Kathleen Patel's Blog, page 2

Kerri On~ Journey of bullied girl; from an abused Hells Angels wife to brave mother and more...

Kerri On is the debut novel in a trilogy by author Kerri Krysko. The courageous Ms. Krysko bears her heart and soul in this gut wrenching memoir. It is a tale of a lonely little girl who was abused by all who should have loved and nurtured her; bullying in its purest form. 
Bullying in its most excruciatingly painful form...
The abuse set the stage for a lifetime of abuse. The pattern of history repeating itself while Ms. Krysko searched for that elusive feeling of belonging...of fitting in...of being loved...for prince charming to come and sweep her off her feet and take her away from all of her pain. 
Like all beautiful girls who suffer from low self-esteem and lack of self-confidence, she was drawn to the bad boys. They always seem to start out as the answer to her dreams but ended up being nightmares. Kerri was always able to pull herself together and gather up the strength to leave these monsters.  That was until she met "The Beast". He was charismatic and manipulative and knew exactly which buttons to push. 
The Beast was the king of all the bad boys; he was a high ranking, “full patch” member of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Gang. He dazzled her with his power, money & sexual prowess. People were afraid of him and gave him VIP treatment and soon she found that she was also receiving VIP treatment. But there was a very high price to pay...
The Beast was so diabolical that through his constant verbal and physical abuse he was able to beat her down psychologically and physically until she felt powerless.
For the sake of her children Kerri knew she had to find the strength to break free. She decided to start her own  journey, to revisit and explore her past to figure out how she got where she is today, and to escape her nightmare.
I'm really looking forward to the second book in the trilogy...at the edge of my seat!
Buy the book here
Kerri's Website here

Murder for Glacier Blue- full of chilly twists & turns!

MURDER FOR GLACIER BLUE is the third in this series and I had been waiting patiently for its arrival. I love anything Diane Rapp writes, but this series has a special place in my heart.  I fell in love with the characters and could not wait to see what was in store…
Kayla and her fiancé, Steven Young, are finally going to wed!   They can’t resist the invitation to an Alaskan cruise with their cruise line friends, so they mix a bit of business and pleasure.  With Kayla’s knack for sniffing out and solving mysteries, and Steve’s background in the undercover world of intelligence, they are the perfect lead to a team formed to provide security for a multimillion dollar art collection.
The gang must ensure the safety of a collection of authorized copies of original art that are exhibited alongside the original paintings and then they will be auctioned.  The stakes are high and the crooks are lurking around every corner and don’t even get me started on Steve’s ex-wife and her hidden agenda!
True to her style, Diane Rapp takes us on this cruise with breathtaking scenes that are described in such detail; you can feel the cool sea breeze on your face. You’ll enjoy the whale watching and the wildlife, but you will never forget your first view of the glacier.
This cruise is full of surprises and is definitely going to keep you on the edge of your seat!

Buy the book here
Diane Rapp's Website  

Review of The Schliemann Legacy...D.A. Graystone never disappoints!

Ever since I read Two Graves, D.A. Graystone has been one of my favorite authors. 
Mr. Graystone sweeps you off your feet and on to an adventure that is so dramatic you feel as though you know the characters personally.
The Schliemann Legacy is an international thriller that takes you across the globe. Danger lurks in Munich, Bogotá, Israel, Turkey and Jamaica, but you will follow these personalities with fervor.  
The story begins at an archaeological dig in Turkey in 1873. The Schliemann Legacy, a collection of artifacts that proved the existence of Troy, is unearthed. Unfortunately the collection disappears during World War II.
As you meet the characters you will feel a wide range of emotion.  You may cry when you learn of the horrific childhood that shaped David Morritt, a special agent for the Israel government. He survived the atrocities of the holocaust, due to the kindness of a man that took him under his wing.
You will probably dislike Duman, a former KGB agent, is a brutal terrorist, but you will have find yourself in awe of his skills. He chose this Turkish name that means mist or smoke.
Katrina Kontoravdis will capture your curiosity. An undercover Greek agent, she had been taken out of the field after a tragic death in which she was unfairly blamed. She is given this assignment as a test. If she can get through it with her life, then maybe she can resume her career. The odds are against her.
International agents, assassins and terrorists, they are but puppets when the gluttonous Henri Mardinaud starts his twisted game. (You will definitely hate him)
The story moves quickly and more interesting characters emerge.  There are murders, bombings and constant danger as the race begins to retrieve the treasure.  But even amongst the mayhem and violence, a pure love is able to bloom.
Find the book hereD.A. Graystone website hereFollow D.A, Graystone on Twitter

