December 6, 2019 Athens Now

December 6th - December 19th, 2019

AthensNowal.com E-MAIL: info@athensnowal.com ADVERTISING: Ali Elizabeth: 256-468-9425

See Our Listings Inside this edition...

Pages 25 - 32

Special Feature Remembering Rosenau And Celebrating The Courthouse...

In December of a hundred years ago, residents of Limestone County gathered to dedicate a beautiful...

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When Bargain Jungle Blends With Cotton Row Interiors, The Result Is “Affordable Exclusivity”

By Ali Elizabeth Turner Bargain Jungle has been a familiar Athens sight on Hwy 72 for decades, and Brandon Downs has been there since he graduated from Ardmore High School in 1999. Brandon never expected a job that started out as being a “Guy Friday” to morph into a satisfying career, but Continued on pages 16-17

Tourism Jingle All The Way in AthensLimestone...

Merry Christmas! It’s amazing that 2019 is drawing to a close already – but there are still plenty of activities to...

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Cooking With Anna Who Are You Influencing?...

When making changes in your life, do the little changes make as much difference as the big changes? I think so.

You see, the little changes turn into big changes. One small change, such as...

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December 06 - December 19, 2019

Tony Rogers, (l) and Brandon Downs (r) of Cotton Row Interiors hang with Santa at the recent Athens Christmas Open House

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December 06 - December 19, 2019

Publisher’s Point

As A Man Thinketh

Publisher / Editor Ali Turner

Copy Editor

Yvonne Dempsey

Graphic Design

Jonathan Hamilton

Web Design Teddy Wolcott

Contributing Writers D. A. Slinkard Lisa Philippart Lynne Hart Cayce Lee Anna Hamilton Jerry Barksdale Wanda Campbell Joel Allen Nick Thomas Roy Williams Charles Joseph Rosemary Dewar

Publisher’s Point . . . . . . . . 3

rity.”

In 2002, Brian Banks was 16 years old and laser-focused on going to college at USC on a full ride, and then becoming a part of the NFL. He had decided early to become a Trojan, and had been assured of a full ride. Then everything went sideways, and Brian was accused and then convicted of a rape he never committed. He spent 6 years in prison, and then 5 on parole. At first, he was understandably shocked and enraged, especially given the fact that the young girl, who was also 16 at the time of the incident received $1.5 million in a lawsuit filed against the Long Beach, California School District for “not providing enough secu-

But while Brian was incarcerated, there was a man named Jerome Johnson who worked at the facility. Jerome taught classes to the boys in juvie, and saw something in Brian that Brian couldn’t see in himself. He gave Brian a copy of a classic book written in 1903 by a man by the name of James Allen. It is entitled, As A Man Thinketh. The book is described by Allen as "... [dealing] with the power of thought, and particularly with the use and application of thought to happy and beautiful issues. I have tried to make the book simple, so that all can easily grasp and follow its teaching, and put into practice the meth-

ods which it advises. It shows how, in his own thought-world, each man holds the key to every condition, good or bad, that enters into his life, and that, by working patiently and intelligently upon his thoughts, he may remake his life, and transform his circumstances.

The price of the book is only one shilling, and it can be carried in the pocket." It was also described by Allen as "A book that will help you to help yourself"; "A pocket companion for thoughtful people"; and "A book on the power and right application of thought."

That book saved Brian’s life, and combined with the prayers of his mom and others, he

Aldis Hodge in the title role of Brian Banks, the film.

never gave up hope of proving his innocence.

Enter the California Innocence Project, under the direction of Justin Brooks. Because there were so many aspects to Brian’s case that were outside the scope of the CIP’s normal approach to their cases, at first they refused to take the case.

But Brian prevailed, convinced them to take the case, worked hard to provide what was deemed “extraordinary evidence,” and was finally totally exonerated. But there was more.

After he was found innocent, Brian went on to fulfill his childhood dream, playing for the NFL. He became one of the oldest rookies in the NFL, getting signed on by the Atlanta Falcons in 2013.

What strikes me about this young man is the hard work of forgiveness that he has done.

He wishes no evil to those who committed evil against him.

And, to think that what started it all was a small book, and a man who believed in him.

All Things Soldier . . . . . . . 4 Special Feature . . . . . . . . 5 Calendar of Events . . . . . . . 6 What Makes Ronnie Roll . . . 8 Slinkard on Success . . . . . . 9 Tourism . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Clean and Green . . . . . . . 12 Cooking With Anna . . . . 13 Millennial Mind . . . . . . . 14

Ali Elizabeth Turner Athens Now Information & Inspiration 256-468-9425 ali@athensnowal.com Website: www.athensnowal.com

Health And Fitness . . . . . . 15 Cover Story . . . . . . . 16 - 17 Learning As A Lifestyle . . . 18 Jerry's Journal . . . . . . . . 19 Dog Barker . . . . . . . . . . 20 Mental Health Minute . . . 21 Alternative Approach . . . 22

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All Things Soldier

A New Service Medal For Helping Out In Hard Times

by Ali Elizabeth Turner

When Hurricane Katrina hit in the summer of 2005, as Iraq-based DOD contractors, we were given the option to deploy back to the States to help with the aftermath. There were many contractors in our particular collection of camps who were from Louisiana, and everyone supported their decision to go offer much needed help back in the States. Since that time, America has been hit with several notable natural disasters, and I remember how proud I was of our Alabama National Guard when they were on duty immediately after the deadly April 2011 tornadoes.

Storms and natural disasters bring out the best and

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the worst in us—people panic and don’t realize how contagious their fear can become. At times they try to “run back into the burning building,” whatever that may look like in the situation, and either don’t know or don’t care that they are endangering the lives of those who are trying to help them. In short, natural disasters are in their own way a combat zone, and military service members who put themselves in harm’s way for our sake are now going to be honored for doing so. I say, “It’s about time.”

On December 3, the Pentagon announced that a specific medal is now going to be awarded to qualified service personnel who

participated in rescue and humanitarian aid operations at home and abroad between 2017 and 2019.

Many people are not aware of what a “force for good” all branches of our military have been in dealing with the “forces of nature.” For example, in the 2018 typhoons which struck Guam, the Mariana Islands, Hong Kong, and southern China, over 800 troops from across the service branches were directly involved in helping.

Regarding relief and rescue operations during and after 2017’s Hurricane Harvey, the Coast Guard, National Guard, Air Force, Marine Reserves, and a Navy amphibious unit with Marines aboard were all deployed.

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Because the damage caused by Irma and Maria in 2018 was so catastrophic and widespread, the U.S. organized a joint task force called Leeward Islands. At its peak, Leeward Islands included "more than 300 Marines, Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen, as well as 10 Army and Marine helicopters, four U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft, the U.S. Navy's amphibious ship USS Wasp, the expeditionary fast transport vessel USNS Spearhead, and support from Navy P8 Poseidon and P3 Orion aerial reconnaissance aircraft," according to the DOD. Along with the natural disaster-related service medal, a specific designa-

tion has also been introduced for those who have been deployed along the southern border of the United States. Its designation is for those troops who serve but "encounter no foreign armed opposition or imminent hostile action." Having lived in Mexico on the border and hearing gunfire, knowing that the U.S. Border Patrol could not fire back and that there had in fact been cartel “troops” who crossed the border to fire upon our agents, there is a part of me that is genuinely annoyed by the “no-foreign-armedopposition-or-imminenthostile-action” part. However, at the end of the day, I am glad that honor is being given where honor is due to all our service members.

