Consumers face big challenges when it comes to shopping organic because of inaccurate and misleading food labeling, confusing nutrient values and sometimes outrageous pricing

If you are a dedicated organic-only food shopper, no matter what the cost, this column is not for you. But if you wonder about getting your money's worth in terms of healthier food at a reasonable price, then read on.

Consumers face big challenges when it comes to shopping organic because of inaccurate and misleading food labeling, confusing nutrient values and sometimes outrageous pricing.

Here's my story.

Standing in front of a brightly lighted dairy food case triggered my comment, recently, to the guy standing next to me. "Isn't $7.29 a gallon is a bit high for a gallon of milk," I asked. "Don't they have cheaper alternatives?"

The guy, who looked to be in his late 30s or early 40s, gave me a thoughtful stare and responded to my question with a crisp, "no." But he wasn't finished. He then told me that he and his wife shop at second-hand stores for clothing so they can afford to spend more of their household budget on organic food for their kids. Organic milk at $7.29 a gallon being a primary purchase.

"We're willing to make the sacrifice because we believe in locally sourced, fresh, pure, hormone-free organic food," he said with passion. His short lecture caught me by surprise. I took a deep breath and quietly said, thank you.

What did I expect? I was shopping in a new co-op grocery store down the street from my son's urban apartment. Almost everything in the store is organic and pricey. Why wouldn't I get a "talk" about the glories of paying more than $7 for a gallon of milk while the Safeway store less than a mile away sells milk for just under $3 a gallon?

Here in the Northwest, the natural-food-GMO-free organic-only movement is embraced as religion, wrapped up in doing good things for the planet and for our children. How can you not believe?

But investigative reporters at the Los Angeles Times and other big newspapers, plus a range of food experts, say the nutritional content from conventionally produced foods and those with the organic label are indistinguishable.

For instance, Mayo Clinic researchers do not consider organic food significantly different than conventionally produced foodstuffs in terms of nutritional value. The clinic looked at 50 years' worth of scientific articles about nutrient content. Journal of Dairy Science recently reported that in terms of nutrients in milk "there is nothing distinct about organic milk that makes it unique from conventionally produced milk."

A study reported by the New York Times a couple of years ago, explained that Stanford University researchers analyzed 237 studies of organic produce, meats and dairy foods and concluded that organic foods are no more nutritious than their conventional counterparts.

Sorry, guy at the dairy case who buys second-hand clothes for his family to afford organic food purchases.

Here's the problem. Huge money is being made by food retailers by perpetuating the public's belief that paying higher prices for organic food is worth it.

Kroger, Albertsons, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, even Safeway are all growing revenue on the organic wave. More grocery shelf space is going organic for that reason.

A food shopper intent on holding down costs must now be aware (at every turn) of the big price differences between organic and conventional fresh vegetables and between hormone-free and conventional meats and milk.

According to Consumer Reports as sighted by the LA Times, organic foods and beverages run an average 47 percent more in price than conventional alternatives. In some cases, the markup can be more than 300 percent.

You are paying more because organic food is more expensive to produce, safer and is more healthful and nutritious, right? But profit margins on organic food sales are far greater than for conventional food. Supermarkets earn a measly 1- to 2-percent on conventional food sales, while organics will generate averages of 3.5- to 6 percent.

"Organic foods often include a price market up of 29- to 32-percent when only a 5- to 7-percent premium is needed to break even," says the National Academy of Sciences.

Organics are a huge profit opportunity for the cut-throat trillion dollar grocery industry.

Labeling confusion

Then there's the whole labeling thing: 100 percent organic means just that while a singular "organic" label means the product is 95 percent organic. Products that contain just 70 percent organic ingredients can say "made with organic ingredients."

Terms such as natural, all natural, free-range or hormone-free should not be confused with organic foods. Who has time for all this label-reading and primary research?

Grocery vendors are counting on time-strapped shoppers to not take the time to figure this all out and instead grab the higher-priced organic stuff without comparing cost.

