April: Rock Hill Reader the Magazine

ROCK HILL READER APRIL,

2018

ISSUE

04

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ROCK HILL READER T HE MAGAZ INE

TABLE OF CONTENTS & special message

What's Inside 2 MONDAY NIGHT RIDE .

Bill White shares his experience with the Rock Hill Bike Club

5 WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE

16 BILLY GRAHAM REMEMBERED .

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Martha Macdonald grew up admiring Billy Graham and shares fond memories of Montreat, where their families vacationed.

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Listen to RHR founder, Rebecca Sutton on the Jones Z one Podcast

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Kate Kraxberger, owner of Insight Assessments has a proven approach for college and career.

8 THERE S AN APP FOR THAT .

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York County has apps galore, including a brand new one for the the spring season!

22 PROGRESS NOT PERFECTION .

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Dr. Traci Levy is back with encouraging advice on how to live a healthful life by eliminating sources of sickness and simple, nononsense tips toward achieving a healthy weight

25 SPRING INTO A NEW HOME .

14 SOUTHERN FOOD JUNKIE .

Our favorite chef Ronnie has a recipe for beef jerky marinade you won't want to miss!

Chris Jones, local Realtor explains the first, most important steps to buying your first home this spring.

EDITOR'S LETTER Welcome to the fourth issue of the Rock Hill Reader!

This month, we have a variety of helpful articles that range from real estate to health. Also included are some stories about the Rock Hill Bike Club and the late Billy Graham that have been so kindly submitted by our writers.

Spring is a very busy time as Mother Nature brings forth new growth and new critters. We work in our gardens, clean up winter's mess, and start exercising outside. I, for one, am daily tending to my yard and garden and enjoying every minute of it.

I hope you, dear readers, enjoy getting outside with your families in this lovely spring weather by taking a walk, getting to know your neighbors, or simply having coffee on your porch. Just a few minutes can make one feel that much better as a whole.

Founder

MONDAY NIGHT RIDE WRITTEN BY BILL WHITE

Monday March 19th was the second Monday Night Ride of 2018 for the Rock Hill Bicycle Club These are 20 mile rides on a low traffic country road route mostly flat with a few hills Rides start the Monday after daylight savings time begins in March and end in November and have been known to draw 50 riders in the summer These riders are mostly experienced road bike riders i e roadies with some beginners Some are fast Many like me are slow Folks come to Rock Hill from all over the Charlotte region to ride with their friends and meet new people They have bought their road bikes lycra clothing specialized shoes and pedals with which they can clip in helmets water bottles gloves hats lights riding glasses etc etc This is a group that is self selected Every member has gone through a process of learning to ride deciding they like it enough to buy a road bike get those weird looking clothes and get those clipless shoes and pedals Each rider has fallen over a few times learning to clip in Usually they have fallen over in public I know I did ,

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This is the crowd of people all dressed alike that confronted the older gentleman Jim who read about the Bike Club on the web He showed up in street clothes this Monday with an old Huffy and no helmet Did we reject him You bet we didn t Eric loaned him a helmet which our club rules require and I took him out for an easy ,

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paced bike ride while the other 15 or so riders went out for their 20 mile ride Jim and I took a shortcut on the 20 mile ride so we would be there when the others got back While we were riding together we talked about our bike riding over the years bicycles bicycling friends equipment and the struggle of starting out each spring after a winter of not riding enough and getting fat .

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demonstrates where every rider currently fits on the bell curve determined by weight age and fitness level That s why you ride with the same people every time and get to know them After the riders returned a few came over and joined Jim and me to chat about what else bike riding fitness past heart attacks weight loss and whether Jim would come back Then Jim and I rode to his house turns out he is a neighbor and I went home We returned to the starting spot and saw the group return First the fast people then the middle then the late finishers every ,

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We returned to the starting spot and saw the group return First the fast people then the middle then the late finishers every ride .

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ride demonstrates where every rider currently fits on the bell curve determined by weight age and fitness level That s why you ride with the same people every time and get to know them After the riders returned a few came over and joined Jim and me to chat about what else bike riding fitness past heart attacks weight loss and whether Jim would come back Then Jim and I rode to his house turns out he is a neighbor and I went home ,

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College Cycles Bicycle Shop 361 Oakland Ave

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Bike Town formerly Swim Bike Run 153 E White St Rock Hill Bicycle Club Website www rockhillbicycleclub com ,

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Riverwalk Cycling Club Website www riverwalkcycling com .

