Tag Archives: health

“Real Food” vs Processed Food – Areavoices Digest #89

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So as I sat the other day spraying cheese in a can on my snack crackers, I began to think “Can this be real cheese?”

Well the answer is “probably not.”  First clue: any cheese that’s spelled with a “z” is probably not the real deal. Second clue: When a dairy product gets loaded into an aerosol can it’s probably a red flag.

It’s not that it’s not good. But is it what’s best for you?

Study after study these days touts eating “real food.” The kind of food our grandparents and great parents ate. Think about what those people ate. They didn’t have fat-free this or fat-free that and most weren’t sipping on diet soda. It was the high octane stuff for them. And many of them looked great! I remember when I worked at WDAY-TV and the pictures hung up all over the building of early TV and radio personalities. What struck me most was the little itty bitty tiny waists these women had. How’d they get them?

Well one of our newest bloggers might have the answer.

In 2012, Char became more interested in “real food,” as she started to try and remove most processed foods from her diet. She’s learning as she goes and will use her new blog to document her experiences, successes and pitfalls. You’ll also get a recipe or two.

It’s just the first in our recommended blogs of the week.

 

Really Eating
reallyeating.areavoices.com
A blog dedicated to making, serving, and eating “real food” over processed food.

Images of Fall
fall.areavoices.com
The colors of fall as seen through the eyes of readers.

NIE Rocks
nierocks.areavoices.com
Newspapers in Education kicks off another school year with activities and fun.

Oh, Look a Shiny Thing!
shiny.areavoices.com
The weird and wacky of the web.

Music Moves
musicmoves.areavoices.com
Perspectives and Insight from a musical therapist.

Healthy Tidbits
peggysue.areavoices.com
Health topics from Peggy Anderson

Look where I found some quirky and fun cakes – Areavoices Digest #86

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What is this a picture of? It’s a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, right? Wrong. Look again.
It’s actually a peanut butter and jelly sandwich CAKE. How absolutely cute is this? I stumbled across this on Facebook and I proceeded to put in on my Pinterest board (where, let’s be honest, good recipes go to gather dust. As much as I love them, I seldom commit to making them. But I think I have to try this one!)

I noticed that the recipe came from Shannon over at North Dakota Kitchen.  Check out the recipe: http://www.northdakotakitchen.net/2012/08/peanut-butter-and-jelly-sandwich-cake.html

I started thinking how great it would be to share Shannon’s very clever recipes with Areavoices and readers of Forum Communications papers.  Shannon agreed to start an Areavoices blog. Yay! I think you’ll love her fun recipes like Cookie Monster cupcakes or Cracked Egg Cupcakes (I’m doing those for Easter. What a hoot!) But she also has more mainstream recipes that look plain yummy.

We’re happy to have her North Dakota Vintage Kitchen on Areavoices. It’s the first of my recommended blogs of the week.

North Dakota Vintage Kitchen
Vintagenorthdakotakitchen.areavoices.com
A vintage collector’s love of home, family and food.

Fresh Mojo
freshmojo.areavoices.com
Kristina Pranke recently moved to Dickinson, North Dakota from the Twin Cities. Her blog
addresses what life is really like in Western North Dakota during the oil boom.

Prairie Fare
prairiefare.areavoices.com
Garden-to-table information to help you grow, store and prepare food at home from NDSU Extension specialist Julie Garden-Robinson

Courts Plus
courtsplus.areavoices.com
Committed to the wellness of the community we serve.

Oscar-Zero
oscarzero.areavoices.com
News about the Ronald Reagan Minuteman Missile State Historic Site.

Areavoices Digest #79 – Movie reviews, Family Wellness, SheSaysTV and more!

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Here are this week’s recommended blogs. We’re welcoming a brand new blog from Sanford Health and the YMCA and we’re reminding you of the great video content you’ll find at SheSaysTV. Enjoy!

Words of Wellness – Stories from our Family Wellness Community
familywellnessfargo.areavoices.com
Family Wellness is a partnership between Sanford Health and the YMCA of Cass and Clay Counties. Together, we are dedicated to inspire healthy lifestyles by connecting people in a fun environment.

Eh? Plus
ehplus.areavoices.com
Offbeat tidbits and news you can use from the Duluth (Minn.) News Tribune.

Movie Reviews by Nate
duluthmovies.areavoices.com
“Do we need another person reviewing movies? No, but I’m gonna.”

Healthbeat
healthbeat.areavoices.com
A blog about all things health. One of our most popular Areavoices.com

Shesaystv
shesaystv.areavoices.com
The place to find She Says related video including The Great Indoors with Tracy Briggs, Hungry for More, and Happy Body, Hot Life with Chris Linnares.

Areavoices Digest #74 – Are you training for the marathon?

