Evince Magazine January 2019

Spotting Exceptional Customer Service Page 6

Book Clubbing Page 13

Joie Ford

Juggling Fun, Work, and Family Page 5

Photo Finish Page 14

Page  2 January 2019

January Contents

3 Editor’s Note

Photo by Lona Kolinda

5 Joie Ford Juggling Fun, Work, and Family

by Joyce Wilburn

Editor’s Note

If you are really serious about nurturing good habits in 2019 and want some ideas to make that happen, you have come to the right place. Joie Ford (on the cover) knows how to organize, delegate, and enjoy life in a busy household of nine. See page 5. Charlotte Litzenberg has nine tips for restoring body and mind on page 11. Cuddle up with a book recommended by Diane Adkins in “Book Clubbing” on page 13. It has lots of secrets for happy living. On page 7, Carollyn Peerman suggests that loving words be a part of your daily conversations with others.

After you become energized by reading these inspirational articles and stories, it’s time to “Throw Out the Mess and Organize the Rest” following the directions on page 9. If you fail occasionally, that’s OK. Linda Lemery will empathize with you (page 12).

It takes three weeks to form new habits and every morning is a new beginning. Promise yourself that today will be the best day of 2019. If that doesn’t happen, try again tomorrow morning.

oice of Good Habits

CEO / Publisher Andrew Scott Brooks

Associate Editors Jeanette Taylor • Larry Wilburn Contributing Writers

7 Second Thoughts / How Sweet It Is

by Kim Clifton

Diane Adkins, Theresa Brown, Kim Clifton, Adam Goebel, Jo Ann Howard, Sonja Ingram, Karan Johnson, Telisha Moore Leigg, Linda Lemery, Charlotte Litzenberg, CB Maddox, Bernadette Moore, Fred Motley, Carollyn Peerman, Dave Slayton, Carolyn Smith, Danielle Staub, Joyce Wilburn, Isla Wiles, Mack Williams

Make Loving Words a Daily Habit

by Carollyn Peerman

8 Calendar

Art & Production Director Demont Design (Kim Demont)

9 Throw Out the Mess & Organize the Rest

The 360 De-cluttering Project

by Joyce Wilburn

Finance Manager Cindy Yeatts (1.434.709.7349) Marketing Consultants For ad information contact a marketing consultant listed below.

10 Janus and January Marshall

Fiction by Telisha Moore Leigg 11 Protect and Restore Body

and Mind with Good Habits

by Charlotte Litzenberg

Kim Demont (434.792.0612) demontdesign @verizon.net

12 The Wine Spot

Wine and Curiosity Make a Great Pairing

by Dave Slayton

Lee Vogler (434.548.5335) lee@evince magazine.com

Reflecting Forward The Voice of Good Habits

by Linda Lemery

Ernest Galindo ernest@showcasemagazine.com

13 Book Clubbing / The Little Book of Hygge:

Danish Secrets to Happy Living

by Meik Wiking

a review by Diane Adkins

evince\i-’vin(t)s\ 1: to constitute outward evidence of 2: to display clearly: reveal syn see SHOW

14 Photo Finish

Deadline for submission of February stories, articles, and ads is Monday, January 21, at 5:00 p.m.

Submit stories, articles, and calendar items to joycewilburn@gmail.com.

Editorial Policies:

Evince is a free monthly magazine with news about entertainment and lifestyle in Danville and the surrounding area. We reserve the right to accept, reject, and edit all submissions and advertisements.

EVINCE MAGAZINE 753 Main St. Suite 3, Danville, VA 24541 www.evincemagazine.com Spotting Exceptional Customer Service

For subscriptions to Evince, email info@evincemagazine.com.

Cost is $24 a year.

Page 6

Happy New Year!

© 2018 All rights reserved. Reproduction or use in whole or in part in any medium without written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.

Book Clubbing Page 13

Joie Ford

Juggling Fun, Work, and Family Page 5

Photo Finish Page 14

Credits: Amber Wilson: hair; Catherine Saunders: skin care and makeup; Genesis Day Spa & Salon, 695 Park Avenue, Danville.

Janelle Gammon: nails; Salon One 11, 111 Sandy Court, Danville.

The

Editor Joyce Wilburn (434.799.3160) joycewilburn@gmail.com

6 Spotting Exceptional Customer Service

by Theresa Brown

Evince Magazine Page 3

On the Cover:

Photo of Joie Ford and family by Michelle Dalton Photography

THE SELF CARE ISSUE www.showcasemagazine.com

| JANUARY 2019 | SHOWCASE Magazine 1

Don’t Forget to Pick Up January Edition of Showcase Magazine

Page  4 January 2019

Evince Magazine Page 5

T

he “J” in Joie Ford’s name

could stand for juggling.

