STUDENT INTERNS SOUGHT...
To work on Global Thinking Women’s Newsletter or on creating other exciting opportunities for thinking women in our area. Do you love to write, have an aptitude for editing or proofing, or enjoy graphic design? Do you love to plan events?
Do you want to gain valuable experience?
If so, we would love to hear from you!
Contact Kim Eagles at kim_eagles@msn.com
or Shavawn Berry at shavawn.berry@asu.edu
for more information
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Travel: How to Find a Charming, Beautiful Hotel by Marcela Marenco
A trip starts with the place you choose to stay at. The view of the city will definitely be marked by this decision, so invest the time to choose right.
Many people believe that a good hotel has to belong to one of the big chains, but that is not always the case. A good hotel choice is based upon two important characteristics: service and location.
First up: Service.
A hotel can be gorgeous inside and out, but if your stay starts with a bumpy arrival, or you find yourself in a battle to get decent service, or if your checkout from said hotel was a complete fiasco — those are going to be the things you will remember about your trip. You have to feel a sense of joy when your day is over and you think of going back to your hotel. If you dread returning to your “home away from home,” the hotel is not worth what you have paid for it, no matter how many stars it may have garnered.
The other crucial element: Location
Location is a key ingredient to an enjoyable trip. The area should be safe and central. You don’t want to be taking taxis in a city you are not familiar with (for obvious reasons), so minimize your exposure to the need for an excessive amount of transportation by choosing wisely. Here in the States it might be a little more difficult to avoid taxi rides, but in Europe, for example, where everything is generally close by, there is no reason to choose a place far from town. Plus, the pleasure of leaving the hotel and being in the middle of all the wonderful movement and action of a strange city can be quite exciting!
So, how do you find a wonderful hotel?
Besides using travel books and relying on the personal recommendations of friends, you can use the Internet! We have such a wonderful cyber-tool at our fingertips, that it would be a waste not to use it! It takes time to search out the real gems, of course, but traveling is usually an investment, so do your homework.
Read about the city, and then find the hotels that are consistently recommended. Read all the reviews people post online about each place. Pay attention to where the reviewers are from. For an American, the room might have been “too small” because everything here is so big, while for others room size might have not been an issue. Every detail counts. And most importantly? Have fun with exploring your options in discovering that “charming hideaway” you have always wanted to visit! You won’t regret it!
Many people believe that a good hotel has to belong to one of the big chains, but that is not always the case. A good hotel choice is based upon two important characteristics: service and location.
First up: Service.
A hotel can be gorgeous inside and out, but if your stay starts with a bumpy arrival, or you find yourself in a battle to get decent service, or if your checkout from said hotel was a complete fiasco — those are going to be the things you will remember about your trip. You have to feel a sense of joy when your day is over and you think of going back to your hotel. If you dread returning to your “home away from home,” the hotel is not worth what you have paid for it, no matter how many stars it may have garnered.
The other crucial element: Location
Location is a key ingredient to an enjoyable trip. The area should be safe and central. You don’t want to be taking taxis in a city you are not familiar with (for obvious reasons), so minimize your exposure to the need for an excessive amount of transportation by choosing wisely. Here in the States it might be a little more difficult to avoid taxi rides, but in Europe, for example, where everything is generally close by, there is no reason to choose a place far from town. Plus, the pleasure of leaving the hotel and being in the middle of all the wonderful movement and action of a strange city can be quite exciting!
So, how do you find a wonderful hotel?
Besides using travel books and relying on the personal recommendations of friends, you can use the Internet! We have such a wonderful cyber-tool at our fingertips, that it would be a waste not to use it! It takes time to search out the real gems, of course, but traveling is usually an investment, so do your homework.
Read about the city, and then find the hotels that are consistently recommended. Read all the reviews people post online about each place. Pay attention to where the reviewers are from. For an American, the room might have been “too small” because everything here is so big, while for others room size might have not been an issue. Every detail counts. And most importantly? Have fun with exploring your options in discovering that “charming hideaway” you have always wanted to visit! You won’t regret it!