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Special Feature

Remembering Rosenau And Celebrating The Courthouse

by Charles Joseph In December of a hundred years ago, residents of Limestone County gathered to dedicate a beautiful neoclassical-style courthouse which since that time has served our residents well. A young teenager by the name of David Lee Rosenau was involved in the construction of that courthouse by hauling brick. Interestingly, that teenager was the valedictorian of Athens’ Greene University School at age 15, and became one of the youngest graduates ever of both Yale Law School and Stanford. He began his career at the age of 20. In 1937, he was appointed to the bench by then Governor Bibb Graves. Judge Rosenau spent the next 44 years hearing cases from his courtroom upstairs and retired in 1981.

also worked on the committee that produced the Judge Horton memorial on the west side of the courthouse. Jerry Barksdale, retired Athens attorney who argued many cases in front of Judge Rosenau, regaled us with stories as to His Honor’s “courtroom

culture.” One of my favorites was the tale of a young man who had gotten in trouble with the law, and Judge Rosenau did not suffer foolishness when it came to what he felt was inappropriate courtroom attire or appearance. It was the era when long hair was the

One hundred years later, on December 2, bundled up citizens and officials braved the cold as they gathered together to remember Judge Rosenau, celebrate the bell house that has been created for the old courthouse bell, and hear stories about the man who was known to quote Shakespeare often in the course of presiding over trials.

judge retorted, “Young man, when you start acting like Jesus, you can have your long hair!” I don’t think that kind of requirement would be tolerated today in our “snowflakes-need-safespaces” society!

Even the Governor of the Great State of Alabama was reminded that Judge Rosenau’s campaign promise of “the same justice for everyone” was more than a slogan. An Alabama official from Montgomery had gotten a traffic ticket, told the governor about his gaffe, and the governor then called His Honor with the expectation of getting the ticket fixed. Judge Rosenau listened to the governor, replied, “You run your office the way you want to, and I’ll run my office the way I want to.” Then he hung up. On the governor.

Along with the bell house, there are two benches that are in memory of Judge Rosenau’s two daughters, Joy and Jill, and a tender tribute was given to the entire family by Bill Graham, who is the grandson of Judge Rosenau. Judge Rosenau was married to Jill Hertzler Rosenau for 70 years, no small feat in any era!

Several local officials and dignitaries were present, including Limestone County Chairman Colin Daly, Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks, and retired Limestone County Circuit Judge James Woodruff, who

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order of the day amongst the youth of our nation, and this guy was mighty proud of the length of his locks. The judge ordered him to get a haircut before he came back to court the next day, and the young man protested, saying, “But Jesus had long hair!” The

Our thanks go to all who saw the value of preserving the legacy of a man who was both a character and a man of character, Judge David Lee Rosenau Jr., 19031998.

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Calendar of Events Second Sundays On The Square

Ardmore Christmas Parade December 9

Businesses will be open from 12pm-4pm on these Sunday afternoons for local residents and out-of-towners alike to come enjoy what downtown Athens has to offer during the weekends. For more information contact Merritt Malone at 256-777-7519 or merritt5485@gmail.com

Lineup at 5:00PM at Ardmore High School. 30285 Ardmore Avenue in Ardmore, AL. Judging from 5:00PM-6:30PM. No fee to participate. Parade will get underway at 7:00PM and will route up Ardmore Avenue to Main Street.

Houston Memorial Library and Museum FALL HOURS

Joe Wheeler Parade of Lights December 14

101 North Houston Street in Athens. Tue - Thurs 10am-4pm • Fri 10am-1pm • First Saturdays - 10am-1pm. Antiques mingle with new book releases to create an inviting atmosphere for both book lovers and historians alike. We have all genres for all ages! The Governor's home displays local history while maintaining a fully functioning lending library. We invite you to stop by for a visit. 256-233-8770.

Jingle Bell Jog 5K December 7

With the Athens High School JROTC at Athens High School.

100 U.S. Highway 31N in Athens. Day of race registration starting at 6:45AM, ending 7:30PM. Race starts at 8:00AM.

Elkmont Lions Club Christmas Parade December 7

Lineup at Elkmont High School. 25630 Evans Drive in Elkmont at 12:00PM and kicks off at 1:00PM with floats, marching band, fire trucks, horse and Saint Nick himself. The parade routes through downtown Elkmont via Upper Fort Hampton Road to AL-127 turning south and finishing at the Piggly Wiggly lot. For more information or sign up to participate: ElkmontLionsClub.com.

"It's a Canebrake Christmas" 9th Annual Athens Ladies Civitan Tour of Homes December 8

With East Limestone High School. 15641 East Limestone Road in Athens. 7:00PM-8:00PM featuring winds and percussion from grades 7-12 and the Winter Guard.

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Alabama Music Series Christmas Concert & Sippin Cider December 14

With High Cotton Arts. 103 West Washington Street in Athens. 4:00PM-8:00PM with Christmas Music concert with the Athens Dulcimers 4:00PM-4:30PM, Malone Family & Friends 4:30PM-5:00PM, and the Sounds of Three 5:00PM5:30PM followed by Mike Johnson during the Sippin Cider fun.

Sippin' Cider Festival December 14

5:00PM to 8:00PM in downtown Athens around the square.

Sample and vote on your favorite cider, while shopping and enjoying store specials. Activities for the children plus train rides with Athens Lions Club. Roasting marshmallows, live music, and a visit from Santa.

Ardmore Tinsel Trail December

Prominent Athens homes will be dressed up for the holidays and open for touring from 1:00PM-5:00PM. Tickets: Advanced- $20.00 at Pimento's (210 West Market Street in Athens); Surface World (1037 US Highway 72E in Athens); Class Act Salon & Spa (115 Cloverleaf Drive in Athens). Day of Event: $25.00 at any house. For more information: Carolyn Stair 256-658-1985 or Carol Malone 256-777-2918.

Christmas Concert December 9

At the Marina, 4403 McLean Drive in Rogersville. 6PM-9PM with viewing from banks between the Lodge and Marina, any lodge room or from inside Daniella's Restaurant. Holiday Buffet starting at 4:PM for $13.95 per person, reservations suggested. To reserve a room, please call: 256-247-5461.

Along Ardmore Avenue near Ardmore High School in Ardmore, Alabama. Enjoy an array of trees decked with amazing collections of baubles and lights decorated by area businesses and organizations.

Bethlehem Walk December

Mable Hill Baptist Church. 3778 Ready Section Road in Ardmore, Alabama. This sensory experience walk-through of Bethlehem on the night that Jesus is born from 6:30PM9:00PM. Free. Large groups are requested to call ahead 256420-8172.

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What Makes Ronnie Roll

The Amazing City, Part 1

by Ali Elizabeth Turner

Mayor Ronnie was back from a national conference of fellow mayors and city planners which was held in San Antonio. As the president of the Alabama League of Municipalities, the organization paid for him to attend the conference, and he came back fired up. He made a point of spending as much time as he could with fellow mayors of cities of 50,000 and under—a perfect next step, giv-

smile.

The mayor then showed me a book written by a former president of the League of Municipalities entitled, The Amazing City. He also let me know that we would be doing a series based on the book, given the fact that it was packed with so much good stuff. An introduction to what makes for an amazing city includes a discussion of what author Jim Hunt calls “The Seven

parks, as well as Parks and Rec programs for disabled kids that include being able to play baseball. “We have got to have an inclusive park,” he said. Cullman has what they call a Connected Park, and it has been highly successful and well-received.

borhood, and that feels “amazing.”