As a property manager of 1,300 units, wife of Ron Ford, and mother of a blended family that includes five girls and two boys ages three through seventeen, she knows how to do multiple things simultaneously. Organizing the household and delegating responsibilities are essential, but that doesn’t eliminate one thing; “I’m tired all the time,” admits the Danville native, adding, “My day starts at 6 a.m. and I’m home by 8 p.m. after transporting the kids to their after-school activities.”

Despite everyone being away from the house during the day, there is order in the home because every child has responsibilities and a routine.

“The three older girls do their own laundry and one day a week each does the dishes,” she says and adds that there is no dishwasher. “The baby dismantled it, took everything out, and put his toys in it. He likes to stand on its door,” she says laughing, “I’m not sure it would even work.” His older siblings are more helpful.

“One of our teenage daughters could run the house, she’s that good,” says the wise woman who graduated from Averett University in 2000 with a degree in accounting.

Fortunately, there’s a third adult in the mix, Joie’s mother, Libby Scott. “She’s a huge help. She takes care of the baby during the day and takes him to preschool. In the afternoon, she meets the kids at the bus, makes dinner, and does homework with the younger ones.”

Reaching for a small chart, she shows how everyone knows what to do and when to do it.

“If a job doesn’t get done one week, they do two jobs the next week,” says Joie. “These are chores that can be done unsupervised or with minimal supervision.” The children don’t receive allowances so a birthday gift might be doing someone else’s job for them.

“They choose the job they want to do on a first-come basis and initial it on the chart,” she says. Tasks change every two weeks.

Joie discusses the week’s chores with Honor. Photos by Michelle Dalton Photography.

Joie Ford Juggling Fun, Work, and Family

by Celeste Lynn Having fun is also on the chart.

“They enjoy going to the YMCA for swim lessons and summer

camps. I swam in the adult meet last year. Even the baby likes their child care. Everybody

Everyone knows his/her job for the week by looking at the chart.

at the Y knows us,” she says while grinning. The family also participates in activities at Union Church. Through the Church’s Compassion Experience they learned about children in Brazil who needed help and decided to sponsor two.

It’s a busy life but one that Joie loves. After reviewing her methods of teaching good habits and routines, she offers a final piece of advice before leaving for work at Wilkins & Company Realty, “Some things you just have to let go.” It’s not a typical move when one is juggling, but it works for this family of nine.

Join the Ford family and exercise at the YMCA. Donate a case of water for God’s Pit Crew at the Danville YMCA, 215 Riverside Drive, and the $50 YMCA membership fee will be waived. Offer is good through January 31. For more information, call the Y at 434.792.0621.

Page 6 January 2019 I’d like to nominate Alex Vardavas, WBTM announcer, for the Spotting Exceptional Customer Service Award. I realize that as an on-air personality he doesn’t really have customers, but, technically, his listeners are his customers.

Spotting Exceptional Customer Service

A few months ago when the tropical storm hit

by Theresa our area, my house, Brown like many others in Danville, had no electricity nor internet connection. Using a battery-powered radio, however, I was able to listen to several local stations. Announcers at some stations would tell me to check their websites for more information about street and business closings. Didn’t they realize that during a massive power outage and loss of an internet connection that might not be possible? Only when I tuned to Alex at WBTM did I hear a calm voice telling me exactly what was happening around town regarding street closings, ways to avoid dangerous spots, weather conditions, and up-to-the-minute reports from local officials. This incident reminded me of a similar event decades ago when I was driving home from work at the beginning of a snowstorm. Again I was listening to Alex on WBTM. I don’t recall what he said but I do remember feeling like he was guiding me and the tension of driving on slick country roads dissipated.

Thank you, Alex, for an outstanding job during times of community crisis. You showed your listeners the importance of local media.

PS: Of course, I always read Evince and keep it handy throughout the month to know what’s happening in the area.

Evince and the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce want to encourage and recognize exceptional customer service. When someone gives you exceptional service, please let us know. In 300 words or less, tell us what happened. Email your story to joycewilburn@gmail. com or chamber@dpchamber.org. It’s a nice way to show appreciation for a job well done. We look forward to hearing from you.

Evince Magazine Page 7 wondering if you were praised or insulted. “You look nice today,” is my favorite example.

The need for a qualifier gives me pause. If I look nice today, imagine how awful I must have looked the other days.

This Halloween trade got me to thinking that we could also exchange more than food if we really thought about it. Suppose we inserted an unpleasant moment and had a pleasant one returned; a bad thing goes in, a good thing comes out.

Put in road rage caused by a careless driver who cut you off and relief that you didn’t have a wreck comes back.

