®
TOASTY
January 2017 DoSouthMagazine.com
CONTENTS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF / OWNER Catherine Frederick CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Scott Frederick MANAGING EDITOR Marla Cantrell CONTRIBUTING WRITERS / PHOTOGRAPHERS Marla Cantrell Kellie Cobb Catherine Frederick Dwain Hebda Rachael McGrew Jessica Sowards James Stefiuk Becca Whitson Matt Whitson GRAPHIC DESIGNER Artifex 323 - Jessica Mays
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PROOFREADER Charity Chambers PUBLISHER Read Chair Publishing, LLC
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INSIDE
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LEADING THROUGH THE TURN CEO Elise Mitchell discovered so many lessons on life and leadership after she decided to learn how to ride a motorcycle. Today, she has a thought-provoking book about the experience.
MY DAYS WITH A YOGI Yogi Kerri Garr shows up to class with incense, a playlist, and a plan to make everyone in the room just a little bit happier. But what happens next is an even better story.
CHARRED TOMATO SOUP AND GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICHES The cold days of January call for comfort food. You won't find anything better than this yummy soup made with charred tomatoes that's served with grilled cheese sandwiches.
OAKLAWN NEVER SLEEPS On January thirteenth, a new horse racing season starts at Oaklawn. Before you make plans to attend, read about the track's rich history, going all the way back to 1904. DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
ADVERTISING INFORMATION Catherine Frederick - 479.782.1500 Catherine@DoSouthMagazine.com
EDITORIAL INFORMATION Marla Cantrell - 479.831.9116 Marla@DoSouthMagazine.com ©2017 Read Chair Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. The opinions contained in Do South® are exclusively those of the writers and do not represent those of Read Chair Publishing, LLC. as a whole or its affiliates. Any correspondence to Do South® or Read Chair Publishing, LLC., including photography, becomes the property of Read Chair Publishing, LLC. Do South® reserves the right to edit content and images. Printed in the U.S.A. | ISSN 2373-1893 Cover Image: James Stefiuk
FOLLOW US Annual subscriptions are $30 (12 months), within the contiguous United States. Subscribe at DoSouthMagazine.com or mail check to 4300 Rogers Avenue, Suite 20-110, Fort Smith, AR, 72903. Single issues are available upon request for $7. Inquiries or address changes, call 479.782.1500.
H
letter from the editor
Here we are at the beginning of a new year.
favorite people, Elise Mitchell, had a book
I love the fresh start. I love taking down my
coming out, we knew we had to talk to her.
old calendar and putting up a new one. And
She is an icon in the PR business, and her
don't get me started on yearly planners. I
book is about how her life changed when
love opening a new planner, seeing all the
she decided to enjoy her journey instead of
possibilities that lie ahead, all the clean
focusing on where she was going. For her,
pages and perfect, unmarked squares.
that began with a motorcycle ride.
Already, I have a list of things I want to
Writer Jessica Sowards found joy by rescuing
try this year. I have a list of ways I plan to
horses that are now finding love and comfort on
improve my life. For now, I get to sit with
her little farm. Her story will warm your heart.
my lists and my calendar and my planner and envision a perfect future.
Our managing editor, Marla Cantrell, found joy in yoga class, but not for a while. You'll have to read her heartfelt and funny
Of course, life will get in the way. Life always does. But that
story about how her teacher, Kerri Garr, taught her more than
doesn't stop the thrill of imagining what might be, and it
she ever expected.
doesn't stop the hopefulness of a new year. It's hard for me to express how much joy I get from collecting I'll bet you're feeling it too. As you look ahead, I hope you have
these stories. The icing on the cake is when I hear from you,
a few things planned for 2017. My plans are simple: plant a
our readers, who are kind enough to tell me how much you like
garden, travel a little with my family, and find joy in the everyday.
what we do.
That last one, finding joy in the everyday, is big for me, and
As we work our way through 2017, I hope we all slow down
always seems to make my list. I get so busy, like I'm sure you
enough to enjoy this big, wonderful life. Right now, my dog
do. Lately, I've been reminding myself to stop. Sometimes it's
Jack is trying to get my attention. There's a squirrel in a tree
as simple as watching my two dogs, Yoko and Jack Brewster,
right outside my window. That's an everyday occurrence here,
as they romp in the backyard. Sometimes it's watching as an
but for Jack, it's the best thing ever. His joy, that bubbles up so
older gentleman takes the arm of his wife, helping her cross
easily and so often, might be a lesson for us all.
the street. Sometimes it's seeing my son walking to my car at the end of the school day, his smile as bright as the sun itself. As we were putting this issue together, I was thinking about
~Catherine
Follow Do SouthÂŽ Magazine
all the ways we find joy. When we discovered that one of our
To reserve this free space for your charitable non-profit organization, email: Editors@DoSouthMagazine.com
DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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UPCLOSE&PERSONAL
&
UP CLOSE PERSONAL
Dr. Kris Gast Fort Smith Radiation Oncology & Beauty through Health 8500 South 36th Terrace Fort Smith, Arkansas 479.648.1800 fsro.net/beautythroughhealth.net Find them on Facebook
ABOUT DR. KRIS GAST I'm a mother, wife, and a doctor. My oncology practice cares for and takes care of patients with cancer. My aesthetic medicine clinic brings beauty and health to a greater number of patients. I chose the THERMI systems because they allow me to provide our community with a safe, non-invasive way to reach all of our cosmetic goals.
DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
UPCLOSE&PERSONAL
WORDS TO LIVE BY:
Do to others as you would have them do to you. DR. GAST CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT:
NAME SOMEONE YOU ADMIRE.
FAVORITE SONG FROM YOUR TEEN YEARS?
My husband, my kids, and my critters (cats and dogs).
My grandma. She always gave me sound advice, and she raised four kids during the Depression. I will always miss her.
I had favorite performers, ELO and Phil Collins.
WHERE DID YOU GROW UP?
My parents moved around a lot: Kansas, California, Texas, and in multiple places in each state. WHAT’S THE MOST ADVENTUROUS THING YOU’VE EVER DONE?
WHAT’S ON YOUR PLAYLIST RIGHT NOW? IF YOU HAD A YEAR OFF, WHAT WOULD YOU WANT TO DO?
If I had a year off I would paint, make jewelry, learn to weld, rescue cats and dogs, learn to play the piano. Oh wait, I might need a bit more than a year.
My favorite band from Finland, Poets of the Fall. LAST MOVIE YOU SAW?
Fantastical Beasts and Where to Find Them.
I had promised myself I would never marry again-until I did! My husband is the best!
LAST BOOK YOU READ?
IF YOU COULD LEARN TO DO ANYTHING, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE TV SHOW AS A CHILD?
I've always wanted to learn a new language and play an instrument. I'm learning Danish currently, so I still need to pick up an instrument.
Star Trek re-runs.
The fifth book in the Outlander series.
MOST SENTIMENTAL THING YOU OWN?
My family’s Bible. It's 300 years old.
FAVORITE FOOD FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD?
Grilled cheese sandwich.
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB?
My first job was at the age of twelve when I tutored other kids in reading and math. WHAT DID YOU BUY WITH YOUR FIRST PAYCHECK?
Track shoes. WHAT'S SOMETHING PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU?
Here's the funny part, most people don't know I'm actually very shy. You can all stop rolling on the floor now!
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME SOMEONE SURPRISED YOU?
When my husband threw a surprise birthday party for me.
DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
FAVORITE SPOT IN ARKANSAS?
Fort Smith. Once you've lived in a big city, you'll understand. FARTHEST YOU’VE BEEN AWAY FROM HOME?
St. Petersburg, Russia.
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poetry
Snowflakes LINEs Kellie Cobb
We say goodbye this year past It was a very good year.
We send it off while with good friends And sentimental cheer. Another year has passed along, Years melt before our eyes. And so it seems a trivial thing, Midnight to recognize. But times like these we cherish, Between the work and worry. It all moves by so quickly, Years like a snowflake’s flurry. So raise a glass to this year passed And savor every drop. For who knows when we’ll meet again To hear the champagne pop?
DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
poetry
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calendar
JANUARY 12
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Submit your events to editors@dosouthmagazine.com January 13 Opening Day at Oaklawn Hot Springs oaklawn.com
January 14, 9am Tutu Run 5K and 1/4 Marathon Fort Smith waballet.org
It's time for another great season of horse racing at Oaklawn. Visit the track, place a bet, and don't miss Oaklawn's legendary corned beef sandwiches.
January 12, 7:30pm Croce: Two Generations of American Music Fayetteville waltonartscenter.org
You've got to love a run/walk where there's even a prize for best tutu! The event begins and ends at Ben Geren Park, and you can register online. See website for pricing.
A.J. Croce, the son of legendary singer-songwriter Jim Croce, performs his own songs as well as classics by his father including hits like “Operator,” “You Don’t Mess Around with Jim,” and “Workin’ At the Car Wash Blues." See website for pricing.
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January 14, 6pm Old Fort Days Dandies Chili Supper Fort Smith Find them on Facebook
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The Old Fort Days Dandies are hosting a homemade chili supper, complete with door prizes, live music, and silent and live auctions. The fun takes place at the Expo Building at Kay Rodgers Park. Admission is $8.
DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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January 14-15, 9am-5pm Antique Alley Arkansas Antique Show Conway antiquealleyarkansas.com Antique toys, architectural salvage, old advertising, linens, primitives, furniture, glassware and more from the 1950s and earlier all at the Conway Expo Center. Admission $5 for adults; $1 for children 12 and under. Parking is free.
calendar
THETOPTENTHETOPTEN 15
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January 15, 12:30pm Arkansas Democrat Bridal Show Little Rock arkansasbridalcommunity.com Is a wedding in your future? This bridal show, beginning at 12:30 p.m. and ending at 5:30 p.m., features seminars, prize giveaways, games, a runway fashion show and the ultimate prize giveaway. VIB tickets are $45; $12 general admission.