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Their numbers seem to multiply around this time every year. The snow is gone and the weather hasn’t yet turned hot. Runners are coming out of the woodwork, some to train for upcoming marathons (The Fargo Marathon is May 17-19th) and others simply to get their daily exercise.

There is no shortage of advice out there about what it takes to be a runner, but let me steer you towards one of the best. Steve Wagner, an editor at the Bemidji Pioneer, is an avid runner who started relatively late in life. But as the title of his blog suggests, he’s already hooked. In his blog, Steve offers training advice, nutrition and encouragement for runners of all levels.

He’s just the first in our recommended blogs of the week.

Addicted to Running
runningspud.areavoices.com
Running enthusiast Steve Wagner talks about training, nutrition and more.

Wag n’ Tales – Life on the Farm
wagntales.areavoices.com
Mommy of four boys, farm wife and blogger. Not in that particular order.

Father Knows Last
jimlindlauf.areavoices.com
The life of a Grand Forks husband and father.

Dakota Valley News Blog
http://dakotavalleynews.areavoices.com/
News and information from the Dakota Valley Electric Cooperative in Southeastern North Dakota.

Rummaging with Ryan
http://rummagingwithryan.areavoices.com
Enter for a chance to win a morning of rummaging with Ryan Bakken.

 

Areavoices Digest #73 – Capitalizing on the Pinterest explosion

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No doubt you’ve heard about the meteoric rise of Pinterest. In two short years, the digital bulletin board has become the third most popular social network trailing only behind Facebook and Twitter in the number of monthly users. In fact,  Pinterest doubled it’s number of users between January and February of this year and no other social network reached 10 million users faster than Pinterest. Although recent reports suggest that growth is slowing Pinterest is still a hot commodity for it’s millions of users (80% of them female). Now one of our Areavoices bloggers is making it easier for you to Pin without really pinning.

Her name is Jen Burris and she’s taking what she sees on Pinterest and trying it out for herself. And we get to read about it on her blog. It’s just one of the recommended blogs of the week. Enjoy!
Pin It
http://pinit.areavoices.com
Pinterest is the fastest growing social medium around these days. Follow as this blogger tries out
some of the pins she finds on the digital bulletin board.

Joe Fitness
http://joefitness.areavoices.com
One of our most popular health and fitness blogs. Joe answers real life questions like “Is Nutella
really good for you?” or “What is the cardio machine you should be using, but aren’t?”

MSUM
http://msum.areavoices.com
Follow the news and information from the campus of Minnesota State University Moorhead.

FM Ballet
http://fmballet.areavoices.com
News from Fargo Moorhead Ballet, a nationally respected regional professional dance company that presents a multidisciplinary repertoire from ballet, jazz, modern, and tap.

Father Knows Least
http://fatherknowsleast.areavoices.com
Hilarious stories from a man as he takes on the job of fatherhood.

Areavoices Digest #70 – A song that might drive WDAY’s Weather Guys Crazy!

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Okay, technically “Fargo’s First Radio” isn’t turning 90 until May 22nd, but I’m a firm believer in celebrating milestones as long as possible.

But perhaps more than that, the station’s anniversary is worth mentioning today because of something the fine folks at ‘DAY just started doing. They’re helping us relive history. (I mentioned last week how the Duluth News Tribune is celebrating history in it’s Attic blog, now WDAY is following suit). The station has uncovered some classic old radio clips from the past century – with the voices of Ken Kennedy, Jack Dunn and more. (Trivia: Did you know WDAY radio personality Ken Kennedy discovered singing great Peggy Lee, the former Norma Deloris Egstrom from Jamestown, ND?) What’s even more fun is hearing the old game shows and commercials. Now you can hear these clips from the Golden era of radio on the WDAY Radio Blog.

I have to point out one clip in particular. It’s from a live weather report in 1946. What stands out to me is the weather jingle sung by Lynn Abbott. It is vintage. Really cheesy. But delightful. I’m sure the jingle stopped airing in the 1940′s or 50′s, but it never really went away. I remember a couple of years ago when I worked for WDAY, the studio production crew would pipe this old jingle into the studio as the meteorologists were prepping their forecast. While I think they all appreciated the walk down memory lane, I think it might have driven them a little nuts too. Now you can listen to that song on the WDAY radio blog.

The WDAY radio blog will be sharing these clips with us through the spring and even summer. Please feel free to leave your comments and memories in the comments section of their blog.

Now here is the WDAY radio blog along with the rest of the recommended blogs of the week:

WDAY Radio
http://wdayradio.areavoices.com
Fargo’s first radio celebrates its 90th birthday by uncovering some rare audio and video clips from radio’s golden era.

Marilyn Hagerty
http://marilynhagerty.areavoices.com
Grand Forks own media darling. The 85-year-old retired Herald columnist has captured the nation’s attention with her
restaurant reviews. What started with a review of The Olive Garden is now taking Marilyn around the world!

