PINK Magazine - Vol. 1 February 2012

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contents

Volume 1 - February 2012

FEATURES: 8

14

WOMEN IN FILM Behind the Lens

10 QUESTIONS WITH Susanne Bell

IN THE LIFE OF 20 AJill DAY Morgan

Follow us on Twitter PINK_MagazineSK View our book online at

www.getcompass.ca/pink 4 | www.getcompass.ca/pink

FOR SASKATCHEWAN WOMEN

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Publisher Alison Brochu alison@getcompass.ca Editor Stephen LaRose stephen@getcompass.ca Janelle Haas janelle@getcompass.ca Graphic Design & Layout Zack Martyn zack@getcompass.ca Robyn Tessier production@getcompass.ca Matthew McMullen matt@getcompass.ca Photographer Sharpshooter Photography Cover Picture - Darrol Hofmeister Office Manager Marilyn MacLeod regina@getcompass.ca Account Executives Alison Brochu - Sales Manager 306.529.7686 alison@getcompass.ca Janelle Haas - South Sask. janelle@getcompass.ca Trevor Huber - South Sask. trevor@getcompass.ca J. Paul Douglas - North Sask. paul@getcompass.ca

www.getcompass.ca/pink 1920 Francis Street Regina, Sask. S4N6B3 Tel: 306.585.2064 or 1.888.717.6655 Fax: 306.585.2080

IN THIS ISSUE FOR HUMANITY 12 HABITAT 100K in 100 Days Gala Evening CLUB 19 BOOK Supplied by Regina Public Library & DRINK 24 FOOD Valentine’s Four Course Dinner

26

PINK’S FAVOURITE THINGS Our February Faves!

IN STYLE 28 ROMANCE With Riley Lawson

30

BEAUTY FOR 2012 With Lindi Edge

CANCER 101 34 BREAST What to Look for HEROES 36 EVERYDAY With Dionne Warner & WELLNESS 38 HEALTH Making a Difference in North Sask.

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PINK Magazine Sask Copyright 2011: PINK Magazine for Saskatchewan Women is a Compass Advertising Ltd. publication, published monthly and distributed free on stands across Saskatchewan. All rights reserved by Compass Advertising Ltd. Reproduction in any form of any material in PINK Magazine is strictly prohibited without written consent. Any requests for duplication of any content should be sent to Compass Advertising Ltd.. Compass Advertising Ltd. makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all of the information and ads that we publish. However, mistakes can happen and Compass Advertising Ltd., along with any afliates, cannot be held responsible for any consequences arising from any errors or omissions other than the cost of the ad. Compass Advertising Ltd. reserves the right to refuse ads if deemed inappropriate. www.getcompass.ca/pink | 5

Publisher’s note Welcome to our February issue of PINK Magazine. We are thrilled that PINK is taking off and women from all over the province are talking, sharing and promoting PINK Magazine!

February’s looking great, with the weather and the exciting things we are bringing you in this issue – as well as all of the big plans we have for the next few months as well! Special thanks to Habitat Regina for inviting me to their special evening to honour the 100 extraordinary women who not only donated financially, but also will actually be building the house. Look inside to see all of the gala pages. PINK Magazine wants to empower women and to recognize Saskatchewan women, and there is no shortage of people to write about. Please make sure to visit us at The Ultimate Women’s Show Feb 9-11 and the What Women Want show Mar 16-18, both at the Conexus Arts Centre, and say hello!

Editor’s note

Over the last several months I have been lucky enough to be a part of PINK magazine.

When I first met Alison, the publisher, I was enthralled by her enthusiasm for creating this magazine. I think that in a province like Saskatchewan, a women’s magazine like PINK is the perfect reminder that we are surrounded by strong, innovative, and inspiring women who have stories that need to be told. February’s issue is packed full of great women, just as the issues previous – women that inspire me to believe that my own success is attainable. So much has changed for me in the last year, but I am excited to jump into this new role wholeheartedly, with the same amount of enthusiasm I was greeted with when I first joined the PINK! team. I look forward to all of the Saskatchewan women I will meet in future issues of PINK Cheers to a great 2012. janelle@getcompass.ca

Special thank-you to Lindi from Nu Image for Make-up and Kiera from Salon 306 for Hair for Publishers Picture. alison@getcompass.ca ALISON BROCHU

Congratulations PINK! Dear PINK: Your magazine is getting better. I like the Girl Talk Holiday Stories, ads like “What Women Want”, “Beyond Bath and Body Day Spa” and I may even do these things. I also like the article by Stephanie Staples. I hope to see more articles from her in your magazine.

Thanks, J.Verbeek Editor’s note: Thanks for the appreciation. You may notice that in this issue we don’t have any Girl Talk contributions – maybe because our readers are preparing their post-Valentine’s Day stories. If you or anybody else has a story to tell, get in touch with us at pink@getcompass.ca, or the old-fashioned way through Canada Post at 1920 Francis St., Regina SK S4N 6B3. We’d love to hear from you!

JANELLE HAAS

Editor’s note February is the month for lovers. So say companies that rely on Valentine’s Day for business such as chocolate makers, greeting card creators, and lingerie shops. But it leads to an interesting question, going to the heart of the Saskatchewan experience.

The story of Saskatchewan’s peoples has been one of struggle and endurance in the face of apocalyptic conditions that would overwhelm lesser, weaker people. We’ve lived through droughts, monsoon rains, high winds, blizzards, baking sun, getting out of the Credit Union Centre parking lot after a concert, a bad half of a Riders’ game ... but that’s hardly the conditions to create a romantic heritage.

As you see in this issue, the women of Saskatchewan film are adept at making movies in many genres – psychological thrillers, science fiction, action comedies – but not a romantic film. Or even a romantic comedy.

So I’ll have to create one. “They met at a curling bonspiel and she loved his takeout shot.” Start again. “He admired how sensuously she replaced the John Deere 4650’s oil filters.” Nope. “As they fell into the snowbank, under the dying red glow of the Ski-Doo’s muffler, they struggled to take off each other’s helmets, two piece snowmobile suits, turtleneck sweaters, fleece-lined jeans, long underwear …”

This is taking longer than I thought. I’ll update you next February. steven@getcompass.ca

6 | www.getcompass.ca/pink

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WOMEN IN FILM THEIR NAMES MAY BE ON THE SCREEN FOR SECONDS, BUT BEHIND THE SCENES, THESE SASKATCHEWAN WOMEN ARE THE REASON WHY THE CAMERAS ROLL Story by Stephen LaRose Photos by Darrol Hoffmeister

“The funny thing is that all these switches work …” Holly Baird appears ready, by force of will alone, to order this spaceship to blast off by working the controls in front of the pilot’s chair. Outside the ‘spaceship,’ it’s -40 degrees Celsius with the wind chill. Anybody would want to get out of town the fastest way possible. his spaceship isn’t going anywhere except into storage within the next few weeks. “The ‘spaceship’ is the set for Space Milkshake, a science-fiction/comedy made by Baird’s production company, Trilight Entertainment.

A clue to the plot comes from blotches of green paint – “the green goo!” laughs Baird – in the spaceship’s galley. Four actors play astronauts aboard a space salvage vehicle, who find an unidentified spaceship, travel back and forth through time, and discover that there’s a fifth somebody or something on board.

A few years ago, Baird completed a sociology degree at the University of Saskatchewan, and took a year off academia while contemplating her next move, law school. She applied for a legal assistant job at Minds Eye Entertainment – “I didn’t know Saskatchewan had a film industry,” she says. They hired her for a year in another area on Minds Eye’s business side. Baird then became a freelance production assistant for five years, “learning how to be a producer and learning what to do,” she says, before co-creating Trilight Entertainment, whose first three films – Hard Core Logo II, Vampire Dog, and Space Milkshake – were all filmed in Saskatchewan and are scheduled for release this year. Sure beats law school.

Baird and others are part of a province’s economic and cultural fabric where the stories behind the cameras rival anything that goes in front of the cameras. As Baird, one of the new wave of Canadian women film producers, says, “If it wasn’t for us, they wouldn’t have a camera to shoot!”

Film and television production won’t knock off potash, oil, or agriculture from what defines Saskatchewan’s economy and society but this province would be a much poorer place, in more ways than one, without it. The industry brings in about $54 million annually to Saskatchewan’s economy (that’s the average between the years 2000 and 2010), providing about 785 jobs annually. It’s a source of out-of-province investment – according to SaskFilm, 74 per cent of the money invested in Saskatchewan film or television projects come from outside the province. Many work as extras, production assistants, costume designers, support and logistics workers, caterers and carpenters. Somebody built Baird’s spaceship, and somebody paid for the work to be done.

The industry’s impact goes far yond economic terms. Brett Butt wanted to get a paying project the ground in 2003. Creating a tural phenomenon with Corner

bejust off culGas

was a happy accident. But coming from the same area of the planet where Corner Gas was filmed is a matter of pride for many Saskatchewanians in a way few film or television productions could make people identify with the show’s filming location – can you imagine someone in Los Angeles saying, ‘That’s where they made Happy Days/That 70s Show/Mr. Belvedere’? honda Baker has worked on several one hour television series such as Jake and The Kid, MythQuest and Just Cause.

She also assisted Verite Films and took on the role of supervising producer on a couple of episodes of Corner Gas during its second season.

Baker, who heads – well, actually she is RGB Productions – got her start in the movie business two decades ago, working for the National Film Board, co-ordinating novices to learn about various aspects of the movie production business. After the program ended, the winner was Minds Eye Entertainment, and the company’s head honcho, Kevin DeWalt, asked Baker, whose job with the NFB had just ended, to work for him. She signed a three month contract with Minds Eye, and stayed for three years before striking out on her own.

“I think I thought (at that time) I was smart – and that sometimes led to a rude awakening – but I figured that maybe it was time to see if I could work as an independent,” she says. A few years later, the proof’s in her resume.

This year, one of her projects is Chained, a psychological thriller filmed last year in Saskatchewan, starring Vincent D’Onofrio (Law and Order: Criminal Intent, Dying Young) and Julia Ormond (Legends of the Fall). That’s scheduled for release later in 2012.

