A Colorado man accused of a racially-motivated stabbing that took place in Ontario will need to get mental treatment before his case moves any further.

Nolan Strauss, 26, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, was announced as unable to aid and assist in his case in front of Malheur Circuit Court Judge Lung Hung on Wednesday afternoon. Strauss is facing four felonies of attempted murder in the second degree, assault in the first degree, bias crime in the first degree and unlawful use of a weapon.

According to Malheur County District Attorney David Goldthorpe, the next step for Strauss case is to check with Lifeways (the countys mental health provider) and see if it offers the appropriate service for someone in Strauss situation in the community.

If Lifeways does not offer that, then the judge will be able to sign the order to have Strauss transferred to the Oregon State Hospital for restoration of his ability to aid and assist, Goldthorpe said.

The status hearing for Strauss is currently scheduled for Feb. 26.

Strauss was arraigned on his charges on Dec. 27. A mental health evaluation was ordered for him on Jan. 15 after he wasnt present for his scheduled plea hearing for the second time as the jail was unable to bring Strauss to the hearing due to his behavior.

Strauss, a long-haul semi driver, had been in Ontario for a few days before he allegedly stabbed a man at a local fast-food restaurant on Dec. 21.

Police say Strauss was restrained by several employees inside the Pilot truck stop on East Idaho Avenue when officers arrived on scene.

The victim, Ronnell Hughes, 48, who was at Arbys on a job-seeking visit, was found nearby with multiple stab wounds to his neck area.

Police say Strauss approached Hughes, who was seated at the time, without provocation or communication then began attacking him with a knife.

Hughes attempted to fend off the attack, but suffered at least two slash and stab wounds to his neck area before employees came to his aid, according to police records.

None of the employees who intervened were injured.

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Man accused of racially motivated stabbing found unable to aid and assist; may have to move to state hospital - Ontario Argus Observer

On Wednesday, Rick Gorka, theformer traveling press secretary of Sen. Mitt Romneys 2012 presidential campaign who now serves as a communications director for the Republican National Committee,stated that Romneys vote to convict President Trumpon the abuse of power impeachment charge was motivated by bitterness and jealousy.

Gorka tweeted, I believe Mitt Romney is motivated by bitterness and jealousy that @realDonaldTrump accomplished what he has failed to do multiple times. His desire to pander to the chattering class has gotten the best of him again. Gorka continued, These are the same people that hated Mitt in 2012 and they will hate him again when they are done with him. It is sad to see that Mitt has not learned the lessons from 2012. Now he has betrayed his Party and millions of voters.

Gorka was not the only person close to Romney to take issue with his decision; Romneys niece, Ronna Romney McDaniel, who serves as the chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, tweeted, This is not the first time I have disagreed with Mitt, and I imagine it will not be the last. The bottom line is President Trump did nothing wrong, and the Republican Party is more united than ever behind him. I, along with the @GOP, stand with President Trump.

Romneys statementexplaining his decision to vote guilty on the Democrats first article of impeachment, Abuse of Power, read in part:

This verdict is ours to render. The people will judge us for how well and faithfully we fulfilled our duty. The grave question the Constitution tasks senators to answer is whether the President committed an act so extreme and egregious that it rises to the level of a high crime and misdemeanor.

Yes, he did. The President asked a foreign government to investigate his political rival. The President withheld vital military funds from that government to press it to do so. The President delayed funds for an American ally at war with Russian invaders. The Presidents purpose was personal and political.

Accordingly, the President is guilty of an appalling abuse of the public trust. What he did was not perfect No, it was a flagrant assault on our electoral rights, our national security interests, and our fundamental values. Corrupting an election to keep oneself in office is perhaps the most abusive and destructive violation of ones oath of office that I can imagine.

In 2016, during the presidential campaign, Romney and Trump traded barbs. As Politico noted:

Mitt Romney called Donald Trump a fraud and phony whose words and actions are degrading to women, and whose policies would trigger a recession, make America less safe and foster an era of trickle-down racism. Trump labeled Romney a stiff and a catastrophe who had choked like a dog when he ran for president in 2012.