There are Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Saturday and Sunday group road bike rides in our club and plenty of other group rides in the Rock Hill area for mountain bikers gravel road riders BMX and Velodrome There are bike clubs all around They all sponsor regular rides ,

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Both clubs have programs for beginners and for leisurely rides

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If you think you might be interested show up and someone will help get you started The two Rock Hill bike shops can talk to you about what activities you might want to consider They have everything you need So consider bicycling for your health even if it s just around your neighborhood If you want to join others while riding look up the bike clubs on the web need some websites addresses There are plenty of other beginners just like you and all the clubs are looking for new members all the time ,

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Bill White is a (mostly) retired

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environmental lawyer and just started serving a sentence as President of the Rock Hill Bike Club.

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A BETTER WAY TO FIND SUCCESS

BY KATE KRAXBERGER

Just up the road in Fort Mill SC is a new business helping students and professionals find success by knowing their strengths The goal of Insight Assessments is to help make life transitions easier by highlighting career path college major and job change options based on your unique interests and personality ,

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What do you want to do when you grow up is a question that can cause a lot of stress and not just for teenagers Most people can tell you if they are better at math and science or English and business but those same people often have lots of trouble expressing their true interests and professional goals Insight Assessments uses the most valid and reliable measures of interest motivation and personality to help you find your ideal career fit "

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Insight Assessments uses the Myers Briggs Type Indicator MBTI to identify your preferred personality traits and how you use them in all types of situations Looking inward and understanding how your preferred traits influence behavior can help identify your best learning style most effective communication style and be helpful in conflict resolution -

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The Strong Interest Inventory is used to take a look at how your personal motivations and interests could help or hinder you along a chosen career path or in a particular college major The Strong is a great tool to find careers where others with your same interests are finding success and fulfillment everyday .

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One of the best features of the packages offered

by Insight Assessments is convenience everything is done online The initial meeting to the assessments and even the debrief session is done from the comfort of your home or office ;

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In York County eighth grade students are asked to develop an Individualized Graduation Plan IGP that lists the academic courses required for both graduation and post secondary education including courses related to the student s selected H S major That s right high schools in South Carolina have majors The IGP also includes extended learning activities like internships and job shadowing While some kids have a clear idea of what classes they are interested in many do not ,

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For high school students with an eye towards college interest and personality assessments can help narrow down college major choice and help make actual college location decisions Research has also shown that students who choose their major based on personality and interests have a better overall college experience including being more involved and maintaining a higher overall GPA than students who base their college major decision on outside influences ,

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Finally sometimes you just need a change of professional environment Whether you are returning to the workforce after years at home transitioning out of the military or maybe you fell into your current situation and realize it isn t a good fit Interest and personality assessments can provide that added extra bit of clarity to make a life changing leap just a little less scary ,

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If college isn t your thing that s OK Certain personality traits and interest categories lend themselves to professions that don t require as much education after high school Problems can arise though when you don t have a plan or the structure of school guiding your way Interest and personality assessments can provide some external structure and help focus your job searches so that you can achieve your professional goals '

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Kate Kraxberger is the founder of Insight Assessments LLC and believes that students and professionals can find success by knowing their strengths Connect with Kate through insightdeliverssuccess com ,

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APPS THAT WILL HELP TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YORK COUNTY Looking for something to do? Need to pay a utility bill? York County has tons of apps that can help you with anything from reporting a crime to getting schedules for events like ComeSee-Me. Check out these six York County apps that make life so much easier.

1. Visit York County

You don’t have to be an out-of-towner to enjoy the Visit York County app’s features.

With topics like eat, stay, play events, and more, the Visit York County app is an all around handy app that will inspire locals and visitors alike to get out and explore our community. The app also features updates, news, social media connections, and special offers around town.

Pro Tip: Check out the “More” tab to find easily accessible resources like news, contact information, fun facts, and history.

