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What are you thankful for?
We’re hearing so much about the downtown of the economy that it’s easy to forget there is still so much for which to be thankful.
So tell me, what are you thankful for?
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Have you ever wanted to be an elf?
Here’s your chance: elfyourself.com
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Good idea or bad idea: The SpaMall
A couple of weeks ago I was at The Woodlands Mall and I noticed there had been some additions to the kiosks in the middle of the mall since my previous visit.
New were a teeth whitening station and a place to get your eyebrows threaded.
Add to that the already existing massage stations and a kiosk selling hair extensions…
There were customers at each station, so obviously these places are doing business.
Now, I might be able to get hair extensions with people watching, but there is no way I would be comfortable getting my eyebrows threaded while people walked by — mainly because it’s still enough of a novelty that passersby were stopping to watch for a few minutes.
I also wouldn’t want to sit with a tray of whatever in my mouth, as lasers were pointed at my teeth, waving to my friends and neighbors as they shopped.
And I doubt I could be relaxed enough to get a mall massage and have it help in any way. Probably it would cause me more stress than relief.
I wonder what’s next? Maybe a labor and delivery kiosk, or outpatient surgery? That would be really convenient!
What do you think? Would you take advantage of these services in a public place or would you rather sacrifice a little convenience for privacy?
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Charm is online
I’ve had calls from people who no longer live in the area, but who want to see the current issue of Charm to keep up with their former community.
Well, it’s easy to do by clicking here: Charm online
Or, you can log onto www.lufkindailynews.com and scroll down until you see the cover of our Nov/Dec/Jan issue under the “Special Sections” tab and click on it.
Once you bring up the magazine, you can choose to read each page individually, view two-page spreads, or see all 48 at once.
You can also choose to browse by advertisers or articles. If you click on the “Advertisers” tab, you’ll see a listing of all our advertisers, with a link to their ad, and the page number where the ad is located.
When you click on the “Articles” tab you will see a listing of all articles, with a link to that story as well as the link to the page number where the story is located.
There are tabs to save a page, article or advertisement to your computer, or you can choose to print or e-mail any of the above.
To make it easier to read, you can mouse over pictures or blocks of text to zoom in, or click on them to bring up an even closer view.
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Who is your favorite Veteran?
Americans will observe Veteran’s Day next Tuesday. It’s an observance near and dear to my heart because there are quite a few Veterans in my family, including my father who spent some time in Vietnam, during the war.
The past two years I was fortunate in my job as the education reporter to attend many of the local school Veteran’s Day assemblies and call it “work.” I never left any of them with a dry eye, despite my attempts to be Ms. Professional Reporter.
This year, I urge everyone to try to attend at least one observance, to pay his or her respects to those who have served our country.
If you know of any upcoming Veteran’s Day events, please post them here. I’m going to start off with a couple and will add more as I become aware of them:
Tuesday, Nov. 11
HUDSON VETERAN’S DAY PROGRAM
8 a.m.
Hudson ISD gymnasium
For info: 875.9212 or 875.9241
HUNTINGTON VETERAN’S DAY PROGRAM
9 a.m.
Huntington High School gymnasium
For info: 876.4150 ext. 4016
Also, if you are a Veteran and have a story you would like to share or if you want to tell us of a Veteran you would like to honor, post it here. I intend to leave this post up through Tuesday.
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Something to do today
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We stand for them
(photos by Jessica Savage)
The Janelle Grum Family Crisis Center of East Texas held a stand today at the Angelina County Courthouse in observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Dozens of men and women showed up to stand and remember the victims of domestic violence last year, including three from Angelina County.
Each of us was given a printout with the name of a victim to wear around our necks. I had Kelly Gibson, 31, of Palestine.
Just a few people down from me I noticed a woman who wasn’t wearing the usual purple volunteer shirt. Instead, she was wearing a shirt with a picture of a beautiful young lady on the front of it. I also noticed a little boy wearing a shirt with the same young lady’s picture. It turns out the woman’s daughter, Claudia Rodriguez, is one of the three women killed in a domestic violence incident in Angelina County in 2007. The little boy was Claudia’s son, Adrian, who has the same sparkling brown eyes as his mother.
They didn’t need a piece of paper with a name on it by which to remember a victim, because they had known and loved one. Seeing two people so tragically affected by domestic violence — putting faces to the cause — really hit home.
Domestic violence is everyone’s problem.
Read reporter Jessica Savage’s recent story about domestic violence in East Texas here: Domestic Violence Outreach in East Texas draws widespread awareness.
For more information about domestic violence, or if you need help, please call (936) 639-1681.
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Busy day yesterday!