Second Thoughts

by Kim Clifton ©2018

How Sweet It Is Here’s a sweet deal. Last Halloween a vending machine in New York City allowed you to trade your unwanted candy for a Reese’s peanut butter cup. Take a minute and let that sink in. Stationed near Fifth Avenue and Washington Square North was a machine made like those that dispense soft drinks.

Instead of coins, however, you deposited the candy that you didn’t like into a slot. After that, a piece of that famous peanut butter/chocolate combination would pop out in the tray. A candy converter, they called it.

Boy, talk about your first-world problems. It’d be so easy to write about spoiled Americans who aren’t even satisfied with free treats when so many are going hungry, but you don’t really need my help to draw that conclusion. Instead, I’m inspired to talk about this clever do-over.

Imagine the possibilities if we expanded what it could do besides trade out candy. This would have been incredible to have had as a kid, especially on salmon night. My sister and

I knew it was close to payday when my mother fixed those disgusting patties for us to eat. I don’t remember the name of the company, but I do remember her scooping out thick pink goo from a red can with a picture of a fish on it. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the side dishes were worse. Our parents loved having blackeyed peas topped with stewed tomatoes along with it. At least we had cornbread, except mine was rosy on the bottom from all of the ketchup I used to smother my plate.

That was some nasty seafood.

It smelled gross before and after it was fried in a skillet. Any smart-aleck comments about it being cat food always brought on two speeches from our mom. The first began with her kitchen not being a cafeteria.

Our choices were to eat or to go to bed hungry. The second was more laced with guilt for the shame she felt that her own children were ungrateful for a hot meal when so many others had nothing. If we would have had access to one of those

replacement machines, we could have tossed in a salmon cake and gotten a slice of pizza instead.

It was a clever way for Hershey to promote their product, but I don’t understand the need. The concept of having candy you don’t like is foreign to me, except for Sour Patch Kids. Candy, like compliments, should be sweet through and through. Any confection sprinkled with sugar but tart in the middle are like those comments that leave you

Forrest Gump’s mother may have been on to something when she compared life to a box of chocolates. We don’t know what we’re going to get.

That Reese’s gimmick isn’t all that silly now that I think about it. As we begin a new year, let’s take the spirit of the candy contraption and replace what’s wrong with what’s right. Let’s get rid of what causes problems in our lives in exchange for resolutions that bring peace.

New journeys and fresh starts await us in 2019. Here’s hoping that whatever you’re trading, whether it be candy or conversation, you’ll at least enjoy a year of many happy returns.

Make Loving Words a Daily Habit

by Carollyn Lee Peerman Imagine coming to the end of your life and having your last words be: “I love you too.” These were the final words spoken by our forty-first president, George Herbert Walker Bush, on the day of his death, Friday, November 30, 2018. I couldn’t get over the thought of it. In a world filled with so much hate and violence, here is love.

How can you and I come to the end of our days with thoughtful, loving words coming out of our mouths? We must practice a life of love day by day using

encouraging words not criticism.

Remember these words from Sacred Scripture: Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.

Psalm 19: 14 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious.

Ecclesiastes 10:12 The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. Psalm 119:130

Page 8 January 2019

January Calendar Abbreviation Key

• AU=Averett University, 434.791.5600 www.averett.edu • DMFAH=Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History, 975 Main St. 434.793.5644 www.danvillemuseum.org • DSC=Danville Science Center, 677 Craghead St. 434.791.5160 www.dsc.smv.org • HNT=Historic North Theatre, 629 North Main St. Danville 434.793.7469 www.TheNorthTheatre.com • PA=Piedmont Arts, 215 Starling Ave, Martinsville 276.632.3221 www.PiedmontArts.org • The Prizery=700 Bruce St., South Boston, 434.572.8339, www.prizery.com

Ongoing

Guided Walking Tours – Millionaires Row, Holbrook Street and Tobacco Warehouse District.

Danville Historical Society. www. danvillehistory.org. 434.770.1974.

DMFAH self-guided audiovisual tours. 434.793.5644.

Brosville Library: 11948 Martinsville Highway www.pcplib.org 434.685.1285 Danville Public Library: 511 Patton St. www.readdanvilleva. org 434.799.5195 DPL Westover Branch: 94 Clifton St. www.readdanvilleva.org 434.799.5152 Gretna Library: 207 A Coffey Street, www.pcplib.org 434.656.2579 Gunn Memorial, Caswell County Public Library: 118 Main St, Yanceyville, NC www.caswellcounty.gov/library 336.694.6241 Halifax County Public Library: 177 South Main St. www.halifaxcountylibrary.org 434.476.3357 History Research Center and Library: 340 Whitehead Street, Chatham www.pcplib.org 434.432.8931 Mt. Hermon Library: 4058 Franklin Turnpike www.pcplib.org 434.835.0326 Pittsylvania County Public Main Library: 24 Military Drive, Chatham www.pcplib.org 434.432.3271

