S R E ! H E T O CL M A A IR M
15 TRICKS TO SLEEPING BETTER
TRAVELING TO FIND HIDDEN TREASURES
TM
Bring the WOW to your Mother’s Day Celebration
May 2012 Volume 11
GET YOUR BUCKET LIST TOGETHER
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Dear Reader, .I hope you and your family celebrate a wonderful Mothers day with your mom,granma or aunts. Celebrate a woman in your life that has poured wisdom and love into your life. They don't have to be connected to you by blood as long as they are connected by LOVE. Mothers day was designed to celebrate mothers and mother figures. Its not about what you buy or where you take her to for dinner. If you would just ask her I am sure she would tell you that YOU matter the most to her. You make her a mother. I was watching TV and saw a beautiful commercial by Hallmark celebrating Mothers day. The things that the mothers were stating they wanted were not material things. It was relationship. Mothers want to continue to have relationship with their children, even after they are grown and moved away. Remember to call us. Remember we like to laugh too. Email us a joke or two. Remember we like surprises. We like to hear momma when everything is calm not in an uproar. Call us just because. Even if we don’t say it ,we miss you more than you think. Mothers are special. They are an invaluable resource that we sometimes never fully appreciate until they are gone. Don’t just wait for one day out of the year to let your Mom know she is yours. HAVE A HAPPY AND BLESSED MOTHERS DAY
Be Blessed, Roxanne
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2 Editors Perspective 3 Contents 4 Meet Our Cover Girl
6 Dating Rules Pt 2
8 Through God’s Grace I am a MOM!!
10 The Curse
11 Tantalize your Taste buds 12 Poetry & Prose
16 Mothers Day “WOW” Factor 18 Hidden Treasures
20 Celebrating Mothers
21 Poetry and Prose
23 So You Want To Be A Model 24Movie Mania 26 15 Steps To Sleeping Better 28 Contact Us
14 Making Your Bucket List Now 3
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Meet Mandy Frank I am a plus size model; I am fleshy, rotund ,flirtatious, luscious, sexy, husky, cuddly, hot, provocative, risqué, sensual, spicy, voluptuous and so much more. I am beautiful, I am a real woman. I do not resemble any of the woman who strike the cover of the Victoria’s secret catalog, Maxim, or Cosmopolitan; and I never will. I am a plus size woman and I am proud of my size 18 curves. I have a lot of confidence and I am very comfortable in my own skin; it took many years to get where I am today, I am proud of who I am and who I have become. In thewords of Nicki Minaj, “ I’m fighting for the girls that never thought they could win; cause before they could begin you told them it was the end, but I am here to reverse the curse they they live in.” My goal is to show the world natural doesn’t mean skinny, beauty isn’t the same as slim; being comfortable in your own skin, looking yourself in the mirror and being happy with your reflection, walking with your head high and a smile on your face is beautiful, regardless of your size, shape, height or weight. I want Mandy Frank to become a household name; if it never happens, that’s fine by me, I know I gave it my all and I have come this far to stop; there is no turning back at this point.
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intentions of sleeping with him because it was the first date. But here is the thing; the conversation was flowing as were the drinks. And this is where she may have let her guard down and Last month you learned the Sassy’s 1st rule to
the next thing you know, she is prone on his
dating and that was to – Always Say What You
bed, with her blouse pushed up to her shoul-
Mean. This month we will review Always Mean
ders. Let’s face facts, there is a societal stigma
What You Say.
attached to all women whom sleep with men on the first date. I have heard a lot of men say that
Sassy’s 2nd Rule for Dating”
a woman that sleeps with a man on the first date is a woman that knows her mind. That
Rule # 2 Always Mean What You Say
right there is a bunch of bull, it’s a woman that may know her mind, but it also shows a woman
One cannot say one thing and then backtrack to mean another. This is a vital aspect of life. How many times have we heard people say one thing but then they mean another? Too many times to count, and because no one holds their feet to the fire on their words they continue to do the same things over and over again. It’s what they say the definition of crazy is…doing the same things over and over and
that doesn’t know the man. After she sleeps with him is when she will make the attempt to get to know him and at that point, what’s the point. He has gotten what he wanted from her. Yes, I know that this is not always the case, and that there are some unions that are still together now after having slept with one another on the first date, but that is the exception, not the rule.
