TXA 21's Experts

Jenn Pressnerr with Texas Roadhouse has 21 tips you need to know to make your Big Game party really Super!

1. Mail mini footballs to all of your guests with your party details on the football

2. For a taste of  Miami, decorate with palm trees, beach memorabilia and sunglasses

3. Serve only drinks that are the colors of  the Colts and Saints.

4. Ask your guests to dress like their favorite Colt or Saint and hold a look-alike contest

5. Divide your guests into Saints and Colts, hang a piñata for each team and the opposing team swings each time their team scores or gets a penalty

6. Each time a team scores, opposing team members do pushups or jumping jacks

7. As the party host, dress up in a referee shirt with a whistle

8. As guests arrive, mark everyone with “under the eye” black face paint

9. Dress your family pet in team colors with a t-shirt and bandana

10. Cover your table with a plastic green tablecloth and use colored electric tape to create a football field.

11. Cut large holes in a big tarp and put colored tape around the holes with point values. Hang it in the backyard and during commercial breaks, guests can throw footballs through the holes for points.

12. Serve side dishes in bowls placed inside kids football helmets – put ice inside the helmet to keep salads cool.

13. Bake a football field cake using a rectangular pan. Cover with green icing and use white icing to mark the field, teddy grahams as football players and pipe cleaners.

14. Hide mini-footballs all over the house for kids to find.

15. Pass out “Bad Call” foam bricks for guests to throw at the TV to release frustration over a bad call or play.

16. Offer warm washcloths or disposable towelettes for messy ribs and wings fingers

17. Play a Super Bowl Fantasy Football Game where guests draft a player when they arrive and follow them through the game.

18. Award prizes to the guest who picks MVP, Most Interceptions, Closest Score, etc.

19. Give out fun noisemakers and confetti for touchdowns and great plays.

20. Create and post a fun chant for each team

21. Most importantly, if you are serving alcohol, be a responsible host by offering pick up and drop off service with someone’s van or make it a big overnight party!

Tomorrow is National Job Shadow Day. Youth participants from across the country will spend the day learning about different jobs and industries. It is a great reminder as to how important mentorship can be in a job search and throughout your professional career.

 

If you are a job seeker, it is a great opportunity to reach out to someone who's in your current profession and find out what they do during the day. It is also a great way to learn about what training will benefit you the most. If you are currently in a position to become a mentor, think about it. Job Shadow Day is a great excuse to look into how easy it is to get started.  The best approach is a long term dedicated commitment however; the effort can be as short term as you've time for.

Mentors can:

-- Help keep you focused and on track by checking in with you about your job search
-- Offer advice on how to grow and develop in your current industry, or how to begin in a new one
-- Introduce you to other professionals

If you don't already have a mentor here are some things to look for when selecting a mentor:

 

-- Professional Role Model - Someone who has done well in their career and is someone you want to be more like professionally
-- Able to Push You - Your mentor should be able to appropriately challenge you to do bigger, better things
-- Long-term - A mentor should be part of your professional life for years. Be sure to select someone who is interested in investing in you professionally.

 

 

Patty Revis
jobing.com
Follow Patty on Facebook

It's HOW you answer the questions during the interview

Some of the questions asked during a job interview are more about the way you answer the question, than what your actual answer is, so it's important to pay attention to the signals you are giving off and not just with body language. Here are three things to remember:

• Don't be afraid to show excitement - while you want to remain professional, some questions are meant to draw out your personality. It's okay to show excitement or passion about something you are talking about. Often employers are looking for personality and attitude knowing they can train you for skill.
• Keep your cool - some questions are meant to test your ability to maintain your composure in an uncomfortable situation. Remain in control and level headed. Thinking fast on your feet is really a learned skill. Try saying "you know, I've never been asked that before, now let's see..."
• Take a moment if you need it - don't feel like to have to answer at lightning speed. If you need to take a second to think about an answer, do so. This shows that you are taking the question, and your answer, seriously. You can buy yourself some time by saying "That's an interesting question, give me a second to think about that". Don't let the silent minutes freak you out.

Who's Hiring?

 

Debt Professionals is looking for Sales Professionals. We are looking for serious minded sales professionals with a good attitude! You MUST BE prepared to work hard in a fun, fast-paced environment. YOU MUST be ready and willing to help others and make a fine living as a result of your success!

