Please scroll down to view all the articles

The prism of docility

What would liberty be without the acceptance of the many restrictions life imposes? What would life be without some form of docility? In the country and in small, tightly-knit towns like ours, docility is a positive trait. People born and raised in these places have a strong sense of belonging and they mingle freely with new citizens from «elsewhere» who themselves become new strands in the local fabric. All these residents then share the common environment and, at certain times, coexist with visitors, tourists or vacationers who are only passing through. The convenience of one depends on the docility of the other.

Social networks, the web and large urban areas create anonymity that instills in many a sense of detachment towards their surrounding. The result is a form of negligence that the impact of the self has over what represents the many others. A comment easily goes in one ear and out the other in an anonymous environment. In a small community where a citizen can usually recognize a stranger, deviations from the norm are noticed and sometimes criticized. Behaving as an anonymous person may lead to unpleasant consequences: more restrictive regulations, loss of privileges, stricter controls... regarding rights of way, the practice of sports, and the ways of life.

Many of life's insurmountable and/or inevitable challenges such as natural disasters, death, the world economy and social inequities would be better faced with docility. From the first snowfall some will complain until the snow disappears and yet others will contemplate winter with docility resigning themselves to nature's superiority. Docility however, doesn't stop one from making a difficult situation more manageable like taking up skiing to make winter more pleasurable. In this sense, docility in the face of challenge signifies the acceptance of the inevitable without giving up.

One shouldn't consider docility as a sign of weakness, submission or resignation both in relationships or when confronted with life's constraints. Rather it should be used as a prism to judge one's affiliations and exercise it with purpose.

Happy reading!

Denis Boulanger

Docility & the Docile Domus

Does docility have any place in architecture or architectural design?

Who should be docile? The designer? The client? The builder? No one!

The best buildings are not really achieved if every-one surrounding a project is docile. A project should run smoothly and calmly, proceed with thoughtfulness and wisdom, but it can still be a very intense experience in that it is a team effort with high stakes. Whatever is built costs money and will (it is hoped) be there a long time – forever changing a landscape. Everyone involved should be open to listening and learning but, at the same time, standing up for what they see as essential.

What about the finished project itself? Should a built work be docile, quietly fitting into the landscape or should it have a humbling effect on those who behold it? All evidence (and some local projects) shows that there are varying opinions about this. Architects and designers have always toyed with both views – perhaps both are right as long as they are in line with the owner's objectives. We can wonder if the farmers of the 1800's who toiled in the Townships on rock ledge farms always yearned to have something grander than the farmhouses that many of us now so appreciate as being quaint. Early contemporary houses were often experiments in living that fit nicely into their surroundings, bold and rich with design ideas but somehow docile in the way they fit into undulating hillsides or desert sands. Philippe Johnson's glass house or Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Waters are examples. They are revolutionary and audacious, yet somehow seem to fit in and in all their creativity, do not lean towards ostentation. They propose a new way to live close to nature and aren't really showy just for the sake of it.

Less docile are those buildings that try to make a statement. In edifices such as concert halls, churches, or museums, it seems natural to want to create wonder in the people contemplating the structure. In a home, striking elements express the same desire not exactly to inspire awe but to create an impression of grandeur or feeling special. This can be very positive in that it leads to heightened creativity. In other cases though, the desire to stand out can be manifested in sitting a house right on top of a high hillside thus dominating the surroundings for miles or in building big simply for the sake of making an impression. Feelings of submissiveness could also be created by buildings that resemble a piece of sculpture rather than a living, working abode – the art becoming more important than say, having windows in all directions to create views and cross ventilation. If handled correctly, in a more positive way, it's great to have a non-docile ‘wow' factor in at least one section of a building. A cathedral ceiling with windows giving onto a superb view can be wonderful. A ‘tower' type structure for a master bedroom or office space can also be inspiring. As in everything, in building it's good to strike the right balance between cozy comfort and making a big impression.

Johanne Béland
450 538-0605
cell: 450-266-8081

Docili-tea

“Miss Emma Lapointe of St. Albans is visiting friends here and will be pouring tea on Sunday next.” The Bedford Times, November 17, 1887.