Oil Patch Dispatch
http://oilpatchdispatch.areavoices.com
Forum Communications reporter Amy Dalrymple brings us news from the oil boom in western North Dakota.

Chew the Fat
http://mpfitness.areavoices.com
A health and fitness blog designed with you in mind.

Real Money
http://realmoney.areavoices.com
Advice from The Village Financial Resource Center as we hit the heart of tax season.

Areavoices Digest #64 – Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota’s New Tool, Active and Disabled, and a Minnesotan in China?

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Areavoices welcomes Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota to our platform. The world of health insurance is ever changing and the news comes fast and furious. The Blue Cross Blue Shield Areavoices blog provides one more way for the company to communicate with the public and those they serve.

It’s just the first in this week’s recommended blogs. Check them out!

And as always if you write an Areavoices blog and would like me to recommend it to others, please send me your blog address. I try to keep up to date with all of you who blog on Areavoices, but I’m only human. I can’t recommend a blog if I don’t know about it. Please keep me posted and I’ll do my best to keep our audience posted!
Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota
http://bcbsnd.areavoices.com
Share you ideas, questions and insights with the health insurance provider.
A Minnesotan in China
http://aminnesotaninchina.areavoices.com
Brandon Ferdig, a native of Northern Minnesota, shares his insights and experience of living in China for a year.

Not aLone Mom
http://notalonemom.areavoices.com
This blog is dedicated to mothers. Kristen Nelson’s desire is that by reading about the many twists and turns of her journey you will be able to find hope in yours. You are not alone!

Disabled and Active
http://thisability.areavoices.com
John shares his experiences as a quadriplegic. Through his blog he hopes to encourage others with a disability, enlighten those who are not and guide those who wish to help.

Catholic Charities of North Dakota -
http://catholiccharitiesnd.areavoices.com
Helping People, Changing Lives.

 

 

 

Areavoices Digest #61

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Here is this week’s list of recommended blogs. Enjoy!

Healthy Lifestyle

http://healthylifestyle.areavoices.com

Better health through nutrition

While you were in

http://fun.areavoices.com

Duluth News Tribune arts and entertainment reporter Christa Lawler covers “a hodgepodge of nonsense, including overflow from interviews with rock stars, reviews, and links to things you should read/watch/hear.”

Minnesota Sports Shorts

http://louiestgeorge.areavoices.com

An overview of Minnesota’s often vexing sports scene with Duluth News Tribune copy editor Louie St. George III.

North Dakota Outdoors and Beyond

http://dougleier.areavoices.com

Outdoors, hunting, fishing, trapping and more.

Fargo School Talk

http://fargopublicschools.areavoices.com

The official blog of Fargo public schools. Great pictures! Great info!

Areavoices Digest #59 – Welcome MSUM Dragon Athletics!

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We start this week’s digest with a big welcome to the athletics department at Minnesota State University Moorhead. They’ve been blogging for awhile, but can now be found on Areavoices.

We look forward to hearing all of their news in the coming months!
MSUM Dragon Athletics
http://msumdragons.areavoices.com
The latest news and events from the athletic’s department of Minnesota State University Moorhead

To Fargo with Love
http://tofargo.areavoices.com
Writer, newlywed, social media enthusiast and self-proclaimed Fargo girl Katie Hutton shares her thoughts on her new blog.

Kindness is Contagious
http://kindness.areavoices.com
Columnist Nicole Phillips tells stories of “random acts of kindness” throughout our community and beyond.

Health with a Healing Touch
http://healingtouch.areavoices.com
Dr. Tiffany Johnson will be bringing you the latest natural wellness information and commentary on health headlines making news.

Living Empowered
http://livingempowered.areavoices.com
Tap into your power, realize your potential, and achieve your dreams.

Areavoices Digest #52 – Are women sabotaging their leadership through self-doubt?

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It’s an interesting question posed by one of our newest bloggers. Jess Almlie works with student leaders at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota. But now she’s started a blog here on Areavoices which seeks to provide advice for women who wish to develop their leadership skills. In a world where women make up half the workforce, but only 2.4% of Fortune 500 CEO positions, it’s information worth hearing. It’s just the first of this week’s recommended blogs.

 

She Leads
http://sheleads.areavoices.com
Jess Almlie’s blog will offer ideas on how women (and men too) can develop leadership skills and abilities.
HERO (Healthcare Equipment Recycling Organization)
http://herofm.areavoices.com
HERO collects and redistributes donated healthcare materials to benefit those in need locally, regionally and around the world.

