Our Town 2017 JAN-FEB (Gainesville)

ART THERAPY SERENITY IN NATURE HEALTHY HABITS YOGA, QI GONG & TAI CHI

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 | VOL. 08 ISSUE 01

GAINESVILLE EDITION

Nourish the Mind, Body & Soul

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MEMBER OF

CONTENTS

G A I N E S V I L L E | V O L . 0 8 | N O. 0 1

J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

IN THIS ISSUE >> WE INVITE READERS TO LEARN ABOUT THE INTRICATE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE MIND, BODY AND SOUL. GET IN TOUCH WITH YOUR CHI AND ENJOY THE BEAUTIFUL NATURE THAT SURROUNDS US. IT’S GOOD FOR YOU. NAMASTE!

FEATURE STORIES 26

RISE. RELAX. REST. REPEAT. Practicing Yoga, Qi Gong and Tai Chi could very well be the exercises you’ll actually want to stick to for your New Year’s resolution.

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SACRED WATERS Since ancient times, Floridians have cherished our fragile springs. Historian and outdoor adventure guide Lars Andersen shares his thoughts on the history of our life-giving rivers and springs.

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MESSAGE OF HOPE A son’s death breathes life into the Joshua 1:9 Foundation. After Joshua Islam lost his life, his family created a foundation committed to supporting causes that were important to him.

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DIY CACTUS GARDEN Create your own natural, no-maintenance cacti environment without fear of being stuck by thorns.

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CONTENTS

J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

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THE SENSE OF HAPPINESS Sight. Sound. Smell. Touch. Taste. Using your senses to balance your mind, body and soul.

ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES Explore the world of healing through massage, chiropractic touch points for injury recovery, and overall wellness.

36 STRIDES TOWARD EXERCISE Don’t like to workout? Here is some exercise advice for people that don’t like to exercise.

42 ART THERAPY Swap the yoga mat for a canvas and a paintbrush, or crayons. Science has shown that coloring can be as helpful as meditation.

50 MINDFULNESS & MEDITATION Sit still, focus on breath, reflect. The ancient practice of meditation has now gone mainstream.

56 RECIPE WONDERS Looking for a healthy meal to satiate a healthy appetite? Try some Easy Stir-Fry Chicken!

60 HEALTHY HABITS Did you make a New Year’s Resolution to lose some weight? Here are some tips to keep it!

64 FITNESS REVOLUTION For those who need some encouragement for their workout routine, there is technology to help you stay healthy.

COLUMNS 40 NAKED SALSA

by Crystal Henry

90 DIFFERENT NOTE

by Albert Isaac

68 HEALTHY EDGE

by Kendra Siler-Marsiglio

80 EMBRACING LIFE

by Donna Bonnell

76 A CUP OF RELIEF & INNER HEALING Reiki, the Japanese technique for stress reduction, and suction cup therapy are only two alternative therapies pursued by some people.

118 VAMOS A ESPAÑA Study abroad! Learn the do’s and don’ts of traveling to Barcelona, as experienced by our intern from UF, Teal Garth.

126 THE GROWTH OF SOCIAL MEDIA Is it friend or foe? Like it or not, social media is here to stay, but for some people it can take the place of face-to-face contact.

130 A PLACE OF COMFORT Meet Whitney Sanford, University of Florida professor of religion. She and her students find religion in nature.

136 PHOTO ESSAY: SERENITY IN NATURE Science shows that spending time outdoors can make us healthier. Escaping to the woods, mountains or even the neighborhood park helps both the body and the brain.

REVIEWS

INFO

48 READING CORNER

100 Charity Winners

by Terri Schlichenmeyer

116 GATE CRASHING

by Brian “Krash” Kruger

102 Restaurants 110 Calendar

The articles printed in Our Town do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Tower Publications, Inc. or their editorial staff. Our Town Magazine endeavors to accept reliable advertising; however, we can not be held responsible by the public for advertising claims. Our Town Magazine reserves the right to refuse or discontinue any advertisement. All rights reserved. © 2017 Tower Publications, Inc.

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TIME LOST is Brain Loss North Florida Regional Medical Center is now certified to provide patients with the highest level of comprehensive stroke care.

EMERGENCY NFRMC.com

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PUBLISHER Charlie Delatorre ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Hank McAfee

Anthony B. Agrios, MD Joseph S. Iobst, MD Jean C. Cook, MD Nicole Scogin, MD Shelley Russell, ARNP, CNM Julie Rischar, ARNP, CNM Kristen Cook, ARNP, CNM

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Albert Isaac editor@towerpublications.com MANAGING EDITOR Ericka Winterrowd ericka@towerpublications.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Gabrielle Calise, Cameron Cobb, Teal Garth, Savanna Kearney, Brian “Krash” Kruger, Cecilia Lemus, Peggy Macdonald, Stephanie Richards, Cynthia Wonders Winterrowd, Hayli Zuccola CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Kristin Kozelsky CREATIVE DIRECTION + DESIGN Hank McAfee, Neil McKinney ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Jenni Bennett jenni@towerpublications.com Helen Mincey helen@towerpublications.com Nancy Short nancy@towerpublications.com INTERNS Teal Garth, Cecilia Lemus

Take care

of you.

AllAboutWomenMD.com • 352.331.3332 Helping You Live A Healthy Lifestyle!

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CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS If you would like us to publicize an event in the greater Gainesville area, send information by the 1st day of the month prior to the next issue. For example, submissions for the March/April issue are due by February 1. All submissions will be reviewed and every effort will be made to run qualified submissions if page space is available.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR We want to hear from you. Send your letters to the attention of the editor at 4400 NW 36th Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32606 or editor@towerpublications.com.

Letters must be signed and include a phone number in the event we need to contact you. (Your phone number will not be published.)

OUR TOWN MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED BI-MONTHLY BY TOWER PUBLICATIONS, INC. REPRODUCTION BY ANY MEANS OF THE WHOLE OR PART OF OUR TOWN WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE PUBLISHER IS PROHIBITED. VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THE EDITORIAL PAGES DO NOT IMPLY OUR ENDORSEMENT. WE WELCOME YOUR PRODUCT NEWS. INCLUDE PRICES, PHOTOS AND DIGITAL FILES WITH YOUR PRESS RELEASE. PLEASE FORWARD PRODUCT SAMPLES AND MEDIA KITS TO REVIEWS EDITOR, OUR TOWN MAGAZINE, 4400 NW 36TH AVENUE, GAINESVILLE, FL 32606. WE CANNOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR UNSOLICITED PRODUCT SAMPLES.

A Publication of Tower Publications, Inc. 4400 NW 36th Ave., Gainesville, Florida 32606 phone: 352-372-5468 fax: 352-373-9178

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EDITOR ’ S LET TER J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

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Yep. That’s my old bike. I bought it about 26 years ago. And recently I repaired it and inflated the tires. I even rode it around my yard, until it started to rain. Curses, foiled again, in my attempt to exercise!

But now that the New Year is here, I plan on riding that bad boy. No excuses! I also plan on eating better, as I’ve resurrected my Earth Box planter (it’s presently filled with veggies!) and I even built a gigantic planter box that contains cabbage, lettuce, broccoli, and even arugula. We’ll see which one grows the best veggies (so far, Earth Box is in the lead).

I do hope to stick to some kind of exercise routine, as the only workouts I’ve done in the past year and a half were related to home repair. Granted, it’s strenuous work building fences, remodeling kitchens and repairing decks, but is it as effective as regular bike rides?

As effective as lifting weights? I’d say not. So, 2017 must include regular biking (the pedal kind, not the motor kind), weight training (and not just moving the weight set out of the way when I need something), and a better diet.

So I’m gardening again. It’s been a while, too, because of the afore-mentioned home repairs that occupied all our daylight hours (and many of our nights as well). Gardening, as it turns out, is very relaxing, except when the bugs invade or the rain never comes ( just how do farmers do it?). Dad loved gardening. I could take it or leave it when I was younger, but when I settled down and started a family I really enjoyed it. So, it’s good for my mental health.

So with mental and physical health in mind, we bring you a plethora of stories about mind, body and soul. We hope they inspire you to get healthy and happy!

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UF Health Shands Rehab Hospital held its first ArtsAbility Festival on December 1st.

The interactive and hands-on art festival is specifically for those who have special needs and need accommodations for their artistic endeavors. The festival is part of the Arts and Medicine program at the rehab hospital.

Recreation therapists were on hand to help facilitate patients with the wide range of art offered at the event.

Lana Watson is the director of rehab services at UF Health Shands Rehab Hospital, and she said this event is not only targeted to their in-patients, but also other support groups that the hospital facilitates across Gainesville — such as those with brain injuries, spinal chord injuries, strokes and amputations.

“We service people with diagnostic categories outside of that, but we specifically wanted to create an event where people could feel safe to come and participate and have support if they weren’t able to do the activity the way able-bodied people do it, for instance,” Watson said during the event.

The festival includes art stations such as making a paper quilt, where participants can color a pattern on a piece of paper, which then will be connected to all of the paper “patches” that others have created.

“They are a collaborative art piece,” Watson 16 |

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said. “And so the artists afterwards will build everyone’s art together to create one piece that will showcase in the hospital so we can put it on the wall to commemorate our first ArtsAbility Festival.”

Other art forms included at the event are dance and music, with roaming musicians entertaining patients and guests throughout the day.

As part of the integrative medicine program at UF Shands, the festival offers practitioners of Tai Chi and seated Yoga as well. “[The practitioners] were able to get them to do it at the level they were able to participate at, so a lot of people were seated,” Watson said. “But if you could stand, they were welcome to do that too.”

A lot of the rehab hospital’s physical therapists were at the festival too, helping to facilitate the patients to participate in the activities. Watson said it’s almost as if the physical therapists were using the Tai Chi activity as a conduit for their own treatment — to help them stand up to do it.

Watson said ArtsAbility will be an annual festival, and she looks forward to continuing the festival’s message that art can be accessible to everyone.

“We just wanted people to be able to experience a wide breadth of different art forms and to encourage them to participate.”

PHOTOGRAPHY: ERICKA WINTERROWD

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CONTRIBUTOR S

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J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

GABRIELLE CALISE is a junior journalism major at the University of Florida and freelance writer.

In her spare time she enjoys collecting vinyl records, taking photographs and watching movies. gcalise@ufl.edu

TEAL GARTH is a third year journalism major at the University of Florida. She grew up in Pensacola, Florida and loves the beach, traveling, anything pizza- or Netflixrelated, and spending time with her family and her two cats. tealgarth@gmail.com

BRIAN “KRASH” KRUGER is a writer, musician and a graduate of the UF College of Law. He has played in some 17 or so local bands, playing most every Gainesville venue friendly to original music (and some not so friendly). bkrashpad@yahoo.com

CECILIA LEMUS is a sophomore journalism major at UF interning for Our Town. In her free time she enjoys photographing animals, watching movies and trying different flavors of tea. lemusc26@ufl.edu

CAMERON COBB is a senior journalism major at the University of Florida as well as an Air Force veteran. She loves traveling, writing, ballet and all animals (her favorite being her rescue dog, Maggie). cameronacobb5@gmail.com

PEGGY MACDONALD is a native Gainesvillian and the executive director of the Matheson History Museum. She has taught history at Florida Polytechnic, Stetson and UF. She is also the author of Marjorie Harris Carr: Defender of Florida’s Environment. peggymacdemos@gmail.com

HAYLI ZUCCOLA is a New England native who enjoys listening to music and traveling. After graduating high school with her AA degree she got her Bachelor’s in Journalism from the University of Florida.

HayzDesigns@yahoo.com

CYNTHIA WONDERS WINTERROWD is an award-winning writer who was raised in Illinois and lives in Gainesville. She is proud to be a “Gator Mom” of three daughters, all UF graduates. Cynthia loves sharing family recipes that have been passed down in her mother’s handwritten cookbooks. recipewonders@gmail.com

SAVANNA KEARNEY is a junior journalism major at the University of Florida and freelance writer. Her hobbies include reading, writing, taking photographs and petting dogs. savannak@ufl.edu

STEPHANIE RICHARDS is a freelance writer and a native of suburban Chicago. She was the Story Editor for The Sturbridge Times Magazine before recently moving to Newberry from New England. She loves to exercise, volunteer and spend time with her family. sarichards7@gmail.com

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BALANCE >> MIND, BODY AND SOUL

THE CONSENSUS ON SENSES

Sense of Happiness Balance Your Mind, Body and Soul Using Your Five Senses W R I T T E N B Y H AY L I Z U C C O L A

A

warm hug from a loved one.

The smell of fresh peppermint.

Deciding what color to paint a room in the house. Believe it or not the five senses — sight, sound, smell, touch and taste — have more of an impact on your mood than you may realize.

SIGHT

Whether you’ve moved into a new home or just want to give your current space an upgrade, before you start buying gallons of paint you may want to do a little research. Certain colors belong in certain rooms and not in a snooty “oh that hue of green is just atrocious in a bathroom” designer kind of way. Certain colors physically make people feel better or worse depending 20 |

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on what room you put them in.

According to the article “Room Color and How it Affects Your Mood,” and the Mood Factory article “Power of Sight,” the color red, which is associated with warmth, excitement and passion can raise energy levels and helps pump adrenaline. Being in a room painted red can raise blood pressure and increase heart rate, so it is ideal for a dining or living room but it isn’t the best choice for a bedroom color.

On the opposite end of the color wheel, blue, which is associated with spirituality, tranquility and cleanliness, can lower blood pressure and give a calming and relaxing feel to a room.

Yellow, although bright, cheerful and welcoming,

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BALANCE >> MIND, BODY AND SOUL

can be strenuous on the eyes in large amounts and can cause anger and frustration. Green, on the other hand, is the most relaxing color for our eyes to see and works well in almost any room.

Purple evokes a sophisticated feeling and provides the warmth of red and the calming effect of blue.

Now take these suggestions with a grain of salt because they may not have the same effect on everybody. If you absolutely hate the color blue, chances are it isn’t going to make you feel very calm and relaxed in your bedroom.

SOUND Belting out the lyrics to your favorite song isn’t just something you should do for fun, it can actually reduce anxiety and make you feel happier. According to the Examined Existence article “How Music Changes Your Mood,” music is a natural antidepressant and there’s a scientific explanation of how music affects the brain.

“Soothing tunes foster the release of serotonin, a hormone that fosters happiness and a general sense of well-being,” according to examinedexistence.com. “It also flushes the body with dopamine, a neurotransmitter that makes you feel good. Music 22 |

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also paves the way for the release of norepinephrine, a hormone that brings about euphoria and elation.”

So if you’re feeling the blues, and not the musical kind, flick on the radio and jam out to some of your favorite artists or listen to songs with a positive message to put you in a happier mood.

SMELL The sense of smell and how it correlates with your mood works a little differently than the other senses. In fact, it could be different from person to person. According to the Fifth Sense article “Psychology and Smell,” the sense of smell is linked to memory more than the other senses. Maybe when you were younger you would make homemade gingerbread with your family, so now the smell of gingerbread makes you happy. A certain smell can also trigger bad experiences. Maybe someone was rude to you in a coffee shop, so now whenever you smell fresh brewed java you get agitated.

While many people are drawn to specific scents, there are certain aromatherapy oils that evoke a specific emotion.

According to the Livestrong.com article “Benefits of Peppermint Aromatherapy,” peppermint oil is used because it has uplifting and invigorating properties.

PHOTOGRAPHY: HAYLI ZUCCOLA

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While it can be used on the skin to cool the body and soothe aches and pains during a massage, the smell of peppermint oil can increase one’s ability to concentrate during stress and even boost energy levels. The article also mentions that studies have shown that peppermint oil can help alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression by boosting your mood.

While peppermint is amazing for many people, it isn’t the only holy grail of aromatherapy. According to the Huffington Post article “11 Scents That Can Do Wonders for Your Well-Being,” lavender can help with relaxation and sleeping, while cinnamon — like peppermint — can help sharpen your mind. The smell of fresh-cut grass can bring joy while citrus fruits like oranges and lemons can make you feel more energized.

Jasmine can ease depression, and olive oil, which you probably never noticed really had a scent, can help satisfy your appetite.

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Sometimes to lift your spirits all you need is a hug. As the character Charlotte “Chuck” Charles from the show “Pushing Daisies” puts it, a hug is “like an emotional Heimlich. Someone puts their arms around you and they give you a squeeze and all your fear and anxiety come shooting out of your mouth in a big wet wad and you can breathe again.”

While hugs aren’t normally that dramatic, they actually can help anxiety fade away. According to the Smart Heart Living article “Hugs and Heart Health,” a hug can lower blood pressure and reduce stress, which in turn lowers the risk of heart disease. The article goes on to mention that past studies revealed that each time we get a hug our bodies produce the hormone oxytocin, which gives off a caring or bonding response.

Getting a much-needed hug isn’t the only way our sense of touch can make us feel more positive; the surrounding objects we touch also play a vital role in how we feel. The Telegraph article “Physical Touch Affects Emotional Mood,” states that “the softer the touch, the happier and more generous you are; the harder, the more selfish and aggressive.”

The article talks about a 2008 experiment that found that people were kinder when they held a warm cup of coffee instead of a cold drink. So if you need a pick-me-up from an awful day at work or school just snuggle up with a soft blanket and a ton of squishy pillows; cuddle with your furry pets; and drink a nice cup of hot chocolate to melt your daily stress away.

TASTE The final category of the five senses is taste. You probably already knew that if you eat a lot of junk food you’re not going to feel too great, but what foods can make you feel better physically and mentally? We’ve all had days where we feel sad and may even think that the only way to cure our sadness is to indulge in a delicious piece of cake. While we may enjoy it then, there are other options that can actually help turn that frown upside down and help with your overall health too.

The Very Well article “5 Foods for a Better Mood,” suggests enjoying a bowl of oatmeal because it is rich in soluble fiber, which slows “the absorption of sugar in the blood” so you can feel fuller longer. Other foods that help in this area are beans, citrus and apples.

Walnuts and salmon are rich in omega-3 fatty acids that help with brain functioning. Lentils are a great source of folate, which is a “B vitamin that appears to be essential for mood and proper nerve function in the brain.”

Those healthy foods were kind of obvious, but did you know that according to the Huffington Post article “Foods to Help Improve Your Mood,” chocolate can actually be good for you? Well, kind of. When your sweet tooth is craving something delicious, keep in mind that dark chocolate helps increase serotonin, which can help ease depression.

Two other depression fighters are hazelnuts, which contain potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron; and tea, which could be why the British always seem so chipper.

Overall, there is no easy fix if you are suffering from depression or even if you are just experiencing a case of the daily blues. It is important, however, to realize that our surroundings and the use of our five senses play a vital role in keeping our mind, body and soul balanced.

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EXERCISE >> YOGA, QI GONG AND TAI CHI

RESOLVE YOUR RESOLUTION

Rise.

Relax.

Rest.

Repeat.

Three Exercises You’ll Actually Want to Stick to for a New Year’s Resolution W RIT TE N BY C A MERON COBB

A

new year invites new chances and opportunities for self-improvement. In order to do so, it’s imperative to always keep in mind the importance of caring for said mind.

Whether it is relaxing and balancing your mind and body with yoga, increasing energy throughout your frame with Qi Gong, or venturing into the martial arts territory of Tai Chi, there are techniques and exercises to change your life for the better. Start the year off by caring for the one person you may have overlooked this past holiday season – you.

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Nicole Benavides practices her yoga moves. Yoga does more than burn calories and tone muscles.

According to WebMed, it’s a total mind-body workout that combines strengthening and stretching poses with deep breathing and meditation or relaxation.

Yoga Chaya Sharon Heller said she knew yoga would be a life-long passion of hers right from the start, and even recently opened the ChayaVeda Integrative Healing Arts Studio in Gainesville.

With over 25 years of experience and multiple certifications in teaching yoga, Ayurvedic practice, and yoga therapy, she’s hoping the rising popularity of yoga only goes up from here.

“I was a professional dancer, and dance injuries are actually how I got into yoga,” Heller said. “It became a natural transition for me into yoga and Ayurveda, and since then, it’s been my life.”

The concept of both yoga and Ayurveda is that each person has their own specific nature. Yoga is a lot about the mind and overall mental wellness, while Ayurveda leans more toward the body focusing on promoting good health, Heller said. The two were developed together and repeatedly influence one another. Taking into account this combination, Heller said it really helps refine the practice and takes care to tailor to the nature of each person.

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The first yoga text collection was written about 2,500 years ago, Heller said, and these documents outline what instructors are supposed to do. Though hundreds of years old and holding to that stable foundation, yoga has morphed and changed over the years, with one major difference being the amount of people involved during the practice.

“The origins of yoga were much more individualized; today’s class and some of the sizes [of classes] is a modern-day phenomenon, as it was taught one-on-one originally,” Heller said.

No matter the participation number, the practice of yoga fosters a presence of relaxation, and with that comes clarity, she said. When someone engages in this exercise regularly, he or she is able to condition themselves to incorporate those feelings during challenges and times of stress.

“From my belief and feedback I’ve heard, one major benefit [of yoga and Ayurveda] is relaxation,” Heller said. “Through that relaxation, there’s a deep understanding of oneself and a greater sense of power and control over your own health, your PHOTOGRAPHY: SAVANNA KEARNEY

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PHOTOGRAPHY: SAVANNA KEARNEY

EXERCISE >> YOGA, QI GONG AND TAI CHI 30 |

own mind and your own emotions.”