South Boston Public Library: 509 Broad St. 434.5575.4228 www.halifaxcountylibrary.org Pittsylvania County Print: featuring historical people and places; fundraiser for Danville Pittsylvania Cancer Assoc. Karen’s Hallmark Danville Mall

January 4

Cabin Fever: Liquid Pleasure band; Danville Harvest Jubilee; Danville Community Market, 629 Craghead St. 7-11pm

January 11

Artspiration: PA 6-9pm $30 member/$35 non-member Paint a bright winter scene with instructor Alisha Bennett. All supplies provided.

Guests may bring drinks, snacks or dinner. Register at Piedmont Arts.

Corks & Forks: DSC wine tasting, auction, heavy hors d’oeuvres $50 6:30-9:30pm 434.791.5160

January 12 & 13

DMFAH Free Admission: 10am5pm

January 12 (through April 23) PA Exhibits: See January 11.

January 13 & 16

Public Scanning Session: for a pictorial book, Danville & Pittsylvania County Memories: A Photographic History of the 1800s through the 1930s. Bring in old photos to be scanned. 10am-noon DMFAH

The deadline for submitting information for the February calendar is Monday, January 21, at 5:00 p.m. Please send just the basic information following the format on these pages to joycewilburn@gmail.com.

W T F S 2 3 4 5 9 10 11 12 16 17 18 19 23 24 25 26 30 31

January 13 (through March 3)

DMFAH Opening Reception: Here, There, Everywhere: Inara Dodson, Journey in Art and 1963 Danville Civil Rights Movement: The People, The Protests, The Stories,

by Emma Edmunds and Tom Coghill DMFAH 2:30-4:30pm on 1.13.18. exhibit through March 3.

1002 Main St. 3:45pm free open to the public

Plan Ahead

January 16

Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting: Institute for Advanced Learning & Research, 150 Slayton Ave. 7:30am $20members/$30nonmembers 434.836.3990

February 2

January 20

Opening Reception: PA 5:307:30pm free Exhibits are: Mood and Music: Paintings by Eric McRay; Drawing the Soul: A Collection of Portraits by Jon Murrill; Paintings

by Clarence Heinz RSVP at PiedmontArts.org.

January 2019

S M T 1 6 7 8 13 14 15 20 21 22 27 28 29

Danville Area Choral Arts Society presents the Christmas section of Handel’s Messiah; St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 3090 North Main St 3pm. Director Robert Sutter, pianist Elizabeth Leddy Ochoa, a string quartet. rescheduled from December. free carolyncsmith@ verizon.net America’s Sunday Supper: Growth Through Sacrifice: meaningful conversations to reshape our future 3-5pm Salvation Army, 123 Henry Street. RSVP at www. serve365.org 434.791.7214. Center for Community Engagement & Career Competitiveness & History United

Spring to Green: Danville Master Gardeners & Va. Cooperative Ext; Institute for Advanced Learning & Research, 150 Slayton Ave. 8:30am3:30pm. Speakers: Bryce Lane from In the Garden with Bryce Lane.

He will speak on how gardeners can maintain their gardening through assessing what they have always done and making changes. Dan Benarcik from Chanticleer Garden in Pennsylvania where he oversees the Courtyard Gardens with an emphasis on tropical, sub-tropical, and tender perennials for seasonal display. He will speak on container gardening, a way to decrease the amount of soil preparation and bending required, and how to achieve spectacular results. One of the participants in the Learning Center is Phyllis Turner, PhD, RN, and Master Gardener from Bedford who is a promoter of therapeutic gardening. 336.380.1981 www.danvillemastergardeners.org.

January 21

Danville Historical Society Quiz Night: 2 Witches Winery & Brewery, Trade St. 7pm www.danvillehistory.org

January 30

Searching for the Early Israelites in the Jordan Valley: speaker Dr. Ralph Hawkins, AU Religion Professor. Wednesday Club,

Barbara Martin

18th Annual Danville Storytelling Festival: DMFAH 10am-2pm free danvillemuseum.org 434.793.5644

Evince Magazine Page 9

D

o you wish your home had

less clutter and was better

organized? That can happen this year and it’s painless if you participate in The 360 DeCluttering Project. Here’s how it works:

Throw Out the Mess & Organize the Rest

Every day for 360 days, spend fifteen minutes organizing one small space, for example, the pencil drawer in a desk. Dump everything out. Group like things together. Throw away trash. Give away unwanted good items. Return the remainder to the drawer. You are done. That doesn’t seem too hard does it? Not only have you a fresh memory of what’s in the drawer but you will be able to quickly find it. Repeat the procedure the next day in another drawer, shelf, cabinet, or corner of the room.

