From Missouri To Malawi
Melva Steen was born on a farm in Missouri, the second of seven children. After finishing high school in 1945, Melva planned on a career in nursing. Melva’s father was unhappy about this choice because like many people in those days, he felt that nurses were one step above prostitutes – after all detailed knowledge of the human body and physical contact with strangers were not “ladylike”. Melva’s mother intervened and her father loaned her the $150 tuition.
Melva attended the St. Luke’s School of Nursing in San Francisco. By the time she arrived at the school, Congress renewed the Cadet Nurse program, and Melva was able to return her father’s loan because she was elegible to receive free tuition from the program. (
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Dinner With A Local and What to Wear
We’ve discovered two useful travel-related websites that can help to make your next trip more enjoyable.
First, how often have you struggled with what to pack for a trip? I usually bring twice as much as I need, then have to deal with the extra weight. Helen got the idea for her website, WhatToWearOn Holiday.com while planning a trip. And the idea came up every time she traveled to a different place. (
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Winter Skin Revival
Around this time of year, skin starts looking pale and dull. If a visit to a spa isn’t in the cards, it’s a good time to do an at-home treatment. If you go to a day spa & get a microderm facial, that’s great. Otherwise, work on exfoliation at home to start.  Neutrogenia has an at-home microderm kit that gets good results. You might also try Murad exfoliating facial wash. Beauty.com has a special deal going on now, if you order $150 in products you will receive a gift of a $200 beauty kit containing a huge selection of high-quality product samples. So, it might be worth it to make a list and stock up on your favorite products.
While you’re exfoliating your face, don’t neglect your body. You can use a commercial exfoliator, or you can try an olive oil and coffee grounds scrub. Put some newspaper down on the shower floor to catch the excess, make a paste of the grounds and oil, then scrub all over. Brush off the excess, pick up the newspaper, and rinse off. (
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What About Love?
“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways”
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
My mother used to say that she always loved me, but there were times when she didn’t like me very much. I understood that. It meant that I had done something, not of her approval. We always expect our parents to love us, but as my mother reminded me, we are not commanded to love parents, only to honor. Love is complicated.
So what is love?
Love is a deep emotion that defies definition. It can be passionate, familial, platonic, romantic or devotional. It is so important to us, that without it, we are bereft and often psychologically distressed. To feel un-loved is tantamount to being unwanted. (
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Time For A Wardrobe Evaluation
This is a good time of year to clear out the winter clothing you haven’t worn this year, and go through your wardrobe for the upcoming spring and summer seasons.
Try on everything, and divide the results into keepers, donations, consignables (or give to friends). The keepers are garments that fit well, look good, and feel good. Consignables may be things you bought on impulse (it was such a bargain!), garments in excellent condition that don’t fit or just don’t work. Donations are lower-quality but still wearable items.
You may want some help with this process. Consider a session with a wardrobe/image consultant such as Michele Benza - http://www.michelebenza.com/main.htm or Brenda Kinsel - http://www.brendakinsel.com/ Or, just enlist the services of a good friend whose judgement you can trust. (
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Are GMO Foods Safe?
I admit that when I first heard about GMO’s (genetically modified organisms) years ago, I thought “what’s the fuss? After all, mutations are occurring all the time, all we are doing is speeding up the process, right? Well, no, as it turns out. The genetic engineering processes are far more diverse and potentially harmful than naturally-occurring mutations. They combine genes from widely varying organisms. In effect, the human race has become test animals for the makers of GMO’s. While so far at least, GMO’s that display a destructive trait have been destroyed in the lab, it may be a matter of time until something bad escapes. Laboratory accidents have been know to happen in the past. (
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The Story Of Stuff
One of the benefits of the recession is that we’re re-evaluating our relationship with stuff. Somehow, that constant have-to-have mentality is giving away to a new respect for frugality.
To reinforce that trend, here’s a cute and very informative video, click on this link, then
Click on the watch now button under the story of stuff box: http://www.storyofstuff.com/ (
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