Rhonda Baker, Head of RGB Productions

She’s also produced movies such as Tideland (2005), The Messengers (2007), and A Dog Named Christmas (2009) What does a movie producer do? Everything, it seems. She, in this case, is responsible for getting the project from the drawing board to the premiere: line up investors, makes sure the project stays within budget and still remains true to both its artistic vision and its intended audience. It requires working with people who have earned your respect and trust, and a lot of work for a project that may, or may not, pan out as intended.

Even if the production ‘dies’ on release, almost everybody involved has made professional and social contacts, making it easy to get hired, or hire each other. Tideland, filmed at the soundstage and in the Qu’Appelle Valley in 2004, cost $19 million to make. The international film industry was astounded to discover that director Terry Gilliam made a movie on time and within budget – something that never happened in the temperamental director’s career.

That was a testament to the hard work, dedication, and professionalism of the Saskatchewan-based crew behind the scenes. ow and why did people such as Baker and Baird get as busy in Saskatchewan’s film industry? The Canada Saskatchewan Production Studio is one reason – almost everyone in Saskatchewan’s film industry has met a famous studio executive or director who was amazed at the soundstage’s quality.

At one time, economics played a larger role. When the Canadian dollar was worth less than the U.S. dollar, the exchange rate and SaskFilm’s tax breaks made Saskatchewan one of the most attractive places to roll cameras. With the gathering strength of the Canadian dollar, and other states and provinces designing similar tax breaks to attract moviemakers, Saskatchewan’s film industry is currently in the doldrums. In the 2000s, at least three major shows – Corner Gas, renegadepress.com, and Moccasin Flats – were shot in Regina. Today, only one television series – CBC’s InSecurity – is shot at the soundstage.

In Baird’s opinion, the movie industry – Canada and world-wide – faces the same problems that challenge other areas of the entertainment industry: the internet gives more opportunities to watch your product, but, she adds, getting people to pay for internet content they expect to get for free is a financial hurdle for film and television producers.

But the tax breaks and the go-go days of the 2000s provided a

core of experienced and dedicated people in Saskatchewan to work behind the scenes. This is important, because the film and video industry operates mostly on a ‘who you know’ basis. “Producers and directors, as much as they can, like to work with the people they know,” says Carmen Kotyk, a Regina-based casting director who won a Gemini Award for her work on The Englishman’s Boy. otyk started on the other side of the camera: she worked as an entertainment reporter in Edmonton, “but I didn’t want to be the 40-year-old woman interviewing Bon Jovi,” she jokes. A friend found a job for her as a casting extra.

“I thought, ‘how hard can that be?’ It turned out to be one of the hardest jobs on the set.”

Casting extras is a difficult job, especially for smaller-budget films done in locales such as Regina. “You’re trying to satisfy the director’s vision by finding the right look,” Kotyk says. “Let’s say they’re filming in Regina and the movie’s set in New York or Boston. You need to find cosmopolitan people. It’s harder to find those kinds of people in a small town. Then you have to get people who can be on the set when the director calls – even if it is, say, four in the morning. It’s easy for the extra, at three o’clock in the morning to call in sick – but it’s not that easy for the casting person responsible.

“For the first years I was in the business, I would drive wherever I needed to go, and put myself up in hotels,” Kotyk continues. “At the end, I would walk away with no money but with a lot of contacts and credits. No matter what it cost, I just did it.”

Today, Kotyk’s job involves her at the beginning of many film and television projects. “I meet with the director, I read the script, I help producers try to get star casting together, and then I send out a breakdown (a character analysis for actors interested in trying out for the roles), which goes to all the major markets. Sometimes I spend up to a week in each major market – Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal – to audition people. Most of the time I travel with the director to the auditions.”

Is Saskatchewan a good place to work? Kotyk thinks so. “Saskatchewan is a great place to grow and start your career. You have a much better chance of getting a role here than if you move to Vancouver or Toronto, and you’re competing against the most established actors in the country. More times than not, we have found substantial roles for Saskatchewan-based actors. For

As Trilight Entertainment producer Holly Baird says,

“If it wasn’t for us, they wouldn’t have a camera to shoot!”

One of the sets for Space Milkshake, filmed last winter at the Canada Saskatchewan Production Studios.

instance, I cast Vampire Dog, it’s a cute kids’ movie, it may have some legs, and I cast Amy (Matisyo) as one of the leads. She was in Best Friends – that was a big picture.

“She keeps a place in L.A., but she always comes home to work.

Always.” renda Shenher received more than a paycheque in one of her more recent efforts. “I did a fitting with Vincent D’Ofrino for the movie Chained,” says Shenher, who has worked in the Saskatchewan film industry for the better part of nearly two decades.

The costume designer has about one day with the actor to work that magic.

Costuming isn’t as easy as sticking someone in a suit or dress and pushing them on the set: the clothing the character wears defines the character almost as much as the script. If the costume works, the character can come alive: if it doesn’t, the set has problems.

“He just turned to look at me – he’s six feet four inches tall, has a great magnetic presence – and there was a small smile on his face. ‘It’s great,’ he said.

“It was one of the highest praises you could get from an outstanding character actor.”

Like many in Saskatchewan film and television production, Shenher’s road to her current career was, on one hand, something that just happened, and yet has the feel of being preordained. Growing up on a farm near Viceroy, Shenher was in 4-H for six years, indulging her love of creating clothes and sewing through the program. She attended the University of Regina in the late 1980s and early 1990s, graduating with degrees in English and arts education, but the Regina school system wasn’t hiring.

While interning at an Assiniboia high school, its drama club prepared a period play with a large cast, requiring as many as 40 costumes. Shenher was in her element. She used both her love of sewing and background of art history in her new career, working on film sets. Between two years at Calgary’s Southern Alberta Institute of Technology for film school and travelling Canadian film shoots, Shenher built an impressive portfolio.

“What I bring to the set is the knowledge of photography, the knowledge of fashion, and a foundation of western art history and style,” she says. When she comes to the set, she knows not only her fabric, but also the styles of the period when the film is set. So, she adds, she can quickly bring both her passion and her business sense to the production. Most costume designers bring one or the other, risking either a lack of commitment to the art of film-making, or blowing the budget while frantically searching for the right costume.

When Brenda talks about what she does, the passion flows through her speech like water breaking through a dam.

“Falling Angels, which was filmed here in 2003, won the Genie for best production design. When they awarded the Genie, I felt I had made a strong contribution to the award … I was nominated for a Gemini for best costume design for the first season of Corner Gas. For me, the nomination was for a body of work in a world from which I came – rural Saskatchewan … I had a premiere at the Cannes Film Festival for a short film called Rusted Pyre, in 2011...”

Crews setting up to shoot a scene of Ferocious, a movie shot in Saskatoon.

Whatever accolades come her way, Shenher remains proudest of one production, her daughter Magdalena. “She is my most important creation, my best friend and my biggest supporter,” she says.

Does she have advice for anyone wanting to get into the movie business? Shenher, whose work will next be seen in Chained, occasionally speaks to students in rural high schools, part of her efforts to give back to the part of Saskatchewan which, she says helped breed the strong work ethic, curiosity, and enthusiasm that she’s brought to her work.

“I tell them that a strong work ethic, in whatever field they choose to enter, is the most important factor they can bring to their profession.” aird will bring her work ethic to her next project, but there’s a little cleanup to do with what’s already been done. Not the least of which is to find a use for the Space Milkshake set. Any ideas? “Corner Gas In Space,” laughs Baird. With a little work, some money, and some help in the casting and costume department, anything’s possible.

www.spacemilkshake.com

www.getcompass.ca/pink | 11

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY GALA

The first 100K in 100 Days gala took place January 27th in the Rockbridge Realty building to honour 100 women who each contributed $1,000 to fund a Habitat home. Reaching the goal in just 49 days, the women were excited to celebrate and were treated to a fabulous night catered by Crave Kitchen and Wine Bar and KOKO Patisserie. Essence Organic Hair and Day Spa was the major sponsor of the evening treating the ladies to beautiful “swag bags� to take home, featuring a charm by Hillberg and Berk sponsored by Miller Thomson. Construction of the home, which will be sold to a low-income, hard-working family, who will pay an interest free mortgage, will begin this spring. It was a fabulous night!

KOKO PATISSERIE TREATS!

CRAVE KITCHEN AND WINE BAR BEAUTIFUL FOOD!

Alison Brochu, Publisher, PINK Magazine Linda Paul, Thee Lingerie Shoppe

Michelle Strawford, Bella Chic & Fotobella Lisa Peters, Eye Inspire Events

From Left: Denis Coutts, CEO, Trish Bezborotko, Director of Fund Development and Communications, Yvonne Slobodian, Entrepreneur

Michelle Strawford, Marie Diewold, as One Investments LTD., Judy Vanderleest

Kayla Mackay, Susan Hertz, Yvonne Slobodian, Andrea Hoffman, Nicole Richard, Trish Bezborotko,

Publishers Dress by: NWL Fashions; Hair by Jenni, Beauty Depot; Make-up by Lindi, NuImage

We would like to thank Fotobella for photographing the event.

Andrea Hoffman, Rooftop Restaurant, Brooks Findlay, Rockbridge Realty, Sara Wheelwright, www.trustedregina.com

Myrna Linner, Wendy Coutts, Dennis Coutts, Paula Koch, Board Member, Edna Keep, 3D Real Estate Investments

Alison Brochu, Jody Kazeil, National Car Rental, Natasha Blaisdell, Remax Crown Real Estate

Signing the two by fours that will be built into the home this summer

Michelle Nieswandt, Jody Kazeil, Darla Kapila, Scarlett Wheaton, Erinn Knight, Christine Egarhos

questions with Susanne Bell

The hallway from the Canada Saskatchewan Production Studio’s main entrance to the SaskFilm office isn’t exactly the Hollywood Walk of Fame: it’s not a half-block long and it’s indoors.

But the posters along the walls provide a brush with fame: there’s Ryan Reynolds in a fat suit for Just Friends, filmed in Regina and Moose Jaw, and released in 2005 … a poster for Tideland, directed by ex-Monty Python member Terry Gilliam, also released in 2005 … Brent Butt’s glowering mug in a banner for Corner Gas, arguably the most influential Canadian television show this side of Hockey Night in Canada …

SaskFilm Chief Executive Officer Susanne Bell has possessed a ringside seat for these productions, and the growth of the Saskatchewan film and television production industry. Each movie and television show has a story to tell – but that would miss the total story of how each project has contributed, almost like brick upon brick, to develop one of Saskatchewan’s most unique industries.