How I Became The Anti-Bullying Crusader

My childhood was shattered when I was seven years old. My family moved to a new city. I was starting my second grade in a new school. Being a bit on the shy side, I was nervous, but excited. I hoped that I would make nice friends.

On the first day of school my world came crashing down. That was the day that the bully decided to make me his target.

 No one would defy him to be my friend.  They were afraid.  This could result in the bully focusing his abuse on them.  Even the teachers ignored the abuse. I was completely alone.  It was an unbelievably painful experience, with scars that run deep
.
Although there were daily incidences of cruelty, there is one particular event that left me so traumatized; I was inflicted with a life-long phobia. The bully was very good at football. He played with his followers every day at recess. As always, I stood alone, by a wall, wishing I were invisible,  counting down the minutes until the dreaded recess was over. This day, the bully wanted to have some additional fun.  While I was looking away, never wanted to make eye contact with him, he aimed the football at my face and threw it with all his might.  The ball hit me with such an impact that it broke my glasses. When the glasses broke, one of the lenses cut into my eyebrow, while the frames cracked, with a jagged piece piercing the bridge of my nose. The pain was unbearable and I began to cry.  This delighted the bully and he began to laugh. Soon the nervous laughter of his followers joined him in an evil chorus. This attack required several stitches, leaving scars,  both physical and emotional.

 It had a profound and damaging effect on my life. I never participated in any sports that involved catching a ball.  I was afraid of any flying objects.

Because of the bullying,  I suffered from anxiety, depression and insecurity. I spent sleepless nights with stomach pains caused by the terror of what new brutality the next day might bring.

I was a sad and lonely child.

One day I found my escape.

I discovered books…reading.

These books opened new worlds for me. Thanks to Rudyard Kipling and his ‘Jungle Book’, I could travel to India.  I was dazzled by Mowgli and his family of wolves.  I could see the jungle and became acquainted with all the characters- lovable or not.  I was enchanted.

 I discovered Nancy Drew. Everyone wanted to be Nancy Drew.  She was smart, fearless and cool.  She was wealthy.  I also fell in love with Trixie Belden and her friends. I felt like I knew these characters; as though they were my friends.
I read quite a variety of books; whatever I could get my hands on. We didn’t have much money, so my books were gems discovered at garage sales.
One day I found the book that changed my life forever. The Power of Positive Thinking, by Norman Vincent Peale.  His guides to life were simple:

If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31

If thou can believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. Mark 9:23

One of his most powerful quotes says, “The way to happiness: Keep your heart free from hate, your mind from worry. Live simply, expect little, and give much. Scatter sunshine, forget self, think of others. Try this for a week and you will be surprised.”

By putting into practice what I learned from Norman Vincent Peale, I slowly started to heal and become strong.

I went on to have a very successful career as a sales and marketing executive in the software industry. I worked this way for many years and made a nice living, but something was missing.  I felt empty inside.  I wanted to do something meaningful.

I started writing.

I wanted to write books that were fun and easy to read, but I wanted them to deliver a message of love and acceptance. I wrote four fiction books with one of them geared towards young adults/tweens called Hiren’s Magical Adventure. This mystery was loosely based on my own husband, Hiren’s, childhood experiences, growing up in India.

I also wrote a book on anti-bullying called The Bullying Epidemic- the guide to arm you for the fight. I offered the book free of charge, as a public service at first, but Amazon would no longer allow free books, so I started charging and putting the proceeds back in to the Bullying Epidemic Foundation.
But it was not enough.

