I, like many people I suppose, get a "spring itch." That feeling that spring time is just around the corner and winters' worst is behind us.

Tiny signs of spring are all around if we are attentive. . . Today, I noticed a small patch of green grass and a few tulip leaves poking out of their winter beds and I was happy - truly happy!! Those small yet significant signs made me smile. Because I know, that soon, I will be leaving the house without being saddled by a bulky winter coat and my toes will be free to wiggle in sandals rather than being cramped and crowded in "fashion boots!"

On Thursday, March 20, 2008, at precisely 1:48 A.M. EDT the sun will cross directly over the Earth's equator - spring has arrived!

The Have’s and the Have Not’s

While on vacation near West Palm Beach, Florida, I was struck at the wealth that was all around me. From the oceanfront mansions in Palm Beach, the sleek yachts docked on the Intracoastal Waterway and the dozens of gated communities from Jupiter to Boca Raton.

According to the U.S. Census Bureaus, median income for a household in the city is $36,774, and the median income for a family is $42,074. These figures represent the full time residents and most likely, not the world traveling millionaires that are sprinkled about the gated communities.

In contrast, I traveled though the town of Pahokee on my way to see Lake Okeechobee. Pahokee is a city located on the shore of Lake Okeechobee in Palm Beach County, Florida.

Rather than seeing palm tree lined streets and well manicured lawns, I encountered poverty; visible poverty that caused me to pause and say “Can people really live in there?” The per capita income for the city is $10,346. 32.0% of the population and 29.4% of families are below the poverty line. http://www.pahokeeflorida.com/local/cityinfo.html

I was taken aback at the dichotomy in the varying degrees of financial ability in two towns that are just 40 miles apart. . .

While channel surfing, I stopped to view a “reality series” on MTV, titled My Super Sweet Sixteen. The premise of the “show” is parents succumbing to the whining wishes of their spoiled children. Parents agree to throw a mega-birthday bash, with a luxury car included. These coming of age parties for sixteen year-olds would rival social gatherings thrown by million dollar celebrities.
Gone are the days of celebrating with a few close school friends at your parent’s house. Eating a Duncan Hines cake with store bought ice cream and your decorations consisted of a few balloons. The fallacy is that parents are being “good” to their children by lavishing them with excess. Moms and Dads willingly allow their child to create VIP rooms and then the birthday boy or girl ostracizes other party goers because of their social status. What is the lesson being communicated by parents? Allowing these types of behaviors only reinforce the self-centered attitudes that can exist in the teenage years.

120/80

What is Blood pressure? Blood pressure is the force in the arteries when the heart beats this is the systolic pressure and when the heart is at rest that is the diastolic pressure. The American Heart Association (http://www.americanheart.org) states that a normal blood pressure, for adults should 120/80 or lower. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to stroke, heart attack, and heart and/or kidney failure.

Many doctors believe that various factors can lead to hypertension, a reading consistently above 140/90. For many Americans hypertension is a result of being overweight, smoking, drinking alcohol to excess, lack of physical activity, and family history of the condition.

According to the American Heart Association except in a few rare cases, doctors don't know what causes high blood pressure and I am one of the rare cases. When I was first diagnosed, I was very angry and upset. Questions of “Why me” kept creeping into my head. There are still moments that I become discouraged that I need to rely on several medicines to keep my body functioning properly.

When I stopped having a pity party, I suppose that I am thankful that my condition was caught early before any damage was done to my heart and kidneys. As I age, I realize that I have less control over my body. However, I do have control over making healthy choices that will optimistically keep me around for a long time!

During a trip to the Laurel Highlands in the Southwestern part of Pennsylvania my husband and I stayed at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort (http://www.nemacolin.com/)
Nemacolin is a family luxury vacation destination located on 2,800 wooded acres.

While my husband, was attending meetings I took advantage of the Woodlands Spa. I must confess, in the era of personal pampering, I have never had a massage, but decided it was time to take the leap. After a visit to the spa, I settled on a hot stone massage and quickly scheduled an appointment.

It was time for my appointment, and with butterflies in my stomach, I walked through the large wooden doors, and approached the desk and checked myself in. The therapist retrieved me from the quiet area and we made our way to the massage room. Now lying on a heated table, the therapist proceeded to place heated basalt stones in specific points along my spine and under my hands. He then took the flat water-heated stones in his hands and began to give my back a deep massage. All of the apprehension that I was feeling initially, quickly subsided. I was thoroughly enjoying the wonderful sensation of calm and warmth, and I was disappointed that the experience ended so quickly!

My first massage session was fabulous and I would certainly do it again.

U2 will enjoy U23D!

I recently had an opportunity to see U23D at the Whitaker Center. I went with a bit of reservation, but was pleasantly surprised at the intense cinematography U23D had to offer.
This is the first ever live-action 3D concert film and it will keep you engaged from the first song. Members of the band kept it interesting by making good use of the camera, moving toward the audience in such a way that it seemed like they were literally standing before you.

The advanced digital 3D imagery and cutting-edge surround sound technology are coupled for the first time, to bring this concert to life!

You can check out http://www.u23dmovie.com/ to see a trailer of the U23D movie featuring U2 in concert and read about the U23D film.

Visit the Whitaker Center (http://www.whitakercenter.org/home/) for show times and ticket prices.

Snowflakes – winters’ unnoticed secret. . .

Driving to work this morning, the sky was intermittently releasing tiny snowflakes that were clinging to my windshield.

I was humbled as I caught, just for a moment, the delicate detail of those tiny flakes. We’ve all heard that each one is unique, and this morning I noticed just that.

Check out this (http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals/) on-line guide to snowflakes, snow crystals, and other ice phenomena.

This site will help you realize how remarkable and truly complex snowflakes are, and how they are created out of thin air!