For young families on a budget who face rising household expenses, it may be worth it to check out the cost of organics verse conventional food. Is buying milk for a family of four with a $4-a-gallon price difference, worth it? Or as the LA Times headline asked, "Is organic food worth the higher price? Many experts say "no."

Julia Anderson is the Smart Money columnist for the Portland Tribune

Continue reading here:

Smart Money: Is organic food worth the higher price? Experts say no - Pamplin Media Group

In the past, my family and friends would've typically described me as pleasant but hurried. My baseline restlessness and edginess, however, have now nearly vanished.

Without difficulty, I have sustained attention when my young children spend time with me. Instead of constant surveillance of my phone, there is an ability to quickly hyper-focus on the task is at hand and a corresponding joy of living in a distraction-less world.

This change seems to have started the end of last year, after I spent a morning meditating with the Dalai Lama.

First off: Yes, I do feel a little ridiculous writing a line like that, and I didn't feel worthy of his invitation at the time. Even though I meditate, I've never been sure whether I was using proper technique or whether there was an acceptable way to meditate in the presence of His Holiness.

If he was looking forward to a good meditation partner, I worried he was unlikely to find it in me. Even my posture is terrible when sitting cross-legged on the floor. My back starts to hurt, followed by my knees. Thus, my breathing, which is supposed to drive my focus, sounds raspy and uneven. All this makes my mind race instead of slowing down and calming.

Just thinking about meditating with His Holiness was making me anxious.

Nevertheless, who says "no" to a chance to meditate with the Dalai Lama? I agreed to join him early the next morning at his private residence.

At 81 years, old, the Dalai Lama keeps a very active schedule. I met him in Mundgod, India, at the Drepung Monastery, where he was overseeing a symposium bridging Buddhism and science.

The monastery itself is a dazzling bejeweled structure built 600 years ago. Inside, there are enormous golden Buddhas standing next to ornate walls. The discussion hall itself is grand but warm, with doors and windows open to the hot South Indian sun.

For three days, his Holiness moderated sessions on weighty metaphysical topics such as the criteria for valid reasoning, the fundamental constituents of the universe, origins of life and the subjective experience of the mind.

It was fascinating and mind-bending -- but also mentally exhausting. It was difficult to stay awake, let alone keep up with the rapid-fire debate between the Buddhists and the scientists. Yet his Holiness was mentally engaged and inquisitive throughout, even more remarkable given more than half the comments were being translated for him.

The Dalai Lama typically wakes about 2:40 a.m. and starts his daily meditation routine at 3 a.m., even as most of his staff is still snoozing.

This was the backdrop when one of his senior staff members picked me up outside the monastery early one morning. We drove in a three-car convoy to the gates outside his private residence.

From there, several more staff members escorted us to a small conference room where his security detail was slowly waking and drinking their morning tea. Finally, his chief of staff walked me just outside the personal quarters of the Dalai Lama.

There were a few minor instructions before we entered. Eye contact is not a problem, and shaking hands is acceptable if you use two hands, not just one. Try not to turn your back to him when leaving the room, and instead walk backward, as much as possible facing him. When sitting cross-legged on the floor, don't point your feet at the Dalai Lama. And the correct address is "your holiness."

Shortly after, the doors opened, and I nervously walked into a very modest room where the Dalai Lama was sitting on a raised platform, already deep in meditation. I slipped off my shoes, sat cross-legged at a slight angle on the floor to avoid my toes being pointed in his direction, closed my eyes and started to focus on my breathing.

All my meditation insecurities immediately started to kick in. After a few minutes, I heard his deep, distinctive baritone voice: "Any questions?"

I looked up and saw his smiling face, starting to break into his characteristic head-bobbing laugh.

"This is hard for me," I said.

"Me, too!" he exclaimed. "After doing daily for 60 years, it is still hard."

It was at once surprising and reassuring to hear him say this. The Dalai Lama, Buddhist monk and spiritual leader of Tibet, also has trouble meditating.