Teen suicide was on the rise, along with other horror stories that were the result of the escalating bullying epidemic. Through my own research, I discovered that people were in desperate need of education on bullying.  Teachers were frustrated; not being able to recognize the different types of bullying and not being equipped to deal with the behavior. Parents still held on to the old adage of “Kids will be kids…” All the while, innocent spirits were being crushed.

 I knew I had to do more. That was when I decided I had to start speaking. I started to speak, on a small scale, at libraries and small venues. The word spread and people started calling me…and calling me.  I found that the bullying epidemic was more wide spread than I had imagined. Parents, teachers, coaches, camp counselors & students called me for help.  I was even invited to speak in Ireland, India and the Philippines. I offered these seminars as a public service and did not charge a fee.

There is so much more work to do.   I want to help the educators, parents and students. I know that we can put an end to this blight on society. This much I know is true.

“With ignorance comes fear- from fear comes bigotry. Education is the key to acceptance.” ~
Kathleen Patel, The Bullying Epidemic-the guide to armyou for the fight

For more information on The Anti-Bullying Crusader, please visit my other blog here.

Bullying scars run deep

 
There are memories in my childhood that are still so painful I try not to think about it.  When those memories do come rushing back, the tears begin to flow. It's hard to believe that after all these years; I can feel the sadness as though it were yesterday.
You see, when I was a little girl, I was the victim of bullying.  I had just moved to a new city with my parents and I was starting at a new school.  I missed my old friends, but I hoped I would make some nice new friends.  I was kind of shy and quiet so I was nervous.  But it was exciting.  I didn't know what to expect- but I never expected what happened. 
On my first day of school, the bully in my class decided to single me out.  Looking back- it seems so absurd that someone can randomly pick an innocent child and then terrorize them based on something like their name or the fact that they wear glasses.  It's also hard to believe that this boy had so much power over the rest of the children- no one dared to confront him.  He could make other children join in with the taunting and teasing.
No one would defy him to be my friend.  They were afraid.  This could result in the bully focusing his abuse on them.  Even the teachers ignored the abuse.
Then there were the school rituals that fed right into the bully culture.
When it came to gym class there was a dreaded process that the teachers used to build the teams.  The teachers picked a couple of children to be the "Team Captains", and then those children would pick their teams.  It was so humiliating.  I knew I would be the last one chosen.  I didn't even want to play because the bully and his friends always welcomed the opportunity to hit me with the ball or just run into me and knock me to the ground. 
He made my life a sad and lonely hell.  It wasn't just the taunting and name calling.  At recess he and his friends just tortured me.  Between the taunting and being hurt physically, it was terrorism.  He once hit me in the face with a football and I still remember how badly that hurt.  I cried but no one came to my rescue.
My mother told me to ignore him.  I did.  It didn't change anything.  I had a very ignorant relative that asked me, what was wrong with me ?  There must be something wrong with me or the kid would not pick on me. 
I didn't know.  At this point I was confused.  I was only seven years old. Maybe something was wrong with me. But what changed? I had a lot of friends at my old school.  We all got along really well.  I didn't understand.
I had a hard time falling asleep at night because I had a pain in my stomach.  I was afraid of what would happen the next day at school.  I loved Fridays, I cherished my weekend reprieve from the suffering, but I started feeling sick on Sunday morning, knowing it was only a matter of hours...
I prayed and prayed to God to make the bully leave me alone, but the bullying never stopped.  Thankfully after a couple of years the school closed.  I went to a new school.  The bully went to a different school. 
 Everything changed.  I was back to being a normal kid with friends.  Thank God.
That happened to me many, many years ago and yet when I think about it or talk about it, I start to cry.  I cry for that helpless little girl so many years back and I cry for my young nieces and nephews- I never want them to go through anything like that.  And I cry for the children that were bullied so badly they felt there was no way out and they killed themselves.  Now their parents and brothers and sisters will always wish they had done something.   No innocent child deserves to be bullied. 
I believe the solution is education.  Everyone needs to be aware of the signs of bullying and what to do when you spot a situation.  That is why I wrote a short handbook with some great resources.  You can get your copy  here.
Do you know that there are different types of bullying?
Physical Bullies
This includes hitting or kicking the victim.  Also taking or damaging the victim's property. This is the most obvious type of bullying because it is so easy to spot. Physical bullies are usually known to the entire population in the school.


