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Diwali

With the arrival of the season of fall comes the Hindu festival of lights, Diwali. Diwali, one of the biggest Hindu celebrations, is a five-day festival that usually occurs in mid-October or mid-November, and it celebrates the victory of good/light over evil/darkness in different forms and has many legends behind its origin. Lord Rama’s return from his 14-year exile after defeating King Ravana, Lord Krishna’s triumph over the demon Narakasura, and Lord Vishnu’s defeat of King Bali. During Diwali, Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, is honored. Diyas and clay lamps are lit inside and outside of homes.

The lighting of Diyas signifi es the destruction through knowledge of all negative qualities, violence, anger, jealousy, greed, and fear; thus celebrating the victory of good over evil. This year, Diwali (the third day) is on November 14. The first day is known as Dhanatrayodashi, and it represents when Lord Dhanvantari, the Hindu god of medicine, brought Ayurveda, the science of medicine, to mankind.

It also marks the day whenGoddess Lakshmi was born from the churning of the ocean. On Dhantrayodashi, people usually buy gold, silver, utensils, and clothes. The second day of Diwali is Naraka Chaturdasi. On this day, Lord Krishna destroyed the demon Narakasura. People often take a holy bath and relax.

The third day of Diwali, often called Diwali itself, Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped during Lakshmi Puja in the evening. It is also the darkest day of the month, Amavasya, so Diyas are lit and placed outside the home to keep darkness from entering. The fourth day is celebrated for various reasons in different parts of India. For example, in Gujarat, this day is celebrated as the New Year. The fourth day is also known as Annakut, which means “mountain of food.” Large offerings of vegetarian food are given to Lord Krishna for his defeat over Lord Indra. The fifth and final day is called Bhai Duj, and it celebrates a sister’s love for her brother.

During Diwali celebrations, you will find homes lit with Diyas, doorsteps decorated with rangolis to welcome guests with great honor, fireworks to celebrate the new year, and amazing sweets and delicacies to share with friends and families. Most importantly, Hindu families give thanks. Hindu families give thanks for all they have been blessed with and share their blessings with others and the community at large. During Diwali many of our local temples have food drives to share their blessings.

From Hinduism Today

FACT: Believing that the Divine resides in all things, Hindus practice non-injury and hold a deep respect, bordering on reverence, for all living beings. This embracing attitude is reflected in India’s history of welcoming refugees from all cultures and faiths. By following dharma, Hindus eschew violence and terror. Secure in their faith, they interact harmoniously with their neighbors, regardless of religious affiliation.

FICTION: Many people wrongly believe that Hindus, being proud of their religion, may disdain other cultures. In fact, Hindus fully accept the spiritual efficacy of other paths and never proselytize.

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Soliders without guns

Bravery, brav·ery | \ ‘brav-re the quality or state of having or showing mental or moral strength to face danger, fear, or difficulty.

This year we celebrate the 75th anniversary of World War II’s ending (1939-1945). So, this Veteran’s Day, I wanted to share what bravery looks like to me by honoring the service of the everyday young women who enlisted.

These are the lesser known heroes of WWII. The thousands of spirited souls who signed up not knowing what role they would play in what would become the deadliest conflict in human history, a war that involved over 30 countries, with over 70 million fatalities.

Congress instituted the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps in May of 1942, which would later become the Women’s Army Corps. These women were known as WACs and they worked in more than 200 non-combatant positions stateside.

It wasn’t until three years after the end of WWII that women became a permanent fixture of the United States military services when the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act of 1948  law was passed.

Of the 350,000 women who served with the armed forces during World War II, it is estimated that only 14,500 of those women are still alive today. One of them turned ninety-nine years old this April during COVID-19, and I happen to love her immensely. She’s my grandmother.

Every so often my mind wanders to a place where Nana is grabbing my hand, swirling me around in the kitchen when I was still smaller than she, rousing her memory with wartime stories while humming The Andrews Sisters’ “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy [of Company B].”

She made wartime sound like the movies.

