Chicz - A magazine for FUN Women - March/April 2019

a Magazine for FUN women!

March/April 2019

TM

Mommy & me

CRAFTS Why drink

TEA?

2019

SPRING FASHION

Bernard R. Erickson, MD CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center

CARDIOVASCULAR CENTER

Timothy N. Schuchard, MD CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center

Introducing: The Cardiovascular Center.

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Here for Life

No more traveling for your basic cardiovascular procedures and checkups. Now the highly skilled cardiologists you already know and trust— Dr. Erickson and Dr. Schuchard —will be right here at Alomere Health with full-time onsite cardiovascular services.

We’re extremely excited to collaborate with the leading cardiovascular team from CentraCare to offer you outstanding care right where you live.

You deserve nothing less than world-class care, and we’re here to deliver it.

Alomere Health • Alexandria Clinic • Osakis Clinic • Heartland Orthopedic Specialists

2 Chicz March/April 2019

Spring is just around the corner!

Inside this issue March/April 2019

It’s coming. I know you can feel it. Spring is just around the corner.

With the return of spring comes all the wonderful adventures in the Mommy and Me Crafts 12 great outdoors – planting Real Chicz of gardens, listening to the Douglas County 20 birds chirping and the bees buzzing, taking a walk and Puzzles and horoscopes 28 enjoying the sunshine.

Spring also brings Food and drink thoughts The Jeff Beach Diet • 4 of giving Try a taste of Hawaii • 5 your home Types of tea • 6 a facelift, Why drink tea? • 6 HARRIET PRESCOTT SPOFFORD and interior Time to get nutty with wine • 7 designer Four apps for foodies • 9 Betty Ravnik tells you how to refresh, recharge STYLISH and renew your home’s interior, and paint specialist Sherrie ACCESSORIES Wellness FOR SPRING Martinson gives you pointers on shortcuts that can cause Swinging into golf season • 24 problems with your painting projects. There are also articles Get ready early • 24 on how to choose the perfect paint for your walls, how to update your bedroom and how to get rid of clutter and Workplace organize your home.

Showcase softs skills on your resume • 26 Celeste Edenloff brings you Real Chicz of Douglas Blunders to steer clear of during job interviews• 22 County – a wonderful story about a Douglas County woman and her love of knitting.

Technology We have a fun read by Jeff Beach in his Jeff Beach Photo tips: Understanding ISO • 8 Diet article on tuna loaf, and Al Edenloff gives you Photography projects for beginners • 8 tips on trying wines with peanuts. Lowell Anderson informs you on the different types of teas.

Family Check out our article on showcasing your work Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with your kids • 13 skills, photography tips to help improve photos, how A Guyz Perspective • 19 ELEVATE YOUR GAME to tell if your pet is overweight and an interesting When the crumbs have settled • 22 book review from the Between the Wines Book Club.

Home Andrew Holte also gives you some important Refresh, recharge, renew • 14 information on the extra financial moves that How to choose the perfect paint for your walls • 14 women need to make.

Shortcuts that lead to regret • 15 There are so many wonderful reading opporUpdate your bedroom with new curtains and bedding • 16 tunities that fill this issue of Chicz, I’m sure you’ll Create a relaxing bedroom retreat • 16 find it fascinating! Enjoy!

How to get rid of clutter and organize your home • 17

“A gush of bird-song, a patter of dew, A cloud, and a rainbow’s warning, Suddenly sunshine and perfect blue– An April day in the morning.”

23

25

Lori Mork, Chicz editor

To advertise in Chicz call 320.763.3133 Jody Hanson, Publisher Lori Mork, Editor/Designer

Chicz is a publication of Echo Press, 225 7th Ave. East Alexandria, MN 56308 ©2012 Echo Press Send your feedback to: chiczmag@gmail.com

JOB HUNTING STRATEGIES

26

Pets

Is my dog or cat overweight? • 27 Five surprising facts about dogs • 27

Finance

Women may need to make extra financial moves • 18 Filing your taxes • 18

Entertainment

Between the wines book club review • 10 Popular reads from February • 10

Your writers

Chicz contributing writers • 30 March/April 2019 Chicz

3

Not sorry about liking

TUNA LOAF

In the last issue of Chicz, I shared a recipe for meatloaf that was loved by Johnny Cash.

But I couldn’t find a celebrity endorsement for meat loaf’s more humble cousin, tuna loaf.

So a cartoon fish will have to do.

As a kid in the 1970s, I remember seeing commercials for StarKist tuna with Charlie the Tuna.

Created in the 1960s, Charlie was an arty sort of fish, modeled after beret-wearing beatniks. Today, Charlie might be labeled as more of a hipster.

In his commercials, Charlie was always trying to get caught by StarKist, willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to end up inside a can with the StarKist label.

Charlie promoted himself as worthy of being canned by StarKist because of his “good taste” in things such as art and music. But he is always rejected because StarKist prefers “tuna that tastes good” and is given a note of “Sorry Charlie.”

While Charlie never gets caught, “Sorry Charlie” caught on as an American catch phrase.

The

JEFF BEACH

diet

Jeff Beach has spent a lifetime on the The Jeff Beach Diet and is still kickin’.

The likeable cartoon spokesfish was even immortalized as a desk lamp, one of which I own.

I am not really fussy about which brand of tuna I use when making a tuna recipe.

In the summer, I like a tuna salad sandwich for a light lunch. (Loyal readers may remember that tuna salad is one of the acceptable salads on the Jeff Beach Diet.)

But while we’re in Lent and still waiting for it to warm up, I like making tuna loaf. Really, this simple, low-budget, high-protein dish is great any time of year.

TUNA LOAF INGREDIENTS: 3 5-ounce cans of tuna in water, drained 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs 3 eggs 1/3 cup mayonnaise 1/3 cup milk 3 Tbsp. lemon juice 1/2 cup diced onion 1 Tbsp. parsley flakes DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Drain tuna and, in a large bowl, mix together tuna and bread crumbs.

Add in remaining ingredients and mix well. Coat a 9-inch by 9-inch baking dish (one with a cover) with cooking spray.

Scoop tuna mixture into baking dish and spread into an even layer, not quite touching the sides.

TUNA IS A WONDERFUL HEALTH FOOD Canned tuna is rich in protein, low in fat and calories and is a great source for essential omega-3 fatty acids that help lower blood pressure and cholesterol. Canned tuna is the second most popular seafood product in the U.S. after shrimp.

In the U.S., Americans eat about 1 billion pounds of canned and pouched tuna a year. In 2007, Americans ate 2.7 pounds of canned tuna per capita.

4 Chicz March/April 2019

Over one half of canned tuna, 52 percent, is used in sandwiches. Of those Americans who eat canned tuna, the vast majority, 83 percent, eat it for lunch.

In fact, canned tuna is the only regularly consumed seafood at lunch. The most popular kind of canned tuna?

Chunk, light meat in water. Light meat (in water and oil) accounts for 75 percent to 80 percent of annual domestic canned tuna consumption.

Cover, place on center rack of oven and cook until done, about 45 minutes.

For a quick-cooking variation, divide the tuna mixture into six patties (a ring for canning works well as a mold).

Place three on a plate and microwave about 3 minutes, flip and microwave another 2 minutes, or until done.

For kids, use a star-shaped cooked cutter as a mold and make “starfish” either in the oven (shorten the baking time) or in the microwave.

You can also substitute a 14.5 ounce can of salmon for the tuna.

Sorry Charlie!

Try a taste of

HAWAI’I

By Lori Mork

This dessert was developed at Kimo’s in Hawai’i many years ago and has become a favorite of visitors to the islands. Now you can give it a try at home!

DIRECTIONS: Bring fudge topping to room temperature.

Scoop ice cream into prepared pie shell, smoothing it into a rough dome, or bombe, as high as you’d like.

If you want your pie to be as tall as the orignal Hula pie, try this trick: Using a mixing bowl with a rim that fits inside the pie crust since the bowl will need to be placed upside down on the crust.

Line the bowl with plastic wrap and spray with cooking spray. Scoop ice cream into the bowl; cover and freeze overnight.

