I helped promote the fundraiser as often as possible and even though the notice was very short, I was excited to see so many people there. I enjoyed listening to the “Sofa Kings” play music. I also observed “Bangs” salon providing different services to raise money. There was a table of donated items from many people and businesses in the area. I stopped by a table with t-shirts that read “Save our Superman” and bought several. The warmth, joy and pride I felt that day witnessing all the people that donated their time for the Cannon family made me so proud of the people of Beaufort.

Speaking with Lauren Cannon wife of Sean Cannon, I realized for the first time in a really long time how precious and valuable life is and what it is to truly love someone unconditionally. Lauren describes Sean as an “amazing man.” Lauren and Sean met in 2007 and were married on June 26, 2010 and seem to have an extraordinary relationship.  Sean was affectionately named “Superman” after he was first diagnosed at age 16, because his doctors told him he was no longer going to be able to play football, or participate in karate because of the severity of his conditions .Not only did Sean continue to do these things he excelled in them so they began to call him “Superman!”

Sean Cannon, a Beaufort resident was diagnosed at age 16 at Duke Medical University with colon and liver diseases.  He has Ulcerative Colitis (colon disease), Primary Sclerosing Colongitis (liver disease), and later diagnosed with Sarcoidosis (lymph nodes).  In January 2011 Sean became more sick than usual and was admitted into Beaufort Memorial hospital. After a week and a lot of testing trying to determine why his medications were not working, they referred him to the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. After a couple of months of tests and trials, Sean’s new doctors decided they needed to remove his colon and replace it with a “J Pouch”. The surgery is intended to be a two phase surgery, and the first phase was scheduled for the beginning of May 2011. Unfortunately a couple of weeks before the surgery was scheduled to take place Sean was admitted back into Beaufort Memorial Hospital with Pancreatitis. The surgery was then rescheduled, and after about a month of recovery Sean went in for his first phase of surgery on June 9, 2011. Unfortunately, there were complications during the surgery and they could not finish the first phase, he was hospitalized for a week after the procedure. He went back in on September 13, 2011, and they were able to finish the first phase of his surgery that has now become a three phase event, with no complications. The last surgery is scheduled for the end of December 2011, and we are hoping and praying for the best. Let’s keep in mind that this procedure is to help only one of Sean’s conditions. Sean still has other conditions that he has to get pull through. Sean is currently on a waiting list for a Liver Transplant.

Lauren says that “Sean is the most patient and humble person she knows.” Even after everything he has gone through, Sean still remains this way. Lauren says that they could not have made it through the year without their supportive friends and family who have made it so much easier. Lauren says that “families that have to go through something like this have to stand together, and fight together, if you do, then nothing will stop you!”

1 lb. penne pasta, cooked, drained, and returned to pot
1 (28 ounces) can whole tomatoes, drained and liquid reserved
2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt
1/3 cup vodka
½ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoon minced fresh basil
Fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese
Penne Alla Vodka
1. Puree half of the tomatoes in a food processor until smooth. Chop the remaining tomatoes into ½ inch pieces, discarding the cores. Combine the pureed and diced tomatoes. Add reserved liquid to make 2 cups.
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan on medium. Add the onion cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Stir in the tomatoes and ½ teaspoon salt. Remove pan from heat and add the vodka. Return the pan to medium high heat and simmer, stirring frequently for 10 minutes to cook off the vodka. (Lower heat to medium if simmering is too vigorous.) Stir in the cream and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until hot.
4. Add the sauce to the pasta and cook over medium heat for 1 ½ minutes to make the sauce stick to the pasta a bit (add a small amount of water if necessary as the sauce may thicker then desired). Then turn off heat, add basil, a little salt and pepper and Parmigiano-Reggiano and serve.

