It's New Year's Eve!!

Today is the eve of a new year; a new start; a new beginning.  We reflect over 2010 remembering the good, the bad, and the ugly understanding that there is always room for growth and improvement in our lives.  Many of us will set new goals (resolutions) for the upcoming year to facilitate change in our lives.  And some of us won't......

Well, Pg.59 has set new goals (just like many of you) and are very excited about 2011!! We have many new ideas, thoughts, and plans for its arrival!  We aspire to reach more of you, bring you more book reviews/suggestions, and become a resource for your reading news and enjoyment!  We encourage all of you to stay motivated about your new goals and pursuits as we enter into the new year.

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limelightprsonar.wordpress.com

With that, we would love to hear from you!  Please feel free to share with us your comments/suggestions that would better serve you. Thanks!

Thursday Tales of Book Reading: "The Ending Sucked!!"

BY: TASHA DILLARD

Photo Credit:
insidestl.com

Have you ever been reading (what you would consider the greatest book ever) and the ending let you down?  Did it leave you feeling disappointed, and confused?  Well, I know I have been there before and wanted to ask the author, "Excuse me, but where is the rest of the story or did you run out of creative ideas?" 

One of the worst things you can experience while enjoying the wonderful world of reading is to experience an amazing journey that an author has taken you on and the ending is very anticlimatic.  At this point you may hope that there is a part two or sequel to the book to find out that it isn't.  So, what do you do?  Do you share with all your friends your experience?  Well here are a few suggesions that you may want to consider:

1.  Write a review.  Many booksellers, such as Amazon, B&N, Borders, etc., provide a place where you can leave a review about the books that you have read. I recommend taking this approach because you are able to express how you felt about the book and often times rate the book as well.  This information is viewed by the public (including the author).  You also gain insight about how others felt about the book and   leaving your comments will add to the overall rating of the book.  (The authors/publishers care about public reponse to the book!)

Wellness Wednesday: 10 Superfoods That Will Keep You Healthy!

BY: TASHA DILLARD

I have heard much talk about "superfoods" and how good they are suppose to be for you.  So, I did a little homework and found out that they really do exist and are really good for your diet.  But what makes them so "super" you ask?   Well, they are low in calories, high in nutrients and a great source of antioxidants!  In other words, they are very good for you!!

Here are a few potential health benefits:
(Disclaimer-seek a medical professional for diagnosis and consult, for I am not a doctor!)

• Prevent or reduce inflammation
• Help regulate metabolism and burn body fat
• Lower total cholesterol
• Lower blood pressure
• Help protect against heart disease
• Help protect against cancer
• Help protect organs from toxins
• Promote digestive health

Sounds good right?  I think so.  With that, here is the list of superfoods and why they are good for you!

Spinach, kale, and swiss chard (dark, leafy greens).  These veggies are an excellent source of iron (women listen up), vitamin A, and lutein for eye health. More importantly, they are a great source of omega-3s that everyone is talking about. You can include this in your salads as well!

Cabbages, cauliflower, broccoli, etc. are "cruciferous vegetables".  These veggies contain a potent range of disease fighters. One specifically is sulforaphane, which may increase enzymes that lower the incidence of colon and lung cancers.  Sounds like

Talk of the Town Tuesdays: "Getting to Happy" by Terry McMillan



BY:TASHA DILLARD

 

Before there was Samantha, Carry, Charlotte, and Miranda -Sex and the City, there was Savannah, Bernadine, Gloria and Robin -Waiting to Exhale.  The lives of four close knit women who each represented a part of us.

Photo Credit:
 www.terrymcmillan.com

It has been 15 years since Terry McMillan released, Waiting to Exhale. (wow, has it been that long?). One of the most memorable books (turned movie) that captivated audiences in large numbers and quickly hit the best sellers list!  McMillan now presents to us the sequel, Getting to Happy, in which she brings back our friends who 15 years ago exhaled and released the negativity in their lives.  However, they have remained on the journey of self discovery as they still battle many struggles, dysfunction, relationship issues, and hardships.  McMillan explains in the opening pages that "exhaling" was a temporary state and now it is time for the ladies to "breathe." 

Well.... that's a long time to wait to breathe!  Although I am a Waiting to Exhale/Terry McMillan fan, I am a little disappointed to find that they are still making bad decisions after everything they went through in the previous book.  However, that is life!  We don't change over night; old habits die hard; change is a process. With that, I believe many of us can relate and if you do, I recommend you go out and get your copy.  Check out amazon.com or wherever books are sold for more info about the book and author. Enjoy!