Verbal Bullies
Verbal bullies use words to hurt or humiliate another person. This would include name-calling, insulting, making racist comments and teasing. This type of bullying is the easiest to inflict on other children. It can be done quickly and on the sly.  Its effects can be more devastating than physical bullying, because these scars stay with you forever.

Relational Bullies 
Relational bullies use the fact that all kids want to be accepted by their peer group, and they use it as a weapon. These bullies manipulate and damage the relationships of their victims. They do this by spreading rumors, exclusion, gossip and ending friendships – and the hurt they create can be enormous. A relational bully often has the sophistication needed to fracture another student's relationships and turn them, over time, into a social outcast.

Cyber Bullies 
This is the deadliest and most cowardly form of bullying.  It includes tormenting, threatening, harassing and embarrassing a student using the Internet, cell phones and other technology. This allows the bully a cowardly level of anonymity. These bullying targets are nine times more likely to consider suicide. 


Read more: Relational Bullying – The Power and Pain of Social Bullying For more on types of bullying click here.
This could be a great opportunity to open the dialog with the children in your life:
Can you identify the type of bullying in the scenarios below?
This is a situation where Ally and Bella are playing and then Jenny asks them if she can play too.  Ally and Bella roll their eyes and tell Jenny that she can not play with them   
This is hurtful and Jenny will feel that she is being left out or ostracized.  This is relational bullying.
Here's another situation where Bobby and Nick think it's really funny to hide Jimmy's coat.  Jimmy asks them if they know where it is, but they will not tell him.  Jimmy is upset.  He has to go to recess, in the cold, with no coat.  Plus, he will get in trouble at home when he must tell his parents that he lost his coat.   
This is cruel and humiliating.   This is physical bullying.
In this situation Jenny walks in the bathroom and finds Ally and Bella combing their hair.  Jenny says, "Hi." and Ally and Bella ignore her and then Ally says, "Why are your sleeves rolled up Jenny- it's winter!" and then Ally and Bella laugh at Jenny.  Jenny leaves the bathroom in tears.  She will be upset all day and have a hard time sleeping that night.  She is humiliated and hurt.   
This is hurtful and humiliating.  It is very mean to make fun of someone and laugh at them.  This is verbal bullying.
Another situation could be where Bobby and Nick are playing on the basketball team and they never pass the ball to Jimmy-even when Jimmy is in the perfect position and he's open to catch the ball. 
This is wrong.  It is hurtful and mean to exclude Jimmy. Everyone deserves their turn.   This is relational bullying.
In life- not just sports- we must realize that we only win when we are team players.  When we work together as a team we always succeed.  We all need to treat each other with kindness and love.  God said, "Treat others as you would want to be treated."  So before you do something mean or thoughtless to someone- think of how you would feel if they did the same to you?
Here are some random facts about bullies:
Even though a bully will insult their victim and try to ridicule the way the victim looks, the fact is- most bullies are unattractive.
The purpose of bullying is to hide the fact that they are not very smart.  In reality, they are weak and incompetent.  They want to take all attention away from their inadequacy.
Even though the bully puts on a big show, with the ability to attract and intimidate many followers, bullies have low self-confidence and low self-esteem, and thus feel insecure. Low self-esteem is a factor proven in all studies of bullying. 
Bullies operate on resentment, bitterness, hatred and anger, and often have wide-ranging prejudices against anyone who is different. Bullies are driven by jealousy and envy. Rejection is another powerful motivator of bullying.
Today, bullying behaviors at school are recognized as dangerous and harmful acts that victimize the targeted student and bystanders. Bullying can no longer be dismissed as harmless teasing.  Bullying is a pattern of deliberate, negative, hurtful, aggressive acts that works to shift the balance of physical, emotional, or social power.  This is a hate crime.  Yes a crime. 
They are currently working on legislature to pass laws that will ensure if someone if convicted of bullying, as a child, they will go to a juvenile detention facility or if they are a teenager or adult, they will most likely be tried as an adult and go to prison.
If you are or have been a victim of a bully, you are in good company.  Some famous people who have been bullied include:Lady GagaRobert Patterson- yes, Edward from TwilightKristen Stewart- Bella from TwilightTaylor Lautner- Jacob from TwilightDaniel Radcliffe- star of Harry Potter moviesEmma Watson- the star from the Harry Potter moviesMiley CyrusPrince HarryKate MiddletonMichael PhelpsChristine AguilaraChris RockPierce Brosnan- that's James BondBill Clinton- a former president of the United StatesTiger WoodsDemi LovatoRhiannaTaylor SwiftJustin TimberlakeSo, please keep your eyes open.  Whether you are a student or a parent or a teacher,   you must watch out for your fellow "team members".   As a decent human being, it is every one's responsibility to keep our children safe.  Remember, "It takes a village to raise a child".  If you see any bullying behavior- be brave and do the right thing.  Your action could save a life.As I mentioned earlier, I have written a short handbook to help you spot the signs and know what to do when you recognize bullying behavior. It's called, The Bullying Epidemic-the guide to arm you for the fight' and you can get your copy here:  Let's get the word out! 

