Crush 29—check this place out!

By Princess B. Abuluyan

It’s Monday, a couple minutes after 6 p.m., and I’m driving on I-80 toward Roseville. Where exactly? 1480 Eureka Road is my destination, restaurant Crush 29. I’m running at least ten minutes late, and then, like out of nowhere, my car is HIT! Yes, I know! It’s crazy right? But no joke. I couldn’t believe it either. It happens underneath this huge grey cloud that stretches out at least a mile in the sky. Splat after splat after SPLAT! That’s right—loud heavy drops of rain is pouring on the windshield, minimizing visibility of the road ahead. A couple bursts of lightning flash in the gloomy sky—YIKES! The weather had me thinking, “Oh no, this isn’t happening.” Oh but yes, it is. Say hello to traffic and more delay!

I finally get to Crush 29. My first time, so picture me excited. Parking is not a problem. Although there is a distinct row of restricted 30-minute-parking, regular parking should be fairly easy to find. But hey, if guests don’t have time to look, there’s always complimentary valet parking to turn to. That’s convenient.



At a first look, the place looks more like a club than a restaurant. Outside are a set of comfy couches to lounge on, and also an electric heater to provide warmth for guests on cold nights. Crush 29 doesn’t look like the rowdy teeny-bopper kind of club, but rather, a really nice, classy hang out spot for a mature crowd. It sparks an inviting curiosity as to what the restaurant looks like on the inside.

Guests will see a second set of comfy couches just past the entrance and before the check in stand. Staff and servers dressed in casual attire welcome guests with a bright smile.

I’m inside for the first time, and my reaction is, “Wow, this place is fancy.” A lit candle on every table and the wine glasses catches my eyes, romantic table setting to match the romantic lighting. But no need to worry, the menus are still readable.

Crush 29 offers a little bit of everything. Choose from a variety of appetizers, salads, pastas, specialties, stone hearth pizzas, sandwiches & burgers, desserts. What’s amazing is that each entrée is arranged in a creatively appealing way, and eyes will stare. Guests may wonder whether an entrée will taste as good as it looks. Guests will be surprised—not only does the food look good, but it also tastes…well, “it’s GOOD!” That’s the 2 words that came out of the mouths of everyone at my table, including me. Prices range reasonably from around $12 to $20 per plate.

I had the Wood Stone Half Chicken, for $14.95. It’s a new entrée to the menu, under “Specialties.” It was a fulfilling portion, and every bite was delicious. The chicken was full enough of sauce and flavor, and wasn’t dry. I really like the creamy and smooth smashed potatoes served underneath the chicken. There’s something extra tasty in its flavoring that’s not in the traditional recipe.

Care for some wine? Crush 29 offers over 200 different brands, 50 available by the glass and 150 by bottle. So wine and dine!

A real unique 9,000-spuare-foot restaurant, its known for its Napa Valley theme. Wood and stone interior, and wine lockers. The restaurant has got an autumn color scheme—a combination of beige, black, browns, greens, yellows and reds. It creates a calm and relaxing atmosphere. A look of class and pure elegance. “Wine country” themed murals blanket the upper walls of the center dining room showing soft green and yellow colors. In the center of this main dining room, is a round bar surrounded by high tables paired with tall chairs, and surrounding that kind of seating arrangement are comfortable booths.

A fireplace, one in each of the two side dining rooms, gives the restaurant a cozy feeling—guests can feel at home. Decorating the walls of those two dining rooms, are framed pictures showing liquid red and gold colors—something to marvel at, perhaps while waiting to eat. Freely open to interpretation, they look like portraits of wine. Wooden rectangle shaped tables fill the center of both rooms, and on the sides are half chair-half booth square shaped tables. Private dining rooms are also available upon reservation.

Surprisingly, for a romantic setting, Crush 29 plays loud up beat music. The place has got a fun club vibe to it. Perhaps to keep the crowd awake? Possibly so. A mixture of fast tempo classical, jazz, and acoustic guitar instrumentals. And also remix versions of pop songs like “This Way” by Jewel and “Can’t Fight the Moonlight” by Leann Rimes. That’s the music my ears heard during my dine-in at Crush 29. Loud volume, but Guests look alive, and raise their voices above the music in their conversations.

