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Wednesday, September 5, 2012
2012-2013 Edition online at times-herald.com
Check Out the Classifieds on Pages 6 - 7
Thank you for picking up MyConnection. Look for your copy delivered free to your home from The Newnan Times-Herald each Wednesday. You’ll find entertainment and travel news, as well as upcoming events, easy-to-make recipes, and things that matter to you and your family.
Homegating P L AY B O O K Tips to make a game day party fun for everyone Family Features
G
ame day is no time to be sidelined in the kitchen. Do a little pre-game planning so you can spend less time cooking and more time cheering on the home team. Keep it simple — Instead of taking up space with a lot of dishes to hold condiments, use muffin pans. Each well in the pans can hold a different topping for your burgers, hot dogs or chili. Put a spoon in each for easy dipping. It’s simple, fun, and you’ll have fewer postgame dishes to wash. Set up a dipping station — Have a selection of salsas and guacamole available so everyone can have their favorite. From salsa classics to the new red pepper mango or roasted tomato varieties, fans can find a salsa to cheer about. And for guacamole lovers, try all-natural, gluten free varieties. In addition
Chicken Taquitos
Homegating Snackers
to chips, set out some of these tasty dippers: n Bell pepper slices n Baked mozzarella sticks n Shrimp n Pita chips n Bagel chips n Jicama sticks n Mini rice cakes Make sure you have enough — Don’t disappoint guests by running out of munchies or drinks. Here’s how to figure out how much you need to prepare: n If you’re having 8 to 10 guests, figure on three different appetizers. For up to 16 guests, plan four or five appetizers. Avocado Cream Cheese Dip
➤ SEe HOMEGATING, PAGE 5
How to Improve Your Home’s Curb Appeal
Positive Thinking Can Improve Your Health Moorjani’s life was driven by fear of illness. Rather than letting similar fears and stressors get the better of you, learn to enjoy yourself and take care of what’s inside.
StatePoint
Ensuring a home’s primary entryway is welcoming and well-groomed is one way homeowners can improve curb appeal. METRO GRAPHICS
Men and women who have tried to sell a home are likely familiar with the phrase "curb appeal." Curb appeal is similar to getting ready for a big date, only you're not dressing yourself up to make a strong first impression. Instead, improving curb appeal involves dressing your home up in the hopes it makes a strong first impression on prospective buyers, many of whom will have a strong opinion about the property before they even get out of their cars to have a look around. A home with strong curb appeal can entice buyers who are likely to believe that a home with a well-maintained exterior is likely to have an equally impressive interior. Homeowners who want the process of selling their home to go smoothly can improve the property's curb appeal in a number of ways, many of which don't necessitate a substantial home improvement budget.
Clean up. The most effective way to improve curb appeal is to clean up the property. Many homeowners are savvy enough to remove toys and other items from the yard before showing a home, but cleaning up goes beyond removing clutter from the property.
Make sure all hedges are trimmed and remove weeds, sticks and other debris from any flower beds. Lay mulch in the flower beds and garden, as mulch prevents weed growth while helping the soil retain moisture, resulting in more attractive gardens to catch a buyer's eye.
Get an "edge" on other sellers. Edging is another easy and effective way to improve curb appeal. Edge driveways, sidewalks and other walkways around the property, removing or trimming anything that is hanging over the driveway or walkways. If the boundary between your driveway and lawn is not distinct, consider installing edging materials such as stone or bricks. The edging can be level with the driveway or elevated, but keep in mind that elevated driveway edging can protect the lawn, preventing kids from riding their bicycles onto the lawn or cars from driving onto it. Adding edging is not a very difficult do-it-yourself project.
Take to the trees. Many homeowners grow accustomed to overgrown trees around their property and may not notice that low-hanging, unsightly branches are hiding the home from
view. Buyers want to see the house, so take to the trees and trim any branches that hang too low or obscure your home.
Clean the gutters. Leaves and sticks hanging from the gutters are a red flag to buyers, who tend to associate clogged gutters with roof damage. Clean the gutters thoroughly before putting your home up for sale and keep them clean throughout the selling process. If your property includes lots of trees, install guards to keep twigs and leaves out of the gutters.
Make the home accessible through the front door. Many homeowners enter their home through a side door or through their garage. If you fall into this category, keep in mind that prospective buyers will be entering through the front door, so make this area accessible. Clear any clutter, such as overgrown hedges, away from the front door, and consider upgrading the door handle to a more modern feature. In addition, make sure the lock on the front door doesn't stick, forcing the realtor and buyers to immediately struggle before entering
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Life has its ups and downs — and adversity touches everyone at some point. But some experts believe that a focus on the positive can help you persevere through tough times. For Anita Moorjani for example, life took a horrific turn when she was diagnosed with late stage Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Admitted to the hospital as a terminal patient, Moorjani slipped into a deep coma, nearly dying before she experienced a spontaneous remission and recovery. Her case has since fascinated the medical community. While spontaneous remission of breast cancer is not uncommon, according to a study done by physician researchers at Dartmouth Medical School in 2009, it is rarely seen in a terminal cancer case. “Her recovery was certainly remarkable. Based on what we have learned about cancer cell behaviors, I am unable to attribute her dramatic recovery to chemotherapy. I speculate that something non-physical switched off the mutated genes,” said Dr. Peter Ko, an oncologist. Moorjani attributes her victory in overcoming cancer to a belief in positive things, learning to live fearlessly, and finally loving herself. In her New York Times bestseller, “Dying to Be Me,” Moorjani candidly shares her story, discussing the lessons she learned from her near death experience, what she would have done differently and what she wants people to know now. Here are some tips Moorjani feels can help others face their own trials: Prior to her devastating diagnosis,
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Much of our suffering stems from feeling “less than.” Love yourself unconditionally and be yourself fearlessly. Remind those close to you that you love them just the way they are. Don’t obsess over problems or allow your days to revolve around solving them. It’s actually far more productive to distract yourself and stay occupied with activities that stimulate you in positive, creative ways. Thinking positive can be tiring. Never suppress negative feelings when they creep in. Instead of bottling up your emotions, experience them naturally. After all, a bad mood won’t last forever. Everyday joys can go a long way toward helping you cope with stress and depression. Be it a box of chocolates, a home cooked meal or a great bottle of wine, don’t be shy about indulging yourself in moderation at meal time with foods that make you happiest.
“What’s most important for your wellbeing is how you feel about yourself during tough times,” Moorjani says. You can’t always eliminate adversity from your life. Whether you are simply experiencing the stresses of daily life, are grieving the loss of a loved one, or struggling with the ramifications of your own health crisis, knowing how to cope is crucial to your health and can make all the difference in the world.