STEAK BUTTER    a.k.a. Maitre d'hotel butter

3 1/2 ounces salted butter

1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Squeeze of lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. In a bowl, beat the ingredients

2. Place the mixture in a piece of plastic wrap and roll into a cigar shape. Wrap well and refrigerate until firm.

Great Gardens Café,  Chef Glaychia Reber

• • Avoid smoking.
  • Limit alcohol to no more than one drink a day for women, two a day for men. A drink is 5 ounces of wine, 12 ounces beer or 1.5 ounces of whiskey, gin or other hard liquor. (And if you don’t drink, there’s no reason to.)
  • Take in at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. A serving is half a cup of chopped vegetables, 2 cups of salad greens.
  • Cap your sodium intake 2,300 mg daily if you don’t have hypertension and 1,500 mg daily if you do.  
  • Reduce the amount of saturated fat in your diet by  substituting non–fat milk or 1% milk, and yogurt for full-fat or 2%; taking the skin off poultry avoiding fatty cuts of meat (like most hamburgers) and avoiding fried food.
  • Reduce your Trans fat intake by avoiding foods made with partially hydrogenated oil, such as some baked goods, piecrusts, fried foods and margarines.
  • Exercise for 30 minutes on most days.
  • If you have diabetes, keep your blood sugar under control.

   

   

   

Why do my teenage daughters feel like they have to challenge everything I tell them?

Bianca, 41

HILTON HEAD, SC

LE: Teenagers are always fun. They question you because you answer them. You do not owe them a response as to why they have to do what you asked. You are the parent you need to be more assertive and let them know who is in charge. By the way, that’s you!

Why is it that my man wants me to give so much and he does not feel like he should do the same in return?

Alexia, 32

BEAUFORT, SC

LE: Unfortunately, most people male or female do not realize that being in a relationship is a give and take situation. you are only going to get out of a relationship what you put in it. You and your partner have to want to make it work for it to actually be successful!

Why is it that every female I meet wants me  to wine and dine them  like I don't already have responsibilities?

John  28

BLUFFTON, SC

LE: It is always important to treat a woman as a queen and let her know that you are well aware of her worth. Take care of your responsibilities first and foremost, but refer to out “Cheap dates that will impress her,” section for ideas.

Tell me why my boyfriend freaks out and its WWIII every time I don't answer my cell phone, but he often doesn't answer his and I'm supposed to look the other way?

Katie 26

BEAUFORT, SC

LE:  Often when this is the case, it is because there is a trust issue. Either he does not trust you, or he is up to no good when he’s not answering his phone, and you should be very concerned.

I am starting to get the picture that my boss does not like me. I show up on time, I do what I am told and He still will not give me the same respect he gives others who do half the job I do. I am wondering if it is time to move on?

Craig, 26

BLUFFTON, SC

LE: Unless you have a better job opportunity waiting for you, I would advise you not to quit your job in this economy,  because someone does not like you. Unfortunately in life not everyone is going to like you, it is something that you will have to deal with. Continue doing what your doing, go to work have a positive attitude and do your best! 

Written by : SeaJay Bayne, Owner and Dive Controller Deep South Divers

Owning a boat in Beaufort presents a unique quandary: "Since winter has come, should I winterize my boat or keep it ready for playtime on the water in case we have some nice days in winter?"

The truth is, everyone's got their own outlook on  whether or not Beaufort gets cold enough to warrant  winterizing your boat. If you choose to, be sure to top off your fuel tanks (which reduces the interior condensation and thus water in your fuel), use a product like "Sta-Bil" to keep your fuel fresh, and make sure to give her a full wash and wax, which  includes a flush of the engine to help prevent long-term corrosion and give her a defense against the winter elements. Boat covers are great for protecting your investment, but only use them if the boat's interior is clean and dry. A cover blowing over a dirty surface acts like sandpaper, ruining your boat's finish, and trapping moisture inside the cover long-term can lead to mold and mildew problems that are very difficult to address.

Wintertime is a great time to do regular maintenance like tune-ups, filter and oil changes. Mike at Mike's Marine tells me that his winter months are less busy than his spring and summer months, and that this helps his winter customers to enjoy faster turnaround - and in some cases, better pricing for routine maintenance. Winter is also a great time to work on or replace parts of your boat's electronics, which always seem to be an issue in a saltwater environment. Today's marine electronics are advancing technologically at an alarming rate, so the winter's a great time to add an mp3 player or color GPS to your boat.

