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Megan’s Top 10 Chick Flicks for Valentine’s Day

By
Megan Whitworth
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I’m a rom-com, chick flick, romantic comedy – whatever you want to call it – type of girl. I love a good love fest, a little heartbreak, lots of laughs, and I allow the tears to stream with pride. Pass the Kleenexes, please. As we celebrate the most romantic day of the year I have gathered my top 10 favorite chick flicks to bring you the best for this holiday of love.

So sit back, grab the popcorn, and enjoy the show.

1. The Notebook
“If I’m a bird, you’re a bird” or “It’s still not over” are famous lines from one of the all-time most romantic stories to hit the big screen from Novelist Nicholas Sparks’ “The Notebook.” Main character Noah takes you back through his romance with the love of his life Ally. This is the type of movie you want to grab your significant other and a box of tissues, because you’ll shed a few tears. Trust me!

2. 10 Things I Hate About You
Who can ever forget the late and great Heath Ledger portraying heart-breaker Patrick Verona who falls for Julia Stiles’ book nerd character Kat Stratford? It’s a 90’s classic that makes you want to sing along to “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” when Patrick sings it to Kat. Swoon!

3. You’ve Got Mail
Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks are one of Hollywood’s legendary onscreen couples portraying lovebirds from “Sleeping in Seattle” to “Joe Versus the Valcano” to 2015’s “Ithaca.” “You’ve Got Mail” is another one of their classics full of book stores, online romance, and Joe Fox falling in love with Kathleen Kelly. Watch it this Valentine’s Day!

4. My Best Friend’s Wedding
This movie is my all-time favorite movie! Julia Robert’s character Julianne Potter wants to stop her best friend’s wedding from the beautiful Kimberly Wallace portrayed by Cameron Diaz. This is where my crush on Dermot Mulroney started when he portrayed groom Michael O’Neal. The whole time you’re rooting for Julianne but then you fall in love with Kimberly when she sings karaoke horribly. However, the best part is when Rupert Everett’s character George Downes sings “I Say a Little Prayer for You.” I start singing right along every time. Now just go watch it so you can sing along, too!

5. Serendipity
This is a classic movie of a man and woman who meet by chance who leave it up to fate to find each other again after an evening of romance. Ten years later the now distant lovebirds are engaged to different people but still wonder about the other. I won’t ruin it, you’ll just have to watch how this romantic movie ends staring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale.

6. A Walk to Remember
Ten years ago Landon Carter fell in love with the cancer stricken Jamie Sullivan. A movie full of teenage love, heartbreaking romance, and innocence is a movie that needs to be replayed over and over. You’ll want to keep the Kleenexes near as you watch this tearjerker!

7. The Wedding Planner
Jennifer Lopez’s Mary Fiore was the wedding planner who couldn’t get married but then she met Matthew McConaughey’s Steve Edison. Steve saved Mary from an oncoming dumpster and there was romance in the air, but when Mary discovered Steve was the fiance of a client, she knew she couldn’t take the romance any farther. That’s where I’ll stop; you have to watch the movie to see how it ends: Do they end up together or does Mary end up heartbroken one more time?

8. How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days
Hidden secret of mine: This is the movie that made me want to work for a magazine one day! Kate Hudson’s Andi Anderson is assigned an article about how to lose a boyfriend in 10 days, and Matthew McConaughey’s Benjamin Barry is the victim. But there’s a twist, Benjamin also made a bet to lose a girlfriend in 10 days. How does a lose-lose situation make a great movie? You’ll just have to see if the duo falls heads-over-heels or wreck a once promising relationship!

9. Pretty Woman
You can never go wrong with a Julia Roberts’ movie, from “Runaway Bride” to “Steel Magnolias” to “Notting Hill,” Julia is your go-to chick flick girl of the 90’s. “Pretty Woman” is where the rising actress got her break and it just so happened to star Richard Gere has her love interest. You can’t go wrong with their undeniable chemistry and a forbidden love story of a hooker meets businessman. You just have to watch to see how this story unfolds in this iconic film.

10. Dirty Dancing
The movie that started it all for me – “Dirty Dancing.” Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey are the most iconic love duo to graze the big screen, at least for me. When Baby falls for Johnny and starts moving and grooving, there is no way to stop this adoring couple. I can listen to “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” over and over because of this movie. Just watch it to see why!

