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10 Questions to Ask Before Undergoing Facial Surgery

Dr. Cook lists the 10 Most Common Questions you should be asking about Facial Plastic Surgery before choosing a surgeon.

Education and Credentials

Awards and Recognition

See the difference experience makes. View the full before & after photo gallery of Dr. Cook and his team.

10 Questions to Ask Before Undergoing Facial Surgery

Be Selective When Choosing a Surgeon in Winnetka, Chicago, or Elsewhere

I hope that if you are considering facial rejuvenation surgery, you will read this page in the education section carefully. I have put together a set of facial plastic surgery questions that will help you select a surgeon who is not only competent, but also passionate about his work.

To arrange a consultation or to learn more, please contact Dr. John Cook at the Whole Beauty® Institute in Chicago or Winnetka. Call 312-751-2112 or send a message online.

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1) What Are Your Credentials?

This is the first question, since it provides the foundation on which the surgeon’s identity rests. One wonderful aspect of the Internet is that it enables you to obtain this information without having to visit each doctor’s office. I would advise you to eliminate from consideration any plastic surgeon who does not demonstrate a consistent pattern of reaching for excellence in all aspects of his education and professional career. You should look at every possible credential, including college, medical school, residency, and current hospital affiliation. These should not be merely adequate, but excellent. After all, it’s your face that will be in this person’s hands.

There are no shortcuts to excellence. Doctors who are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, for example, have gone through anywhere from five to eight years of advanced training after medical school. After training is complete, they are subjected to two rigorous examinations and a screening for ethics in their practice. This certainly provides an excellent foundation from which a surgeon can eventually develop into a leader in the field of facial rejuvenation surgery.

2) What Is Your Level of Experience?

I believe that there are many similarities in the career paths of leading classical musicians and leading plastic surgeons. Both fields require significant personal sacrifice in the pursuit of one’s art. Basic mastery of the instrument requires well over a decade of intense study and practice; virtuosity occurs as one acquires wisdom and nuance over a lifetime. For the plastic surgeon who is truly interested in mastering the field, there is no endpoint. The process of visual and technical refinement never ends. Each patient adds to the mental database of facial structure and form. What I am suggesting is this: The more experience, the better. One might raise the objection that it is possible to do the same thing 1,000 times and not do it well, but the other questions in this list should eliminate surgeons who are not serious about their craft. At a minimum, you should look for a surgeon who has done more than 250 facelifts and has been in practice the better part of 10 years.

3) What Are You Trying to Achieve When You Rejuvenate a Face?

This question gives you a window into a surgeon’s thought processes and visual aesthetic. If a surgeon cannot offer you a clear concept of what facial rejuvenation surgery is about, keep looking for another surgeon. It is impossible to accomplish anything of significance without a clear concept of one’s goals.

This question should also help to prevent a mismatch between the doctor’s and the patient’s personal aesthetic. There are surgeons who consistently and safely produce results for their patients that I consider hollow and distorted. Their patients may very well be pleased with these results! My patients and I definitely would not want to achieve this outcome. The point is to make sure your concept of facial aesthetics matches that of your surgeon before you undergo surgery.

4) How Do You Refine Your Artistic Concept of Facial Beauty?

This question may seem a bit esoteric, but it is not. Aesthetic plastic surgery in all its forms—facial aesthetic surgery, in particular—is a type of artistic expression. As such, it requires lifelong refinement. Our patients trust their faces to us, and this is a great privilege. I know many excellent plastic surgeons who perform facial rejuvenation surgery, and every one of them could answer this question without a moment’s hesitation. For each one, the answer will be a little different, but in every case it will reveal a respect for the artistic basis of plastic surgery. The reason I place emphasis on this question is that it might help you unmask a doctor who has devoted so much energy to the marketing of his practice that he has neglected his underlying craft.

5) How Will You Address Issues of Facial Volume?