Over the years Doris “Nana” Clougher has relished in sharing countless stories about her life with me. During adolescence, she survived whooping cough, walking miles in brutal blizzards, the death of her father, and pencils in her Christmas stocking during The Great Depression.

When the war began in 1939 she was a small-town girl from Upstate New York who worked as an assistant clerk for the Massena Town Hall.

The United States entered the war after Pearl Harbor was attacked on Dec. 7, 1941.

Doris continued working for a time until she felt the need to make a difference. She was already receiving letters from her two younger brothers abroad (one a Navy pilot, the other a sailor.)

She enlisted in 1944. No one knew how long the war would last or whether we would win, but she was determined to join her brothers and make her contribution to the United States of America as a woman and a patriot. I grew up believing my grandmother was truly brave.

My grandmother remembers being frightened. She speaks of the fear she had leaving home for the first time. Basic training takes her to Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia where she runs through tear-gas filled underground tunnels. The WACs were being prepared for the war to come to US soil.

When finished with basic training, Doris became a medical stenographer at Tilton General Hospital in Fort Dix, New Jersey. The hospital was administering rehabilitation and physiotherapy for injured and amputee soldiers. She made rounds with the doctors, recording what care the injured would need before returning home.

She met my grandfather, John Clougher, at Fort Dix, and they were married in the service before settling in New Jersey to raise their family.

After the war Doris was a loving and loved wife, a beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and collectively everyone’s “Nana.”

She was always well known for her Irish stew and cream puffs, but most of all for her perfect grandmotherliness.

Doris “Nana” Clougher

There aren’t enough words to describe how much my grandmother means to me. I learned almost everything I know in matters of heart, mind, and soul from her. I’m truly honored to share her humble story.

As much as she cherishes her family, she reveres her time in the service of her country as the most poignant of her life. I can just hear her saying proudly to me, “Aimo, I’m a WAC,” with a little salute.

She would have many personal triumphs and tribulations over the course of ninety-nine years, but no achievement or challenge as near and dear to her heart as her time with the United States Army.

The often marginalized, under-appreciated, and over- looked group of soldiers were no doubt the WACs of theWWII generation.

She was a small, blonde, blue-eyed farm girl from Upstate New York. She answered a call that inevitably changed her life.

So what does bravery look like to me? Bravery is stepping outside of your comfort zone and into a commitment and duty for the greater good. As did these often forgotten soldiers. As did Nana.

 

 

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Food trucks on the move again

While food truck festivals may be temporarily out of fashion due to the pandemic, many local trucks have regrouped, revamped, and are re-energized.

While restaurants were shuttered during Phase I and partially shuttered during Phase II here in Florida, the nature of food trucks allows them more flexibility tocontinue operating.

Rob Adler, (aka “The Weekend Concierge”) and founder of the websites Weekendbroward.com and FoodTrucksFortLauderdale. com promotes live music and local events with food trucks.

He says, “Food trucks are micro-businesses that are easy to start up, but have presented a challenge during the pandemic. There are still business opportunities in catering events or in “on-consignment,” but these can be economically risky because you don’t know how much food to purchase in advance.”

“Food trucks should be your mobile ad for a catering business or restaurant,” he says. “You need to be creative and make the right connections. Very few trucks can survive with only weekend events.”

“You can’t just park on the corner and think people will flock to your truck,” he says, noting that before the pandemic hit, 500 food trucks were registered between Miami and West Palm Beach. “You have to be a hustler.”

According to a recent economic census, 5,970 food trucks were operating nationwide in 2018, nearly double the 3,281 in 2013. The average sales per food truck establishment was $226,291, with average sales per employee at $86,212.

Along with California and Texas, Florida was in the top three in food truck sales in 2017 registering $98.3 million.

With numbers like this, it’s no wonder that buying, owning, and running a food truck is an appealing prospect to many.

Transplanted New Yorkers Peggie Ann Blain and her financé Bruno Maxino (aka Chef Max) have been running Bruno’s Catering Food Truck in the tri-county area for the past eight years.