Relaxation is a pretty hard-to-beat perk, but what about the practice’s potential for medical purposes?

With medical professionals recommending yoga to patients experiencing a variety of illnesses, both physical and mental, Heller said she is thrilled at yoga’s image change. Instead of being viewed as something only healthy people do, it’s now something everyone can gain from.

“People are coming with all kinds of conditions that we need to be aware of,” Heller said. “Yoga can really help.”

But among all of the personal and professional recommendations, Heller said people still raise one major question — what’s the goal of yoga?

“Yoga is the stilling of the mind in order to be free,” she said. “Free from a mind without clarity, so that you are able to relax.”

When practicing various yoga poses, Heller said she thinks of it as “wringing yourself out like a sponge.” As the body slowly morphs between stances, you are able to wring out all of that tension, and what happens when you are focusing on all the details is the syncing of breathing and movement. The linking of those two actions is what sets yoga apart from other practices, she said.

“People are feeling better, they’re stretching and strengthening and finally wringing themselves out, and it even enables them to feel emotionally stronger,” Heller said. “It helps people on every level.”

Alicia Frazer, a visual arts and business major at the University of Florida, finds enjoyment in not only practicing yoga herself, but also getting the chance to help others strive to reach those levels.

Quickly falling in love with the exercise, Frazer said she knew she had to take her affiliation with yoga one step — or pose — further. Since completing the required 200-hour training certification course last year, she has been teaching yoga at areas all over town, such as Flow Space, Alter Ego Fitness and First Magnitude Brewery Company.

“I really wanted to understand yoga on a deeper level,” Frazer said. “And after [the course], it just completely transformed how I thought about it. I loved it even more.”

Though she enjoys teaching all sorts of yoga, Frazer said one of the most rewarding classes she teaches is chair yoga, where individuals do yoga from the comfort of their seat. This exercise is geared towards the elderly who may be going through physical therapy, or may have difficulty moving and/or pain in their body – all of which can cause an abundance of stress.

“They’re like, ‘Wow, I was able to move, even for just an hour, and I felt really great about it!’” Frazer said. “It’s very fulfilling to see them progress, not just for them, but for myself as well.”

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EXERCISE >> YOGA, QI GONG AND TAI CHI

“The mind gets calmer, the emotions settle down, circulation of blood flow increases, one becomes more flexible and more balanced.

People become… happier.”

Qi Gong and Acupuncture Qi Gong is a type of Chinese exercise involving a variety of different actions that unify the body and mind while increasing energy flow and blood circulation, said Stephen Schachter, Qi Gong and Tai Chi instructor at his private practice in Gainesville.

“Each Qi Gong is one movement done repeatedly promoting energy,” Schachter said. “Some movements are designed to increase energy in a particular organ, some to open up and get more energy flowing in a joint, and some are just about increasing the flow of energy throughout your whole body.”

Ironically, some movements involve no movement at all, such as standing meditation, which focuses on relaxing the body while having an image in your mind to act as a distraction.

“The mind gets calmer, the emotions settle down, circulation of blood flow increases, one becomes more flexible and more balanced,” Schachter said. “People become … happier.”

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“moving meditations,” and Tai Chi is actually considered a type of Qi Gong, Schachter said.

Beyond teaching others of the wonders Qi Gong holds, Schachter is also an acupuncturist. The goal of this practice is to restore health and alleviate pain, Schachter said. A very thin, sterile needle (pain comparable to that of a mosquito bite, at most) is carefully affixed into a certain point on the body. “[Acupuncture] has both mental and physical effects,” Schachter said. “The needle stimulation goes to the brain, which then sends that signal out to the body, aiding with things like headaches, back pain, foot pain — it just depends what the problem is and how I orient the needle.”

Schachter said he encourages patients to integrate both acupuncture and Qi Gong together, as he has noticed an overall feeling of improvement himself.

“I just feel better,” Schachter. “I want to stay as healthy as I can for as long as I can, so I just keep doing it.”

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Tai Chi Tai Chi is a 1,200-year-old combination of martial arts and meditation practices stemming from an ancient Chinese system, said David Bole, Director of the Traditional Acupuncture Center in Gainesville. It integrates the body, the mind and the spirit while promoting getting in tune with oneself.

“Tai Chi is a kind of connection of graceful movements,” Bole said. “The aim is to cultivate one’s life force.”

A Tai Chi instructor for 40 years, Bole said his practice started as a teenager with martial arts, and he began to develop an appreciation for soft-style martial arts, such as Tai Chi. On top of being considered the “granddaddy” of the martial arts, Tai Chi supports physical, emotional, mental and spiritual aspects of oneself, Bole said. Whether it be reducing anxiety, improving balance, boosting the immune system, or simply just fostering a sense of well-being, Tai Chi provides a way to holistically treat the body, Bole said.

“With traditional medicine, it seems you go to one doctor for your skin, one doctor for your heart, one doctor for your stomach,” Bole said. “[Tai Chi] helps balance all of those systems within the body.”

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encourages others to intertwine the practices of both acupuncture and Tai Chi, like with Qi Gong.

In order to practice Tai Chi, Bole said one must have “natural ability, a teacher, and the will to practice.” Although diligence and determination can easily surpass the factor of natural ability, he said, he regularly sees elderly individuals outdoing their younger counterparts, simply because of practice.

“If someone has natural ability but they don’t practice, they are not going to have the direct, beneficial experience of Tai Chi,” Bole said. “If someone perseveres, even if they don’t have much athletic ability, they’ll get as much — if not more — benefits of someone who has natural ability. You absolutely have to have the perseverance to do it.”

As people discover more about themselves and the surrounding world each day, self-care practices such as these only scratch the surface of ways to improve not just the body and mind, but also the lives of others.

“When you are in a better relationship with yourself, you are able to be in better relationships with others. You are able to improve relationships. Help people find deeper meaning and purpose in their life, help build the community, and help make the world a better place,” Heller said. “It all starts with you.”

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FITNESS >> SIMPLE WORKOUT

NO PAIN NO PAIN

ADVICE FOR PEOPLE THAT DON’T LIKE TO EXERCISE

Strides Toward Exercise STORY A N D PHOTOGR A PH Y BY CECILI A LEM US

It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, so much that exercise is more than often overlooked.

Just the thought of devoting a chunk of time to exercise before or after a long day rather than relaxing can be exhausting.

But the reality behind exercising is that it doesn’t have to be painful or a waste of time.

Among the benefits of exercise individuals can control their weight, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, reduce the risk of diabetes and cancers, strengthen their bones and muscles, improve their sleep, mental health and mood.

“When you step back and think of all the well-documented 36 |

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reasons as to why we should do physical activity, when someone tells me they don’t have the time they are basically saying it is not a priority,” said Dan Connaughton, professor and associate dean in the College of Health & Human Performance at UF. “I would be hard pressed to look at anyone’s schedule and not find some time that they can do some activity.”

One of the best strategies for exercising is making it convenient. You can exercise while you are watching television either at home or while working out at the gym to motivate you.

Sitting for long periods of time is linked to a number of health concerns, including obesity and metabolic syndrome — a cluster of conditions that includes increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol levels. Connaughton said some of his co-workers at his office use standing desks and exercise balls instead of chairs. Sometimes they will walk during their breaks or have walking meetings.

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FITNESS >> SIMPLE WORKOUT

There are simple ways to incorporate a full-body workout without going to the gym. A trip to the park can consist of more than just a walk or jog. Lunges and two-foot jumps are simple strengthening exercises you can incorporate into your routine, all you need is a bench.

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He also recommends using resistance bands, dumbbells or walking in place. Any type of activity or movement is better than none.

Breaking workouts into shorter sessions can also be a possibility for those who don’t have long stretches of time.

The key for a lot of people, especially those who are not exercising and are just coming back to an exercise program, is to try to be consistent with a reasonable progression. So set realistic goals. A lot of people have unrealistic exercise goals, and if they don’t reach those goals immediately they want to abandon their exercise program, Connaughton said.

Exercise and physical activity should be part of an individual’s life style. It shouldn’t be something to do when you’re diagnosed with an illness or the doctor tells you you have high blood pressure, he said.

Ways to stay consistent include finding an exercise you like, trying different routines or going outdoors. Exercising with a friend or a group increases adherence. Incorporating the family can also help.

An exercise partner or a support group helps with consistency and may motivate you on days you don’t feel like exercising, Connaughton said.

Another piece of advice is to start small. Don’t try to do too much too soon.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

Connaughton said many people who haven’t been exercising will try to ramp up their program and their routine much too fast, either by going too often, or too hard and they get sore or even worse, get injured and they are back to square one. Instead they should attempt a reasonable progression.

“Don’t be too hard on yourself,” he said. “If you fail to follow through on a workout one day, start the next day.”

Some people would say they are too tired or lack the energy to fit an exercise routine into their day and some of those who aren’t physically active find it hard to get through the day. If that is the case, it’s important to consider revaluating or budgeting time.

“By exercising you’re going to get more energy.

You’ll sleep better, you’ll think clearer. It makes everything that much better when you are healthy and you’re physically active,” he said.

Older people may ask whether they are too old to exercise, but exercise can be a part of someone’s routine regardless of age.

“We have lots of evidence where people in their 80s and 90s can still obtain a lot of the benefits from physical activity,” Connaughton said.

Someone who is older and has medical conditions

should get their physicians approval prior to beginning an exercise program. They should also seek the advice of a certified exercise specialists or personal trainer.

Connaughton said that although he is an exercise advocate and exerciser himself, nutrition should also be prioritized. It plays an important role in our health and wellbeing.

“Even if you are exercising for health benefits you cannot ignore your nutrition,” he said.

Connaughton practices what he preaches. Some of the exercises he enjoys are running, cycling, walking and strength training. He also runs and cycles with others.

He’s participated in marathons, road races and cycling events; it always gives him a goal to shoot for, he said.

“I have an indoor bicycle. I avoid any excuses. I enjoy it. I make time, I see the benefits,” he said.

Connaughton, who lives nine miles from work, said it doesn’t take him much longer to ride his bike to work because of the traffic.

Sometimes he even runs one way to work.

“Biking to work again doesn’t take me four or five minutes longer than it does to drive in this traffic,” he said.

And in cooler weather some people take advantage of the change in temperature while others avoid stepping outside.

Regardless, move your workout to wherever you are most encouraged and comfortable.

Personally, he said he enjoys being outside.

“It’s a great way to start my day and end my workday,” he said. “I’d rather be outside than inside, but again, I have an indoor bike, too, for days that it is raining out or if I have to do an errand before or after work and I can’t ride my bike.”

For those wondering what is the best time to schedule a workout, it doesn’t really matter. Just remember that any amount of exercise is better than none. If you are not a morning person, that is not a problem, Connaughton said. Do it whenever you feel best.

“I think it is important to maintain a commitment to exercise throughout our lifespan,” he said. “The benefits are just so vast that not exercising is not a good thing for any of us.”

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COLUMN

CRYSTAL HENRY’S

Naked Salsa SURROGATE SAGA: THE FINALE

CRYSTAL HENRY IS A FREELANCE WRITER AND COLUMNIST BORN AND RAISED IN WEST TEXAS. SHE RECEIVED HER B.S. IN JOURNALISM IN 2006 FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA. SHE IS IN LOVE WITH THE FLORIDA LANDSCAPE. ces03k@gmail.com

I WAS SIMULTANEOUSLY PLOTTING MY HUSBAND’S MURDER AND BOUNCING RHYTHMICALLY ON MY YOGA BALL WHEN I HEARD A SOFT TAP ON THE DOOR.

Jess answered for me. “Mom’s doing so great. I think it’s baby day!”

“Oh awesome!” My sweet Sunshine was excited. “So I get to sleep over at Scarlett’s house tonight!” OK, maybe her motives were a little selfish. She dragged her sleepy body into my room and climbed into bed next to her pops. t was my doula, Jessica. I’d texted her that I might A few minutes later in the midst of an intense contraction maybe possibly I-don’t-know-but-probablylittle Sweet Pea emerged from her room. My little indigo child could-be sort of in labor. By the time she got to my house didn’t say a word. She walked over to me, gently put her arms I was in full-on primal mode. It was 11 p.m., the lights were dim, around my neck and buried her sweet face in my shoulder. I I was in a trance and walking the thin line of losing it completely leaned into her and breathed deep. There’s a very serious power and actually holding myself together. Also known as active labor. in oxytocin. Hugging my little Sweet Pea released a flood of the Ever the jokester I tried to keep things light, but I’d gone happy hormone and it helped ease me through that contraction. from “eh maybe” to “holy-mother-of-God-I’m-going-to-dieI half wanted her to stay and be my assistant doula for the rest here-tonight” in a matter of minutes. They weren’t kidding of my labor, but she kissed me on my forehead, told when they said this third baby would come quickly. me “I love you Mama,” and trotted off to snuggle I couldn’t even muster the strength to let Baby her dad. My babies were safe. My mom pulled Mama know that this was not a fire drill, so Jess My mom used in the driveway. It was time to deliver this did it for me. I was busy concentrating on not her traffi c light super sweet Peanut in my belly earthside. dying. I’m fairly certain that bringing life into powers to turn every It was a fast and furious drive to the hosthe world brings a woman to the brink of light green as we raced pital, just like in a movie. My mom used her death. There’s got to be some cosmic relation traffic light super powers to turn every light there because the feeling of natural labor can’t through the empty green as we raced through the empty streets. even be described as pain. And yet somehow streets.

Meanwhile, Baby Mama and Baby Daddy were I’m a total junkie for it. in a race of their own. It was now close to 1 a.m., and It was just after 11:30 when I told Jess that we I felt like things were moving quickly. They were still an might consider heading to the hospital. She assured me hour away, and I hoped they’d make it in time. it wasn’t quite time because I was still able to verbalize, but I We got to the hospital and after a few exorcism moments knew things were moving fast. I popped Sweet Pea out without they allowed me to skip triage and head straight up to labor and so much as a Tylenol or a margarita, so I knew what transition delivery. The midwife asked if I could move from the wheelchair was like. And I was on the verge. to the bed, and I simply growled and obliged after the last I texted my mom to tell her to come down and drive us. I contraction subsided. was going to need Jess to work her doula magic in the car on the I got on the bed on all fours and told her if she wanted to way to the hospital. I needed Hubs to stay home with the girls. check dilation she’d have to do it barnyard style. Oh yes, even I couldn’t focus my attention on delivering a child for anyone in labor I’ve got jokes. else if I wasn’t totally sure that my own babies were safe and She checked. I was a seven. A mother lovin’ seven just wasn’t sound. This delivery would require all hands on deck. good enough. I felt like I wanted to push already. She told me As I labored and waited for Mom to arrive I heard a stirring to hold off. I heard Jess on the phone with Baby Mama saying, in the kids’ room. Sunshine emerged and sleepily trudged into “Hurry. Just hurry. And don’t be afraid when you get here. She’s the living room. not her usual cheerful self.” I wasn’t. I was a demon who needed “You OK Mom?”

I

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three centimeters to happen, like now.

But that’s what doulas are for. Jessica, my mom, and my midwife stood by my bedside telling me how strong and amazing and powerful I was. This might be the part of pregnancy and childbirth I am addicted to, because honest to goodness there has never been another time in my life that I feel so strong and empowered as I do in the delivery room.

Those three centimeters went by fast.

I’d only been at the hospital about half an hour, but I knew it was time. No sign of Baby Mama or Baby Daddy, but I felt the urge to bear down. I gave one tiny push, and my water broke hard, just as the doors flew open and a familiar wild-eyed couple hurried into the room.

The midwife didn’t check to see if I was dilated to a 10. She trusted me to know my body. I knew it all right. Jess told Baby Daddy to suit up. His job was next. I motioned Baby Mama to come sit on the bed next to me.

Just a year ago these two people had asked if I would even allow them in the delivery room. Over time I’d convinced them not only to be in the room, but to also be active participants.

There was no counting to 10 or telling me when to push. The midwife stood quietly at the end of the bed and I pushed intermittently while I felt my body delivering the baby. It was so different than my first two births, but it was absolutely incredible. It feels like being ripped apart and squeezed in a trash compactor all at once. I felt the baby move down and with one big push the head emerged. Baby Mama started to cry.

The midwife gently turned the head, and with one more push Baby Daddy guided his baby out and into the world. I felt a flood of relief and joy and pure ecstasy all at once.

There really is no other high quite like it.

The baby cried a beautiful cry as Baby Mama tore open her robe. They placed the baby on her chest, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the room.

The hopes and dreams of parenthood.

The tiny little life that would change the world forever, at least for two people I knew.

The miracle that once might not have been was there breathing and squirming looking into the eyes of a brand new mother. And she was absolutely beautiful. They finally held their daughter.

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CREATIVITY >> ART THERAPY

C O LO CO L O R ME M E C ON ON NTE TEN TE TENT NT T

Swap the Yoga Mat for a Canvas and a Paintbrush

T

hese days, life can seem to be filled with endless stress.

Whether it’s worrying about a college exam, handling the day-to-day struggles at work, or just finding time to finish the laundry, it seems there is never enough time in the day, or even the year, to unwind. There’s not a pause button on life, so people tend to neglect the mind and body’s need for some sort of break from the anxiety of it all.

It’s time to put down that third cup of coffee, take a break from the endless paperwork and put any panic-inducing stress on hold by finding a creative outlet.

First things first: skip the daily dose of Ibuprofen and fill a prescription for a pack of colored pencils and a sketchbook because, believe it or not, coloring and painting works like medicine. According to the verywell.com article “Art Therapy: Relieve Stress By Being Creative,” activities such as painting, coloring, sculpting, photography, and even knitting help reduce stress by distracting your mind and engaging it in a way that is similar to a meditative state.

According to the bebrainfit.com article “The Mental Health Benefits of Art Are for Everyone,” besides exuding a meditative-like quality, artistic hobbies also “increase dopamine, ward off depression, and protect the brain from aging.”

Despite what you may have heard, art is for everyone, not just for those with a fine arts degree. However, for those not ready to dive into that creative lifestyle just yet,

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Art S T O R Y A N D P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y H AY L I Z U C C O L A

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coloring books are also just as effective. These days, coloring has become pretty popular; six of the top 20 best sellers on Amazon are adult coloring books.

Now these books aren’t filled with simple pictures of fruit or kittens — the most popular designs are of mandalas, which are geometric shapes filled with intricate designs. According to the Huffington Post article, “Coloring Isn’t Just For Kids. It Can Actually Help Adults Combat Stress,” mandalas were used by psychologist Carl G. Jüng as a relaxation technique. If this isn’t enough proof of the healing properties of coloring books, a 2005 research study showed that “anxiety levels dropped when subjects colored mandalas,” according to the CNN article, “The Health Benefits of Adult Coloring Books.”

While coloring or painting all by your lonesome is still effective at reducing anxiety, some of us feel even happier by adding 44 |

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some sort of social aspect to a creative hobby, and luckily there are some local establishments that do just that.

Resting in the hub of downtown High Springs at 23645 W. US Highway 27 is the Lanza Gallery & Art Supplies. Half of the store functions as a gallery by displaying works of art from 16 different local artists while the other half is an art supplies store lined with tubes of paint, colored pens, sketchbooks and everything else an aspiring — or professional — artist could ask for. Artist Tina Corbett runs the store, which is guarded by a Great Dane named Bogart with the personality of a gentle teddy bear despite his enormous size. After acquiring the gallery over a year ago, Corbett recently decided to offer adult painting and even coloring book classes once a month.

Corbett’s Paint, Sip, Create classes are held on the fourth Saturday of every month and for $35 all of the supplies — canvas,

paint, paintbrush etc. — are included. Those who take the class can also bring in any food or beverage they want. Even if you’ve never painted before it’s a great way to unwind with friends or even make some new ones.

Corbett also offers a Color Me Happy class, which is dedicated to coloring books. During the winter, classes will be offered on the third Saturday of the month from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. The first time registration of $20 gets you a coloring book and a pack of pencils or pens. After the initial registration each additional class is $5. Sometimes even artists like Corbett enjoy the simplicity and relaxation of coloring in a coloring book.

“It’s fun. It’s, like, mindless. I don’t have to think about my composition, I’m just coloring,” she said.

If High Springs is too far of a drive for you, Gainesville also offers opportunities to get colorfully creative.

Want to color? On Tuesday nights, the Dirty Bar in the Thornebrook Mall offers its adult coloring night at 6:00 p.m.

Patrons are provided with crayons, pencils, pictures and the chance to get colorfully creative (and a free drink for those who do well).

Painting with a Twist at 618 NW 60th St. is just one of the locations in Gainesville that offer the paint and sip trend.

Monica DeLeo became part of the Painting with a Twist franchise after taking a class in Ocala with her husband. She was inspired by the history of the business, which was founded by Renee Maloney and Cathy Deano of Mandeville, Louisiana, after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. According to the Painting with a Twist website, the two women, who were fundraising enthusiasts, wanted a way to “twist a tragedy into a purpose.”

They started holding events where people could learn to paint JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

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and just relax and ignore the problems they were facing, at least for a little while. Now there are locations across the country including one in Gainesville.

Classes are offered almost every day and designed

half the proceeds of the class attendance to a charity.

If you don’t want to fight the Gainesville rushhour traffic, Painting with a Twist also offers offsite classes, two of which are at local breweries.