Thanks to everyone who turned out Tuesday for our Senior Lifestyle in Nacogdoches! We had a great time meeting you, listening to Robert Cerbo’s music selection and eating the yummy food provided by Butcher Boy’s and Papa John’s.
Also Tuesday, The Coalition held its annual Red Ribbon Jamboree in Lufkin, with game booths, information and entertainments. Marketing Director Kathryn Williams and I took plenty of pictures of the action, which you can find here:
And, here are the pictures from the Senior Expo:
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Senior Expo in Nacogdoches tomorrow!
Come out to the University Mall from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for the Senior Lifestyle Expo!
There will be booths with information and products specifically geared toward seniors, as well as food from Papa Johns and Butcher Boy’s Smokehouse, and drinks provided by Coca-Cola.
Door prizes will be awarded and music will be provided by Robert Cerbo.
Stop by The Daily Sentinel booth to pick up a copy of Charm, and to take part in one of our Charm Asks questions!
Exhibitors include:
A American Homecare & Community Services
Apria Health Care
Audiological Services
Ballinger Orthopedics
Bethany Home Health
The Bike Shop
Brentwood Outreach Center
Chumley Financial Services
Crown Health Services
Citizen’s 1st Bank
Community Medical Equipment
Dr. Bryan Blevins
East Texas Professional Credit Union
East Texas Research Center
Home Care Network
Hospice in the Pines
Humana/Market Point
Lehmann Eye Center
Lexington Place
LifeCare Health Services
Luquette Chiropractic Clinic, P.A.
Magnolia Court Assisted Living and Memory Care
Nacogdoches Eye Associates
Nacogdoches Heart Clinic
Nacogdoches Medical Center
Nacogdoches Memorial Hospital
Nacogdoches Senior Center
Northway Landing Apartments
Oak Manor Nursing Home
Pennsylvania Life/Senior Solutions — David W. Webb, CSA, LUTCF
Professional Prosthetic Care
SFA Cole Audiology Lab
Stallings Court Nursing & Rehabilitation Center
Stop Pain, Inc.
Texas HealthSpring
Texas State Optical
The Heart Institute
The Joe W. Elliott House
Twin City Orthotics & Prosthetics
Westward Trails
Willowbrook Nursing & Rehabilitation Center
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Sneak peek at the new Charm!
Look for the Nov/Dec/Jan Charm to be delivered to your doorstep with your Oct. 30 newspaper!
Angela Marcotte of Expressive Images Photography did our cover shot, and we love the way it turned out!
On the cover are, from left: Lisa King, of Nacogdoches, Linda Poland, of Lufkin, and Kim Luna Snyder, of Nacogdoches. Inside you’ll find out why I titled their feature, “The Gift-Givers.” These women truly exemplify the giving spirit.
Also inside are: a look at the Pineywoods Herb Farm in Kennard, holiday tips from local experts, help for holiday depression, and plenty of other surprise features!
And, as always, you’ll find our regular offerings that feature your friends and neighbors, like our Charm Asks questions, the Charm Challenge, Chick Flicks and Great Reads, the Lucky Charm contest, Road Trip and more!
If you don’t subscribe to The Lufkin Daily News or the Daily Sentinel, you can pick up a copy at either office, or at locations around town. Or, you can subscribe already!
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Lots to do this weekend!
Here are a few events you might want to check out this weekend:
Nacogdoches
What: Scare on the Square is an annual Halloween carnival for trick-or-treaters. The event includes a costume contest, a haunted hayride, a haunted house, a petting zoo, games, vendors and more.
When: 6 to 9 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 25
Where: downtown Nacogdoches
For more information: 559-2573 or e-mail obriens@ci.nacogdoches.tx.us
What: Farmer’s Market
When: 8 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Oct. 25
Where: Corner of West Main and Pearl streets
For more information: www.farmermktnac.blogspot.com or call Sarah O’Brien at 936-559-2573.
Lufkin
What: Zoo Boo is a fun trick-or-treat event among the animals for the little ones. A costume contest will be held nightly.
When: 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24 and 6 to 9 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 25
Where: Ellen Trout Zoo
For more information: 936-633-0399
What: Stay on Track Red Ribbon Fun Run
When: 8 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 25
Where: Ellen Trout Zoo and Park
For more information: 634-9308 or angelinacoalition.org
What: Women in the Outdoors Scholarship Shoot. For novices or experts. $40 entry fee for a 50 clay target course. Divisions are men, women and youth. Individual games are $10 each. Participants 14 to 17 years old must present a hunter’s safety permit and be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
When: 1 to 5 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 25
Where: Pines Gun Club, 311 Spring Lake Drive
For more information: Kim Brock or 936.422.4843 or Jacki Kopycinski or 936.632.5884.
