Category: Columns

Celebrity Fashion Influences

Who influences your style of dress? My style is influenced by such superstars as Gwen Stefani, Rihanna, Nicole Richie, and Mary Kate Olsen. I love the combination of eclectic, bohemian, and chic. It is just who I am. However, do I typically invest in L.A.M.B. pieces or Dior? Nope. I am a gal who loves sales and adores 2-for-1 specials.

Fortunately, our day and age is all about affordable imitation. Instead of hitting Bloomingdale’s for Seven jeans, these days I walk into Forever 21 and spend less than 15 bucks for a pair of low-waisted skinny jeans. My loose, summer bikini cover-ups aren’t Juicy Couture; they are Target brands. While I choose to avoid paying $200 for jeans (especially if I can find these jeans on sale at Kohl’s); I will fork over the same amount for a shopping spree. For $200, I can find two pairs of heels, some tanks, jeans, and possibly a new vest to wear over those tanks.

It is important to realize that as much as you crave the exact pieces that, say, Kim Kardashian wears, you must be realistic about your finances, your lifestyle, and just what makes sense. I enjoy having money left over after I hit the mall. This means that I must keep in mind that imitating celebrity fashion, my own superstar icons, can be done for less. It also means taking a trend and making it your own. Lindsay Lohan is commonly shown wearing leggings as pants. Do you have the body shape to do so? If I decide to wear leggings, I prefer to wear them under a dress or skirt for a casual feel.

So instead of imitating, let’s focus on inspiration and being influenced by our Hollywood trendsetters. Fashion shouldn’t just be guided by who wears what; it is a state of mind and should also be guided by your emotions. Do you pick up that yellow sweater because a tabloid showed Blake Lively wearing it on the streets? Or, did you smile and feel the joy of a bright color when unfolding it from a shelf? Be true to yourself and embrace the various influences surrounding us. Just make sure you are doing it for the right reasons. Imitation may be the best form of flattery—just be sure to look like yourself in the process.

Insights: Impermanence

Two of the difficult lessons of life are those of letting go and impermanence. Nothing . . . no one lasts forever, and many would welcome their parents and their pets agreeing to accompany them throughout their lives. I walk through a forest of trees and smell the scent of freesia or gardenia, but the smell doesn’t linger. It only makes its presence known in that moment. These experiences are only temporary, and it is the same with our loved ones and our pets.

Animals can teach us plenty about letting go and impermanence. We experience the joy of a beloved pet one day and the sadness of losing it sometime later. Dogs are always so happy to greet us. They wag their tails, lick our faces, and eagerly wait on us when we leave them alone. We have no choice but to let go because dogs only live 15 years or so, and no matter how strong our love and attachment, life must and will go on.

Some people find it strange how people can become so attached to their pets. I’ve been attached to a bird that I missed for years when he was no longer with me. My bird’s name was Rahab. He used to fly to me and sit on my shoulder and coo as I entered a room. I became attached because he showed me unconditional love. My mother speaks to her cats as if they are human, and I’m sure she’d miss them if they were gone. I’ve seen her fuss over them as if they were her own children. This is not strange, for animals as well as humans are capable of showing affection.

Be that as it may, nothing on earth will last forever. The mountains themselves will fade and the oceans will give way to deserts. We learn to let go when, as we grow older, our loved ones depart one by one. I know that one day I will outlive my mother whom I’ve secretly prayed would live forever. I have more than a few friends who’ve had to face the loss of their mothers, and I don’t want to lose mine. I want to hold onto her like a dying man holding onto a ledge, but ultimately her time will come and I will have to let go to face the depths.

Letting go involves facing ourselves and facing the fact that we are self-contained and can withstand almost anything. Once we live through the sadness of losing someone we care about, and then face the anger that comes on its heels, we will experience depression. Getting through that will take great strength, but we will be better for it. And in all reality our loved ones remain with us, alive in our hearts and in our minds.

