Notes from History: King Addresses the War on Terror

Without even picking up my Washington Post, I can glance over and see that there are more bombings in Baghdad, increasing tension surrounding Iran, and racist comments from a Virginia delegate.

This time of year, the faithful reflect on the words and mission of Dr. Martin Luther King. Looking back at his eloquent speeches, I try to glean from his insight how we may apply his words to our nation’s, nay, our world’s current struggles.

What would King’s opinion be of Iraq, terrorism, ‘Dubya,’ and the stubborn, yet more covert, racism that still plagues this nation?

In my collegiate studies, I often visited a quote in my papers and discussions, said by King, which I still find relevant to many of the issues we face today.

"There is nothing more dangerous than to build a society, with a large segment of people in that society, who feel that they have no stake in it; who feel that they have nothing to lose. People, who have a stake in their society, protect that society, but when they don’t have it, they unconsciously want to destroy it."

–Martin Luther King

What an insightful view of the human condition! Rather than beefing up the military presence in far-off lands, which has the effect of intensifying hatred, maybe our respected political leaders ought to consider how we can empower those elements within societies that feel they have nothing to lose, those suicide-bombers, plane hijackers, and America’s own poor and marginalized.

It Works!

It has been weeks since I last posted. If you know me personally, you know that I am going through a pretty major life transition. Forgive me for the long absense.

On another note, I wish to update you on my progress with the South Beach Diet.

I am doing great, and I feel amazing. The first three days were challenging, as I craved sweets and bread. For the most part, I resisted, and opted for delicious low carb, high protein foods, like crab legs, pistacchios, and brocolli.

After the first week, I found that the cravings for unhealthy carbohydrates had subsided. I even went to Red Lobster and avoided the cheesy bread! At the end of the strict period, I rushed for the dessert tray, to "gradually" reintroduce sweets. Bad decision. Firstly, the sweet brownie treat was not as gratifying as I remembered, and I had to force myself to eat the few bites I actually took. Secondly, I got sick. Then the next day, at a meeting, I had coffee, with real sugar, and guess what? I got sick. Really sick. Being stubborn, the following day, I had a slice of apple pie...and got sick.

So, I returned back to the strict phase, where I am comfortable, but I have introduced sugar substitutes. I eat chocolate ice cream bars, made with Splenda. And drink an occasional Diet Pepsi. it satisfies my sweet tooth.

So, now, the moment you have all been waiting for. What are the hard results?

In the first week, I noticed no weight loss or reduction in inches. In the second week, I lost six pounds. Not impressed? What if I told you I have lost six pounds a week, since then? I did. I am so proud of myself. It isn't a difficult lifestyle change. And it feels so good when people notice the change.

I almost have an excuse to buy new clothes (which is worth giving up sweets).

More than I bargained for...

A few weeks ago, I ventured to my local mall. It is not exactly Tyson's Galleria, but I was able to score a brilliant white mesh top, and just in time for the bear-it-all summer season. I usually do not wear white, as it tends to make my already voluptuous upper half, look even more exaggerated, but when I found matching white sandals, well, it was worth bending my own rule...at least until it became time to actually wear the outfit.

Champaign is the picturesque small American town. You see a lot of comfort clothes, that is, jeans and sweatpants, but not much sophistication or glamour; so I was at a lost as to when and where I could wear my new purchase. However, on my recent vacation to the Virginia Beach area, I took advantage of the perfect opportunity to flaunt my new conquest--a barbecue. What a disaster! From the front, I looked pretty much as I expected...busty, but as I turned to the side to exit the bathroom, I caught a side view and could not believe what I saw. I looked huge. For the first time, I saw myself as "top heavy," or apple-shaped.

The apple-shaped body type refers to people, who, besides their torso, appear to be relatively thin, that is, the face, legs and arms. These people are less politely known as potbelly or beer-gut, when their weight is carried in the front. My weight seems to affect all areas of my torso evenly, including my back, breasts, and obliges.

Without hesitating, I jumped on the Internet and began to research solutions. What I learned was that the apple-shaped individual is at greater risk for adult-onset diabetes and heart disease and that genetics are largely responsible. However, lifestyle factors, such as diet and exercise, can prevent or reverse the effects. So, not only did I discover that I looked less desirable, but I was also seriously jeopardizing my health.