Curious to know how the restaurant got its name? Me too! So I emailed info@crash29.com for an answer. Vice President of Concept Development, Mark Platt, says the name came from them wanting to have a hip name that made people think of the wine country. The word CRUSH? “Crush is the term used in winemaking for the process of bringing grapes in from harvest and the beginning of the winemaking process.” And 29? “The 29 comes from the main highway through Napa Valley.” Oh! So there’s the answer to how Crush 29 became the name of the restaurant. It fits well! Thanks to Platt for the 411.

Whether a group of friends catching up, a group of coworkers having lunch, a family affair, or a couple on a date, Crush 29 is an awesome place to have a good time, exchange smiles and share laughs. The delicious quality of the food and wine go hand in hand with the overall happy atmosphere making Crush 29 a restaurant people will want to dine and hang out at.

Despite the weather, traffic, and 28 miles it took to get there, dining at Crush 29 was worth it, and definitely the highlight of that rainy Monday night.

“Once a cheater, always a cheater!” Right?

By Princess B. Abuluyan

A mother cries every night since she found out the shocking news that caused a dose of pain to pierce into her heart. The children are tucked into their beds ready to go to sleep, but can hear their mother sobbing uncontrollably. They don’t know exactly what’s going on, but they do know their father hasn’t come home yet. And why is that?

A sister discovers a crinkled piece of paper in her husband’s pants pocket while she’s loading dirty clothes into the washer. There’s a phone number on it. And right above that, a name. What does this mean? And who’s Emma?!

A cousin is cleaning her bedroom. Her eyes spot a bra slightly peeking from underneath the bed. Normally, she’d toss it into the laundry basket. Except the only problem is, she takes a closer second look and realizes the bra isn’t hers. Well, who does it belong to then?

What do the women in the stories above have in common? Their man is cheating on them! And here’s the bottom line, “once a cheater, always a cheater.” Right? So tell the two timing Jack to “hit the road”—this relationship is over!

But it’s often not so easy to say goodbye.

A woman who has been cheated on can feel the biggest amount of pain she has ever had to feel in her life. A different kind of pain than getting physically wounded. It’s mental pain, internal and emotional. Unlike a cut or bruise that will eventually heal and be forgotten, the pain of being cheated on is a stab in the back remembered forever. It can hit a woman so hard, the pain can seem unbearable like life for her, as she knows it, is over. The moment she unravels the secret that is “the other woman,” she may feel as if she can’t breathe anymore and her heart has stopped beating.

“How could he do this to me?”

She can’t believe it. Perhaps she doesn’t want to.

“No, I must be out of my mind. He would never hurt me like that. He loves me.”

Okay, so she’s fighting the truth.

Of course, she still loves her man very deeply. After all, she’s not the one who cheated. Perhaps that’s why it can be difficult for a woman to be straight forward and easily say, “You cheated on me! It’s over between us.” Because she’s still holding on to what used to be—the happiness and love that used to be. She’s stuck—“blinded by love.”

Any story of a husband who cheats on his wife is upsetting. But it happens. A friend of my cousin had been with her husband for eleven years. She was pregnant with their second child when he left her for the woman he’d been having an affair with. Ouch! How could he do that? To his family? Did the other woman know he was a married man with 1 child and expecting another? She ought to be ashamed of herself right? Why would any woman want to be with a guy who cheats on his wife? He could do the same to her.

There’s no excuse for infidelity. Cheating is wrong. You women who have been cheated on, your eyes could cry an endless stream of tears for days. Take that pain you’re going through and let it strengthen you. Forgive and move on to a better life. It’s his loss. Don’t blame yourself for something you didn’t do and had no control over. He cheated, he and only he is responsible for that. Don’t focus all your anger at the other woman, because he had just as much to do with it as she did. Confront him, not her. And fight every urge to seek revenge on the couple, be the better person.

What if he apologizes and still wants to be with you? Do you open your heart back up to him? Could you ever trust him? Could you go through another round of pain if he cheats a second time? Don’t tolerate a man who cheats. Yes it’s hard to say goodbye to someone you love. But a man who sacrifices his wife and kids to be with another woman? Is that love? Seriously, you deserve better than that! And so do the kids!

The same goes for man, if it’s woman who cheats.

Be careful what you say, and who you say it to.

By Princess B. Abuluyan

It was 2004, my senior year of high school, and Senior Ball was coming up.

Sacramento had been experiencing several inches of heavy rain for the past couple of days.