Some boat owners prefer to never winterize a boat, and take it out on a regular basis all year. Winter boating can be as rewarding as summer boating, and in some cases more so. Less traffic, more "serious" (and sober) other boaters sharing the waterways and a break from the winter doldrums are all cited as popular reasons for winter boating. It's also commonly believed that regular use is better for your boat than winterizing.

Of course, winter boating requires proper dress,  especially if your boat is the center console "open" type common on our waterways. Dress in layers so that you can easily adjust your comfort level. Coverage of the ears, head, hands, and even face can be remarkably  effective at  remaining comfortable at 30 mph in an open boat in the wintertime. Professionals on the water make it a habit to have on-hand "Mustang" style survival suits, which are like a winter jacket for your whole body - but instead of being filled with poly stuffing, they're filled with neoprene (wetsuit material) which provides warmth even if it gets wet. These suits also have built-in buoyancy, which means that they act as a life preserver (a warm one) in case you fall overboard in chilly waters. Suits like this are available online or at our local West Marine, Grayco, or other boat shop. Add in a set of waterproof boots (like what shrimpers wear) and gloves, and you've got a simple formula for enjoying your boat year-round, whether you have a "nice" weather or not.

If your boat stays in the water rather than being        trailered or lifted, it's important to keep her hull clean and clear of marine organisms all year. Cold water does not prevent marine growth, although it does slow it down. A rule of thumb is that water warmer than 65 degrees will grow barnacles and oysters, which we call "summer growth." In August, for example, even boats with preventive bottom paint should be cleaned every two weeks or so to prevent marine fouling, which can cause poor performance, clogged through-hulls (which means overheating engines, toilets and drains that won't drain, and air conditioners that won't cool), propeller vibration, and exponentially poor fuel economy. In waters cooler than 65 degrees, thick, fluffy "winter growth" prevails, and can be just as bad, causing the same issues. My company recommends 1-month cleaning cycles year-round as a minimum here in Beaufort.

If you want to see an example of what a boat's hull looks like when it's not properly maintained, simply look at your dock's floats and pilings, which aren't usually cleaned. Our rich ecosystem with incredible biodiversity brings corals, sponges, barnacles, and oysters - the best kind! However, you don't want these on your boat if you plan on going anywhere - and that goes for the  winter months, too.

A favorite activity for many winter boaters is to socialize with other winter boaters - preferably indoors or over a fire and with an adult beverage in their hand. My company recommends the Beaufort Sportfish and Dive Club, which meets at the Beaufort Yacht and Sailing Club on Lady's Island at 6:30pm on the second  Thursday of every month. The club is extremely friendly and is full of people with a ton of boating knowledge.

If I don't see you there, I'll see you on the water…     Year-'round. Call us if we can help in any way.

SeaJay Bayne , Beaufort, SC                                                                         Owner and Dive Controller,                              Deep South Divers

843-252-4500

http://www.DeepSouthDivers.org

SeaJay Bayne , Beaufort, SC Owner and Dive Controller, Deep South Divers
843-252-4500

http://www.DeepSouthDivers.org

“TURN!” screams Tina from the backseat. Shannon is a ghostly white and holding on for dear life as the car starts skidding toward the oak tree. It all seemed to be in slow motion as the impact occurred. Brenda lays limp across the steering wheel and an eerie silence overcomes Shannon as she looks around for the thing that cause this to happen to them. She turns and faces Tina who is still in shock and they wonder if they should move Brenda or not. They both start to cry.

********************

The drive to Beaufort proved to be more beautiful than Shannon remembered. She could smell the marsh miles before she ever could see it even though it had been over twenty years since she had been here. Shannon had moved away to pursue her dream of writing mystery novels and in 2009, she published her third best seller. Now, she was here, and inspired to write about “The Light” from her old home town. Since that night in     October of 1986, she had no doubts that it did exist but was on a mission to explain it and find out what it is. Somehow she felt there must be an explanation.

Shannon pulls into the driveway of her childhood home and notices that it was exactly how she remembered it, nothing had changed. Her father greeted her with hugs and helped her bring in her luggage. After many minutes of relaxing, a cup of coffee, and a lot of small talk, she unpacks her luggage and tries to develop a plan for    tomorrow. She needs to go pick up Tina whom she had reconnected with on Facebook in the previous months.