Film & Television: Confessions of a Soap Opera Addict by Julianne White
“You sound like my father.”
That was enough to shut him up. My husband hates being compared to my father. But really, he sounded just like him. Dad’s favorite thing to say to me when I sit down to watch my soaps is, “How can an educated, intelligent woman sit still for such tripe?” Shawn had just said much the same thing to me. My usual response is, “Because I like them.”
I’ve tried explaining that they are like novels that never end and that continually introduce new characters. I’ve tried explaining that they make me laugh with their ridiculousness at times. I’ve tried explaining that they are my “down time” during the day, when I can just be mindless and I don’t have to be smart or “on” (that one never works; I have a reputation for expending a great deal of mental energy analyzing the storylines and character development of soaps, sometimes publishing some of my findings in academic journals, so that argument doesn’t usually go over very well.) After nearly 40 years of watching these perpetual novels, though, I have given up trying to explain it to those around me who do not understand. I now simply say, “I’m watching. Deal with it.”
I know all the marks against them. I know that their storylines can be downright ridiculous. I know that the characters are often baffling, and that the acting is sometimes really bad. I once made a list of those things that drive the “uninitiated” away:
· Convenient attacks of amnesia, and recoveries timed to coincide with ratings “sweeps” periods;
· Melodramatic death scenes, often that are over-the-top; also, many (some would say too many) instances of characters who disappear after an accident, are declared dead, and return later (usually after Pilot Season in Los Angeles is over);
· Convenient moments of eavesdropping, hearing the absolute wrong thing, and then acting on misinformation that often leads to misunderstandings (at best) or tragedy (at worst);
· Dramatic pauses, timed for commercial breaks or weekends;
· Weddings interrupted at the altar with last-minute confessions;
· Constant paternity questions; often, on a single soap, there might be no child ever conceived of two parents who loved each other and were in an exclusive, loving, supportive relationship;
· Constant near-confessions, followed by , first, a commercial break, then an interruption (phone, doorbell, whatever), then, a change of heart and lame-sounding (to everyone except the person on the screen listening) excuse to cover up and mislead;
· Lies, lies, and more lies (no one in Soap Opera Land every tells the truth the first time);
· Character who “die,” only to return later (no one ever really dies in Soap Opera Land). This is separate from the annoyance described above about unrecovered bodies because when the story was actually written, the character really dies; following many years and, perhaps, the change of the head writer, though, the character is mysteriously brought back to life;
· And time that stretches and changes to accommodate a storyline; for example, a pregnancy that lasts for 12 months, or a school year that begins in October (this one was famously spoofed by that wonderful satire from the late 70s/early 80s, Soap).
My friend Robin and I began calling it Soap Opera Land to distinguish it from reality. Things happen there that are not possible in Real Life. Soap Opera Land is a place where the Physical Properties of the Universe Hold No Sway. (We did the same thing for watching “Star Trek,” only we called it “Definitions,” such as, a “Class M planet” means: “Looks like California.”) In order to watch and actually enjoy soap operas, therefore, one must have no qualms or hesitations about indulging in a healthy dose of what Coleridge called a “willing suspension of disbelief.” Men in general (who are represented here by my husband and my father) and all those other non-believers out there are missing this key ingredient, without which it is impossible to enjoy the genre. Next time: Why suspending disbelief is fun!
That was enough to shut him up. My husband hates being compared to my father. But really, he sounded just like him. Dad’s favorite thing to say to me when I sit down to watch my soaps is, “How can an educated, intelligent woman sit still for such tripe?” Shawn had just said much the same thing to me. My usual response is, “Because I like them.”
I’ve tried explaining that they are like novels that never end and that continually introduce new characters. I’ve tried explaining that they make me laugh with their ridiculousness at times. I’ve tried explaining that they are my “down time” during the day, when I can just be mindless and I don’t have to be smart or “on” (that one never works; I have a reputation for expending a great deal of mental energy analyzing the storylines and character development of soaps, sometimes publishing some of my findings in academic journals, so that argument doesn’t usually go over very well.) After nearly 40 years of watching these perpetual novels, though, I have given up trying to explain it to those around me who do not understand. I now simply say, “I’m watching. Deal with it.”
