Dear Editor:
Column submission for print or digital. No cost. 677 word count.
Stop obsessing over your muffin top
Yes, it happens to the best of us. Aging often brings on the muffin top. That jiggly piece of stomach that is squishy and squeezy. Also called belly fat, waistline flab, or roly-poly guacamole. Tight pants accentuate the tummy roll. Body-hugging shirts highlight the puffy pouch. The spare tire in the middle gets a lot of flak.
“Any woman can get a muffin top. But women are more likely to gain excess belly weight -- especially deep inside the belly -- as they go through perimenopause and into menopause, when their menstrual cycle ends. That's because as estrogen levels drop, body fat is redistributed from the hips, thighs, and buttocks (where it used to be stored as a fuel reserve for breastfeeding) to the abdomen,” according to article on WebMD.
Melting the muffin top is hard work for oldsters. Our metabolism slows down in the senior years and our bones, muscles and joints grumble at us. Forget the latest sad fad diet. Forget empty promises from diet supplement manufacturers. Forget pills and potions.
Yes, we can focus on stomach health while not becoming obsessed with our belly bulge. Here’s a mantra: “The fat on my stomach protects my vital organs. I will honor my stomach fat while working to make it healthier.”
Muffin Top: A Love Story is an award-winning movie about a wife whose husband dumps her for a thinner woman. It’s a 2014 body-image romantic comedy about accepting your muffin top stomach. And it’s belly-laugh funny. See the Trailer at wwwmuffintopmovie.com.
“Media exposure can influence body image over time by sending a message about what it means to have an ideal body shape, size, and weight. This exposure can place pressure on individuals to attain the thin, attractive ideal depicted in the media. For women, this ideal is usually composed of being slender and attractive; and for men, the ideal includes being tall, lean, muscular, and masculine. It is common for people to begin to measure themselves against these unrealistic ideals and determine that they have come up short. Negative body image, or body dissatisfaction, may result when an individual feels a strong pull to live up to this standard, or internalizes this standard of beauty and body image. Body image concern may range from minor discontentment or low self-esteem, to depression, or anxiety.” www.mirror-mirror.org.
At the end of life, did anyone ever lament, “I wished I’d worked harder on my muffin top?” No. So stop obsessing over your jelly-belly. Stop saying hurtful words to your ouch-pouch. Yoga pants and a long shirt can cover the wiggle-jiggle area quite well. It’s time for a new wardrobe for a midsection makeover. What’s a muffin top’s worst enemy? A pair of low-rider jeans and a snug tank-top. Throw away too-tight trousers. Being comfortable in your clothes is in style. And polyester stretch pants are fab.
Or proudly strut that jelly-belly. Head high and shoulders back. And dare those anorexic supermodels to make fun of females with pooches.
Hold on. You need to know about the different types of belly fat. But, don’t badmouth what’s below the belly button.
Subcutaneous Fat vs Visceral Fat
“Subcutaneous fat that lurks beneath the skin as “love handles” or padding on the thighs, buttocks or upper arms may be cosmetically challenging, but it is otherwise harmless. However, the deeper belly fat — the visceral fat that accumulates around abdominal organs — is metabolically active and has been strongly linked to a host of serious disease risks, including heart disease, cancer and dementia,” according to a 2017 article in The New York Times. So, converse with your physician as needed. What type of a muffin top do you carry around?
Wise words. A flat stomach does not equal happy. Six-pack abs do not equal happy. A toned tummy does not equal happy. A beefcake belly is not the holy grail to happy. A washboard waist is not the secret to a happy life.
“I have belly fat like everybody else, and I don't want to be airbrushed on the cover of a magazine.”—Amanda Seyfried
Melissa Martin, Ph.D., is an author, columnist, educator, and therapist. She lives in Ohio.
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Tractor Supply’s Fall Paper Clover Program Raises $967,681 for
4-H Youth Nationwide
Donations collected during 12-day campaign will send 4-H youth to camps and other
hands-on programming
(Oct. 28, 2019) – As part of ongoing efforts to support 4-H youth nationwide, Tractor Supply Company customers and team members raised $967,681 for the National 4-H Council during this year's Fall Paper Clover campaign. Because of the campaign’s success, thousands of 4-H youth across the nation will have the opportunity to participate in enriching programs and valuable learning experiences thanks to the dollars raised during the 12-day fundraiser.