Wild Rice Camp
http://sora.areavoices.com
Thoughts and musings from the wild rice lakes of Northern Minnesota by Save Our Rice Alliance , a non-profit which promotes conservation, education and research for natural wild rice in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Social Security Information and Updates
http://socialsecurityinfo.areavoices.com
Howard Kossover is a Social Security Public Affairs Specialist who will answer your questions about Social Security.

 

 

 

MSUM Performing Arts

http://msumperformingarts.areavoices.com

Interviews with artists, theatre directors and students, information on upcoming events, and links to important sites from Minnesota State University Moorhead.

Areavoices Digest #50 – Our most popular blogger and more!

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In this week’s digest of recommended blogs, I wanted to highlight a couple of old favorites and three newbies. Enjoy!

Astrobob
http://astrobob.areavoices.com
Celestial happenings you can see from your own backyard. I realize many of you are already reading this blog from Bob King of the Duluth News Tribune. But I thought I’d remind you about him just in case.He is consistently the #1 blog on Areavoices (excluding the Topics blog). His blog is well written, visual, and interesting. 41,000 people around the world read it. It’s really a great blog!

 

Confessions of a [Former] Fatgirl
http://fatgirl.areavoices.com
The emotional rollercoaster of losing – and – gaining weight over and over again. I really love this blog written by Celeste Beam. She writes about what so many of us live. The ups and downs of trying to live a healthy lifestyle. She gives us a weekly healthy recipe, but she also writes very honest, inspirational and sometimes funny posts about falling off the wagon. For example, she writes one morning about how she replaced her yogurt and fruit breakfast with 2 cupcakes and tortilla chips. But then she reminds us not to give up and shows us how to get back on track. Great information!

 

A Pinch of This
http://apinchofthis.areavoices.com
Home-created meals and ideas to fit anyone’s budget. This stay at home mom says she’s not a chef, but she wants to chronicle how she manages to put food on the table for her family every night.

 

Cobbers on the Brain
http://cobbersonthebrain.areavoices.com
Neurochemistry students at Concordia College (Moorhead, MN) break down technical information on brain science so the average reader can understand it. I love this idea. A chemistry professor at Concordia College wanted to teach her students, some of whom will go onto medical school, how to communicate complicated medical information to the average person. This blog is their effort in doing this. I hope it leads to some future doctors with great communication skills!

 

The Armchair Kicker
http://thearmchairkicker.areavoices.com
Mark Walters describes his blog as “The Best Minnesota Vikings Blog” in the Western Hemisphere.

Areavoices Digest #42 – A terrific twosome

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When it rains it pours. These days in addition to some of my regular duties I find myself immersed in two pretty cool projects here at Forum Communications. You could say I’m just getting my feet wet with our water project “Living with Water.”  (Pardon the pun, but I couldn’t help myself.) The project involves  FCC’s print, online, and broadcast journalists chronicling how water impacts our lives. And most importantly, we need your input too! To read more about it, click on my blog post from a couple of days ago or go to http://water.areavoices.com to learn more about it.

Beautiful Women of Committee

Now, we’re undertaking another special project that is near and dear to my  heart. It’s called “Beautiful Women of: Letting Inner Beauty Shine.” As a mom of two daughters I’m well aware of the media imagery they face everyday. Knowing the effect the media has on body image among young girls and women in our society, our organization has an opportunity to create awareness and have a positive influence on our community. Using the multimedia platforms of Forum Communications, including here on Areavoices, we will celebrate the stories of the beautiful, inspiring women in our area. You will be able to nominate the deserving women in your life. We will then select a few women each month to feature here, and readers will vote for woman they most want to see featured on an upcoming WDAY news broadcast, in The Forum, and on WDAY radio and these companies websites. The woman you select also will be treated to a generous prize package.

Two very different undertakings but so worthwhile and fun! Those are just two of the blogs I’m recommending in this week’s digest:

Living with Water – http://water.areavoices.com A Forum Communications Special Project with the goal of building understanding about water and its impact on our lives across the region.

Bison Sports Blog: Bison Rubes talk NDSU – http://ndsubisonsports.areavoices.com Kyle Roth is senior at North Dakota State University majoring in broadcasting. He writes for Bison Illustrated and the NDSU Spectrum and started the Bison Sports Blog as a place for fans to talk Bison sports.

Joe Fitness: Personal Training and Bootcamps - http://joefitness.areavoices.com   Joe Ketterling is a personal trainer specializing in fat loss.  In addition to his personal training business he runs FM Bootcamps, in Fargo, North Dakota.

Cover to Cover – http://covertocover.areavoices.com -  Krista Thom is an avid reader who reviews books from the local region and beyond.                               

Beautiful Women of: Letting Inner Beauty Shine – http://beautifulwomenof.areavoices.com   A multi-media project from Forum Communications celebrating and recognizing remarkable women throughout the region.
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Areavoices Digest #38: P-P-P-Penny Keep Posting that Blog!