Now every time you open the drawer, look at the shelf, or see an uncluttered area, you’ll feel good that it is clutter-free and organized.

The 360 De-Cluttering Project

If a particular space is too large for a fifteen-minute makeover, mentally divide it into threefoot sections. Organize three feet a day. Think of it as taking inventory like all stores do annually. You’d never operate

by Joyce Wilburn a successful business without knowing what was on the shelves.

Your home is a mini-business.

Treat it like one and take inventory by reviewing what you own and where it is stored. The beauty of this project is that it doesn’t take a lot of time but over the course of a few weeks, you will notice a gradual transformation of your living space.

Sometimes a room will tell you what to do next. You walk into a crowded, messy area and it shouts, “Pick me!” If you are motivated by your success to do more, go for it, but you cannot bank the time and count it for the next day. You will have five days off during 2019 if you need it. Even while traveling, it’s possible to organize—the car’s glove compartment, a wallet, a purse. Look around. It will be obvious. When you are finished,

record the date and what you did on a sheet of paper. Hang it in a spot that will be seen. This acts as a reminder to do something and also a reward when you see how much you’ve done.

Accept the challenge right now. If you are reading this at home or on a break at work, scan the area.

Where can you start? It’s only fifteen minutes. You’ll feel good when you finish. Now multiply that 360 times. What a great year 2019 is going to be! Let me know how it works for you. joycewilburn@gmail. com Here’s a recent email from Jo Ann Howard: Wow, I am so glad that I signed on!

I am definitely making progress in my home, cleaning out and organizing drawers, cabinets, and

closets. I don’t feel that my day is complete without doing a fifteen-minute clean-out task.

I took advantage of the snow days, and I learned an important lesson. Here’s what happened: I decided to take everything out of a closet--yes, everything and that was definitely a big mistake. I felt overwhelmed about where to begin. What did I do? I closed the door and for the next few days found other tasks to complete. Then I decided to go back and divide things into what I imagined would fit the time frame so that my task would be more fun and workable. In many cases I had to divide some of the piles, but now I’m back on track. Yes, this is going to take me a while to complete, but I’m feeling good about every pile that I’ve gone through—deciding what to keep, what to pitch, and what to give away or recycle. It’s funny, if I realize that I haven’t put in my fifteen minutes, my day doesn’t seem complete and I make sure I follow through. I am certainly glad to be doing this. I have found “lost” items, figured out more efficient ways to store things, and go to bed knowing that my children will thank me for doing this now rather than leaving it all to them.

Page 10 January 2019

Janus and January Marshall

the doorways, what got out and what got in. I started to laugh some more, and I shouldna asked Mandy Blue Eyes so rough and giggling how some god going to look both behind time and in front time at the same time.

Mandy Blue Eyes didn’t really smile back; she just coughed again and shrugged. I was just nineteen. She put out some Fig Newtons and Sue Bee honey on the coffee table (for me and Janus I guess). Looking back, sometimes I laugh when I can’t cry, Kwon.

fiction by Telisha Moore Leigg Dear Kwon, Run when you can. Fight when you can’t run. Always be remembering, I love you, baby.

--Keisha (AKA Mama) Last New Year’s this time, at our kitchen window, one rain-like night, Mandy Blue Eyes go quiet and away when she told me an old story, some way-past Rometale, the idea just something her professor Papa told her before he left her. He won’t dead, just gone.

She said for me to pay attention to what crosses you, and I laughed in our kitchen. Mandy Blue Eyes don’t believe in no old Papa-god, and so, me neither..

Now, a year later, Kwon, I dropped the Tide today and those clearplastic wrapped caramel squares

We’re

on Danville!

Janet Donna Holley • Gibson Owner Owner

HOLLEY & GibsOn REALTY COMPANY

339 Piney Forest Rd., Danville, VA 24540

Office: (434) 791-2400 Fax: (434) 791-2122 Visit our website at

www.holleyandgibsonrealty.com

you like but ain’t supposed to have, dropped them all over Save-Some’s waxed floor when I heard Bad was back in our lives. Detergent spilled like stinky snow. One minute I was standing and digging for a quarter, some pennies, some damn change to pay the tax (‘cause you always gotta pay the damn tax) and next the change too was all over the floor.

You know that new convenience store over there on Rumlin Street; that’s where I was, right by a rack of those powdered or chocolate donuts and cakes you like. And Rosa Fitzwarren, a childhood un-friend, she rung up my Tide and not even minding coming around the counter

to sweep it up as she smirked while leaning back from me, like she know I’ll let go and pop her one.