HCR Manor Care Health Services is hiring a Housekeeping Supervisor for their facility in North Richland Hills. The Housekeeping Supervisor supervises and coordinates the housekeeping program to maintain the nursing center in a sanitary, attractive and orderly condition, in accordance with current state, federal and company standards. The Housekeeping Supervisor is responsible for ordering supplies, chemicals and equipment, and for supervising the Housekeeping, Laundry and Floor Care employees. Candidates must be computer literate.

Texas Health Center for Diagnostic & Surgery has several openings for Sleep Lab Technician Reporting to the Medical Director and Program Manager, the Sleep Lab Technician performs a variety of sleep studies to diagnose the type and extent of disorders. The Sleep Lab Technician works closely with patients to diagnose and determine therapy for patients with a variety of disorders related to sleep. Technician will score sleep data and prepare raw data for physician interpretation.

Patty Revis
jobing.com
Follow Patty on Facebook

1. SAT prep and the athletic scholarship
 Most athletes plan on getting an athletic scholarship but unfortunately they don’t realize that their SAT score is as equally important to getting the scholarship. If your student appears to be in the running for one of the coveted scholarships, you need to pre-empt the SAT struggle by starting early. 

 a. Make the test a priority
 b. Look at potential school scores
 c. Make goals

2. What to do the week before the test
 To help lessen test anxiety, students can minimize stress and heighten test success by doing a just a few things Your score can be affected by several factors:  How well you know and understand the test; The amount of test-taking strategies you know;  How much practicing you have done;  How adequate you prepared the day before the test.

a. Day before info
 b. Day of info
 c. Last minute prep

3. If you’ve done zero prep
 There is still hope.  First of all, don’t go in blindly to the test. Pick up a free booklet (guidance guidance counselor’s office) or download a free test from www.collegeboard.com and get familiar with the question types. 

a. Use it as a starting point
 b. Score Choice
 c. Don’t mark the college box
 d. Can be taken over and over again

4. SAT vs. normal school tests
 When students approach the SAT like a normal test, they often don’t receive the score they deserve.  This is because this is NOT like a normal school test. It is not an IQ test but a test of logic and critical thinking.

Normal School Test                                                                                 SAT
1. No more than an hour long                                                         Nearly four hours long
2. Harder questions receive more credit                                    All questions worth one point
3. Partial credit for correct parts                                                     Only one right answer
4. Use long calculations for math (show work)                         30 seconds or less for the math
5. Deep examining of passage content                                       Skimming passages
6. Essays that have been through several drafts                     25 minute essay (unknown topic)
7. Rewriting correct grammar                                                          Choosing from answer choices
8. Subjective answers                                                                         Objective answers 
(SAT vs. other tests-i.e. ACT,  CLEP,  AP…)

5. Chart the course for High School Success (This new book is almost finished.)
 It’s like having your own personal guidance counselor. It gives students a roadmap from 9-12th grade on how to make high school successful. From setting realistic goals to taking a personality/career test to help them gear their classes in the right direction.

 a. Make a 4-Year School Plan/4-Year Summer Plan
 b. Create an amazing portfolio
 c. Learn to be well-rounded
 d. 17 ideas to enhance your transcript
 e. Little-known secrets about talent searches

for more info: Jean Burk
81-SAT-2-PREP (817) 282-7737

www.collegeprepgenius.com

Today’s story about the apparent suicide of a nine-year-old Colony boy has once again raised the issue of depression and suicide in children.

Why do children kill themselves?

• Suicides of Children Are Increasing: Although childhood suicide is relatively rare, it is increasing. For children under age 15, about 1-2 kids out of 100,000 will commit suicide.  For kids between 15-19, the rate jumps to 11 out of 100,000.

• Fourth Leading Cause of Death: Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death for children between the ages of 10-14 and the third leading cause of death for teenagers between 15-19.

• Values Change: In general, our society is more narcissistic and more callous toward individual concerns. Troubled children are often overlooked in a society concerned with achievement, a struggling economy and overworked parents. The child in a family with busy, overworked parents is often marginalized and neglected. Depression flourishes in such situations and the child gives up all hope.