Adler is their agent and Blain says, “Rob is a well-loved guy and very popular with the food truck set. He has a heart of gold and we all love and respect him.”

With an eclectic menu, “international meets New York flair,” it’s a selection anyone from any walk of life can taste and enjoy, says Blain.

Their signature dish is one Chef Max created – a griot burrito, combining flavors both from Haiti and Mexico with pulled pork, slaw vinaigrette, and black rice drizzled with a homemade 15-way honey mustard BBQ sauce.

In 2018 they won an award for the best food truck at the iHeartRadio awards for serving the freshest “eats on the streets.”

As part of their reinvention, Blain and Maxino plan to open a brick and mortar location on NE 13th St. in downtown Ft. Lauderdale.

They have provided catering to many essential hospital workers during the pandemic, including at Broward Health Medical Center and JFK Hospital in West Palm Beach.

Likewise, Coconut Creek residents Daniella and Michael Jaimes are first-time food truck operators. Owners of American Limo, they had the opportunity to branch out and purchase a new food truck and planned to start their Burger Town operations in mid-October.

While their specialty is Colombian burgers made with a pineapple sauce, onion, bacon, and a variety of dipping sauces, they will offer regular American-style cheese and bacon burgers as well as hot dogs and quesadillas.

Another specialty is their Colombian sweet corn, known as maicito, served with mozzarella cheese, potato sticks, and sauces.

“We will start with the basics and branch out from there,” says Danielle Jaimes.

Another husband and wife food truck team is the Mediterranean-themed Tornado Food owned by Natalia Navarro, a former medical office manager originally from Argentina and her husband Achraf Zariat, a former fl ight attendant for Tunisair.

The two met and married locally and decided to launch a business together.

“We wanted to be entrepreneurs,” says Navarro. “We had a restaurant in Miami that we closed due to the pandemic.”

With some financial assistance and $3,000, they were able to start their first food truck selling a tornado potato – a spiral cut potato on a stick fried to a golden brown and fully loaded with cheese sauce, bacon, etc.

Chef Max

Their specialty is the home-made potato along with lamb, chicken, or shrimp gyros. They make all their sauces, including hummus and tzatziki sauce.

They also operate a second truck offering mostly American style food, including Aloha hotdogs (hotdogs topped with pineapple, red onions, jalapeño, and a sweet ansour sauce), Tornado Mac & Cheese, and shredded beef sandwiches.

Pre-pandemic, they’ve traveled throughout the state to many events, including the NASCAR event in Homestead, Balloon Festivals such as the hot air glowing balloon festival in Orlando, Car and Coffee in West Palm Beach, and the Facetime. Lauderdale Air Show.

However, what Navarro says really draws the crowds is their “Dragon Breath,” a 16 oz. cup of giant fruity puffs, blasted with liquid nitrogen and covered in chocolate syrup, a favorite for kids who can blow out dragon breath, which sells for $10.

“The kids love it,” says Navarro. “Sometimes there are more than 50 kids in line, with no end in sight.”

“Food trucks are no longer a novelty,” says Navarro. “We’re two hard-working immigrants trying to make a living and doing our best. It’s a lot of work, but we’re happy.”

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SoFlo Gardening: November

What to plant:

Annuals/Bedding plants: Create a display of fall colors with cool-season plants. Some examples include impatiens, strawflower, cape daisy, and pansy.

Bulbs: Many bulbs like to get their start in cool weather. Bulbs to plant this month include amaryllis, crinum, and the many varieties of elephant ear.

Herbs: Continue planting herbs from seeds or plants. A wide variety of herbs like cooler, dryer weather, including cilantro, dill, fennel, parsley, sage, and thyme.

Vegetables: Lots of choices exist for November including beans, broccoli, kale, snow/English peas, and strawberries.


What to do:

Perennials: Divide and replant overgrown perennials and bulbs now so that they establish before the coolest weather arrives.

