Hi {!firstname_fix}

We are taking a two week break from classes because I am going up to Wisconsin and Minnesota to present at a Native American Wellbriety conference and then down to Minneapolis to do planning for the program development. We have gotten funding to develop alcoholism treatment program materials for the White Earth Reservation.

We have posted a schedule of the classes for the next month. So you can go ahead and sign up for what you want to join.

A number of you have asked me about how the classes work. I conduct them via email through Yahoogroups, so it does not matter where you live or what time zone you are in or whether you can get to the computer at a specific time. After you register for payment, you will receive an autoresponder email from me with instructions on how to get to the class. Please be sure to click on the link in the email that will take you to Yahoo to sign up

Also, since it is tax time, I thought I would remind you that the money you spend on classes is tax deductible if you are overweight and have a condition such as described below.

Weight-Loss Program

You can include in medical expenses amounts you pay to lose weight if it is a treatment for a specific disease diagnosed by a physician (such as obesity, hypertension, or heart disease). This includes fees you pay for membership in a weight reduction group and attendance at periodic meetings. http://www.irs.gov/publications/p502/ar02.html#d0e567

If you come right now, sign up, then immediately return the autoresponder email to join the Yahoo group through which the class will be conducted, we can fit you in... Just click on the links above.

Also, I would like to thank all of you for your continuing input on the classes. It is VERY helpful to me and I think it means we are creating a real resource that suits your needs.

We have posted a schedule of the classes for the next month.

Please feel free to pass this week's newsletter on to your friends and family. Don't forget to let me know what you like and would like to see me cover.

A copy of this newsletter may also be found posted on the web at http://www. radiantrecovery.com/weeklynewsletter. If you wish to unsubscribe, use the link at the bottom of the page. Do not email me, do not get mad at me, just click on the link and you will be forever removed.

And be sure to visit our Radiant Recovery® website and Community Forum regularly.

Warmly,
Kathleen

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April 11, 2005
** Quote From Kathleen **

This is a process. You do not have a "sobriety date" to mark that sugars are gone forever. You simply move more and more into a healthy relationship with your body.

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** Testimonial for the Week**


This is total testament to this program, lol. There is NO WAY my day would have gone like it did if not for doing the food.

So, originally I was supposed to play a piano piece for about 20 nursing students while they "walked" to get their nursing caps in a graduating ceremony. Did I mention that I am a beginner piano student who gets nervous very easily in front of people LOLOL??? Well, last night I found out that it was actually 80 people that would be there. It got me for a second, but, breathe, I dealt with it pretty well.

When I arrived today I found out it was actually 200-300 people that I would be playing in front of!!!! Eighty people were graduating, and the rest were friends and family that were attending.

First I'll describe how it would have gone before this program:

I would have freaked out, literally, and gone flush and said over and over 'I just can't do that....'. I would have been FURIOUS with my friend for not knowing this and blamed her for anything that happened after the fact. I might have cried or come really close to it and would have tried desperately to get out of it. In my head I would have been convinced I couldn't do it, no matter what. If I had played anyway, not only would I have messed up, but I probably would have froze and then felt horrible after. I can guarantee my friend and I would have had a major confontation. Yuck.

But this is how it did happen:

I had a fleeting flash of all of the above, lol, but quickly dismissed it. I realized almost immediately that there was nothing I could do to change it and in the end it really didn't matter. I would be nervous either way (smile). I practiced as much as I could beforehand and tried to visualize just the music and not who would be there. In short, I handled it with grace.

Overall I did great for me, lol. I messed up, but what was great was that I just kept on going and that's the hardest thing for me to do on a normal day! I am very proud of myself and for more than just my playing.

It was a HUGE rush, though, and I'll have to be extra careful these next days. Journal journal journal and spot on with the steps.

Thanks for listening!

Heather D.

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**Recipe of the Week**


This recipe has been around the community a long time. Everyone who tries it just loves it. Hope you do, too!

Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes with Citrus and Mascarpone

  1. Preheat oven to 375º. Bake sweet potatoes until a fork can be inserted easily, about 1 hour. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and carefully scrape pulp out of skins, leaving about 1/8 inch of potato lining the skin.
  2. In a food processor [I used a hand mixer which worked fine], combine cooked pulp, orange juice, and 4 ounces mascarpone. Purée just until mixed. Add salt and white pepper to taste.
  3. Refill sweet potato skins with purée. [This was actually pretty easy to do.] Heat through for 15 minutes at 375º. Preheat broiler. Dollop remaining mascarpone on top of each potato. Place underneath broiler just until mascarpone begins to brown. Watch carefully to avoid burning. [I found that my mascarpone topping didn't brown; it just melted, so I don't do this broiler step with the leftovers.]
  4. Using a fine zester, grate zest from one orange over potato halves and garnish with chopped chervil. Serve immediately.