I know all the marks against them. I know that their storylines can be downright ridiculous. I know that the characters are often baffling, and that the acting is sometimes really bad. I once made a list of those things that drive the “uninitiated” away:
· Convenient attacks of amnesia, and recoveries timed to coincide with ratings “sweeps” periods;
· Melodramatic death scenes, often that are over-the-top; also, many (some would say too many) instances of characters who disappear after an accident, are declared dead, and return later (usually after Pilot Season in Los Angeles is over);
· Convenient moments of eavesdropping, hearing the absolute wrong thing, and then acting on misinformation that often leads to misunderstandings (at best) or tragedy (at worst);
· Dramatic pauses, timed for commercial breaks or weekends;
· Weddings interrupted at the altar with last-minute confessions;
· Constant paternity questions; often, on a single soap, there might be no child ever conceived of two parents who loved each other and were in an exclusive, loving, supportive relationship;
· Constant near-confessions, followed by , first, a commercial break, then an interruption (phone, doorbell, whatever), then, a change of heart and lame-sounding (to everyone except the person on the screen listening) excuse to cover up and mislead;
· Lies, lies, and more lies (no one in Soap Opera Land every tells the truth the first time);
· Character who “die,” only to return later (no one ever really dies in Soap Opera Land). This is separate from the annoyance described above about unrecovered bodies because when the story was actually written, the character really dies; following many years and, perhaps, the change of the head writer, though, the character is mysteriously brought back to life;
· And time that stretches and changes to accommodate a storyline; for example, a pregnancy that lasts for 12 months, or a school year that begins in October (this one was famously spoofed by that wonderful satire from the late 70s/early 80s, Soap).
My friend Robin and I began calling it Soap Opera Land to distinguish it from reality. Things happen there that are not possible in Real Life. Soap Opera Land is a place where the Physical Properties of the Universe Hold No Sway. (We did the same thing for watching “Star Trek,” only we called it “Definitions,” such as, a “Class M planet” means: “Looks like California.”) In order to watch and actually enjoy soap operas, therefore, one must have no qualms or hesitations about indulging in a healthy dose of what Coleridge called a “willing suspension of disbelief.” Men in general (who are represented here by my husband and my father) and all those other non-believers out there are missing this key ingredient, without which it is impossible to enjoy the genre. Next time: Why suspending disbelief is fun!
GLOBAL THINKING WOMEN.
ARIZONA THINKING WOMEN have become GLOBAL THINKING WOMEN.
You may have noticed that our name has changed. At a meeting at the end of August it was decided to make our name more inclusive, so we chose “Global Thinking Women.” We considered just plain, “Thinking Women” but others had beaten us to the punch on that one! We are in the midst of writing up our goals and objectives, and will share them once they are solidified. In the meantime, we hope you appreciate our new moniker as a sign of our deep desire to reach out to thinking women everywhere!
You may have noticed that our name has changed. At a meeting at the end of August it was decided to make our name more inclusive, so we chose “Global Thinking Women.” We considered just plain, “Thinking Women” but others had beaten us to the punch on that one! We are in the midst of writing up our goals and objectives, and will share them once they are solidified. In the meantime, we hope you appreciate our new moniker as a sign of our deep desire to reach out to thinking women everywhere!
Foods To Help You Catch Enough Z’s...by Mary Powell
Ben Franklin once said “Fatigue is the best pillow.” But what if you are fatigued and still can’t get to sleep? There are a few healthy snacks that can help you overcome this dilemma.