With Senior Ball just twenty-three days away, seniors never expected something like this to happen. Students had walked into the classroom drizzled wet from rain, and were getting settled in their seats. The intercom turns on—morning announcements.

“Awful news for seniors…,” says the school’s activities director.

Eyes grew big and jaws dropped open, faces suddenly looking shocked. Seniors couldn’t believe their ears. Even I couldn’t believe my ears.

The intercom turns off.

What happened? Rain had flooded the Lincoln Plaza where Senior Ball was scheduled to be at. Perhaps one huge leak in the roof. Or, in this case, probably 5 or more. Damages were so severe; repairs to fix them would take time, twenty-two days was not enough to have the place fixed by Senior Ball. And it was too late to make reservations elsewhere. So, Senior Ball would be in the school’s gymnasium.

“This can’t be real! I didn’t pay $65 to have Senior Ball here at school.”

Unbelievable! But true. Or at least that’s what seniors thought.

The intercom turns back on.

“Seniors…,” says the activities director. He pauses for a moment to spark their curiosity, and then says, “…have a HAPPY, April Fool’s Day! Senior Ball will be at Lincoln Plaza in Downtown Sacramento. See you there!”

Relief! But stupid April Fool’s Day, you got me!

How did it ever become a holiday anyway? Well, there’s no exact answer, it’s lost in history. But the most common answer is that it started in sixteenth-century France when April first was regarded as the start of a new year.

A new year was celebrated the same way it is today with parties and dancing into the late hours of the night, according to Mary Bellis’ article “The History of April Fool’s Day.”

Then Pope Gregory presented a new calendar in 1562—January first is the start of a new year. “Some people hadn’t heard or didn’t believe the change in the date, so they continued to celebrate New Year’s Day on April first,” says Bellis. “April fools,” is what others would call them.

That’s the story. Well, 1 explanation.

So April first—people play jokes or tricks on other people, try to make them believe that something false is true.

It’s really supposed to be fun and entertaining—no hard feelings, no offense intended. But if an April fool’s joke doesn’t have people laughing at the end, something must have been done wrong. Such experiences can make April Fool’s Day someone’s least favorite holiday for the remainder of the year.

Here’s a tip. Be careful with playing jokes and tricks on people. Take my experiences for it.

In middle school, a best friend told me she had been diagnosed with cancer. It didn’t occur to me that the date that day was April first. But hearing those words come out of my friend’s mouth, her shaky voice along with the sad face she displayed—my heart was crushed, and my mouth speechless. And then she tells me, “Oh no, don’t cry, I’m only joking. Today’s April Fool’s Day.”

“Are you serious,” I said hysterically. We laughed. But shortly after, I didn’t feel like laughing anymore. I turned to her and angrily said, “Oh my gosh Amber, you scared the crap out of me! You can’t joke about something like having cancer, that’s serious stuff!” She realized it was wrong, and apologized. We just hope now that it doesn’t come true. “Knock on wood.”

Another friend once told me his grandmother died. Feeling sympathy, I said, “That’s awful. I’m sorry.” And then he said, “April Fools!” I told him he was crazy. Okay, who jokes about someone dying? That’s a bit cruel right? Again, “knock on wood.”

There’s also the time my 13-year-old cousin, Valore, said her older sister was pregnant. Boy did that story quickly spread around to relatives like a disease. She was sorry she said it. “No, it’s not true. I was only joking. I thought you knew. It’s April Fool’s Day,” she said hours later. Not everyone recognizes April Fool’s Day. Some people wake up and it’s just like any other regular day to them.

Some pranks could have consequences. Like turning a friend’s watch forward an hour. The next day, she’s late to class and gets lectured by the teacher about the importance of arriving to class on time. Ouch! Embarrassed? Yes. Upset at prankster? Yes.

Be careful which pranks or jokes to play, and which people to play it on. Have some sense what the outcome will be, because it could be a joke taken seriously. Like another person’s junk is another person’s treasure, a joke to one person may not be a joke to another. As fun as joking around can get, try not to ruin April Fool’s Day for people.

In some cases, separation is okay.

By Princess B. Abuluyan

D-I-V-O-R-C-E.

These days, divorce is definitely nothing new.

A lot of my old friends, and even some friends I have recently gotten to know, have divorced parents.

“One out of two marriages ends in divorce,” says writer Amber Martin in her paper titled “Divorce and its impact on children.”