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If you’ve had children anytime after 1990 or so, you undoubtedly know what my headline means. If you haven’t you probably think I’m weird.  You might think that regardless. But let me explain.

Young children in the upper Midwest are nuts for “Penny and Pals.” Penny and her Pals travel around our region entertaining and educating children through her music. My kids went bonkers for her when they were in preschool. Now you’d think I would have gotten sick of those tunes we had to play over and over again in the mini van. But Penny’s songs never did get old.

I’m not going to say people didn’t look at me funny when, one day, I kept singing  “Uncle Underwood’s Unbelievable Ugly Underwear” at work. What was I going to do? It was stuck in my head. Even so, I wasn’t tired of the tunes. (Today’s headline is in reference to Penny’s friend Bernie and his need to keep bouncing “that ball.” Look it up on Penny’s website. )

Penny’s popularity with the under 8 set makes me all the more excited that she’s joined us on Areavoices. Penny’s blog is just the first of the blogs I’m recommending in this week’s digest. And remember: “R-R-R-Readers, keep reading these blogs!” Okay, that was going too far. I apologize. Nonetheless these are some great blogs!

 
Penny and Pals: http://pennyandpals.areavoices.com
 Children’s entertainer Penny Andrist shares info, news and photos from her appearances around MN, ND, and SD. 

Gooseberry Park Players
http://gooseberry.areavoices.com
A blog written for the Gooseberry Park musical theatre troupe for youth in Moorhead, Minnesota. Fargo-Moorhead Properties.
 
 
A Minnesotan in China – Learning about the world, learning about ourselves:
http://newplateaus.areavoices.com
Brandon Ferdig  was raised in Blackduck, MN, spent 10 years in the Twin Cities, and now lives in Zhuhai, China. This blog shares his travel experiences.  
 
Move that body:
http://movethatbody.areavoices.com
A blog designed to highlight the excitement and hilarity that goes along with an active life. This blog has a nice look to it. Very sharp. 
 
Roving Reporter:
http://rovingreporter.areavoices.com
Roving Reporter is written by Eric Ludy, a native of Turtle Lake, Wisconsin and former Minnesota newspaper journalist. After getting laid off Eric decided take off and do something he’s always wanted go outside his comfort zone. Specifically he’s now working from Lima, Peru. He says, “I’ll use this blog to document the journey, from brushing up on Spanish at home to (hopefully) hiking the Inca Trail on my way to Machu Pichu. Expect tons of pictures, stories of people and places, and lots of lengthy descriptions of food.”

It’s My Opinion:
http://itsmyopinion.areavoices.com
James Bushey is a Minnesotan who writes a little bit of everything. He focuses on pop culture, entertainment and “funny, and cute postings just in-case someone is having a bad day. He says, “The goal of my blog is to show my opinion on things without being mean.”

Fugitive Focus:
 http://fugitivefocus.areavoices.com
A weekly profile in The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead featuring the most wanted criminal offenders in the Red River Valley.

Areavoices Digest #32 – Focusing on the Minnesota Twins and more

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Somehow it seemed fitting last night that the Minnesota Twins should end their 9 game losing streak on what had been a very sad day for Minnesota sports fans. Earlier in the day, Twins great Harmon Killebrew lost his battle with cancer at the age of 74.

Michael Cuddyer, who knew Killebrew, told reporters he felt like Killebrew was looking down on them last night.

You can read more about Killebrew and other Twins news in one of our newest Areavoices blogs. It’s called Twins Focus and it’s just one of the great blogs I’m recommending this week.

Twins Focus - http://twinsfocus.areavoices.com
I’m really excited to get Twins Focus on Areavoices. It’s written by Chad Jacobsen, an uber Twins fan! He has a Twins Focus Facebook page too. He’ll use Twins Focus to offer insight and opinion about Minnesota’s boys of summer.

Pet Pellets: a blog about pets, their care and more - http://petpellets.areavoices.com
Pet Pellets will address pet care and pet topics in the news.  Pet owners can also ask questions and get advice about everything from kangaroos to hermit crabs.
Positively Beautiful: Art & Science of Mind*Body*Beauty Balance – http://positivelybeautiful.areavoices.com
Dr. Susan Mathison shares thoughts, tips, insights about health, wellness, beauty and life. Mathison calls this “a personal journey as well, for some of what I share are practices and rituals that I aspire to, yet haven’t quite mastered. I have years of medical learning, and I hope to serve you by making this knowledge accessible. I welcome your feedback and questions–even the ones you are afraid to ask in person!”

Shakespeare in the Park -  http://shakespeare.areavoices.com
Following the process of putting together an outdoor Shakespeare experience! Old Bill would be proud of this blog out of Detroit Lakes, Minnesota.

