PUBLISHED: 15:00 14 August 2017

Michael Scott

Chief executive of Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) Michael Scott. Photo: NSFT

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I have worked throughout the health and care system covering a wide range of roles; as a social worker, chief executive of a hospital, part of the Department of Health and running community services here in Norfolk.

However, there are personal as well as professional reasons why Ive chosen to work in mental health and the lived experiences that I bring to my role which I keep firmly in mind to inform the decisions I make as chief executive of NSFT.

Its still not easy for people to talk about mental health and its impact upon them or their loved ones.

Despite the change in some attitudes, we still find stigma surrounds mental ill health in a way we no longer see in relation to cancer.

These misplaced attitudes of shame or embarrassment are, I believe, why mental health has historically been short of resources and why services had become the largely hidden part of the NHS.

Its about time that changed and thats why I welcome this special edition of the EDP and why Im writing this piece.

Im always open with the staff I work with about why I do this job.

But Ive not tended to share my personal experiences in the public arena.

But if I want to encourage others talk more openly then I need to do the same.

Depression has always been a part of my family life; it would appear that the Scotts have a genetic connection that has meant my father, sister, brother and uncle all had depression to varying degrees.

It is my fortune that this gene missed me, as my mother will often say.

The depression they underwent wasnt feeling down or blue.

For them it often meant the black dog that wouldnt let them get out of bed in the morning, and for them to feel that life was not worth living.

For my father that meant hospital admissions and ECT.

For my sister it meant a life of self-medication with drugs and alcohol, leading to her early death last year.

As my father aged, his depression was replaced by dementia.

Whilst dementia is a debilitating condition for so many people, paradoxically for my father it often took him to a place of acceptance where there was little worry from the past and no concerns for the future.

The main impact of the condition was upon my mother where the majority of care and responsibilities lay.

When my father had dementia the very worst thing you could do would be to admit him to a hospital bed.

I remember the occasions when I would visit him and he would literally beg me to take him home. Even given my knowledge and experience I still sometimes had to argue with well-meaning healthcare staff who wanted to keep him in hospital when he and I knew that his ailments were incurable.

The best place for him to be was at home cared for with love and compassion by his family; no-one could understand and meet his needs better than my mother.

But I also understand the enormous stresses this can create and the need for health and care services to be there in a supporting role.

It is these experiences that have shaped my attitude towards the work I do.

It has made me absolutely committed to improving mental health services and campaigning for more resources, which now are beginning to come through with investment in our trust this year.

It also makes me reflect on the pattern of how we are developing our services locally as we plan a new future for Norfolk through the STP, particularly as my own need for care seems ever closer!

So, lets be open about our experiences and use them positively, and collaboratively campaign for a better future for all impacted by mental health issues.

For more from the EDPs special mental health takeover edition, click here.

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Mental health takeover: It is about time attitudes of shame and embarrassment in mental health changed - Norfolk Eastern Daily Press

Prior to her sophomore year at Brownstown Central, Shelby Stuckwisch asked Emma Zabor about playing golf.

Zabor ran cross-country as a freshman but didnt enjoy running as much as she hoped she would.

Both girls switched to golf that year, with Zabor playing No. 5 at the beginning of the season before moving up to No. 2.

This fall she is in her second season playing No. 1 for the Braves.

The senior enjoys the difficulty of playing on the Braves home course at Hickory Hills.

Hickory is a very complex golf course, especially compared to Shadowood, Zabor said. Hickory has quite a few trees, definitely more hills. You just have to be more precise with your ball placement at Hickory.

One of my favorite holes (at Hickory) is No. 4. It is over the water, but I think it is one of the easiest holes for me. My low score there has been in the low 40s.

On the schedule, Zabor looks forward to the tournaments.

I like 18-hole matches better because I feel like if I mess up on one or two holes I have more holes to get it back, Zabor said.

She said her favorite away course is Shadowood, where she has worked the last two summers.

I love Shadowood, Zabor said. I like the length of it. Its not too long and they have quite a few par fives that are fairly short for me because I can hit the ball quite a ways. All-in-all I like it.

Her career low is an 82, which she shot in the Seymour Invitational in 2016.

Zabor said you have to have to keep your composure on each hole when playing golf.

People say golf is 90 percent mental and 10 percent physical, she said. I believe that a lot. I know when I first started my mental attitude wasnt where it needed to be. I would have a bad hole and I would let it control me for the rest of the nine holes.

I feel in this last year its gotten a lot better and I feel like you need to have a strong mental attitude to be able to play golf because you have to be able to recover from bad shots.

This season, Zabor said she feels confident with her tee shots and mentioned her drives as the strongest part of her game.

