Rock and Roll Saved My Soul

May is National Arthritis Awareness Month. In the United States, 54 million adults have some form of doctor-diagnosed arthritis, a number projected to increase to 78 million by 2040. Approximately two thirds of adults with arthritis have overweight or obesity, and only 36% meet the recommended aerobic physical activity guidelines. Engaging in physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight can help manage arthritis symptoms.§ Physical activity can reduce arthritis pain, improve function and mood, and delay the onset of disability. Even small amounts of weight loss have been shown to significantly reduce pressure on the joints. Adults who have overweight or obesity and receive weight-loss counseling from a health care provider are approximately four times more likely to attempt to lose weight than are those who do not receive counseling. Health care providers can play a valuable role by counseling their patients with arthritis to be physically active, lose weight if they ha...

Occasional anxiety is an expected part of life. You might feel anxious when faced with a problem at work, before taking a test, or before making an important decision. But anxiety disorders involve more than temporary worry or fear. For a person with an anxiety disorder, the anxiety does not go away and can get worse over time. The symptoms can interfere with daily activities such as job performance, school work, and relationships. There are several types of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and various phobia-related disorders. Signs and Symptoms: Generalized Anxiety Disorder: People with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) display excessive anxiety or worry, most days for at least 6 months, about a number of things such as personal health, work, social interactions, and everyday routine life circumstances. The fear and anxiety can cause significant problems in areas of their life, such as social interactions, school, and wor...

Today’s Highlight in History: On May 28, 1918, American troops fought their first major battle during World War I as they launched an offensive against the German-held French village of Cantigny (kahn-tee-NYEE’); the Americans succeeded in capturing the village. On this date: In 1533, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer, declared the marriage of England’s King Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn valid. In 1892, the Sierra Club was organized in San Francisco. In 1912, the Senate Commerce Committee issued its report on the Titanic disaster that cited a “state of absolute unpreparedness,” improperly tested safety equipment and an “indifference to danger” as some of the causes of an “unnecessary tragedy.” In 1929, the first all-color talking picture, “On with the Show!” produced by Warner Bros., opened in New York. In 1934, the Dionne quintuplets — Annette, Cecile, Emilie, Marie and Yvonne — were born to Elzire Dionne at the family farm in Ontario, Canada. ...

If consciousness is a purely human trait, are we better off for it or does it simply lead to greater problems? Kate:  I think everything has positive and negatives, but as a whole we are better off with it.  Sandy: Michaelle:  Aisling: Sid: Facebook Weighs In: 

Ever since I can remember I have always been creating in some form. My artistic tastes have evolved and grown as I have gotten older but have always remained a strong staple in my personality. I remember being a young child arranging and rearranging my sticker albums and scrapbooks to look ‘perfect’. To being a teenager drawing/painting my walls and making collages and drawing many celebrities and other items. Then as a high school student I would make cards for people, write poetry, and was heavily involved and invested in my art classes. This love I have for art followed me then through to college where when presented the opportunity to be creative I took it and this also extended out to my studies. I would take classes that either had me creating art or learning about art, such as Art History,Creative Writing, Poetry, Crafts and Drawing classes. But my hands down favorite courses were always the painting classes that were offered, I took both classes and created many wonderf...

5-22-19: Today was a long day and emotional. My oldest is now moving on to high school next year. He passed the 8th grade. I brought him back with me and had a nap before work. 5-23-19: I was exhausted at work. So tired when I got off a couple hours early and had to wait for a coworker I slept in my car. Thursday was a decent day once I had some sleep. Streamed The Forest with my oldest. Which was fun. 5-24-19: Today my oldest and I are headed to my second oldest program. Hopefully, have a good day with her as well. Maybe get to spend some extra time with her.

Memorial Day is an American holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Memorial Day 2019 occurs on Monday, May 27.  Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades. Unofficially, it marks the beginning of the summer season. Memorial Day Traditions: Cities and towns across the United States host Memorial Day parades each year, often incorporating military personnel and members of veterans’ organizations. Some of the largest parades take place in Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C. Americans also observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries and memorials. Some people wear a red poppy in remembrance of those fallen in war—a tradition that began with a World War I poem. On a less ...

5/22/19:  My fibro has been manageable lately. Only a couple really bad day, when work was terribly difficult. Took a bubble bath and that seemed to help a little. Need to make more time to take them more often. They really help to relax. I recently started a weight loss journey. I'm going it alone. Coming up with my own exercise plan. I've already lost 10lbs from just cutting out soda. Still have 50lbs to go. So I'm hoping losing more weight will help me feel better and help improve my symptoms. I will report progress on both weight loss and on any improvements in how I feel because of it.

All of the proceeds from our upcoming anthology entitled Notes of Dreams will be donated to the band Switchfoot's charity, Bro Am. Their Story: Over a decade ago, we sat on a flight home from Australia and talked about some of the amazing places we had visited around the globe. We kept coming back to a single truth - the place that meant the most to us, our favorite place to be, was HOME. Sunny, beautiful San Diego has been an integral part of the people and musicians we have become. Music, art, surfing, access to the outdoors – these outlets kept us out of trouble and offered us a way to think about the big questions in life. The communities we grew up in believed in those outlets, and we do too. On that flight home, we dreamed up an idea to give something back to our hometown, to rally our amazing community, and to invest in kids who might need a hand up. What if we could bring together friends from the surf industry and the music industry for a charity su...