expecting a different result. This is no different in the dating world. How can a woman tell a man that she does not sleep with men on the first date, and yet on the first date she sleeps with him? The excuse for her would be that the “vibe” was right. At that point she has shown to this man that she says one thing, but doesn’t really mean it. She can be easily persuaded and/or manipulated to conform to his wants, his needs, and his desires. She most likely, and in all probability, had no
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Sassy Scribe AKA Saundra Harris
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Have you ever wondered what motivates a fat girl to stay positive in a "pro skinny girl society"? “What Every Fat Girl Wants “will answer those questions once and for all. You will laugh and you might cry but you will hear the truth from a fat girl’s perspective. Available at www.whateveryfatgirlwants.com , www.amazon.com , www.smashwords.com Available in print and as an eBook for your Nook and Kindle. 7
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Shannon & Kenneth Watkins of Cumberland, Md., tried for many years to have a baby. After several procedures at the WVU Center for Reproductive Medicine they were pregnant with twins! But things didn't go as planned. Still, the Watkins are grateful for the care and kindness they received at WVU Healthcare in their darkest and brightest hours.
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WEFGW: We are so excited for you and your blessing, SHANNON: Yes I have always wanted to be a mom. I really wanted to have lots of kids. Due to complications I had to have 5 procedures to become pregnant. I had a procedure called an IVF. From one of those procedures we were able to save several embryos. From those frozen embryos I had a embryo transfer and became impregnated with my twins. WEFGW: We understand that your babies were born premature. SHANNON: I was suppose to be on bed rest for 11 weeks. I became real sick and found out that my son was not doing well in the womb. He had stopped moving and there was no blood flow. We soon learned that my son had died. WEFGW: Did this effect the other twin.? SHANNON: Both babies were born 11 weeks early. My son was still born but my daughter was alive and struggling to hold on. We named he Shekinah . Which is an Hebrew word for the glory of God .The staff here at the WVU Children's Hospital are very caring and comforting WEFGW: How is Shekinah doing now? SHANNON: She is improving every day. She is gaining weight. We are so thankful to God for our beautiful daughter. Because of God’s Grace I am now a mother. Want To see full interview of Shannon’s miracle follow this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvcSytkWz3Q&feature=youtu.be
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The Curse
Curse [kurs] noun, verb, cursed or curst, curs·ing.
noun
1. the expression of a wish that misfortune, evil, doom, etc., befall a person, group, etc. 2. a formula or charm intended to cause such misfortune to another. 3. the act of reciting such a formula. 4. a profane oath; curse word. 5. an evil that has been invoked upon one. We all know and love the famous fairy tale curses such as Sleeping Beauty falling asleep for 100 years, Snow White is poisoned by an apple, Beast was placed under a spell because of his failure to love, or Fiona: "By night one way By day another. This shall be the norm Until you find true love's first kiss And then take love's true form" But, how much do you know about sports curses? More specifically, sports teams’ curses? Have you heard of the Curse of the Bambino or the Curse of the Billy goat or The Sports Illus-
trated Cover Curse? If not, don’t despair, I will share some of the most popular sports curses. As I was doing my research for this article, ironically, it seems, a lot of curses are baseball related. So, let’s start there. The Curse of the Bambino relates to the sell of Babe Ruth from the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees in 1920. From 1912-1918 (7 years of baseball), the Red Sox had won 4 championships. After they sold “The Babe,” the Red Sox went a long 96 years without another championship (2004), while the Yankees racked up 26 championships in the same amount of
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time. The curse of the Billy Goat has been haunting the Chicago Cubs championship hopes since the postseason of 1945 when Billy Sianis and his billy goat were asked to leave a World Series game at Wrigley Field. When Billy left the stadium, he declared the Cubs would win no more. The Cubs as well as fans and family of Billy Sianis have all tried to reverse the curse, to no avail. The Cubs have not won a championship since 1908.