Romney also called on the top three GOP 2016 presidential candidates to release their tax documents, accusing Trump of dodging and weaving on the issue, and adding, Were gonna select our nominee. We really ought to see from all three of these fellas what their taxes look like to see if theres an issue there. I think in Donald Trumps case, its likely to be a bombshell.

More here:
Romney's Former Traveling Press Secretary On Romney's Vote: 'Motivated By Bitterness And Jealousy' - The Daily Wire

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We will not tolerate hate-motivated crimes against the Hispanic community - KAMR - MyHighPlains.com

All good things must come to an end, but having soldiered with Monaghan for 16 seasons before hanging up his boots last November, there are a few common theories that Dessie Mone would like to challenge.

aving given unbroken service to the Farney men since 2004 - even traveling home from England every Thursday and heading back each Sunday when studying abroad in 2013 - Mone is taken aback by the recent spate of inter-county drop-outs.

The 35-year-old recalls an overnight stay in Dublin nine years ago when sorrows were drowned after an early qualifier exit to Offaly that helped to change the Monaghan mentality.

Mone remembers a "massive conversation" with 'Mansy' (Conor McManus), Dick Clerkin and Vinny Corey about the direction Monaghan were taking and how they agreed that they must "stick together and give this a chance".

Remarkable

What followed over the remainder of the decade was quite remarkable as seven years under Malachy O'Rourke yielded successive League promotions (2013 and '14) and a pair of Ulster SFC titles ('13 and '15).

Those triumphs were underpinned by a squad which rarely saw any departing faces - barring retirements - with Mone believing that such continuity is imperative to success.

"I've always found within the Monaghan squad that if people could give their time, they would. The lads have been consistently there over the past decade and that has been key to it," said Mone.

"The key was lads sticking together and even if we didn't go well one year, we held that Division 1 status. A lot of lads are giving out about travelling but if you enjoy it, do it. It's a great opportunity to play for your county.

"I don't understand playing for a year and then giving up for a year and then playing for another year. Lads would enjoy it far more, get a lot more out of it and probably see more success if they just gave that consistent few years to their county.

"I would definitely encourage any young lad if they're going down the inter-county route just to stick at it."

Monaghan have retained top-flight status in the League for the past five seasons, with many feeling that their resources have been exhausted.

Such a notion irks the Largy College PE teacher, who welcomes the long-term benefits which Division 1 football bring and feels that their talent is often understated.

"Young kids see us in Division 1 and you can see now the lads coming through watching us being competitive. If you want to play later in the summer, the League is where you continuously test yourself against those best teams and show that you can do it in championship," he says.

"It was often said that Monaghan are a hard-working team and they'll give everything, but they never mentioned that they were a skilful team.

"It was all about hard work but it never really bothered us and more spurred us on. We knew we had lads that wanted to play for the Monaghan jersey and skilful players. It wasn't just about hard work."

While many inter-county careers are written off once they hit the 30 mark, the Clontibret defender sees no reason why more players cannot continue for longer and he aligns his longevity with the advancements made in sports science.

"More lads are educated now. A decade ago lads were coming back from the winter unfit and that was doing them more damage. Lads are being smarter now, they go back in fit and ready to train," he says.

Decisions

"That's the way I always approached it, make the right decisions on and off the pitch. You've all that hard graft done over the years, you just train smart then. You don't have to kill yourself every time you go to train, all you need is to maintain your body conditioning and top it up."

Mone admits that it's a "massive change" not to have his gear bag in hand heading into Clones, but he has been impressed with what he's watched so far in the second coming of Seamus 'Banty' McEnaney.

He was happy to depart and "let youth have their fling as it's time for other lads to step up within the squad" with Aaron Mulligan - a sweet left-footer who reminds him of Farney legend Paul Finlay - and recent Sigerson Cup winner Mchel Bannigan two who have already caught his eye in the opening rounds.