Remove ice cream and crust from the freezer and carefully place the bowl

upside down over the crust. Carefully pull the plastic wrap until the ice cream sits on the crust.

Remove the bowl and plastic wrap.

Warm espresso or coffee and mix into chocolate.

Make sure it’s warm and not hot or it will melt the ice cream. Spread topping evenly over ice cream.

Freeze until ready to serve.

Cover top of pie with a layer of whipped cream and chopped macadamia nuts before serving. It’s hard to find macadamia nut ice cream; instead, substitute good quality vanilla ice cream, soften it just a little and mix in chopped macadamia nuts.

To make your own pie crust, simply mix 1-1/2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs with a little sugar and 1/4 cup melted butter. Press the mixture into a pie pan and freeze.

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HULA PIE INGREDIENTS: 1 9-inch chocolate cookie piecrust 1/2 gallon macadamia nut ice cream or French vanilla ice cream mixed with macadamia nuts 4 ounces chocolate fudge topping 1 shot of espresso or strong coffee 6 ounces macadamia nuts Whipped cream

5

Types of tea

In the last installment of Tea Time we talked about how all tea comes from only one type of plant (Camellia sinensis) that grows mainly in Asia. Drinks made from any other plant, such as herbal teas, rooibos and yerba mate, are not actual teas, and we won’t be discussing those here.

However, within the world of actual tea leaves, there are unlimited possibilities.

Some of the factors that determine both flavor and appearance include where the leaves were grown, how and when they were picked, how they are processed and stored, and how they are prepared.

Of these variables, how the leaves are processed after picking probably most determines the type of tea and its flavor.

Roughly speaking, we can divide tea into three main types: green, oolong and black. The amount of oxidation (often incorrectly called fermentation) that takes place after the leaves are picked is the biggest factor in determining a tea type.

Oxidation is a process where leaves are

Why drink tea? Tea can boost exercise endurance.

Drinking tea could help reduce the risk of heart attack. Tea might also help protect against cardiovascular and degenerative diseases. Tea might be an effective agent in the prevention and treatment of neurological diseases, especially degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

6 Chicz March/April 2019

Tea Time Second in a series Exploring the world of tea

By Lowell Anderson

exposed to the air and allowed to blacken as they absorb oxygen and lose water.

Green teas are allowed to wither only slightly after picking and then are heated to stop the oxidation process. Black teas, on the other hand, are fully oxidized before they are dried. Oolong (also known as wulong) is partially oxidized.

Black teas, which usually have higher caffeine levels, include Assam, Darjeeling, Keemun, and Earl Grey, which is a blend of black tea with bergamot oil. English breakfast tea, as well as most black teas sold in tea bags, are a blend of several types of black teas. Most black teas come from either China or India.

Green teas, which have lower caffeine levels, come mainly from China and Japan and have a wide variety of appearances and flavors. Two popular teas include jasmine, where leaves are flavored with jasmine flowers, and matcha, which is a Japanese green tea ground into a fine powder.

Oolong teas have a caffeine level between black and green teas and come mainly from China.

Other less popular teas include white and yellow, which are similar to green and are unoxidized, and pu-erh, which is packed into balls or cakes and allowed to ferment and age.

Other factors that affect the taste of tea include how the leaves are rolled, twisted or shaped (which releases oils and flavors) and how they are then dried. Drying methods can include sun drying, baking or even smoking.

Although you can put anything you like in your tea, green and oolong teas are traditionally drunk without sugar, while black tea may have sugar, milk or spices added.

The antioxidants in tea might help protect against a multitude of cancers, including breast, colon, colorectal, skin, lung, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, pancreas, liver, ovarian, prostate and oral cancers.

Tea could help keep your waist trim.

Tea helps fight free radicals. Tea is hydrating to the body despite having caffeine. Drinking tea is linked with a lower risk of Parkinson’s disease. Tea might provide protection from ultraviolet rays.

Tea types (above) differ mainly in how much they are oxidized or exposed to air before being dried.

Types shown here include (left to right) green, yellow, oolong and black. (Wikipedia)

Regular tea drinking might also counteract some of the negative effects of smoking and might even lessen the risk of lung cancer. Tea could be beneficial to people with Type 2 diabetes. Tea can help the body recover from radiation. Green tea has been found to improve bone mineral density and strength.

Creating Lasting Memories... for Every Occasion

nutty with wine March is National Peanut Month

By Al Edenloff March is National Peanut Month – time to get a little nutty and try some peanuts with your wine.

Actually, peanuts aren’t nuts at all. They’re legumes.

The snack that people like to munch are the legumes’ edible seeds.

All that aside, wine can be a fun, casual and delicious accompaniment for a variety of peanuts.

We did some Googling around on the internet and found some wonderful suggestions from Hope and Harmony Farms, a small gourmet peanut company in Virginia.

With sweet or spicy peanuts, it recommended trying sparkling wines – Champagne, Caca, Prosecco. Salted or cajun peanuts both have just the right amount of salt to pair with the bubbles, the company said.

O ther choices: Chardonnay, with its fruity, butter y

overtones, works well with butter toffee peanuts.

Riesling, known for its sweet, intense fruit flavors, makes for a good combination with the spiciest of peanuts featuring habanero or sriracha. The less sweeter Rieslings from Europe provide the best balance of acidity and sweetness, according to Hope and Harmony Farms.

Sauvignon Blanc, a dry, tart, acidic wine with herbaceous qualities, is a good choice to sip with sriracha lime or salt-and-vinegar peanuts.

Cabernet Sauvignon, a big bold wine, is the red “powerhouse” of peanut pairings and matches up well with all flavors of peanuts, sweet or spicy, the company said. Try it with honey-roasted peanuts.

Merlot, a very drinkable wine with notes of fruit and wine, is a delicious option with peanut brittle.

A sweet wine – red or white – will work well with chocolate-covered peanuts.

For your next get-together, try something different – bring a variety of peanuts and wine to the party and decide for yourself which pairing takes the prize.

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7

UNDERSTANDING

iso

I

n the last few installments of Photo Tips we’ve discussed the importance of getting the right exposure and how to use shutter speed and aperture controls to accomplish that goal.

However, anyone who has ever tried to take a photo in low-light conditions knows that simply balancing the two is not always enough. Sometimes you just don’t have enough light to work with, which usually results in slow shutter speeds and blurry photos.

That’s where an understanding of ISO becomes helpful.

ISO (International Standards Organization) is a system used to measure the digital camera

PHOTO

TIPS

By Lowell Anderson sensor’s sensitivity to light. In the old days, film was rated in ASA (American Standards Association), which basically means the same thing - in other words, how sensitive to light it was.

By increasing the ISO setting, you can make the sensor on a digital camera more sensitive to light, which means you’ll need less light to make a properly-exposed photograph.

Most cameras will have controls to let you change the ISO. However, how much you can boost it and the resulting quality is dependent on the type of camera, with more expensive cameras generally giving you higher ISO settings and better quality. Many cameras will also have an auto ISO

This photo of sumac leaves in the fall was taken on a bright day at ISO 400.

Night football requires a higher ISO, which makes it possible to use a fast enough shutter speed, but which also increases the grain. This photo was shot at ISO 8000. setting, which gives the camera the option to decide what to set itself at.

In film days, 400 ASA film was considered a general purpose film, good for most outdoor conditions and adequate for brighter indoor scenes.

With digital cameras, ISO 400 is still a good starting place for most outdoor photos.

But when you move indoors or to other low-light situations, ISO 400 usually won’t work well because the camera will need to use a shutter speed that’s too slow to handhold.

In these situations you’ll want to increase the ISO to 1600, 3200, or even higher.

Because the camera then requires less light, you can use a faster shutter speed. Doubling

the ISO number makes the camera twice as sensitive to light, so you should also then be able to double the shutter speed (for example, from 1/30th to 1/60th).

Although you may be tempted to bump up the ISO as high as it goes, remember that this generally results in a lower quality photo with more grain.

The higher the ISO the lower the quality. So, in bright conditions, you may even want to lower the ISO to 200 or 100 to get the best quality.

Like a lot of photography, setting the ISO is a compromise: You want it high enough to get a good exposure and shutter speed, but low enough to maximize the picture quality.

