My prospective surrogate mothers and their future fathers are drawn to the idea that Medicaid, or other federal programs, can help with the costs of the surrogate mother’s pregnancy and the delivery of the surrogate baby. Maternity health insurance can be quite expensive and this is a way to cut thousands of dollars off the cost of surrogacy that can be used for other expenses, including surrogate compensation.

So that begs the question: if a surrogate mother qualifies financially for government assistance, should it be used to help cover the costs of surrogacy? The answer is absolutely NO. Under no circumstances should federal aid be used to finance a surrogacy.

It is not the responsibility of the government to help prospective parents with the costs of their infertility treatments. Although a typical group of expectant parents has contributed more than their fair share in taxes over the years and may feel entitled to some benefits from all of that, it is not the remaining taxpayer burden that they must bear.

Although the surrogate mother may qualify for assistance, the child she has does not. The parents of that child do not meet the income requirements necessary to be eligible for assistance. This is the equivalent of a woman claiming that her neighbor’s child is hers to qualify.

It is a fraud. And if the government decided to do so, they could prosecute the surrogate mother and the prospective parents for fraud. This could lead to heavy fines and, if you choose to exemplify the situation, it may even lead to jail time.

Many agencies and clinics will not work with surrogate mothers on public assistance. Often times, they just don’t want to get involved in a situation that could be misinterpreted by the federal government.

Another reason that agencies choose not to work with these women is the fact that they may need the money provided by surrogacy to meet their basic needs. Since much of surrogacy is uncertain, the surrogate mother can go months without receiving a penny of compensation. You can also spend more than a year and finish a trip without ever receiving any compensation.

Add to that the fact that many see surrogacy as exploiting the poor and agencies simply don’t want to get involved. The last thing surrogacy needs is more controversy.

Other forms of public assistance, like WIC, should also be viewed the same way. If she were not pregnant with another couple’s child, the surrogate would not qualify to be placed on WIC; therefore, she does not qualify for it.

If a prospective surrogate mother is in dire financial straits, surrogacy is simply not the best option for her. If a woman is currently a surrogate mother and is in a difficult financial situation that will prevent her from paying for adequate nutrition, the prospective parents must cover these costs.

But under no circumstances should the surrogate mother or prospective parents be tempted to turn to the government for help. Medicaid is not a cheap way to do surrogacy. It’s a way to get into a lot of trouble for years to come.

You always start off so good. You determine that this time will be different. You will exercise every day. You will eat a super strict diet. She plans her meals and goes to the supermarket. Maybe you will do it in a week, two weeks or more.

Then life happens. You have a stressful day at work. The children don’t stop screaming. You are exhausted. You order a pizza. He justifies it for the moment and then becomes guilty.

I failed again.

You left him full of regret. Filled with more self-hatred than he started and wonders why. Why are others successful but you can’t keep going?

There are a couple of problems with this scenario. While we start with good intentions, we have an image of perfection. With years, maybe even a lifetime, of bad habits, we believe that we can change everything immediately.

Perfection does not exist.

You will fall off the wagon. You will have moments of weakness and that is fine. Now that you realize that, you need to do something else.

Forgive yourself

Realize that you stopped your diet or missed a workout, forgive yourself and move on. Say “okay, I screwed up. I’m going to do better tomorrow.” This could be the most important key to your weight loss success.

A few days one of my friends posted this:

Does anyone else have “cheat weekends”? We have to keep our heads up and not humble ourselves … like the Papa John frenzy I had last night and this morning. I may have lost a lot of weight, but I can still eat like the fat that I was! Stay positive!

Here’s a guy who has lost over 100 pounds! He has conquered an amazing goal. However, he had a moment (or weekend) of weakness. This did not make him think that he was now a failure. That he no longer had what he needed.

The person who can forgive himself is the person who stands up. They know that when they fall, that does not define them or make them a failure. It just makes them human.

You are going to have ups and downs on your trip. You will have days, weeks in which you will be proud of yourself and on top of the world.

There will also be times when you will be ashamed of the amount of pizza you just crammed in your face (or the inability to pass up the cake)! Recognizing this makes you stronger. You will get better. You can do it!

Richmond, Illinois, is a very small and picturesque town on the border of Illinois and Wisconsin. Its population is now about 1,500, but new housing developments will quadruple the number of homes in the next 10 years. It is called “The Old Town” because it has many Victorian houses and an interesting variety of antique shops.

William A. McConnell is credited with founding the town of Richmond.

Also known as “The Squire,” McConnell was a 27-year-old carpenter and farmer living in Pennsylvania. He dreamed of independence and traveled on horseback to the Richmond area in 1837. In his biography, McConnell stated that there were only two neighbors in the area. He made a claim for 480 acres of land and bought it when it went on the market in 1840 under the Blackhawk Treaty. Family tradition says that McConnell spent his first night under an oak sapling across the street from what is now Richmond Grade School. That very mature tree is still standing. Bo McConnell, a great-grandson, calls him “the little oak tree.” At the time, the Richmond area was primarily oak-patched prairie and was still part of Lake County, Illinois.

In 1838 McConnell and his new wife, Elizabeth, built a 16 ‘x 18’ log cabin in which their family lived for 15 years. It was located west of what is now Grace Lutheran Church and was the first residence built in Richmond Township.

A mill was built on the Nippersink around 1840 and that area is now occupied by Doyle’s restaurant.

In 1852 McConnell built a house in the Greek Renaissance style across the street from the log cabin. He and his family lived in this house for 20 years raising three children. In 1872 he gave the house to his son, John.

Over time, McConnell purchased approximately 1,400 acres from the government. The city limits were established in 1844 and Richmond was named after a contest to the man who climbed the highest when the new mill was built. That man was Isaac Reed, who chose the name of a town he remembered from his childhood in Vermont.