These classes offer a chance to relax and forget about whatever stress is on your mind. You don’t have to be a professional or even a perfectionist, you just have to loosen up and enjoy yourself. as either family fun classes or for those 18 and above.

For $35, sometimes $45 or $25 depending on the class, all supplies are included and you can bring any beverage or food you want while enjoying two hours of painting. Keeping the history of the franchise in perspective, DeLeo and other Painting with a Twist venues offer Painting with a Purpose once a month, which differ at each location but each event donates 46 |

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Swamp Head Brewery and First Magnitude Brewing Company both provide “the twist” and the studio offers the painting supplies.

These classes offer a chance to relax and forget about whatever stress is on your mind. You don’t have to be a professional or even a perfectionist, you just have to loosen up and enjoy yourself.

As DeLeo said, it’s “fun art not fine art.”

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BOOK REVIEW

TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER’S

Reading Corner PRESIDENT SQUID written by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Sara Varon C.2016, CHRONICLE BOOKS $16.99, 44 PAGES

TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER HAS BEEN READING SINCE SHE WAS 3 YEARS OLD AND SHE NEVER GOES ANYWHERE WITHOUT A BOOK. SHE LIVES WITH HER TWO DOGS AND 11,000 BOOKS. HER BOOK REVIEWS ARE PUBLISHED IN MORE THAN 200 NEWSPAPERS AND 50 MAGAZINES THROUGHOUT THE U.S. AND CANADA. bookwormsez@yahoo.com

YOUR PARENTS HAVE MADE A LOT OF HARD DECISIONS THIS FALL.

C

hoosing a new President isn’t easy, you know.

You have to listen to what the candidates say, pay attention to their ideas, and know their background.

You have to vote carefully, because it’s important to choose the right person to lead the country. And “President Squid” by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Sara Varon just might be your very first choice.

Here’s a little fact for you: there’s never been a squid as President.

Never. And do you know what that means? It’s an opportunity to vote for Squid, who will be “the GREATEST PRESIDENT WHO EVER LIVED!” But why Squid? Well, there are five very good reasons.

Presidents wear ties. All of them. And Squid looks “fabulous” in a tie.

The president has a big house. Squid has a big house beneath the sea. See the connection?

Everybody knows who the president is, right? And everybody will know President Squid because there’s actually a book named after him.

Reason Four: Presidents love to talk. Squid loves to talk and talk-talk-talk. And when that happens, “everyone has to listen.” Are you listening?

And lastly, the president is the boss. He bosses people all over the place, which is one of the things Squid does best. He loves to boss people around. He says, “… there’s nobody bossier than me!” and he means that.

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Yep, all the boxes are checked. Tie, mansion, fame, blahblah-blah-talking, bossiness, it’s all there. So you know who to vote for, right? “All hail, President Squid” should be on a button or a yard sign, don’t you think?

Oh, but then there’s always that one clam who hasn’t made up his mind. He doesn’t know Squid or his campaign. He doesn’t have one single clue how famous Squid is, what his Presidential Tie looks like, or what Squid can do to help the Little Guy. Hm. Being president is hard work. No, it’s actually downright “exhausting.”

Maybe — just maybe — there’s a better idea…

Unless you just woke up from a 10-months-long nap, you’ve heard all there is to hear about politics this year and so, probably, has your child. You might even say you’ve had enough — but wait. You haven’t heard about this candidate.

Because of what’s been in the news on both sides of the political coin, “President Squid” is full of laughs for adults and kids alike.

Children will enjoy Squid, who’s loud, overly confident, and bombastic in his insistence that he’s the best, um, man for the job. His “reasons” and claims just get bigger and bigger and that’s pretty funny stuff, especially when he starts making demands. By the time he understands what he’s undertaking, kids will be full of giggles and — if you can appreciate a bit of satire at this point in the process — so will you.

For kids smaller kids ages 5-to-8, this is a fun book that lightens the mood about a very grown-up thing. Reading “President Squid” to them now is an easy decision.

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SSPPIIRRIITTUA UALI LITTYY >>>> MI MIND NDFFU ULLN NESSS & ME MED DIITA TATTIION ON

OM

Focusing The Mind And Body For A Better Life S T O R Y A N D P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y S AVA N N A K E A R N E Y

I

t’s been shown to reduce stress and increase clarity. It’s practiced by Hollywood celebrities.

It may even improve overall happiness. It’s the practice of meditation.

Although it dates back to ancient times, meditation has recently become popular among people of all religions — or no religion at all. For early Buddhists, the goal of meditation was to reach a state of enlightenment called nirvana. The Hindu religion used meditation as a form of worship. But for many today, the practice of meditation is not associated with any one religion. According to a National Health Statistics report, 8 percent of U.S. adults and 1.6 percent of children used meditation as of 2012. That’s almost 9 million people in the U.S. participating in a practice that has only recently become very popular. But what exactly is meditation and why is it so appealing?

While there are many different types of meditation, it is widely regarded as a practice of deep mind and body concentration.

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Allyson Reinneck, 18, demonstrates a common meditation pose, the Quarter Lotus, on the University of Florida campus by Lake Alice. This is just one of many different postures that can be used for meditation.

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SPIRITUALITY >> MINDFULNESS & MEDITATION 52 |

A ccording to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), meditation usually involves the following four elements: a quiet location, comfortable posture (whether that is sitting, lying down or walking), focused attention and an open attitude.

As for why it’s so popular, meditation has been shown to offer a variety of health benefits.

The most obvious is that it can reduce stress and increase calmness. This comes from the relaxed posture and mental focus that goes into meditation. In turn, alternative practices such as meditation and yoga may aid in reducing blood pressure, according to a scientific statement from the American Heart Association. A small study conducted by the NCCIH in 2016 suggested that mindfulness meditation can help to control pain, such as chronic lower back pain.

Another NCCIH study found that a certain type of meditation aided in depression and anxiety, and even improved sleep for insomniacs. It has even helped some people quit smoking.

Meditation doesn’t just benefit the body; it’s good for the brain as well. The results of a 2012 study suggest that people who have meditated for many years have more folds in the outer layer of the brain, which may increase the brain’s ability to process information. Multiple studies from 2013 show that meditation can slow, stop, or even reverse changes in the brain that happen during the aging process.

Although meditation is generally considered a safe practice, people with physical health conditions should be careful and consult their doctor before attempting any physical meditation practices. And it’s important to not replace any conventional care or medicine with meditation; it should be used as a supplemental practice.

Although it may seem like a general practice, there are a wide variety of types of meditation, including Zen, Vipassana, Metta, Vedic, Transcendental and more. A form of meditation practiced in Gainesville is Shambhala meditation.

The Gainesville Shambhala sangha, located on 23rd Avenue in a small, white, unassuming building, offers an array of options for beginners and advanced meditators. Open meditation sittings are offered every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.

Free Shambhala sessions are lead by Dr. Jan Snyder, a clinical psychologist in the private practice of psychotherapy. According to Snyder, the teachings of Shambhala center around the fact that all human beings contain a “basic goodness.”

“We have these qualities of being human that OUR TOWN MAGAZINE

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are just natural to us. We don’t have to work to get them… they’re just sort of part of us,” Snyder said.

But the purpose of Shambhala meditation is not necessarily to achieve a certain state of mind, in a way that some religions use it.

“The purpose is to tune into this innate basic goodness,” Snyder said.

Although Shambhala meditation was founded on principles of Buddhist teachings, it is open to people of all religions. And it’s not just found in Gainesville; it’s a worldwide network.

“Shambhala’s pretty active in having programs where people from all over the world can participate in classes, so often we’ll be in classes with people from literally all over,” Snyder said.

But Shambhala is just one of a variety of types of meditation offered in the Gainesville Area.

The Gainesville Vipassana Society offers a free open sitting meditation session from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in addition to meditation retreats. The Gainesville Retreat Center, located 10 minutes away from the UF campus on more than 100 acres of secluded land, offers weekly meditation retreats that last Thursday through Sunday. And The Free Community Meditation Group of Gainesville meets for meditation sessions every Saturday at

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soft gaze or closed. Then, focus on an anchor to “stay tethered to this present moment,” Alonso said. But mindfulness meditation is not just a formal practice. As an informal practice, it is a way of life.

“It’s the act of having that awareness of your surroundings and your inner experience,” Alonso said.

Alonso said you can turn any daily practice into an informal meditation experience. For example, taking a walk and feeling the sunshine on your skin, hearing the sounds of nature around you, noticing the colors of the flowers at your feet can be a mindfulness meditation experience.

Mindful eating is another form of informal meditation, which can be a big help with weight loss.

“You really slow down and taste each bite of your food, noticing the colors of your food and the textures and the different flavors that come out,” Alonso said.

No matter how you choose to meditate, Alonso recommends doing it with others, whether it’s in a class setting or just you and a friend. While it is a simple practice, meditation takes a lot of dedication, so having others to hold you accountable can be helpful when getting started. So, whether you meditate to improve your health or to find a community of like-minded individuals, it’s important to be intentional and consistent with your practices, Alonso said.

“Just as little as five minutes a day can make a big difference,” she said.

SPIRITUALITY >> MINDFULNESS & MEDITATION

9 a.m. at Sanctuary Yoga (530 North Main Street). UF Health Shands Cancer Hospital even offers free meditation and relaxation sessions for beginners, patients, family members and the general public in the Sanctuary and Silence of Peace (Room 2002) every Monday at 4:30 p.m.

For those who would rather practice yoga on their own or in the comfort of their homes, there are multiple free apps available.

Insight Timer offers thousands of free guided meditations, as well as meditation playlists and peaceful bells to indicate time tracking. Breath+ is another free app that offers several free meditation and paid upgrades. MINDBODY Connect gives you access to abundant resources for meditation sessions and connects with your Fitbit to track your progress. Omvana provides meditation sessions from three minutes long to an hour and allows you to mix your own meditation music. The app store has many other free and priced apps for different kinds of guided meditations.

Another type of meditation that has become increasingly popular is mindfulness meditation. Dr. Jennifer Alonso, a clinical assistant professor at the University of Florida, practices and teaches this kind of meditation. She defined mindfulness meditation as “the focus of having nonjudgmental awareness, and really living in the present moment.”

“Really, it’s about paying attention on purpose,” Alonso said.

Mindfulness meditation can be done either sitting or lying down in a comfortable position. Eyes can either be opened in a

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RECIPE SERIES >> EASY STIR-FRY CHICKEN

EAT UP!

Cynthia Wonders Winterrowd ’s

RECIPE WONDERS FOOD ST Y LING & PHOTOGR A PH Y BY ERICK A WINTER ROWD

EA S

I

Y S TIR- FRY CHICKE N

don’t know about you, but the last two months have flown by. Seems like it was just Halloween and we were making popcorn balls.

Then we were enjoying Thanksgiving, Christmas/ Hanukkah and New Years! Now that the holidays are behind us with all of the fancy menus and rich desserts, I like to have a “go-to” recipe for a healthy and delicious meal. This mandarin-style chicken stir-fry has been a favorite in our family for years. It’s so quick and easy I would make it every week when our children were in high school and running

off to softball practice or games. Once the veggies are cut and the chicken strips are sautéed it is ready for the table in minutes. You can even make it ahead of time and heat it up later — it doesn’t get much simpler than that! If you have fussy eaters, it’s a sure way to get them to eat their veggies. The recipe below lists the typical stir-fry vegetables, but you can mix things up with any fresh vegetables from a farmers market or supermarket. Let your taste buds lead you to try new combinations. Serve with white rice from your rice cooker, and you have a tasty meal for your family!

CYNTHIA WONDERS WINTERROWD IS AN AWARD-WINNING WRITER WHO WAS RAISED IN ILLINOIS AND LIVES IN GAINESVILLE. SHE IS PROUD TO BE A “GATOR MOM” OF THREE DAUGHTERS, ALL UF GRADUATES. CYNTHIA LOVES SHARING FAMILY RECIPES THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED DOWN IN HER MOTHER’S HANDWRITTEN COOKBOOKS. recipewonders@gmail.com

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RECIPE SERIES >> EASY STIR-FRY CHICKEN

MANDARIN STIR-FRY The first step is to prepare the sauce for the Stir Fry. SAUCE INGREDIENTS:

In a bowl, mix: 2 Tbsp. cornstarch 1 ¼ cup cold water Stir in: 1/3 cup soy sauce 1/3 cup Karo light or dark syrup 1/3 tsp. crushed dried pepper Stir and set aside STIR-FRY INGREDIENTS:

4 1-2

Tbsp. corn oil lbs. fresh or frozen chicken breast strips 1 clove garlic, minced 2 cups broccoli flowerets 1 sweet onion, sliced into wedges 1 carrot, sliced into julienne strips ½ lb. mushrooms, sliced *Optional: Cashews, water chestnuts, peppers and sugar snap peas METHOD:

In a large skillet or wok, heat two tablespoons corn oil over medium heat. Add chicken strips.

Beef or pork cut into thin strips will do as well.

Add a little garlic if you have it. Stir-fry until tender and lightly browned. Remove from the skillet and set aside on paper towels.

Heat two tablespoons corn oil in the same skillet and add two cups broccoli flowerets, a sweet onion, sliced into wedges, and a carrot cut into two-inch julienne strips. Sautee for two minutes. Then add a half-pound of sliced mushrooms. Stir-fry the entire mixture for one minute, or until the vegetables are tender/crisp.

Return the meat to the skillet. Re-stir the sauce mix in its bowl, and then pour slowly into the skillet while stirring constantly. Bring it to a boil over medium heat and boil one minute.

Makes 4 – 6 servings.

So there you have it, a quick and easy meal to add to your collection of “go-to” recipes. I hope your family enjoys this recipe as much as we do. Here’s to another year of Recipe Wonders, and may you have a very happy, healthy and prosperous 2017!

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NUTRITION >> HEALTHY HABITS

NEW YEAR NEW YOU

Healthy Habits Tips for Maintaining a Balanced Diet W RIT TE N BY TE A L G A RTH P H OTO G R A P H Y B Y E R I C K A W I N T E R R O W D

I

t’s that time of the year again when we all take a good hard look at our lives and vow to make some changes in the new year. Even though studies have shown that a very low percentage of Americans actually manage to keep their resolutions (8 percent, to be exact), many of us still end up setting new goals for ourselves at the end of every year.

Regardless of how many manage to maintain the new lifestyles we promised ourselves at the start of the year, all our lists usually have a few things in common: losing weight and eating healthy. A survey done by Nielsen suggests that out of all the 2015 resolutions they collected, staying fit and healthy came in number one with 37 percent and losing weight was right behind it at number two with 32 percent.

Society has picked up on the trends of healthful eating and fitness within the last decade, and people

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are more educated and motivated than ever before, but for some reason maintaining a balanced diet is still something many people struggle with. So, why is that? University of Florida nutritional specialist Dr. Linda Bobroff suggests that some of the main reasons preventing people from following a healthful diet are lack of affordability and availability, bad food habits, and family pressures.

“If mom goes to an extension program and is inspired to cook more healthfully and cook foods that contribute to a healthful diet and either husband or kids or whomever makes a fuss or worse, that’s discouragement,” she said.

Bobroff is a professor at UF in Family, Youth and Community Sciences and also works to provide local nutrition education through county extension programs. She and other UF faculty create curriculum for these programs that provide specific education to low income families, people

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PHOTO BY TEAL GARTH

NUTRITION >> HEALTHY HABITS

University of Florida nutritional specialist Dr. Linda Bobroff.

with chronic diseases that affect their eating habits, such as diabetes, and elderly citizens.

When asked what makes a healthful diet, Bobroff referred to the USDA MyPlate program as a good example. She explained that a healthful diet revolves

each of the food groups for MyPlate, like make half your plate fruits and vegetables.”

She went on to say that grains or starchy vegetables and protein should each make up one quarter of your plate, and you can add dairy with a glass of

“Our bodies can handle a lot — they can filter it out — but we can overwhelm our bodies by taking in too much junk, so a healthful diet can really help you live probably a longer and certainly a healthier life.” around eating more fruits, vegetables and legumes; focusing on the right kinds of fats and grains; and visualizing your meal proportions throughout the day.

“It used to be, and probably still is for some people, a big slab of meat covering half the plate or more, then a little bit of vegetables and maybe a little bit of a grain,” Bobroff said. “And we want to kind of switch that. There are several slogans for 62 |

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milk. In terms of focusing on the right grains and fats, Bobroff said whole grain is always best. If you’re concerned with weight management, calories do matter. Although fat provides more than twice the calories compared to carbohydrates and proteins (the three energy nutrients), she said nutritionists don’t emphasize low fat as much as they did in the past. Instead, they focus on switching to healthy

fats, such as using olive oil or other healthy oils to replace solid fats, such as vegetable shortening or lard, and consuming them in moderation.

Bobroff also said that the stigma about all processed foods being bad isn’t necessarily true. With tens of thousands of processed foods in the marketplace, it’s hard to make such a blanket statement and assume they’re all unhealthy, she said.

“If I buy a bag of frozen broccoli, you know, it may not be up to par with me going out and picking broccoli in my backyard or going to a farmers market and getting broccoli that was picked that day,” she said.

“But it might be nutritionally as adequate as broccoli that was picked five days ago and just got to me in the supermarket.”

Of course, she was referring to plain broccoli with no salt or other seasonings or unhealthful ingredients added. Overall, it’s all about the choices we make. Plain frozen broccoli is fine, but it’s a lot different than highly processed food with extra salt, sugar, fat and other unhealthful ingredients added. In short, skip the frozen pizza, and move on to the vegetable section of the freezer aisle.

Adding to her point about how our diet depends on making good decisions, Bobroff emphasizes that it’s possible to be healthful with any kind of diet, whether it be omnivorous, vegetarian, or vegan. She explained that, even though there are fewer advantages now since more fruits and vegetables are encouraged in regular diets, healthy vegetarians and vegans may have lower risks of heart disease or obesity, but it’s also possible to have a very unhealthful vegetarian or vegan diet. She used the example of a vegetarian whose favorite vegetable is french fries, proving the point that not all vegetables make for a healthful diet.

As a final word of advice and motivation, Bobroff said, “Our bodies can handle a lot — they can filter it out — but we can overwhelm our bodies by taking in too much junk, so a healthful diet can really help you live probably a longer and certainly a healthier life.”

For more information and recommendations on the MyPlate program and how to maintain a healthful diet and lifestyle Bobroff recommends www.choosemyplate.gov.

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TECHNOLOGY >> FITNESS WEARABLES

THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT

USING TECHNOLOGY TO STAY HEALTHY

Fitness Revolution STORY A N D PHOTOGR A PH Y BY TEA L GA RTH

In this age of ever-evolving technology, where our entire lives are stored on our phones and computers and there’s an app for just about everything imaginable, it should come as no surprise that the way we workout is being revolutionized to fit the digital mold.

New uses of fitness technology have advanced far past a treadmill’s ability to count calories as you run — or jog, or walk, no judgment. There are many new electronic devices, online programs, and easy-to-use apps out there just waiting to assist us in meeting our health goals and staying true to or New Year’s resolutions for more than a few weeks.

One device that has caught the attention of the fitness junkie world and beyond is the Fitbit, an electronic wristband that monitors steps, calories, heart rate, sleep, and more by using 64 |

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Bluetooth to sync to an app on your phone. In 2015, Fitbit claimed to have 9.5 million active users, one of those being University of Florida junior Meredith Kalhor.

Kalhor said the things she likes most about her Fitbit are the vibrating alarm that doesn’t wake her roommate up, the sleep cycle statistics displayed in the app, and the heart rate monitor she uses during her workouts.

“You can track your heart rate during your workout and it will tell you what zone you’re in,” she said. “It’s pretty interesting.”

Since her grandmother bought her the Fitbit for Christmas her freshman year, Kalhor has used it to stay fit in college without the mandatory physical activity high school sports had offered her.

“It kind of serves as a friendly reminder just to at least get a couple steps in every hour — to move and be active,” she said. “I just like it because it’s a watch, too, so I’m always looking at it and I’m constantly aware of it.”

Another helpful fitness device that doubles as a watch is the Apple Watch, which tracks physical activity, measures workouts, and monitors health, all while keeping you connected by showing notifications from your synced iPhone.

When asked how her Apple Watch contributes to her healthy lifestyle, UF senior Brittney White said, “It helps me a lot more than I thought it would, actually, because when I’m sitting for too long it tells me to stand up. It’s pretty much telling me not to be lazy, which is something I need.”

She said it keeps her motivated by alerting her after every mile she finishes and when she reaches her goal of calories burned per day. It also reminds her to stay calm and “breathe” every five hours (an adjustable setting), which she said is a great way to relax during the stress of exams.

Although White said she enjoys the convenience of her phone notifications showing up on her watch, she mainly uses it for fitness purposes.

“My favorite part about the fitness aspect is counting how many minutes my heart rate is up and how many steps I took,” she said.

“I set my goal to be 30 minutes of activity a day, and I can track my progress in the app as the day goes on and see how much more I have to do to reach my goal.”

Like Fitbit, Apple Watch works to prevent laziness in the form of a notification that appears with an absence of movement.

White said the watch wants you to stand up for one minute an hour, so if you sit past that point it will vibrate with the message, “Time to stand!”

The Apple Watch app tracks your daily progress by displaying three colored rings.

Red is your movement and calories burned, green is the how many minutes of exercise you completed, and blue is how many times

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TECHNOLOGY >> FITNESS WEARABLES

you stood for one minute per hour.

