With Your Family in Mind

This month, a reader of The Magazine of Santa Clarita sent in a question about out-of-town voice agents.
Q: Are you familiar with out-of-state agencies and their policies?  I’m sending my demo out to various markets in hopes of acquiring representation, since the odds of getting an agent in L.A. seem remote.  

(NAPS)—Appropriate school wear helps children dress for academic success. Uniforms, spirit wear and clothes following dress codes can encourage a feeling of community spirit and promote school safety. Educators and parents find that following a dress code at school and at after-school events can make it easier to monitor who is a student—and who isn’t—and may aid in reducing peer pressure.

We enjoy a celebration of freedom today because our founding fathers fought, sacrificed, and died for it.  But what did that mean to them?  What were they really fighting for?  What did freedom bring them?
They were free to govern themselves.  They were free to defend their homes and their land.  They were free to worship God as they chose.  They were free to choose how they would live their lives and where.  They were free from tyranny and oppression.

We all enjoy the luxury of taking our voices for granted.  We are a bit shocked when we get laryngitis and can’t speak.  It’s a reminder of how important our voice is in our daily lives and how dependent we are on our ability to speak.  I’d like to talk about healthy vocal production and voice improvement.
I get a lot of questions about how much to exercise a voice without abusing it.

Today we’re going to discuss a situation that happens all the time.  Consider the following hypothetical: A woman, let’s call her Elizabeth, has passed away.  Elizabeth is survived by four adult sons.
Our fictional character was a very caring woman, and she lived simply.  She had a nice home with a garden and grandchildren who loved her.  Nobody would ever have expected that Elizabeth had several hundred thousand dollars in the bank.  Elizabeth was also very thoughtful.  She left a last will and testament.  She did the best job she could to express her wishes clearly, but she made one critical mistake.

Ann Parr, a transplanted Londoner, has been a GO enthusiast since 2004 when she took her first class, Gardening in Santa Clarita.  In recent years, Ann took classes for fun; but now, she’s getting serious.  When she and her husband saw business begin to dwindle at the recording studio they have owned for 35 years, she decided to return to office management.

Respite refers to short-term, temporary care to allow caregivers and family members a break from their daily routine.  It can also be used for those individuals who require short-term assistance while recovering from an illness or accident.
Families and caregivers who provide constant care for their elderly family member may need some time away from their responsibilities to tend to their own needs.  Respite care allows caregivers to take this time while knowing that their family member will be well cared for by trained staff.  

I know the world isn’t fair, but why isn’t it ever unfair in my favor? – Bill Watterson
One of the key motivators for couples choosing mediation in divorce is the fear that in litigation they will get the short end of the bargain.  Court battles are generally win/lose or lose/lose.  They’re seldom win/win.  When we ask participants what are the important standards used to judge a settlement, they mostly say, “I want it to be fair.” 

This month, a reader of The Magazine of Santa Clarita sent in a question about voice maintenance.
Q: “In the same week I came down with some cold, I pushed my voice by too much auditioning.  If I’m going to be making a living off of my voice, I need to know how to take good care of it.  Any suggestions?” — Jennifer C., Acton, CA

If a debtor files bankruptcy, the primary goal in most cases is to obtain a discharge.  That applies in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 cases.  In Chapter 13 cases, the discharge takes longer because the debtor must complete a plan, which pays back a portion of the debt to creditors.  In Chapter 7 cases, the discharge is usually entered about four months after the case is filed.

In our busy world, organization is paramount.  Parents, professionals and students alike have more on their plate than ever before.  When there are so many activities, appointments, and tasks to manage, it’s not unusual to let one slide.  This can bring consequences that range from a write up at work to missed appointments that cost money or suffering grades.

It’s all so amazing at the beginning of a relationship.  The connection is strong, and the attraction is off the charts.  You finish each other’s sentences; you don’t sleep much; you have a wonderful time just going to the grocery store together.  This must be the one you’ve been waiting for - grass is greener, food tastes better, the world is more beautiful.  It’s magical.

“Summer time and the living is easy,” and “There ain’t no cure for the summer time blues”are musical words that typify the summer season of our lives, especially for teenagers.  They either find their lives jam-packed with summer activities like summer school, football practice, band camp, a summer job, or they find themselves bored and endlessly complaining there’s nothing to do.  You might even find them on the couch, devouring bags of chips and gallons of soda, eyes glazed from hours of playing video games, day after day for months on end.

Golden Oak Adult School congratulates Teacher of the Year, GayMarie Dassler.  Mrs. Dassler has been teaching English as a Second Language at Golden Oak Adult School since 1990, and until recently, a mommy-and-me style ESL class for parents and pre-schoolers.  She finds Golden Oaks’ students dedicated and enthusiastic about learning. 

Most teenagers actually exhibit symptoms related to any or all three of these scenarios so let’s review some of them a bit and then talk about what you can do about it.
Bi-Polar: Grossly misdiagnosed by lazy psychiatrists who don’t even talk to people anymore and instead simply send you to the pharmacy, Bi-Polar is more than what most people think it is. 

Or all three, right?  It can be hard to tell, but the differences are profound.  Guess what: your kids wonder the same thing about you.  It can be difficult to determine but there’s a lot you need to know if you have any hope of keeping things from getting worse.  If any or all of the above are true what can you do?  Do you feel like you’ve tried everything?  Hopeless, frustrated, sad and scared beyond explanation?  While your kids seem to be laughing at you as they “destroy their lives and future with bad choices?”

Inner Circle’s foster parents are supported by Master’s leveled social workers who help them understand the crucial stages children go through when separated from their families of origin.  For some children this is the beginning of major change that may ultimately lead to adoption.  Some children weather the change triumphantly.  Some exhibit problems and can be supported when the path looks uncertain.

Every child deserves to have a safe, loving and permanent home.  There are 114,000 children currently in foster care with many who are unable to return to their families of origin.  Children’s Bureau is seeking caring families to consider adopting these older children and large sibling sets.