Power of music on people and their well being has been researched and documented numerous times. CNN had an article on their front page that gives a perfect example of the power music can have on one person trying to survive in Haiti after the earthquake.

“Blind violinist Romel Joseph laid in what he called his "grave" for 18 hours…

He began to pray every hour, for 20 minutes or so, and then came his music.

First he pictured himself playing a Tchaikovsky concerto. And then every hour another concerto.

"I know I picked the Brahms, the Franz, the Sibelius. I picked several," Romel remembers. "I know a lot of concertos for violins. And I picked the longer ones."

And so as the hours passed by, and his friends tried to rescue him from the concrete debris, another prayer, and another concerto took
place below.”

Romel was finally rescued and is recovering in a hospital in Miami. Though the doctors say he may never be able to play again due to a severe hand injury, he is determined to prove them wrong.

Whether it's the heat of summer or the icy cold of winter, Richmond offers plenty of unique places to visit outside.

1. James River - From Downtown to the Huguenot Bridge, Richmond's largest park offers distinct views of Richmond and a calm place to enjoy beauty of nature.

2. Maymont Park - Thanks to the generosity of Major Dooley and his family, the 100 acres of Maymont Park showcase native Virginian animals, elegant gardens, and the grand Dooley Estate. Special events are held year round on the grounds.

3. Libby Hill Park - Libby Hill Park, one of the three original city parks, has sweeping views of the city skyline from the top of Church Hill as well as the curving James River as it makes its way through the city.

4. State Capitol Square -The green spaces of the Virginia State Capitol grounds are an inviting change from the grey buildings and streets of downtown Richmond. Statues give a snapshot of important Virginia history.

5. Carytown - Carytown known for its "Mile of Style" is lined with local shops and restaurants that have something for everyone's tastes and interests.

On New Years Eve, my significant other and I found ourselves at Mezzanine for dinner after walking through Carytown. Mezzanine, located at 3433 W. Cary Street, offers food prepared with fresh ingredients from local farmers and fisherman. As a result of this, their menu is constantly changing to reflect the available ingredients. After hearing good reviews of the restaurant, I was looking forward to trying it.

Walking into Mezzanine, the restaurant was crowded but there was plenty of available seating on the enclosed, heated, non-smoking patio. The wait staff was attentive and promptly took drink and food orders. Due to the use of fresh, local ingredients, the menu changes frequently based on what is available. Therefore, instead of using menus, Mezzanine has large chalkboard posted throughout the restaurant with the menu written on them. I found that the menu was easy to read from where I was seated.

I ordered the Fried Oyster and Spinach Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Bacon Vinaigrette. Being a native Virginian with extensive experience eating seafood, I had high expectations for the oysters. Mezzanine far exceeded those expectations. The salad was served with eight large crispy, but light, oysters on a bed of fresh spinach. The oysters were cooked to perfection and the tomatoes and vinaigrette complemented their flavor. My dining companion was equally pleased with his pork chop served over orzo with a side of braised greens.

I look forward to dining at Mezzanine again to see what new dishes they create from local, fresh ingredients.

Tête-à-tête, a noun, meaning literally head to head in French. In English,  a private conversation between two persons or a short piece of furniture offering seating for two people facing each other. 

Running in the winter time offers several unique challenges to even the experienced runner. One, it is colder. Two, there is less daylight. And three, for those of you that venture inside to the gym, treadmills can be in very high demand. These reasons should not prevent runners from enjoying the outdoors, the cool crisp air, and the surprisingly empty sidewalks.

Runner’s World offers a perfect answer for the problem of what to wear to stay comfortable on a chilly winter run. Their “What Should I Wear ” app recommends what to wear based on weather conditions.

If work hours and other obligations prevent running during the daylight hours, find a running buddy, group, or a safe place with reflective clothing. Meetup or local gyms are great places to find just the right running group.

Running in the winter can just as exciting, if not more so, with the proper preparation. Just watch out for icy sidewalks!

To anyone who has been in a retail store recently, it seems that Christmas has been coming earlier and earlier each year. I was in a pharmacy the day before Halloween and there was already a very limited Christmas display. I understand the mass marketing appeal of Christmas and I'm sure the retail companies are relying on Christmas to help slumping sales.