McConnell participated in many local activities. He served on the railroad commission, served as a Springfield legislator, elected McHenry County commissioner, Richmond’s first justice of the peace, its first postmaster, and associate judge for 16 years. He was one of the first temperance group in McHenry County.

McConnell opened the first cheese factory half a mile west of town. The Old Bank Building on Broadway was owned by McConnell’s son, George. “That’s Uncle George’s bank. That’s what we’d call it,” recalled Bo McConnell, great-great-grandson of William A. McConnell.

What was Richmond called

Theodore Purdy bought the log home from Charles A. Noyes in 1937. Purdy planned the village in 1844 with Charles Cotting, who settled in Richmond in 1844. Together they built a mill on Main and Mill streets.

A contest was organized so that the person who climbed the highest in the new mill could name the town. Isaac Reed won the contest and named the village after Richmond, Vermont, where he lived as a child.

Richmond grows

In the mid-1840s, Richmond looked like a small town with a hotel, a sawmill, a car manufacturer, a doctor, and a lawyer. McConnell built a cheese factory (possibly the first in McHenry County) west of town.

Officially incorporated on September 2, 1872, Dr. Fillmore Bennett was elected the first president of the village. The first director of the graduate school, Fillmore wrote poems and religious hymns. “In the Sweet Bye and Bye” was the most famous.

Railroads made their appearance in the 1850s. McConnell was one of the railroad directors. The first train crossed the Nippersink in 1855.

memorial hall

Charles DeWitt McConnell donated $ 10,000 to the village “to be used for the purpose of erecting a village or town hall, the same to be called Memorial Hall, to be used when required by church societies and school functions free of charge, and not to be used for immoral displays or immoral shows … “The village president, EC Covell, bought the land where Memorial Hall now stands from Charles Kruse, owner of the hardware store on the corner in the middle of town at Broadway and Rt. 12. The Hardware Story later became the Emporium Antique Store and the name “Kruse” can be seen etched across the top of the front wall today.

Memorial Hall was built in the early 1900s. It contained an auditorium with a balcony and a stage where the JB Rotnour Players performed for many years.

The Richmond Police Department occupied part of the basement along with two cells.

Village board meetings were held in Memorial Hall until the new village hall was built in 1993. This building is now shared with the police department. This left the room empty until Chris Gallagher obtained a grant from the Illinois Arts Council in 1992 to create the Nippersink Creative Arts Center. Founding members include Christina Gallagher, Yvonne Cryns, Carolyn Janus, Donna Karolus, and Nancy Richardson. Many local groups donated money to the organization. The Creative Arts Center lobbied to make Memorial Hall the iconic historic building it is today.

The public library used the room beginning in the 1930s. In the 1940s, the library moved to part of the pharmacy building on Broadway and Main. But on July 7, 1972, the library moved back to Memorial Hall before moving into its own building in 1990.

In addition to the work of the village government, Memorial Hall hosted plays and school graduations. Basketball games were played there starting in 1908.

Other activities in the basement included gatherings held by the Boy and Girl Scouts, the American Legion, and a group of seniors known as the Pioneers. This is where the local polling place resided.

Richmond Fire Department

Founded in 1926, the first meeting of the Richmond Volunteer Fire Department was held in Memorial Hall and was chaired by Mayor JG “Curly” Stevens.

Richmond Post Office

The post office has been in service for over 150 years. Appointed in 1940, William A. McConnell was the first postmaster for six years. In the early years, settlers in the area found great comfort in the post office, which brought them news of events in their hometowns. Still in the 1960s, the Chicago Tribune was delivered by the post office. Farmers needed honey bees that were also delivered by the post office and sent eggs by mail to the big city.

Until 1946, trains carried mail to Richmond. Since 1946, mail has been delivered by truck. The current postmaster is William L. Schaeppi since 1988.

The new mayor of Richmond, Illinois, is Laurie Olson. Olson’s family has a long history in Richmond. Olson was a homemaker and volunteer member of the fire department before being elected mayor in 2004.

My curiosity was piqued when I saw the article titled “Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos Made His Top Executives Read These Three Books.” Bezos is an avid reader and last summer he hosted all-day (yes, all-day!) Book clubs with top Amazon executives. Bezos said he used these books as frameworks to sketch the future of the company, and one of the books they read and discussed was The Goal.

Subtitled “A Process of Continuous Improvement,” the first edition of The Goal was printed in 1984. Written like a novel, it is about the process of continuous improvement; based on a company’s manufacturing operations, but relevant to all organizations because it’s about people trying to understand what makes their world work so they can improve it. As characters “think logically and coherently about their problems, they are able to determine the” cause and effect “relationships between their actions and the results.”

In history, the manufacturing operation management team is struggling to return profitability to what was once a successful plant from being shut down for ownership.

Shipments are constantly delayed and there are months of production buildup, yet inventories of finished goods and work in progress are skyrocketing. Collectively, they wonder why they can’t consistently put out a quality product on time at a cost that can beat the competition.

Having three months to change the plant, the plant manager turns to a manufacturing guru who has a unique and potentially risky approach to addressing issues. First, he takes what can be a complicated topic, productivity, and defines it simply as the act of bringing a company closer to its goal. “Every action that brings a company closer to its objective is productive. Every action that does not bring a company closer to its objective is not productive.” This begs the question: What is the goal?

The plant manager wonders if the goal is to buy profitably, employ good people, high technology, produce quality products, capture market share, customer satisfaction, etc. He ultimately decides that making money is the appropriate goal, and therefore, by the guru’s definition of productivity, an action that moves the plant toward producing money is productive. And an action that takes away from making money is not productive.