I have good distance, she said. The accuracy could use some work. I worked on my chipping a lot over the summer because it needed quite a bit of work but its getting there. My putting has helped me sometimes and its broke me sometimes.

Golf changes continuously, and I love the challenge that it brings. Practice is so important. You cant expect to go out and play well if you dont go out and practice well. When its dewy and wet out there the courses tend to play a lot slower than what they normally would, and you have to adjust to that as the day moves forward.

With four letter winners back from last year, Zabor said she has high hopes for the Braves this fall.

I think we can do well as long as we keep practicing, and stay calm throughout the whole season and just continue working, Zabor said.

After tearing an ACL in basketball her sophomore year, Zabor decided to just focus on golf.

It took me a while to bounce back from that, Zabor said. I didnt want to risk getting hurt because I knew that golf was going to be the sport that I could go somewhere with. I took it as a blessing, honestly.

She plans to play golf in college.

Zabor has enjoyed her time at Brownstown.

I love Brownstown, Zabor said. I would not change a thing if I had to do it over again. I love how such a tightly-knit community it is, especially when you go to a sporting event you feel like everyones there, and they have little banners up and theyre so supporting.

Zabor file

Name: Emma Zabor

School: Brownstown Central high School

Parents: Susan and Greg Zabor

Sibling: Ellen

Sports: Golf, three years; basketball, two years; cross-country, one year

Athletics highlights: Golf regional qualifier in 2016, All-Mid-Southern Conference in 2016 and 2015.

Organizations: Booster Club, Lettermens Club

Plans after high school: Attend college, play golf

Favorite food: Filet mignon

Favorite TV show: Greys Anatomy

Favorite singer: John Mayer

Favorite movie: The Choice

Favorite team: Green Bay Packers

Visit link:
Braves senior golf team's No. 1 again - Seymour Tribune

Josh Woods never took his football scholarship at Maryland for granted, and he never was the kind of kid who assumed playing time was a given, especially at the college level.

Yet watching two of his best friends on the team go down with season-ending knee injuries a year ago, and then experiencing his own struggles, has seemingly given the former McDonogh standout a new sense of commitment.

Woods is the first to admit that his junior year didnt go the way he wanted. The torn ACLs suffered by fellow safety Denzel Conyers and cornerback Will Likely III a month apart took their toll on Woods.

It definitely hit home, recalled Woods, now a redshirt senior and solidly in the mix for a starting job along side junior Darnell Savage Jr. But it made me appreciate being able to play more, it gave me a reason to play.

Woods initially took over for Conyers at safety, starting five straight games, but some inconsistent performances led to first-year coach DJ Durkin rotating a number of players, including freshmen Qwuantrezz Knight and Elijah Daniels. .

The return of Conyers, who is back practicing as he tries to regain his pre-injury form, as well as the arrival of highly-touted freshman Markquese Bell and the development of sophomore Antoine Brooks, has led to healthy competition as the Terps prepare for their Sept. 2 opener at Texas.

It just brings out the best in everybody, Woods said recently. Theres no malice to it, it kind of makes you kind of one-up the next guy. Its like, You went out and made a pick, Im going to get two tomorrow. Its only going to make everybody better.

Making a waving motion with his hand to demonstrate how up and down he was last season with everything from his approach to practice ro his performance in games, Woods added, Its a grind. Football is much like life. You can be doing everything right and just something throws you off track.

Woods said after being in a funk at the start of spring practice perhaps an emotional hangover from the second half of his junior year his performance began to improve when he took one of Durkins favorite sayings to heart.

It has contributed to Woods making one of the biggest jumps in gaining strength among his teammates, according to strength and conditioning coach Rick Court. Woods also put on 10 pounds during the off-season.

Coach Durkin tells us every day control the controllables, Woods said. Just make sure you control your attitude and enthusiasm, nobody can ever take those from you. You wake up in the morning and youre the guy who controls whether you want to have a bad attitude toward something or you want to feel positive about something.

Woods wears a rubber bracelet on his right wrist that serves as a constant reminder.

It reads, EFFORT. ATTITUDE. ENTHUSIASM.

Every single day, he said. I wake up, no matter how sore I am, how tired I am. No matter what, Im going to get better today. It became contagious almost. It became an expectation of me and my coaches saw that I could do it and helped me get to that standard.

Court, the schools assistant athletic director for football sports performance, noticed a difference from Woods in the weight room throughout the winter and spring workouts.

It has carried onto the practice field this summer.

He was a little bit more goofy class-clown last year. He worked hard and was a likable guy, Court said last week. This year, hes still fun to be around, hes just turned the business-like attitude a little bit more. Hes really a vocal leader. His work ethic has changed and his attitude and his enthusiasm in every part of our business has been contagious.