"I think you will like analytical meditation," he told me. Instead of focusing on a chosen object, as in single-point meditation, he suggested I think about a problem I was trying to solve, a topic I may have read about recently or one of the philosophical areas from the earlier sessions.

He wanted me to separate the problem or issue from everything else by placing it in a large, clear bubble. With my eyes closed, I thought of something nagging at me -- something I couldn't quite solve. As I placed the physical embodiment of this problem into the bubble, several things started to happen very naturally.

The problem was now directly in front of me, floating weightlessly. In my mind, I could rotate it, spin it or flip it upside-down. It was an exercise to develop hyper-focus.

Less intuitively, as the bubble was rising, it was also disentangling itself from any other attachments, such as subjective emotional considerations. I could visualize it, as the problem isolated itself, and came into a clear-eyed view.

Too often, we allow unrelated emotional factors to blur the elegant and practical solutions right in front of us. It can be dispiriting and frustrating. Through analytical meditation, His Holiness told me, we can use logic and reason to more clearly identify the question at hand, separate it from irrelevant considerations, erase doubt and brightly illuminate the answers. It was simple and sensible. Most important, for me -- it worked.

As a neuroscientist, I never expected that a Buddhist monk, even the Dalai Lama, would teach me how to better incorporate deduction and critical thinking to my life -- but that is what happened.

It changed me. And I am better for it. I practice analytical meditation every day, usually early in the morning. The first two minutes are still the hardest, as I create my thought bubble and let it float above me. After that, I reach what can best be described as a "flow" state, in which 20 to 30 minutes pass easily.

I am more convinced than ever that even the most ardent skeptics could find success with analytical meditation.

Over the holidays, I spent as much time as possible relaying the Dalai Lama's teachings to my family and friends and teaching them basic principles of analytical meditation. This was the gift I most wanted to share with them. And now with you.

See the original post here:

Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Lessons from meditating with the Dalai Lama ... - CNN

When most people think of visiting a museum, it might conjure images of looking at dinosaur bones, paintings by famous artists and Egyptian sarcophagi.

The Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh is trying encourage people to broaden their interpretation of the museum with their winter wellness events held throughout the season.

The February event, Meditation and Movement at the Museum, is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Feb. 26.

We really want people to come into the space and think about the museum in a different way, as a place of self care and a place you can go to refresh, said Laura Zorch McDermit, manager of social and entrepreneurial experiences at CMOA. With this programing they experience the space that way and it carries on in daily life as well.

Last year was the first time these classes were offered and according to Zorch McDermit they have been very popular, including last months event.

We did a yoga series in our Hall of Sculpture and paired it up with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and they had musicians accompany the yoga practice, she said. People like doing yoga at the museum. People come to the museum to reflect so it seemed like a pretty good match.

After experiencing last years success, Zorch McDermit said the museum decided to expand their offerings this year.

Our first Winter Wellness event was in January. That included yoga, a ballet barre fitness class with the Pittsburgh Ballet School and an African drum and dance class. People got to play the drums and dance, she said.

The schedule of events is 9 a.m. yoga, 10:15 a.m. Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School Barre Fitness & Core Conditioning Class with Kristy Boyle and 11:30 a.m. African drum dance with Yamoussa Camara.

For those who prefer to relax more than move, there is another track that will appeal to them.

There is also a simultaneous track that is the meditative opportunities, said Zorch McDermit. We have our docents that are interested in mediation, and they practice on their own, and they will take people through the tours.

The schedule for the relaxation track is 9:30, 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. gallery tours with meditative stops; 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 15-minute chair massages by Pittsburgh Massageworks; and 10 a.m. healing sound bath with Brooke Smokelin.

The sound bath, which will be held in the Hall of Architecture, comprises of Smokelin using special types of bowls to make sound waves that wash over the participates creating a relaxing feeling.