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United squad was Mone's motivation - Herald.ie

Robert Olah speaking at a motivational discussion with Romani residents of the Chanov housing estate in Most, Czech Republic. (PHOTO: ROMEA)

Robert Olah, a 22-year-old native of Dn, Czech Republic, is a student in economics at the Faculty of Socioeconomics at Jan Evangelista Purkyn University in st nad Labem. In an interview for public broadcaster Radiournl, Olahsaid his dream is to teach the subject at a high school.

"I'd like to earn a Master of Engineering degree from the department of Economics and Management with a focus on financial management, and then I'd like to complete the minimum requirements in pedagogy for teaching at high school level. That way I'd be able to teach accounting and economics one day," says the student, who will take his degree examinations this year.

"I've completed subjects such as marketing, market research and project management, which are the subject for the degree exam. I left financial management until the final year of my studies for the statistical analysis of data, and as part of that course I will process the data for my Bachelor's degree," Olah explains.

A nonprofit organization aided Olah with choosing a high school and then supported him during his studies at university, as he explains: "Mom wanted me to study even though she herself has just a primary education. A nonprofit organization has been working for several years in my home town, and I visited them from the first through the ninth grade, I did my homework there and participated in recreational activities. The chair of the nonprofit aided me with completing the application to high school. Even though I'd beenan honors student all the way throughninth grade, I didn't get what that meant - I'd earned nothing but the highest grades, but I wanted to go to hairdresser school. It was the chair of the nonprofit who helped me apply for the European Business Academy. I literally found who I amthere, I enjoy it."

Thanks to the nonprofit, Olah says he found out about the opportunity to apply for scholarships: "The aid and support from them continues to this day. During graduation, the chair of the association told me about the scholarships to college, assisted me with completing the application to Open Society Fund Prague, I went for an interview there and it turned out favorably."

The young student is planning to continue on to his Master's studies: "I'd like to get a Master of Engineering degree. It would be either from the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, specializing in Business Economics and Management, or my home university in st nad Labem in the same field, with a focus on finance."

Olah says it is necessary to motivate and support young Roma to study: "It's important to want to do this. If a person wants to do something, then he can accomplish it, motivation can't be lacking."

The rest is here:
Robert Olah, Romani university student in the Czech Republic, on personal motivation and nonprofit support - Romea.cz

There are a few women on every season of The Bachelor who were just born to become a meme. Mykenna Dorn takes the cake as the most memable girl in Peter Webers crew by far.

For the majority of the season, we were treated to Dorns insane facial expressions but not much more. The first half of the season was dominated by the drama between the rest of the women so we didnt hear much from Dorn. But in last nights episode, Dorn gave more than one monologue and fans were not here for it.

In the last few episodes, we had seen Dorn getting distraught over not having enough time with Weber. But instead of just getting annoyed like most of the other women, Dorn cried to anyone who would listen. This caused Tammy Li to get aggravated with Dorn and tell Weber that she didnt think Dorn was on the show for the right reasons. And as any Bachelor fan knows, whenever two women get into an argument, they are pretty much setting themselves up to go on a two-on-one date, which is exactly what happened.

Dorn obviously came to the date prepared for an argument. Right when she and Li sat down, Dorn delivered what she probably thought was a speech that would shut Li down for good. Unfortunately, thats not how it went.

I dont know what your goal was the other night, maybe to make me feel small and weak, but at the end of the day, you made me found [sic] my dn voice, Dorn said. And I am a strong woman, and I will not let people like you tear me down anymore and make me feel like any less of a person and I do not deserve any love. Because at the end of the day, I am proud of who I am, Tammy. Kindness wins. Love wins. Bringing people down never wins. And thats how I feel about that.

To make an awkward speech even more painful to watch, Li didnt even respond to Dorns soliloquy.

Fans were quick to jump on Twitter to drag Dorn for whatever that speech was supposed to be.

That awkward moment when Mykenna tries way too hard to be deep and empowering for all of her internet fans, but completely misses the mark #TheBachelor, one person wrote.

Mykenna needs to stop with her self empowering speeches, another person wrote. Just go home sweetie.

Mykenna went on The Bachelor to hype herself up on national television, another fan tweeted.

And others were just tired of Dorn altogether.