According to the Sleep Aid Center, there are ten foods that aid in obtaining a healthy night’s rest. Warm milk contains tryptophan - an amino acid that acts as a sedative, as well as calcium, which helps the brain use the tryptophan. Turkey also has tryptophan, which triggers that sleepy feeling after a delicious Thanksgiving meal. Honey allows the brain to stop producing Orexin, a neurotransmitter that makes our brains alert. Try mixing some honey in a cup of chamomile tea before bedtime and you should feel sleepy. Other sleep aid foods are bananas, which contain serotonin, melatonin and magnesium; magnesium aids in muscle relaxation. Whole wheat bread, flaxseed, almonds and potatoes also aid in a good night’s rest. If you are watching your diet; however, you will not want to eat carbohydrates within three hours before bedtime as it is more difficult to burn these off while you are inactive.
The Sleep Aid Center states that spicy foods, caffeine and alcohol should all be avoided near bedtime. Although alcohol can make a person feel drowsy, it can cause sleepers to reawaken several times during the night.
There are people who brag that they don’t need much sleep; however, lack of sleep can cause devastating health consequences. Researchers, at the University of Chicago, have found a connection between deep sleep deprivation and Type 2 diabetes. As well, people gain weight from lack of sleep as Leptin and Grehlin are hormones that help the body maintain a stable body weight. When a person does not obtain enough sleep, levels of Grehlin increase, causing a greater appetite, while levels of Leptin, an appetite suppressant, decrease. This can actually lead to obesity over time (Sleep Aid Center).
So despite forewarnings about eating before bed time, do not hesitate to feast on a small piece of turkey, sip a cup of chamomile with honey, or have a handful of nuts before bedtime. Those snacks may aid in eradicating insomnia, along with type 2 diabetes and weight gain.
Sleep that knits up the ravelled sleave of careThe death of each day's life, sore labour's bathBalm of hurt minds, great nature's second course,Chief nourisher in life's feast.
William Shakespeare, Macbeth
According to the Sleep Aid Center, there are ten foods that aid in obtaining a healthy night’s rest. Warm milk contains tryptophan - an amino acid that acts as a sedative, as well as calcium, which helps the brain use the tryptophan. Turkey also has tryptophan, which triggers that sleepy feeling after a delicious Thanksgiving meal. Honey allows the brain to stop producing Orexin, a neurotransmitter that makes our brains alert. Try mixing some honey in a cup of chamomile tea before bedtime and you should feel sleepy. Other sleep aid foods are bananas, which contain serotonin, melatonin and magnesium; magnesium aids in muscle relaxation. Whole wheat bread, flaxseed, almonds and potatoes also aid in a good night’s rest. If you are watching your diet; however, you will not want to eat carbohydrates within three hours before bedtime as it is more difficult to burn these off while you are inactive.
The Sleep Aid Center states that spicy foods, caffeine and alcohol should all be avoided near bedtime. Although alcohol can make a person feel drowsy, it can cause sleepers to reawaken several times during the night.
There are people who brag that they don’t need much sleep; however, lack of sleep can cause devastating health consequences. Researchers, at the University of Chicago, have found a connection between deep sleep deprivation and Type 2 diabetes. As well, people gain weight from lack of sleep as Leptin and Grehlin are hormones that help the body maintain a stable body weight. When a person does not obtain enough sleep, levels of Grehlin increase, causing a greater appetite, while levels of Leptin, an appetite suppressant, decrease. This can actually lead to obesity over time (Sleep Aid Center).
So despite forewarnings about eating before bed time, do not hesitate to feast on a small piece of turkey, sip a cup of chamomile with honey, or have a handful of nuts before bedtime. Those snacks may aid in eradicating insomnia, along with type 2 diabetes and weight gain.
Sleep that knits up the ravelled sleave of careThe death of each day's life, sore labour's bathBalm of hurt minds, great nature's second course,Chief nourisher in life's feast.
William Shakespeare, Macbeth
Just Breathe by Kim Eagles
Breathing correctly affects our ability to maintain good health. Who knew that every breath we take impacts our brain, acts as a stress reducer, prevents mental sluggishness, and assists in good digestion and physical endurance?