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January 19, 7pm Open Mic Night @ Dewey’s Café Fort Smith fortsmithlibrary.org Dewey’s Café inside the Fort Smith Main Library is the perfect place to showcase your talent. Poets and musicians can sign up at the door (show up early to ensure your spot), and then perform for a live audience. Acoustic music only, please. Admission is free.
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January 27, 8pm Led Zeppelin II Fayetteville waltonartscenter.org Attention Led Zeppelin fans! The Walton Arts Center is bringing in Classic Albums Live to perform the band's hits, note for note, just for you. Admission: $25-$35 DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
January 28, 5:30-9pm 2017 Burns Night Supper Fort Smith bricktownbrewery.com This fundraiser for the Fort Smith Firefighters Pipe and Drum Corps takes place at Bricktown Brewery. Dinner is traditional Scottish fare, and there's live entertainment, including the Fort Smith Firefighters Pipe and Drum Corps. Tickets: $30, available at Bricktown Brewery.
January 28, 7pm The Looks, The Moves, The Voice Van Buren 479.471.4017 Love Elvis? Then check out worldfamous tribute artist, Travis Powell, backed by the band Spinout, at the Van Buren Fine Arts Center. This performance is sponsored by Kool Classic Hits 104.7. Call for pricing.
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entertainment community
We "Heart" Art! 2017 is a blank slate! Why not fill this year with tons of creativity, world-renowned art, and a chance to make your own masterpieces? Here are five events in January to get you started. January 1 (and certain days throughout the month) Architecture Tour Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville See website for dates crystalbridges.org This hour-long architecture tour, from 4-5pm, will introduce you to the unique aspects of Moshe Safdie’s design of this beautiful museum. No tickets necessary. Tours for a maximum of fifteen. Show up five minutes early.
January 5, 12, 19, 26
January 7, 14, 21, 28
Drop in and Draw
RAM Saturdays
Regional Art Museum, Fort Smith
Regional Art Museum, Fort Smith
fsram.org
fsram.org
On Thursdays from noon to 4pm, the
Every Saturday from noon to 5pm, the
Regional Art Museum provides a live model
Regional Art Museum hosts a free afternoon
and studio space FREE for artists. Bring your
of fun and creativity for all ages. See website
own materials; easels are provided.
for projects slated for each Saturday. January 13 – April 2
January 7, 14, 21, 28
Liv C. Fjellsol Exhibit
Family Adventure Tour
Regional Art Museum, Fort Smith
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art,
fsram.org
Bentonville
Liv C. Fjellsol is a renowned Norwegian artist
crystalbridges.org
and author whose breathtaking exhibition at
This drop-in, free, family tour is led by Crystal
the Regional Art Museum showcases more
Bridges' Gallery Guides. Get to know some of
than fifty works on paper accompanied by
the museum's favorite artworks. Meet in the
texts written by international poets and jour-
lower lobby at 12:55pm.
nalists. See website for details.
DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
entertainment
January Jams Music lovers can get their jam on this month! From Vanilla Ice to the Symphony, here are four performances you won’t want to miss. Vanilla Ice LIVE January 13, 8:00pm CenterStage at Choctaw Casino Resort - Pocola choctawcasinos.com Vanilla Ice, an American rapper, actor and television host, will perform LIVE on CenterStage at Choctaw Casino Resort - Pocola on January 13. The iconic artist released his debut album Hooked in 1989 – later reformatted under new record label as To the Extreme. In 1990, he released "Ice Ice Baby," which was the first hip hop single to top the Billboard charts and it has become one of the most iconic and recognizable singles in popular culture. Visit the website for more information and to purchase tickets.
Fort Smith Symphony - Divergent Moods
Harpeth Rising
UAFS Music Faculty Showcase
January 21, 7:30pm
January 26, 6:30pm
January 31, 7:30pm
ArcBest Performing Arts Center, Fort Smith
801 Media Center, Fort Smith
The Blue Lion, Fort Smith
fortsmithsymphony.org
artistaudiencecommunitylive.com
uafs.edu
Experience exquisite symphonies from the
Unapologetic genre-benders, Harpeth Rising
Instrumental, voice and piano faculty
Classic and Romantic periods and beautiful
fuses Folk, Newgrass, Rock and Classical into
members at UAFS will display their talents
impressionistic music for flute featuring
something organically unique. Their music is
during this premiere faculty concert of
Fort Smith Symphony Principal Flutist, Eliza-
as intricately arranged as a string quartet, lyri-
the 2016-17 academic season. Repertoire
beth Shuhan. MOZART: Symphony No. 25
cally rooted in the singer/songwriter tradition,
contains works for trumpet and percussion,
in G minor. GRIFFES: Poem for Flute and
and wrapped in three-part vocal harmonies
plus chamber ensembles and solos. Visit
Orchestra (1918), Elizabeth Shuhan, flute.
reminiscent of both Appalachia and Medieval
website for more information.
DVORAK: Symphony No. 6, op. 60 in D
Europe. Visit website for more information
major. Visit website for more information
and to purchase tickets.
and to purchase tickets.
DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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community entertainment
For the Love of Nature From archery to laser shot, to feeding alligators and guided hikes and nature breaks - we’ve got you covered - all thanks to our Arkansas Game & Fish Commission. All Nature Center events are free, thanks to community support of the 1/8 Cent Conservation Sales Tax. January 6, 13, 20, 27 ALLIGATORS January 8, 15, 22, 29
Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature
January 6, 13, 20, 27
ARCHERY
Center, Little Rock
NATURE BREAK
Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley
501.907.0636
Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley
Nature Center, Fort Smith
Join in to feed some alligators at the Alligator
Nature Center, Fort Smith
479.452.3993
Feeding at 2 p.m. every Friday and learn a bit
479.452.3993
Everyone is encouraged to take part in this
about these fascinating Arkansas animals.
You are invited to bring your 3-7 year olds
beginner’s guide to Archery. The archery
What? There are alligators in Arkansas? Meet
for Nature Break every Friday at 3:45 p.m.
program involves students beginning in the
one in person, watch the resident alligator
Join the Nature Center staff for a 30-minute
fourth grade continuing through their high
feast on his favorite food, and discover more
nature break activity designed with little
school senior year. Students learn archery
about the largest reptile in Arkansas.
ones in mind!
January 7, 14, 21, 28
January 21
GUIDED HIKE
RANGE DAY
skills, as well as an outdoor hobby they may enjoy for the rest of their lives. Bows, arrows and safety instruction provided.
Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley
Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas
January 4, 11, 18, 25
Nature Center, Fort Smith
Nature Center, Little Rock
FISH FEEDING
479.452.3993
501.907.0636.
Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas
You are invited to take a Guided Hike every
Drop in for Range Day every third Saturday
Nature Center, Little Rock
Saturday morning. A member of the educa-
from noon until 2p.m. Test your archery
501.907.0636
tion staff will lead the hike. Dress for the
or BB gun skills. Practice target shooting
It’s a fish feast! Stop by every Wednesday at
weather and don’t forget your camera!
or shoot for the first time. Targets and
2 p.m. for Fish Feeding at the aquatic tanks
instruction will be provided. Depending
and learn about fish in Arkansas. What do
on weather and staffing, the archery or
most fish feast upon? Mostly fish, of course.
January 7, 14, 21, 28
the BB range (not both) will be set up for
You’ll learn about how different fish find
LASER SHOT
target shooting.
food, what makes a good feast for fish, and
Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley
finally feed the fish!
Nature Center, Fort Smith 479.452.3993
*Please check directly with the venues to
Try your luck at Laser Shot every Saturday
ensure event details have not changed.
at 3 p.m. Think you’re a deadeye? Sharpen your hunting skills with a computer program similar to a video game, complete with laser gun. This activity is dependent on the availability of the Multipurpose Room. DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
community
DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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people
Leading Through the Turn words Marla Cantrell images courtesy Elise Mitchell
DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
I
people
In 1995, Garth Brooks was making waves
Elise describes the challenges and victories of that time while
in country music. At the box office, Brave-
sitting in her offices at Mitchell Communications Group.
heart was a runaway hit, and Ebay was unveiling its shopping and auction site.
Outside, the weather that seemed to hang onto autumn for far too long, has turned in an instant to winter, and the wind howls
But something else was happening that
across College Avenue.
year. Elise Mitchell, who lived in Memphis, was a rising star in the public relations field.
Always, Elise turns the story back to others. She names names,
She saw her possibilities as clearly as she
giving credit to her co-workers, to her mentors, to her parents
could see the moon on a cloudless night.
and husband, her son and daughter, her faith in God.
Perhaps she would one day lead a communications team for a global company, or
Visiting Elise is like being in the presence of a living, breathing
she might become head of a major office
TED Talk. "I wanted this company to be warm and welcoming,
for a public relations firm.
to be inclusive, and I credit my parents for that. They were scientists and professors, and they helped us understand the
But then her husband Raye, who'd just
world. My father brought his international graduate students
finished his training to become an ortho-
home to spend holidays with us, and they'd bring food from
pedic surgeon, was offered a partnership
their native countries. I'd spend the afternoon talking to them
in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
about what their lives were like. My parents taught us to be explorers, to be learners."
Fayetteville, with a population of just 75,000, wasn't an ideal spot for someone
Elise's upbringing gave her the foundation she needed. She
with global aspirations, and her heart sank
brought with it an incredible amount of drive and curiosity. As
at the thought of moving. But once she
time went by, the business world took notice. Since then, she's
settled in, Elise decided to start her own
been the recipient of many awards, such as Agency Profes-
firm. Sitting at her kitchen table, she began
sional of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, and a Top 50
to craft the company of her dreams. From
Power Player. Today, Mitchell has more than eighty employees
there, Mitchell Communications Group
and three offices in Fayetteville, New York, and Chicago.
was formed. The company has won more than forty awards, including When she thought about her new goals,
being named a Top 10 fastest-growing firms globally. Their
she realized she wanted one thing: to be
portfolio includes Walmart, Kraft, Canon, Merck, Hilton
the best, both in business and in leadership.
