Capital Region Living Magazine On Albany.com - Your Source For Albany & Capital Region Newstag:www.albany.com,2008-12-22:/capitalregionliving//152009-11-12T16:33:23ZFind Albany news, stories and things to do on Albany.com/CapitalRegionLiving, the official online home of Capital Region Living Magazine, a leading life and leisure magazine in the Albany area.Movable Type Pro 4.3-enHoliday Cheertag:www.albany.com,2009:/capitalregionliving//15.51092009-11-12T14:28:27Z2009-11-12T16:33:23ZTree festivals, lightings, holiday strolls, gift guide and so much more....Capital Region Livinghttp://www.albany.com/community/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=15&id=39
Tree festivals, lightings, holiday strolls, gift guide and so much more.
Dazzle your guests with holiday etiquette tips 101
You've spent the entire day cooking the perfect holiday feast. But it's an hour before your guests arrive, and you find yourself standing in front of the table, listening to a little nagging voice in your head.
Does the knife go on the left, fork on the right, or is it the other way around? Is that centerpiece too tall? Should I go ahead and put food on table before guests arrive, or do I wait until everyone gets here?
If you can't answer those questions, don't feel alone. In today's eat-on-the-run world, you're not the only one to flunk holiday etiquette.
"Table manners have become a lost art," says etiquette expert Jill Slatter. "Think back 15 or 20 years ago, families gathered every evening for a proper meal. But these days we're all stretched so thin juggling work, school and home, most folks don't have time to sit down together, so when holidays roll around no one's sure what to do at a formal meal."
Slatter is an etiquette coach at Greensboro, N.C.-based Replacements, Ltd., touted as the world's largest supplier of old and new china, silver, crystal and collectibles. The company is bombarded with questions this time of year from folks looking for a crash course in proper manners and table settings. Based on the most frequently asked questions, Slatter offers this quick holiday etiquette 101 to give you insight that will dazzle your guests.
Set the perfect table • Forks to the left, knives and spoons to the right. Only set out utensils that will be used for various courses. "If you're not serving soup or salad, you certainly don't want an extra spoon or fork in your place setting," Slatter says. "Not only will those get in the way, the extra utensils may confuse your guests."
• The bread plate goes on the left of the dinner plate, glasses on the right.
• Wait to pour. Water glasses should be the only glasses filled before your guests arrive. Iced tea, wine and other beverages should be poured once everyone is seated. Wine should be filled halfway, not to the rim.
• Salad and bread should be the only food on the table when your guests arrive.
• Courses are generally served in the following order in the United States: appetizer, soup, salad, main course, dessert.
Are you the hostess with the mostest? • Remember, the hostess always sits last.
• Unscented candles are a great part of holiday decor, but should only be lit during the evening. "Another thing to keep in mind, flickering candles are more than a distraction, those can cause headaches," warns Slatter. "That's why you never want to place burning candles directly in front of your guest, and make sure you situate the flame below eye level."
• Centerpiece too tall? Sure those flowers you spent hours arranging are pretty, but will only get in the way if your guests have to crane their necks to look at each other. Make sure your guests can see over any table adornments.
• Passing isn't just in football. Always pass food around the table counter clockwise to the right and refrain from serving yourself first. Always pass the salt and pepper as a set, even if you're only asked for one.
Be a gracious guest • Avoid the smear. Female guests should blot their lips before sitting down at the table. This will keep you from getting lipstick stains on linen napkins or glassware.
• Wait for the signal. Your host will let you know when it's okay to begin eating. They may make a prayer or statement or start by passing a dish.
• If you're not sure which utensil to use with each course, start on the outside and work in toward the plate.
• If you need to excuse yourself temporarily, gently place your napkin in your chair.
• Signify you're finished with the meal by placing napkin to the left of the dinner plate, and your fork and knife side by side diagonally across your plate with the sharp side of the knife blade facing inward and the fork tines down.
"One of the most panicked questions we hear concerns what to do if you accidently break a piece of the host's dinnerware," adds Slatter. "You should certainly offer to replace the broken piece especially if it has sentimental value for the host or hostess."
Slatter says don't lose hope if your host doesn't know the name of the pattern or the manufacturer--you can always take advantage of Replacements' free pattern identification service.
If you're still in doubt about holiday etiquette 101, a cheat sheet is just a mouse click away. You can find place setting guides outlining the correct layout for all meals at www.replacements.com, under the site's "neat things" tab. With these tips in mind, you're sure to throw the perfect gathering. Courtesy of ARA Content
Festival of Trees November 27-29 North County Festival of Trees - Christmas wonderland including gingerbread houses, arts & crafts, Holiday Boutique featuring handmade items, activities, games, crafts for the children and breakfast with Santa too! The Queensbury Hotel. For more info: 798.0170; www.prospectcenter.com.
December 1-January 4 Festival of Holiday Trees - Enjoy a festival of trees, on display at the Blenheim-Gilboa Project's visitors center. New York Power Authority. For more info: 800.724.0309; www.nypa.gov.
December 1-31 Festival of Trees - Display of miniature Christmas trees decorated by local businesses & artists in Hedbring room. During the open hours of the library. Free. Greenwich Free Library, Greenwich. For more information, call 692.7157.
December 1-12 Festival of Trees - Holiday tradition with a selection of Christmas Trees decorated for viewing. Special events include: Premier Night, Ladies Who Lunch, Wine Tasting Experience, International Night, Children's Morning, Festival Brunch, Sugar Plum Fairy Ball, and Group Lunches. Call for times, admission fees, and ticket information. GFWC Century Club, Amsterdam. For more info: 842.2031.
December 2 Festival of Trees - Trees, wreaths, centerpieces and other holiday items for viewing and sale. Adults $6, seniors and children over 10 $3. Saratoga Springs City Center. For more info: 587.5000. December 4-5 Festival of Trees at the Georgi - Festival with cocktail party, auction & family day. Georgi Museum, Shushan. For more info: 854.3773; www.thegeorgi.com.
December 4 Festival of Trees Dinner Dance - Gala Dinner Dance with band and over 60 decorated trees. $25. 6pm-midnight. 1 Main Street, Dolgeville. For more info: 315.429.9871; eausti315@verizon.net; www.dolgeville.info.
December 5-30 Festival of Trees - Exhibition of Christmas trees decorated by local artists and community groups. Fruitcake events 12/5. Old Stone Fort, Schoharie. For more info: www.TheOldStoneFort.org
Craft fairs
November 20 & 22 Holiday Craft Show - Over 40 vendors with unique hand crafted gifts. Daily raffles. Village of Schoharie. For more info: 295.7505.
November 21 Craft Show & Sale - Holiday Bazaar. Free. Luncheon available. 9am-3pm. Caldwell Presbyterian Church, Lake George. For more info: 668.2613/668.4245; www.caldwellpres.org.
November 21 15th Annual Quilt Show and Holiday Bazaar - Viewer's Choice quilt contests, handmade crafts, raffle quilt, "treasures" from Grandma's Attic, and homemade lunch specials. Featured artist is Marlous Carter of Marlous Designs. Handicapped accessible. Free. 10am-3:30pm. 22 North Main Street, Mayfield. For more info: 661.5328; nan515115@nycap.rr.com.
November 21 2009 PTSA Craft Fair - Handmade crafts from 90+ people. Food and beverages available for purchase. Enter our 50/50 raffle. Huge bake sale. Free admission. 9am-4pm. Colonie Central High School.
November 21 & 22 Christmas Holiday Craft Show - Sunnycrest Orchards. Sharon Springs. For more info: 284.7540; www.sunnycrestorchards.com.
November 28 34th Annual Holiday Craft Fair - More than 100 crafters offering unique creations including holiday gifts, wood furniture, doll clothes, pottery and much more. Entertainment and food available. 10am-4pm. $2. Saratoga Springs City Center. For more info: 587.8008.
November 28 Country Christmas Bazaar - Hand-crafted items by local artisans. 9am-3pm. Thurman Town Hall. For more info: 623.2580/623.2909; www.thurman-ny.com.
Through December 19 Shaker Christmas Craft Fair - Find perfect holiday gifts for everyone on your list at our annual Christmas Craft Fair. Over 50 regional crafters are represented. 10am-4pm. Free. Shaker Heritage Society, Albany. For more info: 456.7890; shakerwv@crisny.org.
December 5 Hamagrael Handcrafted Craft Fair - 80 vendors offering a wide variety of crafts. Lunch available for purchase. A Bucket Auction and Bake Sale. Free. 10am-4pm. Hamagrael Elementary School, Delmar. For more info: 478.0735 or 478.9548.
December 6 Holiday Craft Fair - Hand crafted & unique gifts, jewelry, artwork, wood crafts, baked goods, food. 9am-4pm. Free. The Lodge at Echo Lake, Warrensburg. For more info: 623.2161; www.warrensburgchamber.com.
Winter walks/strolls/parades November 20 Johnstown Holiday Parade - Kick off the holiday season with this Disney movie-themed parade. Parade route starts at The Wells House (201 West Madison Avenue), past Pineview Commons, right on East Main Street to the Johnstown Senior Center. 7pm-8:30pm. Main Street, Johnstown. For more info: 848.3666.
November 30 Broadalbin Annual Holiday Parade - Come see this annual event to ring in the holiday season. 6:30pm-8pm. Main Street, Broadalbin. For more info: 883.8265.
December 3 Victorian Streetwalk - Stores open, music, entertainment, Santa & Mrs. Claus, live reindeer, magic and more. Broadway will be closed to traffic 5pm-10pm. 6pm-10pm. Downtown Saratoga Springs. For more info: 587.8635.
December 4 Bethlehem's Holiday Parade - Santa arrives by fire truck and all kinds of community groups join the fun starting at Town Hall and ending at Delmar's Four Corners. 6pm.
December 5 Winter Walk on Warren Street - Holiday revelers ride in carriages drawn by teams of horses up and down Warren Street, Hudson's main thoroughfare. Carolers dressed in Victorian costumes sing songs of the season. Musical ensembles and dancers perform in the many shops that fill the street. The aroma of roasting chestnuts fills the air. It's a scene evocative of days gone by. Entertainment and activities for all ages. Free. 5pm-8pm. Hudson Opera House, Hudson. For more info: 822.1438; www.hudsonoperahouse.org.
December 5 Village of Cobleskill Holiday Parade & Tree Lighting - Downtown lights up for the holiday season! Parade begins at 5pm.
December 11 Village of Middleburgh - Miracle on Main Street. Lots of fun on the streets & extended store hours! 5:30pm. For more info: www.artsmrc.org.
Ten Broeck Mansion 9 Ten Broeck Place, Albany • 436.9826 December 3 Champagne Preview Party Thursday - Join us for a preview of the Mansion's gracious rooms and halls beautifully decorated for the holidays by community volunteers. Enjoy a light champagne reception, a Silent Auction, Holiday Gift Shop and a visit from Sinterklaas. 5:30pm-8:30pm. $60. Pre-paid reservations required.
December 4 Holiday Tea at Ten Broeck Mansion - Enjoy a festive Holiday Tea served in the formal dining room. Sit with friends in one of the lovely parlors and then stroll through the beautifully decorated rooms and hallways. Stop in the Holiday Gift Shop for early gift shopping. 2pm-4pm. $15. Pre-paid reservations required.
December 5 Lecture: "St. Nicolas: The Saint That Became Santa" - Speaker: Author Ms. Peter Rose. After the lecture, enjoy light refreshments and a visit with Sinterklaas. Free. 1pm.
December 6 & 12 Holiday House Open House at Ten Broeck Mansion - Stroll through the Mansion. Ask questions of Mansion volunteers. Shop in the Holiday Gift Shop. Let the children enjoy holiday crafts, a visit from Sinterklaas (12pm-2pm). Enjoy listening to invited choirs singing seasonal songs and carols. Adults $5; under 12 $1; family rate $10. 12/6 12pm-4pm; 12/12 10am-2pm.
December 16 Lecture: "Hanukah and Jewish Holiday Traditions in Albany" - Speaker: Rabbi Richard Feldman. Light refreshments. Free. 1pm.
December 19 Children's Story Hour - Bring your children to hear Holiday stories read by Sinterklaas, play parlor games and enjoy simple holiday refreshments. (Recommended ages 3-10). Free. 10:30am-noon.
December 19 Holiday Madrigals, Coffee & Desserts - Enjoy afternoon coffee & desserts and holiday songs performed by a special Madrigal Singing Ensemble. Stroll through the beautifully decorated Mansion rooms and hallways. $20 per person. Reservations suggested. Combined Holiday Madrigals & Opera at Ten Broeck $40/person. 3pm-5pm.
House tours
December 4,5,6,11,12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 26, 27 Holiday House Tours - Visit Olana for Christmas with the Churches, a look at how the family spent the holiday at home. Hear oldest son Frederic Joseph's letter to Santa Claus to find out just what gifts the children wished for, and hear what other family and visitors wrote about the experience. 11am-4pm. Adult $9, students & seniors $8, under 12 and TOP members free. Olana Site, Hudson. For more info: 828.0135; www.olana.org
December 13 Candlelight Tours of Clermont - 3pm-6pm. Bonfire at 2pm. Adults $5, seniors $4, under 12 free. Clermont State Historic Site, Clermont. For more info: 537.4240; www.friendsofclermont.org.
December 19-20 Christmas at Clermont Open House - 11am-4pm. Clermont State Historic Site, Clermont. For more info: 537.4240; www.friendsofclermont.org.
Manchester, Vermont Tour the beautiful Hildene, the summer home of Robert Todd Lincoln, all decked out in holiday décor!
November 27, 28 & 29 Thanksgiving At Hildene - Visitors enjoy self-guided tours through the mansion decorated for the harvest. Adults $12.50; children $5; members & children under 6 free.
December 28 & 29 Hildene Holiday Evenings - Self-guided tours through the mansion decorated for the holidays. 4:30pm-6:30pm. Adults $12.50; youth $5; members free.