I ached when my father died. He had been ill, and I never gave up the feeling that he would outlast the surgeries, the medications, and the pain of diabetes and heart disease. I held onto his memory for a long time, but soon that began to change. Now, I remember his face only vaguely and the most prominent memories are what it was like to hear him whistle when he was in a good mood, or how I always felt a cool breeze around him. He seemed to be always coming in from the cold. I smile when I remember because though gone, he is still present and will always in spite of our differences be a part of my soul.

Like the sweet smell of roses or apple pie or blueberry muffins, the aroma of him only lasts a moment. In letting that moment pass, I allow myself to experience another and another. Though here and gone, he will pass this way again.

Written by Lisa Trimarchi

Use Favorite Summer Fashion in Your Own Fall Collection

Use Favorite Summer Fashion in Your Own Fall Collection

Fashion weeks around the globe have already become the “it” calendar check-off in the industry. And whether or not you have the opportunity to make it backstage, have a seat at the show, hit after-show parties, and/or look at the pics from the shows in every fashion magazine you can find on the shelf at Borders, this event gives us ideas. It sort of sets the stage for the designer wear we want to purchase and find as a knockoff at a cheapy store. It’s fun to adopt a new color, a new trend, a new way of styling your outfits. But keep in mind, this doesn’t have to be an “in with the new and out with the old” process. There are current summer pieces in your closet that will add sass to your fall wardrobe collection.

Here are some ways to recycle, reuse, and retouch three of your favorite trends that keep you feeling ultra-cool in the hot, hot sun:

Tanks and Camisoles: So you wear your bright pink tank loud and proud with your jeans right now, right? Before you know it, you can throw a fun, printed scarf on top of it and wear a denim jacket with it. You may also want to try to wear the pink tank under a button-down blouse for work, with a poncho or shawl across your shoulders, or as a layering piece with your long-sleeve sheer tees. Let some color pop! (FYI: Every woman should have at least three tank top-like camisoles in her closet. The basic colors of black, white, and brown can save the day as undershirts, believe me.)

Sundresses: A sundress paired up with flat sandals is oh-so adorable! But as the fall approaches, this may not be practical. So find a pair of knee length boots in chocolate, black, or even purple (depending on the colors in your dress). As for how to stay warm here’s where you can have fun! A shrug, belted wrap sweater, bolero, and scarves will make a typical summer dress a fabulous fall staple.

Denim shorts: Ever throw a pair of opaque black tights under a pair of denim, frayed shorts? A great, funky combination may work perfectly for an eclectic personality. Think: denim shorts, black tights, black chunky UGG-like boots, and a loose long sleeve blouse or chunky sweater. There you are.

An alternative style that takes little effort but a lot of confidence! So make sure you are comfortable in your own skin, first.

I have no doubt that stylistas everywhere love fall because of the new fashion, and shopping for new must-haves. Tall boots, bright-colored booties, blazers, scarves, cowl neck sweaters, leggings, and flannel button-ups can make a gal’s wardrobe shine during a season that bridges the sun and gloomy weather. But don’t give up on what you already own! You will save money in the process and have fun stylizing the old with the new. Why stop wearing some of your favorite fashion pieces? Says who? Recycle, reuse, and retouch. That’s my motto.

Written by Elana Pruitt

Hollywood Hills Goes Pink – Interview with Female-Exclusive Pink Iron Gym

“We know women, we are women. We know fitness, we love fitness.” -Pink Iron

The Hollywood Hills have gone pink and they have never looked better. Men, beware. This month we take you into the hot and trendy new female- dedicated gym, Pink Iron. I invited ISSA certified trainer Angelis Casteran to come along this round for a fresh female fitness perspective on what is a girls only club, no boys allowed (except male fitness writers, of course). Upon entering, you are greeted with an energetic smile and wag of Barbell’s tiny tail, Pink Iron’s little white Maltese mascot. The fresh colors, trendy spa feel, energized staff and intimate personality of it all culminates in a smile on your face and an extra spring in your step just by walking in.

