Women's Edition Omaha - January 2022

January 2022

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Publisher’s Notes

Community

Points of Interest

Happy 2022! It’s time to be happy. It’s time to be nice. It’s time to learn and grow. It’s time to be appreciative of everything…and everyone…in our lives. In other words, it’s time to celebrate!

There is a part of me that feels like 2022 is a baby chick ready to be born. 2021 was the hard part…pecking our way out of the shell! Now, I feel as if the whole planet and I are ready to live once again. I sincerely hope that all of you feel the same way.

Being nice is my goal for this year. Treating others as I would like to be treated is my mantra. My husband of two years, Manny Chavez, has demonstrated what an impact being kind, considerate, and respectful to others can make.

I have lived in my neighborhood for 24 years. Honestly, I’ve been so wrapped up in my business that I never took the time to get to know my neighbors. Two years ago, when I married Manny, he took it upon himself to introduce himself to the neighborhood. He knocked on everyone’s door with a bottle of wine as an opening gesture. He immediately learned everyone’s names.

It didn’t stop there. He delivered a home-cooked meal and plowed some snow when a neighbor had surgery. Recently, he even corralled everyone to help a neighbor who had a tree problem. Manny has created a pretty amazing community in our neighborhood—remember, I’ve lived there for 24 years.

I have come to learn about our neighbors and what good people they all are. Some have lived here longer than I have. Others have been here less than a year. I now know all of their names. They contact us if they have questions about things going on at our house. We have each other’s phone numbers and there are group neighborhood texts. I now feel like we are part of our community.

Omaha is a fantastic city, and I am so fortunate to be a native. I am also so lucky to be part of my neighborhood community, thanks to Manny.

On another note, there are two birthdays this month in our family. Carissa turns 43 and Savannah, her daughter, turns 17. Wow! Happy birthday to both of you. We love you!

Life is great. 2022 is going to be a terrific year. Happy. Learning. Growing. Appreciative. I’m in! Are you?

Janet Van deWalle, National Publisher

Mid Plains Podiatry, PC would like to announce that Dr. Emlyn Forsung, DPM has joined the practice. See their ad on page 5.

Out of the Box, the Tiffany’s of reclaimed home improvement products, will officially open in January! Although you can shop with them online, you will have to make a point to come in and see this magnificent store in person. Their ad can be found on page 60.

The eyes are the focus this month with three of our advertisers.

Tired of short, stubby eyelashes?

Consider getting beautiful, full, longer lashes at Deka Lash. They even offer a membership program. See their ad on page 11.

Want to get rid of those annoying lines around your eyes? Aislinn Medical Spa has a special offer this month for three different types of injectables. See their ad on page 15 for details.

While you are at Aislinn, schedule an appointment with Mellisa at Simply BeYOUtiful. She is offering a special this month on microblading. It’s the perfect answer to get your eyebrows in perfect shape. Her ad and copy are on page 49.

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Also, if your dryer vent is clogged, it takes your clothes much longer to dry and wastes energy. Check out Dryer Vent Wizard. Dryer vents are the only thing they do! See their ad on page 59.

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Positive Thought of the Month “Dear Past, thank you for the lessons. Dear Future, I am ready.”—Anonymous

Please go to womensedition.com and click on Contact Us to find a location to pick up the latest copy of Women’s Edition.

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January 2022

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Inside This Edition 2 Publisher’s Notes

40

Healthy Living

6 Weekend Gourmet

42

Great Escapes

10 Fashion Worthy

43

Enterprising Ideas

12 Business Style

44

The Green Thumb

15 Zodiac Forecast

46

Seasons of Life

16 A Woman’s Work

48

Business Connection

50

Peak Performance

52

Cuddly Critters

As we move into 2022, we look forward to the opportunities that are waiting for us all. I hope you have a wonderful year and are able to enjoy all that life has to offer.

Your new pet should have many years ahead with your family, filled with training adventures, play time, fresh air and long walks, and petting and snuggling.

18 Vantage Point 20 Fresh Concept

53

Out and About

22 The Market Place

54

Auto Wise

24 Inside Look

56

The Good Life

26 Good Looks Today’s weight loss options are sophisticated, scientific, and customized.

Success rates depend on the individual.

52

The daily practice of fiscal responsibility, called financial fitness, is an essential step on the road to living your best life.

58

Home Works

30 Interiors by Design

62

View From the Top

36 To Your Good Health

64

Positive Perspective

38 Income Outcome 39 Kids Comments

National Publisher/Editor Janet Van deWalle

Operations Manager Roxy Orr

54 Copy Editor Liz Huett

Women’s Edition 11570 West Do dg e R o ad • Omah a, NE 68154 • 402-397-0732 or 888-892-407 6 Women’s Edition is published by and is the property of Women’s Edition, Inc. Women’s Edition® The Magazine For Metropolitan Women is a registered trademark of Women’s Edition, Inc. (Reg. No. 2,501,858). All rights reserved. Women’s Edition has no affiliation with any other publication.

Women’s Edition makes every effort to provide accurate information in advertising and editorial content, however, does not make any claim as to the accuracy of information provided by advertisers or editorial contributors and accepts no responsibility or liability for inaccurate information. Women’s Edition is not responsible for the accuracy of the QR codes appearing in our magazine. © Copyright 2021, Women’s Edition, Inc. All rights reserved. This material is for personal use only.

Republication and redissemination in whole or in part is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Women’s Edition, Inc.

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Weekend Gourmet

Bringing in the New Year! Let’s Eat!

By Kate Beiting

Croissant Brunch Casserole Cut 6 large croissants in half lengthwise and lay the halves in a baking dish.

Mix 1 cup of orange marmalade with 2 Tablespoons of orange juice and spread onto the croissant halves. Mix 5 eggs with 1 cup of half and half (or whole milk), 1/2 cup of orange juice, and 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake at 350 degrees for 30–35 minutes, until puffy.

Hello Muffins!

Whisk together 2 and 1/4 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, 2 teaspoons of baking soda, and 1 Tablespoon of cinnamon.

In another bowl, combine 1 cup of vegetable or canola oil, 3 eggs, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla. Mix for 2 minutes. Add 2 cups of shredded carrots, 1 small grated green apple (peel optional), and one 8-ounce can of crushed and drained pineapple. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, blending lightly. Gently mix in 1/2 cup of coconut, 1/2 cup of raisins, and 1/2 cup of chopped pecans. Scoop into 16–20 paper-lined muffin tins. Bake at 350 degrees for 30–35 minutes.

Baked Cheese Bread Place 4 peeled garlic cloves in 2 Tablespoons of olive oil and microwave for 30 seconds. Dice and mash the garlic, then set aside. Cut a large round loaf of sourdough and scoop out much of the middle. Brush 4 Tablespoons of melted butter

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onto the inside of the bread, then brush on the garlic/olive oil mix and any other dried spices you choose (like 1/2 teaspoon each of tarragon, rosemary, Italian seasoning, oregano, pepper, and sea salt). Unwrap a large round of Brie (rind cut off) and place into the scooped-out middle of the loaf. Replace the top of the loaf. Lightly butter the outside of the bread and wrap tightly in aluminum foil. Put on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Holiday Mix In a large bowl, mix 1 package (10 ounces) of mini pretzels or broken pretzel sticks, 5 cups of Cheerios, 5 cups of Corn Chex, some Froot Loops (to taste), 2 cups of salted peanuts, and one 16-ounce package of holiday M&M’s.

Microwave 2 packages (12 ounces each) of vanilla chips or almond bark until smooth. Pour over the mixture and mix well. Spread onto wax paper and cool. Break apart and store in an airtight container.

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Shrimp Dip Mix 1 can of tiny shrimp (rinsed) with one 8-ounce package of softened cream cheese. Spread the mixture on a serving platter. Top with a 12-ounce jar of shrimp cocktail sauce. Sprinkle another can of rinsed tiny shrimp on top. Sprinkle on some shredded cheddar cheese. Chill. Serve with crackers.

Crab Pinwheels Unroll a package of crescent roll dough and pat the perforations together to create a rectangle. Chop up a package of imitation crab and mix with one 8-ounce package of soft cream cheese and dried spices of your choice. Spread the crab mix over the dough and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese. Roll the dough up into a log. Cut the log into half-inch slices. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 12–15 minutes at 375 degrees or until golden brown.

Hamburger Pinwheels Brown and crumble 1 pound of beef chuck or hamburger seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic or onion powder. Cool. Unroll a package of crescent roll dough and pat the perforations to make a rectangle. Spread the hamburger mixture over the dough. (If you have extra, freeze it for chili.) Sprinkle 1/2 cup of shredded cheese on top. Roll the dough up into a log. Cut the log into half-inch slices and bake for 15–20 minutes at 375 degrees or until golden brown.

Meatball Appetizers Place a bag of ready-made frozen meatballs in a slow cooker. (If using your own meatball recipe, bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes first.) In a saucepan, warm up 1 can of jellied cranberry sauce, 1 cup of chili sauce, 2 Tablespoons of brown sugar, 1/4 cup of picante

sauce or salsa, and 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice. Heat just until cranberry sauce melts. Pour the mixture onto the meatballs. Cook on low for 5 hours or oven bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Turkey (or Ham) Corn Chowder Place 2 cups of cooked cubed turkey or ham in a large stockpot.

Add 1 cup of carrots or mixed vegetables, 1 can of drained Mexicorn, 1 can of chicken broth, 1 can of cream of potato soup, 1 and 1/2 cups of milk, 2 Tablespoons of chopped onion, 1/2 teaspoon of celery, and salt and pepper to taste. Add fresh tortellini or a few broken spaghetti noodles, if desired. Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes.

Open House Party Shrimp Rinse, peel, de-vein, and pat dry 2 pounds of shrimp. Put 1 stick of butter in a 9x13-inch baking dish and place in a 400-degree oven for 3 minutes for the butter to melt. Remove the baking dish and pour in the shrimp. Add 3 cloves of minced garlic, 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of Old Bay or Cajun seasoning, a few threads of saffron (optional), and a dash of Worcestershire sauce.

Stir everything around a bit. Add a few sliced lemons. Bake for 15 minutes, stirring several times.

Layered Magic Cookie Bars Mix 1 and 1/2 cups of graham cracker crumbs with 1 stick of melted butter. Press onto the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.

Pour 1 can of sweetened condensed milk over the graham cracker crumbs. Begin layering with 1 and 1/2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1/2 cup of butterscotch chips, 1 and 1/4 cup of flaked coconut, and 1 cup of chopped nuts (your choice). Sprinkle on some holiday-colored coated chocolates, if desired. Bake at 350 degrees for 20–25 minutes.

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Fashion Worthy

The 2022 Bride Create Your Personal Vision!

By Holly Bell

After putting everything on hold for a year or more, brides in 2022 are ready to celebrate with their own personal style. Usually steeped in tradition, bridal ceremonies (along with bridal fashion) have moved into more personal celebrations, with couples choosing not to adhere to the same old playbook. Designers are offering some very innovative designs for brides this year so each bride can express her individuality.

Sure to be popular for the dramatic or artsy bride is a ballet-inspired gown. They feature tutu-like skirts and leotard-like necklines, along with a full complement of bows and ribbons. A dreamy, pastel pink palette complements many skin tones, and layered ruffles with voluminous skirts over leotard tops create a theatrical element.

Colors and even prints are showing up on bridal runways for 2022. Bridal tones of champagne or blush have been common for some time, but brides now have choices like lavender, pistachio, or sky blue to add into the mix. Even a bouquet of soft floral patterns is a lovely choice for a spring wedding. Last year, two-piece bridal ensembles were all the rage. This year, individuality reigns. From feathers and ruffles to black and white to suits and capes, this is the year to do your own thing!

For the tailored bride who is drawn to simplicity, slip dresses are making a beautiful comeback. Silky columns of fabric promise a stunning, minimalist look for those with the frame to suit the style. Effortless yet romantic, the new slip dress features a high slit or even allows for cut-outs infused with black for a little more edge.

Brides with a royal wedding vision need look no further than 2021’s Netflix hit “Bridgerton” for inspiration. Designers have heard the call for classic ball gowns that feature visible corsetry, mountains of sheer tulle, and spreads of ornate embroidery, and they have answered that call with enthusiasm.

Volume and more volume, along with flowing trains, take the bride on a journey to her Prince Charming.

There’s nothing like a long, dramatic train to make a bride feel grand. The feeling on trains this season is go big or don’t go at all! A mesmerizing train is a statement in itself. The bride can always change into a more mobile look for the dinner or reception. Two-dress weddings can be an opportunity to enjoy another look and give your guests another moment to remember.

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the other festivities tied to the occasion, jumpsuits and mini dresses will be the rage for 2022. In fact, all lengths of bridal dresses are offered, including minis, midis, and tea lengths.

Whether your look is modern or Cinderella, the mock neckline is making a return. A high neck evokes a classic Grace Kelly look with a hint of sophistication. High necklines also offer the bride more freedom of movement. (If you’ve ever watched a bride hike up her strapless dress on the dance floor, you know what I mean!) One of my favorite versions of the high-neck bridal gown features a strapless dress with soft, airy lace from the bodice to the neckline and down the arms to make dramatic sleeves. This elegant look is perfect for a winter wedding.

Accessories have always played a starring role in wedding fashion, and 2022 will be no exception.

Pearls are back in a big, innovative way. These don’t have the heirloom look of your grandmother’s classic pearls. This year’s pearls will be laced with glamourous crystals and feature loads of sparkle. Pearls are also showing up on handbags, shoes, and bridal headbands— they’re everywhere! Earrings are also important. They bring attention to your face, and their sparkle reflects in your eyes. Long shoulder dusters elongate the neck and add drama. Whatever your style, earrings are an important addition to your look.