Our spaces are so enormous and so grand. Brooke, who leads the sound bath experience, she was overwhelmed at how great it (the sound bath) was in that space, said Zorch McDermit. It kept reverberating off these architectural casts and making this (acoustic) landscaping. It was really cool.

While health and wellness is important all year round, Zorch McDermit feels that the museum provides people with a wonderful opportunity especially catered to the winter months.

When it is dark out and gloomy, we have this incredible space, and the atmosphere here is never gloomy and it is lovely. You can take a moment to be in front of Monets Walter Lilies and you can throw some color into your life, she said. In the summer there are so many other opportunities to get outside. There are always these unique fitness experiences where you can do yoga on Mount Washington or Point State Park. In the winter it provides the opportunity to be in a space like ours.

Tickets for Meditation and Movement at the Museum are $30 for non-museum members, $25 for members and $20 for students.

Tickets can be purchased online at cmoa.org.

After a day of moving and relaxing, Zorch McDermit hopes that people will see the museum in a different light.

What we have seen through these events is there are a lot of new first time visitors and a lot of our members are coming as well. We want everyone to have a new, fresh experience, like Oh my God, I cant believe I can do this in the museum! she said. I want people to understand that the museum is for them at all times. We are constantly changing. These are all different kinds of events that you can experience that interpret our collection in all different ways. Whether it is in quiet moments like Winter Wellness or a high energy event. There are different ways you can come and be a part of the museums.

Read more here:

'Meditation and Movement at the Museum:' CMOA to host a winter wellness event - Uniontown Herald Standard

SOUTHBURY Meditation will be introduced at the Love andKnishes Lunch on noon Wednesday, February 22in the social hall at the Jewish Federation of Western Connecticut, 444 Main St. North.

All area adults are invited to make reservations for the lunches, which feature great programming, good company and delicious food catered by Creative Events by Bonnie.

The Jewish Federation will be hosting Janaki Pierson from Woodbury Yoga Center.

Guests are promised adelicious lunch followed by a guided meditation and discussion on the fundamentals of developing theirown yoga practice.

Whether guestsare experienced with meditation or not, this program is sure to provide themwith insight, thoughtfulness and some ideas on how to enhance overall well-being through the act of meditation.

Ms.Pierson is the co-founder, executive director and principal instructor of the Woodbury Meditation andYoga Center.Ms. Pierson presents seminars on Hatha yoga, meditation, stress management, death and dying,life and living, elementary Sanskrit and thinking into being.

Ms. Pierson has been teaching meditation for more than30 years and has practiceddaily for 35 years.

She teaches extensively throughout New England in medical, educational, corporate and community settings.

Lunch reservations should be made by the Monday before each lunch.

There is a suggested lunch donation of $7.50 for adults age 60 and older.

To RSVP, interested parties may call 203-267-3177, ext. 340 or email rsvp@jfed.net.

More:

Meditation Program Planned - PrimePublishers.com

Im trying to start a daily sitting meditation practice, but I hear a lot of conflicting opinions on how long I should meditate for. Whats your advice?

Illustration by Nolan Pelletier.

There are two different views on this: 1. Any time spent meditating is good, no matter how short. 2. The longer you meditate for, the better. The thing is, theyre both right. Even five minutes a day is better than nothing, and a longer meditation session can be more beneficial than a shorter one.

Half an hour a day might be a good starting point, but the key is what works for you. The most important thing is keeping a regular meditation practice. If you practice for so long that it infringes on the rest of your life and stresses you out, or it feels like a chore and you dont enjoy it, then youll be less likely to do it every day.

There is one objective guideline, though. You should meditate long enough for your mind and body to settle down. Only when your thoughts have calmed down and your body is relaxed can you really start your practice. That may take the first five or ten minutes of your meditation session, so try to sit long enough to go through the settling-down phase and have enough time left to really enjoy and benefit from the practice.