Thank goodness our understanding of the facelift has evolved substantially from the days when it was all about pulling back on the skin. Most leaders in the field of facial rejuvenation surgery now realize that the key to success is the repositioning of the deeper structures of the face and neck. There are different technical solutions for this, but in my opinion, all of the truly effective techniques address this issue. For most patients, structural repositioning alone will not restore what is pleasing about an attractive, youthful face.

A second issue that must be addressed is the volumetric changes that occur with facial aging. The upper cheek, in particular, becomes sunken and visually fragmented, with disturbing shadows that were not previously there. Surgeons who try to compensate for volume loss by over-pulling the facelift produce the distorted masks that can give the operation a bad name. The issue of volumetric rejuvenation of the face has fascinated me for more than 20 years. Alone or in combination with structural repositioning, volume restoration has provided a key missing link in our repertoire. If you are looking to achieve a higher-level result from facial rejuvenation, you will benefit from a surgeon who has significant experience with restoring facial volume.

6) How Will You Preserve My Facial Identity?

Our ability to recognize faces is complex and nuanced. How do we know that the woman walking toward us is our best friend and not merely someone who looks like her? Apart from basic issues such as facial shape, hair color, and eye color, there are cues provided by the position of key facial landmarks. These landmarks include the position of the hairline and sideburn, the contour and orientation of the ear, and the position of the eyes. There are also nuances of motion—the way we smile, for example—that immediately inform the world of our identity. The avoidance of distortion of these reference points and motions requires a carefully thought out plan on the part of the surgeon that recognizes and preserves each face’s character. A prospective surgeon’s answer to this question will reveal how carefully he has thought about these issues and how much value he places on attention to detail. Each facial reference point can be protected with a specific technical solution. To ignore them does our patients a disservice.

Meet John Q. Cook, M.D.

The Whole Beauty® Institute team is directed by Dr. John Q. Cook, a recognized leader in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Every team member has extensive experience and shares Dr. Cook’s passion for natural results. We form a bond of trust with our extended patient family.
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7) Where Will My Surgery Be Performed and Who Will Provide Anesthesia?

The setting where your surgery will be performed influences both the safety and the quality of your experience. Over the years, I have visited many colleagues and watched them operate at the highest standards in office surgical facilities, surgicenters, and hospitals. I am also aware of situations where standards of cleanliness and patient safety have been compromised. The challenge of this question is to obtain an answer that is meaningful to someone who is not “in the business” of delivering care to surgical patients. I submit that any experienced surgeon, anesthesiologist, or surgical nurse could spend five minutes in a surgical facility (office, surgicenter, or hospital) and obtain an accurate impression of its quality.

Here are some suggestions to provide you with an “insider’s” insight. If the surgery is to occur in the physician’s office, you should ask to see the area where your surgery will be performed. Does it look like an operating room, or does it appear to be an afterthought? What are the credentials of the people who will be assisting the doctor during the surgery? Of course, they should either be registered nurses or certified surgical technologists. I have heard of office-based facilities where receptionists double as surgical assistants during office surgical procedures. These people simply do not have the proper training to maintain sterile technique. Any office-based facility that is aboveboard will be proud to present you with a list of the specific individuals who work in the surgical area and their credentials. If you encounter any hesitation in the response, I would consider this a major warning sign. If a surgery is to be performed in a surgicenter or an office facility, make certain that the doctor has privileges to perform the surgery at an accredited hospital. This is one further indication that the surgeon is not operating away from the hospital to hide the fact that he does not have adequate credentials.

If the procedure you are considering involves general or intravenous sedation anesthesia, you should insist that the facility has proper accreditation. The Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) is the main organization that accredits hospitals in this country. It also has separate programs for the accreditation of surgicenters and office surgical facilities. There are other organizations with long abbreviations, such as AAAAPSF and AAAASF, whose prime emphasis is the accreditation of ambulatory surgical facilities.