Both of these devices come with an app to complement them, but many fitness technologies come in the form of a single app — no outside device necessary. UF junior Tori Marcy uses her favorite fitness app, Runkeeper, to train for her first half marathon.

Marcy said she was looking for a way to get in better shape, and she used to love running, so she and her friend Katie Gannon decided to start training to run the Donna Deegan Breast Cancer Marathon on February 12 in Jacksonville, an event Marcy’s mother participates in every year.

“The reason I started using Runkeeper is because it’s sponsored

by Spotify. So some Spotify playlists can be synced with the app and it will match the tempo of the music with how fast you’re running.”

“The reason I started using Runkeeper is because it’s sponsored by Spotify,” Marcy said, “So some Spotify playlists can be synced with the app and it will match the tempo of the music with how fast you’re running.”

Another feature Marcy liked was being able to sync the training plan she found on the Breast Cancer Marathon website, “Training with Jeff Gallaway,” to her Runkeeper app, making her training that much easier.

Marcy, who runs three times a week and is currently at “a strong 3-mile run” in her training process, said Runkeeper motivates her by keeping track of her weekly progress and telling her how far she’s gone every five minutes of her runs.

An additional benefit of Runkeeper is its philanthropic aspect. Marcy explained that for every mile you run over three miles, Runkeeper donates money to Girls on the Run through an Asics sponsored program.

“If you’re training for a marathon or a half marathon or you just really like to run,” Marcy said, “using the app is a great way to give back to the community.”

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COLUMN

KENDRA SILER-MARSIGLIO’S

Healthy Edge KIDS’ STRESS AND HOW TO HELP THEM DEAL

KENDRA SILER-MARSIGLIO, PH.D, HCC IS A NEUROSCIENTIST, MEDICAL WRITER, COLUMNIST AND PRESIDENT OF COMMUNITYHEALTH IT AT NASA/KENNEDYËSPACE CENTER. kendra.sm@gmail.com

J

ust like adults, children feel stress. In some cases, stress may be tougher on kids because they haven’t yet developed the coping strategies and life experiences that we rely on as adults.

To know more about kids and stress, KidsHealth® polled 875 9- to 13-year-old boys and girls about stress and how they deal with it. The results of the poll are below.

What cause kids the most stress?

Kids are most stressed by: • 36% grades, school, and homework • 32% family • 21% friends, peers, gossip, and teasing How do kids tend to deal with stress or being upset?

For this question, children were allowed to give multiple responses. Here’s how they most often deal with stress: • 52% play or do something active • 44% listen to music • 42% watch TV or play a video game • 30% talk to a friend • 29% try not to think about it • 28% try to work things out • 26% eat something • 23% lose their temper • 22% talk to a parent • 11% cry Some of the above coping strategies may be unhealthy. Examples of poor “goto” coping strategies are eating, losing your temper, and keeping problems to yourself. Although many of us as adults still use these same unhealthy coping mechanisms, honestly talking about them and working on ourselves can help us set

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a good example for children.

Even more alarming, 25 percent of children reported self-harming when they feel upset. Some of the self-harming behaviors are: • banging their heads against something • hitting or biting themselves • doing something else to hurt themselves.

If your child is harming his- or herself, please consider getting professional help. Sometimes, kids blame themselves for problems or circumstances that they aren’t even responsible for (e.g., divorce, death of a loved one, abuse). Sometimes, children may just feel ashamed, embarrassed, or angry with themselves for being involved in a situation. Self-harming may be a way to express the stress while punishing themselves.

How can we help as parents?

Fortunately, one of the poll’s key findings is that children (even though they often express otherwise) WANT their parents to help them work through their feelings when they’re stressed or upset.

Though talking to parents was low in the rankings on most popular coping strategies, 75 percent of the children reported that they want and need their parents when they feel overwhelmed.

Kids want their parents to reach out and talk to them when they’re stressed, help them solve the problem, try to help them cheer up, or just spend time together.

Parents play an instrumental role in teaching children how to recognize and express emotions, and cope with stress

and challenges in healthy ways. To help your kids deal with stress try the below tips.

1. Get it out in the open, then listen.

Casually and gently tell children that you notice that they feel stressed or down.

For instance, you may say: “It seems that you’re sad and mad that your friend played with other kids instead of you during recess.” If you don’t know what’s going on, try “You seem upset. If you want to talk about it, I’m here to listen.”

2. Explore the event in a non-judgmental way. Do your best to empathize. Did you have a similar situation when you were a kid? Can you tell your child about a situation where you may have felt or reacted the same way your kid did? Try to first “meet” your child in the conversation at his or her point of view.

3. In your own words, repeat the feelings your child says he or she was experiencing as you listen. Repeating back what you hear your child say shows that you understand what your child felt. Children want to feel that you understand and listen to them, especially when they’re stressed.

If a child has a hard time putting a word to an emotion, help them identify the emotion AFTER they describe it.

4. Just be there. Sometimes children aren’t ready to talk. Even when they don’t feel like talking, they usually don’t want parents to leave them alone. If you want, pass the time by taking a walk, watching a movie, throwing a football, or playing a board game.

With these tips, your kid can get a healthy edge when stress gets them down!

For more information, visit: kidshealth.org

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WELLNESS >> ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES

ANALYZE & ADJUST

Alternative Therapies Massage Therapy, Chiropractic Touch Points For Injury Recovery, Overall Wellness S TORY A N D PHOTOG R A PHY BY S TE PH A NIE RICH A R DS

W

hen Angela Singleton was pursuing undergraduate studies in her native state of Michigan, she experienced upper back pain. A friend referred her to a chiropractor to address the issue and find relief. That was her initial introduction into what has become a complementary health approach of diet, chiropractic and massage therapy for overall wellness.

A growing number of Americans are using alternative therapies, including chiropractic and massage therapy, for injury recovery and to manage their health. In 2012, nearly 20 million adults had chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation and 15 million had massage therapy, according to a survey by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health and the National Center for Health and Statistics. That same report found that for individuals four years of age and older, 70 |

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$30.2 billion dollars was spent out-of-pocket on complementary health approaches. Of that total, $14.7 billion dollars was for visits to complementary practitioners.

Alternative therapies became a staple in Singleton’s life after she moved to the area to pursue graduate studies in food science and human nutrition at the University of Florida. A distance runner, she met chiropractor Dr. John Joseph Johnston at a race and he offered to do a free evaluation.

“He took x-rays and explained things to me. I had issues related to a previous horse and car accident — things that happen in life.

I also had chronic sinus infections,” the 39-year-old Gainesville resident said. “Chiropractic care made huge improvements for me; that initial appointment provided massive healing. Then, I discovered the missing ticket was diet-related. I am a food chemist and believe a raw vegan, high carb, low-fat fruitarian diet provides optimal health.”

Chiropractic care focuses on “disorders of the musculoskeletal

Gainesville resident Angela Singleton combines diet, chiropractic care and massage therapy as part of her overall health management. She is pictured here with Mark Kereston, one of the licensed massage therapists she sees on a regular basis.

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“All health comes from within.

You heal from within and we [chiropractic] focus on helping the body to heal, getting to the cause of the injury.

The nervous system is a key component. The goal is optimal health and there is a big job in educating people.”

system and the nervous system, and the effects of these disorders on general health,” according to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA). “Chiropractic services are used most often to treat neuromusculoskeletal complaints, including but not limited to back pain, neck pain, pain in the joints of the arms and legs, and headaches.”

Furthermore, the “chiropractic approach to human health is based on the premise that the relationship between structure and function in the human body is a significant health factor and that relationships between the spinal column and the nervous system contribute to the disease process,” according to the Florida Chiropractic Association. “As such, a doctor of chiropractic gives special attention to spinal mechanics, musculoskeletal, neurological, vascular and nutritional relationships.”

Johnston said chiropractic is different from traditional medical care.

“There is a depth to chiropractic because we don’t treat the symptoms, rather we analyze and adjust,” he said. “All health comes from within. You heal from within and we [chiropractic] focus on helping the body to heal, getting to the cause of the injury. The nervous system is a key component. The goal is optimal health and there is a big job in educating people.”

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An initial consultation with a doctor of chiropractic will include an open discussion about problems, potential causes and concerns, Johnston said. Specialized tests are usually performed in order to determine the tissues affected and x-rays may be taken before a treatment plan is discussed.

Many chiropractic offices are health centers and include massage therapy services. Johnston’s office offers massage therapy as well as educational workshops.

“Our main thrust is chiropractic, but massage serves as an adjunctive support to that,” said Johnston, who has been a chiropractor for 34 years. “Sixty percent of the people we see are women. About 50 percent of our clients lead active lifestyles through exercise or sports. People’s attitude about health — striving to get better — makes a difference.”

Singleton agrees that education is key to creating an awareness of the benefits of chiropractic care.

“Most people have a strong need for chiropractic correction but have no idea. Once you correct a major misalignment, you need to have routine visits to keep the alignment and mobility in your joints. I have found that proper alignment influences my whole body,” she said. “Beyond that, it has helped clear out my sinuses so they function better.”

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Licensed Massage Therapist Mark Kereston works on Angela Singleton’s calf muscle.

Much like chiropractic care, massage requires an in-depth Massage therapy is also part of Singleton’s health manageconversation between the therapist and client. ment, especially when she started competing in triathlons about “Communication is key before and during a massage. It is three years ago. very common for clients to have an old injury that changed “Massage is another big component because it specifically them. Their body has adjusted or compensated for that injury, targets muscles,” Singleton said. “As a marathoner and triathlete, and learned a new behavior,” Kereston said. “For I beat up my muscles and challenge them. I need to example, it may be they stand or walk a difhave a massage about once every four weeks.” ferent way. We try to unravel things and Massage is “the manipulation of the realize where the original issues may soft tissues of the human body with be so we can address them.” the hand, foot, arm and elbow, Technology has also opened whether or not such manipulathe door to physical ailments tion is aided by hydrotherapy, FOR MORE INFORMATION ON due to the routine of perincluding colonic irrigation, ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES, forming repetitive motions. or thermal therapy; any GO ONLINE TO: “There are many occuelectrical or mechanical • National Institute for Health Center for pationally related issues device, or the application to Complementary and Integrative Health: that come into play, which the human body of a chemnccih.nih.gov over time cause tightness ical or herbal preparation,” • of the neck, range of motion according to the Florida Florida State Massage Therapy Association: issues and things like numbState Massage Therapy www.fsmta.org ness in arms,” Kereston said.

Association (FSMTA).

• “For example, nurses have cerThere are several different American Chiropractic Association: tain issues as they do things like types of massage therapy includwww.aca.org lean over beds as part of their job. I ing Deep Tissue, Myofascial Release, also see a lot of people from University CranioSacral Therapy Reflexology, of Florida who sit at a desk and work on a Sports, Stone and Swedish Massage. The type computer. We talk about ergonomics — if a moniof massage varies on the reason for the session. tor is too low or if they need a new chair. I recommend they walk “There are a whole range of reasons people seek massage around every hour to get active, but they still have to work. It therapy; stress relaxation is just one of them. I deal with issues is good to see modifications in the workplace with things like related to injury, migraines or ergonomics of the workstation,” desks that can go up and down.” said Mark Kereston, a licensed massage therapist at Darwin Studies are showing the benefits of massage and a shifting Chiropractic in Gainesville.

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in public perceptions, said Kereston, who has been in the field for 22 years.

“Massage is becoming a true therapy. It is huge with Olympic athletes and sports teams. I work with people who are athletes, those with job-related issues, and the elderly. I have a 90 year-old client. I feel very validated in my field now,” he said.

“I feel like massage is a tool; it is one of the things you can do as part of a holistic approach to your health. It is expensive to get sick and people now want to take better care of themselves.”

The combination of diet, chiropractic and massage therapy has made a major difference in Singleton’s life.

“If you are active, it is a necessity. I go every four weeks and find if I stretch it out to six I can experience minor injuries which can be a setback,” she said. “Chiropractic and massage therapy go hand-in-hand.

Chiropractic fixed a rotation in my hip, but massage therapy manipulated the joint for it to stay [in place]. Now my hip is back in proper rotation and I have no more pain — no matter how hard I train.”

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WELLNESS >> ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES

A Cup of Relief and Inner Healing WRIT TEN BY STEPH A NIE RICH A RDS

Cupping and Reiki are pursued as alternative therapies, however the jury is still out on tangible benefits

U

nconventional forms of therapy, like Cupping and Reiki, are being used for injury and stress relief. However, the jury is still out on their overall

benefits.

Suction cup therapy, commonly referred to as cupping, is a “traditional Chinese medicine practice that involves placing cups on the skin to create suction. The cups used in cupping are typically made of bamboo, glass, or earthenware,” according to the National Center for Complementary and Interpretive Health (NCCIH).

Although the practice of cupping is over 2,000 years old, it has recently been highlighted in the media as athletes use it to compliment injury relief, according to the NCCIH. For example, U.S. Swimmer Michael Phelps and Gymnast Alex Naddour sported cupping circles (bruise like in appearance) during the Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. In addition to sports therapy, a number of other healthcare specialties incorporate cupping into therapy, including massage, acupuncture, chiropractic, and occupational therapy, according to the International Association of Cupping (ICTA).

As with any form of alternative therapy, there are both proponents and opponents. NCCIH says supporters of cupping “believe that the effect of suction on the skin helps increase blood flow and promotes healing; however, the way in which cupping may have an effect on the body is unclear.” The agency cites that there is “some evidence suggesting that any therapeutic benefit

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from cupping may be the result of a placebo effect, but a 2015 systematic review and meta-analysis in the journal PLoS One concluded that cupping could be effective in treating the pain and disability associated with chronic neck pain and chronic low-back pain in the short term.”

Another form of alternative therapy is Reiki, which is a “Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing,” according to the International Center for Reiki Training (ICRT). Furthermore, the organization says it is the “practice of ‘laying on hands’ and based on the idea that an unseen ‘life force energy’ flows through us and is what causes us to be alive. If one’s ‘life force energy’ is low, then we are more likely to get sick or feel stress, and if it is high, we are more capable of being happy and healthy.”

Reiki is said to work with other forms of healing, such as “drugs, surgery, psychological care or any other method of alternative care and will improve the results,” according to the ICRT. However, research on this form of alternative therapy is inconclusive.

Experts who have conducted studies on its use in the areas of pain, depression and fatigue have “concluded it’s uncertain whether Reiki is helpful,” according to the NCCIH. For more information, visit these websites: ICTA: www.cuppingtherapy.org ICRT: www.reiki.org NCCIH: www.nccih.nih.gov

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ENVIRONMENT >> ANCIENT SPRINGS

FLOW OF LIFE

SINCE ANCIENT TIMES, FLORIDIANS HAVE CHERISHED FLORIDA’S SPRINGS

Sacred Waters W R ITTEN BY PEGGY M ACDONA LD

Florida’s springs were once thought of as living entities, according to historian and outdoor adventure guide Lars Andersen. Early Floridians likely witnessed the birth of the springs.

“At the end of the last ice age, the water table was rising over generations,” Andersen explained. “The natives at some point would have seen the water coming up. It probably happened over centuries for each different spring. What was sacred water to 78 |

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begin with now was flowing over the land. We can only imagine what it must have been like to see that.”

The connection between humans and nature is the subject of Andersen’s forthcoming book, which includes an examination of the sacred quality the springs held for the first Floridians. It was very dry approximately 10,000 to 12,000 years ago, when humans first migrated to Florida, which was about three times its current size.

Early Floridians evolved with the environment.

“They were an intimate part of the creation of the landscape and the ecology of Florida,” Andersen said. “They didn’t arrive at this Eden — they were intimately involved with the formation of the forests,” where the Europeans found them living when they arrived. “The springs were as much a part of them as their extended family. The Calusa believed the soul could be found in three places — in your shadow, the pupil of your eye and your reflection in the water,” Andersen said. This shows the

Lars Andersen’s kayak tours feature discussions of north central Florida’s human and natural history.

centrality of water to the Calusa’s belief system.

After the arrival of Spanish explorers in Florida in the 16th century, the Calusa, Timucua and other Native American peoples were decimated by disease and war. By the late 18th century, the first Floridians’ story was coming to an end.

“A village of under 100 people might have been the remnant of the entire Calusa tribe,” Andersen said. “Others chose to leave with the Spanish.”

The demise of Florida’s early Native American peoples is one of the subjects of Andersen’s forthcoming book.

“Sadly, we don’t know much about the natives’ beliefs because the Europeans weren’t interested in learning about what the natives believed,” Andersen said. “They took with them all the stories of the land and the water.”

The Seminoles and Creeks who came next had different belief systems. Their deities included the wind (the Breathmaker), the sun and the moon.

“Everything was alive,” Andersen said, “the rocks, the water, springs and trees.”

As European colonists gained control of Florida, they had to

learn the land. John Bartram is a good example of this ignorance, Andersen said.

“The governor [James Grant] asked him to find the head of the St. Johns River,” Andersen said. “They were babes in the woods.

“We are relative newcomers here still,” Andersen said.

“You’re not going to find many Floridians who date back even to the territorial period. In terms of finding people who date back thousands of years to the mounds, we don’t have that.

Even the Crackers, who have been here a long time, their religion is not from this land. We’ve lost our sacred connection to these waters.”

Andersen’s goal is to introduce as many people to the springs as possible to help them develop their own connection to nature.

“Tragically, the new generations coming up are going to see the last chapter of the existence of these springs,” Andersen said.

“They came up out of the ground and now the Earth is reclaiming them. But if we have more Floridians who have a connection to the springs, it would be more of a groundswell of a common voice that could make a difference.”

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COLUMN

DONNA BONNELL’S

Embracing Life COUSINS

DONNA BONNELL BECAME THE AUTHOR OF HER COLUMN, EMBRACING LIFE, MORE THAN A DECADE AGO. SHE SHARES HER PERSONAL CHALLENGES AND VICTORIES WITH THE GOAL OF INSPIRING HER READERS TO ANALYZE WHY THINGS HAPPEN IN THEIR OWN LIVES. dbnewberry@aol.com

“NOBODY WILL UNDERSTAND THE CRAZINESS OF YOUR FAMILY BETTER THAN YOUR COUSINS!”

I

saw this statement on Facebook, where I have thankfully reconnected with countless cousins.

Even though I was unable to find the author, the quote could have been said by any one of my family members.

‘Back in the day,’ my family was a huge combination of Dillions, Gilberts, Kitchells, Pinders and Russells. Most were descendants from ancestors who lived on either Abaco Island, the Florida Keys or Miami. We were never concerned if a cousin was first, second or once removed. It did not matter; we were all related and had a special bond.

My maternal great-grandmother had a dozen children; Granny gave birth to six.

While I do not have an official count, my paternal side was also rather prolific. All of those kinfolk bore offspring, and for generations we celebrated family ties with crazy shenanigans that seem so remote today.

Kate Bailey, author of “15 Reasons Cousins Make The Best Friends,” summarized our family celebrations best. “Family parties are infinitely more entertaining when you have a group of you who retreat from the holiday madness and just hang out and/or observe your hilarious relatives who never fail to live up to their dysfunctional reputations.”

Literally, I laughed out loud when reflecting back at the many gatherings where my cousins and siblings would watch the foolish fun from a distance. One such memory is of a New Year’s Eve tradition. Uncle Tommy would first dress as an old man, complete with a long beard and cane. After midnight he changed into a diaper (only) and streaked through the house. This was his symbolic way of saying goodbye to the old year and welcoming the birth of a new one. The adolescents lovingly mocked him, while huddled in a corner pretending to be embarrassed.

Uncle Tommy and most of his generation are no longer with us on Earth. In addition, the changes in Miami spurred most of

my remaining relatives to leave South Florida. We created new lives around the country. The intertwined existence we once took for granted evolved into a disjointed family disconnected by distance.

My husband and I moved from Miami to Newberry when our children (Jeffrey and Loni) were very young. They did not have the luxury of living near extended family. In spite of logistical challenges, we maintained contact with Jason and Lauren, their paternal cousins. Fortunately, for a few short years, my sister and her family relocated from New York State to Newberry.

Jeffrey and Loni experienced that close connection with their cousins — Shane, Chad and Brian. My gratitude for the gift of those treasured years cannot be measured.

Lexi and Owen, my grandchildren, both 7 years old, born exactly five weeks apart, have thus far been blessed with being in each other’s lives. It makes my heart happy seeing them growing up together.

Jimmy Cooper, Jr., the eldest of my 17 maternal first cousins, was the patriarch and genealogist from my generation. Jimmy felt a responsibility to protect the facts, history and tales of our family. Before his recent death, he published two books. Jimmy wrote that his work was, “For My Progeny.”

His first, is an autobiography of sorts. “The Path I Chose. Children of the Past,” Jimmy’s second, is a compilation of interviews, letters, research and videotapes.

Both took years to complete, which is how he spent much of his retired life.

My cousin fulfilled his goal of accurately portraying how our remarkable family survived material poverty, harsh weather and hard times. He purposely left out some of the family skeletons, in respect for our elders. Those most embarrassing stories are probably best left unpublished and allowed to disappear in the shadows of time. For me, those fun-loving souls remain permanently imbedded in my mind.

Thank you, Jimmy, for preserving our family’s history for future cousins to embrace.

My cousin fulfilled his goal of accurately portraying how our remarkable family survived material poverty, harsh weather and hard times.