Unfortunately, “till death do us part” is no longer what it used to be. Well, at least not for those couples who happily marry, and then later file for divorce.

Oh dear, where did marriage fall apart?

Perhaps “till nerves do us part” is the better way to put it.

Families receive the news of a relative’s divorce and their initial reaction is usually, “What! What happened?”

Why do couples divorce anyway? Whatever the reason, divorce is not necessarily a wrong maneuver. Honestly, is divorce so wrong? Hey, if marriage isn’t going well and the love is lost, why stay tied to the knot?

Some couples stay married for the sake of their children. And that could actually be a wrong maneuver.

“Over one million children a year experience their parents' divorce,” says Martin.

Martin mentions the negative impact on children feeling abandonment, guilt and anxiety over the experience.

Yes, divorce has an impact on children. But so do parents who continue to stay together even though they know their marriage is no longer a happy one. The flame of love burns out. A couple that was once so much in love and inseparable, can no longer stand being in each other’s company. They can’t ever agree on anything anymore, it’s always a disagreement to fight over. Or, they find out things about each other that they never knew about before they were married.

An unhappy marriage is most likely to develop an unhappy family. Parents need to think real well about the well being of their children. They should ask themselves, “What’s best for them?” And even the question, “What’s best for me?”

A close friend of mine from high school, he’s a real positive 21-year-old who is responsible and knows right from wrong--that’s what I admire about him. His parents divorced when he was 12-years old. Thinking back, he says his parents were always arguing. And today, they still argue. Like cat and dog, he describes, they can’t stand to be around each other—they get on each other’s nerves.

How did the divorce impact his life? “That’s why I am who I am today,” he says. Since his parents’ divorce, he feels that he had to grow up right then and there. And although he admits that the divorce will probably always haunt him, he still manages to keep a positive attitude and strives to do big things and go far in his life.

So, children experiencing their parents’ divorce does not necessarily mean the end of the world for them. It could be for the better, depending on how they choose to approach the situation and how much they understand what actually happened between their parents. As much as children may want their parents to stay together, it’s important that their parents are happy together. If not, then separation is probably the best way to go. Because a marriage that suffers, could be a family that suffers.

According to 2002 marriage and divorce statistics on www.divorcemag.com, 10% of the U.S. population is divorced.

Marriage can be a struggle at times. And arguments between a couple can either help make their marriage stronger, or tear it apart.

Arguing occurs in marriage—it’s normal. Besides, every one has their share of arguments. It’s inevitable, and it happens. But too much arguing is negative. Just think of those children who are living in a home where their parents are constantly arguing and not getting along. There’s back and forth name calling, loud angry voices feuding, and perhaps even the throwing of objects. Without a doubt, children experiencing their parents behave this way can be disturbing, emotional and traumatizing. It’s far from being a healthy environment to live in. People can only imagine what children might be going through, what their ears hear or eyes see. Children should not have to be exposed to their parents fighting all the time.

It may cause children to think that it is okay to always be arguing in a marriage. “No matter what the downfalls, marriage is forever
baby!”

Well, not necessarily.

And this is not to say that parents shouldn’t try to work their problems out first. By all means, go for it. There’s a possibility marriage can be saved. But, parents should have some sense of when to draw the line. Parents should know when to stop trying to make something work that they know isn’t going to work.

This also goes for unmarried couples who live together and have children. In the United States, the number of unmarried couples living together is 5.5 million according to www.divorcemag.com. Lets face it, they’re just as good as married, but without the rings and contract.

One of my older cousins had a baby girl with his former girlfriend. They lived together, but never married. Unfortunately, shortly after their child’s first birthday, his girlfriend left. Their relationship fell apart, and she was no longer the girl my cousin used to know and fell in love with. When a couple lives together, they’re bound to learn more about each other, whether good or bad. With this relationship, my cousin would leave money for his girlfriend to pay the bills. But the bills would go unpaid. And the money? Who knows where it was spent? The bottom line, it led to arguments, and lies. So the couple separated, and they share custody of their child. No more arguments, life is better.

U.S. marriage and divorce statistics in 2000 says:
- the number of single fathers is 2.04 million
- and the number of single mothers is 9.68 million

My cousin freely gave me some advice from his experience. He says, “Don’t lie to yourself. If a relationship really isn’t working, don’t waste your time trying to make it work. You got to be happy.”