Don’t forget gloves! That’s right—gloves are back in style and can really bring your wedding ensemble to the next level. Short, long, or even above-the-elbow gloves are something old and something new, offering a touch of elegance and ladylike sophistication.

Weddings require more flexibility than ever as celebrations morph and move with the changing times. We’ll see this reflected in wedding wardrobes this year. Brides who put off their weddings in 2020 and 2021 are in the mood to be cheekier than ever, and they’ve earned it! They’re ready to do their own thing, whether that’s casual or formal, understated or bold. May all the 2022 brides enjoy their own unique celebrations!

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Struggling to Keep Up Your Workouts?

Get in the SuperSlow Zone

By Linda Sutherland

When it comes to working out, I have trouble getting into a solid routine. Sometimes I get a burst of energy and will work out daily for two weeks straight…and sometimes I go two weeks without working out at all. I know this is not the recommended way to stay in shape, but it is what I do. Part of the problem is that, when I do work out, it tends to take about an hour and a half out of my day, and that is not sustainable.You can imagine my fascination upon looking into SuperSlow Zone, which recommends 20-minute sessions, only twice a week!

Julie Galloway, Owner-Certified Instructor, SuperSlow Zone is defined as a complete workout that my step,” Bill training Mayor Jean Stothert safely builds muscle and increases metabolism. It is beneficial shares. “Since engaging for post rehabilitation, fat loss, and body toning and sculptin the program, I have referred a son, a daughter-in-law, and ing, as well as general muscle maintenance. This program was a friend to join, all of whom have expressed great results so invented during an osteoporosis study at the Florida School far with the program” Bill’s son, Jon, is also pleased with the of Medicine, and that got my attention! Whether we want results he’s seen with SuperSlow Zone. “After back surgery in to admit it or not, we are all aging, and our bodies do some 2002, I always had to be careful when exercising,” Jon recalls. strange and not-so-nice things as we age. We don’t have the “I have been able to make gains each week both in strength strength and stamina we used to have. The way I see it, we and energy. Doing just two 20-minute workouts a week fits have two choices: Sit back and age gracefully (or maybe not my busy schedule and has produced the results I hoped for.” so gracefully) or get up and do something about this thing Are you impressed yet? I know I am. called the aging process.

All the machines utilized at SuperSlow Zone are Nautilus That said, SuperSlow Zone is not One medical equipment designed just for older people. Their clients to build strength in the upper and range from age 12 to 90—anyone lower body, the core, and the lower who is not interested in a typical gym Their clients range from back. Each client has a trainer to track scene. If you want increased flexibility, their individual progress. Julie notes improved muscle strength, stronage 12 to 90—anyone who that most clients wonder how they ger bones, fewer injuries, and better can possibly get good results from is not interested in a typical cardiovascular fitness, this is the place working out just two days a week. for you. You get the full attention of a The answer is that the body is not gym scene. certified instructor, who works with overworked. Each exercise requires you one on one during every workout. very slow, consistent raising and The owner of SuperSlow Zone in lowering of weights to build strength West Omaha, Julie Galloway, works and increase metabolism.

Muscles, joints, and connective with dedication to empower her clients to feel stronger and tissue are not compromised as they are during the strenuous healthier. Julie is an Omaha native who, with the love and movements of other popular exercises. Because your movesupport of her husband, has carved out a unique and inspirments are slow and controlled, your body temperature doesn’t ing space to get her clients in optimum shape and make them rise like it does with most workouts. You won’t work up a stronger and more confident. Julie has owned and operated sweat here. Many clients stop by to do their workout over SuperSlow Zone since 2013 and believes wholeheartedly in their lunch hour! Most importantly, the results are noticeable, what she is doing. “My goal is to keep people healthy and fit. which keeps clients motivated and coming back for their There is much science and research behind this process, and regular workouts. it really works,” she states. “I believe in embracing a quality of “I really like having a personal trainer who helps with my life that enables people to really enjoy it.” Julie is here to help weightlifting, form, and breathing,” says another satisfied clius live our best lives, wherever we are in life! ent. “All of the trainers at SuperSlow Zone are nice, and they One client, Bill, is many years past his fifties. He has had care about you, your workouts, and your progress. The traingym memberships in the past, but he didn’t actually use ers are so encouraging and helpful. I am so happy I signed them much. After just six months at SuperSlow Zone, he was up…thank you, SuperSlow Zone!” For more information, call able to see his own progress. “I move more easily around the house, with better balance, more strength, and a spring in 402-708-5679 or visit superslowzone.com/westomaha.

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Zodiac Forecast

CAPRICORN

(December 22-January 19)

Happy birthday Capricorn! 2022 has the potential to be a major year for you, get ready to look and feel your best! The planets may bring you fame or an honor, along with a professional offer that is way too good to pass up.Your personal life will also have an extra sparkle that sends your charisma sky high.

This is fantastic for your romantic life!

Aquarius (Jan 20 – Feb 18) Be excited because this is the beginning of a beautiful year! You may be invited to tackle something new that will take major commitment.

Pisces (Feb 19 – Mar 20) You have quite a sparkling year ahead of you! Slow down and concentrate on love. Giving your loved one attention is the most heartfelt gift of all.

Aries (Mar 21 – Apr 19) You are beginning a new and vital chapter in your life. The possibilities for achieving the goals you have long sought out are happening. It’s the beginning of a big year. Be ready!

Taurus (Apr 20 – May 20) As you begin the new year, the planets have begun to move in a way that brings you prosperity. You may even find profits from work done in previous years!

Gemini (May 21 – Jun 20) This will be the year for your career to truly unfold! It may be one of your best professional years in a over a decade.

Cancer (Jun 21 – Jul 22) You have a very happy year ahead.

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For the first time in years, you will some of your best moments in career, health, and romance!

Leo (Jul 23 – Aug 22) In 2022, you will sparkle brightly!

Financially, you will turn a corner. Best of all: When it comes to comes to true love, you will be thrilled!

Virgo (Aug 23 – Sep 22) You have a big, joyful year in store.

You are given the chance to scale great heights with your career. Kick up your heels; you deserve it!

Libra (Sep 23 – Oct 22) Something special will be happening very soon! The planets are in place to add grace and beauty to everything that you experience.

Scorpio (Oct 23 – Nov 21) Expect this to be a grand year!

You are about to enjoy some of your most glorious moments for creative expression, romance, and excitement.

Sagittarius (Nov 22 – Dec 21) This year, your life will have a bright new quality to it. You will have opportunities to make a name for yourself. Much of what you have done in the past will now be rewarded!

January 2022

12/2/21 5:0215 PM

A Woman’s Work

New Year, New Hopes

Looking Forward With Optimism

By Sharon Knierim

At the beginning of each year, my sister-in-law almost always makes a wish that “this year will be better than the one we just passed through.” It is easy to understand her feelings as she thinks back to what life has brought us during the past 12 months. Who hasn’t had moments when we wonder why we have so many challenges?

In spite of all kinds of planning, why do we often find ourselves in a muddle?

Life is unpredictable. There are really no absolute certainties, but that is part of what makes living so interesting. What would life be like without challenges? An old friend once told me that the worst possible existence would be one that was boring. She may have been right. She may have known, even at a young age, that no life is boring unless we allow it to be—and even then, we would have to fight for the right to be bored!

As children, we were presented with fairy tales that always ended with the phrase, “and they lived happily ever after.” Oh, yeah, that’s for me. As a child, living happily ever after sounded like being on easy street or walking in tall cotton. Of course, as we become adults, we recognize that this is not really the case. We discover that life can take huge bites out of us. We are

confronted with doubt, and our values are tested. There are always decisions to make and ordeals to face. Perhaps the true version of living happily ever after is the ability for each of us to meet these challenges and learn from our own experiences and decisions.

Very few folks truly expect to live a perfect life, but most of us constantly strive for the brass ring. We naturally want to be the best we can possibly be at every endeavor. Most often, we set our own expectations. Yes, it is disappointing when our

A Few Words From One of Our Advertisers: “As an advertiser in Women’s Edition since March of 1996, I’d like to take this opportunity to say how pleased we are with the results we have received from being involved with the magazine. Women’s Edition offers a very professional and effective format that allows us to get the message out to women (even men) regarding all the services we provide.

We continue to see consistent potential patients flow to our practice from our marketing in Women’s Edition.”

—Bruce S. Kuhn, M.D., D.D.S.

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plans or hopes don’t work out, but we carry on and remain optimistic. There is no reason to become a cock-eyed optimist. We do have to deal with reality, but that is the stuff of life. The year 2021 was one of the meanest years my family and close circle have ever endured. There were times many of us felt as if we were on some whacked-out game show or soap opera. Did we let it get us down?

Oh, no. We are still here, still trudging on and wondering what is around the next corner. Whatever is around that corner, we are ready to face it. When we experience times of challenge and begin to feel overwhelmed, we just dig in deeper and carry on.

Of course, amid all the calamity and uncertainty, there is joy. In fact, there are often many reasons for delight in the worst of any situation. Where are all these reasons for happiness? That’s the trick. You can wait for happiness to happen or you can seek it out. These glimmers of hope can sometimes be something as unexpected as a butterfly wafting by, or a silly sound, or a surprise phone call from someone you haven’t heard from in a very long time.

Maybe a special tune from your own past or a stranger’s smile will lighten the day.

A dear friend shared an inspiration with us recently, and I would very much enjoy sharing it with you. The author is unknown, but the philosophy behind these sentiments belongs to all of us.

That is to say, many of us already know this in our hearts: There are things that we don’t want to happen but have to accept, things we don’t want to know but have to learn, and people we can’t live without but have to let go.

When I first read this, I felt bitter. Then I read it again and began to understand that it talks about acceptance of ourselves and the situations we often find ourselves experiencing. This may not be the happily ever after that many of us long for, but it does allow us to move forward with hope. Remember, there’s no such thing as being set back; instead, there are opportunities and challenges to explore. Be creative. One quick cure for feeling bad is to help others.

As we move into 2022, we look forward to the opportunities that are waiting for us all. I hope you have a wonderful year and are able to enjoy all that life has to offer.

Happy New Year!

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January 2022

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Vantage Point

Refresh Your Face

Dr. Bruce Kuhn Turns Back the Clock

By Janette Calabro

As a medical doctor and a dentist, Dr. Bruce Kuhn has been merging facial cosmetic surgery with oral and maxillofacial surgeries for patients in Omaha for over 25 years. In fact, he wrote a book about cosmetic procedures for those who want to deep dive into the subject. With one book out and a second book in the works (“The Portfolio”is due out in spring 2022), the doctor wants to inform and update those who are considering surgery on their face or jaw.

“I’m working on a new book that’s updated with new techniques for jaw reconstruction, facelifting procedures, and dental implant reconstruction,” says Dr. Kuhn. “It will show lots of new cases and ‘before and after’ photos of patients. I give a copy to almost every patient who comes in so they can understand some of the cases I’ve treated and what I like to see. It’s really helpful and gives them a good idea of what we’re trying to accomplish.”

One of the most common cosmetic surgeries today is a combination of a facelift, forehead lift, and eyelid surgery. The forehead and eyelid lifts are often done together, saving time and money—you pay once for effects that last seven to 10 years.

During 2020, surgeries were abundant because patients had time to recover while working from home.

Just ask satisfied patient Kathleen! She underwent the combination procedure, as well as a neck lift, in late 2020. She was under sedation only once, and her downtime was only seven to 10 days before stitches and staples were removed. She took pictures daily to watch the improvement. Her smooth neck was the first thing she noticed; within a few weeks, her face and eyes showed the same smooth skin.

“Dr. Kuhn is my hero,” Kathleen says. “My skin is so smooth. Right out of surgery, they wanted me to see what I looked like. When they put the mirror up, I said, ‘Oh my gosh, look at my neck!’” She notes that the staff was wonderful, and that Dr. Kuhn turned out to be one of the kindest doctors she’s encountered. “Dr. Kuhn is so attentive and understanding, and he is vigilant about revisits to make sure everything is healing properly. He answered every single question,” Kathleen says. “His kindness was so prevalent that I trusted him completely.

I highly recommend him. He has magic hands! I would do it again if I hadn’t done it already. Simply put: I could not be happier.”

After surgery, Kathleen underwent a CO2 fractional laser procedure to iron out her wrinkles. “You can’t get rid of wrinkles by doing a lifting procedure because the wrinkles are actually in the skin, even if you lift it 18

January 2022

up,” says Dr. Kuhn.

“Laser or resurfacing procedures take care of wrinkles Dr. Bruce Kuhn in the skin.” For patients with sun damage, deeper wrinkles, and uneven skin tone or texture, the fractional laser smooths out those challenges to leave a radiant glow.

Fillers work for wrinkles, too, but they don’t provide the long-lasting results you can expect from surgery. Dr. Kuhn notes that fillers often last about one year, while a lift lasts up to 10 years. Finer lines are also difficult to treat with fillers. As a general rule, non-invasive treatments tend to provide shorter-term and less dramatic results than more invasive surgical treatments. When you’re deciding which one is more cost-effective, it’s important to consider how many visits you’ll need to maintain the results you desire.

Office receptionist Betyana worked for Dr. Kuhn for about one year before she decided to have surgery on her upper lip. She felt that her lip was too long and didn’t show much of her teeth because it was rotated in.