With so many programs out there for weight-loss, diet and exercise, anyone can be overwhelmed. In my research, I came across exercise gadgets, pills, fad diets, even hypnosis packages. Much of it was not even scientifically sound. So I decided to turn to the science of nutrition. Browsing through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's nutrition site http://www.nutrition.gov/, I found scholarly papers on topics such as the danger of processed food. This led me to go directly to the scholarly journals, including the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, The Journal of Nutrition, and The Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

Most of the information seemed to agree. Americans have an unhealthy addiction to fast food and processed carbohydrates. I cannot help but feel that this is in some way due to poor nutrition education. For example, I thought eating food advertised as "low-fat" food was smart, but much of this is simply high in processed sugar and low in nutrition. Also, product packaging can be deceptive. For example, a bran muffin may say on the package, only "100 calories" (per serving), but on the back of the package a serving is defined 1/3 of the muffin.

After studying the available information, the low carb, high protein diets seemed to make sense; but I cannot believe that humans aren't supposed to eat bread at all. Nearly every culture on earth, sense early man, has survived on some sort of bread as a staple food. Jesus even ate bread! However, I had heard good things about the popular South Beach diet, including that all carbohydrates are not off limits. So I decided to read The South Beach Diet, by Arthur Agatson, M.D., somewhat skeptically, because I know that most doctors are not educated in nutrition.

To my surprise, the book made a lot of logical sense. The story of how the diet came to be is convincing and verifiable, so I decided that this will be the diet for me. As you may already know, the South Beach Diet is broken into three stages, with the first phase being the strictest (lean meats, seafood, nuts, low-fat dairy and veggies only). I started my first day of the strict phase Sunday. I read that it would be tough, but it wasn't. For breakfast, I ate two boiled eggs and celery with peanut butter.) For lunch I had broccoli, a piece of cheddar and crab legs. For dinner, I enjoyed a wonderful salad of tomato, celery, cucumber, peas, broccoli and nuts on a bed of baby spinach leaves. I am taking a supplement, so I did not experience any drop in my level of energy, but I did notice a slight craving for my usual bread and fruit, but this is mostly because I continue preparing these items for my children.

Reportedly, people experience rapid weightloss in the strict phase (8 to 13 pounds), which usually lasts two weeks. The weightloss is noticeable in the midsection, where I need it most.
I will be combining my diet with regular exercise, including aerobic dance and pilates. I have taken my measurements and weighed myself, so I can update you on my progress.

-The Saucy Sister

Missing In Action

The Saucy Sister is on hiatus.
She will return soon.
Check back often for updates.

In the meantime contact The Saucy Sister with comments, suggestions and ideas for new discussion topics.
She looks forward to interacting with you.

Free Franchises: Become an Affiliate

It costs around $10,000 to purchase a candy vending franchise, and around $125,000 to get started with a dry cleaning franchise. I won’t even shock you with the outrageous cost associated with opening a friendly neighborhood fast-food chain. While choosing to purchase a franchise is a great idea and dramatically increasing your chances for success, the costs for just the licensing can be steep. Not everyone has access to the initial capital necessary to open a franchise, but this inconvenience has not stopped many business savvy entrepreneurs.

Today, many businesses, in almost every industry, offer individuals the opportunity to become affiliates. Businesses establish affiliate programs to encourage people to promote their product or service in exchange for a fee or commission. Think of it as profit-sharing. As an affiliate, you can be in business in minimal time, with little to no financial risk. There is no inventory to stock, no weekly meetings to attend, and most programs allow you the freedom to run your business however you see fit.

Most affiliates simply have a link to the website of the business that they are representing, in which they attempt to direct prospects to the product or service for credit. However, Shanita, one Maryland woman, whom I met at a DC business mixer, runs her affiliate business both on and offline. She is a reseller (affiliate) for a major satellite T.V. provider. For every new customer she refers, she gets a whopping $100. Not only did she have a website, which was provided for free by the program, but she also had business cards, flyers, and other print collateral explaining the latest promotion. Her commitment to this affiliate program runs deeper than just a banner on her personal website; she has successfully made it her full-time career.

If you are considering starting your own business, experiment with affiliate programs. Choose one that suits your interests, or a product that you already use and like. Promote your product or service online and offline. Compare the payout rates (commission structure) among competitors. The Internet offers thousands of great programs, but don’t be greedy; you will make more money if you specialize in only one or two industries. Finally, BEWARE of any program that charges you a fee to get started or an on-going monthly subscriber fee, because these are almost always illegitimate. Read the fine print.

If you are considering becoming an affiliate, feel free to contact me for friendly guidance. Click Here for a helpful resource to get you started.