My parents are still together. Just eight days ago, on October 7, it was their 26th wedding anniversary. And I have to admit, after 26 years, they’re still a very much in love and happy couple. What can I say, seeing my parents that way makes me feel happy. There’s no other better reason to stay together.

YouTube—beyond the funny

By Princess B. Abuluyan

www.YouTube.com

Since its birth in February 2005, YouTube allows people throughout the world to upload and share videos.

What could be the purpose that’s got probably millions of people viewing this website at this very moment?

“On YouTube, millions post everything from Saddam Hussein’s execution to two guys being funny in a dorm room. In some cases, really funny,” says columnist Kathleen Parker in her column titled "To be un-famous.”

Okay, could be for the laughs, and that’s probably the most common purpose.

YouTube is an amazing web phenomena, growing in popularity.

Anyone can upload any video. Anyone can watch.

Music videos. Movie clips. TV shows. Educational videos. Scary stuff. Funny stuff.

Anything.

And it’s FREE!

An 8-year-old nephew and 5-year-old niece of mine watch videos on YouTube. Those must be some funny videos, because they will loudly giggle non stop at the computer screen. So much uproar laughter, it’s contagious to people, like me, who hear them and will want to know, “What in the world is so funny?”

People can watch the funniest videos, and laugh so much that their stomachs begin to ache. And maybe even so much that some people pee their pants just a little? Familiar feeling? But it’s okay, because despite that feeling, it sure was a good laugh—and that’s basically the point.

Search “funny” on the website, and about 2,250,000 results appear. Added 1 year ago, and 9,148,929 views, “extreme funny” is one of my favorite YouTube videos. I laugh throughout the whole clip. I’ve watched it at least 5 times. I laugh every time.

Watch it below and see the funny…



Okay, enough funny stuff.

What’s really interesting about YouTube? Beyond funny?

What’s interesting is how easy as “1-2-3” it is for people to broadcast themselves.

“…behind one’s being awarded celebrity status, today one need only wake up, plug in the video cam and hit a button,” says Parker, “Voila! Insta-fame.”

YouTube—what an easy opportunity to be watched, and eventually known by millions.

Perhaps, a chance to make it big and become famous.

“It gives everyone their fifteen minutes of fame,” says a 21-year-old student at California State University, Sacramento.

Really? Only fifteen minutes?

Hey, don’t underestimate the possibilities. YouTube can indeed bring fame.

Watch Esmee Denters—she’s an 18-year-old Dutch singer from the Netherlands who became a YouTube celeb within just a few months.

A member since August 25, 2006, Denters began to post videos of herself singing cover versions of popular songs.

Denters has recorded in the studio with singer Kelly Roland.

“She [Denters] is so talented. She has a beautiful voice, a voice of an angel. She has more than a million hits within hours,” says Roland.

With a deep dedicated passion for music, Denters taught herself how to sing. Impressive. Amazing! She’s got potential and real talent, a soulful captivating voice all her own. Born to be a star singing sensation!

The video below is only 1 of the sixty-five videos Denters has on her YouTube Channel, http://www.youtube.com/user/esmeedenters.

Denters singing "Dance with my father" (tribute to luther vandross).


By early June 2007, singer Justin Timberlake’s new Tennman Records label signed Denters a record deal. Timberlake discovered Denters’ YouTube videos and was amazed at what he was seeing.


Denters singing with Justin Timberlake.


Wow, what a dream come true for Denters. Stay tuned for her upcoming debut album…

Watch David Sides—another talented individual. Ever since the age of ten, playing the piano has been his passion. But what’s so brilliant about him? He plays all of his songs by ear. “So unfortunately, I don’t have any sheet music to share,” Sides says. He’s awesome, one truly talented player on the keys!



It’s absolutely amazing how much raw talented people there really are in this world. And that everyone else can actually watch their videos and discover them just by the easy click of a button all thanks to YouTube.

But the viewers can make or break you. It’s all evident in the comments and ratings people submit.

“The Public is in control…the world building the artist," says Rowland.

YouTube, beyond the funny, could be that window of opportunity, a step closer to fortune or fame.

Watch out world, YouTube’s got talent!

More Esmee Denters?
official website:
http://www.esmeeworld.com
fan sites:
www.esmeezone.com
www.esmeedenters.org

More David Sides?
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/kemlye1
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/davidsides

It means something

By Princess B. Abuluyan

Ever read a piece of writing?