1

What was your introduction to the film and television industry?

My experience in film and television production goes back 25 years to the independent production community which began, incidentally, quite by accident. I’ve been with SaskFilm since the beginning, in 1989. In the early days I managed all of the various programs. I took over as CEO six years ago. The vast majority of my adult life has been spent in the film and television industry here.

2

What was the Saskatchewan film industry like when you started?

When I started, the Saskatchewan film industry consisted of a few smaller companies that produced corporate and training videos – the Crown corporations, Remco Memorials, the Girl Guides of Canada. We weren’t producing our own independent drama here. We weren’t even doing most of the commercials that aired

by Saskatchewan broadcasters. There were some independent film groups that were doing their own work, primarily short films, but the industry wasn’t one that was represented in Canada, whether that was on theatre screens or on television.

3

Can you compare that situation to what it’s like today?

Today we’re known for producing high quality television content in Saskatchewan. Corner Gas rewrote the way television was created and marketed in Canada. We have a long and very solid reputation, nationally and internationally, as a provider of quality children’s and ‘tween’ (pre-teen and teen-aged) television content. We have developed a really strong credibility as a place to shoot feature films. We possess a lot of stature outside our own borders; we’re more well-known to the rest of the film world as a place to make quality films than we are in Saskatchewan itself.

4

When feature films are made here, where is their market?

Where do these films get shown? Are they destined for the big screen? Or are they direct-to-video releases, or are they made-for television movies?

There’s a blend. Some of the movies go to general release, such as Just Friends. There are some movies-of-the-week that are made for Canadian and U.S. broadcasters. There’s some made for direct-to-DVD release: believe it or not, there’s still a strong DVD market out there. It’s a global industry. Most of the productions here are actually global co-productions: they would have a stronger release in Europe than they would in North America.

5

Corner Gas in particular, and a lot of Saskatchewan-based shows that aired in the early part of the previous decade -- renegadepress. com, Little Mosque on the Prairie, and Moccasin Flats -- have ended their production runs. Today, the only big show filming in Regina is InSecurity. How cyclical is this industry?

It is a cyclical business, but InSecurity is being filmed at the Canada Saskatchewan Production Studios and in and around Regina. We also had a stop-motion series that has finished its cycle, Wapos Bay, that was filmed in Saskatoon and that did very well. Corner Gas went for six seasons – that’s almost unheard of in this country. Little Mosque on the Prairie also went for six seasons. Rabbit Fall, which was filmed in Saskatoon, was made for a few years. The Incredible Story Studio and renegadepress.com also ran for five seasons. To have a Canadian series reach that five season record is quite significant.

6

In terms of a percentage of the Canadian film and television industry, is it possible to determine what is Saskatchewan’s share of the national business?

Because it’s so cyclical, it’s difficult to put a number on it. One year, we may be doing $78 million in production, and another year, it may be $42 million. It depends a lot on the budget size of the project and where the market is at that point.

The reality of it is that Toronto and Vancouver have always been known as ‘Hollywood North’, the primary place, and what we have here is very different from what they have there. We’ll never reach the volume of production that Toronto or Vancouver will have, nor would it be particularly realistic to expect that. We’re more in line with Alberta, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia – basically the provinces that bring up the middle.

7

What does the film industry mean to Saskatchewan, in economic terms?

Between 2000 and 2010, film and television generated an average of 785 per person years of employment, meaning the equivalent of employing 785 people for a year. It also generated an average of $54.3 million per year of economic activity for the province of Saskatchewan.

It’s a figure that’s difficult to determine because there is a lot of cross-over. One of the challenges we face in film and TV is that we’re at capacity. Like so many other sectors, we’re highly labour-based. There’s a highly-skilled group of workers who work in film – a makeup artist, for example, works at their craft for years. Our construction co-ordinators work at their craft for years, and they go back and forth between construction on film sets and construction in other areas of the building sector.

8

Your job takes you onto the international film festival circuit – Cannes, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), Berlin, Sundance … how do you promote Saskatchewan as a place to make a film?

That’s a wonderful part of my job. When I go to a film festival, I’ll have a contingent of film producers who travel with me. The primary tools that I use in promoting Saskatchewan are the tax incentive program (SaskFilm offers a 55 per cent tax credit on eligible labour on film or television projects), and the stateof-the-art production facility that’s here in Regina – there’s nothing else like it between Toronto and Vancouver. There’s

also our crew base – they have a reputation, both nationally and internationally – as people who can deliver.

Our producers are smart business people who also have a solid reputation internationally. We show the films that have been done here, visually demonstrating to the world film industry what we’re able to do in Saskatchewan.

9

There’s a lot of people whom the Saskatchewan film industry employs, maybe on the lower end of the scale, who may have gone on to bigger and better things. Are there any examples of people who got their start here in Saskatchewan’s film industry and have gone on to bigger and better things – becoming producers, directors, that sort of thing?

One of the producers in this province whose career we’re really watching progress in an exciting way is Holly Baird. She started off as a production assistant in a production office, and she worked her way up to production co-ordinator, then through business affairs (the legal and financial components of film making). She’s just wrapped her third feature film. There are a number of stories like hers.

10

Finally, what was the last movie you saw?

I took a friend’s daughter to see a 3-D movie over Christmas, Puss In Boot. I loved the character (laughs) … I have a wide variety of taste in movies. I loved the Shrek franchise, and I also loved Bruce McDonald’s movies, especially Hard Core Logo II (Editor’s note: the sequel to Hard Core Logo, one of Canada’s most acclaimed and successful movies, was filmed in Regina in 2010 and is scheduled for release this month).

SaskFilm Promoted the Provincial Film Industry last June durning the 2011 AFCI Locations Tradeshow in Los Angeles From left: Kevin DeWalt of Minds Eye Entertainment; Holly Baird of Trilight Entertainment; Wally Start of Angel Entertainment; Susanne Bell of SaskFilm; and, Stephen Onda of Stephen Onda Productions Inc.

Interview with Stephanie Thomson Returning back from Nashville to her home in Saskatchewan, recording artist, author, and owner of Applause! Dinner Theatre, Stephanie Thomson, is ready for her second chance.

Now living in Regina, Thomson has begun a new chapter in her life and is excited to share her next step with her fans. Thomson has signed a 360 marketing and distribution agreement with Jeff Burns and Blue Sapphire Music under the record label Universal Records. Thomson’s upcoming album, which she describes as adult contemporary/inspirational pop, has 14 tracks and includes her single, “Second Chances.”

Along with her album, Thomson has written a romance novel based on her own experience as a young mother and wife. The novel is close to her heart and focuses on the importance of forgiveness, encouraging the reader to let go of any hostility and bitterness they’ve felt in the past and except forgiveness as the thing that will allow you to get a second chance at happiness.

Thomson’s album and novel both focus on hope, faith and strength and it is her hope that they will be a source of inspiration and encouragement for other women who long to get away from the cycle of abuse.

Thomson is now a part of a blended family of seven children (including three stepchildren) and the changes she has made over the course of her lifetime have made her the woman she is today. Along with her personal career, Thomson is also passionate about her job as the owner of Applause!

Dinner Theatre in Regina. She envisions the future of Applause! with great enthusiasm. Having already made several changes to the theatre, she believes that it will only get bigger and better.

Looking into the future, Thomson sees not only a second chance but the chance of a lifetime for her own career and the potential of Applause!.

16 | www.getcompass.ca/pink

Life is short...

Laugh while you can Join Don and Debby in the sequel to their first performance at the Applause! Dinner Theatre, Don & Debby Do The 70’s!

You may remember the famous couple who performed 22 different musical-couples acts last fall at Applause! and now, the couple is headed to Vegas! This time, however, the couple is up against other impersonators who have been booked as headliners too! What’s left to do? An impersonator sing-off of course!

Join the cast of Applause!: Stephanie Thomson, Brad Grass, Angela Klaassen, Shanna-Marie Jones, and Krista Konkin, and enjoy the thrills of Vegas right here in Regina! The cast acknowledges the crowd in an interactive skit, stepping off the stage and coming right up to the tables.

With music from every era, the 40’s to present day performers like Lady Gaga and Beyonce, there is music for every age. Children and Adults are invited to Applause! to sing, dance, and laugh along with the cast.

Applause! Dinner Theatre offers specials such as group bookings, gift certificates, and summer tour shows. If you would like to see the Applause! cast in your town or a town near you, make sure to call and inquire about tour shows and when a tour can come to a community near you. For more information, call, email or visit Applause! on Facebook and Twitter!

SHOW RUNS UNTIL

APRIL 2012

Don & Debby Do Vegas will run through February, March and April, with special bookings for Valentine’s Day. Seats are filling up – book your tickets fast if you wish to enjoy one of the Valentine’s Day shows on February 11th or 14th. Private booths are offered to couples for the Valentine’s Day shows; if you’d like to be sat at a booth, call and book them immediately to guarantee your seat.

Enjoy the atmosphere of the theatre which has seating both for large groups and couples, all with a great view of the stage. The menu is set before the show – and can be found online on the Applause! website – and is designed in a buffet style to ensure each guest has a choice of food selection. With a combination of great entertainment and food – it’s the ultimate dining and viewing experience. Written by Brad Grass, Mark Neudorf, and Stephanie Thomson, the show promises to keep you laughing from start to finish.

Show Runs Until April 2012

1975 BROAD ST. REGINA

Like us on Facebook (ApplauseTheatreRegina) Follow us on Twitter (#applauseregina) www.getcompass.ca/pink | 17

The University of Regina is proud to host the third annual Inspiring Leadership Forum on Wednesday, March 7, 2012 at Evraz Place, Queensbury Centre.

Inspirational and confidence-building presentations are the foundation of this year’s theme: Inspiring Leadership, Influencing the World.

As in previous years, conference attendees will be able to participate in a panel discussion with some of Saskatchewan’s top leaders, emceed by Kellie Garrett, Senior Vice President of Strategy, Knowledge and Reputation with Farm Credit Canada.

The Inspiring Leadership Forum is open to the public so that all women can enjoy networking opportunities and interact with mentors during this one-day, women’s leadership conference.

Roberta L. Jamieson First Nations leader, conflict resolution expert and CEO/President of the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation.

Dr. Samantha Nutt Founder and Executive Director of War Child Canada, as well as staff physician at the Women’s College Hospital in Toronto.

