the pond. In terms of voter turnout, the United Kingdom puts the United States to shame. In the June Parliamentary
election, Britain experienced an unprecedented surge in youth turnout. 70% of people 1824 voted, 30% more than the previous election (Sky News). This explosion was attributed to frustration with the Brexit vote and sky-rocketing tuition fees and resulted in a “hung parliament” where no single political party has an absolute majority of seats. The youth had overwhelmingly voted for the left-wing Labour party. Although the Conservatives won more seats, Labour won seats for the first time since 1997 and the largest share of the vote since 2005 largely as a result of high youth turnout. As demonstrated in the British election, a focus on issues which affect the youth such as raising the minimum wage and reducing student debt has yielded higher participation. Pandering with dance moves and trite slogans like “Pokemon Go to the polls!” is ineffective compared to the grassroots organizing utilized by the Labour party. And ultimately, the lesson that must be learned from the 2017 British Parliamentary election is that young people CAN make a difference. And the most
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cMartin
important way a young person can make that difference is to vote. To be eligible to vote in Florida, you must register at least 29 days before an election. To register you can simply complete a Registration Application and bring it to your local county Supervisor of Elections, driver's license office, or public library. Though you have to be 18 to vote, you can pre-register at 16. Once your application is processed, you will be issued a voter information card and the exciting responsibility of voicing your opinion in today’s democracy. Although the next presidential election will take place in 2020, don’t overlook the midterms in 2018, when Floridians will choose our next governor and senator. However, voting is not the endall-be-all of political engagement. In the meantime, technology makes it easy to keep on top of current events. C-SPAN is golden for daily coverage of the day-today proceedings of the federal government and oftentimes can be more entertaining than scripted reality T.V. Additionally, almost every politician has a social media presence where constituents can keep tabs on their actions in real time. Writing, calling, and
emailing your representatives can work wonders. News networks also broadcast highly engrossing town halls where anyone from Bernie Sanders to Ted Cruz speak candidly about hot topics. But you know what’s even better than watching a town hall on television? Participating in one! Town halls are the best way for citizens to voice their views to and hold representatives accountable for their voting records. In fact when Jason Chaffetz, Chair of the House Oversight Committee, hosted a town hall in Utah this February, he faced a tsunami of boos and shouts of “Do your job!” In the wake of this public display of contempt, Chaffetz announced that he will not run for reelection. By simply participating in politics, anyone can evoke change. As a young citizen of the United States, I recognize my impact on the state of politics today. And as I cast my first vote in the 2016 presidential election, I realized that real change can only be created by this generation. July 2017 | Page 21
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July 2017 | Page 23
TH E YO GA CO R N E R
Ocean
S
tanding immobile in front of the glass door, I read and re-read the days of the week and hours in a day this shop was open. Finally, taking a deep breath, I peered inside. The lights were on and the blur of colored goggles, rubbery black suits, dancing fins and smiling divers filled the visible wall. Taking one more full breath and with a quivering hand, pushed open the door to the dive shop. Stepping across the threshold into the abyss, I marched directly to the unsuspecting smiling owner awaiting my request. Mustering all the courage I had, I stammered, asking about the possibility of maybe, sometime, looking at, and seeing if in the future I may be able to attempt to become scuba certified. Having trained thousands of diver wannabees around the world, his 40 something head bobbed knowingly as he graciously listened to my entire personal history of oceanic fears. His empathic smile never wavered as I spouted on about my husband’s past bout with large bodies of water, and then a friend’s panic of drowning. Endless concerns, interrogating questions, and unnerving comments didn’t faze him. Having spilled all of my doubts and worries on to his counter, my racing heart slowed, the beads of sweat on my brow began to dry, and the air around me cooled. I relaxed as he explained their free, pre-consultation appointment where I could don the gear and slip safely in to three feet of water to determine whether pursuing certification was right for me. This, I could do. Breathing more easily, I texted my husband, two other scuba diving scaredy-cats and scheduled our pre-preliminary, waist-high, pool adventure. Dare I say my nervous shaking transformed into pulsating excitement!
Page 24 | July 2017
Breathing Seasoned divers claim pure tranquility under water while hearing only the sound of their own breathing. Slowing down the breath in diving is key to remaining calm, so I have been told. This is yogic, by nature. Focusing on the sound of your breath as it moves through the body calms, centers, and energizes while synchronizing mind, body, and breath. Pranayama refers collectively to yogic breathing. Ujjayi Breathing (pronounced oo-jai) or Ocean Breath connects directly to the sound of waves and for me, possibly to a future of underwater exploration and wonderment. During challenging yoga poses when the amygdala induces panic or anxiety, applying Ujjayi Breathing:
•
Adjusts and maintains a steady rhythm during the practice
•
Builds body heat
•
Strengthens the sense of presence and self-awareness
•
Encourages the free flow of Prana or life force
•
Slows the mind down
4.