Honorary mentions: Titanic, Me Before You, Love Actually, Gone With the Wind, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Stupid Crazy Love, When I Was Sleeping, and The Fault in Our Stars

Learning to Drive

By
Rhonda Oaks
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I remember the day my Dad taught me to drive. I know now that he must have been nervous on that two-lane narrow farm road with me behind the wheel. His hand was never far from the steering wheel.

I put that old Impala into reverse and backed out of the driveway at breakneck speed – straight through the neighbor’s fence across the street. All the while, Dad kept calmly saying, “Turn, turn, turn.” I didn’t turn. I didn’t really know which way to turn. I only knew forward and reverse. After the proper apologies to the neighbor and a promise to fix the fence, he still let me drive out on the road.

It took another year before I mastered the art of driving a vehicle. I quickly realized to expect the unexpected (so did he) and that moving slowly forward, looking backward and turning when appropriate would get me safely where I wanted to go.

I thought of that again recently as I sat in the Texas Transportation Forum held in Austin. I could barely keep my mouth from dropping open as I listened to travel industry leaders speak about what future travel could look like in Texas within the next few decades.

The innovations and new designs ahead that will move vehicles, freight, rail, aviation and port traffic at a much faster and safer pace and the technology designed to make that happen is awesome. They referred to vehicles as “deathless” and “autonomous.” Faster rails, bullet trains, freight systems designed for large loads and “driverless” cars are appearing on the future’s horizon.

Those “deathless” days can’t come soon enough for many parents and grandparents worried about a teen driver on Friday night, or the one teaching them how to drive and hoping they remember the lessons when they are out on their own behind that wheel.

As I watched a video recognizing TxDOT’s 100th birthday, I realized that our ancestors probably thought they were living “high on the hog,” sporting their futuristic Model T’s along bumpy dirt roads. Looking back at how they traveled then is antiquated to us today.

From the original 26 state highways that included SH 7 through East Texas, to the newly approved section of I14 and future I69, both of which will traverse through the Lufkin District, it doesn’t take much to realize how far we have come in building roadways.

From being literally stuck in the mud in the early 1900’s to modern day six and eight lane interstates, farm to market roads and state highways that are maintained year round, we are proud of where we have come from and where we are going.

You can read all about our journey and catch some great state history in the special section published this month by Texas Highways Magazine that chronicles our journey as an agency. You can also view it here. You will likely get a kick out of viewing the old photos and reading some great well-written articles.

Looking back, making turns, as they were needed and moving forward as an agency is a lot like learning to drive, but way more complicated. TxDOT’s journey over the last century has been collaboration between many people. As early leader, Dewitt C. Greer said, “It never hurts to remind ourselves that we who build highways work under a public mandate. If we do not have the public’s confidence, we cannot do our work.”

Holding your trust and advancing at a steady, sure pace is still a goal as we move forward into our next 100 years. We hold your confidence in high regard. As we see the future unfold, we want to look back and learn. Make a turn when we need to. Move forward in a steady sure pace, with our hands never far from the steering wheel. All while keeping it between the lines. Be safe and enjoy your ride into the future.

AC Basketball Teams Hosting Coaches vs. Cancer, Elementary Schools Night

By
Gary Stallard
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Another big Wednesday night at Shands Gymnasium will get even bigger this week, with the Angelina College basketball teams hosting their annual “Coaches vs. Cancer Night” in aPreviewddition to welcoming area elementary schools.

Angelina College’s Isaiah Bailey hammers home a dunk in a recent game. The Roadrunners and Lady Roadrunners will host “Coaches vs. Cancer Night” Wednesday at Shands Gymnasium. The Lady ‘Runners face San Jacinto College at 5:30 p.m., and the men play Lamar State College-Port Arthur at 7:30 p.m. (AC Press photo/Marcy Flores)

The Lady Roadrunners will face San Jacinto College at 5:30 p.m., followed by the Roadrunners against Lamar State College-Port Arthur at 7:30 p.m.

All donations and proceeds will go toward the Lufkin Chapter of the American Cancer Society.

Schools invited for recognition include Herty Primary, Hackney Primary and Coston Elementary schools. Along with the usual events, teachers from those schools will play one another in a 10-minute basketball game at the half of the men’s contest.