Photography projects for beginners

A

re you itching to try out your new camera but don’t know where to start? Here are a few easy photography projects to get you going.

A-Z Project. This is a pretty simple concept – one photo for every letter in the alphabet.

Theme Project. Select a theme and build a photo portfolio from your idea.

8 Chicz March/April 2019

Object Project. Select a single object, then make that the focus of a few hours or a week – however long you want.

365 Project. Take one photo every day for a year and add a small description of it. A photo of anything will do.

Light Project. Try different lighting techniques to teach yourself the best way to snap that photo.

Weekly Project. Daily photos too much? Try a weekly project instead, taking just one photo a week for a year and add a description.

Portrait Project. Take portrait photos of your subject(s) in candid, traditional and glamour styles..

Four apps for foodies Finding a ready-made meal is easier than ever. Whether you’re looking for a table at the hottest restaurant in town or you’re hoping to have food delivered to your door, there’s an app that can help. Here are four apps every foodie needs on their smartphone.

1

OpenTable. A quick and simple way to make a dinner reservation. Find restaurants that can accommodate you and your party by searching under the location where you wish to dine or the type of cuisine you’re craving.

Used by thousands of restaurants all over the world, you’re sure to find a great meal.

2

Yelp. A great resource for unbiased recommendations from foodies like you. People can leave reviews

on Yelp for any business, making it helpful when it comes to choosing a restaurant.

3

Uber Eats. If you already use the Uber app to get around town, use the same account to have dinner delivered to your door for a small fee.

4

ChefsFeed. Find out where top local chefs like to eat (when they’re not at their own restaurants) and which dishes they think you should order. This app is also a great resource for recipes and other food-related content.

Whether you’re heading out of town or staying close to home, these apps will ensure you have a great meal.

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9

Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows

by Balli Kaur Jaswal

T

his book, written by Singaporean author Balli Kaur Jaswal and published in 2017, tells the story of Nikki Grewal, the daughter of Indian immigrants living in London. The

“EROTIC STORIES FOR PUNJABI WIDOWS”

Rated 5 Reviewed by the “Between the Wines” Book Club

22-year-old has spent most of her life pushing away from the traditions of her family’s Sikh culture for a more Western lifestyle.

She is disgusted with her sister’s decision to find a husband through the traditional arranged marriage method and has a strained relationship with her mother, who visibly disapproves of her lifestyle choices. She also struggles with the fear that the disappointment she caused her father when she dropped out of law school may be to blame for his death.

Nikki works at a pub, but takes a second job teaching what she believes is a creative writing course at the community center in London’s Punjabi community. It turns out that the students – all Punjabi widows – think the class is a basic English literacy class.

Despite the misunderstanding, the women bond during the weekly classes, which

Between the Book Club review soon turn into something much more exciting than literacy. They begin telling erotic stories – some purely fantasy, others stemming from personal experiences. The stories are quickly shared far beyond the confines of their classroom, putting the women in danger in their strict community, but also creating some new-found and welcome intimacies among the married locals. The lives of these women are intertwined with mystery, misunderstandings and even murder.

The book wasn’t a hit with members of our club. The member who chose the book stated she did so because she was interested in learning more about the Indian culture.

While the book did provide some insight into the culture, it was simply a fictional story that left us wondering how much was realistic. Many also found the story line superficial, and kept hoping the author would delve deeper, but it never happened.

If you are simply after an entertaining read, you may enjoy Jaswal’s use of humor and her strength in character development. She paints vivid pictures of her characters and you can’t help but find yourself bouncing from feelings of sympathy and compassion to disdain and anger to simple frustration and incredulity as you get to know the women in this story.

Looking for more?

Check out these popular reads for February from Goodreads, Oprah Magazine and Amazon Books

GOODREADS

Most popular books published in February 2019

10 Chicz March/April 2019

1. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides 4.20average rating 2. Black Leopard, Red Wolf (The Dark Star Trilogy, #1) by Marlon James 3.87 3. On the Come Up by Angie Thomas 4.48rating 4. The Lost Man by Jane Harper 4.37 5. I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella 3.64 6. The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon 4.34 7. The Prayer Box (Carolina Heirlooms #1)

by Lisa Wingate 4.04 8. The Killer Collective (John Rain, #10) by Barry Eisler 4.17

9. The Night Olivia Fell by Christina McDonald 4.09 10. The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo 4.13

OPRAH MAGAZINE

Four newly released books to add to the top of your list right now 1. Bowlaway by Elizabeth McCracken 2. Lost Children Archive by Valeria Luiselli 3. IM by Isaac Mizrahi 4. Vacuum in the Dark by Jen Beagin

AMAZON CHARTS

AMAZON CHARTS

1. The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo 2. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides 3. Underground: A Human History of the Worlds Beneath Our Feet by Will Hunt 4. The Unwinding of the Miracle: A Memoir of Life, Death, and Everthing That Comes After by Julie Yip-Williams 5. Early Riser by Jasper Fforde 6. Sounds Like Titanic: A Memoir by Jessica Chiccehitto Hindman 7. The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders 8. The Lost Man by Jane Harper 9. The Age of Light by Whitney Scharer 10. Good Kids, Bad City: A Story of Race and Wrongful Conviction in America by Kyle Swenson

FICTION 1. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens 2. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J. K. Rowling 3. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. rowling 4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling 5. Connections in Death by J. D. Robb

10 essential read out in February

Most Read on Amazon Charts (Week of February 10, 2019)

NON-FICTION 1. Becoming by Michelle Obama 2. Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins 3. Educated by Tara Westover 4. Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis 5. Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari

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LADY BUG ART (Pinterest) SUPPLIES: Paper plate Acrylic paints Paint brushes Canvas

By Melanie Danner PAPER PLATE TREE (Pinterest) SUPPLIES: Paper plate Yarn Hole punch Glue/glue gun Colored paper Scissors DIRECTIONS: Cut out the center of the paper plate.

Punch holes on one side of the plate for the tree roots.

Punch holes on the other side for the tree branches.

Weave the yarn through the various holes and around the center to create a tree trunk.

EASTER EGG WREATH (Pinterest) SUPPLIES: Paper plate

DIRECTIONS: Tear a piece of aluminum foil about 10” long and twist into a stick like shape.

Repeat with the other side and let dry.

Add dots to the wings.

Ribbon Egg shape (we used a cookie cutter Glue/glue gun Colored paper Scissors DIRECTIONS: Cut out the center of the paper plate.

Trace egg shapes on the colored paper and cut out the shapes.

Glue the shapes to the paper plate.

Glue a bow on the top egg.

Punch a hole in the top and thread ribbon through to create a loop for hanging.

Cut out leaf shapes and glue to the paper plate.

Punch a hole in the top and thread yarn through to create a loop for hanging.

RAIN STICK (Pinterest) SUPPLIES: Paper towel roll Aluminum foil Clear tape/duck tape/washi tape Rice Wooden spoons (different size handles) Colored paper Scissors Markers/crayons Contact paper

12 Chicz March/April 2019

DIRECTIONS: Paint the canvas top and sides with a base color and let dry.

Paint a large and small circle for the head and body.

Add antennas and let dry.

Paint bottom of child’s foot and press onto canvas for a wing.

Wrap the foil stick around the handle of a large spoon to make a spiral.

Tear a piece of aluminum foil about 5” long and twist into a skinny stick like shape.

Wrap the foil around the handle of a small spoon to make a spiral.

Insert the smaller spiral into the larger spiral.

Place the end of the paper towel roll onto a sheet of paper and trace a circle around it. Do this twice. (once for each end) Draw a bigger circle around each of the small circles.

Cut out the larger circles, and use scissors to make a

lot of cuts from the edge of the paper to the inner circle.

Then tape one of the paper circles to the end of the paper towel roll, wrapping the flaps down and securing them with clear tape.

Insert the spirals into the paper towel roll.

Add about a 1/4 cup of dried rice.

Secure the the other end of the paper towel roll with the other circle.

Tape colored paper to the outside of the roll.

Feel free to decorate with markers, stickers, etc.