Worldwide, and Procter & Gamble, just to name a handful of high-profile clients.
As her client base grew, she needed to expand. In a move that was ahead of its
Elise's newest venture is her book, Leading Through the Turn,
time, Elise began seeking out professionals
published by McGraw-Hill Education. It's touted as a leader-
from across the country who could work
ship book, but it's for anyone who wants to live a better life.
part-time on a flexible schedule. Leading Through the Turn, released this month, opens in In the first ten years, she developed a virtual
2006, a little more than a decade after Elise started Mitchell.
network that grew to include twelve women
She was devoting every spare second to the firm, and she real-
with impressive backgrounds, all of whom
ized the negative effect it was having.
had left their full-time jobs for a variety of reasons, such as family obligations. DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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people
She needed a long-overdue vacation with her husband. Knowing how
Elise Mitchell
much Raye loved fast-moving transportation, she came up with a plan. They'd tour Zurich on a motorcycle. That one decision changed her life. The two fell in love with Zurich, a city of art and museums and a perfect view of the snow-covered Alps. As they toured this new place, Elise felt as if she were waking up. Every color was intense. Every turn in the road a discovery. She could feel the wind rushing by, smell the air and everything that traveled through it. Before, she'd been a destination person, both in her personal life and business. She'd wanted to get to a place and then enjoy what that place had to offer. But on the back of that bike, when the world showed up, so close she could reach out and
I see it sitting in the room, like a tiger," Elise says of fear, "but I've learned to walk by it."
touch it, she realized the journey was the real treasure. In every chapter, Elise shares a story of someone who taught Of course, there was a good dose of fear as well. Riding on roads
her something important. Great leaders make their way onto
that switch back and forth across steep mountains makes you
the pages, as well as friends. One of the most beautiful chap-
pay attention. There was also the fact that Elise had to give up
ters showcases her friend Tommy Van Zant, who cofounded
control, riding behind Raye, with no say in what was happening.
Sage Partners, a Fayetteville real estate firm, in 2005.
As a leader, Elise understands fear. But it never stops her. "I see
Four years later, after one of the worst ice storms ever to hit our
it sitting in the room, like a tiger," Elise says of fear, "but I've
area, Tommy fell while clearing broken trees off his property.
learned to walk by it."
The accident left him paralyzed from the neck down.
Once home, Elise took a motorcycle safety course and even-
When Tommy is asked to address a crowd, he doesn't talk
tually bought a Honda CBR 300R. Some time later, while
about his accident. Instead, he talks about leading with integ-
speaking to a group in New York, she used the analogy of the
rity and making a difference. That fact amazes and awes Elise.
motorcycle to describe leadership. Motorcyclists use the phrase "looking through the turn" to drive home the point that when
Elise has the same mission. As a CEO, she sees her job descrip-
you approach a bend in the road, you have to look at where
tion as just one word: steward. That belief helped form the
you're going rather than dwell on the hazards of the turn itself.
culture at Mitchell, where she and her team came up with a
Elise saw leading others in the same way.
plan to offer their full-time employees one hundred percent employer-paid health care benefits. There are year-end
As she talked to her audience, she described changing from
bonuses for every employee, and in-house training. Regularly,
someone intent on the destination into someone who takes
employees' good work is praised in meetings and by each
time to experience life. From that talk, she knew she had a book
other. But even more than that, team members are showcased
that could make a difference. DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
people
for exhibiting behaviors that are the backbone of Mitchell's
One of her favorite ways to do that is through Mitchell's Ignite
values, such as trust, service, integrity, commitment.
program which gives money and time off to employees so they can do random acts of kindness and volunteer. They've
The teams also have fun, eating together, tailgating, even
done extraordinary things, such as paying adoption fees at
having ice cream parties.
an animal shelter, surprising someone in a checkout line by paying for everything in their cart, to helping nonprofits,
A program called Big Break helps attract new, diverse talent.
women's organizations, homeless shelters, schools, veterans
High-performing college seniors from top-notch communica-
programs, and victims of domestic violence.
tions programs, including several minority-serving institutions, are nominated. Six to ten are
Elise says some of her best times at
selected and given an all-expenses-
Mitchell
paid, weeklong internship during
seeing the joy giving brings. Just as she
spring break.
says this, the traffic picks up outside
are
hearing
these
stories,
her offices. This town that was relaFrom that program, they've made
tively small when she moved, has grown
several key hires.
rapidly. Now, the two counties that make up Northwest Arkansas are home
When you build a great company,
to more than a half million people.
suitors come calling. In 2012, after many offers and much thought,
Elise loves it here, the rolling hills, the
Elise sold her company to Dentsu,
lakes and rivers. It's where she and Raye
a Japanese international advertising
brought up their son and daughter,
and
Mackenzie and Jackson, who make her
public
relations
company.
Today, she holds two titles: CEO
proud, who fill her heart.
of Mitchell, and CEO, Dentsu Aegis Public Relations Network. In addi-
When the weather turns in our favor
tion to her role at Mitchell, Elise is
once again, Elise and Raye will jump on
leading efforts to build a global PR
their bikes, not really caring about the
brand for the network.
destination. They will explore the beauty of Arkansas, they will discover small
Which takes us back to 1995, the
cafĂŠs and world-class vistas, taking it all
year Elise started Mitchell, when she thought she'd given up her
in, happy to be where they are. And that may be the truest
dream to lead a communications team for a global company.
description of happiness there is.
It seems that she's achieved even more than she set out to do. But long before that, when she was attending a Christian college, she listened as many of her friends made plans to live in the mission field, far from home. As she prayed about what
Leading Through the Turn: How a Journey Mindset Can Help Leaders Find Success and Significance
her future held, she knew her calling was a different one. She believed she could be a light in the business world, a place that's often more trying than inspiring. She wanted to treat everyone in her path well, to make them feel valued, to build something extraordinary.
by Elise Mitchell, CEO, Mitchell, & CEO, Dentsu Aegis Public Relations Network — $28 Check your local bookstore, find Leading Through the Turn at Amazon.com, or at elise.mitchell.com
DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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entertainment
Commonwealth
By Ann Patchett | Harper | 322 pages | $27.99 review Marla Cantrell
"The christening party took a turn when
mesmerized by Franny's beauty and brains,
Albert Cousins arrived with gin." That first
and later, by the tumultuous story of her
sentence sets the course for Common-
childhood, which includes a tragedy and
wealth, a story about two families whose
secret she's never overcome.
lives intersect when deputy DA Albert Cousins, armed with a perfectly inappro-
The story is irresistible to him, and soon he
priate gift of gin, crashed the christening
is turning her reality into his novel, called
party of Franny Keating. Albert knew
Commonwealth. The book, released to
Franny's father, Fix, a police officer, only
much acclaim, finds its way to Franny's
through his interactions with him profes-
stepbrother Albie, who's shocked to see his
sionally, and Albert had only come to the
family's troubles on the printed page.
party to escape going home to his pregnant But the telling of this story turns out to be a
wife and their three children.
necessary unveiling. The early tragedy that's And then he spotted Franny's mother and
followed them all is finally brought to light.
Fix's wife, Beverly, a woman wearing a
The guilt the children felt is finally put to rest. Sometimes, Patchett seems to be saying, the
yellow dress, her hair golden, falling out of its French twist. Her beauty obliterated Albert, and before the party
battleground of our youth can turn once again to a meadow, given
ended, Albert found a way to be alone with Beverly, and in a bold
enough time. Given enough forgiveness.
move, at least partially influenced by the alcohol, he kissed her. Commonwealth is a gripping, beautiful story, so honest it feels as The meeting of Albert and Beverly was the beginning of their
if you've been invited in to witness their unraveling and coming
affair. They divorced their spouses. They merged their two families
together. The pain they feel seems so real you could hold it in your
and moved away from their California homes. The coupling threw
hand. But the love they have is just as remarkable, and that is the
heartache near and far.
genius of this stunning novel.
For the remainder of the book, author Ann Patchett explores what happens to these families when their trajectory is changed, how the children of Albert and Beverly try to find their footing in a reality they hate and the iron bond that forms between all these broken people. After Franny is in her twenties, working in a hotel bar to pay off student loans, she meets an author she's long admired. He is on the downside of his career, much older than she is, and he's
Ann Patchett will be speaking at the Fayetteville Public Library on March 31, at 7pm. The event is free to attend. For more information, visit faylib.org. Patchett is the author of seven novels and three books of non-fiction and has won numerous awards, including the PEN/Faulkner Award. She co-owns an independent bookstore, Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee.
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pets
A New Year Filled with Unconditional Love F
F
Dinah F
M
Eve
Sid
F
Kelly
F
Missy
Trinity
Sebastian County Humane Society 3800 Kelley Hwy., Fort Smith | 479.783.4395 |
| SebastianCountyHumaneSociety.org
Each month, Do SouthÂŽ donates this page to local and regional non-profit animal shelters. If you work with a shelter and would like to reserve this space, please email editors@dosouthmagazine.com. DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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people
MY DAYS WITH A YOGI
words Marla Cantrell images courtesy Kerri Garr
Kerri Garr
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people
I
I'm the worst student in my yoga class. This is not an exaggeration.