The Roadrunners are on a hot streak, having won five straight to move to 18-6, 10-3 on the season. AC’s men are expected to crack the Top 25 in the NJCAA’s Division I rankings this week, having earned nearly enough votes in last week’s polls.

The Lady Roadrunners, still battling through a rash of injuries, are in the thick of the race for a conference tournament berth. They’ll face a tough San Jacinto squad currently in third place in the league standings with an overall record of 19-6, 11-4.

Both games will be live streamed, and viewers can catch the action by logging onto the Angelina College web site at angelina.edu and clicking on the Athletics link.


Living the Fit Life: Valentine’s Day

By
Brittany Hall
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Aisles and displays and endcaps abound, full of heart-shaped, chocolate-coated calorie bombs…Diabetes must surely be lurking around the corner. It seems as if this time of year one holiday’s candy gives way for the next, which is then clearanced to make room for another. But you’re living the fit life, right?

Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to reconnect with your lover (or to learn to love yourself), but also a great time to strengthen your support network and reconnect with your goals. Share the love!

If you are a regular gym member, you will, at some point, comes to recognize fellow gym goers as a variety of species: There is your gym rat, the cardio queens, the chicken-legged bodybuilders, the rare gym unicorns, etc.

In this menagerie, bonded pairs sometimes appear. There is one such couple at my gym that I am fascinated by. The female is tall and thin. Sometimes I can’t help but imagine her slipping through a crack in the floor if she turned sideways.She must have the metabolism of a hummingbird. She’s made up like a Victoria’s Secret model and, un-ironically, dresses like one. I’ve never actually seen a female wear a crop top to the gym except in magazine ads. She rocks it. My husband and I have dubbed her male “Half Naked Yoga Guy.” He often removes half his clothes doing Sun Salutations on a mat in the middle of the gym. Our gym manager has posted signs, asking gym members to keep their clothes on. Since he’s the only one I’ve ever seen do this, I have to assume they don’t know his real name either.

Always choose the flowers over chocolate.

My husband and I are of the other variety. We roll into the gym at 6 a.m. I always look like a hot mess. On second thought, that’s probably why no one bothers me. I have a short pixie cut that I rarely brush before leaving the house, meaning that either one side is squashed up in the wrong direction in the shape of a pillow, or spiked all over like an angry hedgehog. I haven’t showered. I don’t have a lick of makeup on, or, better, I have old mascara and eyeliner smeared under a single eye. I’m immediately irritated if I’m late or it’s too loud. I give the stink eye to the guy playing Nickelback. My shoes are very well taken care of, having some specifically for lifting weights or running. My husband is similar, but with impossibly long hair that could use a brushing and clothes that don’t often match. It must be love. How else could we both look as if we’ve crawled out from under a rock each day and still be married after 10 years?

When we work out together, we’re supporting each other. We might hiss, snipe, and generally act like jerks to one another at the gym, but it’s not personal. We’ve both got individual goals, and we hit the gym hard when we go. We can always count on each other for that extra push. Plus, it’s nice to have a spotter in life: Someone to literally and figuratively pick weight up off you when it’s too much.

If your version of the fit life doesn’t involve the gym, or your relationship with your significant other is still in the early stages, or you’ve got your own goals, here are some tips and tricks to being healthy and happy for Valentine’s Day:

Candy vs. Flowers

Choose the flowers. For some, flowers are old-fashioned, so they’re not gifted as often. They’re also more expensive than a box of chocolates. Why are those pros when they sound like cons? Flowers are beauty, simplicity, and they smell nice. There is no second-guessing, guilt, or stress associated with flowers. I love chocolate as much as the next person, don’t get me wrong, and it’s OK, healthy even, to indulge every now and then. But take a look at your family’s food culture. Food obligates you to another person. When it’s offered, you feel it’s rude to turn it down. Not only that, American food culture is one of abundance. We celebrate everything with food. Skip the sweets!

Dining Out vs. Dining In

Dine in. It’s not as boring as it sounds, and I look back to my point about American food culture. Along with our abundance, we also have a need for convenience. The United States Healthful Food Council reports that Americans spend half of the money they budget for groceries on dining out. Why pay for mediocre food at Olive Garden on date night when you can make a delicious, healthy meal at home for so much less? Take a look at your favorite restaurant foods. What ingredients can you swap to make a better meal? Whole-wheat pasta with made-from-scratch marinara and roasted vegetables. Now that’s sexy!

