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Wheatland County - This is your chance to be heard! The Strathmore � Wheatland County youth popula�on has dis�nct, diverse requirements, and the Calgary Rural Primary Care Network recognizes the need to increase services to support our young people (ages 11-24). We’re asking for your opinions via our anonymous surveys targeted towards youth and parents/caregivers. Your feedback will guide us in serving you be�er. PARENTS - please type this URL into a browser: h�ps://form.�o�orm.com/91425556436259 YOUTH (11-24) - please use this URL: h�ps://form.�o�orm.com/91434232930249 Or, find links to the survey on our website www.crpcn.ca. TOGETHER, WE’RE BETTER!
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Camping Makes the Weekend Perfect Do you have a weekend without anything to do or a weekend when you don’t want to do anything? I know what I’d do. I would pack up the truck and head for the woods. Sitting by a camp fire with your favourite people solves many problems, so you shouldn’t wait too long between fires. My favourite thing to do on a weekend is to camp. Are you looking for an easy way to camp? How about car camping? I love it!
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First of all, let’s define car camping. When you can drive your vehicle right up to the camp site, that’s called car camping. Even if you’re driving a truck, it’s still called car camping. The advantage of car camping versus primitive or base camping is that you can take anything you want with you. If you want to take a hammock or huge grill or a stack of magazines, you can. Load your car or truck with food, clothing, shelter, bedding, games and anything else you want to take along and get going. It’s really that simple. So where can you car camp? Just about anywhere. National and state parks don’t allow car camping except in designated campgrounds, but other than that, you can car camp virtually anywhere on public lands. The internet is loaded with websites that can help. Start looking at www.backcountrytoys.com/education.htm. Here are some things I take along when I car camp: hiking gear, bird watching binoculars and field guide, a radio for music and weather updates, tent, cot, sleeping bag, grill, shovel, fire starting gear, lots of food and drink, first aid kit, a stack of reading material – this can also be used for building a fire – such as newspapers and magazines, rain gear, hammock, dogs and dog food, folding chairs and table, stove, table service and utensils… you get the idea. I take all that I need to be comfortable. If you don’t have these things, don’t fret, all you really need are food, shelter and common sense. Camping is a great way to renew and strengthen relationships. Take your spouse, your children, your siblings, your friends. Without the distractions of television, telephone, internet and alarm clocks, you will have a wonderful time. I’ll always remember something a dear friend of mine told me years ago, “Time spent in our great outdoors is time added to your life.” That sounds like a good reason to go. Get Outdoors! ~ Newsy
CKRC is the largest, fastest growing and most successful kart club in Canada with over 220 members. It has a large volunteer professionally-trained Race Staff that ensure race days go without a hitch. Opportunities to join our Race Staff are always open and anyone interested in becoming part of the team with the best seats in the house are encouraged to contact the Club Manager 403 305 9170 manager@ckrc.com.
Try a Kart Program
For a nominal fee, anyone 5 or older can try a full-on race kart - with all the safety equipment, instruction and coaching provided. All you need to bring is running shoes and enthusiasm. What we race is what you drive! We use the same grade of equipment as we race on the weekend. 2019 Try A Kart Dates Saturday, August 24 Sunday, August 25
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What is Kid Kart?
Kid Kart is a safe, non-competitive introduction to karting for 5 – 11-year-old kids. Instruction is provided; the program teaches kids how to navigate the track safely, the racing line is introduced, and kart control is emphasized. No wheel-to-wheel racing takes place but lapping sessions provide the concepts of braking points, lines, handling, etc.
3 Monday evenings per month
CALGARY KART RACING CLUB (CKRC) The CKRC is a non-profit member club that promotes the sport of karting, with emphasis on safety, good sportsmanship and fun for the entire family. We strive to maintain a professional racing environment with emphasis on safety and fairness and deliver a memorable kartingexperience to all members and guests at our facility.
The Calgary Kart Racing Club was established in the early 1960’s. It has survived many generations of karters and raced at many different venues through the years. The one constant has been the great people that have enjoyed the camaraderie of kart racing. It began as a small, dedicated group of individuals racing in Calgary area parking lots, and evolved to what is today a well organized, thriving non-profit organization with its own purpose-built track just east of the town of Strathmore. The CKRC organizes approximately 11 regular season sprint race events and one Endurance (“Enduro”) event from April through October, as well as regularly scheduled practice sessions on Tuesday and Thursdays throughout the summer. The CKRC is a member group of the FIA though its Canadian affiliate ASN Canada.
Try-A-Kid Kart Introductory Sessions 1 Wednesday evening per month Race weekends, Kid Karters have access to the track during the lunch break. Kids up to 11 can take part in Formula Kid Kart as an alternative to racing.
Check out their ad on the COVER of the August issue of the Newsy Neighbour Magazine. We’re SO excited to have them in this issue. If you have any questions, please check out their website https://ckrc.com/
FROGS, KIDS AND SUMMER I grew up in small towns for most of my life and when summer rolled in with bright sunny days, we spent the whole day every day outside. Our parents never knew where we were and just would say to me as I headed out the door in the morning, “Just make sure you are home for supper”.
We would climb in the grain bins and make gum out of chewing the wheat grains, build tree forts in the trees, jump on a pogo stick for hours, play jump rope, go to the fairgrounds and play tag on the wood corrals; but one of our favorite things was to go catch FROGS at the many ponds in the town. We would take our jars and nets, put our gum boots on and spend hours upon hours searching through the reeds and green topped ponds for frogs. Our gum boots would get stuck in the muddy bottoms and we would fall over and get all wet, find leaches stuck to our bodies – but we knew how to get them off. We knew how to have real fun. I am afraid this was the olden days and this new generation of children may never feel those moments with nature and just pure child play days. We would make wooden rafts out of old pieces of wood and binder twine and float them out into the middle of these ponds with not a worry in the world. Life was great to be a kid back then. Now let me tell you frogs were not easy to catch, we could spend a whole day out “Frogging” and come home with only a few. My mother would always say, Good lord, look at you and what on earth are you going to do with those frogs, they are going to die, what are you going to feed them and besides you will get warts from those frogs”? We would keep them in big glass jars with grass and twigs and dirt. We’d try to catch fly’s and bugs to put in the jar, and pound holes in the lid with a hammer and nail so they could breath. I would keep mine on my dresser and listen to them as I fell asleep. Then after a few days I would feel sorry for them, my friends too, and back to the pond we would go to let them free, we all agreed it was the right thing to do. Growing up in a small town is such a wonderful opportunity for
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children and parents alike especially in the summer. You don’t have to drive far to find a pond, catch some frogs or minnow’s, pick some pussy willows (spray them with lacquer and they make wonderful flower arrangements). There is always a river close by to go fishing or pick stones for your children to paint. Make them use their imagination – painting stones is tons of fun and great to decorate your garden with. Have a scavenger hunt. Look for things like pine cones, old pieces of wood, or anything you can think of. See who can find the most things? My new thing (even though my children are all grown up) is walking through the forest and looking for interesting pieces of wood for my yard, children are great at finding sticks and bark. Pack a lunch and have a good old-fashioned picnic. Seriously, there are so many things you and your children can do outside in the sunshine, running and playing and getting fresh air. Fly a Kite, go to the park and blow bubbles, hula hoop, roller blade, make a hopscotch on your sidewalk, make smores, have a water balloon fight, take pictures, run through the sprinkler, set up a lemonade stand (we always did this on a really hot sunny day and always had customers), find shapes in the clouds, learn to do cart-wheels, build a fort in your back-yard. The possibilities are endless. We use to set up a tent in our backyard and play in it all day, reading books and coloring and at night we would sleep in it all night long (most of the time). Sometimes we would get a little scared! My children, their friends, and I would make movies. Sometimes this would take the whole day and we had a ton of FUN!! Once we made the beginning of Foot-Loose with all the feet dancing at the beginning with all the different kind of shoes we could find, it was a hoot. We all laughed a lot. My point is just give your children a chance to use their imagination, do not let them sit around and be bored being outside. Having kids use their imagination is one of the most wonderful things you can do for your children. Force them if you have too. Seems these days children have to be directed and prompted by their parents to have fun outside and would rather be inside on the computer or playing console games or on their phones. It is a very sad situation and it makes me wonder what will their children be like? You will have lots and lots of great memories to look back on, just do it! Kathryn Hartwell
“We would take our jars and nets, put our gum boots on and spend hours upon hours searching through the reeds and green topped ponds for frogs.”
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trilogyhomes.ca A man was driving along the highway, and saw a rabbit hopping across the middle of the road. He swerved to avoid hitting the rabbit, but unfortunately the rabbit jumped in front of the car and was hit. The driver, being a sensitive man as well as an animal lover, pulled over to the side of the road, and got out to see what had become of the rabbit. Much to his dismay, the rabbit was dead. The driver felt so awful; he began to cry. A woman driving down the highway saw the man crying on the side of the road and pulled over. She stepped out of her car and asked the man what was wrong. “I feel terrible,” he explained, “I accidently hit this rabbit and killed it.” The woman told the man not to worry. She knew what to do. She went to her car trunk, and pulled out a spray can. She walked over to the limp, dead rabbit, and sprayed the contents of the can onto the rabbit. Miraculously the rabbit came to life, jumped up, waved its paw at the two humans and hopped down the road. 50 meters away the rabbit stopped, turned around, waved and hopped down the road, another 50 meters, turned, waved and hopped another 50 meters. The man was astonished. He couldn’t figure out what substance could be in the woman’s spray can!! He ran over to the woman and demanded, “What is in your spray can? What did you spray on that rabbit?” The woman turned the can around so that the man could read the label. It said: “Hair spray. Restores life to dead hair. Adds permanent wave.”
A Mafia Godfather finds out that his bookkeeper, Guido, has cheated him out of $10 million. His bookkeeper is deaf. That was the reason he got the job in the first place; it was assumed that Guido would hear nothing so he would not have to testify in court. When the Godfather goes to confront Guido about his missing money, he takes along his lawyer who knows sign language. The Godfather tells the lawyer, “Ask him where’s the money?” The lawyer, using sign language, asks Guido, “Where’s the money?” Guido signs back, “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” The lawyer tells the Godfather, “He says he doesn’t know what you’re talking about.’ The Godfather pulls out a pistol, puts it to Guido’s temple, and says, “Ask him again!” The lawyer signs to Guido, “He’ll kill you if you don’t tell him.” Guido signs back, “OK! You win! The money is in a brown briefcase, buried behind the shed at my cousin Bruno’s house.” The Godfather asks the lawyer, “What did he say?” The lawyer replies, “He says you don’t have the guts to pull the trigger.”