From the earliest newspapers in Missisquoi County and into the early 20th century, announcements regarding personal events were found throughout the pages; often interspersed between news headlines and advertisements. Unlike today where community events are allocated to a specific section of a newspaper, personal messages either just appeared where the printer had space or were listed under the activities of towns and villages. Similar to our announcements were notices about births, weddings, deaths and funerals but also notes about who was sick or recove-ring from illness or injury; who lost had a roll of dollars and where they thought they may have lost it; who was visiting in a village or taking a trip abroad or who had found a horse on the St. Armand road. These small notations were broadcast to keep the community updated on important tidbits of information. Women often appeared in these announcements under the heading of “pouring tea.” When the task of pouring tea was bestowed on a woman, a brief statement was made in the newspaper to highlight the occasion. To be singled out as the person who would pour tea at an event or party was considered an honour and rarely refused.

The term “domestic angel” was a Victorian ideal of women popularized by a mid 19th century poem entitled “Angel in the House”. Victorian femininity was epitomized by a woman who was easily taught, obedient or docile, who was pure in thought, word and deed and who made the home a haven and refuge for her husband and children. The ‘angel' was further popularized in art, music, literature, and commercial advertisements. Even Queen Victoria embraced the concept of the domestic angel and saw her role as wife and mother as one that could be imitated by her subjects. This embodiment of feminine docility, submissiveness, and domesticity has been derided by feminists as imposing passivity and powerlessness on a woman and may seem absurd today but versions of the domestic angel have survived into the 21st century.

To be docile meant that a woman could be easily taught the skills required to be the domestic ideal. Understanding the rules of proper etiquette in all social functions resulted in publications such as “Godey's Lady's Book” (1830-1878) which instructed women on the ‘how to' of being a hostess or a guest in formal situations. The revered Isabella Beeton's monumental work on cookery and household mana-gement was available to Canadian women by the mid 1860s and offered unassailable edicts on how to present oneself and home to the world. Even today the etiquette expert Judith Martin, otherwise known as “Miss Manners,” has for years instructed her readers on what she refers to as “heavy etiquette theory” and rules of politeness that date back to the mid 19th century.

One area where a woman could demonstrate her docility was through her skill at presenting and pouring tea. By the 1740s, afternoon tea which included tea, scones, fruit breads, finger sandwiches and fancy tarts was an important meal in England, the Netherlands, and English North America. Women presided over the tea ritual, which brought families and friends together and provided opportunities to teach children good manners and to demonstrate the decorum and respectability that were essential to status in the social order.

Tea was introduced to Europe in the 1600s and came to Britain by the 1670s. Beginning in 1716, the Hudson Bay Company imported tea to Canada. Only the aristocracy enjoyed tea at the time as the price of a pound of tea was too exorbitant for the average labourer. Tea quickly became the preferred drink for wealthy women and as such, much of the ritual surrounding the drinking of tea developed because of upper class decorum. As Britain began to import tea in larger quantities to satisfy the rapidly expanding markets, tea became one of the most important trade items throughout the 18th century. By the early 19th century all classes were able to drink tea as trade increased and it became less of a luxury item. The etiquette for drinking and serving tea however filtered down through society.

A young woman was taught not only the proper “laying of an elegant tea” but also how to serve and hold a cup and saucer. Tea etiquette required that the spout of the teapot faced the hostess or the person designated as the pourer; guests raised their teacup to the lips and placed it back on the saucer between sips. The teaspoon was rested on top of their teacup to indicate they had consumed sufficient tea. It was also known that it was improper to drink tea wearing gloves and if sitting without a table, the saucer must be placed on the lap and held in the left hand while the right was used to raise the cup. One could be quickly discredited if the tea was stirred and the spoon touched the sides of the cup. Instead, the spoon had to softly fold the liquid to avoid a clinking sound which could be distracting to other guests. As for the affectation of the pinkie finger, tea cups were held with the pinkie finger slightly tilted to help balance the cup and to gracefully avoid spills. It was also essential to say one “drinks tea” as opposed to one “takes tea”. The term was used by the lower classes and considered a “vulgar expression” by the gentry.

To be the quintessential Victorian woman meant that a woman had to exhibit the qualities of grace and docility. The household was the best place for her to reveal the skills that demonstrated these abilities. “Success in housekeeping adds credit to the woman of intellect, and luster to a woman's accomplishments…her ability to pour tea in the presence of guests is an omen of success.”

Sources: The Elegant Canadians, Luella Creighton, 1967; Angel in the House, Coventry Patmore 1854; The Essence of Commodification: Caffeine Dependencies in the Early Modern World, Ross W. Jamieson in Journal of Social History 2001; Beeton's Book of Household Management, Mrs. Isabella Beeton, 1861; All the Tea in China, Chow & Kramer, 1990.