And I would have if I hadn’t been so scared she right. I was so scared, Kwon, that he was back.

Yeah, Mandy Blue Eyes told me about this god her father knew called Janus. And I laughed when she told me ‘bout his two heads.

I remember I washed my hands in Dove dish detergent and wiped them on an old, faded dishcloth with Snoopy on it. It was funny, her story, especially with her tone so serious. That just our Mandy Blue Eyes and her gone-Papa ghosts.

Rosa Fitzwarren say, “Guess who I seen? Yo old man, Manhattan. He out. Sittin’ right there at your house too.” I gave Rosa the funk eye, overturned on purpose that rack of sweets, just before I took off running up the block, even in the freezing rain. I flew as fast as I could, ‘cause danger was at my door. January “Manhattan” Marshall (needless to say he go by Manhattan) was right at my front door as I round the corner at a dead run and come panting up to the bottom porch steps.

This Janus god, his whole job, best I understood it, was to look front and back, see past and future at the same time. Oh yeah, and he guard

I heard it had already been an hour or so he been done sat there like a statue in the cold, like ice and cold and freezing rain didn’t hurt him none, like he didn’t give a flip-care who saw him and told, like he wanted there to be something started. He sat on an old lawn chair we never brought in from the summer on that weatherboard porch with its peeling blue paint, he sat waiting.

But he won’t waiting there for me, Kwon. It was you he wanted. And Mandy Blue Eyes, still sick from her cold this year was keeping him from you. And that ain’t good.

Mandy Blue Eyes leaned on the front door jamb, eyes red-rimmed in fury. She held the screen door latch and glared. I heard her yell for Fallon to stay in the kitchen.

Except for Kwon, we were women alone. So, Fallon didn’t need to be told to keep you there and keep you quiet too. We all know this is trouble and whether Manhattan say it or not, he here for you, Kwon. He yo daddy.

Because now I know that all knowledge is only a box of hope and broke tools that you might know how to use. I try to remember.

I try to remember. But I can’t.

Mandy said last New Year that this Janus had some temple all his own, and that if the door was closed, it was peace… but if it was open….

Kwon, only I knew the danger we in for real when I see that black trench coat, those straight wide shoulders, the back like a road stretching out to our danger. I come running up the steps until I get to the lawn chair and can’t get around him ‘cause he blocking the door. The open door.... if it was open… “You know this man?” Mandy said to me, but it wasn’t a question. She saw me as I trembled behind him, and not from the cold. He didn’t turn around.….aw hell, if it was open...

Evince Magazine Page 11

Protect and Restore Body and Mind with Good Habits

by Charlotte Litzenberg

T

he things we do year

after year, our habits,

make a difference in our lives.

Cancer occurs when something happens to the genes inside a cell that cause it to grow out of control. These mutations may be inherited, but most of the time they occur after you are born. That means there is a lot that can be done to keep them from happening. This message is about moderation except when it comes to tobacco use. Treat yourself to a brownie occasionally or spend a snowy, wintry day by the fire, but make your habits those things that protect and restore body and mind.

Here are nine tips for cancer prevention. Making these part of a healthy lifestyle will help reduce the risk for cancer by as much as half and other chronic diseases.

No tobacco. Don’t chew or smoke and avoid exposure to secondhand smoke. E-cigarettes and JUULs are also classified by the FDA as tobacco products.

Nicotine, by any route, is harmful and addictive. Inhaling a substance into the lungs is not the same thing as putting it in cupcake icing.

Protect your skin. Skin cancer most frequently occurs on skin exposed to the sun but not always. Protect your skin and check it regularly. There are early warning signs.

Vaccinate against HPV. Certain cancers are linked to infection with one of several cancercausing germs. There is a vaccine to protect against one of the most common, the human papillomavirus. The CDC recommends that boys and girls receive two shots of HPV vaccine six to twelve months apart, ideally at age eleven or twelve years and as young as nine or up to age forty-five.

Maintain a healthy weight.

Several cancers are linked to obesity, some by as much as 40%. Remember, you can’t outrun a bad diet with exercise.

Watch your diet. Strive for four goals: more fiber, more color, less red and processed meats, less sugar.

Limit alcohol intake. Like sugar, the way alcohol (which also contains sugar) is metabolized can affect the body’s resistance to insulin, which can result in increased blood sugar. Alcohol can also contribute to inflammation, causing damage to tissues of the mouth, throat, esophagus, and stomach, and making conditions like arthritis worse. If you drink, remember moderation: no more than one or two drinks per day.

Stay active. The body was made to move!

Know your family history. Five to 10% of all cancers are thought to result directly from inherited gene defects. Cancers that run in families can also be caused by an abnormal gene that is passed from generation to generation.