Said Woods, I think Coach Court was most impressed with the mental attitude toward everything. Working out, the physical part is only half the battle. You could be the strongest guy in the weight room, but if youre not feeling it that day, youre not going to put the weight up.

Conyers said before preseason practice began can see a new level of maturity and focus from someone he considers sort of a little brother as well as a close friend.

Everybody develops at a different time, I feel like its hitting him, Conyers said. I feel like hes 100 percent, This is what I want to do with my life, this is where I want to be. I want to be a leader, I want to be that guy.

Said Court, Hes one of the guys I can lean on and say, Hey Josh, make sure your guys are focused and lets get them going a little bit. You as a coach can sit back a little bit and he can take that job over.

Knowing what happened to Likely, and nearly happened to Conyers before he received an NCAA waiver to play one more season, the now 204-pound Woods is hoping for a healthy and productive senior year for himself and a successful one for the Terps.

I would say Im in a good position to meet my goals, he said. Its bittersweet how fast it [his career] went. Day by day, it took forever. In retrospect it was a flash. Its not over yet. It can all be taken away from me in one play. I have 12, maybe 13, hopefully 14 games to continue playing. Im just really thankful that Im still here.

Court has seen this happen before with players who have reached their senior year without accomplishing as much as they thought they would coming out of high school.

I think for the guys that really have a high care level for their school and for football and their teammates, they sit back and usually around the summer they think...Ive got to put everything I can into it, Court said. I wouldnt doubt for a second that Josh came to a little bit of a light turn on realization the last couple of months.

don.markus@baltsun.com

twitter.com/sportsprof56

Go here to see the original:
As senior year approaches, Maryland safety Josh Woods takes a more serious approach to the game - Baltimore Sun

(Editor's Note: a shorter version of this article is published in the 2017 edition of Sallie Magazine. This, as they say, is the rest of the story.)

Evora is a midwestern American treasure.

There are few in the county who don't know her pies, which fetch hundreds of dollars at charity auctions and are frequent items at the Newman Regional Health Auxiliary's snack bar.

Enquiring minds wanted to know, so I called Evora up and spent an afternoon with her as she prepared two pies for the Emporia Main Street auction that evening.

Born during the Depression, growing up just south of Emporia, Wheeler was an only child, a farm girl. She remembers the bankers coming to foreclose on the farm.

I still have that memory, Evora said. It's as sharp as can be ... Dad was at the barn, and this nice-looking car pulled up and these two guys in nice suits got out, and I knew. That was hard.

Disaster was averted thanks to Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal program called the Agricultural Adjustment Act.

My dad measured fields. It was the 'AAA' thing, then, Evora said. That's how he earned some money to save the farm.

She remembers learning to milk the cows when she was four, then learning to harness the horses so she could work in the fields.

There were two stalls and there was a divider about so high between them.

She held her hand about three feet off the ground.

And I'd get the harness, drag the harness down off the hook and I'd drag it over. And I'd get up on this divider and throw the harness over the horses, and work in the fields. She chuckled at the memory.

So, yeah, that was a long time ago. Tough times, but we made it through.

Through to a house with electricity and indoor plumbing on West Street. This was after her parents had been married 23 years.

From those origins, Evora built a family, a career in real estate, a legacy of volunteerism rarely seen and a pie that will break open the tightest wallet.

It seems odd Evora would be so well-versed in desserts as her mother was a diabetic.

And she never. Ever. Cheated. Evora emphasized. The nearest she came to it was, maybe once a year, she would eat a piece of angel food cake. But: she made pies for the Sardis church, for dinners and things.

Mrs. Wheeler's pie recipe was learned by rote.

I asked her once how to make the pie crust, Evora said. And she said 'I don't know, I just put the lard in there until it looks right!' Of course, we butchered hogs and had lard back then.

Evora had her eye on a guy who liked pie: Ralph Wheeler. So she asked again.

(My mother) said 'I don't know, I just put some flour in the bowl, and some lard in there and some salt and just kind of mix it.' Evora said

So I finally, after years of trying, devised a ratio. I'd start with flour and half as much shortening, and half as much cold water, and some salt ... and I finally got it right.

A wedding gift of the 1949 edition of Betty Crocker's Cookbook has helped with any other recipe issues Evora may have had since. It's still on her shelf.

THE CRUST

Friend Steve Haught finds the 12-inch disposable pie pans Evora uses for her auction pies. Auxiliary pies are 10 inches, and her recipes reflect the decrease in measurement necessary for that.

She works up the flour, shortening and salt with a pastry cutter until almost pea size.

Some people use an electric mixer, she said. But not me.