Founded in 2011, the Chestermere Chamber of Commerce provides an avenue for businesses in the community to create a positive business environment and essentially exists to make the community a better place in which to live. The Chamber works closely with its municipal government and peaks for the business community at public hearings, the media and behind closed doors. It is the "United voice of Chestermere business".
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Join The Chamber TODAY! Phone: 403 770 9680
Email: info@chestermerechamber.com
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LET’S GET PICKLED
I had my son call me the other day and say the most surprizing thing to me, “Mom can we make some pickled carrots and beans this year like we use to”? He loves my pickled carrots and beans and we all know pickling is a lot of work. The one year there were 6 of us working away in the kitchen, peeling carrots and fresh garlic, cutting ends off the beans, slicing, making brine, separating dill and stuffing jars. It was a ton of FUN and at the end we had at least 4 dozen quart jars of pickled carrots and beans. This is the time of year to get pickling with all the fresh carrots and beans out there. So, we are going to pick a Sunday and do it all again. Now, let me tell you there are a ton of variations of pickling brine and you can add a lot of different ingredients to your brine besides pickling spice and salt. I normally stick to the original old German recipe my mother and grandmother used and find that you can add different flavours to the jars instead of the brine. Things like jalapeno peppers, fresh garlic of course, dried chile or serrano pepper it you like a little heat. GRANDMA’S RECIPE 2 CUPS WATER 2 CUPS VINEGAR 2 TABLESPOONS SALT – MUST BE PICKLING SALT – NOT TABLE SALT
That’s it. I use the biggest pot I can find and of course make as much as the pot can safety hold. It does not take long to boil and then I turn mine right down to just a simmer while you are getting all the jars stuffed. Realistically it is easier to get all your jars ready first then make the brine. Remember you must sterilize the jars before you stuff them. I put them into the dishwasher and run a short HOT cycle to do this otherwise you can boil them in a canning pot. Take off the lids and rims and throw them into a pot of hot water and simmer (leave them in there until you are ready to use them). Now, to stuff the quart-sized jars once they are sanitized, I put 2 garlic cloves cut in half and 5 or 6 sprigs and one flowering dill head into the jars. Then stuff as many peeled quartered carrots you can fit. Make sure you cut them so they are at least ½ inch below the top of the jar or the lid will not fit properly. Same if you are pickling beans at the same time or you can make a mixture of both in the same jar. Once your whole table and counter is full of stuffed jars (at least mine was) you pour the boiling brine into each jar stopping ½ inch from the top. Using a lid and ring out of your pot where they have been simmering, put on jar and close, turning as tight as you can. Turn upside-down on a towel on the counter. To add the brine to the jars, I use a 4 Cup glass measuring cup to pour—makes it easier that way. Won’t take long and as the jars are sealing you will hear the joyful sound of the jars popping, then you know they are sealed!! I let them cool on the counter overnight just to be sure they all have sealed properly. They are ready to eat in 2 – 3 weeks, but I know for a fact that my son got into them sooner than that. Sounds easy, right? Well, actually it really is if you have a lot of hands helping. It is a really FUN event for a Sunday afternoon and a couple bottles of wine add to the fun. Seriously, do this and the great thing is you actually have something beautiful to show for all your hard work. Forgot to mention you can use this brine for just about everything you feel like pickling like Zucchini, onions, peppers, beets, radishes, asparagus, cauliflower and jalapenos. Just use your imagination. AND, did you know that pickle juice is actually good for you? Athletes have been drinking pickle juice to relieve muscle cramps after exercising and pickle juice could lower blood sugar spikes in healthy adults. AND, pickle juice has a variety of antioxidants, including vitamin C and E. AND, your digestive system benefits from it. The juice contains vinegar, which is fermented, and good for your gut. JUST DO IT – IT IS FUN. Kathryn Hartwell
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the instructions! You do not want to be reading the instructions while performing the job, as the wasps have been known to attack. Never stand just under the nest as the insecticide will fall on you and you might not correctly soak the nest. Ensure you have good access to the nest's opening so that you can get as much wasp killer inside it as you can. Make sure you have an escape route!
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Another method is freezing the nest. Again, any method that shows you how to eliminate wasps should be performed at night. Cover the nest with a heavy plastic bag and seal it. Cut down the nest and freeze it. It's an effective but risky way of eliminating wasps. Use a high strength wasp killer. The hardest part of learning to eliminate wasps is learning how to deal with hidden nests. Many times, these are concealed in attics or behind walls. If wasps are present but there's no nest, you must be extremely careful when you try to find it. Wear the proper clothing, or call a professional. Professionals can be costly; however, they use great wasp killer. You can do the job yourself with the advice given. Before you try it though, you should study the main things to know outlined so you know the best wasp killer to use. So now you have the knowledge how to be a wasp killer go get them! ~ Newsy
The Wasp Killer Secrets
Kill hornets and wasps by using the very best wasp killer.
Even if you've chosen the very best wasp killer, you must effectively identify the insect. If you are unsure, you should get a good quality hornet and wasp killer! However, never confuse wasps with bees. The humble bumble bee is very important in plant pollination and avoids having to sting as it dies as a result. Wasps & hornets by comparison are very different! This is important to learn how to use the right wasp killer effectively.
Friends: When’s your next day off? We miss you! Me: I have an opening on Wednesday from 4-4:30.
We could take our kids to a restaurant tonight or cut out the middle mand and just spill a drink, throw If you need to retrieve the wasp's nest, you must get appropricrayons under the table and light $60 on fire. The type of wasp killer you use is important.
ate coverings. All wasps do get extremely aggressive if disturbed! Destroying the nest will not do it. You need to learn to use a wasp killer correctly on a nest or they'll merely rebuild their nest.
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The most appropriate time of the day to approach a nest is at night when every wasp is present. It's possible for you to use WD-40 to spray the wasps but you need to cover all of the nest because if you miss, they will be alerted. Therefore, it's best to have high strength wasp killer.
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At night, when there is no sign of any wasp activity, apply your wasp killer directly into the nest. Make sure you have pre-read
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occur, they may take to marking in order to express their angst. If your pet isn’t neutered or spayed, it may We Offer: contribute to the problem. Intact cats have • Alternative Therapy a much higher likelihood of spraying in the • Small & Large house, and therefore spaying or neutering Animal Services should be considered. • Orthopedics Are there any renovations occurring within • After Hours the household, or a change in the general Emergency Care atmosphere? Take a look around and see with if there is something that maybe wasn’t noticed before, that could be attributing to your cat’s stress level. Keeping familiar music on during the day to drown out the noise, or keeping your kitty in a familiar space away from the contractors can help. New pets (or people) in the house can lead to changes causing stress. A new kitten or puppy can create an anxious feline who is used to a space that was once in “order” and considered their “own” domain. You may notice that your cat now retreats to a cer403.901.1800 clinic & emergency | info@animalcarecentre.ca | animalcarecentre.ca tain area of the house, and even hides away We are located north of the Trans Canada Hwy on RR 254, 2 km West of Strathmore. to avoid the intruder. Outdoor animals such as a new dog or stray cat may also trigger our felines to act out and mark. Closing the immediate blinds to the outdoor intruders can be helpful in alleviating this issue.
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What to Do When Cats Spray
Cats are a lovely addition to our family; they aid in reduction of our stress level, keep mice levels under control and are a warm greeting when we return home from work. But what do we do when our beloved cats start to “mark” or “spray” randomly in and around the house? These behaviours are frustrating and when the root cause cannot be identified and solved, they can eventually lead to surrender of our precious pets.
What is Urine Marking?
Urine marking is different than normal elimination for a few reasons. A cat might display marking by holding his tail up high and spraying the side of a wall or vertical object. You may notice that cats will almost vibrate as they do this, and the smell might be different than that of regular urination. When it comes to marking, horizontal surfaces are used less commonly. Urine marking is a normal behaviour in cats, and they use a combination of urine and pheromones to communicate with other felines that this is their territory and to stay away. It is also used more commonly in intact males for mating purposes. When the spraying starts to happen in the house, it can be due to a variety of factors, and these factors need to be narrowed down so that the appropriate resolution can occur.
Narrowing It Down
Urine marking usually stems from a medical condition, an environmental issue, a territorial problem, or a behavioural issue. Now that we have an understanding as to why cats mark, we need to ensure that our cats are healthy to ensure that this behaviour isn’t due to medical reasons. A visit to your veterinarian not only rules out a medical issue, but your vet can also provide you with the tools and resources you need to treat any behavioural issues.
What Causes Urine Marking and What Can Be Done About It?
Once medical conditions have been ruled out, we can look into cat behaviours and why this may trigger marking. Cats are generally anxious animals, and when changes or stressful events
Additional Tips
Check your litter boxes! The general rule of thumb with cats is to have one litter box per cat, PLUS ONE additional box. Ensure that they are clean and in a safe, welcoming space that is inviting for your cat. Clean up the urine with an appropriate cleanser. Avoid ammonia-based cleaners and instead use an enzymatic cleaner that will break down the urine properly, debunking the odour and chances of another urine marking offence. Ensure to provide your cat with healthy, mentally stimulating activities. Provide cat perches, toys and food games that can help keep them busy both mentally and physically. Talk to Your Veterinarian If you are becoming frustrated and nothing seems to work, don’t hesitate to contact your veterinarian. There are lots of great options that your vet can provide you with including anti-anxiety medication that might be enough to reduce your cat’s stress. Chelsey Chevrier, RVT Reviewed by Dr. Rand Davis, DVM Animal Care Centre of Strathmore References: 1. Kenneth Martin, DVM, DACVB ‘Feline Inappropriate Elimination – Tinkle or Sprinkle’. VIN. https://www.vin.com/members/cms/project/defaultadv1. aspx?id=7432388&pid=15459&. Accessed July 26, 2019. 2. Wendy Brooks, DVM, DABVP ‘Inappropriate Elimination (House Soiling) in Cats’. Veterinary Partner. https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default. aspx?pid=19239&id=4951508. Accessed July 26, 2019. 3. Mychelle Blake, MSW, CDBC ‘Cat Spraying: What You Can Do’. Pet Health Network. http:// www.pethealthnetwork.com/ cat-health/cat-behaviour/catspraying-what-you-can-do.