Interestingly, during the recent 2008 Olympics in Beijing China announcers would elaborate and give specific details about the athlete’s performance, technique, conditioning and mastery of their individual sport. More importantly, they talked extensively about how controlling the breath was just as essential to their performance as perfecting their sporting abilities was. For some of those champions, effective breathing made the difference between winning a medal or not placing in the top three in their event. Proper breathing is also extremely important to those of us who, perhaps, are not so Olympian in our physical abilities! According to Yoga experts, breathing is important for several reasons. It is the only means to give our bodies and our various organs the supply of oxygen vital to our survival, as well as get rid of waste products and toxins. Oxygen is the most vital nutrient our bodies need. It is essential for the integrity of the brain and our nervous system. If our brain doesn't get enough good oxygen, the results are mental sluggishness, negative thoughts and depression. If our deprivation continues, eventually vision and hearing may decline. Older individuals and those whose arteries are clogged often suffer from senility as a result of oxygen deprivation to the brain. Poor oxygen supply affects all parts of the body. We feel tired, nervous, and irritable. Generally, in this state we are not very productive. It may also cause us to sleep badly at night; in addition, it lowers functioning of the immune system, making us susceptible to catching colds, flu, and other bugs.
In an article called “Keep Breathing” posted on a Respiratory Therapy blog, the author explains a bit more about the effect of breathing on our well-being: “… The truth is that breathing goes further beyond other body functions in that we can voluntarily control it. Most body functions are essential, but it’s very difficult to control the rate or speed at which blood is filtered through for good digestion. But breathing! It’s a simple matter of brain power to inhale deeply, hold your breath for a moment, and let it go. The ability to control your breathing (to an extent) gives you a lot of power over yourself. Next time you’re stressed out, stop yourself and take in a very deep breath. Fill your lungs until they feel like they’re going to explode. Close your eyes, hold it for a moment, and slowly let it out through pursed lips. Repeat this exercises a few times, making sure to breathe deeply and slowly. I can’t make you any promises, but I bet you feel a little more relaxed” (http://keepbreathing.wordpress.com). Obviously, the positive affects of breathing are far reaching. This essential, natural, bodily function is expressed deeply throughout our lifetime. We may hear the power of our breath in love songs to denote emotional affection; in tests of physical endurance; in our anticipation of a baby’s first breath; or in saying goodbye to a loved one as she expels one final breath at the end of her life. We’d be wise to remember that our next breath is not promised to us. So, let’s breathe in life as a gift, and consider our breath for its therapeutic and healing attributes every single day.
Interestingly, during the recent 2008 Olympics in Beijing China announcers would elaborate and give specific details about the athlete’s performance, technique, conditioning and mastery of their individual sport. More importantly, they talked extensively about how controlling the breath was just as essential to their performance as perfecting their sporting abilities was. For some of those champions, effective breathing made the difference between winning a medal or not placing in the top three in their event. Proper breathing is also extremely important to those of us who, perhaps, are not so Olympian in our physical abilities! According to Yoga experts, breathing is important for several reasons. It is the only means to give our bodies and our various organs the supply of oxygen vital to our survival, as well as get rid of waste products and toxins. Oxygen is the most vital nutrient our bodies need. It is essential for the integrity of the brain and our nervous system. If our brain doesn't get enough good oxygen, the results are mental sluggishness, negative thoughts and depression. If our deprivation continues, eventually vision and hearing may decline. Older individuals and those whose arteries are clogged often suffer from senility as a result of oxygen deprivation to the brain. Poor oxygen supply affects all parts of the body. We feel tired, nervous, and irritable. Generally, in this state we are not very productive. It may also cause us to sleep badly at night; in addition, it lowers functioning of the immune system, making us susceptible to catching colds, flu, and other bugs.