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**Your Last Diet: More Than What You Think**


We are just finishing up the intro to weight loss class and now have a whole group of folks who are pretty skilled with the concepts. They will be here to help you sort out what to do. The more advanced material will come in a few weeks as we get the new program settled. I will do that as soon as I get back from the Great Lakes.

BTW since it is tax time, thought you might be interested to know that YLD qualifies as a deductable expense if you have a medical condition such as those listed below:

Weight-Loss Program

You can include in medical expenses amounts you pay to lose weight if it is a treatment for a specific disease diagnosed by a physician (such as obesity, hypertension, or heart disease). This includes fees you pay for membership in a weight reduction group and attendance at periodic meetings. http://www.irs.gov/publications/p502/ar02.html#d0e567

For those of you who are not yet YLD members, Click here if you are ready to change your life or just plain ole have fun.
 


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**David's Corner **



Ok, we are having a sale! You know we don't often do this. So pay attention.

The PnP and SARP tapes are reduced from $18.00 to $9.99. We will be re-issuing these as CDS next month. The price will never be this low again.
And the All-One Vitamins are now 10% off. These are the BEST vitamins on the market and they are perfect for your shake. We just want you to try them.


Please send questions and suggestions. I love hearing from you and truly want to help you do your program better.

Thanks
David

And of course, we have something for everybody in our store


 
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**Our Online Groups**


Hi, I'm Mary-Margaret, better known as MM, the volunteer liaison for the RadiantPrayer group. The RadiantPrayer group is a bit different from the other lists, which are for discussing the various steps and aspects of the Radiant Recovery program. The Prayer list is for specific requests for prayers, or light, or good energy and thoughts, or whatever supports your belief system. They can be for ourselves, our friends, family members, co-workers etc. I have found it to be of tremendous comfort to be able to ask for spiritual support, and to also send it to those in need. I don't even expect replies to my requests, just to know that others on the list are praying or sending light has been enough for me. If this sounds like something you need and want, please do come join us.

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** Featured Topic**

Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D.


I have had so many people ask me about Radiant Ranch, I thought it would be fun to write about it here. We started ranch 7 years ago when 20 people came to the first seminar held at Ghost Ranch in Northern New Mexico. That was a pretty interesting experience since it was me and 20 newbies. (smile) The following year, our leadership team was building and we began to develop the model we now have. It is a time of coming together, sharing the power of recovery and learning what will best support our recovery.

Our early days at Ghost Ranch were pretty amazing. The location is breath taking. But several years ago, the management at Ghost Ranch changed and they were no longer able to accommodate our food needs. So we moved down to Albuquerque and ended up holding ranch at the Best Western Rio Grande This location has been wonderful for us. It is close to Old Town and is easily accessible from the airport and by car. It allows us to serve folks with limited mobility. And the hotel even makes up our potatoes at night. In many ways the setting is like the program. Sort of unassuming until you go inside.

From the outside Ranch seems like a regular seminar. We have talks, we have small group meetings, we have 12-step program meetings and entertainment and meals together. But from the inside something mighty powerful is happening. People who have felt less than, on the outside, and not welcome, step into a place of warmth and caring. They no longer feel out of step. They meet in person the folks who have been emails addresses. The program comes alive.

I share new information and present beginning information in new ways. You can learn about the steps, beta endorphin, serotonin, and most importantly experience the process of 3 meals on time at regular intervals. We have real breakfast, not sweet rolls and coffee and all the meals are program friendly.

If you go to the ranch information page, you can hear our "Ranch Song" - this is Claire singing Dona Nona Pacem which is an old 3 part canon in Latin. We had a music evening at ranch 2 years ago and Claire offered to teach the group this canon. We had about 80 people trying to learn the melody, trying to get the Latin and trying to make sense of what we were doing. It was a little chaotic to say the least. Claire persisted, we all practiced. And then at one moment, something happened; all the voices came together into a single sound that was unlike anything any of us had ever experienced. It was unplanned, we thought we were just singing a "round" that was a little more melodic than Three Blind Mice. It is like the program. Chaos, groping, practice, people on different harmonies, different levels and then poof, the sound of radiance.

We actually videotaped that night. Someone ordered the tape and then send it back, saying, "It's just a bunch of people singing." Yes, that is what it might seem like. Like "doing the food" seems like a diet to take out sugar. Don't be fooled. More is hidden.

We have about ten places left and would love to have you. Click here to sign up.

©Kathleen DesMaisons 2004.

Here are the folks who are helping put the newsletter together:

Gretel, the liaison for the recovery list and the webmaster puts it all together
Naomi gathers the recipes
JoAnna, the liaison for Rolling Hills gathers the testimonials
Terri, the liaison for Ambassadors sends over the ambassadors quote
Marie, the liaison for diabetes gathers the info on the online lists
David, who runs the Radiant Recovery® Store talks about what new products we have.