Film at VFF: African Grandmothers Fight AIDS

This powerful film about the African Dogo can be seen this weekend at the Virginia Film Festival in Charlottesville. Click here to learn more about the film and see an excerpt.

More information on the Virginia Film Festival in the November issue of V Magazine for Women.

Voices of MammoSite: An Online Connection with Breast Cancer Survivors

"You have breast cancer." The words hang in the air in the sterile coldness of an examination room. The first reaction is often disbelief; followed by, "Am I going to survive? What do I do now?"

Once a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, she usually has very little time to make a treatment decision. That's 14 days to cope with the news, research options, fit in doctor's appointments, and figure out who will take care of her family and job during treatment and recovery. Now there is a place where women with early-stage breast cancer can find a new level of support and open arms from those who've been through it before. Voices of MammoSite is a new program supported by a website, VoicesofMammoSite.com, devoted to connecting newly diagnosed women with a network of extraordinary survivors who have confronted the challenges of breast cancer, specifically those who have fought it successfully with MammoSite® 5-Day Targeted Radiation Therapy. (The procedure is a partial breast irradiation treatment available to patients with early-stage breast cancer that can be completed in less than a week. The program is sponsored by Cytyc Corporation.)

At the site, visitors can read and listen to personal stories of breast cancer survivors, find a survivor of similar age and background who is willing to share her own experiences with breast cancer treatment and personally connect with her within 48 hours.

Available mentors include Donna, a 66-year-old retired nurse from Kentucky; Linda, a 58-year-old financial planner from Illinois; Carmen, a 47-year-old accountant from Arizona; and dozens more. They're women of all ages and ethnicities, from all over the U.S., who have one thing in common - they all successfully battled early-stage breast cancer and have volunteered to share their experiences with other women.

For more information, visit VoicesofMammoSite.com.

View and Vote for a New Short Film

The Science of Love premieres tonight on LOGO, MTV's LGBT channel. It was produced by Joyce Dragonsky, whom V readers may recognize from editor Annie Tobey's travel report on her RSVP Mediterranean cruise. To read about Joyce's last two films and find out how to see them both, click here!

Link to Financial Savvy

Visit MsMoney.com for a wealth of financial guidance, including investing, banking and credit, debt reduction, career strategies, and more!

Tip for a Better Day

"There's no day so horrid or so wonderful that it can't be improved by chocolate!"

The Wellness Village, for Alternative Health Services

THE WELLNESS VILLAGE AT STARLING, located at 1404 Starling Drive adjacent to Regency Square Mall, celebrated its grand opening Saturday afternoon, October 13. The newly constructed “Village” is the first of its kind in Richmond, featuring an integrated, holistic approach to healthful living. Businesses at this unique facility represent multiple disciplines and services with experienced practitioners offering quality choices for healthy lifestyles, including therapeutic massage, acupuncture, hypnotherapy, energy therapies, mat pilates and reformer pilates classes, yoga, and offerings for birth and baby needs

The beautiful fall weather provided a perfect day for enjoying friendly conversation with the Village practitioners, and for strolling or sitting in the beautiful gardens with complimentary healthy snacks and relaxing live music on the patio. Other festivities included free gifts and hourly raffles for valuable prizes donated by area businesses and community professionals. Local artisans, artists, and vendors displayed and sold their crafts and products. Master photographer Carla Nelms provided photography services for the event. Village practitioners offered interactive demonstrations and informational discussions to educate the public about the many benefits of alternative and complementary healthcare.

Services include Therapeutic Wellness and Massage Center, Acupuncture, Birth and Baby Kneads, Core Pilates of Richmond, Yoga, A Change of Mind, Advanced Therapies in Hypnosis, and Good For You Energy Therapy!

If you missed out on this special event, please call 804-673-2936, or visit The Village for more information.