We covered ours with contact paper to make it more durable.

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with your kids

JEWELRY BOX SUPPLIES: A cardboard box or container with a lid Glue/glue gun Markers/crayons Colored paper Scissors DIRECTIONS: Trace the shape of the container two times.

Cut the shapes out and decorate with markers.

Glue one to the top of the container and one to the bottom.

Let the glue dry.

Looking for something fun to do with your kids for St. Patrick’s Day? Get into the spirit of the occasion with these fun activities.

Adopt a green diet. Put green food dye in the pancake batter in the morning. For dinner, mix avocado in with your mac and cheese. And for dessert? Consider lime Jell-O or chocolate mint ice cream.

Explore Irish traditions. Listen to traditional Irish music, write your own limericks and read up on Irish folklore and legends, including those about leprechauns, banshees and giants. Get crafty by making a St. Brigid’s Cross, sate your appetite with a hearty bowl of Irish Stew or discover Irish dancing by taking a class or watching a performance.

Make a leprechaun trap. Leprechauns are said to hide pots of gold at the end of rainbows. Legend has it that if caught by a human, these trickster-like fairies must hand over their treasure. See if you can catch your own leprechaun by building a trap the night before St. Patrick’s Day.

The easiest way to make a leprechaun trap is to decorate an empty box and place it upside down. Use a stick to prop up one end and leave a few shiny coins as bait. Leprechauns can’t resist the lure of gold and, in their excitement, may knock down the stick and get caught in your family’s trap. If they’re quick, they might get away. But leprechauns are known to leave treats for crafty kids who make impressive traps.

You don’t have to be Irish to enjoy St. Patrick’s Day with your family – you just have to be willing to have a little fun.

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13

Refresh, Recharge, Renew!

By Betty Ravnik Refresh, Recharge, Renew! Isn’t that what we want with the coming of spring? Over the winter months things seem to get more use and start showing wear plus we just grow weary of some of our items. We look at spring as a time to bring freshness into our homes. Cleaning is not just for windows. This is a great time to clear out excess clutter and tired items. I love the quote from the 19th century textile designer William Morris; “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” Use this saying and go room by room to help clean out the clutter. Think of the items you have and ask if they bring you joy. If you don’t find them useful or beautiful it is time they get donated or sold.

A way to refresh is to rethink and rearrange. You may not have the

ability to move furniture but there are items that can be relocated to give a new look. Move your artwork and pictures from one room to the next.

Exchange the pillows from the living room with the pillows from a bedroom. Even rugs can be removed for the spring and summer months giving the space a fresh and open feel.

Refresh and renew is bringing in items that update your space but also recharge the personality and vitality of the space. I am a firm believer in investing in the large expensive items like the sofa and chairs but creating spontaneity with pillows, rugs and accessories. These small, less expensive items can be changed out over time to refresh your outlook and make you fall in love with your home again.

When your home is renewed and refreshed so is your spirit!

Another thing that lifts my spirits is fresh flowers. Maybe you will find a few poking through the snow but you’re guaranteed to find a variety at your local store. I love getting a large bouquet, subdividing into smaller vases and putting them in every room of the house including the bathrooms.

If you feel refreshing your home with little things isn’t working, then take the leap to reevaluate and reinvent! Spring is the time to paint the walls, change out floors, and invest in new window treatments and furniture. Maybe there is even a remodel in that reinvent. Now is the time to do it. Spring is when you have time to focus your attention on the interior of the home because you know summer and the great outdoors is right around the corner!

How to choose the perfect paint for your walls

A

14 Chicz March/April 2019

re you thinking of giving your walls a fresh coat of paint this spring? Having a hard time deciding what colors to choose?

Here are some tips for selecting the perfect shades.  Decide on the room’s entire look before selecting your paint. This will allow you to really pull the room together with color.  Once you’ve settled on the design of a room and chosen the furniture and accessories,

take inspiration from a color featured in a favorite area rug or throw. This will ensure your room looks pulled together.  If you’re painting rooms that open into each other, make the transition seamless by choosing colors that are two or three shades apart on the same paint chip.  Choose a neutral paint for rooms where something else is the focal point. Bold hues work best in rooms where everything else is understated.

 A tiny paint chip isn’t enough to let you know if the color will work in a given room. Instead, buy a sample and paint a small area so you can see the color during different times of the day.

No matter your style, following these tips will help you find the perfect new color for your walls.

Shortcuts that lead to Shortcuts. We all have done them a time or two on a painting project. Sometimes we have lucked out and other times, unfortunately, it ended in more time and possibly money spent.

Shortcuts on painting projects are pretty much never a good idea.

Timesaving practices usually end up with an inferior result. Here is a list of a few shortcuts to avoid and why.

Skipping prep work, which includes patching, caulking, sanding and priming. These are tedious and time consuming, and most homeowners just want to get to painting and be done with the project.

But, without them, the results are guaranteed to disappoint.

If the patches are not primed, an affect called “flashing� occurs. Which means there is an

regret

uneven gloss or dull spots on the painted surface. There are patching compounds available that are self-priming. A properly prepared surface is clean, dry and without cracks and imperfections.

Painted walls do not stay beautiful forever. Life happens, so then touch-ups are necessary. The success of touchups are affected by the sheen of paint that was originally used. Flat at matte finishes will give you the best results. They are difficult to clean unless you buy a higher end paint with washability. Eggshell and satin sheens will give you satisfactory results. If you use a brush and swipe it over a small patch, you are adding another layer of paint on an area that doesn’t need it. The results will be noticeable.

By Sherrie Martinson

Semi-gloss and glss finishes will be a challenge. Using an applicator that fits the size of the repair, such as Q-tips and artist brushes, will make any touch-up go well.

The shortcut that is used the most is skipping a second coat of paint. Unless you are repainting the same color, this is not a good strategy to save time. Some think that by applying one, thick coat is good enough. You get better results by doing two even, thin coats of paint. The second coat always goes much faster than the first and in the long run, this will be a time saver that you want to do.

If you want beautiful, lasting results, put in the time and watch what happens. Happy painting!

March/April 2019 Chicz

15

curtains and bedding

Update your bedroom with new

D

oes your bedroom need an upgrade?

Change the look of the room with new curtains and sheets. Here’s how to choose the perfect new linens for your room.

Curtains. When selecting curtains, think about the look you want in the room and then find a fabric that corresponds. Linen and cotton blends are more casual and cheerful, while silk and velvet are refined and regal.

Next, think about the color and pattern you’d like.

You can match your curtains to the color of the wall and use pattern and texture to make them stand out. Alternatively, you could hang a multi-colored pattern and make them a focal point.

Bedding. You don’t need to match your bedding to your curtain, but they should coordinate. You can pull a color from the pattern on your curtains or use a contrasting colors. If you’d like to use different patterns for your curtains and bedding, stay in the same color palette.

When buying your sheets, invest in high-quality, natural fabrics. Egyptian cotton is classic and comfortable, while silk feels luxurious and has the added bonus of being gentle on your hair and skin.

By changing the linens in your bedroom, you’ll wake up feeling like you’re somewhere new.

Create a relaxing

bedroom retreat

Do you want your bedroom to be a place to get away from it all with a relaxing, calm ambiance? Here are a few ideas on how to make that become a reality.

a mattress topper, as well as soft sheets, a cozy blanket and a thick comforter. Add in a throw blanket and some decorative pillows to give it a relaxing feel.

LUXURIOUS BED Make sure your bed, and in particular, your matress, is of good quality and has proper support. It’s the difference between a restless, uncomfortable night or a true good night’s sleep. If you can’t afford a new mattress right now, try improving the one you h a v e with

CALMING COLORS Calm your soul with some soft colors in your bedroom. Think white with shades of blue, green, grays and tans, then add accents in darker shades.

GROWING GREEN A few living plants will make your space feel tranquil and healthy. If you have room, choose a larger plant for a corner; if not, just add a few smaller plants in a grouping. Make sure to open the curtains during the day to help your plants thrive.

SOFT LIGHTING Keep lighting in your bedroom soft, using 3-way bulbs or lamps with dimmers to adjust the brightness. This allows you to set a level that is confortable to your eyes.