Evora uses cold water, as do most pastry chefs, to keep the fat from softening. She uses a spatula to incorporate it a bit at a time and finish the dough, trying to keep movement at a minimum. She finishes with a fork to get all the dry bits into the dough, again trying not to work the dough too much.

It makes it tough, she said.

The final dough was divided into four smaller balls. Covering the other three, Evora flattened one ball into an oval disc, floured each side and began rolling it out with her French rolling pin.

This particular pin she got at the state fair 55 to 60 years ago. It's a simple, tapered, wooden dowel in the French style.

I really like it, she said, because it's graduated out and you can roll to any width you want to.

She continued to build a circle with the pin, her experience allowing her to eyeball the diameter instead of having to use a pie circle or ruler.

The less you work with it, the more tender it's going to be, she reiterated.

To transfer the crust to the pie plate, Evora rolled it up around the pin, using a pastry blade to loosen it from the mat as needed, then unrolled it over the plate. She gently pressed it into the shape, tucking to accommodate the curves as necessary. She trimmed the overages to go back into the dough bowl and even scraped the rolling pin to conserve the dough.

If a tear in the crust does occur, it's easy to patch.

It's forgiving, this crust is, she said. Like I tell people, I don't have any secrets no unusual or magic ways of doing things. Anyone can make them.

Evora began crimping the crust edge, using her forefingers and thumbs.

This is probably not the professional way to do this but this is how I do it, she said.

The edge of the crust is pinched in a decorative pattern, which also gives the sides strength when it is cut. It's fairly high compared to mass-produced crusts.

It's not going to look like that when it gets baked. It will settle down. And I try to pinch it against the edge of the pan to hold it there.

She pricks the bottom and sides of the crust with a fork before baking it, unless it is headed for the freezer for emergency orders. The pie crust pre-bakes for 20 to 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

Some do 375, Evora said. But, for my oven, 350 is what is needed.

There are 15 or 16 different groups that she supports with pies for auction, plus her monthly Auxiliary commitment and Evora occasionally sells her pies by the order at $15.

On our visit, Evora was making two pies for the Emporia Main Street Auction. Then she planned to rise early the next day to make three to go to Newman Regional Health by 7 a.m.

She planned to get up about 3 a.m. to make the Auxiliary's pies. Why so early?

The night staffers get off duty and are ready for dinner, not breakfast, Evora explained.

Ralph always encouraged me and was very supportive, Evora said. Her late husband, who died in August of 2016, preferred custard pies.

Before Ralph passed, he was in a nursing home and she took pies out to him always at least two.

"Now, I said one of them had to be a custard pie, just for him, she said.

Evora doesn't remember how long she's been making pies to order.

I never did solicit business, never, she said. And I suppose I've been making them for fundraisers for, what, 15 years, maybe.

Evora thinks she provides pies for auction to about 16 organizations.

And I can help causes that way, that I could not by giving money, she said. I can make pies and, I guess, they bring anywhere from a hundred to $350 is the most I've heard. Isn't that just crazy?

Crazy good!

I'm just constantly amazed at people calling me and wanting pies, Evora said. I'm not, I'm not any different than anybody else! Now I hope the good Lord let's me keep doing things like this for years to come.

She shared a story.

Many years ago at a zoo event, a dentist I can't remember now, he was at the zoo auction and he bought one, and he paid several hundred dollars for it. And I knew him, I think I was still at the chamber of commerce at the time, so I knew people really well then.

I went over to the table and they were eating it and I said, 'I'm curious. Why in the world would you pay (whatever it was) for a pie?' And they said 'we wanted to help and there wasn't any of the other stuff we wanted.' So, that explained their reason for doing it.

They ate it right there, and I guess that happens frequently. (Bidders) plan on buying one, and I guess sometimes there may be two couples that will buy the pie and then they share it. Whatever! she laughed.

Evora donates the pies for auction. All I can take off of income tax though, is the cost of ingredients, she said. Plus, any Best Choice labels that come along are carefully clipped to be used by her congregation, First United Methodist Church, to help fund church projects.

Her most popular pie is coconut cream, followed by chocolate.

People don't make cream pies. They make fruit pies because they can buy a crust and put some fruit in it and have a pie, but they don't make cream pies, so that's what they ask for, she said Coconut cream, chocolate and lemon.

Not nut pies or even apple?

Not for the auctions, she said. They want cream pies.

Her favorite pie?

"Oh gee, I don't have a favorite and I don't eat many sweets because it would put weight on," she said. I don't think it's good for older people to get heavy, but I like all kinds of pies. "

What about other desserts like cakes, cookies, fudge?

"Oh, I do," she said. "But for the fundraisers, I do the pies. That's what people want.

I do make cakes, and would make them for orders. I don't advertise, because I'm still in the auxiliary and president of Crimestoppers again, and there are church things."