The Sports Illustrated (SI) Cover curse has a lot of superstars fearing to be on their cover. There are some eerie coincidences of mishaps after people have been featured on their cover. Some of those recent “jinxes” are: Albert Pujols, the home run king for the St Louis Cardinals, was featured after starting his new job with the Angels after being traded from the Cardinals; he has yet to hit a home run this season. Tom Brady, the quarterback for the New England Patriots, suffered a terrible season ending knee injury just days after appearing on their cover in 2008. Just days after Nomar Garciaparra was featured, taking note of his off-season conditioning, he broke his wrist and ended his season. Other similar curses to the SI cover curse are the NFL Madden Curse (video games) and the Gillette (safety razors) curse, where after stars are featured they soon have setbacks such as injuries, games lost, and bad seasons. They really are just fairy tales, aren’t they!
Sara Hughes
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Citrus Salad With Honey and Mint
INGREDIENTS 1 grapefruit 1 navel orange 2 teaspoons honey 4 small sprigs fresh mint
Directions With a knife, cut away the peel and white pith of the grapefruit and orange and slice the fruit into rounds. Arrange the slices on individual plates. Drizzle with the honey and top with the mint. By Kate Merker, March 2008
Quick Tip You can cut the peel and pith up to 12 hours in advance. Keep in the refrigerator in a SEALED CONTAINER UNTIL READY TO SLICE
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Look Up! I WILL, lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, WHICH MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH. PSALM 121:1, 2 In this journey of life , we have our good days and our bad days. I pray that there are many of you who have more good than bad days. Some of us need doors open ,and some may need doors closed with the keys thrown far away! The LORD is always with you! Even when you can not see or feel Him anywhere! The LORD has already worked things out for you. Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5,6 We must continue to trust God in this journey. When things get rough get tough and pray! Lift your eyes up to the hills! Our help comes from God! Lift your eyes up!! Hold your head up!! My help comes from the LORD! I will trust Him! I will not give up! I may fall down or trip, but the LORD will lift me UP! Glory to God! I'm trusting in the one who has made HEAVEN and EARTH! He is God Almight ! He has all power in His hands. God is in control of our lives. Stay focus on Him and trust Him! Look Up to the hills and call on God! Look Up! Have a safe and bless month of May! Blossom & Bloom!! Go forward , don't look back ! Hold on to your dreams and work it! God bless you all
Pastor Nannie German Madison , NJ
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Follow this link to reserve your cabin on line. STC
Contact Destynee Travel for additional info and to book your room Finding A Way 2 Your Purpose~ Rona Walton, Travel Designer Destynee Travel 512-524-3874/o 512-524-3875/f www.destynee.com
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Why Not Get Your Bucket List Together
Take your sister on a surprise trip. Go to a musical on Broadway in New York City. Give a $50 bill to someone who looks like they need it on Christmas Eve.
You probably first heard of a "bucket list" (a list
Tell your high school English teacher how he
of things you want to do before you die) after
made a major impact on your life.
watching the movie, "The Bucket List" with Jack
Write a letter to a soldier.
Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. Wouldn't it be
Hike at least part of the Appalachian Trail in the
nice to have your own bucket list?
U.S. Visit all the state capitals in your country.
If you've been putting it off, maybe now is the
Learn the Japanese language.
time to put pen to paper (or use your computer)
Camp out overnight in the back yard with your
and start your list. Doing the things you've al-
children.
ways wanted to do, but never got around to,
Fly first class just once.
can be incredibly fulfilling!
Get down to your goal weight to see what it feels like.
Inspiration for Generating Your Own Bucket List Let your mind go. Give yourself the freedom
to think about all the things you've always dreamed of doing. Then write them down. Take a look at these sample bucket list items to find inspiration for your own list of things to fulfill before you "kick the bucket." Travel to Tuscany to take cooking lessons. Learn how to knit or do woodcarving. Re-read, "War and Peace" and "Great Expectations." Volunteer for a mission in Haiti. Go a whole week without television.