The management team agrees on three metrics to determine if the plant is making money: net profit, return on investment (ROI), and cash flow. It becomes obvious, then, that it is essential to build a connection between these three measures and what happens in the plant … down to every employee in the plant. Higher performance, lower inventories and lower operating expenses become his areas of focus to improve plant profitability.

Balancing the story involves the management team and factory workers employing new methods to identify and address performance bottlenecks (referred to as “finding Herbie”), understanding dependent and independent events, and analyzing fluctuations. statistics. The factory achieves incredible new levels of profitability and the plant manager gets a well-deserved promotion.

Some lessons the plant manager and his management team learned along the way:

• That people working or machines running and making money are not necessarily the same. In other words, having an employee working and benefiting from that job are potentially two different things. In the story, the guru says that “activating a resource and using a resource are not synonymous.” [How much unproductive activity do you have in your organization?]
• The true bottlenecks are any resource whose capacity is equal to or less than the demand placed on it. And a non-bottleneck is any resource whose capacity is greater than the demand placed on it. [Where are the “bad” bottlenecks in your company?]
• That bottlenecks are not necessarily bad, or good, they are simply a reality and should be evaluated to determine if they help or hinder the overall performance of the system. [Do you know which of your bottlenecks are good and which are bad?]
• That the capacity of the plant is equal to the capacity of its bottlenecks. [Think of it as a group of hikers who can only progress as quickly as the slowest walker. Or that a team is only as strong as its weakest member.]
• Improvement requires a change. And change means uncertainty that translates into fear. “We are venturing from what is safe and known to what is unknown, a move that most people are afraid to make.” It is human nature to live for control, predictability, and certainty. [How much of what you do is actually directed against change?]
• That actually a small number of constraints govern overall performance. [Do you know the key constraints that are holding you or your organization back?]
• Do not focus all your energy on the improvements themselves, but on the improvement process. [Thus the book’s subtitle “A Process of Ongoing Improvement.” Is continual improvement in your organization’s DNA?]
• You must know what your goal is before you can optimize a system (for example, yourself, a factory, a team, a company, etc.). Otherwise, there is likely a lot of unproductive activity. [What is your goal? Do you really know what it is? And are you on the right path to accomplish it?]

Good luck finding your “Herbies” (limitations, bottlenecks, obstacles) and tackling them to make your path to success easier.

Each year, Vanity Fair chooses its most profitable and influential list, called “The New Store.” This year, several people in the music industry made their list, including rocker-turned-politician Bono, hip-hop artist Jay-Z, and grandpa Mick Jagger. What does it take to become one of the new establishments? According to Vanity Fair, they spend money as if it grew on trees, the bankrupt economy does not appear to be affecting their ability to make a profit, and they have had their fair share of controversy.

Bono has never shied away from controversy. And this year there have been plenty for the U2 frontman as he juggles the roles of rocker, humanitarian, and capitalist. His group U2 will soon release their new album and has signed a contract with Live Nation; which is said to be worth hundreds of millions. Capitalist Bono owns shares in Elevation Enterprises, which buys struggling companies, and his Dublin hotel has come under fire for renovations that have led to the destruction of historic buildings. The humanitarian in it raised more than $ 43 million for AIDS in Africa.

Jay-Z signed a mega contract with Live Nation, which will invest in his concert tours, recordings and merchandise. Jay-Z married his longtime love, Beyonce Knowles, leaving the media to ponder whether or not they should refer to him as Mr. Beyonce. Jay-Z was booed during his performance at the Glastonbury rock festival by fans who thought a hip hop rocker had no place there.

Mick Jagger and his band, The Rolling Stones, proved that good music never gets old. Martin Scorsese produced the highly acclaimed documentary concert entitled “Shine a Light”. Mick and the boys have always coveted controversy and this year was no different: Guitarist Ron Wood had an affair with a 20-year-old Russian waitress (Ron-boy is 63). A newly published book claims that Mick was the target of a failed assassination attempt.

On June 15, 2007, WWE.com announced that “sensational” Sherri Martel had passed away at the age of 49. He had passed away that morning at his mother’s residence in Birmingham, Alabama. Martell is added to the growing list of wrestling personalities to die at a young age.

Sherri Russell, born February 8, 1958, Sherri Martell, as she would be known, debuted in 1980 after training with The Fabulous Moolah. Martell got her first break when she joined the AWA and at the 1985 Superclash she claimed her version of the women’s title when she beat Candi Devine. She went on to have another three reigns as the AWA Women’s Champion.

In July 1987 Martel made his WWE debut and defeated The Fabulous Moolah. As Sherri Martell still held the AWA title (which she lost three days later), she is the only wrestler of either gender to hold the world title in 2 major promotions at the same time. The sensational Sherri went on to reign for 15 months before losing the title to Rockin ‘Robin. During the reign she also played the role of The Honky Tonk Man’s valet, Peggy Sue.

The sensational Sherri teamed up with Randy Savage and sparred with Hulk Hogan and Elizabeth, whom Sherri had her most memorable career segments, including Elizabeth’s haircut at Summerslam 89. At Wrestlemania 7, Savage lost a final match against Ultimate Warrior and Martell. attacked Savage but herself was attacked by Elizabeth.

After a brief alliance with Ted DiBiase, Martell joined forces with Shawn Michaels. During a segment with Michaels and his ex-partner Marty Jannetty, Jannetty struck Martell in the face with a mirror when Michaels placed her in front of him. Upon his return, several months later, he sided with Jannetty against Michaels, but when Jannetty left, Martell was left without a partner. She accompanied Michaels’ different rivals to the ring until Wrestlemania 9, where when she accompanied Tatanka for his fight with Michaels, she met Luna Vachon and the two women got into a fight. During his fight with Vachon he made several appearances for the USWA. Shortly after Martell left WWE.