THE CUSTARD

The crusts went in the oven and it was time to make pudding. Evora pulled out a vintage Fire-King 4-cup measuring bowl and several Pyrex ceramic bowls to begin.

She still uses vintage appliances and mixing bowls. If it works, why replace it?

She pulled a recipe from her "stand by" box next to the oven, quickly washed her hands and began separating the egg whites.

"Now, you can't get any egg yolk in the whites or they won't do right," she said.

Evora carefully tipped the yolk from one egg shell half to the other, as the white separated. The recipe requires more egg white than yolk, so she uses the leftover yolks to make egg noodles to freeze.

Evora likes to let the eggs warm a bit outside of the fridge.

"They're not completely room temperature, but if they're not quite so cold the egg whites separate better I don't know why."

She added the soda, did a quick check on the crusts and rotated them to help the center cook more evenly.

Back to the pudding: Evora added the sugar and cornstarch. To save cost, she uses Best Choice brand for almost everything and finds it doesn't affect the quality of her final product.

The four cups of milk were stirred in one at a time, whisking thoroughly between each one.

Whoever came up with the idea of half towels, deserves a gold medal, she said as she used a paper towel to wipe up a small spill.

Evora microwaves her custard.

"That's a good invention, too," she said. And it frees her up to check on other things.

I microwave three minutes; whisk real good. Microwave another three minutes. Whisk again, Evora said.

The glass handle on the Pyrex stays cool, making this part easier.

Meanwhile the pie crusts were done and she pulled them out, after which she readied the Hamilton Beach 200 stand mixer for whipping the egg whites into meringue. Altogether, Evora has three fully-functional, vintage Hamilton Beach stand mixers.

She also has three ovens. Two upstairs and a Norge 1966 range in the basement for overflow cooking.

We bought it when we moved from Market Street to Lawrence Street, she said. It still works perfectly, but the spring on the door is loose so I have to put a stick on it to keep the heat in. But it still bakes better than this one (upstairs).

There are two ovens upstairs, however Evora doesn't like the way one of them bakes, so she uses it for storage.

"The other one," she said, "I feel, doesn't bake as nice as the one downstairs.

"Like for cinnamon rolls: If I make a double batch, I do 15 up here and 15 down there, and the ones from down there are prettier. They brown nicer."

The stand mixer made very short work of the meringue, with little attention from Evora so she could focus on round two of microwaving the custard.

She microwaved the mixture another three minutes. Things were happening quickly now. Crusts and meringue were at the ready. The custard only required two tablespoons of butter, a teaspoon of vanilla extract and about 3/4-cup flaked coconut.

The custard went into the crust and the meringue got a refreshing whip. Finally, Evora mounded it on top of the custard giant slabs of meringue spilling out of the mixing bowl. She pressed it firmly against the crust edges so there wouldn't be any gapping.

Her recipe makes about a half-cup too much, so there were tasty bits to snack on. I asked her about re-whipping the meringue, assuming it would have broken it into butter. She said letting it set would have created lumps.

"I had to whip it again, because it would be lumpy if I make it too far ahead like I just did," she said

Rewhipping the meringue didn't seem to affect the quality and it reminded Evora of a mystery.

"I don't know why, and maybe someone can tell me the secret; lemon pies will usually leak or weep some, she said. And I have not figured that out ... one time, I think it was for the ESU auction, and I got to the civic building and I was taking them out and there was this leakage in the box. I had to come back home, put it in another box and go back again," she laughed.

Maybe it's the acidity? I suggested.

See the original post:
In Sallie's Kitchen: Baker raises thousands with exemplary pies - Emporia Gazette

Being an entrepreneur is no easy feat. If you aspire to be a successful businessman one day, you need to be willing to work very hard, develop useful skills and have solid mental fortitude. There will be times when youll have to put yourself in a risky position. However, you should know that success and risks are two sides of the same coin. You should also be open to receiving harsh criticism for your products and services as negative feedback will help you improve what you have to offer.

Image :Shutterstock

Of course, running a business is not for the faint-hearted. You should, therefore, concentrate on making the following five mental shifts early on to help yourself evolve into a successful entrepreneur.

If you feel that your education ended the day you received your degree, you need to change your mental attitude right now. Entrepreneurship is all about building your knowledge and thinking beyond the things you were taught in the classroom. Also, dont restrict yourself to the subjects that are relevant to your business. When you develop a holistic awareness, youre more likely to succeed as an entrepreneur.

The best investment is the one you make in yourself. You should therefore indulge in activities like reading or listening to podcasts for at least 30 minutes every day. You can also go for a run every morning or hit the gym in the evening to help relieve your stress levels and prevent health problems that occur due to a sedentary lifestyle. Reinventing yourself will increase your concentration levels and will help you prevent a mental burnout.