Some of the steps that make a city amazing need to be considered from and get it organized, as well a place at the table, and social media can play a huge part in it. For example, someone recently gave me an invitation to join an online chat group called Next Door. I was a bit skeptical at first, but can say firsthand that it makes me feel more connected to my neigh-

en the projected rapid growth of our area for which our civic leaders are working to plan. He was pleased to find that there were several mayors who had long-term visions for their cities, and they had plenty of opportunity to swap ideas, share triumphs and trials, and build relationships. “I was the senior guy at most of the tables,” he said with a

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Steps.” They are: attitude, motivation, attention to detail, “zing” (the thing that sets a city apart like the Eiffel Tower does for Paris), inclusiveness, neighborhood improvement, and green awareness.

We moved on to the topic of inclusiveness. What Mayor Ronnie learned at the conference is that there are cities that have

the standpoint of what happens when things are ignored. As Thomas Friedman said, “If you don’t visit the bad neighborhoods, the bad neighborhoods are going to visit you.” That is the introduction to the chapter entitled, “Neighborhood Empowerment.” Empowering a neighborhood basically means finding ways to give it a voice

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The other news is that Athens is one of several cities being considered for a possible appearance on HGTV’s series, Hometown Rescue. The show’s hosts, Ben and Erin Napier, hail from Laurel, MS, and the first three seasons were about reviving that town. This has resulted in houses renovated, storefronts filled with new businesses, and neighborhoods coming together. Now they have been cleared by the network to go on the road to help other towns, and we are in the running. There was much to celebrate, and much about which to pray, so pray we did, and then it was time for Ronnie to roll.

Ben and Erin Napier of HGTV's Hometown Rescue

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Slinkard On Success

I Am Thankful

by D. A. Slinkard

our journey.

Hard to believe we are past Thanksgiving, and now we have a countdown to Christmas and then the new year. The year 2019 has flown past, and it seems like just last month we were welcoming it in. As I reflected over the past few days, I have thought about the many things I am thankful for. For instance, I am thankful for Jesus Christ dying on the cross to pay MY sin debt. I am thankful for my wife. I am thankful for my two beautiful daughters. I am thankful for the opportunity I have to work for a Christian company.

I am finishing 2019 much different than how I began the year, and surely the same can be said for you. What are you doing to prepare for 2020? How are you going to set yourself up for success? You may be thinking you will finish up with Christmas shopping, and then you will think about this question; but it is time we pay attention to the topic now. We face the possibility of doing the same old thing in 2020 as we did in 2019.

I want to achieve even more success in 2020 than I have ever done; this should be the mentality of everyone. Instead, many times we take a ho-hum approach to life, and because of this way of thinking, we end up with ho-hum results. Not this upcoming year. Decide now to make it great. Grab

a piece of paper and pen and start jotting down some ideas you want to achieve.

If you have read my articles for any time at all, you will find I advocate for writing ideas down. I am big into goal setting and prioritizing your life.

We see a decline in productivity throughout our society because we do not take the proper time to map out our goals. We have people telling their children they can be anything they want to be, but give them no realistic expectations on how they are going to be able to achieve success. If you cannot answer the Who, What, Why, When, Where, and How, then chances are you need to do some

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more homework.

I come at you from experience because I am proud to let you know I am planning on starting my own business in 2020. In getting my idea off the ground though, I am working on figuring out the Who, What, Why, When, Where and How. These are all crucial aspects I know I must be able to answer if I am going to be successful.

It does not matter if we are talking about starting a business, starting a hobby, etc., you must know what it is you are wanting to accomplish.

having to go to work on that day for the first time in over a decade! As we traveled to go spend time with family and eat some turkey, we knew where we wanted to end up. We knew we wanted to start from Athens, Alabama, and we wanted to end up in Eureka, Missouri. Going back to the above example, we knew what we wanted to accomplish, and then we set forth on

Living life and accomplishing your goals is no different. You need to know where you are starting from, you need to know where you are wanting to end up, and you need to prepare for the course along the way.

Now, on our trip we did not know what traffic was going to be like along the way, but we were prepared to be adaptable to what the GPS said. Three times we took a different path because of obstructions in our way due to car accidents, bad weather, and distracted driving by others. Despite having to take detours, we still knew what our final destination was going to be. And just because we sat in some traffic, we did not just turn around and go back home because of it.

How many times do we give up when life gets tough? If we plan better for the pros and cons in achieving our goals, then we can better prepare ourselves for any potential roadblocks. Instead of an obstruction halting our progress, we are able to simply redirect and go on another path to achieving success.

For Thanksgiving, my family traveled back home to St. Louis, Missouri, and I felt a ton of gratitude on Black Friday morning when I woke up not

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Tourism

Jingle All The Way in Athens-Limestone

by Cayce Lee Social Media Specialist, Athens-Limestone County Tourism Association

Merry Christmas! It’s amazing that 2019 is drawing to a close already – but there are still plenty of activities to keep you busy and full of the “Spirit of the Season.” You can get the details for these highlighted events and many more by visiting the Athens-Limestone Tourism website at VisitAthensAL. com.

Christmas Parades…

Bring out the marching bands and the Jolly Ole Elf himself as high-stepping fun comes to Elkmont on December 7 and Ardmore on December 9. Choose from a colorful flotilla of lights at either Joe Wheeler State Park or Riverwalk Marina/Hard Dock Cafe on December 14.

Tourism host this annual memory-making event. Be sure to make plans for Santa’s Visit on the December 14, plus other fun activities.

It's memory-making fun at the North Pole Stroll in Big Spring Memorial Park in Athens

Tinsel, Lights, and Bows Brighten Ardmore’s Town Hall…

Ardmore Tinsel Trail is a brilliant twinkling of trees at the corner of 1st Street and Ardmore Avenue in Ardmore, Alabama. You’ll want to definitely visit Tinsel Trail on December 7 when Santa comes to visit at the Ardmore Town Hall in front of the trail. tion of Christmas Now and Then. This family-friendly music event set for the Tanner campus allows the audience to experience the Magic of Now and the majesty of Then. Dates for the show are peppered throughout December.

North Pole Stroll in Athens…

Wander amid the whimsically-themed trees in Big Spring Memorial Park during the month of December, as Athens-Limestone

Explore the True Meaning of Christmas…

Annual Christmas parades delight the crowds with floats, bands, and the Jolly Ole Man himself.

Decked Halls and Home Tours…

Citizens of Mooresville open their homes and local attractions during Mooresville Progressive Tour.

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The annual Athens Ladies Civitan Tour of Homes comes to Canebrake on December 8. Mooresville will host its annual Progressive Tour on December 14. In Downtown Athens, the Sippin’ Cider Festival offers soft and hard ciders to enjoy as shoppers peruse for their Christmas list items on December 14 as well.

Don Your Ugly Christmas Sweater and Lace Up Your

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Shoes…

It’s time for an annual Christmas tradition hosted

by Athens High School JROTC, the Jingle Bell Jog on December 7. Whether you run, or just want to come watch the fun, or see who leaves with Best Costume Award, it’s all fun and Jingle Bells!

Christmas Then…

Now

and

Calvary EpiCenter returns with their annual presenta-

Enjoy the annual Bethlehem Walk with Mable Hill Baptist Church, on December 6-8 and 13-15, for an immersive experience that wanders through the streets of old Bethlehem. Pack the family in the car and drive through Emmanuel Baptist Church’s “The Christmas Story” with scenes depicting the true story of Jesus available December 13-15.