Sweet Virginia Breeze

Woke up this morning the breeze blowin' cross my face
And I just had to look up above and thank somebody for this place,
Because he must've been thinkin' bout me
When he planted that very first dogwood tree
It's where I want to be
Livin' in the Sweet Virginia Breeze

Take me out to the country it feels mighty good out there
When I get back to the city of the monuments
It doesn't matter where I hang my hat it's home to me
The Blue Ridge Mountains tend to set me free
It's where I want to be
Livin' in the Sweet Virginia Breeze

Wakes me up in the mornin'
Rocks me to sleep at night
I've got a red bird singin' on my window sill
I know everything will be all right
Livin' in the Sweet Virginia Breeze

Just sittin on my back porch
I'm just watchin' the sun come up
Sweet sweet Virginia Breeze blowin' ripples 'cross my coffee cup
Because he must've been thinkin' bout me when he planted that very first dogwood tree
cause when that breeze comes blowin' through the trees
you know everything will be alright
Livin' in a Sweet Virginia Breeze
Sweet Virginia Breeze


Recorded by Robbin Thompson and Steve Bassett in 1978

Maya Angelou in Richmond

Family Lifeline, a Richmond-based nonprofit that has a goal of changing the futures of at-risk families, announced today that it’s hosting “An Evening with Maya Angelou” as part of its 130th birthday celebration. The former poet laureate of the United States will speak at the Richmond Convention Center on November 1 in an event that is a fundraiser for Family Lifeline. The event is presented by Wachovia Securities and a group of other corporate sponsors, including Owens & Minor; Dominion Resources; Bon Secours, Richmond Health System and Philip Morris USA.

Maya Angelou is hailed as one of the great voices of contemporary literature. As a poet, educator, historian, best-selling author, actress, playwright, civil-rights activist, producer and director, she continues to travel the world making appearances, spreading her wisdom.

“Maya Angelou is an incredible role model for us all, and we’re thrilled to be hosting her for this event,” said Family Lifeline President Reed Henderson. “We hope that her appearance will be an inspiration to those in attendance on November 1st.”

Dr. Angelou will speak for approximately one hour, covering topics related to her fascinating life. The evening will start at 6 p.m. when the doors of the convention center open. Ms. Angelou will begin speaking at 7 p.m.

Tickets are on sale for the event, with prices starting at $50. Corporate sponsorships are also available. For more information, visit www.familylifeline.org or call 804-282-4255.

Changing futures for families in the Richmond area since 1877, Family Lifeline is one of city’s oldest and largest private community-based organizations. Family Lifeline’s mission is to strengthen families where they live, work, and learn. For more information, visit www.familylifeline.org or call 804-282-4255.

Composure

"If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs, it's just possible you haven't grasped the situation." Jean Kerr

Handbag Heaven

Do you love a great handbag, but hesitate to spend the money on expensive designer bags? Thanks to Bag Borrow or Steal, you can carry all the great bags you want, and still have money left to carry around!

Like a Netflix for handbags, Bag, Borrow or Steal charges a low monthly membership plus nominal fees, but never a late fee, and you keep the bag for as long as you want. You can create a wish list of your favorite bags, so you'll know what to order next. You also have the option to buy a bag you fall in love with.

Fees vary according to the level of handbag you choose: Couture (like Gucci & Rosiblu), Diva (such as Louis Vuitton and Charriol), Princess (Betsey Johnson and Pianegonda), or Trendsetter (Dooney & Bourke and Lori Bonn).

For details on the program, the fees, and the huge assortment of handbags, go to www.bagborroworsteal.com.

Have Fun for a Good Cause This Weekend!

Bon Secours Presents Faison’s Amazin’ Pumpkin Palooza
To Benefit The Faison School for Autism
Celebrate the fall season and the art of pumpkin carving. Preview party on Fri., Oct. 19 (cost) where guests will see carving teams in action while enjoying dinner and live music. Sat., Oct. 20, is free and open to the public, with amazing carved giant pumpkins, festivities for children and adults including arts and crafts, pumpkin painting, jewelry making, entertainment, and costume contests. 11am-9 pm at The Carillon at Byrd Park. For Fri. tickets or more information, call 804-827-3801.