After a brief stint at SMW and NWA, Martell appeared on ECW and guided Shane Douglas to the ECW title. She was involved in the classic triple threat between Douglas, Terry Funk and Sabu before leaving for WCW.

Martell changed his ring name to Sensuous Sherri and joined Ric Flair in his fights with Sting and Hulk Hogan. When Flair lost a retirement game to Hogan, she teamed up with Steve Austin, but just before he was injured and released. After a brief absence, she was paired with the Harlem Heat and became known as Sister Sherri.

Martell showed up at ECW for a fight in which she was the valet to Shane Douglas and Brian Pillman in a fight against Ron Simmons and Too Cold Scorpio Martell was piloted by Douglas after she crossed the team. In WCW he was about to lead the team of William Regal and Jean Paul Levesque (Triple H) when Levesque accepted an offer from WWE, so Martell was left in charge of Harlem Heat.

At Clash of Champions XXXI, the Harlem Heat and Martel defeated Bunkhouse Buck, Dick Slater and Col. Robert Parker (11:01) when Martel pinned Parker. Martel hit his head on the carpet and suddenly fell in love with Parker. In Clash of Champions XXXII, Martel and Paker were to get married, but Madusa interrupted the wedding. She and Martel participated in a catfight, and then fought in the first women’s match on WCW Monday Nitro on January 29, 1996. Shortly after defeating Col. Robert Parker at WCW World War Three, Martell left WCW.

After a brief stint on the independent circuit, he returned to WCW, but it was a short and unsuccessful stint. He appeared in WWE in 2005 at an angle to help promote the feud between Shawn Michaels and Kurt Angle, which ended with Angle applying his ankle. In 2006 she was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame and made several appearances on TNA.

Many of today’s divas would do well to watch Sherri’s career and learn something, as she is undoubtedly one of the greatest female wrestling personalities of all time. Sherri Martell leaves behind a son. She will be sadly missed.

Although Masamune Shirow is known primarily for his exquisitely detailed illustrations of scantily clad women and his high-tech fetish, he should be equally recognized for his thought-provoking writing. Like director Mamoru Oshii (who, by the way, tackled Shirow’s Ghost in the Shell twice, to great effect), Shirow spends a lot of time ruminating on the human condition, the intersection of man and machine through cybernetics. , and the future that technology makes possible.

Perhaps Shirow’s second best-known work, Appleseed has been translated into film once before as a traditional anime by director Kazuyoshi Katayama (Argento Soma, Those Who Hunt Elves). This 1988 production was a worthwhile endeavor, but it didn’t really tap into the manga’s strengths the way Oshii would seven years later with his adaptation of Ghost in the Shell.

However, last year, Shirow’s manga was adapted once again, this time with much better results. Like Shirow’s body of work as a whole, this new Appleseed (led by Bubblegum Crisis vet Shinji Aramaki) dazzles the eye but doesn’t forget its ‘brain core’. Without a doubt, the main attraction here is the wonderful cell-shaded animation that creates the look of a moving manga, but with the sense of reality that you get from live-action movies. It’s certainly beautiful to watch, but ultimately what makes the film such a delight is its ‘richly realized story’. In this sense, it is not entirely different from Ghost in the Shell: Innocence, and indeed the movies are wonderful themed bookends.

Deunan Knute is a lone soldier fighting among the ruins of a future Earth that has been devastated by several years of conflict. Unaware that the war has been over for some time, Deunan is captured by her former lover Briareos (whose war-ravaged body has now been transformed into a powerful cyborg shell) and taken to a nearby utopian nation-state called Olympus. There, a council of men has envisioned a perfect society in which humans preside over their domain along with a race of designed beings called ‘bioroids’. To keep them in check, bioroids are deprived of their ability to reproduce and their most passionate emotions … love and hate. In this way they serve as a balance to humans, who are prone to all kinds of emotional outbursts, which on a large scale result in wars and all that. The oversight of this society is the aforementioned council and an Artificial Intelligence called Gaia that was created to make decisions in cooperation with the council. Although this society seems truly utopian on the outside, there are forces working to upset the balance. Deunan soon discovers that she was not brought to Olympus by chance and that her past is the key to the future of Olympus and humanity.

While Appleseed has many thematic ties to Ghost in the Shell, Aramaki’s film is much more action-oriented. While I prefer the more measured pace of Oshii, Appleseed is more exciting, and on that basis it succeeds. The action quickly escalates until the final apocalyptic confrontation that pits Deunan, Briareos and the rest of Olympus’ E-Swat squad against an army of mobile fortresses the size of office buildings. Over the top, maybe, but there’s no denying it’s a real white-knuckle ride. It’s quite a simple anime pathos that goes for the jugular in its attempt to touch the heartstrings. Fortunately, Aramaki knows there is no need to dwell on the subject, and the movie recovers quickly.

In truth, Appleseed is very faithful to Shirow’s manga, discarding only those elements that would get in the way of a straightforward narrative … most notably Shirow’s weird sense of humor. I am not at fault with this approach; Shirow’s sloppy jokes work well on paper, but they tend to get tiresome when brought to life (as anyone who has seen his Dominion: Tank Police anime will know). Shirow’s fetishistic attachment to high-tech weaponry, mechas, and attractive young women is still very much in evidence, and should satisfy Shirow fans who are drawn to his work by these items.