The importance of Thanksgiving should not be forgotten in the hoopla of Christmas marketing. For me, Thanksgiving is a day free of the commercial superficial trappings of today’s society where I can spend quality time with my loved ones and truly give thanks for all the blessings in my life.

However, many people are not as fortunate as I am. For whatever reasons, they do not have enough money to provide for their families. In this busy holiday season, it is important not to forget them. There are many different ways to give back to the community from Angel Trees to Feed Richmond food drives to volunteering to serve meals. HandsOn Greater Richmond provides a comprehensive lists of volunteer opportunities in the Greater Richmond area.

I have always been a pretty active, healthy person. Through the
encouragement of someone close to me, I have started taking my running
a bit more seriously. Over the past two years, I have run several races
– mainly 8k and 10k races – with my personal goals becoming more and
more challenging. Aside from the obvious benefit of being in shape,
running provides an outlet for to relieve stress, find clarity in my
busy life, and enjoy being outside.

I have found several key factors that have helped my running improve:

• Good shoes – This is a must. Invest in a good pair of
  running shoes and your feet will thank you for it. Go somewhere where
  the staff are knowledgeable and can help you get a pair the fit just
  right. I purchased mine at Road Runners in Carytown.
• Music playlist – The right music helps me maintain a good pace and keeps me motivated during longer runs.
• Running environment – I am fortunate to live in an area perfect for running outside. I’ve
  also found that the trick to my longer runs is to run as far away as possible. Then I have to run all the way back as opposed to runningloops over and over. Sites such as Running Map have helped me map out routes.
• Encouragement and support – Find a person or group that can provide encouragement and support for
  your running. I have someone that encourages me and provides good
  advice and running course suggestions. Athlinks is also a beneficial site to join. It is similar to Facebook, but for runners, and can keep track of your races and times.
• Exciting races – This is where all my hard work pays off. My favorite in the Richmond
  area is the Monument Ave 10k. The race features bands along the course and enthusiastic spectators. It was also the race that got me hooked on running.

On Thanksgiving Day, I will be running my first significant cross country race, Richmond Road Runner Club's Turkey Trot 10k on and around University of Richmond’s campus. I’m looking forward to challenging myself and enjoying UR’s beautiful campus.

Next year I’m considering trying my first half marathon as long as my knees and ankles can handle it.

I’ll keep you updated on my adventures in running.

It seems that every time I turn on the news or check a news website, the head line story is a tragic crime that happened to the person next door. That story is quickly followed by more stories of robberies, murders, and other violent crimes that can happen to you.

So what is one to do… stop watching the news, continue watching but say it can’t happen to me, lock yourself inside, or be safe and make smart choices.

I choose the later. When people find out that I live in a city with a negative stereotype based on facts from 10-15 years ago, their reactions range from disbelief to scolding. I have never once felt threatened in my surroundings, but I do take precautions to ensure my safety. Because of this, I can enjoy my neighborhood and what it has to offer without fear.

I try not to walk alone at night. If I do, I make sure I have my keys and phone ready. I took a self defense class. And most importantly, I inform myself of crimes that do occur in the neighborhood so I know what to look for.

Local news sources offer the most relevant information for residents of a particular neighborhood. Boulevardizen.com (formerly 10sboulevard.com) does an excellent job of pulling crime stories from a variety of local news sources and presenting them in a non-alarming way for their readers in the Museum District and along the Boulevard.

Lt. McTernan of the Richmond Police Department (RPD) runs the Sector 311 blog and posts crime reports and tips for citizens. Lt. McTernan gives the following tips for incidents that commonly occur in that area:

For crimes such as residential burglary:

• Keep exterior lights on at night.
• Keep your doors & windows locked when you leave your home.
• Keep your windows clear of overgrown shrubs/trees.
• When you're away from your home be sure to close your blinds/curtains on the ground floor of your home so that prying eyes can't evaluate what you have inside.
• Record the make/model/serial number of all your valuable electronics.
• Take photos of your valuables such as expensive jewelry/antiques/art etc. Keep those photos in a safe place (like a safety deposit box at your bank if possible).
• Remember that RPD is always available to do a “site assessment” if you or one of your neighbors feels they would like us to evaluate any safety threat that the exterior of their home may present for them.

Theft from Motor Vehicles:

• Never…ever leave valuables inside your vehicle. Jewelry, loose change, iPods, laptops, clothing, GPS systems, cell phones, music Cd’s, etc are all an invitation to a would be thief!