Continue reading here:

How long should you meditate for? - Lion's Roar

Fremont Health and the University of Nebraska Extension are partnering in a community-wide health program called Eating Smart and Moving More. This nutrition education series will focus on the fundamentals of eating healthy meals on a budget and the importance of physical activity.

Each weeks lesson will be taught by a Registered Dietitian and will focus on a different topic to help you to Eat Smart and Move More.

Lessons include: Plan: Know Whats for Dinner; Shop: Get the Best for Less; Shop for Value, Check the Facts; MyPlate; Choosing to Move More Throughout the Day; and Smart-size Your Portions and Right-size You

Shopping lessons will also include a grocery store tour led by a registered dietitian.

The Eating Smart and Moving More program is open to everyone and free of charge. It is offered as a six-week series that starts Feb. 23 and meets from noon to 1 p.m., and a three-week evening series scheduled to start April 6, meeting from 6-8 p.m. Classes are held at the Dodge County Extension Office located at 1206 W. 23rd St. in Fremont.

To register, call Beth Nacke RD, Dodge County Extension, at 402-727-2775, Ext. 23, or Rachael Nielsen, APRN, Fremont Health Internal Medicine, at 402-727-5200.

See the original post here:

Program to focus on nutrition, excercise - Fremont Tribune

Photo: / Michael P. Mayko

Derby Mayor Anita Dugatto administers the oath of office to Adam Pacheco as a new Housing Authority commissioner on Jan. 4, 2017

Derby Mayor Anita Dugatto administers the oath of office to Adam Pacheco as a new Housing Authority commissioner on Jan. 4, 2017

HUD clears the way for Pacheco to serve on Derby Housing Authority

DERBY-The ;U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development cleared the way for Adam Pacheco, a city landlord, to serve on the Housing Authority despite having a tenant who receives Section 8 subsidies.

Pachecos January appointment came on the heels of Mayor Anita Dugattos decision not to re-appoint Joseph Romano to the Housing Authority. Romano is the father of J.R. Romano, the state Republican Party chairman.

Many city Republicans including J.R. Romano accused the mayor of playing politics. Both the elder Romano and Stan Muzyk, a Housing Authority member, pointed out that Pachecos appointment could be in violation of HUD regulations.

Pacheco owns a four-family home at 91-93 Caroline Street which he resides in. One of his tenants, who resided there prior to Pacheco purchasing the property, receives HUD subsidies.

As a result Dugatto contacted HUD and requested a waiver of the conflict of interest clause for Pacheco.

In a letter dated Feb. 8, 2017, Jennifer R. Gottlieb Elazhari, HUDs program center coordinator, wrote: Form the facts as stated, we find good cause to grant the waiver of the conflict of interest as the issue is isolated to one family and the Commissioner does not have extensive rental property in the town of Derby.

Furthermore, in the State of Connecticut landlords are required not to discriminate against Housing Choice Voucher participants and so any rental property owner can be faced with this situation, she continued. Although Mr. Pacheco is a DHA board commissioner, it does not appeart that in his role he would excercise functions or responsibilities with respect to the programs at DHA.

However, Elazhari warned Pacheco against becoming involved in other DHA issues relates to this tenant.

Muzyk said he is "happy to learn that Mr. Pacheco received the waiver necessary to be in conformance as a HUD landlord who receives HUD rental income as he is already a valuable contributor as commissioner at DHA.

However Muzyk believes Dugatto should have obtained the waiver before appointing Pacheco.

Follow this link:

HUD clears the way for Pacheco to serve on Derby Housing Authority - CT Post

16 Feb 2017, 11:30 a.m.

Parkes aqua aerobics is attracting big numbers this summer season at the Parkes Pool

THRILLED: Parkes aqua aerobics instructor Bev Laing (centre) is thrilled so many locals are turning up to exercise at the Parkes Pool.

BIG NUMBERS: More than 50 residents have been turning out for aqua aerobics this summer season.

THRILLED: Parkes aqua aerobics instructor Bev Laing (right) is thrilled so many locals are turning up to exercise at the Parkes Pool.