Great entrepreneurs are able to maintain high concentration levels for several hours in a day. If you aspire to be a successful businessman, you need to be able to work productively for long hours. However, that wont be possible till you take the time and effort to consciously develop your mental stamina. Start by recognising things that distract you easily and work towards eliminating those things.

There is no such thing as permanent or real failure. If you want to achieve meteoric success as an entrepreneur, you need to understand that youll have a lot of learning experiences, disguised as temporary failures. Worrying too much about failure will ensure that youre never able to move ahead in life.

Dont be that person who uses people as stepping stones to get ahead in life. Instead, try to help and be of assistance to as many people as you can on your way up. When you build meaningful relationships, youll be able reap the rewards of those relationships for many years to come.

Success isnt served to anyone on a platter and you are no exception. If you want to make a true entrepreneur out of yourself, you need to work hard every day of your life to fulfill your big dreams.

Also read: How to become an entrepreneur who wants to solve actual problems

More here:
5 mental shifts you need to make to become an entrepreneur - YourStory.com

Head coach Leo Cullen at St Marys College for a media event ahead of Leinsters match against Gloucester at Templeville Road on Friday night

The out-half is close to being back available to train now that he is out of a splint.

Fellow British & Irish Lion Robbie Henshaw is on course to make round five or six of the PRO14 League as the centre works his way back from an operation to his pectoral muscle.

Ireland's Rob Kearney could make his return from injury in Leinster's second pre-season match at home to Gloucester at Templeville Road on Friday night.

The experienced full-back was able to have repair work done to his knee and bicep at the end of last season.

There are a host of other internationals closing in on their return to play dates.

Training

His brother Dave has to come through training this afternoon at UCD to convince Cullen he is ready for The Cherry and Whites.

Hooker Sean Cronin will set his sights on Bath in Leinster's final pre-season hit out next weekend.

Garry Ringrose's recuperation from shoulder surgery is a more complicated healing process.

As of yet, there is no definitive timeline on his journey to match fitness.

Number eight Jamie Heaslip "is not a million miles away," according to Cullen, as he also makes the move from the surgeon's table to the field of play. Utility back Joey Carbery will be back sooner rather than later from his ankle injury.

In terms of the overseas signings, Scott Fardy is settling in well in the aftermath of his highly impressive Super Rugby season for the ACT Brumbies.

The hard-nosed experience of Fardy will be another source of information for second rows James Ryan and Ross Molony.

During the summer, Ryan joined Brian O'Driscoll in making his Ireland debut before he played for his club.

"Yeah, James is obviously someone who missed a big chunk of last season with an injury," said Cullen.

"He is someone who was earmarked since he was 16, probably. He has come through the system.

"He works hard. He has a good mental attitude on top of that.

"I am looking forward to seeing him playing," issued Cullen.

"He is raring to go. He is training well, at the moment.

"He has integrated into the programme and will be involved in the next few weeks."

The same goes for physically gifted Andrew Porter as he continues to find his feet in transitioning from loose-head to the tight side.

New Zealander James Lowe will remain at home until Tasman Makos end their interest in the ITM Cup.

Unfortunately, the newly formed PRO14 will be poorer for the drip feed of the Irish internationals back to the Blues.

Leinster will bid to become the first Irish province to win on South Africa soil in rounds three and four of the League.

They will travel to and prepare for the Southern Kings and the Toyota Cheetahs over twelve days next month.

The sad reality is that the South African clubs will not get to sell the new competition as well as they should be able to, as Leinster will not have too many of their marquee names with them on the plane.

Read the original post:
Sexton well on the mend again - Herald.ie

Its time to lace up your cleats and get out your pads and helmet, football season returns once again to Pincher Creek.

The Mustangs senior football team had their first practice on Aug. 16 and their first game on Aug. 26 an away match against Drumheller. Head coach Wayne Alexander is confident about the teams chances heading into the 2017 season.

Im excited about the upcoming season, Alexander said. This year I think we are definitely going to win more games and were going to be an exciting team.

Last years season saw many rough and hard-luck losses for the Mustangs. Over the course of their regular games, the Mustangs went 1-6.

Last year, on paper and skill wise, we had a great team, Alexander said. It just didnt transfer to wins on the field. It was a disappointing season.

Despite hard luck and a disappointing conclusion to their season, the Mustangs played their hearts out every single game. In over half of their games, the Mustangs had more offensive yards and they outran five out of seven teams. Even in their last playoff game in Claresholm, the Mustangs had more yards and more first downs.

Many of the players who played last year have graduated, but Alexander said the boys coming up from bantam to the senior level of play are great additions to the roster.