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2. SC Works From Geographic Solutions, Inc. comes an app that allows you to search and apply for jobs right from

Pro Tip: The map leaves something to be desired since it’s squished way at the

your phone. You can create a profile (or not) and view bottom of the screen and does

jobs within the app. The interface is visually friendly,

not expand, but you can click

offering a map with descriptive pins of jobs and their

on location tags that have

locations as well as a legend that describes what

multiple jobs to view them in

industry each color coded pin is. By clicking on a job,

list form.

you can immediately see the details and requirements of the selected job so you can quickly decide whether or not you want to apply.

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3. RHPD Citizen An app to help keep our community safe, the RHPD Citizen is an interactive way to view recent crime information, submit a

Pro Tip: You can enter your zip code to receive

tip, or commend an officer. The crime map that explains the

emergency notifications various types of crime from drugs to vehicle vandalism is interactive and coded with different colors and symbols.

in your area.

One section gives the user the ability to view crime videos of things like break ins that explain the dates and times in case anyone has any information and can help solve the incident.

Becoming an active citizen in crime prevention and tip reporting is made much easier with this app from the RHPD. However, please note this is not an emergency response app and if you experience an emergency, call 911 or your nearest police, fire, or EMS department.

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4. City of Rock Hill The City of Rock Hill is every local’s go-to for everyday needs., All in one app, you can pay bills, place a request, or make inquiries. Reporting or checking local power outages are easy and visually accessible on the outage map where you can get status information or view substations to stay informed. One of the most comprehensive apps for Rock Hill, users can spend a lot of time exploring various aspects of our community. The City Projects tab shows, in detail, road construction projects with expected completion dates and costs. Links to the members of City Council, calendars, and local event news are all right at your fingertips in this all-inone app.

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5. Come-See-Me:

Pro Tip: Instead of endlessly searching local news outlets of social media, just pop onto the app to stay updated on local weather and any possible location changes with the Festival Notifications feature.

Spring is just a click away with the Come-See-Me Festival app! Stay in the know with all of the latest festival information including weather updates, sponsor info, event reminders and much more!

The Come-See-Me Festival is the biggest crowd-drawing event in Rock Hill and the events are so numerous, it’s hard to keep track of all the fun things to do. In order to organize your family’s experience, you’ll be able to utilize the schedule and event map and set reminders for your favorite events throughout the festival as well as make notes and add photos to share on social media for a fully immersive experience.

There is also a ton of useful information on Festival sponsors. Localism doesn’t just happen at big events, so take note of some of your favorite sponsors and be sure to support them throughout the year!

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6. Historical Markers Nearby With a tagline like “bite-size bits of local, national, and global history”, Historical Markers Nearby does not disappoint. While the app wasn’t created specifically for Rock Hill, we know how important local history and a sense of place can be. It’s also a great resource to use for a regional road trip to visit local places of historical interest.

From the mysteriously named “House of Untold Stories” where every brick is a “testament to the enslaved African Americans who once lived on the Bratton Plantation to the site of King Hagler’s murder, historical sites pepper our everyday path. Driving past those silver signs might not mean much to you now, but take a gander at them with this app and head out to those sites that hold the history and fate of local people and places and see how your view of our hometown changes!

Did you know: The Historical Marker Database located at www.HMdb.org is the powerhouse behind the apps information and locations. You can search and read about all the historical markers your heart desires with their database.

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S O U T H E R N

F O O D

J U N K I E

Smoked Beef Jerky Maranade

SFJ Smoked Beef Jerky Marinade

The Video

This marinade recipe for Smoked Beef Jerky has a little heat , a little sweet , and a little smoke .

I hate to admit it but the

2 lb beef roast I

3 . What makes this recipe so good - or what I would call the star of the show - is the turned into smoked jerky was all gone in

days

pineapple juice I use to marinade the meat in

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Smoked beef jerky has been enjoyed for a

. According to Hi-Country Snack foods website , the word jerky comes from a long time

South American Native tribe called the

. They called it Ch ’arki, which means ” burn (meat).” Drying out meat is an age-

Quechua to

old process that people used to preserve the meat

. Natives and cowboys dried meat so

Born and raised in the South , Ronnie

( Southern

Food Junkie ) developed his

love for southern food . As a child , he mostly stuck to the traditional cuisine that his mom and family loved to

they could pack it with them and have something to consume in between hunts or herding cattle across the plains

. Today, we

are going to show you our marinade recipe and process to make smoked beef jerky on an upright propane smoker

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cook . As he got older he wanted to branch out into other ethnic foods and discovered he loved their food too . His love of food shows through his passion of doing reviews of restaurants , cooking , and trying new and unique foods or drinks .