Lawns: Watch for brown patch and large patch until May. These fungal diseases cause areas of grass to turn brown. Since treatment is difficult, prevention with proper cultural practices is key.

Scale insects: Take advantage of lower temperatures to apply horticultural oil sprays to control scale insects.

Irrigation: Turn off systems and water only if needed. Plants need less supplemental watering in cooler weather.

Poinsettias: Watch for hornworms on poinsettias planted in the landscape. This pest can quickly defoliate a plant. Handpick or treat only the infested area.

Source: University of Florida IFAS Extension

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Wedding plans march on

Weddings are an important event and milestone. All across the world, couples have had to change wedding plans, details, and dates because of COVID-19. The pandemic has severely affected weddings, engagements, and the industry as a whole.

The Wedding Hero team

Jana Tobey, the owner of Wedding Hero, a full-service wedding company, has firsthand experience. “March 2020, at the height of COVID, I began my company. Initially, there were cancellations. March and April weddings moved to October. Now, as I am coming into the burrow months, we are finding that people are done canceling and want to get married.”

In light of COVID-19, Wedding Hero has taken the necessary precautions. “If a bride wants to do a big or small wedding, my team and I ensure that there are social distancing parameters. All employees are wearing masks. We do it out of respect for our guests to make them feel comfortable,” Tobey said.

In addition to postponing these dream weddings due to the COVID-19
pandemic, several people have delayed their ideal proposal.

Due to the pandemic shutting down South Florida, family-owned luxury jeweler, J.R. Dunn Jewelers, launched a giveaway for one lucky winner to “Say it Big” and propose in front of millions of people, on the busiest roadway in South Florida, I-95.

Patrick Callahan of Delray Beach, Florida, was the winner. Patrick planned an elaborate proposal for the love of his life, Taylor, after six years of being together.

On August 17th, 2020, Taylor thought she was going for a birthday
weekend trip to the Florida Keys with Patrick. On their way, they made a pit stop at the Deering Estate in Miami. Patrick led Taylor to the center of a beautiful setting and proposed to her with a solitaire diamond engagement ring from J.R. Dunn Jewelers.

Mr. and Mrs. Callahan

Taylor said yes!

After the proposal, the couple drove to a surprise dinner with all of their closest friends and family. On their way, they passed J.R. Dunn’s billboard reading, “Taylor, will you marry me?  Patrick” with one of their most coveted pictures together.

Taylor was in awe of the endless surprises Patrick had planned. “Love is not canceled! Whether we plan your intimate wedding of thirty now or continue to push forward to the wedding for 300 in the future, we WILL make it happen!” Tobey said.

We wish Mr. and Mrs. Callahan a huge congratulations and cheers to many more memorable moments.

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Older dogs make great pets

During the month of November, many humane societies and adoption centers worldwide bring attention to adopting senior pets.

Caring for an animal provides a sense of responsibility, purpose, and fulfillment. In more ways than one, pets can improve a person’s well-being. Not only are you saving the animal’s life, but you are enhancing your own. Pets can help reduce anxiety, depression, and stress.

Adopting a senior pet provides plenty of benefits. Older dogs usually require less training. Not only are they calmer, less energetic, and easy to train, many senior pets are house trained and understand basic commands.

Betty Delman, animal lover and creator of the phone application, “Dog, Cats, and Me,” agrees. “I just lost my 15-year-old dog a year ago. I couldn’t handle a lot of energy, chewing, and a not potty-trained dog. It was so much more relaxing having an older dog around. Everyone wants a puppy, but when they grow up, they lose interest. Older dogs are great companions. It is a friendship and easier having an older settled dog.”

Delman’s mobile application caters to kids ages four to ten. Not only does the application practice reading skills, but it helps children to learn more about dogs, cats, and the humane treatment of animals in a fun and engaging way.

Adjusting to a new home environment is easier for senior pets than puppies because they have come from a family life before being placed in a shelter.