Its a big jump from bantam to senior, but Im excited for many of them. Ive watched them play for a number of years, Alexander said. I know what their capabilities are and I know their mental attitude.

Last years bantam team improved greatly across their season, as their smaller roster forced the boys to play iron man football: participating in almost every position and pushing each player to their absolute limit.

Bantam coach Travis Liscombe did a nice job with those boys and we saw a lot of improvement, Alexander said. Were getting some of those players and theres no doubt in my mind they will be playing like iron men.

The team will also see some returning athletes playing in their final year. Quarterback Beau Walter played the position last year, but Alexander said this year will definitely be his time to shine.

He was strong last year, but this year hes going to be great, he said. Hes got a strong arm.

Despite practices and the first game coming up fast for the Mustangs, Alexander said they are always looking for more players to come out and join the team.

The first home game will be against the Bow Valley Wolverines at 1 p.m. on Sept. 9, so be sure to come on out and cheer for the Mustangs.

amccutcheon@postmedia.com

@echo_agmc

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Mustangs return to the field | Pincher Creek Echo - Pincher Creek Echo

The mouths of babes

Independent.ie

Parents are often asked about the moral values and life lessons that they would like to teach their children. It's less common for them to be asked about the lessons their children have taught them.

http://www.independent.ie/life/health-wellbeing/the-mouths-of-babes-36022577.html

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Parents are often asked about the moral values and life lessons that they would like to teach their children. It's less common for them to be asked about the lessons their children have taught them.

William Saroyan, a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer, said, "While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about."

Paulo Coelho, writing in The Fifth Mountain, was a little more specific: "A child can teach an adult three things: to be happy for no reason, to always be busy with something, and to know how to demand with all his might that which he desires."

Here are a few other lessons we can learn from them.

QUESTION EVERYTHING

Children are always asking 'why?'. This never-ending inquisitiveness can exasperate parents, especially if they don't know why the sky is blue or why the moon is round. Yet every so often a child will ask a 'why?' that an adult can't deflect or defer. When a six-year-old wants to know why you're always working, or why you're always looking for your keys or why you smoke, you can no longer hide behind self-deception. Some adults discover great power in the practice of self-inquiry, which Sri Ramana Maharshi termed "the most sacred of sacred". Children practice it without even thinking.

GET OVER IT

A child can be having a mini-meltdown in the frozen food section of a supermarket one minute, and then chasing a butterfly down a pathway the next. In other words, they don't waste energy dwelling on perceived misfortune, constructing victim narratives or holding grudges, just as they don't hang around the climbing frame in the playground bemoaning their 'nightmare morning'. If a child could detail their approach to overcoming adversity, it would probably go like this: Deal with it, move on, get an ice cream.

PRIORITISE PLAYTIME

We all know the proverb 'all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy'. The late play theorist Brian Sutton-Smith took it a step further when he pointed out that "the opposite of play isn't work. It's depression." Adults need playtime too, of course. And children can teach us how to prioritise it.

DON'T BE STATUS-ORIENTED

"Grown-ups love figures... When you tell them you've made a new friend they never ask you any questions about essential matters. They never say to you, 'What does his voice sound like? What games does he love best? Does he collect butterflies?' Instead they demand, 'How old is he? How much does he weigh? How much money does his father make?' Only from these figures do they think they have learned anything about him." So goes a famous quote from The Little Prince. The point Antoine de Saint-Exupry was making is that children aren't status-oriented. They judge people on the work they do or the car they drive - largely because they have more important things to be thinking about...

JUST SAY IT

Every so often a child will leave everyone in the room red-faced when they innocently bring up a touchy subject. They have yet to realise that complicit avoidance and collective denial are the markers of adulthood Timothy Ferris, writing in the 4-Hour Workweek, says a "person's success in life can usually be measured by the number of uncomfortable conversations he or she is willing to have." Children remind us that these conversations don't have to be so uncomfortable.

FIND STILLNESS IN NATURE

Many teachers of the Zen Buddhism school of thinking talk about becoming mindful through nature. Jack Kornfield says, "If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change." Eckhart Tolle says, "Look at a tree, a flower, a plant. Let your awareness rest upon it. How still they are, how deeply rooted in being. Allow nature to teach you stillness." These teachings can seem abstract until you watch the way a child responds to nature. They don't just look at a flower - they experience it. Children teach us how to truly connect to the natural world, just as they remind us to stop and smell the flowers every now and again.

ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE JOYFUL

It's easy to spot the people who have retained a sense of their childlike spirit. When they get good news, they clench their fists and deliver an emphatic 'YES!' The rest of us learn to moderate our joy when we become adults. Rather than risk disappointment, we remind ourselves that good things don't last forever. Rather than allow ourselves to be exultant, we tell ourselves that things are too good to be true. Because they live entirely in the moment, children allow themselves to experience the totality of joy. Luckily for us, it's contagious.