Chestermere Country Fair
Celebrating 30 Years of Country Fairs in Chestermere Parade, Farm Safety, Kids Games, Family Activities, Farmers’ Market, Red Ribbon Bench Show, Mutton Busting, Food Trucks, Entertainment, Craft Beer Tasting and more!
e r a s e i r o m e The best m de at the Country Fair ma
September 7, 2019
Hosted by the Rocky View Chestermere Agricultural Society
Chestermere Recreation Centre
9am - 4pm 201 West Chestermere Drive
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A Hiatus into
Yesteryear PART 2
Written by Sabrina Kooistra
“Carrying the Delicate Flower of Morale”: The Complicated Relationship Between the Patriarchy and American Women’s Homefront Efforts During WWII A segmented essay regarding the ways in which clothing and makeup, homemaking practices, and war marriages became essential and notable contributions to the Homefront war effort. The final chapter seeks to debunk the notion that WWII made sizeable contributions to gender equality. In the making of this essay, I used musicals produced during the Second World War to aid in my research. Indeed, movies often suggest more about the time in which they were made than the time in which it was set, so I have provided movies at the bottom of each section that I feel are an apt representation of the time in which these chapters speak of. Each musical can be viewed on either iTunes or YouTube. “The Loveliest Girls in the Nation”: USO Hostesses Boost Morale The United Service Organizations (USO), proposed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1941, was established as an amalgamation of six major organizations: the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA), the Jewish Welfare Board, the National Catholic Community Service, the National Travelers Aid Association, and the Salvation Army. While the organization continues to exist, its
mission during the Second World War was to offer civilians an opportunity to take part in the war effort from the Homefront, eventually proving to be an immensely popular form of service to the “Morale Branch.” In September of 1941, 89 USO clubs were in operation, and a mere year later, 967 USO clubs were active. Despite the immense emotional and domestic labour required of volunteers charged with providing companionship and counsel to soon-to-be-deployed men, efforts by the USO were regarded as noble, patriotic service to those sacrificing their lives for the nation’s cause. United Service Organizations’ hostesses, in specific, played a key role in the American war effort by embracing traditional norms of womanhood and femininity, and combating the promiscuity of ‘pin-up girl’ types, in order to boost the morale of servicemen. Hostesses were particularly valuable to the American war effort for their ability to be a ‘naturally’ positive presence for those experiencing separation anxiety or distress about life on the front , and by utilizing their domestic aptitudes and knowledge, hostesses were able to bring ‘home’ to the men who could not necessarily retreat to their families, friends, and regular dwellings. The USO had two categories of hostesses: junior hostesses who were between 18 and 34, and senior hostesses who were generally married women aged 35 and older. Junior hostesses served as a sort of ‘wholesome’, Americanized version of Geishas, by bringing their charming hospitality and companionship outside their homes and to the servicemen. Young USO hostesses would converse with soldiers about their families and their homes, dance with them at USO hosted dances, go out on picnics or share a non-alcoholic drink with them, and most generally, provided physical closeness with the opposite sex– a rare commodity on the front lines. Ultimately, junior hostesses provided companionship and comfort to men in order to provide an alternative to the brothels and bars in the vicinity of military camps , thus preventing the unbridled spread of venereal disease produced by illicit sexual encounters. It was believed that a minority of men would actively seek out Christian organizations and the USO sought to make these associations mainstream and widely available. As a result of this mission to provide wholesome entertainment to servicemen otherwise susceptible to illicit sexual activity, the USO was stringent about the quality of the women who engaged with servicemen. While hostesses engaged in arguably date-life activities with servicemen, the USO required hostesses to be ‘good girls’: women who abstained from sexual encounters or relationships that superseded their exclusive role as platonic, albeit temporary, companions. Nevertheless, hostesses
were instructed to be well-dressed, which often meant wearing brightly coloured dresses, to have a charming personality, and to be physically attractive in order to appear ‘universally’ attractive to heterosexual males. In contrast, senior hostesses served the troops as pink-collared labourers, bringing remembrances of traditional American homelife to the USO bases. By cooking and baking,
and sewing and fixing uniforms, senior hostesses served as mother-figures in the absence of biological mothers, creating a “home away from home.” Senior hostesses were also charged with providing counselling to servicemen, as well, and in order to effectively counsel troubled troops, many senior hostesses were trained to detect signs of what modern day psychologists would diagnose as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. While women-in-World-Wars rhetoric has been dominated by the discussion of women entering male-dominated fields and jobs, USO hostesses symbolize the pervasiveness of the ‘traditional women,’ a tender, domesticated woman whose attractiveness and charm were essential to her being. Indeed, meetings with beautiful and charming young women were thought to encourage men on the front to struggle tirelessly for victory; however, this had negative consequences on both servicemen and hostesses. Servicemen circulated through USO facilities quite regularly, thus, the brief but cherished memories servicemen had would likely only produce heartache. The thought that their USO sweethearts would be routinely interacting with other men, was an unfortunate byproduct of otherwise positive and fulfilling USO events. Similarly, women endured great emotional tolls for their own seemingly replaceable nature. They were one of a host of other women whose sole purpose was to be a mere female presence, not a dynamic, female individual. Therefore, it became imperative that servicemen, as well as hostesses, adopted a “here-today, gone-tomorrow attitude” toward those they met through the USO. In other cases, however, memorable experiences at USO events produced courtships and even marriages. Though not the intention of USO events, this sheds light on both the efficacy of this morale boosting initiative, but also the influence of a cherished ‘girl back home’ on those serving on the warfront.
By providing an opportunity to socialize and create memorable experiences with young, beautiful women, servicemen cherished experiences at USO events and canteens. It is important to consider, however the role USO events and hostesses played in suppressing and counteracting the perceived gender parity gains of the Second World War. Indeed, the canteen scene was a grounds for merrymaking and romance, generally accepted and cherished by both servicemen and hostesses, but the extent to which this relied on patriarchal constructs of femininity and womanly nature is arguably immeasurable. Movies to Complement this Section: Stage Door Canteen (1943), Hollywood Canteen (1944), Two Girls and a Sailor (1944)
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Back to School Advice My daughter starts middle school in September. We’ve purchased decorations for her locker, bought new clothes, even surprised her with a new backpack. But tonight, before bed, we did another pre-middle school task that is far more important than the others. I gave her a tube of toothpaste and asked her to squirt it all out onto a plate. When she finished, I calmly asked her to put all the toothpaste back into the tube. She began exclaiming things like, “But I can’t!” and “It won’t be like it was before!” I quietly waited for her to finish and then asked her the following: “You will remember this plate of toothpaste for the rest of your life. Your words have power over life or death. As you go into middle school, you are about to see just how much weight your words carry. You are going to have the opportunity to use your words to hurt, demean, slander and wound others. You are going to have the opportunity to use your words to heal, encourage, inspire, and love others. “You will occasionally make the wrong choice; I can think of three times this week I have used my own words carelessly and caused harm. Just like this toothpaste, once the words leave your mouth, you can’t take them back. Use your words carefully. When others are misusing their words, guard your words. Make the choice every morning that life-giving words will come out of your mouth. Decide tonight that you are going to be a life-giver in middle school. Be known for your gentleness and compassion. Use your life to give life to a world that so desperately needs it. You will never, ever regret choosing kindness. “
BULLYING Tiffany Mitchell, MC, Provisional Psychologist
Bullying occurs everyday!
“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me”. This is an adage attributed with bullying, that I am sure many have heard through the years. Before reading any further, THIS SAYING IS WRONG! Constantly telling children that words have no power leaves a child feeling powerless when they cannot defeat the words. The fact is words hurt, at times, more than a broken bone. Bones heal but the damage done by words does not heal as easily. There are many ways that children will try and express to adults that they are being bullied. Often, children struggle with expressing and talking about things in the way that adults do. Some of the more common signs that a child is being bullied are; withdrawing at home, being more aggressive (verbally or physically) with younger siblings, refusal to go to school or extra curricular activities, and not showing emotion. As parents, it can be difficult to keep focus on how a child is doing and their behaviours with the busy lives that are often led. This often leads to children ‘falling through the cracks’ as the proverbial saying goes. As parents we can not ‘bubble wrap’ our children or be present with them every minute of the day. How do we be present and notice when things are not going perfect for our children or be able to intervene when they are struggling? Of the many options, one easy strategy is to set up a time that is for the family to be together away from all electronic distractions. This can be done in many ways, such as family dinner at the table or a family games night. Eating as a family at the table allows time to ask about each others day and to demonstrate genuine curiosity. Having a game in between you and a child can often remove the stress of face to face conversation, removing the feeling of being ‘grilled’. The mode of taking time as a family can vary, but one important factor is the need to remove electronics, such as television and cell phones. Yes, this means parents, too. Removing cell phones, for even 30 minutes, forces us to be fully present in the physical environment. How do we prepare our children to face bullies and cope with different events? The main strategy is fostering self-esteem, helping a child in believing and being able to internally refute what the bully says. Praise and discussing things that were done well is hard, often it is just expected. However, children need to hear praise and encouragement in all aspects, when they hear praise it helps build their confidence and gives them the ability to have examples that prove the bully is wrong. For example, a child is confronted by a bully and told “you can not do anything right”, a child that has been praised and developed self-esteem can internally refute this by bringing forth a positive example “but I did really well on my science exam”. It is important as parents and caregivers to help teach children that they do not necessarily have to stand up to the bully and verbally or physically refute them, rather they only need to counter and prove to themselves that the bully is wrong. Being present and having a warm and safe environment at home is important to help decrease the impact of bullies. But one can prepare children to deal with bullies by adding to their self-esteem and preparing them for school with a full tool-box of examples that rebut the harmful words spoken.
Resources for Bullying...
Bullying Canada
WE STAND UP FOR BULLIED YOUTH BullyingCanada is only national anti-bullying charity solely dedicated to creating a brighter future for bullied youth. What began as a youth-created website to bring together bullied kids and provide information on bullying and how to stop it is now a full 24/7 support service. On any day of the year, at any time, youth, parents, coaches and teachers contact us by phone, online chat and email for help on how to make their bullying stop. Our Support Team has more than 215 highly-trained volunteers.
www.bullyingcanada.ca
Dare to Care
BULLY PREVENTION While conflict is a normal part of life...bullying is NOT and should NEVER be tolerated in any environment. #KnowTheDifference Dare to Care is a unique program regarded as the most comprehensive and practical bully prevention program in Canada. Dare to Care enables schools, sport organizations, community groups and workplaces to mobilize and maintain a caring community. Dare to Care is changing and saving lives. CHECK OUT OUR PROGRAMS www.daretocare.ca
Westmount Elementry School in Strathmore
There is a document that Westmount School uses to help students recognize what is rude behaviour, mean behaviour or bullying. What Is Bullying? You can view the document on their website here http://westmountelementary.com/ along with an anti bullying video
When you see bullying
Bullying is worse and lasts longer when there are bystanders around. If you are a bystander, you have the power to help in 3 ways:
Stay and help 1. 2.