In a few minutes, we will be doing a series of chaturangas, where
This is fact. I should get points for showing up early, though—I
we start in the plank position, lower to the floor, lift our upper
always show up early—so that I can get my spot in the far corner,
body into a move called upward facing dog and end in downward
away from the giant mirrors.
facing dog. Downward facing dog looks like an inverted "V" with your butt being the point of the "V" and your hands and feet the
My instructor, Kerri Garr, says everyone's practice is beautiful. She
two widest points on the letter.
also says there are no saved places in yoga. We are all supposed to be these loving creatures, and our places in the room should
Some people call downward facing dog a resting pose. Those
be interchangeable. She says this from her spot at the head of the
people are not human.
class, where the lighting from above is reflecting off her golden hair, making her hair look as if it caught the sun.
The next week, classmate Rhonda, arrives just after I do. She has a runner's body and makes people laugh. She has black, shiny
Beside me, my sister Jan sits with her back straight against the
hair and a Deep South accent. She turns the thermostat up so
wall. This is another plus of getting to class early. You can sit by
that the next sixty minutes it feels as if we're doing hot yoga.
the wall with your back supported, without your core muscles
I'm wearing mascara when I arrive. I'm wearing black circles and
doing a thing. I talked her into coming with me several months
sweat rings when I leave.
ago—I told her about Kerri with her golden hair and her golden heart—and my sister took the bait. She is better at yoga than I am.
"Great workout!" I say to Rhonda. But I don't mean it.
I am having some un-yoga-like feelings about this. The following Monday, Kerri again asks us to think of something Next to my sister is Janet, who is approximately my age but so much
we love about ourselves. This is a hard part of the class, but I
stronger. She can stand on her head. She was once in the military, I
decide I love that I can write. That I get to write.
think. She probably crawled beneath barbed-wire fences and scaled walls and woke at three in the morning to do it all again. When Kerri asks us to come up with one thing we love about ourselves, I struggle. Finally, I think, I'm a good dog owner. I'm thinking about this morning, how Rudy sat at my feet as I wrote, how he lay atop my heated blanket in my cold house and how I let him stay there even though he was ruining the blanket, which is a dry-cleanable thing and electric, and now that I think of it, irreplaceable, in a I've-had-this-so-long-I've-developed-feelings-for-it way. Kerri Garr
We are all breathing in unison now, this group of twenty-five or so that meets twice a week at Fitness One in Alma, Arkansas. Brent, two rows up from me, breathes like a pro. A rush of air in. A push of air out. He is strong like a mountain. He is strong like a tree.
In the class, we're "flipping the dog," which is a move that takes you from three-legged dog (the inverted "V" with one leg lifted)
The first time I met Kerri, she put her arms around me. She smelled
to what looks like a crab. Imagine what you would look like if
like the 1970s: patchouli, incense, freedom. She was wearing a
you lay on your back, then lifted your feet and hands so that your
knitted hat. She was wearing pants that looked like they'd been lifted
torso looks like a table top. Imagine it all you can, because I could
from Aladdin's closet. I wanted to roll my eyes at that hug, but there
never show you.
was something about it. Good energy? Sincerity? I wasn't sure. Mike, one row up and to my left, can do it. His hair is silver. He We are standing with our prayer-hands at our hearts, eyes closed.
likes good books. His form is perfect. I may not like Mike anymore.
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Yoga, or my version of it, is becoming a habit. There's something about Kerri. When she walks by, I think, She walks with intenKerri Garr
tion, and even though I can't explain what that means, I know it when I see it. I realize, finally, that what I think makes Kerri beautiful is more about what's on the inside. Often, she'll tell us she loves us, and I will look at her and know she means it. I'm in a pose called half-pigeon, leaning forward on my mat, one leg tucked at an angle, at hip-level, under the other, when it
The "here" she means is not Alma. It is "not here at all." The
happens for the first time. Kerri mentions that relationship prob-
statement is monumental. Is earth-shattering.
lems can show up in our hips. If my hips can be believed, my Which is why she believes so much in what she's doing. Which is
relationships suck.
why, when she hugs someone, when she says, "I honor the light Kerri says, "The pose begins at the point where you want to
in you because it's the same light that shines in me," she means
release it." If that's true, this pose started the second I began. But
every word.
I stay with it. And then I feel it. Tears. Not cry-me-a-river tears, but still. I squeeze my eyes shut. I'm glad I'm in the corner.
During our next class, it happens again. Kerri is leading us through a guided meditation. We are imagining that we are floating, the
Something is changing inside me. Getting out of my mind,
water perfect beneath us. When we arrived, Kerri told us to leave
focusing on my breath and my body is helping me feel centered,
all our cares at the door, but mine kept coming back. But now,
is making me feel a new sense of gratitude. At the end of class,
lying on my mat, I feel a little less worried.
during meditation, I feel lighter. Nothing earth shattering, but I notice. My sister says, "I felt like I was inside the music." It sounds
The tears that come seem more like a celebration. My sister is
like something an over-achiever might say, and I give her a look.
right beside me. My word, I love my sister. And then I realize I love
Maybe I have more work to do.
everyone in this class, and all those beyond these walls. I stretch my legs and almost touch Amy, the woman in front of me, so
Kerri tells me she started doing yoga seven years ago. At the
small and adorable and flexible it might be possible to fold her up
time, her personal life was in tatters. At first, the language of
and carry her out like a handbag.
yoga seemed off. Kerri's Baptist upbringing made her suspicious of words like Namaste, a word derived from Sanskrit, a spiritual
The thought makes me smile. Outside, the world is an uncer-
greeting that's given at the end of each class. The teacher says it
tain place. Crimes happen, marriages fold, families struggle. But
and bows. The students say it back and bow.
here, on this mat, everything is working. Kerri says to us, "I want you to know how strong you are," and I believe her. Because I
Kerri used to answer with a hearty "Amen" at the end of those
don't think she's talking about physical strength anymore. I think
first classes.
she's talking about something much more important, and so valuable it feels like gold.
Then, the extraordinary happened. Yoga started healing what was hurting inside Kerri. She faced what was causing her unhappiness, got serious about yoga, and started to believe in herself. When I ask her where she would be without yoga, she says, "I wouldn't be here," and tears fill her eyes.
Kerri teaches at Fitness One in Alma, and at Yogaterrium in Fort Smith. You can find out more about Kerri on her Facebook page, Freedom Wellness.
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shop
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people
The
LAZY
FARM GIRL words and image Jessica Sowards
I
I feel the need to disclose a nasty truth about myself. It’s not a
not enjoy hard work, as much as I do like the respite of having it
skeleton rattling in the closet or a deep and dark secret. It’s not
done. I have never been one of those people who chuckle about
some furtive, hidden sin. It’s just one of those matter-of-fact truths
cleaning as stress-relief or revels in a physically exhaustive task to
that is more easily dealt with when stated honestly.
let off steam.
I am not a hard worker, not by nature anyway. I never have been.
No, actually, I earned my childhood nickname of Messy Jessie. My
I mean, I do work. I do hard work. I would even say I have grown
room was a cluttered sty, littered with horse figurines and doodles
in my life to a place where I could even be classified as industrious.
and half-filled journals. Much to my mother’s chagrin, it didn’t
What with a huge family, a farm, ministry, and writing, my to-do
bother me one bit. I rather liked taking it easy then, and truth is, I still
list is great and terrible if ignored even for a weekend. But my
do. Of course, I do what needs to be done, but when life gets over-
industry was grown by necessity and fueled by obligation. I do
whelming, I much prefer retreating to the bed with a pint of Ben and
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people
I tell you all of this because when I talk about my animals and my farm, I don’t want you to fall into some grave misperception that I do this because of some weird enjoyment of hard work. I don’t. I like the farm. I love the animals. But the hard work is simply the cost that has to be paid. The work, in itself, is no perk. You see, there’s another natural trait that's ingrained in me. One that has overcome the laziness. I am an animal person. I thought it was a learned thing until my older two sons were born. In them, I saw polar opposites when it came to affection for animals. Jackson, from the point that his eyes could focus and before he had even gained control of his infantile grasp, adored any and every animal that dared come near him. Asher, born just eighteen months later, squawked in terror instead of squealing with joy when approached by the very same creatures. Now, at eleven and nine, the two boys are still the same. Asher has grown to tolerate cats in small doses and enjoys a walk around the farm as long as he isn’t required to interact too much. Jackson, on the other hand, asked for a potbelly pig for his birthday and would choose a farm chore over a house chore any day. It’s just a trait. He is an animal person, and it overcomes his desire to lie around. He treks out multiple times a day to feed and play with his pet pig. He calls a dog his best friend. He is an animal person, and I am too. Of course, I don’t remember being a dog-loving baby. I don’t know exactly when my animal loving antics began influencing my decisions. While I may have been Messy Jessie who had to have teeth pulled to clean the bedroom or rake the leaves, I absolutely do remember that from the get-go, the one thing that could overrule the desire to be lazy was a furry, soft critter. My first ambitions as a child were to be an “animal doctor” Jerry’s and a book. And even the book gets abandoned sometimes,
or a “real farmer.” My collection of plastic horses challenged
especially if it means having to get out of bed to turn on the light.
the inventory of any Toys R Us. Upon turning twelve, my first
Yes, I admit I am often woefully lazy, slow moving and completely
act as a preteen was to sign up as a volunteer at the animal
unmotivated when I resort to doing what I feel like doing.
shelter. There I spent the afterschool hours for two straight years, cleaning kennels and falling in love with hundreds of cats
I picked a bad life for this nature. The worst kind of life for the
and dogs (and the occasional rescue baby raccoon or squirrel).
lazy, one with five sons and a yard full of critters and deadlines and meetings and weekends of traveling with little sleep. It’s
It didn’t stop in childhood. The boy-crazy teenage years were
a good life, and I love it. It challenges the worst parts of me
marked with multiple abandoned puppies brought home
to become better. The lazy nature is still there, though, being
from gas stations and starving kittens pulled from dumpsters
constantly combated and daily crucified.