•
Relieves stress
•
Increases oxygen in the blood
Inhale through the back of your throat in the same manner
•
Cultivates energy
5.
•
Normalizes blood pressure
Now, close your lips and continue the out-flow through your nasal passages
Take a moment to practice Ujjayi Breathing five times and listen for the sound of the ocean. 1.
Sit comfortably
2.
Open your mouth in a relaxed O
3.
Exhale from the back of your throat with a HAAAAAH as if you are fogging up a mirror
6.
Breathe in through your nasal passages, sensing a slight constriction in the back of your throat
7.
Focus on the ocean sound of your breathing
8.
Continue this breath at least four more times
9.
Sit quietly with your eyes closed and feel the body sensations of Ocean Breath as it bathes your cells, nerves, muscles and mind
Fears can limit our expression in living a full life. Breathing can dissolve those uncertainties and bring aliveness and awareness back in to the present moment. Fears are sneaky though, and can ”out-of-the-blue” close an entire community pool on the exact day at the exact moment of your scuba diving pre-excursion! Our band of apprehensive “scubers” (now six) was relieved and shamefully celebrated this misfortune. However, the time has come once again to make that call, coordinate multiple calendars, schedule this introductory pool dive, and, and, and…first, follow the above steps. HAAAAAH! Whether you want to increase sports performance, reduce chronic stress, or simply boost your energy levels, Wellcome Om Studio offers a combination of Pranayamana , Asanas, and Pratyahara (meditation) to private clients and offers a public class on Friday mornings at 9am. Check our FB page for seasonal schedules.
Anandi Thompson Author and Owner
We Wellcome OM Studio for Yoga & Wellness
813.789.5582 wellcomeOM@gmail.com facebook.com/wellcomeOM mydoterra.com/wellcomeOM
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A RESOLUTION OF 'S GOD R E A D DA ILY ! D WOR
M
any people set resolutions at the beginning of the year to lose weight, cut out chocolate or get to the gym more often. For me, my resolution was simple—to strengthen my faith and my relationship with God. I decided the best place to start that was with His Word. So I set a resolution to read the entire Bible in one year. As my life has been changing, my faith has evolved too, and I have become more yielding to the will of God. His plans have become a priority and I wanted to understand that more by reading the Bible. I’ve always known, as most Christians do, that I needed to spend more time with God to gain a closer relationship and know Him more deeply. For me this meant spending more of my life in study. So on Sunday, January 1st, I found a great Bible app on Christianity.com and set it up to send me an email every morning at 5:00am. In the span of 365 days I would read the entire Bible. The program started me at the beginning for the first reading, with the book of Genisis. The second reading of the day is typically from the New Testament, and the third or fourth is often a passage from Proverbs or from Psalms. It only takes a few minutes to read those chapters in the morning. At first, just like any new habit, it took a while for
FaiTh
me to stick with it. Sometimes I’d forget or rush to start my day and miss that day’s reading. Even though I set my alarm at 5:00 am to give me time to spend with God, I would sometimes hit the snooze too many times, or turn on the TV, or use the time to do something completely different. I fell behind quite a few times but used the weekends to catch up. I used my work email processing system to alert me when the emails arrived so I wouldn’t miss any of them.
S P I R I T U A L
that when you choose not to start your day off with the Word or with a morning prayer asking Him to lead you in all ways and in all things, you shouldn’t be surprised when things go awry. I can attest that I lived a few of those Murphy’s Law kind of days, and every single time, it was a day that I hadn’t started in the Word. Beginning my morning with God cements a calmness in me, that flows through whatever obstacles I come across. I feel more centered, stronger, and as a result, As I kept at this habit, it became accomplish so much more and give part of my daily routine. Every day, so much more to others. I grew more comfortable reading the Old Testament and I realized It has been more than six months I was learning about things I never since I started my daily Bible remembered studying, even with readings, and as all things with all those years of Catholic school. God come together, I find that I was learning or relearning so in the process of learning more much that at times it felt like I was about Him, my days are populated with reinforcements of the Word reading the latest amazing best I studied that morning. This has seller novel. I would finish the email, then want to run around telling everyone I knew about the stories I had discovered that morning.
been an amazing and wonderful surprise, because I now see His faithfulness and lovingness carrying me, not only through my day, but in my heart as He speaks to me and we develop a deeper relationship. I feel His presence in everything I do now. I look forward to the rest of the year’s readings and to what continuing this daily practice in the years to come will change in my life and in me.