This fall’s Paper Clover campaign, which ran from Oct. 9-20, followed the 2019 Spring Paper Clover campaign running from March 27-April 7. Total funds raised for 4-H in Tractor Supply’s 2019 Paper Clover Campaign were more than $1.8 million.
“The Paper Clover program gives 4-H youth the opportunity to learn and grow in subjects they are passionate about, and we are thrilled that our fall Paper Clover campaign allowed us to raise $967,681 to benefit our future leaders,” said Phil Reiter, vice president of national and local marketing at Tractor Supply Company. “We are proud to work with customers and team members who are dedicated to serving 4-H clubs.”
The money raised during the event goes to scholarship funding for numerous state-level 4-H programs, benefiting youth within the state it was collected. The camps and leadership experiences for scholarship recipients provide learning opportunities in animal care, woodworking, government and networking practices.
“We count on programs like Paper Clover to support the development of our students’ skills and passions,” said Jennifer Sirangelo, president and CEO of National 4-H Council. “Learn-by-doing programs help our youth become great leaders in their communities and beyond, and we are incredibly grateful to Tractor Supply for helping us provide new opportunities to 4-H chapters across the country.”
In the 10th year of partnership between Tractor Supply and National 4-H Council, the Paper Clover fundraiser has raised more than $14.1 million for 4-H students across the country thanks to the dedication and in-store involvement of Tractor Supply customers, team members and local 4-H groups. The 2020 Spring Paper Clover program will continue in March. For more information on the program, visit www.TractorSupply.com/4H.
About Tractor Supply Company
Tractor Supply Company (NASDAQ: TSCO), the largest rural lifestyle retailer in the United States, has been passionate about serving its unique niche, as a one-stop shop for recreational farmers, ranchers and all those who enjoy living the rural lifestyle, for more than 80 years. Tractor Supply offers an extensive mix of products necessary to care for home, land, pets and animals with a focus on product localization, exclusive brands and legendary customer service that addresses the needs of the Out Here lifestyle. With nearly 32,000 team members, the Company leverages its physical store assets with digital capabilities to offer customers the convenience of purchasing products they need anytime, anywhere and any way they choose at the everyday low prices they deserve. At September 28, 2019, the Company operated 1,814 Tractor Supply stores in 49 states and an e-commerce website at www.TractorSupply.com.
Tractor Supply Company also owns and operates Petsense, a small-box pet specialty supply retailer focused on meeting the needs of pet owners, primarily in small and mid-size communities, and offering a variety of pet products and services. At September 28, 2019, the Company operated 176 Petsense stores in 26 states. For more information on Petsense, visit www.Petsense.com.
About 4-H
4‑H, the nation’s largest youth development organization, grows confident young people who are empowered for life today and prepared for career tomorrow. 4‑H programs empower nearly six million young people across the U.S. through experiences that develop critical life skills. 4‑H is the youth development program of our nation’s Cooperative Extension System and USDA, and serves every county and parish in the U.S. through a network of 110 public universities and more than 3000 local Extension offices. Globally, 4‑H collaborates with independent programs to empower one million youth in 50 countries. The research-backed 4‑H experience grows young people who are four times more likely to contribute to their communities; two times more likely to make healthier choices; two times more likely to be civically active; and two times more likely to participate in STEM programs. Learn more about 4‑H at WWW.4‑H.ORG, or find us on Facebook and Twitter.
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Sen. Lee Reintroduces National Labor Relations Board Reform Bill
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) reintroduced the Protecting American Jobs Act Thursday, a bill that would strip the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) of its power to prosecute and adjudicate labor disputes.
The NLRB, an independent federal agency consisting of five political appointees, was established to carry out the National Labor Relations Act. However, it has historically ignored traditional standards of due process, operated under lengthy and bureaucratic procedures, and caved to political pressures.
The Protecting American Jobs Act would transfer the power to hear labor disputes back to federal courts, in line with the court system established by the Constitution. The NLRB would retain the power to conduct investigations, but would not be allowed to prosecute them.
“For far too long the NLRB has acted as judge, jury, and executioner, for labor disputes in this country,” Sen. Lee said. “The havoc they have wrought by upsetting decades of established labor law has cost countless jobs. This common sense legislation would finally restore fairness and accountability to our nation’s labor laws."