Jewelry

Jewelry is arguably one of the most gifted Valentine’s Day presents ever. Although I don’t wear jewelry to the gym, my gym identity follows me everywhere I go. I’m living in the fit life in the cut of my clothes, my posture, my attitude, and confidence. Etsy.com has some fantastic fitness-related gifts that would shake things up the status quo, like this one by LiftYourFork:

Jewelry designed by LiftYourFork on Etsy.com.

Lingerie

Guys, you often buy your SOs racy lingerie at this time of the year. You buy these things because you appreciate the bodies that we have worked so hard for. Living the fit life is transformative, but it is also a full-time job. We love sharing our bodies with you, especially when you consider that you’re the only one seeing it, but in our downtime we want to be comfortable. So, show your lady that you love her body and the effort put into it by getting her naughty nothings and a new workout ensemble. Athleisure is on the rise, much of it cute and affordable. Victoria’s Secret is currently my hands-down favorite for fashionable and functional gear. Their high-impact sports bra, the Knockout, is the best for cardio. I favor the Player for medium-impact exercise like heavy lifting.

But What If You’re Single?

Treat yourself, of course! One of the most common complaints I hear from both men and women is their lack of time to themselves. If V-day rolls around and you’re alone, call up me, myself, and I and schedule a date. Do something that makes you happy. Splurge on something that you don’t do often because of expense or time. Get a massage, a manicure, a pedicure, a cut and color. Take in a movie that you’ve been wanting to see, but maybe it’s been out for a while. Have you ever seen a movie in an empty theater? Never underestimate retail therapy. Living the fit life means new clothes to fit new bodies.

Living the fit life as a couple can be a fantastic adventure. Learn to navigate the barriers together and those barriers become opportunities to strengthen your bond (and body). Get comfortable being uncomfortable and work for it. Just keep your clothes on at the gym. That makes everyone else uncomfortable.

A Match Made in Heaven

By
Megan Whitworth
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Jonathan & Ashley

I found love on Match.com, but first let me back up and start from the beginning.

After going through a rough divorce, I decided to start over in my hometown of Nacogdoches and tried to find a new normal in my life in 2013. I got a job working graveyard at a nursing home at the time.

After three months of living in Nacogdoches, out of the blue I remembered my dad mentioning years ago, before I got married the first time, to try eHarmony or another online dating. I thought, “Why not? I’ll give it a shot.”

So I signed up for Match.com and completed my online profile, answered all of the questions and within an hour I saw a picture of a man named Jonathan from Louisiana. I read his profile, and he was younger than me. I had promised myself I wouldn’t date a younger man again, but I didn’t expect this to be a sure thing.

I hit the wink button on the site. A few hours later I received a message from him. At first I was thinking this wouldn’t ever go anywhere because I was skeptical about the whole online dating thing. I was wrong. We started talking, and we really hit it off.

After a few weeks of talking, Jonathan told me he was going to be in Houston to do a craw-fish boil contest with his family. I just happened to be riding with my friend to drop off other friends at the airport in Houston. It was fate.

Jonathan & Ashley on their wedding day.

I wasn’t really keen on meeting him alone, so my friend and I decided to go meet him. It was, I kid you not, love at first sight for me. I knew right then and there that I would be in this for the long haul.

After our second date he asked me to move in with him. He proposed to me on the fourth date, and that was just the beginning of our amazing life together.

Once I moved in and got settled down, we had many adventures together. He took me to Galveston; he showed me all the plantations in Natchitoches, Louisiana. He even pulled over on the side of the road to pick me a piece of cotton because I’d never seen one up close. He would light a fire in our fireplace before he would leave for work so I wasn’t cold when I got up in the mornings. He worked at a car shop and was always making me things and bringing them home. He was always doing little things that made me fall deeper in love with him.

Jonathan and I became husband and wife on Sept. 5, 2015. When I walked down the aisle and saw him standing there smiling and looking at me like I took his breath away, I felt so lucky to have him in my life.

Today, we struggle like every other married couple. We have fights, but we work through them, and at the end of the day we love each other. We are each other’s better halves. Everything I’m not, he is and everything he’s not, I am.

He is my match made in heaven. Well, at least on Match.com.

Jonathan & Ashley and their blended family.

AC Jazz Band Concert Features Joe Eckert

By
Megan Whitworth
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Joe Eckert with the TCU Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Curt Wilson.