16 Chicz March/April 2019

NO ELECTRONICS The light from electronics such as televisions, laptops and smartphones can convince your brain that it’s time to wake up rather than sleep, so keep them out of the bedroom if at all possible. E-readers that aren’t lit, such as a Kindle, are the only exceptions.

CLUTTER FREE To make your room more relaxing, keep the messes to a minimum. That doesn’t mean it can’t be without design. Keep your artwork and photographs in place; just clear out the clutter.

TREAT YOUR SENSES Adding a few candles near the bed, a bouquet of flowers or a diffusor with the scents of vanilla, lavender or jasmine can give your bedroom the feel of a spa. Add in a sound machine to dull outdoor and indoor noises to give your space that extra relaxing touch.

How to get rid of clutter and

organize your home A

tidy and organized home can feel like a refuge at the end of the day. If your home has become cluttered and disorganized, take the time to declutter and sort it out.

Going room by room, the first step is to get rid of anything you don’t need. It may seem overwhelming at first, but removing unwanted and unneeded things will be liberating. You may even find yourself throwing out more than you originally planned.

If you’re not sure where to begin, start by getting rid of items that don’t get used and articles you have multiples of. Donate things that others can find a use for and throw

out anything too damaged or heavily used to be donated.

Keep in mind that the amount of things in a home needs to correspond to the amount of storage available.

People who live in small apartments will end up keeping fewer things than those who live in single-family homes.

Once you remove the excess items from your home, organize everything else using storage containers, baskets and boxes. Articles that don’t have a home will probably end up being piled on your table or kitchen counter. Designate a place for everything in your home and make it a point to put belongings away as soon as you’re done with them.

March/April 2019 Chicz

17

Women may need to make EXTRA FINANCIAL MOVES

By Andrew Holte

O

n March 8, International Women’s Day is observed, with events celebrating women’s social, political and cultural progress.

Yet, women still face serious economic challenges. How will you cope with them?

Many factors put more economic pressure on women, but two stand out. First, women still face a gender pay gap, earning about 80% of what their male counterparts receive, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Second, women typically take far more

time out of the workforce, first to care for children and later to care for elderly parents.

This lost time can result in lost wages, lower Social Security benefits and fewer contributions to retirement plans.

So, to help counter these forces, you need to take action.

Try to put as much as you can afford into your 401(k) or similar retirement plan, and boost your contributions whenever you get a raise. Also, make sure your retirement plan contains a reasonable percentage of growth-oriented investments.

Also, look for income even

when serving as a caregiver.

If it’s possible, you could seek to go part-time at your current job, or request some type of telecommuting arrangement.

And as long as you have some earned income, from somewhere, you can still contribute to an IRA. Once you’re retired, possibly to become a fulltime caregiver, you can take penalty-free – though still taxable – withdrawals from your 401(k) as early as age 55, provided you meet certain conditions. Once you’re 59-1/2, you can take penalty-free withdrawals from a traditional

IRA, though the money will be taxable. While you can withdraw contributions you made to a Roth IRA at any time, tax- and penalty-free, you’ll have to wait until 59-1/2 to take out your earnings free of taxes and penalties.

And you’ll need to find a sustainable withdrawal rate so you can reduce the risk of depleting these accounts too early.

As a society, we’re still working toward economic equality.

But as a woman, you can’t afford to wait, so be proactive in seeking financial security.

FILING YOUR TAXES: Reduced tax deductions, taxpayer ID numbers expiring

Each year there are changes for individuals when filing taxes. Here are a couple of them that you should know.

CHANGES TO DEDUCTIONS. There are those deductions that you always seem to rely on, but this year, there are changes when itemizing your deductions.

18 Chicz March/April 2019

The amount of sales tax or other state and local taxes that you can deduct, has now been capped at $10,000. You can now only claim the mortgage interest deduction for up to $750,000 of your primary or secondary residence compared to the $1 million that was the previous amount.

Deductions for miscellaneous job-related expenses that are more than the two percent of your adjusted gross income (AGI) have been suspended.

In spite of that, there is some good news. If you itemize, you can now deduct charitable contributions up to 60 percent of your income, as opposed to the previous amount of 50 percent.

Even better, the standard deduction has nearly doubled to $12,000 for single filers and married filers filing separate, while for married filers filing jointly, the number is $24,000.

It is possible that taking the standard deductions may be a better option this year, despite

losing out on some tax-deductible items. You could save time and money going the standard route.

Some individuals don’t have a Social Security number; instead have an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. If you are one of these people, you need to know that on January 1, 2019, any ITINs that haven’t been used in the previous three years, or with the middle digits of 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 81 or 82 will expire.

The IRS is urging anyone that falls into that category should renew their number as soon as possible, especially if you want to avoid refund delays.

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COMMITTED TO

Family & Community FOR THE PAST 89 YEARS

It doesn’t take a grand adventure to have

fun outside

By Eric Morken

It was a relatively warmweather day in early January, and I was feeling cooped up in the house.

After months of being outside every chance that I get with my bow, I never handle the early days of January very well after deer season closes.

My wife had just worked the overnight at the hospital, so my two daughters and I were going to a piece of public land in the area so she could sleep in peace and quiet.

I had big plans for that day.

I would take Kyla, 2, and Aubree, 6, to some areas I had hunted earlier that fall. We could do some scouting, and I would point out all the deer sign -- tracks, beds and rubs from the previous rut. Aubree loved riding on my shoulders and going on walks like this around our house when she was younger, and I figured Kyla would too.

I underestimated the power of a Minnesota winter like we’ve had. About a foot of snow had recently fallen, but I thought we could power through it. Instead, it wasn’t quite fluffy enough to move freely and not quite hard enough to hold us up. Kyla

road on my shoulders, but Aubree made it about 100 yards before hitting the deck.

I want my girls to love the outdoors some day. If that means hunting with me, great.

If not, that’s fine too, as long as they appreciate wildlife and wild places.

I put a lot of thought into the best ways to introduce them to the outdoors, and I wanted to teach them about whitetails that day. But it was clear my grandiose plans were not going to come to fruition. That bothered me at the time.

The more I look back at photos from the day, though, the more I see that what was important to me wasn’t important to them.

Aubree busted through the knee-high snow that afternoon before raising the white flag and lying down. Kyla, comfortable in my arms, thought it was hilarious.

She wanted down to play with her. The two rolled around in the snow, threw some at me and the dogs and laughed until their cheeks were red and their hands were cold.

They didn’t need any big plans to enjoy the day. Sometimes, just getting a kid outside is all the adventure it takes to have fun.

March/April 2019 Chicz

19

Yearning for Ransom finds comfort in knitting

By Celestse Edenloff Lynn Ransom of Alexandria remembers when her grandmother tried to teach her how to knit.

“I could knit a row, but then didn’t know what to do with it,” said Ransom. “I remember the needles, the yarn, all that. But I just couldn’t knit.”

During the winter of 2005, which Ransom said was a “bad snowy winter,” she was living in Minneapolis. She came across a newspaper article about a group of middle school boys who knitted hats.

She thought that was something she’d like to do and so she bought a knitting starter kit and set out to try her hand – hands – at knitting. But instead of a hat, Ransom decided to tackle a scarf.

“It was short and fat and not really a scarf at all, but I knitted it,” she said.

Greta Bothun, daughter of Rachel and Ryan Bothun, is looking positively adorable in a hat made by Lynn Ransom. Rachel Bothun is an eighth-grade science teacher at Discovery Middle School, where Ransom works as a paraprofessional. (Contributed) 20 Chicz March/April 2019

Lynn Ransom of Alexandria, a paraprofessional at Discovery Middle School, has been knitting for about 14 years. She has done dozens of items including shawls, like the one draped over the couch, as well as socks, hats, sweaters and more. (Celeste Edenloff / Echo Press) Fourteen years later, Ransom still has that scarf and has since knitted dozens more, along with hats, socks, shawls, sweaters, coasters and more.

Before learning the art of knitting, Ransom said she would drive by yarn shops with a yearning to go inside but didn’t feel like she belonged quite yet. But once she had the hang of knitting, all that changed.

