Jos Vicars has walked across the burning deserts of New Mexico, eating snakes and rabbits and breaking open cacti for water.

He’s surfed and camped for months at a time on the black sand beaches of Costa Rica. He’s strummed his guitar under northern lights, next to his fire of reindeer poop, while trekking alone near the Arctic Circle. In Amsterdam he slept on scaffolding several stories high, lugging his gear up on ropes every night because he couldn’t afford the hostels. He’s hiked New Zealand and Southeast Asia, kite-surfed and cave-dived in the wild gorges of Dominican Republic. He summited the highest mountain in Central America, 13,845-foot Volcán Tajumulco, where he ate out of the forest the whole way. By the time he reached the top he was so amped up on wild coffee berries and sick from the altitude that he got delirious and started talking to rocks.

The sun and Neptune are like a couple with an annual appointment with a marriage counselor to check in and make sure all is on track. In a safe space, these two air their grievances and attempt the sort of communication style that will allow conflicts to surface in a healthy, productive way. As it goes with these things, feelings are on the line. What’s said and done cannot be unsaid or undone, so go gingerly and with compassion.

Read on for your horoscope...

Maintaining optimal brain health gives us lifelong cognitive power.
Not only does the human brain control bodily functions,
it is the most powerful “computer” on earth, which helps us to understand
and grasp the world around us with a full range of thoughts, feelings and emotions.
Keeping your brain in tip top condition is imperative for quality of life.

Think about it! Knowledge is power, especially when it comes to the brain.
Meet our panel of local brain health and wellness experts,
as they give us the facts on protecting our beautiful bustling brains and
discuss needed tools for maintaining optimal
levels of brain clarity and function.

“Summer 2020 may be different, but we can
make the best of it!” – The Uphill Skater

Summer 2020 may kick off with a bang, or with a fizzle, and it may continue locked down, or burst full bloom into the kind of summer we all know and love. This month may or may not tell the tale either. As you read this article, you may be thinking I am a forecasting genius, or I am just another nut case, who thinks she can predict the future. I do not know any more of this story than anyone else, and most likely, neither do you!

With movie theaters closed and blockbusters-in-waiting being postponed all the way to next year, it's a lot for a film fan to take in. Thankfully, there are many, many films, ranging from the fantastic to the fantastically bad, that offer some escape and comfort in a storm of distressing news.

In other words, the Reel Corner’s got you.

Here are a few movies to watch (or perhaps, revisit) that you may have overlooked while we have been sheltering in place. They are perfect for every mood you might be feeling.  
Be Strong…Stay well …and wear your mask!

If the month of May 2020 were a movie, the week of May 10 would be the action sequence. Mercury enters Gemini. Venus retrogrades. And then Jupiter copies that. The omens suggest excellent and fast communication, which we’ll need as relationships and passions swing in an assessing and introspective direction. It’s review time for love, and this will be graded. Then Jupiter backs up, too, which will be felt more strongly in weeks to come.

Read on for your horoscope...

May2020 Issue - Pink Prescriptions
Give It A Boost: Your Immune System Will Thank You!

Your health is your greatest wealth. No doubt, no one wants to be sick, and people with great
wealth have never been able to pay their way out of death. Great health is the foundation of our quality of life; a strong immune system is the foundation of great health. It is the your frontline defense against illness, so the stronger it is, the stronger you are. Let’s find out more on how to boost your immune system to Herculean strength.

“I have been telling you for years to be yourself,
but now I am upping the ante.
Yourself is no longer good enough.”
– The Uphill Skater – 

For years I have been pounding the fact that being yourself is the only way to go for better or worse. Yet, today I am going to eat my words. We are in very troubled times no matter how you look at it, and it is time for all of us to see where we may fit in the new “normal.” Not just you, but “YOU,"  as the very best person you know how to be. The times call for it, and we need to do it for our own emotional and physical health. We are all a part of these unprecedented times, and I have done as I am advising you to do. In this column after all of these years, the only time I have ever given advice that I have not taken my self involved chocolate, so I am not doing badly.

And, what if…
If we subscribe to the philosophy that life is always working out for us, and that there is an intelligence far greater than humans at work…
That all is interconnected.
What if…
the virus is here to help us?
To reset.
To remember.
What is truly important.
Reconnecting with community.
Reconnecting with family, as there is more time at home.

What’s pinker than pink? The super pink moon that is the astrological feature of the first week of April. No, it’s not the official moon of Victoria’s Secret (or Pink Magazine). Rather, the pink moon is named for the flowers that bloom this time of year, specifically the phlox, which comes in other colors besides pink with an impressive intensity of hue. Other names for this moon read like a cosmic menu and include sprouting grass moon, egg moon and fish moon.