Here’s what makes a child more likely to commit suicide:

• Depression is Epidemic: If a child has clinical depression, he is seven times more likely to try suicide. Depression is at epidemic levels now and strikes a full decade sooner than it did a generation ago. Severe depression recurs in about half of those who have had it once and since it strikes so early in life, there are higher rates of reoccurance.

• Motivations for Suicide are Complex: The motivations for either attempting or completing suicide are complex but the main motivations include a desire to escape depression and hopelessness, debilitating anxiety or a situation they regard as being hopeless such as being bullied or abused. The older the child is, the more likely it is that the suicide is connected to interpersonal conflicts.

But do bullied kids have higher rates of depression?

Increased Suicidal Ideation: Bullied kids have a much higher rate of depression and the effects linger into adulthood. Bullying victims are much more likely to think about suicide. Researchers at the Yale School of Medicine found a significant connection between bullying, being bullied and suicide in a review of 37 studies from 13 countries. We know that 34% of elementary students are bullied and that bullying peaks in middle school. It is a group activity with a mob mentality that is crushing to kids who are victimized.
You may be wondering what happens to kids psychologically who are bullied or who bully others?

Three Victims: Words are weapons and psychological harm is as severe as a broken bone. Victims report more internal problems such as depression and anxiety. However, research reveals that the act of bullying actually claims three victims—the bully, the recipient of the bullying and the witnesses. Bullies have more conduct problems, anger and alienation from school and the community. We find that witnesses become desensitized to the suffering of others and allow it to happen without a second thought. The long-term effects of bullying for all groups can be severe with protracted trauma, depression and resentment stretching into the adult years.

What happens to the parents who lose their children through suicide?

This kind of loss is emotionally “disfiguring.”  They will most certainly experience a post traumatic stress disorder that will need to be treated. When a child dies, the trauma lingers for years and de-regulates the parents’ emotional and cognitive functioning. Traumatic bereavement includes guilt, devastating depression and a lingering sense of helplessness and hopelessness.

Here’s what you can do about bullying:

Stop Denying: Many adults prefer to view bullying as a normal “rite of passage” through childhood. Nothing could be further from the truth. There are millions of victims who no longer believe that adults are going to protect them and they suffer in silence. This can lead to tragic consequences in the future.

Bystanders Are Key: Research now argues that the bystanders of bullying are one of the vital keys to decreasing this growing problem. Teaching non-bullied kids to speak up, to refuse to be an audience, to label bullying publicly and to go and get help when the situation is out of control are essential to stop bullies for good.

Empower the Victims: Believe your child about bullying. Victims are renowned for responding ineffectively through withdrawal, denial, silence and passivity. Such behaviors “feed” the bully’s control. We need to develop the victim’s talents, social skills, physical coordination and assertive abilities. He needs to be reassured that adults will take his complaints seriously and that he must report harassment. These are teachable skills and they increase self-confidence exponentially.
 
Educate yourself about the signs of depression:

• Talking About Dying: Any mention of dying, disappearing, jumping, shooting oneself or other types of self-harm
• Recent Loss: The loss of someone through death, divorce, separation, broken relationship, self confidence, self esteem, loss of interest in friends, hobbies, activities previously enjoyed.
• Change in Personality—sad, withdrawn, anxious, tired, indecisive, apathetic
• Change in Behavior: Cannot concentrate on school, work, routine tasks
• Change in Eating Habits: Loss of appetite and weight, or overeating
• Fear of losing control: Acting erratically, harming self or others
• Low self esteem: feelings of worthlessness, shame, overwhelming guilt , self hatred, “everyone would be better without me.”
• No hope for the future: Believing that things will never get better, that nothing will ever change.

For more information about Dr. Sylvia please go to www.gearingup.com

Sources: The Optimistic Child by Dr. Martin Seligman

American Academy of Pediatrics

The American Psychological Association

The National Association of School Counselors

American Association of Suicidology

As we all know, the three main concerns of congressional Democrats have been healthcare reform, global warming and those flat mimosas over at Nancy Pelosi’s place.

 

But the administration's healthcare reform package and climate control bill took a big hit Tuesday with the election of Republican Scott Brown in Massachusetts. That's because the Democrats now no longer have a ‘super majority’ to get any of these bills passed in the senate.

 

So the Democrats are probably going to have to scale back their healthcare overhaul. How much you ask? Well, their old proposal was a 935 million dollar healthcare package. Their new proposal? An apple a day.