Events are always being added to the calendar at VisitAthensAL.com, so be sure to check often or subscribe to the weekly Athens-Limestone Tourism newsletter and get event updates and more in your inbox.

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Clean and Green

Tips For A More EnvironmentallyFriendly Holiday Season

by Lynne Hart - Executive Coordinator - Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful Christmas is a time to gather with friends and family.

It is a time for laughter, lots of food, and plenty of gift exchanging. The KALB staff and commission members wish you the most wonderful holiday season!

What may not come to mind when we consider the holidays is the amount of waste that is created.

Holiday cards fill our mailboxes. Approximately $2.9 billion in wrapping paper will be used and discarded in the United States. Amazon alone ships an estimated 608 million packages each year which equates to 1,600,000 packages a day.

Add in all the other stores shipping items across the country during the holidays, and it adds up to a LOT of cardboard headed to the waste stream!

The addition of glass bottles and jars, plastic containers, aluminum, and cooking fats/oils/grease (FOG)

to the waste stream will increase during the holidays as well.

• Remove all ribbons and bows from packaging before recycling.

Let’s be mindful now and throughout the year of the natural resources used to create these items. The number of trees cut down to create the cardboard boxes, wrapping paper, and Christmas cards alone is huge! We can spare 17 trees from being cut down for every ton of paper products we recycle! Every little bit matters!

• Save this year’s holiday cards to use as gift tags and decorations on next year’s packages.

There are some things we can do to decrease the waste we create. Here are a few examples: • Wrap gifts in cloth sacks or scarves, dish towels, or pillowcases that become part of the gift.

• Forget the foil wrapping paper and use plain paper that can be recycled.

• Decorate packages with candy canes, or other usable items, rather than ribbons and bows that are not recyclable.

REMEMBER:

Athens City curbside recycling is managed by the Athens City Sanitation Department. The items accepted in the curbside rolling carts are regulated by and taken to the Decatur Recycling Center. If you have questions about curbside recycling, contact the Athens City Sanitation Department at 256-233-8747.

• Decorate with winter berries, holly, and evergreen that can be given back to nature after the holidays.

• Purchase a living Christmas tree that can be planted, if you have a place for it.

• Choose gifts that create experiences, give of your time and talents, or can be consumed.

• Avoid gag gifts that will eventually find their way to the landfill.

There will inevitably be waste we can’t avoid. We should, however, be sure to recycle all that we can. Here are some guidelines for recycling at the Athens-Limestone Recycling Center, a division of KALB. ACCEPTED ITEMS (*indicates materials also accepted at County Community Collection Centers) *Plastics: #1, #2, and #5 containers such as water and soda bottles, milk jugs, juice bottles, laundry soap and shampoo bottles, and more. *Glass: Any color bottles

and jars ONLY. No other glass/ceramic items are accepted. *Aluminum: Aluminum cans and scrap aluminum.

Wash aluminum pans and foil before recycling. *Metals: Metal food cans and scrap metals. *Paper: Newspaper, including all inserts, junk mail, magazines, phone books, hard and soft-covered books, and mixed paper are accepted. If it tears, it’s recyclable. *Cardboard: Please break down boxes to save space in the recycling trailers and bins. They fill up very quickly!

Electronics: Any item that runs on batteries or electricity is accepted at our center.

There is a $10 fee for TVs; all others accepted free.

Cooking Oils: All cooking fats/oils/grease (FOG) are accepted. Containers are provided free at the Recycling Center, KALB office, and Athens Utility building.

Motor Oil: May be poured into the collection tote to the right of the recycling center building, or it can be left in a container with a secure lid.

If you have questions about something that is not listed here, please call the Recycling Center at 256-2338746. DO NOT leave items you are unsure of as this is costly to our non-profit center in time spent and disposal costs.

Become a Fan

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December 06 - December 19, 2019

Cooking with Anna

Who Are You Influencing?

by Anna Hamilton

When making changes in your life, do the little changes make as much difference as the big changes? I think so. You see, the little changes turn into big changes. One small change, such as having a side salad instead of the fries, leads you to make more and more changes.

For the holiday season, I usually make potato salad; and while potato salad is delicious, it is not the healthiest of side dishes. I searched and searched for a great alternative and landed on a loaded cauliflower salad. It was healthy, delicious, and no one missed the potato salad.

spouse, a child, a co-worker or a friend. You are someone’s hero. The choices you are making in your life are affecting someone else. We all have a responsibility to our fellow man to try to be our best selves.

When you surround yourself with negative people, you become a negative person. When you surround yourself with healthy people, you will become a healthy person. It is so very important to make good choices, not only for yourself but for the others around you.

Over this past year, I have made lots of small changes; and I have been surprised at how it not only has changed my life, but it has changed the life of my family. Smart changes not only affect you but affect the ones around you. Whether you realize it or not, you are a role model to someone in your life.

This year is quickly coming to an end. How have you been influenced this year? Have you surrounded yourself with people who are going to help you stay the course of a healthier you, not only physically but emotionally? I hope you can say that the people in your corner are cheering you on and helping in your journey to better health and an overall healthier you.

We all have people that we admire. We try to imitate them, impress them, be more like them. Who in your life are you influencing? It may be a

“Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.” Proverbs 13:20

Recipe #23: Loaded Cauliflower Salad What You Need:

1 head cauliflower, cut into bite size pieces 1 Tbsp. olive oil 1 Tbsp. curry powder ½ cup radishes, sliced ½ cup celery, diced ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded 2 green onions, sliced 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled Dressing: ½ cup mayonnaise ¼ cup sour cream 3 Tbsp. sugar-free sweet pickle relish 1 tsp Dijon mustard

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Toss cauliflower with olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, and curry powder. Roast for 15-20 minutes or until tender crisp. Set aside to cool completely.

While cauliflower is cooling, dice the celery and slice the radishes.

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Whisk dressing ingredients together and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place cool cauliflower in a large bowl along with remaining ingredients. Toss with dressing.

Chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.

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The Millennial Mind

What Is Set Before You

by Rosemary Dewar

Divisions, differences, and disagreements are occurrences that will always be with us. Our mission in life ought to be to neutralize those differences as much as possible. We are to relate to one another in order to strengthen each other’s assets, and mitigate each other’s weaknesses. This is usually a long, arduous, and painstaking practice, and impulsive actions will typically damage the process.

In order to empathize with those we do not know, we attempt to see the brotherhood of humanity between us.

Historically, siblings are rather severe with one another. Within the Judeo-Christian worldview, sibling rivalries are expressions of God’s empathy for humanity, even when he or she wronged the people they should love the most. Cain is jealous for God’s favor, and instead of becoming reflective, he confronts his brother, Abel, ultimately killing him. Yet, God doesn’t avenge Abel immediately.

God preserves Cain even though he is to toil more than his father Adam did. Even God’s purpose for Jacob and Esau was uniquely different. Esau was not robust in his practice of serving God like his father Isaac was. It is made clear that God was determined to have Jacob be leader

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of the faith. Esau became enraged when Jacob was given God’s blessing.

Over time Esau’s heart was softened; he was still blessed by God. Anyone can declare that they love God, or embrace goodness. However, if you hate your brother, you ultimately only hate yourself. If your love is solely dependent on your hunger for admiration and submission from others, you’ll come up empty and isolated.

It would become much harder for you to feel any lasting goodness.