Liza Marie Garcia This former tech CEO founded one of the first telecommunications professional services firm in the US when she was 27 years old. Just coming off a Barnes and Noble nationwide book tour for her debut business book Never Drink Coffee During a Business Meeting last summer 2016, she is now an equity partner in the Publishing and Promotion firm NOW SC Press. Ms. Garcia is a member of KPI, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and also sits on the board of directors for PSA at Cambridge Christian School. She is also part of the SMILE ministry at City Life Church in Tampa and is devoted to her family and her church. She golfs, plays the violin and piano and is a USTA tennis maniac. Ms. Garcia believes Jesus is the head of her household. Ms. Garcia just recently released her second book, called My Calendar is Written in Crayon at the Tampa club on February 28th, 2017.
By April, I was staying on track with my daily reading for the most part. On the few occasions I skipped a reading, I would feel out of touch with God, or out of alignment as I moved through my world of multiple meetings, multiple distractions, multiple requirements. I remembered hearing a pastor say in church
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July 2017 | Page 25
BUSINESS HIGHLIGHT
Pioneer Herbal PRODUCTS
their difficulties in finding similar products in the US, Floris and Nastasia decided to partner up with that company’s owner in order to begin manufacturing those incredible products here in the states.
Their company, Pioneer Herbal Products, is a Florida based company whose products are all made in the USA. You may have seen them at local farmers markets in the Tampa Bay area such as Seminole Heights, Hyde Park, Valrico, Dunedin, Carrolwood and at Fresh Market at the Shops at Wiregrass. All Pioneer Herbal Products USA are hand made BY KAYLA SHUTE in Plant City, Florida, in small hen company owners, Floris and Nastasia moved to the U.S. batches using all of Nature’s 8 years ago from France, they brought their beloved purebred healing agents. Their products are safe, pure and natural, made with Andalusian horse named Kamerun with them. However, certified organic oils and herbs that the change in climate from France to Florida proved challenging are imported from their countries and Kamerun suffered from bug bites, cuts, bruises, sweet itch, mud of origin and recipes that have fever and “no-see-ums” bites. Having always preferred chemical free been perfected over the past 30 products for themselves, they sought out chemical free products for years. In recent years the business their animals as well. While living in France, Floris and Nastasia has extended their product line to used Pioneer Products UK, yet had a difficult time finding anything accommodate house pets, farm similar in the U.S. for their horse that actually worked. Because of
W
animals and even humans. Their product line includes “No-See-Um” spray, Anti-fungal shampoos, Sweet Itch ointments, hoof and wound care products, bug sprays for aviaries, and stables as well as flea shampoos, flea sprays, ointments, dry skin shampoos, odor sprays, and calming sprays. For humans they also carry a line of mosquito and bug spray, athlete’s foot ointments, bruise ointments, body wash, wound care, and pure essential oils. With a plethora of products to choose from, the best sellers are the flea treatment sprays, shampoos and hot spot ointments. You can contact the owners through their website www.pioneerherbalproducts.com or call them at (813) 416-1093. All of these products can be found online and can be shipped to all 50 states. You can also find their products at local markets as well as horse and dog shows. Be sure to stop at their booth this summer at Fresh Market at the Shops at Wiregrass!
Beginner Courses Starting Soon!
Page 26 | July 2017
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C
olor Me Abstract is a non-profit organization dedicated to coordinating local events, such as fundraisers, community engagements and even date nights, designed to encourage families to enjoy quality time together while supporting a great cause and encouraging community involvement. Proceeds from these events are used to support other local organizations as well as CMA's own scholarship fund. Each event is designed to keep out of pocket costs at a minimum for families looking for budget friendly family fun. Events provide affordable food selections, entertainment, raffles and prizes all under one roof. Childcare is also offered at many of CMA's events. Color Me Abstract's family friendly fun proudly encourages community involvement and advocates for different charities at each event. The Color Me Abstract Dynamic Mom Scholarship awards financial assistance to college or career-bound mother's based on their demonstrated
H.O.P.E.S., an organization that helps provide food and clothing to the homeless in New Port Richey. Coming this fall, CMA will host the Fifty Shades of Fashion Show fundraiser on September 16th at the Land O Lakes Community Center! Recognizing that women wear many hats, this event is designed to recognize and empower women of all ages, races and sizes. CMA has enlisted an amazing line-up of make-up artists, hairstylists and clothing designers to pamper each and every beautiful, confident woman who attends! Proceeds to this event will go towards our Color Me Abstract Dynamic Mom scholarship. BY WENDY M. DODD
academic achievements, financial needs, and an express interest in furthering their education. Students eligible for assistance must reside in Pasco County or New Tampa, FL and intend to further their education at a college or university, career college or technical institute. Special consideration will be given to those who have excelled in their academic achievements with a 3.0 GPA or better.​ This year Color Me Abstract has partnered up with two amazing local charities, Sunrise of Pasco, a domestic violence and resource center for women and families, and Bright
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For more information on upcoming events or to volunteer please contact Color Me Abstract www. icolormeabstract.com or on Facebook!