Tell the person who is bullying to stop. Help the person targeted feel supported by speaking up for them when it is safe to do so. 3. Call 911 if the situation is violent and the person being bullied is in immediate danger. 4. Leave and get help 5. Find someone who has the skills and authority to help such as a teacher, supervisor, police officer or coach. 6. Share what you saw and heard with the person who can help. 7. After the incident, support the person targeted 8. Let them know that they do not deserve to be treated that way and it is not their fault. 9. Connect them with someone who can help prevent future incidents, like a supervisor, human resources person, teacher or coach. 10. Whenever possible, include them in your future activities. 11. Bullying is preventable. There are many things we can do to create spaces that are free from bullying. Know the actions we can take as friends, colleagues, parents, coaches and teachers to prevent bullying.
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Now that’s what I call.... In my junior year of high school, this guy asked me on a date. He rented a Redbox movie and made a pizza. We were watching the movie and the oven beeped so the pizza was done. He looked me dead in the eye and said, “This is the worst part.” I then watched this boy open the oven and pull the pizza out with his bare hands, rack and all, screaming at the top of his lungs. We never had a second date. Luke: Why did the M&M go to school? Stan: I’m stumped. Luke: Because he really wanted to be a Smartie! Chad: Why do magicians do so well in school? Josh: I don’t know. Why? Chad: They’re good at trick questions. Jacob: Why was the teacher wearing sunglasses to school? Leonard: Why? Jacob: She had bright students!
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IS AN EGG (403) 936-8432 JUST AN EGG?
White vs. Brown
Different types of chickens lay different coloured eggs. The two colours we see in stores are white eggs and brown eggs. I always that brown 109-355 Centre Street NW SSthought 2 Langdon, AB T0Jeggs 1X2were better for you but that is not true at all. They were jut hatched from a different breed of chicken, and they are priced higher because that type of chicken is usualCOMPLIMENTARY Teeth Whitening! ly larger and more expensive to raise. I was just visiting a friend in South and her daughter had the most beautiful chickWhen you complete a full checkupDakota and cleaning ens I have ever seen. We went into the coop to see if there were any eggs and you’re not going to believe it, there were eggs of every size and colour even green – no kidding.
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Conventional cage eggs
These eggs come from hens that live in climate-controlled barns in cages about 6-7 per cage. Each hen has about 60 to 80 square inches of space.
Every time I go to the grocery store, there is yet another new type of egg carton to ponder. Is this just another craze, like who can come up with the most types of wine coolers or flavoured coffee’s, flavoured water, beer? Truthfully, just about everything comes in different flavours these days. Oh yes, but this egg thing is for our health. So, are you telling me we have been eating un-healthy eggs for years and years, or is it that chickens are treated differently these days than years past? The answer is yes, chickens are treated differently because producers want to make more and more, yes, of both eggs and money. I’m not getting political here, but I wanted to get to the bottom of this! What truly is the difference between Grade A, Grade AA, Grade B, Conventional Cage Eggs, Cage Free Eggs, Free Run, Free Range Eggs, Organic Eggs, Omega-3 Eggs and Vitamin Enriched Eggs, Vegetarian or whether they are brown or white?
This is how it all cracks up.
Grade AA eggs: These eggs have the best appearance, with firm and thick eggs whites and round yolks with little to no defects. Grade A eggs: These are the same as grade AA eggs, except the egg whites are only considered “reasonably firm.” Grade B eggs: The shells might be stained. The whites aren’t as firm, the yolks less round. You typically won’t see these in cartons at the store. They’re often used in liquid eggs products where they don’t have to look as presentable.
Cage-free eggs
These eggs come from hens that have more room to roam, about 140 square feet per hen — generally in some kind of room or open area. They are still somewhat contained.
Free-range eggs
These hens are usually outdoors (or have some indoor-outdoor access). They have more of an opportunity to forage freely versus eating from automated feed and water lines.
Free-Run Eggs
These eggs come from hens that are raised in free-run (barn or aviary) housing systems. Free-run systems allow the hens to roam freely within an enclosed barn, while also providing a variety of enrichments such as nesting boxes and perches.
Organic Eggs
These eggs come from hens that are raised in free-range housing systems. The hens are only provided feed that has been certified organic, which means that it only contains ingredients that were grown without pesticides, herbicides or commercial fertilizer. Look for a certified organic symbol on the egg carton.
Omega-3 Eggs
These eggs come from hens that were provided feed containing extra flax (up to 10-20%). As a result, the eggs laid by these hens contain more Omega-3 fatty acids.
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Vitamin-Enriched Eggs
These eggs come from hens that were provided feed that was nutritionally enhanced to include higher levels of certain vitamins (i.e.: Vitamin D or Vitamin E). As a result, the eggs laid by these hens contain corresponding higher amounts of the particular vitamin(s).
Vegetarian Eggs
These eggs come from hens that were provided feed containing only plant-based ingredients.
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ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha Doctor: How often do you exercise? Me: Three times. Doctor: A week? A month? Me: I have given my answer.
AVOCADO: Hello, I’m good fat! BACON: *lights cigarette* *punches avocado*
As we all know, the prices on all these different eggs are all over the map, but they all have one thing in common. Eggs are good for you and quite possibly the world's most perfect protein source. They contain all nine amino acids that make up a complete protein. In fact, the amino acids contained in eggs are so well suited to the human body that scientists use eggs to measure the protein value of other foods. The yolk contains a higher percentage of the eggs’ vitamins than the white, including vitamins A, D, E and K. Egg yolks are one of the few foods that are a natural source of vitamin D.
Him: Tell me your wildest fantasy. Me: 14 hours of sleep and then a buffet breakfast.
And if you are pregnant, you should be eating eggs because the yolk from one large egg contains 125 mg of choline, which meets 23% of a pregnant woman’s daily needs. Choline intake during pregnancy is believed to be a key factor in the development of memory functions and capacity, almost as important as folic acid!
Instructor: Welcome to salsa class! Who’s ready to learn how to dance?! Me, hiding a bag of tortilla chips: … there’s been a misunderstanding.
And I bet you did not know that eggs that are 2 days old are every bit as good to eat as eggs 10 days old and their nutritional value does not change.
Childhood Injuries: Fell off my bike. Fell out of a tree. Twisted my ankle. Adult Injuries: Slept wrong. Sat down too long. Sneezed too hard.
So, as they say “Get Cracking”! Kathryn Hartwell
References: eggs.ab.ca, jessicagavin.com and sparkseggs.com
I may not be that good looking, or athletic, or funny, or talented, or smart…. I forgot where I was going with this, but I do know I love bacon.
Why don’t ants get sick? Because they have little anty bodies. It costs just over $235,000 for parents to raise a child today, and that’s just for the alcohol. Parenting is yelling “you just had a snack!” over and over until you give in and throw them another snack.
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
insulin injections (until there is a cure). Changes in lifestyle or diet will not “improve” type 1 diabetes. 2. Insulin is not a cure: But it is the only treatment. Without insulin, people with type 1 diabetes would die.
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THE CHRONICLES OF LARRY AND ROGER:
A Pair of Diabetic Feet
Written by: Vicki L Myhre CPOD (I) CMP PFRP. Enlightened Soles. Internationally Certified Podologist. Registered through the Canadian Examining. Board of Health Practitioners
10 things school staff should know about type 1 diabetes
Hello All, Larry here. What happened to summer? Roger and I cannot believe that we are all actually talking about the kids going back to school. How did that happen? We just got ourselves into that regular summer routine, and BOOM, we need to start thinking about the changes we need to make to the routine, as summer days fade into cooler, shorter fall days. Don’t get us wrong, we love every day and every change and we enjoy the way we have to transition our thoughts from one to the next. But we also need to find a way to gently slow down the calendar. Once again, we are reminded that it is not just us big feet that have to worry and plan around the impact of Diabetes. There are lots of kiddies out there that have to live a life full of all of the planning and dedication that Type 1 Diabetes brings to a family. Just as it takes a team to keep the feet healthy, it takes a team to keep kids healthy and happy, as well. Roger found this amazing website for Families with Children with Diabetes. This is one of many postings on this website. A very, very good read for all of you amazing peeps that are working with the children. Their website is www.diabetesatschool.ca, for any of you wanting more information. 1. Children will not outgrow type 1 diabetes: With type 1 diabetes, the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin have been destroyed. People with type 1 diabetes will always have to take
3. It takes a lot of work to manage diabetes: Children with type 1 diabetes usually look healthy. That’s because they and their families are working hard to keep blood sugar levels in a target range. They do this by checking levels frequently, and acting quickly when needed—such as adding insulin to account for a special treat, or having a snack because of extra physical activity. 4. Technology is helpful, but it doesn’t work on its own: Some students wear insulin pumps to deliver insulin. A pump is another way to deliver insulin, and whether or not to use a pump is an individual choice. Other students wear continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), which take blood sugar readings every few minutes. But none of these devices works on its own. People still have to carefully monitor blood sugar, food intake, and activity, and make decisions about how much insulin to give and when. 5. Blood sugar levels can change quickly: It’s important to check blood sugar often, because there are many factors that can cause it to change from minute to minute. 6. Low blood sugar needs immediate attention: If a student feels low, or you suspect a student is low, act right away. Do not leave the student alone. Check blood sugar, and give fast-acting sugar as needed. 7. High blood sugar means extra trips to the bathroom: When blood sugar levels are high, the body tries to flush out the extra glucose (sugar) through urine. Children with type 1 diabetes should always have unrestricted access to the washroom. 8. Kids with diabetes can still eat sweets (and anything else): Unless they have food allergies or intolerances, students with diabetes can eat anything that others can—as long as they have enough insulin. By planning ahead, school staff can ensure kids with diabetes are included in activities involving special treats. 9. Even students who are independent may need help managing diabetes: As students get older, they take on more of their diabetes management. But they still need help from time to time, especially if their blood sugar is low (hypoglycemia). 10. Kids with diabetes want to be like everyone else: Like other kids, students with type 1 diabetes want to fit in. They don’t want to be singled out because of their disease. Working with students and families to ensure kids can manage their diabetes and still feel included is an important role for school staff. This is all amazing, yet basic information that everyone should know. Well, Roger and I are off for a walk, and are hoping we will not see any yellow leaves for a while yet. Enjoy your last official month of summer. See you next month, and remember… Until Next month, Make your Footprints Count. Larry and Roger
A little bit of everything Gaylene is a Strathmore resident that has trouble taking life seriously and can usually be found making inappropriate or sarcastic remarks around town much to the embarrassment of her family and friends. (of which she has both – honest!)