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Gayle Tzemach Lemmon Author of The Dressmaker of Khair Khana and contributing editor-atlarge for Newsweek – The Daily Beast.

This year’s event is bound to sell out quickly so register online today! Tickets are $225 plus GST per person. Call Rita at (306) 585-5853 or register online: www.uregina.ca/inspiringleadership

2012

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Book Club

by MAY P. CHAN and LINDA GUNNINGHAM

At Last Comes Love Book Three in the Huxtable Series

BY MARY BALOGH

Originally from Wales, Mary Balogh now resides in Saskatchewan and is one of the best historical/regency romance writers (and the favorite of at least several staff members at the Regina Public Library) in the genre. The story centers on Duncan Pennethorne, the infamous Earl of Sheringford, who is forced by his grandfather to wed in 15 days or be cut without a penny. Equally in need of a spouse is Margaret Huxtable, a woman coming to terms with the fact that she may end up a spinster for life if she does not seize this one last opportunity to wed.

While the relationship starts off as a marriage of convenience, it gradually evolves into a romantic tale about two adults who give continual love and sacrifice their own personal happiness for their family — until they learn to receive love themselves. Unlike many historical romances, there are no silly sub-plots involving royal spies, shapeshifting animals or vampires. This is a slow-building romantic story featuring two highly intelligent individuals who take time to discover one another and build a solid marriage based on trust, mutual respect, and love.

Graceling Book One in The Seven Kingdoms Series

BY KRISTEN CASHORE

This is a story about a heroine named Katsa who was born a Graceling — an individual with a rare and extremely powerful gift. Unfortunately, for those around her as well as herself, Katsa’s gift isn’t a positive one. It is the gift of death and she is able to kill anyone with her bare hands; as a result, she must serve as her king’s own personal thug. Befriended by Prince Po who must rescue his family from an evil dictator, our sword-wielding heroine begins to question her own power for the first time. This is a classic action/adventure story with a touch of romance, all set in a magical world. This book comes recommended to those who have already read Suzanne Collin’s The Hunger Games and enjoy reading about strong female characters that must rely on their wits, inner strength, and the aid of a friend or two to survive.

Icebreaker Book Ten in the New York Blades Series

BY DEIDRE MARTIN

Icebreaker touches on the problematic topic of hockey violence in this romantic novel by Martin. The hero, Adam Perry, has been brought in as the New York Blades’ new captain and is facing criminal charges as the result of a hard hit in a game against a rival team. His lawyer, Sinead O’Brien, has been hired to defend him. As they struggle to prove Adam’s hit was entirely within the rules, Sinead struggles with becoming too personally involved with her client and risking her legal career for him. This is the type of romance that many women enjoy reading.

It focuses on a strong, highly independent woman who has a successful career but a less than stellar personal life and who finds herself butting heads with an equally strong and highly independent man who is forced to accept her help. While this book sounds quite serious in its content, its romantic elements level out the book and transform it into a light-hearted read. As an added bonus, readers will gain some points with their hockey-loving significant others by learning about some of the finer nuances regarding the legality of hockey hits!

Do you like or dislike our recommendations? Would you like more book recommendations?

Contact us at askalibrarian@reginalibrary.ca and tell us what you like to read, what type of books you are in the mood for, and how many titles you would like so we can send a personalized list of recommended reads directly to you.

A Day in the Life of... by: Janelle Haas

S

itting in a room with Jill Morgan, cameras turned off and nobody around, resembles something similar to a date with a friend or a coffee break with a colleague. Morgan is as interested in finding out information about her interviewer as the interviewer is in finding out what comprises a day in the life of Jill Morgan.

Even after 10 years reading the evening news, Morgan remains humble and benevolent — though she is often referred to as a local celebrity because of her on-camera status, she is just like everyone else. “A day in the life of Jill Morgan is a day that is surrounded by people, both at work and at home, that make my day easier by supporting me and surrounding me with positivity,” she says.

As Global Regina’s evening news anchor, Morgan is on camera at six, 10 and 11 p.m. weekday evenings. A day in Jill Morgan’s life has changed immensely since just a year ago when she became a mother for the first time. With the help, support, and love of her family consisting of her husband Greg, stepdaughter Ally, and daughter Brooklyn, Morgan is able to achieve a successful career and family life. According to Morgan, a great deal of consistency and stability in both aspects of her life allows her to enjoy what she does wholeheartedly.

Who:

Jill Morgan, News Anchor

Where:

Global Regina

When:

January 14, 2012

7:00 a.m People may think that an evening news anchor must work through the night and sleep all through the day, but this isn’t a possibility for Morgan.

“I am extremely lucky,” she states, “because I work evenings and nights which allows me to spend the morning with my daughter; cuddling her, savouring breakfast with her, and enjoying our relationship as she grows. Not many working mothers get the opportunity to spend breakfast with their family – and for most, morning is a rush of eating, packing, and hurrying to get where they need to be. For me, the morning is when I am able to sit and enjoy the time I have with my daughter.”

Morgan admits that motherhood is both extremely difficult at times and simultaneously, the best thing a woman can experience. Her experience of becoming a mother, its ups and downs and ultimate reward, is something Jill shares with women on her blog, “Modern Mom,” which she started when she left the newsroom for her maternity leave.

Writing this blog is something she tries to fit into her day as much as possible when she has time in between working and parenting.

2 p.m. After taking Brooklyn to her sitter’s, whom Morgan mentions is a “life saver,” she’s off to the Global news station to begin her workday.

2:30 p.m. It’s a common misconception that news anchors can go in to work 10 minutes before filming, say their lines, and be done for the day. Once arriving at the station, Morgan begins to go over her line-up for the six o’clock news. This involves assuring that she is aware of the content, checking into any missed or breaking stories, and going over the line-up with the production team in Vancouver. This affirms that Morgan is ready and able to deliver the news efficiently and effectively which she states is the most important part of her job.

20 | www.getcompass.ca/pink

“A day in the life of Jill Morgan is a day that is surrounded by people ... that make my day easier by supporting me and surrounding me with positivity” 5:30 p.m. Morgan is sitting in the Global news desk preparing for the cameras to start rolling. When asked how long hair and makeup takes in preparation, she says the news team actually does their own hair and makeup. “We are generously given a fund by the studio to buy our products from MAC cosmetics, and from there we allow ourselves time before we go on to assure that we are camera-ready,” she says. Morgan takes about 30 minutes in makeup and hair to get herself ready before she goes on.

6:30 p.m. After the six o’clock news, Morgan goes home to enjoy supper with her family. “This is a very important time for me,” she suggests, “because it gives me that little bit of extra time to be with my family during the day. I think it’s important to connect with your spouse at the end of the day, and to be able to share our day with one another and just to spend that time together. Although I get the mornings with my daughter which some mothers don’t, and for which I am extremely grateful, I enjoy being able to spend those extra couple of moments with her.” She emphasizes how grateful she is for her husband, who handles the breakfast show at a Regina radio station, who makes supper for them every night and allows her to get ready for the second half of her day: the 10a.m. and 11p.m. news.

7:30 p.m. Morgan heads back to the station to do the same types of preparations for the final newscasts of the night. Morgan works studiously to assure that she meets the needs of local viewers. Once again, she pauses to reiterate how important her coworkers are in her own success.

Though each member of the Global team is responsible for their own day-to-day tasks, a day in the life of Jill Morgan functions so well because “everyone works together,” she says. “It’s such a high morale team where everyone is always looking out for the best

interests of one another.” Morgan also credits those off-camera individuals who, she argues, deserve the most recognition for their tireless efforts and irrefutable positivity. Furthermore, Morgan insists that everyone at Global and Shaw Media foster a feeling of family and togetherness – allowing the staff to be productive while enjoying their working relationships.

8:00-11:30 p.m. Morgan follows similar steps as the six o’clock news, preparing her lines and ensuring that the line-up is polished and flows easily. Between each newscast, she continues to check for any stories that could be added to the line-up and secures that each story is consistent and up to date. By the time she arrives home shortly before midnight, she is ready to get to bed so she can start the day again early the following morning. Morgan admits that her husband used to tease her because she needed a lot of sleep to function. With motherhood, Morgan smiles, “I proved him wrong. I go to bed and don’t need half the amount of sleep I needed before Brooklyn.

You learn to adapt and balance these things so quickly.”

She finds balance very well. At the end of a day in the life of Jill Morgan, it remains unmistakable that she loves her job — largely because it allows her to connect with the community and other Saskatchewan residents. “If you think of Saskatchewan,” she mentions at the end of the interview, “you are always very humbled by it because Saskatchewan people have this reputation of being generous and very community oriented. This is something that doesn’t happen everywhere and it gives you a sense of pride for the people around you.”

To follow Jill’s Blog “Modern Mom”, go to the link http://www.globalregina.com/pages/blogs.aspx?blogid=385 www.getcompass.ca/pink | 21

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ANOTHER PRODUCTION

Financial security planning that helps women achieve their unique goals and dreams

TFSA or RRSP:

Which comes first?

T

he tax-free savings account (TFSA) is a flexible investment savings vehicle that allows you to earn investment income (including capital gains) tax-free. Deciding to contribute first to a TFSA or a registered retirement savings plan (RRSP), depends on your needs, and your current and future income tax rate.

Scenario One:

Your tax rate when you redeem is the same as when you contribute If you expect your income tax rate to be the same when you take the money out of either your TFSA or RRSP, as it was when you put the money in, the value of a TFSA is the same as in an RRSP . This means you can choose to invest in either one.

However, your contribution limits may affect which type of savings vehicle you choose. At $5,000 per year, the TFSA limits are relatively low, so if you have more than $5,000 to invest, you could choose to start investing with a TFSA contribution, then, contribute the rest to an RRSP. A TFSA also makes sense if you don’t have any RRSP contribution room (for example due to a pension adjustment or being over 71 years-of-age).

Scenario Two:

You expect your tax rate when you redeem to be lower than today

Your goals and dreams are unique.

Your plans to get there should be just as unique. Find out more about how I can work with you to create a financial security plan to help achieve your goals at all stages of life. Please call me today to arrange a complementary one-hour consultation.