Now, whenever she and her husband, Al, go on vacation or just out of town, she’ll Google “yarn shops” nearby and will go shopping whenever she has the chance.

“It was fun when I could actually go in a yarn store and feel completely comfortable,” said Ransom, who often knits items like baby hats for her co-workers at Discovery Middle School in Alexandria. And she said, it doesn’t matter if they are the grandmothers or the mothers, she’ll knit hats for both.

She also knits hats for the oncology department and baby hats for the newborns at the hospital, as well as prayer shawls for people in her church.

“I love to knit things I can give to people,” she said. “And knitting is relaxing. I truly love it.”

To Ransom, yarn – which she buys in either skeins or hanks – is beautiful.

“I go into the yarn store downtown

(Alex) and I want to just look at the yarn and touch it, it’s so beautiful,” she said, explaining that a skein is like a ball of yarn and a hank is long and twisted and needs to be wound into a ball before using it.

“I like to buy yarn because it’s satisfying.

And then when you finish a project, like a cute baby hat, you can say, ‘Look what I made.’ You have a finished product, something tangible.”

Ransom said she knits a lot of socks because she loves socks. She also likes to knit shawls because they are a little more challenging. She has about three sweaters she’s knitted for herself and has knitted countless sweaters for babies.

Even though knitting is relaxing for her, Ransom said she likes to be social when knitting, which means she tends to pick less complicated patterns; patterns she said that she can do while keeping up a conversation with other knitters or those around her.

“There are so many women who knit in this area,” she said, adding that every Saturday at 10 a.m. you can see her, along with a large group of other knitting enthusiasts at Potomac Bead Company in downtown Alexandria. “We have young moms, grandmas and everybody in between. I just love our knitting group. We

all come from different places. We have women who work and who are retired and we have stay-at-home moms. It’s a great group and anyone who knits is invited to join.”

WANT TO KNIT? For anyone wanting to learn how to knit, Ransom advises to find someone to learn from, whether it’s through a community education class, the knitting group at Potomac Bead Company or a friend who knows how and would be a good teacher.

She said there are videos on YouTube or different websites, such as ravelry.com, that can also help. However, she said finding a group and having the social aspect, can be advantageous. When starting out, yarns might be confusing because there are so many choices – from thicknesses to materials to colors – and it’s nice to have help.

When choosing a pattern of a project to knit, Ransom said most often the label will explain what size needles to use, as well as how much yarn will be needed. Yarn labels will also note how many yards/meters are in the skein.

“Patterns tell you what you will need,” she said.

ANYWHERE AND EVERYWHERE If you were to look in Ransom’s purse at any given moment, you will most likely find a knitting project inside.

“You can go anywhere and sit and knit,” she said, recalling a time when she didn’t

Lane Nelson, son of Bill and Brittany Nelson and granddaughter of Linda Koep, looks so peacefully cute in a hat made by Lynn Ransom. Koep and Ransom are co-workers at Discovery Middle School in Alexandria. (Contributed)

knit and her husband had heart surgery and it was awful just sitting there waiting and waiting. He’s had other surgeries since she started knitting and waiting rooms aren’t as bad now as it keeps her mind off the waiting and wondering.

Ransom said she has even knitted in the backseat of a car at night in the dark, although she admitted she may have made a few mistakes.

In her house, yarn has even found its way into her decor. In the entryway of her house is a cabinet with a door that doesn’t close. At first, she wasn’t sure what to do, but quickly decided to leave the door open, exposing the four shelves that are filled with yarn. She laughed and said when friends come over, they often asked if those are parting gifts for when they leave.

On her coffee table is a knitted bowl filled with, of course, balls of yarn.

As for knitting needles, Ransom couldn’t come up with a number for how many she has, but said she has several sets of interchangeable needles, as well as fixed needles, straight needles, circular needles and more.

“Tools! I love tools. I couldn’t tell you exactly how many needles I have,” she said.

And when asked how much yarn she thought she had, Ransom slyly smiled and said, “An obscene amount.” She quickly added, “We’ll just call it a stash. I just love knitting!”

This scarf was the very first knitted item Lynn Ransom ever made. Although it wasn’t perfect, she knitted it and has kept it all these years. (Celeste Edenloff / Echo Press)

Lynn Ransom’s coffee table houses a knitted bowl she made that is filled with balls of yarn with a crock filled with knitting needles beside it. Ransom, from Alexandria, uses her knitting projects as art around her home. (Contributed) March/April 2019 Chicz

21

GIRL SCOUTS:

When the

T

By Cheryl Graham

hey’ve been everywhere lately.

Beaming and be-sashed, they tote brightly packaged sugary tradition that has been the downfall of thousands of New Year’s diets for over a century. I mean, how can you say no to chocolaty, caramely, goodness proffered by an even sweeter sevenyear-old? The name Girl Scouts has been synonymous with cookies almost since its inception in 1912. But aside from their annual distribution of temptation, what do Girl Scouts do? Is there more to this organization than cookies, campfires, and crafts? I can tell you as a childhood scout and now as a troop leader and mother of two scouts, the answer is a resounding YES. Growing up, Girl Scouts was a place where I could be myself wholly and completely. It was OK to try something new and fail miserably, as long as you learned from your mistakes and tried

22 Chicz March/April 2019

crumbs have settled

again. It was not OK to give up. Sure, I learned how to sew on my own badges, paper mache, and roast hot dogs over a campfire. I also learned archery, rock climbing, project planning, selfreliance, how to navigate the sky-ways of Minneapolis, and leadership skills that have served me well in the past decades.

Looking back, I have to say that my favorite memories of Girl Scouts are the ones I’m making now – as a troop leader.

A couple of weeks ago I watched one of my girls nonchalantly wave goodbye to her dad at drop-off and jump into her troop circle to join a game; this was a girl that I’ve seen terrified to leave her parents’ side at school functions in the past. I’ve seen my troop, unprompted, picking up litter at the park, holding doors for strangers, and giving of themselves and their possessions to help another girl in our troop.

The idea that these girls will continue to hold on to the values and principles

that we try to pass on through scouting is why I give up my evenings to meetings, house to cookies, and precious little free time (and often sleep) to planning. I’ve included the Girl Scout Law below. Think about the last miserable, crummy, loseyour-faith-humanity day that you’ve had – now read below and think about how that day may have gone differently if more people lived by this law: I will do my best to be honest and fair, friendly and helpful, considerate and caring, courageous and strong, and responsible for what I say and do, and to respect myself and others, respect authority, use resources wisely, make the world a better place, and be a sister to every Girl Scout.

Stylish accessories for

W

ondering how to accessorize this spring? Here are the best looks for everyone.

Statement jewelry. Supersized bracelets, necklaces and earrings will grab people’s attention. Don’t be shy to wear more than one piece at a time.

Bags. Forget totes, the hottest handbags this season are cubes and spheres. If that’s too outlandish for you, go for an oversized crochet bag or a smaller fanny pack made from luxe leather.

spring

Angular frames. Instead of the usual round and oval styles, check out the angular frames in shapes from triangles to rectangles to diamonds.

Neckerchief. It’s time for a return to the ‘50s with small square scarf. Try using one as a nice way to add color, dimension and interest to your outfit in an easy and affordable way.

Charmed belts. Belts with hanging embellishments are a great accessory that doubles as a piece of jewelry.

For days when you can’t be bothered to do your hair, put on a straw sun hat, a 90s style bucket hat or a bohemianinspired headscarf.

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March/April 2019 Chicz

23

Swinging into golf season

GET READY EARLY Prior to heading onto the links this season, make sure you properly stretch, check your equipment and get in some practice.

STRETCHING AND EXERCISE Any return to athletic activity after a lull needs to be done gradually and should involve stretching.

The most important areas to stretch are the wrists, forearms, triceps, shoulders, neck, lower back, hamstrings and especially glutes.

These large muscles stabilize your golf posture and protect the lumbar spine from the stress of swinging a golf club. Some exercises that help train your glutes are squats, glute bridges and deadlifts.

GETTING YOUR GEAR READY Inspect your clubs, grips, shoes and the individual cleats on your shoes to make sure everything is course-ready.