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ADVERSITY >> JOSHUA 1:9 FOUNDATION

NEVER GIVE UP

Message of Hope Son’s Death Breathes Life Into Joshua 1:9 Foundation W RIT TE N BY S TE PH A NIE RICH A R DS

T

ucked under the lace of James Islam’s boot is a dog tag with a very personal message of courage and strength. It’s a reminder of his son Joshua, a fallen Marine. The inscription provides encouragement to persevere through the struggles and tragedies of this life: “Be strong and courageous for the Lord is with you wherever you go,” from Joshua 1:9.

Much like the Joshua in Scripture, Islam’s son Joshua showed a promising future as a leader. Born in Gainesville and then spending formative years in North Carolina, he was an avid baseball player. He experienced the ultimate triumph in high school as his team won two state championships. But his goal was to be a warrior — one of the elite Marine Recon soldiers.

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“Many of Josh’s teammates got college scholarships for baseball, but his desire since his freshman year was to join the Marine Corps,” said Islam, who is married and has seven children. “He grew up in the wake of 9/11; to him it was an inspirational event of military might and patriotism. Prior to his 18th birthday, he asked my wife Donna and I to sign for him to enter the early training program in the Marines.”

Josh finished boot camp at Parris Island in South Carolina as runner-up in the Corp Ironman.

“He came back in his dress blues to his high school like a celebrity to help promote the Junior ROTC program,” said Islam, who has a master’s degree in exercise and sports science from the University of Florida. “At Infantry School, he earned the top marksmanship award and received a certificate of merit for his overall performance. He never told us he won either award — he would never puff PHOTOGRAPHY: STEPHANIE RICHARDS

Gainesville resident James Islam sports his Marine Recon Marathon Medal.

Islam ran in memory of his son Joshua.

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The James Islam family at Joshua’s high school graduation. This is one of the last family photos taken before Joshua died.

himself up. Josh always strived to be the best that he could be.”

After graduating from Infantry School as a Private First Class (PFC), Josh was selected to train to be a Recon Marine. The first day of his training at Camp Pendleton in California — January 13, 2014 — ended tragically. He died during a training exercise in the water.

“His last words were, ‘I don’t quit,’” Islam said. “He was pulled out of the water, lost consciousness and couldn’t be revived — an autopsy ruled his death as an accidental drowning. Afterward, the military completely revamped the program, and all branches applied a new standard of the way they do water training.”

Islam moved his family back to Gainesville after Josh’s death.

To any parent, losing a son just six days before his 19th birthday seems unimaginable. The Islams had experienced extremely difficult trials before with three other children. A car hit their oldest son, Jason, when he was in the first grade. Fortunately, he ended up with superficial injuries. Another son, Levi, had a hole in his heart and underwent open-heart surgery when he was in kindergarten. Their youngest son, Devin, was diagnosed 84 |

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with a cancerous tumor behind his eye when he was 2 years old.

He went through chemotherapy treatments, eventually losing the eye.

“My faith in God has given me peace through the difficulties.

Life isn’t a contest about who has it worse. God is good,” Islam said. “After Joshua’s death, some people said it was an injustice — but it wasn’t. I still cry over losing my son, but God had a plan for Josh’s life and he was a warrior in training. The biggest thing I came away with is that every life is precious.”

As people found out about what happened, the family received numerous letters about Josh and stories that he had never shared that revealed his compassion for others.

“One girl who wrote had a seizure at school. When she regained consciousness, Josh was holding her and reassuring her that everything was going to be OK. We never knew about it,” Islam said. “Josh was uncomfortable promoting himself. We always encouraged him and all of our kids to promote the guy next to them — to build others up.”

A month after Josh’s death, the family formed the Joshua 1:9

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ADVERSITY >> JOSHUA 1:9 FOUNDATION

Left: Photo montage of Joshua Islam’s championship Weddington High School baseball team.

Above: Joshua Islam (left) reunites with his recruiter, Sgt. Santiago, after boot camp. While on leave, they visited Joshua’s alma mater to promote the Marine Corps.

Foundation. The day Josh was born, Islam wrote the Scripture reference in his baby book. Josh’s mom also underlined the verse in his Bible and included a note when he left for boot camp.

Josh didn’t discover the note until a friend, Brian, wanted to look up the reference and didn’t have a Bible. As a boot camp graduation gift, Donna sent dog tags to Josh and Brian with the Joshua 1:9 verse.

“We formed the foundation to have a place where friends and family could donate in Josh’s memory. When Josh died, Brian called and said he was never going to take his Joshua 1:9 dog tag off,” Islam said. “That gave us the idea to get some for our family and then we thought about his baseball teammates, Marine Corps brothers and high school classmates. We ordered 500 and shared them after his memorial services and people were asking for more. To date, we have shared 15,000 and plan on doing so, with Josh’s story, forever.”

“The Joshua 1:9 Foundation is committed to supporting causes that were important to Josh,” states the organization’s mission statement. “The foundation will support youth baseball, childhood cancer treatment and research, Marine Corps JROTC programs, and Christian education.”

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The message that Islam shares at churches, schools, athletic teams and individuals can be summed up in one word: hope.

“We emphasize the great hope we have, that just as God raised Jesus from the dead, He will also raise us up one day to be reunited. Until then, we want to carry the message that life is precious and every single day, every person has great purpose.

Tomorrow isn’t a guarantee, so you give today all that you can,” said Islam who attends Anthem Church in Gainesville. “We all go through difficulties and hardship, but we can be strong, courageous and live each day without fear if we trust God to be with us. Our lives are so much bigger than what we see here and now.”

Dog tags, in numerous color combinations, are a staple whether Islam is speaking with an individual or group. He also has them translated in Spanish. Along the way, he has given tags to famous people too, including former NFL coaches Mike Ditka and Tony Dungy and quarterback Joe Theismann. Posts on the organization’s Facebook page (Joshua19Foundation) include pictures of people with their dog tag at places like football games and a triathlon in the Bahamas.

“I am so moved as people share their stories or circumstances

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— often ones of failures and how they learned to trust and rely on God,” he said. “Each person we see we give a hug and an extra dog tag. We encourage them to share what God is doing in their life with someone else — the dog tags are a lifeline to people.”

The family has found other ways to honor Josh’s memory.

They worked with city officials in Gainesville to co-name NE 49th Ave. ‘PFC Marine Joshua M. Islam Way.’ The street was dedicated in May of 2015.

“It is the main road that most of my family uses every day to go to work at the family business,” said Islam, who is the operations manager at his family’s business, Florida Food Service. “Most of the people who work in our company are like family. We also employ many veterans, so riding that road is a daily reminder of Josh and the cost of freedom.”

As another tribute to his son and way to raise financial support for Recon Marines facing hardships, Islam ran in the 41st Annual Marine Corps Marathon last October in Washington, D.C. According to the website, the event is the “largest marathon in the world that doesn’t offer prize money, earning its nickname, ‘The People’s Marathon.’”

Islam had never run a marathon before.

“There were 30,000 runners and everyone was running for something. I trained and ran the race thinking of Josh and the brothers he never got to serve with — I thought about those guys with every step,” said the 52-year-old. “At the marathon, I decided to hand out 26 dog tags — one for every mile — and gave them to Marines, spectators and fellow runners along the way. One woman who received a dog tag posted a note to the Facebook page after the race. She said she was encouraged by the message and shared her story.”

As part of the University of Florida’s Tribute to the Troops in November, Joshua was one of 12 fallen Veterans honored at a football game. Islam used the opportunity to leave orange and blue dog tags for the team.

“The university was looking for veterans with ties to the school; I am a graduate and was the former assistant strength coach for the football team in the 1980s,” he said. “We gave linebacker Cristian Garcia a dog tag with Josh’s name, birth, death, rank and his last words, ‘I don’t quit.’ It means a lot for our family to see that so many people appreciate the sacrifice our son made.”

For most, there is a still a struggle to understand why Josh’s promising life ended so young. Islam said one of his sons questioned it, saying, ‘You pray more than anyone I know and look what it gets you.’ Islam’s response was one of a steadfast faith and hope.

“I told him that the good thing is no matter what our circumstances, we can have absolute confidence that God is with us. He will bring something good out of it,” Islam said.

“God’s will is good and it is an honor to be chosen to walk in certain circumstances and know God will use our life, as our faith is put on public display. Anyone can praise God when everything is good.”

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

NE 49th Ave. (above) was co-named PFC Joshua M. Islam Way in May of 2015. The Islam’s family-run business, Florida Food Service, is located on the street.

The Joshua 1:9 Foundation had dog tags (below) made for the University of Florida football team.

James Islam ran in the 41st Annual Marine Corps Marathon to honor his son and assist Recon Marines facing hardship.

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COLUMN

ALBERT ISAAC’S

Different Note BODY. MIND. SOUL.

ALBERT ISAAC IS AN AWARD-WINNING WRITER AND EDITOR AND THE AUTHOR OF SCIENCE FICTION NOVELS AND PERSONAL COLUMNS. HE LIVES IN HIGH SPRINGS WITH HIS FAMILY AND A BUNCH OF CRITTERS. editor@towerpublications.com

I’M A BIT CONFUSED ABOUT THIS MIND, BODY, SOUL CONNECTION, AND THE FACT THAT OUR THOUGHTS BECOME THINGS, AND THAT POSITIVE THINKING CAN BRING JOY IN THE FACE OF CALAMITY, AND THAT THERE IS INDEED SUCH A THING AS “MIND OVER MATTER.”

D

on’t get me wrong – I do subscribe to the ideas of positive thinking and mind over matter, for the most part. I just don’t understand them. And I don’t understand why they don’t work for me ALL THE TIME. Why do some people get sick and some people stay well?

A lot of it is genetics. A lot of it is lifestyle. Because I know of some people that completely abuse their bodies throughout their lives, with drinking and smoking and doing all kinds of unhealthy activities, and they live well into their 80s. They subscribe to the notion, to quote author Hunter S. Thompson, that “Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming ‘Wow! What a Ride!’”

I know people who live that way. Some of them died young.

And I knew a lot of people who did NOT live that way; who were careful; who ate healthily; who did not take risks, but died young anyway.

So, what’s it all about, Alfie?

When did we get this way? Is it the human condition? Did cavemen sit around the fire complaining?

Years ago I learned about the placebo effect. You know, the experiment where they give a sick person a sugar pill and tell them it’s medicine and their symptoms go away. Others who are not so fortunate (or maybe negative-thinking) are given the placebo but get the side effects.

There’s even the nocebo effect, which is when a negative expectation of a phenomenon causes it to have a more negative 90 |

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effect than it otherwise would. (How’s that for negative thinking?)

This can happen when the doctor tells someone who is seriously ill that they only have six months to live. Well, sure enough, if they buy into this idea they often will die in six months (I’m simplifying it, but you get the idea).

So doctors, don’t be too negative to your patients!

(Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV).

And while I’m on the subject of negative thinking, I have to say, those negative people are energy vampires that make me want to quickly flee if I wasn’t so drained. I’ve known a few in my life. In their world, there are no silver linings, only rain and storms and darkness. And while I haven’t done any kind of scientific study, there does seem to be a black cloud hovering over their heads; negative things are always happening to them.

Do I have this impression because that’s all they talk about?

They complain about the bad things all the freaking time. In person. In email. On Facebook.

I was that guy, in my younger years. And sometimes, I am still that guy. But a few years ago I realized I was a chronic complainer – mostly because my friends started calling me “The Complainer.” Thanks guys. (There’s a lot more to that title, but I dare not share it because this is a family magazine after all.)

Luckily, I still had friends to point this out to me, because I certainly do not want to be around people who complain all the time. They drain me. They’re energy vampires. I try to avoid them.

But when I’m around positive people I get charged up. I’m attracted to them. I seek out their company and they light up a room when they walk in.

And once I figured it out, once I stopped complaining and instead started counting my blessings, amazing things happened in my life. I got married. I started a family. I pursued and found success as a writer and an editor. I’m healthy. I’m happy.

So there’s something to positive thinking. There’s also something to having gratitude, every day. Many of us focus on the things we don’t have, rather than the things we do have. If you’ve got a roof over your head and food in your stomach, clean water to drink, and your health, you’re better off than most of the world’s population.

We complain about our First World Problems, as if they were substantial. Like: “My diamond shoes are too tight.” Or “I have to plug in my laptop after six hours of use. So annoying!”

When did we get this way? Is it the human condition? Did cavemen sit around the fire complaining?

“Thag no happy. Had to hunt in rain.”

“Yeah? Zog no happy. Had to start fire in rain.”

The news deluges us with the horrors of the day. By the look of things one would believe people are getting meaner all the time. Lately, I’ve been falling down that rabbit hole. So I do my best not to watch the news right before going to bed.

And to quote Anne Frank, “In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart.”

Most of us are good. If not, I wouldn’t be here to write this note and you wouldn’t be out there to read it. Which takes us back to Thag and Zog, the cavemen. Did you know that even Neanderthals looked out for each other? Indeed, according to a Huffington Post article, they survived for hundreds of thousands of years, more than our own species has, and they only did that by working together.

How’s that for thinking positive?

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DIY CRAFTS >> CACTUS GARDEN

RELAXING ROCKS!

Cactus Gardens ROCK DIY! Create Your Own Natural Environment S TORY A N D PHOTOG R A PHY BY ERICK A WINTER ROW D

I

t’s a new year full of beginnings. Isn’t it great? 2017 here we come — and this positive frame of mind will last all year long, right? Well, it would be nice. As each month passes it seems that stress inevitably continues to build up throughout the year. “That’s life,” as they say. There are ways to combat the stress and anxiety, though, such as changing your environment and connecting with nature.

According to www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu, research reveals that our environments can increase or reduce our stress, which in turn impacts our bodies. An unpleasant environment can cause you to feel anxious, sad, or helpless. This in turn elevates your blood pressure, heart rate, and muscle tension, and suppresses your immune system. A pleasing environment reverses that.

But what if you can’t change your environment? Your job might be what’s most stressful in your life, or maybe you have a co-worker who is driving you crazy and you can’t necessarily afford to up and leave your job. What can you do? How about bringing some nature inside your office environment, or your home — wherever you may need it the most.

An article from the University of Minnesota titled, “How Does Nature Impact

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Our Wellbeing?” states that being in nature, or even viewing scenes of nature, reduces anger, fear, and stress, which increases pleasant feelings. Exposure to nature not only makes you feel better emotionally, it contributes to your physical wellbeing by reducing blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and the production of stress hormones.

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DIY CRAFTS >> CACTUS GARDEN

STEP ONE: If you found your rocks outside, make sure to wash them so all the dirt has been rinsed off.

Now it’s time to sort your stones. Different sizes, such as long and round, will help give your cactus garden some dimension.

1

STEP TWO: Paint your rocks. Using different shades of green, cover each stone. Make sure you allow time to dry. Using a contrasting shade of green, you may want to choose one stone to add some stripes to. Don’t be afraid to get creative!

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STEP THREE: After you have allowed your painted stones to dry, it’s time to use your white paint marker to add the famous cactus spikes we all know too well (except these don’t hurt!). Also, consider adding a few red cactus flowers to some of the cacti. It’s another fun way to add a pop of color.

STEP FOUR: Now it’s time to paint your pots. There are a couple different techniques you can use for this. For a nice clean modern look, use a sponge to dab white paint onto the pot. Spray paint also works, and bright colors will help to create a funky look for your cactus garden. Also, any small-sized terracotta pot would work well for this project. Just be sure to add more cactus stones depending on the space your pot allows.

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STEP FIVE: After your pots have dried, pour pebbles into the base of each pot.

STEP SIX: The time has come to “plant” your cacti. Gently nestle your cactus stones into the pebbles and arrange according to your taste. All that’s left now is to find the perfect spot for your new touch of nature.

2017 never felt so good. Here’s to a healthy and happy New Year!

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Contrary to popular belief, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re more than just the best bagels in town. Try us for lunch.

Like us on Facebook www.bagelbakerygainesville.com

Millhopper Shopping Center 4113 NW 16th Blvd.

(352) 384-9110

Acupuncture is one of the oldest continuously practiced healing systems in the world. Be part of the tradition.

Bring purpose to your career.

Master of Acupuncture Chinese Herbal Studies Affordable Community Clinics

For more information about our program and its unique intensive program structure, visit us online at

www.acupuncturist.edu 352.335.2332

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THORNEBROOK VILLAGE

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION. CALL

352-372-5468

FOR RATES AND INFORMATION.

THORNEBROOK VILL AGE

CLASSES • PARTIES JEWELRY • GIRL’S NIGHT OUT BRIDAL GROUPS

Czech Glass, Natural Gemstones, Seedbeads, Crystals, Tools & More.

(across from SunState Credit Union)

www.thornebrookvillage.com

STILL CONVENIENTLY IN THORNEBROOK VILLAGE

Let us help you celebrate all your special occasions! www.beadallaboutit.net

352-375-8198

for e c r u So Dipped, r u o Y dn a H Covered , h s Fre ocolate rries Ch trawbe S

give. eat. indulge.

ThornebrookChocolates.com • 352.371.0800 • 2441 NW 43rd St #21, Gainesville FL

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352-376-2514 www.CREVASSESFLORIST.com 2441 NW 43rd St. Unit 20 • Gainesville

Take Care of Yourself and Loved Ones in the New Year!

Start the year with Anti-Aging & Renewal with a BioMat, Facial or Massage Ask about our NEW Membership Program!

Call for an Appointment Today!

The Floating Lotus Spa Thornebrook Village 2441 NW 43rd Street, Suite 3A

352-378-8125

\PMÆWI\QVOTW\][[XI KWU

MM #18362

2441 NW 43 rd Street Gainesville • Florida

NEW LOCATION!

THE INAUGURA L BE NE F IT E VE NT FOR THE ALACHU A COU NT Y H U M A NE SO C I ET Y

Hendrix Sponsors

Thank you to all of our sponsors for your generous support!!

Joplin Sponsors

Santana Sponsors

Creedence Sponsors Crosby Sponsors

A IEE E. KNI ABB K GHT | BEAC ACH H BREA AK SALO SALON | BUSBY CABINETS | CAMPBELLL S SPE PELLICY ENG NGINEERIN ING G | CSI SI ACADEM DEMY OF FLO LOR RIDA DEN NISE IS MO ONGI N ARD RDO, O REALTO LTOR/B R ROK KER ASSOCI OCIATE ATE TE | DOG DOGGIE GI STYLE GIE YL S GROO ROOMING & PE PETT SITTING G | FARM M BU BUREAU U INSURAN ANCE - CASEY SEY HAH AHN GAINES NESVILLEE HEA H LTH TH & FITTNES N S CENT EN ER | HOUN NDST DS OOTH H AND AN CO. | JAMI AMIEE WHITEWAY & MICHA AELL PIERR PIEERRI RI | LEWI WIS SO OIL ILL | MEL MELDON LDON LA LAW AW | ME MEM MEMORI MORIIALL HOS HOSPIT PITAL PIT TAL MERCEDESMER S-BEN B Z OF GAIN INESV ES ILLLE | MIDT IDTOWN O N JE JEWEL W RY Y & LOANS, L INC.. | SPAIN & COOPER HOMES | STE INC TEVE VE & SOTERIA IA MALLA ARD | GAINES NESVILLEE LU LUNCH OU OUT BLOG OG U AN URB N HAN H SON ON WE W ALT LTH H MANA NAGEM G ENT OF RA AYMO YM ND JAM JAMES ES | FOX & LOVE | GAIN AINESV ESVILLE REGIONALL AIR AIRPORT | KRISTIN KO KOZ ZELSKY KY PHOTO OGR GRAPHY Y

For sponsorship information for Wooftock 2017, please call Margot DeConna at 352-415-2460 | www.alachuahumane.org JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

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We feel the best way to find and recognize local charities in our communities is by asking you!

The SunState Community Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization that serves the communities in and around North Central Florida by promoting and facilitating philanthropy.

The Foundation was established to promote and provide charitable assistance that contributes towards the development, education and well-being of the communities, areas and residents of Alachua, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, and Levy Counties in Florida. The foundation’s initial goal is to administer and fully fund the award winning Facebook Charity-of-the-Month program. SunState Federal Credit Union started the program in 2013, but has turned over administration of the program to the foundation, with SunState Federal Credit Union acting only as a sponsor. This has been done in the belief that this path will ensure the program remains a strong and expanding community resource long into the future.

The SunState Community Foundation, Inc., provides donors/members opportunities to participate in the furtherance of the foundation’s goals in multiple ways. First, and foremost, the donors/members are providing funds to support the foundation’s charitable initiatives. Donors/members can also nominate groups for the Charity of the Month program, and then vote for the group of their choice. Donors/members are encouraged to participate and vote in the Charity of the Month program. Ultimately, the voters choose where foundation donations go as part of the infrastructure of the program.

SunState Community Foundation, Inc.

SPONSORSHIP L EVEL S AVAIL ABL E $

1,000 CHARITY OF THE MONTH SPONSOR

$

•

Recognized on all 4 Entercom Communication stations, 30 times (120 total); KTK, SKY, WRUF and ESPN.

•

Recognized on the Charity of the Month Facebook Contest page, KTK’s Facebook page and Our Town’s Facebook page.

•

Mentioned in the Charity of the Month page in Our Town Magazine.

•

•

•

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500 RANDOM CHARITY SPONSOR Recognized on 2 of Entercom Communications stations, 30 times (60 total); WRUF and ESPN Recognized on the Charity of the Month Facebook Contest page, KTK’s Facebook page and Our Town’s Facebook page.