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RECIPE FOR F R O M

T H E

K I T C H E N

Smoked Beef Jerky Marinade

O F

I N G R E D I E N T S

2lb roast (A lean cut of meat works best. For this recipe, I used a eye of round roast. You could use sirloin tip too.)

1 cup pineapple juice 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 Tbsp red pepper flakes 3-4 cloves whole peeled or

The Southern Food Junkie

minced garlic

D I R E C T I O N S

. To start,

It is best to start with a roast that is slightly frozen but not completely frozen put roast in the freezer for

1 to 2 hours until it is firm. .

Trim off all the fat that is visible on the roast

1/4 inch slices. *If you want your jerky to be tender, slice across the grain. If you prefer it to be a bit chewy, slice with the grain.

Slice meat into

, go back and cut it into strips about two inches wide.

After you have sliced the meat

. *If you place the meat in a ziplock bag, you can lay the bag in a bowl and not have to worry about clean up.

Add meat to a bowl that has a lid or a ziplock bag

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Mix the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl then pour over the meat

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Place a lid on the bowl or zip your bag up

Place in the refrigerator for

24 hours before using.

Sharing My Memories of a Little Town Called Montreat “---Musings/Ramblings around Those Mountains”

By Dr. Martha Benn Macdonald

Are you/were you ever a summer person vacationing in a place whose experiences were enriched by someone who was world renowned? Maybe you were and did not realize it until later in life. Maybe you were

girl, probably around seven or eight—and a

not. It really does not matter, for every

very shy child---at that. I appreciated his

summer experience is different. It is usually

genuine smile. My identical twin sister, Mary,

an escape, is it not, from the routine, whether

five minutes older, was much more confident.

it’s climbing a mountain, surfing, visiting

We were playing with the Graham children on

family, camping, or just reading and

Mississippi Road. We marveled over their

imagining?

huge dog, Balthazar, and enjoyed looking at

In February of 2018, world-renowned

their gorgeous home, imagining its lay-out. It

evangelist Billy Graham died on a mountain

seemed very “modern” compared to our 1898

top in Montreat, North Carolina, at the age of

house which, in later years, I came to treasure

99. You may have read about him online, in

and appreciate. We were the “summer” folks,

magazines, in newspapers, or heard about him

and our house was on the other end of

on the radio or television, or perhaps you

Mississippi Road. The Grahams lived there

knew him or his family. As a child, I remember

year around. Of course, when he wasn’t in

waving to him as he and a friend were backing

Montreat, Dr. Graham was traveling around

out of his family’s drive way onto Mississippi

the world spreading the Gospel of Christ.

Road where we also owned a home. He was

Montreat, where it seemed to be ten

headed to Anderson Auditorium, the stone

degrees cooler than any other nearby

building where conferences, church services,

mountain town or where rain seemed to pour

and meetings were held (Anderson Auditorium

down nearly every day after lunch, when we

was the place where the “summer folk”

wanted to swim in nearby Lake Susan, hike up

attended church, not to be confused with

Lookout Mountain or Greybeard Mountain, or

Gaither Chapel on the hill above where Billy

play tennis or baseball, do almost anything,

and Ruth were married in 1943, and where the

but stay inside and rest or read (there were

“year-around-folk” or “the winter folk” in

not always a lot of options), was a pleasant

Montreat attended church). I was absolutely

town filled with delightful paths fragranced

thrilled that summer afternoon when Billy

with laurels, rhododendrons, cedars, pines,

Graham waved to me and smiled. I was a

and hemlocks.

little

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Montreat, where it seemed to be ten degrees

Black Mountain was then a very quiet village

cooler than any other nearby mountain town

between Asheville and Ridgecrest. My aunt,

or where rain seemed to pour down nearly

Janie Lynn Benn, used to say that in the

every day after lunch, when we wanted to

“old” days (1895-1910 or so), many people

swim in nearby Lake Susan, hike up Lookout

would take the train to Black Mountain and

Mountain or Greybeard Mountain, or play

then hire a wagon to drive them over to

tennis or baseball, do almost anything, but

Montreat where younger folks pushed their

stay inside and rest or read (there were not

older family members or friends up the

always a lot of options), was a pleasant town

mountain. Aunt Janie recalled the time her

filled with delightful paths fragranced with

parents’ home on Texas Road (most of the

laurels, rhododendrons, cedars, pines, and

roads in the earlier years were named for the

hemlocks.