Ensure you have what you need in the way of golf apparel. If you’re looking to hit the links straightaway, make sure you have clothing designed for nippy spring weather.

Finally, make certain your golf bag is well stocked. That means balls, tees, markers, an emergency kit and the rest.

GETTING YOUR SWING BACK Before heading out on the course, visit the driving range. It may be tempting to start with driver; however, start with the wedges and work your way up.

24 Chicz March/April 2019

GOLF TIPS for women H

ere are some golf tips for women that can help improve your game, according to the Keiser University College of Golf in West Palm Beach, Florida.

BEND AT THE HIPS

Many beginners tend to bend at the knees rather than at the hips. Bending at the hips creates room for swinging, improves balance due to the athletic stance and gives the swing a proper circular motion.

CORRECT GRIP

A proper grip is the foundation of a good swing. Your club should lay diagonally across your fingers with the club butt on the bottom of your hand and the club face square to the target.

When holding a club you should be able to see the knuckles of your left middle and index fingers.

If you can see four knucks, your hand is turned to the right too far; if you see one knuckle, it’s too far left.

SWING THROUGH

If, during your swing, you are taking your club back nice and slow, but jerking it down to slap at the ball, think about hitting the ball with your practice

Golf is 1 of 2 sports that have been played on the moon (the other is the javelin throw).

1 in 67 million are the number of chances an average golfer has of making two holes-in-one in a single game.

swing. Your swing should be relaxed as you swing through the ball.

ROOM FOR POWER

Power plays a big role in a golf game, and you need to make room for your body to twist correctly and unwind through the ball. In order to do this with a driver you need a wide stance and the ball slightly forward. With a relaxed stance and 6065 percent of your weight on your rear foot, leave a hand’s width of space between the end of the club and your body.

INCREASE RESISTANCE

According to the college, you can improve your yardage by increasing the resistance in your hips since power comes from creating tension between your upper and lower body, the same way a baseball player swings at the ball. Almost like a slingshot, the player’s hips start to unwind before his shoulders as the ball comes across the plate, giving him a lot of power.

SWEEP THE BALL

1457 is the year modern day golf was invented in Scotland.

This tip is important, especially when using longer clubs and is much like swinging through the

ball. With longer clubs, you need to place the ball just a little forward in your stance and sweep through rather than hitting down.

SHIFT WEIGHT FORWARD

A swing should have a solid foundation and a smooth, natural movement. Don’t lock your heels to the ground so much that you can’t turn through the ball. Your thighs should almost be touching at the end of your swing.

LET IT FLOW

A relaxed swing lets the club unwind with a powerful stroke. Try to create a whooshing sound at the bottom of your swing as you practice.

HAMMER IT

If you think about how to get better power from a hammer swing, it will give you an idea of how to swing your club for more power.

With a hammer, you’ll notice that if you just use your arm without bending your wrist, you won’t have as much power. But, if you let your wrist move, it doesn’t take as much power to pound the nail when you swing.

Elevate your golf game with new

O

ne of the great things about golf is the perennial unveiling of exciting new technologies, allowing golfers to continually raise their game. Here are some of the new gadgets and equipment you’re likely to encounter on the links this season.

NEW GOLF BALLS Golf balls may look simple but, in reality, the little white spheres are technological marvels. Take the new Chrome Soft balls from Callaway, which use Nobel Prize technology to improve driver distance and short-game spin.

These balls feature graphene nanoparticles in the outer core. (Graphene was discov-

high-tech equipment

ered in 2004 and is the thinnest and strongest compound known to man.)

Then there’s the forthcoming Genius Ball, made by OnCore (launching this Father’s Day). This is a golf ball equipped with a tiny microchip that pairs with the users mobile phone and provides them with a bunch of useful data in real time, including distance, ball velocity, spin rate and amount of draw or fade. It also has GPS, allowing you to instantly locate your ball, whether it’s been hooked, sliced or flat-out ripped into the bush.

NEW RANGEFINDERS It used to be only PGA tour players who could get precise yardages to the flag. Now, with rangefinders, the average golfer can

enjoy this same advantage.

There are two types of rangefinders: laser and GPS. Laser rangefinders measure distances with laser beams users manually aim at targets while looking through a view port, whereas GPS rangefinders come pre-programmed with all the yardages golfers need (yards to the pin, to bunkers, to water), if the course they’re playing has been mapped.

The latest big stride in rangefinder technology came with the Bushnell Hybrid, launched last year. This is the first rangefinder that integrates both laser and GPS into one LCD screen. The Hybrid provides extremely precise yardages and comes pre-loaded with 36,000 courses spanning 30 countries.

EVEN MORE If you’re looking to get a leg up on your golf partners this season, there are a number of other advancements in golf equipment worthy of attention (check out, for instance, the formidable Taylormade M3 driver or the “spikeless” golf shoes models from Footjoy, Callaway and Adidas).

Drop into your pro shop or local golf shop to check it all out.

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March/April 2019 Chicz

25

Job-hunting strategies According to a poll published by Forbes, for each job opening that gets advertised there are approximately 120 people who will apply for it. So how to stand out from the pack? Try adopting these three strategies.

1 Blunders to steer clear of during job interviews It goes without saying that showing up late or being inappropriately dressed for a job interview hurts your chances of getting hired. However, there are also a number of less obvious blunders job seekers should guard against. Here are five of them: BEING ILL PREPARED. If you fail to take the time to study the job posting or research the company, this will likely show indifference and the employer could interpret it as a lack of seriousness on your part. It’s important that you have a good understanding going into the interview of what the position entails.

SHOWING DISRESPECT. Your credentials aren’t all that count. Employers are also looking for someone with a respectful and positive attitude. Don’t, for example, check your phone – even for a second – during an interview. This will inevitably create a bad impression.

STRETCHING THE TRUTH. Experienced employers are quick to detect fibs and exaggerations. Always be truthful. Selling yourself is one thing; false advertising is another.

BEING NEGATIVE. Avoid speaking about former employers or co-workers in negative terms. If you have to talk about an unpleasant job experience, do so with tact and reserve.

SAYING TOO MUCH. Don’t be a chatterbox. Being overly gabby can come off as unprofessional. As a rule, respond to the questions you’re asked without rambling and avoid talking about your personal life.

26 Chicz March/April 2019

Customize your resume.

Sending out targeted resumes and cover letters to prospective employers is a must.

This maneuver requires showing how your particular qualifications bear on the specific hiring criteria and demonstrating how your experiences align with the job. In an employer’s eyes, a targeted resume has an edge over a generic one.

2

Use your network. Did you know that employee referrals account for about 40 percent of new hires? Therefore you should make as many connections as you can – your next job opportunity could come from any direction.

Ideally, you’ll connect with peo-

ple both in person and online.

In-person connections tend to be more valuable. On the other hand, there’s no limit to how many online connections you can make through social media and professional networking sites like LinkedIn. Keep in mind that companies are increasingly fishing for new talent online.

3

Learn a new skill. If you find that a lot of the jobs that interest you require a skill you don’t have, ask yourself if you can acquire it. For instance, if a position demands that you be knowledgeable in search engine optimization (SEO) or Microsoft Office, you could consider completing an online course in one or the other (there are a number of reputable courses that can be completed in a short period of time that will provide you with a certificate upon finishing).

Be sure to adopt these strategies and it likely won’t be long before you’ve landed your new position.

Showcase soft skills on your RESUME

B

y defining your skills on your resume, you’re letting employers and recruiters know why you’re going to succeed in the job they’re trying to fill. While it’s important to list your hard skills – technical proficiencies you likely learned in school or in a prior position you held – it’s just as essential to showcase your soft skills – personal traits that indicate how you interact with others. Here are three tips for effectively presenting soft skills on your resume.

Only include relevant soft skills. Carefully look over the job posting and see which of the sought-after soft skills are ones you can lay claim to. You should also infer which additional soft skills are valued by the company or are relevant to the role by studying the job description, looking at the company website and researching the specifics of the position.

Set apart your soft skills. If you have an ample number of both hard and soft skills, present them in separate sections, which you might label respectively as “technical skills” and “additional skills.”

