Candice Russell, Author at The Parklander Magazine - Connecting you to our community

June 5, 2017June 5, 2017

The Secrets to Happiness

The secrets to happiness are within the reach of almost everyone. Incorporate the habits, practices, and ways of thinking about the world that happy people use. Beware of the myths associated with happiness. Not gender, age, social, or marital status alone makes one happy.

Stress and pressures of life have negative effects on mood and behavior. They can even lead to heart attack, stroke, or depression. Positive feelings correlate with living longer and having more fun along the way. Randy Larsen and David Buss, chairmen of the Washington University Department of Psychology, co-wrote a textbook called Personality Psychology. They suggest getting in touch with the happiest times of your day, week, or month. Is it playing golf, having dinner with friends, or volunteering at an animal shelter? Try to do more of the things in your life that bring you joy. Here are a few suggestions to increase your happiness. • Just think of how lucky we are living the U.S., rather than the Middle East or somewhere else. We already have it made in terms of the opportunities in this country.

• Try to behave like an extrovert, even though it is not your disposition. Create opportunities to be social. Compliment a person at the grocery store, say hello to someone at a bus stop and have a five-minute conversation.

• Find a new outlet for energy. Clean out your closet or take a walk in a park you never visited. Try learning a new language. Walk on the beach at sunset and have dinner in a new restaurant. If you only read a certain class of book, try something new – an espionage novel or historical biography. Visit a place you haven’t been, somewhere local would be perfect for a weekend getaway.

• Have a few friends write down the five happiest days or nights of their lives. What did you think at that time and how has your perspective changed from the past to now? Get together and discuss it.

• Drop the habits of neurotic people, don’t complain. Be a listening ear for someone else and cheer up a friend who needs it.

• Don’t dwell on a problem or jump to a worst case scenario. We all spend too much time worrying about things that never happen. Keep things in perspective. • Try to find humor in a problem or even laugh at yourself.

• Decide to dwell on what is positive about your life. Before bed, make a short list of ten things you are grateful for today.

In time, that list will grow.

May 13, 2017April 13, 2017

Senior pets make great companions

Animal shelters in the summertime may be overrun with puppies and kittens. But there is little worry that these bundles of fluffiness and cuteness will find their forever homes. The fact is the youngest pets are irresistible to many adults and children.

Usually overlooked are the older dogs and cats. This is a shame because potentially they adapt more easily to a new home and present fewer behavioral problems with training. From peeing on the carpet to climbing expensive silk curtains, puppies and kittens can create havoc without supervision.

“We get a lot returns of puppies because they messed in the house or chewed something,” said Lisa Mendeim, public education coordinator of Broward County Animal Care in Fort Lauderdale. “People need to be realistic with young animals, there are going to be accidents. A lot of people a have no time for training. Senior pets are great companions and very appreciative.”

At what age is a dog or cat considered a senior? According to Dr. Lisa Feinstein, formerly of the Plantation Animal Hospital, it is eight years old. Though an animal’s breed is also a factor in how long it will live. “Little dogs, like Yorkshires or Maltese, live longer than Great Danes and Rottweilers,” Feinstein said. “Just as with people, senior pets present health challenges. You may or may not want to invest in a life-saving surgery. It’s a quality of life issues for senior pets.”

“All senior pets need is love,” said Cherie Wachter, public relations and marketing person with the Humane Society of Broward County in Fort Lauderdale. She sees older pets given up for many reasons, some include moving to a no-pets apartment or allergies.

Wachter has fostered senior pets from the shelter, including a Yorkshire terrier whose owner had passed away. She kept the dog for a year. “She was just so sweet,” Wachter said. “She loved to give kisses and be petted. With older pets, you know their personalities. There aren’t a lot of surprises in store.”

Wachter recommends that adopters of older pets pay attention to them. “Be observant of their habits in terms of eating or elimination in case there is a sign of trouble,” she said.

Jennifer Hummel is dedicated to the cause of senior canines through her organization vintagepaws.org in Sarasota. It is a senior dog sanctuary that houses older dogs and finds foster and forever homes for them. The genesis of the organization was personal. “My mother passed away when I was 16,” Hummel said. “She dropped off our three senior dogs at the shelter.”