Isaac on Tech – http://isaacontech.areavoices.com
I’ve recommended this blog before, but thought it was worth another look. Isaac Grover does a really nice job covering technology. I’m not a techie person, but even I found his posts interesting. His recent posts have included advice on 3D movies and taking pictures on your Smartphone.
Red River Orthodox: Orthodox Christianity in the Red River Valley and North Dakota - http://holyresurrection.areavoices.com
Red River Orthodox is a blog on behalf of Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church, an Orthodox Christian community in Fargo, ND (www.holyresurrectionfargo.org).

Yes, but is Randolph Mantooth there?

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I love blog posts where I get to show my age and my love of cheesy ’70′s television shows while simultaneously promoting Areavoices.

If you’re under the age of 40, you might not know who these guys are. For those of us who grew up in the era of The Partridge Family, The Brady Bunch and Love American Style, we know it’s Kevin Tighe (on the left) and Randolph Mantooth (on the right), the stars of “Emergency,” the NBC drama which profiled the lives of Los Angeles paramedics Johnny Gage, played by Mantooth and Roy DeSoto played by Tighe.

According to NBC’s classic TV website , the show, which premiered in 1972, was produced by Jack Webb of “Dragnet” fame. Following his stint as Joe Friday, Webb wanted to produce shows which celebrated civil servants as everyday heroes. In addition to producing “Emergency” he gave us “Adam-12,” which will forever be seered in my brain for two reasons. First, I remember my dad walking around the house doing his best dispatcher impression: ”One-Adam-12-One-Adam-12.” Second, I remember even as an 8 year old girl, thinking that Kent McCord (below) was indeed dreamy.

Anyway, I digress. The reason I bring this up, is that while they strived to bring a realistic sense of the everyday lives of the paramedic, “Emergency” didn’t quite do it. Hampered by bad hair and cheesy dialogue, it was entertaining, but not exactly reality.

So today, I offer you a little paramedic reality in the form of Areavoices blogging. One of our most popular Areavoices bloggers, Anne Polta, is using her blog “Healthbeat”  to really let us know what the life of a paramedic is all about. She writes:

“What is it like to spend a day in their shoes? To mark National Emergency Medical Services Week, we’re taking readers behind the scenes today with live guest-blogging by the Willmar Ambulance Service at Rice Memorial Hospital. Follow us from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and see how the day unfolds as entries are live-blogged continuously throughout the day. Readers are invited to ask questions or provide feedback ; the paramedics will try to answer as many of your questions as possible. Be sure to check out the links to learn more – and visit us often during the day for live updates.”

Check out Healthbeat at http://healthbeat.areavoices.com It’s paramedic reality without the 70′s soundtrack.

Areavoices Digest #21 – What’s it like to get gastric bypass surgery?

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There’s a reason television shows like The Biggest Loser are so popular and why issues of People magazine touting 100lb weight loss are among their best sellers. We like to hear others  weight loss journeys. Maybe it’s because so many of us fight the battle of the bulge ourselves. For that reason, I’m particularly excited to tell you about the first of this week’s recommended areavoices blogs.

BIG TIME: STRUGGLES WITH THE SCALES- http://bigtime.areavoices.com 
Big Time is written by a man who is chronicaling his and his wife’s journey as they prepare for gastric bypass surgery. They’re in the early stages of getting ready for surgery. Ironically his wife was scheduled for surgery in a week or two, but in today’s blog post he said his wife just announced she’s pregnant so she is giving him her surgery date. I’ve found his journey and insights interesting so far and think the story will get even more interesting as it goes.
 
Carolyn Henderson is the marketing manager of Steve Henderson Fine Art.(A popular Norwegian Artist with quite a following in Minnesota, Wisconsin and the Dakotas.)  In addition to her Middle Aged Plague blog, Carolyn writes a regular art column for FineArtNews, an online publication for artists and art collectors. She writes about art and life. 
Mike Brue from The Grand Forks Herald told me about a couple of brand new entertainment type blogs:  
JACKIE0: COMEDY, ACTION AND DRAMA. OH, MY! - http://jackie0.areavoices.com/ Please note that’s a zero in the title not an “o.” Jackie is a college student and movie buff.
 
REEL TALK:  LET’S TALK FILM, TV, THEATRE AND A BIT OF POP CULTURE -  http://reeltalk.areavoices.com
This movie blog is written by Herald copy editor Melinda Lavine.
 
And finally:
 
WHAT’S THAT ROCK, ETC? – http://whatrock.areavoices.com. The primary purpose of this blog is to provide information about public rock art in Carlton County. I’ve never seen a blog like this before and thought it was kind of fun. Check it out!
As always, let me know if you see a blog that should be featured in the digest!

Areavoices Digest #19 – February 16, 2011 “Spanning the Globe, etc”

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Remember that old “ABC Wide World of Sports” slogan….”Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sport..”
Well I feel like this digest could be “spanning the region to give you a constant variety of blog.”
 