With a newer technique for a lip lift, Dr. Kuhn removed about a centimeter of Betyana’s upper lip right below her nose, shortening it to rotate out and show more tooth structure.

“This procedure is a newer one, and Dr. Kuhn was really excited about doing it,” says Betyana, who has no regrets about her new look. “He definitely listens to what your needs are, what you’re interested in having done. He pays attention and has a great bedside manner. He really cares about his patients!”

Dr. Kuhn is in his 60s, and he knows a lot of people in the same age group. “They’re young at heart, but they’re watching their faces age,” he says. “The ravages of time have taken effect, so they want to spruce things up and look great for their age. Good outcomes happen every day!”

For more information about what Dr. Bruce Kuhn can do for your face, call the Facial Surgery Institute at 402-315-7157 or visit fsiomaha.com.

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Fresh Concept

Wedding Plans in 2022

Budget, Organize, and Celebrate!

By Janette Calabro

The holidays are a prime time for engagements. The excitement of diamonds and wedding bands for soon-to-be brides and grooms of all ages also kindles the need for a wedding plan. Whether you’re planning your first wedding, a second wedding, or beyond, you must begin with a budget and then get the professionals involved for the celebration ahead. They’ll help melt the stress and inspire the fun!

Experts recommend that you start planning a local wedyou prefer more casual food and drink, you’ll have more in ding about a year before the big day. Venues, photographers, the budget to go all-out on a live band. and musicians tend to book well in advance, so 12 months Watch for hidden fees with every potential vendor. Is the before your wedding date is the right time to get those rental fee all you’ll pay for the venue, or are there additionnailed down. The following month, it’s time to choose a color al fees to set up and break down? Is the tip for serving staff scheme and sketch out ideas for floral designs. You can also included in the caterer’s quote, or is that a separate expense? start shopping for a bridal gown at that time—your choice of Do the florist and bakery offer free delivery? Create a spreadgown will often be closely intertwined with floral choices. sheet and allot a certain amount to each detail. Use credit At eight months before the wedding, start your registry cards responsibly. If you make regular deposits into a sepafor wedding gifts. At seven months, you’ll be handling the rate account for wedding expenses early, it will add up nicely. food—booking your caterer and rehearsal dinner. Finalize Remember, if you can’t afford it, maybe you don’t need it. your rental company items at least three months before the The location you choose for your special day has a big celebration. Two months in adhand in creating the best memovance, it’s time to get your invitaries. Whether you’re booking the tions out to your guests. ceremony at a church or at a counIf all of this sounds complitry club, start early. Check to see Experts recommend that cated, it can be. If you’re feeling if the ceremony and the reception overwhelmed and want help, concan be held at the same place. How you start planning a local sider hiring a wedding planner. To many guests will the space accoma busy or flustered bride, wedding modate? Is there adequate space planners are, frankly, worth their for the caterer, a secure spot for wedding about a year before weight in gold. They know all the your gifts and cards? What about local vendors (and how to negotia coatroom (especially vital in the the big day. ate with them). They can create a winter) and sufficient parking? solid timeline from start to finish, Check with the venue contact for helping you fit your dream day into things like decorating restrictions, your very real budget. They can also run the show on the big booster seats for the kids, and a sound system for your DJ or day, leaving you with nothing to do but enjoy yourself. band. Is the deposit refundable? Is there a need for wedding Establishing a wedding budget is one of the most imliability coverage in case of a mishap? Are there enough elecportant elements of a successful wedding planning process. trical outlets? When the maid of honor and best man stand to Figure out who’s contributing in a major way and who else make a toast, they’ll need a microphone so their memorable might chip in. For example, a family member may want to words can be heard. (The DJ or band will probably let you use chip in for the wedding dress. Even though financial convertheirs, but be sure to ask in advance!) Read the fine print in sations aren’t the most fun, they are important to determine each contract, and don’t sign until you’re satisfied. your bottom line for spending. Focus on your own contribuCaterers are a precious commodity at wedding receptions tion from there. How much have you already set aside? How for the most social part of the day. Food, drinks, and dancmuch can you withdraw from your general savings without ing ensure that everyone on your guest list is having a great creating a hardship? time—and two of those three things are provided by the Once you have a ballpark figure, estimate your guest caterer. Look for caterers that offer not only exceptional food count. If the budget doesn’t allow for a large guest list, scale but a package deal that includes service, menu choices, and back on how many guests you invite. Factor in the things signature cocktails. Interview three to four candidates for the you can’t do without and things you’re willing to forego. For big day, and be sure to do a tasting with each one. Comexample: If your flowers are pared back and simple, you’ll pare specific costs for the perfect buffet or individual plated have more funds to feed your guests. On the other hand, if servings. Find out whether they charge a cake-cutting fee for 20

January 2022

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a cake that was likely supplied by a separate bakery. Does the caterer at the top of your list have a license to serve alcohol, and do they provide the bartender?

Venues and caterers may supply everything you need in terms of tables, seating, dishes, flatware, and napkins—or they may not supply any of that at all! Once you know what’s already covered and what you still need, reach out to your local party rental stores to finish the job.

Make a trip to the rental showroom to see how they treat walk-in customers. Is the store tidy? Is the staff friendly? Do they make knowledgeable suggestions based on your needs?

Ask about any extras you’re interested in, like special lighting, decorations, or even a stage for the DJ or band if the budget allows.

No matter what your theme or color scheme, a beautiful wedding includes lush flowers. Your local florist can provide rental items, too, like an arch to stand beneath when you tie the knot. Let your creative juices flow and collaborate with your florist to create your favorite personal designs. Roses, baby’s breath, and pink heather are popular all year. Florals in season for winter weddings include red and white amaryllis, poinsettias, white jasmine, blue forget-me-nots, green holly with red berries, and green bells of Ireland. Daffodils are in season from January through early May, and pink and white stargazer lilies from January to October. Tulips of any color, as well as pink, red, or lavender sweet peas are also popular choices.

Music makes the world go round, and it will liven up your wedding celebrations, too. String quartets are popular for

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music during the ceremony. If your ceremony is in a church, be sure to find out if they have any music regulations. For the reception, most people hire either a DJ or a live band to get their guests on the dancefloor. Be sure to discuss your playlist beforehand. An eclectic playlist works for everyone, so make it versatile. Pro tip: A long first dance song may bore the crowd, so keep it short and sweet. Be sure the DJ or band does a sound check before the event.

Choose a photographer that you trust. Your wedding is a one-day affair, so the stakes are high if there’s a mishap with the photos. Take plenty of time to review their work before you buy, and consider both their professional skills and their personal vibe. Discuss what photography style you like. Do you want your photos to lean toward fine art, photojournalism, a moody atmosphere? Choose the aesthetic that will bring your vision to life. Wedding photos and videos are lasting memories over many generations to come.

What’s trending for 2022? Fresh perspectives this year include gold tones and bold palettes as well as off-beat entertainment like dueling pianos. Guest lists are trending smaller—the pandemic has trimmed budgets and the ease of traveling to large gatherings. That said, a big bash is still workable if you’re clear with your venues, vendors, and guests about any COVID-related constraints. One thing is for sure—it’s your day. Make a detailed budget, choose your vendors wisely, and get ready for a celebration you’ll remember for the rest of your life!

Sources for this article included: shutterfly.com, theknot.com, and marthastewart.com.

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The Market Place

Dunning Acupuncture and Massage Choose your practitioner wisely.

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Dunning Acupuncture and Massage We strive to provide individualized, whole-person treatments in a comfortable, professional setting. Classic Traditional Chinese Medical (TCM) diagnosis and treatment gives the best treatment available for each person.

This month, we are featuring the Covid Kit, which includes the high-quality Chinese herbal formula “Jade Wind Screen.” This formula has been used for centuries to strengthen the protective capacity of the immune system against cold and flu. Also included is the “Cold Killer” formula, which is used for the early onset (days 1-3) of cold/flu symptoms.

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Clip n’ Go Clip n’ Go is Omaha’s Premier Mobile Pet Grooming Service. Turn to the proficient pet groomers at Clip n’ Go for all your pet grooming needs. We’re a full-service company. From shampooing your pets to trimming their nails to perfection, you can count on us to handle your pet grooming needs with ease.

Our skilled pet groomer will come to your office or home at your convenience. We assure you that your pet will feel comfortable all the time.

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VENUS Vein Clinic Vein disease isn’t about appearance as much as it is about your health. Do you suffer from leg pain, swelling, restlessness, and skin discoloration? These are very common symptoms of vein disease. Left untreated, it can cause serious health issues. At VENUS, you may be surprised at how easily and comfortably you can improve your daily life.

There is no downtime to recover, there’s no sedation or heavy medicines needed, and treatments are covered by medical insurance. You can go right back to work or exercise, and you will feel better and look better, too.

VENUS Vein Clinic—Your Go-To Vein Clinic. Don’t wait a day longer, call today at 402-979-VEIN (8346) or visit VenusVeinClinic.com.

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Unity Chiropractic At Unity Chiropractic, we focus specifically on the upper neck of the spine by using the chiropractic technique NUCCA. The technique is very precise; Dr. Danielle takes detailed x-rays to determine the specific adjusting angle for your misalignment as well as follow-up x-rays to ensure optimal correction was achieved.

Using a spinal adjustment that feels like having your pulse taken, the NUCCA procedure rebalances posture quickly and effectively. Posture is vital to your health, and we’re committed to helping make your body a better place to live!

Chronic Pain?

Dr. Danielle Stalp can help!

She is 1 of 350 worldwide trained specifically in NUCCA.

Specializing in Back Pain, Migraines, Allergies, and Asthma!

Stark Media Films Stark Media was born out of a six-year stint as IT/desktop support for a large credit card processing company. I then stumbled onto an opportunity to make “videos” for that same company. I said yes. My role was to produce in-house corporate marketing videos. Having no real experience as a videographer, I had to adopt the “fake it ‘til you make it” mentality...and it worked.

Fast forward three years. The excitement was missing, I was yearning for more meaningful projects. I became complacent and uninspired. Although it did put food on the table, I yearned to produce something with more impact and meaning.

Then along came another opportunity to help produce a short film about Alzheimers. That changed the game for me. This is what I was reaching for. Real stories, real people who inspire and provoke viewers. It was the most challenging endeavor I had done at the time.

Understanding how to tell a strong story in the least amount of time, and how to engage the viewer for the duration of the piece, is not easy. Our purpose is to make something powerful, moving, and memorable. Recently, we produced a “Memory” video for a retired couple. Their story was captivating and powerful.

Everybody has a story just waiting to be told. What’s your story?

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Creating Video Life Stories

EVERY STORY MATTERS. We treat our relationships with our customers as partnerships more than anything since the greatest value is created through their collective input. Without their success, we are without success.

CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE FOR EXAMPLES OF OUR VIDEOS.

WHY CHOOSE US? CREATIVITY We are bursting with creativity!

We will work with you to ensure that your story is beautifully told in a way that suits your objective.

EXPERTISE Our team is constantly exploring and learning about the most compelling and impactful ways of producing and sharing video content.

VALUE FOR MONEY From online training videos to large-scale documentaries, we will ensure your films fit your budget.

FLEXIBILITY Last minute shoot? Our processes accommodate for all eventualities to ensure a smooth experience.

SERVICE Our producers and videographers will guide you through the filmmaking process and work tirelessly to make it easy for you from start to end.

Give us a call to find out more.

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Jon Stark, owner January 2022

3/9/21 11:2023 AM

Inside Look

Stark Media Films Every Story Matters

By Angella A. Arndt

Do you have a story to tell or family memories you’d like to document? Does your business need enhanced visibility? Whether you’d like to create a documentary, preserve your family’s legacy, or build brand awareness, Stark Media Films can partner with you to create a unique and meaningful video. The company offers a wide array of videography services, including documentaries, testimonials, training videos, interviews, video slates, corporate videos, memory videos, and specialty projects like video testimony.

Jon Stark founded Stark Media Films in 2003, but he began his creative journey many years earlier as a musician. As a bass player, he played in several bands during his free time. A friend submitted some of Jon’s original music to a recording company in Omaha, and his band recorded an album and appeared in a VH1 video.

His interest in videography began during his career in the technology sector. He became involved in producing videos for internal promotions, presentations, and marketing. Jon received recognition and notoriety when he was selected by Steve Jobs to be the spokesperson for a new Apple operating system and appeared in six videos broadcast worldwide. All of his creative experiences fueled a desire to start his own company. “I knew my ideas were fresh,” he recalls, “and I knew I wanted to do it.”

Jon’s documentary work includes “The Program,” a 90-minute film about the history of the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s integrated double degree program in oral and maxillofacial surgery. UNMC was instrumental in developing the dual degree program designed to train oral surgery residents in both medicine and dentistry. “Elephants in the Room” is another documentary Jon created, this time for the Alzheimer’s Foundation in Columbus, Ohio. A shortened version of the documentary was presented to Congress to address the health crisis associated with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

In an era of social media, corporate videos present an opportunity to showcase what a company offers, building awareness and improving visibility. Product videos provide clients with information about the benefits of existing and new company offerings. Testimonials are great ways to promote client satisfaction. Commercials and promotional videos communicate how a company’s offerings stand out from the crowd. Sales presentation videos are great for companies with limited sales staff or to build brand awareness. Training videos, corporate culture videos, safety videos, and trade show videos also provide avenues to share information.