Sure.

But, ever read a good piece of writing?

And not just any piece of writing. But beyond the everyday street signs, news, text messages, emails, letters, bills, fast food or restaurant menus…

It’s the kind of critical, in-depth writing people can’t stop reading from the second they start. The human mind will hunger for more of it, and eyes will want to feed on. Curiosity will spark; readers will want to know, “what next?”

Like watching a good movie people can’t get enough of…
Reading a good book people’s hands can’t put down…

And it’s the content that reels people in—it’s so captivating, so interesting. Perhaps emotional, it touches the human soul. Perhaps something people can relate to—it means something or probably everything. It’s the kind of writing people will remember and most likely pass on to others.

It’s “Kathleen Parker” good kind of writing.



A journalist for 20 years now, who has contributed her writings to dozens of newspapers and magazines, Parker writes on life’s challenges and social issues related to family, children, gender and race. And that’s what makes Parker’s column worth reading.

She addresses current events.

But what’s even more attention grasping from beginning to end of most of Parker’s writings, is that she will affect people to remember serious issues most people should already know exists in this world, but often forget about or pay little attention to.

Issues like slavery which Parker names today as human trafficking. Read her column titled “Slavery by any other name.”

She also addresses family issues—structure, parents who divorce, children living in a single-parent home, or children growing up with two moms or two dads for example.

According to chicagotribune.com, Parker says, “My ambitious goal is to try to inject a little sanity into a world gone barking mad.”

People close their eyes to certain realities, but Parker’s column is like a wake up call—as if to encourage the people of America to open their eyes and realize what’s real.

Online porn—it’s real, and it’s everywhere. Parker writes about it in her column titled “Pigtails and porn.” She says, “A new study reports that 42 percent of Internet users between the ages of 10 and 17 have viewed online porn.” Okay, so adults will view what they will, but 10-year-olds should not have access or exposure to porn. They’re only children, and too young. Do they even understand what their eyes are seeing? Porn was not as easily accessible before as it is today. Should something be done to change its easy access?

“Deleting dad” is well written. Parker addresses the questions, “Are men necessary?” and “Is sex necessary?” She says so few children these days have a dad who’s there. And here’s her research to support that: “A third of all American children are born to unwed mothers and half will sleep tonight in a house where their biological father does not live.” Next question: “Is sex necessary?” Parker says women who have given up on Mr. Right are searching instead for a good vial of sperm and certain genetic features in sperm. For example, Parker says, “An African-American woman chose a Latino donor so her child would have light skin and nonkinky hair.” So, are men only as good as their sperm? Wow, this is a reality, and it’s powerful writing. Parker suggests, “A future of fatherless children—bereft of half their identity and robbed of a father’s love, discipline and authority—won’t likely be a pleasant place to live.” It’s something to think about. Remember, children don’t get to choose the kind of family they are born into. Perhaps fathers are necessary.

“To be un-famous” is a clever writing. Parker suggests that “celebrity ain’t what it used to be.” Is that so? She says, “Where there was once hard work and accomplishment behind one’s being awarded celebrity status, today one need only wake up, plug in the video cam and hit a button.” Parker discusses the Web phenomena. Anyone can be known, be famous. People will post their videos on YouTube. People will post their photographs and biographies on MySpace or Facebook. Anyone could be watching those videos, looking at those pictures, or reading those biographies. The level of a person’s privacy is lowered. Parker approaches a different view of what fame is. It’s another interesting column, another reality to think about.

If anything, her column makes people think.

Parker sheds light on what people may know is happening, but have sheltered in a dark someplace, somewhere.

Her column is worth reading because she writes the inevitable truths. And she includes research to support her statements. It’s the kind of writing that may alter how people think about certain happenings. Perhaps, it will inspire people to want to do something to help bring a positive change.

The Washington Post Writers Group says Parker is “one of America’s most popular opinion columnists.”

From smaller papers to larger ones, Parker worked her way up.

She started out as a staff writer for The Orlando Sentinel in 1987, writing a twice-weekly column.

In 1995, Parker’s column was syndicated nationwide. Townhall.com says, “Her column rocketed in popularity and now appears in more than 300 papers.”

According to chicagotribune.com, Parker never set out to become a commentator, but she found that keeping her opinion out of her writing was impossible.