I’m particularly happy with this weeks fivesome because they come from the far reaches of Forum Communications newspapers and websites. (Western ND, South Dakota, Southern MN. Sorry Wisconsin, I don’t have any Wisconsin bloggers this time around. But I did cheer for the Packers so I’m not that horrible a person, right?)  Like last week, all of these blogs are already featured in at least one website in the company. I think they’re worth checking out.
 
The Prairie Blog – http://theprairieblog.areavoices.com  Jim Fuglie is a former writer from The Dickinson Press. He started his blog in December, took a little break but is active again. He says his blog will be about politics and prairie literature. He says he also wants to highlight “The Best of ND, etc.”  For example, he says he might write : “’Some Of The Funniest Things Ever Written About North Dakota’ over some excerpts from columns by Wayne Lubenow or Tony Bender or Lloyd Omdahl. Or ‘Some of the Best Songs Ever Sung By North Dakotans’ over songs by Chuck Suchy or Bobby Vee. You get the idea.”  I think this is really fun stuff!
Shootin the Wit – http://shootin.areavoices.com – Laura Stoneburner says her blog is “a column about life that should never, ever be taken too seriously.”  She’s written about her disdain for public grooming, why certain songs are overplayed on the radio and why Italian pasta isn’t that good in Italy. I thought it was really fun.
 
South Dakota Outdoors Adventures – http://sdoa.areavoices.com.   Do you ever hunt, fish or vacation in South Dakota? This is a nice blog about the outdoors. Good reading.
 
Staying Fit and Healthy – http://stayingfitandhealthy.areavoices.com - Laura Devine is the owner of Real Fit Workout Studio in Cottage Grove, MN. She is blogging about fitness and wellness tips for real life people.
 
The Flensburger Files – http://flensburgerfiles.areavoices.com - “Based on the travels and experiences gathered by a former Minnesotan in the last decade, the Flensburg Files takes you on a tour of the outside; namely showing you some interesting places that are worth visiting and giving you some food for thought from the eyes of the writer and photographer who has been there and done that.” 
Happy reading! And as always please let me know if you write a blog and you want to be featured on our newspaper and broadcast websites. We’re always looking for great bloggers!

Areavoices Digest #13 – Dec 15, 2010 From Positive Motion to Dilly Casserole Bread

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Positive Motion – Movement with a message – http://positivemotion.areavoices.com.
Patrick Kasper is the creator-presenter of the mind/body fitness/team building program POSITIVE MOTION. He’s says “It is my passion to Inspire, Encourage, and Motivate people to live happier and healthier lives We are all very well aware of the obesity epidemic in the United States, and how it is affecting our young people. I believe issues like obesity, bullying, internet abuse, alcohol abuse and tobacco use are all related and we need programs and people to teach our students the tools to live in ‘Pro-action instead of dis-traction.’” Patrick puts on seminars and events across the Dakotas, Minnesota and Wisconsin in which he teaches children about getting up and moving and in turn feeling good about yourself.
 
Appropos of Nothing – http://approspoofnothing.areavoices.com 
I found Mary Hubbell’s slice of life blog entertaining and well written. Her last post asked the question, “At Christmas time, are you a peeker or a shaker?” I found some great recipes on the blog as well. In fact, I plan on making her Dilly Casserole Bread for Christmas.
 
Lend a Hand – A Dakota Medical Foundation Initiative – http://lendahand.areavoices.com
Lend A Hand is a Dakota Medical Foundation initiative to support and improve volunteer efforts to raise funds for people experiencing a medical crisis. Lend a Hand provides people with an online fundraising kit to teach them how to put on a successful fundraiser. They also help cover administrative costs and provide matching funds.  In their blog, they hope to share the stories of some of their clients and tell you more about how you can help. 
 
And finally here are a couple of business/money blogs you might want to check out:
 
The Dickinson Chamber – http://thedickinsonchamber.areavoices.com  - Obviously, Chambers of Commerce are full of user-friendly information.
 
Economic Development News and Information – http://economicdevelopmentnews.areavoices.com -  Another good example, of an organization with topical information about the business community.
 
 Coming next week: The last areavoices digest of the year. Like so many people do this time of year, I’m going to compile a “best of” list. I’m going to recap some of the best recommended blogs from our 5 hot topic areas.

Areavoices Digest #12 – Dec 8, 2010 – Great Blogs for the Holidays!

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Maybe I’m  all about the Christmas spirit today or maybe I just can’t get last night’s Glee Christmas special out of my mind. Whatever the case, this week’s recommended blogs have that holiday feel.