This way, busy employers will see them when doing an initial scan of your resume.

Demonstrate your soft skills in action. Make sure to also weave your soft skills into the descriptions of your previous jobs. It’s easy to say you have a skill: illustrating that you have it is far more persuasive.

Once you’ve fine-tuned your resume, you can start thinking about the interview. Be prepared to elaborate on the skills you listed in your resume and think of supplementary ones you might mention.

Is my dog or cat overweight?

Many house pets in North America are overweight or obese, usually because they get too many treats and not enough exercise. However, extra weight can lead to serious health problems for your pet, including osteoarthritis, diabetes and heart and respiratory issues.

If you’re not sure if your pet is overweight, you can easily check if you know what to look for when you

5

examine them. Healthy dogs and cats have a waist between their ribcage and hind legs that you can see when standing over them, and their belly should tuck in toward their hind legs.

When you run your hands down your pet’s sides and back, you should feel their ribs and spine through a thin layer of fat.

If your pet’s overweight, talk to your vet about how to help them get to

a healthy weight for their size and breed. This typically includes feeding them only the recommended amount of food, cutting down on treats and table scraps and making sure they get enough exercise. Just like humans, cats and dogs need to move to lose weight, so make sure to take your dog for long, regular walks, and play with your cat to raise it’s heart rate.

A pet at a healthy weight will live a longer, healthier life than one that’s overweight, so make sure your furriest family members stay in shape.

surprising facts about dogs

Extra eyelids:

in addition to top and bottom eyelids, dogs have another in the corner of their eye that acts like a windshield wiper to clean and moisturize the cornea. Feeble taste: dogs gain most information about their

food from the way it smells, not the way it tastes. They only have 1,700 taste buds on their tongues compared to our 9,000. Instinctive sleeping: when your dog curls into a ball to sleep, it’s not just adorable, it’s also an instinctive response to

the need to stay warm and to protect their abdomen and organs from predators. Amazing noses: not only is their sense of smell 10,000 times stronger than ours, every dog’s nose print is as distinctive as a human fingerprint.

Remarkable ears: each dog ear has 18 muscles that enable it to turn, tilt, raise, lower and move, thereby allowing Fido to hear faraway sounds – up to four times as far as a normal human ear can detect! Dogs can also hear high-frequency pitches humans can’t detect.

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CROSSWORD

DINING OUT WORD SEARCH

CLUES ACROSS 1. Joint 6. A group of countries in special alliance 10. Stone 14. Move with a splashing sound 15. Can be fixed 17. Giving human characteristics to the nonhuman 19. Other side of yang (Chinese) 20. Consume 21. Gave it a go 22. One point north of due east 23. Fat used to make puddings 24. Turfs 26. Not awake 29. Not nice 31. Frighten 32. Political action committee 34. Skin problem 35. Type of music 37. Intestinal pouches 38. Eight 39. Emerald Isle 40. Interpret characters 41. Abandon 43. Felines 45. Energy and enthusiasm 46. Resembles a pouch 47. Relating to sense of smell 49. Swiss river 50. Bradley Int’l Airport 53. __ __ __ __ yonder 57. Tarred and ___ 58. Boyish 59. This (Spanish) 60. Male parent 61. Lounge chair CLUES DOWN 1. Sports award 2. Monetary unit of Angola

SUDOKU

BAR BACK BEVERAGE BUFFET BUSSING CHEF DINING DISH EXPEDITER FAMILY STYLE FLOOR FOOD GRATUITY

GUESTS HOSTESS HOUSE INVENTORY KITCHEN LINE MAITRE D MANAGER MENU MISE EN PLACE PARTY PLATING

28 Chicz March/April 2019

RESERVE RUNNER SECTIONS SERVER SIDEBOARD STAFF TIPS TOP TURNOVER WAIT WALK IN

3. Some animals live here 4. Former CIA 5. Global health group 6. Male given name 7. Opposite of right 8. Open Payment Initiative 9. Desert plants 10. A bird that cannot fly 11. Off-Broadway theater award 12. Lump of clay 13. Barbie’s pal 16. Seldom 18. Noses 22. Denotes past 23. Selling at specially reduced prices 24. __ Claus 25. Comes before two 27. Fencing swords 28. Nocturnal rodent 29. Chinese revolutionary 30. Electronic counter-countermeasures 31. Enjoyable 33. Villain 35. Discussed 36. Waterfall (Scottish) 37. Old television part (abbr.)

39. Roughly chipped flint 42. Helps change channels 43. __ Sagan, astronomer 44. Cooling unit 46. Uttered words 47. Small integers 48. Type of data 49. Inspired 50. France’s first Jewish PM 51. Famed sci-fi novel 52. Body parts 53. Nigerian City 54. Amount of time 55. Coloring material 56. Type of constrictor snake

HOROSCOPES for March ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20 You might have to make a few concessions in the short-term if you are eager to make real progress in the long-term. Eventually all things will even out.

LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23 Even the most doting parents can use some down time once in a while. Plan an adults-only date night and enjoy some well-deserved conversation.

SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22 Illnesses or medical obstacles can have many sources i.e. from the foods you eat to your emotional wellness. Start jotting things down in a journal to figure out how to feel and look your best.

SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21 Your perseverance is a source of inspiration to GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21 Important decisions cannot be made in a matter of others. Don’t be bashful when others share these minute. You really have to work through all the an- thoughts with you. Accept their well wishes and give thanks. gles. Seek opinions from trusted friends.

TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21 Put exercise to the forefront of your list of things to do. If you have not been physically active lately, work slowly and diligently to build up your endurance.

CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22 Make a list of things you need to accomplish this week. If you let it all sit in your head, you are bound to get overwhelmed and forget something.

CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20 Hold tight to those friends who have your best interests at heart through happy and trying situations.

These are the people you can call upon this week.

LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23 There are a few ways a situation at work can go.

Not every path may meet with your utmost approval. But you may have to swallow your pride and compromise.

AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18 For so long you have been doling out advice to other people and helping them improve their lives.

Now you are the one who could benefit from some counsel.

VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22 If illness has been going around, do your best to avoid getting sick. Be diligent in handwashing and other preventive measures.

PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20 A recent birthday celebration could have you feeling like you need to make drastic changes. But small ones can fit the bill as well.

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March/April 2019 Chicz

29

contributing writers

Eric Morken

Lori Mork

Eric Morken of Alexandria is a husband, father, sports editor and outdoor enthusiast.

Lori Mork of Lowry is a mother, grandmother and dabbler in all things food, photography and decor related.

Betty Ravnik

Between the Wines

Al Edenloff

Andrew Holte

Al Edenloff of Alexandria and his wife, Celeste, were married in the heart of California wine country and enjoy sipping wine on their weekend date nights.

Jeff Beach has spent a lifetime on the The Jeff Beach Diet and is still kickin’.

Jeff Beach

The Between the Wines Book Club was founded in 2003 by a group of Alexandria area women who enjoy reading, friendship and wine.

Melanie Danner of Alexandria is an at-home mother and craft lover.

Melanie Danner

Betty Ravnik of Alexandria is the owner of Ravnik & Co, (a gift, furniture and home dĂŠcor store) previous interior design instructor and avid gardener.

Celeste Edenloff

a Magazine for FUN women!

Lowell Anderson is a photographer at the Echo Press newspaper.

Lowell Anderson

Andrew Holte is a financial advisor for Edward Jones, Member SIPC.

Celeste is a reporter for the Alexandria Echo Press (1999-2011, 2016-now) and lived in the Alexandria area since 1997, reporting on the community she calls home.

She enjoys running and has participated in more than 200 races with her husband, Al.

Sherrie Martinson is the Paint and Finishing Expert at Hilltop Lumber in Alexandria.

Sherrie has more than 20 years of experience working with homeowners and professionals.

Sherry Martinson

Cheryl Graham is an avid reader, remodeler, and DIY fanatic; she resides in Glenwood with her husband & daughters.

Cheryl Graham

clicz!

Join us online for bonus content, things we find amusing, and other fun stuff!

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30 Chicz March/April 2019

SUPPORT THESE LOCAL MERCHANTS

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Do you want more time to enjoy Spring?

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