While filming a “Day in the Life” memory video, Jon experienced a life-changing moment. For the video, an elderly couple was interviewed, first separately and then together. “As the story unfolded, it became very emotional, and it changed my 24

January 2022

perspective of how we Jon Stark, Owner tell stories. It’s a celebration of people’s lives.” Jon believes in the importance of ensuring the integrity of every story. “I want each story to have an impact or even make a change in someone’s life,” he shares.

Creating videos typically involves hours of filming, followed by editing, to arrive at a finished product. “You remove what’s not relevant and get to the message in the story.” Before production, he spends time with his clients, learning about the project. Is it for personal or business purposes? Who is the audience? Who is going to see the finished product? What is the message? He makes sure that clients understand what is involved with their projects.

Whether you are looking for a quick video or a large-scale documentary, Stark Media Films has an option to fit your budget. Variables such as location, equipment, and editing requirements impact the overall cost of a project. “My role is to make sure we meet our clients’ goals, surpass their expectations, and provide value for the cost,” Jon affirms.

Although technology makes it easy for people to create videos, Jon points out that they don’t necessarily translate into meaningful content or quality. Clients should consider several factors when seeking videography services. Review a company’s website to see what kind of work they produce. What makes them different? What type of content do they create? Is the content engaging? Do you feel a connection? “There are so many incredible stories to capture,” he says. “Every story needs to have a purpose and a message.”

Jon approaches each project as a partnership with his clients. “I want to make sure every video is honest and relevant, so people see the story my client is trying to tell. I love it when one of our videos has an impact on someone. I take tremendous pride in each project, whether it’s complex or simple. If it brings me to tears, I know I’ve hit the mark.”

Call 402-980-9089 or email jon@starkmediafilms.com to schedule an appointment and start telling your story. Visit starkmediafilms.com to learn more.

Reach out to a friend about their mental health.

Find more ways to help at SeizeTheAwkward.org

Good Looks

Eliminating Extra Pounds The Skinny on Weight Loss

By Loretta McCollum

The holidays have come and gone, and now we’re dealing with those pesky post-holiday pounds.

Whether you want to erase the after-effects of too many Christmas cookies or you’ve decided to tackle a longterm weight issue, there’s a weight management option out there for you. Being overweight can lead to complications like high blood pressure, diabetes, and increased risk of stroke, and it can take a toll on your joints and bones.

Maintaining a healthy weight is key for overall well-being.

One way to create healthy eating habits is through nutrition counseling. Your physician can recommend a registered dietician or a certified nutritionist to help you develop a personalized weight loss program. The first step is to schedule an initial consultation to discuss your medical history and weight loss goals. Your professional will work with you to develop and implement a meal plan based on your needs. Periodic follow-up appointments are opportunities to track your progress and make adjustments as needed to ensure long-term success.

Millions of Americans choose commercial weight loss programs such as Jenny Craig. This plan consists of prepackaged low-calorie foods, in-person or phone support, and online tools to help you plan and track your meals. Fresh fruits and vegetables and reduced fat dairy products are also incorporated. The focus is on low-fat foods rich in water, fiber, and protein. No food is completely off limits, including the occasional alcoholic beverage. No cooking is necessary at first.

As you approach your weight loss goal, you start eating meals made at home. Once you reach your target weight, you begin transitioning to more home-cooked meals.

You pay a monthly fee plus the cost of meals. In-person meetings are optional, and health consultants are available at Jenny Craig centers, by phone, or online. There are also members-only forums, chat rooms, blogs, and online journaling tools. Participants are encouraged to exercise for 30 minutes per day, five days per week. The program meets most USDA dietary guidelines.

Nutrisystem also utilizes pre-packaged meals supplemented by personal grocery purchases. This is a high-protein weight loss plan based on the glycemic index and personal nutrition.

By consuming at least 75 grams of daily protein, participants keep blood sugar levels consistent in order to alleviate hunger and burn stubborn belly fat. Participants eat five or six times per day. Eating at restaurants is possible but limited.

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Nutrisystem takes into account body type, food preferences, and weight loss goals. It’s tailored to your metabolism, age, gender, and activity level and has specific tracks for vegetarians and people with diabetes. Supplements and one-on-one weight loss coaching are included, as is a mobile app for support. Coaches are available via phone or chat. A maintenance plan includes a portion control system for making meals on your own.

Weight Watchers is the granddaddy of weight loss programs, but it has certainly evolved over the years. There are no pre-packaged meals. Food consumption is based on a point system that guides members toward an eating pattern that is low in calories, saturated fat, and sugars, while focusing on high-protein foods. No food is off-limits as long as you don’t exceed your daily points allowance, which is based on your gender, weight, height, and age. The plan also includes “zero point” foods, which can be consumed in unlimited quantities.

Part of the Weight Watchers program’s past success was based on attending weekly meetings. Thanks to today’s technology, in-person meetings are no longer required, though attendance is still encouraged. Members now have access to multiple online tools, including a 24/7 chat, weekly check-ins, point tracking, coaches, recipes, and online support groups.

Some less traditional approaches to weight loss include hypnosis and acupuncture. A certified hypnotherapist places the body into a state of deep relaxation through language patterns and visualization. Hypnosis utilizes the power of the mind to eliminate emotional attachments to food and address the behaviors associated with weight gain. Multiple sessions result in the most favorable outcomes.

Acupuncture is the traditional Chinese practice of stimulating specific points on the body by inserting very thin needles into the skin. It is believed to stimulate energy flow, impacting metabolism, reducing appetite, and lowering stress. For optimal results, plan on multiple weekly treatments over a period of six to eight weeks. Be sure to see a licensed acupuncturist, and consult your physician prior to treatment.

Today’s weight loss options are sophisticated, scientific, and customized. Success rates depend on the individual. Be sure to consult your physician before beginning any weight loss program. With so many choices, it’s easier than ever to shed those extra pounds and keep them off.

Sources for this article included: healthline.com, webmd.com, and mayoclinic.org.

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Interiors

by Design

Custom Cabinetry

Style Meets Functionality

By Robyn V. Powell

With the new year come new beginnings—the perfect time to implement changes you’ve been dreaming about for your home and family. Homeowners looking to refresh interiors and invest in smart home upgrades are opting for custom cabinetry, and for good reason! From kitchens to bathrooms, mudrooms to closets, investing in custom cabinetry not only provides countless lifestyle benefits, it also adds value to your home.

When choosing which home upgrades to invest in, it’s important to consider the cost/benefit ratio. At first glance, custom cabinetry may seem like an unnecessary luxury. However, a beautifully designed organizational system doesn’t just add style and functionality; it also brings real benefits to your quality of life by giving you the gift of time.

Time is a valuable resource for everyone. When a well-organized home reduces clutter and provides a place for everything, the time and frustration saved searching for misplaced items is a priceless trade-off. For most families, the morning routine is chaotic, with everyone scrambling in a mad rush to get out the door. Imagine how a custom mudroom, designed with personal cubbies for everyone’s boots, jackets, and backpacks, would create order, save precious moments, and reduce stress across the board!

Another organization system that contributes to your quality of life is a custom closet system. Designed with

solutions that meet your unique needs, a custom closet can feature corner storage, multiple hanging areas, and drawers that work together to compartmentalize and organize your items. A well-designed closet means you can see everything you own at a glance and can easily put together an outfit.

You can start your day calmly, keeping the tranquility of your closet and your mind intact.

A practical benefit of custom cabinetry is optimizing your home’s space. Space is expensive. Why not monopolize every bit of it? Custom cabinetry makes use of every square inch of your home by taking cabinets right up to the ceiling and utilizing awkward spaces. Stock cabinets come in pre-set standard widths and heights, which means any remaining wall space will be left unused. Why settle for cookie-cutter options when you can create cabinets that are ideally suited to your style and space?

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“As out-of-towners from Boston, Erin was unbelievably patient, informative, and so attentive with us! Erin took the time to truly get to know us, our needs, and what we were looking for before showing us listings and available homes. When negotiating on the home we just closed on, Erin really advocated for us!!! She is incredibly knowledgeable of the Omaha market. Because of her connections and design background, she was able to get local contractors to visit homes with us to get a good sense of what renovations may need to be done. I cannot say enough good things about Erin! We are grateful to have chosen her to guide us in our search!” — J. Ducie

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Brighten YOUR Month

January 2����������������������������������������������� National Creampuff Day January 3����������������������������������������National Fruitcake Toss Day

January 4����������������������������������������������������������National Trivia Day

January 6�������������������������������������������������� National Cuddle Up Day January 7����������������������������������������������National Bobble Head Day

January 8����������������������������������������������National Bubble Bath Day

January 9��������������������������������� National Static Electricity Day

January 12��������������������������������������������� National Marzipan Day January 13�������������������������������������� National Rubber Ducky Day

January 14������������������������������ National Dress Up Your Pet Day

January 15������������������������������������������������������������National Hat Day

January 19�������������������������������������������������� National Popcorn Day

January 21���������������������������������������������������National Hugging Day

January 22�����������������������������������������������������������Library Selfie Day

January 25������������������������������������������������� National Opposite Day January 28����������������������������� National Have Fun At Work Day

January 28������������������������������������������������������National Kazoo Day

January 29������������������������������������������������������National Puzzle Day

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When it comes to custom cabinet design options, the sky is the limit! While custom cabinetry is more expensive than stock or semi-custom cabinetry, these products are only offered in certain pre-defined woods, styles, finishes, and sizes. Why limit your design potential? Choose from endless customized touches to fit your aesthetic and lifestyle, built with the perfect fit and finish for your home. From corbels to furniture feet to integrated wainscot and custom color, enjoy the benefits of fine craftsmanship along with quality touches such as dovetailed joints, wooden dowels, inset cabinets, and soft-close drawers and doors.

When it comes to your choice of natural wood for custom cabinetry, the most important considerations are the look and durability. Certain woods have different grain patterns and take on paint or stain differently. Choosing the right wood grain and color depends completely on your home and personal taste. In terms of finish options, matte finishes have overtaken satin finishes in popularity. However, matte finishes can show fingerprints, so it’s important to weigh the pros and cons and choose the finish that works best for your home and family.

Coffee-stained woods are a leading trend, as the deeper brown stain delivers a ton of warmth and lots of depth to the wood grain.

In terms of paint color, homeowners are opting to spice things up with the addition of bold paints in tones of ocean blues and earthy greens.

Beautiful hardware is the finishing touch for any custom cabinetry. Choose from modern design trends such as unlacquered brass—a timeless, enduring finish that develops a patina over time to reveal a beautiful, one-of-a-kind finish. If a minimalist aesthetic is your preference, choose linear recessed finger pulls for a streamlined and luxurious result. There are nearly unlimited choices in hardware; ask your designer to show you options that pair well with your cabinets.

Custom cabinetry made from wood doesn’t just look good. It is also non-toxic, renewable, recyclable, and biodegradable, and it impacts the environment in a healthy way. Reclaimed and salvaged wood use the planet’s resources wisely, as does new wood that comes from sustainably managed forests. The use of water-based stains, clear coats, and paints means that solvents won’t be toxic or leave a footprint. With so many benefits to offer, custom cabinetry is the ideal way to upgrade your family’s enjoyment of your home while making a wise investment that will pay off in the long run.

Sources for this article included: consumerrepors.org, houzz.com, and hgtv.com.

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To Your Good Health

Bariatric Surgery

Serious Weight Control

By Leslie Byrne

How many years have you started a new diet or routine in January to drop those extra pounds?

If you are significantly overweight and have had only limited weight loss success with diets, exercise programs, or other therapies, it may be time to consider bariatric surgery. These procedures are gaining popularity as many people are turning to bariatric surgery for a safe and effective way to significantly reduce their weight. In 2021, over 256,000 people in the United States underwent bariatric surgery.

Bariatric surgery is a broad term that includes several surgeries that involve making changes to the digestive system to help with weight loss. Some procedures limit the amount a person wants to eat, while others reduce the body’s ability to absorb nutrients. Some procedures do both. The most common bariatric surgeries are gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, and adjustable gastric band.

In gastric sleeve surgery, a surgeon removes most of the stomach, leaving only a small section that is closed with staples.

Because the stomach is physically smaller, it can’t hold as much food, making the patient feel full after eating smaller amounts.

Removing a portion of the stomach can also affect hormones or bacteria in the gastrointestinal system that affect appetite and metabolism. This type of surgery cannot be reversed.

Gastric bypass surgery is a three-step procedure. First, the stomach is stapled to create a small pouch in the upper section

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that holds less food. Next, the small intestine is divided into two parts. The lower part is then attached to the small stomach pouch. Food will bypass most of the stomach, so the body absorbs fewer calories.

During adjustable gastric band surgery, the surgeon places a ring with an inflatable band around the top of the stomach to create a small pouch. As in gastric sleeve and gastric bypass surgery, the gastric band decreases the size of the stomach. The balloon inside the ring is filled with saline solution. This inner band can be resized by injecting or removing saline solution through a small device called a port that is placed under the skin. With this procedure, patients need several follow-up visits to adjust the band opening as their weight changes. The band can be removed, making this procedure reversible.

Bariatric surgery is not for everyone. A viable candidate is someone whose body mass index (BMI) is 40 or higher. People

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with a borderline BMI (30-39.9) who have serious weight-related health issues such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, or severe sleep apnea, can be considered for bariatric surgery. Patients must be willing to make permanent changes to their diet and exercise for a healthier lifestyle after surgery.

Obesity-related medical conditions may improve with significant weight loss, but they will still be monitored and treated, as needed.

Before bariatric surgery, candidates will meet with several healthcare professionals, including an internal medicine physician, a dietitian, and a psychiatrist or psychologist, as well as with the bariatric surgeon.