Hummel gets older dogs from owner surrenders and no-kill shelters in Florida. “A lot of them come to be neglected, so we look at their dental and skin problems and fix them up,” she said.

Having helped hundreds of dogs so far, Hummel observed, “Senior dogs are more mellow. They just want to hang out with you and take a slow walk. Some still have energy, but they are good easy pets.”

September 6, 2016October 17, 2018

Making Strides in the Literary World

Teen Poet Wins National Award

by Candice Russell

karinabenitez Karina Benitez, 13, of Coral Springs, is a gold medal winner of a National Scholastic Art and Writing Award. Competing with others in the 7th to 12th grade category, she didn’t feel she was experienced enough as a poet to even enter the contest. But her teacher at Mary Help of Christians Catholic School and her mother, Yvette Benitez, strongly encouraged her to enter the contest.

The title of her wining poem is “What a Tragedy,” about how people can perceive problems. “The inspiration was from my own experience,” Karina said. “There are some truly serious problems in the world, like the real struggles of other people which would be hunger literally, or people who are oppressed and not given opportunities, or were backstabbed.”

Only two other seventh graders won in the same category, a high honor for Karina. She travelled to New York City for the awards ceremony at Carnegie Hall. “It was a huge event,” she said. “Alec Baldwin and Tim Gunn were singing my praises with 2,000 winners on hand. I felt the comments were very personal and said with such sincerity. It was amazing.”

At an adjunct event at the Pratt Institute, Karina got to exchange ideas with other winners and even met Billy Collins, one of her favorite poets. She also enjoys the poetry of Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost.

Karina is the only writer in the family. “My parents are very academic, and emphasize good grades,” she said.

Though her career ambitions are taking her in another direction to become a medical lawyer, she said she would always pursue poetry as a hobby. “I never plan to give it up because it is a comfortable place for me,” she said. “It was always be there and it’s reliable because I like doing it.”

Karina’s circle of friends has been supportive. She also enjoys painting and drawing as another hobby.

Karina Benitez is an example of the hope of a new generation, whose thoughts and ideas about the world have universal application.

March 10, 2016October 17, 2018

Fight Against Cancer – Sports Team Rally For Young Parklander

January 20th was officially Adam Fiorello Day in Parkland, Mayor Michael Udine proclaimed. The young Parkland resident, who turned 22 just the day before, is in a fight for his survival. He was diagnosed in December 2013 with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, a cancer affecting the soft tissues in the muscles and connective tissue.
The rarity of Adam’s disease cannot be overstated. According to his mother, Heidi Fiorello, a registered nurse, “roughly 200 to 300 children per year contract it and it can affect all children, mostly younger between three to nine years old. The subtype of Adam’s disease affects 50 to 60 children, but he got it before his 20th birthday.”
Adam was first affected in his right ear behind the sinus cavity. His mother describes his ordeal: “He went through 54 weeks of chemotherapy and had hand-neck radiation. At 6-foot-3-inches and 250 pounds, he went down to 175 pounds and couldn’t swallow his own saliva and had a feeding tube.”
January 20th, says his mother, “was a day to celebrate Adam and his courage and then to acknowledge his pro-activity in helping others and speaking to groups. He will know that there is still hope for a miracle and not to give up.”
Having visited Adam in the hospital, local sports teams have rallied around him, including Miami FC soccer coach Alessandro Nesta and Chicago Cubs baseball player Anthony Rizzo and other people at the local event. He was introduced at a Miami Heat basketball game and honored with a jersey in his name in February.
“The city of Parkland honored me, and a whole bunch of people showed up to support me,” Adam says. “Every day is difficult. I have bad days and good days. A bunch of stuff is affecting me. My motto is to never give up. This is God’s plan.”
Last July, Adam suffered a mini-stroke and the family had to move again from Parkland to New York City for treatment at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center with his family and older brother Nicholas, 24, by his side. The cancer has spread to his brain, and doctors predict he will decline quickly. There are no known survivors. But doctors can be proved wrong with the strength and support of his immediate family and many fans on Facebook supporting Team Adam-Parkland and events to rally behind the cause.
“Cycle for Survival.org” events are scheduled in cities around the U.S. for rare pediatric cancers. One event will take place from 11am to 3pm on March 13th at Pine Trails Amphitheater in Parkland. Adam may possibly speak at the event.