Troy Victorian Stroll December 6 27th Annual Troy Victorian Stroll--All afternoon Troy's historic downtown will offer more than 100 free attractions, including the region's top performers, musicians, dancers, magicians and storytellers. This popular annual holiday tradition transforms the historic streets of downtown Troy into a magical stage of song, dance and family enjoyment. There will be rides, refreshments, a craft show and much more! Troy's shops, boutiques and galleries will be open for holiday shopping and when hunger hits, stop into one of the many eateries or visit the Food Court located next to City Hall. 11am-5pm. www.victorianstroll.com.
HOLIDAY EVENTS BY COUNTY Albany County November 12 Harvest Maple Festival - Maple pancake breakfast and lunch, Maple producers and crafters. 10am-2pm. Free. Empire State Plaza, Albany. For more info: 474.0538.
November 27 - January 2 13th Annual Capital Holiday Lights in Washington Park - New lights show with more than 100 illuminated scenes with the theme, Celebrating Our Differences. After the drive through the lights, the Lakehouse has crafters, refreshments and lots of surprises. Enter New Scotland and Madison Avenues, Albany. Sun-Thur 6pm-9pm; Fri & Sat 6pm-10pm. $15 per car; $25 limo or 15-passenger van; $75 bus. Benefits the Albany Police Athletic League (PAL).
December 6 New York State Museum Chocolate Expo and Holiday Gift Market - Begin the holiday season at the New York State Museum! Enjoy the finest chocolates, desserts, specialty foods, and holiday gifts the region has to offer. You'll find something special for everyone on your shopping list with a selection of beautiful jewelry, painted works of art, and much more. Be sure to treat yourself to the We Do Fondue chocolate fountain and enjoy seasonal music while strolling through the galleries. 11am-4:30pm. Free. NYS Museum, 1st Floor Exhibition Hall. For more info: 474.5877; www.nysm.nysed.gov.
December 19 Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis - Bells will be ringing across the country as people tie jingle bells to their laces, don festive holiday costumes and join friends and neighbors in support of the Arthritis Foundation's mission to prevent, control and cure arthritis and related diseases. Registration 7:30am; run at 9am. The Crossings, Colonie. For more info: 456.1203.
December 19 Winterfest 2009 - Downtown Albany is transformed into a magical celebration of fun with indoor and outdoor excitement including interactive games, music, live animals and a variety of family-friendly performances. The Kid's Jingle Jog, Last Run 5K and fabulous fireworks will round out the day. Free (registration fees for Jingle Jog and 5K). Noon-5pm.
The Egg Performing Arts Center Empire State Plaza, Albany 473.1845; www.theegg.org December 12 A Sinatra Christmas - Starring the Joey Thomas Big Band and featuring vocalist Bob Father. 3pm. $30, $25 (seniors, veterans), $35 day of.
December 12-13 Mountain Snow and Mistletoe - A concert of holiday songs and stories with Christopher Shaw and Bridget Ball that features "The Mountain Snow Orchestra" - fiddler John Kirk, guitarist Kevin McKrell, and percussionist Brian Melick. 12/12 8pm; 12/13 2pm. $24.
December 19 Zucchini Brothers Holiday Show - Jack (guitar), Steve (keyboards) and Sam (drums) - perform their original holiday songs and favorites from their popular recordings for children. 2pm. $10.
Columbia County November 13 Superstitions Tour - Do you believe a broken mirror brings seven years bad luck? Do you throw spilled salt over your left shoulder? Do you think a red sky in the morning is reason to take warning... even if you're not a sailor? Skeptics and believers alike are welcome to hear stories of the superstitious practices our ancestors used to ward off evil. You might be surprised! 11:30am, 12:30pm, 1:30pm, 2:30pm, 3:30pm - reservations recommended. Adults $9; students & seniors $8, under 12 and TOP members free. Olana State Historic Site, Hudson. For more info: 828.0135; www.olana.org.
December 4 Winter Celebration at Martin Van Buren National Historic Site - Warm yourself with hot cider while socializing with friends in the winterized tent or enjoy the bonfire in front of Lindenwald. Then see Lindenwald especially adorned for the season! 5:30pm-8:30pm. Front lawn, free. Martin Van Buren Site, Kinderhook. For more info: 758.9689; www.nps.gov/mava.
December 5-6 A Child's Christmas - $12 per child. Reservations required. 10am. Clermont State Historic Site, Clermont. For more info: 537.4240; www.friendsofclermont.org.
December 5 The Merry Minstrels and Olana's Annual Holiday Bonfire - Take a late afternoon holiday tour, enjoy a winter sunset, enjoy the company of neighbors and warm up at the bonfire while enjoying the sounds of traditional Victorian caroling performed by The Merry Minstrels. 2pm-4pm. Olana State Historic Site, Hudson. For more info: 828.0135; www.olana.org.
December 6 Holiday Sing - Annual Holiday Sing at the Austerlitz Church featuring songs from many traditions. 3:30pm. Austerlitz Church, Austerlitz. For more info: 392.0062; www.oldausterlitz.org.
December 11 Candlelight Night in Village of Kinderhook - Come celebrate the season with family fun activities. 5pm-8pm. For more info: www.village.kinderhookny.us.
December 13 Village of Chatham: Winterfest - Santa Claus, holiday music, special sales, and lots of surprises.
December 19 3rd Annual Community Sing of Handel's Messiah - Bring your voice out of the shower and jumpstart the holiday by singing Handel's Messiah with family, friends and neighbors! $10 door; $8 advance. 7:30pm. St. James Church, Chatham. For more info: 965.3445; www.columbiafestivalorchestra.org
Fulton County November 25 19th Annual Thanksgiving Eve Sports Card & Sports Memorabilia Show - Featuring 60 dealer tables full of sports cards & related memorabilia (1800s to present) from baseball, football, basketball, hockey, NASCAR, & wresting. Autograph guest to be announced. $2 admission. 5pm-10pm. Johnstown MOOSE Club, Johnstown. For more info: 725.5565; mhauser@frontiernet.net; tcsportspromotions.com.
November 27 Gloversville Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony - Join Santa and Mrs. Claus in this annual event. Sing carols and enjoy the lighting of the tree. Main Street Four Corners, Gloversville. 4pm-6pm. For more info: 835.4330.
December 4 Ho Ho Haute Hotties Holiday Luncheon Soiree - Part of the Ho-Ho-Holidays for Hospice (Proceeds to benefit Mountain Valley Hospice). A champagne toast starts this special holiday ladies' five-course luncheon catered by Union Hall Inn. This event also is the unveiling of the holiday themed and festively decorated trees, greens and baskets. There will also be an exclusive, one-time raffle specifically for those attending this great event. Reservations only! $40 per person. Tickets available at Chamber Office. 2pm-4pm. Patrick's Lodge, Johnstown. For more info: 725.4545.
December 4, 5, 6 "12 Days of Christmas Treasure Hunt" - Find the framed Anne Geddes prints in designated merchant shops, fill out the form, and bring to St. Patrick's Lodge to be entered into a drawing for a bountiful holiday baskets. Free. Merchants in Downtown Johnstown. 6pm-9pm.
December 4, 5, 6 Deck the Halls with Greens and Goodies Dollar Auction - Part of the Ho-Ho-Holidays for Hospice (Proceeds benefit Mountain Valley Hospice). The doors open to a Christmas wonderland full of a magical display of trees, greens and baskets all decked out in holiday finery. Buy raffle tickets for any of the trees, greens and baskets. Free. 6pm-9pm. St. Patrick's Lodge, Johnstown. For more info: 725.4545.
December 4, 5, 6 Kris Kringle Kafe` - Part of the Ho-Ho-Holidays for Hospice (Proceeds to benefit Mountain Valley Hospice). Come taste the decadent homemade holiday treats with hot coffee, tea or hot chocolate while you view the festively decorated St. Patrick's Lodge. Buy raffle tickets for any of the trees, greenery or baskets on display. 6pm-9pm St. Patrick's Lodge, Johnstown. For more info: 725.4545.
December 5-6 Mayfield Historical Society - Christmas Open House - The members have decorated the Homestead, inside and outside, in the spirit of Christmas. There will be tours of the home, spinning and weaving demonstrations, and Teddi Knapp, famous local NYS documented folk artist, will display her artwork and herbs. On Saturday at 1pm, there will be musical entertainment. Mulled cider and old-fashioned cookies will be served and homemade pies will be available for sale. Free admission, but donations welcomed. 111am-4pm. For more info: 661.5576. 328 Riceville Road, Mayfield.
December 5 Christmas Culinary Academy 101 with Megan Henck Saltsman of Union Hall Inn-Part of the Ho-Ho-Holidays for Hospice (Proceeds to benefit Mountain Valley Hospice). Join Union Hall CIA Master Chef Megan Henck Saltsman for a lesson in Holiday Entertaining Hands-On cooking. Learn how to make an appetizing hors d'oeuvre and a delicious dessert; dine with classmates on creations and take home recipes. Classes are 10am-11:30am and Noon-1:30pm. Space is limited and tickets are required. $20 per person. Tickets available at the Chamber office, 2 North Main Street, Gloversville.
December 5 Santa's Little Elves Workbench - Part of the Ho-Ho-Holidays for Hospice (Proceeds to benefit Mountain Valley Hospice). Bring your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends to our holiday workshop where you can make holiday ornaments, crafts or even a Swarovski crystal bracelet. $1 per craft (excluding crystal bracelet). 10am-6pm.
December 5 Little Angels "La-Tea-Da" Tea Party - Part of the Ho-Ho-Holidays for Hospice (Proceeds to benefit Mountain Valley Hospice). Little girls gather together all dressed up and play grown-up at their own holiday social. Fine china tea service, as well as, finger foods and other treats will be served. Events include: hats and boas for dress-up, ornament making, writing letters to Santa and photographs (fee for photographs). Reservations only. $10 per child (excluding photographs). 2:30pm-4pm. Tickets available at the Chamber office, 2 North Main Street, Gloversville.
December 6 Ho-Ho-Holiday Breakfast - Part of the Ho-Ho-Holidays for Hospice (Proceeds to benefit Mountain Valley Hospice). Enjoy a beautifully prepared breakfast buffet prepared by Wally Hart and Bill Crankshaw just for this event. Interact with Santa and his elves. View the beautiful trees, greenery and baskets created for these events. $5 per person, 9am-11am. Tickets available at the Chamber office. St. Patrick's Lodge, Johnstown. For more info: 725.4545.
Montgomery County November 14 Winter Workshop - Basket Ornaments: Create ornaments for your Thanksgiving Table and Christmas Tree using traditional basket weaving techniques with this encore presentation by Beverly Cornelius. Materials fee TBA. Limit 10 participants. Advance registration required. Ages 12+. 10am-12pm. Schoharie Crossing Visitor Center, Fort Hunter. For more info: 829.7516.
November 26-January 1 Kristy Pollack Memorial Light Display - An elaborate Christmas display greets visitors as they drive through the lights. Donations appreciated to aid severely ill children and their families. Lyon Street, Amsterdam.
December 4-23 Light Up The Sky With The Marching Rams - A drive through light show on a paved road through an urban forest in the middle of Amsterdam adorned with hundreds of trees and shrubs wrapped with lights, illuminated arches, homemade wooden displays from 3' to 8' high, illuminated deer, band members dressed in costumes, and Santa and Mrs. Claus. Proceeds benefit the Amsterdam High School Marching Rams. $5 per vehicle. 6pm-9pm. 154 Brookside Avenue, Amsterdam For more info: 843.3052.
December 4 Elves Night Out - Letters to Santa at the Post Office, sing-along at the town Christmas Tree, free cookies and hot chocolate, all merchants open for Christmas visiting and shopping, special holiday market. 5pm-9pm. Free. Canajoharie-Palatine Bridge. For more info: 673.4434.
December 5 Heritage Holiday Tea - An afternoon tea in the holiday-decorated Old Fort. The tea will include tea sandwiches, scones/biscuits, and assorted sweets. $15 per person. Reservations required. 12pm-2pm or 3pm-5pm. Old Fort Johnson, Fort Johnson. For more info: 843.0300.
December 5-6 Holiday Pet Photos - Holiday photos of your pet alone or with the whole family! Holiday shop, adoption clinic and refreshments. Photos taken on walk-in basis, first come, first served (no appointments will be taken). Proceeds benefit the homeless animals of the Montgomery County SPCA. Riverfront Center, Amsterdam. For more info: 842.8050.
December 6 St. Nicholas Day - Colonial music, storytelling, roaring fires, pine bough decorations, homemade cookies and gingerbread, stolen, hot chocolate, spiced cider, St. Nicholas and homemade wooden ornaments. Noon-3:30pm Fort Klock, Johnsville. For more info: 568.7779.
December 12 Mohawk Valley Chamber Brass Concert - A regional ensemble playing everything brass from Baroque to Jazz. 7pm. Arkell Museum, Canajoharie. For more info: 673.2314.
December 13 Messiah by G.F. Handel - Soloists, orchestra and community choir directed by Richard McKee 3pm. Free-will offering. St. Ann's Episcopal Church, Amsterdam. For more info: 842.2363.
December 13 Visit from Santa - 1pm. The Garden Bug. Amsterdam. For more info: 829.7024.
December 13 Cookie Sale - Homemade cookie sold by the pound. Choose your cookies for your gift box. 10am-3pm. GFWC Century Club, Amsterdam. For more info: 842.2031.
Otsego County November 27, 28, 29 December 5, 6, 12, 13 Christmas Lights, Trains and Santa Claus Express aboard the Cooperstown & Charlotte Valley RR.
November 27 Santa Arrives at his Cooperstown Cottage.
November 28 Adorn-a-Door Wreath Festival - A silent auction of donated wreaths. Gallery C. Cooperstown Art Association, Cooperstown. For more info: 607.547.9777.
December 5 Holiday Lantern Tours at The Farmers' Museum.