15th Annual Art Affair to Benefit
Child Savers and VCU Art Scholarships
Fine artwork by 120 artists from Central Virginia and seven states is being exhibited for sale. Paintings in oil, watercolor, acrylic and pastels, sculpture, drawing, photography and carefully selected fine craft. Also features artwork by local high school students, competing for awards. Sat., Oct. 20 (10am-5pm) and Sun., Oct. 21 (noon-5pm) at Stony Point Fashion Park in the parking area across from Saks. Free to the public. Hosted by the Bon Air Artist Association. 804-379-8980 or jillchafinstudio@verizon.net.

Short Pump Ruritan Club, 18th Annual Craft Show
A variety of merchandise, including handmade jewelry, beaded watches, furniture and accessories, floral arrangements, wreaths and many other unique items. Over 90 crafters. No admission charge and food will be served. Sat., Oct. 20, 9am-3pm, at Short Pump Middle School, 4701 Pouncey Tract Rd. 804-360-2371.

Yard & Bake Sale to Benefit
Huguenot United Methodist Church Preschool
Shop for great bargains and enjoy delicious food. Donations accepted beforehand, so it’s also a chance to empty out closets. All to benefit young minds. Oct. 20, 6am-2pm, 10661 Duryea Dr. 804-272-1704 or humcpreschool.com.

26th Annual Midlothian Village Day Festival
To Benefit Local Charities and Scholarship
Parade, craft booths, community booths, entertainment, food, carnival games, moonwalks, silent auction. Sponsored by the Midlothian Junior Women’s Club. Sat., Oct. 20, 10am-3pm, Midlothian Middle School. 804-379-3420 or midlothianfestival.net.

The 6th Annual Power of Hope Prison Ministry Conference
This educational conference features national and regional speakers and panel discussions to raise awareness and funds to help women transition from prison and rebuild their lives. Sponsored by Helping Hands Women’s Outreach Ministries. Sat., Oct. 20, from 10am2pm at First Presbyterian Church, 4602 Cary St. 804-276-3139 or hhwom.org.

Enjoy Bach to Benefit the Free Clinic of Goochland
The Goochland Rotary Club sponsors Richmond Symphony’s Tribute to Bach Series, Bach-lor Party, to benefit the Free Clinic of Goochland. Oct. 20, 7pm, at Goochland High School, 3250 River Rd. West, Goochland.

For more events - benefits, fun, or arts - check out the October issue of V or go to our Web site, www.vmagazineforwomen.com!

The Member of the Wedding

"It happened that green and crazy summer when Frankie was twelve years old." Thus opens Carson McCuller's insightful novel, The Member of the Wedding.

Richmonders can catch the onstage version of The Member of the Wedding at Barksdale through October 28. Frankie Addams, a precocious tomboy in a small southern town, yearns to grow up, and she fantasizes elaborate plans for her part in her brother’s upcoming wedding. Awarded the New York Drama Critics' Prize for the Best American Play of 1950 when it premiered on Broadway, The Member of the Wedding is part of Barksdale’s Women’s Theatre Project, as we celebrate the moving work of famed novelist and playwright Carson McCullers.

For more information, visit the Barksdale Web site.

Interests

"One thing life taught me: If you are interested, you never have to look for new interests." Eleanor Roosevelt

Life is full of stimulating, challenging, gratifying, and fun things to do! Enjoy!

Going Shoe-Shopping this Weekend?

Women and shoes, women and shoes - they go together like a horse and carriage! So what's the big deal? Check out these fellow shoe-lovers on YouTube, putting words to this shared passion.

[If you're out at Saxon Shoes, note that through Oct. 31, for each Brighton bracelet, necklace, or earrings purchased, Brighton will donate $5 to support breast cancer research and awareness!)

Southeast Premiere of The Breast Cancer Diaries

The Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center will host free film screenings for the Southeast Premiere of The Breast Cancer Diaries, a critically acclaimed documentary of one woman’s cancer journey, on Saturday, October 13 at the Science Museum of Virginia.

The “Screening for a Screening” event will take place at 10am, noon, and 2pm at the museum’s Eureka Theatre. Massey’s breast health experts and other community partners will host a health fair in the foyer between screenings, giving community members an opportunity to learn about the latest in breast cancer research, treatment and support services.

In addition, the film’s producer and subject will be on hand following the 10 and noon showings to answer questions.