BE SPONTANEOUS

I once answered the door to my nephew's six-year-old friend from across the road. He had in his hand an extra-large bar of chocolate and he wanted to know if my nephew could come to his house to eat it with him. I often think about that day and how much easier adult friendships would be if they were that spontaneous and straightforward. The busyness of modern life means most of us have got into the habit of scheduling our friendships. Children remind us that the best moments are often unplanned.

Health & Living

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The mouths of babes - Independent.ie

IN MY travels around Japan or anywhere else across the globe, have I ever seen a Zen rock garden? I honestly can't even recall. If I did, this one erased all my memories of the others, and if not, then Im in luck.

On my third stop for the day on the third day in Kyoto I found myself in the Ryoan-ji, an aristocrats villa during the Heian Period converted to a Zen temple belonging to the Myoshin-ji school of the Rinzai branch of Zen Buddhism in 1450.

I sat before a most calming sitea Zen rock garden, said to be the most famous rock garden in Japan and considered one of the finest surviving examples of kare-sansui or "dry landscape" composed of large rocks formation and small, smooth and polished river pebbles which were carefully selected.

How the garden is designed in a 248 square-meter rectangular plot with 15 stones of varying sizes arranged in five groups: a group with five stones, two with three stones, and two groups of two stones. The groups float on patches of moss, the (only) vegetation providing the green against the sea of white pebbles, which is carefully raked daily by the monks.

As to what the garden means, no one really knows. Some say it represents the theme of tiger carrying its cubs across a pond while others claim its an abstract concept like infinity.

The veranda of the hojo (the residence of the abbot of the monastery) is the best seat in the house, or its the spot meant to view the garden.

Heres the interesting feature of the garden it reveals only 14 stones at one time when viewed at any angle from the hojo. To be able to view the fifteenth stone one has to attain enlightenment, so it is said.

Clearly, I won't be able to view all fifteen stones on this visit not unless I can fly over the formation, or I can take the realistic path and see the scaled replica.

Just as the gardens meaning is uncertain, so is its history. No one can peg the date when the garden was actually created (15th century, perhaps?) and who designed it.

The small garden at the rear part of the hojo bears another interesting feature the tsukubai, a round stone trough with a square water basin in its center. Tsukubai literally translates to crouch and because of the basins low elevation, the user must bend over to use it, a sign of reverence and humility.

The basin may look like an ordinary rock mimicking the shape of a Chinese coin, but if one knows kanji, the square is a part of a Zen inscription. With the four kanji inscription combined with the representation of the square on the basin, the characters will reveal I only sufficiency know, which can mean, I know only satisfaction. The saying is a part of the Buddhist teachings that one already has all one needs.

The temple grounds of the Ryoanji also hold a sizable park with a pond, the Kyoyochi Pond. It was built in the 12th century as part of the aristocrats estate.

Another one off the Kyoto significant places list. The Ryoanji temple and its gardens are listed as one of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto, and as a Unesco World Heritage Site.

For more photos of this feature and other travel stories, visit http://www.jeepneyjinggoy.com. For lifestyle stories, visit http://www.ofapplesandlemons.com Email me at jinggoysalvador@yahoo.com

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In Kyoto: The Ryoan-ji and the Zen rock garden | SunStar - Sun.Star

The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, (AICPA) and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) have announced the appointment of Babatunde Osho to the first Africa Regional Board.

Regional Vice President of the Association, Badibanga Promesse, who made the announcement, said the appointment, which takes effect from August 2017, followed a call for nominations and elections for the first Africa Regional Board under the association.

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Babatunde Osho and others from various countries to serve as board members for the next one year of extended term, he said.

Osho, a multi-functional business professional, is currently Director and Chief Executive Officer, MTN Liberia.

According to Promesse, the Regional Boards serve as a key conduit between the customers, stakeholders and the CGMA Board of Directors.

They also serve as the eyes and ears of the profession from their individual and geographical representative perspective in identifying key macro and micro trends in the local marketplaces, among others.

He said the boards understand the demand and potential value proposition of products and offerings along the entire value chain continuum, representing, engaging, presenting and advocating for the CGMA designation among the CIMA and AICPA members.

He noted that the Chairman and Vice Chairman would serve a one-year term with the Vice Chairman becoming the Chairman.

Promesse said members of the Regional Boards could serve a maximum of three one-year term to provide continuity while creating opportunities for a large and diverse stakeholder groups to serve.

Read more:
AICPA, CIMA appoint Osho Africa regional board member - Guardian (blog)