“The trainers looked to be in great shape, great role models . . . the variety of equipment really adapts to various client needs . . . the pink is great, not overdone . . . and the locker rooms have a great spa like feel . . . They really anticipated everything a woman would need down to the locker room details.” – Angeles Casteran, CFT

A staff of seven certified or degree-credentialed female trainers commands the gym with impressive experience and attention to detail. Boys need not apply. I enjoyed the fact that Pink Iron’s staff keeps current on the latest fitness trends and information while weeding out the pesky flavor-of-the-week advice that confuses so many. As any serious fitness professional knows, only realistic approaches combined with true lifestyle change brings lifelong results. Owner Holly Horton knows this, believes this, and has definitely integrated this mantra into her pink fitness palace.

“My mission is not only to help my clients reach their goals but to have them leave each session with a new sense of strength, confidence, and passion for a healthy and fit lifestyle.” -Holly Holton

Owner Holly Holton, NASM Certified Trainer

The mind and muscle behind Pink Iron is owner Holly Holton, an internationally ranked fitness competitor and all-around fitness powerhouse at age 26. Holly has been training for the fitness world since the age of 15, certified and teaching at age 18, and competing at age 19; so don’t let her youth fool you.

“Do you know the Law of Thermodynamics? Do you understand how to maximize your post-exercise oxygen consumption to burn calories through your day? Luckily, you don’t have to because we do.” -Holly Holton

About Pink Iron: Interview with Holly Holton, Owner

Where did the inspiration for this Hollywood pink powerhouse come from, Holly?

Well, I’ve been into fitness ever since I picked up my first fitness magazine at age 15 and always dreamed of having my own studio someday. When I got into the LA fitness scene, I noticed just how much of a real scene it was here. Women working out in full makeup, hair fixed, dressed up but afraid to sweat and ruin their fitness outfits only to be hit on between every set, of course. I was uncomfortable being hit on at the gym, and I’m a trainer. Being self-conscious in a gym was a first for me. Girls wanted me to train them outside of the gym because they were so uncomfortable. I knew many other women out there felt the same way. I shared all this with my good friend and business partner and we decided to create a girl-friendly gym (Pink Iron) where men aren’t drooling over them and we could focus on improving women’s lives through fitness.

What does Pink Iron have to offer the health-conscious women of LA?

We are a full-service gym. We offer general memberships, tanning, group classes, Pilates, and personal training with built-in nutritional guidance for the absolute best results. Group classes offered will be yoga, Pilates, boot camp, and a focused booty and abs class. Our newest edition is bringing to life the Pink Iron beauty room, a full-service in-house salon that offers haircuts, color, extensions, waxing . . . You name it, and we will have it here. An all female staff runs the Pink Iron to ensure max client comfort and a focused environment.

So what gives Pink Iron’s personality its luster and distinguishes it from all others?

Apart from our obvious custom pink look and the positive, fresh and upbeat feel of Pink Iron, we pride ourselves on the attention we extend our girls. We focus a lot on keeping a personal feel and touch for a family-like atmosphere. We maintain a friendly community of female staff that knows every member by name. This lets us listen and respond quickly to our members’ needs. When our members asked for music in the locker rooms, they got it the next day.

Who is the typical Pink Iron client you cater to?

The only typical thing about our clients is that they are all women. We welcome anyone and everyone ready to enjoy what we have to offer at every level of fitness. We have 13-year-old girls who come in with their moms who have a trainer, fiery 70-year-old women who work out on their own, and LA celebrities who just love what we’ve got.

What advice do you have for our ladies who are ready to live a healthier and fitter life but don’t know where to start?

First, I believe they should set their goals and be clear on what they want to accomplish, write them out and post them somewhere visible to stay focused. Next is to get a support system. Encouragement is so important. Ideal is an experienced personal trainer to save you time and keep you safe, but if that is not possible, a work-out buddy with similar fitness goals is great for keeping you company and accountable.