S o y k w s

God is quite slow to anger while being just. Every judgement is measured, tempered, and executed with agony, no matter how severe the punishment may be. Justice and fulfillment never seem to manifest either when or how we want it. By attempting to take matters into our own hands, we inadvertently put ourselves in the path of being judged. Only discriminate up to the measure you are willing to be scrutinized by others.

We would be wise to practice that in our own relationships. But just how do we humans know how to be wise? In Andrew Klavan’s Another Kingdom, a character states, “Wisdom is loving the good; the greater good more than the lesser.” In order to know what to love, you need to know what not to love.

The Judeo-Christian

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worldview has an answer for this also. You are to meditate on what is true, honest, just, pure, lovely, praiseworthy, and virtuous. How do you know what is ‘good’? In our existence, life and death, blessing and cursing are set before us, and we are urged to choose life not just for ourselves, but also for those we are given in friendship.

If what you choose may cause death even in its most innocuous form, choose life. We are to continue to make the distinction between good and evil in order to let God reveal His nature.

December 06 - December 19, 2019

S t b a o a t d r w s p s t a a h d s t c n m F s n s

Health and Fitness

Good Sugar vs. Bad Sugar – How To Make The Right Choice

by Nick Thomas, owner of Prime Performance Training, and Certified Sports Nutritionist

The new year has now officially set in and it’s time to make those resolutions really work. One of the best ways we can begin that new healthyeating routine we promised we would is to avoid fad diets and really know the facts about what we put in our bodies.

therefore provide no benefit to our bodies.

Now that we have established the difference, how do we make the best choices for our daily nutrition?

Roughly 5% of our daily intake should consist of added sugars. If you are very active and exercise regularly, some sugar in your diet helps supply ready energy to fuel your

Sugar is a huge issue in our food today which you probably already know, but what should we believe and what should we do about it?

Look at the carbs as sugars on the nutrition label.

This will include both natural and added sugars.

Less than 5g per 100g is low, more than 22.5g per 100g is high.

So let’s distinguish between good sugars and bad sugars. Good sugars are naturally occurring in our foods, bad sugars are added to our foods. Our taste buds cannot tell the difference between naturally occurring sugars, which are found in foods such as fruit and dairy products, and added sugars, which manufacturers add to foods such as soda and candy. From a nutritional standpoint, however, there is a big difference between these sugar sources. Foods that contain naturally occurring sugar tend to be nutrient-rich, providing more nutrition per bite.

Foods that have added sugars have little to no nutritional value being simply empty calories,

December 06 - December 19, 2019

muscles and keep your brain active. The biggest issue most of us have with this is the amount of processed foods we eat. We have to be hyperaware of the marketing we see and not trust what is on the front of packages, but actually read the nutrition facts.

Check the ingredients list for glucose, sucrose, fructose, lactose, maltose, etc. These are all forms of sugar, as are honey, agave, molasses, and syrups (corn & rice).

The higher up on the ingredients list these are, the more sugar the product contains.

A basic rule is to stick to the exterior of the grocery store isles, choosing mostly fresh foods.

The less processed, the less bad sugar. However, when buying from those interior isles it’s best to avoid products labeled “sugar free” as they tend to contain artificial sweeteners like sucralose, saccharin and aspartame.

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Keep carbs in check; things like white bread, rice, and pasta will contain more of those processed, bad sugars.

Replace these with wholegrain options and balance this all out with lean proteins such as fish, chicken, and turkey which will help keep us full longer preventing extreme cravings.

Cutting sugar out of your daily routine will not be without struggle. The body has to adjust like it does to breaking any other addiction. Drink tons of water during this time.

A dull headache may be experienced and cravings will most definitely be an issue! Go cold turkey and fight through it or have a few ounces of pure fruit juice to help.

The symptoms will only last a few days, and soon you will be functioning with more mental clarity and be on your way to shedding those few extra pounds you wanted gone for 2019.

Nutrition plays a major roll in our overall health and how we feel on a daily basis. For a custom personal nutrition plan, contact Nick Thomas at (423) 805-0870 or nick. thomas78@yahoo.com

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Cover Story

When Bargain Jungle Blends With Cotton Row Interiors, The Result Is “Affordable Exclusivity”

by Ali Elizabeth Turner continued from page 1

twenty years later, he’s so glad it did. Bargain Jungle was started by the Hill family, who treated Brandon like one of their own and taught him everything he knows about the furniture business.

Brandon did it all: warehousing, inventory, delivery, painting, furniture repair, and learned about quality furniture lines. One of his favorite things has been to take a damaged piece of furniture that is missing an important part, finding something that will work well, and creating something that was better than if the original piece had never been hurt. “I became good at it,” Brandon told me, and also mentioned that he especially loves helping customers.

Over time, Brandon got to the place where he went to markets all over, in Atlanta, Tupelo, and High Point, NC. He found amazing deals for Bargain Jungle, bought whole showrooms for the store, and with his co-worker, Tony Rogers, made Bargain Jungle a place where folks from North Alabama could get beautiful furniture, help with staging for sales, and suggestions for interior design, all for a true bargain.

Brandon said, “Tony became like a brother to me,” and Tony’s sense

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of style and design for the past 15 years have been invaluable. Tony told me that his favorite thing is seeing a smile on the face of the client when they leave the store, knowing that he helped them find exactly what they wanted. Finally, at Bargain Jungle, Brandon also met his beautiful bride, Jennifer, and they are now the blessed parents of two kids.

Leah Carter, Director of Design and Staging

One of my favorite “Brandon stories” sounds like something

out of a Frank Capra movie along the lines of “It’s A Wonderful Life.” It goes like this: There was a man of substantial means in our area who made a point of going into stores dressed, shall we say, “lower than his station.”

He found that because he did not look like someone who had much to spend, in other stores he was either treated poorly or ignored. Long ago, Brandon made the decision that everyone would be treated the same no matter what they looked like, as though every person who walked into the door had a million bucks to spend.

The mystery gentlemen finally revealed his identity and told Brandon his story of how he had been

Tony Rogers, Director of Retail Operations

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treated elsewhere. The result was the man spent a goodly sum of money on furniture and became a raving fan customer.

It was a lesson Brandon never forgot, and something his team has lived by since Brandon purchased Bargain Jungle from the Hill family in 2016.

Now for Leah Carter.

She was sent by Zach Walker, formerly of Revolved Realty to find items to stage homes being placed on the market.

Leah and Zach are on the worship team at Summit Crossing Church in Athens, and Zach told me he just “knew” he needed to ask Leah to join the design team. The remarkable part was that Zach

December 06 - December 19, 2019

their mission is to provide “affordable exclusivity.” I looked up the word “exclusivity”; the definitions are as follows: • the practice of excluding or not admitting other things. In the case of Cotton Row, that means that what will be excluded is over-priced furniture and less than stellar customer service.

• restriction to a particular person, group, or area. The person is you, the group is us, and the area is ours.

• the state of catering for or being affordable by only a few, select customers.

had no idea if Leah was any good at it, and he soon found out that she was. His fateful question was, “Can you stage a house?” She answered in the affirmative, and for awhile, Leah almost felt like she was living at Bargain Jungle because of how quickly the houses were turning.

She found both Brandon and Tony to be a great help, and was excited to partner with them. This fall, they all went in together to form Cotton

Row Interiors, which now has three locations to serve you. The former-BargainJungle-now-Cotton-Row is located at 1027 US-72 # B, in Athens; the old Gray & Holt building on the Square at 214 Market St. W; and the warehouse is at 1620 Lindsay Lane.