"Mom, what’s your
Amazon password again?" My son just ordered throwing axes from Amazon. Three of them to be exact. Using my Amazon Account. I’m happy that my kids have started earning some spending money on their own, I’m just a bit concerned what the people at Amazon must think. My recent browser history looks what I expect a well-read serial killer’s would look like. Multifunctional survival kit – check. Dragon blade gothic sword – check. Wire saw – check. Post-Apocalyptic Survival Guide – check. Dovetail rifle scope mount and rails – check. Extra-large compostable garbage bags – check. I expect at any minute, CSIS or the RCMP, or the FBI or any of those letter organizations in charge of online monitoring of possible terrorist activities will come busting through my door yelling, place your axes on the ground and take a step away from the samurai sword. (I would like it known that the only thing on that list that I ordered were the bags so I could put garden weeds and rhubarb leaves in my green cart.) Yup kids with the power, and cash, to online shop are a bit of a parental dilemma in the Smith house right now. At what point should I step in and say, “umm maybe enough building up your weapons cache, how about saving for college?” What is the proper amount of knives for a teenage boy, (a perfectly calm, rationale, well-adjusted teenage boy)? According to my kid, if you have enough knives, or at least a big enough one, you don’t need to save for college. He jests – honestly – I think. Again, any moment, the door will be kicked down and all I can say in my defense – I have teenage boys that have spending money. It’s Grandma’s fault, she gave them a $20 for moving furniture. Go kick her door down. (Welcome to Strathmore Mom, told you it would be great living close to your grandsons!) Do you know what is worst than kids with online shopping skills? Shopping with kids in a real store. “God bless you Amazon” for every single trip to the mall you have saved me. Shopping with a child is a cross between being a zookeeper (stop climbing the shelves), a hostage negotiator (put down the chocolate bar), a vending machine (Mom, I need a snack), an ATM machine (can we get, it’s only forty dollars) and a Saint (grant me the sanity to survive my children and the patience not to sell them in the mall parking lot!) Going to the store with an infant in tow takes more preparation and packing than going on a ten-day excursion to a third-world country. The diaper bag you pack has more gear in it than a prepper’s bug-out-bag. Your mission is to find food and water safe to eat while keeping your offspring from catching diseases from grocery carts or putting pre-chewed chewing gum in their mouth. It isn’t easier with a toddler or preschooler. Between playing “where’s Waldo” searching for your child under clothing racks and patting your kid down TSA style to ensure nothing has been smuggled into their diaper it’s a bit hit and miss as to what makes it into your cart. Drug enforcement task forces could learn a thing or two by watching three-year-olds in a candy store.
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www.valleydentalstrathmore.ca Once they start talking, it’s a miracle you ever let the kid out of the house. Our first week in Strathmore we were shopping at Co-op. My youngest was in his car seat, his older brother happily “driving” the car grocery cart. A sweet little old lady, complete with a cardigan and blue-rinsed hair was blocking the aisle with her pull behind cart. I did what every other polite Canadian grocery shopping does. I scanned the shelves, pretending to check out the various multitudes of marmalade while patiently waiting. Son one – never known to have a moment of patience in his life, pipes up in a voice heard from dairy to deli “Lady, this isn’t a parking lot! Move it.” First off, I have no idea where he ever would have heard such a thing (LES!) and second, why is it holes never open up and swallow you when you want them to? Then come the years of eye rolls and exasperation. “What do you think of this shirt?” Eye-roll. “How about these shoes?” Exasperated sigh. “How about these ones?” Eye-roll combined with sigh. “For F sake just pick out a @!$& pair of shoes!” accompanied by store security. I guess, thinking about it, I should be grateful that the boys are at the age where they can go shopping by themselves. The age where they are too young for credit cards but too old to want to go shopping with Mommy and too old to sneak snickers down their tightie whities (or maybe just too fearful of the fact that Momma has awesome ax-throwing accuracy should they ever be so stupid to shoplift.) So, Amazon, I guess I can live with my strange browsing history and recommendation list, but could you please have your delivery driver slow down at least before he throws the package out of the van. It’s like he’s afraid to knock on the door.
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Women Talk Strathmore
Darlis is an entrepreneur with a passion for helping people in business, organizations and entire communities recognize their uniqueness and achieve possibilities they may not have thought possible. She believes growth and success start at the grassroots level… with people, and she uses training, coaching and facilitating to inspire positive change. She is a Board member of Women Talk Strathmore. Contact her at Darlis@ DownToBusinessSolutions.com.
“You can be childlike without being childish. A child always wants to have fun. Ask yourself, “Am I having fun?” ― Christopher Meloni A few years ago, I did a presentation from stage to a group of entrepreneurs at a business event in California. I looked out over the crowd of faces who were waiting in anticipation for my message. After a few moments of silence, I slowly asked them, “Who here would like to grow their business?” Every hand in the room went up, perhaps some out of courtesy or habit and others out of genuine interest. I nodded and walked to the other side of the stage. Again, I looked out over the crowd. “Who would like to use creative and innovative ways to accomplish this, ways that make you stand out from your competition?” This time the hands went up with a bit more enthusiasm as they were starting to wonder where I was going with my questions. “Who would like to have fun implementing these new ideas, the kind that a child has playing their favourite game?” Hands not only went up this time, but they were going up with enthusiasm and heads were nodding in agreement. Now, I had their full attention. I could see several pens poised over notebooks, ready to quickly write down whatever magic formula was about to be revealed. Standing in the middle of the stage, and in a very serious tone, I asked my final question. “Well if that’s the case, then who here is willing to let go of control of their business and hand it over to a 4-year old?” Oh, the look of confusion on their faces was priceless! Smiling widely and giggling a bit, I assured them that the 4-year old they would be giving control to was the 4-year old version of themselves. They listened intently as I went on to explain how children approach problems (and life in general) from a much different perspective, and with a much different thinking process, than most adults learn to do as they ‘mature’. Children are almost always in ‘fun’ mode (unless mom says a cookie will spoil their dinner, that is NOT a fun answer). The insights shared with the entrepreneurs that day had the same impact on them that the insights had on me when I first discovered the bril-
Life Disrupted – I Died
liance of thinking like a 4-year old. It gives us permission to play, opens up a world of endless possibilities and it brings ‘fun’ front and center in growing a business. It was my 4-year old who helped me discover my passion. She pointed out, very loudly, that I love small business. My idea of ‘fun’ is to go to a learning event. I relax by reading a business book. My favourite thing to do is transfer knowledge to entrepreneurs and give them confidence to step into bolder possibilities. When I facilitate a workshop, or when I am teaching others how to design and deliver their own workshop or presentation as a way to grow their business, it is my 4-year old self at the front of the room laughing and having fun. On those days, I am not working... I am playing. Workshops are my magic formula. Each month at Women Talk in Strathmore, three women share their real-life stories and a short motivational talk is given. From the stories, we get insight into the magic formula the TALKers discovered and these formulas may inspire us in our own lives. Last month, one of these formulas was founded on gratitude practices which helped a TALKer heal from trauma. Another found that once she realized that wrong decisions were necessary for personal growth, she made decisions with child-like curiosity as to the what the results would be. We heard how living in the moment and doing a spontaneous Happy Dance when we were excited (like when mom says Yes to a cookie before dinner) can help us to Stand Up & Stand Out. And finally, just as children are born knowing love, one woman has found the magic in spreading love and not hate in the world we live in. Come join us at WomenTalk in Strathmore on the third Thursday of the month at The Station and bring your 4-year old (and a friend or two!) to have fun as we find and celebrate the magic in our lives. Book your tickets online at www.womentalk.ca/ events and enjoy the warm welcome that is waiting for you! To connect to Women Talk in Strathmore, please visit https:// www.facebook.com/womentalkstrathmore/
"Who here is willing to let go of control of their business and hand it over to a 4-year old?”
Aging
Gracefully
Tips and Pointers
Have you ever seen a family member, neighbour, or family friend who never seems to age? This individual just seems to skate through life as though time stood still. Every time you see them, you cannot help but comment on how this person has not changed one bit. Do you think that aging gracefully is something that you are genetically predisposed to or is it something that is available to just a lucky few? Well, perhaps this was true many decades ago, but today we know better. There certainly are ways to age gracefully, and the choice is ours.
The Physical Body
It makes sense that if you take care of your physical body now, it will take care of you later. If you eat properly, exercise, and get enough fresh air and sunshine, you will more than likely be healthier as you age. Using sunscreen and staying hydrated at all times are essential to feeling your optimum best as well. Your physical body is like a building that houses your being. You are responsible for what comes into that building. Eating right is the perfect way to protect yourself from the pitfalls of aging. Everything from your eyesight to your muscles and joints will respond to the natural course of aging. However, the more positive input such as whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, the better chance you give that physical body of aging gracefully.
The Spiritual Body
Just about every individual has some type of spirituality - not necessarily a religion, but a spiritual point of view. For example, doing the right thing, helping others, being part of a family and a community are all spiritual habits. Taking part in being a spiritual being is an excellent way to stay in touch with and give back to your community. It provides many health benefits as well. Just because you are aging or have aged, does not mean that you are not still a vital part of a community. If you continue to reach out to others, especially as you age, you will be the definition of aging gracefully.
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WINNER Last Month, Pet Planet had a contest, "How many bones can you count in this issue?" The winner had a chance to win a free grooming. The winner is Lana O'Handley. Congratulations!
Does anyone remember when “LOL” meant “laughing out loud” instead of “this is to indicate that this brief text isn’t hostile”?