Tina was very happy to hear from Shannon and even more interested in finding out what exactly was the light of lands End. What did they see, what did they            experience that awful night? Tina had not ever returned to Lands End since 1986 and was still wondering if she should. She knew reminiscing with Shannon about the good old days would be nice, so she agrees to tag along.

The next morning, Shannon awakes in the house she once knew so well. For just a moment, she stepped back in time and recalled spending hours on her hair to get that big 80’s hairstyle. She chuckles to herself and       proceeded to get dressed. Knowing the high this summer day would be near 100 degrees; she slips on a pair of shorts, sleeveless shirt, and pulls her hair into a ponytail.

Shannon picked up Tina and they both headed out to Lands End. On the way, Shannon and Tina could not resist playing tourist and stopping at the little shops in the Gullah Community. They stood and watched an   older lady basket weave sweet grass on the oversized southern porch.

"Fort Fremont-here we come", said Tina as she jumped into the passenger seat. Shannon noticed that everything looked different. Thank goodness for aGPSor they would have never found the Fort at all. The first thing they both noticed, the fence surrounding the Fort. There have been many changes to Fort Fremont in the last few years as Beaufort County has purchased the property and it is now protected. The graffiti, however, still       remains present. They begin to walk around the Fort and armed with a flashlight, chose to enter the darkness. An eerie creepy feeling overcomes both of them apparent by the chill bumps and raised hair on their arms. This is a familiar feeling of so many years ago and they both start recalling the last time they were here.

********************

"That is SO not funny guys!" Tina yells at the guys as they disappear. Shannon, Tina and Brenda were holding hands trying to find their way back out of the fort since the guys had run off with the flashlight. It was so dark they could not see anything. Shannon could not help but wonder why they all we into the fort so deep and if they would be able to find their way out. They all keep     inching on in hopes of catching a glimpse of any light source. None of the girls would say it but they all were very scared of the dark but more importantly, this place.

TO BE CONTINUED…...

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Unfortunately monogamy in this day and age has almost become a four letter word. For as long as relationships have existed, people have cheated. We can tell you why people cheat; but unfortunately, we cannot promise that it will not happen to you. Like they say knowing why something happens can possibly minimize the chances of it happening to you.

"The reason a person cheats is because they can. If a woman, an attractive woman at that offers a man sex, nine times out of ten he is going to take her up on that offer. Especially if the offer is with no strings attached.

"Another reason we cheat is because we grow apart from our partners. We stop taking interest in our partners. Sure enough when we stop taking interest, and someone else shows the slightest bit of interest, we began to wonder how compatible that other person is, are there going to be fireworks in the bedroom.

¨ When you fall out of love with your partner, it makes for a difficult situation if you are staying around for financial obligations or for “the kids,” or to spare someone’s “feelings,” you tend to seek love elsewhere, which is more damaging to your children or to your partners feelings.

"If you argue a lot with your partner they will become less happy and enthusiastic about coming home to you and will find comfort elsewhere.

"Number one in my rule book for a cheating relationship is if your sex life died, and you stopped making a general effort because you are no longer interested, chances are your partner will find someone who is interested.

"If everything else in your life has become routine or boring, then your partner will become bored. Unfortunately it is exciting to cheat. If the person you are cheating with is less attractive than your current mate, the new person will be more attentive, and make more of an effort.

"I know how if you forgive someone, you are truly supposed to forgive them and move on, but it is also true that if your partner has cheated in the past and you forgave them in the past. Usually they will not think twice about doing it again.

"The number one reason people in relationships cheat, is IF YOU DID! Whether you actually cheated, or your partner suspects you cheated; they will be hurt and want revenge.

Now that we know why people in relationships cheat, I hope it helps us to avoid some of the areas so that we can all practice having monogamous relationships.