Leah and her husband, Sean, came to Athens 7 years ago to plant the Limestone Campus of Summit Crossing Community Church. They have four kids, mostly teenagers, and Leah has her kids

help with all manner of projects. Through Cotton Row Interiors, Leah is able to help with seasonal decorating, home staging, and interior design projects. She loves to add all the personal touches so that a customer is completely pleased. When it comes to their selection, she says, “I want clients to be able to touch it, smell it, sit in it, feel it, look at it, and love it.”

Interiors can acquire high quality national brands, imported furniture, lamps, tables, and art work; and they offer design services, delivery, and more at significant savings. He says

Now, that last one is the best part. Cotton Row Interiors exists to make sure that “the few” are the many, and that means YOU. Stop by any one of their three locations today and find out what affordable exclusivity is all about. You are in for a pleasant surprise.

Brendon Downs, President of Cotton Row Interiors, retail division

I have experienced firsthand how the newlyformed Cotton Row Interiors goes above and beyond to meet customer’s needs. For years we have wanted a recliner couch and perhaps a loveseat, and could never find what we wanted either in terms of style or at an affordable price. I am happy to say that at this last sale, which was held at the warehouse, we found exactly what we have been looking for literally for years, and we are grateful.

Zach wanted Athens Now readers to understand that Cotton Row

December 06 - December 19, 2019

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Learning As A Lifestyle

Your Box Is Full

by Wanda Campbell

Center for Lifelong Learning - 121 South Marion Street, Athens, AL 35611 - 256-233-8262 On Monday, I got a message that said, “Your email box is full. Please delete items.”

I got this same message about a year ago, too. My, how time flies. It does not seem like it has been a year. Turns out it was not a year; it was only six months. I can’t delete that email without wondering if I will need it again. It took all day to go through those emails.

I thought this bad habit was just at work, but it turns out I am hanging onto things at home, too.

And the mess is worse.

I now have six 30-quart plastic tubs that I cannot throw away…and have no place to store.

The email prompted a spring cleaning storm at work and at home. You know – spring cleaning - when you decide you have to clean up everything and throw out the old

stuff. That is easier than it sounds.

When I started going through the boxes at home I found treasures. How could I put my grandbaby’s handprint from kindergarten in the trash? I know that wooden rifle is broken but Ben won that for shooting targets at Boy Scout camp (30 years ago). And the corn kernels are falling off the rooster

picture, but it was so cute when it was new; and it is the only art project I have from Brian.

I actually took a class called Getting Rid of Clutter. It did not take, but I did learn some pretty good ideas. For one, if you sort your mail over the trashcan, you can throw the junk mail away right away instead of stacking it on the tables and counters. This suggestion

became a habit and I still use it.

When I took the class, I thought the “maybe box” was the best idea. Sometimes when you’re going through that pile of stuff, you know exactly what to keep (the stuff you love and use) and what to trash or donate.

But then there’s other stuff you don’t use, but think you might want or need someday.

So create a “maybe box,” and put this stuff there. Put the box somewhere, out of the way. Then pull it out six months later, and see if it’s anything you really needed.

Usually, you can just dump the whole box because you never needed those things and did not miss them during the six-month period.

Very soon we will be start-

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ing a new year. Starting a new year is the time to start new habits. Whether you are looking to organize your stuff or you want to manager your time, you can find new ideas, and/or new habits, at Athens State University’s Center for Lifelong Learning.

This winter/spring 2020, we will offer classes in Time Management, Table Talks on the Hubble Space Telescope and the Dead Sea Scrolls, as well as Painting for Beginners, Sign Language, and cooking classes using spices from around the world.

Watch for information on our website – www.athens. edu/CLL or call us at 256233-8260 for more information.

December 06 - December 19, 2019

Jerry’s Journal

Losing Ovaries And Discovering Hemorrhoids

by Jerry R. Barksdale www.jerrybarksdale.com

My good friend, and sometimes redhead, Pat had been dropping hints that we should visit the Virgin Islands in the Caribbean. It would greatly improve my health, wouldn't cost much, and she could shop. A great plan. What could possibly go wrong?

Our friends Jack and Diane (not real names) would travel with us.

Like the Washington "Whistleblower," they choose to remain anonymous. I don't blame them.

Jack is ex-military and immediately assumed the planning of our trip like it was the second D-Day landing. I appreciated that since I am unreliable. Several years ago, I was goofing around and had to run to my flight and bang on the door until it was opened.

We flew from Nashville to St Croix. I looked out the window as we made our final approach to Henry E. Rohlsen Airport, named for the St. Croix native and WWII Tuskegee Airman.

Below was a beautiful emerald island set in a sapphire sea. The weather was a hot 95 degrees and breezy. Very relaxing.

The locals were friendly and laid back. "No problem." Stress melted away. Jack got behind the wheel of our rented Ford and that's when I saw the window sticker: "Drive on the left side of the road." Oh my! Two things happened simultaneously, my sphincter

tightened, and I tightened my seat belt.

St. Croix (pop. 50,000) is an American territory and the only place in the U.S. where one drives on the left side of the road. The former home of Alexander Hamilton, the island is 22 miles long and 7 miles wide with a tropical forest on the west end and semiarid climate on the east end. Wealthy folks live on the east end in beautiful hillside mansions overlooking the peons.

The island has attracted tourists ever since Christopher Columbus, that old "white honky" (as some call him), visited in 1493 and was greeted with a hail of arrows and hate speech: "Go back where you come from Yankee dogs!" Well, they could’ve yelled that.

Talk about unfriendly folks! Once considered a hero, Columbus has fallen in disfavor with some and has gotten a bad name.

I bet "waterboarding" would have squeezed the real truth out of him.

"Pleeeaase, don't drown me. I confess, I'm a troglodyte, a homophobic, xenophobic, misogynistic, nationalistic, sexist, Bible-thumping, gun-toting, climate-change-denier, Walmart-shopping, racist... And what's that other crime? Oh yeah, I’m a white male." Bless his heart. He was just visiting.

Malcontents want to tear down Columbus’s statues and abolish the National holiday. The 2.1 million Federal employees who stay home, sleep late, and get paid may object.

December 06 - December 19, 2019

fb.com/jerry.barksdale.7 I suggest that the statues can be saved by papering them over with job applications. Antifa would flee like a vampire before a cross. Columbus has given Italians a bad name.

I'm just glad he wasn't from Alabama.

Now back to our lesshistoric visit…The redtiled back porch on our two-bedroom condo was located only a few yards from crashing surf and coconut palms. Aaahh…

Lady Luck had sent us to paradise. I didn't know it at the time, but she has an evil twin brother--Bad Luck. There was no door on our bathroom located near the dining room. Oh, well, peculiar noise emanating from there would provide interesting breakfast conversation. As the locals say, "No problem."

Each morning while Pat fried bacon, home fries, and eggs, I sat on the back porch sipping Maxwell House, listening to the crashing surf and re-reading a favorite book, Travels with Charley. I decided to make contact with the local natives, three young men who were raking up seaweed that had washed ashore.

"What time does the tide come in each day?" I asked.

"Oh, mon, it comes when it wants to." Huh? Irrefutable proof of climate change. Debate over.

Red roosters patrolled the streets of Christiansted crowing and chasing reluctant hens that apparently had headaches. If there isn't a hen "me too" move-

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ment, there oughta be one.