Mentioned in the Charity of the Month page in Our Town Magazine.

$

300 NOMINATOR SPONSOR

•

Recognized on the Charity of the Month Facebook Contest page, KTK’s Facebook page and Our Town’s Facebook page.

•

Mentioned in the Charity of the Month page in Our Town Magazine.

$

100 RANDOM VOTER SPONSOR

•

Recognized on the Charity of the Month Facebook Contest page.

•

Mentioned in the Charity of the Month page in Our Town Magazine

MOST RECENT WINNING ORGANIZATIONS TO NOMINATE A CHARITY OF YOUR CHOICE OR TO VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE NOMINEES, VISIT:

www.facebook.com/SunStateFCU and click on “Charity of the Month”

OCTOBER WINNER – 3,586 VOTES

NOVEMBER WINNER – 3,697 VOTES

GetALong Dachshund Rescue

Project Makeover

The October Charity of the Month $1,000 winner, GetALong Dachshund Rescue, is a nonprofit organization working in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Maryland, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia. It focuses on rescuing abandoned Dachshunds of all ages, rehabilitating senior Dachshunds or those with medical issues, and finding “forever homes” for all its dogs. The rescue provides a safe foster home for elderly or sick Dachshunds living out their final days, and Dachshunds that were abandoned because they were no longer able to provide healthy puppies to their owners. The Dachshunds come in all shapes and colors, and some are even purebreds. For more information visit the website at www.getalongdachshundrescue.org/.

COMMUNITY PARTNERS >> CHARITY OF THE MONTH

CH A RIT Y OF THE MONTH WINNER S

The November Charity of the Month is Project Makeover, a local nonprofit organization completely run by University of Florida students. Project Makeover has been helping local elementary schools since 2008 by painting interactive murals, landscaping, fulfilling a Dream Project requested by the school, and participating in a variety of other activities to help better the facility.

In the coming year, Project Makeover will organize hundreds of volunteers and raise thousands of dollars to renovate yet another low-income school in Alachua county. Its goal is to bring the University of Florida campus and the Alachua County community together to change the face of public education.

Georgia Katie Shirley will receive $300 for nominating them; the winner of the $500 random drawing is PAWS (Pets are Wonderful Support) and the $100 random voter winner is Ashley Ramire.

A project of the SunState Community Foundation, Inc. Presented by SunState Federal Credit Union, Our Town Family of Magazines and Entercom Communications

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TASTE OF THE TOWN

SPECIAL RESTAURANT ADVERTISING SECTION. CALL

352-372-5468

FOR RATES AND INFORMATION.

Backstreet Blues Chop House & Oyster Bar 6500 SW Archer Rd , Gainesville fl 32608 Monday Closed • Tuesday - Saturday 4:00pm – 10:00pm Dinner Saturday - Sunday 9:00am – 2:00pm Brunch

352-363-6792 backstreetblueschophouse.com Prime wet aged Steaks, Fresh Gulf Seafood, and Fresh Oysters — At Backstreet Blues Chophouse we offer the finest farm to table steaks from the Quincy Cattle Company, fresh Gulf Seafood and Oysters delivered everyday. Come try our signature steak the “Tomahawk Ribeye” or our Oysters Rockefeller. We have a large selection of unique appetizers and wines from all over the world. Full bar with Specialty whiskeys and bourbons. We also offer a private dining room that seats up to 30 for private dinners or tastings with a 110” drop down movie screen for presentations. We have a large covered patio area as well. Its an experience you can have everyday!

Smoke Fried 23352 W US Hwy 27, Suite 50, High Springs, FL 32643 Monday -Thursday 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM Friday - Saturday 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM

386-454-7031 www.smokefried.com Casual — Offering traditional smokehouse flavors through a variety of BBQ favorites and dishes with a new spin, served in a casual setting with a large portion of friendly service. Getting home late, running from appointments to practice, just too exhausted to cook? We have the whole family covered with home style favorites or BBQ packs for dine in or carry out. In a hurry? Order online and zip by on your way from here to there. Half priced kid’s meals on Monday nights with the purchase of an adult meal.

Grab some friends and family and come try “The Lid,” our BBQ feast served on a garbage can lid for sharing.

Adam’s Rib Co. 2109 NW 13th Street, Gainesville, Florida 32609 1515 SW 13th Street Gainesville, Florida 32608 Monday-Saturday 7:00am – 9:00pm Closed Sunday

352-373-8882 NW 352-727-4005 SW AdamsRibCo.com BBQ — Celebrating our 10 year Anniversary. Looking for the best BBQ in Gainesville?

Then look no further than Adam’s Rib Co. Adam’s is North Florida’s Premier Barbecue restaurant, serving North Florida’s finest bbq spare ribs, pulled pork, beef brisket, slow smoked chicken and turkey. Choose from over 20 sauces – from honey sweet to habanero hot – and everything in between. Don’t forget dessert, like our scrumptious banana pudding and famous peach cobbler. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, Adam’s can cater any event locally. Give Adam a call for your next tailgate party 352-514-8692!

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Mark’s Prime Steakhouse & Seafood 201 SE 2nd Avenue, Gainesville, FL (Historic Downtown) Monday: 5:00pm - 9:00pm • Tues-Sat: 5:00pm to 10:00pm Happy Hour: 5:00pm - 7:00pm

352-336-0077 marksprimesteakhouse.com Steak & Seafood — Mark’s Prime Steakhouse and Seafood has a goal to create a unique dining experience that will please the palate and soothe the soul. We serve the finest beef, the freshest seafood, and naturally fresh vegetables. Recipient of Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence 2004-2011. Join us for Primetime Happy Hour featuring drink and appetizer specials Monday thru Saturday 5-7 pm. We are pleased to feature our full service, private dining facilities. It would be our pleasure to help plan your next reception, banquet, business meeting, or social gathering. Complimentary valet service.

Dave’s New York Deli 12921 SW 1st Road • Tioga Town Center Open 7 Days

352-333-0291 www.DavesNYDeli.com Authentic NY deli — The Reviews are in and here’s what customers are saying about Dave’s NY Deli Tioga Town Center! “Best Reuben, Best Pastrami, Best Philly, and Best Wings” Dave’s continues to be the place to go for authentic NY Deli food and Philly Cheesesteaks. Owner Dave Anders says “Nothing beats quality ingredients combined with a friendly staff. Dave serves New York size Pastrami and Corned Beef sandwiches, Cheesecake from New York, Nathan’s Hot Dogs, NY Kettle Boiled Bagels, Nova Salmon, Knish, Cannolies, Philly Cheesesteaks, Wings, Cubans, Subs, Kids Menu and more.” Come out and enjoy Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner at Dave’s NY Deli.

Now serving beer and wine.

Copper Monkey West 14209 W Newberry Road, Jonesville, FL 32669 Across from the Steeplechase Publix Sunday-Thursday 11:00am - 11:00pm Friday-Saturday 11:00am - 12:00am

352-363-6338 mycoppermonkey.com Restaurant & Pub — Now serving Breakfast on Saturdays & Sundays 8:30am - 10:45am. We are located in the heart of Jonesville, this All-American dining is convenient to all neighborhoods in Gainesville, Alachua, Newberry, High Springs and beyond. Our family-friendly dining features great food at a great price. Whether you come in for the “best burger in town” or try any one of our freshly made salads, pastas or sandwiches, you will not leave disappointed. Our USDA choice steaks, served with 2 sides, offer a great alternative for the perfect celebratory meal. We also feature a full-service bar with signature drinks and many options for your viewing pleasure.

Great food, great price, we’ll see you soon.

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SPECIAL RESTAURANT ADVERTISING SECTION. CALL

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FOR RATES AND INFORMATION.

World of Beer 140 SW 128th Street • Tioga Town Center, Jonesville 32669 3265 SW 34th Street • Gainesville, Florida 32608 Open at 11am Everyday

352-727-4714 (Tioga) 352-559-8775 (Gville) worldofbeer.com TAVERN FARE — At World of Beer, we have 40 craft beers on tap, over 500 in the cooler and now we have added a tasty tavern fare that’s crafted to go perfectly with any beer. Our menu offers a wide variety of choices including a giant pretzel with beer cheese dip, artisan sausage boards, flat breads, innovative sandwiches and burgers, soups, salads and so much more! Visit our web site for a full menu and event schedule.

Whether you’re a beer master or just beer curious, our insanely knowledgeable staff is here to guide you through every last pint, pour, and pairing. So c’mon. Let’s go. Because there’s no better place to go around the world, one sip at a time.

The Flour Pot Cafe & Bakery 13005 SW 1st Rd, Suite 137 • Newberry, FL 32669 (Tioga Town Center) Monday - Saturday 7:00am – 4:00pm Closed Sunday

352-331-1771 www.TheFlourPotBakery.com Breakfast & Lunch — Artisan Breads & Savory Pastries – We offer European style breads freshly baked with no preservatives, unbleached flour & natural ingredients.

Breads with a great spring, texture and flavor. You can also select vegan and gluten free muffins, cookies and breads. If you have a sweet tooth you will find home made cookies including our sought after energy cookie. Our thoughtfully crafted celebration cakes and pies will be remembered by your guests. We have a variety of such breakfast and lunch choices as quiches, omelets, hot and cold sandwiches. There is something for everyone to love. We cater as well. The Flour Pot is under new ownership. Come and check our new look and style!

Brown’s Country Buffet 14423 NW US Hwy 441, Alachua, FL 32616 Monday-Friday 7:00am - 8:00pm Saturday 7:00am - 2:00pm Sunday 8:00am - 3:00pm

386-462-3000 brownscountrybuffet.net Casual — Country-style cooking at its finest, just like Grandma’s house! A buffet style restaurant, Brown’s Country Buffet is open seven days a week! Foods like fried chicken, grilled pork chops, real mashed potatoes, steamed cabbage, banana pudding and coconut pie, just to name a few, are served in a laid-back, relaxing environment. We offer AYCE fried shrimp on Friday nights from 4-8 along with whole catfish & ribs. In addition to their buffet, Brown’s also offers a full menu to choose from. Serving lunch and dinner daily and a breakfast buffet Friday-Sunday until 10:30am, you’re sure to leave satisfied, no matter when you go. So, when you’re in the mood for some good home cooking, Grandma’s style, visit Brown’s Country Buffet.

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The Great Outdoors 65 North Main Street, High Springs, Florida 32643 Open at 11:00am Tuesday through Sunday

386-454-1288 www.greatoutdoorsdining.com WE WON THE GOLDEN SPOON AWARD AGAIN! — For the seventh year in a row the Great Outdoors Restaurant has earned the prestigious culinary award from Florida Trend Magazine, the coveted Golden Spoon Award. The Great Outdoors uses only the freshest ingredients and offers a menu that you won’t soon forget. Enjoy our award-winning Boston clam chowder served in a crusty bread bowl or try our famous Fried Green Tomatoes.

Entrées range from hand selected aged steaks grilled over an open flame, fresh seafood prepared with your favorite spices, to fabulous burgers. Sit by the fireplace while enjoying live music as you dine under the stars on our outdoor patio. Weekly specials Tuesday – Thursday and the best live music on the patio Wednesday – Sunday.

Napolatanos 606 NW 75th Street Gainesville, FL Tuesday - Thursday & Sunday 4:00pm-10:00pm Friday 4:00pm-1:00am • Saturday 4:00pm-11:00pm

352-332-6671 www.napolatanos.com ITALIAN — Napolatanos is the longest original owner operated restaurant in Gainesville. Nappys, the name the locals have given Napolatanos has the most extensive menu.

Whether you choose pizza, calzones, salad, burgers, sandwiches, pasta, seafood, steak dinners or the best chicken wings in town, Nappy’s uses only the freshest ingredients.

Visit on Tuesday for half price appetizers. Burgers & Brew Night on Wednesday and live music inside. Thursday is Pub night with Better than England’s Fish & Chips $7. Outside dining with live music, on the patio, on Sunday evenings. GRAB & GO family dinners feeds 4-6 adults, starting at $25.95. Choose from Ziti, Lasagna, Chicken Alfredo, Chicken Marsala and more!

Newberry’s Backyard BBQ 25405 West Newberry Road, Newberry Monday-Wednesday 11:00am – 9:00pm Thursday 11:00am – 9:00pm Friday and Saturday 11:00am – 11:00pm Sunday 10:30am – 3:00pm

352-472-7260 newberrybbq.com BBQ — The one and only Newberry’s Backyard BBQ is located in our historic building in beautiful downtown Newberry. Our pork, chicken, beef, and turkey is smoked to perfection daily. Our salads and sides are always fresh. If you are thirsty we have the best sweet tea in the South and a full bar as well. Make sure to bring your kids, we serve their meals on a frisbee that they take home. For your entertainment, we always have live music on Friday nights and Karaoke on Saturday evenings.

We now have an ALL YOU CAN EAT BUFFET Sunday - Friday 11am - 3pm

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SPECIAL RESTAURANT ADVERTISING SECTION. CALL

352-372-5468

FOR RATES AND INFORMATION.

Bev’s Burger Café 315 NE Santa Fe Blvd. • High Springs Monday - Saturday 7am-9pm

386-454-9434 Casual — If you’re looking for fresh, homemade food in High Springs, look no further than Bev’s Burger Cafe. Known for the best burgers in town and fast, friendly service you’re sure to leave satisfied. You may also want to try one of their BBQ dinner favorites such as sliced pork, smoked turkey, BBQ chicken, baby back ribs, and more. Stop on by with the kids on Monday nights for some magic & balloon animals with Magic Mike.

Every Tuesday pork sandwiches are $3.00 all day. Also, on Wednesday nights starting at 5pm sodas and their famous tea are only $1.00, and bottled beer only $1.50. Don’t forget Bev’s is open for breakfast, also, served from 7am to 10:45am. Come check out our newly renovated kitchen & dining room, and our new menu items including fried chicken!

Tony & Al’s Restaurant & Bar 14960 Main Street, Alachua, Florida 32616 OPEN 7 DAYS Monday-Thursday 11:00am – 9:00pm Friday-Saturday 11:00am – 10:00pm Sunday 11:00am – 8:00pm

386-518-5552 Italian — Locally owned and operated, Tony & Al’s Deli provides the finest quality Italian entrees in a family friendly atmosphere. Whether it’s their delicious appetizers, pasta classics, specialty pizzas, salads, sandwiches, wraps, burgers or prime rib, Tony & Al use only their freshest ingredients. Their sauces, dressings and specialty desserts including cannolis and tiramisu are all handcrafted. They serve daily lunch and dinner specials. Tony and Al offer a full bar with happy hour from 5pm-7pm including $1.00 off all drafts, wine and well drinks.

Bangkok Square 6500 SW Archer Rd, Gainesville Lunch: Monday-Friday 11:00am-3:00pm • Saturday-Sunday 12:00pm-3:00pm Dinner: Sunday-Thursday 5:00pm-9:30pm • Friday-Saturday 5:00pm-10:00pm

352-375-4488 www.bangkoksquarefl.com Authentic Thai Cuisine — Thai cuisine, blending the best elements of the freshest foods. Thai herbs; garlic, basil, ginger, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal root, chili and more, prepared with the finest blending of fish sauce, shrimp paste, and coconut milk. All of our meals are made to order and prepared on site. We specialize in vegetarian, vegan and gluten free orders. All of our foods can be prepared to your satisfaction with mild, medium, hot, or Thai hot, balanced to the four tastes: sweet, sour, salty, and slightly bitter. Meals can be prepared for take out and we cater to any event. We also have gift cards available. Save 10% off your next dining experience when a gift card is purchased.

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Mi Apá Latin Café Gainesville – 114 SW 34th Street (352-376-7020) Alachua – 15634 US Highway 441 (386-418-0838) Both locations open every day 7:00am - 10:00pm

MiApaLatinCafe.com Cuban — Everyone knows Mi Apá has an amazing lunch and dinner menu, but we also have Gainesville’s best cup of coffee and a delicious, authentic selection of Cuban breakfast items. Enjoy a Cuban egg sandwich, Arroz a la Cubana, a stuffed arepa, and much more at either of our two locations in Gainesville and Alachua. Mi Apá Latin Café serves traditional Cuban breakfast prepared using only the freshest, most authentic ingredients. Have a seat in our casual dining area and enjoy the morning newspaper or order carryout on your way to work. Our Gainesville location even has a convenient drive-thru window. The best Cuban food north of Miami is always just minutes away!

Vegan 2Go 7625 W Newberry Rd Gainesville, FL. Mon thru Thursday 11am – 8 pm Fri and Sat. 11am-9pm • Sunday 12 pm – 7 pm

352-505-8894 Vegan2GoGainesville.com COOKING WITH LOVE — This vegetarian & vegan restaurant is based on the concept that people and animals can live in harmony through sustainable plant based solutions.

You can be sure that their ingredients are carefully selected from non-GMO, non-MSG, sea salt and organic products. The final result: something that’s delicious, tasty, healthy, and vegan! Their healthy barbeque skewers made from soy or the infamous vegan ginger onion chick’n, are sure to have you craving for more. If you want some bang for your buck, try one of the combos: your choice of noodles or rice with spring rolls, summer rolls, and either BBQ or vegan chicken. If you’re feeling a bit adventurous with your appetite, try making your own combo! Don’t forget the delicious, fragrant Thai Iced Tea!

Nanny’s Diner 7476 SW Highway 27 • Fort White, Fl 32038 Mon-Sat 6:00am – 3:00pm

386-497-1550 Breakfast & Lunch — We are a family owned and operated diner that offers a full breakfast menu all day and a variety of hot and cold sandwiches. We also offer a daily blue plate lunch special. Our sandwiches are made with Boar’s Head meats and cheeses, which we also sell by the pound, and our breakfast sausages are Nettle’s Sausage. Come by and check us out! We offer both dine-in and take-out services along with call ahead orders. Follow us on Facebook at Nanny’s Diner and Deli.

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SPECIAL RESTAURANT ADVERTISING SECTION. CALL

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FOR RATES AND INFORMATION.

Flying Biscuit Café 4150 NW 16th Blvd., Gainesville, FL 32605 Located in the Fresh Market Center Monday-Friday 7:00am – 3:00pm • Saturday-Sunday 7:00am – 4:00pm

352-373-9500 www.flyingbiscuit.com Breakfast — The Flying Biscuit is out to reinvent breakfast in Gainesville! Maybe you’ve tried their soon-to-be-famous creamy, dreamy grits or their “moon dusted” breakfast potatoes, but did you know you can have them at anytime? With a unique open menu, all the items that appear are available throughout the day. With a variety of healthy and hearty dishes, The Flying Biscuit caters to a variety of tastes. With options ranging from the Smoked Salmon Scramble, the Bacon Cheddar Chicken Sandwich or the Tofu and Tater Salad, there’s something for everyone. Call us up to an hour before your expected arrival time to add your name to our call ahead seating list.

El Patio 60 N Main Street, High Springs • 16135 NW US 441 Unit 10, Alachua Mon-Thurs & Sun 11am-10pm Fri & Sat 11am-10:30pm

386-454-1330 Mexican — El Patio’s second location is now open in Alachua. Family owned and operated serving authentic Mexican cuisine including: fajitas, burritos, quesadillas and enchiladas, and much much more. Kids menu also available. We have large screen TVs perfect for game day, a private party room for your special celebrations, and outdoor seating available on our nice patio. Live Mariachi band every Wednesday from 5pm8:30pm at the High Springs location. Also, don’t forget, we offer a full bar with happy hour everyday from 2pm-6pm including $1.99 domestic beers and $3.99 16oz lime margaritas.

Pomodoro Café 9200 NW 39th Ave, Gainesville, FL 32606 Monday - Saturday 11am - 10pm Sunday 11am - 9pm

352-380-9886 pomodorocafe.com Italian — Step away from the hustle and bustle of Gainesville and enjoy a quiet, relaxing evening in the Italian countryside at Pomodoro Café. Just off I-75 via exit 390, Pomodoro’s is the perfect spot for a romantic evening or a simple night out with family.

We’ll pour you a glass of wine and prepare for you a delicious, authentic Italian meal, such as Chicken Parmigiana, Shrimp Fra Diavolo, and Gnocchi Madiera. Our pasta is imported from Italy and has been voted some of the best in Gainesville. As the sounds, aromas, and tastes of wholesome, authentic Italian swirl around you, you’ll believe you’re actually in Italy!

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BE FIRE SAFE AN OLD GAINESVILLE FAVORITE NOW IN ALACHUA!

Happy New Year

SUPEr SWEEP Says IT’S TIME TO CLEAN YOUR CHIMNEY & DRYER VENT

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We Don’t Monkey Around!

AVAILABLE 7 DAYS A WEEK

Licensed & Insured

Chimney Sweeps of America, LLC

YOUR DRYER NEEDS TO BREATHE! For the best results from your dryer, be sure the exhaust duct is clean!

40 YEARS IN BUSINESS

$

POPULAR MEXICAN CUISINE FAVORITES ROLLING OAKS PLAZA • ALACHUA 15202 NW 147 DRIVE, SUITE 1100

Lint Clogged Duct RESULT: DAMP CLOTHES, LONG DRY TIMES, POSSIBLE DRYER DAMAGE

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Clean Duct

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Seafood • Wings • Steak Family Friendly • Kids Menu

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ANY MEAL PURCHASE OF $20 OR MORE.