Eloise Arlint, CHS

Financial Security Advisor Suite 650, 2010 - 11th Avenue Regina, SK S4P 0J3

306-586-0905 ext. 298 Cell: 306-529-1856 eloise.arlint@f55f.com www.eloisearlint.com

If you expect your income tax rate to be lower when you take the money out of either your TFSA or RRSP than when you put the money in, you can expect to benefit more from an RRSP. Consider using your RRSP contribution room first, then, contribute to a TFSA. You’ll obtain greater tax savings if you contribute a large amount to your RRSP now, when your income is greater and you’re subject to a higher tax rate.

Scenario Three: You expect your tax rate when you redeem to be higher than today

If you expect your income tax rate to be higher when you take the money out of either your TFSA or RRSP than when you put the money in, you can expect to benefit more from a TFSA. If you expect to earn a higher income in the future than you do now, it makes sense to contribute to a TFSA now, and contribute to your RRSP later.

Other Considerations If you’re planning to use the funds for more short-term spending, versus long-term savings, you might also find a TFSA preferable. Contact your financial security advisor today to determine which savings plan fits best with your financial security plan.

Eloise Arlint, CHS, is a financial security advisor with Freedom 55 Financial, a division of London Life Insurance Company.

She can be reached at 306-586-0905, extension 298.

Above scenarios are based on making an equivalent investment in a TFSA and RRSP on an “after tax” basis. Because contributions to RRSPs are tax deductible, a higher contribution can be made to an RRSP for the same after tax cost as a lower contribution to a TFSA, which is not tax deductible.

Freedom 55 Financial and design are trademarks of London Life Insurance Company.

The information provided is based on current laws, regulations and other rules applicable to Canadian residents. It is accurate to the best of the writer’s knowledge as of the date of publication. Rules and their interpretation may change, affecting the accuracy of the information. The information provided is general in nature, and should not be relied upon as a substitute for advice in any specific situation. For specific situations, advice should be obtained from the appropriate legal, accounting, tax or other professional advisors.

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RED AND GREEN BELL PEPPER BITES 1 medium green bell pepper 1 medium red bell pepper 1/4 cup sliced almonds 4 ounces fat-free or reduced-fat cream cheese, softened 1 teaspoon no-salt lemon pepper seasoning blend 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice Cut each bell pepper in half lengthwise; discard the stems, ribs and seeds. Cut each half into six pieces.

Arrange the pieces with the skin side down on a decorative serving platter. Set aside.

In a medium skillet, dry-roast the almonds over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Transfer 1 tablespoon of the almonds to a small plate and reserve for garnishing. Process the remaining almonds in a food processor or blender for 15 to 20 seconds, or until finely ground.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, lemon pepper seasoning blend, and lemon juice with an electric mixer for 1 to 2 minutes, or until creamy.

Add the ground almonds and beat for 10 seconds, or until combined.

Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a wide star or round tip. Or snip the corner off a resealable plastic bag (a plastic freezer bag works well) and spoon in the mixture. Pipe about 1 teaspoon of the mixture onto each bell pepper piece.

Garnish with the sliced almonds.

26 | www.getcompass.ca/pink

LOUISIANA CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 4 ounces each), all visible fat discarded 2 teaspoons salt-free Cajun or Creole seasoning blend 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided use 1 tablespoon canola or corn oil, divided use 1 1/2 cups frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed and patted dry 1 cup chopped red bell pepper 1/2 cup carrot in matchstick-size pieces 1/2 cup chopped onion (yellow preferred) 1/4 cup water 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (coarsely ground preferred) Take a colorful break from rice, potatoes, and pasta — use corn instead. It is a whole grain and provides texture, fiber, and great taste, too!

If salt-free Cajun or Creole seasoning blend is hard to find, you can make your own in a jiffy.

Just combine the following in a small bowl: 1 1/2 teaspoons each chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and black pepper. For a hotter mixture, stir in up to 3/8 teaspoon cayenne. Use 2 teaspoons of the blend for this recipe and store the rest in an airtight jar to season a wide variety of food, such as baked fries (white or sweet potatoes), other vegetables, or seafood, including catfish and shrimp. You may want to turn on your exhaust fan when using this and other blackening seasonings over mediumhigh or high heat.

SALMON AND CORN CHOWDER 1 cup brown rice 8 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken stock 1 tablespoon ginger purée 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup diced onion 1 cup diced carrots 1 cup diced celery 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 bay leaf 2 tablespoons curry powder 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons sugar 3 cups (one pound) sweet corn (thawed, if using frozen) 1/4 cup flour 1 pound salmon, cut into one-inch cubes 1/2 cup chopped cilantro 1/2 cup chopped scallions, green and white parts Place the rice, stock, and ginger purée in a large saucepan and set over high heat. Boil until the rice is cooked through, about 40 minutes. Remove from stove and set aside.

In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, bring the olive oil to the smoking point. Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, turmeric, thyme, bay leaf, curry, salt, sugar, and corn to the pot and sauté for 5 minutes. Stir in the flour to coat the vegetables. Add the cooked rice and stock to the soup and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Add the salmon and remove the pot from the stove. Let the soup rest for 5-10 minutes to cook the salmon through. Stir in the chopped cilantro and serve immediately. Garnish with chopped scallions, if desired.

WHAT TO DRINK WITH

By Margaret Anne & Edward Willett The Willetts on Wine On special occasions — and what occasion could be more special than Valentine’s Day? — lovers’ thoughts turn not only toward each other but to what to eat and drink.

Not just the main course, but what comes before — and what comes after.

Before ... mmm ... smoked salmon ... lobster ... oysters (the food of love)...maybe some caviar? And after ... well, there’s really only one choice, isn’t there? Chocolate says it all.

But what to drink with these flavourful favourites?

DEVILS FOOD CUPCAKES Cooking spray Cupcakes 1 18.25-ounce box devil’s food cake mix 1 2.5-ounce jar baby food pureed prunes 1 cup strong coffee, or 1 cup water plus 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules 3 large egg whites 2 tablespoons canola or corn oil Sauce 2 12-ounce packages frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed 1/2 cup sugar 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

The obvious accompaniment for a special appetizer or a spread of tapas is champagne. Champagne is typically made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes, picked early due to the cool northern climate of the champagne region of France. This gives the wine lots of fresh acids, just the right counter to the salt, brine and smokiness of many appetizers (don’t feel you have to polish off the champagne with the appetizers: it will also pair well with many main-course foods, including spicy Asian and Latin selections).

Champagne is the obvious choice, but, alas, this is not only the season for love, it’s also the season for topping up your RRSP, and if you top up your glass with real French champagne, you might not be able to top up your retirement savings, too.

Fortunately, there are less-expensive but no-less-marvelous alternatives. Spain’s sparkling answer to the French bubbly is Cava. A recent discovery of ours is the Reserva Heredad-Segura Viudas. It’s easily found at your local liquor board store, and even better, the bottle is gilded to the hilt, just to add to the occasion.

Topping

Another option? Go the patriotic route and choose a sparkling wine from much closer to home: say, Sumac Ridge’s Stellar Jay Brut from B.C.’s Okanagan Valley.

2 teaspoons instant coffee granules 2 teaspoons water 8 ounces frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed in refrigerator 2/3 cup sliced almonds, dry-roasted

Once the desserts come out, matching wines is more difficul. It’s not easy finding a wine that is sweeter than what is on the plate. Even a rich Canadian ice wine can be killed by a really sugary dessert. So our usual choice (and recommendation) is to enjoy the dessert ... and then enjoy the dessert wine, each on its own.

Preheat the oven to 325°F, or as directed on the package. Lightly spray two 12-cup muffin pans with cooking spray.

Fortunately, we’ve already chosen chocolate for the dessert, and with chocolate there are actually a couple of wine possibilities. If the chocolate is dark and on the bitter side, then a beautiful Cabernet Sauvignon may match it wonderfully. Cabernet Sauvignon is an austere wine with its own (desirable) bitterness from the tannins that give it its structure and potential for aging. A basic rule of matching wine with food is ‘like with like’: in this case, the tannic bitterness of the Cab event is like the bitterness inherent in semi-sweet or unsweetened chocolate.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cupcake ingredients. Follow the package directions for beating the batter and baking and cooling the cupcakes.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, stir together the raspberries, sugar, and cornstarch until the cornstarch is dissolved. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Boil for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, or until thickened, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat. Let cool completely, about 20 minutes. Stir in the vanilla.

In a medium bowl, stir together the coffee granules and water until the coffee is dissolved. Fold in the whipped topping until well blended. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

For each serving, spread 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons raspberry sauce on a dessert plate, top with a cupcake, spoon 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons whipped topping mixture over the cupcake, and sprinkle with about 1 1/2 teaspoons almonds.

If the chocolate is dark, but a bit sweeter, then consider a port. There are many fine ports to choose from. A sentimental favorite of ours is the Taylor Fladgate 20 Year Old, which has overtones of nuts, honey and dried fruit ... all of which go well with chocolate.

And, hey, if you’ve still got any sparkling wine left, give it a shot with dessert. Sometimes it works, especially if there are lemon flavors involved in the sweets.

Finally, if the dessert is based on milk chocolate, or white chocolate perhaps baklava is on order... ...well, there’s always coffee.

willettsonwine.com

www.getcompass.ca/pink | 27

ROMANCE IN STYLE C

A FASHION COLUMN BY RILEY LAWSON

hoosing the right outfit for a night out can be a task on any day, let alone for a date night on THE date day of the year. Whether you have a husband, a fiancé, a boyfriend, or a new romance, Valentine’s Day can prove to be extremely intimidating and full of pressure (we put this on ourselves…). Here are a few tips and tricks to consider for THE romantic day of the year to take away a bit of the stress.

Casual Cute: Not everyone likes to put on a sparkly dress nor do all circumstances call for it. If you’re going for an easy-going dinner out and to a movie you need to choose an outfit more on the casual side. Grab a pair of dark wash denim jeans (ones you love and feel your best in), and pair them with a slightly dressier top. This could be your favorite button down blouse, or a floral top and cardigan. Pairing leggings with a tunic and a cozy sweater is always another great option for a comfortable yet fashionable outfit.

Dinner & Dancing: Okay, so not many people actually go on a dinner and dancing date in the same way as they used to. But let’s say you’re going out to dinner, and then to a play, or a live music event and you want to go for the fashion-forward yet classy kind of outfit. Try a printed pant for some fun, and pair it with a pretty blouse, then finish it with a blazer.

Add a pop of color with a bag and/or accessories to complete the look.