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Take a vacation alone to a place you've always wanted to go. Go on a road trip with your family. Spend a week at a health spa.
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Go vegan for a month.
ing a bucket list.
Cook every recipe in your favorite cookbook. Take those guitar lessons you've always wanted to get around to. Walk 2 miles a day five days a week for three months. Learn to operate a sailboat and then go sailing.
Start your bucket list today. Doing the things you've always wanted to do will inspire you to live your very best life. With your bucket list, you might be compelled to discover an existence you've only fantasized about.
Tell your brother he's the best brother in the whole world.
Known for a contagious passion for excellence,
Free yourself to daydream. Include your great-
a talent for practical business solutions, and a
est fantasies. Think about what you've always
competence for being a motivational leader,
wanted to do - take trips to your favorite desti-
Lorene Collier Purcy, is professional speaker,
nations, experience something you've only read
entrepreneur & lifestyle prosperity coach, a con-
about, or accomplish something of substance in
tributing author to (2) newly released books
your life.
“The Power of Change: Reinventing Yourself at Any Age” & “How to Break the Glass Ceiling
Fulfilling the Items on
Without a Hammer: Career Strategies for
Your Bucket List
Women”. Whether its life balance or financial management strategies, Lorene has been help-
After you've made the list, the only thing to do is go for it. Each week or month, strive to
carry out an item on your Bucket List. Then, cross it off your list. You can add to your list as you think of other activities you'd like to do before you're no longer on this earth.
There's nothing like a bucket list to re-
ing individuals realize their true potential and acts as their accountability partner, assisting them on how to effectively implement strategies to live the life they truly deserve. You can contact Lorene at info@savvychicks.me or visit her online at www.savvychicks.me.
Lorene Collier Purcy
mind you what it's like to really experience everything life has to offer. You'll become infused with energy and excitement at the idea of achieving another activity on your bucket list. And you'll go through experiences that you never thought you would, just by hav-
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As we begin lets clear the myth about when mother’s day really is. Every day is mother’s day. Where would your little potato head be without your mother. It makes me angry when I see people disrespecting their mother. This year let’s forego the dinners, the cards with money in it and the Kmart flowers and chocolate. Let’s make this the Wow of all mother’s day celebration. Once again everyday is mother’s day so plan, plan, coordinate. The wow factor is going way out of what you would normally expect a mother’s day celebration to be. My 16
wow factor for my mother starts like the following. Family prayer and family breakfast. Family members and relatives call her from 10am2pm speaking to her, wishing her well (it’s your job to coordinate who calls when) none should visit because of all you have coordinated.
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Next is a shopping spree, not WalMart or Kmart, a store that when you enter the security guard gives you the once over,. Take lot’s of pictures throughout the day posting them on the family face book page making her the center of attention. You could take a professional family picture that you scheduled with her seated and everyone standing
the dinner and the reflecting , hug
behind her. She is the queen, the
her ,kiss her, clean up the kitchen
matriarch of the family the glue that
and all the dishes and go home.
holds it together. Finish the day off
When you make it home call her tell
with a homemade dinner (her favor-
her you love her and commit to
ite). Now for the best part of the
speak to her at least once a week.
day, each son or daughter will stand
She is your Mother. And you only
and tell the mother how much they
get one!
love her , how she has helped and guided their life , things they re-
Steve Harris
member being told as a child .After 17
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Lincoln County is the warm-weather playground of urbanites retreating from the daily grind but wanting the dependability of three- or four- star A glass ball floating? Along the Pacific Ocean,
accommodations. Residents from nearby Port-
you will find an event called "Finders Keepers" -
land and Salem, and some from California and
a clever scavenger hung designed to attract
Washington states, head to Highway 101, run-
more travelers to the seven and a half miles (12
ning the length of the county, in search of me-
km) of sandy beaches that define the town's coastline. Like most towns along Oregon's central coast, beaches are the primary draw, particularly in the summer when Lincoln City joins many of the shoreline villages in hosting tourists attracted to the coastline's crashing waves. Whale watching eats up hours of free time as people stare at the sea pensively waiting for the awesome moment when spray from a blowhole breaks the water's surface. It is reassuring knowing they are out there: gray whales have repopulated the area, thanks to on-going conservation efforts. Sea lion numbers are also up, and these mammoth sun-loving mammals are easy to find when they start clambering on docks, barking like air horns while nosing each other for a coveted spot.
andering coastal tranquility.