Much has been made of the film’s unique animation style, and there’s no question that Appleseed is truly eye-catching. The movie looks just beautiful. If you managed to catch the recent Korean feature Wonderful Days, you will have an idea of ​​what to expect. The main difference is that the characters have been rendered with cell-shaded graphics instead of traditional hand-drawn cells. This actually helps to integrate the styles more elegantly … a problem many people had with the aforementioned movie. Personally, I didn’t have a problem with that, but Aramaki’s approach is less jarring.

Another aspect of the film that attracted a lot of attention was the soundtrack, which features contributions from two electronic music giants, Paul Oakenfold and Ryuichi Sakamoto. Both gentlemen are living legends in their respective fields, so it is only natural that a score that includes new material from them attracts attention. To be honest, your footage is expected to be wonderful, but once the movie starts rolling, you don’t really pay too much attention to it. It plays much better on the original soundtrack (now available on Tofu!), Where the music can be heard separate from all shots. In addition to Oakenfold and Sakamoto, the film also features themes from Basement Jaxx, Carl Craig, and the Japanese Boom Boom Satellites.

Timed as one of Geneon’s biggest releases this year, the Appleseed DVD is a good package. For those of a collector’s bent, there are a number of issues (too many, I’m inclined to argue), but for the purposes of this review, we’ll focus on the single-disc version, as that’s what we get to review. Even in the basic edition, the packaging is quite nice. The Monkey Disc Snapper comes encased in a cardboard sleeve; I know some people release these the moment they rip the plastic off their DVD, but I must admit I look for cardboard sleeves on my DVDs, and this one is pretty good. It’s engraved and looks great on your shelf.

As for the content itself, Geneon offers a top-notch album. The video quality is impressive, although that is to be expected from a digital film. The same goes for the soundtrack, which sounds great in any of the available options: English and Japanese 5.1 Dolbly / DTS or Japanese 2.0. The English dubbing actors are pretty good, so going with the dubbing over the subtitled version is just as rewarding.

Although it is simply a non-special single disc edition, the standard version offers some advantages for those who are not willing to leave the extra cheddar behind. The best bonus is a commentary track from director Shinji Aramaki and producer Fumihiko Sori, though it suffers from the same difficulties as many Japanese commentary tracks. First of all, the participants are extremely friendly … you could even say that they are harmless. Also, it is a very technical comment. Although some plot points are mentioned, Aramaki and Sori mainly explain and apologize for minor flaws that would otherwise go unnoticed if not pointed out. It’s a pretty decent listen, although it’s not the kind of thing you’ll release on a regular basis. Still, considering this is apparently a ‘basic’ edition, it’s good that it was included. The only other special feature that can be found is an index to the movie broken down by musical cue, so if you want to see which scenes were scored by Paul Oakenfold, or see where that Carl Craig song ended up, you can. It’s a bit neat, although it’s not really that necessary as it takes you to the relevant point of the movie.

So far when it comes to Masamune Shirow anime adaptations, I’ve only liked Ghost in the Shell. Tank Police, Black Magic M-66, and even the original Appleseed didn’t really do much for me. However, Appleseed sets all my expectations. It’s not exactly the accomplishment that, say, Ghost in the Shell: Innocence is, but all things considered, it’s a very good movie, and it does justice to its source material.

Okay, raise your hand, even if you can’t see them … How many of you have done any of the following in the last 90 days?

• Did you put on an outfit only to find that you liked the top or bottom, but didn’t have the matching top or bottom that you liked to wear and therefore changed?
• Did you try more than 2 outfits for a single event?
• Did you try something in your closet only to find that you don’t like the way it looks anymore, but left it in your closet anyway?
• Did you argue with a child (or have a long conversation) about what they were going to wear?
• Did you rush to find a matching outfit for your child?
• Did you want to wear something only to find that it needed to be patched, ironed, or dry cleaned, so you chose to wear something else?
• Have a ton of clothes that need repair, ironing, or dry cleaning that haven’t progressed through any of the aforementioned processes in the last 3 weeks?

This week’s challenge is geared towards your personal wardrobe, but I highly recommend doing it with the children’s wardrobes if you are responsible for dressing them in the morning. It’s just amazing how much time we spend putting on and taking off, looking for a missing garment or ‘match’, running errands to dry clean or fix, iron, soak, take something off in frustration, and then add to a pile that we’ll then have to fold to! that we can repeat the process later!

Since getting dressed is something we do on a daily basis, it is important to approach the simple path. When we don’t have good routines and practices, what should be a simple task becomes a source of stress and waste of time. Not to mention, it’s not a great feeling to put something on and decide you don’t like the way it looks first thing in the morning.

This is how I went through the practice of simplifying my wardrobe. You can do this exercise over the course of a week or take a long weekend to get everything in order.

First, wash and repair everything you own so that everything is clean and ready for a clear decision. Take off any special occasion clothing that you need to keep but don’t wear regularly. Store them in one end of your closet, or better yet, in a different closet.

Start with three piles …

1. Your favorite clothes: you wear them a lot, you feel good about them and they are comfortable.

2. Things you don’t use for any reason.

3. Things that are between 1 and 2: You don’t love them, but you use them.

Now let’s review stack 1, the most important stack.

The first step is to match everything. What bottoms go with what tops? Layer these adorable outfits in ensembles, making sure everything matches (and yes, a pair of jeans can have multiple matching tops). The goal here is to make sure the underdogs are left behind.

If you find that you have pants or tops that you love, but don’t have an adorable matching counterpart, see if you can find something in stack 3 that works. Make sure to try it on and be satisfied with the combo. Otherwise, put this ‘adorable lost item’ in its own closet area.

Once you have completed this step, ask yourself the next question of the combos you have made.

Are these combos easy to maintain? Move the ones that require special care to your own group.