Some weight-loss surgery programs require patients to attend group meetings before and after surgery to help answer questions about the surgery and offer support with ongoing weight maintenance.

Walking and moving around can help with recovery after surgery, but it’s still important to rest and take things slowly. Patients will start with a liquid diet. Over several weeks, patients can move to a soft diet that includes foods like cottage cheese, yogurt, or soup. Eventually, patients can return to eating solid foods. Patients also need to take dietary supplements to ensure that they are getting enough vitamins and minerals despite eating less food and absorbing fewer nutrients.

Most patients lose weight rapidly for severalMarbleLife.indd months after the procedure. One of the biggest benefits of bariatric surgery is that it helps eliminate medical problems including high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes for a sizable percentage of patients.

Like any other major procedure or surgery, bariatric surgery poses potential health risks. Some of these risks are short-term, like excessive bleeding or other complications that can occur during the surgical procedure itself. Long-term risks include bowel obstruction, low blood sugar, vomiting, or the need for a revision surgery. Be sure to discuss the risks and benefits of the procedure with your healthcare team.

If you think bariatric surgery might be right for you, talk to a bariatric surgeon and ask a lot of questions. Make sure you understand the benefits and risks for your specific medical situation. Also, make sure you are ready to make permanent changes to your diet and exercise routines. Once you decide to have the surgery, you will be on a path toward reaching and maintaining a healthy weight.

Sources for this article included: mayoclinic. org, niddk.nih.gov, priaappeals.com, and uihc. org.

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Income Outcome

Kindness

Remember This Language?

Here we go: 2022 is here. What do we want? If we had a magic wand, what wish would we grant ourselves? What wish would we grant to the world? What wish would help every human being on the planet? How about the wish of bringing back simple acts of kindness?

“Kindness is a language that the deaf can hear and the blind can see.”—Mark Twain Over the last couple of years, I feel as if this human quality of kindness—this wonderful, lifegiving trait—has been forgotten. I am a native of Omaha…born and raised here. As a native, I have been very proud of our city. We welcome strangers, we stop and help someone stranded on the highway. We talk to strangers in the grocery lines. I have always loved hearing from out-of-town guests,“Everyone here is so nice!”

“Be nice, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”

—Philo Looking back on 2021, I asked myself…why has this kind behavior slowly disappeared? I hear a lot of it blamed on the pandemic. People had to hunker down at home last year and lost most of their social skills. Everyone drives wildly because they forgot the rules of the road last year. The restaurants and stores are so understaffed that it takes forever to get anything done…I get so irritated…everyone is overwhelmed, trying to catch up. Whoa!

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By Janet Van deWalle

“I’m tired, boss. Mostly I’m tired of people being ugly to each other.”—John Coffey A great 2022 New Year’s resolution? Let’s dig down inside ourselves and resolve to become kind once again. Come on, we can do it…we are Nebraskans!

“Look at everything as though you are seeing it either for the first or last time, then your time on earth will be filled with glory.” —Betty Smith, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

The beginning of 2022 is a perfect opportunity to make new decisions about what our year ahead is going to bring. We can’t change others; we can only change ourselves. By focusing on being kinder and gentler, we can make it a better year, for us and for those around us.

Will you join me? When we wake up in the morning, let’s set a goal of being kind to the first person we come into contact with. Before we know it, we will have developed a new habit—one that will make us feel better, happier, calmer, and more relaxed. Hopefully seeing our approach will also help another human being remember this wonderful language that we have forgotten. After all, wouldn’t it be nice if this world were a better place?

“We can’t heal the world today, but we can begin with a voice of compassion, a heart of love, an act of kindness.”

—Mary Davis

12/9/20 12:58 PM

Kids Comments

Do What Seems Impossible “I Can’t” Versus “I’ll Try”

We’re beginning a new year. Instead of making bold resolutions that are likely to be abandoned in a few weeks or months (mine seldom last even that long), think about where you want to be a year from now. In this “new life,” you can be or do anything you want—within certain parameters. Consider your age, but don’t let it hinder you too much. Be realistic, but don’t let that stop you from dreaming.

I took dance (tap and jazz) lessons until the studio closed.

Our class—all different shapes, sizes, and ages—was together for nearly 10 years. Occasionally, we performed at senior-living facilities. At the end of our performances, we introduced ourselves and asked if there were any questions. Quite often, we were asked how old we were. Our spokesperson would reply, “We have to be 55 to be in this class, so we’re all at least that…and none of us are 80…yet.” I’ve had friends say they wish they could dance, but they’re “too old.” When I hear that, I tell them my dance class story. Age is a frame of mind.

Every success is a step forward. Does that mean every failure is a step back? Not at all! Every so-called failure is really a learning situation. How often have you said to yourself, “I’ll never do that again!” See? You learned a lesson. Why won’t

Manatee - Valentines Day.indd 1

By Marge Shoemaker

you do that again? If something changed, would you continue to try? When others say you’ll never get something accomplished, take it as a challenge and prove them wrong. Have faith in yourself. Nearly anything is possible with enough hard work. People said we’d never go to the moon, but we did.

Over the years, many of my students would say, “Mrs. Shoe, I can’t do this math.” I would reply, “Show me how you think it should be done.” They would try, and they would discover that they could do it…they had just convinced themselves that they couldn’t. (Sometimes, their parents help that idea along by saying, “I was never good at math, either.”)

Learn to think “I can” or at least “I’ll try” instead of “I can’t.”

My husband’s boss once asked me to organize a luncheon for a group of ladies I didn’t know. Hubby and I talked it over, and he told his boss we couldn’t make it happen. “She can’t handle it, huh?” was his boss’ reply. Well, I learned!

Help your kids understand that whatever you decide you want to do or be in your “new” life, it’s important to live up to your own expectations, not someone else’s. Dare to try something different…a job, a hobby, whatever. Don’t quit when it gets hard. It’s not a failure if you’ve given it an honest try.

January 2022

1/8/21 3:2339 PM

Healthy Living

Omaha Health Therapy Holistic and Integrative Care

By Angella A. Arndt

Do you know someone (or are you someone) who experiences chronic pain or fatigue? Have conventional solutions brought you only limited success? Omaha Health Therapy offers a holistic and integrative approach to medicine and would like to help. The clinic offers alternative therapies to complement conventional treatments, optimizing patient health and wellness.

Sarah Kracht, a Nebraska native, always knew that she wanted to take care of people. She explored several options before pursuing nursing. Sarah became a registered nurse (RN) at the College of St. Mary, earned a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) at Creighton University, and achieved board certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. She also holds advanced certifications in cancer therapies, repurposed drugs, and natural substances.

Sarah developed an interest in holistic and integrative medicine when some members of her family experienced severe health issues. At the time, symptomatic care was the only treatment option available in the United States. (This type of care treats symptoms but does not address the root cause of a disease.) Determined to find a better solution, Sarah found

alternative treatments outside the U.S. that proved successful for Sarah Kracht, her family members. She spent several years APRN, NP-BC working as a nurse and getting certified in various alternative therapies. An opportunity arose to purchase Omaha Health Therapy Center, and Sarah assumed ownership in 2018, achieving her goal of being an independent practitioner.

The clinic offers a wide range of treatments for issues like chronic pain, chronic fatigue, nutrient deficiency, and cognitive disorders. Treatments include chelation therapy, ozone therapy,

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Ma n ac c u you for e xp e r t s a t k s n n a e a w m h again! t e t I v s o o k .” t m n y “ t a p n h e a a r h T e Iw t s a re t i c al T h out PT. s s i b y p a h a r s P t e ’s c h “ Today iving fa y s i c al t g h P e l . c n i t o i ess e t i ng ar k r o u r p ro f a m a no n c e re l y , n d i S a e r to t t, PT N

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Prolozone injections, intravenous nutrient infusions, platelet-rich plasma injections, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) therapy, and alternative cancer therapy. “Our goal is to bridge the gap between standard, conventional, and alternative medical treatments,” Sarah explains. “We give our patients options so they can make decisions about their treatment and care.

Our treatments provide relief and improve our patients’ quality of life.”

High levels of heavy metals such as mercury, iron, and lead in the blood can be toxic and may lead to muscle aches, fatigue, and joint pain. Chelation intravenous therapy removes heavy metals. Ozone therapy is an alternative treatment for a variety of conditions, including chronic fatigue. Prolozone injections (prolotherapy), combined with ozone therapy, combat chronic pain.

Intravenous nutrient therapy administers vitamins and minerals into the blood to support good health.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections help repair injured and damaged tissue. A patient’s blood is put into a centrifuge to create PRP, which is injected into the target area. PRP can decrease pain and stimulate the healing process. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is a coenzyme in all living cells that is critical to cellular function. As we age, NAD levels drop, which may lead to impaired health. NAD infusion therapy is used for neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, in addiction treatment, and to slow the aging process.

High-dose vitamin C intravenous therapy complements cancer treatment or provides an alternative cancer therapy for those seeking a holistic and integrative medical approach.

Omaha Health Therapy Center has been helping patients for over 20 years and is the only certified infusion clinic in Omaha.

“We stand out because we are medical,” Sarah asserts. The clinic is certified in IV nutrition therapy, IV ozone therapy, and Prolozone injections by the American Academy of Ozonotherapy and is certified in chelation therapy by the American College of Advancement in Medicine.

More people are becoming interested in taking charge of their health, Sarah notes, which has led to wider popularity of integrative therapies. “Additionally, our nutritional IVs help boost immune systems. Our longstanding history demonstrates our success in treating patients and producing positive outcomes.”

Patients should consider several factors when choosing an integrative medicine provider. How long has the clinic been in business? Who administers the infusions, and who is involved in the supervision of services? What education and training has the provider received? “Providers need to be appropriately trained and certified,” Sarah advises. Review the provider’s website and online reviews for insight on services and patient satisfaction.

Asking questions will help you select the provider best suited to meet your needs. “You need to feel comfortable with where you are receiving care.”

Sarah appreciates the opportunity to make a difference in her patients’ lives. “It’s rewarding to get to know patients and watch them improve, knowing that you are a big part of their care plan,” she concludes. “We don’t just treat symptoms; we look for the root cause of an issue to heal our patients and improve their quality of life.”

Omaha Health Therapy Center is located at 8031 West Center Road, Suite 321, in Omaha. Call 402-763-9335 to schedule an appointment or find them online at chelationomaha.com.

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Great Escapes

Southern California Immersive Travel

By Jackie Williams

Winter is the perfect time for a California getaway, especially if you are traveling from a much colder climate. Most people want to see Hollywood and lots of famous landmarks on their first trip to the Golden State. If that’s your plan this year, enjoy yourself! If you’ve got that trip under your belt already, I have few other ideas for your next trip to sunny Southern California.

“Immersive travel” is the new term the travel industry has coined to describe safer travel in this pandemic era.

It means to spend more time in one area and to engage in “low-contact and meaningful experiences,” getting to know a new place like a local. This trend, born of necessity, actually leads to a more relaxing holiday because it stops us from zipping around, trying to pack too much into one visit. Read on for a few immersive suggestions.

PASADENA New Year’s Day brings the annual Rose Parade down Colorado Boulevard. The impressive floats require that every inch be covered with flowers or other natural materials. You can purchase tickets to view them up close before or after the parade—or even to help make them!

If a botanical theme sounds up your alley, book a reservation to the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens and explore 130 acres of more than a dozen themed gardens. Afterwards, a visit to The Langham for afternoon tea is a must.

If you want to stretch your legs on a hike, the nearby Eaton Canyon trailhead will lead you on a well-marked path to a waterfall. If you feel like getting your shop on, head over to the Rose Bowl Stadium for their huge flea market (second Sunday of the month). You can walk or jog the 5K loop around the stadium and take in views of the San Gabriel Mountains and golf courses, as many locals do on any given day. Of course, Pasadena is also a foodie’s paradise, with over 600 restaurants—more per capita than New York City!

LONG BEACH For a car-free vacation, have your travel agent book you a hotel near Shoreline Village. You’ll have plenty to see! The sunny blue skies will beckon you to take a walk, jog, or bike ride along the 5.5 miles of waterfront beach path. There are lots of things to do just along that path, like renting a Duffy electric boat, getting a gondola ride to explore Naples’ canals, visiting Long Beach Museum of Art and having lunch at Claire’s, or enjoying the Aquarium of the Pacific.

Winter is the best time to go whale watching. Pro tip: Hop on the Catalina Express for a ride to the nearby island and get a “free” whale watching tour along the way.

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Did you know that Long Beach is one of the most diverse cities in America? Adventurous diners can take advantage of that by trying authentic cuisine anywhere—down and around Pine Avenue is a good place to start. There are several different types of cultural museums, too.

MARINA DEL REY I’m sure you have heard of Venice Beach, Santa Monica Pier, and Manhattan Beach, but you may be less familiar with Marina Del Rey. It’s where the locals play! This is a major recreational and boating area in Los Angeles, not far from LAX. This is where you will see (and can try) sailboats, stand-up paddle boarding, and sportfishing, among many other activities. In this bustling area, you can hop on a bike and take the Marvin Braude Bike Trail for 22 miles, completely entertained by the ocean views and people-watching! Marina Del Rey is the perfect place to visit if you want a real taste of L.A. Peruse the Saturday farmers market, catch some live music at a waterfront restaurant, watch the sunset on a privately chartered cruise, or pamper yourself with a spa getaway while staying in Marina Del Rey. Pack a picnic lunch and head over to Burton W. Chace Park for a great view of the area, or calm things down on a docent-led tour or walk through the Ballona Wetlands.