Officially, the central Oregon coast is Lincoln
Created for destination, from October to May,
County, and it stretches from Lincoln City to 60
special blown-glass float "faries" hide colorful
miles (96 km) south in Walport. Within this
glass balls between the high tide line and the
boundary, all beaches are public. Owning a slice
ocean all along Lincoln City beaches. The num-
of the sand is not legal, as settlers first used the
ber of floats distributed reflects the year - in
shore as a primary (and therefore public) trans-
2007, 2,007 floats are scattered along the
portation route long before the roads pushed
beach during an eighth month period. The rules
through the sea-ridge forests.
are simple: If you find one, you keep it. Floats are decorative hand-blown balls of colored glass
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every gallery and shop along the state's commissioned by local artists. Each one-of-akind glass globe is numbered, signed and
coast, so few seekers go home empty handed.
dated. The hand-crafted art pieces are modeled after Asian fishing boat glass floats used to give buoyancy to fishing nets along the coast of Japan. Sometimes these opaque green balls come loose and slowly make their way on a 10- to 30-year journey across the Pacific Ocean, eventually landing on Oregon's shores. Finding one of these authentic floats is exciting but rare, which led to the idea of planting a few thousand local treasures. Of course, finding an artist-made float is also fun, but never guaranteed! If you don't luck out, you can always make your own at the Jennifer Sears Glass Foundry in Lincoln City from Wednesday through Sunday, although it's best to make an appointment before you arrive. The city's most hands -on tourist stop opened in 2004. Here, three large kilns burn like gateways to the underworld, and professionals demonstrate the art of glass blowing. For $65, any of three artisans will assist visitors who want to make their own float. Take it home the next day, or have it shipped. If getting swelteringly close to glass-melting heat isn't your cup of tea, you can always buy a float ready made. Glass floats ranging in price from $40 to $75 are for sale at almost
As for Isabelle, her story ends as only nonfiction can. On the last day of my aunt's extend trip, she found a blue glass float along Lincoln City's shores. Thrilled because blue is her favorite color, she then turned it over. The registration number was the same number as her birthday. This float was made for her. Reminder: Please add this link for the Soul Train Cruise booking online: STC Finding A Way 2 Your Purpose~ Rona Walton, Travel Designer Destynee Travel 512-524-3874/o 512-524-3875/f
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Meet the Moms of our WEFGW Staff Mother Leola Currie Mother of Evang. Janice Alston
Gloria Collier Mother of Lorene Collier Purcy Brenda Hughes Mother of Sara Hughes Florence Logan Mother of Roxanne Harris
Mary Hunt Mother of Rev Steven Harris Evelyn Mother of CJ Kirven
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Blessed to Be Called Mother I am Blessed to be called Mother Although some that call me by that name, are from the Loins of another. I brought only sons into this world, And yet there are lady’s and little girls Who call me Mother. Some I listened too as they cried big tears There are some, who’s noses I wiped, While they shared with me their hopes, joys and fears. Some say Mama, some say mama ceta, and others momma, Whatever word they use, it means the same, It is prized above fortune and fame. So as the day approaches, that we celebrate once a yearTo show special kindness to women we hold dear. I am Blessed to be called Mother-Even, by the children of others. I love each and everyone who has blessed me so, This poem is written, just to let you knowThat you have bestowed upon me, a handle so dear, Just thinking about it, brings me to tears. Thank you my children for being so kind and loving the very first chance I get, On you I will be hugging… Blessed to Be called Mother, by my own and Those from others. I lift you up in prayer, Asking God that you, he will take care. You mean more to me than my words can convey, Just know this, I love you and think of you every Day. I Thank and Praise God, because I am so wondrously Blessed To Be Called MOTHER By my children and those from others ……
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Are you wanting to become a model, but not certain on how to get started?? Model Fashion is here to help! Learn how to launch your modeling career, learn interesting modeling techniques, new, interesting ways to practice your angles and SO much more, from professional Plus Model Keri Atkins, on Model Fashion!
