A Real-Life Fairy Tale - by Monica

Read original articles: Edmonton Journal, Pakistan Times, and the Oakland Press.

Image credit: Telegraph.

Today a real-life fairy tale occured when a "commoner" married a prince, which is the first time in 350 years of British history for this to happen.

I'm sure this gave hope to millions of little girls who watched their television sets, hoping they too would someday meet their real-life "prince charming," and that it was possible in more than just Disney movies.

In this modern love story, Kate Middleton and Prince William did not know eachother for three days before tying the knot. Instead they knew each other for ten years and dated for eight years before getting married. This makes spectators believe that this marriage will last forever, unlike the marriage of Prince William's parents. Middleton was not helplessly seeking out a man when she met Prince William. Instead, she was attending the University of St.Andrews in Fife, Scotland when the two met. And, even though she met a man who could easily support her, she graduated from college in 2005 with an honors degree in the history of art.

At one point, before the vows began, William mouthed what appeared to be: "You look beautiful," to his bride.

No, my point isn't for girls not to settle until they find a literal prince. My lesson is -- don't look so hard. Live your life and strive to be who you want to be before getting married. The person you deserve to be with forever, no matter if he or she is rich and famous or poor, will respect this quality in you and will wait for you as long as it take. He or she will treat you right, make you feel special, not like some kind of "trophy." A fairy tale shouldn't be a three-day long whirlwind romance...it's a committment that lasts forever.

Stress-free foods - by Monica

Let's just say this week has been one of the most stressful weeks I have ever had. So thinking of happy news, any kind of happy news, was very much a challenge.

Until I found this website, which lists all the foods that can help lower your stress levels. And I feel like this directly relates to how my week has been...and well, if you've ever been stressed out in your life, which I'm sure you all have, I recommend this as well:

view original article on That's Fit.

1. Whole Grains - Complex carbohydrates, such as sweet potatoes, whole wheat bread and oatmeal, are digested more slowly and will keep you feeling calm for longer. These foods make the chemical serotonin, which comforts you.
2. Milk - Researchers found that when they fed the tryptophan-rich protein found in milk to frazzled university students, their stress levels decreased and they were able to perform better on cognitive tests. To calm nerves before a big presentation, sip on a glass of non-fat milk or eat a small bowl of low-fat yogurt.
3. Chamomile tea - A randomized, double-blind study of Matricaria recutita (chamomile) extract therapy in patients with generalized anxiety disorder found that the herb improved subjects anxiety level.
4. Dark chocolate - A 2009 study in ACS' Journal of Proteome Research found that consuming about one and a half ounces of dark chocolate a day for two weeks reduced levels of stress hormones in highly stressed subjects
5. Eggs - A protein-rich meal boosts production of dopamine and norepinephrine, two neurotransmitters that regulate mood and behavior. Start the day off with a plate of scrambled eggs to keep hunger and anxiety at bay.

Helping a stranger - by Monica

Read original article Facebook Plea Answered by Catherine Kavanaugh For Journal Register Company.

I found an amazing story of helping a stranger in need.

In this case, Facebook may have saved a man's life. Roxy Kurze of Warren found out that her husband, who had a stroke and was in need of a kidney, had to wait 5 years to receive one.

Roxy wrote on her Facebook status: "I wish a kidney would fall from the sky. If anyone knows a live donor who is a type O please let me know.”

And Ricky Cisco, 25, of Royal Oak responded...a man Roxy had only met once in passing when she did work for his employer.

Roxy's husband has spent his whole life with anemia, blood pressure, and heart and kidney problems, including chronic interstitial nephritis. He went to dialysis three times a week for more than two years.

The transplant was done last week. The doctor who did the surgery said this is the first time, he's aware of, that a donor was found through Facebook.

Think about it. We are each born with an organ that we have two of, when we only need one. And one of them can save another's life. How many other things do we have that we take for granted that could save another person? Would we be willing to give it away to a stranger?

Underdogs - by Kristy

What does it mean to be an underdog? A Yahoo! definition search gives these results:

un·der·dog (ndr-dôg, -dg) KEY

NOUN:

1. One that is expected to lose a contest or struggle, as in sports or politics.
2. One that is at a disadvantage.


In the 2011 Ontario Hockey League round one playoffs, the Plymouth Whalers have been battling the Kitchener Rangers. The Rangers finished the regular season in third place, as the Plymouth Whalers fell to sixth place. The match up is one that heavily favored the Rangers to many people, however the Whalers took the lead of the series early. The Rangers battled back to force a game 7 and the winner advances to the second round, while the loser's season will come to an end. Game 7 takes place tonight in Kitchener at 7pm.

The Whalers have been known for their heart during this series. They've overcome a lot and play hard. I hope that their heart will allow them to be victorious tonight and move on to round 2. Go Whalers!

Cinderella Story Teams - by Kristy

This year's March Madness tournament has surprised many and put the spotlight on the underdog teams. The top seeds in the college basketball tournament: Duke, Ohio State, Kansas, and Pitt have all been eliminated before the finals. VCU, Butler, Kentucky, and UConn were the teams to make it to the Final Four this year.

It shows how much hard work and determination can really matter when following dreams.

Street sign named after Red Wings Captain - by Monica

I figured Kristy would appreciate this haha.

Yesterday for work, I went to the unveiling of Nick Lidstrom Drive in Novi. The drive was, obviously, named after Red Wings captain Nick Lidstrom, who is a former resident of Sweden and current resident of Novi.

He spoke at the event last night, and I could tell right away that he wasn't some full-of-himself guy, but that he truly deserved this honor.

"In Sweden, I believe you have to be dead to have a street sign named after you. That makes it even more special for me,” Lidstrom said. “This is a tremendous honor that I never even dreamt about or thought was going to happen.”

All of the Novi city officials spoke again and again that he was chosen to have the street named after him, not just for his accomplishment in the Red Wings, but for his work in the community with their youth hockey program.

Lidstrom is a star, yet he still found time to coach the youth hockey team at Novi Youth Arena. That shows, to me, that there are things more important in life than being rich and famous. It's helping out the community you live in.

Read my original article here

Love the Life You Live - by Kristy

I know that "stop and smell the roses" is a pretty cheesy expression. But, it's one that carries so much importance in it. Life goes by so fast and it's so easy to let it fly right by us. We often are living life is constant fast forward fashion, without taking time to enjoy it. Sometimes we even waste time by being negative. Sure, life is full of ups and downs; but you have the choice and the power of how you react.

I read a quote on Twitter today which stood out to me, "Grudges are a waste of perfect happiness. Laugh when you can, apologize when you should, and let go of what you can't change". Tweet credit to @TheNoteboook.

Sometimes we just need pause and be thankful for the life we have and the blessings we've been given. It can do a world of good to take a couple minutes and just appreciate ourselves and others around us.