December 7 A Cherry Valley Christmas - Visit the interesting shops, Cherry Valley Museum, Art Gallery and eateries.
December 12 Sint Niklaas Visits Brewery Ommegang.
December 13 Holiday Hoopla for Kids at The Farmers' Museum.
December 19 Carolers, Bell-Ringers, Living Nativity, & Youth Choir Holiday Performance.
December 20 Candlelight Evening at the Farmers' Museum.
Rensselaer County November 14 Vanderheyden Residential & Community Services for youth, individuals and families Presents: Voices of the Capital Region featuring Rockapella - With an ever-expanding fan base, Rockapella are known as the Kings of Contemporary A Cappella. 7:30pm. Adults $22; children/seniors $17. Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy.
Saratoga County November 21 & December 19 Saratoga SAVOY Diamond Dance - The Northeast's largest monthly swing dance! Enjoy hours of live music performed by some of the best local and nationally known musicians, dance demonstrations, DJ'd music between sets, art exhibits, discounts on dance lessons, the elegance of the historic Saratoga Music Hall, free food and a free beginner dance lesson at 7:30pm and Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream! $15. Saratoga Music Hall, Saratoga Springs. 7:30pm-11pm. For more info: 587.5132.
December 11-20 Home Made Theatre: A Christmas Carol. Spa Little Theatre, Saratoga Spa State Park. For more info: 587.4427.
December 12 Holiday Cocktail Party - Celebrate the holidays with your family, friends, clients and/or staff while supporting Saratoga Bridges. Cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, and great live entertainment. 6pm-9pm. The Lodge, Saratoga. For more info: 587.0723.
December 12 Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis - Bells will be ringing across the country as people tie jingle bells to their laces, don festive holiday costumes and join friends and neighbors in support of the Arthritis Foundation's mission to prevent, control and cure arthritis and related diseases. Registration 7:30am; run at 9am. Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs. For more info: 456.1203.
December 20 Home Made Theatre: A Saratoga Christmas with the McKrells - Join Kevin McKrell and gang as he performs a fun holiday program for all just in time for the holiday. 7pm. $15. For more info: 587.4427.
December 31 First Night Saratoga - Alcohol-free celebration of the arts and the community for the New Year. Over 35 sites throughout Saratoga Springs. Fireworks at midnight. 4:30pm-12am. Downtown Saratoga Springs. Free. For more info: 583.9622.
Schenectady County November 21 Holiday Parade - 5pm. State Street, Downtown Schenectady.
December 12 & 13 Model Trains - Don't miss this holiday favorite! The model trains are back at the Museum this season! Noon-3pm. FREE with Museum admission. The Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium.
Schoharie County December 4-5 5th Annual Holiday Farmers' Market - Discover unique gift ideas and holiday cooking essentials from our local farmers and artisans. Friday Night Preview Event 4pm-8pm $10. Saturday Shopping Hours 10am-4pm - Free. Proceeds will be donated to local charity. SUNY Cobleskill Bouck Hall Ballroom. For more info: 234.3751.
December 5 & 6 Winter Wonderland in Schoharie - Dinner, wine tasting, crafts, tree lighting, caroling and much more. For more info: www.christmastimeinschoharie.com.
December 5 Depot Lane Singers - "Christmas Around the World" Concert. 7:30pm. Schoharie Central School, Schoharie.
December 6 Paper Christmas Ornaments at the Middleburgh Public Library - Make a variety of beautiful paper Christmas ornaments to take home. Perfect for children ages 8 and up, adults and seniors. 10am. Registration required. For more info: 827.5142.
December 12 Pictures with Santa - Santa Claus will be visiting and will have his photo taken with children. New York Power Authority. For more info: 800.724.0309; www.nypa.gov.
Warren County November 13 Wine & Chocolate Festival - Choice domestic & foreign wines, chocolates, local cheeses and decadent desserts by area bakers. 5:30-8pm. Fee. Queensbury Hotel, Glens Falls. For more info: 793.2826.
November 14 Fall Festival - 10am-3pm. Free. Community Methodist Church of Chestertown. For more info: 494.3374.
November 21 3rd Annual Lake George Polar Plunge - Registration 9am-11:30am at Shepard's Cove Restaurant. Plunge at noon at Shepard Park Beach. Benefits Special Olympics of NY. For more info: 388.0790, ext.129; www.specialolympicsny.org.
November 21 Family Activity Day: Holiday Crafts - Hand-dipped candles, and try quilling to create holiday decorations. Two sessions: 1pm-3pm. Reservations required. Fee. Chapman Historical Museum. For more info: 793.2826; www.chapmanmuseum.org.
November 28 Lite Up the Village - Fireworks - Tree lighting ceremony, music, kid's activities. Free. 5pm. Shepard Park, Lake George. For more info: 668.5771; www.lakegeorgevillage.com.
December 2 Ladies Noel Night - Chocolates, live music, door prizes, holiday refreshments, more. 5pm-7pm. Free. The Hyde Collection, Glens Falls. For more info: 792.1761; www.hydecollection.org.
December 3 Silver Christmas Tea - Celebrate the season! 11am-3pm. United Methodist Church, North Creek. For more info: 251.3427.
December 4 Christmas Tree Lighting Festival - Holiday Reception. Owens House, North Creek. For more info: 251.5842; www.northcreekdepotmuseum.com.
December 4 Hometown Holidays - Tree lighting ceremony, downtown festival. 8pm. Free. Downtown Glens Falls. For more info: www.cityofglensfalls.com.
December 5 Breakfast with Santa - Fun & games, face painting; photo with Santa. Christmas shop & bake sale. Fee. 8:30am-10:30am. Caldwell Presbyterian Church, Lake George. For more info: 668.2613/668.4245; www.caldwellpres.org.
December 5 Christmas Boutique - Displayed in the historic Sherman House, holiday decorations, gift ware, figurines, jewelry, baked goods. 9am-2pm. Free. Glens Falls Senior Center, Glens Falls. For more info: 793.2189.
December 5 Operation Santa Claus Charity Ball - Dinner, dancing & auction. Black tie optional. 6pm. Reservations required. Fee. The Sagamore, Bolton Landing. For more info: 747.2628.
December 5 Reindeer Run - 5k race, 8am register. Adirondack Community College. Queensbury. For more info: www.adirondackrunners.com.
December 5 Winter Celtic Arts Concert - Adirondack Pipes & Drums present Irish Breakdown, Comhaltas. For more info: 793.2600.
December 5 Yuletide Gathering - Adirondack Repertory Dance Theatre. 2pm & 7pm. Fee. Charles Wood Theatre, Glens Theatre. For more info: 761.0873; www.glensfallsardt.com.
December 5-6 Christmas in Warrensburg - Townwide celebration featuring church bazaars, luncheons, caroling, musical performances, tree lighting ceremony, craft fair, activities for kids and more. Main Street, Warrensburg. For more info: 466.5497; www.warrensburgchamber.com.
December 5-6 Holiday Weekend in Bolton Landing - Holiday shoppers will be able to shop, dine & stroll the streets of Bolton Landing during this festive event.
December 6 A Celtic Christmas - Irish tenor Emmanuel Lawler joins the Glens Falls Symphony in music of the season with an Irish flare. He joins the Symphony's Children's Chorus in song and celebration, concluding with an audience sing-along. 4pm. Adults $25; students $10. Glens Falls High School. For more info: 793.1348; www.gfso.org.
December 6 Christmas in Bolton: Tree lighting - Hay rides with Santa, holiday entertainment & refreshments. 2pm-4pm. Free. Roger's Memorial Park, Bolton Landing. For more info: 644.3831; www.boltonchamber.com.
December 8 Adirondack Voices Holiday Concert: Lake George Community Band - 70-member chorus performs holiday selections. 7:30pm. Free. Christ Church United Methodist Church, Glens Falls. For more info: 222.1302; www.lakegeorgecommunityband.com.
December 9 Ladies Holiday Night - Selected Downtown stores offer discounts, entertainment, refreshments and more. 4pm-8pm. Free. Glens Falls. For more info: 798.1144 ext 2.
December 12 Children's Christmas Party: Community Tree Trimming - Visit from Santa, gifts, carol sing, refreshments too! All ages welcome! Thurman Youth Commission. 1pm-3pm. Free. Thurman Town Hall, Athol. For more info: 623.2249.
December 12 Upstate Model Railroaders Train Show - Operating displays, railroad art, photographs, collectibles. Heritage Hall, Glens Falls. For more info: www.upstatemodelrailroaders.com.
December 12 The Nutcracker: Adirondack Ballet Theatre - Performed by students ages 5-18 with guest artists. Sat. 2:30 & 7pm; Sun. 2:30pm. Fee. Charles Wood Theatre, Glens Falls. For more info: 798.5058; www.dcqdance.com.
December 16 Men's Holiday Night - Selected Downtown stores offer discounts, entertainment, refreshments and more. 4pm-8pm. Downtown Glens Falls. For more info: 798.1144, ext. 2; www.larac.org.
December 17 Holiday Concert: Lake George Community Band - Holiday and seasonal selections. 8pm. Free. Charles Wood Theatre, Glens Falls. For more info: 222.1302; www.lakegeorgecommunityband.com.
December 18 Santa's List: Rabine Productions - A Christmas play for the whole family. Fri, 7pm; Sat, 4 & 8pm, Sun, 2pm. Fee. Charles Wood Theatre, Glens Falls. For more info: 798.9663; www.woodtheater.org.
December 31 Coca-Cola Fireworks Spectacular - Fireworks at the base area. North Creek. For more info: 251.2411; www.goremountain.com.
Washington County December 4-7 Christmas in Cambridge - Annual event featuring lighted parade Friday evening, caroling, tree-lighting, and other events throughout the weekend. Village of Cambridge. For more info: www.cambridgenychamber.com.
December 5 Community Caroling in Mowry Park - Tree Lighting in Mowry Park at 6pm followed by Community Caroling accompanied by an ensemble from the Greenwich Central School . Join us for hot beverages and cookies afterward in the St Paul's Parish Hall. 6pm. For more info: 692.7979.
December 5-6 Holiday Open House at Alpacas of Easton - Shop in the fiber store, visit animals, spinning & dying demos. 10am-5pm. For more info: 692.8684.
December 5 Breakfast with Santa - Breakfast & photos with Santa & FFA helpers; projects, crafts, etc. 7:30am-11:30am. Adults $5; children $4. Elks Club, Greenwich. For more info: 692.9446.
December 6 Everlasting Lights - Tree lighting memorial. 5pm. Town Commons. For more info: 692.7611. ]]>
Keeping your sanity this holiday seasontag:www.albany.com,2009:/capitalregionliving//15.51072009-11-12T14:22:34Z2009-11-12T14:24:58Z3 common mistakes and how to fix them...Capital Region Livinghttp://www.albany.com/community/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=15&id=39
3 common mistakes and how to fix them
1. Thoughts of "holiday bliss" for all. Perhaps due to the books we read or the movies we watch, many of us grew up with parental directive of holiday bliss for all! This can result in taking on enormous amounts of responsibility to create moments of perfection for our children and the family. Yet, this is not the way things normally work out. We often find the best laid plans result in moments that are 'less' than what we imagined in our minds. We then get frustrated when life doesn't unfold as we wanted. So what's the solution? Solution: Holiday bliss follows daily bliss.
There is little 'real' value that we give over the holidays that we can't give every single day. If we get caught up in making one day or one event the 'biggie', then we really don't get it. Start with the actions that bring daily bliss to you and do them today - give from your heart, give in small ways and give love where it's unexpected. By doing these things now, we aren't doing all this work for weeks on end during the holidays. By making every day blissful, the holidays become icing on the cake.
2. Trying to create moments for othersand getting lost in their reactions. We usually make the mistake of creating scenes in our mind where we envision the excited response of our children, family or friends. The problem comes when we get addicted to the imagined response to our gift, our meal or even our decorating. Our addiction to other's reactions is most obvious when their response is the opposite of what we intended. Yikes! We are devastated and upset. Solution: Focus only on appreciation for "your best".
The key here is to shift the focus from what others do or say to noticing what your heart 'tugs' at you to do. What is it that feels right? If it is giving, then give the best you can. If it is loving, then love the best you can. If it is sharing your thoughts, then share the best you can. Just focus your actions on doing your best, and then bring appreciation to those moments. There's no need for anything fancy, just smile as you give, as you share and as you entertain, with an eye toward appreciating your own desire to give it your best. Then, as they like or dislike, you know that you are just there to do the best you can. You can't do more. 3. Repeating bad decisions yearafter year out of guilt or obligation. As a family, it is important to invest some energy into reviewing previous holiday seasons and noticing what worked and what didn't work. It is a typical human fault that we adopt a 'losing strategy' and yet tend to repeat this over and over, despite our pain and suffering. So, plan a 30-minute family review session over dinner. Be honest about the time, energy and psychological costs of various decisions. At times, your children may enjoy events that simply cost too much emotionally for you. At other times, you may notice that certain parties or celebrations involved huge amounts of time and energy, yet brought relatively little return. Solution: Identify losing strategies and drop them like a hot potato!
Be brutally honest. Was it worth it? If not, then force yourself to makes some changes. Get help. Reduce the spending. Cancel it. Have someone else do it. Decline an offer. One of the best ways to see your way through this is with some independent input. Bring an outside party into your family discussion. Give them permission to be honest and offer strong suggestions. You don't have to take their advice, you just want some input.
The goal is sanity and peace, not perfection. If you choose less, it can be more when you are focused on just doing your best to enjoy, love and share.