Motivational Monday: Life Is A Gift: Love and Forgiveness.

BY:TASHA DILLARD

As we start this week with thanks and gratitude for the wonderful time spent with family and friends over the Christmas holiday, let us remember that holidays are not the only time we should express our love and appreciation to our loved ones.  Tell them you love them often and without reason.  Set aside petty differences and replace it with love and forgiveness.  With recent news of the unexpected death of singer/songwriter Teena Marie and a close family friend during the same weekend, I am certain that each day is a gift and is not promised to us. I encourage you today (and everyday) to take the time and tell those that you love, that you love them.  Forgive those who may have done you wrong and move forward.  It is quite understandable that you (including myself) may find forgiving those who have mistreated you hard to do.  But often times the hardest things to do, are the right things to do.  Plus, isn't this what God commands us to do?

This journey called "Life" is the most wonderful, exciting, and unpredictable journey that anyone can ever imagine.  And unfortunately, it is cut short(er) at times. With that, don't miss the opportunity to say "I Love You" and/or "I Forgive You."  The feeling that you will experience by doing so may be somewhat surprising.

RIP: Teena Marie and Nancy Tisdale.  You are loved  and  missed my many.

Seasons Greetings!

Wellness Wednesday: 5 Ways to Stay Fit at Work!

By: Tasha Dillard

Does your work environment consist of you sitting behind a desk and staring at a computer screen all day? Have you noticed that your favorite pair of pants are fitting snug and are actually more comfortable when you release the clasp that holds them together?  If you have answered yes to either one of these questions, chances are you may be a victim of work place weight gain!

No need to worry.  There are solutions to this common issue such as obtaining a gym membership and/or soliciting a personal trainer.  But why do that when you may be able to do it for FREE in the comfort of your own office or workspace.  Now, it will take daily dedication on your part and maybe a few less trips to the  snack machine however, I have faith in you! So let’s do it!! Ready??

• Park further away from the building.  Don’t feel the need to get that “best” parking space all the time! Start burning calories as soon as you get to work and when you leave by traveling further distance to your car. Helpful Info: This also may reduce the number of door dings your car will get

• Take a brisk walk during lunch.  Jump start your lunch by taking a heart felt walk.  This can be done around the building or the parking lot.  Always remember safety!

• Take the stairs instead of the elevator.  While stairs have become the last option for entry, they are great for shaping those legs and working that heart muscle!  If you work on the 112^th floor or even the 21^st floor, I am NOT suggesting that you walk up all of those stairs!! Take the elevator to the floor just before yours and then walk up one flight or as many as you feel that you can do.

• Stand/Walk while talking making return calls.  If you voicemail box is full of messages, then while you return your calls, stand or walk around your office.  This will burn calories without you even knowing it!

• Stretching.  Yes, you can burn calories stretching!  Begin your day with simple stretches or do them after either of the previously mentioned exercises.   Make sure you breathe through each stretch deeply and slowly and hold each for about 5-7 seconds.

Remember, always follow safety guidelines at your job. Be careful while performing any exercises in your office and check with your handbook for information regarding workplace safety.  Helpful Info: Check with your employer’s Human Resource Department.  They may have discounted gym memberships available for employees.

May I suggest that you refer to Working on the Ball: A Simple Guide to Office Fitness, by Jane Clapp and Sara Robichaud for additional office workout ideas!!  This book can be purchased at amazon.com or wherever books are sold.  Enjoy!

Talk of the Town Tuesdays: "Room" by Emma Donohue

BY:TASHA DILLARD

As I research for popular book titles that are being discussed in the reading world, I keep running across this book titled Room, by Emma Donohue.  Appropriately titled, the setting takes place in an 11x11 room that is occupied by two people-a 5 year old boy named Jack and his mother.  The room has become their world and the only place that young Jack knows, since they are being held prisoners within its walls by Old Nick.  As Jack grows, it becomes obvious that the room will not hold them forever and expansion beyond its walls are intense and painful.  Jack's mother attempts to make his world as normal as possible by hiding her secret pain and their abnormal living situation.  Hope and preserverance wins in the end with the shear will to survive and the determination to live. 