When adopting an older animal, personalities and traits continue to develop by the time you bring them home, so you can tell right away if he/she will mesh well with your family.  Besides being calmer, senior animals do not require the constant attention and exercise that comes with puppies. Their mellow nature is an excellent fi t for older individuals and families looking to add companionship to their lives.

Delman believes that if you are unsure about adopting a pet right away, considering fostering fi rst. “If more people foster, then maybe the shelters can get more dogs and train them to be a good dog for their forever home,” Delman said.

Not only are you welcoming a lifetime of love into your home when you adopt a senior pet, but you are also saving a life with many fun years ahead.

If you are looking to add some excitement and companionship to your routine, reach out to Humane Society of Broward County, Abandoned Pet Rescue Inc, Broward County Animal Care and Adoption Center, and Paws South Florida Rescue to find your furry friend.

Interested in giving these two 10-year old beautiful cats (brother and sister) a new forever home?

Please contact publisher@theparklander.com

 

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5 Ideas for Halloween During COVID

Due to the pandemic, halloween will look different this year. Instead of the traditional dressing up and trick-or-treating, we will be celebrating Halloween safe at home. 

There is no reason to cancel Halloween, instead, alter your plants to fit the health and safety precautions for your area.

Here is a list of 5 ideas to still have a spooky spectacular night:

  1. Decorate your house with pumpkins, lights, and spooky sights. Go crazy with orange, black, and white decor.
  2. Spooky Halloween movie marathon- grab some popcorn, candy corn, and get cozy. Time to gather all your favorite Halloween spooky movies with family.
  3. Halloween Hunt- create clues and scour the scene for items featured in a photo scavenger hunt. Make it a competition or work together as a family. Make sure you have candy prizes!
  4. Drive-by-Trick-or-Treating- have people drive by and gently throw candy at costumed kids in their yards like your car is a parade float. Blast some music and have fun lights around your car to get into the spirit.
  5. Zoom Halloween parties- have a dress up party via zoom. Pick a theme, plan a zoom-like fashion show to show off your creation.

https://indywithkids.com/ideas-covid-halloween-celebration/

https://www.courier-journal.com/story/life/holiday/2020/10/12/safety-and-decorating-tips-for-halloween-2020-amid-covid-19/3529755001/

https://www.bannerhealth.com/healthcareblog/advise-me/7-ways-to-have-a-happy-and-safe-halloween-during-covid-19

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Halloween 2020: Trick or treat or …?

It’s hard to imagine what Halloween celebrations will be like this year. Will there be clusters of costumed kids at the doorstep calling out “trick or treat” from under their masks? Instead of the usual masks of princesses, animals, and superheroes, will this year’s masks be nose and mouth coverings to contain germs from possible coronavirus superspreaders? Will parents regard every package of candy as being a possible COVID carrier, the wrapper on each piece needing to be washed or wiped down?

If you are looking for a socially- distanced haunted Halloween activity, you might want to check out The Horrorland, a nighttime drive-thru haunted Halloween experience being held October 1 – 31 in Miramar. We haven’t tested the fear factor, but according to their website, it is not recommended for children under 13. For more information, go to https://thehorrorland.com.

While we can’t quite predict what Halloween will be like in the present or the future, we can tell you something about its past…

Halloween history highlights

The origin of Halloween is often credited to the Celts, who lived in what is now the general area of Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France about 2,000 years ago. On October 31st, they celebrated the festival of Samhain, (pronounced sow-win) which marked the end of the harvest and the start of winter and a new year. Celts believed that the worlds of the living and the dead came close together at this time and that they could connect with spirits and ghosts of their ancestors.

While some spirits were thought to cause mayhem, others were thought to help see into the future. On Samhain, Celts feasted, made lanterns from hollowed-out gourds, told fortunes, built bonfires, and chose which animals would need to be slaughtered for the winter.

When Christianity reached the Celtic areas, the pagan rituals were strongly discouraged. The church recognized November 2nd as All Souls’ Day — a day to honor the dead — and November 1st as All Saints’ Day, also called All-Hallows (hallows meaning saints or holy people). Thus, October 31st was All-Hallows Eve (now known as Halloween), but the light-hearted celebrations with trick or treating, decorations, and parties we know today only evolved in the United States and Canada over time.