Have a great holiday season! Dr. Randy Cale offers practical guidance for a host of parenting concerns. For more information visit www.TerrificParenting.com.]]>
Hawaii tag:www.albany.com,2009:/capitalregionliving//15.51062009-11-12T14:18:55Z2009-11-12T14:21:04ZIslands of Aloha...Capital Region Livinghttp://www.albany.com/community/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=15&id=39
Islands of Aloha
To prepare, here are the Hawaiian Christmas Top 10, according to CoconutRoads.com: 1. Wear shorts and sandals to a nighttime Christmas parade. Afterwards, go for a midnight swim. 2. Build a snowman out of sand on the beach. 3. Build a real snowman at the summit of Mauna Kea on the Big Island. Decorate him with a lei and coconut frond hat. 4. Snowboard Mauna Kea's snowy slopes, then drive down the mountain to Hapuna Beach. Grab some lunch from the concession stand, wiggle your toes in the warm sands and boogie board in the warm waters. 5. Celebrate the 23rd Honolulu City Lights on Oahu. The 63-foot Norfolk Island pine will be decked out and lit in front of City Hall. Beautiful Hawaiian Christmas trees and wreath exhibits are on display. The spectacular Light Parade is held early in December, but there are month-long festivities. Enjoy the lights, decorations and warmth of aloha and its tropical climate. Enjoy on foot or take the Aloha Tower Marketplace Holiday Lights Trolley. 6. Hawaii's resorts will be a festive sight for the holidays. On the Big Island of Hawaii, the Waikoloa Hilton has an awesome train display and Christmas decorations, not to mention the lagoon, waterfalls and boats that take you around the resort, year-round. 7. Shop at the islands' craft fairs, listed in the island newspapers. Hand-woven ornaments and wreaths made from coconut frond, kukui nut and monkey tree pods are popular requests. 8. Take the children to greet an authentic Hawaiian Santa when he magically arrives in his bright red canoe at Waikiki and other beaches. 9. Watch the Hawaii Yacht Club Christmas Boat Parade. 10. Attend a Hawaiian Christmas concert.
How do I get there? If flying from Albany, United Airlines gets high marks for frequency of schedules. Although flight time is about 11 ½ hours, the five-hour time change can have you in Honolulu by 3:30pm; enough time to catch the sunset over Waikiki Beach. Flying on to Kauai, Maui or the Big Island? Expect to arrive around 5pm, island time.
Return flights from Honolulu to the northeast operate late afternoons. When planning your vacation, allow an extra day to fly home. Example: Depart Honolulu 5pm. Arrive Albany by 11am the next day. When to go Daytime temperatures are in the 80s, annually. Evenings may dip into the high 60s. Hurricane season: June-November. The last major hurricane was in 1992, on Kauai. Rainy season: March-November. Tropical showers make rainbows more frequent!
Dry season: April-October.
What can I do there? Consider a minimum of four nights on each island. Winning combinations include: Oahu and Kauai, Oahu and Maui, The Big Island and Maui. Why? These islands have an appealing contrast.
Examples: Hoping to spot whales? Maui, Kauai and the Big Island have an abundance of humpback whales from November-May. Love to golf? There are 103 courses to choose from. Want to book a luau? Which island? What time? Visit www.gohawaii.com to search the events page for each island.
Oahu -The heart of Hawaii The state capital, Honolulu, is here. Historic significance makes this the perfect starting point for your trip to Hawaii.
Pearl Harbor - Still the most visited attraction in Hawaii. USS Arizona - Wreckage where 1,177 American soldiers sacrificed their lives for our freedom when they were attacked on December 7, 1941. Shuttle boats transport visitors to a floating memorial that rests above the ship. Toss a flower lei or wreath above the site, or simply take a moment to pay tribute. www.nps.gov/usar.
Iolani Palace - Hawaii's national treasure and only state residence to royalty in the United States. Home to Hawaii's last monarchy - King Kalakaua and Queen Lili'uokalani. Tours available. www.Iolanipalace.org.
Diamond Head Crater - (Ancient Hawaiians name it Le'ahi, meaning brow of the tuna) Signature landmark of Hawaii; 760-foot extinct volcano over 300,000 years old. Hike the region. Climb 175 steps to its summit for spectacular panoramic vistas. Old enough to remember the TV series "Hawaii Five-0"? (Jack Lord ended each show saying, "Book 'em, Danno.") Footage was taped in Honolulu and within the island of Oahu. The crime fighting plots seemed almost secondary to the authentic scenery and music, keeping the show running for 12 years.
From Waikiki Beach to the International Market Place, there are over 101 things to do on Oahu! Visit gohawaii.about.com/cs/oahuactivities/a/101oahu_3.htm. Maui, the magic isle Maui is a world-renowned destination. Lush emerald mountains and rushing waterfalls offer visitors the choice of privacy (paradise style), as well as a long list of activities. While Maui gets droves of honeymooners, it's also an ideal family destination.
Haleakala Downhill Bike Ride - Experience the world's longest downhill bicycle ride along Haleakala, the largest dormant volcano in the world. Begin at daybreak and watch stunning landscape unfold before your eyes.
Hana/Haleakal Helicopter Adventure - Hover above breathtaking views of Maui's dramatic coastline and cascading waterfalls. Many companies provide a taping of your personal flight, including narration. Verify this feature when booking.
Molokai and Lana'I are Hawaii's least populated islands. Ferry service is available to both, from Maui. www.visitmaui.com.
Big Island of Hawaii - island of adventure Known as the land of fire and ice, Hawaii's diversity is far too amazing to capture in one visit. Extreme variations in landscape make Hawaii a thrilling place to explore.
Two airports service the island: Kona and Hilo. Kona, on the west coast, is the state coffee capital. Hilo, on the east coast, has spectacular waterfalls and lush plant growth. The Big Island experiences unusual weather conditions for its size. Hilo has the rainiest region, with over 130 inches a year. In contrast, the northwest gets less than five inches of rain annually.
Mauna Kea, is one of five massive volcanoes which formed the island of Hawaii. Its name translates to "white mountain", because during the winter it is snow covered. You can reach the mountain by road. Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa are the two largest mountains on earth, if measured from their base over 30,000 feet from the ocean floor.
Drive to Volcano National Park, home to Mauna Kea, still very much an active volcano. Brave a helicopter tour above the cone to view the bubbling molten lava. What else can you find on the Big Island? Dramatic black sand beaches to encrusted lava landscapes, orchids to blooming cactus, yesterday's heritage and tomorrow's progress. Visit www.bigisland.org. Kaua'I, the garden isle Hawaii's oldest island is abundantly rich in natural wonders, tropical forests and breathtaking vistas. Combined with Kauai's laid back lifestyle, this could be your island paradise. Waimea Canyon - Nicknamed "the grand canyon of the Pacific" by Mark Twain, this massive canyon has stunning views of tropical forest, canopies and valleys.
Beach lover? Kauai has 45 white sand beaches. The Travel Channel ranked Po'ipu Beach as the world's best beach.
More than 60 movies and television shows have been filmed on the island, including "Blue Hawaii" with Elvis Presley, as well as "Jurassic Park" and "Raiders of the Lost Ark". Visit www.kauaidiscovery.com.
Hawaii may be that once in a lifetime trip. With any luck, you'll return again and again. "Mele Kalikimaka" ("Merry Christmas") and Hau' Oli Lanui ( Happy holidays). Linda McClain, CTA, is owner of Linda McClain Travel Services "From The Islands To The Highlands, No Dream Is Too Far From Here!" For more information call 372.7657 or visit www.lindamcclaintravel.net.]]>
Get through the holidays without looking like Santa!tag:www.albany.com,2009:/capitalregionliving//15.51052009-11-12T14:11:02Z2009-11-12T14:15:29ZCapital Region Livinghttp://www.albany.com/community/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=15&id=39 So how can you enjoy the holiday season without emerging in the New Year looking like Santa's first cousin? Here are some timely tips! Exercise A popular question I get asked is, "When is the best time to exercise?" The answer to that is the time you most enjoy doing it. It doesn't matter if it's morning, afternoon or evening, when you work out at a time you enjoy, you are more likely to stick to it. You don't burn significantly more calories in the morning verses the afternoon, despite some grassroots advice. However, this is the time of year when I take exception to this general advice.
Because the days are even more full at this time of year, you will be best served to switch your workouts to first thing in the morning. Why? Because once the day gets going, the probability of you running out of time for everything you want to get done is high and the first thing that will get cut from your to-do list will be your exercise. So, set your alarm earlier (I know, I know, but when you are done with your workout for the day, the sense of personal accomplishment will outweigh the initial experience of dragging yourself out of bed!) and start your day feeling accomplished, energized, awake and inspired!
That said, this is also the time of year when your typical routine that takes 60-90 minutes to complete may need to be edited - just for right now! I have found that many of my clients suffer from the "all or nothing syndrome" when it comes to exercise. If they can't do their entire workout due to time, they equate that to feeling like a failure, so they just skip their workout altogether (even though they could have fit in 30 minutes). The latest in exercise psychology demonstrates that the solution to this enigma is to retrain your brain to think that the only failure is not doing anything at all! Editing your workout First thing in the morning, do a "brief" workout to keep your metabolism fired up and get your energy flowing at a higher level for the day. Steve Preston, president of Fast Fitness, advocates for 12 minutes a day as a method of weight control throughout the entire year. While I don't necessarily agree with this as a daily approach to fitness and weight control, the philosophy definitely can aid in the avoidance of holiday weight gain.
By doing 12 minutes on your treadmill, elliptical, an outside invigorating walk, or a home-designed body toning routine involving pushups, squats, lunges, crunches, etc., is enough to work up a sweat, burn between 100-200 calories and will help to wake you up for your day. (*Note: This needs to be done at home as you probably won't go to the gym for 12 minutes!) Eating Some people are extremely disciplined when it comes to food. It doesn't matter if it is the holidays or any other time of year; they have eating guidelines that they follow and they don't allow for exceptions, even during the holidays. If you are in this category, stay with it! If you aren't, you may want to use this as a new behavioral strategy for this holiday season. Most other people are triggered by emotions, and when combined with the two-month long food festival of tempting holiday specialties, this can result in tens of thousands of extra calories by year's end! Research from Miriam Hospital's Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center has led researchers to the conclusion that, "when it comes to successful weight loss, our research showed that emotions and our thoughts seem to actually play a bigger role than environmental cues. We eat in response to feelings - and for many people the holidays can drum up a whole treasure chest of feelings, both good and bad."
Some tips on how to manage yourself if you are an emotionally triggered eater are: • Eat something before you go to a party or event. A cup of soup or a piece of fruit and a stick of low fat cheese may be just the thing to take the edge off of your appetite and help you curb your intake during the party.
•Plan ahead what you will eat at the party. Limit yourself to eating three things you love the most and limit the portion of each. And, don't say you will eat everything that looks good, but only have a bite of each.
• If someone is pushing food on you, use the broken record strategy: "No thank you, I'm full."
• If this strategy isn't working then accept the extra food from "the pusher", thank them, walk into another room and dump it in the garbage or leave it on a table and then walk away with your head held high!
• Plan ahead for emotional eating by recognizing thoughts that lead to negative emotions. Write down a list of "replacement thoughts" and pull out the list in the bathroom at the party to help you avoid getting triggered into emotional eating. For instance, if you recognize that you tend to go to parties and compare your body to other guests, the replacement thought can be, "compare unique personal qualities in place of comparing bodies" and have a few of your unique qualities you feel good about written down to remind you that you are a great person!
The holidays can be the most wonderful time of the year and you can simultaneously enjoy them while sticking to a modified exercise program and having a plan for enjoying holiday foods without over-indulging or losing control. Happy holidays!
Judy Torel is a USAT coach, personal trainer, nutrition consultant and psychotherapist. Her office is located in Planet Fitness, Loudonville. She can be reached at 469.0815 or jtorel2263@yahoo.com.
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Book reviewtag:www.albany.com,2009:/capitalregionliving//15.51042009-11-12T14:10:03Z2009-11-12T14:10:49ZTowards the end of the year, publishers slow down on publishing novels and start producing holiday gift books. Usually non-fiction, gift books are perfect for the person whose literary tastes you aren't sure of, but whose interests (travel, cooking, humor,...Capital Region Livinghttp://www.albany.com/community/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=15&id=39
Towards the end of the year, publishers slow down on publishing novels and start producing holiday gift books. Usually non-fiction, gift books are perfect for the person whose literary tastes you aren't sure of, but whose interests (travel, cooking, humor, sports, etc.) are sure to be represented in the most recently published books. This month, I am reviewing a Christmas memoir; humor, both televised and in comic strip form; and beginner cookbooks both glossy and practical. Happy holidays!
Augusten Burroughs is back with tales of his dysfunctional childhood holidays and his even more dysfunctional adult Christmases. Often hilarious, frequently obnoxious, and at times heartbreaking, you wonder after reading these vignettes of the author's Christmases past how he managed to ever want to celebrate it again. In childhood, Augusten confused Santa Claus and Jesus Christ due to his complete lack of religious education. He also saw Christmas as the time when his parents' settled their annual account with him; they were free to continue drinking, fighting and yelling once he received his huge stack of presents. With such inauspicious occasions behind him, is it any wonder that his later Christmas celebrations included waking up in bed with a department store Santa or waking up huddled with the homeless outside of a theater in Manhattan? Maybe this sounds too depressing to be a good read, but it isn't--each of these stories has a core of hope wrapped in faith for the future that makes the collection inspirational rather than sordid. Burroughs's development from childhood to adulthood mirrors the journey of Scrooge from Christmases past, venial and mercenary, to Christmases present and future, infused with love, generosity and gratitude. If you enjoy David Sedaris, if you like memoirs warts and all, this one's for you.
Cookbooks are another holiday favorite for publishers. Beautiful and glossy, they are usually too expensive for cooks to justify buying them for themselves, yet pricy enough for gift-givers to feel like they are spending enough on a gift. Beginner cookbooks, however, are usually less food porn and more practical information. Two new beginner cookbooks are Get Cooking by Mollie Katzen (of Moosewood Cookbook fame) and Jamie's Food Revolution by Jamie Oliver (of Food Network Fame.) Mollie Katzen's book provides 150 simple recipes for the novice cook, with suggestions on how to stock a pantry, what equipment is essential and which skills are necessary for basic cooking. In paperback, illustrated with color photographs, it is a practical primer of simple adventurous recipes, perfect for kitchen use. Jamie's Food Revolution is a glossy hardcover illustrated with delectable photographs. Jamie Oliver's mission in this book is to get people cooking from scratch rather than ordering takeout or microwaving a prepared dinner. Interspersed among the recipes are portraits and testimonials from grateful former non-cooks who rave about how much better food tastes now that they are cooking for themselves. Oliver's cooking evangelism is so fervent I doubt anyone would be able to resist his enthusiasm.