GNO: Valentine’s Day is on a Tuesday for 2012 so it’s likely the night won’t get crazy with the early morning ahead. However, if you and your gals decide to make it a Girls Night Out you’ll need to spice it up a bit with your wardrobe. Go for something with a touch more flair and character and add some bolder jewelry. Put on a dress that’s both trendy and comfortable so that you look and feel your very best, and give yourself the height with a good sized heel.

Wherever you end up and whomever you’re with just be sure that you put forth the best version of you possible. When you feel your best, your confidence shines through and there isn’t much else more attractive to the opposite sex then that. Live your life with love in mind – for yourself and those close to you.

RILEY LAWSON • style@rileylawson.com

WWW.RILEYLAWSON.COM

The Eyes are the Window to the Soul CREATING THAT SMOKY EYE

by Lindi Edge

SMOKY EYES SUCH A SULTRY LOOK!

I

n your younger years, the natural first step towards make-up begins with experimental applications from your mother’s makeup bag. The curious nature towards the various shapes and colors in your mother’s stash begs the question: how much is too much? So, as you get older, you test it out! You see that brown and black eyeliner, or maybe that blue or green eye-shadow—and give it a try! From there, the curiosity brings you to the mascara! How much fun was it to apply when you didn’t know how? I know for me, I poked myself in the eyes a few times for sure!

You will come to realize that it’s not the deepness or how intense you go with a shadow; it’s the technique of using the color of your eye to determine what the best shadows and liners are for you. This will involve several attempts, creating contrast and unique blends until you find the colors that best suit your eye shape!

SHADOW MATCHING FOR YOUR EYE COLOR For light hazel to dark brown eyes, shadows that enhance that mysteriousness are the following: peach (as a highlighter contour) with a light brown, dark browns, shimmery and matte blacks, cranberry (as an accent color to add depth and smoothness) and finally, grey’s and silver’s to use as a highlight (which will create less of an intensity for those who want to go for a more modest look). Depending on the color of your skin, you can always add in hot pink shadowing to a mix of a beautiful shimmering black, or a mix of a dark brown to create your own custom look.

For blue eyes, shadows that look fantastic and hypnotizing include charcoal, blacks, steel grey’s, aqua, royal and ocean blues, pale pinks, cranberry and browns. Be creative and daring by adding in purple hues as an accent!

For green eyes, shadows that resonate well with that natural fire but show your calm soul are: emerald and mermaid greens and peach hues with browns. Depending on how much you want to stand out, increase the natural elements of this green eyed beauty by increasing the contour (or depth).

We have all gone through the stages of different styles of eye makeup. These stages are mainly a result of what we’ve been taught. Now that we’re older, it’s important to understand that our eyes have meaning and purpose. We want to show them off by decorating and contouring their many shapes and we can do this by creating that smoky-eyed look! It was the Egyptians who first created the infamous sultry eye—the very same look we follow to this day!

Each eye color creates a different feel: The brown eye has that deep, mysterious, soulful and sultry look.

The blue eye has that resonating connection—when that eye looks at you, it feels as though they see right through you.

The green eye has the same effect as the blue, but they also have purity, an earth connection, which embody a more down-to-earth feel.

WHAT IS A SULTRY/SMOKY EYE ?

Simple Steps: When starting out you want to really understand your eye shape. As you will see in the chart, there are various shapes to the eye and it’s important to determine which shape best resembles your own. Creating a smoky eye takes a little practice with shadowing, no matter what color your eyes are!

Now what does your eyes say about you?

Enjoy your new custom looks!

ASK THE EXPERT AT LINDI-EDGE@LIVE.CA

BE FABULOUS!

Saskatchewan...

long name...amazing results...!

So how come some Canadian visitors deride the province so much when they visit?

I am uniquely positioned to be able to attest to the fact that this happens all the time. I am an immigrant (landed 2006) with a British accent and people ask where I am from and why I am here on a daily basis.

The father of my three kids comes from Regina, so it was the obvious place to ‘land’ and see what work opportunities were open to us. Fate took us to Saskatoon.

When we separated people asked me if I was ‘going home’.

I adore Saskatchewan and wouldn’t choose to be anywhere else. I love living the life I live. Sure, there are things that I miss about living in a big city and I miss the people who I care about and who aren’t here ... but that makes trips back all the more fun, and Facebook is great for keeping up! Saskatoon has a buzzing vibe, a tangible air of anticipation, and the province as a whole is uniquely positioned in the global economy. We are booming and it is beginning to show. There are more fancy cars and welldressed people on the streets of Saskatoon and Regina than there were just five or six years ago (I notice this stuff), and we boast one of the highest levels of entrepreneurship in Canada. Tell me then, why do other Canadians who come visiting, openly insult this place that has given me so much?

Recently, I was at a popular live music venue, and was thoroughly enjoying listening and dancing to the talented band, when this big bozo came over and started chatting with me. I like meeting new people, but I don’t like arrogance, so when his third question was “what’s someone like you staying in Saskatchewan for? It’s the shits!” I looked at him with disdian, and proceeded to tell him how lucky I considered myself to have ended up in Saskatchewan, of all places in the world.

I have travelled the globe, and have lived in some pretty exotic places (Indonesia, Bahrain and Ibiza to name a few), but I know that I couldn’t have picked a better place to raise a family and start a business. My many friends here are world class human beings, the music and art scene is proportionally large compared to the size of the population and boasts some real talents, The Sheepdogs, Colin James, Yann Martel, Joni Mitchell and Leslie Neilson!

I love the lake life, festivals, and weather in the summer, and I confess that I even find the winters bearable and beautiful to look at!

The fact that the province is filled with an abundance of natural wealth in potash, diamonds, oil and water is a blessing and will propel the economy forward into the next century and beyond. Saskatchewan is THE place to be as far as I am concerned, and this guy just didn’t seem to get it! He was an executive for a mineral company based in British Columbia, so he was here to try and take some of our natural spoils, and felt safe sharing his ‘real thoughts’ about the city with me, the British chick. This happens all the time!

Let him hurry back to his beloved Vancouver, with its one hour commute, overpriced condos and English-like rainy weather (which I don’t miss). I am proud, honoured and privileged to be living in Saskatchewan. If you don’t like it, then don’t come, there are plenty more that see what we have to offer.

The tens of thousands of newcomers and immigrants arriving every year appreciate this place, its people, and the riches it offers. There is so much to Saskatchewan, if you just take the time to look!

I’m not going home. I am home!

Sarah Wheelwright is the owner of Trusted Regina and Trusted Saskatoon.

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BREAST CANCER 101

The statistics are almost as frightening as the diagnosis. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women, next to skin cancer. One woman in nine will develop breast cancer by age 85. It’s the second leading cause of cancer deaths in all women, after lung cancer. It’s the leading cause of cancer death among women 40 to 55 years of age.

What is it?

Breast cancer begins in the breast tissue, part of the body that covers an area larger than just the breast. The tissue extends up to the collarbone and from the armpit across to the breastbone. The breasts sit on chest muscles that cover the ribs. Each breast is composed of milk glands, ducts (thin tubes), and fatty tissue.

Breasts also contain lymph vessels and lymph nodes, part of the lymphatic system, which help fight infections. Lymph vessels move lymph fluid to the lymph nodes, where they trap bacteria, cancer cells and other harmful substances.

Lymph nodes lie near the breast, under the arm, near the collarbone, and in the chest behind the breastbone.

Breast cancer is the uncontrolled growth and spread of malignant cells, usually in the milk glands or ducts. Left uncontrolled, cancer cells invade nearby healthy breast tissue, making their way into the underarm lymph nodes. If cancer cells get into the lymph nodes, they have a pathway into other parts of the body, spreading the cancer to other organs.

What are the risks?

No one knows exactly what causes breast cancer, but certain risk factors that increase a person’s chance of getting a disease are linked to breast cancer. For instance, risk factors associated with diet can be controlled, but risk factors such as a person’s age or family history can’t be changed. The older you become, the more likely you will develop breast cancer.

Five to 10 per cent of breast cancers are linked to muta34 | www.getcompass.ca/pink

tions in certain genes. If you inherit a mutated gene from a parent, you’re more likely to develop breast cancer.

More than half of women with inherited mutations will develop breast cancer by the age of 70. The risk for developing breast cancer is higher among women whose close blood relatives have had breast cancer, or some other forms of cancer. Having a mother, sister or daughter with breast cancer almost doubles your risk, particularly if the relative was diagnosed before the age of 50. A family history of ovarian cancer also increases the risk. Having had cancer in one breast increases the risk of having it in the other.

Getting a chest area radiation treatment, such as mantle radiation for Hodgkin’s lymphoma, provides you with a significantly larger risk of breast cancer.

What are the signs?

The most common sign of breast cancer is a new lump or mass in the breast. A lump that is painless, hard and has irregular edges is more likely to be cancer. Some cancers can be tender, soft and rounded; so it’s important to have all new lumps checked by your doctor.

Other warning signs include persistent breast changes such as a thickening or lump in the breast, any changes in breast shape or contour, discharge from the nipples, other than breast milk, a retraction, redness or scaliness of the nipple that does not go away, pain or tenderness in the breast, changes in texture or size of the breast, and itchiness, inflammation or hot-feeling skin. These are usually caused by benign conditions but they can be warning signs of breast cancer.

How can it be detected?

Chances for successful treatment are better the earlier breast cancer is detected. Breast cancer could be in an advanced state, or the cancer may have spread to other organs, by the time you notice symptoms, so it’s important to find breast cancer early in the disease.

Breast self-examination is an exam in which you feel for any changes in the breast. Women who do perform breast self-examinations should do them once a month.

While breast self-examination helps you learn what is normal for your breasts so you’ll notice changes, clinical breast examinations and mammography are the most reliable methods of finding breast cancer, according to the Canadian Cancer Society.

A clinical breast exam is an exam performed by a health care professional to feel for any changes in the breast. A mammogram is a low dose x-ray of the breast, which can find small breast cancer lumps or precancerous changes in the breast. These lumps may be so small a woman can’t feel them with her fingers.

A screening mammogram is used to look for breast cancer if you have no apparent symptoms. A diagnostic mammogram is used when you have symptoms or if there are other barriers to accurate testing like breast implants.