Aries (March 21-April 19). Though you have natural abilities and that special X-factor quality that draws people in, these gifts have little to do with long-term success. Wins are contingent on behaviors, habits and routines. The right daily actions are far greater drivers of performance than a flash of ability in the absence of those behaviors.

Eldrick Woods began watching his dad hit golf balls when he was 6-months-old. Eldrick was given the nickname Tiger by his dad, who had a Vietnamese soldier friend by that name. Tiger Woods first appeared on TV at age 2. He shot a 48 on a nine-hole course when he was 5 years old. He has gone on to become one of the best golfers of all times.

Many people are critical of young athletes who start their journey to excellence at a young age. Parents are often accused of pushing their kids “too hard.” Ask Tiger if it was worth it.

Sure, most of us look for that parking space closest to the entry of our favorite store or restaurant, even though we can walk perfectly fine and without pain. It’s an interesting behavior, which seems to point to a conclusion that walking is something people want to minimize, that is until their ability to walk is threatened by pain, injury or degeneration. Then we wish we would have walked more when we could and valued our independent, pain-free mobility. The good news is total joint replacement of the hips or knees can give people a second chance for leading an active and possibly pain-free life. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, total joint replacement is one of the most commonly performed, elective surgical procedures in the United States. This procedure traditionally has been performed on older people, requiring long recovery times, often accompanied by a lot of pain. Now, there are almost 7-million Americans with either knee or hip replacements, and the majority of them now live their lives free again doing things they love to do. Some of them even park far away on purpose so they can walk…just because they can!

“#GoPlay gives us permission
to do exactly that, right?”
– The Uphill Skater –

I love this month’s theme, #GoPlay. It makes me feel empowered by the sheer intention of not only implying permission to play, but also encouraging play to be an important part of our daily lives. I will GoPlay now until my heart’s content, and what better time than the beautiful, colorful spring month of April. It is not too hot, not too cold, not too rainy, and not too dry. It is just perfect, which inspires me to offer a few suggestions. (My husband says I am never without suggestions, but I don’t believe that is a bad thing.)

The supermoon in Virgo is an oxymoronic lunar phenomenon, a mix of ego and humility that shines the light of publicity on often unsung virtues. The path to connecting with others this month will be through such soft and self-less states as gratitude, modesty, empathy and patience. To subvert one's own ego-drives in order to really observe what's going on for others will bring about a great unfolding of magnificent spiritual gifts.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). When someone says, "Let's unpack this..." what they mean is that they care enough to really understand you, or that they are ready to judge you, depending on the person. This week, you're ready to open yourself up to the right people, and you're paying attention so that you'll know who those people are.

You’re thinking of basketball, right? Think again. In the film industry this term refers to a month where films of lesser known actors and directors are introduced in between the award-winning films of 2019 and 2020 summer blockbusters. As in Basketball March Madness a little known team (in this case film or actor) can become a winner and stir up some critical buzz. It’s also a month where actors we haven’t seen for a while are trying to get back into the game.

With the South Korean film, “Parasite,” winning both Best Foreign Language film and Best Film awards, it has given Asian filmmakers confidence and funding for their projects. You can guarantee you will see more films from Asia.

Between conflicting schedules, a looming deadline and an ocean between us, I had almost resorted to interviewing Jolyon Griffiths via Facetime. Thankfully we found a way, meeting in person after Jolyon’s arrival from London.

It was worth the wait.

For the next hour, this quintessential British gentleman regaled me with tales of travel from Vietnam to Botswana, educated me in the time honored traditions of cricket and offered up some surprisingly sage life advice from the field of chemical engineering. All this as I watched the continually changing panorama spilling in from every window of his beloved marsh house. No, Facetime could never have done this story justice.

If you’re overweight, you’re not alone. More than one-third of Americans are obese, and two-thirds are either obese or overweight. All 50 states in the US now have at least a 20 percent obesity rate, with five states at more than 35 percent of their population being obese (South Carolina is not one of them). Just two decades ago, not one state in our nation had over a 15 percents obesity rate. Being overweight and obese is an epidemic, one far more scary and imminent than headline viruses. Obesity is linked to 60 chronic illnesses, and has now surpassed smoking as the No. 1 preventable cause of death. The reason: We are eating more. Way more! We are consuming 23 percent more calories on a daily basis than we did in the 1970s. What that looks like in numbers is a standard 2,000 calorie per day consumption has increased to an average of almost 2,500 calories per day, all while physical activity has decreased. The result: We have become an unhealthy, sick country. Everyone knows losing weight is one of the hardest tasks to conquer. Sometimes we feel defeated before we even start. The good news is, if you are overweight or obese, losing even five percent of your current weight helps reduce your risks for disease. Many wonder where to start. It’s OK to ask for help, and that’s why we went to the experts to really talk about the ins and outs of weight loss and fat reduction, and what the difference is.