Now count the combos you have left. How many there are? Next, think about how often you will do your laundry. If you do your laundry weekly, do you have 7 sets? If you do the laundry twice a week, do you have 3 or 4? If you find that you have enough outfits to get through between washes, then you have discovered your main wardrobe. Carefully return these items to your closet, keeping them grouped for easy “grabbing”.

Now we have to look at these other piles that he has made. If you find that you have enough comfortable outfits to last for multiple washes, then it’s time to seriously think about trimming your wardrobe. Why keep something on stack 2 or 3? If you have a lot of matching combos on stack 1, why settle for something that makes you feel less than wonderful?

If you find that you are missing stack 1 combinations, take the yellow pages and find a consignment store. Take items from stacks 2 and 3 and put them on consignment or hold a yard sale. Use that money to fund more combos 1. (Make sure you try everything before you buy!)

Once you’ve stored your combos in your closet, check to see what you have in your favorite set of odds and ends. Make a list and keep it in your wallet of items that need matches. Decide if it is worth the time and money and the maximum that you are willing to spend on the article. Keep this with you while you run your errands and check it out before adding new clothes to your wardrobe. So you are buying on purpose, rather than on impulse. People have asked me what I think is a good amount of ‘combos’ to have ready. Personally, I think 10 is perfect for every area of ​​life … 10 combos at home, 10 combos at work, and then 4 combos at church. If you live in a seasonal area like me, then you’d have 10 for summer work, summer home, etc. and 10 for winter.

Also return to your wardrobe any of the most maintenance combinations. Store these items in a different area of ​​the closet and remember that when you remove from this section, the investment of time is greater. Make sure you have a plan to get your garment dry cleaned or ironed so that it doesn’t clump together and become a clutter of clothing.

There are many great options to buy wonderful clothes without spending a lot of money. However, when it comes to buying clothes, it is very important to have the right mindset. You want to go to a day where you are not pressed for time and plan to try everything on (even t-shirts)! Everything suits everyone differently. If you prefer to shop by catalog that’s fine, just make sure stores make returns easy. I like Newport News because they have great clothes in all sizes and the return process is very easy and the last time I ordered, there was no time limit for returns.

What about stacks 2 and 3? Good question! After you’ve completed the above tasks, I want you to stand up and look at the nice combos you made and how you think about how they make you feel. Then look at your other two stacks. Do you really want or need to keep them? Do you want the mess? Personally, when I did this, I took it all to a women’s shelter. There were 18 bags of clothes, shoes and several. Honest. (I told you I wasn’t born simple!) I was a little paranoid and nervous while doing it and I thought my husband would have a fit, but I did it anyway. When I walked into my closet the next morning, I felt great. There are no crowded things everywhere. Without searching. Do not debate. You don’t have to try something on and then throw it in a pile. I loved everything that was there.

If you are not ready to put up with the big gift, do this. Pack it all up in bags and boxes and store it out of the way or stack it in the closet. Live with your simple wardrobe for the next 30 days. Then come back and see if you’re ready for the big giveaway.

Once you’ve completed this process with your everyday wardrobe, consider applying the principles to your special occasion clothing as well. Since special occasion clothing is rarely worn, keep only your ‘stack 1’ combos.

Then consider applying these principles to simplify young children’s wardrobes as well.

Excerpted from the 30-day Walk Into Simplicity class.

(Visit www.changeyourlifechallenge.com/class.htm [http://www.changeyourlifechallenge.com/class.htm] to learn more about this class)

Trend-setting champions come to mind when we think of the infamous dynamic duo, top-notch entertainers “SALT N PEPA.” Cheryl (Salt) James, a Brooklyn native and Sandi (Pepa) Denton from Queens via Kingston Jamaica, are the world’s first female hip hop legends. It was the year 1986 before Rap became a genre and although the game was still all male, the group we know today as Salt N Pepa changed their name from Super Nature and signed to independent Next Plateau Records. They released their first song Hot, Cool and Vicious – produced by Randy Hurby “the luv bug” Azor; breaking the glass ceiling in Hip Hop forever. Shortly after, in 1987, they would release the hit single from their album “Push It” selling more than a million copies. Their groundbreaking success topped the charts, earning them their first Grammy nomination and launching the group to the international popularity they have today.

Sitting in Cheryl’s beautiful home, having tea, I asked her if she ever dreamed of the group being so successful from the start. She told me how she and Sandi met in nursing school and how they had always loved music. How they were “working hard” even in those days, busy going to school and working for Sears as telephone representatives. “We were always looking for the next big thing. So I guess you could say, yeah, because we always knew we were going to be successful.” Oddly enough, and as fate would have it, while at Sears, the girls worked alongside the then, also unknown, Kid N Play and Martin Lawrence. They promised each other that whoever did it first would help others, and they did!

Pep stated, “We all became best friends and when we started touring, Martin Lawrence opened up for us by warming up the crowd. Watch him today.” As laughter filled the room, he continued to explain his relationship with the group’s founder. “I will always have that soft spot for Azor, because even though we had difficult moments with each other, it is thanks to him that we were able to achieve a lifestyle that we would never have known otherwise.”

Azor was, at the time, a student at the media arts center and also Cheryl’s boyfriend. Azor asked Cheryl if she and her friend Sandi were willing to collaborate using their voices in a class project to produce an album. They said yes!

Cheryl said: “We agreed because I always wanted stardom and Sandi was always ready for it.” They gladly accepted the offer and the project was a success for Azor in class, earning an “A” and on the streets leading up to the radio. A series of new tunes was composed to meet the demand. The girls hired a new personal DJ, Dee Dee (Spinderella) Roper, and went on a tour that would change all of their lives forever.

We started talking about the reality show.