The island hasn't recovered from Hurricane Maria which ripped through in 2017. Roads are washed out in places, houses destroyed, buildings abandoned. I was told there are no poisonous snakes on the island, just the pythons that mongoose eat. That's great news. I'd rather be squeezed to death any day. Iguanas are plentiful.

We drove to the rainforest where bushes and tall grass overlapped the road shoulder and potholes large as a wash tub made driving difficult.

Pat and Diane were in the backseat bumping up and down. The Ford bucked and jumped like a brahma bull as we slammed across potholes.

"I'm losing my ovaries!" exclaimed Diane.

"Yeah, I'm discovering my hemorrhoids," I replied.

Thursday morning we checked out of the condo before 11 a.m. and decided to tour the island once more before our flight departed late afternoon.

At Sandy Point Wildlife Preserve, I suddenly had to pee. Bad timing. Lasix pills have no social conscience. I frantically began looking for a toilet, tree, bush, power pole.

None. "Turn off here," I said to Jack, and we drove down a dirt road on the preserve and stopped near a house. Grandpa Barksdale always said 200 feet is decent, but that was when he was 84 years old and half blind. I was standing at the back of

the car, head back, eyes closed. "Aaahh, yes!”

What a beautiful moment. A dog barked. Oh no! A 4-wheeler driven by a woman was coming up fast. When she saw my predicament, she stopped.

After the wonderful experience ended, she drove up, and I apologized and explained. "That's okay, I understand. My father is 76," she said. What a lady! If my cardiologist doesn't take me off Lasix, I'm going to end up in jail charged with indecent exposure.

Later, Jack said, "Let's stop at Wendy's and get a burger."

"Let's eat a good meal," I said. Bad suggestion.

We stopped at the Buccaneer, a high-dollar hotel/resort and ate. Bad decision. I reached for my credit card and it was missing. Bad luck had made the scene. I called the last place I remembered using it. "Ya, mon.

We have it. No problem."

We drove to fetch it. That took time. Jack suggested that we fill up the Ford with gas before returning it. We would save a few dollars. Another bad decision.

Finally at the airport we returned in the Ford and lugged our suitcases to American check-in. It was one hour before departing. American had closed shop! No one was present. We couldn't board our flight. The next flight out was 4 days later. Jack called American.

We could wait 4 days or

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Dog Barker

Holidays and Travel

by Joel Allen I hope everyone enjoyed Thanksgiving. Now there is Christmas to plan for, and many of us are planning to travel by car and take their beloved dog with them. How many folks just hook the leash to their dog’s collar and place them in the vehicle? Think about what just happened. Basically, if there is an accident and your dog gets thrown, what is that collar and leash going to do? That’s right, snap your dog’s neck or seriously injure them. I remember when Zues and I would travel up and down the interstate; I always ensured he was seat belted for our safety.

There is nothing worse than getting into a car accident and your dog being injured or the weight of their bodies injuring you.

Let us all hope we never have to live through any accident, but just in case, let’s talk about how to prepare ourselves.

My set up and Zues’s size caused him to sit sideways like this. I always worried that in the event of an accident he could be injured because of how the harness sat on his shoulders and back. Food for thought…

Now, here is another important consideration -know your dog and what they might do because I had the experience of Zoey not liking the seat belt harness and she chewed the tether in two. I had to teach her not to do that, but it took a lot of patience and for a while she targeted my seat belts. I had to pull over a few times and scold her, but in the end she learned.

LOL…I guess she thought that if she chewed up what she did not like then it

would not be her problem anymore.

All right, the seat belt harness has been purchased, and we need to get the dog used to riding in it.

The first ride should be for five minutes wearing the harness and supervised. If your dog decides they don’t like the harness just keep working with them and show them that it will not harm them. Increase the training time as they successfully ride in the vehicle. Use plenty of treats, “lubbins” (love and rubs), and the window as a distraction for rewarding successful training in the art of the seat belt. Keep in mind a dog has to get used to something foreign to them. Once they understand what we desire them

Seat belts for dogs come in many different designs. I would advise shopping around and looking at the harness and its quality. Check for the mobility of the harness in the car, and check the consumer reviews also. In my experience there are some dog harness seat belts that fall apart right after they are used. Always look at the threading and ensure that there is no fraying where it is sewn. Another consideration is how the harness and tether purchased will position your dog in the car. Will it cause your dog to sit sideways in the seat, facing the window?

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to do, the dog will become very compliant and will not need your constant supervision unless, of course, they feel like they are the boss. For that, there needs to be some additional training in who is the leader. It should be noted that no dog should be left tethered in a vehicle by themselves. What I would always do, and will still do, is release them so they are not locked down and defenseless if I go into the store for a minute. And NO, I would not leave them in a hot car with the windows up (In my opinion, if someone does this they are an idiot and should never be allowed to have a dog).

Once your canine family member is trained in

the use of a seat belt and taught that it is the norm, travel in your car will be safer for all. It should also be noted that the use of a seat belt restricts the dog’s movement thereby keeping us less distracted while driving.

One last idea for your safety and that of your dog -- there should be an emergency cutting tool on hand to cut seat belts because there have been a few cases where people could not release their seat belt. I keep a lock blade on my person in case of this happening. A knife or cutting tool will do no good if it cannot be accessed; so keeping it on your person, locked down in the driver area, or even having more than one tool placed in different areas would be a good precaution. What would happen if you were to drive your car into the water and sink? Would there be time enough to cut your seat belt and your dog’s before being drowned? Or what if you are in an accident and the vehicle caught fire? Just several real scenarios to consider.

Again, have a safe holiday season and Merry Christmas!

“Remember to love your dogs because they love you. Maybe not the way you want them to, like chewing up your favorite shoes or what not, but that is just love chewing. Be thankful for the time you have with them always.”

Joel Allen 256-651-2211

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December 06 - December 19, 2019

Mental Health Minute

Seasonal Affective Disorder

by Lisa Philippart, Licensed Professional Counselor

“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.”

- John Steinbeck In my youth, I will admit, I never understood what seasonal affective disorder was all about. How could the weather, or the fact that the sun was not shining, possibly affect how one feels to the point of depression? And then we moved to The Netherlands. I was told that The Netherlands averages about 60 days of sunshine per year! While this is not true, I did notice that with an increase in cloudier days, more than I was used to, my mood seemed to take a downward turn. Wow. Ok, now I get it. The way the Dutch combat this seemingly perpetual lack of sunlight is not in the healthiest way…many homes had their own tan-

ning beds or, at the very least, a light box.

Let’s examine Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) for a better understanding of what it is -- symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. Seasonal Affective Disorder is a form of depression, also known as seasonal depression or winter depression. Symptoms of depression usually occur during the fall and winter months when there is less sunlight, and then usually improve with the arrival of spring. The most difficult months for people with SAD in the United States tend to be January and February.

SAD is much more than just the winter blues. Symptoms can be distressing and overwhelming to the point of interfering with daily functioning. About 5% of adults in the U.S. experience SAD, which typically lasts about 4-5 months of the year. It

December 06 - December 19, 2019

is also more common among women than men. SAD may begin at any age, but it typically starts when a person is between ages 18 and 30.

SAD has been linked to a biochemical imbalance in the brain, prompted by shorter daylight hours and less sunlight in the winter. As seasons change, some people experience a shift in their biological internal clock that can cause them to be out of sync with time and their daily schedule.

Daylight Savings Time, which is meant to maximize the use of daylight hours, can have a negative effect for those who tend to use their evening hours to get things done.