“It’s time to get up and out!”
– The Uphill Skater –

Spring has sprung and all of that glorious stuff. The temperatures are in the 70s and azaleas are competing with new spring daffodils for the big color award. In case you have not noticed, it is time to get out of that jacket, get off the sofa, and check out the world. Our publisher, Elizabeth Millen, was spotted walking at Harbour Town without a coat and having a gin and tonic, the ultimate summer drink. So how about the rest of us? That cold-stay-inside weather is over, ladies. It’s time to open windows, open minds, and let the sun shine in!

Let’s figure out what we can do about coming out of hibernation to return—or start—living a healthy, active life and not be sad watching HGTV all day, longing for other people’s houses and decor that seems way better than ours. I have done that, and don’t pretend you haven’t.

While working at Uniform Issue at FLETC, I found a $50 bill in a pants pocket after checking about 150 pairs of pants finding mostly nasty mouth pieces or ear plugs. Whoop, whoop!

Getting a date with my wife, Hilary, was the best luck I ever had­—all the worst luck I ever had led me to her. Karma—God’s plan—you can’t change or escape it!

I have had both. I was married 22 years and my husband committed suicide. Two years later, my 16-year-old was killed in a car accident with his best friend. Now I have been with the love of my life for 14 years.

It’s the award season once more. 

The Golden Globes are already behind us, and the coveted Oscars are this month on February 9.

If you are a movie-goer like The Reel Corner, you might agree there really weren’t many films to get excited about in 2019. Never fear, The Reel Corner has highlighted a few worth seeing.

Kevin Lawless realized at an early age that he had difficulty with reading and he later learned he had dyslexia. Rather than let this learning handicap limit his life, he also realized he was blessed with an amazing talent that has led to a lifetime of living his dream. Kevin sees the world differently than most people. He envisions beauty where others see junk. He has become a famous artist with the talent to create stunning sculptures, metal gates, bicycle racks, fences and grills  all through the art and skill of welding.

He uses MILD Steel, often mistakenly referred to as wrought iron, as his medium. He learned much of his craft from his father-in-law.

Many people think a stroke happens in the heart, but it happens in the brain, and it can be devastating. Stroke is a disease you must be educated about. When it happens, it is always sudden and never expected. Knowing the signs and symptoms, and acting FAST, can mean the difference between a stroke victim being permanently disabled, or being able to resume a normal, healthy life. It can also be the difference between life and death. Read on to educate yourself on the risk factors, signs and symptoms of stroke.

 “February is the month of love, so how about we give some love to ourselves?”

– The Uphill Skater –

Yes, ladies, I am putting self-love out there for your consideration. We are so conditioned as women to love and serve others, that we frequently forget ourselves. In fact, I was sharing a Bible story with my Sunday school class last week, and we were talking about the miracle when Jesus healed the mother-in-law of Peter. After she was healed, the Bible said, she got up and began to serve them. What is that? She gets up from a sick bed and starts to serve the people just sitting around? Okay, you might think this not a good example and maybe from another time, both of which are correct, but have you ever known anyone who did not feel well, or was really sick and made dinner before collapsing into bed, or limped around getting the house clean before finally lying down to rest? I know I have not only heard of it, but I have been that person! Haven’t you?

New cleanse. Barre yoga class. Upset tummy. The runs. Run out of class. Never return.

My trainer was handing me a weight, and I accidentally grabbed his penis.

One night, I had the gym to myself…or so I thought. I was running on the treadmill and let out a huge fart. Someone in the corner started laughing. I have not been back since.

I slept walked into the living room and did a yoga video at 3:00 a.m.

“Is there such a word as ‘unmotivated?’
I’m just wondering!”
– The Uphill Skater –

2019 was very up and down for me. I do not mean just weight either. A week or so ago, I was so unmotivated to look to the future that I took my 2019 resolution list, and made the 1 into a 2 by putting a little curl on the top, and made the 9 into a 0 by filling in the empty space up the side. Can you picture it? It now looks like I have brand new resolutions for 2020 on the totally unmodified 2019 list, and I still have them shamelessly up on my fridge.