I hate myself for watching this show and tweeting hot takes about it but Mykenna is so ANNOYING. If I hear her say one more time through tears I need peter to see how GREAT I am but hes too caught up in the DRAMA to see the REAL ME aslasdfasdfsf youre on the BACHELOR, one fan said.

Though Weber didnt see most of the annoying things that Dorn did, he still decided to send her home.

Mykenna, bless that girl. Her facial expressions are amazing. Ill never forget them, Weber told Entertainment Tonight. The tongue, the wine, dancing shes such a fun girl and very sweet girl.

I know that she had very pure intentions and she was there for the right reasons, truly, he continued. And I obviously wish her the best, but again, she just wasnt my wife.

Read more from the original source:
'The Bachelor': Mykenna Dorn Only Speaks in Motivational Phrases and Fans Are Dragging Her for It - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

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Photo credit: Rebecca Harrell

Photo credit: Rebecca Harrell

Photo credit: Rebecca Harrell

Haley Schmidt February 6, 2020

Proclaimed self-help books are not helping anyone but an authors bank account. The craze in self-improvement has caused the nation to fall victim to manipulation through pretty book covers and an ego boost.

As a society who values self-interest above most everything, believing that a book with encouraging statements and steps to magically becoming rich, happy and successful will make any sort of real difference is comforting. Unfortunately, these categorized self-help books are nothing more than the imagined success of a first-time author with no life.

Purchasing a self-help book is a complete waste of money and valuable time; anyone with actual life experience would encourage society to steer clear. Never spend a dime on any type of book that is supposed to instruct the reader on how to solve a broad spectrum of life dilemmas with that certain authors fix-all solutions.

The term self-help has infinite meanings, because it has become a go-to for solving any issue imaginable. However, these books that seem to be trying to help society achieve their best selves are in many cases having inverse effects on the readers. The readers become immersed in a sea of advice, suggestions, routines and hacks they never truly apply to their lives, making it purely a form of entertainment. A commodity that is not only in high demand from women but to the surprise of many, for men as well.

College students are enduring a period of life that brings an overwhelming amount of self-reflection and doubt. The rise of this temporary stress outlet is an easy way of feeling comforted in times of confusion. In 2015, Forbes reported that 75% of millennials said they would be making personal improvement commitments. The modern world is never satisfied, so if there is a book advertising all the answers to a better lifestyle than, it is the ultimate attraction.

Reading self-help books does not enhance qualities like self-discipline, emotional stability and self-esteem. In fact, reading these books that are meant to aid everyday life events are not actually doing anything at all. Active readers searching for guidance in empty words are really just supporting the writing career of someone who is pitching the masses views that are commonly unsupported by fact.

American non-fiction author, Steve Salerno, wrote an entire book on the self-help movement and how the concept is manipulating millions of people. In his book, How the Self-Help Movement Made America Helpless, he states compares the genre to snake-oil salesmen, pitching regimens that have never been validated. He conducted real research and found that these books are basically cash grabs and fail-safes for writers who only sell because there continues to be an audience.

A concept many fail to acknowledge when strolling the isles at the bookstore for these books that seem to be flying off the shelves. The entire genre, a misnomer in itself that makes very little sense, is laughing at readers knowing the irony of the books being known to be ineffective.

Stop wasting money and time on an industry whose goal is for the target audience to remain miserable and in a constant state of dissatisfaction. Self-help books are hurting millions of people more than they will ever understand.

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Self-help books are mocking the country - University Star

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 4, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- LibraryBub is an industry first. Founded in 2015, it is dedicated to making vibrant connections between indie and small-press authors and an extensive network of libraries. Imbued with the enthusiasm and ambition of its founder, the bestselling author Alinka Rutkowska, the core commitment of the LibraryBub service, which has been working with all major libraries for four years, is to help librarians to identify acclaimed books from the independent publishing sector. Offering an extensive range of outreach and output, Rutkowska enables thousands of emerging authors to achieve publishing success.