Colonists in New England, with their strict religious practices, did not embrace Halloween celebrations; southern colonies were more likely to celebrate by telling fortunes, sharing tales of the dead, dancing, and singing.

When Irish and Scottish immigrants came to the United States in great numbers during the second half of the 1800s, they brought their Halloween traditions with them, including community parties with games and costumes. One of the traditions that was popular around the turn of the 19th century and now long gone, was Halloween being a time for a young, unmarried woman, to foretell her future spouse. She would throw an apple peel over her shoulder, believing it would land in the shape of the first initial of her future husband, or that by looking in the mirror Halloween night, she would see an image of the man she would wed.

Halloween is big business today

  • Guess who?

According to estimates from the National Retail Federation last fall, the greatest share of the nearly $9 billion that was expected to be spent
on Halloween in 2019, was for costumes, at $3.2 billion. The newest trend? Pet costumes. Pet costumes have surged in popularity; nearly twenty percent of pet owners planned to put their pets

in costumes last year—pumpkins, hot dogs, and superheroes being among the most popular—at a cost of nearly $500 million.

  • It’s beginning to look a lot like…Halloween.

Decorating for Halloween inside and especially outside has become more elaborate with high-tech holograms, decorative lights, and giant blow-ups gaining popularity in recent years, resulting in consumers spending $2.7 billion on Halloween decorations. (2019 estimate)

  • Trick or treat, give me something good to eat.

While there was trick or treating in the 1930s and 40s, with kids going house to house to get cookies, cakes, fruit, nuts, and coins, it wasn’t until the 1950s that candy became the common hand-out. Last year’s estimate was there would be $2.6 billion spent on Halloween candy.

In 2019, candystore.com reported that between 2007-2018, the top candies sold for Halloween were: Skittles, Reese’s Cups, M&M’s, Snickers, and Starburst, followed by the candy most associated with Halloween: candy corn.

Those sweet yellow, orange, and white kernels were invented in the 1880s in Philadelphia and gained widespread popularity at the turn of the 20th century. Candy corn is made from sugar, fondant, corn syrup, vanilla flavor, and marshmallow crème melted into a liquid, colored, and molded to create the kernel shape. The vast majority of candy corn is made for Halloween, with approximately 35 million pounds of candy corn produced each year, a whopping 9 billion pieces.

And if the spirit moves you, and you want to celebrate Halloween a little early, October 30th is National Candy Corn Day.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

By Ellen Marsden

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Fight anxiety with goop, gadgets, and gravity

It seems as if the Age of Anxiety has eclipsed the Age of Aquarius. In this time of COVID-19, quarantine, and social distancing, many people are feeling stressed, isolated, and anxious. Depression is on the rise. Uncertainty wreaks havoc on our mental well-being.

According to the CDC,

“Fear and anxiety about a new disease and what could happen can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children.”

To stay busy and decompress, Coral Springs resident Lanie Hyman Shapiro, a market research consultant, takes an on-line exercise class twice a week.

“I look forward to it,” she says. “Even if I’m napping, I make sure to get up for the class.”

She finds cooking and meal planning help her to focus on something besides reality. She takes her dog for a walk and has completed five puzzles back-to-back.

“I find it very satisfying and relaxing,” she says.

Additionally, she binged Schitt’s Creek on Netflix and the Hulu Shows “Better Things” and “Little Fires Everywhere.”

To stay connected, she chats with friends regularly and keeps in touch on social media.

Here are some other possible methods for reducing stress and anxiety.

 

Scented massage oils

Try some aromatherapy skin products or scented massage oils in lemon, rosemary, or lavender.

Science has shown a pain-relieving mechanism from the nose to the brain. Exposing your senses to strong scents and smells helps alleviate stress and anxiety, and creates a sense of well-being in the body.