I would also suggest that your interests will be better served if there is a dedicated individual whose sole responsibility is to provide your anesthesia. This issue comes up most frequently when IV sedation anesthesia is given. The ideal, in my opinion, is for an anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist to be present through the entire course of your surgery. There are some surgeons who will attempt to be both surgeon and anesthetist; in other words, they will instruct someone else in the room to inject medications into the intravenous line to make the patient sleepy. The problem is that different patients have different sensitivities to intravenous agents; a dose that might make one person a little sleepy might take another person into a plane that approaches general anesthesia. How a surgeon is able to concentrate on the surgery and monitor his patient’s anesthesia is beyond me. Make sure you ask the question, “Who will monitor my anesthesia?” whether your procedure is in an office, a surgicenter, or a hospital.

If your surgery is to be performed in a hospital or a surgicenter, insist on a facility that attracts the leading surgeons in your community. The same qualities that make a physician a leader in his or her field will compel that physician to find the best and safest facility for his or her patients. From a patient’s perspective, the determination of quality is most easily made with hospitals. Look for hospitals that have an acknowledged position of leadership in your community. With surgicenters, one way to get a sense of quality is to look at the hospital affiliations of the doctors that use the facility. If a majority of the surgeons who operate at a facility are on the staff of leading hospitals in your area, this is one of the best indicators that the standards will be high.

8) Do You Do All of Your Own Work?

The plastic surgeon is essentially an artisan, a highly skilled craftsman who fashions beautiful, finely worked creations out of his patients’ faces. The plastic surgeon is well compensated for his or her work, but there is a practical limit to how much work he or she can do without a deterioration of quality. Unfortunately, we live in an era of overconsumption, where greed is the driving force for a number of people. With greed in the driver’s seat, there is always someone whose trust ends up being betrayed. In the last few years, we have witnessed many examples of betrayal of trust by various figures in politics, corporate management, and in the financial markets. Physicians, unfortunately, are not immune from this trend. There are two temptations that present themselves to the plastic surgeon who succumbs to the greed mechanism.

The first temptation is to rush through his work; this increases his output at the expense of the quality of his work. Whether a surgeon succumbs to this temptation or not is a question of character.

The second temptation is to employ “ghost surgeons.” This enables the surgeon to carry out several operations at once, but at a sacrifice of quality and honesty. If you have accurately researched the other questions in this list, you will probably avoid the problem of “ghost surgery.” The reason for this is that people who employ “ghost surgeons” tend to be cheaters. The surgeon who has shown respect for his craft by investing years in proper training at the highest levels and has developed his own approach by years of careful refinement possesses the type of character that would be uncomfortable cheating his patients. Even if all other credentials are in order, it never hurts to ask this question— not only of the surgeon, but also of his or her staff. A hesitant response or confusing body language might indicate that there is a potential problem.

Who Is Your Employer?

This might seem an odd question, but it is actually quite important. The quality of an organization is determined by its leader. Is this an organization that always puts the patient’s interest first, or is it all about making money fast? The principled surgeon who mistakenly joins an organization with faulty principles will eventually face a moment of decision: Either he lowers his personal standards to that of the organization, or he quits. There are various business entities that have decided to enter the field of cosmetic surgery. Sometimes these are businessmen with no medical background; sometimes these are the surgicenters themselves. These organizations hire surgeons, often with very little experience, to be their “plastic surgeons.” They employ aggressive marketing techniques, which include direct phone solicitation and deceptive advertising to generate business.

Frequently, the marketing centers on a magic procedure with no scars and no recovery time. As you might expect, these organizations experience a high level of physician turnover, since the entire emphasis is on sales rather than service to the patient. Physicians who work for such organizations may be penalized if they turn down a patient who is not a good candidate for surgery, since this is simply viewed as a lost opportunity to make money. It is always the owner of the business who calls the shots and sets the standards. If you were to encounter a surgeon with reasonable credentials who works for someone with dubious credentials, you might seriously consider looking elsewhere.

10) What Is the Feel of This Place?