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young woman that has a little trouble "clink clinking" as Madea says. Ladies just know if you have this problem all hope is not lost there is a man for you too. New to the scene is Romany Malco bald men
On today's hotlist is a movie that will set your soul on fire. Yes you already know it the infamous "ACT LIKE A LADY THINK LIKE A MAN" this is the original title as dubbed by Steve Harvey as the movie is based on his award winning book. I know this is a movie critique but please please please read the book.It will change your life. Now for the good part. This movie has the most attractive cast of people from all races I have ever seen. Starting the line up is Michael "too sexy" Ely pardon my commentary lol but he is my future husband after Hill Harper that is, he play's a man with potential. Don't knock the up and comers ladies might miss your blessing. Next we have Taraji P Henson who is strong and beautiful pow!!! a dangerous combination. She plays a six figure income earner who doesn't want a man that has anything less than what she can bring to the table watch out!!! We bring in the rest of the cars on this train with Kevin
are in now so get with the program he is a
Hart fun sized and cute who plays a divorcee who doesn't know if he wants to be single or
trying look out. Jennifer Lewis with her extraor-
endure the supposed abuse of his wife. Then Regina Hall an oldie but a goodie because she hasn't been on the scene in a while her ageless beauty plays a single mom who needs a man and not a man not a mama's boy. Some new eye candy of a different latte is Jerry Ferrara he is also fun sized with a hint of milk his issue is simple he just needs to grow, up that is according to Gabriel union who plays his live in girlfriend. Who do we have here also timeless is Meagan Good young, talented, and gorgeous can you say triple threat. She plays a
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lady's man and he can pull you without even dinary ability to play a mom as she does in this movie always fulfills our expectations and then some as the mom of Terrence Jenkins or secretly sexy Terrence J in the movie who obviously doesn't want to let go of motherly ties. As much as I would love to tell the entire movie but I can't just know there are also surprise appearances by LaLa, Kelly Rowland, and many others. As I always say this movie is a MUST SEE, but also know right from the beginning you will learn how to get a man and keep him. GO SEE IT!!
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nathy a previous member from District 11 which is what the cities are called who is supposed to guide the teens on how to survive and win. He's not exactly the most competent role model in the movie and I will let your imagination's sore with that. Now the topic of controversy is Amanda Stenberg who recently played the little girl version of Colombiana she brings her innocence and wit right on into this movie as well. I know she has a strong career ahead of her. The controversy came about because she is not white ironically she is of Danish decent so stop hating on her thanks. Back to the critique this movie is a definite MUST SEE!!!! Warning it is very gory and PG13 may be an understatement. Next on the list is The Hunger Games what con-
This movie too has a book as the precursor so
troversy this movie brought up. We all love a
to gain a better understanding please please
good action movie but when it involves children
please read the book if possible I have heard it
heads will roll literally. So this cast is filled with
is an awesome read and gives insight into the
some new faces to the big screen I feel with go
movie... GO SEE IT!!!!!
very far in the acting careers. First up is Wes Bently eye candarific he is yes I said it. He has
This has been movie critiques of the week with
what I call quiet strength he's charismatic,
your truly C.J. Kirven the Cinema Diva...
charming, sophisticated in farm boy kina way and handsome to boot. He plays Seneca Crane
Cheriden J. Kirven
the supposed antagonist of the true star of this movie from the same neighborhood if you know what I mean. His co-star is Jennifer Lawrence who plays Katniss Everdeen who is America's sweetheart in the movie because she volunteers her self in place of her sister Primrose Everdeen played by Willow shields. Woody Harreleson a man we know from many different screen debut's especially cheers plays Haymitch Aber-
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8. No Smoking or Drinking 1. Lose Control Of all the things you have power over in your life, sleep isn't one of them. No amount of wishing, hoping or willing can make it happen. As soon as you accept that it's out of your control, you'll spend less time worrying about it. It's like traffic during your morning commute, you can either let it drive you nuts daily or know that it's just a part of life--some days will be smoother than others.