THRILLED: Parkes aqua aerobics instructor Bev Laing (centre) is thrilled so many locals are turning up to exercise at the Parkes Pool.

BIG NUMBERS: More than 50 residents have been turning out for aqua aerobics this summer season.

BIG NUMBERS: More than 50 residents have been turning out for aqua aerobics this summer season.

It appears Parkes residents are just flooding in to take part in aqua aerobics at the Parkes Pool.

Thats according to localaqua aerobics instructor Bev Laing, who said more than 50 participants have been turning up per session.

The classes held on Mondays and Thursdays at 9amare run through the College for Seniors andare usually intended for seniors.

But Bev said she doesnt knock back anyone whos interested in coming.

[On January 21] we had 55 attend, which is just incredible, she said.

On February 6, 60 people were present.

Were promoting health and exercise in older people and we have lots of happy faces there, Bev said.

Bev has been instructing in Parkes since the 90s.

She worked for 10 years before taking a break and returning in 2016.

She said the response this summer season has been much bigger.

We had about 30 people per class last year, Bev said.

Now weve almost doubled.

Im very satisfied and Im enjoying it immensely myself, its been helpful for me too.

Bev attributed the growing numbers to people realising how important exercise is to maintain a healthy body, especially in older people.

I just want to get as many people in and exercising as I can, she said.

For those interested in participating, people are required to sign up to the Collegefor Seniors for $20 a year.

There is also asmall fee for the class.

For more information and inquiries call Bev on 0418 114 826.

Originally posted here:

Aqua aerobics attracts big numbers - Parkes Champion-Post

Weve all had those days when work drags you down, bills seem to be coming out of your ears, and life tends to get a little too much. Somehow, you need to relax and find serenity in and amongst the chaos, and thats where this charming puzzler comes in. It may be simple in principle, but Semispheres is the perfect game to bring you down from a particularly rough day at the office.

Its a game of symmetry, and each level has two puzzles stood opposite each other on screen, one orange coloured and one blue. The aim of the game is to get the orb in each puzzle to an escape portal located elsewhere within that puzzle. The controls are simple, relying on moving your orb as the only command necessary. Using the left stick moves the orb on the orange puzzle on the left, and moving the right stick does the same for the blue on the right.

As you move around the puzzles, there are certain obstacles to get past, such as guards with an allocated field of vision (guards that are other balls of light, albeit with an unstable glow). Sometimes, the only way to the escape portal is moving past these, but without the help of some of the abilities, or the orb youre controlling on the other side, it can be difficult to proceed.

You can collect a range of abilities to use on both puzzles; making a soundwave gets the guard to move from its spot and investigate, whichll give you an option to move past if there is the space. Another ability is a portal, and if say, the blue orb makes a portal, they can appear visible in the other puzzle on the other side of the screen; however, the orange guard wont be able to see you. This means you can provide a distraction for the other orb in the other puzzle, allowing them to get through and reach the escape portal.

The game does get tricky as you move forward, but the intriguing story element makes you want to progress. The puzzles themselves offer no kind of plot, but after completing one of the pockets of stages, a selection of storyboards pop up revealing sketches of a boy and his robot; as you complete more puzzles, more of the story unlocks and youre introduced to a story you never expected; it feels very hidden and unobtrusive, but its these subtleties than provide such a pleasant surprise.

Controlling both orbs at the same time can be tricky, and occasionally you can get confused with what youre doing, but Semispheres eases you in and allows you to take as much time as you need. The music is soothing, and features elongated synths that give the experience a layer of calm you may not have been expecting when you start. Its score is written by Sid Barnhoorn, and being a huge fan of The Stanley Parables music, I was pleased to hear his soundtrack for Semispheres.