Do you feel personal training is a luxury?

I think it’s a necessity; it’s an investment in your health. Keeping fit is something we all need to do even if it is just you working out on your own with just a gym membership. We do offer a free assessment, of course, to allow members to feel the difference and learn some new stuff they can apply. I definitely feel it’s something everyone should do for themselves.

I noticed your studio is just above Barry’s Bootcamp. Does that interfere at all?

Not at all since it’s actually very different. We complement each other. Since it’s mostly cardio-focused downstairs and Pink Iron is a fully loaded gym, we actually get along great and love everyone over at Barry’s. A lot of Barry’s clients come to us to use our weights and visa-versa for their cardio. It’s worked out great.

Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?

Make sure to check out our fun interactive website atwww.pinkiron.com. It is loaded with our theme song, “The Tale of Pink Iron,” our cute custom fitness gear, our personal energydrink, and tons of other fun stuff. Don’t forget to check out Barbell’s doggy blog. It’s life at Pink Iron from a doggy mascot’s point of view.

Find out more at www.pinkiron.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/pinkiron

Interviewed by Anthony Heredia

Breast Cancer Risk Factors – Knowing Can Make All the Difference

The American Cancer Society’s most recent estimates for breast cancer in the United States for 2009 tell us that 192,370 new cases of invasive breast cancer and 40,170 deaths from breast cancer occur each year. In this issue we focus on breast cancer awareness in our attempt to keep you healthy and living a long, wonderfully productive and fulfilling life.

“The chance of a woman having invasive breast cancer sometime during her life is a little less than1 in 8. The chance of dying from breast cancer is about 1 in 35. Breast cancer death rates have been going down. This is probably the result of finding the cancer earlier and better treatment. Right now there are more than 2½ million breast cancer survivors in the United States.” -American Cancer Society

Breast cancer is simply an uncontrolled growth of confused cells forming in the breast area that was caused by any of so many factors we will discuss. These irregular cells first begin killing surrounding normal healthy cells and tissue, causing a lump or mass to form which we know as cancer. Although we still lack the medical technology to prevent breast cancer completely, we can definitely reduce risk dramatically. Awareness is key to preventing this horrid battle from ever beginning, as early detection can mean the difference between life or death, ladies. I don’t mean to be so grave, but your life is very precious and I choose not to take this subject lightly in the hopes of keeping you smiling for many healthy cancer-free years. Prevention begins with knowing your family history, routine self breast examinations, yearly routine mammograms for women 40 and over, and an annual breast examination by a medical professional.

All women are at risk of breast cancer and those with a family history of this burden are at even higher risk, so please be cautious and responsible with your health. Nearly 10% of breast cancer cases are actually hereditary, commonly resulting from the mutation of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. These funny named genes actually help to prevent cancer by making the proteins that keep your cells from growing abnormally, a checks and balances, if you will. Cancer at its most basic level is simply a glitch in your system that has caused imbalance that is growing wildly out of control, destroying good elements and causing progressively more aggressive glitches. You want to catch this “glitch” early, or better yet, create the optimal environment in your body so that this glitch never comes to pass.

A woman should perform a monthly breast self examination (BSE) to catch this glitch fast and stop it in its treacherous tracks. Optimum time for self examination is a week past the end of a menstrual cycle or on the same day each month for women that might have irregular cycles. The BSE is a quick and simple process, and it is definitely worth your life, so no complaining or procrastinating. The following link is directions according to the American Cancer Association:

http://www.cancer.org

You can also always ask your gynecologist or family physician for all the information you will need.