southern states, for Montreat was, after all,

Presbyterians throughout the South and

home to Southern Presbyterians for many

perhaps some from other denominations

years until the Southern Presbyterian

bought old homes there, some making

Church merged with the Northern Church)

changes. Some built new houses. Some

being turned upside down during a tornado.

simply rented, but everyone paid the gate fee

Only a gas chimney broke, and according to

in the early days at the stone entrance if they

the tale, the house was turned back over,

were “summer folks.” They paid by the month,

simply a little higher on the mountain. A

by the week, or for a couple of days, as I

strange image, a wonderful miracle! Do you

recall. This community, begun in the late

agree?

1890’s, was first called the Mountain Retreat

Billy Graham may have taken the

Association. Ice was often hauled to Montreat

shortcut via Texas Road to Anderson

from Black Mountain, two miles away, first by

Auditorium when he preached that night

wagon, later by a truck, or by residents

when he waved to me, or any night he

themselves.

headed for Anderson Auditorium. Or he may

have taken the longer route. Either way, he

Why did we go to Montreat? My father, Dr.

would have turned immediately to the right

Roderick Macdonald, simply could not decide

from Mississippi onto Louisiana and made a

where we should spend our summers. For several

left on Assembly Drive, then a right onto

summers, we went either to Ocean Drive Beach,

Texas (short cut) or a right on Lookout Road

S.C. or to Montreat, where Daddy’s preacher

(longer), crossing the creek, looking perhaps

brother had a home “way up on the mountain”

at the enchanting waterfalls on the left, and

from which one of his daughters skated down the

parked at the auditorium. Of course, he may

steep hill for her summer job, taking care of

have turned to the left on Louisiana, then

missionaries’ children at one of the homes on

eventually made his way to Tennessee Road

Lookout Road. So Daddy finally settled on

by the tennis courts to Assembly Drive and on

Montreat because his brother vacationed there

to Anderson Auditorium, but that would have

and because a number of friends from Oakland

been longer. I did not know.

Avenue Presbyterian Church in the heart of Rock

Billy and Ruth settled in Montreat

Hill, South Carolina, summered there as well: Dr.

because Ruth’s parents, Dr. and Mrs. Nelson

Brown and his family, Bernard Craig and his

Bell, medical missionaries, retired there and

family, Goody Thomas and his family, Dr. Henry

had a beautiful home on the corner of

Sims, president of Winthrop College (now

Louisiana Road and Assembly Drive. A

Winthrop University) and his wife, Letitia, John

Presbyterian, Ruth knew Montreat. Billy was a

Roddey and his family, and many, many others,

Baptist. That’s why the Baptists from nearby

including the Whites, from the First Presbyterian

Ridgecrest, N.C. always came, intrusively

Church in Rock Hill. They were descendants of

peeking, determined to see their Baptist

Annie Hutchison White and her husband, George

brother.

Pendleton White, early settlers (circa 1837) before the village was named Rock Hill.

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Parents wanted to spend their summers where they knew friends from “the Rock,” as my grown children call Rock Hill, and where it was safe. We, like many folks in Montreat, enjoyed fresh water from Wynne-Lithia Springs on a road higher than Mississippi. My son, Wynne, was very curious about the origin of this name in Montreat. In addition, loads of activities from skating, square dancing, baseball, tennis, volleyball, crafts, hiking up Greybeard to Mount Mitchell or up Lookout Mountain where hikers had a magnificent view of Lake Susan and the Assembly Inn to swimming, canoeing, and much, much more awaited young people (“they won’t get in trouble,” so parents imagined). It was so safe that people hitchhiked. All ages loved Montreat. It was beautiful, relaxing, and gentle. My mother, choir director at Oakland Avenue for thirty-five years, along with others, enjoyed the music conferences every summer. There were, in fact, a number of conferences such as the World Missions Conference and the Women’s Conference, and others that never failed to attract life-long learners.