The February list of notable books by self-publishing authors appears below. The selected publications have been praised by independent critics and are quickly proving popular with devotees and newfound readers alike. Some have already become Amazon best sellers in their particular categories. The cream of the selected books are award winners within the independent publishing sector. LibraryBub introduces thousands of librarians to bestselling and award-winning books from the independent publishing sector.These books hold immense potential for enhancing the lives of their readers. Beverly Cleary recalled "The first grade was separated into three reading groups Bluebirds, Redbirds and Blackbirds. I was a Blackbird. To be a Blackbird was to be disgraced. I wanted to read, but somehow could not." Librarians were instrumental in changing her outlook, enabling her to catch up with her reading and encouraging her to write. The result was that she became a librarian and an award-winning children's author. Librarians enable writers to make that kind of difference to people's lives andLibraryBub CEO Alinka Rutkowska is delighted to support them in that role.

Below is February's selection by category.

FICTION

Literature & Fiction

Bonds of Love and Bloodby Marylee MacDonald ISBN: 978-1732078734

Inside a Hollow Treeby Kevin P. White ISBN: 978-1494308247

Light of the North Star Part One: The Descent by Dhrubajyoti Bhattacharya ISBN: 978-1732243200

The Mind of a Deviant Womanby Paula Paul ISBN: 978-1478798835

The Spanish Teacher by Barbara de la Cuesta ISBN: 978-1948288712

Mystery & Thriller

Closer than You Think by Lee Maguire ISBN: 978-1631610608

Rough Diamondsby I. Robinson ISBN: 978-0620749015

Science Fiction & Fantasy

House of Pain (Book One of the Forsaken Ones series) by Denna Holm ISBN: 978-1681606873

Sorrowfish(Book One of the Call of the Lorica series) by Anne C. Miles ISBN: 978-0578612195

Children's

The Chronicles of Pukupaiby Bijit Chakraborty ISBN: 978-1660150151

Dare to Be Brave: the magic of thinking big(Book Two of the Braving the World series) by Eevi Jones ISBN: 978-1732373327

Green Toenail Soup and Bat Fuzzby Sharon CassanoLochman ISBN: 978-1734288100

The Plastic Pollution Adventure (Book One of the Rescue Elves series) by Monty J. McClaine ISBN: 978-1973899525

Who Are You?: first day of school(Book One of the Fargone series) by Dr. Qooz ISBN: 978-1981074051

NON-FICTION

Business

The 60 Minute Startup by Ramesh Dontha ISBN: 978-1733465137

Surviving in the New Retail Marketplaceby Douglas D. Kelly ISBN: 978-1982231019

Health & Fitness

Breaking Thru the Fibro Fog: scientific proof fibromyalgia is real by Kevin P. White ISBN: 978-0986788109

History

The Perfect 36: Tennessee delivers woman suffrage by Paula F. Casey ISBN: 978-0974245652

Self-Help

The Art of Good Enough: the working mom's guilt-free guide to thriving while being perfectly imperfect by Ivy Ge ISBN: 978-1640859517

Just Do Your Dream!: a 7-step guide to help you do what you always wantedby Montrie Rucker Adams with Angela Ali ISBN: 978-0976192794

"The results from the LibraryBub promotion were so impressive," says author Charles Veley. "The newsletter got great open and click rates!" He's convinced that "this was a great way to increase discoverability".

Librarians are encouraged to sign up for LibraryBub athttp://librarybub.com/

Independent publishers should visit http://librarybub.com/authors/to submit their books for consideration.

Media Contact:

Alinka Rutkowska alinka@authorremake.com

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/business-and-self-help-guides-to-success-among-highlights-in-librarybub-selection-for-february-300997701.html

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Business and Self-Help Guides to Success Among Highlights in LibraryBub Selection for February - Yahoo Finance

Jenny Blocks obsession with unicorns led to her latest book, a self-help manual for love, life and personal fulfillment

Jenny Block believes in unicorns, and she doesnt care who knows it.

In fact, she wants more people to believe in unicorns. And she makes a compelling case for it in her just-published new book Be That Unicorn: Find Your Music, Live Your Truth and Share Your Shine.