July 2017 | Page 27
PROUDLY SERVING WESLEY CHAPEL & NEW TAMPA
813-528-8717 3737 MARYWEATHER LANE SUITE 101 WESLEY CHAPEL, FL 33544 WWW.SEAOFSMILESCHILDRENDENTIST.COM
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It's movie
time JULY 2017
BY KAYLA SHUTE
I
n the past couple of months a ransomware called Wannacry was found infecting about 200,000 computer systems in 150 countries worldwide. Ransomware works by infecting a computer, locking users out of the system and then holding the decryption as ransom until the victim pays a fee, usually in bitcoin. Schools, hospitals, business, telecommunication services and more were infected. Today we are finding that the challenges of keeping our information safe while online is becoming more and more difficult. Especially in today’s technology driven world where most of our personal information is kept on our smart phones. Here are three tips to help prevent opening yourself up to such an attack. 1. Don’t connect to open or untrusted wifi. A simple and cheap device called a WiFi Pineapple can be purchased by anyone and used as a ‘man in the middle’ tool to get browser data and passwords. So the next time you’re sitting in a coffee shop where they offer free WiFi just remember that someone in there could
OPENING NIGHTS
have a device set up on their laptop or smartphone that can steal your data as soon as you connect to the open network. 2. Don’t ever plug in a USB from an unknown source. It could contain potential malicious software that can be sent back to the original owner, taking your private information right along with it. 3. Never open an email or download an attachment when you don’t know who it’s from. Many come with convincing subject lines saying, “Need to update password” or “There has been suspicious activity on your account”. To find out if these emails are from a trusted source make sure you check the sent message address. It should state it’s from a specific site you are familiar with such as, 'support@amazon.com' Malicious ransomware will have a sender address similar to 48fls45@gmail. com.
Spider-Man: Homecoming July 7
Valerian July 21
The Emoji Movie July 28
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War for the Planet of the Apes July 14
Dunkirk July 21
Atomic Blonde July 28
July 2017 | Page 29
PET OF THE MONTH
DOLLY Dolly is a one-year old F1b goldendoodle. She loves swimming with her human brother and sister, wrestling with her dad, and cuddling with her mom. She is one cool dood! Would you like for your pet or child to be featured in our Pet & Kid of the Month section? If so, please send us 2-7 sentences about your pet or child along with a high resolution image to editorial@residentmagazine.net by the 15th of each month.
BOOKS OF THE MONTH
What Mattters Most: My Calendar is Written in Crayon
Live Again: The Breath of GOD
by Liza Maria Garcia, Abby Brundage and Shirley Review: by Marlene Camacho
by Deidre Gordon-Burks
What Matters Most: My Calendar is Written in Crayon is a heartfelt, honest look at the life of single working moms. The essays included in this book tackle it all--from the loss of identity to the challenges of managing a career and children solo. The authors, Liza Marie Garcia, Abby Brundage and Shirley Jump are all from the Tampa Bay area. Garcia is the owner of NOW SC Press, Brundage is a radio host at Spirit FM, and Jump is a New York Times bestselling author. Each of the women has children at different ages and different careers, ranging in age from five to twenty-three. Their techniques for managing family and job also differ but the advice they give is universal. They talk about their faith, their children, and the unexpected support that arrived, often at just the right time. Reading What Matters Most: My Calendar is Written in Crayon is like sitting down with a friend for a cup of coffee. Warm, witty and frank, this book will leave you feeling like you have a support system for the challenges that lie ahead in your journey as a working single mom. I highly recommend it—and recommend buying one for a friend who is going through the same thing.
Join new Author Deidre Gordon-Burks as she gives the blueprint for victorious living. Be empowered for your journey as one of God's bold and elite soldiers. Take your stand with jurisdictional authority while advancing the kingdom of God, and revolutionize your life with "Live Again: The Breath of God!" Both Live Again book and 40 Day Devotional are available now at Amazon.com.
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