Receive $5 off the sub total of any meal ticket priced $20 or More. Limited to one coupon per ticket per visit. Can not be combined with other offers. Our Town Mag. Exp. 2-28-17

Spring Registration

Santa Fe

Babe Ruth Baseball

IS HERE Register Online at sfbrbaseball.org Online registrations December 18th - January 28st

The largest recreation baseball program in alachua county.

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COMMU NIT Y C A LENDA R

J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Hoggetowne Medieval Faire

January 28 - 29 & February 3 - 5 Make time for your family to enjoy this annual event! Travel back in time and into a world of battling knights, dancing gypsies, and magicians on nine stages.

PUBLIC SYMPOSIUM & WORKSHOP First Monday 6:30pm – 7:30pm

GAINESVILLE - Aurora Downtown, 109 SE 4th Ave. Join your music community for a workshop on a carefully developed aspect of different areas of the music business by Gainesville Music Association. After the workshop, the second half of the meeting is an open forum and moderated discussion on whatever topics you think should be talked about. www.gainesvillemusicassociation.com.

ENGLISH COUNTRY DANCING Mondays 6:45pm – 9:00pm

GAINESVILLE - United Church of Gainesville.

1624 NW 5th Ave. Come dance to jigs, reels and waltzes. No partner, experience or special dress required. Live music by Hoggetowne Fancy starts at 7:00pm.

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SQUARE DANCE CLASS Tuesdays 6:15pm – 7:15pm

GAINESVILLE - Westside Park Recreation Building, 1001 NW 34th St. The non-profit community organization teaches square dancing classes for singles, couples and families with children age 10 and up. September 6th and 13th are free, after that $5 per class. 352-283-1296. susiemoon@cox.netdance.

WEST END LADIES GOLF ASSOCIATION Wednesdays 8:00am – 12:00pm

NEWBERRY - West End Golf Club, 12830 W. Newberry Rd. Join the women’s golf league.

The cost is $20 annually, $12 to walk or $18 to ride. 352-256-1917.

PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB

HIGH SPRINGS FARMERS MARKET

Third Monday 7:00pm – 9:00pm

Thursdays 12:00pm – 4:00pm

GAINESVILLE - LifeSouth Community Blood Center, 4039 Newberry Rd. Meet, share photographs and improve your skills. Located in the rear conference room. gainesvillephotoclub.com.

HIGH SPRINGS - Downtown Farmers Market, 115 NE Railroad Ave. Find fresh peaches, blueberries, carrots and other produce all picked fresh from the garden.

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GAINESVILLE HARMONY SHOW CHORUS Thursdays 7:00pm – 9:30pm

GAINESVILLE - Grace Presbyterian Church, 3146 NW 13th St. For all who are interested in learning and singing women’s Acapella barbershop harmony music. 352-318-1281.

POETRY JAM Thursdays 8:00pm – 11:00pm

GAINESVILLE - Civic Media Center, 433 S. Main St. Gainesville’s longest-running open poetry reading, every Thursday night since 1994. All styles of poetry, acoustic music, a cappella singing, spoken word, performance art and more! Bring your friends for a night of artistic expression. 352-372-0010.

FROGS AND FRIENDS FRIDAY First Friday 2:00pm – 3:00pm

GAINESVILLE - Morningside Nature Center, 3450 E. University Ave. Until May, join a Morningside Nature Center animal caretaker for a free educational program featuring live amphibians and reptiles.

PHOTOGRAPHY: CHAD CORBETT

ARTWALK GAINESVILLE Last Friday 7:00pm - 10:00pm

GAINESVILLE - Downtown. Artwalk is a free monthly self-guided tour that combines exciting visual art, live performance and events with many local galleries, eateries and businesses participating. www.artwalkgainesville.com.

YOGA Sundays 1:00pm – 2:00pm

GAINESVILLE - First Magnitude Brewery, 1220 SE Veitch St. Brewery Yoga in the warehouse. All experience levels welcome; suggested donation of $5. Visit fmbrewing.com/calendar.

CAMELLIA SHOW January 7 – 8 Times Vary

GAINESVILLE - Kanapaha Botanical Gardens, 4700 SW 58th Dr. This two-day event (Saturday 1:00pm – 5:00pm & Sunday 9:00am – 5:00pm) features prize-winning camellias of all sizes, shapes and colors. This show is geared toward educating the public about the care, culture and appreciation of camellias, both in the greenhouse and in the landscape. Regular admission price for non-members and members are admitted free of charge. Visit Gainesville Camellia Societies’ website: www.americancamellias.org.

WINTER WONDERLAND OF WATERFALLS Through February 28 Times Vary

GAINESVILLE - The Florida Museum of Natural History, 3215 Hull Rd. View spectacular colored lights in the waterfalls of the Butterfly Rainforest.

Daily butterfly releases are held at 2:00pm with additional weekend releases at 3:00pm and 4:00pm, weather permitting. 352-846-2000.

TRIVIA & HAPPY HOUR Tuesday, January 3 7:30pm – 9:00pm

GAINESVILLE - Gators Den in the Best Western, 4200 NW 97th Blvd. Trivia and extended happy hour until 9:00pm and other great specials.

Prizes for first, second and third place. gatorsdensportsgrill.com.

DEVIL’S DASH 5K ECOFRIENDLY ADVENTURE RACE Saturday, January 7 9:00am– 5:00pm

WILLISTON - Cedar Lakes Woods & Gardens, 4990 NE 180th Ave. An event to inspire people

Ranger Led Tours: Sweetwater Wetlands Park First Saturdays & Second Sundays GAINESVILLE - Sweetwater Wetlands Park, 325 SW Williston Rd. Observe Sweetwater’s diverse wildlife, including alligators, Florida cracker horses, bison and more than 215 bird species. Tours will start from the Welcome Classroom Pavilion inside the park. The first Saturday of each month at 8:30am and second Sunday of each month at 2:00pm. 352-393-8520.

to learn about acting for health and environmental sustainability. Along with the race, there will also be face painting, vegan eco-friendly vendors, educational booths, live music and access to gorgeous botanical garden displays. www.devilsdash.org. 941-730-4745.

10:00am and concludes on the following Sunday around noon at the starting point. Limited to 20 people. Must register at www.prairiefriends.org.

BACKPACK WITH A RANGER

GAINESVILLE - Headquarters Library, 401 E. University Ave. Pulitzer Prize winning author Robert Olen Butler kicks off the series. Butler is the author of 16 novels including “A Small Hotel,” the Christopher Marlowe Cobb series, numerous short stories and a book on creative writing, “From Where You Dream.”

352-334-3939.

January 7 – 8 10:00am

MICANOPY - Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, 100 Savannah Blvd. This overnight trip is a moderately strenuous hike of approximately 6.5 miles over level to slightly rolling terrain. The pack in, pack out hike begins Saturday morning at

ROBERT OLEN BUTLER Sunday, January 8 2:30pm

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COLLECTORS DAY Saturday, January 21 10:00am – 3:00pm

GAINESVILLE - Florida Museum of Natural History, 3215 Hull Rd. This free, popular event has attracted collectors from across the region for more than 30 years. Enjoy a variety of personal collections and learn the history and context of these treasures. www.flmnh.ufl.edu/ collectorsday. 352-273-2061.

CONTRA DANCE

Gator Golf Day Saturday, February 4 8:00am – 1:00pm GAINESVILLE - Mark Bostick Golf Course, 2800 SW 2nd Ave. The University of Florida Men’s and Women’s Golf Teams invite you to the 47th Annual Gator Golf Day. All proceeds from Gator Golf Day are used to improve the golf facilities for both the Men’s and Women’s Golf Programs. 352-692-6150.

Saturday, January 21 5:45pm – 10:00pm

GAINESVILLE - Thelma A. Boltin Center, 516 NE 2nd Ave. Gainesville Old-time Dance Society Contra Dance is energetic, social dancing that’s fun for everyone (all ages are welcome) and no partner is necessary. Live music. Dances are taught, walked through and called. No experience or special dress is required. If you are new, please come to the beginner lesson (workshop) 30 minutes early godsdance.org.

THREE-ORGAN SPECTACULAR Sunday, January 22 4:00pm - 5:30pm

GAINESVILLE - Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 100 NE 1st St. Holy Trinity Church comes to life with the sound of three organs. A reception follows the concert. holytrinitygnv.org.

352-372-4721.

GAINESVILLE ORCHESTRA FAILURE FACTORIES Wednesday, January 18 6:00pm

GAINESVILLE - Bob Graham Center, 220 Pugh Hall. Michael LaForgia, one of the award-winning reporters, will speak about his investigation into the Pinellas County school district and the tremendous impact that the investigative series had on education policy and programs in the district. 352-846-1575.

MEET THE AUTHOR: MARJORIE KINNAN RAWLINGS REVISITED Wednesday, January 18 12:00pm - 1:00pm

REDDICK - Reddick Public Library, 15150 NW Gainesville Rd. Bring your bag lunch and enjoy a presentation on the 75th anniversary of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings’ “Cross Creek” and “Cross Creek Cookery” books. Beverage and dessert provided. Contact the library to reserve a piece of pie!

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Friday, January 27 7:30pm – 9:30pm

GAINESVILLE - Santa Fe Fine Arts Hall, 3000 NW 83rd St. Bringing you Winter’s Warmth with an evening of symphonic music on a grand scale.

Stravinsky, Strauss, Debussy and more. Tickets start at $15. 352-395-4181.

movie scripts and recently released his latest film, “Texas Voodoo Zombies.” His latest book releases include “The Secrets of Newberry” and “Borrow Trouble” with co-author Mary Monroe.

352-334-3939.

HOGGETOWNE MEDIEVAL FAIRE Jan. 28 - 29 & Feb. 3 - 5 Times Vary

GAINESVILLE - 3100 NE 39th Ave. Travel back in time and into a world of battling knights, dancing gypsies, and magicians on nine stages. Wander the marketplace, witness a battle on the living chess board, observe a falconry show and medieval combat, and cheer on royal knights jousting.

352-334-ARTS, www.hoggetownefaire.com.

MUSICAL PERFORMANCE Sunday, January 29 4:00pm

GAINESVILLE - First Presbyterian Church, 300 SW Second Ave. Watch performances by Mark Coffey on organ and Randolph Lee on trumpet.

There is no charge for any of these events.

352-378-1527.

SIX WOMEN WITH BRAIN DEATH OR EXPIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW February 3 - 26 Times Vary

HIGH SPRINGS - High Springs Playhouse, 130 NE 1st Ave. A hard rockin’ music and lyrics by Mark Houston. In a series of bizarre but hysterical songs and sketches, the authors explore TV soap operas, Barbie and Ken’s secret fantasy life, divas, a unique and new way of recycling, and what “is” and “is not” feminine — with an unforgettable detour through a forest where Bambi meets Rambo. Due to adult content and language, parental discretion is recommended.

386-454-3525. www.highspringsplayhouse.com.

INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL Saturday, January 28 10:00am – 3:00pm

GAINESVILLE - Oak Hall School, 8009 SW 14th St. Food trucks, child-centered games and activities, cultural displays and performances will be free and open to the public. www.oakhall.org.

VICTOR MCGLOTHIN Saturday, January 28 2:30pm

GAINESVILLE - Headquarters Library, 401 E. University Ave. Victor McGlothin is a national bestselling author and Essence Best Seller with 14 titles to his credit. He has written six

IBRAM X. KENDI Saturday, February 25 2:00pm

GAINESVILLE - Headquarters Library, 401 E. University Ave. Ibram X. Kendi’s new book “Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America” won the 2016 National Book Award. Dr. Kendi’s expertise in this field can also be seen in his award-winning 2012 book “The Black Campus Movement: Black Students and the Racial Reconstitution of Higher Education, 1965-1972.” He currently is an assistant professor of African American History at the University of Florida. 352-334-3939.

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GAINESVILLE COMMUNITY BAND WINTER CONCERT Sunday, February 19 3:00pm

GAINESVILLE - Santa Fe College Fine Arts Hall.

Under the directorship of Gary Langford, the GCB, with a current roster of about 80 members, is made up of teachers, professors, scientists, business professionals, students, physicians, contractors, realtors, trades-persons, and retirees. $6 donation requested. www.gnvband.org.

GAINESVILLE ORCHESTRA BULLA CUBANA Friday, February 24 7:30pm – 9:30pm

Run Amuck with the Duck Saturday, March 4

(start time 9:00am)

GAINESVILLE - North Florida Regional Medical Center. Join survivor Caren Gorenberg and Crackers the Duck, MD for the 8th Annual Run Amuck with the Duck. Share a fun day with family, friends and others who are walking to cure lung cancer. Walk, jog or run. Participate as an individual, join a team or create a team. Raise awareness and critical funds for patient services and clinical research projects. The event is filled with activities for everyone, food, music, entertainment, awards and more. Visit runamuck2017.yournextstepisthecure.org to register or call 650-598-2857 for more information.

GAINESVILLE - Santa Fe Fine Arts Hall, 3000 NW 83rd St. Under the directorship of Evans Haile, the Gainesville Orchestra celebrates Cuban and Latin roots in an evening of scintillating rhythms and musical fireworks. 352-395-4181.

THE RECONSTRUCTION ERA Friday, February 24 9:00am – 4:00pm

NEWBERRY - Dudley Farm Historic State Park, 18730 W Newberry Rd. A living history recreation by re-enactors including cow hunters, blacksmiths, cooper/barrel makers, storekeepers, women of the house and musicians. $5 per vehicle. www.friendsofdudleyfarm.org.

HEARTBREAKER CYCLING INVITATIONAL Saturday, February 25 9:30am

FLORIDA EARTHSKILLS GATHERING February 8 – 12 7:30am

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VALENTINE’S DAY CONCERT Tuesday, February 14 6:00pm – 8:00pm

HAWTHORNE - Little Orange Creek Nature Park, 24115 SE Hawthorne Rd. Learn skills practiced by ancient and contemporary people living closely with the earth as you participate in village life.

There are youth and teen programs at the same time as adult-focused workshops so that families can engage fully. www.floridaearthskills.org.

WILLISTON - Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens, 4990 NE 180th Ave. Bring a chair or blanket and your honey to see Muriel Anderson, a renowned guitar and harp guitar player.

Tickets include entrance to Cedar Lakes Woods & Gardens, the gardens will be open until 5:30. Tickets: www.cedarlakeswoodsandgarden.com.

SONGS OF LOVE AND JUSTICE

FLORIDA MEDICARE SEMINAR

Sunday, February 12 4:00pm - 5:00pm

Wednesday, February 15 1:00pm – 3:00pm

GAINESVILLE - Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 100 NE 1st St. Holy Trinity favorite Shanelle Woods returns to Gainesville, joined by Washington, DC mezzo-soprano Laquavia Alston, for a Black History Month vocal concert. holytrinitygnv.org. 352-372-4721.

GAINESVILLE - Millhopper Branch Library, 3145 NW 43rd St. The Florida Medicare Seminar approach is educational, no pressure and recommendations are always based on your specific needs. Tickets: www.FloridaMedicareSeminar.com.

352-334-1272.

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GAINESVILLE - One Love Cafe, 4989 NW 40th Pl. The Heartbreaker is an event that traverses some of Gainesville’s most beautiful roads. Featuring Live Oak canopies adorned with Spanish moss, dirt, lime rock and paved roads, this ride has it all.

Route departs from One Love Cafe at approximately 10:45am. Tickets at gravelcyclist.com.

RACE THE TORTOISE 5K Saturday, March 4 8:00am

HIGH SPRINGS - O’Leno State Park, 410 SE O’Leno Park Rd. An out and back course on scenic paved park roads with mile markers and a water stop. The proceeds from the race will help provide for the creatures in the Park’s Nature Center and to help expand its exhibits. Visit www.friendsofoleno.org for registration and more information.

SEND CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS TO: 4 4 00 N W 3 6 T H A V E ., G A I N E S V I L L E , F L 32 606 or E V E N T S @ T O W E R P U B L I C A T I O N S . C O M

FEBRUARY 3 AT 7:30 PM & FEBRUARY 4TH AT 2 PM CURTIS M. PHILLIPS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER. FOR TICKETS CALL 352-371-2986.

INFORMATION 352-371-2986

Venture back to the time when real men wore tights! In England in the days of yore lived the legendary Robin Hood.

Fiercely loyal to his King, he and his merry band of outlaws (along with the beautiful Lady Marian – of course!) save the day by defeating the evil Sheriff of Nottingham.

True to the story, the ballet is exciting, entertaining, comic, bold and filled with exciting sword fights an archery contest and a Maypole dance. Not to be missed by any age!

Friar Tucks Pub FEBRUARY 3 AT 6:00 PM FACKLER FOYER AT CURTIS M. PHILLIPS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER. TICKETS AVAILABLE AT: THE PHILLIPS CENTER. 392-2787 INFORMATION 352-371-2986

All ye members of Robin’s Merry band will meet in Sherwood Forest (AKA Fackler Foyer) prior to the Friday showing of ROBIN HOOD. ‘Friar Tucks Pub’ offers up a festive pre-show dinner catered by the fair Sweetwater Inn damsels. A perfect beginning to perfectly delightful evening!

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BAND B BA ND REVIEW

BRIAN “KRASH” KRUGER’S

Gate Crashing ON DECK FOR REVIEW: THE SHAMBLES, BRIDGET KELLY BAND BRIAN KRUGER IS A WRITER, MUSICIAN AND A GRADUATE OF THE UF COLLEGE OF LAW. HE HAS PLAYED IN SOME 17 OR SO LOCAL BANDS, PLAYING MOST EVERY GAINESVILLE VENUE FRIENDLY TO ORIGINAL MUSIC (AND SOME NOT SO FRIENDLY). bkrashpad@yahoo.com

DATE: SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2016 VENUE: BO DIDDLEY COMMUNITY PLAZA Greetings, live music aficionados! This installment finds us back in downtown Gainesville, at the Bo Diddley Community Plaza, one of the lynchpins of the downtown arts and entertainment district.

And that venue was especially appropriate, because the musical entertainment onstage was being provided free as part of the Downtown Festival and Art Show, in fact, the 35th Annual Downtown Festival and Art Show.

Gainesville has two major art festivals. In the spring is the (equally appropriate) Spring Arts Festival, sponsored by Santa Fe College, and in the autumn is the Downtown Festival. More than 100,000 people were expected to attend the festival this year, which included a juried fine arts festival, produced by the City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department, judging works by some 240 artists.

In addition to the art and artists, the Downtown Festival also features live music and dance performances, this year on four stages. Since 1996, the Downtown Festival & Art Show has ranked among the top festivals in the nation, and steadily climbed in rankings in recent years. According to the festival’s website, the Downtown Festival & Art Show was ranked No. 14 on Sunshine Artist magazine’s “200 Best” list of top fine arts festivals in the nation.

The festival also lets kids get involved with the Imagination Station, a free hands-on art activity area allowing children to create their own art. There, kids can create chalk murals, design masks, sculpt clay, create puppets, and enjoy performances including puppet shows, magic acts and music. Art Education students from the University of Florida work throughout the fall semester to produce the Imagination Station event at the festival.

But, back to the music. Beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday and 11:00 on Sunday, one of the stages for the Downtown Festival was the Bo Diddley Community Plaza. On Saturday there was music through about 5:00 p.m., and on Sunday the stage featured music and dance until about the same time. Both days featured exclusively Gainesville area bands and dance troupes. I decided to go on Saturday in the middle of the afternoon, for the sets of 116 |

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two bands beginning at 1 and 2 p.m.

The Shambles is an eight-piece rock band (two women and six guys) that played covers of hits. The instrumentation and vocal duties were: David Cook, keyboardist/backing vocalist, Eric Diamond on electric lead guitar (a quilt-top purplish Paul Reed Smith, to be specific), Conor Galligan on drums, Mike Fender on bass (a Peavey 5-string electric)/backing vocals, Connie Brashear on lead vocals, Celeste Shitama on backing vocals/shaker/tambourine, Hoch Shitama on backing and lead vocals/rhythm guitar (a lovely “fireglo” Rickenbacker, their name for a cherry sunburst), and Jim Mitchell on percussion and backing vocals.

It appears that the Shambles have been around locally for at least a couple years, from some of their gig references on Facebook. Although a cover band, it struck me during their set that the song selection was definitely not the standard fare; there was no “Brown Eyed Girl,” for example, a running joke among cover band players. As it turns out, this is sort of the niche that the Shambles are intentionally going for, the City of Gainesville having described them for a previous engagement as “an eclectic mix of classic rock, contemporary blues, cosmic country music, and Shambles dance party music that includes songs from Steely Dan, as well as Santana, Gram Parsons, Grateful Dead, Amy Winehouse, Beth Hart, The Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac, Little Feat, Stevie Wonder and Talking Heads.” So, if a sort of ‘70s groove rock vibe (laidback rock with some jazz and country tinges) is your thing, you’ll like the Shambles.

Up next were the Bridget Kelly Band, playing blues rock.

They were/are comprised of Bridget Kelly — vocals, Timmy Fik — electric guitar (specifically a G&L brand Strat) and vocals, Mark Armbrecht (disclosure: I was in a band for a year or so with Mark several years ago) — bass (specifically a Music Man StingRay) and Alex Klausner — drums. A fifth player, on keys (a Hammond keyboard replicating the giant B3 organ for the most part, played through a Leslie speaker — though on at least one song the voicing was switched to electric piano), was also along for the ride.