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Scenes from the Heritage Festival
My family and I attended the Heritage Festival held Saturday at the Pitser Garrison Civic Center in Lufkin.
The food was excellent, and the exhibits interesting.
We arrived while Rev. Valencia Edner and Adrienne Collins were performing spiritual music. They sang so beautifully that even Rev. Bettie Kennedy was moved to dance.
We also watched Mena Patel and the India Dancers perform a traditional dance. Afterward, several people from the audience jumped onstage to learn the steps.
Here are some photos from the festival:
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Rolling on the river
My mom recently bought some tickets for her and my stepdad to see TINA TURNER, the Queen of Rock, in concert in Houston on Oct. 27. Well.. it turns out my stepdad has some big important meeting in New Orleans that day and won’t be able to go after all.
So, guess who gets to go instead? Yes, that would be me!
It gets better — the seats are in the second row, center stage!
As my mom said, “That means there’s going to only be one person between me and Tina.”
In preparation, I’ve been practicing THE PROUD MARY DANCE. Any true Tina fan knows what dance I’m talking about. I figure if I do it really well, Tina will pull me up on stage and beg me to join her backup dancers.
Well, a girl can dream.
For those who have no clue what dance I’m talking about, here you go:
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Remembering Shelley
It’s hard not to notice that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. There’s pink everywhere you go. Even my yogurt tops are pink this time of year.
Sadly, it’s a pretty safe assumption to say that everyone knows someone who has had breast cancer.
I wanted to take a moment to tell you about my cousin Shelley Gomez Tipton, who died of breast cancer shortly after she turned 30.
Shelley was the kind of girl who had such a tender heart, that sometimes people took advantage of it. She was just a year younger than me — the same age as my sister, Jean. You could always count on her to make you laugh, roll your eyes or to get you in trouble. Not the really bad kind of trouble. One time, when we were about 10, she convinced me it was a good idea to walk to the ice cream shop without telling my parents — or without taking any money. Well, we ended up getting free ice cream, but it came at a price when my parents found out what we had done.
Shelley was just 25 when she discovered a lump in her breast that turned out to be breast cancer. We worried, but didn’t even consider any outcome but a positive one, because she was the epitome of a strong, healthy woman. Sure enough, she made it through chemo and went into remission.
One thing Shelley always wanted was to be a mom. After she married her high school sweetheart, it was high on her priority list. A few years after she went into remission, she became pregnant and gave birth to her son, Mason. Everything was great, until she discovered her cancer was back.
I was living in Houston, and Shelley in Victoria, during the time she was undergoing this second battle. Things were much more serious this time, but I could not wrap my head around the thought of her not making it. It just seemed impossible. When I got the call that the end was near, my sister and I headed to Victoria to see her. I honestly thought I would walk into her room and see that it had all been blown out of proportion — that she was fine.
I was wrong.
I was shocked at how fragile she was, lying in the hospital bed in my aunt’s home. Her sisters and brothers were there, along with some of our other relatives. Everyone had circled her bed, and we were praying as she struggled to breathe. It seemed like an eternity between each breath, and I kept thinking each one sounded so very painful.
As we were praying, I couldn’t help but get angry. I kept thinking, “Why would God let this girl suffer like this, when there are evil people out there who don’t even deserve to live?” It was really a true faith crisis for me and I felt like a hypocrite praying when I was so angry at the injustice of it all.
A few minutes later something happened to change all that.
In the middle of our prayers, I felt the room get still. I could hear my cousin Kathie, Shelley’s older sister, outside playing with Shelley’s son. He started laughing and the sound seemed magnified, like it took up the whole room. Then I felt something wash over me, starting with the top of my head and going all the way down to my feet. It’s hard to describe it, but that’s the best way I know how. Then I felt peace — complete and utter peace. It was the most amazing feeling and at that instant I felt my faith restored.
We all collectively realized Shelley had not taken another breath. She died surrounded by love.
I don’t talk about that experience of being there much, because it was so intensely personal, but it was a life-changing moment for everyone who experienced it. Later, when we were talking about it, we all realized that we felt that same peaceful feeling come over us right before she died.
My cousin, who was outside, said that Mason had started laughing when a flock of birds suddenly took flight from a tree in front of the window where Shelley was lying. That was the laughter I heard. Maybe it seemed so unusually loud because it was meant to be the last sound his mother would hear. And maybe those birds were to be her escort to a better place.
That’s the way I like to think of it, at least.
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Scenes from the Senior Expo
Everyone had a great time at this year’s Senior Expo, held Tuesday at the Pitser Garrison Civic Center.
The event was hosted by The Lufkin Daily News and Memorial Health System of East Texas.