Does the weather affect your health?

Some people claim they can predict the weather by physical changes in their bodies.  Have you ever heard of the grandmother who knew when it was going to storm because her hip was aching? Or the coworker who always got headaches when there was a dramatic change in the temperature?
As someone who experiences migraines, I have always been curious about this connection.  According to the Mayo Clinic, people who have migraines appear to be more sensitive to changes in the weather. Weather-related triggers include: Bright sunlightHot or cold temperaturesHigh humidityDry airWindy or stormy weatherBarometric pressure changesApparently weather changes can wreak havoc with the balance of brain chemicals. One in particular is serotonin, which can prompt a migraine. Weather-related triggers also may worsen a headache caused by other triggers. It’s a vicious cycle!
Weather parameters known to affect health include humidity, barometric pressure and temperature. They can trigger migraine, asthma, arthritis or heart disease.
Linking weather to your health is not a new discovery.  The InternationalSociety for Biometeorology was founded in 1956 to connect scientists interested in the subject. 
It wasn’t until 1986 that Dr. John Bart, a medical practitioner in Toronto, took it a step further. He noticed that patients were having similar complaints on the same days. Wondering if weather could be the common factor, he asked one of his patients, meteorologist Denis Bourque, if evidence for such a link existed. Mr. Bourque was intrigued by the possibility.

After much research the two found that, in fact, much European literature supported the weather health theory. From this, Bart and Bourque set out to develop an index that would map specific weather conditions known to trigger health. The results of their work are 14 distinct categories of weather known to affect health. MediClim.com was born.
MediClim can warn people when they are most susceptible to flare ups from migraine, asthma, arthritis or heart disease. You can check it out here.
So what can we do? We obviously can't change the weather. However, we can learn which weather changes are troublesome and take steps to lessen their effects: Keep a diary for your headache, arthritis, allergy or other ailment, listing each symptom, when it happened, how long it lasted and what could have caused it. This can help you determine if you have specific weather triggers.Monitor weather changes and avoid triggers if at all possible. For example, stay indoors during very cold or windy weather if these factors appear to trigger your issues.Make healthy lifestyle choices — eat healthy foods, exercise regularly, get enough sleep and keep your stress under control. These factors can help reduce your inflammation and improve your overall health.

Review~The Schliemann Legacy~ @DAGraysone never disappoints!