or sewer pipes or wherever else I found them. Then the boyDOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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crazy teenager grew into a woman and a mother. I stopped
Isn’t it strange how often our own deepest desires seem to be
bringing home strays but continued to volunteer at the local
contradicted by our very nature? Isn't it interesting that God
animal shelter, offering photography services for online list-
often puts us in a position to yearn so deeply, causing us to
ings to help animals find homes. As an adult, I showed perfect
face our naysayers to obtain our dreams? Isn't it even more
restraint when it came to animal ownership and had pretty
interesting that those same dreams cause us to go toe-to-toe
much embraced the fact that I enjoyed lazy days and had my
with ourselves?
hands full with my handful of kids. It was a long and hard battle. Lifelong dreams have a way of I seemed content. I seemed resolved to cater to my nature and
overcoming deeply rooted habits, though. Today I'm a farm girl.
take the easy road. But there was an aching sadness, a void
In a couple of months, I’ll aid goats as they give birth. Count-
in the region of my heart that was truly created to nurture
less chickens color my yard and this winter we brought home
creation. It would rear its head occasionally. A time or two, in
our first horses. I cried the day we picked them up from the
late night conversations with my husband, tears would roll over
slaughter pen. With the help of Southern States Equine Savers,
a dog I used to have, and I would voice that suppressed desire
we rescued them from being shipped to Mexico for meat
for a life full of animals. By morning I'd have the emotions in
consumption. As I sat in the pasture that November afternoon,
check, a firm grip on the resolve that lazy girls don’t need a
I watched those beautiful creatures with their runny noses and
bunch of chores. And then, we bought our farm.
long road to recovery and I cried and cried. They would be a lot of hard work, but they would be worth it.
It wasn’t a farm when we bought it. We owned one cat the day we put in an offer on the place. Then we were owners of one
The mornings are early. Rain or shine, I walk the farm with
cat and four acres. No fences. No outbuildings. Just a house on
Ruth, my funny dog I found in a ditch as an eight-week-old
four acres with a handful of kids and a cat. And there, in the
puppy. Some evenings, I get in the shower and watch the water
empty expanse of backyard, the gauntlet was thrown down
swirling by my feet turn black with dirt. Some days I shovel
between the farm girl and lazy Messy Jessie.
muck from chicken coops until every muscle in my shoulders and back screams. Some nights I get out of bed just as I start
Isn’t it strange how often our own deepest desires seem to be contradicted by our very nature? Isn't it interesting that God often puts us in a position to yearn so deeply, causing us to face our naysayers to obtain our dreams?
to doze because I forgot to close the greenhouse or move the eggs around in the incubator. My discipline is growing. I still hate the hard work, but I’m getting better at it. My family is getting better at it. I’ve learned hard lessons in procrastination and laziness because the stakes are high when dealing with living things. But the mistakes I’ve made and paid a high cost for, I’ve only made once. I’m still bad at staying up on laundry. I still take to the bed with Ben and Jerry's when it all feels overwhelming. But against my nature, I am industrious. Because for every ingrained flaw, I think there is some deeply rooted desire to drive us beyond ourselves. Take it from me, Messy Jessie, the lazy farm girl. If I can overcome the worst of me, anyone can.
Follow Jessica on her blog @thehodgepodgedarling.blogspot.com
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diy
On This Day A DIY JOURNAL
words and images Catherine Frederick
words and images Catherine Frederick inspired by designsponge.com
DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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diy
Over the years, I’ve tried several ways of keeping a daily record of our family life. Funny things our kids would say or do, or just something I didn’t want to forget. Something I’d always want them to remember, no matter how trivial or small. I tried journals and various notebooks, each one starting off the way I’d intended. Then, before long, I’d forget one day, and then two, then before long an entire month of pages were empty. Trying to remember things and go back to fill in the blanks was an exercise in futility. Mom Fail #57. I was determined to start the year off right, and so I searched for something I could leave out in the open, so I would see it each evening and stick to my daily task. Something simple. Something that would not be tucked away in a drawer or cabinet in one of my cleaning frenzies. A few years ago, I found this on Pinterest. Staring me down. Begging me, MAKE ME NOW! It was an easy method. One
materials
that met my criteria of “simple.” Just flip to the current date, and at the end of the day jot down something that happened. For example: “Tyler got hit in the head with a golf club.”
Berry box
(Yes, that happened), or, “Mom backed into Dad’s car in the
Farmer’s Coop or Hobby Lobby
driveway.” Yep, that happened too. The best part is, the calendar is perpetual, so you simply move
12 postcards or 4" x 6" photos
to the next line down, year after year. Make one for yourself or give one as a personal, unique gift. Such a simple way to record the best (and worst) moments of your life, from hissy
(180) 4" x 6" lined index cards
fits to hallelujahs.
Date stamp Hobby Lobby
Paper trimmer Hobby Lobby or Office Depot
Twine for gift giving
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diy
method 1
1
Holding the index cards horizontally, cut them in half. I cut
2
Stamp the month and date on each card (do not stamp the
through two cards at a time with my paper trimmer.
year). Depending on how picky you are on the “straightness factor” this takes about five minutes per month to accomplish.
3
Trim postcards/photos to the same width of the cut index cards but about a ½” longer than the index cards. The postcards are used as monthly dividers and need to be
2
taller than the index cards. This was the most difficult part for me. Not because of the cutter, but because it almost killed me to cut vintage postcards. Next time, I’ll purchase ones that have not been used, or I’ll use copies of family photos, etc.
4
Decide which postcards/photos you want to accompany each month, January through December, and place the selected postcard/photo behind the set of index cards.
3 Follow me on Pinterest! pinterest.com/catfrederick. Making this project? Share your photo! Send it to editors@dosouthmagazine.com
4 DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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lifestyle
ON YOUR MARK,
GET SET,
GOAL! words Matt and Becca Whitson
New Year’s resolutions. Those three words either make you roll your eyes or have you reaching giddily for the nearest notebook to make a list. Having sworn off resolutions for years, we are quite familiar with the eye-roll. There are a couple of reasons why. First, we don’t want to be part of the cliché crowd, heading to the gym and eating dry salads on the second day of January. And next, we have literally never kept a resolution, making us much like the majority of the January gym-goers. Year after year, we made our resolutions only to break them in the first six weeks...or days. Unmet goals can bring frustration and discouragement, and ultimately, that’s why people stop setting them. But what if there’s a better way? Maybe the way we set goals is actually the key to making them happen. Try these tips when you set goals this year.
DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
lifestyle Be S.M.A.R.T.
what needs to change in order for your actions to line up with what
Goals often remain unmet because they weren’t well-written in the
you want for your life. Start with three to five goals. More than that
first place. Without a clear vision of where you want to go, you’ll
will likely be counter-productive.
end up settling with where you’ve always been. One easy way to be sure you’re writing clear, attainable goals is to use the acronym
Write Them Down.
S.M.A.R.T. for goal setting.
After you’ve chosen your goals, write them down. Productivity studies have shown that people with written goals are much more
Specific
likely to reach their goals than those without. But don’t stop there.
Know exactly what you want, and make your goals as specific as
Put your goals in a place where you’ll see them every day. Keeping
possible to reach that end. Use “who, what, when, where, why”
your dreams and goals in a highly visible spot in your home or
as a guide.
office will keep them front and center in your mind as well.
Bad: Save money. Good: Put $20 from each paycheck into my emergency fund.
Practice Grace. When you mess up, and you will, extend grace to yourself.
Measurable
Beating yourself up for that cheat meal or extra hour of sleep
Choose goals with quantifiable results. Make sure you will know
will do nothing but push you further away from your goal. Take
clearly if you’ve reached your goal or not.
note of your moment of weakness and what led up to it, then
Bad: Get in better shape.
move on. If you dwell on it, you’re likely to start shaming your-
Good: Run my first 5K in June.
self. Shame only leads you to continue in the same behavior pattern that caused the shame in the first place. So take note
Actionable
and start again.
Use action words (e.g. “go,” “finish,” “save,” etc.) rather than to-be verbs (e.g. “be,” “have,” etc.).
Talk to Yourself.
Bad: Be more disciplined with food.
We spend a lot of time listening to our self-talk, that script
Good: Substitute fruit for my afternoon candy bar three
that runs constantly in our heads, even when we don’t realize
times a week.
it’s happening. That script may say something like, “I’ll never be able to lose the weight. I do this every year, and it never
Realistic
works.” Pay attention to your self-talk. You might be surprised
Choose goals that push you to be better but are still within reach.
at how self-defeating those scripts are. In fact, you’re probably
Unattainable goals are an invitation to failure and frustration.
talking to yourself in ways you’d never talk to someone else.
Bad: Get up two hours early each morning to increase productivity.
Stop listening and start talking. Try substituting the negative
Good: Get up thirty minutes early on weekdays to tackle the
self-talk with positive statements. Research shows that people
to-do list.
who use their own names or the pronoun “you” perform better than those who speak to themselves using “I.” This year, try
Time-Bound
to become aware of your negative self-talk and replace it with
Author Michael Hyatt says, “A goal without a date is just a dream.”
positive, motivational statements you would say to a friend
Give each goal a time limit to keep you motivated and on track.
(e.g. “You’ve got this! You can do it!” or “So you messed up
Bad: Lose weight.
one time? Big deal. Start over tomorrow.”).
Good: Lose fifteen pounds by April 1. Choose Support Carefully. Take Inventory.