Thanks to everyone who stopped by our booth!
Here are some photos from the scene:
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Senior Expo going on now!
There’s still time to head out to the Senior Expo! The event is being held at the Pitser Garrison Civic Center until 2 p.m. today.
There are plenty of vendors on hand, giving out information about their services and products. There are tons of door prizes being given away as well.
Robert Cerbo is providing musical entertainment and Blue Bell, The Finish Line Subs, Lufkin Coca-Cola and The Olive Garden are handing out delicious samples of their food, drink and/or desserts.
Our wonderful advertising reps are manning the golf carts to drive you from the parking lot to the Civic Center. We are also handing out free copies of today’s paper and issues of Charm (while supplies last).
You don’t want to miss it!
Check back later for pictures of all the fun!
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Forest Festival Fun
Yesterday was the first day of the Texas State Forest Festival. I had a great time selling tickets and saying “hello” to everyone who came to our ticket booth.
Below are a few scenes from the petting zoo and from the dance competition.
If you haven’t had a chance to make it by yet, here are a few recommendations: fried Twinkies, chopped beef sandwiches and fresh squeezed lemonade!
For more information about the Forest Festival, including a downloadable schedule of events, go to http://www.texasforestfestival.com.
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Pedicures are like crack
Bastille My Heart
We’ll Always Have Paris
Eiffel for this color
I’ve never been much of a high-maintenance girl. I’ve never had my nails done; I’ve never had a massage; I go months in between hair cuts; and I normally do my own pedicures.
One day early this summer I decided on a whim to have a professional pedicure. Now I’m hooked to the point where I try to go every other week. However, between the hurricanes and other work and mom stuff, I hadn’t had time to go in a month.
Yesterday I finally made the time. I grabbed a book I checked out from the library, “Remember Me?” by Sophie Kinsella, put the chair on a rolling massage setting, and sat back and let myself be pampered. It felt great to get back to some sense of normalcy.
One of my favorite things about getting a pedicure is picking out the nail polish. This time I changed from my summer pink shade, “Don’t Know… Beets Me” to Chick Flick Cherry.
For Fall/Winter 2008, the fashion forecast is “rich, sensuous colors inspired by the effortless elegance of French fashion,” according to the O.P.I. Web site. The colors are purples, taupes, deep red/burgandy and browns.
The names of O.P.I.’s La Collection De France, echo the French inspiration: Louvre Me Louvre Me Not, Parlez-Vous Opi?, Tickle my France-y, Bastille My Heart, We’ll Always Have Paris, Yes… I Can-Can!, A Oui Bit of Red, You Don’t Know Jacques!, I’m Fondue of You, Eiffel for This Color, Baguette Me Not, Crepes Suzi-ette.
I wonder who names all the O.P.I. nail polish shades? That has to be the second-best job ever!
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The aftermath
We made it through the storm! And thankfully, my family in the Houston area are all safe as well, although they have varying degrees of damage, etc.
We were very fortunate to not have any structural damage to our house, although some of our neighbors had trees fall on their houses. I live in Brookhollow, and a drive through the neighborhood revealed all kinds of damages — trees, fences, roofs, debris…
I take Southwood Dr. to work, and the damage to homes along that street is also very extensive. I can imagine the scene is the same all around town.
But, just like the aftermath of Rita, I have noticed neighbor helping neighbor, stranger helping stranger. It’s easy to get caught up in the stories of people fighting over generators or gas or whatever, but there are as many good stories out there as there are bad ones.
Do you have a story to share? If so, feel free to post it here.
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The calm before the storm
I just took a relaxing bath, complete with a glass of wine and some soothing music, in anticipation of the stress I’m expecting over the next day or so.
After soaking for nearly an hour, I walk out onto my backyard deck to see if anything has changed weather-wise. The wind has kicked up a bit, I notice, but rather than being scary it’s hypnotic. I sit on the deck box, hugging my legs close, and listen to the trees rustle. It’s a sound I’ve always found comforting and I still do now, even though I know things are going to get worse.
I sit there for a bit — in the dark, with my dog my only company. This is perfect “thinking” weather. On nights like this I can spend hours lost in my head. It’s so peaceful that it’s easy to forget that this is the calm before the storm.
But it is exactly that.
I pray that everyone stays safe.
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Ike
While we were spared a hit from Gustav, it looks as if this time we’re going to be facing some pretty intense weather.
I wish all of you a safe ride through the storm.
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I am thankful I have a wife of 35 yrs that still loves me. I am thankful for two sons who love the Lord and serve Him.I am thanksful my youngest son came back from the Marine Corp after two tours of Iraq safe. I am thankful the Lord has blessed me with
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