Individual Robbery:

• Look around be fully aware of your surroundings.
• Strangers are not you friend. Go eyeball to eyeball with anyone that approaches you.  ‘dipped’ head says, “I’m subordinate.”
• If someone looks suspicious – stay in your locked car or cross the street.
• Don't be afraid to yell out is someone frightens you…you can always apologize later if necessary.
• If you are confronted, don’t fight, give them what they want. Your life is far more valuable than any “material” item they can take from you.

So I tell those people who are shocked about where I live that with this information and awareness, I feel armed and ready to live my life and go about my daily routine without unreasonable fear.

Recently the Retail Merchants Association in Richmond launched a new advertising campaign, "Think. Shop. Buy. Local," to encourage people to buy local and also to provide local businesses with advertising resources.

While the campaign may have its flaws, it brings a lot of attention and resources to local businesses who may be struggling in this down economy. On the Retail Merchant Association website, one statistic stands out.

"There is power in your decision. On average 45¢ of every $1 you spend locally, STAYS LOCAL. That’s 3 times more than when you buy non-locally."

This is additional money that stays within our local community and benefits its residents such as helping fund local parks and improving school systems and roadways.

Sustainable Connections , a non-profit organization comprised of business and community leaders in Northwest Washington state with a goal of encouraging sustainable practices, has a list of Ten Reasons to Buy Local :

1. Support Yourself and Encourage Increased Economic Growth Locally
2. Support Community Groups
3. Keep the Community Unique
4. Reduce Your Environmental Impact
5. Create More Jobs
6. Get Better Service
7. Invest in Community
8. Put Your Taxes to Good Use
9. Buy What You Want, Not What Someone Wants You to Buy
10. Encourage Local Prosperity

So the next time you go shopping, check out local boutiques, farmers markets, and restaurants and support your local entrepreneurs and businesses.

"Die Grenzen meiner Sprache bedeuten die Grenzen meiner Welt."
"The limits of my language are the limits of my universe."
-Ludwig Wittgenstein

I have heard many reasons why not to study a foreign language from people. Whether right or wrong, many Americans have the tendancy to believe that studying a foreign language is pointless. To them, English is the only langauge they need know. Which is true in many cases. In day-to-day activities, such as going to the grocery store, bank, doctor, etc, English will effectively communicate needs and desires. Even abroad, English can get a traveler far. Many people in other countries speak English. However, I believe that holding this mindset drastically limits life and its experiences and opportunities.

There are many benefits to learning a foreign language. University of Tennessee and the Tennessee Foreign Language Teaching Association lists a collection of articles and research that supports this statement.

Some benefits include:

• protecting against mental decline in old age
• providing preparation to live and work in an increasingly global society through understanding differenct cultures
• enhancing children's cognitive development
• outscoring non-foreign language learning peers in the verbal and the math sections of standardized tests
• obtaining a greater appreciation for other customs, cultures, and people beyond their own community
• developing the ability to reach across languages and cultures to connect with other people

For school age children in the United States, opportunities are available to learn and to truly become fluent in another language. Immersion programs in schools are increasing. Currently, there are over 200 foreign language immersion programs in the United States. Studies have shown that these programs provide the intensive language experience for students to become proficient and fluent in the langauge. The Richmond Times-Dispatch recently wrote an article about two Richmond elementary schools who offer a Spanish immersion program for their students. The students spent part of their days learning math and science in Spanish. For high school students, Henrico offers a Spanish and French immersion program at one of their high schools. Students from all over the county to apply to the program. Classes such as math, history, business, and marketing are taught in Spanish and French.

Once out of school, it can be challenging to maintain foreign langauge skills. There are not as many opportunities to use a foreign language in the States as there are in places like Europe. Personally, I found several ways to maintain and improve my French.

Open Cultures has a list of Free Foreign Language Lessons. I recommend the Coffee Break series to reinforce a language. They offer many languages including Spanish, French, Italian, and German. Radio France Internationale has a podcast which presents nightly news at an easy to understand pace that is great for broadening comprehension. Additionally, there are Meet Ups for every language available where you can sit down and talk to other people in a particular language. Members can range from beginners to professors to native speakers. It's a great opportunity to learn from other speakers and maybe even teach a beginner.

Learning a foreign language truly does open up the world. Bonne chance!