I have always liked unicorns, Block, a regular columnist for Dallas Voice, admits. I feel strangely drawn to them.

Yes, because Im a girly girl, and they are sparkly and magical. But also because they have long represented what I have long wanted to be equal part sweet and powerful and alluring and special and fun, all the things that we love the most about the people we love and admire the most.

Unicorns represent a silly sort of perfection within their own unique weirdness, Block opines. That has always resonated with me. I knew I would never be that perfect girl, whatever that really means. But I knew that I could be the perfect version of me, and thats what would really make me, well, perfect.

Her preoccupation impelled Block, already an award-winning writer (she snagged a Lambda Literary Award for her advice memoir Open) to turn her concept into a self-help book. Although she first put pen to paper to write Be That Unicorn about a year ago, in many ways, Ive been writing it in my head for years. Suddenly I had the urge to start writing it down. Like, literally, one day, I just had to. Nothing Ive written has ever come so easily and naturally.

Thats how I know it had to be written, and I had to write it. Not to sound too out there, but it was almost as if I were channeling it from, well, my inner unicorn.

Which only reinforces what the message is. The book is about allowing yourself to be you, says Block. Its about standing up for yourself, being true to yourself. Its also about keeping yourself in check. Everyone has the right and the opportunity to be That Unicorn, and we owe it to ourselves and to others to commit to that pursuit. Self-care is all about giving your body, mind and spirit what they need; its not about being more special than anyone else. Its about being yourself thats whats special.

Which might just make Block the unicorn whisperer.

I like to think of myself as the little unicorn who keeps whispering to herself, I think I can. I think I can. I think I can. Not everyone has a little unicorn pre-wired in their heads. This book is for those who dont. Or for those who do but who need a jumpstart for the little guy. Or for those who have no idea what Im talking about but who know they want the happiest, fullest, unicorniest life possible. Life is full of good stuff and bad stuff and all the in between stuff, and the only way to get the most out of it all is by being That Unicorn.

With the book just now available in print and e-book formats at BeThatUnicorn.net and other booksellers, Block is preparing to embark on a promotional tour, starting in Houston on Feb. 27. Before that, she granted us exclusive permission to reprint an excerpt. Enjoy. And hook em, corns!

Arnold Wayne Jones

EXCERPT from BE THAT UNICORN by Jenny Block (Mango Publishing 2020)

Ive always wanted to be that It Girl. The one people were drawn to. The one who could garner the attention of everyone at a dinner party. The one who was so captivating that, no matter where she was or who she was talking to, everyone around her just glowed. The It Girl has some sort of magic force about her, and just being around her allowed you to become enveloped in it.

I used to think you became an It Girl through clothes or beauty or money. Maybe it was her travel or her experiences or her access to the world. The messaging from that world is confusing. Be rich. Be young. Be beautiful. Then everyone will love you, and youll have the world at your feet. But some of the most banal people I have ever met get top marks in all three of those categories. So it sent me out on a journey pondering, If that wasnt what made the girlor the guy what was it?

It wasnt until I truly listened to the words my father had been saying to me since I was a little girl that I realized what the magic quotient of the It Girl truly was: authenticity.

She feels so comfortable in her skin that she cant help but let it spring out from her like so many sparkly strands that surround and delight everyone around her.

Because she feels good about herself, she makes others feel the same way. Theres no one easier to adore than someone who reflects back to you the image of yourself that you long to see: the smart, funny, clever, enchanting, kind, calm, inviting version of yourself that knows just what to do and how to do it in every situation.

That girl (or guy) is That Unicorn.

I used to get angry when my dad would tell me to be myself. That plan had gotten me rejected in the most grandiose of ways, including when I went to Camp Louise the summer between eighth and ninth grades. Everyone else had grown up and arrived at camp with luggage packed with Bloomies underwear and magazine pages to hang in their lockers of the latest hunky movie stars. I showed up with my monkey puppet: Hi! Im Jenny and this is my monkey, Henry. It was social suicide at first sight.