The bill is cosponsored by Sens. Tom Cotton (R-AR), Rand Paul (R-KY), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Ted Cruz (R-TX), and Marco Rubio (R-FL).
The full text can be found here.
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Students at 56 US schools to create ornaments for National Christmas Tree celebration in Washington, D.C.
Paul Morigi for the National Park Foundation
56 trees surround the National Christmas Tree in President’s Park each year. The trees are decorated with ornaments created by students in each state, territory and the District of Columbia.
WASHINGTON – At 56 schools across the country, students are creating one-of-a-kind ornaments for the 2019 National Christmas Tree display on the Ellipse in President’s Park. These handcrafted ornaments will adorn 56 smaller trees that surround the National Christmas Tree. The 56 trees represent each U.S. state, territory and the District of Columbia as part of the America Celebrates display.
“I never would have imagined I could actually create an ornament for the National Christmas Tree display that represents my entire state!” Kayden Moore, a seventh grade student at Harlem Middle School in Loves Park, Illinois said. “It is an honor that students from our small city were chosen for this once in a lifetime event!”
From state flowers to notable landmarks, students across the country are creating ornaments that celebrate their state, district or territory. Learn about last year’s student artists and ornaments.
“Everyone has a home but not everyone has the honor of representing their home in Washington, D.C.,” Danica Lambert, a seventh grader at St. James–St. John School in New Bedford, Massachusetts said. “My heart is filled with love and joy to be able to represent my home of Massachusetts.”
Through a partnership with the National Park Service, the U.S. Department of Education worked with state art and education agencies to identify elementary, middle and high schools whose students would create the ornaments for the America Celebrates display. Over 1,500 students will participate in this year’s project. The project is funded by the National Park Foundation.
"I am happy that other people get to see our work!" Brian Hunter, a sixth grade student at Marvin M. Sedway Middle School in North Las Vegas, Nevada, said. "I want to show everyone that we can do it!"
The America Celebrates display is one of the highlights of the National Christmas Tree experience, which will begin on Thursday, Dec. 5 with the 97th Annual National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony.
56 schools to create ornaments for 2019 National Christmas Tree display in President’s Park:
Alabama
Hamilton High School
Alaska
Valley Pathways High School
American Samoa
Leone High School
Arizona
Grand Canyon Unified School District
Arkansas
Monticello High School
California
West Valley High School
Colorado
Grand Mountain School
Connecticut
House of Arts, Letters and Science (HALS) Academy
Delaware
Cab Calloway School of the Arts
District of Columbia
Ballou High School
Florida
Suwannee High School
Georgia
Valley Point Middle School
Guam
Simon Sanchez High School
Hawaii
Maui High School
Idaho
Timberline High School
Illinois
Harlem Middle School
Indiana
Paoli High School
Iowa
Clear Creek Amana Middle School
Kansas
Cheney High School
Kentucky
Adair County High School
Louisiana
Dutchtown High School
Maine
Presque Isle High School
Maryland
North Hagerstown High School
Massachusetts
St. James - St. John School
Michigan
NorthPointe Christian High School
Minnesota
Riverside Christian School
Mississippi
Florence High School
Missouri
Carthage High School
Montana
Hellgate High School
Nebraska
Lutheran High Northeast
Nevada
Marvin M. Sedway Middle School
New Hampshire
Belmont Middle School
New Jersey
Morris County School of Technology
New Mexico
Los Alamos Middle School
New York
Averill Park High School
North Carolina
Bethel School
North Dakota
Simle Middle School
Northern Mariana Islands
Saipan Southern High School
Ohio
Firelands High School
Oklahoma
Coweta High School
Oregon
Howard Street Charter School
Pennsylvania
Danville Area Middle School
Puerto Rico
Ernesto Ramos Antonini Fine Arts School
Rhode Island
Exeter-West Greenwich High School
South Carolina
Johnston-Edgefield-Trenton Middle School
South Dakota
Sisseton Middle School
Tennessee
D-B EXCEL
Texas
Lyford Middle School
Utah
Whitehorse High School
Vermont
The School of Sacred Heart Saint Francis de Sales
US Virgin Islands
Arthur Richards K-8 School
Virginia
Appomattox Regional Governor’s School for the Arts and Technology
Washington
Cavelero Mid High School
West Virginia
Robert L. Bland Middle School
Wisconsin
Wyoming
Red Creek Elementary School
Wyoming Indian Middle School
The National Christmas Tree Lighting has strong ties to education. In 1923, a letter arrived at the White House from the District of Columbia Public Schools proposing that a decorated Christmas tree be placed on the South Lawn of the White House. On Christmas Eve that year, President Calvin Coolidge walked from the Oval Office to the Ellipse and pushed a button that lit the first National Christmas Tree. It was a 48-foot fir donated by Middlebury College in Vermont.