Ever since I read Two Graves, D.A. Graystone has been one of my favorite authors. 
Mr. Graystone sweeps you off your feet and on to an adventure that is so dramatic you feel as though you know the characters personally.
The Schliemann Legacy is an international thriller that takes you across the globe. Danger lurks in Munich, Bogotá, Israel, Turkey and Jamaica, but you will follow these personalities with fervor.  
The story begins at an archaeological dig in Turkey in 1873. The Schliemann Legacy, a collection of artifacts that proved the existence of Troy, is unearthed. Unfortunately the collection disappears during World War II.
As you meet the characters you will feel a wide range of emotion.  You may cry when you learn of the horrific childhood that shaped David Morritt, a special agent for the Israel government. He survived the atrocities of the holocaust, due to the kindness of a man that took him under his wing.
You will probably dislike Duman, a former KGB agent, is a brutal terrorist, but you will have find yourself in awe of his skills. He chose this Turkish name that means mist or smoke.
Katrina Kontoravdis will capture your curiosity. An undercover Greek agent, she had been taken out of the field after a tragic death in which she was unfairly blamed. She is given this assignment as a test. If she can get through it with her life, then maybe she can resume her career. The odds are against her.
International agents, assassins and terrorists, they are but puppets when the gluttonous Henri Mardinaud starts his twisted game. (You will definitely hate him)
The story moves quickly and more interesting characters emerge.  There are murders, bombings and constant danger as the race begins to retrieve the treasure.  But even amongst the mayhem and violence, a pure love is able to bloom.
Find the book hereD.A. Graystone website hereFollow D.A, Graystone on Twitter

Review~The Schliemann Legacy~ @DAGraysone does not disappoint!

Ever since I read Two Graves, D.A. Graystone has been one of my favorite authors. 
Mr. Graystone sweeps you off your feet and on to an adventure that is so dramatic you feel as though you know the characters personally.
The Schliemann Legacy is an international thriller that takes you across the globe. Danger lurks in Munich, Bogotá, Israel, Turkey and Jamaica, but you will follow these personalities with fervor.  
The story begins at an archaeological dig in Turkey in 1873. The Schliemann Legacy, a collection of artifacts that proved the existence of Troy, is unearthed. Unfortunately the collection disappears during World War II.
As you meet the characters you will feel a wide range of emotion.  You may cry when you learn of the horrific childhood that shaped David Morritt, a special agent for the Israel government. He survived the atrocities of the holocaust, due to the kindness of a man that took him under his wing.
You will probably dislike Duman, a former KGB agent, is a brutal terrorist, but you will have find yourself in awe of his skills. He chose this Turkish name that means mist or smoke.
Katrina Kontoravdis will capture your curiosity. An undercover Greek agent, she had been taken out of the field after a tragic death in which she was unfairly blamed. She is given this assignment as a test. If she can get through it with her life, then maybe she can resume her career. The odds are against her.
International agents, assassins and terrorists, they are but puppets when the gluttonous Henri Mardinaud starts his twisted game. (You will definitely hate him)
The story moves quickly and more interesting characters emerge.  There are murders, bombings and constant danger as the race begins to retrieve the treasure.  But even amongst the mayhem and violence, a pure love is able to bloom.
Find the book hereD.A. Graystone website hereFollow D.A, Graystone on Twitter