Instincts say that announcing a goal on social media will hold
Be clear about where you are right now. Take inventory of your life:
you accountable and make it more likely that you’ll work hard
where you are and where you want to be. Write down what is really
to reach it. However, the opposite is actually true. Derek Sivers
important to you, what you’re dreaming about, and then how you
teaches in his TED Talk that the social support you feel from
spend your time and money. If those lists aren’t congruent, look at
announcing a goal can mimic the support you’d feel from
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lifestyle
achieving the goal, thus making you less likely you'll work
important. When your goals need to adapt to your life, you haven’t
hard enough to actually accomplish it. That said, support is
failed. You’ve just shown yourself that you can adjust to what life
important, and many goals will require help. Choose care-
throws at you and keep going.
fully. Sharing your dreams and plans is a vulnerable thing. Who has earned the right to hear them? Who can you ask to hold
As we begin 2017, don’t let New Year’s resolutions haunt you
you accountable without fear of their own motives getting in
again. Set your goals, put them where you can see them, give your-
the way? Calling a professional counselor or coach may be an
self a break, get a handle on your self-defeating thoughts, get help
appropriate step if you need help getting to the next level in
when you need it, and be ready to change when life throws you a
your personal or professional life.
curveball. You can do this!
Edit when Necessary. Revisiting your goals consistently is an important part of reaching them, but don’t be afraid to edit them when necessary. Life happens, and sometimes your goals need to adapt. When our son Will was diagnosed with lymphoma this past summer, our personal and work goals were put on the back-burner. We didn’t forget about them; we changed the timelines and put our focus where
Matt and Becca Whitson work together at WhitsonLife.com. They’ve been married for eighteen years and have three kids through birth and adoption. Passionate about using their story to bring glory to God and share hope with others, they write a blog, speak to large and small groups, and offer professional counseling and coaching services.
it needed to be. Will is doing well post-treatment, and we are slowly getting back to our goals with a new fire for what’s truly
Matt and Becca Whitson
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taste
&
Charred
Tomato Soup Recipe and image James Stefiuk
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FOR THE SOUP Ingredients
° 15 ripe red tomatoes, medium-sized ° ½ cup olive oil ° 1 yellow onion, julienned
Method
Set broiler on high. Slice tomatoes in half, remove any stems that may still be attached. Toss halved tomatoes with ¼ cup of olive oil, salt and pepper. Place tomatoes cut-side-down on baking sheet and place under broiler until the skin blisters and browns. Remove from oven, set aside.
° 4 cloves garlic, sliced as thin as possible ° Kosher salt, to taste ° Fresh ground black pepper, to taste ° 1 sprig fresh thyme ° 6 cups chicken stock
In a heavy-bottomed pot, combine the other ¼ cup olive oil, julienned onion, and garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook on medium heat until the onion becomes translucent. Add charred tomatoes, thyme sprig, and chicken stock. Simmer for 30 minutes or until tomatoes are thoroughly cooked and breaking down.
° 2 cups heavy cream ° Sherry vinegar, to taste
Strain tomato/onion/garlic mixture and remove thyme sprig. Be sure to reserve the cooking liquid. Working in batches, puree the solids and heavy cream in a blender until smooth. Add more soup liquid as necessary to make soup the consistency you prefer—if you like it thicker, add less liquid, if you prefer a thinner soup, use more. Return each blended batch to a single skillet and heat on low until completely mixed. Add salt, pepper and sherry vinegar to taste.
FOR THE GRILLED CHEESE Ingredients
° 12 slices fontal, or other cheese that melts well ° 12 slices of your favorite bread ° Butter
Method
Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Place cheese slices in between bread slices. Heat butter in the bottom of a nonstick skillet until it is completely melted and bubbling. Place sandwich in pan and toast until brown on one side, add a little more butter to the pan, and toast on other side. Transfer to the oven and allow cheese to melt completely.
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taste
Darling C lementine image James Stefiuk recipe adapted from bettycrocker.com
INGREDIENTS -
Crushed ice 1 oz. gin ž oz. St. Germain liqueur 3 oz. fresh-squeezed clementine juice - 1 oz. fresh lime juice - Club soda - Clementine twist (garnish)
METHOD Combine crushed ice, juices, gin and St. Germain liqueur in a cocktail shaker. Shake well. Pour into martini glass and top with club soda. Garnish with clementine twist. Drink responsibly. Never drink and drive.
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Bull Shoals
White River State Park
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On one of the largest lakes in the Ozarks, and on the famed trout waters of the White River, Bull Shoals State Park is a fantastic place to see plenty of bald eagles. Eagle Awareness Weekend is January 13-14. River and lake cruises, guided walks and van tours are just some of the activities offered.
To learn more, visit arkansasstateparks.com, or call 870.445.3629.
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Oaklawn Never Sleeps Opening Day for Horse Racing: January 13. Season runs through April 15. words Dwain Hebda images courtesy Oaklawn Racing and Gaming
DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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taste travel
Technically, Oaklawn Racing and Gaming shuts down Christmas
and two other horses Afleet Alex (2005) and Smarty Jones (2004),
and Easter, but that’s just window dressing. Between the historic
won here before claiming two of three Triple Crown races.
thoroughbred racetrack and the spanking-new gaming area, Oaklawn is perpetually on, day and night, seven days a week.
The horseflesh is only part of Oaklawn’s echoes; if you know where to look, you will see nods to the past all around you.
Any way you want to look at it – politically, socially, economi-
Some are conspicuous, such as photos of past champions or the
cally – Oaklawn has been a major component of the story of
oversized racing-themed cartoon drawings that adorn the walls,
Arkansas. And its ongoing, seamless transition from a racing-
lending a nostalgic 1950s feel to the cavernous grandstand.
only venue to near around-the-clock entertainment over the past sixteen years has been the envy of tracks coast to coast.
Others are less obvious, such as the iconic, life-size horse-andjockey statue by the main gate. To newcomers, it’s merely a
“It used to be that tracks had the opinion that they were a sports
lovely piece of artwork, but the long-timer understands it’s also
venue and they were a betting venue. So all they needed to do
a tribute to the reigning Arkansas Derby winner. The statue is
was open up their doors and people were going to come to bet
re-painted to match the steed’s coat and rider’s silks and is unof-
and to gamble,” says Jennifer Hoyt, media relations manager.
ficially one of the most-photographed spots in the Spa City.
“For a long time, horse racing across the country was the only place where you could do that. “But now you have gaming in Indiana, you have it in Iowa, you have it in Mississippi, you have it all over the country, practically. There’s a lot more competition that horse racing never had to face before. What we’ve discovered is you have to make it an entertainment destination.” The Sport of Kings – steeped in tradition and awash in superstition, unwritten rules and, occasionally, intrigue – has held marquee billing here since 1904. In the early days, racing was regarded both as economic boon and moral bust and shifting political winds repeatedly interrupted Oaklawn’s history during its first three decades. Local businessmen finally took matters into their own hands, forming the Business Men’s Racing Association and, in defiance of both the state legislature and pending litigation, sanctioned the technically-illegal 1934 racing season. The next year, lawmakers legalized pari-mutuel wagering, and Oaklawn hasn’t looked back since, attracting well over a million fans a year. Arkansas Derby Day alone exceeds sixty thousand fans; the Rebel Stakes over thirty thousand. The handle – or, total betting – for these days averages around eight million dollars for the Rebel Stakes and over twelve million on Derby Day. Winners here are in prime position for the sport’s marquee runs: Oaklawn crowds cheered 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharaoh in the Rebel Stakes and Arkansas Derby DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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Such traditions survive intact thanks to the unbroken line of
The racetrack saw its share of scallywags, too. Eighty-some
ownership by the Cella family, dating back to 1914. Under this
years ago, Hot Springs was a haven for mobsters who often
leadership, Oaklawn has grown into one of the most successful
took their entertainment betting the ponies. Al Capone was
and important stops in thoroughbred racing while at the same
a regular at Oaklawn, as was Charles “Lucky” Luciano, Ben
time maintaining a friendly, welcoming atmosphere.
“Bugsy” Siegal and permanent Spa City resident gangster Owney “The Killer” Madden.
“Horsemen like coming here because the community of Hot Springs and the state of Arkansas get behind the race meet,”
Oaklawn was also a favorite of major league ballplayers who were
Jennifer says. “A lot of racetracks have seen their attendance
either in spring training or breaking it, including Babe Ruth, Rogers
dwindle; you could go out and shoot off a cannon and not
Hornsby, and Satchel Paige, among many others. The co-mingling
hit a single patron at some of the tracks. Here, it’s an event.
of professional athletes, mobsters, and a gambling venue made
People cheer. If you’re a trainer or a jockey you can go out to
for a spicy brew and lent to Hot Springs’ bawdy reputation.
dinner and you’re going to get recognized as if you’re a celebrity. People like that.”
The criminal celebrities are gone now but Oaklawn still attracts the more benign variety – entertainers, politicians and the like. Some
The ground upon which the track stands was a pasture forever,
of them own racehorses, stabling them in the expansive barns
a freak clearing amid stately oaks that gave the place its name.
behind the track and working them out for the meet. Others are
Recreational, pick-up horse races happened here since before
merely fans, indistinguishable from the thousands of other visitors
the Civil War. The original grandstand was designed by famed
who pass through the gates as they have for generations.
Chicago architect Zachary Taylor Davis, who also designed Wrigley Field. It was glass-enclosed and heated, one-of-a-kind
Today, just as the track is part of the neighborhood, it is also
features that drove the princely $500,000 price tag, about thir-
part of the state’s fabric. The place may be a multi-million-
teen million in today’s money.
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travel taste
dollar business and a giant in the racing industry, but the
– but there are enough “games of skill” including live and video
average Arkansan doesn’t see it that way, and that’s what
blackjack and poker to draw crowds from all over.
makes Oaklawn unique. The layperson might assume that the gaming customer is “One of the reasons that I fell in love with Oaklawn is because
merely a racing customer waiting for the season to start. In
it is a family. We operate at a corporate level because we
actuality, the gaming and racing crowds are two surprisingly
have to; we’re that big, we’re nationally-known both for our
unique clienteles.
gaming and our racing,” says Karie Hobby, director of food and beverage operations. “But I will tell you; it is a family. That’s
“You’re never going to make a person who likes to play a reel
just the way we operate.”
machine a horse wagering fan. Your poker players, your blackjack players, there’s a little bit of a crossover, but there’s a lot of
If the historic grandstand and paddock is lazy summer baseball,
instant gratification from the gaming machines,” Jennifer says.