Since 1973, the National Christmas Tree has been a living tree which can be viewed year-round in President’s Park – one of America’s 419 national parks! The National Park Service recently planted a new Colorado blue spruce to serve as the National Christmas Tree.
The National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony will kick off the holiday season with live musical performances, special guests and the official lighting of the National Christmas Tree. The festivities continue with a daily lighting of the National Christmas Tree, free evening musical performances and a chance to see the 56 state, district and territory trees and their ornaments up close from Dec. 9, 2019 through Jan. 1, 2020.
For more event information and updates, please visit www.thenationaltree.org or follow President’s Park on Facebook or Twitter. Join the conversation online using the hashtag #NCTL2019.
-NPS-
About the National Park Service: More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 419 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. The National Park Service has cared for the White House and its grounds since 1933. President’s Park, which includes the Ellipse and Lafayette Park, was officially included in the national park system in 1961. Visit us at: www.nps.gov, on Facebook: www.facebook.com/nationalparkservice, Twitter: www.twitter.com/natlparkservice, and YouTube: www.youtube.com/nationalparkservice.
About the U.S. Department of Education: The original Department of Education was created in 1867 to collect information on schools and teaching that would help states establish effective school systems. In 1980, Congress established the U.S. Department of Education as a Cabinet-level agency. While the agency’s name and location within the Executive Branch have changed over the past 150 years, this early emphasis on getting information on what works in education to teachers and education policymakers continues to the present day. Today, the Department operates programs that touch on every area and level of education. Its elementary and secondary programs annually serve over 18,000 school districts and more than 55 million students attending nearly 100,000 public schools and approximately 35,000 private schools. Department programs also provide grant, loan, and work-study assistance to about 16 million postsecondary students.
About the National Park Foundation: The National Park Foundation is the official charity of America’s national parks and nonprofit partner to the National Park Service. Chartered by Congress in 1967, the National Park Foundation raises private funds to help protect more than 84 million acres of national parks through critical conservation and preservation efforts and connect all Americans with their incomparable natural landscapes, vibrant culture, and rich history. Find out more and become a part of the national park community at www.nationalparks.org.
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Hi Dawn,
With recently released U.S. Census Bureau data showing that suburban population growth outpaced city growth in 2018, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2019’s Best Small Cities in America as well as accompanying videos.
To help Americans put down roots in places offering good quality of life and affordability, WalletHub compared more than 1,200 U.S. cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000 across 42 key indicators of livability. They range from housing costs to school-system quality to restaurants per capita.
Top 20 Small Cities in America
1. Leawood, KS
11. Needham, MA
2. Brentwood, TN
12. Leesburg, VA
3. Sammamish, WA
13. Princeton, NJ
4. Melrose, MA
14. Southlake, TX
5. Carmel, IN
15. Dublin, OH
6. Lexington, MA
16. Newton, MA
7. Milton, MA
17. Castle Rock, CO
8. Brookfield, WI
18. Arlington, MA
9. Fair Lawn, NJ
19. Littleton, CO
10. Cedar Park, TX
20. Franklin, TN
Best vs. Worst
To view the full report and your city’s rank, please visit:
https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-small-cities-to-live-in/16581/
=====================
Hi Dawn,
With recently released U.S. Census Bureau data showing that suburban population growth outpaced city growth in 2018, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2019’s Best Small Cities in America as well as accompanying videos.
To help Americans put down roots in places offering good quality of life and affordability, WalletHub compared more than 1,200 U.S. cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000 across 42 key indicators of livability. They range from housing costs to school-system quality to restaurants per capita.