The visuals are simple, but entrancing, and the vibrations on the screen are almost hypnotic; pairing that with the soft, relaxing music and youre likely to fall into a peaceful sleep. There seems to be inspiration from games like Portal not just for the colours, but for the portal physics and general respect for the players intelligence. It always feels challenging, but youre never struggling for hours on end with one puzzle; you learn as you play, and Vivid Helix have a good grasp on its difficulty spikes.

If youre looking for something to take you away, challenge you, and provide you with a peaceful hour or two at the same time, Semispheres is the perfect game for you. Its smart, serene, and has some great puzzle designs, along with a sweet story that unfolds after every five puzzles or so. The music is glorious, and the design is effective in its minimalism, providing a nice surprise for even the greatest puzzle solvers.

Excerpt from:

Semispheres Review - God is a Geek - God is a Geek

Dahlia Ghabour Staff Writer @DGhabour

The world of classical music is a small one. Even before they came to Sarasota, many of the longtime Sarasota Orchestra musicians already knew each other from various festivals and schools. By the time they began to play together, they already were old friends.

Somewhere along the way, their love of music turned to a love of each other. There are nine married couples performing in the orchestra, and there are others who are dating or engaged.

If it wasnt for the Sarasota Orchestra, none of us would be together, concertmaster Dan Jordan said. Having so many married couples in this orchestra just adds to the feeling that we are all one family.

Dan and C.Y.

It seems that concertmaster Dan Jordan knows everyone. Jordan and his wife, Chun-Yon Hong both violinists were introduced by Chris Takeda at the Aspen Music Festival in 1995. Jordan and Sean ONeil went to high school together. Jordan and Jennifer Best-Takeda are both New World Symphony alumni. Now, they all work together.

Jordan joined the orchestra in 1998. Hong arrived four years later. They were really good friends for a long time, said Hong, who is known to her friends by her initials "C.Y." Jordan added that they had a long journey to finally being married in 2011. They now have a 4-year-old son, Spencer. One of their greatest challenges has been providing a routine for their son when the orchestra doesnt really have one. Because the orchestra doesnt have its own hall, the musicians perform in different places and have varying rehearsal schedules each week.

If you look at my schedule with babysitting, some weeks we have five different people, Hong said. All the moms in the orchestra call each other asking for babysitters. And I will trust these people. I know I can call them in the middle of the night if anything happens.

Jordan said it makes sense that the orchestra is so close but also that this one is especially tight-knit.

When you sit down to play, thats the one escape from the stress of being a parent with a 4-year-old, and all the outside pressure of the world, he said. Theres a camaraderie that comes from making music together that spills over into friendships.

Sean and Lena

Sean ONeil moved to Sarasota cold, grabbed a job at Starbucks, worked for the Sarasota Opera when he could and hoped for a position in the Sarasota Orchestra. He met his future wife, Lena Cambis, at a party.

We met in the last two weeks of off-season from the opera, he said. She was just a girl at a party that I saw across the room ... .

For which he had an obsession about, Cambis interrupted, her French accent curling her words with amusement.

I fell in love instantly, said ONeil.

I did not, said Cambis.

Cambis had come to Sarasota from France for a vacation in 2002 and loved it enough to stay. The two married in 2003, and now have two children together: 5-year-old Balthazar and 2-year-old Celeste. Both violinists, the couple sits together in the orchestra when performing.

The way she says things can be rather blunt, ONeil said, And there are couples who dont see how I use that to my advantage. I take her advice. I play for her to better myself.

Cambis said that what keeps them close is not performing together, but sharing the same goals, and I know wed still be together even if we didnt work together.

Larry and Roxane

Co-principal horn Larry Solowey and violinist Roxane Frangie Solowey didnt plan to settle in Sarasota. Larry arrived in 1991, Roxane in 1992. Two years later, they were married, and they have been here ever since.

We always say we got stuck, but if you have to get stuck somewhere its a pretty amazing place to get stuck, Larry said. Every year, it gets better and better. Once you have kids, this is home.

The couple have two children: Michael, 19, and Daniel, 16. Both played instruments and sports. Daniel still plays clarinet. Things are easier now that the children are older, but Roxane still remembers how difficult it was.