Musée Missisquoi Museum
2 rue River, Stanbridge East Qc J0J 2H0
(450) 248-3153
info@museemissisquoi.ca
www.missisquoimuseum.ca

Greta Disagrees with Docility!

Well, well, my dear design friends (and fiends), here we are in the picture-postcard winter beauty in the heart of the Townships. I trust that your winter has been cozy and comfortable so far, and that your prayers and chants to the gods on the eve of the Winter Solstice this year were more fervent than usual. You may have heard that the solar eclipse of the moon on the darkest day of the year was very unusual. This hasn't happened since 1638, and won't again for several centuries. As you may know, I am your design sleuth here as well as in Montreal and Westmount along with my design partner, Aurelien Guillory. Since we are both very sensitive to color and light, this event was very special to us. The Abercorn night sky is so lovely without the light pollution of cities. It is no wonder that the Inuit and ancient Incas were so enamored of the night sky where they discovered many things that our modern life with its city lights disallow.

Please excuse this deviation from my usual Interior Design and Colour preoccupations. Our poly-faceted and peripatetic Editor has chosen a very subtle and provocative theme word this season: DOCILITY. Now, when we search the Webster's Dictionary and Wikipedia on our trusty MacBook for the etymolo-gical roots of this word, we find both ‘easily taught', and ‘easily led'! Tractable, amenable, obedient are all mentioned as synonyms. As much as Aurel wishes that all of his interior design clients were a ‘docile' group, as in obedient and amenable, he often disco-vers that the ones who disagree and rail against the usual “rules” of decorating, are the ones with whom he creates the most memorable and inventive solutions for their homes, restaurants and offices. The results with clients that are approached as peers are always better. I mean that we as creative resource people will develop a rapport with our clients during the initial planning and diagnosis of the situation, so that the sum becomes much more that the clients and designers would have accomplished alone.

I love “easy'' clients that trust our experience and our eclectic backgrounds but, at the same time, we always enjoy creating something different and original. Aurel and I have seen and heard about those so-called designers who have a “signature” colour palette or insist on a leopard print ottoman or pouf in the front hall. That's because the clients are Docile with the professional's impositions of his own taste. Our approach is the inventive interpretation of the client's lifestyle, not a trendy parroting of the current colors and magazine articles. Please heed this advice for your own homes.

There is little creativity without some intractability and idiosyncrasy. The resulting homes and restos are hallmarks worth publishing and remain as icons over the years. The stone chapel and reception hall of the Antony family's Chapelle Ste-Agnes Winery are good examples of this personal and referential architecture. Another is the remarkable blending of English Victorian fireplaces and staircase of the recently renovated Le Pleasant Hotel where the contrast of the mod 60's colours and new lighting produces a surprising and refreshing non-docile effect to partners Bertin & Michel's B&B. Anyone else would have gone the safe (and boring) “play by the rules” route. The charming results could not have been without some daring and challenging debates!

So you see, after the conflicts and arguments between partners or spouses, docility can only then be the calm, soothing, harmonious result – the product of conflicts resolved, and a unique atmosphere created.

Caravaggio was alive for the last lunar eclipse on the Winter Solstice. He was never known as Docile. His work is the opposite of that and remains stunning, even shocking today to which I can attest as seen with Aurel when we toured the 400th anniversary Exhibit of his work last May.

We have a special announcement for you! We will be returning with a group to Florence and Rome this coming May to visit his and other Masters' works on a 2-week Sculpture & Culture Tour! We will be taking marble sculpture lessons by Master Sculptor Lucio Minigrilli at his villa in nearby Arezzo. For those not carving marble there will be wine tasting and cooking lessons. Stops at various restos that Aurel and I have found in Arezzo, Florence & Rome are planned to sample terrific cuisine. We will only be truly docile after visits to the Uffizi, the Borghese Gardens, and the Medici Chapel. We will then be feeling the sensory overload of the extraordinary labour of genius by Masters such as Bernini and Michelangelo. Details of our Sculpture Workshop & Cultural Tour will soon be available on our website: www.colorsbyaurelien.com.

We are looking forward to revisiting our favorites with all of you. I raise a flute of Prosecco to our Tour! Buon Viaggio!

Colourfully Yours,

Greta Von Schmedlapp & Aurelien Guillory

TAKE A FRIEND TO BREAKFAST

Or how to bring peace and happiness to a new decade

“How ‘bout I take you out for breakfast?” There's not a more comforting question in the world. Can you feel the love? Truth be told, I felt a bit left out when, about two months ago, someone called at the back door hoping she could take Lynda for a “girl's breakfast out.” Off they went, and I was left to my banana and cornflakes. I was happy for Lynda but, wow, what a downer for me.