Top 20 Small Cities in America
1. Leawood, KS
11. Needham, MA
2. Brentwood, TN
12. Leesburg, VA
3. Sammamish, WA
13. Princeton, NJ
4. Melrose, MA
14. Southlake, TX
5. Carmel, IN
15. Dublin, OH
6. Lexington, MA
16. Newton, MA
7. Milton, MA
17. Castle Rock, CO
8. Brookfield, WI
18. Arlington, MA
9. Fair Lawn, NJ
19. Littleton, CO
10. Cedar Park, TX
20. Franklin, TN
Best vs. Worst
To view the full report and your city’s rank, please visit:
https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-small-cities-to-live-in/16581/
=============
Dear Editor:
Column submission for print or digital. No cost. 674 word count.
Life is a circle and a dash
At the beginning of the circle is birth and at the end of the circle is death. But, life lives on in the DNA of humanity. Your life is a circle and so is mine. The dash represents what happens between the dates on our memorial marker.
“All my life's a circle; Sunrise and sundown; Moon rolls through the nighttime; 'Til the daybreak comes around. All my life's a circle; But I can't tell you why; Season's spinning round again; The years keep rollin' by.” Lyrics by Harry Chapin, an American singer-songwriter and humanitarian. Chapin was a man of charity and performed for myriad causes. And he walked his talk.
Chapin died to soon at the age of 38 in 1981. Extraordinary story-teller. His humble heart sang about relationships. “His principal contribution was his self-described ''story song,'' a narrative form that owed much to older talking blues and similar structures. The subjects of these songs were often common people with poignant or even melodramatic tales to tell - tales of lost opportunities, cruel ironies and life's hypocrisies,” according to a 1981 article in The New York Times.
I was blessed for the opportunity to listen to Chapin during an outdoor concern during my college years in Huntington, WV. Chapin remained dedicated to folk music and that’s why I admired him. He stands alongside of Peter, Paul, and Mary; Woody and Arlo Guthrie; and Bob Dylan—in my opinion.
“Cat’s in the Cradle,” Chapin’s 1974 folk rock song was a huge hit for him as well as “Taxi.” Listen to exclusive Harry Chapin music on his foundation website. The mission of the Harry Chapin Foundation is to support organizations that have demonstrated their ability to dramatically improve the lives and livelihood of people by helping them to become self-sufficient. www.harrychapinfoundation.org.
1942 – 1981. The dates on Chapin’s tombstone. The circle encompasses the dash in-between the numbers. Every deceased person has a dash. And Chapin lived his dash to the fullest.
The Dash Poem, written by Linda Ellis in 1996, can be found at wwwthedashpoem.com. “I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend. He referred to the dates on the tombstone from the beginning… to the end.”
“The Circle of Life” is a song from Disney’s 1994 animated film entitled, The Lion King. “It’s the circle of life. And it moves us all. Through despair and hope. Through faith and love. 'Til we find our place. On the path unwinding. In the circle. The circle of life.”
Aging is our reminder that daily living on Earth is to be cherished—because sooner or later we all die. It seems like the days of our youth flew by so quickly. The mirror reflects grey hair, wrinkles, and the passing of time. Our brain holds precious memories of what happened between the dash. The dash denotes change. Relationships rupture and repair. Relationship with our deity, ourselves, and others.
“Youth is a silly, vapid state, Old age with fears and ills is rife; This simple boon I beg of Fate - A thousand years of Middle Life,” penned Carolyn Wells.
Nonetheless, the seasons return.
Autumn of 2019 signifies the beginning of fall holidays: 2019 Thanksgiving and Christmas. Families and feasts. Bake the turkey and deck the halls. More memories in photo albums. The circle of life continues during our celebrations. Grandmothers and grandfathers pass away and the torched is passed down to others.
“Will the circle be unbroken, By and by, Lord, by and by. There’s a better home a-waiting in the sky, Lord in the sky. I was standing by my window, On one cold and cloudy day, When I saw the hearse come rolling, For to carry my mother away.” Lyrics by the Carter Family. The circle doesn’t end on Earth. The circle begins again in Heaven. That’s what I believe.
“So when your eulogy is being read, with your life’s actions to rehash, would you be proud of the things they say about how you lived your dash?”—Linda Ellis.
Melissa Martin, Ph.D., is an author, columnist, educator, and therapist. She lives in Ohio.