Oaklawn’s gaming area is mixed martial arts, all flashy lights,
“The fact that they coexist so well at Oaklawn is the reason why
bright colors and fast action. On a cold winter Friday, machines
we will continue to grow our business.”
jangle and coins hiss and clatter as a good crowd tries its luck. The parking lot, while not jammed, is filled enough that late-
One thing upon which both race fans and gamers can agree
comers face a brisk walk or snag a ride with the shuttles that
is they get hungry and Oaklawn’s food is on par with the
endlessly circle from the outer reaches to the front door.
other amenities. Nowhere is that more apparent than with the facility’s legendary corned beef. No one is really sure how
The company recently invested twenty million dollars’ worth of
or why corned beef caught on at Oaklawn, but you haven’t
improvements at the grounds and a healthy chunk of it went into
truly visited the place until you’ve munched on one of these
expanded gaming amenities. It’s not a casino in the truest sense
legendary sandwiches waiting for your horse to come in, liter-
of the word – only certain games are legal under Arkansas law
ally or figuratively.
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“Folks around this area that don’t even like corned beef love the corned beef here at Oaklawn, they expect it,” Karie says. “It’s a tradition. It’s a staple in our DNA.” The company buys its corned beef by the semi-truckload from Kelly Green Corned Beef in Chicago and will sell more than seventy-two thousand pounds of it in a calendar year; in the four-month racing season alone, enough to make seventy-four thousand sandwiches. And about those sandwiches, you can get them in two varieties, corned beef, and Reuben, with the former outselling the latter just under two to one. Karie is a Reuben girl – has been since tagging along with her horse-trainer father all through her formative years here – but in true restauranteur fashion, quickly reminds the visitor of the other menu attractions to be had. If your tastes run to a different type of brine, treat yourself to a dozen Blue Point oysters on the half shell, shipped in fresh from the Gulf to the tune of almost fifty thousand during racing season. Or, for the ultimate in quick, good eats, don’t pass on the all-beef hot dogs of which nearly three miles will be sold during racing season. Karie said as much as new technology, promotions and marketing, food service at Oaklawn is a bellwether for the future of the company, as its on-premises bars and restaurants have begun to attract their own clientele independent of other attractions. “Three or four years ago clients came out here for gaming or a racing event, and we happened to have good food that goes along with it,” Karie says. “Now we’re seeing the transition where we’re making a name in the neighborhood that we have good food, that we have the best sports bar in Hot Springs. We’re starting to make that transition in the minds of our clients that we’ve got more than just the games and the races.”
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travel taste
How to Oaklawn like a local Oaklawn is more about the spirit than the stone of the place; it’s the taking in of an experience more than a century in the making. Here’s how you do it:
GET HERE EARLY
the corned beef sandwich or dressed up in the Reuben on rye.
The price of being a neighborhood track in a historic town like
The oysters on the half shell and hot dogs are equally tasty and
Hot Springs is less-than-desirable traffic management, especially
while there are plenty of sit-down options here, know that they
on the biggest racing days of the year. That, plus expansion
often require reservations. Happily, any concession stand can
that’s eaten up parking spaces, demands advance planning.
handle your needs while you study your steeds.
Don’t cut it close to post time if you don’t like to hike or if you want a prime seat. By the way, Section H on the grandstand’s
BRING THE FAMILY
second level is considered the choicest view in the house and
There are age restrictions to bet, of course, but minors are
the pick of track veterans.
welcomed on race day. Plan for nice weather when the infield is open and enjoy Arkansas spring flora, a picnic blanket, and some great racing. They even put up inflatables to keep the
NEWCOMERS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME
youngsters happy on certain days of the year.
If you don’t know your exacta from a hole in the ground, not to worry. Spend a couple bucks on a tip sheet and program through the door and a little time talking up the mutuel tellers
REVEL IN YOUR SUPERSTITIONS
at the betting window (just not right before post!). You’ll get
Let’s face it, most of us simply guess when it comes to picking
the basics in no time. Or, seek out the staffers in the distinctive
horses. Know that this is OK, even time-honored. Ask around
red jackets; they know everything and are there to help.
and you’ll find all manner of folk wisdom on the subject: Bet a gray horse on an overcast day, for instance. Look for a horse with a braided mane, as it supposedly suggests an owner who is
CHECK OUT THE STAR ATTRACTIONS
confident enough to dress up the mount for the winner’s circle.
Oaklawn has one of the only indoor paddocks (prep areas), and it’s a prime spot to check out the horses up-close before
These old track saws, and many others, are certainly no more
any given race. Or, true equine nuts can take advantage of
scientific than your system of always picking green silks in
Saturday Dawn at Oaklawn where from 7:30 to 9:30am visitors
March, so have at it and have fun.
can watch horses train, tour the barns and mingle with owners, trainers, and jockeys. It’s free and so is the coffee and Danish they give you.
EAT AND EAT HEARTY You will not find better corned beef in the nation than at Hot
Oaklawn Racing & Gaming 2705 Central Avenue, Hot Springs, AR 1.800.OAKLAWN oaklawn.com
Springs’ legendary track, period, whether you take it lean in
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southern fiction
Girls Who Run
FICTION Marla Cantrell
Sometimes a girl just has to run. Sometimes her feet take over.
The two old ladies have given up. They're walking arm in arm
This is one of those times, early morning, early January. I'm at the
to a forest-green Mazda sedan. The dog is off its leash, sniffing
Alma City Park, on the trail popular with the older crowd at this
the ground.
time of day, at least when the weather's warmer. Today, I see two brave women, pushing seventy, in scarves and gloves and hooded
Before the hospital, I ran five days a week.
coats, and they're walking a tiny white dog that's wearing pink The man with the scarf waves the next time I pass, and says, "Nice
booties and a jeweled collar.
day for a run." A man, maybe half their age and approximately mine, walks a few yards behind them. He moves as if he's nowhere else to be;
I nod again. Keep going, but when I reach the next bench, set
strolling might be the word I'm looking for. Hands in his pockets,
inside a small pavilion, I stop, hands on my knees, winded, and
a striped scarf around his neck, the ends of which are fluttering
then sit down.
behind him. He is the only one of us without his head covered, and his dark hair reaches all the way to his shoulders. When he smiles,
The squirrels are busy, hopping the trail, going to the water's
there's a small gap between his two front teeth. When he says
edge. The oak trees dropped so many acorns they didn't have to
hello, his voice sounds like a voiceover artist.
prepare for winter. So now they look like kids on an Easter egg hunt, scampering here and there, their small dark eyes darting. I
I circle him in a wide arc, trotting and then speeding up. The
can imagine them with bunny ears, with tiny baskets, with shiny
running shoes I'm wearing I got for Christmas. I got a book of
new shoes.
inspiration quotes I've yet to crack open. I got a mixer that's still in the box.
That's another one of my problems, all this imagining.
Only the shoes I love.
Before the hospital, I could run straight up the levy that holds Alma Lake in place. I can see the levy from here, the angle of it like
The path I take goes up a slight incline and across a bridge that
the side of a pyramid. I could never climb it now.
crosses a stream. I make it around the quarter-mile trail three times, feeling the ground drop below me, my feet rising like
The guy is rounding the bend. When he reaches me, he stops. He
clouds. It all comes back to me, the way I feel when I'm moving,
bends down so that he's sitting on his haunches. "I've seen you
the way my mind clears. On the next loop, though, the run catches
here before," he says.
up with me. My calves begin to burn. My lungs squall inside my chest. I slow to a trot. DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
southern fiction
It sounds like a come-on. Like something I'd hear at CJ's Watering
"Like what?"
Hole on a Saturday night. "Where you've been. Who you've been with. What you ate for I give him a look.
breakfast. The kind of shampoo you use."
"I really have seen you run," he says, rocking back on his heels.
The man sniffs the cuff of his jacket. "What's that got to do
He shakes his head. "You don't believe me." He points to the disc
with feelings?"
golf course that sits at the tip-top of the park. "I watched you I've never been able to explain it right, but I try. "I was a crier as
from up there," he says. "I used to play a lot."
a kid. A big, epic, meltdown crier. My sisters made fun of me. My "And you don't now?"
parents didn't know what to do.
"Not as much." He shrugs. "The weather and all."
"A leaf would fall, and I'd mourn it. My dad would come home from work, lunch pail under his arm, and I could feel every humiliation he'd suffered at the hands of his boss. I'd read a newspaper
"Why'd you watch me?"
article about a kid in China, and I felt like I was that kid, underfed, "It was hard not to." When he says this I wait, wondering if this
unwanted, doomed."
is another move. But then he says, "There was so much trouble in "So, you feel the way a dog can smell. And that's made life hard
the way you ran."
for you?" "What do you know about trouble?" I ask. "Not every day, but yes, it has. Running helped. It was like a The man stands up. He smoothes the fabric of his pants. "Plenty,"
re-start button, let me forget the state of the world for a while.
he says, defiant.
But then my oldest friend got sick, and instead of helping her, I fell apart; I was suffering as much as she was. She said, 'Lisa, you
He shoves his hands in his pockets, and I can hear his keys clash
make everything about you.' I don't think she'll ever forgive me."
against metal, against the nickels and dimes. The park goes quiet for a moment. "Pitiful, isn't it?" "Sorry," I say, aware that I'm overreacting. At the hospital, they told me I was an HSP, a hyper-sensitive person, a little-known
The man sits down next to me and our thighs touch. "No," he
diagnosis. It means I'm not fit for this world. At the hospital, they
says. "It's not pitiful. It's sad, though."
gave me pills that made me tough like three-day-old bread. I wipe my eyes with my gloved hand, take a deep breath, try to "I've not been well lately," I say. "It's affected my attitude." I look
push the tears back. The man hesitates, then wraps his arm around
at new blue shoes. "It's affected my running."
my shoulder. "What the hell," he says. "My name's Randy. Lean into me for a while."
