Bimethyls

This 310 page saga is Scott Underhill’s second superbly written novel. I have had the pleasure of reviewing both of his books – and they are equally outstanding, yet profoundly different pieces of fiction.

Give a Little certainly provokes empathy for each of its characters. It is an emotional roller-coaster ride for the reader, while the family members in the book heal old wounds and the father battles alcoholism.

When the back cover states “Come meet Jaden and Simmeon Randel, two brothers you won’t forget” – they were not exaggerating. These two identical and opposing twins are the main characters in this novel.

One boy is a handsome football star that shares a love of the sport with his father. The other boy is portrayed as a deformed shadow. Both twins are struggling to find out who they are as individuals, and where they wish to take their lives in the future. Both make heroic sacrifices out of love for one another.

Never rivals (except for their father’s love), Simmeon and Jaden depend upon each other for their successes – until they fell for same girl. Events unfold that help these boys to see each other as individuals and as an inseparable entity. Give a Little portrays the deep connection twins feel through deep level psychic connections where they can actually feel when the other is distraught or in pain.

Get this book – you won’t regret it.

ISBN#: 0975357182
Author: Scott Underhill
Publisher: WordPro Press

~ Lillian Brummet – Book Reviewer – Co-author of the book Trash Talk, a guide for anyone concerned about his or her impact on the environment – Author of Towards Understanding, a collection of poetry. (www.sunshinecable.com/~drumit)

Copyright 2005 Joe E. Atlas, Inc.

Every week countless numbers of people rededicate themselves to
starting a new diet and exercise program, only to find that they
have fallen off their program by the end of the following week.
This scenario plays out all too often especially for people who
are attempting to keep their fitness program based at home or
the office.

The problem here is not where the program is being attempted,
but the fact that there actually is no program to follow. No
matter what the endeavor, when one sets out to accomplish
something without a well thought out plan or a ‘roadmap’, the
chances for success are slim to none. Health and fitness
programs are a prime example of this.

Without a fitness plan, there is no guidance, accountability or
direction. Therefore most actions are random and unfocused. This
creates an element of uncertainty where one is guessing at what
they should be doing. Self doubt is present as the individual
isn’t even sure that what they are doing is right for them.

Additionally, unrealistic expectations run high in most people
who embark on a newfound fitness lifestyle. Changes are expected
to occur too fast. When results don’t come quick enough
discouragement sets in and motivation starts to diminish. The
stage is set for another failed fitness program.

Knowing the key components to a home or office fitness program
is the first step in defining the necessary elements for
achieving lifelong health and fitness success.

The following tips can help you refine your approach to
executing your home fitness program by helping you create a
mental and physical environment that is conducive to permanent
success.

1) If your program happens to be the focus of this year’s
resolution, rename your New Year’s resolution your New Life
resolution and think of what you are doing as something you will
do forever, not for a month or two. Focus on long term benefits,
not short term changes.

2) Tell others about it. You will hold yourself more accountable
for following through and staying true to yourself. Others will
be more likely to support or even join you in your new quest for
a better quality of life.

3) Realize that exercise is one of the most unselfish acts. What
better gift can you give your loved ones than you being alive
and healthy for the rest of your life? Not taking care of your
self is actually the selfish act.

4) Incorporate nutritional habits that will work for you, not
against you. Constantly ask yourself, “Is what I’m about to eat
or drink conducive to the goals I am committed to achieving?”
Remember, a fad diet is just that. The one method that works
more than all others combined is, take in less calories than you
burn.

5) Realize you do not need to spend two hours in the gym every
day to get into great shape. There is a lot you can do at home
or at the office in 30 minutes. There are many exercise DVDs and
small, economical and portable pieces of fitness equipment to
provide you with endless workout programs. Gather the tools that
suit you best before you start your new program. If you are
still unsure, hire a personal trainer to consult with you on
starting a home fitness program.

Living healthy and fit is, first, a psychological exercise as
you have to think about what you need to adjust in your life and
daily habits before you can actually take the actions that will
result in the changes you desire.

Spend time on your adjusting mindset by asking yourself what
things are most important to you in life and how health and
fitness are related to the things that matter most to you. Then
take the actions which are in line with your values and goals.