Breakfast out combines an outing with true comfort food. Eggs over-easy with bacon and toast. Or a spinach and cheddar omelet and some fried potatoes. Maybe a pile of corned-beef hash (ideally homemade) with a couple of yolks running into it. Or a bagel and lox with a schmear of cream cheese. Like most comfort food, it probably shouldn't be eaten every day, or even most days. But that's also what makes it so special when you do go, when you do yield to temptation.

Luckily, breakfast out is even good when you go solo. So, after a day pondering how nice it is to be asked out for breakfast, I awoke keen to go, whatever the circumstances. A new place or an old favorite? I mused. When I go to a new place, my personal litmus test is the omelets and potatoes. The former should be moist but not runny, and not too fluffy. The latter should be grilled, NEVER deep-fried, and should have been on the grill since early that morning, with lots of dark-colored crispy bits from inattentive turning. Further, the coffee should be well beyond convenience-store jo but not all the way to gourmet java. It's breakfast after all; there's nobody to impress with how strong you drink your coffee.

But an old favorite resto is good too. I used to go to Libby's, a Greek place in Wilmington, Delaware. I was such a regular that Libby would greet me with a wave, and then come to the table, ice water, orange juice and coffee already in hand. “Usual in 10?” she'd ask. “Usual,” I'd confirm, “but make it 20 minutes; I'm relaxing over the paper.” I don't always order the same thing at Le Cafétier in Sutton, but I don't need to see the menu anymore either. I like The Star Café in Knowlton, too, for their very good bacon. I also like sunning myself near the verandah railing at the St. Patrick's, on a spring morning not quite warm enough except for my heavy sweater.

That morning, I chose an “old favorite.” I grabbed my Kindle, my constant companion lately, and strode off to Le Cafétier for two eggs, merguez sausage, potatoes, toast and fruit, as well as coffee in a mug of my own choosing. I like to sit at the two-sided counter in the center of the room and see who else sits down. A perusal of the paper over my first cup of brew, then breakfast (glasses off, so I can really see what I'm eating), and then a more serious read over my second and third coffee. Ahhhh, bliss.

But “Peace to a new decade?” you ask. OK, here's my plan. You (yes you, dear reader) are now tasked with bringing happiness to someone you know, or perhaps someone you wish to know better. How? By asking them to breakfast! Repeat after me: “How ‘bout I take you to out for breakfast?” Make it a “drive-by” invitation, or schedule it ahead. Pick them up, or plan a meeting. (Hey, you know your friend better than I do!) The invitation alone will please them; it only gets better if they accept. Go have a great time and even pick up the tab. The fun-per-dollar quotient of a breakfast out is off the charts!

And then—now wake up, reader, this is very important—tell them to do the same for someone else, and soon, like next week. Pass on the love! Likely as not, just the thought of another outing will spur them on. But you have to get the ball rolling.

Under this plan, if we can just keep it going, our little take-a-friend-to-breakfast campaign might easily cause more peace and happiness in the world than a whole army of UN peacekeepers. Old fashioned as it sounds, we could all stand reminding that FaceBook is not the only way of “friending” someone.

“If not you, who? If not now, when?” So get going. Call a friend. If you see me there eating with another friend of yours, no problem. There's always next week!

Jay Sames
jay.sames@gmail.com

A New York Minuet

There's nothing quiet or sedate about New York City. It never sleeps, never slows down or goes “off-line.” A “New York minute” is an instant, or as Johnny Carson famously said, the time between when your traffic light turns green and when the driver behind you blows his horn. Only when forced does it ever pause.

When Lynda and I had a chance to spend Christmas and New Year there, we jumped at it! This was made possible due to a NYC friend we'd dined with in October. When he told of his plans to head west for the holidays, Lynda asked who, if anyone, was using his apartment. He responded, “Why, no one. Do you want it?” It was difficult to say “YES!” fast enough, and each of us verbally pushed past the other to say it first.

Two months later, four days before Christmas, we were back in “The City.” Everywhere, shoppers vied with commuters to pack JFK, train stations, subways and streets. The Christmas season might be about “peace, goodwill toward men,” but the city that never sleeps remained wide awake, frenetically dancing.