Fans of the "Simpsons" and "Calvin & Hobbes", take note: there are two new books out that cater to your obsessions!
The Simpsons: An Uncensored, Unauthorized History by John Ortved tells the story of the Simpsons through statements from many people involved with the show from its beginnings. Writers, producers, authors of other books about the Simpsons, guest stars (Harvey Feirstein, Steven Tyler, Tom Wolfe) all weigh in on the cultural phenomenon that the show has become in its more than 20 years of existence. And Looking for Calvin & Hobbes by Nevin Martell exposes the back story of Bill Watterson, the most reclusive cartoonist in American history. Written without the cooperation of Watterson, Martell nevertheless does an excellent job of tracing the origins of the comic strip and relating why the cartoonist retired at the top of his popularity. Of interest to fans and non-fans alike.
Susan Taylor has been in the book business since 1982. ]]>
Making toystag:www.albany.com,2009:/capitalregionliving//15.51032009-11-12T14:06:51Z2009-11-12T16:32:39ZKids may grow up, but some still love making toys...Capital Region Livinghttp://www.albany.com/community/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=15&id=39
Kids may grow up, but some still love making toys
Speculation It goes without saying that toys are used for fun and recreation. But even without any scientific studies to back me up, I'm audacious enough to posit that toys offer much more simple amusement. I'd wager a large Sicilian pizza that toys provide valuable (shhh, don't tell the kids) learning, imagination, understanding, physical and mental development, and even formation of identity.
Once upon a time I was a kid myself - although that was long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away. But I can still clearly remember the joys and discoveries made while playing with everything from cardboard boxes to high-tech things like Erector sets. Today, I'm in the enviable position of having lots of kids in our extended family and I get to experience that same joy vicariously through them. Consider this: a kid builds something with wooden blocks. Creativity comes with the placement of every block. If the construction falls over, the child learns a tiny bit about balance and gravity. When a child plays with a doll or a model airplane, imagination and story-telling join in the fun as the youngster nurtures or scolds the doll and flies off to other lands with derring-do. Confession of a bias Justified or not, I am of the opinion that the more the toy or game does on its own, the less valuable it may be for the child's growth and development. Again, I come to this opinion with no scientific basis, but simply observation and personal experience. For example, over the years, I have played with wooden blocks, Lincoln Logs, American Bricks, Legos and other related building toys. All of them are fun. All of them have value. But the only ones that come without constraints, without limitations on how one piece may fit another are the simplest: wooden blocks that can be arranged any way a child chooses and can become anything the child imagines his or her creation to be.
Similarly in my opinion, talking dolls can steal away the child's own personal story-telling creativity. When an electronically enhanced doll says something, the child is put into the position of being the reactor, not the initiator. The story is the one the doll is telling, not the child's. And don't even get me started on video games. Yes, I have played them, and yes, I have felt the excitement and the addiction. But, what are we really doing when we play them? Wiggling our thumbs or fiddling with a joystick. The game does nearly all the work, all the creating, all the imagining. Traveling back in time And so, clutching this bias of mine firmly in hand, I have taken to tilting at windmills. Swimming against the tide. Rewinding the clock. Simplifying, simplifying, in hopes of letting kids regain the initiative.
I have taken to making wooden toys. Simple wooden blocks finished with beeswax. Blocks without instruction sheets that tell you what to build. Wooden puzzles made on a scroll saw. Wooden cars, boats and airplanes that make absolutely no sound unless a child goes, "Brmmm brmmm," but can travel to anyplace under the sun - or even farther. Hoping that with each little wooden plaything that I make, the child and I will strike a blow for imagination, creativity, freedom and story-telling.
Some people I know think of me as a man misplaced in time. To some degree that may be true. After all, I enjoy woodcarving and sailing, which are surely two of the most ancient of activities. Before retiring, I made my career in the theatre - one of the most ancient of art forms. But on the other hand, I wrote this article on a computer, and took the accompanying photo with a digital camera. And a couple of years ago, I took my double hernia to an actual doctor and hospital as opposed to trying to correct the problem myself with a paring knife and spoon. Today's science and technologies certainly improve the quality of all our lives and reign supreme. But there are times, places and situations when we should unplug and make our own music. Toys are surely among those.
Ed. Lange is a regular contributor to CRL Magazine. He may be reached at skipper@capital.net.]]>
Are your in-laws driving you crazy?tag:www.albany.com,2009:/capitalregionliving//15.51022009-11-12T14:01:06Z2009-11-12T14:02:40Z"Happiness is having a large, loving, caring close-knit family in another city." George Burns...Capital Region Livinghttp://www.albany.com/community/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=15&id=39
in another city." George Burns ]]>
When her mother-in-law arrives, she quickly joins Deb in the kitchen. She stands behind her and judges, criticizes and mocks everything from her cooking skills to the amount of salt she uses! By the time dinner is served Deb is so flustered, she can barely eat. After her in-laws leave, she laments to her husband who simply responds: "My mother only means well...don't be so sensitive."
Relationship guru Dr. Laura Berman reports that one of the most common disagreements among couples today is about in-laws. Problems arise when one partner feels their in-laws have too much control over their spouse, when in-laws are unkind and their partner does not stick up for them or when their partner values their parents more then them. Fortunately, there are many ways to improve your relationship with your in-laws. In fact, it's essential that you begin using these tools so that you and your partner can live your happiest life together. The building blocks of healthy in-law relationships: Step one: Start by soul-searching The first step toward a better relationship with your in-laws is to acknowledge your own role in the problem. This is the most difficult step as it involves looking deep within yourself and admitting to your own negative behaviors.
If you take a look at various websites and message boards as well as online support groups, you will find a common theme: people like to complain about their in-laws. It has become the norm for people to have at least one difficult in-law relationship to vent about.
This is especially true when it comes to mother in-laws and daughter in-laws. There is a great deal of misunderstanding and hypersensitivity in these relationships and sometimes even mean-spirited gossip is spoken about one another. Consider whether it's possible that you are taking things too personally or whether you take every suggestion or recommendation as proof that she doesn't approve of you. This could be sign of low self-esteem. If you feel yourself becoming easily upset when your in-laws bite, you may need to toughen your own skin. And, if you find yourself getting caught up in constantly venting about them, recognize that this only fuels the flames rather than quieting them. Remember Eleanor Roosevelt's famous quote: "No one can hurt you without your consent."
Step two: Break the umbilical cord Have you and your spouse broken the umbilical cord with your respective parents? Are you pulling your parents into all your crises, asking for advice, even asking for money? Do you inadvertently ask them to "save you" from distress and then get angry if they offer suggestions? Triangles develop when wives run to their mother's for support "against" their difficult husband or when husbands allow their mother's to continue mothering them as if they were a little boy. Keeping the umbilical cord attached sets up an unhealthy competition between your spouse and your parents and gives both sets of parents too much control over the day-to-day functioning of your relationship. So, sever the cord, grow up, take responsibility for your marriage and focus your love and attention on the person you chose to spend the rest of your life with!
Step three: In-laws are human, too Some people seek out a therapist to help them with their in-law issues. They report that their in-laws are truly overbearing and controlling and that they can't seem to keep their opinions to themselves. While this can be very frustrating, your in-laws may not intend to be this way; they may have issues of their own. In addition, it is difficult for some parents to let go of the parental role they have had for so long. They may feel, "If I am not a father/mother, than who am I?" Sometimes it's necessary to look at these deeper issues to get a better sense of why they are behaving this way. It may not make their behavior less exasperating, but with understanding comes compassion.
Step four: Be assertive and respectful at the same time It is never too late to begin setting healthy boundaries with people who are treating you poorly - even if it's your in-laws. At the same time, honoring their place in your family is integral for a happy relationship with your spouse. Even if you don't feel affection toward them it can be enormously hurtful to your partner if you show them disrespect. You can't always control your emotions, but you can control your actions.
Dr. Laura Berman offered a personal example on her radio show about the difficult task of setting boundaries in her own family. Her parents are strong-willed people who like to express their opinions and so does her husband. Early on, her parents and husband clashed and they began treating him negatively in front of her and their grandchildren. She understood the importance of being assertive with her parents in order to protect her husband and her marriage. She let them know in no uncertain terms: "I don't want to hear anything bad about him...no more negative words about him to me or anyone else in our lives. If you want a relationship with me, you will need to honor this at all times."
If you set these limits, you are not only developing a healthier adult relationship with your parents, but a more loving relationship with your spouse.
Fast-forward 10 years: Deb's in-laws have just arrived for dinner. As expected, her mother-in-law has nothing good to say about the lasagna coming out of the oven or the way Deb reprimanded her five-year-old son. After 10 years, however, Deb has learned some valuable life lessons. She understands the importance of her relationship with her in-laws, not only for her marriage, but also for her children. These are her children's grandparents and they adore each other. As her mother-in-law continues her tirade, Deb simply states: "The next time you come for dinner, please bring YOUR famous lasagna and I will spend my time relaxing instead of cooking." She gives her mother-in-law a kiss on the cheek and they both smile a knowing smile. Evidently, they have both learned some important life lessons.
Final thoughts: When you fall in love with someone, his or her parents come as part of the package. And since you can't choose your in-laws, it's best to reach a common ground rather than endure a lifetime of conflict. Diane Lykes is a Principal of Synergy Counseling Associates in Albany where she specializes in individual and couples counseling, educational training and clinical consultation. She can be reached at 466.3100 or lykes-synergy@nycap.rr.com ]]>
Having a hard time finding work? tag:www.albany.com,2009:/capitalregionliving//15.51012009-11-12T13:56:19Z2009-11-12T13:59:23ZHire yourself!...Capital Region Livinghttp://www.albany.com/community/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=15&id=39
Hire yourself!
Starting a business takes very careful consideration. The business you start must "fit" your situation (financial, location, resources) and be well researched before you strike. And it must "fit" you - your work style, personality and interests. Oftentimes the emotional excitement clouds good decision-making - so take your time and be bluntly honest with yourself.
Questions, questions and more questions What should you know before you strike out? Is the market you are planning to enter growing, declining or in the midst of significant change?
See many video stores anymore? No. That technology changed almost overnight and the local video store is, for the most part, history. On the other side, personal service businesses continue to grow even in tough economic conditions. Carefully research your business idea and the market you will sell into (yes - in any business, you must sell to some degree).
Who will be your competition - (and yes, you want competition)? Competition is good. It is an indicator that there is a market and you need to determine how to be better to get new customers or steal customers from someone else. Determine what advantages your competitors offer, as well as their pricing, then beat them by offering more and a better value.
But, be wary of no competition. I recall working with a person who thought she had a brilliant business idea, and launched without doing her research. She was ready to make millions - since there was no competition and she was forging a whole new market. She was caught up in the emotion. But, having no competition should have been her sign. She failed, because she didn't realize how difficult it would be to sell a whole new concept. She was trying to create a market; a very difficult and expensive thing to do. On the other hand, if there had been other competitors, she could have built on a market, and made her service one-better.
Have you done your homework? Be sure you fully understand any licensing, permits or other requirements that might be needed in your enterprise, as well as tax and record-keeping requirements. Some municipalities require permits to operate a business and some have zoning regulations as well. Taxes may vary as your product or service could be subject to sales tax, and there are registration and reporting requirements for this and penalties if you mess up.
Can you get by? You need to know what you need to earn to meet your fixed expenses, and then have the resources to meet these. It is also important to know where necessities like health insurance will come from, and at what cost. When you roll up these expenses, you have your first goal to achieve!
Ask yourself: Can I handle the uncertainty that comes with any new business, can I "sell myself" and my offerings comfortably and am I willing to do the gut-check required? These are, by far, the most important questions to answer. There are many ups and downs to being in business for yourself, especially in the very beginning. There will be good days, and others that might tempt you to jump off a cliff. You will ask yourself at some point "Why did I do this?" - and this is to be expected.
No matter what business you engage in, you need to be able to sell. Maybe not the stereotype that some people think selling is; it might be more about educating a customer. Still sales, though, just another form. If this makes you uncomfortable, and you do not have a partner to fall back on who is comfortable selling, it is likely not for you. In the end, there will be the days that motivate you more than you could ever have expected, and as your business gets established, days when you are in full control of your life. These days will far outweigh the on-the-edge-of-the-cliff days. That is truly motivating. The best of luck and prosperity!
Dan Moran is president & founder of Next-Act, a career management & transition firm located in Colonie. You can reach him at 641.8968 or dmoran@next-act.com or visit www.next-act.com.]]>
Courtesy of Mirror Lake Inn Executive Chef Greg Michaudtag:www.albany.com,2009:/capitalregionliving//15.51002009-11-12T13:50:44Z2009-11-12T16:34:03ZPan-seared Diver Scallops with Caramelized Cipollini Onions and a Citrus Parsley Salad...Capital Region Livinghttp://www.albany.com/community/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=15&id=39
Pan-seared Diver Scallops with Caramelized Cipollini Onions and a Citrus Parsley Salad
6-8 cipollini onions (quartered) 6 U-8 Diver Scallops 4 tsp. olive oil ½ cup Italian parsley (de-stemmed) Juice of 1 lemon ¾ cup mixed citrus segments (grapefruit, lemon, orange) ¼ cup chopped chives Salt and pepper to taste 2 tbsp. olive oil 6 Baby carrots (blanched, seasoned to taste)
Serves 2
Directions • In a large sauté pan heat 1 tsp. of the oil over medium heat. • When the oil is hot add the onions to the pan and caramelize. • When the onions are finished browning, season them with salt and pepper to taste, deglaze with white wine and reserve. • In another large sauté pan heat 2 tsp. of oil over high heat. • When the oil is hot, season the scallops with salt and pepper and place them in the hot pan with enough space in between to allow for proper heat circulation and even cooking. When the scallops have browned properly on each side, remove and place into a 400 degree oven for five to six minutes. • While the scallops are in the oven, toss the parsley with the citrus segments, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and the remaining teaspoon of oil. Season your salad to taste. • When all is complete, place the onions on the plate and top them with the cooked scallops, top the dish with your salad. In a blender combine chive and olive oil and drizzle the chive oil around the plate. Rest the cooked baby carrots on the side of the scallops.