The Mental Body
How vital and vibrant your mind is depends on how you treat it as you age. If you fill your head with negative talk or surround yourself with negative situations and individuals, your body and your aging process will show this. If you keep a positive attitude, read daily, keep abreast of news in your community and around the world, and stimulate your mind with puzzles and games, you will find that your mind will age better - and you will feel better as a result. Help yourself age gracefully with these tips! ~ Newsy Neighbour Magazine
Telisa Tebbutt
www.womentalk.ca Thursday March. 21st, 2019 | 7pm @ Strathmore Station For Tickets Visit: www.womentalk.ca Sponsored by: TICKETS: $20 Online Seeger Consulting Inc. $25 at the door
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IT’S HOT IN HERE When I turned 50 my doctor put me on hormones because I was complaining about being “Hot” all the time especially at night. I took them for 5 years which, as my new doctor told me, is way too long to be taking them? So I have been off them for about a year now and guess what the daytime “hot flashes” have gone away, but I am telling you I am hot every single night when I go to bed, drives me crazy. I don’t know how many times I wake up during the night just sweating. I talked to my sister about it and she says she has them too and my mother had them and her mother too. The doctor has no explanation. So now I have a fan in my bedroom and sleep with the window wide open and that has seemed to have helped. I thought I would do some research on this and as it turns out it could be related to a medical issue. Sweating more and being sensitive to heat are notable symptoms of hyperthyroidism. Your thyroid gland controls your metabolism, so when it makes too much hormone, your body goes into overdrive. Your body temperature rises, and you could be hungrier or thirstier, have a racing pulse or shaky hands, feel tired and out of sorts, get diarrhea, and lose weight. It could be that I have Eosinophilic Esophagitis which I do. I have had it for a few years now and I take medication every day for this condition. I have “silent heartburn” which has caused damage to my esophagus. Listen people, heartburn it not good and causes damage and I did not know I even had it. We are not talking Tums
or Rolaids to make it better. If you have a lot of heartburn, please go to see your doctor and have an Upper GI. It is not horrible--they put you to sleep and put a tube down you called an endoscope and check your esophagus, stomach and the first part of your small intestine. The tube has a tiny light and video camera on the end. Anyhow EE can give you night sweats. Another thing is, do not eat before you go to bed. We have all seen those pesky commercials on T.V. promoting every drug known to man and guess what—lots of them may cause night sweats, including over-the-counter fever reducers like acetaminophen and NSAIDs such as aspirin and ibuprofen. If you cough a lot even if you do not smoke you may have a bacterium that grows in your lungs. About half of all people who have this condition have night sweats. You'll probably have a serious, painful cough with blood and colored gunk (phlegm). You also might feel feverish, tired, and weak, and have no appetite. Doctor time. The big one is, you guessed it—Stress. Worry, panic and anxiety can have the same effect at night. Nightmares and sleep terrors are less common in adults than children, but both can leave anyone sweaty and with a pounding heart. Seek help from a counselor, therapist, or your doctor if these disturbances are ongoing or causing problems in your life. Please have your yearly medical exam because Prostate cancer, kidney cancer, and some tumors in the ovaries and testicles (both cancerous and not) are common examples of what doctor’s call "solid tumors" that can cause night sweats. A type of advanced thyroid cancer and cancer in your pancreas could also set them off. And, night sweats are a classic symptom of carcinoid syndrome, the effect of a rare cancer usually found in your digestive system or lungs. I have learned to live with the “night sweats” and hope everyday that maybe I might be burning off a few pounds. I have always been a cup half full kinda person so I try to keep the temperature in the bedroom lower and turn my fan on every night. I bought special moisture-wicking quick-dry sheets and light PJs. Avoid synthetic fabrics that don't breathe. This is an important issue and if you are having night sweats every single night don’t mess around, there could be a very serious underlying problem and don’t let your doctor brush it off. Take your health seriously. Kathryn Hartwell
References: webmd.com
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Shaken & Stirred
Marcy enjoys helping others experience the joy in life. She started Mountain Lion Leadership, in 2003. As a leadership & community advocate, she is actively involved with organizations & businesses working to aid growth and development. This is combined with a passion to see women grow both personally & professionally whatever their stage of life. Contact Marcy: marcy@mlleadership.com. Follow Marcy on Twitter @MarcyLField to my profile.
DIMINISHING THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US There appears to be a widening gap in the vision Canadians hold for the future of this beautiful land we share. This does not serve the majority of us. In fact, only a small percentage of the population, potentially less than 0.1%, will see any benefit. Yet, we remain willfully obscure, accepting the message(s) partisan politicians and media deliver. Subsequently, their ultimate goals are power and money. But this isn't new, being visible and felt beyond our borders for millennia. At a time, when technology provides opportunity to diminish the distance separating humanity, horrors from the past reemerge as populism slithers across our borders, infesting minds, attitudes and behaviours.
REALITY VS ILLUSION
The Western world's advanced democracies are under attack. In greedy hunger for power and control, partisan politicians create an exaggerated sense of external threat (and internal threat from “others” who are among us, such as visible minorities). The media amplifies this message. Unfortunately, this message creates a fearful illusion, which entices citizens to embrace obedience and respect for strong authoritarian regimes to lead them into greener pastures. (Spider-Man: Far from Home aptly portrays this. I encourage you to see it.) Further, these four key conditions are present in this ordered populism overtaking Canada and the rest of the developed world: A declining middle class, wage stagnation and hyper-concentration of wealth at the very top of the system. Major shifts in social values which see more progressive values displace traditional social conservative values. Combined with the above listed conditions, a cultural backlash occurs amongst those seeing themselves as victims of loss of identity and privilege; A growing sense of external threat expressed in a rise in the belief that the world has become overwhelmingly more dangerous.
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Additionally, a rising perception the country and its public institutions are moving in the wrong direction; Declining trust in public institutions plus a rise in ideological polarization. Equally important to note, these are perceptions and beliefs. Further examination reveals that economic stagnation and the hyper concentration of wealth set are responsible for this current reality. In the face of withering middle-class dreams of shared prosperity, it is time confront the illusion and take control of the conversation.
ECONOMIC INEQUALITY
According to Frank Graves, president and founder of EKOS Research Associates, in less than two decades ago, Canadians identifying as middle class declined from approximately 70% to 50%. Additionally, since 1980, the bottom 90 per cent of working-age Canadians experienced no real income gains while the earnings of the top 0.1 per cent increased on average by 500%. Consequently, economic inequality combined with limited opportunities for individuals with few skills produce a harsh reality. As a result, this marginalized population is pushing back. Furthermore, partisan politicians are working hard to capitalize on this discontent so they can enhance their position despite further polarizing citizens. Unfortunately, the needs and concerns of the majority of Canadians, remain unaddressed as communication incites the extremes activating rage.
ESCAPING PARTISANSHIP AND THE AGE OF RAGE
Albeit these factors, Canadians can avoid a class and vision war by looking beyond our borders and the illusion created via partisanship. Rather than falling into the cauldron of Brexit, Trumpism, and alt right destruction evident on our doorstep, we can choose to be and remain Canadian. Once you see a trap, do you willingly fall into it? Therefore, it is up to us to change the story and our entanglement in the web of illusion. Don't accept the story politicians create. Remember, it is their story, not yours. Furthermore, remember we 'stand on guard' for uniquely Canadian values of acceptance and inclusion. Together, let's work to diminish the distance between us.
AN INVITATION
If you're interested, please join me at 9:30 am Saturday, August 24th at The Renaissance Bakery (105, 318 Third Ave, Strathmore) for coffee and a deeper dive into our world today, the media and the messages. What we do #NOWMatters!
WhereFar thebeyond WildtheRoam Flower blossomed hills, Farther from where Most would go. They will be there. Grazing through Land that hasn’t Been touched by Any human hand.
A secret place Where they can play. Without a worry In the world. Free to frolic And roam wherever.
Where the wild roam, Without a care, Without a fear
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Benefits of Emotional Intelligence in Children
One important life skill that can and should be taught to children is emotional intelligence. Learning emotional intelligence skills can help children be more aware of their emotions. Being more aware of, and being able to name their emotions, helps children control and handle those emotions more thoughtfully and compassionately. Learning emotional intelligence can help children in many ways.
1. Reduce Bullying Instances
Children who are better able to pinpoint their emotions and feelings, do not bully as much as those children who cannot, and they are also more likely to stand up for themselves and others when in a situation where they are being bullied.
2. Improve Academic Success
When a child can acknowledge their emotions, even if they have lives full of turmoil, they are better able to focus on learning in the academic environment. They can name their feelings, control their feelings, and self-soothe a lot better than children who don’t have emotional intelligence skills.
3. Create Stronger Relationships
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emotional reasons. This can have far-reaching positive health consequences.
When children can understand their own feelings better, they can also understand other people’s feelings better. This can help them to build stronger relationships with others. People who have stronger relationships in their life do better in other aspects of their life, too.
8. Better Self-Esteem
4. Increase Attention Span
Teaching children how to increase their emotional intelligence is an important part of teaching children life skills. The benefits are so enormous that these types of life lessons cannot be overlooked. ~ Newsy
When a child can keep their emotions in check, their attention span is increased because they’re not sidetracked by emotional noise. They can learn better and do more because they feel better.
Children who can not only recognize their own emotions but can also name other people’s emotions with improved empathy tend to feel better about themselves. When a child’s self-image is heightened, they do a lot better in life.
5. Control Emotions Better
When a child cannot name their emotions, they can become out of control trying to understand what they are feeling. Emotional intelligence skills help a child understand and control emotions better, avoiding outbursts and potential juvenile detention.
6. Enhance Memory
One of the first things a psychologist does is check the memory of their patients by asking them to remember three things. When there is too much emotional turmoil, most patients fail this exercise. When a child has learned emotional intelligence skills, they are more likely to have better memory.
7. Reduce Emotional Eating
People, including children, who avoid their feelings and emotions tend to eat more salt, sugar and fat to self-medicate. Children who undergo lessons in identifying emotions tend not to eat for
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and made my second mistake (my first mistake was forgetting about the idiot dog). I jumped back over the fence… IN FRONT OF MOM!!!!!! Rookie mistake. She added fencing to the fence. But then, a nice big wind storm came up and knocked some of the fencing over. So, yesterday, while she wasn’t paying attention, I pooped – TWICE – on the other side of the fence. It. Was. GLORIOUS. I had the ENTIRE BACKYARD to roam and sniff and PEE ON!!!!! I have stars in my eyes just thinking of it. I pooped under the large tree and listened to birds chirping. Then I pooped IN her flower garden, just to show her who’s really the boss. That sure made her mad, especially since she found it while (again) watering her flowers in her brand new white flip flops. That’ll teach her. So now she’s concocting a new structure to keep me in. I am unhappy but feel I will begin my next phase of the plan to get back over the fence. Until next month! Bauer
Call: 403-608-0686 Email: denise@thenewsyneighbour.com
The Fence A few months ago, mom got this ridiculous idea to put up a tiny little fence in our backyard. She got angry one night when she went outside quickly to water her flowers and stepped in poop. Then, one of the little minions who runs around was playing outside and kept yelling at mom to clean up all the poop that was in their way of the soccer game. So, mom bought some small wire shelving unit squares and created a fence to keep me and the idiot dog who (still!) lives her into a teeny tiny confined space of about 30 feet x 5 feet. Animal cruelty at its finest. One day, I was tired of pooping in my tiny confined space. I hatched a plan in my head to escape the confinement. The first day, I sniffed all around the perimeter of the fence to find any weak spots. The second day, I stood near the fence to see how long the reaction time from the police (i.e., mom) was. It was pretty non existent since I did it after her morning coffee. The third day, I peered over the side of the fence to see what I was working with. Turned out to be grass. Beautiful, clean, poop-free grass. My mouth was drooling. The fourth day, I made my move. I jumped the fence. But the idiot little dog barked and alerted mom and I got into trouble –
5 SAFE SUMMER PARTY POINTERS Stampede and Party Safety is all about having a plan beforehand. Recognizing risks, being aware, and dodging uncomfortable situations are key strategies for personal protection. Have real conversations with your friends, about personal safety when you are sober and alert. Recognize that assaults happen to all genders and demographics. 1. Have a “this is how are we getting home” plan with a trusted buddy. Make that plan before you leave home or the office for your party. At the party, check in with your buddy regularly. 2. Have a code word with your buddy – use it when you are ready to leave, and agree to leave when your buddy uses the code word. 3. Plan your alcohol consumption, monitor it and monitor your buddy’s. Plan to arrive with, stay with and go home with your trusted buddy. 4. Buy your own, and drink your own drinks. Keep your drink with you. 5. Stay aware – have fun but tune into the environment around you. Know that alcohol consumption can lead to lowered inhibitions and risky, reckless behaviour. From here, assaults can and do happen. Make a commitment to be in control and on guard. Look out for yourself, your buddy and others who may be at risk.