 

They're also probably going to have to find another way to deal with global warming. Barney frank was afraid they might have to eliminate carbon emission standards. Harry Reid was afraid that they might have to eliminate cap and trade. And Joe Biden is afraid they might have to eliminate summer.

Unfortunately, a lot of people were upset with the election results, and went to bed last night thinking the world was going to end. But you know what? When I woke up this morning, the world was still there. And with the sunlight barely peaking through the window, I could smell the eggs on the griddle, the toast in the oven and the coffee on the stove. And I laid there and thought to myself, "yep. I've passed out at Denny's again.”

 

Heywood Savage

Twice as many women die from cardiovascular disease as from all forms of cancer, including breast cancer. Now a new study from the American Heart Association shows that women with sunny outlooks may have better heart health and live longer.

But how does “seeing the glass half full” protect you from developing heart disease?

• The Mind Controls the Body: This study illustrates once again the interrelationship of the mind, i.e. attitude and its direct effect on the body. Of the 97,000 women studied, optimistic women were 14% less likely to die over eight years than their pessimistic counterparts. They were 9% less likely to develop coronary heart disease and 30% less likely to develop heart complications.

• Well-Being and Optimism: Optimism infuses the mind and the body with a sense of well-being and self-esteem during the good times and serves as a buffer to disaster when adversity hits. Your body is not constantly bathing in stress hormones and your immune system remains hardier and unchallenged.

• Better Health Habits: We also know that optimistic women have better health habits.  They rest and exercise more, they eat better and they are less likely to smoke or to be obese. They have lower rates of high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol. An optimistic woman is simply less likely to stress herself out and develop these chronic health issues.

If you don’t think that a pessimistic outlook is a problem, you should reconsider:

Negative women pay a distinct price for their reactivity in their physical and psychological well-being. If you are stressing out all the time, you will slowly destroy your immune system and you will die at an earlier age. Women live close to their emotions and they affect all aspects of our lives. The more negative you become, the more depression and stress increases. Creativity disappears, problem solving slows and social relationships dwindle. Efforts to improve your circumstances decrease along with your physical and emotional health. Clearly, this study shows us that optimism is a disease prevention attitude.

Beyond these two groups, there is another more specialized population – “cynical hostility.”

The study found that women with “cynical hostility” (having negative, hostile thoughts toward others along with a general mistrust) were 16% more likely to die during the eight-year time span of the study. Other studies have shown that cynical women are 29% more likely to suffer a premature death and these findings hold even after classical risk factors are factored in (smoking, obesity, etc). The bottom line is that negative attitudes alienate other people and ruin your physical health in the long run.  Strong social ties are a health prevention strategy, especially for women. People with high social involvement have the lowest mortality rates while isolated people have the highest rates.

Are you worried? Here’s how to change your outlook to avoid the penalties of pessimism and maximize your life!

There are a couple of major strategies you can implement immediately:

Inventory of Friends: Assess the negativity level of your friends. Emotions are contagious and one negative person in your life can be optimism “killer.” Toxic friends are bad for your health and they need to be either seen in measured doses or completely ushered from your life.

Increase Your Emotional Muscle: Emotionally resilient people tend to specialize in emotional self-control. They face adversity with optimism and don’t wallow in setbacks that are inevitable parts of life. Resilient people tend to do the following:

• Permanence: They interpret good things as permanent and bad things as temporary.

• Pervasive: When good things happen, they celebrate all of life and infuse themselves and other with good cheer. When adversity hits, they do not view their entire lives as difficult and defeated.

• Personal: Well-adjusted people take responsibility for their mistakes but they are realistic in assessing self-blame. They do not blame themselves automatically when adversity hits, but focus on what they can do to change the outcome for the better.

For more information on Dr. Sylvia, please go to www.gearingup.com

Sources: The Resilience Factor by Dr. Karen Reivich and Dr. Andrew Shatte

Mind Body Health by Brent Hafen, Keith Karren, Kathryn Frandsen and N. Lee Smith

Circulation, Journal of the American Heart Association

Dr. Sylvia Gearing   

Most of you have been to a wine tasting or at least understand the concept of trying several wines in small amounts to find one that appeals to you.  Well,  what about an olive oil  tasting?  Sound crazy?  Not to Shannon and Santina of Olivado Gourmet in Keller.  They are so excited about the healing properties of olive oil that they opened the first olive oil tasting business in Northeast Tarrant County.   You can sit down and try a variety of olive oils all of which are extra- virgin.   
 