The View Restaurant at Mirror Lake Inn Resort & Spa, Lake Placid 302.3000; www.mirrorlakeinn.com ]]>
Maestro's "A fine, American bistro"tag:www.albany.com,2009:/capitalregionliving//15.50992009-11-12T13:47:27Z2009-11-12T13:50:21ZCapital Region Livinghttp://www.albany.com/community/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=15&id=39
Service 10 • Food 10 • Ambiance 9 • Price - $$$ ]]>
My wife and I faced a similar decision dilemma while strolling the streets of downtown Saratoga Springs recently in search of a quality restaurant we had not yet visited. There are dozens of fine and casual dining establishments to choose from, including diners, delis, pubs and pastry shops to ethnic specialty restaurants.
After perusing the menu options at various places, we looked back on the suggestions and recommendations of many friends and followed our "telephone book wisdom". We chose to dine at an indoor table in Maestro's at 371 Broadway where they "put the love on the plate". Maestro's opened in May 2006 and is located on the corner sidewalk level of the beautifully restored Adelphi Hotel. The background jazz music, the dark, wainscoted autumn-orange walls and the intimate seating reminded us of a romantic Parisian café. Once settled into the small and energized space we reviewed the extensive and colorful dinner menu prepared by Owner/Executive Chef John LaPosta (previously the executive chef and innkeeper at the Cambridge Hotel in Washington County). We were immediately welcomed by a complimentary amuse bouche of sesame flat bread served with a mound of white bean dip prepared with fennel and pesto. Next, we nibbled from a basket of warmed oatmeal bread, and several small slices of a delicious cherry-raisin cornbread served with softened butter.
The dinner menu is as varied as it is appealing and appetizing. I seized the opportunity to sip a glass of chilled Caposaldo pinot grigio ($8.50) while we surveyed the standard menu and shared a serving of Maestro's own "Circles" appetizer. This dish presented pinwheels of house-made mozzarella filled with Serrano ham and sun-dried tomato, calamata olive tapanade with heirloom tomatoes and micro-arugula ($13). After some consideration, we ordered from the Prix Fixe menu which is available Sunday through Thursday 5pm-9:30pm. Each of the $25 offerings on this menu included a selection from several salads and entrees and two or three desserts. Although pre-established, this actually allowed for a few discounted choices and provided a balanced variety within the three-course dinner menu.
As I often do, I ordered a classic: Caesar salad with toasted brown croutons and white anchovies. Nicki chose the Maryland Crab Cake, which was included for a $2 supplement. It was beautifully presented with Cajun remoulade on wilted spinach and topped with pom frits and tomato fume. The Pork Flat Iron I enjoyed as my entrée was every bit as good as any pork preparation I've had. This very ample portion of pork was extremely lean and tender, lightly seasoned and served with a subtle, pinkish-rose center and included buttermilk corncakes and black-eyed pea salad with lemon aiolli. Nicki swooned with every bite of the Grilled Swordfish she ordered. It was a lightly seared, tender, moist serving of Atlantic harpoon sword with roasted garlic bread pudding, local toy-box squash and salsa verde ($3 supplement). By now, we would otherwise have passed on dessert, but agreed to at least sample the third course of the Prix Fixe menu. From the number of treats prepared fresh each day, we shared a good-sized wedge of Chef John's lemon cream cheesecake resting in a pool of warm lemon sauce. We also savored his pineapple bread pudding garnished with sliced strawberries, plump blueberries and topped with a heaping, landslide of thick whipped cream. We were welcomed with a complimentary preface to our meal. Now, at the end, we enjoyed a large basket of homemade German bitter sweet chocolates. And, indeed, we did - a very nice touch from the "Maestro" himself.
Our bill for the evening was $76.50, excluding tax and gratuity. Our dining experience at Maestro's was truly a delightful one. We had made the right choice, indeed, from among Saratoga's many fine, quality restaurants, and we'll be sure to return soon.
Maestro's is located at 371 Broadway, Saratoga. It is open seven days a week year round, serving lunch daily from 11:30am-3pm and dinner from 5pm-9:30pm. For information and reservations call 580.0312 or info@saratogamaestros.com.
Frank W. Pidgeon is an educator/school administrator, freelance writer and winemaker who lives with his wife, Nicki, in Rotterdam.]]>
Sun Sign Forecasttag:www.albany.com,2009:/capitalregionliving//15.50982009-11-12T13:45:00Z2009-11-12T13:46:30ZCapital Region Livinghttp://www.albany.com/community/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=15&id=39
Best Days for December 2009: 11th, 12th and 15th ]]>
Joint assets and sharing with others are your focus for November. You review your spending and savings habits. You meet new friends who share your interests and ideals. In December, you are able to settle old problems to everyone's satisfaction. At month's end, recheck all communications in career areas to prevent delays or misunderstandings.
Taurus: (April 21 to May 20) Partnerships, both business and personal, are highlighted for November. You learn about yourself through these special people. You begin to work in the spirit of helping others. In December, you have new experiences and see different lifestyles through friends, both old and new. Later in the month, you rethink something you learned in the past.
Gemini : (May 21 to June 20) Co-workers and work environment become important in November. You seek efficiency in both work and physical levels. A new study on an abstract subject is possible. In December, there may be an unexpected opportunity in your career area, or the equivalent in your life. At month's end, carefully review all financial agreements.
Cancer: (June 21 to July 22) Love relationships and children are your joy for November. If single, a new romance may enter your life at this time. Creative projects are started with a renewed interest. In December, co-workers are more cooperative and your work environment improves. Later in the month, compromise in your relationships if needed and communicate clearly.
Leo: (July 23 to August 22) Family and personal matters are your focus for November. You enjoy family gatherings and old situations can be resolved. Communicate clearly in one-to-one relationships. In December, you gain new insights and want to expand your horizons. Toward month's end, recheck all work and personal communications before mailing.
Virgo: (August 23 to September 22) Communicating with others and new studies are favored in November. Attending a workshop or class becomes inviting. You take an interest in your health and diet, however avoid fad diets. In December, one-to-one partnerships settle down and become more predictable. Later in the month, you find creative ways to express yourself to others.
Libra: (September 23 to October 22) Budgeting and financial assets are your priority for November. You seek ways to increase your financial security and possessions. Listen carefully to your loved ones. In December, work situations improve and you increase your efficiency. You may sign up for a computer class. Toward the end of the month, an existing family matter resurfaces.
Scorpio: (October 23 to November 21) Self-expression and awareness are your assets for November. This is your month 'to shine' or sell your ideas. Domestic and personal situations can become somewhat confusing. In December, you are attracted to new experiences and relationships. At the end of the month, you are misunderstood and communications may become confusing.
Sagittarius: (November 22 to December 21) Spirituality and the inner self are your interests for November. You search out quiet settings and may even attend a weekend retreat. Communicate clearly and enter into negotiations carefully. In December, you can resolve outstanding family and personal matters. Late in the month, rethink financial contracts and negotiations before signing any papers.
Capricorn: (December 22 to January 19) Community involvement and social events keep you busy in November. You search out humanitarian causes and look for others who have the same interests. Avoid risky financial schemes. In December, studies and intellectual pursuits are inviting. Later in the month, reconsider recent opportunities that were previously offered to you.
Aquarius: (January 20 to February 18) Career matters, or the equivalent, are highlighted for November. You can begin new projects or present business ideas to others. This is the time to get recognition for a job well-done. In December, you analyze both your spending and saving habits and make required changes. Toward the end of the month, you look back and move forward.
Pisces: (February 19 to March 20) Law, foreign cultures and religion are explored for November. You are looking for wisdom and evaluating your life in spiritual terms. This is a time of self-reflection. In December, you strive to be yourself in relationships. You are changing your old ways. Late in the month, your goals and directions are somewhat confusing and unclear.
Arlene is an author, astrologer and para-consultant and has studied and worked with astrology for more than 35 years. ]]>
Noel... and other Christmassy stufftag:www.albany.com,2009:/capitalregionliving//15.50972009-11-12T13:43:18Z2009-11-12T13:44:41Z"The season is upon us now, a time for gifts and giving, and as the year draws to a close I think about my living. And Christmastime when I was young, the magic and the wonder. But colors dull and...Capital Region Livinghttp://www.albany.com/community/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=15&id=39
"The season is upon us now, a time for gifts and giving, and as the year draws to a close I think about my living. And Christmastime when I was young, the magic and the wonder. But colors dull and candles dim and dark my standing under."
I've been here on this earth for 46 holiday seasons and I've never seen one quite like 2009. The economy has taken its toll on American families and makes this one of the toughest years to spend and give and be the kind of Santa you want to be. It's a lie though. A lie that's been fed to us by retailers since Macy's fought with Gimbels, passed down like a bad sweater from generation to generation. This time of year was never about money, nor was it ever supposed to be.
Do you remember what the holidays were like when you were young? Peel back the pages of your mind and think of the fondest holiday memories and I guarantee they'll have nothing to do with money. There's a reason we all watch "A Christmas Story" year after year, and it's not just to see that kid get his tongue stuck to the flag pole or to watch Ralphie 'shoot his eye out'. We go back to that movie because that is us, the way we used to be. A small house with a screen door that never shut. A used car in the driveway with a couple of bald tires. Most families I knew were poor financially, but rich in the ways that mattered.
I have three children and I have always told relatives who wanted to spoil them to give one gift instead of five. Kids with a pile of gifts barely get one package opened before moving on to the next. Give them one and it's special. Fifteen years ago, a few months after my father died unexpectedly, my sister wanted to do something nice for her brothers on Father's Day. She found some old film of my dad and me at the Catskill Game Farm and printed a picture of my father holding me up so I could see the animals. I was only three-years-old at the time the photo was taken. I look inquisitive and he looks happy and somehow it is the only picture I have of just my dad and me together. Photos and hugs were something we always meant to do, but seldom did. That gift probably only cost my sister five dollars, but it is worth a million to me. That's what I'm talking about.
I wish our kids could see what life was like when we were young, if only for a week. Do you remember what it was like to have just three TV channels and no DVDs or DVRs? If you wanted to see "Frosty", or "A Charlie Brown Christmas" you had one shot, once a year. Now that was must-see TV! Do you remember what it was like to sit with the Montgomery Wards toy catalogue and spend weeks circling the one or two things you hoped Santa might bring? Being greedy never occurred to you so you'd circle items, cross them off, then circle them again. Then, to your parents delight and dismay, you'd spend Christmas morning playing with the big box the toy came in instead of the toy itself. These days, it's easy to swipe the Visa or just stop at the gift card display and drop $300 on Old Navy, Red Lobster or Bed Bath & Beyond cards. Not this year. If you still have a job you should count your blessings and go easy on the debt. Maybe this is the year you seek out that one small gift, like my sister did, that means so much more than a blazer that will find its way to the closet floor by Memorial Day. Be creative. Maybe the best gift for someone is a promise to baby-sit so a friend can get out some Saturday night with the hubby. Perhaps it's an offer to walk with a friend three times a week if he or she is trying to lose weight, but are too embarrassed to ask for help. Point is, there are little things that don't cost a dime, but mean so much.
Because I write, people sometimes ask me what my favorite book is and without hesitation I answer A Christmas Carol. I like it because we all fall short of being who we should be and in Dickens' classic he makes sure Scrooge wakes up before it's too late. But running a close second would be the lesser known The Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans. It's about a man who is obsessed with success and loses sight of what should matter most - his family. He, his wife and daughter move in with a widow, and after stumbling on a Christmas box in the attic they begin to read old love letters and see their elderly host has been keeping a secret from them. I won't spoil it for you only to say the old widow asks her house guests but one question over and over again, "What was the very first Christmas gift?"
It was a child, of course, and babies don't want Nintendo or Guitar Hero or overpriced handbags, they just want you. And that's a gift you are fully stocked on and one you can give readily and without debt. John Denver understood that, and despite being a millionaire when he and his wife adopted a little baby boy, his gift was a simple song. Why don't we finish where we started.
"A savior king was born that day, a baby just like you. And as the magi came with gifts, I come with my gift to you. May peace on earth fill up your time and brotherhood surround you. That you may know the warmth of love and wrap it all around you. It's just a wish, a dream I'm told from days when I was young. Merry Christmas little Zachary, Merry Christmas everyone."
I'd take that over a Snuggie, wouldn't you?
John Gray is a Fox23 News anchor and contributing writer at the Troy Record. He can be reached at johngray@fox23news.com ]]>
An unforgettable physiciantag:www.albany.com,2009:/capitalregionliving//15.48142009-09-30T13:12:17Z2009-09-30T13:13:16ZThe legendary Dr. Anna W. Perkins may be gone, but she's not forgotten...Capital Region Livinghttp://www.albany.com/community/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=15&id=39
The legendary Dr. Anna W. Perkins may be gone, but she's not forgotten
Anna Perkins was born in Newport, RI, was educated in private schools, graduated from Radcliffe, earned her M.D. at Columbia's College of Physicians and Surgeons, and completed her internship at Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan. In 1928 this young woman of means proceeded to say goodbye to her cosmopolitan and Ivy League background to become an indefatigable country doctor. A country doctor so irrepressible and resolute that although she never married and never returned to Manhattan, Manhattan came to her when the New York Times interviewed her in 1984 - when she was 85 years old and still making house calls - which she did until 1991. A legend at my bedside More than one of the house calls Doc Perkins made was to our home in Clarksville. Back in the late 1950s, my father relocated his pharmacy from Center Square in downtown Albany to that little hamlet to serve the rural "Hilltowns" where there was no pharmacy. Since Dr. Perkins was the only doctor in the region, and Lange's Pharmacy was the only apothecary, we got to know the little, white-haired sparkplug of a doctor very well. Although her usual fee for a house call was $5.00 - as late as 1990 - she always gave us a professional courtesy discount. So when she visited my bedside one afternoon in 1959, her fee was $2.00.