Angelina College is hosting a jazz concert/high school jazz festival March 2 at 7:30 p.m. in Hudgins Hall. Admission is $4 for adults and $3 for seniors, students and children. The AC Community Big Band and the AC Swingin’ Roadrunner Jazz Combo will perform along with special guest artist Joe Eckert.

Eckert is the former lead alto saxophonist and director of the legendary world-famous Airmen of Note Jazz Ensemble. He has been called “…one of the finest and strongest lead alto players, and accomplished soloists, in the world today” by Connecticut radio personality, Mark Channon. Eckert will give each performing High School Jazz Band a clinic after their performance. All high school bands will receive complimentary tickets to the 7:30 p.m. concert.

Eckert is considered “…one of the best classical/jazz saxophonists ever to attend the University of North Texas. Joe is an outstanding musician who is comfortable performing/teaching all styles of music at a very high level,” according to Jim Riggs, regents professor of saxophone, at the University of North Texas.

The program for the AC Community Big Band includes “Take the A Train,” “There Will Never be Another You,” “Mambo Hot” and “Samantha.” Band members are Michael Parrish, Anthony Hackney, Dixon Shanks, Al Torres, Bethe Girardi-Bari, Jeff Sorey, Robert Shanks, LaVan Watts, Scott Williams, Steve Brown, Ricky Gay, Mel Miller, Luigi Lazareno, Alex Blair, Mark Saldana and instructors Jimmy Battle and Larry Greer.

The Swingin’ Roadrunner Jazz Combo program includes “Comin’ Home,” “Just Friends,” “Night and Day” and “My Funny Valentine.” Band members are Max Vallejo of Lufkin on the tenor sax, Haley Holcombe of Hudson on alto sax, Hayden Havard of Lufkin on piano, Olajuwon Taylor of Buna on drum set and director Larry Greer on bass.

For information about the music program at Angelina College, contact Larry Greer at lgreer@angelina.edu.

Tips to Land a College Scholarship

By
Megan Whitworth
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If you are college-bound or already enrolled, experts say it’s worth investing the time to investigate scholarship opportunities — even if you think you may not be eligible for most opportunities. According to a recent study, more than a third of college costs in the U.S. were covered by scholarships and grants in the 2015-2016 academic year.

“Scholarship money doesn’t have to be paid back, and it can significantly reduce out-of-pocket college costs for families,” said Martha Holler, senior vice president at Sallie Mae, who also points out that scholarships are not just for star football players and valedictorians.

From scholarships for dart players and vegetarians to filmmakers and those fluent in Klingon, available awards run the gamut and extend well beyond academics or athletics to a wide range of activities, interests, and affiliations.

“Have a passion for designing greeting cards? There’s a scholarship for that! Interested in helping people understand the perils of texting when driving? There’s a scholarship for that too,” Holler said.

With this in mind, Holler and the experts at Sallie Mae are offering the following scholarship tips.

Be thorough. Don’t overlook smaller scholarships. Even a few hundred dollars can help offset the cost of textbooks and supplies.

Be proactive. Apply for scholarships every year. Approximately 50 percent of available scholarships are for students already enrolled in college.

Be diligent. Pay attention to details. Follow instructions and proofread carefully.

Be careful. Never pay for scholarships or for scholarship searches. School counselors and school financial aid offices can recommend reputable options. One such site is Scholarship Search by Sallie Mae, a free scholarship search tool that is home to five million scholarships valued at $24 billion dollars. The tool responds with matches that identify relevant scholarships and their award amounts, application requirements, and deadlines, and it automatically sends updates when it identifies new matches. Those who register are automatically eligible to win the Plan for College Sweepstakes, which awards $1,000 each month to a winner selected at random.

Be on time. Meet deadlines. If an application can’t be submitted electronically, use certified mail. Stay organized and ahead of deadlines by using automated calendar alerts.

For more scholarship tips, visit SallieMae.com/ScholarshipSearch.

College scholarships come in all shapes and sizes and billions of dollars are awarded each year. By applying to all the scholarships for which you are eligible, you can be sure you are not passing up any opportunity to reduce your potential debt down the line.