Who can submit an entry for a Rock & Roll Saved My Soul anthology? Absolutely anyone may put something into one of the book. How will I know if my submission was accepted? All submissions that are turned in by the due date will be used in the anthology. We don't turn anyone away. Is there a page/word limit for the entries? There is not, unless otherwise specified. It can be as long or as short as it needs to be. We don't feel that we should put limit on that. What charity is this anthology for? We are donating all of the proceeds from the books to Rock the Cause. Unless otherwise specified. Can we submit more than one piece for the book? Yes! Multiple submissions are accepted, but try to limit it to three. Does my story have to be about rock & roll for it to be in the music related books? ​No, any type of music related story is acceptable.

What is something that you could realistically do today that would benefit the rest of your life? What’s stopping you? Kate: Write more. I know getting my writing out there more would help, but it's hard to find the motivation to do so. Sandy:  paying off all my credit cards. Which I'm doing slowly. Just seems to be taking forever

Since 1984, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) has declared May to be “National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month.” It’s a peak season for people with asthma and allergies, and a perfect time to educate patients, family, friends, co-workers and others about these diseases. More Than Asthma, More Than Food Allergies More than 60 million Americans overall have asthma and allergies. About 26 million Americans have asthma (19 million adults and 6.2 million children) About 32 million Americans have food allergies (26 million adults and 6 million children) About 21 million Americans have hayfever, rhinitis or nasal allergies (20 million adults and 5.6 million children) These numbers paint a picture of how many people in the U.S. are managing asthma and allergies. But they don’t paint a picture of the overall impact these diseases have on people and communities. These conditions can be challenging to manage. But it’s important to remember your con...

5-17-19: This week was pretty good. Super exhausting, but decent. We got extra money for payday so that is exciting. I'm getting my twitch channel stuff together and making it match. Things are good and I'm happy with that!!

In a small Italian town, hundreds of years ago, a small business owner owed a large sum of money to a loan-shark. The loan-shark was a very old, unattractive looking guy that just so happened to fancy the business owner’s daughter. He decided to offer the businessman a deal that would completely wipe out the debt he owed him. However, the catch was that we would only wipe out the debt if he could marry the businessman’s daughter. Needless to say, this proposal was met with a look of disgust. The loan-shark said that he would place two pebbles into a bag, one white and one black. The daughter would then have to reach into the bag and pick out a pebble. If it was black, the debt would be wiped, but the loan-shark would then marry her. If it was white, the debt would also be wiped, but the daughter wouldn’t have to marry the loan-shark. Standing on a pebble-strewn path in the businessman’s garden, the loan-shark bent over and picked up two pebbles. Whilst he ...

Mental Health Awareness Month (also referred to as "Mental Health Month") has been observed in May in the United States since 1949, reaching millions of people in the United States through the media, local events, and screenings. Mental Health Awareness Month was started in the United States in 1949 by the Mental Health America organization (then known as the National Association for Mental Health). Each year in mid-March Mental Health America releases a toolkit of materials to guide preparation for outreach activities during Mental Health Awareness Month. During the month of May, Mental Health America, its affiliates, and other organizations interested in mental health conduct a number of activities which are based on a different theme each year. This year marks MHA's 70th year celebrating Mental Health Month! In 2019 we are expanding upon last year’s theme of #4Mind4Body and taking it to the next level, as we explore the topics of animal companionship ...

One of the next anthologies that RRSMS will be publishing is the second installment of the Fighting Chance series, called #metoo. If you are unsure what to write about, because it is an extremely hard topic to discuss, below you will find some writing prompts to help you.  1.        Perform a word association exercise with domestic violence at the center. After you’ve finished the word association, set a timer and freewrite for 10 minutes. 2.        How do you feel about having a month every year devoted to awareness of this issue? 3.        What experience do you have with domestic violence (include emotional and verbal abuse in your answer)? Write about its impact on your decision-making processes, then and now. 4.        Write about a time you experienced domestic violence, either as a victim or perpetrator. If you never experienced ...

If intelligent extra-terrestrial life was discovered, how do you think humanity would react? How would you react? Kate: Based on the fact that humanity as a whole cannot accept differences within our own species, the reaction to other intelligent life wouldn't go over well. A long time ago back when there were radio shows, someone read War of the Worlds and mass hysteria ensued. I don't think it would be much different than that, even all these years later. Me personally, I already believe in such things existing, because it seems impossible that we are the only intelligent life form. I use that term loosely though-intelligent. For me it would be almost an I knew it moment.  Sandy: Michaelle: Facebook Weighs In:

I love my mom because she is the best mom in the world -Bodie R.  My adoptive mom is amazing! She has a huge heart and she pushes through so much. When most people would give up. I hope that I am like her as even now I get older. She inspires me to push through everything even if it seems impossible. For that I can't thank her enough for the things she does for me and my kids! It's not much but it means so much to me!! 💛💚 -Sandy A. My mom is the best mom around and she is very supportive and she is the best mom around. -Lori M. My mom is the strongest, most beautiful women I know. If I can even be half the woman she is, I'll be happy. -Kate R.