"Whooping cough," she declared after an exam of about 10 seconds. "You won't be going to school for six weeks, young man." Six weeks?! I'm in heaven, I thought. Oh, how wrong I was. Whooping cough, better known today as pertussis, is much worse than school - even for a seventh grade boy. Uncontrollable coughing fits, followed by paroxysms and upchucking several times a day are more hateful than middle school - especially since teachers sent homework to me every day anyway! Hey, no fair! "Honored, dedicated and revered" Dr. Perkins called on and treated the sick in their far-flung homes across the Helderbergs regardless of the conditions. In 1974, Union College honored her with an Honorary degree of Doctor of Sciences with the citation, "In weather fair and foul, by day and by night, you have for fifty years brought medical care and human comfort to a rural region made fortunate by your dedication."
Doc Perkins practiced until illness forced her to retire at age 92. Albany Medical College sponsors the Anna Perkins Scholarship "presented in appreciation of Dr. Anna Perkins' dedication, skill and devotion throughout her many years of practice devoted to family medicine. The award is presented to a student planning to pursue a career in family medicine." Although the little physician with the strong handshake passed away in 1993 at the age of 93, Hilltown people still tell the stories of her tenacity. One of the favorite tales tells of the time a ferocious winter storm prevented Doc Perkins from driving to a sick child one night. Not to be deterred, she hitched a ride with a snowplow, and when the snow became too much for the plow to fight through, she buckled on her snowshoes and trudged the rest of the way to the little girl's bedside.
Similar stories of her remarkable determination remain common in the Helderbergs. From the older folks who can remember Doc Perkins accepting payment in eggs, milk, and chicken during The Great Depression, to her deferring payment "until you get back on your feet." Most often told are bad weather stories because the Hilltowns are infamous for their mountainous snowdrifts. But somehow, like the Little Engine That Could, Doc Perkins fought her way through them. One old photo shows her in a 1930s vintage automobile driving through a one-lane canyon of snow banks that are taller than either the doctor or her car.
Perhaps the 1920s awoke something in many women. Prohibition, the Roaring Twenties, the passage of Women's Suffrage, the Jazz Age, Flappers, Amelia Earhart, Virginia Woolf, Georgia O'Keefe, Zora Neale Hurston, Margaret Sanger, Margaret Mead, Bessie Smith, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Isak Dinesen in Africa. Whatever impelled them and Anna Perkins to do something daring and different tickles intriguingly at the imagination.
The small clapboard house she built in Westerlo in 1929 served as both her home and office until the very end. And, oh yes, her fee for delivering a baby was $25.00.
Ed. Lange writes "Guy Stuff" monthly for Capital Region Living. He may be reached at skipper@capital.net.]]>
Best Doctorstag:www.albany.com,2009:/capitalregionliving//15.48132009-09-30T13:02:21Z2009-11-12T16:27:39ZCapital Region Livinghttp://www.albany.com/community/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=15&id=39Cheryl deSimone, MD Director, Albany Medical Center (AMC) Department of Anesthesiology Obstetric anesthesiologist Undergraduate degree: Saint Bonaventure University, biology pre-med Medical School: Upstate Medical Center Residency and Fellowship: Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia
Dr. Cheryl deSimone knew in high school that she wanted to be in a management role as a doctor. She briefly considered nursing, but was looking for the autonomy and decision-making ability that came with being a physician. It wasn't until her medical school rotations that she decided anesthesia would be her career.
While most people are familiar with the term anesthesia, what many may not realize is that anesthesiologists don't simply administer the pain blocker and leave the operating room. According to the American Society of Anesthesiologists, "As physicians, anesthesiologists are responsible for administering anesthesia to relieve pain and for managing vital life functions, including breathing, heart rhythm and blood pressure, during surgery. After surgery, they maintain the patient in a comfortable state during the recovery, and are involved in the provision of critical care medicine in the intensive care unit."
What deSimone loved most about the field was the fast-paced activity in the operating room. And, wanting to work in obstetrics (without having to deliver children) allowed her to combine her passions. "I liked the area of obstetric anesthesia because it was just a wonderful area where it's a wonderful experience being able to enjoy seeing women in childbirth," she said. Of course, women in childbirth are excited to see her, but they're even happier when she leaves because, it means they are much more comfortable after having received their epidural.
As the Director of Anesthesia for Albany Medical Center for the past 18 years, she admitted she was nervous in the beginning of her career, but today more closely associates the feeling with high observation and acuity. "If I wasn't nervous and I wasn't careful than I wouldn't be a good physician because I think you have to stay nervous every moment of every day to be conscious of what you're doing," she said.
Nervous, however, is a perfect word to describe what some patients feel knowing they will be under anesthesia. Comparing it to other areas of medicine, deSimone said anesthesiologists are concerned with potential allergies and what can go wrong.
"In childbirth," she said, "we worry about a lot of extra issues because we're dealing not only with the mother, but we're also dealing with the baby. So whatever we do to affect the mother could potentially affect the baby, so we're very careful and worry about two patients at the same time."
Allergic reactions to anesthesia can vary from a bee sting-like reaction to malignant hypothermia. The former involves shortness of breath, hives and swelling; the latter is a "reaction specifically to anesthesia that some patients develop during a general anesthetic," she said.
Without hesitation, she said the best part of her job is seeing the joy of childbirth and making a woman comfortable during it; a comfort deSimone has embraced herself. When asked if she had an epidural while giving birth to her two children, she said, "Absolutely! There was never a doubt in my mind if I would get an epidural; I never realized how much it hurt until I had my first child."
Many times, you will hear women say that it was "too late" for an epidural to be administered and had to go through labor drug-free. deSimone explains it has more to do with the movement of the mother than dilation.
"Once you're starting to push the baby out, although it's uncomfortable, it's very difficult to stay still to put an epidural in and you've already gotten through almost the most painful part of the delivery process."
For those hesitant to embrace the idea of anesthesia, she said that anesthesiologists are trained and schooled the same way all physicians are.
"Anesthesiologists are well-trained, they've dedicated a long residency process and years of education to taking care of patients under anesthesia," she said. "The safety mechanisms that are in place now and the monitoring that is in place now has made it a relatively safe delivery system."
An anesthesiology residency consists of one year of an internship, followed by three years of anesthesia training. Additionally, many people then go on to complete fellowships totaling a nearly five- year process post-medical school.
During training, anesthesiologists learn how to put patients to sleep, all the techniques of monitoring, all sorts of regional blocks to help alleviate pain, how to do anesthesia for cardiac neuro surgery and all different types of surgeries that involve different types of anesthetics. When asked what makes a great doctor, DeSimone said, "Somebody that has the passion for what they love and has a sympathetic ear and has the ability to change course when they think they've made a wrong decision and then make a right decision."
Undoubtedly, she fits her own definition of a great doctor. -Rebecca Eppelmann
Joshua King, M.D. Plastic Surgeon, Albany Plastic Surgeons, PLLC Undergraduate degree: Union College, biology Medical school: Albany Medical College Residency: Albany Medical Center Hospital Fellowship: Baylor College of Medicine
For over a decade, Dr. Joshua King has been developing his practice in an area that has become increasingly popular thanks to celebrities and reality television - plastic surgery. However, this field is much more complex than just nose jobs and face lifts; it's more about changing a person's outlook on life.
As part of Albany Plastic Surgeons PLLC, where he's been since 1995, King practices with Dr. Debbie Kennedy and an experienced staff, some of whom have been there for over 20 years. King focuses his practice on reconstructive surgery and body contouring procedures for patients that have undergone extreme weight loss.
"Once they lose a hundred pounds or more, they have sort of an oversized skin suit," he said. He job is to contour their bodies by removing excess skin from the torso, arms, thighs and other areas that need reshaping.
Originally from New Jersey, King knew from a young age he wanted to be a doctor. Coming from a family of dentists, he grew up surrounded by medicine and didn't waste any time getting started in the medical field.
"In high school I won the RPI medal, which allowed me to study college level chemistry," he said.
King soon learned of a joint undergraduate and medical program, which gave him the chance to do two years of college at Union and four years at Albany Medical School. This cut what would have been eight years of school down to six.
Following a general surgery residency at Albany Medical Center and a hand surgery fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, King did another residency at Albany Med, this time focusing purely on plastic surgery. He has been practicing the specialty exclusively since then.
"Plastic surgery is a field with an amazing variation of problems," King said. "The scope is incredibly vast."
With a range from birth defects to hand surgery to reconstructive surgery following a trauma or disease, not to mention cosmetic procedures, King notes that each area varies in its complexity. This is something he particularly enjoys about the field, as well as being able to operate on all parts of the body.
"I've always loved puzzles and working out brain teasers, so that's what really drew me in." In addition to body contouring, he also performs a large amount of reconstructive surgery for patients who have been diagnosed with skin cancer. He's become highly skilled in creating skin flaps to replace tissue that needs to be removed due to treatment purposes.
While each particular surgery brings its own nuances and intricacies, it's the work he does with cleft palate patients that is one of the most difficult surgeries.
"You are working in a one-year-old's mouth, which is a very tight space to maneuver in," he said. "Technically, it's the hardest to do."
Arduous as it may be, it doesn't keep King from performing the surgery regularly. He has even traveled to the Dominican Republic on three occasions to perform charity surgeries for children suffering from the birth defect.
King is dedicated to helping his patients outside of the operating room as well. He is one of the few plastic surgeons in the area who acts as an advocate for insurance coverage and also gives lectures at weight loss support groups.
"These people are highly motivated and are going through a real lifestyle change," he said. While each surgery is memorable in its own way, there are a few that stand out in King's mind. He worked as the lead surgeon with a team of doctors who successfully separated conjoined twins that were connected at the abdomen and shared a liver. He also successfully reattached a man's hand after a traumatic accident.
"The man's sleeve got caught in a miter saw and it cut his hand off at the wrist," he said. "I was able to reattach the tendons and ligaments and he now has full use of it again."
Now in his 15th year of practice, King has worked hard to create an environment in his office that is both private and comfortable, two very important elements for patients who are undergoing plastic surgery. He has also made significant bonds with his patients that have lasted over the years.
"I see cleft palate children who I worked on as infants that are now in high school, and it's a great feeling," King said. "You really build lifelong relationships with reconstructive patients." King finds his profession and chosen specialty extremely rewarding, noting how fulfilling it is to restore function to parts of the body that were removed by trauma or cancer treatment incisions.
"Sometimes the rewards are huge, but sometimes they are as simple as making someone more confident in their daily lives and relationships." -Ciara McCann
Howard S. Malamood, M.D. Gastroenterology, Saratoga Schenectady Gastroenterology Associates Undergraduate degree: Queens College, biology Medical school: Albany Medical College Residency: Albany Medical Center Fellowship: Albany Medical Center
As far back as he can remember, when he was just a kid in Bayside, Queens, Dr. Howard Malamood knew without a doubt that he wanted to add the initials, M.D. to his name. It wouldn't be until years later, when he'd decide just what kind of doctor.
After graduating from Queens College with a degree in biology, Malamood made the move upstate to Albany Medical College. He stayed there upon graduation, where he completed his residency in Internal Medicine and his Fellowship in Gastroenterology. At this point, he thought he would return home to Queens, but love intervened.
"People from the New York City area, think you can't live anywhere else, but I met my wife here and I stayed and I have no regrets."
After completing his Fellowship, Malamood joined the Gastroenterology Department at Albany Med and became an Assistant Professor. He went on to become the Medical Director of GI Endoscopy at the Center and Director of the Gastroenterology Fellowship Endoscopy Training Program for Albany Medical Center College.
"I liked the teaching, but I like the combination of office medicine and patient care and procedures in the hospital a lot more."
After 16 years at Albany Med, Malamood went into private practice, joining Saratoga Schenectady Gastroenterology Associates in 2002. The most common misconception of gastroenterology is that doctor's focus only on the colon.
He said jokingly, "People think we sit in dark rooms and pass tubes in rectums all day. There is a lot more to gastroenterology."
He treats problems that affect the upper and lower GI tract, as well as the liver, "We treat all sorts of diseases, ranging from acid reflux to ulcers to inflammatory bowel diseases and diseases of the pancreas."
Dr. Malamood also has a special interest in esophagitis-gastritis, which is the inflammation, irritation or erosion of the lining of the stomach.
He is also the Medical Director and founder of the Esophageal and Motility Center at Ellis Hospital in Schenectady and has worked in the same capacity at Saint Claire's in Schenectady and Albany Medical Center.
"At the Motility Center, we do special studies to evaluate certain disorders, reflux disease, different ways to treat and evaluate unexpected cough and reflux and swallowing abilities." But that is only a small part of what he does. Although work at the practice keeps him busy, he also has a full family life. He's married to Dr. Amy Walsh, an Internist at Albany Medical Center, and they have five children. They call Guilderland home--many miles from where the boy from Bayside dreamed that one day he would become a doctor. Now that dream seems to have come full circle. In September, one of his sons started his first year of school at Albany Medical College.
"I think one or two others may be interested, too. I'm very proud." -Marci Natale
John Melbourne, MD General Addiction Medicine Medical Director at Conifer Park Medical school: Hahemann Medical College, Maryland Residency: Charlotte Memorial Hospital
A lot of has changed in the field of addiction medicine since Dr. John Melbourne began practicing medicine in the 1970s. Men and women were usually separated during the course of treatment, there weren't groups for adolescents, and many formal programs we are now familiar with were not in place.