There are many documented benefits of a diet rich with several EVOO's -extra virgin olive oil.
The antioxidant activity of polyphenols in olive oil has shown promising results with respect to:

• Prevent Heart Attacks
• Skin Damage and Photoprotection
• Antimicrobial Activity
• Reduce stress on your body from Passive Smoking
• Help arthritic pain

*you can find more detailed information about this study on The Olive Oil Source.
 
You must also know that all olive oils are not created equal.   You must take into consideration the following when purchasing your next olive oil:
 
Variety  - Certain varieties have greater health benefits such as Tuscan olives.

Time of picking - The age of the olive influences the taste and health benefits.  The earlier in the season that it is picked the healthier it is.

Processing method - The machinery used to make the oil.

Refining -  Believe it or not some company's take rancid oil and refine it to make it good again by filtering it.

Storage - You want your oil to have a "born on date" or an expiration date. Olive oil lats 24 months.
 
I had a great time learning about olive oil and you can too.   Stop by Olivada in Keller on Olive street and be ready to have your pallet dazzled by delicate, medium and robust olive oils that will provide you with some great health benefits.

Danielle Arnett / Beauty by Danielle

This can be one of the most difficult and uncomfortable things to do, but landing a job is all about selling yourself. Practice how you can state the facts about your accomplishments without coming across as bragging. You have to learn to talk about yourself professionally without overdoing it, so here are three things to remember:

 

-- Be able to talk about overall strengths that can apply to any position, such as great interpersonal skills, the ability to work well on a team, multi-task, etc.

--  Be able to talk about skills that you feel are unique to you. Whether that be specific skills around an industry or position (such as why you are a great graphic designer or sales person).

--  Always ask questions - whether in an interview or at a networking event, it's important that you are not just going on and on about yourself. Ask questions about the position or other person to keep the conversation interactive.

 

If you have won awards it is expected to talk about them but pride can be a tricky thing. Be cautious to give the context on the honor that was bestowed upon you. Lastly, do not overstate your abilities. Inflating your qualifications is the kiss of death in an interview. There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance. Don't cross that line. As they say, keep it real.

 

Patty Revis
jobing.com
Follow Patty on Facebook

Image is an inside and out affair. Image is more than what you look like and the clothes you wear. It’s also how you feel about yourself and how you show up in the world.

• Your image is your calling card, it signals to people who you are.
• Image is important because humans are highly visual.
• From simply looking at you, people form opinions within seconds of meeting you. They decide things like:
 -- Your level of education
 -- Your social standing
 -- Even, how trustworthy they believe you to be

Everyone projects an image. The question is: Is your image working for you or against you?

Keep in mind these 3 things:
1. People are attracted to people who look good.
2. People like people who are confident.
3. People are most comfortable with people who don’t seem to be “perfect”

Three C’s that can help you create a positive image inside and out:

Color is an amazing and powerful tool. And, it’s free!
• Color is not passé. It can be your friend or a foe.
• Wearing flattering colors can make you look and feel more uplifted and confident.
• Color can make you look younger and more vibrant.
• Unflattering colors can make you look weak and insignificant.
• They can accentuate facial flaws, like dark circles and wrinkles.
• The wrong colors can make you look harsh, garish and even older.
• So, pay attention to what you see in the mirror.

Confidence - Inner Image - the power within
• A positive image starts in your mind. Clothes and color are helpful, but not enough.
• What you think inside is visible on the outside.
• You are UNIQUE, the one and only YOU. When you were created they really did break the mold.
• Perfection should not be the goal, but being the best you.
• So, focus on your gifts, talents, abilities, and even semi-celebrate the quirks and faults that make you who you are.  Be your own cheerleading squad!

Commitment - Image on the go!
• Commit to yourself to show up as your best self, inside and out, as much as possible.
• Whether you’re in sweats or a suit, be your best. You’ll feel better.
• Seek the help of a coach, mentor, pastor or friend to support you with your goals.
• Let your image open doors for you.
• Now, RELAX and ENJOY yourself.

Allegra M. Burton
www.allegralife.com