Although this is often referred to as inherited cancer, what is inherited is the abnormal gene that can lead to cancer, not the cancer itself.

Also, consider the fact that within a family, there are certain behaviors, such as smoking, that family members may share. These things can increase risk, making it seem as if cancer runs in some families.

Get screened. This means looking for it before signs or symptoms appear. If you catch cancer before it has had a chance to spread, it is more likely to be treated successfully.

Consider colorectal cancer. We have more people diagnosed with and dying from this type of cancer in Pittsylvania County/Danville than nearly all other health districts in Virginia. That doesn’t have to be the case. Pre-cancerous colon polyps can take as long as ten years to turn into cancer. Finding them early can prevent this type of cancer from developing.

Getting a good night’s sleep plays a big role. Participating in research studies is another way to contribute to lower rates of cancer. Begin practicing these good health habits now. The younger the better, but it’s never too late. The body has a remarkable power to heal itself, when given the chance. For more information on how to make better choices, including area resources and research studies being conducted by Massey Cancer Center and UVA Cancer Center, contact the CRRC at 434.421.3060 or masseycrrc@vcu.edu.

Page 12 January 2019

A

few years ago an article, “8 Habits of Curious People,” appeared in Fast Company magazine and stressed the importance of curiosity.

It states that we are born curious, but we often lose the joy of asking questions.

A friend who has not lost the joy of asking questions questioned me about the difference between syrah and petite sirah wines. Is a petite sirah grape smaller than syrah?

That’s exactly what I thought, but I learned that’s not the case. Syrah (sih-RAH) is a different grape variety from petite sirah (peh-teet sih-RAH).

In 1880, Dr. Francois Durif, a grape botanist and breeder at the University of Montpellier in France, discovered that a syrah vine had crossed with another vine resulting in the creation of a small, intensely colored grape.

Naturally he named it after himself, Durif. Durif, or petite sirah, is the offspring of syrah and peloursin, therefore, syrah and petite sirah are related but not the same grape.

In 1884, Charles McIver brought Durif to his California vineyard.

Growers called it petite sirah, which some think was the name commonly used for Durif in parts of France.

Others believe the California wine makers simply did not think the name Durif would appeal to the

Photo by Dave Slayton

The Wine Spot Wine and Curiosity Make a Great Pairing

by Dave Slayton

a member of the Master Court of Sommeliers

T

rying to build good habits

seems to be a lifelong, uphill

slog for me, like Sisyphus shoving the boulder up the hill, only to have that great big rock tumble right back down to the bottom. I don’t have any problem doing the things I love to do. It’s the things I don’t love doing that don’t get done.

my time reading occurs at the expense of what I ought to be doing, which is simplifying my life through organizing.

Take writing, for example. I love to sit with a pen and paper and write this column, an essay, a short story. I lose myself in the writing, and that means I lose track of time. What suffers from the writing is the cleaning, which is not what I love to do. That’s why there are stacks of this and piles of that waiting to be put somewhere else.

I really enjoy our evening habit of walking the dog. Because she’s thirteen years old, the walk progresses at a slow saunter rather than a quick canter. We stroll along looking at houses and trees and jet trails and leaves, and in that meditative state, we lose track of time. What suffers from the walking is the workout. I know I need to raise my heart rate

public so they changed it to petite sirah and changed the spelling of syrah. In 2002, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) proposed that Durif be approved as a synonym for petite sirah, but the proposal failed. By the way, syrah and shiraz are the same grape, but that’s a story for another time. For now let us toast curiosity, may it be a fun habit for us in 2019. Cheers!

Reflecting Forward The Voice of Good Habits

by Linda Lemery

for twenty minutes at least three times per week, but somehow the gym feels like work and the walking feels like a staycation.

I also love reading. I just started Our Towns: A 100,000 Mile

Journey into the Heart of America,

by Jim and Deborah Fallows. I love the idea of a community taking an intentional approach to moving itself toward prosperity. Reading the Fallows’ book feels like reading that blueprint. However, spending

Organization is good for me. I know that. So maybe Joyce E3 (Evince Editor Extraordinaire) is right. Maybe organizing up front in small daily chunks is what I need to do before I start reading something compelling.

(See page 9.) Maybe I should go to the gym and work out before I walk the dog, which sends me into a vegetative, meditative state. Maybe I need to do the cleaning first, before I sit to write something. Maybe if I do the things I need to do before doing the things I want to do, I’ll feel happy, not guilty. Maybe I’ll develop the good habits of cleaning, exercising, and organizing. Maybe I’ll be able to push those boulders all the way to the top of the hill and have them stay there for that day.

About the Author: When she’s not dodging the boulders rolling at her, Linda Lemery llemery@averett.edu works as Circulation Manager at Averett University’s Mary B. Blount Library in Danville. She welcomes your comments.