The storyline, along with the reviews, has my interest piqued about this book!  It seems to have sad and grim undertones with hints of hope and overcoming the unbearble along its journey.  I am a big fan of books that provide a good dose of motivation and inspiration (after I wipe away the tears...)!  For more about the author and the book visit her interactive website: http://www.roomthebook.com/.  Enjoy!

Motivational Monday: "Don't Worry.... Be Happy!"

"Worry is a form of meditation."~Unkown

Most of us are guilty of worrying about something at some point in our lives.  From how a certain bill would be paid to what grade you made on your final exam!  We begin to worry (close relation to fear) about things and concentrate on the end result being negative rather than directing energy toward a positive result instead.  I have found that sometimes what you mediate on and feed energy to result in the very outcome that you feared would happen.  In other words, you manifested the very thing that you were worrying about! 

On this Monday, I encourage you to focus your energy toward positive outcomes and not to worry...be happy! While I am aware that this is easier said than done, I challenge you to try it anyway.  The alternative will drain your energy and leave you feeling down.  So, think positive and feed positive energy into your circumstances and manifest positive outcomes rather than negative ones! 

As a tool to assist you, I suggest The Worry Cure, by Robert Leahy.  In his book, he presents a systematic guide to help you get over the "what-if disease", by offering several steps to change your thought process.  This book is selected by SELF Magazine as one of the top 8 self-help books of all time and the reviews are positive!  You can find this book available at amazon.com or wherever books are sold. Enjoy!

Financial Friday: Holiday Shopping Suggestions From the Wallet!

BY: TASHA DILLARD

This weekend is the last shopping weekend before the big day......Christmas!!  We are hit with numerous advertisements, sales, and much more during this time of year to help us (more like confuse us) decide what to give to those that we care about.  With all those flickering sale signs and dazzling bright ads, we sometime become hypnotized and spend more than we planned to.  In hopes to prevent you from succumbing to this hypnotic induced coma, I have come up with a few steps for you to arm yourself with to fight off that warm fuzzy feeling!

1.  Develop a list of people you are gifting.  Ok, this may be a hard task to do. However, you may have to accept that your budget cannot take on buying gifts for everyone. I believe your (true) friends and relatives will understand. And if you find that you simply cannot bare leaving someone out, develop creative gift ideas or seek low cost/ inexpensive gifts!  It's the thought that counts anyway right?

2.  Create a gifting budget.  Once you have determined who you are gifting, develop your budget and stick to it!  Write it down and take it with you!  Put it in your iphone, blackberry, droid, or whatever type of phone you may have!!  Email it to yourself!!  Do this so that you may refer back to it when you are shopping!  (your pockets will thank you later!)

3.  Leave your credit cards at home!  I suggest this because you want to avoid adding holiday debt on top of old debt you may already have. *Caution*  Be careful taking large amounts of cash during the holidays also.  I suggest purchasing a re-loadable visa/debit card with the money you have budgeted to spend for gifts.  Once the money is gone, the shopping is over!

4.  Use the sales to your advantage.  Yes, take advantage of free online shipping, early bird sales/specials, free gifts when you purchase multiple items (the free gift becomes another gift for someone else), etc.  Shop smarter and not costly!!

5.  Oh, as a last reminder.....you are not shopping for yourself!!  Ever end up with the intent of purchasing gifts for others and realize that everything you have bought was for yourself??  Fight the urge to buy for yourself while you are supposed to be gifting others! I know this is easier said than done but you can do it!!

I hope these few suggestions will come in handy when you are being bombarded with all those flashy holiday sales, signs, and other propaganda.  Happy Shopping!!

P.S.  Here is a book suggestion to help with your bargain shopping development throughout the year!!

Thursday Tales of Book Reading: "I dont have time!"

 When approached about the topic of "reading", many of you say that you never have the time or want to but never can seem to get around to reading that book that someone bought you last Christmas..... Well, here are a few simple ways that you can steal time from your busy schedule and read that book you simply have not been able to get to!

1. Choose the right book for you!  Select something that you know appeals to you so that you will WANT to read the book in the first place!!

2. Schedule time to Read. Yep, just tell yourself at 9pm Friday night (ok, maybe not Friday night, try Wednesday night instead) I am going to start reading that book! You can do it!

3. Take the book with you! I do this when I think I will have time in between training sessions or on lunch breaks.

4. Give yourself a certain number of pages or chapters to read.  Challenge yourself to read 2 chapters or 25 pages each night.  I'm sure you will end up reading more than you expected!