This is a question you should ask yourself after you have completed your visit to the doctor’s office. Consider the quality of interaction with the doctor and his staff. Are these people you can count on to help you through the recovery from surgery, or will they abandon you once the procedure is over? Does the emphasis seem to be on caring for you, or is it on the hard sell? Are these people you would feel comfortable taking care of your best friend? Trust your instincts. Care and compassion cannot be faked. Almost every patient who comes to see me after a disappointing experience with another surgeon tells me, “Something told me it just wasn’t right.” Remember that this is elective surgery. There are no emergency facelifts! That provides you with the freedom to keep looking until you find the doctor and team that are right for you.

If you would like to have a consultation for facial surgery, please call 312-751-2112 or contact us online.

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Lifting the Lower Face

Lifting the Lower Face: Surgical and Minimally Invasive Options  While the term “facelift” sounds to many people like it involves everything from chin to forehead, facelift surgery at the Chicago area’s Whole Beauty® Institute is based upon a precise analysis of...

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Book a Valuation

JOHNS&CO Offices

Lettings Administrator – Canary Wharf

A day in the life of a Lettings Administrator at JOHNS&CO:

At JOHNS&CO, we strive to create a place of nurture, growth and development. As our mission is to make you feel at home, we endeavour to create an atmosphere where all our employees are comfortable being themselves and are able to feel seen and supported.

As a Letting Administrator, you will support and aid the Lettings Team with the day to day administration of properties within the Residential Lettings portfolio and provide “front of house” services to tenants, clients and members of the public. You will carry out a range of administrative duties for instance terminating tenancies, preparation of invoices, tenancy contracts, compliance checks, deposit registration and welcome packs.

Liaising with Landlords to confirm the details of marketing for each property

Updating website and advertising each property

Preparing documents such as tenancy agreements and handling renewal documents

Overseeing the administration, applications and referencing of each Tenant and Guarantor

Arranging the move in’s at all properties

Founded in 2013, we are a fast-growing, international fast-growing and innovative London estate agency with 8 offices in London and 3 offices overseas. All our Lettings’ agents are put through their ARLA qualification or study for the leading Lettings’ industry accreditation, so you can be certain that you’ll be well looked after and be an expert in the field. Our Lettings department is also currently one of our biggest departments, so you will have all the tools and assistance you need for success. We are a team of 44 in lettings and we have no plans to stop expanding and growing our team!

Candidate’s Requirements:

  • Previous Letting’s Administration experience/ understanding of the Lettings process
  • Customer focused with the ability to build long term relationships and rapport
  • Be accurate, numerate and with good knowledge of Microsoft office packages
  • Able to use their initiative to provide a proactive service by anticipating potential problems and implementing solutions
  • An analytical person who can communicate well with Landlords and Tenants

Salary: 25,000/yr – £30,000/yr

Location: Canary Wharf, 70 Marsh Wall, London E14 9SL

Working hours: 9am-6pm Mon – Thurs, Fri- 9am-5pm

If you feel as if this is a great fit, please contact Georgina at

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2 new stores coming to Cincinnati Premium Outlets in early 2018

Cincinnati Premium Outlets will welcome two new retailers early this year.

Shinola will bring its variety of watches, accessories, leather goods, bicycles and journals to the outlet malls lineup of more than 100 stores as of April 1, 2018, according to parent company, Simon, a company that deals in shopping, dining and entertainment destinations.

Founded in 2011, the Detroit, Mich.-based company offers quality products that last a lifetime and “American luxury through American quality,” according to Simon.

MORE: National jerky retailer’s newest location opens in Monroe

Opening by March 1, 2018, will be women’s fashion boutique Francesca’s, offering “an eclectic mix of carefully-curated clothing, bold accessories and playful gifts,” according to Simon.

Francesca’s operates 670 stores in 48 states, including a location at 7567 Bales St. in Liberty Twp.’s Liberty Center shopping center. A previous location in Deerfield Towne Center closed in recent months.

Located just off Interstate 75 in Monroe halfway between Cincinnati and Dayton, Cincinnati Premium Outlets featuring brand-name retailers offering items at savings of 25 to 65 percent.