If you have tried it, you were likely to get hooked. My name is Anjie but I am known as “southerndodgegirl” on Geocaching.com. The thrill of the first find is something that has stuck with me for years. My first endeavor was in North Alabama. Armed with locations and a handheld Garmin, I packed up water, s.w.a.g.s (stuff we all get), my printed encrypted clues, a pencil and I was on a mission. I headed out early that day accompanied with a friend  who had stumbled across this worldwide hunt. The GPS we sat on the dash of the car led us to what looked like a housing area. This neighborhood had been there for years, as had the two of us. We were close so we started looking for an area that was public property knowing the rules of the game. We noticed a sign "Rainbow Mountain- Land Trust of North Alabama" and saw a small parking area and the start of a hiking trail. We were fascinated. Both of us living there for years and never had we seen or heard of this Rainbow Mountain. Excited, we started on our mission, trying to be as discreet as possible so not to draw any attention to what we were doing.

As we walked, the countdown to the cache began. At one point it appeared we walked right by it. We knew it was close. The GPS stated it was accurate within 17 feet with the tree coverage. We walked forward and back down the path a few times before we realized it was a little east of the main path. We started through the brush and began looking for anything out of the ordinary. The area appeared disturbed by people walking and I knew we had to be near. We were smart enough to pick a "large traditional cache" with a difficulty rating of only 2. The website informed us a traditional cache was usually a Tupperware container or ammo box and usually contained swags. We looked for almost 20 minutes when I poked at the base of a tree with a stick and hit something covered by leaves. We found it! Making sure that no one was on the path observing, we opened the Tupperware container and saw many trinkets from a yo-yo to a Geocoin. We pulled out the small notebook and began reading the logs. "Papaw" had just logged the cache the same day and I could not help but wonder if it was the older man and child we passed on the trail. We logged the book, decided not to take the Geocoin knowing that we would not make it travel far and continued to the next cache. That day we found 4 caches. It took 5 hours and we must have hiked 7 miles. We saw the most beautiful scenery, streams, limestone formations and fossils. It was the beginning of my new found passion.

Thanks to Geocaching, I have always had something to do when out of town or camping. It is amazing how many caches are near where ever you may be. I do not need a gym as I have a free way of exploring the great outdoors and burning calories while actually enjoying it!  I thought you might want to know that there are over 2,000 caches within a 100 miles of zip code 29906 and 748 within 50 miles just on Geocaching.com. If ever in Paris, even the Eiffel Tower is listed. Geocachers try to make you find the most interesting and sometimes unknown areas that may have been near your back door this whole time. My license plate surround reads "You are the search engine" nothing could be truer.

Follow the steps below for some great ideas for marketing your business and getting sales, even in a economic recession.

1. Get more visitors and clients from online marketing and search engine search results. Many business owners do not realize just how important online search is for the success is for their business. Web searches offer you a customer that is looking for your product or service in your area that you can track and assess. No other medium offers you as much including flyers, phonebooks, or other areas.
2. Get detailed follow-up information when customers contact you with a lead generation form. Not only do you know that your customer wants to know about your service, but you know their name, email, phone number and message as well as also getting their address and specific items you offer that they are interested in. This allows you to be better prepared to respond and gives you a higher chance of converting sales.
3. Have your customers make payments through your website. This allows you to take payments and receive money online with a secure form and payment gateway. Your customer can pay at any time of day even when your business is closed, plus they can pay without driving to your business. The transaction is verified and approved immediately, so there is no NSF fees from bad checks.
4. Sell products or information from your website. If you sell information or offer products to your clients from your store, you can offer them directly from your website. This allows you to sell past business hours and extends your marketing footprint to regional or nationwide. Note: You may need to deliver your product if you choose to sell products through your website.
5. Place advertisements on your website. You can charge other businesses or sites to add their links on your site if it has traffic or can look into creating an account with an online advertising agency.
6. Send emails to prospects and clients discussing specials and new services. Email marketing can make you money by converting leads into sales and bringing back current or old clients. You can also make money by placing advertisements into your emails. For maximum success, you should have a large contact list.

The steps above are all useful ways to make more money with your current site. Remember that a large percentage of your sales will come from perception. If you customer sees your site and is impressed, they will be more likely to move forward to the next step. If they feel that your site is not informative or user-friendly, they may leave your site and choose one of your online competitors. If you are interested in a design to conversion analysis, please contact us and we can schedule a meeting where we can look at your site and come up with a solution to optimize your site for sales conversion. We can even completely redesign your site with this in mind.

Visit Virtual Marketing Concepts or call 1-800-437-5334 for more information.