Sure, there are quiet places. The reading-room at the NY Public Library is one; the massive stonewalls block out 5th Avenue and 42nd Street pretty effectively. You could almost forget the bustle in our tiny pied-à-terre above Amsterdam Avenue, too. But even from there, if you looked carefully, traffic streamed unceasingly along streets and highways, planes took off and landed at Newark's Liberty International Airport, and boats of all sorts plied the Hudson. Sirens reached even the 21st floor.

Then, Christmas Eve brought talk of snow, and on Boxing Day, the snow itself. A nor'easter heading up the coast Sunday would eventually drop the city's 6th largest snowfall ever. Airports, which had looked smugly across the Atlantic just a week before at Heathrow and Gatwick's inability to cope with winter, were closed, flights cancelled and people stranded. Subways ran, but on reduced schedules; some stretches suffered “3rd-rail” short-outs, and Express trains became Locals by necessity.

Being hardy northerners, we bundled up and headed out. We caught the subway down to Greenwich Village hoping to score some rush tickets to a quirky off-off-Broadway matinee. Waiting for show time in a little coffee shop, we could see the city slowing down. Later, like a man with a fever, nightfall brought full lethargy. Subway steps became snow-slides, cafés resembled long-term refuges, and plows appeared less and less frequently. Parking meant aiming your car into a snowbank; ours, thankfully, were safe in Sutton and Burlington. The Chinese takeout on our corner was open, so we settled in front of the TV with some house-special lo mien. New York was succumbing.

By Monday morning, the city lay prostrate, docile and resigned, at least according to the TV news. The pent-up frustration of residents forced to stay home came out as anger at the city's emergency response, or lack thereof. Of course we ventured out again, mostly to see what could not be seen from 21 floors up. At ground level, we found drifts and blowing snow, and we had the streets pretty much to ourselves. Up to West 80th Street, we traveled, to a bagel place that usually has a queue out the door, and bought a warm dozen. Zabar's, the iconic Jewish deli across the street, was uncharacteristically navigable, so we explored at leisure and finally bought cream cheese, some coffee and dinner for later. Those who had not surrendered completely left home to reconnoiter the neighborhood, or to meet friends at the few local haunts open. Those who tried to uncover their cars prayed for a plow, but dreaded its coming too, as it might undo all that they'd accomplished.

But New Yorkers are a plucky bunch, and this forced doci-lity didn't last long. By Tuesday morning the narrowed sidewalks were filled. Slush was the new problem, and getting splashed by busses was the new commuter concern. Anger at the mayor was still news, but most people were coping, forging ahead. We'd been lucky, not needing to travel to or from the city during the storm. For us, it was just fun to see that, when nature calls the tune, sometimes the dance has to pause. Even in New York.

Jay Sames
jay.sames@gmail.com

Docility and Parenting

or Everything I know, I learned from a musical…

Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down…

It turns out that Julie Andrews was right - when you find the fun, the job really does become a game. Hey! I could use some of that fun when it comes to cleaning my living room. My kids and I would snap our fingers and the Playmobil would organize and label itself into some very tidy plastic bins. The laundry would fold itself and fly down the hallway to the bedrooms and, poof! - right into the dresser drawers.

‘Docility' is a word that has come to mean many things. To some people, it means, “easy to control; submissive.” To others it can also mean ‘teachability', in the sense of “apt or willing to learn.”

I don't think that teaching and learning demand ‘submissiveness,' and that the moments when we are open and receptive to learning, we lose track of time and our brains have fun as they pick up new experiences and skills.

Music communicates so many different things. In The Sound of Music, the 7 Von Trapp children, who had been so surly and submissive under the reign of their father, the Captain, and his military-like régime, are transformed when they learn just what they can do with their own voices (in the song ‘Do, re, mi'). The way they learn to harmonize and have fun together as they make music, empowers the children, making them eager to learn more and more. Luckily for them, music (and language and math and science) offer infinite possibilities, and both young and old, we can always learn more.

Media for families has changed in many ways since the ‘golden age' of the musical: individual artists record their own expressions, some making them quite elaborate, with characters and whole new worlds springing out from your CD player. One of the most interesting figures in kids' music today is a band called “Dog on Fleas,” based in upstate New York. The band is a trio, with members John Hughes, Chris Cullo and Dean Jones (who seems to have a thousand other projects, too). From their website: “the only agenda the Fleas has is to make good music for decent people.” Kathy O'Connell, of Philadelphia's WXPN writes, “In a more perfect world, Dog on Fleas would be among the best-known names in music for families…. Like all great bands for kids, the music of Dog on Fleas works for all ages. When this outstanding band takes its place among the great names of kids' music, you'll be proud to say ‘I knew them when.'”