In an article called “Keep Breathing” posted on a Respiratory Therapy blog, the author explains a bit more about the effect of breathing on our well-being: “… The truth is that breathing goes further beyond other body functions in that we can voluntarily control it. Most body functions are essential, but it’s very difficult to control the rate or speed at which blood is filtered through for good digestion. But breathing! It’s a simple matter of brain power to inhale deeply, hold your breath for a moment, and let it go. The ability to control your breathing (to an extent) gives you a lot of power over yourself. Next time you’re stressed out, stop yourself and take in a very deep breath. Fill your lungs until they feel like they’re going to explode. Close your eyes, hold it for a moment, and slowly let it out through pursed lips. Repeat this exercises a few times, making sure to breathe deeply and slowly. I can’t make you any promises, but I bet you feel a little more relaxed” (http://keepbreathing.wordpress.com). Obviously, the positive affects of breathing are far reaching. This essential, natural, bodily function is expressed deeply throughout our lifetime. We may hear the power of our breath in love songs to denote emotional affection; in tests of physical endurance; in our anticipation of a baby’s first breath; or in saying goodbye to a loved one as she expels one final breath at the end of her life. We’d be wise to remember that our next breath is not promised to us. So, let’s breathe in life as a gift, and consider our breath for its therapeutic and healing attributes every single day.
September, for me, is a time of new beginnings. From the Editor
As a kid I loved September because the days started to cool, leaves on maple and oak trees began to change color, the air took on a moist earthy tang, and a new school year began.
This month Global Thinking Women are reflecting on the subject of rest and rejuvenation. Knowing that my tendency is to overfill my cup in terms of commitments and responsibilities, it seems to appropriate to consider the real need to remind myself that just as the ocean ebbs and flows, so should my life. As human beings, we need rest. We need down time to care for our weary bodies and minds. We need peace and quiet to contemplate our spirituality and our place in the world. We cannot always be crashing like waves onto the shore; we also need to pull back, re-group, and reassess, prior to rushing forward again.
Now that I teach college, September is typically the beginning of a new academic year with all of its attendant flurry and frenzy. I always have more to do that there are hours in the day; however, a part of me enjoys the frantic aspect of the preparations, the excitement of meeting new students, and the freshness of the young minds I encounter as another year begins. The trick is to remember to incorporate time for rest into this new and exciting time. Even if it is just planning a lunch with a friend allowing yourself time to sit and talk about the detritus of life, or making time to lay in bed with a good book, doing so allows your mind to wander to new places and find sustenance in the process. We must remember that in order to be able to work and play at our optimum energy and capability, rest and renewal are crucial. Our bodies need time to dream and time to rest.
This month, let’s take time to breathe in the beauty of life. Slow down. Take a nap. Sit with a cup of green tea and read from a book of poems by Rilke or Langston Hughes or Theodore Roethke. Sleep on the couch, snuggled up with the love of your life. Admire the lovely fluff of your cat’s tail.
Slow down and savor your life.
This month Global Thinking Women are reflecting on the subject of rest and rejuvenation. Knowing that my tendency is to overfill my cup in terms of commitments and responsibilities, it seems to appropriate to consider the real need to remind myself that just as the ocean ebbs and flows, so should my life. As human beings, we need rest. We need down time to care for our weary bodies and minds. We need peace and quiet to contemplate our spirituality and our place in the world. We cannot always be crashing like waves onto the shore; we also need to pull back, re-group, and reassess, prior to rushing forward again.
Now that I teach college, September is typically the beginning of a new academic year with all of its attendant flurry and frenzy. I always have more to do that there are hours in the day; however, a part of me enjoys the frantic aspect of the preparations, the excitement of meeting new students, and the freshness of the young minds I encounter as another year begins. The trick is to remember to incorporate time for rest into this new and exciting time. Even if it is just planning a lunch with a friend allowing yourself time to sit and talk about the detritus of life, or making time to lay in bed with a good book, doing so allows your mind to wander to new places and find sustenance in the process. We must remember that in order to be able to work and play at our optimum energy and capability, rest and renewal are crucial. Our bodies need time to dream and time to rest.
This month, let’s take time to breathe in the beauty of life. Slow down. Take a nap. Sit with a cup of green tea and read from a book of poems by Rilke or Langston Hughes or Theodore Roethke. Sleep on the couch, snuggled up with the love of your life. Admire the lovely fluff of your cat’s tail.
Slow down and savor your life.
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