When too many tourists got through that stone gate and swarmed around Billy Graham’s house, many from Ridgecrest, the Baptist Conference Center a few miles away, sometimes even peering into the windows, curious to know what was going on, he and his family built a lovely home on the mountain top and moved up there. Although a few tourists still ventured to meddle and climb up that mountain, the magnificent barks of either Old Balthazar or another dog kept them at bay.

Whenever Billy Graham preached at Anderson Auditorium, we went, and I would like to share three memories: one painfully embarrassing to me, then an adolescent about fourteen years old, the second, my

mother’s response which surprised me, and, finally, a picture in the newspaper.

Please do not be offended, dear readers, by the first. Ever since I started those monthly periods, I seemed to hemorrhage (not literally, of course), but enough to bleed through. And bleed through I did on that particular Sunday night when the auditorium was so packed that my twin and I had to sit on the narrow stone steps leading to where the choir sang. When I stood up, along with nearly everyone one to the strains of “Just as I Am,” I knew something was wrong. “Martha, there’s blood all over the back of your white dress,” Mary gasped. Hyperbole! But there it was.

And I could not run out of the auditorium! That was not an option. The other story relates to my mother’s response to the “Altar Call.” You may have experienced that. When the organist begins playing “Just as I am without One Plea,” members of the audience who will give their

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lives to Christ are invited to come forward.

strike the set by 11 on Saturday night, well

Even if they agree to try not to sin, they are

before Sunday morning). I remember a

invited to come down or to stand. Most

police officer coming around to see what we

everyone stood that night. To my surprise,

were doing. “Striking the set,” I replied. I

there were a few people in the audience who

learned to keep the scenery simple. Later, I

did not stand up. One was my precious

was shocked when I was chastised for

mother. Later when I asked her why, she said,

producing a play by Tennessee Williams.

“I wanted to, Martha, but I could not be a

“Duh, Martha. It’s a strict Presbyterian

hypocrite; I know I’ll commit those sins again

college, and you’re an Episcopalian.” I

tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, and.”

laughed. Compared to my “summer”

And that was probably the first of our many

experiences, the “winter” ones were

religious/theological debates through the

different, perhaps more realistic. It doesn’t

years until Mamma died in 1998.

matter.

The third story occurred when Richard

During our year-around-life in

Nixon visited Billy Graham. As my twin was

Montreat, we developed an endearing

leaving Anderson Auditorium, someone

friendship with Lenore Saunders to whom

snapped her picture. We were all amazed a

my mother had given clothes for her

few days later when we saw Mary with Nixon

daughter when the Saunders were

in the distance in The Charlotte Observer.

missionaries in the Congo. When we knew

Unlike Lazarus’ sister, Mary, my twin was not

“Miss Lenore,” she was registrar at the

visiting, and, unlike Martha, I wasn’t working.

college, and she had such a gentle spirit.

We were not named for the Biblical Mary and

She was very aware and very kind. I will

Martha.

always remember her telling me that the

Montreat has changed over the years.

book of Proverbs was her psychologist. We

When my children and I left Virginia in the mid

were devoted to her, and she was a close

1980’s, we moved to Montreat to live in our

friend of the Grahams. In fact, she

summer home. The winter experience was an

introduced me to some of Ruth Graham’s

awakening. That house was cold! We enjoyed

stories and poems which I thoroughly

lots of beautiful snows, to name one

enjoyed.

difference. The post office and other shops,

I finally sold the old house on

including a drug store, where you could get

Mississippi Road. Modernized, it has lost

the most delicious scoops of Biltmore ice

some of the charm and delight of an 1898

cream, a general store, and something else,

home. I return to Montreat to climb those

had vanished. The post office was now

mountains and take my granddaughter to

housed in the Community Center where

rock hop in the creeks or to slide and swing

African-Americans who had come with earlier

in the “new” playground named for the

families had once gathered. For four years, I

Reverend Dr. Julian Lake who summered

enjoyed teaching English, French, and Drama

there and who baptized my twin and me

at Montreat College, but when we had to

years ago at Oakland Avenue Presbyterian

strike the set in Gaither Chapel (yes, we were

Church. The old playground with its

expected to produce three plays a year, one in

antiquated, wooden merry-go-round remains

the fall and two in the spring, in the pulpit

only a memory, and a happy one at that.

arena on Friday night and Saturday night, but

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Everyone has different memories of nouns----those “people, places, things, and ideas,” whoever they are, whatever they are, wherever they are, and sharing those memories connects us, brings us together, unites us, and helps us to understand each other in our pilgrimage on this earth. Thank you for indulging me.