First a couple of fantastic food blogs:

 
GOT SOUP? http://gotsoup.areavoices.com. Sara Watson and her husband Eric are the chefs and owners of Mosaic Foods Catering www.mosaicfoods.net and also co-owners of Maxwells Restaurant in West Fargo www.maxwellsnd.com.  Sara will be the primary writer. She is bubbly and fun and full of personality. Their food is amazing! They used to be guests on my radio show and I think I learned something new everytime they came on. Sara says, “ I feel like I dedicate much of my life to food; whether it be cooking, creating recipes, talking about of food, reading about food, teaching our children how to cook and eat healthy etc…. I’m looking foward to sharing knowledge I come across and hope others who are as passionate about food as I am will also share their knowledge with me.”  
 
ARLENE COCO’S PRAIRIE KITCHEN – http://arlenecocoprairiekitchen.areavoices.com  Arlene Coco runs a food segment on WDIO-TV in Duluth. She hunts for local culinary stars and treasures. She says her writings follow the seasons so look for recipes and information about local food events, chefs and all things food related in the north land. She says, “ I will also share my culinary travels with you as I am a frequent visitor to Australia and recently to Southeast Asia.” I really liked the look of Arlene’s blog and I think it relates to all of us.
 
But Christmas isn’t just about the great food, it’s about shopping and our next blog will help you keep your budget in check.
 
REAL MONEY – http://realmoney.areavoices.com – Financial counselors from The Village Family Service Center offer tips on how to save money, how to get out of debt and set up budgets. Their last post was about the 5 things you should know before heading to the mall for Christmas shopping. It’s a practical money blog where people can get valuable information.
 
GOOD PEOPLE GOOD BUSINESS – http://goodpeoplegoodbusiness.areavoices.com   Darrin D. Tonsfeldt is the director of in-office and organizational service at The Village Family Service Center. He is the lead blogger for Good People Good Business. Darrin will write about human resources including how to have a healthier work environment for your employees.
 
HEALTHY TIDBITS – http://peggysue.areavoices.com Peggy Anderson is a breast cancer survivor and retired Duluth school teacher who talks about community events and other health-related issues. I think it’s worth a look if you’re a Minnesota property.
 

Areavoices Digest #9 – November 17, 2010

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Areavoices Digest #9 – November 17, 2010

Another week and more schools are jumping on board with areavoices blogs. Areavoices is a fantastic place to share school news. In additon to our newest school blogs, check out some of our other recommended blogs in this weeks’ digest. 
 
 
Valley City State University News – http://vcsunews.areavoices.com  VCSU is the latest of the colleges to join areavoices with an official school blog. Information on the happenings at VCSU not just for Valley City, but for the entire region.

 
Moorhead High Theater – http://moorheadhightheater.areavoices.com – Moorhead Theatre is known for it’s spectacular, award winning productions and the parents who are running this blog have thrown their heart into making it blog look great! You can find video from their latest production of Tommy. Check it out!

 
Bigger Small Talk – http://biggersmalltalk.areavoices.com – Jodee Bock is a business consultant and career coach. She conducts training sessions throughout the region about what she calls “riskful” not “wishful” thinking. About her new blog with us she says:   “this blog will ask some important questions, not because I have any answers, but because I think more often than not, the answers are in the questions. When we ask better questions, we will get better answers. When we challenge each other to really think and respond rather than to repeat and react, we will be creating a brand new experience with every conversation.” 

 
Northern Lights Boy Scouts – http://nlcbsa.areavoices.com – Northern Lights Boy Scouts serves all of North Dakota and Northwestern Minnesota. Their blog is well done and has become a great place to share news of upcoming boy scout events in the region. 

 
I would like to make note of a couple of new health related blogs. They include:
 
Health Out Loud – http://healthoutloud.areavoices.com  – “We are excited at Douglas County Public Health to launch the blog – Health Out Loud! In this blog we want to create an active dialogue with all of you to reach out and share reliable health information. Here you’ll find health updates, links to health-related sites and various articles of interest, focusing on health topics locally and in our state. Blog post authors will primarily be Health Educators from our Public Health Department; Amy Reineke, Crystal Hoepner and Jessica Peterson. Please bookmark and visit us often.”   It was hard not to take notice of the headline of their last post, “Your appeal to the opposite sex could TRIPLE as a non-smoker!” These women know about attention-getting headlines!
 
Kandiyohi County Drug Free Communities Coalition – http://kcdrugfree.areavoices.com  – this group started blogging last October and has done a nice job giving us information about tobacco, drugs, etc while also making the blog look really nice. 

 
Also, we now have at least 5 rotary clubs blogging with us. I won’t list all of their urls, but here are a couple that you could look at if you’re looking for examples for clubs in your area: http://farmingtonrotarymn.areavoices.com and http://rosemountrotary.areavoices.com 
 
 
As always if you’re interested in starting a blog just let me know. I’m happy to help!