Baked Stuffed Trout

 cup of lemon juice
  cup of butter or margarine, melted
 8 to 10 pounds of lake trout, cleaned
 Canola or Olive oil
 Salt and pepper
 Garden Vegetable Stuffing (below)

Garden Vegetable Stuffing

 cup butter or margarine
 1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
 1 cup coarsely shredded carrots
 2 cups dry bread crumbs
 2 teaspoons salt
  cup snipped parsley
  teaspoon dried marjoram leaves
 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoons lemon juice
  teaspoon pepper
 3 ounces mushrooms, chopped
 1 egg
 1 clove garlic, finely chopped

Stir and cook onion in butter or margarine until tender. Gently stir in remaining ingredients.

Rub fish cavity with pepper and salt. Stuff with Garden Vegetable Stuffing. Close opening with skewers and lace with string. Spoon and remaining stuffing into baking dish. Cover and refrigerate. Heat in oven the last 20 minutes of the fish cooking time before serving.

Brush fish with oil and place in shallow roasting pan. Mix lemon juice and butter or margarine. Bake fish 350 degrees uncovered in oven. Brush the fish occasionally with butter or margarine mixture until fish flakes very easily with fork, about 1 hours.

Sour Cream Cabbage

 cup dairy sour cream
 1 medium head of green cabbage (Chinese cabbage if available), shredded (about 8 cups)
 1 tablespoon canola or olive oil
 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
  teaspoon salt
 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
  teaspoon ground turmeric
  teaspoon salt
 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
  teaspoon ground ginger

How to Cook Fresh Cabbage:

Look for heavy, firm heads of good green color. Remove outside leaves. Wash cabbage. Cut into wedges and shred cabbage with a knife. Give the shredded cabbage a quick rinse. Discard the core.

To Boil:

Heat 1 inch ( inch for shredded cabbage) salted water ( teaspoon salt to 1 cup water) to boiling. Add cabbage ( and 2 tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice if using red cabbage). Heat and cover to boiling. Then reduce heat. Boil shredded cabbage for about 5 to 8 minutes until tender and crisp. Then drain.

To Steam:

Place steamer basket in inch water (water should not touch bottom of basket). Place cabbage in basket. Cover tightly and heat to boiling. Then reduce heat. Steam until tender and crisp, about 5 to 7 minutes for shredded cabbage.

After the cabbage has been cooked, mix flour and sour cream. Heat the remaining ingredients in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until butter or margarine is melted. Add the cabbage and stir and cook until tender but crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in sour cream mixture.

To Microwave This Dish:

Place teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons water and the cabbage in a 3-quart casserole dish that can be microwave. Cover tightly and microwave on high (100%) 3 minutes. Then stir. Cover tightly and microwave until tender but crisp, about 3 to 5 minutes longer. Then drain. Mix sour cream and flour. Omit the oil. Stir remaining ingredients and sour cream mixture into the cabbage.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Recipes

Learn how to manage your out of control anxieties. It may be
tough but you can do it. Here are some ways to cope with your
fears and anxieties.

The first step is to take a deep breathe and try to find
something to do to get your mind off of the problem. A person
could take a walk, listen to some music, read the newspaper,
watch TV, play on the computer or do an activity that will give
them a fresh perspective on things. This will distract you from
your current problem. Most importantly, doing something will
give you the self confidence that you can still function and
that you can get through the rest of the day.

Another thing to remind yourself is that things change and
events do not stay the same. For instance, you may feel
overwhelmed in the mornings with your anxiety and feel that this
is how you will feel the rest of the day. This isn’t correct. No
one can predict the future with 100 Percent accuracy. Even if
the thing that you feared does happen there are circumstances
and factors that you can’t predict which can be used to your
advantage. You never know when the help and answers you are
looking for will come to you.

I was told by a counselor that your anxiety and worry decrease
over time. Your anxieties may seem intense at the moment, but
that won’t be like that forever. Your worry will eventually
decrease. I asked a professional why does the worry and anxiety
decrease over time and she told me, “Because it just does”.

In every anxiety related situation you experience, begin to
learn what works, what doesn’t work, and what you need to
improve on in managing your fears and anxieties. For instance,
you have a lot of anxiety and you decide to play on the computer
to help you feel better. The next time you feel anxious you can
remind yourself that you got through it the last time by playing
on the computer. This will give you the confidence to manage
your anxiety at the present time.

Don’t forget to Pray and ask God for help. A person can only do
so much. Asking God for help can give us additional resources to
help manage our fears and anxieties. It is not always easy,
however God is in control and he will help you if you ask him.

As a Layman, I realize it is not easy to deal with all of our
fears. When your fears and anxieties have the best of you, seek
help from a professional. The key is to be patient, take it
slow, and not to give up. In time, you will be able to find
those resources that will help you with your problems.