Evince Magazine Page 13

Book Clubbing a review by Diane Adkins

The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living

by Meik Wiking

First, let’s deal with the elephant in the room. It’s pronounced HOO-ga. It’s Danish, and the rough translation is “taking pleasure from the presence of soothing things.” According to the author, it’s more about atmosphere and experience than things. In other words, a cup of cocoa alone does not hygge make. Being with people we care about, experiencing the feelings of home, of being safe and loved—these make for hygge. You can have hygge by yourself, but for most people it happens in small groups of friends or family.

According to Wiking, the most important elements of hygge are atmosphere (lighting is important, so don’t forget the candles); presence (turn off your phone); pleasure (think cake); equality (relationships and community, not individualism and selfimportance); gratitude; harmony; comfort; truce (save political discussions for another day); togetherness; and shelter.

The author is the CEO of the Happiness Research Institute, based, not surprisingly, in Copenhagen. And yes, they have candles in the office, probably potluck Fridays, too. He has spent years studying day-to-day life, especially of the Danes, and has tried to pinpoint the reasons that they perennially rank at the top of happiness indexes.

He also looks at what happy people around the globe have in common. In evidence-based studies, it turns out that gratitude is key. “People who feel grateful are not only happier than those who do not but also more helpful and forgiving and less materialistic.”

His theory is that hygge, because it is about savoring simple pleasures, may help us feel grateful. It’s entirely possible that our possessions, our drive to acquire more, and the frantic pace at which we live our lives is standing in the way of true contentment. In fact, that is an insight shared by most of the world’s great religions.

As I write, our area is blanketed by one of the biggest snowfalls I can remember since moving south in 1971. What a perfect setting for reading this book. When it snows, what do we first think of, other than beating everyone else to the store to buy bread and milk? For many, it’s cozying up by a fireplace with a cup of something warm, wrapping up in a quilt and reading a book, and later sharing a bowl of some homemade soup with people we love. Which leads me to these simple questions: why wait for snow, why not hygge every day?

Diane S. Adkins is a retired library director who wrote this review under a comforter with a cup of coffee close at hand.

Page 14 January 2019

Photo Finish On a snowy evening in December, Preservation Virginia and JTI Leaf Services gathered to celebrate the release of a new book, Tobacco Barns, Preserving History in the Old Belt, which illustrates their Tobacco Barns Grant Project.

This endeavor has repaired over sixty historic tobacco barns in the counties of Halifax, Pittsylvania, and Caswell. The book illustrates the barns that have been repaired or are scheduled for repairs.

The book costs $60 and can be purchased from Preservation Virginia (434.770.1209); Caswell County Historical Association (15 Main Street, Yanceyville, NC); Halifax County Historical Society (434.579.0083); and Pittsylvania Historical Society (434.251.0009).

All proceeds will go toward protecting historic sites in the region.

Justin Sarafin from Preservation Virgina and Danville preservationist, Rick Barker, discuss the new book.

Sonja Ingram, Preservation Services Field Manager for Preservation Virginia, and son Victor enjoy the evening.

Mr. & Mrs. A.J. Nuckols from Mt. Airy, Virginia, look over the book that features one of their barns.

The 2019 grant program funds the restoration of three historically and architecturally significant tobacco barns that require more attention. Also, a driving trail that will link repaired barns to other historic sites in the region will be created incorporating paper maps and an interactive, web-based map.

In order to be eligible for a grant, barns must be located within the three-county region, be viewed from a public right-of-way and be fifty years old or older.

Applications are due February 15 at Preservation Virginia’s Danville office. For more information contact Sonja Ingram at singram@ preservationvirginia.org or 434.770.1209.

Paul Leipe, Old West End enthusiast, and C.B. Maddox of the Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History laugh while discussing serious subjects.

Melanie Vaughan and Dianne McMahon look at “Tobacco Barns, Preserving History in the Old Belt,” a 152 page, colorful, hardcover book.

Isabelle DelGiorno finds a quiet corner away from the crowd to read a book.

The team of people who helped to make the project successful gather for a group photo. Back Row: barn owners: Wayne Ashworth, Joe Bray, Clarke Graves, Joe Graves; Ward Anderson (JTI); barn owners: Katherine Blair, Gayle Barts; Barbara Bass (Halifax Co Historical Society); Sallie Smith (Caswell Co Historical Association); Sonja Ingram (Preservation Va); Mark Joyner (Danville Historical Society. Seated: barn contractors: William McNichols, Miles McNichols.

Mark Joyner, DHS President, shows one of many items that are for sale by emailing davidc522@comcast.net.

Evince Magazine Page  15

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