Where ever you decide to go in Southern California, you will still see a touch of Hollywood—you might recognize a building or scene from a show or movie or actually encounter the big studio trucks where sets are being built or commercials are being filmed. You can also enjoy being outside in the fresh air of the beach or gardens or mountains. Just picture yourself pulling the curtains wide open at your Southern California hotel and seeing that view!

Are you ready for vacation?

Sources for this article included: visitpasadena.com, visitlongbeach.com, and visitmarinadelrey.com.

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Omaha Face Plastic Surgery and MedSpa A Relaxing Atmosphere

By Maria Harding

Do you feel that your face needs a little “maintenance,” but you’re not sure what procedures might be right for you? Do you want to know what your surgical and non-surgical options are?

Well, look no further—just get in touch with Omaha Face Plastic Surgery and MedSpa. They’ll have the answers you need.

Open since 2017 and fully accredited, Omaha Face offers a variety of surgical and non-surgical options. Dr. John Harbison (surgeon, medical director, and co-owner) or his wife, Ashley (co-owner, pharmacist, and administrator), will be happy to discuss these options with you at your complimentary consultation. You can discuss cosmetic surgical procedures including face lift, neck lift, rhinoplasty, eye lift procedures, buckle fat removal, chin or jawline surgery, hairline advancement, lip lift, and otoplasty. They do minimally-invasive neck procedures and facial liposuction. Other non-surgical treatments such as Botox, thermal fillers, micro-needling, laser treatments and liquid rhinoplasty are also available.

When you walk into Omaha Face, you’ll immediately feel a sense of calm. Dr. Harbison’s whole philosophy centers around having a more personal relationship with his clients. The goal is not to see as many people as possible in a single day. Dr. Harbison prefers to give each of his clients the time needed to fully discuss their desired outcomes.

This philosophy is apparent from start to finish, during the consultation, the procedure, and the follow-up appointments, including future skin care recommendations. “The relationship is ongoing,” says Dr. Harbison.

He sees all of his patients through the entire process. “Dr. Harbison and his team are hands down, the best around.

I had a blepharoplasty done six months ago and could not be happier with the results,” reports patient Dina. “Dr. Harbison is amazing. You can tell he is passionate about his work. The entire process was explained thoroughly, nothing was left to question. From the moment I walked through the door, I knew I was cared for by the entire staff. Omaha Face is incredible. I will go back!”

Omaha Face offers a lovely lounge area, a state-ofthe-art digital photography room for before and after photos, a private consultation room, four exam rooms, a laser room for surgical resurfacing, and an on-site operating room. Everything that is needed for your complete care is waiting for you.

You can also rest easy knowing that Dr. Harbison is double board-certified. After earning his medical degree, he completed his residency in head and neck surgery at the University of Kansas Medical Center before being accepted into a competitive facial plastic and reconstruc-

tive surgery fellowship at the University of California– Irvine. He has authored several articles and Dr. John Harbison book chapters in both facial plastic surgery and head and neck surgery, and he continuously receives invitations to speaking engagements in his field throughout the United States.

As a young man, Dr. Harbison loved math and science, particularly chemistry. He started out as a chemical engineering major, but he quickly realized the career path he really wanted was one that had more of a human element and would allow him to work directly with people. Many of the medical specialties he considered offered a high volume of patients, but he found those specialties too impersonal. In plastic surgery, he could make a real connection to his clients.

Dr. Harbison loves the family atmosphere that fills his office. He loves the personal touches that are offered to his clients. Most of all, he loves those happy tears when a client who was concerned with some impediment is overjoyed by the outcome of a procedure. “That’s a great feeling,” says Dr. Harbison. “Life-changing, meaningful procedures are done here.” When he’s made a really powerful transformation and fully met that client’s needs, he’s reminded that this is the career he was meant to pursue.

Why choose Omaha Face for your surgical or spa needs? “We’re down-to-earth, approachable people,” notes Dr. Harbison. “We’re going for real results, not super-plastic, overdone results. We’re very practical in our discussions with our clients. We’re always on time, our consultations are thorough and very informative, and we support you throughout the entire process.” If this sounds good to you, give them a call!

Omaha Face Plastic Surgery and MedSpa is located at 17838 Burke Street, Suite 101, in Omaha. They are open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. To learn more about the procedures they offer, visit them online at omahaface. com. To set up your complimentary consultation, call 402-739-8144.

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The Green Thumb

It’s January!

Time to…Prepare for Spring?

By Linda Sutherland

The winter holidays have come and gone, and January is here. For many people, frigid January reminds us that there is still a good deal of winter left, so we shouldn’t get too excited about spring. I am here to tell you that this is the perfect time to get excited about spring! Dedicated planning for spring is exactly what you need to get you through the remaining days of winter. In honor of good things to come, I will share some of the sage advice I have gotten over the years, as well as some of my own gardening successes and failures. I hope this will help get us all back into the swing of spring.

First things first: I cannot say enough about the importance of planning. In the early days of my gardening obsession, I gave extraordinarily little thought to the condition of the soil where I was planting or the average daily sunlight to expect. To my distress and chagrin, those turned out to be the most important elements of a successful garden. As one might expect, I went on to learn through trial and error instead of research.

The first faux pas I made was to not follow the sun. Misjudging sunlight is a fairly common mistake when starting a garden site. Most plants (with the exception of true shade lovers) require at least six hours of sun every day. You can see how it might be a problem to choose a planting site without taking that into consideration. Now, I always find out what

kind of sunlight expectations a particular species has and then plant accordingly.

Another important consideration is the location of your gardens. Plant your garden in a part of your yard where you will see it! It’s all fine and good to let the neighbors enjoy the view, but not at your expense! Also, you’ve probably heard the phrase, “Out of sight, out of mind.” This applies to gardening, as well. A garden you don’t see often will likely go untended.

This may seem obvious, but make sure there is a water source near your garden site. I have planted some species that a water hose cannot reach and have then had to drag buckets of water out to their location to keep them alive. (I was carried away with an idea at the time.) My intentions were good,

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Another important consideration is soil quality. Most plants grow best in soil that is nutrient-rich and welldrained. To improve on what you already have, blend three inches of good soil into the top six to eight inches of your existing soil. If you are attempting a raised bed, you should invest in raised bed soil, which has the perfect weight and texture for success.

Again, this may seem obvious, but make sure you choose the right plants. You really need to buy plants that match your growing conditions.

Take into consideration the heat tolerance, hydration needs, and sunlight requirements of plants that interest you. Choosing plants that are unlikely to thrive in your area is just setting yourself up for disappointment.

I want to take a moment to comment on the value of buying plants at a nursery as opposed to ordering them online. Every early spring, I get impatient because there are no plants out yet at local nurseries. I end up ordering plants online. When I get them, they look like they have already been in a fight and lost. They usually are minute in size, and they absolutely never thrive for me. Occasionally, I have received some that I thought were dormant—in reality, they were dead. My advice is to buy plants that you can see and examine. Buy plants that look healthy and not like they’re ready to give up the ghost! You can thank me later.

Nutrition is important for all living things, including your garden. Feed plants about once a month. I know it sounds like a pain, but it is worth the extra work involved. Your plants will thrive with plant food! Mulching is also necessary to keep moisture in and weeds out. You don’t have to go buy bags of fancy mulch (though you can if you want to). It’s perfectly fine to use shredded leaves or straw instead.

Last, but not least, you need to have at least some basic garden tools, like gloves, pruning shears, hand trowel, spade, and watering can. Make your shopping list while you’re having hot cocoa in your toasty living room, and spring will be here before you know it.

Sources for this article included: bhg. com, purewow.com, and realsimple.com.

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Seasons of Life

Health Care at Home Care in Your Comfort Zone

By Linda Barnes

When recovering after an injury or illness, many people prefer to convalesce at home. Assistance with daily activities or medical care may be needed. Those with chronic conditions may have similar needs. Fortunately, many such services are now available in-home. Since 2010, the number of in-home personal and health care workers has doubled, and the trend is expected to continue. While family members often provide a significant amount of assistance, home health workers can help with everything from housework to skilled nursing and therapies.

The first step is to determine the family member’s needs.

Does your loved one need assistance with things like bathing, dressing, light housekeeping, or meals? Recovery from surgery might require someone with training to take vitals, set up medical equipment, change dressings, or attend to catheters. Assistance with walking may be needed.

LPNs and RNs provide skilled nursing services when things like IVs, tube feeding, injections, evaluation, and education are needed. In addition, the services of physical, occupational, or speech therapists may be required. Social workers may provide in-home services, as well.

Whether insurance or Medicare will cover the cost of in-home care may be a concern. A doctor’s report or order for covered services will likely be needed. Original Medicare does not typically pay for personal care if it is the only service needed; however, some Medicare Advantage plans may.

You can hire a home health agency or caregivers through a

staffing service. When considering options, look for workers who are capable, reliable, and pleasant. They should be trustworthy and properly credentialed.

Advantages of hiring an agency are that they check backgrounds and bear the responsibility for liability. They often have caregivers with experience in specific areas of need. If a caregiver is ill or unable to come to work, backup coverage is available. The agency handles any concerns or dissatisfaction and can quickly upgrade should a worker with more expertise be needed. They also handle everything involved with payroll, including taxes.

Staffing services operate a little differently. You communicate to them the kind of assistance needed, and they refer a care worker with the training and experience you seek. You pay the worker directly and need to take care of withholding and taxes, as well as do a background check. With a staffing service, you may be able to obtain a worker with unique qualifications or interests. If you need a part-time worker or one who is willing to work a schedule

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that is outside the norm, a staffing service may be the way to go.

Staffing services may offer medical equipment and therapies that allow people to remain at home during recovery or when dealing with the challenges of a chronic illness. They might provide oxygen or special equipment such as braces or supports.

Supplies such as those for ostomy or for urological needs are also available. Hospital beds, mobility equipment, or ramps maybe purchased or rented. When my husband recently had a hip replaced, we rented a power recliner because it was difficult for him to get out of bed or up from a chair.

Non-medical caregivers are a godsend for those who need just a little help to enjoy the comfort and convenience of home.

They may provide assistance with such needs as bathing or dressing. Light housekeeping, meal prep, and transportation to appointments or shopping may be offered, as well as important companionship.

Those living in an area served by a Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) have an additional resource for home health care. VNA’s services typically include skilled nursing, rehab therapy, IV management, wound care, and medical social work. They may address mental health, nutrition, and advanced illness management. Home health aides may also be part of their services. ACS - Surviving Sixth.indd VNA may require a doctor’s order specifying that the patient only needs intermittent care, that skilled nursing or rehab is medically necessary, and that the patient is homebound. Payment options include Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, or individual pay.

In some areas, VNA has transitioned home health operations to a local home health organization that provides services similar to the private agencies discussed earlier. These include home health nurses, therapists, and medical social workers.

Home health aides are typically part of the team, as well.

The benefits of convalescing at home are available to people of all ages. Seniors are less likely to have caregivers at home and are more apt to have multiple health issues. They particularly enjoy the convenience of in-home care, whether medical or just a helping hand with daily activities.

How fortunate we are to have so many options that allow us the comfort and independence of remaining at home while receiving the best of care.

Sources for this article included: medicare. gov, aarp.org, and vnacolorado.org.

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Joyful Movement

Incorporating Exercise Into Your New Year

By Maria Harding

There is probably nothing you could read about the benefits of exercise that you don’t already know. Exercise is the number one recommendation to help with weight loss, depression, pain, muscular and neurological disease, addiction, high blood pressure—the positive effects go on and on!

So, why don’t we all get regular exercise? Those who manage to consistently make time for body health and fitness agree on two things—the activity must be enjoyable, making us want to continue the effort, and the activity must be made a priority that gets scheduled into our routine, without allowing other commitments to push it out of our calendar.

“Enjoyable” doesn’t have to mean “easy.” There is immense satisfaction to be found in pushing ourselves to the limits of our endurance and strength, but the challenges must never extend to the point of pain or hopelessness. Feeling crushed by the weight of our efforts (sometimes literally!) or nursing recurring injuries is no way to motivate ourselves to build positive habits.

Working with a personal trainer is one way to address many of these points. Personal trainers will take your preferences into consideration when building a fitness plan.

They can recommend activities to fit your lifestyle as well as modify any movements to accommodate medical conditions.

A trainer will help you establish goals and challenge you to

do more than you think you can, but in safe and attainable increments. Perhaps most importantly, appointments with your trainer keep you accountable. It is much harder to skip workouts when someone is expecting you to show up.

Exercise classes have that communal quality, too. If you decide to try a class like yoga, spinning, or Jazzercise, try to stay consistent with your class time and arrive early enough to allow for introduction and casual conversation with your classmates. Building these friendships helps in many ways. It adds a social element to your workout, makes it more likely that you’ll return to the same class repeatedly, and adds another layer of accountability when you’re missed by your pals.

For some, it adds a touch of healthy competition!

Gyms can be a great place to start if you want to try something new. Although there are still plenty of opportunities for the classic gym experience of weights, treadmills, and stationary bicycles, gyms are also a fantastic resource to provide an array of the latest fitness classes. Most gyms also keep a roster of personal trainers on staff.

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Members at these comprehensive gyms find that the juice bars, steam rooms, massage therapists, and poolside lounging keep them coming back frequently.

Embrace any motivator that gets you in the door! Look for promotional offers to join, typically at the end of the month, the end of the year, or during the summer, when more people are drawn to be active outdoors. Be sure to ask about discounts for students, seniors, or military personnel, and definitely take advantage of the free trial before committing.