Olfactory receptors in the nose trigger a strong sense of smell, which then sends signals to the brain, reducing swelling to the nerves. Studies show that aromatherapy can improve brain chemistry, boost the production of dopamine, and fight stress.

Sharon Fried Buchalter, a Boca Raton psychologist and CEO of Products on the Go, which makes the lifestyle brands, Little Toes and Sunshine On The Go, recommends destressing with mindfulness meditation, a breathing technique that keeps your mind focused on the present.

Products On The Go’s natural massage oil is great to use individually, or as an aromatherapy relaxation massage oil for couples, says Dr. Buchalter. Made with natural oils that hydrate and moisturize your skin, they stimulate your senses with their nature-inspired scents, which can lower stress levels.

Visit products-onthego.com or sunshineonthego.com

Weighted blankets – (Gravity blankets)

Snuggling up with a weighted blanket can not only help you feel calmer and less anxious but can help you sleep better – no sleeping pills necessary.

Typically weighing between 5-30 lbs., experts say to choose one around 10 percent of your body weight (or 5 percent for children).

How does it work? Experts say the weight of the blanket mimics a therapeutic technique known as deep pressure stimulation which calms the nervous system.

It is believed that grounding your body while sleeping can lower cortisol levels, which helps improve blood pressure, heart rate, glucose levels, and even boosts the serotonin in your brain.

And all this while you’re sleeping – what more could you ask of your blanket?

Adult coloring books

One of the latest trends to emerge from our time at home is the popularity of adult coloring books as a way to relieve anxiety and boredom.

They help you relax by utilizing different areas of the brain to improve motor skills, senses, and creativity. Think of it as coloring meditation. Your focus is on the task at hand and not on your troubles.

For an extra bonus, try your coloring skills on geometric mandalas. A 2005 study by the American Art Therapy Association Inc. concluded that coloring complex geometric patterns induces a meditative state beneficial for reducing anxiety. Even psychologist Carl Jung had his patients color mandalas 100 years ago as a way to relax and learn more about themselves.

Magnetic Zen garden

If you can’t join a monastery in Bhutan, at least you can bring a Zen garden to your home. Ancient Buddhists used Zen gardens for meditation and you can, too.

These desk-top sized gardens come with magnetic sand, smooth stones, gravel, greenery, and figurines replicating the serene nature of a Japanese garden and promote a meditative state of mind.

The Japanese concepts of Kanso (simplicity) and Fukinsei (asymmetrical balance) contribute to the garden’s grace and appeal.

They can remind you to breathe and that perfection is unattainable, simplicity is beautiful and that attachment to materialism and desires are ephemeral.

Fidget spinner – Not just for kids anymore

Invented by chemical engineer Catherine Hettinger in the early ‘90s, these triangle-shaped gadgets have been all the rage with middle- schoolers.

But, for adults, fidget spinners, considered a rapid stress management technique (RSMT), can relieve stress and distract us from ruminating about our problems.

Proponents believe they can help with anxiety, ADHD, and even autism, although there is only anecdotal evidence to support this.

One of Amazon’s best selling toys, fidget spinners can put us in a state of mindfulness meditation, and through their nature to soothe, empty our minds and channel our nervous energy.

Portable Shiatsu massager

Japanese Shiatsu (finger pressure) massage can enrich your physical, emotional, and cognitive health and promote overall well-being, similar to acupuncture, but without the needles.

It allows the qi (pronounced chi) to flow freely, which contributes to keeping the body in balance.

In addition to relieving stress, Shiatsu helps relieve anxiety and depression, and can even boost your mood.

Practitioners believe the treatment calms the sympathetic nervous system and — in turn — stimulates circulation, reduces stress, and mitigates pain.

A portable massager lets you relax at a moment’s notice. Some units come with heat, vibration, different intensities, etc. Look for one that delivers a deep tissue massage and leaves you in a relaxed state of bliss.