-The Saucy Sister

All, Hail the Queen Mother

Yesterday, while on a family outing to Wal Mart (don't ask), my four year old daughter, Taylor, noticing all the flowers and balloons, asked me what holiday it was. I told her Sunday was Mothers’ Day and explained that it was a special day when we thank our mommies for the “mommy things” that they do. I felt it was a horrible explanation, but Taylor nodded as if she understood.

Then, this morning, before I was fully awake, Taylor crashed into my bedroom and jumped onto the bed. Wrapping her arms around me, she said, “Thank you, Mommy.”
I was surprised and puzzled. “Thanks for what?” I said.
“Thanks for the mommy things” she replied.
Loving that she remembered and wanting more of this appreciation, I asked, “What mommy things?”
“Staying [home] with me and…doing my hair,” she replied thoughtfully before jumping off the bed.

Even though I know it was prompted, it felt so fantastic knowing Taylor thought of me and was grateful for what she feels are my contributions. As I sat in my bed, watching Taylor skip out of my room, I thought to myself, “Mothers’ Day, what a wonderful idea!”

For me, Mother’s Day has always given me the opportunity to acknowledge my own mother. Lately, however, I feel a mild frustration on this day, in regards to expressing to my mother just how much she means to me. I can manipulate the English language with the precision of a politician, but I just can’t find the right combination of words to articulate how much I love her and how grateful I am for who she is.

We often think of our parents as superheroes when we are children; well, I never stopped seeing my mother this way. She sacrifices big, loves hard, and hurts deep. But she kept her hand in the Lord’s hand and we beat the odds.

I once thought, you were not truly an adult if you still needed your parents help. However, every year, especially in my adult life, “Mama” has become more significant to me. With the ups and downs of last year, I do not know where I would be, literally, if I did not have my mother to talk to, cry on, pray with and listen to.

When I look at my mother now, how much she has accomplished, I am so proud. She is beautiful, wise, and really funny. Whenever, my sister, brother, and I are together with my mother, there is so much laughter. It’s like we all share some private joke. We are really close (I think closer than most families) and there is a lot of respect between us, and we owe it all to her. I look at my children and pray that we will share the same bond.

To my mother I want to say: Thanks for everything. You mean just so much to me. Thanks for the mommy things and the friend things--and for "staying with me…and doing my hair."

-The Saucy Daughter

8 Ways to Cope When Relocating to a Small Town

If the surprising lack of traffic, endless cornfields and being trapped inside Wal-Mart due to a tornado sighting did not shout to me, “you are in the middle of nowhere,” then certainly the local news articles (as in more than one) about a stubborn turkey resting in an intersection (See Turkey News), finally enlightened me. Suddenly, in the midst of all this beautiful space, I felt isolated and panicky. Oddly, this feeling was not unfamiliar to me. I recognize it from when I first moved to the Washington, D.C. area. Even though I knew there were millions of people just outside my apartment, I came to know that moving to a big city can be just as isolating.

Today though, I would consider myself a true Washingtonian. I can navigate the Beltway, point out the trendiest U Street spots, and travel the Metro with the confidence of a native. While it may take time and some savvy strategy, I am sure I will feel the same way about East Central Illinois.

The following are things I am doing to cope with my move to Smalltown, America. Interestingly, I did some of the same things to cope with moving to a major metropolis.

1. Find a church. (Or a group that shares your most central beliefs.) This was the first thing I did. I find it easier to connect with people, who already live by the same ideals that I do and who share a similar worldview. Plus churches regularly have social events, which provide things to do and opportunities to interact.
2. Subscribe to the local newspaper and business journal, if available. Even newspapers that report turkey sightings have community pages, which offer up an events calendar. Pick an event and show up.
3. Check out the local tourist information office. The staff is literally paid to be nice to you. Plus, they actually want you to like the town, and can provide a wealth of information.
4. Find a watering hole. (Or coffee house, if you prefer.) These are wonderful places to strike up conversation, indeed, it is expected.
5. Get involved in community organizations. If you are a mom, seek out a moms’ group. If you are a single person, join a singles’ group, etc. Use the Internet (Craigslist). Also check out the local Chamber of Commerce; they always have events planned and the salespeople who attend are always nice.
6. Get a hobby. I am simply doing the things I never had time to do before.
7. Plug into the local university or college. If you are fortunate enough to be near a university, as I am in Champaign, you will find a wealth of activity. Universities host conferences, discussions, fine art exhibitions, etc.
8. Start something. If you are really a people person, with a little creativity you can start you own activity. I am investigating what I will need to organize a huge community garage sale/swap meet. Another idea that I am considering is hosting a monthly movie club for women, with a format similar to book clubs, except we will watch the movie and discuss it in one sitting.

-The Saucy Sister