I have noticed for me, that 7 p.m. now feels like 9 p.m.! Common symptoms of SAD include fatigue, even with too much sleep, and weight gain associated with overeating and craving carbohydrates. As you might expect, SAD

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symptoms can vary from mild to severe and may include many symptoms similar to major depression such as: Feelings of sadness and hopelessness Changes in appetite, usually eating more Sleeping too much Loss of energy or increased fatigue Increase in restlessness (pacing, shaking, etc.)

Trouble concentrating or making decisions Thoughts of death or suicide SAD can be effectively treated in a number of ways, including light therapy, antidepressant medications, and talk therapy. While symptoms will generally improve on their own with the change of season, symptoms can improve more quickly with treatment. Light therapy involves sitting in front of a light therapy box, which mimics outdoor light.

Researchers believe that this type of light causes a chemical change in the brain that lifts your mood and eases other SAD symptoms. In general, the light box should provide an exposure of up to 10,000 lux of light, emitting as little UV light as possible.

To be most effective, a light box should be used within the first hour of waking up in the morning and requires about 20-30 minutes. Please note:

Light boxes are designed to be safe and effective, but they aren’t approved or regulated by the FDA. So, it’s important to understand the risks and options. Many see some improvements from light therapy within one to two weeks. If you are cautious about using a light box, spending time outdoors or arranging your home or office so that you are exposed to a window during the day can also have positive effects.

If you feel you have symptoms of SAD, please seek the help of a trained medical or mental health professional. Just as with other forms of depression, it is important to make sure there is no other medical condition causing these symptoms.

For example, SAD can be misdiagnosed as hypothyroidism, hypoglycemia, and mono or other viral infections. A mental health professional can diagnose the condition and discuss therapy options such as cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) or rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT.) With the right treatment, SAD can be a manageable condition.

Lisa Philippart is a Licensed Professional Counselor, who divides her time between her own private practice in Huntsville and providing personal counseling services at Athens State University.

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The Alternative Approach

Exhausted? Lack Of Energy?

by Roy Williams If you can relate to those words, then reading the rest of this article may open the door to more energy and better overall health. In reality, low energy is the number one complaint at the doctor’s office and it has been that way for many years.

If you are exhausted and feeling a lack of energy, you can rest assured that the cells that make up your body are exhausted too and unable to function properly.

The medical profession will try and help by treating the symptoms, but until you get to the root of the problem, you are going nowhere.

Americans are bombarded by environmental toxins; electromagnetic fields of energy that rob energy from your cells; high stress levels at work and home; lack of specific nutrients like MSM; reduced geo-electromagnetic earth field; electromagnetic waves from cell phones, TV’s, computers, high tension power lines; and sedentary lifestyles just to name a few.

Easy, Affordable and Effective Solutions Because we are bombarded by so much electromagnetic energy, and the fact that we are not allowing our bodies to come in direct contact with Mother Earth, our energy levels are being de-

disposal; enhanced cardiac function; enhanced physical fitness; endurance, strength and energy level; enhanced concentration, mental acuity, stress reduction, relaxation, and overall quality of life.

In particular you should consider the BEMER if you have any of the following: • Chronic musculoskeletal pain, such as low back, neck, or joint pain pleted.

Ever notice how much better you start to feel when you go on vacation and walk barefooted on the beach or on grassy trails? The earth is a source of negative ions, which pull the positive ions from your body allowing you body to become balanced again.

As your body becomes negatively charged, your energy levels will naturally increase, your inflammation levels will decrease, and your attitude will improve. This has a great effect on micro-circulation in the whole body, increasing oxygen and nutrient supply to the tissues. It also enhances the activity of white and red blood cells thereby increasing immune system function.

Dr. Beat Villiger, M.D. states: “We are absolutely convinced! The benefits of these negatively charged ions in the body is irrefutable. It has been proven with athletes. Obviously, what is good for competitive athletes is also a huge bonus to your own health.”

How do you negatively charge your body? You have choices. Go outside barefooted and stand or sit with your feet planted on the earth; walk on dirt, a grassy area, or the beach for at least 30 minutes every day -- concrete and asphalt will not help. Or, you can use a Bio-Electro-Magnetic Energy Regulator or BEMER. Because going outside barefooted for 30 minutes a day is not very appealing to most people, especially in really cold or hot weather, let me suggest the BEMER. There have been over 2000 randomized clinical trials with the BEMER and it has shown great benefit such as: • Increased energy • Improved circulation • Better quality of sleep • Decreased stress levels • Increased bone healing

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• Decreased fibromyalgia pain • Faster overall healing The BEMER uses a pulsed electromagnetic field as a way to deliver a specific pulsed therapy that increases circulation in the small blood vessels, which make up about 75% of your circulatory system. That is why it is so helpful for people with diabetes, neuropathy, or poor circulation.

BEMER has also proved to increase circulation to the cells to help deliver more oxygen, nutrients, and improve the health of your red and white blood cells. It also helps remove waste at a cellular level, which allows the body to function more optimally, build stronger tissue, and heal more effectively.

Used for 15 years in over 4000 hospitals/clinics in Europe, the technology is now in joint development with NASA for space suits. BEMER was developed in Germany and has over 50 publications proving its benefits.

The BEMER is approved as a Class I medical device by the FDA for enhanced circulation/blood flow; enhanced nutrient supply and waste

• Poor wound healing due to peripheral vascular disease or diabetes • Fatigue or low energy • Poor sleep • Fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome • Anxiety or depression or ADD There are no side effects.

BEMER is easy and painless to use and each session only last 8 minutes.

Perfect Timing If you are suffering from any of the disorders we talked about or just wish to have more energy, then consider the following: One FREE session on the BEMER and the WholeBody Vibration machine.

A $20.00 value absolutely FREE when you bring this article to Herbs & More in Athens. To book your FREE session call 256233-0073.

When you realize just how much better you feel, you may choose to use these services at a 20% discount with your next visit or group of visits.

Your friend in health, Roy P. Williams

December 06 - December 19, 2019

Jerry’s Journal (continued)

Losing Ovaries And Discovering Hemorrhoids

by Jerry R. Barksdale

continued from page 19

forfeit our tickets. Jack quickly did a cost analysis between our choices and we decided to re-rent a car, spend the night and purchase tickets on another airline and depart the following day. My share of the extra cost was $1,276.00.

Pat was upset because she wouldn't be back at her beauty shop - The Total Look - on Friday to transform women into ravishing beauties.

One of her life goals is to stamp out ugly in

Athens. Women running around town with bad hair could spell trouble. We ate supper at the Buccaneer.

Pat is a teetotaler, doesn't smoke, and never cusses except when necessary to chase me back in the doghouse.

"What'll you have, lady?" asked the waiter.

"Give me a strawberry daiquiri."

Uh oh! I shut my mouth.

Finally homeward bound, I looked out the window as our plane made its final approach. I saw no emer-

ald and no sapphire, only a brown, gritty looking old city -- Newark, New Jersey, the most beautiful place I'd ever seen. Then on to Nashville and home.

It was a memorable trip.

To paraphrase W.C. Field -- All things considered, I'd rather be in Athens.

My credit card is in rehab, Pat's new outfit she purchased disappeared from her suitcase, Jill lost her ovaries, and I got reacquainted with my hemorrhoids, Bad luck is never welcomed, but on the other hand, it's never boring.

Mondays at 10am 1080 AM WKAC December 06 - December 19, 2019

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