MORE: Rivertown Brewing new location in Monroe includes restaurant

About the Author


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Elvyda Martišauskienė
Published 2011-01-01

spiritual values
tendencies of change

How to Cite

Martišauskienė E. (2011) “ADOLESCENTS’ ATTITUDES TO SPIRITUAL VALUES:TENDENCIES OF CHANGE”, Acta Paedagogica Vilnensia, 270, pp. 43-54. doi: 10.15388/ActPaed.2011.27.2967.

The article focuses on the comparison of the data acquired during the researches that were conducted in the same schools in 1999 and 2009. The research results highlighted tendencies of change in adolescents’ attitudes towards values (7th–9th formers). It was established that adolescents tend to acknowledge spiritual values prioritising moral values such as dignity, honesty and sensitivity. These values received highest evaluations both in real and virtual situations. The honesty received the most stable evaluation, whereas acknowledgement of dignity showed the biggest increase, especially in evaluation of respect (38 %). On the other hand, evaluation of sensitivity, especially that of sympathy, showed a downward tendency (12 %).
The smallest number of adolescents acknowledge altruism (the highest acknowledgment decreased by 10–12 % in the virtual situation) and faith (a fall of 8–11 % was observed in both real and virtual situations). However, a sense of spiritual unity in the microenvironment (as well as its expression) remains of high importance among one third of adolescents and, thus, creates a more favourable perspective. A change in teenagers’ attitudes towards sensitivity to beauty was observed: a sense of humour is evaluated highest and an upward tendency was observed (10 %), whereas a fall in evaluation of admiration (6–14 %) was identified. Similar tendencies are observed in attitudes towards cleverness: the respondents highly acknowledge the purport of life several times as rare as intellectuality, though the ratings of the latter also showed a downward trend (7–11 %). The same evaluation is characteristic of a number of values such as responsibility, when assuming of responsibility for own actions, fulfilment of duties were evaluated several times lower than non-compliance with negligence; solidarity, when acknowledgement of tolerance increased, whereas that of balancing of interests decreased; creativity, when in real situations it is practically eliminated in real situations (pointed out by 1–5 % of the respondents).
Adolescents’ attitudes towards spiritual values only partially meet challenges of time and a downward tendency in acknowledgement of a big number of spiritual values pose educational problems that ask for immediate solutions.

Please read the Copyright Notice in Journal Policy

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How To Create a Successful Hybrid Working Environment

We know that working remotely has been around for several years. However, very few organizations were keen to allow their workforce to work from home. Whether this was due to senior managers fearing for their job security, the cost of office space, the challenges involved in going remote, or just wanting to keep a close eye on employees.

However, in the wake of recent events, organizations have had to adopt a hybrid business model despite their sector and size or face closing their doors for good. Yet, going virtual isn’t a process that happens overnight, and many businesses might have no clue how to create a thriving hybrid working environment. From setting up a virtual PO box to investing in video conferencing tools – here are several points to get you started.

Be Open To Change

Unlike traditional business models, hybrid working environments rely on using and implementing new technologies or services that benefit the workforce to operate as smoothly as possible. From group messaging applications, video conferencing tools, cloud servers, intelligent virtual assistants, and much more – there is no shortage of new technologies for your business to implement.

Another service you could consider investing in is a physical address PO box, which enables you to manage and view your postal mail online using a computer or smartphone. Companies like will scan and upload your postal mail to a server that you access through a portal to do what you wish.

Invest In Video Conferencing Software

Since you are no longer in a central office, your workforce needs to find new ways to communicate regardless of where they choose to work – this is where video conferencing software comes in. Using video conference software, your workforce can collaborate, chat, and meet from anywhere in the world.

Doing so eliminates the need to travel to a physical meeting place, as everyone can meet in one area (on-screen) to get work done. Fortunately, your business can use several free-to-use or paid video conferencing software, from Zoom, Skype, Microsoft Teams, Slack, and many more.

Encourage Employees To Work Where They Feel Most Motivated

One of the most significant benefits of a hybrid working environment is that employees are presented with the ability to work wherever they want since they no longer have a headquarters to report to each day.