The main idea is to feel for any irregular lumps that would need immediate attention. Be aware that not all lumps are cancerous, as some are merely natural irregularities; but don’t take any chances and get a professional opinion. Your regular physician will also inform your other more powerful examination, a yearly mammogram that needs to be routine for women 40 and on. A mammogram is simply a quick x-ray of the breast in order to rule out all doubt. Women between the ages of 20-39 should take at least one exam every three years. It is recommended that women 40 and older have the exam once a year. Nearly 77% of women with breast cancer are diagnosed at the age of 50 and beyond. Regular exams are critical as the years pass since development of breast cancer only increases with age.

Reducing risks of breast cancer is simple and brisk. Maintain a history of your family, perform routine self breast examinations, get yearly mammograms, and best of all keep your body happy and healthy in the first place to minimize any possibility of this horrible cellular glitch.

Common Lifestyle Risk Factors (Factors You Can Control and Change):

·       Lack of physical activity

·       Being overweight or obese

·       Alcohol

·       Not breast-feeding

·        Post-menopausal hormone therapy

·       Recent oral contraceptive use

·       Not having children, or having them later in life

Common Unavoidable Risk Factors (Factors You Can Not Control or Change):

·       Genetic risk factors

·       Aging

·       Gender

·       Family history of breast cancer

·       Personal history of breast cancer

·       Race and ethnicity

·       Dense breast tissue

·       Certain benign breast conditions

Non-proliferative lesions

“These conditions show excessive growth of cells in the ducts or lobules of the breast tissue. They seem to raise a woman’s risk of breast cancer slightly (1½ to 2 times normal).” – American Cancer Society

Proliferative lesions without atypia

“In these conditions, there is excessive growth of cells in the ducts or lobules of the breast tissue, and the cells no longer appear normal. They have a stronger effect on breast cancer risk, raising it 4 to 5 times higher than normal” – American Cancer Society

Common Risk Factor Myths (Rumors):

The following is a list of controversial, uncertain or unproven rumors for increasing breast cancer risk but have been investigated and found insignificant or dismissible according to the American Cancer Society:

·        Working at night

·        Breast implants

·        Induced abortion

·        Bras

·        Antiperspirants

·        High fat diets (Good unsaturated fats)

Ladies, please be safe and take care of those precious lives of yours. Every day is a gift that we should not take for granted. Respect that wonderful body that takes you down this wonderful journey called life, and it will reward you with a long, fulfilling life to be proud of. For more in-depth information on the various forms of breast cancer, their risk factors, and more information on prevention, make your way to www.cancer.org. Smile, ladies and gentlemen readers of Agenda. The world is better that way.

Resources: www.cancer.org

Written by Anthony Heredia

Location and the Human Spirit

” It is inevitable that some defeat will enter even the most victorious life. The human spirit is never finished when it is defeated . . . it is finished when it surrenders.” Ben Stein, Actor, Lawyer and Writer

I’ve recently moved to the desert, Palm Springs, that is. Before I moved but after I found a place, I was looking forward to taking massage therapy classes in September and maybe meeting a few friends along the way. Sadly, things didn’t work out as planned. The funding for the school fell through and I found myself scrambling to make my own ends meet.

This has been a tough summer. Aside from having a wonderful time while my daughter has been out here visiting me, I’ve been a little lonely, sometimes a little depressed. Money was scarce, and I was new in a new place. Isolated from family and friends, I had to go within to find a sense of balance.

It gets hot out here. I mean hot! Walking outside in August is like walking past the open door of a very hot oven. So being inside in the nice cool air conditioning, whether at home, the library, or the movies, is the best place to be. Because it was so hot, I was afraid to go out by myself, and the dilemma was that I hadn’t made friends yet. But that would change.

I never thought Palm Springs would be so good to me, but after being here about thirty days, I started meeting people, making friends, and doing work I love. My intention was to make the best of this place, but it has come to make the best of me.

I love my little condo. In spite of the heat, it remains at least 15 to 20 degrees cooler than the temperature outside. Living in my last home was like being in a cave. The sun never came through, no matter how many windows and doors I opened. Here I look out my balcony and see a lot of sunshine.