(StatePoint)

Lady Roadrunner Softball Wins 10th Straight with Sunday Sweep

By
Gary Stallard
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Angelina College’s Ashley Davis steals second base during Sunday’s doubleheader against Mountain View College. The Lady Roadrunners won their 10th straight game, sweeping the Lions 8-2 and 16-4 at Roadrunner Complex on the AC campus. (AC Press photo/Gary Stallard)

The Angelina College Lady Roadrunner softball team on Sunday played its seventh game in three days.

Angelina College pitcher Kaylee Parker delivers during Sunday’s doubleheader against Mountain View College. The Lady Roadrunners won their 10th straight game, sweeping the Lions 8-2 and 16-4 at Roadrunner Complex on the AC campus. (AC Press photo/Gary Stallard)

Any signs of potential fatigue eventually disappeared over the outfield wall.

Kali Holcomb and Lynsey Mitchell each blasted a grand slam in AC’s 16-4 win in the nightcap; that victory, combined with AC’s 8-2 win in the opener, gave the Lady Roadrunners seven wins in three days – the team won five straight at the Lamar State College-Port Arthur Tournament held on Friday and Saturday – and the team’s 10th straight win overall.

Holcomb finished with six RBI in Sunday’s last game, adding a two-run double in the fourth after her first-inning four bagger. Mitchell’s big blast also occurred in the fourth inning, giving the Lady ‘Runners a rare feat of two grand slams in a single inning.

Lauren Garza, Taylor LaGrange and Kaylee Parker also drove in runs to help make a winner of starting pitcher Jordan Kisselburg, who struck out four in her five innings of work.

The up-and-coming Mountain View squad, a program in its first year of existence, proved a stubborn foe to the weary Lady ‘Runners in the first game. AC scored a pair of runs in the first frame, getting RBI doubles from Parker and Kisselburg. The Lady ‘Runners then went scoreless over the next three innings, finally breaking through in the fifth on back-to-back two-RBI doubles from Parker and LaGrange to finish with an 8-2 win.

The Lady ‘Runners (13-1) get a much-needed break before heading to Temple for a two-day tournament opening on Friday. AC will host Pratt College in a home doubleheader on Sunday starting at 11 a.m.

The e-mail address for AC’s Sports Information Director is gstallard@angelina.edu.

5 Ways to Use Basil

By
Megan Whitworth
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Basil is delicious, simple as that.

Wherever you grow basil, the main ingredient is to give the plant plenty of sun and moist, well-drained soil.

When I first learned to cook I attempted a chicken Alfredo recipe that involved basil. Not knowing what the herb was, I took a few minutes to research the ingredient, and then I visited my local market to pick up some fresh basil leaves. I would soon discover the delicious annual herb would become a favorite of mine to not only grow in my garden and cook with but to also use for many other various benefits in my life.

For first time growers, like I was, basil is a great herb to start your garden with. If you don’t have room for a garden, basil can thrive in containers or even on a south-facing windowsill indoors. For your garden, you will want to wait after the last frost date in your area to plant basil for the first time that season. Wherever you grow the herb, the main ingredient is to give the plant plenty of sun and moist, well-drained soil.

As I mentioned before, basil is not only for cooking delicious meals with but for many other uses in life as well.

Here are five ways to use basil:

Spider bites: Rub a pinch of dried basil into the wound until it resembles fine sand to relieve the itching and swelling of spider bites.

Stress reduction: Adding 2 cups of strong Basil Leaf tea to a warm bath helps reduce stress and accelerate relaxation.

Headache: A facial steam with dried basil leaves can help alleviate a headache. Add a tablespoon of dried basil leaves to 2 cups of boiling water in a large pot. Carefully lean over the pot, cover your head with a towel and breathe in the steam for 5-10 minutes until your headache starts to subside.

Blood sugar: Basil leaves have been shown to help level out blood sugar levels if consumed regularly and drank as a juice or tea.

Infection: Smelling or keeping holy basil planted in a pot indoors can protect the whole family from infections, coughs, colds and other viral infections. Plus, a tea made with leaves of holy basil is a common remedy for cold, cough and mild indigestion.

Whether you’re cooking chicken Alfredo or treating a spider bite, there are many benefits to using the herb. So grab some basil seeds and start growing!

Add basil to any dish for a sweet but savory twist.

Bachelorette: Meet Misty Boggs

By
Megan Whitworth
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Are you single and ready to mingle?