The Canadian Cancer Society recommends that you have a mammogram every two years if you are between the ages of 50 and 69. If you are between the ages of 40 and 49, discuss your risk of breast cancer and the benefits and risks of mammography with your doctor. If you are over 70, talk to your doctor about a screening program for you.

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PROPOSAL STORIES

your PAGE..

STORIES

email: pink@getcompass.ca Please submit stories by

February 28,2012

or mail your story to: Compass Advertising 1920 Francis Street Regina, Sk. S4N 6B3

EVERYDAY DIONNE WARNER 7 CANCER 0 Somewhere in her biography, there’s a photo of seven-time cancer survivor Dionne Warner undergoing chemotherapy at Regina’s Allan Blair Cancer Clinic. She’s wearing a T-shirt with “F--- (bad word) Cancer” prominently displayed on the front.

That’s … unladylike language, isn’t it? “I think it rocks!” exclaims the 46-year-old Warner. She’s fighting Stage 4 cancer – if she wants to drop the F-bomb on cancer, we’re not going to argue.

Never Leave Your Wingman: Dionne and Graham Warner’s Story of Hope was released last summer by Driver Works Ink. It tells the story of Dionne’s cancer battles – lumpectomy in 1995, followed by chemotherapy and radiation, two brain surgeries in June and September 1997, followed by radiation treatments, the removal of 51 per cent of her liver, gall bladder, and ovaries in 2001 and 2002, and a Stage 4 cancer diagnosis in her spine, liver, and lungs – “and I never smoked a day in my life!” – in December 2009. But Dionne’s story is more than that.

ment for telling cancer where to go and how to get there. That’s quite a biography about someone who, when told she had brain cancer in September 1997, wasn’t given good odds to see Christmas.

Stage 4 cancer treatment goes as long as the body can handle it, but in most cases the cancer’s ability to metastasize outlast the body’s efforts to resist the cocktails of drugs and radiation treatments used to kill the cancer. Yet Dionne is so full of life that it’s almost impossible to believe something inside her appears capable She grew up a fiercely independent, fun-loving teen in Mississauga, of causing her death.

Ontario, worked for Freightliner for 22 years, danced on MuchMu- “I know I’m Stage 4 cancer, but you either take the high road or sic’s Electric Circus in the 1980s and early 1990s (“I’d be with my crawl into a hole,” says Dionne. “And if I start down that road, the friends in a club, and someone from the station would point to me disease is already winning. Graham (Warner, a Regina businessand say, ‘You. You’ve got a pass. Be at the studio Saturday after- man and Dionne’s husband) and I said we’re going to take this journoon!’ ”), married, divorced, met the man of her dreams, moved ney on a positive route, not just to support us but to support others, from Mississauga to Regina in January 2001, indulged in her love and to bring a little laughter to something that is so devastating. of photography and travel to the Caribbean and Europe in between chemotherapy, and became a walking, talking advertise- “We’re doing the right thing,” she continues. “Until the fat lady 36 | www.getcompass.ca/pink

sings, or the medicine gets better, I just continue on this journey.”

cancer, or turning the treatment area into Theme Day – her and If she had her way, one of the things she would like to bring on this her husband showing up in disco pantsuits, cowboy attire, Mexican journey is the ‘Bald Is Beautiful’ Barbie. There’s an internet cam- sombreros, Jamaican dreadlocks … paign to have Mattel, the makers of the popular little girls’ doll, Dionne uses her ‘tickle trunk’ of costumes, and her sense of huproduce a bald Barbie with several wigs, to give a realistic toy for mour, the way Terry Fox used the Canadian highway system durgirls either undergoing cancer treatments, or whose mother may ing his Marathon of Hope. It’s a voyage of inspiration and selfbe getting treatment. determination, an example for cancer patients – and everybody “I would buy one of those tomorrow, and I’m a grown woman!” else, demonstrating that hope is the strongest cancer-fighting drug says Dionne, who has seen her share of little girls and mothers pass available (When she restarted chemotherapy after her most rethrough the Allan Blair’s hallways. “Barbie is such a role model for cent cancer diagnosis in 2009, the twice-a-week volunteering seslittle girls. Children who are going through cancer – or whose moth- sions had to stop, but neither the dress-up days nor her campaign ers are going through cancer – need to feel that they’re not alone to fight the disease ceased). in the fight. A ‘Cancer Barbie’ would be a great thing to give them Dionne says her battles with cancer would be much harder without that comfort.” the love and support of her husband, family and friends. “During Warner began volunteering at the clinic in 2002, bringing every- my liver cancer diagnosis, the doctor said, ‘I think Graham should thing – starting with snacks, soups and drinks, then bringing fashion leave the room,’ because we weren’t married yet. (The doctor also sense, a friend and confidant, and a playful sense of purpose – to said) ‘He may not want to marry you once he finds out how sick you patients undergoing surgery and chemotherapy. It wasn’t uncom- are.’ Graham said, ‘We’re outta here!’ mon to see her dressed in combat fatigues to ceremonially battle “I told Graham that I couldn’t have that kind of a relationship with a doctor – that was horrible. He said, ‘we’re going to find the right doctor.’ ” The right doctor did the operation, and Dionne is still here, large as life.

As her photographs can attest. She’s not short of photographs of herself. “It’s to show how real I am. I’m not embarrassed and not ashamed,” she adds. “It’s a way to display inner strength.

“I’m not saying that I look good bald – but you need to accept who you are, whatever point you’re at in your life.”

Following her second brain cancer surgery, Dionne undertook a genetic analysis which revealed she’d be a prime candidate to transmit the breast cancer-triggering gene to any future children.

She decided not to have children, and rejected birth control pills.

(After her second liver cancer diagnosis in 2002, Dionne chose to have her ovaries removed rather than risk ovarian cancer).

Her oncologists warned any hormonal changes in her body – from taking birth control pills, or from pregnancy – increased her chances of developing cancer. Unfortunately back in Ontario, Dionne had some people in her life who didn’t agree with her decision in 1998.

“My first husband told me that no one would want me, that I was damaged goods. I’ve come a long way. I can look him in the eye and say that I may have Stage 4 cancer, but I’m having a great life with no regrets.”

www.driverworks.ca www.cancersurvivorinthecity.com EDITOR’S NOTE: Just as this issue was going to press, PINK received an email from Dionne. Her Stage 4 cancers are in complete remission. “We (Dionne and Graham) both walked out of the hospital a little shell shocked and feeling like how a prisoner surely must feel after being released from prison,” she wrote.

Do you know someone who is making a difference in her community?

Let us know at pink@getcompass.ca www.getcompass.ca/pink | 37

ealth &

ellness

The Canadian Diabetes Association has many reasons to include the phrase ‘Tiniki ki nanaskomitin’ – Cree for ‘thank you from the bottom of my heart” – when they talk about the efforts Florence Highway and Evelyn Linklater have made to explain a serious medical issues facing aboriginal people.

L

ast November, Florence Highway and Evelyn Linklater were saluted by the Canadian Diabetes Association. The two received the National Volunteer Award from the CDA during its annual general meeting in Toronto.

10 per cent of aboriginal people suffered from diabetes: by 2006, that proportion was over 20 per cent, according to a University of Saskatchewan study.

As well, while the number of new diabetes cases in Canada’s non-aboriginal popula“They have been a perfect example of tion peaked in those over 70 years of how to live healthy lives with diabetes while age, the number of new diabetes cases overcoming difficult circumstances, and an in Canada’s aboriginal population peaks example to us all of what can be accomaround the age of 40. plished when you set your mind to someFlorence and Evelyn, who grew up in norththing,” the Canadian Diabetes Association ern Saskatchewan and who today live with said in making their award. diabetes, say lifestyle and cultural changes “It was unexpected. And awesome,” says for Saskatchewan’s aboriginal people may Linklater. play a part in the increasing number of For the past five years, the two have made cases of diabetes. over 100 appearances per year in schools, friendship centres, community meetings, and other events across Saskatchewan’s aboriginal and northern communities, talking about their own experiences with diabetes and encouraging young people to take up healthy, active lifestyles to prevent contracting the disease.

“We grew up in a very healthy environment,” says Highway, who, like Linklater, grew up in Pelican Narrows, “We would walk everywhere, we would cut wood to heat our homes, we would carry water to our home – we were active people. As our people move to the cities, we’re not as active any more. And there’s a lot more They deliver a simple message: eat healthy opportunities to eat processed food, junk food, sugary food. foods, stay active, and if you have diabetes, take care of yourself. Apparently, “We would fall into a routine, like, ‘why they never tire of delivering that message, would we go out and walk? It’s that much nor do they appear to be running out of easier to sit at home on the couch and audiences: they’re booked for community watch TV.’ We never had that opportunity meetings on the topic until November. to watch TV when we were growing up. We Florence and Evelyn have their work cut out would be either working or playing outside, for them. In 2010, the National Aboriginal being active.”

Diabetes and the CDA provided statistics showing that 20 per cent of Canada’s First Nations and Métis people live with diabetes. Diabetes is three to five times more prevalent in aboriginal communities than in non-aboriginal communities, and aboriginal diabetics are more prone to heart disease, kidney disease, infectious diseases, blindness and amputations.

In 1937, not a single case of diabetes was reported in a survey of 1,500 Saskatchewan aboriginal people who participated in a tuberculosis survey. By 1990, nearly 38 | www.getcompass.ca/pink

Today, both women are diabetics, but they want to get the message out: diabetes isn’t a life sentence, but by following a healthy lifestyle, people can manage the disease.

And it’s a message they want to spread from community to community.

“We noticed that there were a lot of people who came from the northern communities for dialysis, and we thought we should take what we know to the people in those communities.”

the Matchmaker

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Dear Lianne,

They say I have “baggage.” I was married to a person who now owns half of everything I had. I know it is only money but the lies and everything else that went with it was a lot. I have had counseling and I really want to meet someone. The last three gals I have dated have claimed that I am emotionally unavailable. What can I do? I am lonely and thought I was ready. - Gerry

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Dear Gerry, When three women, independent of one another, come to the same conclusion, I would certainly think that they are onto something. Are you saying more than a sentence when speaking about your past marriage?

People have a tendency to go on and on about their past. Your new date is not interested in a monologue. They simply need to be told, “she was not who I thought she was.” Wounded people will often provide way too much information. This in itself is a tell tale sign of not being ready.