“There’s no better way to generate awareness than to offer people an intimate, armchair journey of breast cancer’s effect on a family,” said Harry D. Bear, MD, PhD, director of Massey’s Breast Health Center. “This film is a gift to our community. It’s unscripted, unfiltered and features a woman that so many of us can relate to – a wife, mother, sister, daughter and colleague,” said Bear.

Breast Cancer Diaries Producer Linda Pattillo is a former producer for WTVR (Channel 6) in Richmond, whose career took her to ABC News and CNN, where she has covered wars across the globe. In The Breast Cancer Diaries, she chronicles the poignant and uplifting journey of 38-year-old Anne Murray-Paige, a broadcast journalist-turned-stay-at-home mom, from the week before Murray-Paige’s double mastectomy through her chemo and radiation.

Rather than write in a diary, Murray-Paige keeps a video camera in her bedroom, recording her thoughts on the many challenges she faces. In addition, Pattillo’s camera follows Murray-Paige throughout the nine-month ordeal, giving insight to the fears, joys and love that she and her family experience.

The film has won rave reviews and awards at national and international film festivals. To preview the film, click here. [Editor’s Note: This film is recommended for teenagers and adults and is not suitable for younger children.]

Also premiering is The Richmond Diaries, a 10-minute short film produced by Massey featuring a mosaic of Richmond-area cancer survivors and caretakers who have had a similar journey. The Richmond Diaries will precede the 70-minute documentary.

The VCU Massey Cancer Center is one of 63 National Cancer Institute-designated institutions that leads and shapes America’s cancer research efforts. Working with all kinds of cancers, the Center conducts basic, translational and clinical cancer research, provides state-of-the-art treatments and clinical trials and promotes cancer prevention and education. Since 1974, Massey has served as an internationally recognized center of excellence. It offers more clinical trials than any other institution in Virginia, serving patients in Richmond and in four satellite locations. Its 1,100 researchers, clinicians and staff members are dedicated to improving the quality of human life by developing and delivering effective means to prevent, control and, ultimately, to cure cancer. Visit Massey online at www.massey.vcu.edu or call 1-877-4-MASSEY.

For information about the event, call 804-827-9486.

Ready to Take Your Business Results to the Next Level?

If you're like most working professionals these days, your plate is overloaded and shows no signs of clearing up. The transactional part of our jobs never stops - we have to consciously make time to think strategically about our performance and our jobs, or it will never happen.

Whether you’re a manager or employee, sole proprietor or senior executive, taking time out to think strategically may seem like a luxury you can't afford. Or you're simply too tired from putting out fires to think about anything but the immediate. But looking beyond the day-to-day, thinking about the future and the implications of present events, has been shown over and over to make the difference between success and failure.

But if we don't take time to look at the big picture, what will happen when…

…Knowledge walks out the door with experienced people who retire?
…A company has no people ready to promote?
…Qualified employees are not interested in moving up?
…Top talent is not maximized or focused on important issues?

These and so many other people issues require new thinking and new strategies. One of the world's greatest thinkers and innovators, Albert Einstein, said, “The significant problems we face can not be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them.”

To help us move up to the next level of performance and results, we can:
1) Get out of our own job rat-race long enough to think about our future.
2) Read a book on a subject that will make us think about what we can contribute to our organization to strengthen future results.
3) Ask ourselves, “How can I take my own performance to the next level?” And then do something about it!
4) Go to a customer, client, or coworker and ask them, “Thinking about the future, what would be most valuable that I could provide for you?” And then ask for their support in helping us make those changes now.
5) Attend a workshop on a strategic topic that will challenge our thinking by having us interact with others. Come away with 2 new ideas to implement for positive change.
Here are some suggestions for October workshops in Richmond:

October 23 – Leading Change in Difficult Situation, www.ChangeManagementSeminar.com.
October 24 – Strategic Planning for HR Issues, www.StrategicHRPlanning.com.
October 25 - Thinking Like Your CEO, www.ThinkingLikeYourCEO.com.


Taking our results to the next level starts the minute we stop and ask ourselves:
"What would the next level of performance be for me?"

Charlyne Meinhard at Next Level Consulting, LLC: Charlyne@NextLevelForYou.com.