February is the month of love, and TFCL is bringing local singles to you every Saturday. Our second bachelorette is the wonderful and beautiful Misty Boggs. Misty is the mastermind behind TFCL; she is the one who keeps things running smooth and a genius at story ideas. She is hilarious, fabulous, a little nerdy, and ready to find the man of her dreams.

Keep reading to learn more about Misty!

Bachelorette Misty Boggs
Bachelorette Misty Boggs
Name:

Misty Boggs

Age:
37

Where are you from:
Burke

What do you do?
I am a content and production manager for MSGPR. I ensure that when clients reach out to us for projects, whether it’s a business card or a new website or an event, that all of the elements and people are in place to make it happen and that it happens by the deadline.

Hobbies:
Reading (love historical fiction and the Stephanie Plum series), getting artsy (sometimes its paint, sometimes its charcoal, sometimes it involves yarn or fabric, sometimes its paper mache with my niece – we love making beautiful messes!), or I’ll expertly navigate my way through Netflix.

Three words to describe yourself:
Compassionate, I care about everything all the time. Understanding, I love to find out what makes people tick, why they do what they do. Fun, whether its at work or at home, I try to interject humor and a sense of play into what I do.

Do you prefer a night in or a night out on the town?
You know, I really don’t mind either way. As long as we’re spending time together, that’s what is important to me.

Would you kiss a boy on the first date?
Definitely not a boy. A man is a totally different story. (If the moment is right, sure.)

Misty Boggs capture a moment in movement with her niece and nephew at the VFW carnival in 2016.

Do you believe in love at first sight?
Absolutely. We would not have Jane Austen and just about any other romance out there without the idea that you can meet someone and just know, through and through, that they are meant for you for forever.

What does a successful relationship look like to you?
It looks like give and take and space to be your own person. But, it also comes with some common goals that you both want to spend your lives trying to achieve together, which takes communication and hard work.

Misty Boggs at the VFW carnival in 2016.

What do you love/hate most about the dating process?
I love and hate that whole beginning stage where you don’t know if they like you too. Its weird and I have no idea how to handle myself around that person at that point so I avoid them or come on way too strong with the sarcasm.

Do you have any pet peeves?
Way too many. I’ve been single for a while so, yeah, I found a few things that annoy me. Just know that the toilet paper goes over, not under. And rude people…. And lying…

What is your favorite way to spend a Saturday night?
My favorite way is to spend it with the people I love. I love to hang out at the coffee shop with friends, at home with my family, taking my niece and nephew to see a movie. Don’t get me wrong. I like to do stuff, see concerts and all of that, I just enjoy it more with people I love.

What dating advice would you give to your next boyfriend on dating you?
Honest moment here: Just ask me out. Don’t wait for me to give you a sign or show interest. If you’re interested, chances are I am, too. Also, give me time. I’ll be in shock that you thought of me in a romantic sense. And then, I’ll eventually peal away the surface and let you see the fun, weird side. (See the question about the loving/hating the dating process)

What have you learned from previous heartbreaks?
The truth behind Shakespeare’s statement that its better to have loved and lost than to never have loved. I’ve tried to turn off the part of me that instantly likes someone or to turn off the hope that one day, there will be someone and it will work out. When I do, I’m miserable and grouchy and depressed. For me, it really is better to have loved. I have hope. Its part of who I am.

Misty Boggs and her dad received good news that a deal for his business had gone through. He is the owner of Old Souls Food Truck.

What’s your ideal date?
What does she say in Miss Congeniality? “May 24, not too hot, not too cold?” I completely agree! May is such a wonderful month – oh, not what you were looking for? Hmm, I don’t really know. Food would be a huge part of it – food truck, great restaurant, home cooked – it doesn’t matter. I love food! And movies! And music! Oh, football is like, just awesome…. But, something to keep in mind, I’m not a fan of big crowds or Nascar.

What do you look most for in a relationship?
Compatibility and long-term. I’ve never been a one-night-stand kind of girl.

What is your biggest deal breaker?
Don’t lie to me. Period. Don’t lead me on. It kills me.

Do you prefer chocolates or flowers?
I am female. So, yeah. Both. If you want to score points, go with chocolate (Hershey’s Miniatures have a special place in my heart).

Favorite pick-up line?
It’s not so much the line. It’s the grin right before he says it.

To connect with Misty, email her at mnboggs2010@gmail.com.

Misty Boggs styles her sunglasses with a chevron print shirt.
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