I would urge you to call your previous counselor and let them know you would like to continue your counseling. For now, until you sort things out, I would avoid dating. I would strongly suggest that you participate in many social activities so that you do not isolate yourself during this time.

Dear Lianne, I am interested in joining your service. I called and was told I can not join because I smoke. What is up with that? - Harvey Dear Harvey, A good matchmaker will be ethical as well as say it the way it is. We have found over the past 18 years of matching that most people who are looking for a mate refuse to date smokers. When we had clients who smoked, we found that their profiles were being passed on by non-smokers as well as smokers who always planned on quitting. For that reason, a decision was made two years ago that we would no longer accept clients who smoke because the chances of us being able to happily match them were drastically reduced. We felt it was unethical to take their money for a membership.

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Her website is www.camelotintroductions.com If questions are published they will be done anonymously.

Lianne Tregobov owns Camelot Introductions, a Matchmaking service, serving Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Tregobov has coached thousands of clients over the past 18 years with regards to dating and relationship do’s and don’ts. She is known for her uncanny ability to intuitively match people.

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The Surgical Option

for Weight Reduction “Surgery is a very serious business.” That’s the first thing Omni Surgery Centre Chief Executive Officer Rob Mitchelson says when he talks about his company’s surgical procedure for weight loss.

One of the safest and least complicated surgical procedures is Omni Surgery Centre’s Lap-Band surgery, which has been approved for use in Canada since 1999.

Surgery is certainly not an opportunity for a holiday in a third world country. Lap band surgery requires a lot of follow up support: surgical follow ups, lap band adjustments, nutritional follow-ups and support groups. Clearly, this is not something that you can leave to chance and hope someone will help you when you get home.

One million Canadians – which is roughly about the same as Saskatchewan’s population – can be classified as morbidly obese. This is a condition where someone has a body weight high enough to put his or her life in danger.

Most people fighting – and losing – the ‘battle of the bulge’ want a way to remove pounds from their body that’s quick, painless, and permanent. As Mitchelson is quick to point out, there’s no such thing.

But for some people, there may be no other options besides a surgical alternative to losing weight.

Because

You Can!

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In medical terms, morbidly obese is defined as someone who weighs two to three times their ideal body weight and has kept that weight for more than five years. An ideal weight is calculated through the body-mass index – the person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of the person’s height in meters.

While a multi-billion dollar diet industry has sprung up to offer weight loss solutions, there are many reasons why diets don’t work. First of all, diets are hard to do – they require a drastic change in one’s personal habits that extend beyond eating. People often confuse willpower – the short-term determination to make changes – with a lasting commitment. Diets often leave people feeling deprived, creating cravings for the very foods that make them put on the pounds. And most people go off the rails on their diets either through frustration or boredom.

“Exercise plays an important role in weight loss” and that is why the Omni Surgery Centre provides a registered exercise therapist as part of the complete Lap-Band program. An active person can burn more calories than he or she consumes, if he or she is able to eat moderately. And, in the long term, the body burns more calories when it has to maintain muscle instead of fat. But, once again, the body adjusts. For some – especially those who are morbidly obese – exercise can’t do it all. “Once someone becomes greater than 10 per cent over their ideal body weight, it becomes difficult for them to lose that weight through non-surgical means,” Mitchelson says.

So, if the diets haven’t worked, does surgery? Well, he argues, the right kind of surgery does work. The Lap-Band system sees fellowshiptrained bariatric surgeons install a saline filled band around the upper part of the stomach.

The lap band “works like a float valve,” he says. “The band puts pressure on the top part of your stomach, where most of the hunger receptors are. This indicates to your body that you’re full, and that you don’t need to eat any more. Another benefit of a properly adjusted Lap-Band is that you don’t feel hungry again for another two or three hours. “The biggest advantage is that it takes away the physical urge to eat.”

In effect, the Lap-Band System accomplishes the same mission on the body reducing the calories that the body can absorb in the digestion process as more invasive surgical procedures such as gastric bypass surgery and stomach stapling. Moreover, Mitchelson argues that the Lap-Band surgery has far fewer complications and side-effects. The Lap-Band System can reduce a person’s weight by one and a half to two pounds a week – a significant loss, but one that is medically safe.

And the health benefits don’t stop there.

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“Getting your body back into a healthy condition is extremely valuable,” Mitchelson says. “Most of our patients have reduced their medication intake because of this surgery.”

The Lap-Band System is also less invasive – it’s a day surgery that in Saskatchewan, is performed at Omni Surgery Centre in Regina’s University Park: the patient comes in for surgery in the morning and leaves that same afternoon.

The procedure is also fully reversible. If the patient reaches his or her ideal weight and believes that they now have control of their eating habits, they can opt to have the band removed. This is available because the digestive system has not been surgically realigned during lap-band procedure. If the patient becomes pregnant and is now ‘eating for two,’ then the lap-band can simply be de-filled to allow for more nutrition. Generally, most patients assume that the lap band procedure is a lifelong commitment.

Omni Surgery Centre includes nutritional, exercise and psychological counselling for those getting the Lap-Band System implanted. The psychological counselling focuses on the issues behind someone’s overeating, while the nutritional counselling helps the patient adjust their diets so that they eat balanced and healthy meals after the procedure.

“The registered dietician will explain to the patient that they will now need to eat smaller quantities of food, therefore it is important to focus on the nutritional value of food. If they’re having a roast beef or turkey dinner, for example, the patient would likely eat the protein first. And you would also cut the food into smaller pieces, chew it a little longer and likely leave a little food on your plate,” Mitchelson says.

“With our complete program, the success rate for achieving weight loss is very high. That’s because people who have come here are in the right mental set – they’ve tried things that haven’t worked and they have come here seriously committed to finding a solution.”

A person may be eligible for Lap-Band surgery if they are over the age of 18, have a BMI of over 40 or even over 30 if they have other contributing health issues such as high blood pressure and/or diabetes, and where previous attempts to lose weight resulted in only temporary success. It is also crucial that patients are willing to make and maintain the changes in eating and lifestyle that the Lap-Band program requires.

People suffering from inflammatory diseases or other gastro-intestinal problems such as ulcers or Crohn’s disease, with severe lung or heart disease, or with cirrhosis or chronic pancreatitis may not be eligible for the Lap-Band System’s benefits.

For more details please contact

530 University Park Drive, Regina (306)545-8181

www.omnisurgery.ca

written by

Stephanie Staples

W

hether you love the little guy or not, you have to admit he must be doing something right after skyrocketing to fame faster than a speeding bullet in 2009. Recently, young Mr. Beiber has been named one of the year’s highest achievers under the age of 30 by Forbes magazine. While we may not be aiming for high praise from Forbes, we can probably admit to having a little room for improvement in our lifes. If Justin was a life coach, he would have some good advice for us and in that spirit, I shall speculate what a couple of his ideas may be.

1• Connect with great people.

From first being discovered by Scooter Braun and hooking up with Usher, Justin was fortunate enough to be well-connected. Partnering with Selena Gomez, Mariah Carey and Rascal Flats, to drop a few names, indicates that this guy gets that 1+1=3 and things are indeed better together.

In your world, take a peek at the people you spend the most time with.

Are they fuelling you or are they draining you? If those people you spend the most time with are not the ones that are helping you grow, consider expanding your social circle in inviting some new folks into your fold and reduce amount of time you spend with the people that drain you.

Lean into your passion and • 2 natural abilities.

While he may have charisma and charm, if Justin were trying to be a hockey star, it likely wouldn’t work no matter how likeable he was. From his early years, Justin was a showman, a musician – it is as if he couldn’t not be one, like it had to come out of him somehow.

We all have talent and natural ability; sometimes we just need to work harder at discovering it. Think about what jazzes you up, what comes easily and effortlessly to you. What section of the newspaper do you read first, what part of the bookstore do you go to first – those are where your interest are hiding. Lean into your strengths, to what excites and thrills you – that is where your happiness and success lies.

Let’s make the next 12 months a rockin,’awesome,off- the-charts, slam-dunk, high-fiving year. And instead of judging people who are ‘high achievers’ at any age, let’s see what we can learn from them and move forward from there!

facebook.com/YourLifeUnlimited www.getcompass.ca/pink | 41

STEAK NIGHTS PUBCRAWLS CABARETS

Proud sponsors of the saskatchewan roughriders and regina pats

The Pump is always a great house party, due in large part to our loyal regulars and to those who choose to celebrate their special occasions at The Pump. Whether it’s a stag, stagette, birthday party, pub crawl or even the occasional wedding, The Pump has been and continues to be where people from across southern Saskatchewan choose to mark life’s milestones.

Laura, Vocals - Kevin Cockle, Guitar Tim Friesen, Drums - Mike McComb, Bass

WEEKLY SPECIALS

WEDNESDAYS • $5 WINGS $5 DOUBLES THURSDAYS • $1 DRAFT FRIDAYS • $4 CAPTAIN MORGAN SPICED RUM SATURDAYS • $4 SMIRNOFF VODKA “ALL NIGHT LONG”

Visit our upstairs gallery at our downtown location

Many unique gifts for the pet lover!

3951 rochdale blvd |

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1

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© 2012 Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc. 2012 C 350 Sedan shown, National MSRP $49,000. **Total price of $42,602 and down payment include freight/PDI of $1,995, dealer admin fee of $495, air-conditioning levy of $100, EHF tires, filters, batteries of $16.00 and AMVIC fee of $6.25. *Lease and finance offers based on the all-new 2012 C 250 4MATIC TM available only through Mercedes-Benz Financial Services on approved credit for a limited time. Lease example based on $328 per month for 39 months. Down payment or equivalent trade of $9,332 plus security deposit of $400 and applicable taxes due at lease inception. MSRP starting at $39,990. Lease APR of 3.9% applies. Total obligation is $22,531. 18,000 km/year allowance ($0.20/km for excess kilometres applies). Finance example is based on a 60-month term and a finance APR of 1.9% and an MSRP of $39,990.

Monthly payment is $591 (excluding taxes) with $6,611 down payment or equivalent trade in. Cost of borrowing is $1,657 for a total obligation of $42,059. Vehicle licence, insurance, registration and PPSA (if applicable) are extra. Dealer may lease or finance for less. Offers may change without notice and cannot be combined with any other offers.

See your authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer for details or call the Mercedes-Benz Customer Relations Centre at 1-800-387-0100. 2Value of $2,200. Offer ends January 31, 2012.

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