It is windy here. As the wind encourages the palms to sway, its sound soothes me. I find that opening the doors in the morning enhances my meditation. I have begun to find my balance out here.

I have found people to be friendly and welcoming. This has not always been true for me, as I’ve spent many a day alone in other places I’ve lived. I’m tempted to believe it’s because of where I live. But recently I considered that maybe I’m ready for a change, and the change has come.

To embrace change is a challenge. I find routine very soothing. I know what to expect and so there are no surprises. Why I decided to walk out from the cliff, I’ll never know.

In the tarot the fool steps out from the cliff to fall perhaps to the rocks below. Will he be crushed, or will he somehow be saved from a certain death? I’ve been so lonely at times that I couldn’t stand it. And then I’d take a walk or listen to the wind. Somehow I made it through one moment and into the next. And I’ve begun to embrace being alone and all its benefits. I’ve begun to enjoy my own company. I never thought I’d be enough for me. The fool learns to take it one step at a time, and who knows, maybe there will be a branch to break his fall.

I’ve had owls perch on my balcony and humming birds fly so close to me I could catch them. I’ve even seen the full moon in all its grandeur from my window, and recently I’ve discovered hiking in the desert . . . with friends of course. I’m still not going to go there alone. Making friends has been the most joy of all.

I’ve begun to laugh and my heart has begun to expand. By experiencing my joy within somehow others have come along to share that joy with me. Funny how you realize the sun was shining the whole time you were sitting in the dark. You just couldn’t see that it shone from within. I’ve begun to feel it from deep inside me. I hope you can take a moment and discover this within yourself. I’m sure I’ve discovered some new thing. What a novel idea that joy can come from within! Isn’t that what we’ve always been told? Yes. And now I believe it!

I’m happy that I did not surrender to the loneliness. Otherwise I wouldn’t experience the expansive moon on the moonlight hike I’m going on with a few friends tonight. Maybe you can join me sometime!

Written by Lisa Trimarchi

Healing with Fashion

How does fashion relate to Breast Cancer Awareness Month? As I was trying to conjure thoughts for this column, I was so stumped. I felt that talking about fashion was trivial compared to a cause that is so big. Breast cancer has devastated so many lives. But then I sat back, took my fingers off the keyboard, rested my chin in my hands, and took a sip of coffee.

Then it came to me!

Because fashion inspires others to start over and reinvent their look, this couldn’t be more relevant to breast cancer survivors. For these women, rebuilding their lives entails being healthy, happy, and stylish.

Shopping (especially shopping sales and clearance racks!) is a popular outlet among those who are weighed down or lifted up with emotions; and I can imagine that breast cancer survivors may feel both highs and lows as treatment concludes. Whether you were the one diagnosed with breast cancer or are a loved one who experienced its suffering with someone throughout her treatment, it may be time to take a deep breath, put on some cute flats, and head on down to the local mall. It may be time to treat yourself to a new wardrobe or update your already-fabulous style.

As for where to find affordable pieces to invest in, think such stores as Target, JCPenney, and Old Navy. For personalized care and customer service, Nordstrom offers you excellence. But before you get going with spending your hard-earned dollars, make a shopping list of your essentials. If you or your loved one underwent a mastectomy or a double mastectomy, specific types of undergarments may be the first items to purchase.

However you approach shopping, remember not to overspend! That is my number one tip. Feeling reinvigorated with new fashion is an understatement, but you never want to go home broke. After all, don’t you want some money left over for your next trip? Treat yourself well, and be kind to your bank account in the process. Healing with fashion doesn’t have to leave your wallet empty.

Tragedy is prevalent in so many lives, and recovery is a blessing. This column is dedicated to those who lost their lives to breast cancer, those who are beginning treatment, and those who have survived.