But that was almost 40 years ago. Today, at Conifer Park for instance, where Melbourne has been the medical director for the past 12 years, there are many different groups, as well as separate units for adolescents, adults and Hispanics. Conifer Park is a private residential chemical dependency treatment facility in Glenville that offers long and short-term care for addiction issues including alcohol, heroin, cocaine and methadone.
Addiction is nothing new, although formal education in the field is fairly recent. "There was no education at medical school for addiction. We talked about the complications of addiction, like if you drank too much it would do damage to organs. We only learned about the end stage complications of addiction," said Melbourne, who began his career as a primary care physician.
Early on, he saw a need that wasn't being met in addressing patients who were addicts while he was a primary care physician. As a result, he started setting up outpatient appointments and got consultations for those patients. He began doing detoxification and so began his specialty in the field of addiction medicine.
Prior to his current position at Conifer Park, Melbourne practiced in Danbury Hospital, CT, where he worked in outpatient clinics and became the detox unit director. In the time between his medical training and his employment in Connecticut, Melbourne was involved with a church-sponsored clinic program in Charlotte, NC. While there he met an alcoholic man who came to the clinic for financial advice. The man, debilitated by his disease, soon began to dress better and was looking better overall.
"He was an alcoholic that made dramatic changes. We offered him non-judgmental care," said Melbourne.
He remembers vividly at Christmastime that the man, who volunteered to help decorate the tree, was crying as he placed ornaments on it. He hadn't done that since he was a kid when he ran away from home as a young boy. Remembering the significance of that patient's actions touches Melbourne to this day.
Inspirational stories are wide-ranging in the field of addiction, and the doctor recounts another that has stayed with him. It involves a 94-year-old man who was brought to the ER by his family and left there.
"His family thought the man was senile and not capable of anything. He was actually intoxicated."
After getting help from Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), the gentleman began leading AA meetings and even started 'The Silver Foxes', a program to help addicts 75 years of age and older. He lived for two more years, proving that age has nothing to do with recovery or one's ability to give.
These days, Melbourne is active in both teaching and lecturing about addiction to various organizations and hospitals a few times a year. One of the most recent topics is about the drug buprenorphine (Suboxone), an opioid, similar to methadone, which is prescribed to aid in treating an addict. The drug is seen as having lower dependence-liability than methadone. "It's particularly useful for those new into addiction and who have the resources to be able to get to a doctor's office," said Melbourne. Because this drug is only available by prescription, many addicts may not be in a position to go to a doctor for it.
Although much has changed in the field of addiction medicine, sadly one aspect remains the same: drugs are still easily available to attain. According to Melbourne, you can walk into almost any high school, and get what you need if you know the right person.
Addicts are from all walks of life, all ages and at all socio-economic level of society. Addiction is a disease, manifested by a host of indicators, including a user denying that there is a problem in the first place. Many times, helping the user recognize the problem is the first step in getting the person treatment. Depending on the length of time an addict has been using, the time it takes to 'get clean' varies. The earlier a user gets into treatment, the chances for a positive turnaround is more likely.
An important thing to remember is that the longer an addiction goes, the longer the separation between the user and family. "The most important thing is to try and recognize the role that substances are playing. Be non-judgmental and get them into treatment," said Melbourne. For families in need of help, Melbourne points out that most counties have a Drug Abuse Council and local hospitals have resources for families of addicts. There are many 12-step programs including AA and Narcotics Anonymous (NA).
Melbourne's most rewarding part of his job is when he's working with a group of people that would otherwise been given up on by the medical community or their families. "Sometimes you can really be a witness of someone finding themselves again," he said. -Julie Rigg
William (Bick) Wanck, M.D. General Psychiatry Bick Wanck, M.D. & Associates Undergraduate degree: Penn State, science & biology Medical school: Temple Medical School Residency: Syracuse Medical Center
Over the past few years, there has been a steady increase in people seeking psychiatric services. Dr. Bick Wanck of Bick Wanck, M.D. & Associates in Saratoga Springs thinks the reason is two-fold. Not only is there a growing social acceptance of mental health services these days (Wanck has even overheard dinner conversations between people comparing anti-depressants), but the upheaval in the economy has caused many people to seek out professional assistance for their anguish and their anxieties.
Luckily, there are professionals like Wanck who are there to help. You could even say it his life's calling. Growing up in Pennsylvania, he was only 15 years old when he first discovered his interest in working in a "healing capacity". Just a teenager, Wanck had a vision of himself setting up shop in an old farmhouse with a bunch of friends. And in 1989, after moving to the Capital Region and opening up his own practice, he fulfilled that vision by expanding his practice and relocating it to a farmhouse with a few other doctors.
"It's the one area of medicine I felt most comfortable being a healer." The group eventually left the farmhouse and relocated to the south side of Saratoga near SPAC while recently opening a second location at 516 Washington Avenue in Rensselaer. There are about two dozen doctors working in the two different sites. Currently, he is in the process of launching an initiative that will develop the second site more fully.
There have been many changes in the field since Wanck finished his residency in 1982, primarily in the technology of psychopharmacology and the increase in information regarding genetics and epigenetics. "We've always been faced with the challenge of sorting out how much symptoms are due to nature versus nurture."
Often, it can be both ways. While many patients suffer from a clear-cut genetic medical condition such as bipolar disorder that can be treated with medications, others endure ailments such as co-dependency, which is a condition manifested by anxieties over what others think of us and can often be mistaken for genetic anxiety. Even more problematic is the fact that co-dependency can sometimes co-exist with a genetic-based condition; in that case, treatment may involve individual and group psychotherapy, and some people find it helpful to add spiritual recovery.
And treating patients is what Wanck truly enjoys. From his early days in Princeton, NJ following his residency, where he ran a program at a private psychiatric hospital for the rich and famous, to his current practice focused on the not-so-rich-and-famous who suffer from anxiety and sadness, he has learned that empathy is much more important than sympathy. "It's more about being pleasant without personalizing the other person's experience. We don't hold the person's suffering; we stream it and work with the person on how to manage it effectively."
In this day and age of over-prescribing and over-medicating, there has been a trend on shorter sessions and a focus on symptom resolution with prescriptions. Wanck's wish is that psychiatrists in general spend more time talking to patients.
"I'm a strong proponent of the healing aspect of psychotherapy as a very important part of treatment process."
His approach is to have an in-depth conversation with a patient before prescribing medication in order to determine how much a problem is attributable to physical as opposed to sociological factors. He also isn't opposed to the use of natural remedies if there is evidence that they're helpful. Wanck is also open to exploring information that his patients bring him from the Internet or television commercials.
"It has to be teamwork; we work on issues together." In fact, he finds it helpful that people are more informed these days. "People have educated me at times," he said. His only concern is people visiting chat rooms where there might be misinformation posted.
Seeing between 10-12 patients a day at intervals of 30 or 60 minutes a session, it's hard not to wonder if the doctor feels drained by day's end.
"Drained? I feel the opposite. I feel invigorated. The key is to be able to have empathy and work with people rather than take on their problems."
One of his biggest challenges is not having enough time. "I love what I do and wish I had more time. I feel like an historian, being able to heal and grow with a person." -Mary Beth Galarneau
Questions are at the heart of quality medical care It's not surprising that people find it difficult to press physicians for more clear answers or more thorough analysis when they're sitting in an examination room, wearing a paper gown. Still, it's of the utmost importance to actively participate in your or your family's medical care. Recent studies have found that patients receive incorrect diagnoses as much as 20 percent of the time and the wrong treatment half of the time.
Medical errors occur often because doctors aren't able to spend as much time with their patients as they once could. In fact, according to U.S. government surveys, the average time physicians spend face-to-face with patient is 10 minutes or less--so it's no surprise that information is missed. This is why it is so important for individuals to ask questions to their physicians, and to be their own healthcare advocates.
At Best Doctors, we see the impact of this every day. In a review of the consultation cases our company handled for a population of about 700,000 Americans in 2008, diagnosis and treatment decisions were either incorrect or inadequately supported more than half of the time. These included a range of conditions, from cancer, cardiac and neurological, to more routine ailments. Almost a third of cases featured insufficient work-ups, where additional testing was needed to make sound clinical judgments. Yet these tests were not done.
Nearly half of patients reported that they felt something was going wrong in their care, but weren't sure where to turn for help.
It can be quite difficult to break down the doctor-patient barrier and to act as an advocate for you or your family's medical care. In light of the number of misdiagnoses in the US, consider advice from the American Health Quality Administration (AHQA) when you meet with your doctor:
1) Be prepared - what are your health concerns, what do you need to understand more
2) Ask questions - what other options do you have, what else could be going on, what are the best- and worst-case scenarios
3) Be skeptical - consider validating your physicians' opinion or getting a second opinion By being a healthcare advocate, while it may be uncomfortable, you are improving healthcare quality where its needed most--making sure the diagnosis and recommended treatment are right.
Dr. Fritz Hofheinz is the medical director of Best Doctors, Inc., an expert medical consultation service offered as a workplace benefit and currently available to more than one million American workers. He blogs on a variety of healthcare issues at www.seefirstblog.com. ]]>
Belizetag:www.albany.com,2009:/capitalregionliving//15.48122009-09-30T12:50:03Z2009-11-12T16:27:06ZNaturally beautiful...Capital Region Livinghttp://www.albany.com/community/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=15&id=39
Naturally beautiful
Getting there On the northern tip of Central America, Belize borders Mexico and Guatamala. Non-stop air on American Airlines from Miami to Belize City is an easy two-hour flight; as accessible as most Caribbean islands. Flights on Continental from Newark traditionally connect through Houston and take five-and-a-half-hours.
Belize City is the international airport of arrival. Commuter planes connect north to San Pedro Town or south to Dangriga, while water taxis cruise to several cayes (islands) within the country. When should I go? Belize has two distinct seasons: dry and wet.
Annual rainfall is the highest in Toledo, starting early May. Vacation deals are more common during rainy season, which is between June-November. Dry season runs February through the end of April.
The warmest weather: May-September, averaging 85F. Expect a sub-tropical climate, with high humidity. Southeast trade winds cool the coastal regions.
When is Belize in hurricane season? The end of October could be of concern. The coolest weather: November-January, averaging 75F. Temperatures vary by region. Example: In November, temperatures inland can drop to the mid 40s in the mid-west region of Cayo.
Historic significance The Belizean people share a diversity of customs and traditions from 10 cultures: Maya, Garifuna, Mestizo,Creole, Mennonite, East Indian, Chinese, Arab, European and American. Once part of the Mayan, and very briefly the Spanish empire, Belize is the only Central American country to belong to the British Commonwealth. English remains the official language of the country while Kriol is the universal dialect spoken.
Archeologists estimate that Mayas lived within the borders of Belize as early as 2,000 years BC. Their civilization peaked to an estimated two million before 900 AD. The Yucatec, who originated from the Yucatan in Mexico; Mopan, indigenous to Belize; and Kekchi people maintain their Mayan lifestyle in the dense forests of the Toledo region.
What can I do there? How about a jungle horseback riding tour or zip-line experience across a canopy rainforest? Soft adventure seekers may prefer exploring abundant birdlife and exotic wildlife. Discover magnificent Maya temples and regional history.
Devoted to preservation of eco-tourism? Half of Belize is covered in rainforest, 80 percent of which is protected. Belize has seven UNESCO world heritage sites containing exceptional beauty and significant habitats for threatened species.
Just a half-mile off the coast is the world's second largest barrier reef at 174 miles long. And, with over 400 islands those who have a passion for aquatics and world-class diving will be in heaven. Kayak between islands or admire the tapestry of colors as you snorkel along the reef.
Certified diver? Between February and May, dive or snorkel with whale sharks. The most whale sharks recorded in one dive is 23, at one time.
Marine biologist? Anticipate 100 types of coral and hundreds of species of fish. Brave and adventurous? Canoe or go tubing along the extensive network of mysterious underground caves and caverns. Bring a good flashlight and have one on your helmet, too. Homeopathic remedies and herbs - Follow a self-guided path along the Rainforest Medicine Trail, outlining the jungles natural cures in the village of San Antonio. Formerly Panti Rainforest Trail, the founder lived until 103 years of age.
Prefer to drive? Stay on the major highway, which is in good repair. Secondary roads can be especially bumpy. If it rains, you may get in an impassable situation.
Beauty and the beasts - Along with the vibrant butterflies and flowers of perfection, there are creatures. Take insect repellent and watch out for tarantulas, iguanas and other uncommon sights here in the Capital Region.
Ambergris Caye - This popular resort location can be reached within a 20 minute flight or one-and-a-half hour boat ride from Belize City.
Placencia - A perfect base for a variety of activities. Take a day trip to beautiful Laughing Bird Caye National Park. Covered in coconut trees and mangroves, green heron and pelicans are among the inhabitants. Discover an abundance of coral and marine life, including bottle nosed dolphins.
Dangriga - The largest town in Southern Belize and nearby Hopkins are the perfect hubs for those who embrace unspoiled adventure.
Take an excursion to Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary which includes 128 acres of scenic waterfalls and winding rivers. It is the home to the only known Jaguar Refuge in the world. Looking for a special honeymoon spot in Belize? A new luxury reef and jungle resort opens next month, just south of Dangriga. Jungle and beach tours leave directly from the resort. Nesting toucans, agoutis, crocodiles and other wildlife can be discovered among its' 300 acres. Kanantik Resort translates from the Maya Mopan language, meaning "to take care of". There are only two dozen private thatched roof, air-conditioned cabanas on property, fringed by hammocks and the Caribbean Sea. I admit, this is my preference for 'roughing it'. How about you? For more information visit www.kanantik.com or www.belize.com.
Linda McClain, CTA, is owner of Capital Region based Linda McClain Travel Services "From The Islands To The Highlands, No Dream Is Too Far From Here!" For more information call 372.7657 or visit www.lindamcclaintravel.net. ]]>