New Year's Resolution

As an expert at New Year’s resolutions, I have tried them all.  After all my research, I am here to tell you there is only one New Year’s resolution that can really change your life for the better. Are you ready to change your life?
You must learn to love yourself like a precious child. The lack of  self- love is the root cause of all of our problems.  We neglect ourselves, sometimes to the point of abuse. We work hard, skip meals or eat junk, don’t have time for exercise, fun…the list goes on. The fact is that many times we put ourselves last. We ultimately end up treating ourselves pretty badly.  We would never treat a precious child this way.
So let’s describe this as though you are now the parent of a precious child (which is you). This child is going to have to rely on you and your knowledge for everything.  You are going to embrace this child for the precious soul that it is, and teach the child how to live a happy, healthy life, rich with all the good things the world has to offer.
Forgiveness- not Judgment:  This is very important. You will need to be gentle and kind with your precious child (PC).  Be forgiving of mistakes.  We all make them and hopefully learn from them.  The key is to move on and do better! You must also make sure that other people do not mistreat the PC. There may be negative people who don’t add anything positive to your life. In fact, these people might even make you feel bad about yourself.  They can suck the joy out of living. Don’t expose your PC to these types.  Sometimes you have to just let go of those toxic relationships. Even though it might be painful-it’s sometimes necessary. Surround yourself with positive, happy people that make you feel good.
Social Interaction: You want your PC to have a happy, balanced life and you know that the social aspect is very important. Studies have shown that this is one of the keys to staving off dementia, as well as living to a ripe old age.  Interaction with others is another important part of a healthy and happy life. It could be meeting a friend for lunch once a week, joining a book club, doing a wine tasting,  taking a class, getting involved with your church, temple or mosque. It’s important to have something fun to look forward to least once a week.
Making a Contribution:  The key to feeding your soul is to do something that you believe makes a difference. I’ve always believed that the best way to make you feel better is to help someone else to feel better.   Make sure that you help your PC find their passion.  Maybe it’s visiting a pet shelter to show some love to lonely dogs and cats. You can touch many lives. Maybe it’s volunteering at a nursing home and spending some time with some elderly folks who feel as though they have been abandoned by the world. You can bring great joy.  Maybe helping to build a house for humanity is more your style.  Or perhaps you can find satisfaction in writing some letters to find justice for a cause that you feel strongly about.
Nurture: You must make sure that your PC gets enough sleep. Sometimes they will need a nice warm bath and a cup of tea to relax.  Maybe even a fragrant candle. Sometimes treating PC to a matinee is just the cure. PC might really enjoy a dinner date at a favorite restaurant.  A nice massage is always a treat. Dear little PC deserves only the best.
Nutrition: You know that good nutrition is important, so you will be sure that your PC get’s healthy food, full of fresh fruits, veggies, grains and lean protein.  Maybe it would be fun to join a group like Weight Watchers, so you can learn about a healthy diet and also have that group support. You want your PC to be at a healthy weight so that they never have to suffer from weight related health issues like Diabetes, heart disease and so on.
Exercise:  To keep little PC healthy, you will also make sure that exercise plays an important role.  We all know that exercise is imperative to a healthy body and life. You can cut your risk of heart disease, stroke, dementia and even cancer!  It doesn’t matter where you start. Even if you have to start with 5 minutes of walking a day, that’s a start.  You can slowly work your way up to 20 minutes a day.  You can actually choose whatever you and your PC enjoy.  Maybe swimming or dancing would be more fun.  Or perhaps a zumba or yoga class might appeal to you. How about a weekend of Ski Lessons? The sky is the limit!
It’s really all about loving ourselves. If we don’t take care of ourselves, then who will? Do you care enough to try?
Happy New Year to all and may 2013 be the best ever!

Picture courtesy of http://www.desirulez.net/announcement...

Review: The Schilemann Legacy- D.A. Graystone does it again!!

Ever since I read Two Graves, D.A. Graystone has been one of my favorite authors. 
Mr. Graystone sweeps you off your feet and on to an adventure that is so dramatic you feel as though you know the character personally.
The Schliemann Legacy is an international thriller that takes you across the globe. Danger lurks in Munich, Bogotá, Israel, Turkey and Jamaica, but you will follow these characters with fervor.  
The story begins at an archaeological dig in Turkey in 1873. The Schliemann Legacy, a collection of artifacts that proved the existence of Troy, is unearthed. Unfortunately the collection disappears during World War II.
As you meet the characters you will feel a wide range of emotion.  You may cry when you learn of the horrific childhood that shaped David Morritt, a special agent for the Israel government. He survived the atrocities of the holocaust, due to the kindness of a man that took him under his wing.
You will probably dislike Duman, a former KGB agent, is a brutal terrorist, but you will have find yourself in awe of his skills. He chose this Turkish name that means mist or smoke.
Katrina Kontoravdis will capture your curiosity. An undercover Greek agent, she had been taken out of the field after a tragic death in which she was unfairly blamed. She is given this assignment as a test. If she can get through it with her life, then maybe she can resume her career. The odds are against her.
International agents, assassins and terrorists, they are but puppets when the gluttonous Henri Mardinaud starts his twisted game. (You will definitely hate him)
The story moves quickly and more interesting characters emerge.  There are murders, bombings and constant danger as the race begins to retrieve the treasure.  But even amongst the mayhem and violence, a pure love is able to bloom.
Find the book hereD.A. Graystone website hereFollow D.A, Graystone on Twitter