The Fleas' music is as varied as it is fun. Go on; learn some new dance steps in the living room with your kids! http://dogonfleas.com

Kelli-Ann Ferrigan

Ready or Not, Spring is Just Around the Corner

The ice is melting on some of our ponds, the sun is becoming stronger and we feel it in our bones that we've made it through another winter here in the Townships. For many years I hated this time of transition because it meant the end of skiing and the glorious drives through glittering landscapes which had brought me to the Townships in the first place. At 63 years of age however, the warm rays of the tentative spring sun are now much appreciated.

A few days ago I had the chance to walk a sugarbush with a friend. Docile maples have long been tapped and every sugar producer is eagerly awaiting the sap to start flowing. For now it is just the beauty and silence of the bush, the sap buckets throwing long shadows onto the snow and the early morning sun reflecting off the long icicles that grace the sugar house roof.

As we watched six does crossing the meadow between my friend's house and the woods behind I thought, “If I owned an IPod, the piece to play right then would have been "The Lark Ascending" by Vaughan Williams”. From my friend's place I can see Pinnacle Mountain in the distance, still snow-capped but this morning endowed with a halo of cloud tinted pink by the rising sun.

As I hiked up Courser Brook Road in Glen Sutton yesterday, I turned to see the valley below like an inland sea with distant dark peaks sticking out of the morning fog. I half expected to see the "Flying Dutchman's" three-masted barquen-tine coasting through the valley, possibly right over the top of the Auberge Glen Sutton. On the other hand, there were three brightly outlined contrails of aeroplanes full of people bound for Europe and places beyond criss-crossing the sky, and me, just a tiny dot on a mountain road descending back into the mist.

My first two seed catalogues have arrived and we've just begun the annual ritual of doling out "my space" and "her space" in our garden. This year I shall opt for a new strain of celeriac and sharp white German beer radishes while Nancy once again will try for the best tomatillas and her never ending quest to grow good Loofa sponges. Of course, I can always be certain that our fine crop of dandelions will stand proud in about three weeks time.

Next, the bicycles will come out of the garage for their annual spring cleaning and tuning. But the nicest sign is that my 17 year old cat "Filmore" is curled up on the front steps, contentedly soaking up the good clean air and the first warmth of spring sun on her back while the three younger cats play in the driveway again.

Let's all enjoy it and remember, November is a whole nine months away!

Manfried Helmuth Starhemberg

PERSONAL TRAINING

What is Personal Training or, why could personal training be good for you?

Personal Training has had a lot of exposure because of the use celebrities make of it. While this has brought this particular type of training to the forefront, it has an exclusive character which could do with some revamping/ rethinking.

Personal Training is what it says, personal work with a professional who can suggest an exercise program suited to the individual. There are of course many different tools, techniques and combinations available to trainers when they create their programs.

So why would someone want to work with a personal trainer and set up a program?

Someone who has had an accident for example would benefit from work with a trainer. While all sorts of medical specialists (physiotherapists, ergo therapists, etc.) help rehabilitate, trainers work to maintain the work done and to adapt it into a practical daily routine.

Maintenance and prevention cover many different situations. We all know that if we don't maintain our cars, they lose their value, cost more to repair in the long run and create stress. What about our bodies? It has been proven that exercise contributes to the prevention of osteoporosis and keeps us healthy.

Keeping our muscles in good shape is of course important. As active people we are constantly doing all sorts of things. How often have you heard of someone “putting their back out” or “pulling a muscle”? We all know that this often occurs because an action, i.e. lifting a box, throwing a Frisbee, etc, plays on an existing weakness. A personal training program maintains muscle strength and helps to prevent painful and sometimes incapacitating accidents from happening.

Just need to get back into shape? Been through a pregnancy? Taken care of an elderly parent? Have a very demanding job? Want to get ready for the ski or golf season?

For many people, time is of the essence. A personal trainer can help you find the time and show you how to use it to your very best advantage. Working with a trainer can also help you choose the right equipment and set up a program that will not leave you disappointed or frustrated.

A personal trainer is there to build sessions around your schedule that focus on your needs, likes and dislikes, objectives, and yes, even on your budget.

Personal training is so adaptable, adjustable and accessible that it can benefit everyone.

Maaike Zuyderhoff
Sunshine Center

Return to the list of issues