I remember when we discovered that going to work was relaxing, she said. Work was the one place I felt like I knew what I was doing.

Every time they went to work, though, it would cost $50 in babysitting fees. Larry recalled one year they had hired babysitters for 150 nights of the year, an extraordinary amount of money.

Both of them said the juggling schedules was, without a doubt, worth it.

Giving kids an environment of having two artists as parents played well for them, I think, Larry said. We have beautiful, sensitive kids. I think what we do with our lives was really helpful in their development.

Fernando and Betsy

Principal bassoon Fernando Traba and principal flute Betsy Hudson Traba make it work by understanding pressures.

If Fernando has a killer bassoon part, I know to lay low and give him lots of space and time with his instrument, Hudson-Traba said. The pressure on the job ebbs and flows, and being married to someone who understands that in a deeply intimate way is hugely helpful. I cant imagine trying to explain it to someone who doesnt know what we do.

Married in 1998, now with two children, the Trabas experienced the same struggles with child care in the beginning but said that finding those trustworthy people to become babysitters is like making them part of the family.

Fernando said that having children at a later age helped them gain experience, and that some younger couples in the orchestra come to them for advice.

Its nice to see, he said. It has actually created better intergenerational relationships with members of the orchestra.

They both find great joy in teaching on the side, helping other kids learn how to do the things they do.

I find that after teaching a lesson, Ive been revived, Hudson-Traba said. Youre connecting with a young person who is coming with wide-eyed earnestness to an instrument you know a fair amount about. Theres so much that you learn from watching someone play one-on-one. Its really rewarding.

Bharat and Anne

Anne and Bharat Chandra, violin and principal clarinet, said that for them there is no line between their work and home lives. Several other of the couples agreed.

So much of our job is emotional, Anne said. Its not something that stops and starts when we get there; its all intertwined.

Bharat said the music was in his mind all the time, constantly, especially if there are pieces coming up that are difficult to play.

Any relationship has to find a language and an emotional, professional context that allows for communication about the jobs you guys have to do, he said. Youre friends, but you also have to create an excellent musical product, and you might have different ideas about that. You constantly have to learn how to talk to each other.

The two married in 2004 and have two daughters. They both recognized the need to relax by doing activities that didnt involve music dancing, yard work, driving.

Even when they first arrived in the area, Bharat said he could tell Sarasota was a community that loved the arts and the orchestra, and that it served as an inspiration and motivation for him.

If you ask any human being how music has made them feel, you get some amazing answers, Bharat said. To have the ability to create that for other people is an unbelievable high.

Chris and Jennifer

Violinists Chris and Jennifer Best Takeda met years ago at an audition in Washington, D.C., but really didnt get a chance to talk until Dan Jordans birthday party in 2005.

We talked the entire night and that was basically it, Chris said.

We were married in 2012, Jennifer added. Only took him six years to propose. Its fine.

Chris said he and Jordan have been friends for more than 20 years; now that they are all settled in Sarasota, theyre even more inseparable. Both couples have young children, too the Takedas have a 3-year-old son, Carter.

Were incredibly close to all the couples in the orchestra, Dan and C.Y. especially, Jennifer said. If theres a night we want a sitter we call them up and go, Do you want to go to that new sushi place? People look at the four of us together and are like, Are you never apart? Do you never do things alone?

Chris holds a position that was created for him when the late artistic directorPaul Wolfe retired: associate concertmaster. Jennifer is the assistant concertmaster.

Jennifer said that the orchestra being really young compared to most orchestras is another aspect of the quality of life she loves best about working in Sarasota.

Its more than about the status of your job, she said. We both have great jobs here, were both titled players in a great orchestra thats kind of an impossibility. And were living in a beautiful city, have great friends. I look at our job as all encompassing; its just a great reason to stay here.

More here:

Notes on love: Romance and marriages blossom over music - Sarasota Herald-Tribune