And what a ride it was! The wife-husband team of Kelly and Fik instinctively knew each other’s moves, and the rhythm section was in a lockstep that has come from hard touring around the southeast U.S., three albums in the last four years (2013: “Back

The Shambles

Bridget Kelly Band

in the Blues,” 2014: “Forever in Blues,” 2016: “Outta the Blues”), and being semi-finalists in the International Blues Challenge in 2015 and 2016. Numerous incendiary guitar and keyboard leads punctuated the songs throughout the set, which never lost any

steam as a result of Ms. Kelly’s energetic and undeniable stage presence.

Beautiful day, art for sale directly from artists, good music for free — what more could you want?

Now, go see some bands.

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TRAVEL >> BARCELONA

SPANISH CASTLE MAGIC

Vamos a España The Do’s and Don’ts of Barcelona W RIT TE N BY TE A L G A RTH

T

his past summer, I made the best decision of my 20-year life and embarked on a study abroad trip to Barcelona, Spain, for six weeks. I had minimal Spanish skills, only one other friend taking on this journey with me, and absolutely no idea what to expect. To some, this sounds terrifying, but to me it was exciting.

Change is scary, yes, but getting out of your comfort zone is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Not only does travel provide a refreshing escape from your day-to-day reality that will reduce stress levels, it also allows you to grow as a person by immersing yourself in an unfamiliar culture and learning things that you couldn’t learn anywhere else. If I haven’t made it clear, I am a big believer that traveling is good for the mind, body and soul, mostly because of my experience this past summer. As it turns out,

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going in blind was the best thing I could’ve done because in those six weeks I learned that: 1) Going to Spain with minimal Spanish skills only means you’ll learn more Spanish while you’re there.

2) Going abroad with only one friend means you’ll make many, many more unforgettable friendships.

3) Going to a foreign country with no idea what to expect means your expectations are guaranteed to be exceeded.

I won’t disclose the grades I made in the two classes I took while there, but I will sum up the copious amount of (exponentially more important) life knowledge I gained on my trip for anyone interested in getting their fill of mental and spiritual health through travel — specifically in the magical city of Barcelona.

Designed by Antoni Gaudi, Park GĂźell is another must-see example of the unique and beautiful modernista architecture found all over Barcelona. The park also comes with a breathtaking view of the city.

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TRAVEL >> BARCELONA

Do: See the Architecture In a city with such a rich cultural history, you can’t miss out on the sites that hold some of the most unique architecture and history in the world. La Sagrada Familia is perhaps the only basilica that can leave you completely awestruck at its beauty while still under construction. Construction started in 1882 led by famous architect Antoni Gaudí, and it has since transformed into a gorgeous display of art, history and religion that has even more to offer us upon completion. If you’re in the mood for more famous churches, visit Catedral de Barcelona and adventure around the Gothic Quarter, the oldest part of the city. If you’re in the mood for more Gaudí, you’re in luck.

Find his distinct work at Parc Güell, Casa Batlló, Casa Mila, Casa Calvet, Casa Vicens, Cascada Fountain at Parc de Ciutadella, La Pedrera and many more.

Another one of Gaudi’s famous works, this basilica offers unparalleled intricate religious architecture, and the indoor light show from the stained glass windows is a must-see.

Don’t: Forget About the Culture At beautiful displays of art such as these, it’s easy to get lost in the views and forget about the history of events that took place to create what you are lucky enough to witness today. The history of these buildings and structures will help you understand more about Barcelona’s culture, so soak it up any way you can. Another cultural reminder: remember that many churches don’t allow entrance unless you’re wearing clothing that covers your shoulders and knees — often this applies for men and women.

Do: Explore the City It’s great to experience all the touristy places that will satisfy your craving for culture and history, but the best way to immerse yourself is to get out and explore.

Try a new restaurant every day. Stroll through Plaça Catalunya and Espanya and take in the diverse crowd around you.

See the fountain light show in front of the National Museum of Art of Catalunya and take the cable car from the beach to Montjuïc and enjoy the views. Wander down Passeig de Gracia and La Rambla streets for great shopping and stop by La Boqueria, a huge street market that sells everything imaginable, from delicious chocolate covered fruit-on-a-stick to terrifying cow tongues.

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PHOTOGRAPHY: TEAL GARTH, ASHLEIGH BRAUN

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TRAVEL >> BARCELONA

Don’t: Let Your Guard Down Completely Overall, the city is amazing, but there are a few downsides, one of which is pickpocketing. Theft is rampant there, and it’s most likely to happen in a crowded place, such as the metro, a bar or nightclub, or tourist hotspots. To avoid getting pickpocketed, always keep your purse or backpack (one that zips is the safest) close by or hold it in front of you. Avoid keeping important items in your pockets, especially your back pockets. Never leave anything unattended, even at a table in a restaurant. Unfortunately, this advice is offered to you as someone who has firsthand experience. A thief posed as a beggar stole my phone (along with my ID, debit card, and 50-ride metro pass) when I left it on our table during dinner. Moral of the story: always be aware!

Do: Let Loose and Have Fun Barcelona is known for its crazy nightlife, so if that is something of interest, you should definitely take advantage of it. Depending on how wild you want your experience to get, nightlife ranges from overcrowded beach clubs, such as the famous Opium, to more laidback, local bars. If you’re feeling adventurous, find 122 |

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some smaller local bars and make some Spanish friends over a nice, big pitcher of sangria; if not, head to the beach clubs to party with other Americans. If nightlife isn’t for you, the Barceloneta beach area is great during the day, too. The crowds of people are balanced out by the perfect weather, beautiful blue water, an abundance of great restaurants – and nearby illegal street vendors (you’ll get a great deal on fake name brand shoes and purses!).

Don’t: Get Overly Paranoid About Crowds I know I just preached the importance of keeping your belongings safely out of reach of pickpockets, but don’t let that scare you into leaving your necessities behind when you go out for the day or night. My study abroad program excessively warned us about getting our belongings stolen at clubs, to the point where my roommates and I decided to just leave everything of importance at our apartment when we went out for the evening. One night, I got separated and ended up sitting alone outside our apartment with no phone or keys (or hope of salvation) from about 4 a.m. to 7 a.m. Lesson learned.

PHOTOGRAPHY: TEAL GARTH, ASHLEIGH BRAUN

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Do: Reach New Heights Barcelona has so much to offer at the ground level, but I found that just about all my favorite adventures involved looking down at the city from above. Montserrat is a great day trip just outside Barcelona where you can find amazing views, hiking trails, and ancient monasteries. It’s basically a miniature city on top of a mountain, and it’s a refreshing break from the fast-paced city life. Tibidabo Parc d’Atraccions, an amusement park, is highly recommended if you’re traveling with children (I wasn’t, but my friends and I were just as entertained as all the kids there). This high-altitude activity is just a 30-minute uphill bus ride away from the heart of the city. There are typical park rides made even better by the incredible views, delicious churros, and of course, a lovely cathedral. Last but not least, Los Bunkers, an old war fort at (you guessed it) one of the highest points in Barcelona is the perfect place to watch the sunset and enjoy a 360-degree view.

Don’t: Let Public Transportation Beat You All these places I’m suggesting sound great, right? Well, they are, but getting there isn’t as much fun. A few ways to tackle public transportation are Google Maps, the Barcelona Metro App, and researching trips ahead of time. Google maps is amazing. It will give you a walking route to a metro route to a train route to another walking route that will bring you right to your destination, and the best part is that it doesn’t require Wi-Fi or cell service to function while traveling. The metro app will help you understand the subway system in Barcelona, which is necessary to get pretty much anywhere if you don’t want to spend all your money on cabs.

Speaking of cabs, they know you’re a tourist and they will take you the long way to get more money from you. I recommend Google mapping your destination beforehand to make sure they aren’t taking advantage of you. For further trips, such as Montserrat, Tibidabo, or even the airport, look up transportation in advance, because more often than not you’ll find a cheap and easy bus that will take you directly to wherever you need to go.

Truth be told, there is really so much more information I could offer you, but one last lesson I learned this summer is that it’s much more fun to figure things out for yourself.

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Whether you’re in the mood for carnival rides in the clouds at Tibidabo (bottom), a sunset 360-degree view of the city from Los Bunkers (top), or an outside adventure in the mountains of Montserrat Monastery (middle left), Barcelona has got you covered.

PHOTOGRAPHY: TEAL GARTH, ASHLEIGH BRAUN

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ARE SOCIAL CONNECTIVITY APPS HELPING OR HURTING US?

The Growth of Social Media STORY A N D PHOTOGR A PH Y BY CECILI A LEM US

The presence of social media is unquestionable and most Americans find themselves engaging in social media every day in one way or another.

Whether making a skype video call on the job or checking twitter while waiting in line at Starbucks, people are online.

Some companies even recruit employees through twitter.

Name a company and chances are they have a Facebook and/ or Twitter page.

Without a doubt, there are positive forms of social media that have allowed people to connect either by reading news, networking or even sharing medical advances, but issues may 126 |

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arise for those who spend too much time online.

Facebook reported that its users spend on average 50 minutes each day on the website. In comparison, socializing — including time spent visiting with friends or attending or hosting social events — accounts for an average of 41 minutes per day, according to the the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Statistics and technology advances make it evident that social media is not going to die out.

“The platforms and technology evolves but people are always going to be sharing their lives on social media,” said Annie Neimand in a phone interview. Neimand is a doctoral student in the Department of Sociology, Criminology & Law at the UF. “The idea of the internet is really great,” she said. “It’s a way to connect people that have not been connected before and a place for people who are voiceless to have a voice outside of the traditional media.”

CULTURE >> SOCIAL MEDIA

It’s important to realize that the information we consume on social media may be biased towards our interests. We may be excluding ourselves from information that doesn’t match our interests and could be giving us a broader perspective of the world, she said.

This can happen on Facebook where nearly eight-in-ten online Americans use the website and 68 percent of all U.S. adults use it. Twenty-four percent of online users are on Twitter and 32 percent are on Instagram, according to a 2016 study by the Pew Research Center.

There are algorithms within social media platforms that personalize the content to you, Neimand said.

“Within a certain body of research, academics talk about this thing called echo chambers or some people call it a filter bubble, and basically people self-select themselves into the information they get,” she said.

Not only are the platforms creating an echo chamber that only shows you what they think you would like to see, but we also self-select into these echo chambers where we tend to interact with people that agree with us, she said.

“We know from research that people don’t want information that challenges their world views or makes them feel feelings they don’t want to feel,” Neimand said. “It’s also tied to your social group. What type of content is face to face is not a bad idea,” she said. popular in your social group? That being said, what really needs There is a consensus that social media has led to advances, to happen is that we need to be educated with what is news and and at the same time some drawbacks. journalism and what is just internet candy or click bait.”

“My main argument is that there are pros She said social media is kind of isolating and that and cons,” said Associate Professor of Sociology, we have to break out of it and actually talk to Charles Gattone. Social media is a valuable people that are different than us and also In 2018 there will be form of communication, but it can be a consume media that is different than we about 2.67 billion social media problem in the sense that it doesn’t tell would traditionally consume. users around the globe, above the the whole story, he said.

Lauren Griffin, Environmental 1.91 billion users in 2014, according to “There is something unique about Sociology and Media Ph.D. student, a 2016 Statista article. face-to-face interaction that you cansaid there are a lot of good things that not have in social media,” Gattone said. come from social media.

“When you’re talking with someone “We learn about things and interact in person, you see gestures and you with people from all over the world,” notice inflections in the way people use she said. their words and body language. All of these People don’t need to disconnect comthings are part of communication.” pletely. Griffin recommends people become You are only getting a partial view of who they involved within the community with volunteer are online, he said. or service organizations to get exposed to different “It also can be problematic if the person becomes obsessed perspectives. with it,” Gattone said. “I do feel that there is a possibility of “Actually going out and having conversation with people

2.67 billion

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When people use social media for an extended period of time, they can become so thoroughly inundated in it that they can develop negative feelings when they don’t have it.

overdoing it. When that happens, the person is really sacrificing his or her direct communication, and that can be a loss.”

As a professor that spends time around students he said he has noticed people who have developed an ongoing habit of using media for extended periods, more than he would recommend.

He argues that many people, specifically college students, do not recognize the problem.

“And I would ask them some questions that might help them see it,” he said. “For instance, I might ask: ‘How do you feel when you are not using social media?’ ‘How often do you read a book made out of paper?’ ‘How often are you interacting with others outside of electronic media?’ ‘How do you feel then?’ ‘What are your moods like when you are interacting with others?’ ‘What are your moods like when you are online, using a device?’” he said in an email. “The issue is that my advice would not mean anything if they do not recognize that excessive use is creating a problem in their lives.”

He said that people can be drawn to social media to a point where if they don’t pick up a device, they have negative feelings.

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He brought up the opponent-process theory that states that when a person encounters one form of stimulus over time, the brain produces an equal and opposite sensation.

For instance, when you go into a chocolate shop, you smell the chocolate immediately, but after a few minutes, you no longer smell it. Your brain creates an opposite reaction that lessens the effect of that stimuli. What can happen is, over time you need more of that same stimulus in order to reach equilibrium, he said.

Forms of stimulation associated with electronic media can produce the same effect. When people use social media for an extended period of time, they can become so thoroughly inundated in it that they can develop negative feelings when they don’t have it, he said.

Gattone said dependence on social media can be unfavorable or negative and can ultimately be a loss for those who continue increasing their use.

“They are missing out on what life could give them without needing a device,” he said.

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NATURE >> OUTDOOR SANCTUARY

A PLACE OF COMFORT

Outdoor Sanctuary Whitney Sanford and Her Students Find Religion in Nature W R IT TE N BY PEGGY M AC DON A LD

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or Florida’s hikers, bikers, kayakers and campers, the outdoors is a sanctuary.

“Whatever religious tradition you’re from, most religions have an idea of the creator and the relationship with the out-door world,” said University of Florida professor of religion Whitney Sanford. “For a lot of people just going out in nature is a religious experience. John Bartram talks about how he is a Quaker and he sees nature in a very religious sense. A lot of people say the river is their church.”

Sanford has examined the connection between nature and spirituality across cultures. She received a doctorate in religious studies from the University of Pennsylvania, specializing in north Indian devotional traditions. At UF, one of the most popular classes Sanford teaches is

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“Religion, Nature and Society.” The course focuses on a variety of social justice issues ranging from the use of enslaved Africans to manage rice plantations in South Carolina, to Love Canal and how toxic places affect people differentially.

Sanford invites students to join her on field excursions orchestrated by Paddle Florida, a nonprofit organization for which she volunteers as a lecturer and kayak instructor. In December 2015, for instance, Sanford contributed to a Paddle Florida trip that commemorated the 250th anniversary of William Bartram’s travels through Florida.

In 1791, William, the son of naturalist John Bartram, published “Travels of William Bartram,” a four-part tome about his expedition to Florida. His travels included a visit to Paynes Prairie, which William called the Great Alachua Savanna.

“Bartram fell in love with Florida over two centuries

Whitney Sanford floats in Satsuma Spring in Putnam County. Sanford is active with Paddle Florida, a nonprofit group that leads excursions on a variety of Florida waterways.

PHOTOGRAPHY: SAM CARR

ago, and Paddle Florida designed the Bartram History Paddle to help us see Florida through Bartram’s eyes,” Sanford explained.

Because of large class sizes, it is challenging to arrange outdoor excursions such as the Bartram paddle. In the past, Sanford has compromised by assigning students to pick an outdoor spot at a nearby park or on campus where they can do silent meditation and journal about their experience.

Students reflect upon what it is like to be in a place and just be, and not do anything.

“We use these beautiful places to reflect,” Sanford said. “They all point to bigger religious and historical issues. Think about the generations of all of these people who have been at these places, from the Native Americans to the Spanish and French.”

As a child, Sanford became interested in the

connection between religion and nature. Born in Savannah, Georgia, she spent much of her youth in the suburbs of New York.

“I’ve always been interested in different religious traditions around me,” Sanford said.

As an undergraduate student at Bowdoin College, Sanford double majored in English and philosophy.

“I studied South Asia and Indian devotional poetry, and so much of that poetry is talking about nature,” she said.

Sanford specialized in Indian temple poetry and Hindu devotional poetry. An avid backpacker and canoer in her youth, Sanford discovered in college that she felt more of an intellectual connection to nature when she was doing fieldwork in India.

“The poetry talks about the birds and the cows and the land as sacred,” Sanford said.

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Sanford’s third book, “Living Sustainably: What Intentional Communities Can Teach Us about Democracy, Simplicity, and Nonviolence” will be available in June. Currently her research focuses on Florida. The topic of her fourth book is what she describes as “Old Florida environmentalism.” She is interviewing a diverse group of Floridians who interact with the St. Johns River to uncover what the river means to different people, using fish camps as a point of emphasis. Many of the people Sanford has interviewed come from families whose lives have been entangled with the St. Johns for generations.

“It’s an Old Florida thing but it’s also an environmental thing,” Sanford said. “It’s a really interesting mix of people. In some ways, we share very similar values about nature. A lot of them see nature — the water — as a church.”

Students from two classes Sanford taught in the fall of 2016 worked with her on a portion of the project, which involves an exhibition at the Matheson History Museum titled “River of Dreams: The St. Johns River and its Springs.” To develop an online component for the exhibition, Sanford assigned each student to a different water system in Florida as a case study on human interactions with waterways.

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a doctorate in religion and nature. She started taking religious studies courses as an undergraduate.

“I did my master’s work on mountain top removal coal mining in West Virginia,” she said. “Growing up in the foothills, I spent a lot of time there. Seeing them totally desecrated really impacted me. I had a close connection to that specific landscape. That’s the area I know most about.”

Nichols’ research focuses on environmental justice, radical environmentalism, new forms of animism and Earth spirituality, among other areas.

“I definitely feel a deep connection to the Earth, and to natural landscapes when I’m in them,” Nichols said. “It’s just a place of comfort.”

Another graduate student Sanford works with is Brian Szymborski, who has conducted archeological research at Silver Glen Springs in the Ocala National Forest. Silver Glen is a giant shell mound complex with a U-shaped amphitheater.

“You could fit three football fields inside of it,” Szymborski said.

Archaic hunters and gatherers engaged in trade networks across the Southeast congregated at Silver Glen.

“A lot of people from the Southeast gathered at this place PHOTOGRAPHY: DOUG ALDERSON, LIZ SPARKS, WHITNEY SANFORD, ANN LEDBETTER

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for feasting,” Szymborski said. “The spring water was very sacred to them, just as shell was. They used to do water burials because they believed it was a sacred place. In a lot of places, they were buried in these shell mounds later, after sea rise.”

Shells were used to cook medicine and in rituals. During fieldwork, Szymborski found evidence of shells that were burned at the bottom to heat food.

“Shell and water were very important to them,” Szymborski said.

Local historian and out-door adventure guide Lars Andersen is saddened that the sacred connection between humans and Florida’s land and water was lost when the last of Florida’s natives died from disease and warfare in the late 18th century. Like Andersen, Sanford seeks to forge a new connection between 21st century Floridians and nature.

Both are happiest on the water, and like all good missionaries, they try to make as many converts as possible.

“You can see things differently from the river,” Sanford said. “People don’t protect what they don’t love.”

A newcomer to Florida, Sanford was previously a whitewater paddler and was initially attracted to Florida’s beaches. Later, she began to learn the rich history of Florida’s waters and started to explore the inland waterways.

“We paddled and camped in the Keys and the 10,000 Islands, visited rivers and springs, and continued to surf in the Atlantic,” Sanford wrote in her blog. “But now, the springs have stolen my heart — seeing the tannin line where spring meets river, paddling under the trees on the Suwannee River, and swimming in the springs along the Santa Fe River.”

To Sanford, North Central Florida’s springs feel like home. For a growing number of Florida residents and visitors, the connection to Florida’s waters is palpable and immediate, and nothing short of divine.

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PHOTOGRAPHY: ANN LEDBETTER

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ALL THE SMALL THINGS PHOTO ESSAY >> KRISTIN KOZELSKY 136 |

Mojave Desert, CA Giant Rock, as it is formally called â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a freestanding boulder about seven stories high and covering about 58,000 square feet, was once just one of many boulders scattered over the desert.

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ABOUT THE ARTIST GAINESVILLE-BASED PHOTOGRAPHER KRISTIN KOZELSKY EARNED HER B.A.S IN ART AND ANTHROPOLOGY AT SUNY ALBANY AND COMPLETED HER M.A. IN ANTHROPOLOGY AT FSU. HER BACKGROUND ALLOWS HER TO BE A VISUAL STORYTELLER THAT COMBINES HER FORMAL TRAINING IN ART WITH AN EMPATHETIC VIEW OF CULTURE AND PEOPLE. SHE HAS BEEN FORTUNATE IN HER MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO TRAVEL AND DOCUMENT HER JOURNEYS ALONG THE WAY. WHEN NOT BEHIND THE CAMERA, SHE ENJOYS SPENDING TIME OUTDOORS AND SHARING LOCAL FOOD WITH GREAT FRIENDS.

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Sequoia National Park, CA Giant sequoias can grow to be about 30 feet in diameter and more than 250 feet tall.

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Amelia Island, FL

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Located just off the coast of northeast Florida, Amelia Island is easy to reach, but hard to forget. With 13 miles of beautiful beaches, abundant native wildlife, and pristine waters, this barrier island has long been a beloved destination for visitors and residents alike.

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Joshua Tree National Park, CA The park is characterized by rugged rock formations and stark desert landscapes. It was named for the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s twisted, bristled Joshua trees.

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