Live Like Your Nail Color?

What the heck does that mean?

Bodacious Mary Foley wants to show you how!

Click here to hear Mary's Vibrant Update!

Gift Giving Tip by Erma Bombeck

"Women are never what they seem to be. There is the woman you see and the woman who is hidden. Buy the gift for the woman who is hidden."

Liberty or Death?

Richmonders have the opportunity to see re-enactments of the Second Virginia Convention of March 1775, including Patrick's Henry's famous speech, where he declared "Give me liberty or give me death." This moving production takes place Sunday afternoons during the summertime at the historic St. John's Church. (For more information, call 804-648-5015 e-mail programs@saintjohns.cc, or visit www.historicstjohnschurch.org.)

The performance is a reminder of how America came to be the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Our search for liberty did not end after we achieved our independence against Britain. Not all of those who deserved freedom in the 1700s and 1800s had their freedom. Less than 100 years later, Harriet Tubman said, "I had reasoned this out in my mind: There was two things I had a right to, liberty and death. If I could not have one, I would have the other, for no man should take me alive."

Thanks to the convictions of people like her, this freedom, too, became a reality.

Maintaining freedom and individual rights - both politically and personally - demands ongoing diligence.

A Life Without Contradiction

"There can be no happiness if the things we believe in are different from the things we do." Freya Stark.

Do you act according to the things you believe? Are your beliefs consistent with the facts of reality - can your beliefs be followed consistently?

If you answer no to any of these questions, what do you need to be changed? What can you do to live without contradiction?

Live consistently. Live a life of fulfillment!

Peaceful Surroundings

Because 85% of the average person's time is spent indoors, how that space is arranged is important. Does the space - its decor, organization, colors, and arrangement - have a positive effect or a negative effect? Does it encourage feelings of peace and serenity or tension and stress?

By surrounding yourself with things you use and love, you are creating a nurturing environment. By learning and applying little tips and tricks of what encourages a peaceful environment - including the principles of feng shui - you can increase your enjoyment of everyday living.

Another key to creating a peaceful space is effective organization. The average person spends 55 minutes a day looking for things! By implementing an organizational system that works for you, you can eliminate that wasted time. What's more, you can eliminate the inner stress that outer clutter causes.

Most people know life flows better when things have a home and are put away. However, either they have never learned how to organize or to use the principles of feng shui, or they are so busy with family, jobs, and other responsibilities that they need some assistance. This is where a professional can help. Their knowledgeable and objective assistance can lay the foundation for the years ahead - a neat, peaceful, and nurturing environment.

[This information thanks to professional organizer and certified feng shui practitioner Laura Magnussen of Organomix. For more information on Laura's services, visit Organomix.com.]

Local Event to Highlight Domestic Abuse, & Journeys toward Healing

by Julie Buchanan

Victims of domestic and sexual abuse come from every part of our society. They can be black, white, Asian or Latino; wealthy or poor; gay or straight; female or male.

On October 4, a series of monologues at the Swift Creek Mill Theatre will illustrate this fact. The Heart of the Matter: A Journey toward Healing is based on the real experiences of a diverse set of victims from Central Virginia. Their stories were adapted for the stage by Patricia Jones-Turner, coordinator of the Chesterfield County Domestic and Sexual Violence Resource Center.

The production is presented by the center, the Chesterfield Domestic Violence Task Force and the YWCA of Richmond to raise awareness about the issues of domestic and sexual abuse. Victims who are portrayed come from various backgrounds and socioeconomic statuses. Some of the victims are men.

“It gives a well-rounded perspective on domestic and sexual violence and how widespread it is,” said Patricia Jones-Turner, who has spent decades working with victims. “And because the performances are going to be intense, I think the public will take it seriously.”

Cast members for the monologues, directed by Craig Suiter, were selected after a call for auditions.

“It’s something important that the community needs to know about,” said Nikki Walsh, 21, a student at Longwood University who portrays a young victim of Russian descent. “A lot of people don’t think it will ever happen to them.”

Theresa Jones, 33, is an understudy for one of the roles. A survivor of sexual violence herself, she can identify with what her character is going through.
“I think it’ll have a big impact on the audience,” she said.