 

By Jan Engoren

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Coconut Creek woman wins breast cancer battle

At the ripe old age of 32, while living your life, climbing the corporate ladder, and making plans for the future, the last thing you expect to hear is a cancer diagnosis – especially for the very rare and aggressive triple-negative breast cancer – which accounts for 10 percent of all breast cancers.

Triple-negative breast cancer is cancer that tests negative for estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and excess HER2 protein, making it harder to treat.

But that is exactly the diagnosis Coconut Creek resident and advertising and marketing professional Jessica Duemig, now 35, heard after discovering a lump in her breast.

To make sense of her experience, she put pen to paper (or keys to keyboard) and wrote a book about her experiences, titled, “WARRIOR,” which she self-published and is available on Amazon.

“It was total happenstance,” remembers Duemig about the night that changed her life. “I am a side sleeper and felt something in my breast that woke me up.”

Thinking nothing of it, Duemig ignored it for a couple of weeks until a month later the lump woke her up again and she decided to visit her doctor.

Her diagnosis was confirmed on Feb. 1, 2017. Three weeks later she underwent a bi-lateral mastectomy as a precaution, followed by immediate partial reconstruction, then endured chemotherapy for almost five months. Luckily, the cancer had not progressed to her lymph nodes. Six weeks after she finished chemo, she had the full reconstruction.

Duemig had her treatment at the Miami Cancer Institute, part of Baptist Health and the Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) Cancer Alliance.

With no family history of breast cancer, no BRACA 1 or 2 gene, Duemig says there was “no logical reason” to suspect she would have breast cancer at such a young age. She notes that typically mammograms are not even recommended for women under the age of 40.

“I could have been sitting there for eight years before I found this,” she says ruefully.

During those trying months, Duemig founded a community of family and friends on Facebook where she created Livestream videos of her daily struggles as a way to stay connected and keep her friends and family in the loop.

She used these videos as fodder for her book.

On her LinkedIn profile, she says: “This book is a testament to the process, from detection, through diagnosis into treatment and ultimately recovery. It’s emotional and funny and real – and it’s my story.”

“My hope is that this book can be the support warriors need and that reading it will unlock the “F*ck this” attitude it will take to come out on top,” she says.

Lindsay Oerter, a teacher from Royal Palm Beach, and her mom, Karen Boland, of Loxahatchee and herself a breast cancer survivor, were two of the viewers who tuned in regularly to support Duemig.

“I always knew she was a tough girl and someone who gets things done,” says Oerter, who is a friend from Wellington High School. “I had no doubt in my mind that Jess would get through this. That’s her.”

With no family history on her mother’s side, Boland, who retired after 23 years at Publix, and fought breast cancer along with two of her sisters, was told she inherited the predisposition from her father’s side of the family, something she did not realize was possible.

On a trip to Connecticut to visit her mom, Boland read a preliminary version of Duemig’s book.

“Jess’s writing style keeps you interested and engaged,” Boland says. “I would recommend it for a family member or anyone going through something similar.”

Writing the book was therapeutic for Duemig, during her nine-month journey.

“I wrote the guidebook I wished I had,” she says. “What to expect and what’s normal, both from the physical and emotional standpoints.”

What advice does she have for other women going through a similar experience?

“If you feel something is wrong, get it checked out,” she says. “It’s better to be proven wrong than to let something linger.”

“And,” she says, “whatever your feelings are, just know they are normal.”

Now, three years later, Duemig received her diagnosis of ‘cured’ last Feb. 29. (According to Duemig, with Triple Negative Breast Cancer a cured designation is given after three years, and not five as in other types of cancer.)

“As bad as it was, this could have been so much worse,” says Duemig. “I went into it with a “f*ck this” attitude – mind over matter. The minute you lay down and give in – it will win.”

Duemig didn’t hold back in her writing, putting a realistic/optimistic spin on the book.

“I had to look at all the good things that can come from this experience,” says Duemig. “I know myself better. I have the ability to make hard decisions.”

“Harness that power,” she says. “If you can beat cancer, what can’t you do?”

“WARRIOR” is available on Amazon and other online booksellers.

By Jan Engoren

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