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Phone: 403 901 3175 Email: info@strathmoredistrictchamber.com
www.strathmoredistrictchamber.com Leela Sharon Aheer MLA
I am thrilled to be part of the Newsy Neighbour family and honoured by the trust you have placed in me by electing me as your representative in the Legislature. Please contact me at Chestermere.Strathmore@assembly.ab.ca.
Hello Newsy Neighbour Readers! It has been such a great month, and even though there has been a ton of rain, it has not stopped us and didn’t stop Langdon Days! The Langdon Days Parade is one of my favourite events and this year I was honoured to serve as Parade Marshall. Fortunately, Mother Nature smiled on us and called a stop to the rain and heavy horses “Jack” and “Flame” showed up to pull the wagon so my volunteer team could concentrate on job 1, getting candy to kids! Every year we bring more and every year we run out as the whole town lines the route. Assistant Parade Marshall Elvis The Wonder Dog did his usual great job of meeting as many children as possible. Langdon Days serves as a fundraiser for the Langdon Community Association and a dedicated team of volunteers puts in countless hours making sure everything runs smoothly over the weekend which features the parade, a ball tournament, a show ‘n shine, bouncy castles, and great local vendors. I would like to thank Jessica Smythe for the invite as well as
Chrissy, Carissa, and the rest of the volunteers for all their hard work. These people put in countless unpaid hours on behalf of the Langdon community. It’s a true labour of love and is a big part of why Langdon is a great place to live and raise a family. Think about it: Who does Langdon Days? Volunteers. Your fire department? Volunteers. Your Community Garden? Volunteers. Your local sports teams, figure skating, etc.? Volunteers. Your Scouts and Guides? Volunteers. Next year, please consider volunteering to help for one or more of the great groups that bring these things to you. I guarantee you will have a great time. Thank you to all the participants. Thanks to my son Akesh, my volunteer crew and a special “Thank You!” to Mike and Linda Hopp, daughter Emily, son Aidan, nephew Cohen, friend Sophia and “wagon pooch” Roxy from Legacy Ranch for the wagon and their beautiful horses. The Hopps are continuing a family tradition as teamsters. Mike’s 89-year-old grandfather Art still drives his own team! Look for the Hopps, my friends Vern Kemble and Connie Challice from Indus, and many more teams at Pioneer Acres in Irricana August 9-11. It’s Pioneer Acres’ 50th anniversary and their motto, “Where History Comes Alive” says it all. This year’s theme is “Horses and Horse Drawn Equipment” and you will be able to see these beautiful animals in action as they give a living demonstration of Alberta’s equine heritage. For further information visit http://www.pioneeracres.ab.ca/. I hope you are polishing your boots for the Strathmore Stampede, August 2-5, where you can see top notch rodeo as well as great events like “Running With The Rams”, the RCMP Musical Ride, and of course the Stampede Parade starting at 9:00 AM Saturday August 3. I will be in the parade with Elvis The Wonder Dog and a crack team of candy and freezie hander-outers. After the parade, please join me and MP Martin Shields at a Meet ‘N Greet BBQ in Kinsmen Park starting at 11:00 AM. A $2.00 donation to the Strathmore Library buys you a hot dog, bag of chips, freezie, and a smile. Martin and I are looking forward to seeing you and getting your input! We have 600 hot dogs and when they’re gone, they’re gone! Thank you to Vicki Welsh and Peter Tindall from my office for their incredible work. I am so lucky to have such an amazing team. I am honoured to be bringing on a new assistant, Joyce Bazant, who will be working out of the Strathmore office in the Strathmore Business Centre at 129 Second Avenue. Joyce comes to us from the Wheatland Further Education Society and is a long-time and well-known Strathmore resident. We are so happy to have someone who lives in Strathmore, and who is so dedicated to her community. Welcome Joyce, and we look forward to working with you. Office times will be by appointment in the various locations as our staff is quite often out and about with our constituents, so please call in advance to make an appointment to make sure that we are available to you. Our main number is 403-207-9889 and the Strathmore office number is 403-962-0126. Our Langdon office will be opening soon. When dealing with the government, have you ever wondered: “Why do I have to do this?” For example, you are contacted by a Government agency when you turn 65 and they want a copy of your birth certificate so you can access Seniors services. Think about it, they already know your date of birth! This is just one of many examples of “red tape” that costs you time and money. So-called “Red Tape” is unnecessary time and resources spent by citizens and businesses to comply with regulatory requirements imposed by legislation, regulations, associated policies, and forms. Ask any small business person what drives them crazy and the answer is likely to be “red tape”. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business estimates that red tape costs
Alberta businesses well over $4 billion dollars per year. The key here is unnecessary. The Government will be holding Round Table meetings in the near future to hear from you about how we can cut Red Tape. This is your chance to engage in the process to help jumpstart the economy. We want to achieve some pretty ambitious goals in Government and we need the help of you, our constituents, to find out how we can be more efficient. Some ideas are around regulatory requirements like guidelines, licenses, and reporting. We need to know what the problems are, and provide information, what is the solution both conceptually and with reference to the regulation or the policy, and will it create jobs, or impact compliance costs, and finally how much regulatory burden does this take away. For further information please see: https://www. alberta.ca/cut-red-tape.aspx. As always, I love to hear from you.
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Laughing at a child’s joke is a great way to hear the exact same joke 8,000 more times.
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STONEY TRAIL
Things to Think About 1. What if my dog only brings back the ball because he thinks I like throwing it? 2. If poison is past its expiry date, is it more poisonous or is it no longer poisonous? 3. Which letter is silent in the word “Scent”; the S or the C? 4. Do twins ever realize that one of them is unplanned? 5. Why is the letter w, in English, called ‘double-u’? Shouldn’t it be called ‘double-v’? 6. Maybe oxygen is slowly killing you and it just takes 75-100 years to fully work. 7. Every time you clean something, you just make something else dirty. 8. The word “swims” upside down is still “swims”. 9. Intentionally losing a game of rock, paper, scissors is just as hard as trying to win.
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How to Stop Being a Hoarder Hoarding happens when clutter gets out of control. Being a hoarder takes the joy out of life, and can severely alter your quality of life as your numerous possessions spiral out of hand. Here are some ways to stop hoarding and start living the clutter-free life you desire.
Figure Out Why You Hoard
Everyone has a different reason they lean towards hoarding; therefore, each person will have a different motivation required in order to quit. Think back in your past. Have you always loved to keep things too long, or was there a certain point when the hoarding began? Becoming a hoarder can happen very naturally. It can begin with a sincere desire not to waste, and to make use of what you have. It can begin with a love for shopping that gets out of control. It can begin with a tragic event and the loss of a loved one, and an eventual unwillingness to let go of any physical memories you have of them. Your “why” will determine your “how” when it comes to changing your ways.
Think of a Few Small Steps
You don’t have to completely give your home a makeover in an instant. Begin thinking of little ways you can change the home you live in, in order to slowly turn it into your dream home. Take small steps, such as making a decision not to buy anything other than necessities such as food. If you do buy something, make a promise to yourself that you will get rid of at least ten other things before it comes through the door. Clean one section of your home at a time, even if it is only a desk or another small area.
Find Ideas That Inspire You
A little dreaming always helps you along with your goal of quit-
ting hoarding. Save a folder on Pinterest with photos of minimalist homes that you love. Envision yourself and your family living there, and think about how you might feel. Make a small binder of ideas you find in magazines, if you like. Just be careful not to go overboard with the clippings to the point where they are contributing to the mess.
Get Help If Necessary
There is no shame in seeking help if your hoarding goes beyond what is normal. Find an organizer who is skilled in helping hoarders reduce their clutter and organize their homes. Don’t be afraid to ask your friends for help, as they love you and are more than likely to be happy to help you step into your new, clutter-free life. If you feel like you just cannot make the changes, seek a counsellor who is familiar with hoarding so that they can assist you in freeing yourself from the prison you’ve enclosed yourself in. Serious hoarding is more than just a bad habit, and can be mentally crippling. Being a hoarder can have a negative effect on every single area of your life. You can exchange this way of life for a clutter-free version if you wish. Take the necessary steps and turn your home into a haven that you always look forward to coming home to. ~ Newsy
Upon hearing that her elderly grandfather had just passed away, Katie went straight to her grandparents house to visit her 95-year old grandmother and comfort her. When she asked how her grandfather had died, her grandmother replied, “He had a heart attack while we were making love on Sunday morning!” Horrified, Katie told her grandmother that 2 people nearly 100 years old having sex would surely be asking for trouble. “Oh no, my dear,” replied granny. “Many years ago, realizing our advanced age, we figured out the best time to do it was when the church bells would start to ring. It was just the right rhythm. Nice and slow and even. Nothing too strenuous, simply in on the Ding and out on the Dong.” She paused to wipe away a tear and continued, “He’d still be alive if the ice cream truck hadn’t come along.”
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If General Motors Built Cars like Microsoft...