Dr. Martha Benn Macdonald, a native of Rock Hill, is a retired college English instructor, storyteller, published writer, dancer, and musician. She also does floral arrangements, lives in her childhood home, gardens, and walks miles daily with her beloved Australian Cream Labradoodle, Lord Byron.

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PROGRESS NOT PERFECTION TIPS FOR HEALTHY WEIGHT LOSS

BY DR. TRACI LEVY DC

"I'll start after my vacation, on Monday, or after that upcoming holiday..."

Stop waiting UNTIL. Get ready to break through your excuses and begin leading a healthier lifestyle NOW. We've all been there at one time or another.

Whether you need to lose 10 lbs or 100, it's easy to line up excuses for why it's not the BEST time to start building healthy habits. If you are waiting for the stars to align just right, for every temptation to fall away, or to suddenly have an extra 2 hours a day for exercise and food prep, then you will be waiting for...well...FOREVER. There will never be that perfect time There is only NOW.

"THE BEST TIME TO PLANT A TREE WAS 20 YEARS AGO. THE NEXT BEST TIME IS NOW." - CHINESE PROVERB When is the best time to begin living a healthy lifestyle? You don't have to be perfect in order to make small, positive changes that will pay dividends both immediately and in the future. We need to shift our focus from perfection to progress, and celebrate every time we make a BETTER choice, as opposed to the BEST or perfect one. Long term weight loss or healthy habits are built upon sustainable lifestyle changes, not temporary fads. It is small changes accumulated over time that create lasting change.

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When is the best time to begin living a healthy lifestyle? You don't have to be perfect in order to make small, positive changes that will pay dividends both immediately and in the future. We need to shift our focus from perfection to progress, and celebrate every time we make a BETTER choice, as opposed to the BEST or perfect one. Long term weight loss or healthy habits are built upon sustainable lifestyle changes, not temporary fads. It is small changes accumulated over time that create lasting change.

Here are some simple, no-nonsense tips toward achieving a healthy weight: 1. 80/20 Rule Have you ever heard the phrase abs are made in the kitchen, not in the gym? That's because you will never out exercise unhealthy eating habits. Weight loss is 80% what you eat, and 20% how you move. That means your focus needs to be on controlling your nutrition if you hope to make a positive impact on your weight. Exercise has countless benefits to health, but is not your fastest or most effective tool toward weight loss.

2. H2O Your body is made up of 70% water. Water is necessary for detoxification and for your body to function properly. Water improves energy, increases mental and physical performance, reduces fatigue, and boosts your metabolism by helping you burn calories 3% more efficiently. The goal should be to drink half your body weight in ounces of water. So, if you weight 180 lbs, you should be aiming for 90 ounces of water per day.

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3. Stop Drinking your Calories Ditch the sugary sodas and sweet tea, and avoid the toxic artificial sweeteners lurking in the "diet" drinks out there. 1 in 4 Americans get at least 200 calories a day from sugary beverages. For adults, this increases the likelihood of being overweight by 27%. For kids, this consumption increases the risk of childhood obesity by 60%.

Knowledge is power, and that is why I am passionate about educating our community, so they can be the best version of themselves. As a chiropractic physician, I am an advocate for reducing interference to the body's natural ability to heal; so for me, living "that chiro life" means a simple holistic approach to living. The body is meant to heal and function at 100%, we just need to step out of the way and eliminate interference.

Be the best version of you... for the betterment of all.

4. EAT REAL FOOD Stop counting carbs, fat grams, and calories and start caring about the actual substance of the foods you are eating. Read EVERY label and focus on the ingredients list as opposed to the other food label details. Look for a minimal number of ingredients - the less the better. Generally speaking, avoid ingredients you can't read or pronounce because they were probably made in a laboratory.

Here’s a quick list of what to avoid: -Anything with artificial colors, additives, chemicals, or preservatives.