But what I didnt know back then was that those girls were even more insecure than I was. It was that very desperation that pushed them to follow the crowd in every sense, to dress the same and talk the same and drool over the very same heartthrobs. I was too nave to know any better. I was just being, well, me. That summer was the beginning of me deciding that that whole be yourself thing was for the birds. All it got you was a seat at the dork table in the cafeteria and a lot of lonely Saturday nights.

But years of following the crowd did me no good, either. Not in the long run, anyway. Why? Because I wasnt being me. I was faking it and not in the fake it till you make it kind of way, just in the plain old fake it cause you dont know what the heck else to do kind of way. Thats never good. When I was faking it, I felt fake. When I was my actual self, I felt so much better. Slowly it became clear to me: Being yourself might not always be the easiest, but it is always the best.

So, when I got to college, I decided it was the perfect time to retest my dads be yourself and they will come theory. And, go figure, it worked. People liked to be around me, because I knew who I was, and I was happy and comfortable in my own skin. From then on, that was my path. Sure, I had and continue to have plenty of days plagued by insecurity. But most days are pretty prancy. I became That Unicorn by not trying to be any girl other than me.

That Unicorn is the best you. That Unicorn is a glittery, rainbow-maned metaphor for ones joyful self the kind of person we are all drawn to. That Unicorn is you. My mom has always said that people are drawn to me because I make everyone feel good about themselves. Throughout my life, people have echoed that sentiment. Its the thing I love about myself the most: Im the big sister, the BFF, the mom, the cheerleader, the coach the little unicorn that could who everyone deserves.

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The greatest love of all - Dallas Voice

A visually impaired elderly man uses his white cane to follow the tire path on the street due to ice covered sidewalks in Montreal on Dec. 7, 2019. Allen McInnis / Montreal Gazette

The Low Vision Self-Help Association has been helping people with vision loss for over 30 years. It helps with practical things, like how to obtain software to help navigate a computer or to audio dictate emails. And it helps connect people with others who are dealing with vision loss and the emotional and practical challenges that come with it.

Association president John Ohberg lost his sight gradually. After being diagnosed with glaucoma, he continued to work as an engineer for decades.

One day I was getting ready to go on a road trip with a group of fellow engineers, Ohberg said. One fellow tossed me the keys and I missed. He joked about it, saying Im glad youre not on my baseball team. I hadnt told anyone about my vision problems.

Ohberg retired in 2008 and four months later, due to his vision loss, his drivers license was suspended. Then his wife Clora Delany was diagnosed with cancer and he became her full-time caregiver. Two weeks after his wife passed away, he connected with the Montreal Association for the Blind (MAB) and was given some practical tools to facilitate navigating daily life and staying connecting with the world. It was the MAB which suggested Ohberg contact the Low Vision Self-Help Association in the West Island.

The association gathers monthly at the Briarwood Presbyterian Church in Beaconsfield, to socialize, to learn about the latest in low-vision news or perhaps the latest ways to make practical adaptations to the home.

Im partially sighted, but I continue to live on my own and use public transit, Ohberg said. The Low Vision Self-Help Association provided me with community of people who also had vision loss, to varying degrees. It keeps you from becoming isolated.

Irene Lambert is a founding member of the low-vision association, which she described as a link between diagnosis and rehabilitation. She was diagnosed with degenerative vision as a child. Her vision loss was gradual and now she is completely blind.

You are told to learn to live with (vision loss), but not how to live with it, Lambert said. We say you have lost your sight not your vision. That, along with other familiar words of wisdom such as knowledge is power, change happens and live and learn help keep the groups 50 members upbeat and moving forward.

The Low Vision Self-Help Association was established by Pointe-Claire resident Ruth Williams after she was diagnosed as legally blind. Her idea was to bring in guest speakers who could lend their expertise as well as technology experts who could help people become comfortable with the latest in electronic aids. The association also organizes an annual trip planned with the low-vision community in mind such as a visit to a museum where guided tours and audio descriptions are available.

For more information about the Low Vision Self-Help Association, visit http://www.lowvisionselfhelpassociation.com.

kgreenaway@postmedia.com

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Low Vision Self-Help Association offers information and community - Montreal Gazette