At a computer expo (COMDEX), Bill Gates reportedly compared the computer industry with the auto industry and stated: "If GM had kept up with technology like the computer industry has, we would all be driving twenty-five dollar cars that got 1000 miles to the gallon." In response to Bill's comments, General Motors issued a press release stating (supposedly by Mr. Welch himself): "Yes, but would you want your car to crash twice a day?" Then others added these comments: 1. Every time they repainted the lines on the road you would have to buy a new car. 2. Occasionally your car would die on the freeway for no reason, and you would just accept this, restart and drive on. 3. Occasionally, executing a maneuver such as a left turn would cause your car to stop and fail and you would have to re-install the engine. For some strange reason, you would accept this, too. 4. You could only have one person in the car at a time, unless you bought Car95 or CarNT. But then you would have to buy more seats. 5. Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, was reliable, five times as fast, twice as easy to drive, but would only run on five percent of the roads. 6. The Macintosh car owners would get expensive Microsoft upgrades to their cars, which would make their cars run much slower. 7. The oil, gas and alternator warning lights would be replaced by a single "general car fault" warning light. 8. New seats would force everyone to have the same size butt. 9. The airbag system would say are you sure? before going off. 10. If you were involved in a crash, you would have no idea what happened. 11. Occasionally, for no reason whatsoever, your car would lock you out and refuse to let you in until you simultaneously lifted the door handle, turned the key, and grabbed hold of the radio antenna. 12. GM would require all car buyers to also purchase a deluxe set of Rand McNally road maps (now a GM subsidiary), even though they neither needed nor wanted them. Attempting to delete this option would immediately cause the car's performance to diminish by 50% or more. Moreover, GM would become the target of investigation by the Justice Department. 13. Every time GM would introduce a new model, car buyers would have to learn how to drive all over again because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as the old car. 14. You'd press the "start" button to shut off the engine.
Why did the Chicken Cross the Road?
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Console yourself by considering the seeming impossibility of getting a straight answer to one of the simplest questions of all time. This is a bit more philosophical, and the political references are a bit dated now, but some of you might be into that kind of thing.
WHY DID THE CHICKEN CROSS THE ROAD?
Plato: For the greater good. Karl Marx: It was a historical inevitability. Machiavelli: So that its subjects will view it with admiration, as a chicken that has the daring and courage to boldly cross the road, but also with fear, for whom among them has the strength to contend with such a paragon of avian virtue? In such a manner is the princely chicken's dominion maintained. Hippocrates: Because of an excess of light pink gooey stuff in its pancreas. Jacques Derrida: Any number of contending discourses may be discovered within the act of the chicken crossing the road, and each interpretation is equally valid as the authorial intent can never be discerned, because structuralism is DEAD, DAMMIT, DEAD! Thomas de Torquemada: Give me ten minutes with the chicken and I'll find out. Timothy Leary: Because that's the only kind of trip the Establishment would let it take. Douglas Adams: Forty-two. Nietzsche: Because if you gaze too long across the Road, the Road gazes also across you. Oliver North: National Security was at stake. B.F. Skinner: Because the external influences which had pervaded its sensorium from birth had caused it to develop in such a fashion that it would tend to cross roads, even while believing these actions to be of its own free will. Carl Jung: The confluence of events in the cultural gestalt necessitated that individual chickens cross roads at this historical juncture, and therefore synchronicitously brought such occurrences into being. Jean-Paul Sartre: In order to act in good faith and be true to itself, the chicken found it necessary to cross the road. Ludwig Wittgenstein: The possibility of "crossing" was encoded into the objects "chicken" and "road", and circumstances came into being which caused the actualization of this potential occurrence. Albert Einstein: Whether the chicken crossed the road or the road crossed the chicken depends upon your frame of reference. Aristotle: To actualize its potential. Buddha: If you ask this question, you deny your own chicken-nature. Howard Cosell: It may very well have been one of the most astonishing events to grace the annals of history. An his-
403-901-0018 www.clarkssupply.com toric, unprecedented avian biped with the temerity to attempt such an herculean achievement formerly relegated to homo sapien pedestrians is truly a remarkable occurrence. Salvador Dali: The Fish. Darwin: It was the logical next step after coming down from the trees. Emily Dickinson: Because it could not stop for death. Epicurus: For fun. Ralph Waldo Emerson: It didn't cross the road; it transcended it. Johann Friedrich von Goethe: The eternal hen-principle made it do it. Ernest Hemingway: To die. In the rain. Continued on page 38 QUALITY WORK, PERFORMED BY CERTIFIED TECHNICIANS.
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Jill Crossland is a Business & Marketing Consultant with over twenty years of business experience. She is the owner of Jill Crossland Consulting & editor of Entrepreneurial-Life Magazine. From business strategizing to marketing plans and social media, Jill knows how to put the pieces in place for her clients. jill@jbcrossland.com | 403 901 6147 https://entrepreneurial-life.today
Summer Sun & A Good Business Book
August is the perfect month to grab a cup of coffee, a legal-size pad of paper then sit quietly and analyze one’s business. It is also a good month to include
a business book or two with your fictional reading as you head off to the backyard, campground or summer cottage. Reading a business book will not give you all the answers but it should get you stimulated and thinking in a new direction. Here is a selection to get you started. Whether you are the boss of a small staff or head a big company, a healthy & productive work environment starts at the top. For today’s business owner or manager Dare to Lead by Brené Brown is being talked about a lot. Brown expertly breaks down the layers of what makes a good leader.
book published May 7, 2019 and available on amazon.ca) If your marketing is in need of improvement, check out the latest from one of the great thought leaders in the marketing field. This Is Marketing: You Can’t Be Seen Until You Learn to See by Seth Godin. For the product or service business this book covers many key points including; how to build trust with your target market, the art of positioning--deciding not only who it's for, but who it's not for, to why the old approaches in advertising and branding no longer work. Feeling pressure to grow but not sure if that is right for your business? Company of One: Why Staying Small Is the Next Big Thing for Business, by Paul Jarvis speaks to why it is alright to ‘stay small’ plus how to do this and still be both fulfilled and successful. If the how-to approach is not what you are looking for don’t discount the benefits of reading a well-written memoir or biography. Steve Jobs, Richard Branson, Elon Musk, Barbara Stegemann or Sheryl Sandberg if there is someone in the business world who interests you read about them! Whether you buy the hardcover, e-reader or audio format business books enable a review of your current business practices while offering a fresh perspective. Business owners need to be open to both but there is no reason we can’t do that while enjoying a beautiful summer day.
The Making of a Manager: What to Do When Everyone Looks to You by Julie Zhuo. This book is Amazon's pick for the best business and leadership book of the year. Whether new to the job or veteran leader this is the guideline to help you get it right. Are you working solo as a Consultant, Freelancer, Contractor or Gig Worker? Then check out Elaine Biech’s The New Business of Consulting: The Basics and Beyond. Biech covers all the fundamentals from how to develop a business plan to how much to charge for your services. This is the perfect handbook for a start-up or will provide a review process for the entrepreneur who has been in business for a few years. (Be sure to buy the latest edition of this
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A pastor decides to skip church one Sunday morning and go play golf. He told his assistant he wasn’t feeling well. He drove to a golf course in another city, so nobody would know him. He teed off on the first hole. A huge gust of wind caught his ball, carried it an extra hundred yards and dropped it right in the hole for a 450-yard hole-in-one. An angel looked at god and said, “What’d you do that for?” God smiled and replied, “Who’s he going to tell?”
HOW TO TURN FOUR BLANK WALLS INTO A HOME Sabrina Kooistra
‘Tis the season to stock up on all the pens, pencils, and binders you could ever need, and a forest worth of loose-leaf paper. However, if you’re not only moving from one grade to another and are making the jump to university, moving out is also something to think about. For many, this means preparing to live in university residences. I wouldn’t call myself a seasoned veteran, but in my two years of living on campus, I’ve picked up a few tips and tricks on how to ultimately survive residence-living. I mean, it’s totally a first world problem, but many residence rooms/facilities can be about as unisex and utterly drab as it gets. It doesn’t even matter what building you’re in, really. Just lots of blank looking walls and pretty generic furniture. Indeed, it would be a challenge to design and furnish spaces designed for everyone without them looking like cheap motel rooms, while also keeping in mind that university can also be a time to let loose. And sometimes a little TOO loose... As one of my lovely former roommates put it, “residences are designed to be able to withstand the party life, so they’re not fancy.” We’ve seen enough broken ceiling tiles and punched walls to accept the reality of inexpensive, plain furnishings. However, no one will stop you from turning your “blah” room into something that feels like home. It sure didn’t stop us. So, without further ado, I give you a list of five quick-tips (compiled by myself and my former roommates) for creating a comfortable living space equipped to help survive university life, too.
1. Light, light, and more light. Did I mention light?
Not conducive to creating a space to escape from your mounting workload or your attempts to shrink your workload after-hours, residence lighting is often minimalistic and harsh. Many students choose to bring in a bright lamp or other light fixture to provide full lighting. Others even choose to put up Christmas or fairy lights to set a homey mood in a space that can often feel pretty isolating.
2. Sticky notes
Doubling as a platform for reminders, to-do lists, motivational messages, and fleshing out ideas for thought-webs, sticky notes are a really easy way to keep track of your life, combat writer’s block, and even brighten your space a little bit.
5. Pictures and/or posters
Posters are a really easy way to showcase your personality, and as a bonus, they often lean more on the inexpensive side of things. As for photos, being reminded that there are people rooting for you is always a nice feeling. It’s sappy, I know, but adulting can be hard sometimes. It’s nice to know people back home have got your back. I hope that this list will prove to be helpful in this often daunting, but equally exciting, transitional season. It can be tough at times, but I, as well as my past roommates, certainly believe that creating a space that feels comfortable has benefited us in our university careers. So, take some time to make your space yours! I promise you won’t regret it.
3. Pillows, sheets, and blankets with personality
Besides your walls, your bed can also serve as a canvas to showcase your personality. It’s a super easy way to brighten things up, and in residences where your furniture is limited to a bed, desk, and closet, your bed doubles as a couch. Having a few pillows and a really snuggly blanket on my bed both made my space feel more like my own and helped to make it seem less “cold” and harsh– even if it’s 25 degrees in my room.
4. Plants
This one is my favourite. I certainly don’t have a green thumb, but having adorable little plants to come home to both brightened my space and enlivened it. Although I don’t have too much of a problem with this, having plants encourages a person to open their blinds and let some light in. No vampires allowed. Best of all, having plants teaches responsibility! Mom and Dad would be so proud.
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Why did the Chicken Cross the Road? Continued.. Werner Heisenberg: We are not sure which side of the road the chicken was on, but it was moving very fast. David Hume: Out of custom and habit. Saddam Hussein: This was an unprovoked act of rebellion and we were quite justified in dropping 50 tons of nerve gas on it. Jack Nicholson: 'Cause it (censored) wanted to. That's the (censored) reason. Pyrrho the Skeptic: What road? Ronald Reagan: I forget. John Sununu: The Air Force was only too happy to provide the transportation, so quite understandably the chicken availed himself of the opportunity. The Sphinx: You tell me. Henry David Thoreau: To live deliberately ... and suck all the marrow out of life. Mark Twain: The news of its crossing has been greatly exaggerated. Donald Trump: Because he’s the greatest chicken I’ve ever seen in my life. He’s great. I told you he was great years ago and no one believed me! Now you all see the chicken across the road and say, “Hey, he was right!”
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