-Avoid hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils.

-MSG, any hydrolyzed or

--Dr Traci Levy DC practices privately in Fort Mill, SC and operates the free holistic health website www.thatchirolife.com

autolyzed ingredients, and any artificially sweetened foods with sucralose/Splenda or aspartame/Equal.

REAL ESTATE Buying Your First Home? The First 3 Steps are Crucial to Your Journey

By Chris Jones The housing market in Rock Hill and York County is still going strong as we head into the spring and summer months. A big part of that is due to what young people are doing. Young families are moving out of their starter homes and first time home buyers are moving out of their rentals.

We’ve worked with several first time home buyers over the years and the conversation usually starts the same way: Chris, I want to buy a home this year. Where do I start? And my answer is always the same.

1. Decide that now is the time.

Buying a home is a pretty big decision and it’s not something you want to rush into or something you want to take lightly. Where are you in terms of your career? Where are you in terms of your family? What about your finances? What do the next few years look like for you?

I always tell people there’s no problem with renting if you’re still working through things like that. You should know when it’s time to buy a house. It should be an exciting feeling that you have in your gut; something to look forward to and a journey worth going on.

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2. Get prequalified with a lender It doesn’t take long to do and that ten minutes can save you hours, days, even months of heartache and frustration. You need to know where you stand financially before you go out looking at houses, especially if you plan on dragging a Realtor® out there with you.

The best part about getting prequalified is the peace of mind. A lender is able to give you an up-to-date snapshot of your financial situation and give you the figurative green light to go house hunting. A lender can tell you how much house you can get for the payment you want to have.

3. Find a Real Estate Agent Once you’ve got a good idea of where you stand financially, you can find an agent to work with and start looking at houses. Get online and do some research. There are several types of agents and brokerages out there. There are local companies, national companies, single agents and large teams.

Ask friends and family members if they know of any Realtors and how their experience was with them. Also, take a few minutes and research what type of representation you want. There are different ways that an agent can represent you including Exclusive Agency, Designated Agency and Dual Agency. Learn what those mean so you can tell your agent what you’re comfortable with.

A lender can also go over different types of loan programs with you. Knowing what kind of loan programs you qualify for will directly impact your purchasing decisions, especially if you can get down payment or closing cost assistance.

Some people are reluctant to get prequalified. But you have to. Even if the lender comes back with an answer you don’t like, it’s important to know. Maybe you need to eliminate some debt. Maybe you need to bring your credit score up. Or maybe you need to save in order to have enough money for a down payment.

Whatever it is, at least you know and you can take the appropriate steps that will enable you to buy a house in the future.

Once you’ve got a good idea of where you stand financially, you can find an agent to work with and start looking at houses. Get online and do some research. There are several types of agents and brokerages out there. There are local companies, national companies, single agents and large teams.

Have fun and Happy House Hunting!

Chris Jones , one half of the Jones Zone Real Estate Team at Fathom Realty is a real estate advocate & community connector in the Rock Hill area, but his talent reaches throughout York County and Charlotte.

Each year, about 3.7 million animals are euthanized (American Humane Association).

5 in 10 dogs and 7 in 10 cats in shelters are euthanized simply because there is no one to adopt them (ASPCA).

25 percent of shelter dogs are purebred (ASPCA).

10 to 20 percent of dogs and cats owned are adopted from shelters (ASPCA).

Click here to get more information on where you can get your cat or dog spayed/neutered.

April 2018

Rock Hill Reader

issue 04

the Magazine Credits

Founder, Rebecca Sutton

Editor

Catherine Sutton

Contributing Writer

Dr. Martha Benn Macdonald

Contributing Writer

Dr. Traci Levy DC

Contributing Writer

Chris Jones, The Jones Zone Realty

Contributor

Ronnie Williams

Contributor

Creative Cockades

Contributor

Kate Kraxberger, Insight Assessments

Contributor

Bill White, Rock Hill Bike Club

Advertiser Design, marketing, social media

P&R Photos Rebecca Sutton

EDITORIAL

OFFICE

Rock Hill Reader the Magazine is published independently by Rock Hill Reader Rock Hill, South Carolina | +(803) 810-9458 rockhillreader@gmail.com

www.rockhillreader.com

Image: Rebecca Sutton