“One can only stand watching from the sidelines for so long without finally having to say, ‘Um, excuse me, but you people are nuts,’” she says.

Some awards Parker has won:
• Best Columnist from the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors
• First Place, Division 3 in the American Association of Sunday and Feature Editors’ Ninth Annual Writing Awards competition, both in 1997
• she won the H.L. Mencken Writing Award issued by The Baltimore Sun in 1993
• The Week magazine named her as one of the country’s top five columnists in 2004 and 2005

Links to Parker’s writings:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/columnists/orl-parker,0,4065963.columnist
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/kathleenparker/archive.shtml
http://www.jewishworldreview.com/kathleen/parker.html

Cookies and candy and chips…oh my!

By Princess B. Abuluyan

Families will usually go grocery shopping together. Strolling through the “junk food” aisle, children will want to buy cookies, or candy, or chips.

Should parents buy “junk food” for their children?

Obviously, eating too much “junk food” is not healthy. So, some parents will sometimes say no when their children ask to eat those kinds of food.

But then, there are those parents who will always say yes.

A child may likely throw a tantrum if his mom refuses to buy him chocolate chip cookies, or a bag of potato chips. It can be an embarrassing scene for his mom. But is that the reason why she should buy the cookies or the chips for her son anyway, to avoid him throwing a tantrum?

Children will eat anything they want.

Well, not necessarily; not if their parents can help it.

Think of it in different terms. Children will want to eat anything they want.

But parents are the ones who can make the final decision what their children eat.

Parents are responsible for their children’s physical health and well being—it’s an important part of raising children.

Children are young, and they do not usually know what’s good for them. They will eat the kinds of food that tastes good to them.

Cookies and candy and chips—oh my!

They will eat the kinds of food that are loaded with sugar and sweets. But do they know which foods are healthy, and which are not?

That is why parents should be well involved, and make responsible decisions what their children consume.

Reminds me of a few personal experiences…

It’s 9:28 in the morning. My niece, who is only two-years-old, is awake and her footsteps are heard coming down the stairs. She walks into the kitchen, and guess what she asks for?

Not a cup of milk…
No, not even juice…
Instead, what she wants is a cup of soda.

“Auntie, I want coke,” she says, pointing a finger at a half full 2 litter bottle of coke she sees on the counter.

Wow, is this child really asking to have soda? Drink soda in the morning? She’s only two-years-old.

Her mom might have let her drink soda in the morning before. Perhaps, all the time? But she didn’t have it this time. Drinking soda in the morning could give any child an upset stomach. So, the answer is no.

Perhaps, you have a nephew like mine. He eats often throughout the day. Sometimes, even right after eating a full lunch, he will sit on the couch, watch the Disney channel, and eat potato chips at the same time. He could probably eat the whole bag in one sitting too, but his mom makes sure he doesn’t. It’s just too much food, and not healthy.

In America, a number of children are obese. Is that surprising?

Honestly, what do children know about being obese?

If they get hungry, they will eat. If they see something in the kitchen they want to eat, they will eat it.

Parents should know when to step in and draw the line. Sometimes, it also helps to have little or no junk food in the house. That way, children will not always be eating it or expecting to have access to it.

Most children, if not all, don’t even like to eat vegetables. Sometimes, parents make it too easy for their children not to.

During dinner, a child might stare disgusted at the broccoli on her plate and say, “I don’t like it.” And that’s the end of that, the parents let it go. But some children have never even tasted vegetables. So, how do those children know whether or not they like their vegetables if they haven’t tasted them first?

If parents allow their children to eat anything they want, their children will only want to eat anything they want.

Now, this is not to say that children should be banned from eating junk food. But there should be some kind of balance. Children should be taught how to eat healthy food aside from junk food, and usually, that responsibility is that of their parents.

There was one Sunday morning at Saint Rose Catholic Church when a priest from another country visited. He gave a powerful speech.

He said, “In other countries, children are crying because they are hungry. In America, children are crying because they don’t want to eat.”

It’s something to think about.

Some children are picky with what they want to eat. Parents want their children to eat a meal for dinner—rice, chicken, and vegetables for example. But some children will whine because they do not want to eat that. They cry for a scoop of vanilla ice cream instead, or chocolate chip cookies for dinner.

Allowing a child to eat just ice cream for dinner could let that child think it is okay to always have ice cream for dinner.

It’s all a matter of teaching children the value of food, from the get go.