2. Set a Bedtime You set an alarm to get up every morning, but punctuality for going to bed is just as important. While you don't have to set a nightly alarm, pick an hour for shutting down every night and stick to it—on weekends too. Your body needs routine.
3. Take a Bath The Sandman comes when the body's temperature drops. Exaggerate that effect with a toasty bath or shower then lie down and let your body heat get low.
4. Black Out Even the smallest amount of light can disturb slumber. That means TVs, computers, and even hallway lights should be switched to the off position until you've landed safely on the other side of morning.
A night of debauchery every now and then is fine but don't make a habit of a glass of wine and a smoke before bed. Alcohol and nicotine are stimulants that can not only keep you wideeyed, but also interrupt a peaceful night's sleep.
9. Pillows The pillow is like a sports bra; it's the most important equipment for working out your z's. Make sure that your pillows are supportive, comfortable, and suited to your sleeping position tendencies. The pillows of a stomach sleeper and a fetal position person don't have to look the same. Find the best pillow for your sleep habits.
10. Kick the Pets Out Midnight hairballs, dogs dreaming of digging—need we say more? As adorable as they are, your pets are not sleep's best friends. They're just as prone to be woken up—and thus wake you up—by the little things that go bump in the night.
11. Kill the Pain If a minor ache or pain is keeping you awake don't fight it. Do whatever you need to make it better, whether it's popping some Ibuprofen or getting to a doctor.
12. Avoid Caffeine It's fine that you can't get through the day without your morning latte, but make it a rule that no caffeine touches your lips after sundown.
5. Drown Out Noise
13. Just Breathe
Putting your iPod on shuffle isn't the best idea for drowning out your partner's snoring. You never know when a jolting party anthem will come up. Instead, sleep with a fan on or invest in a sound machine that can produce white noise to block the racket of the outside world.
Stop concentrating on the laundry list of concerns in your head and focus on your breath. Deep and slow or short and shallow, the sound of your inhales and exhales can be a lullaby to sooth you into slumber.
6. Be Cool Cold is sleep's partner in crime. So lower your thermostat a bit—and save money on your heat while you're at it—then pile on the blankets. A colder bedroom means your body will function at calmer, more restful speeds.
14. Stay Calm When sleeplessness strikes, don't freak out—that will only delay the process further. Give yourself a break. So what if you're having a sleepless night? It's not the end of the world. By thinking, 'Great, I can't sleep. I'm going to be worthless tomorrow,' you're creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. Relax and trust that there will be plenty of sleep-filled nights in your near future.
7. Eat Light Heavy eating or drinking before bed increases your chances of indigestion or frequent trips to the bathroom. A light dinner about two hours before bedtime can help you sleep more soundly.
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15. Don't Compensate There is no such thing as making up for lost sleep except for getting back on your regular schedule. Naps, going to bed super early, or sleeping late may seem like the natural fixes to a sleepless night, but they actually send your body mixed messages. Keep your sleep schedule calibrated for your life, not a random late night or a short bout of insomnia
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Pastor Nannie German Sr. Pastor of Spirit and In Truth Ministries in NJ . Pastor German writes our Spiritual Insight column. Freelance writer and web designer Keri Atkins has always enjoyed fashion, but never thought she had a place in fashion as a plus sized woman. Her fashion blog, Model Fashion, was inspired by this goal: to share fashion spreads, modeling tips, 'how to' styling videos and
Steve Harris is a licensed minister of the gospel. He resides in Tuscaloosa Alabama with his wife Roxanne Harris,
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