Are you more at ease in the great outdoors? Spending time moving through open spaces does wonders for lifting our mood, getting us back in touch with nature, opening our lungs to fresh air, and even improving our vision as we focus our eyes on more distant points. Walking, hiking, and biking clubs provide information about area trails and offer an opportunity to meet others with similar interests. Outdoor gear shops offer items such as hiking poles or cross-country skis for purchase or rent, and they can be great spots to start your search for activity clubs.

Yoga schools provide an opportunity to learn about an ancient practice that promotes strength, flexibility, and body awareness in a calm and meditative environment. Pilates studios teach many of the same physical postures with a particular emphasis on building core strength. Pilates is more anatomical in its approach, whereas yoga is a more broadly spiritual discipline that integrates postures. Both contain a number of sub-variations such as Table Pilates, Trapeze Pilates, Hatha Yoga, and Bikram Yoga. Enjoy exploring several studios to find one that best fits your rhythm.

Joy and consistency—these are the keys to exercise success. As a starting point, ask yourself what you enjoyed doing most as a child, and try to duplicate that experience for yourself in your movement. Then brainstorm ways that you can comfortably commit to this healthy practice. What will keep you accountable—a set time of the week?

Including a friend? Hiring a trainer? By setting your intentions now, you will enjoy the ultimate payoff with better health, a better outlook, and a longer, more jubilant life!

Sources for this article included: byrdie. com, acefitness.org, and medlineplus.gov.

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Cuddly Critters

New Pet Health Checks Starting Off Right

By Jackie Byers

Welcoming a new pet to the family is a wonderful experience, but we can’t let our excitement get in the way of our responsibility to this new family member. When a new pet arrives, a trip to the veterinarian is a must! Whether you have cared for this type of animal before or you’re brand-new to pet ownership, your vet will have all the information you need to get your new furry friend started off on the right foot in your household.

At the initial eight-week wellness check, the vet will weigh your pet, take its temperature, and take note of standing, walking, and attitude behaviors. The vet will examine your pet’s ears and eyes, listen to its heart and lungs, and check for any congenital abnormalities.

The first wellness visit can also include deworming, if necessary. Worms in an animal are of four different types: hook worms, round worms, whip worms, and heart worms. All are fairly common and easy to contract, and all of them will cause your pet discomfort.

The most obvious way to find out if your pet has worms is finding them in your pet’s stool. Activities such as scooting, weight loss, diarrhea, and vomiting can also be signs of worms. Get to your vet for treatment as soon as possible. Heart worms are the most dangerous type of worms. They live in a pet’s heart and lungs and can cause great damage. Fleas and ticks, common parasites on pets, often spread heart worm larvae.

Unfortunately, dogs have many other ways to get heart worm infection. It can be passed from mother to offspring at birth. Smelling other dogs’ feces or eating small animals that are infected can also spread the larvae. Be attentive to your dog on walks. Sniffing, a favorite outside activity, teaches your dog about the world, but it can also be a way for heart worms to attack your pet.

The vaccinations at the initial wellness visit will likely include distemper, parvovirus, parainfluenza, and adenovirus. Your vet will explain the importance of each one. The vet will also advise you about flea and tick control, which often takes the form of topical applications or chewable tablets.

Spaying and neutering is usually done around five months of age in cats and six months of age in dogs. Pets that are spayed or neutered (that is, “fixed,”) tend to live longer, not least because females are spared the risks of pregnancy and delivery. Other benefits of the procedure include less marking of territory, less roaming, and less aggressive behavior. Statistics indicate that fixed pets have a reduced occurrence of some cancers. It also helps control the population of cats and dogs, preventing euthanasia and homeless pets.

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After spaying or neutering procedures, your pet’s incisions will take about two weeks to heal; you should expect your pet to need a little more attention and care during this time. Shelter animals are usually spayed or neutered prior to adoption, so their recovery time has likely already passed.

Be sure to ask your vet about microchipping your pet.

The microchip, about the size of a grain of rice, contains your contact information. If your dog is found wandering or is picked up by animal control, they will know how to find you. The implanting procedure is relatively painless and quick. The chip itself is assurance for you—your pet won’t even know it’s there.

Most municipalities require pets to be tagged and licensed on an annual basis. The small tag hangs from your pet’s collar and is proof that your pet is up to date on its rabies vaccination (also generally required by law). Anyone who comes across your pet will know how to reach you because the tag carries your contact information. The tag can also include notice that your pet is microchipped.

One danger that can cause permanent damage to your pet is that of human medication. When a pet is sick, an uninformed owner may try to treat the animal with human medicine. Do not, under any circumstances, give your pet any type of medication that is meant for humans. These substances can do permanent damage to your pets. Your vet can prescribe pain relievers or any other medication that your pet needs. These prescriptions are effective for pets so long as you carefully follow dosage instructions.

Your new pet should have many years ahead with your family, filled with training adventures, play time, fresh air and long walks, and petting and snuggling. Get started on the right foot by making an appointment for a new pet health check as soon as your pet comes home.

Sources for this article included: rover.com, vetted.com, and vetiq.com.

Out and About

Sedona Soul Adventures

Transform Your Life or Your Relationship

By Angella A. Arndt

Do you wonder about your life’s purpose? Do you feel unfulfilled, even after achieving success? Are you in a relationship that needs help? Do you give too much, while ignoring your own needs? Many people experience these things and want to make a change but aren’t sure how to make it happen. It’s common to emphasize maintaining physical health through activities such as diet and exercise while overlooking the importance of emotional and spiritual health. Though physical health is indeed important, spiritual development plays an integral role in connecting with your inner voice and reaching your full potential.

A spiritual retreat reconnects you with your heart and soul, allowing you to live a more connected and joyous life.

Sedona Soul Adventures in Sedona, Arizona, was founded in 2002 and specializes in spiritual retreat experiences for individuals and couples. Founder Debra Stangl was a successful divorce attorney in Omaha who felt burned out after 20 years in the practice and wanted a deeper meaning in her life. She needed a break! She went to Sedona for “three days of peace and quiet” and instead experienced a life-changing event—she met with a healing practitioner and received the message, “You must leave your law practice now.” She returned to Omaha and, heeding the message, spent six months closing her law practice.

She visited Sedona several times over the next three years, attending workshops and continuing her sessions with amazing practitioners. In 2001, she received another message during a session: “Move to Sedona.” She asked why, but the only response was, “Just go.” She heeded the message and moved, still unsure of her next step. Several months later, she realized that her visits to Sedona and healing sessions were preparing her to offer spiritual retreat experiences to others. She felt that the individual sessions she had had with practitioners provided her with more impactful experiences than the group workshops, so that’s how she decided to proceed with her own personalized retreats.

“There is no one else in the world doing what we do,” Debra says. “We help people deal with the deepest things that are keeping them from living their best lives. Pretty much everyone who comes to us has a life-changing experience.” Group retreats offer one program for everyone, which may or may not meet your specific needs. Sedona Soul Adventures, on the other hand, provides a customized, individualized approach.

Before you even arrive in Sedona, you will speak with an Angel Guide, who will talk to you about what’s going on in your life or your relationship and what you’d like to change or improve. Your retreat is custom-designed with sessions based on your specific needs.

Sedona Soul Adventures works with dozens of talented practitioners from all around the world. These practitioners offer a wide array of services, including emotional healing, integrated breathing techniques,

Founder Debra Stangl

yoga, Reiki, massage, psychic and intuitive readings, vortex hikes, couples communication, and energy healing and clearing. Plan to spend three to five full days with Sedona Soul Adventures to maximize your experience. Debra says, ”The most important part of us is that people are taking this home with them, transforming their lives and their relationships. I find it interesting that I spent 20 years divorcing people and now I have spent over 17 years helping them stay together!”

You will generally have three to five hours of sessions each day, with time to meditate, connect with energy, and experience the outdoors. Each retreat ends with an Intuitive Integration session. This session creates your ‘at home’ plan to ensure that you are integrating what you’ve learned at your retreat into your daily life.

Sedona Soul Adventures focuses on the healing process and spiritual work. There is no central retreat facility. Practitioners work out of their home offices and private healing spaces, which enables them to provide the most meaningful spiritual experiences. Your Angel Guide is happy to make lodging recommendations for you.

Debra advises individuals and couples looking for a spiritual retreat to do some research on the places they are considering. “How do you feel when you’re talking to the person you’re talking to? How is the retreat structured? Ask for testimonials. Ask to speak to clients.” Her client philosophy is simple. “You can have the life or relationship you want—I know it!” she asserts. “Real, lasting change is possible, and it can bring you into lasting happiness.”

Sedona Soul Adventures focuses on spiritual healing and expansion, but their approach is very grounded and provides practical, real-world answers to achieving a fantastic life and satisfying relationships. Debra feels so blessed to be able to make a difference in people’s lives. “Our slogan is ‘Transforming One Soul at a Time,’ and that’s what we’re doing,” she shares.

Debra spends her days managing the business, writing, and working on weekly SoulAdventuresTV videos for YouTube. She also wrote the Amazon bestseller, “The Journey to Happy: How Embracing the Concept That ‘Nothing is Wrong’ Can Transform Your Life.” Go to SedonaRetreatGuide.com to download your complimentary copy of “The Sedona Guide to Spiritual Retreats” or “The Sedona Guide to Couples Retreats.”

For more information, including testimonials, look up Sedona Soul Adventures online at SedonaSoulAdventures. com, on Facebook, or on YouTube. You can reach the office by telephone at 877-204-3664.

January 2022

53

Auto Wise

Auto Collision Repair Peek Behind the Curtain

By Linda Sutherland

We all know it can happen—a fender bender in stopand-go traffic or an aggressive driver causing something even worse. What are the odds of this happening to you? According to Esurance, 77 percent of drivers have been in at least one accident. It’s not quite a sure thing, but it’s very common to be in a collision. It’s a highly stressful situation, even if no one is injured.

Once the initial anxiety passes, what do you do about your car?

File a police report and a claim with your insurance carrier. They will give you all the information you need: when the adjuster will come out, the amount of your deductible, and where you might go for repairs. That will get the claim process started, as well as the documentation.

If you’ve needed collision repair before, you may recall feeling a little sticker shock. Why is auto body collision repair so costly? Repair shops have more expenses than you might think. Like any business, they have employees to pay, advertising to buy, and overhead like rent, utilities, and supplies. Secondly, they use expensive and extremely specific equipment to do repair work (in some cases, they need different equipment for different makes).

In addition, collision repair often requires more work than is immediately apparent. You may see a small dent in your car door, but its repair might involve removing the trim, the door handles, or even the door’s interior panel. It depends on how deeply the collision may have damaged interior components of the door. Body repair also includes restoring the car’s paint and final finishes.

Another costly issue that auto repair shops face is following EPA regulations, both on the job and in the disposal of waste. These regulations are pretty tough stuff and have quite an impact on an auto body shop’s bottom line. Primers, paint, and clear coats contain hazardous pollutants, and EPA regulations are designed to reduce the emission of these substances. Auto body shops must meet stringent requirements to operate or face significant fines.

These requirements could and do include spray booths, prep stations, ventilation, and, of course, proper training of employees (both initial training and refresher training).

Next comes the issue of waste disposal. Auto body shops typically generate several types of potentially hazardous waste, including oil-based and solvent-based paints, coatings, solvents, non-empty containers, paint filters, solvent rags, and used oils and antifreeze. These things can’t simply be thrown away or poured down the drain! It sounds a bit overwhelming, but the regulations are there to protect the shop employees, the public, and the environment.

Most auto body shops pass on the costs of running an EPA-compliant business to their customers, at least in part.

You’ll often see it listed on your estimate or bill as an 54

January 2022

“environmental fee” or “disposal fee.” There’s nothing wrong with this! It’s a cost, just like labor and parts, that customers should expect to share. However, it’s not always easy to gauge how big that cost should be. Feel free to ask your technician how the environmental charge is calculated—not every shop does it the same way.

Body shops can take steps to control their costs and their environmental impact. Properly trained workers and updated ventilation systems make a big difference. Some shops choose types of paint and cleaners that are less toxic.

The collision repair industry has also produced a technique known as paintless dent repair, which is cheaper, quicker, and more eco-friendly than traditional methods.

Paintless dent repair is just what it sounds like: repairing dents without having to repaint. The technician will assess the dents and determine whether they can be repaired in this way. (This depends on things like the size, location, and depth of each dent.) If your dent is a good candidate for paintless dent removal, techs use special tools that apply pressure to the back side of the dent to return it to its previous condition. Insurance often covers paintless dent repair.

In most cases, though, paintless dent repair costs less than your insurance deductible, so you could avoid making a claim.

What should you look for in a repair shop? First of all, get several estimates for comparison. Your insurance company will suggest a shop, but you’re allowed to have your car repaired wherever you choose. Pay close attention to word of mouth. Look around when you visit—expect a certain amount of grease about the place, but it should still seem organized, not chaotic. Make sure that someone in the shop is happy to explain to you the estimate and the repair process. If they seemed rushed or impatient with your questions, move on.

Sources for this article included: edmunds.com, carwise.com, and smartfem.com.

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Good Life

Financial Fitness

Flex Your Finances Into Peak Condition

By Anne Yankus

Everyone talks about getting fit each January, but they’re usually talking about their bodies.

We’re so busy getting in shape with healthy eating and regular exercise that we overlook another important part of whole-life fitness: maintaining healthy finances! The daily practice of fiscal responsibility, called financial fitness, is an essential step on the road to living your best life.