“Well, Cheryl was the initiator of that,” Sandi said. Referring to the reality show “Let’s talk about Pep”, which aired on VH-1. The show followed Sandi’s adventures in New York City with four girlfriends: Cheryl (Salt) James; the journalist Jacque Reid; Joumana Kidd, former model and ex-wife of basketball star Jason Kidd; and radio personality Kali Troy, also known as Kittie.

Sandi, who wasn’t a rookie when it came to reality TV, was the perfect person to lead the show. She said, “I was already doing reality shows,” referring to her roles in Surreal Life in 2005 and The Surreal Life: Fame Games in 2007.

Pep continues to stay up-to-date by keeping in touch with old school artists as well as new artists on the scene. She published her autobiography in 2008 also titled “Let’s Talk About Pep,” which gave the reader an insight into Sandi Denton and some of the fire she had to overcome. Some literally, while sharing the story in her book of how her lover, whom she refers to as “Brad”, abused her. During that abusive period in their relationship, Brad tried to burn Sandi’s face with an iron, but while struggling with her he failed and burned the skin on her arm. As he turned to run, he scratched his cornea and made him wear an eye patch. Sandi, feeling that she was making all the wrong decisions about finding a mate, led her to celibacy. The book’s introduction is written by Queen Latifah with an epilogue by Missy Elliott, two of her very dear friends.

So the idea of ​​a reality show as a kind of jump-and-go of the book was a great idea. They would base it on New York and show quotes from reality in today’s society. Cheryl thought the show would also let her fans know what happened to Salt N Pepa, as the group abruptly left with neither of them speaking publicly about it. Sandi said, “It was also a way to finally find out what happened,” while laughing.

The group’s last concert was in 1999 and they were at their peak when Cheryl ended the partnership, much to Sandi’s surprise.

Cheryl says, “I would have done it differently afterwards.” However, he has no regrets about putting it aside because he truly believes that the hiatus saved his life. He talked about his bulimia days and the long nights that turned into months of depression. “On the outside it looks glamorous, but it’s not all that it seems to be at some point.” He reflected on other celebrities like Britney Spears and even Michael Jackson. “You go from feeling loved and having fun to just feeling like a comfort.” He didn’t know what to do, but he knew he needed to heal.

One night, while on a series of binges and purges, she had what she called a “spiritual awakening.” This awakening was the “cure” that he longed for and what he gives credit today for saving his life. Soon after, he joined a church in Brooklyn, New York called the Christian Cultural Center (CCC), where AR Bernard is the pastor. At CCC they taught her how to regain strength and renew her self-esteem. When he was strong enough, he reached out to Pep and tried to repair their relationship, but Pep did not respond. Cheryl was understanding and persistent and got the message across about the reality show. She explained to Pep that she wanted to do a reality show in hopes of developing and building their relationship again. Sandi started listening and the show was born. Although the show is no longer on the air, Sandi and Cheryl agree that the show achieved its goals.

When asked how they felt about being living legends, Sandy was quick to say, “It feels great knowing that our contributions are worth something of value to so many. We are the pioneers and it feels good; look at us 30 years later, we are still in the I play. “Cheryl thought about it a bit and said,” I feel very grateful, a little overwhelmed but definitely grateful.

I asked them how they feel about the tour so far and what their fans can expect to see when they approach them. Both women were encouraged and were delighted to be in such high demand even without a current record. They spoke of their atoned relationship.

Sandi says: “It seems that we are now on the same page and we have learned to communicate about everything.”

Cheryl said, “I’m glad we’re together again.”

They both expressed enthusiasm as they talked about the crowded concert halls, the atmosphere, and the love that is present everywhere. They said it’s funny sometimes because people come dressed in all the clothes they wore in the ’80s. Cheryl talked about the colorful wigs, the big rope chains, and how some of her fans show up in Salt N Pepa jackets and t-shirts.

She says, “It’s a lot of fun.” Although they are both parents now with two children each and Cheryl with a husband to consider; He goes on to say “This time it’s more relaxed, less pressure and every night is like a family reunion.”

The line-up isn’t the same every night, but they share the stage with fellow old-school rappers Curtis Blow (“The Breaks”); “Human Beatbox,” Doug E. Fresh (“Just Having Fun”); Big Daddy Kane (“Raw”); MC Lyte (“Ruff Neck”); and Kool Moe Dee (“How I like you now”); as well as Houdini (“Friends”), just to name a few. They continue to discuss how they feel that this concert is pure irony. Old-school rap was mostly male-dominated and is now back in the limelight due to early female rappers challenging the game and having commercial success. Once again, they reign as the producers of the tour: Salt N Pepa presents the Tour Legends of Hip Hop.

“That is awesome!” Cheryl says smiling, “All I can say is … look at God.”

They mentioned that Dee Dee (Spinderella) Roper is not with them on the tour, but he was a very intricate part of the group in the early days. He also appeared with them on VH-1’s Hip Hop Honors in November 2004, where the trio was honored. Salt, Pep, and Spin reunited the following year for the next Hip Hop Honors program. It was the trio’s first performance in six years, and it was their first performance of “Whatta Man” with En Vogue on stage. Spin recently ran their own radio spot on Dallas 94.5 K-SOUL every business day from 9 am to 2 pm.

Cheryl and Sandi still enjoy the attention and want their fans to know that they should expect new music, new TV shows, and new places in the future. Sandi says, “Let’s say you haven’t seen the latest and greatest of us yet.” One last question, our magazine is a networking magazine for trendsetters like you, so what advice would you give to people who passionately follow your visions and dreams?