Written by Elana Pruitt

E Kala Mai I Au (Forgive Me if I Have Harmed You in Any Way)

Christmas is a time of year when I remember all the things I’ve done wrong and all that has been done wrong to me. Certainly I’ve gotten angry, but often I’ve fallen into sadness over missed connections and missed opportunities. I’ve thought about friends but haven’t called them. The ones with whom I’ve had a falling out, I’ve been tempted on several occasions to pick up the phone, and like a child say, “I love you. I don’t even remember what happened yesterday.” I often think of my father in that way. What would change if we had reached out to our loved ones before they’d passed and said, “All is forgiven; please forgive me.” As it happens, I reached out to my dad, and he reached out to me before he died.

Over ten years ago, before my father died, we let each other know we loved each other and that we forgave each other for everything that separated us during my childhood. While growing up, I often experienced my father’s anger, and he would often see mine. We were of the perfect storm; add the fact that I would rebel at his attempt to control me, and the weather report would show a potential hurricane in sunny Cerritos, California, where I grew up. We were two air signs, he Aquarius and I Libra, doing verbal battle and kicking up clouds in every direction.

I realize now that my father struggled with his own demons, and I often ended up in his crosshairs. I struggled to understand what it was that made him so angry with me. I thought I needed to be silent and invisible, but what he was struggling with had little to do with me. I was simply a mirror reflecting his soul, and he saw in me his own image.

My mother would often tell me how so much alike we were. Maybe he’d seen it, too, and wasn’t so much angry with me but with himself. I never figured that out, but what I did discover was that in spite of all the noise, beneath the storm was a calm center of deep love. I will always cherish the conversations we had before his death that made me see my dad through loving eyes. When I said to him, “I’m sorry, please forgive me for how I’ve hurt you,” he replied, “Please forgive me, for how I’ve hurt you.”

There is a traditional practice in Hawaii called Ho’oponopono which means to put things right. Families would have a conference together and set their relationships right through prayer, discussion, confession, repentance, mutual restitution, and forgiveness. This ancient practice of Ho’oponopono has preceded Christianity in the Hawaiian culture and continues to be practical today. As families and communities both look for a means of resolving their problems, they consider the practice one of the soundest methods to restore and maintain good relationships inside and out of the family that any society has ever devised.

I discovered Ho’oponopono when I attended a meditation group conducted by Daryl Frazier (Hunaguy.com), a healer and motivational speaker who uses Hawaiian methods of healing in his practice. He teaches that we are all connected to everyone we know by aka chords and that these chords must be cut to restore inner and outer harmony. In the process of cutting these chords, we say, “Please forgive me if I have harmed you. I forgive you for any harm you have done to me.” I found the meditation to be very powerful and thought of my dad and others whose chords I needed to cut so I could get on to the work of forgiveness. Once past hurts are resolved in this way, greater peace and harmony can be achieved. Once this has been accomplished, we can now honestly say, “Aloha Ka Kou,” which means I greet all of us with my breath.

Hua Hui Ho (until we meet again) in that sunny plain on the other side of the horizon, Dad and all who’ve passed, “Aloha Ka Kou.”

My Favorite Secret Shopping Spots Exposed

If I had the means to shop at Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Kitson, and Bloomingdale’s for nearly all of my purchases, I’m not going to lie—I probably would. There are such amazing designer collections sold at these stores that I would be honored to wear some of their pieces. But these places are above my means.

I am a fashion writer who enjoys the finer things in life all for a fabulous deal! So where do I go for my shopping needs? My secret shopping spot that allows me to stretch my dollar and buy my classic as well as trendy winter coats for mere change is . . . the Goodwill! Please note that this store is not hidden from the public; it just takes someone with an open mind and a level head to be able to walk into the Goodwill and have some fun shopping.