Just like physical fitness, the first step toward financial advice. A financial advisor can help you create an investfitness is making a plan. Making a financial plan may sound ment strategy, minimize your taxes, avoid making emotional daunting or even unnecessary, but sorting everything out is financial decisions, lower your risks, and structure withthe best way to see a clear picture of where you are, where drawals from accounts. Expert advice is especially helpful if you want to be, and how you can get there. you’ve recently come into a large inheritance, are looking First, make a list of your assets and liabilities. Your to create an investment portfolio, or want to aggressively assets will include all your items of value, like cash, savings, increase your retirement fund. A financial advisor’s job is stocks, real estate, cars, high value collectibles, and so on. to listen to your goals and find a way to achieve them. As Your liabilities typically include all of your debt, such as professionals, they can likely make it happen a lot more efmortgages, loans, monthly bills, and credit cards. (If you ficiently than you can (you know, whenever you’re not busy own a business, that on the weekends). can fall into both your Another aspect of being financially fit assets and liabilities is being a savvy shopper, and I don’t just categories.) Adding all mean buying in bulk. It’s important to know Making sure your investments those things together what time of year you can get the best deals is how you can deteron high-price items so you can plan ahead. and financial goals are in mine your net worth.

January and February are some of the best Once you’ve got a months to get great deals as stores recover handle on that, you’ll from the rush of holiday shopping (or the alignment is also an important be able to create your lack thereof). Some deals are obvious, like financial goals. holiday decorations and wrapping, which part of financial fitness.

Common shortgo on sale as early as the day after Christterm or mid-term mas. Other items, like furniture, electronics, financial goals will and fitness equipment, will also typically be include things like paying off a credit card or saving up for heavily marked down after the December holidays as stores a down payment on a house. Re-assess these goals every try to clear out whatever inventory they have left on hand. year or even every six months to see if you’ve met them or Stores tend to have their annual “white sales” (that’s if they’re no longer relevant. Long-term goals like living linens and bedding) in the month of January to drive traffic and traveling in retirement don’t need to be re-examined as into stores and to sell out existing stock. Winter sports gear often. and outerwear, as well as small toys and gifts, are also typSome other steps in creating a financial plan include ically on stores’ chopping blocks for aggressive markdowns things like checking your credit report regularly, managin the first months of the year. ing your taxes, determining if you have the right kind(s) of Because home renovations are usually the last thing insurance, and naming your beneficiaries. Don’t forget to on anyone’s mind during the winter holidays, carpets and update your beneficiaries as often as you need to—births, flooring are often on sale during January, as well. As you deaths, marriages, and divorces can all affect your benefiperuse these January sales, though, don’t go in blind. Know ciary list. the regular prices of the items you’re planning to purchase.

Making sure your investments and financial goals are That’s a lot more reliable than trusting what the sale tag in alignment is also an important part of financial fitness. says is the “regular” price.

Don’t be afraid to really examine what may be a financial Being financially fit is a life goal we should all aspire to. weakness on your part. You can’t bolster a weakness until With some planning and the right professional advice, you you identify it. can get your finances in tip-top shape and learn how to If this all seems intimidating, confusing, or just too keep them there. time-consuming, consider hiring a financial advisor. Having Sources for this article included: bettermoneyhabits.bankoa finance person isn’t just for people with extensive assets— famerica.com, money.usnews.com, cnbc.com, usatoday.com, and people of all incomes can truly benefit from expert financial investopedia.com.

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Home Works

Achieving an Organized Home Lose the Clutter, Lose the Stress

By Angella Arndt

Do you have cluttered drawers or closets? Household items you no longer use? An abundance of family keepsakes? Would you like to be more organized but aren’t sure where to start? If you’re ready to tackle the chaos, read on to learn how to move yourself from procrastination to organization.

The most obvious benefits of an organized home are that it is easier and quicker to clean, meaning the house has less dust, mold, bacteria, and other illness-producing sources. Organization also leads to more free time, as you spend less of it searching for items that are misplaced. Saving money is another benefit. If you know where everything is, you won’t purchase duplicates. Clutter-free spaces are calming, both visually and mentally, reducing stress and allowing you to enjoy your home fully.

Now that you’ve decided you want to get organized, what do you tackle first? Start with a small project, such as going through your junk mail, magazine pile, or a cluttered drawer.

Completing one project provides a sense of accomplishment and motivates you to make more progress.

Having a proper mindset is critical to organizational success.

Be ready to “let go” before you begin. As you sort through items, think about whether you really need or even want the item. Do you use it? Do you have multiples of the same thing? If you are

storing something that you don’t use, why keep it? If you have a hard time letting go, these questions may help you get started.

Clothing closets often become epicenters of clutter and time-capsules of clothing you may have forgotten you owned. If you’d like to reclaim your wardrobe, ask yourself a few questions about each article of clothing. Does it fit? Is it comfortable? Do you wear it? Have you ever worn it? If not, why are you keeping it? Do you own several pieces of the same item? Does the article need alteration or repair? If so, have it fixed or discard it. Does the item have limited wearability? Answering these questions will help you achieve an organized and wardrobe-ready closet.

Now that you have culled your wardrobe, you’ll be better able to tell whether the space really meets your needs. Many closets are equipped with standard rods that do not maximize space usage. Closet organization systems include a mix of individualized storage options such as rods, shelves, bins, and drawers. Some companies even specialize in maximizing closet

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The advertising has resulted not only in sales, but also in new followers on my social media platforms and new newsletter subscribers. Together with their outstanding customer service and sales results, advertising with Women’s Edition has been one of the best investments I’ve ever made for my business. Thank you, Women’s Edition!” —Debra Joy Groesser

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efficiency. These experts can help you achieve your dream closet, no matter the size.

Are you saving family keepsakes because they are meaningful or because you feel obligated to keep them? As you handle each item, ask yourself a few questions BEFORE AFTER to help you decide whether or not to keep it. Does the item make you feel good? Is it valuable, either in cost or as an heirloom for you or someone else in the family (in the latter case, should it be at their house Expert Grout, Tile & Stone Care instead of yours)? Can you put it on disClean • Seal • Recolor play? Review cards, letters, and children’s Regrout • Repair • Recaulk schoolwork and artwork. Save, scan, or frame those that are meaningful and toss the rest.

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It’s fine to keep special items even if they’re being stored instead of displayed, but you need to consider carefully how and where to store them. Avoid spaces Call for a with fluctuating temperatures. If the area FREE Estimate! could flood, use risers or shelves. Use 402-393-2565 appropriate paper, albums, and boxes for All major credit cards accepted storing documents, photos, and books.

Call 402-720-9010 Organizing your keepsakes provides an Aaron Peterson, Frank Allen, Owner opportunity to reminisce and better preOwner/Operator serve the items that bring you joy. www.groutdoctor.com I also do Home Inspections!

If you don’t want to tackle the job yourself, consider hiring a professional organizer. These pros assist with every11/2/20 10:52 Peterson.indd AM 1 7/9/21 thing from small projects like organizing The Grout Doctor.indd 1 closets or pantries to large projects like overhauling the contents of garages or entire homes. They can help with moving and downsizing and also provide paper management and computer organization.

Hiring a professional organizer may be the nudge you need to spring into action.

Before hiring an organizer, think about the scope and goals of your project.

Determine your budget and timeframe for completion. Education, training, and experience vary among professional organizers. Interview individuals and ask questions before making a hiring decision.

Do they have experience in your type of project? How long have they been in business? Do they have appropriate training and certifications? What is their approach to working with clients? Can they meet your deadline? Ask for references.

As you organize your home, you may find that the improved efficiency provides less stress, increased energy, and peace of mind. You’ll be more mindful and present in the place you call home.

Sources for this article included: consumerreports.org, forbes.com, homeandgardendesignideas.com, and napo.net.

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View from the Top

Good Shepherd Funeral & Cremation Services Celebrate a Life

By Marge Shoemaker

My mom died peacefully in the hospital. We left late the night before and got a call from the nurse around 6:30 the next morning.“Your mother has passed,”she told us. Then she asked,“Where do you want her to go?”Well, we had talked with Mom about her service, whether she had any preferences about songs or pallbearers…but we never asked about mortuaries. I remembered the name of the one she used when my father died years ago. She had noted how helpful they had been. Fortunately, they were still in operation, and that’s who we used.

The question—who do you want to handle your loved one’s funeral—is not one that many of us think about.

Maranda Harouff (rhymes with sheriff), one of four funeral directors at Good Shepherd Funeral & Cremation Services, reminds us how important it is to talk about what is wanted long before we actually have to deal with it. “At times of trauma, many people get what I call ‘foggy brain.’ It makes it difficult to deal with decisions and necessary details,” Maranda comments. “It’s really important to talk to your family about those times. Death doesn’t happen just to the elderly.”

Maranda decided she wanted to become a funeral director at a young age. When she was in high school, her best friend died in an automobile accident. “Our family was first on the scene,” she recalls. “When he was picked up, the staff was so aware of the trauma we were all experiencing.

The funeral director was most helpful by telling me and other friends that it is okay to cry…to mourn…to talk about him...share our memories…and even laugh. She helped me get through my grief, even after the funeral. I wanted to be able to help others in the same way.”

Good Shepherd, owned by a local family, was originally situated near South High School in Omaha. About a year ago, they relocated to a spot near 84th and L. Seeing a similar need on the north side of town, they opened a second location on North 90th Street (north of Maple) in the spring of 2021. Maranda and the other funeral directors, Caroline Page and Nick Tank, all live in the area and are familiar with many local church personnel and related businesses.

Maranda is new to Good Shepherd but has been a funeral director for nearly five years. How does one become a funeral director? “We’re required to earn an associate’s degree in Mortuary Science,” she explains. “Many directors from this area attend Kansas City Kansas Community College. We must then pass the board exam, serve as an apprentice for one year, and pass a state law test to gain our license.” Additionally, all morticians and funeral directors (the terms are synonymous) are required to take continuing education classes in order to keep up with changes in laws, procedures, and best practices.

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It takes a special skill set Maranda Harouff,Funeral Director to be funeral director, since your customers need both your expertise and your emotional support. According to Maranda, stress causes frequent turnover in the industry. “The mental stress of being with people in all stages of grief can be almost overwhelming,” she shares. “One of my professors said that you should consider yourself a ‘lifer’ if you last five years.” Maranda is approaching lifer status, so she must have what it takes—compassion, empathy, and a great attention to detail.

Maranda feels Good Shepherd’s smaller size enables them to better serve their clients from start to finish in the funeral process and planning. Maranda says Good Shepard is Omaha’s best kept secret in the funeral industry. “We realize our clients are relatively inexperienced in handling death and the accompanying grief. We try to be proactive and as helpful as possible.” The staff helps fill out forms and answers questions—anytime. “Wonderful people who do such a loving and professional job,” comments Dorothy Cadwell Ackley.

As a part of their personalized service, Good Shepherd provides a video program with photos furnished by the family, the guest register, and an “After Care” checklist. For cremations, they have equipment to personalize engraving on the urn chosen for the cremains. In addition to a traditional limousine, a motorcycle coach or custom-made rosewood coach is available to transport the family.

Maranda strongly advises all of us to consider pre-planning funerals—your loved one’s or your own. By making plans in advance, you can ensure that the deceased’s wishes and desires are respected, and you can give the survivors the gift of time to focus on remembrance and healing without having to worry about service details. (You can also save money by paying in today’s dollars.)

Good Shepherd Funeral & Cremation Services has two locations in Omaha: 3809 North 90th Street and 4712 South 82nd Street. Call 402-505-9260 to reach either location or find them online at gsfuneral.com.

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Positive Perspective

Time to Work Out the Attitude!

By Janet Van deWalle

Pump Up the Positivity

“Talking about our problems is our greatest addiction. Break this negative habit. Talk about your joys, your loves, and your dreams instead.” —Marc and Angel Chernoff

I’d like you to try an experiment for just one day. After every conversation you have, take a moment to write down how negative…or how positive…you were in that conversation. Rate yourself on a scale of 1 (very negative) to 10 (very positive). Make a note on your phone, get a piece of scratch paper, or write it on your hand. Be honest! It only works when you’re honest with yourself. Yes, ouch! Just for today, let’s do some self-evaluation.

“It takes courage...to endure the sharp pains of selfdiscovery rather than choose to take the dull pain of unconsciousness that would last the rest of our lives.”

—Marianne Williamson

This experiment makes us take a look at who we are, and what we’ve become. Many of you may be able to give yourself a pat on the back for your high scores. Great job! For those of us who didn’t get that gold, silver, or bronze medal, we will have the opportunity to grow and change. Toxic conversation can be adjusted pretty quickly by choosing to avoid gossip and back-biting.

Some would say the easiest way to fix this problem is to avoid people who are negative. Let’s get real! In many cases, this is simply not possible. The solution? Try injecting some positivity into a negative conversation.

“Simply try to turn your next conversation with someone who is negative into a more positive moment. See what happens. In most cases, they will turn around and be more positive in their next interaction.” —Tom Rath

We are all creatures of habit. We all, at times, fall into the routines of complaining, blaming, or gossiping. We might blame it on our jobs, our spouse, or our kids. Before we know what has happened, we have become one of those toxic individuals that we can’t stand.

Figuring out where our conversations are and working on bringing them to a more positive arena will make our lives better. We will be more welcomed into our circle of friends and family. People will want to be around us. This exercise is a workout for our attitudes. There’s nothing wrong with that!

“Before talking, please connect the tongue to the brain!”

—Anonymous

“Strong minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, weak minds discuss people.” —Socrates

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