Cheryl: “Two things come to mind: 1. You have to believe in yourself, because you will need to base your faith when the hard times come. 2. Take care of the business. Many people leave the business to others, but it is very important that know what’s going on because there are a lot of people who end up showing nothing at the end of the day. “

Sandi: “We are pioneers in music, hairstyles, clothes, etc. I would say that you are yourself, but discover what sets you apart from the rest. Stand out, stretch, stay original, but don’t be afraid to stand up and be noticed.”

The Hip Hop Legends Tour was a huge success. We are looking for more from Salt n Pepa in the future to find out more about these women you can visit.

Mike Epps Hip Hop Party | Online Streaming Event

Gluten-free recipes can be challenging and looking at all the grain containers in the health food store can be intimidating. Whether you have celiac disease, gluten intolerance, wheat allergies, or your choice is to follow a gluten-free diet, you need to know not only which grains are gluten-free, but which grains are gluten-free and can be substituted.

Here’s a list of 10 gluten-free grains with a little information on each one.

1. Amaranth (Amaranthus SPP.) – a tiny grain that was a staple food of the Aztecs. Cortez had anyone who cultivated this crop killed when he tried to eliminate this civilization. It has a mild spicy flavor. The protein is relatively high (13% -14%) and contains lysine, which is an amino acid that makes it a complete protein. It is a pseudo-grain like buckwheat and quinoa. It is often cooked as an oatmeal-like cereal, in sweet or savory dishes, as a side dish, salad, crackers, even pancakes, and popped like popcorn (in a smaller size).
2. Buckwheat (Fagopyrum Esculentum): It is not a wheat, but a fruit seed related to the rhubarb plant. It contains routine that helps strengthen capillary walls and is being studied for its ability to lower blood pressure. Deep nutty and delicious flavor with sweeter veggies like carrots, parsnips, and caramelized onions. The name is recognized here with the buckwheat pancakes, but you might not know that the crepes from Brittany, the kasha from Russia, and the soba noodles from Japan are made from buckwheat.
3. Corn – (Zea Mays) is really a grain, not a vegetable. Think cornmeal, cornmeal, corn tortillas, polenta, and cornbread. A different variety called sweet corn for corn on the cob as a vegetable and of course there is another variety called popcorn. Traditional in Latin cuisine, corn is treated with alkali to obtain masa flour. This releases the niacin from corn to help those who depend on this grain as a staple to avoid pellagra (a deficiency of niacin or B3) that affects the skin, digestive system and nervous system. Eating corn with beans creates an amino acid blend that increases the value of protein for humans. Research shows that corn has the highest antioxidant level of any grain or vegetable, about twice that of apples.
4. Son (Panicum miliaceum): a tiny grain, high in magnesium, that helps nerves and muscles. Cultivated for thousands of years and popular in many diets around the world. The leading staple grain in India, common in China, South America, Russia and the Himalayas. Now it is becoming popular in the United States and not just as bird food. A slight hint of corn flavor with a grassy edge like quinoa.
5. Oatmeal (Avena Sativa) – Naturally gluten free, but is often stored with wheat and therefore contaminated with gluten. Know where your oatmeal comes from to be safe. Oatmeal is almost never removed from the bran and germ during processing, making it unique. Studies show that oats have beta-glucan that helps lower cholesterol and has an antioxidant called avenanthramides that helps protect blood vessels from damage caused by LDL (lousy) cholesterol.
6. Rice (Oryza Sativa) – White rice is refined, which means that the bran and germ are removed. The converted rice is parboiled before refining. This process pushes some of the B vitamins into the endosperm so that they are not lost when the bran is extracted. This means that converted rice is a healthier option than white rice, but it still lacks some of the nutrients found in brown rice. Brown rice is lower in fiber than most whole grains, but it is rich in many nutrients. Brown rice is always a whole grain, just like black rice, red rice, and other colors except white. Rice is one of the easiest grains to digest, making it most often recommended as a baby’s first solid food. It is also ideal for many people on a restricted diet and / or gluten intolerant.
7. Quinoa (Chenopodium Quinoa) (keen-wah) – a small seed from South America cultivated for centuries in the Andes by the Incas. Valued for its high protein content. It comes in different varieties: white, purple, red and black and as a blend. The white is softer and looks like sesame seeds. They all have an earthy flavor with a slight grassy or herbal flavor. This seed is naturally coated with saponin which gives it a bitter taste to prevent insects and birds from eating it. Most packaged quinoa has already had this coating removed, but you can still find recipes that tell you to rinse it to remove the bitter taste.
8. Sorghum or Milo (Sorghum SPP.) – It originated in Africa around 8000 BC. This is the third most important crop here in America and the fifth in the world. A softer flour texture than rice flour for baking. Baked goods have a softer, not gritty texture.
9. Teff (Eragrostis Tef) – Another ancient grain originated in Africa and the main source of nutrition for about 2/3 of Ethiopians. Prepared as injera flatbread (a fluffy one) it is 100% teff. These grains are very small (about 1/150 of a grain of wheat) of a reddish brown to ivory color. Ivory has a milder flavor. High in calcium and vitamin C. It has a smooth texture that melts in your mouth when cooked.
10. Wild rice (Zizania SPP.) – It is actually a herb (an aquatic herb) and the only grain native to North America. Even today it is hand-picked in canoes in the Great Lakes area of ​​the USA, by American Indians primarily in Minnesota. Today it is grown primarily wild and now also as a cultivated crop in California, Oregon, and the Midwest. Wild rice has a distinctive nutty flavor and takes longer to cook than white rice and remains chewy. Often combined with brown rice.

Hopefully, this information on 10 gluten-free grains will open your eyes to new grains and flavors that you can substitute in your gluten-free recipes. Pay attention to your seasonings too. Use gluten-free seasonings, as you may not know that many seasoning mixes have gluten added.