The last time my boyfriend and I decided to stop by and check out what’s new, I purchased two Forever 21 jackets: a cotton black blazer and a mauve and cream tweed coat for $10 total. There was a 2 for $10 special, and I was all over it! I was amazed with the brands I could find just sitting there waiting for a home. These two jackets are now two of my faves. I even wore the black blazer on television when I appeared as a fashion consultant for the morning show, “Southern California Living”; and I wore my tweed jacket to work the other day, which was ultra-comfy and ultra-editor chic.

And it was that very day that Steve and I shopped at the Goodwill that I realized how underground this retail outlet is. I witnessed two grown women aggressively arguing over a blouse that cost less than five bucks. One woman had her kids in the car waiting, and the other had her daughter standing right next to her. Not only did it seem funny seeing two grown-ups do the whole “But it was mine!” and “No, I saw it first!” I just couldn’t shake the thought that they were probably fighting over a $2 shirt. That seemed, at the time, childish and uncalled for.

NOW, looking back to a month ago, I realize that these women weren’t crazy. Not at all. They were bargain shoppers who both know a great deal when they see it. And how dare someone else get their paws on what they see as theirs! I get it now. That $2 item may have only been, yes, just two bucks, but the quality may have been out of this world. I understand. I’m right with ya, ladies.

By Elana Pruitt

Reunion

Colours seen by candelight
Will not look the same by day.
-Elizabeth Barrett Browning

When I was 17, a senior in high school and ready to graduate, I was very eager to set sail and go.  As for many, high school was a very traumatic time for me. I had challenges to face at home and challenges to face at school. I had to avoid bullies that would follow me home, and I had many disagreements with my parents. I guess as with all teenagers I began to embrace my own vision of the world and shun the one my parents tried to give me.

I took refuge in being friendly, making friends, and sharing warmth with others; but because I was trapped in my head with intense feelings of loneliness, I was unaware of the many lives I’d touched. I had a few good friends, but I didn’t realize just how much they thought of me until many years later while attending my 30-year high school reunion. After all the warm hugs, friendly smiles and recognition of me by people I hardly remembered, I realized that while I was reaching out to others in high school, they were deeply affected and may have reached out to me as well. I was constantly asked, “Where have you been in so many years?” Also, a dear friend I left behind so long ago embraced me and said, “Please don’t leave me again.”

Along with the others I left behind, I left myself behind. I thought I left behind a person who was not popular, who was not liked, and maybe had a handful of friends. Boy was I wrong! I felt like the guy in It’s a Wonderful Life , who was given the chance to see what life would have been without him, only to discover that the many people affected by him would have perished in one way or another. It felt very good to be reminded that I’ve had a wonderful life and that those I’ve encountered have been deeply touched by me. I discovered also that I have been deeply touched by them.

I lived across the street from a very cute boy and his very cute surfer friends. Sometimes we would speak. I was very close to his mother, and to my surprise, they remembered me! Those very same surfer dudes liked me. I wish I hadn’t been so shy. I would have been the only black surfer girl on the street. I don’t know if my parents could have coped with me being exposed to the turbulent waves of Southern California, however. This Lisa that I left behind I soon began to realize has been hanging ten in an alternate reality.

I remember belonging to the Asian Club, the Iranian Club, the International Club, and the choir. I was like a butterfly floating and touching everything and everyone. I couldn’t stop smiling. And now I can’t forget the good things that happened to me even in the midst of some bad things. So that 17-year-old girl is accompanying me now, along with her memories and her personality.

The following Monday after the reunion, I plummeted. I’ve gotten older, a little heavier, and a little more self-conscious, it seems. I need to work out, go on a diet, get a better career, and on and on. Now, it is the Monday after that, and I have embraced the person that I have become, and reunited with the “me” I left behind. I am embracing what I’ve become and realize that I have a whole lifetime to accomplish the things I have yet to achieve.

I realize that I saw myself and others through the night lit dimly by candlelight; and now by the light of a day lit with sunshine, I see things more clearly. So, I am embracing the people I left behind and hope we find opportunities to celebrate together much sooner than the next high school reunion.