5. Don't have time to run out and buy it? Order it online from any one of the online book websites.  Checkout amazon.com for new and used books. They come right to your door step!

6. Get a friend involved. Nothing like talking about a good book to a friend who is either reading it or has read it already!!

With these steps and some aspiration, I believe that your reading pursuits can be successful!!

Wellness Wednesday: "A Course in Weight Loss."

BY: TASHA DILLARD

Each Wednesday we share health and awareness information that is fruitful (pun intended) and beneficial with all of you.  'Tis it is season for holiday office parties, eggnog, merry spirits and good eating, we all are indulging more in our favorite holiday eats and treats and may have added a few holiday inches to our waistlines. 

 In order to combat the threat of holiday plumpness or for your New Year's resolution aspirations, may we suggest to you Marianne Williamson's book, A Course in Weight Loss.  Recommended by Oprah, this book is not simply discussing how you should drop those unwanted pounds, but more of a spiritual journey.  Williamson provides 21 spiritual lessons that will enable you to lose the weight forever by encouraging you to shift  your relationship with your body.  She inspires  you to not focus on how quickly you lose the weight, but on the holistic approach in which the weight is lost.

“If your ‘weighty thinking’ does not change, then even if you lose weight you’ll retain an overwhelming subconscious urge to gain it back. It’s less important how quickly you lose weight, and more important how holistically you lose weight;you want your mind, your emotions, and your body to all ‘lose weight.’ Weight that disappears from your body but not from your soul is simply recycling outward for a while but is almost certain to return. It’s self-defeating, therefore, to struggle to drop excess weight unless you are also willing to drop the thought-forms that initially produced it and now hold it in place.”-Marianne Williamson

Although weight loss is not my current aspiration, I am motivated to read this book because of my curiosity between the spiritual connection and weight loss.  I see it as an opportunity to focus on changing your thinking, which can be applied to other things as well.

For more information about the author and the book, please visit http://www.marianne.com/.  Purchase this book where ever books are sold! Enjoy!

Talk of the Town Tuesdays: "Straight From Your Gay Best Friend".

So, this morning I was listening to the radio and overheard an interesting conversation among the radio personalities regarding females who have best friends who are men that are gay.  The conversation was interesting enough so i continued listening.  Several women called the radio station providing their pros and cons to having a male, gay, best friend, ranging from being great with fashion tips and relationship advice to being gossipers and down right messy!! 

What sparked this conversation you may ask?  Well, the author of "Straight From Your Gay Best Friend" was being interviewed and he briefly discussed how these paired friendships have increased in today's society.  In his book, Dean provides women with advice (from their new gay best friend) surrounding love, sex, careers, relationships, family, and many more hot topics with his laid back, witty, humorous, and straight to the point personality.  He also discusses the much talked about topic, "down low men", which has been a very controversial topic in recent years.

While I haven't read this book, I get the impression that it will provide a different perspective about many things that women talk about daily.  It appears to be a light and easy read and definitely a girlfriend  book sharing experience!  Enjoy!

For more information about the man or the book visit http://www.mrterrancedean.com/.

Motivational Monday..... "Reason for the Season".

This is the time of year many of us gather together around the fireplace (or television, Wii, Xbox), enjoy festive events, hang seasonal decor, drink eggnog, and hunt down that special gift to give to those that we love and care about.  The time of year where good cheer and merry spirits float in the air with the possibility of winter snow threatening daily.

As we go about our merry ways, let us share our energy with those that are not able to enjoy families, friends, eggnog, or gifting.  Invite a friend over that you know will be spending the holidays alone.  Volunteer at your local shelter to feed the less fortunate.  Participate in the food/clothes/toy drives that are taking place in your community.  'Tis the season of giving and sharing after all...right?

In this book, The Power of Giving, Azim Jamal and Harvey McKinnon explain how giving is not limited to money or objects, but also kindness, ideas, advice, attention, skills, time, hope, love, touch, and much more....  They also discuss how giving affects the lives of others and the difference that it makes in our own lives.

What an awesome gift to receive of gratitude and appreciation from someone in which you were able to make a difference in their life.   I'm sure most of you have heard the saying, "Jesus is the reason for the season".  Well, I encourage all of us to also,"be the reason for the season"!!  Give, share, and love during these tough times.  And remember, giving and sharing does not necessarily take the form of a tangible object or thing, it can be expressed in many other ways!