5-6-19: Well I made it another year past the first 5 days of the month. Always the hardest having to deal with the passing and his birthday. It's always hard and always relieved when it's over. 5-10-19: The rest of my week went fairly well. There has been some work drama going on. Which I try to stay out of as much as I can. Still stressful cause some of my friends are upset about it. Just hard cause seems like everyone gets mad at each other. I really dislike drama. Hopefully it doesn't last long. We shall see though.

During Skin Cancer Awareness Month, the American Academy of Dermatology is recognizing Skin Cancer Heroes — patients and survivors, the friends and loved ones who have helped and supported them, and the board-certified dermatologists who have detected and treated their skin cancer. The AAD also encourages everyone to be their own Skin Cancer Hero by taking steps to prevent skin cancer and detect it early, when it’s most treatable. Info from:  https://www.aad.org/public/spot-skin-cancer/programs/skin-cancer-awareness-month What is bladder cancer? Cancer occurs when cells in the bladder start to grow out of control. Most tumors develop on the inner layer of the bladder. Some can grow into the deeper bladder layers. As cancer grows through these layers into the wall, it becomes harder to treat. The lining, where tumors initiate, is also found in the inner layers of the kidneys, ureters, and urethra. So, similar cancers can occur in these areas, though...

5/5/19:   So lately my fibro hasn't been too bad. At least pain wise. I've been so tried the last few days, hard to keep my eyes open past 9pm and still tired when I wake up in the morning. I feel as though the fatigue and the not ever getting refreshing sleep is the hardest symptom to deal with and manage. I wake up feeling like I haven't slept at all. I wish to feel normal again. I'm going to start exploring options to see if I can find something to help the fatigue improve some. Hopefully I will find success.

Each year over 190,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with a brain tumor. Brain tumors are a leading cause of tumor cancer deaths in children. Brain tumors are also the third main cause of cancer death in adults within the 20-39 age bracket. Brain Tumor Action Week seeks to raise awareness about brain tumors, including raising awareness about incidence, diagnosis, treatment and care of people suffering from brain tumors. Specialty care and follow up care, rehabilitative services and clinical trials are activities which can enhance the quality of life of people living with brain tumors. Brain Tumor Quick Facts: Types Of Brain Tumors Brain tumors are either primary or metastatic tumors. Primary brain tumors are those which originate in the brain. Metastatic brain tumors are those which originate from cancerous cells that have migrated from other areas of the body. Metastatic brain tumors are also known as secondary brain tumors. Not all brain tu...

The National Education Association describes National Teacher Day  “as a day for honoring teachers and recognizing the lasting contributions they make to our lives.”   Teachers play a critical role in educating and shaping our children: the future leaders of our country.  They are kind, patient, hard-working, dedicated and understanding professionals that mold our children’s lives in a positive direction.  We entrust our children with the teachers, and they affect their lives on a daily basis. How to Observe: It is time to say “Thank You” to the exceptional teachers that you know.  Let them know that they are appreciated for all that they do. Use #TeacherAppreciationDay or #NationalTeachersDay to post on social media. History: Political and educational leaders began discussions for a day to honor teachers in 1944.  In 1953, Eleanor Roosevelt persuaded the 81st Congress to proclaim National Teachers’ Day.  Congress declared Ma...

How should we measure our lives? In years? In moments? In accomplishments? Something else? Kate: I like to measure mine in moments and love.  Sandy:  Honestly, if you feel you are rocking life then great! If you feel you need to something that will make you feel like you are rocking life do it!! I honestly don't think anything really measures life. It's all in how you see your life. Cause that is the only real life you have control over. Aisling: Michaelle: Sid: Facebook Weighs In: 525600 minutes -Allison C. Why not with Happiness? Personally I like to measure my life the way the Egyptians did. They believed that upon death they would be asked two questions and their answers would determine whether they can continue their journey in the afterlife. The first question was “Did you find joy in your life?” And the second was “Did you bring joy to others?” I feel like as long as you’re living peacefully and can find the happy moments then you...

Cinco de Mayo, or the fifth of May, is a holiday that celebrates the date of the Mexican army’s 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. Cinco de Mayo 2018 occurs on Saturday, May 5. A relatively minor holiday in Mexico, in the United States Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a commemoration of Mexican culture and heritage, particularly in areas with large Mexican-American populations. Cinco de Mayo History: In 1861, Benito Juárez—a lawyer and member of the indigenous Zapotec tribe—was elected president of Mexico. At the time, the country was in financial ruin after years of internal strife, and the new president was forced to default on debt payments to European governments. In response, France, Britain and Spain sent naval forces to Veracruz, Mexico, demanding repayment. Britain and Spain negotiated with Mexico and withdrew their forces. France, however, ruled by Napoleon III, decided to use the opportunity to carve an empire out...