Recent numbers shed light on the effects of domestic and sexual violence locally.
The Virginia Department of Health reported in July that nearly one-third of all the state’s homicides in 2005 were family or intimate partner related. Almost 14 percent of all homicide victims were killed by an intimate partner.

Chesterfield County police responded to 1,663 calls for domestic violence in 2006. That same year, the county served 267 victims of sexual assault, most of whom were children. Since 2000, 20 adults and 15 children in the county have lost their lives as a result of domestic violence.

With the monologues, organizers hope to put a human face on such grim statistics. Donations for area programs that help victims also will be collected during both performances.

“It’s not going to be a feel-good thing,” said Becky Lee, chief program officer for the YWCA of Richmond. “But it’s absolutely educational and it’s to help. Without putting on the real faces of the victims, it’s about giving a voice to their stories. And I really believe it’s giving people something to connect to. Some people may come to see it who are victims but never said anything to anyone. In some ways, it may give them a voice, too.”

The Heart of the Matter: A Journey Toward Healing will be presented on October 4 at 8pm. Tickets are $22 and include a buffet before the show. Swift Creek Mill Theatre is at 17401 Jefferson Davis Highway, Colonial Heights. Tickets can be purchased by calling 804-748-5203.

For more information, call Patricia Jones-Turner at 804-706-1272.

15 Uses for Aluminum Foil

It's even more useful than I knew! Thank you, Reynolds!

Check out a list of 15 hints for making use of this versatile product at DIY Life online.

A Kiss Is Still a Kiss - Or Is It?

The Psychobiology of Romantic Kissing:
UAlbany study suggests that men and women's views diverge widely
on the significance of the kiss

Albany , N.Y. (September 13, 2007) - Research by the University at Albany shows that information conveyed by a kiss can have profound consequences for romantic relationships, and can even be a major factor in ending one. In results published in the August 2007 issue of the online journal Evolutionary Psychology [Volume 5(3) 2007], Susan M. Hughes, Marissa A. Harrison, and Gordon G. Gallup, Jr. reveal that many college students have found themselves attracted to someone, only to discover after they kissed them for the first time that they were no longer interested. “In other words,” said Gallup, an evolutionary psychologist, “While many forces lead two people to connect romantically, the kiss, particularly the first kiss, can be a deal breaker.”

The UAlbany study also found sex differences in the importance and type of kissing. Males tended to kiss as a means to an end—to gain sexual favors or to reconcile. In contrast, females kiss to establish and monitor the status of their relationship, and to assess and periodically update the level of commitment on the part of a partner.

In a sample of 1,041 college students, researchers found only five who had never experienced romantic kissing and more than 200 who estimated having kissed more than 20 partners.

According to the study, kissing between sexual or romantic partners occurs in more than 90 percent of human cultures. Some non-human animals, such as common chimpanzees and bonobos, appear to engage in kissing-like behaviors as well. Although kissing is a widespread practice among humans, few scientists have attempted to assess the adaptive significance of kissing behavior.

According to the researchers, not only do females place more emphasis on kissing, but most would never engage in sex without kissing. Females were more likely than males to insist on kissing before a sexual encounter, and more likely to emphasize the importance of kissing during and after sexual encounters as well. By comparison, males said they would be happy to have sex without kissing, and far more males than females expressed a willingness to have sex with someone who was not a “good” kisser.

The authors conclude that the study provides evidence that romantic kissing evolved as an adaptive courtship strategy that functions as a mate-assessment technique, a means of initiating sexual arousal and receptivity, and a way of maintaining a bonded relationship.

For the full study, visit http://www.epjournal.net/filestore/EP05612631.pdf.

The Beauty of Women - Vibrant Update #1

Welcome to Vibrant Updates, a diVersity of tidbits for the diVersity of women!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Domestic Violence Awareness Month. But it’s also the time for harvest, sweaters and chilly fall evenings, and Halloween. Our October Vibrant Updates will reflect all of these—and more. And first, V presents...

The Beauty of Women

View the Women in Art video.

What feature do these beautiful women share? A smile!