"What made you so sick?" The mid-morning walkers have shown up, four young women who I look past him to the swing sets. "I feel too much. I imagine too
probably have a clutch of children in the nearby schools. When they
much." I exhale. "You know how dogs are? How they can smell
spot me crying, the tallest woman frowns. "He's not hurting you, is
everything? They have, like, 300 million olfactory cells. We, on the
he?" she asks and points at Randy.
other hand, only have five million. "Not at all," I say. "I was just having a moment, and he stepped in." "If I had my dog, Ethyl, with me now, she could sniff you once and know more about you than I could learn in a month." DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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southern fiction
"Just making sure," she says. She hesitates a beat. "You
"I was in the hospital for a month," I say.
never know." "I was in jail once," Randy says. "Back when I was a kid. It doesn't When they move on, Randy asks, "Where's your friend now?"
mean a thing."
"Florida. At her parents' house."
"Did you hurt somebody?"
"Is she going to be all right?"
"Not in any real way. I'd go into rich peoples' houses, take a doo-dad of some kind. Just so they'd know I was there."
"Eventually." "After you were caught, did you tell them you were sorry?" "You could write her a letter." "Sure. That was part of the plea deal." "I could." "Did they forgive you?" "If it were me, I'd go see her." "Some did." "That's crazy." "What about the others?" Randy laughs. "I drive a truck, Lisa. I go to Florida all the time. Going to Florida is nothing."
Randy loosens the scarf around his neck. The sun is just above us now, warming up the world. "Who knows. Maybe I helped rein-
"So I'd just show up?"
force their view of a certain kind of boy, brought up on the wrong side of town.
"I don't know. Maybe. I know I'd try again. Give it one last shot." "Nothing I could do about that. I'd done what I could. So I got on "Have you ever done anything like that?"
with life. And little by little, I forgave myself. That's the real secret. You have to be the one to say enough is enough. You have to
"I have," Randy says. "Driving the truck helps; it gives you an
treat yourself better than you think you deserve."
excuse. 'I was just passing through, etcetera etcetera.'" I haven't felt like I deserved anything for a long time. Even my dog "What if she rejects me again?"
Ethyl seems too good for me. Or maybe especially Ethyl. I start to say this, but before I can, the air changes, the weight of it shifting,
"If she does, at least you'd have gotten a trip to Florida."
and I feel the electricity of it, the shimmering movement of it that feels like comfort.
"Maybe I don't deserve forgiveness. A better person would have held it together."
The feeling is like running, when your arms and legs seem to be moving without your brain doing any work at all. At those
"Who deserves forgiveness?" Randy asks. "That's kind of the
moments every kind thing seems possible, love, happiness, even
point of every religion on earth. We don't deserve it, but we get it.
forgiveness. I concentrate on the air that's hovering around me,
This life," he says, "what a messy business."
willing it to move, imagining it crossing one state line and then another, landing in Florida, ready to work another miracle.
"How'd you get so smart?" I ask, and Randy laughs. "I don't know much of anything."
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HEALTH AND WELLNESS
DO SOUTH'S
Health & Wellness Special Advertising Section January 2017
2017 DO SOUTH MAGAZINE
Whew! We did it. We made it through the holidays. We ate a bit more than we intended. We stayed up too late. Our weekends were stacked with parties. Now that it's 2017, though, we're regrouping, focusing on our wellbeing. But where do we start? That's where Do SouthÂŽ comes in! In the next pages, find the professionals, products, and procedures that will set you on the right course. That will make 2017 your healthiest, happiest and most beautiful yet!
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What is beauty? Is it truly "in the eye of the beholder"? For
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THERMI systems skin can be smoothed, wrinkles, crepe-paper
Childbirth stretches the vaginal canal and surrounding tissue.
skin, and cellulite decreased. Fat deposits from head to toe,
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HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Beauty through Health
of the vaginal walls. These changes in vaginal structure can also lead to urinary incontinence and decrease healthy vaginal function. Alleviate these symptoms with diVa!
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HEALTH AND WELLNESS
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Surgical Weight Loss Program
Darryl Eckes, M.D. Cooper Clinic - Bariatric and General Surgery Cooperweightlosssurgery.com 479.274.3215
Have you considered how much your hearing health affects
It's that time of year again — time when most of us make
your overall well-being and quality of life? For the majority
New Year's resolutions. Is weight loss at the top of your list?
of people, hearing loss is very gradual and can go unnoticed
For many people, losing weight is something that they try and
for years. Several health conditions can increase your risk
fail repeatedly. Sound familiar? You may be one of those for
of hearing loss. Some of them are: diabetes, hypertension,
whom significant weight loss is just not attainable with diet and
heart health, cancer treatments and dementia. Aging also
exercise alone. If that's the case, weight loss surgery can be an
brings cognitive processing problems that can interfere with
effective tool to help you get the weight off and keep it off.
communication and can lead to memory loss, increased risk
Learn more about Bariatric Surgery at our seminar January 17.
of falling and other accidents. We always recommend taking
Make 2017 the year you lose weight and regain your health.
a proactive approach towards your hearing health. work together to help you hear your best.
We’ll
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Center for Hearing 4300 Rogers Ave #15, Fort Smith centerforhearing.net 479.785.3277
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HEALTH AND WELLNESS
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HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Luther Stem Pools and Spas 5011 Old Greenwood St., Fort Smith lutherstem.com 479.646.7772 Want a fun way to stay in shape in 2017? Luther Stem is your
Mercy Fitness Center 7600 Dallas St., Fort Smith mercy.net 479.314.7400
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dealer for Aquatic Training Vessels (ATV™s), the swim spa you can use year-round for your personal workouts. Do leg kicks,
Mercy Fitness Center has a special offer to start 2017. During
resistance movements, swim strokes, and low-impact range
the month of January, we will waive the joining fee when you
of motion exercises. The options are endless! The ATV™ will
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personal training.
The floor
has a textured finish, which is great when you're exercising. You'll love your ATV™, and your family will as well. Stop by Luther Stem to learn more about this great swim spa.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
HEALTH
is a state of body. is a state of being.
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WELLNESS
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Methodist Village Senior Living 7811 Euper Lane, Fort Smith methodistvillage.com 479.452.1611 We provide skilled nursing services, as well as physical, occupational and speech therapies to assist with recovering from surgery, an illness, or in the treatment of complex medical conditions. We offer the largest selection of private rooms in the area, as well as semi-private rooms and amenities such as cable, phone and wireless communication, massage therapy, a chaplain on staff, and daily recreational activities including: worship services, exercise, music, and parties. Future plans include a Life Plan Community ($55-$65 million investment), a 28-bed Assisted Living Center, and a 17-bed Alzheimer’s
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Special Care Unit.
Sparks Regional Medical Center 1001 Towson Ave., Fort Smith sparkshealth.com 479.709.DOCS Heart attacks are the leading cause of death in the United States, with 600,000 people dying annually of heart disease. More than five million Americans visit hospitals each year with chest pain. As frightening as this is, you can take comfort in knowing that Sparks Regional Medical Center is an accredited Chest Pain Center. We ensure that patients who arrive at the hospital complaining of chest pain or other symptoms of a heart attack receive the treatment necessary during the critical window of time when the integrity of the heart muscle can be preserved.
signs the doctor mentioned such as: • Pain or tightness in the arms, jaw, neck
and even stomach
• Shortness of breath • Nausea and lightheadedness • Cold sweat “Because of that talk, he saved my life,” Krasko said.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Krasko began to remember the heart attack warning
Krasko went to the Emergency Room where a doctor confirmed he was having a heart attack. Krasko Photo is copyrighted to Corey S. Krasko
had three blocked arteries, one of which was 99% blocked, and underwent bypass surgery the next day.
PHOTOGRAPHER PUTS FOCUS ON HEART HEALTH
Krasko went through Cardiac Rehabilitation at Marvin Altman Fitness Center and now has his blood pressure under control without medication. He also exercises a few days a week, in
479.709.DOCS | SparksHealth.com
between photo shoots, to keep his heart healthy.
Corey Krasko has a heart attack to thank for what he calls
“The first couple years of retirement I was just a couch
the best boat he’s ever had.
potato, but now I feel great, I have a lot of energy,” he said.
“I just realized life is too short to not do the things you really
About a month after surgery and recuperating at home with
love,” he said.
crossword puzzles, Krasko started boat shopping again. He found one he just had to have and now spends about 4 or 5
Krasko, 70, suffered a heart attack in May and underwent
days a month boating on Beaver Lake or the Arkansas River.
triple bypass surgery at Sparks Regional Medical Center, an
He said the upkeep of a boat is good for his health.
accredited Chest Pain Center. With a family history of heart disease and having lost a few Prior to his heart attack, the semi-retired professional
friends to it, Krasko is more vigilant of his heart health than
photographer had been busy working on a photo exhibit at
ever before. You can stay vigilant, too, by learning your heart’s
the Fort Smith Public Library when he noticed a ‘tightness’ in
real age through Sparks’ free online Heart Risk Assessment.
his arms, shoulders and back.
In just five minutes, you’ll learn your personal risk factors for heart disease, the #1 health concern in the U.S. for both men and women – even those with active lifestyles. To take the
a heart attack was because I had photographed a Sparks
assessment visit SparksHeartCare.com.
cardiologist as he was giving a lecture at UA Fort Smith a few years ago,” Krasko said. The heart talk was given by Dr. Nasser Adjei, an interventional cardiologist at the Cardiology Center at Sparks. He, along with many physicians at Sparks, regularly gives free community talks throughout the year on various health topics.
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“The only reason I even recognized these as symptoms of
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