Although it might take a bit of exploration for employees to discover where they feel most motivated, whether at home, in an internet café, at a co-worker’s house, or elsewhere, management must support an individual no matter their preference and offer help if needed.

Depending on whether you decide to get rid of your physical business premises completely, you may rearrange operating procedures so that the workforce can come into the office a couple of days a week while the others are spent working wherever they’d like.

Overall, it very much depends on what the organization has set out to achieve and what is right for the business. The success of a hybrid working environment depends on what allows employees to feel motivated and produce good quality work consistently.

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Kelvin Kathia is a writer based in Kenya that's passionate about sharing solutions to everyday tech problems. He's the founder and editor of Journey Bytes, a tech blog and web design agency. Feel free to leave him comments or questions regarding this post, or by leaving him a message on the contact page. If you found his content helpful, a donation is much appreciated.


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Self-Paced Courses

Jules offers a growing collection of recorded educational programming for yoga teachers who are passionate about anatomy, biomechanics, stretching, and safety.

Recorded Courses Available for Immediate Streaming

Pre-recorded courses are available for immediate streaming access in Jules’ exclusive education course portal so you watch as often as you like. Her work is well researched, impeccably produced, and dense with content. Each course is eligible for CEUs and includes an option to request a certificate upon completion. View current offerings below and check back as new content is always in production.

Jules’ entire 7 course online library with 15 hours of content (28 CEUs) is also available at a discount. Buy the bundle and get $150 off the total price of all the courses. Learn more here.

The Perfect Learning Path For You

My goal is to expand teachers' minds through a deep process of reflection so that they know exactly who they are and what they believe with clarity, confidence, and purpose.

You can start your education path with me anytime that fits into your schedule and on any topic that you’re drawn to.

Learning to Learn

The biomechanics content I provide is about more than just learning facts and getting things right. I teach you how to think about this knowledge, how to apply it in certain settings, and how to question when specific strategies might be successful or not. When I teach that “it depends” I insist on supporting you in discovering what it might depend on.

Learning in Layers

You learn in layers, which means wherever you start is the perfect place to start. You learn a new concept and then contextualize that information into a real-life setting, recognizing that biology is multidimensional and non-linear. You aren't just memorizing data and you aren't just jumping to large, sweeping conclusions. You are learning to make complex decisions based on appropriate considerations, which means there is no beginning or end. Just dive in and let the layering begin!

Learning Overlap

While all of my courses are unique, there is overlap in many major themes. This overlap reinforces major concepts within individual courses that fit into a the much larger narrative that I build within my program offerings as a whole.

Learning Just for You

My live courses reflect my fluid teaching style. While I always have an agenda and a general course outline, I’m also extremely encouraging of asking questions and chasing the pursuit of knowledge together. My goal is to help you refine your questions so you are clearer about what you know and what you don’t know. This means no two live courses are the same, even when the course has the same name!

The content is always driven by the topics that matter to the group and we use the major concepts outlined in the course syllabus to tease out powerful educational opportunities. You’ll see people repeating the same courses over and over because they are hungry for these interactions and discussions.

Ready to take your training to the next level? Consider a Workshop, the Mentoring Program, or my 300hr Yoga Teacher Training.

300 hour advanced science-based yoga teacher training

Jules Mitchell’s 300 hour advanced teacher training content is heavy on biomechanics, pose analysis and purpose, use of props for specific adaptations, somatics for coordinative variability, applications of pain science, restorative yoga, and deliberate sequencing.


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• Julian Roberts

Julia & Michael | Penshurst Place | Kent

My first wedding of 2021 centred around Julia & Michael who got married at the lovely St George's Church in Weald, followed by a reception at the fabulous Penshurst Place in Kent. The service was full of surprises, including an extensive collection of video messages from friends from around the world. Penshurst Place never fails to deliver as a wedding venue, made all the more special by the wonderful gardens and views of the house. Well worth consideration for any future brides and grooms looking for an historical backdrop for their wedding.

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Project Description

European Union law – Training Action (CEJ Partnership) | July 1st-17th

CEDU organized, in collaboration with the CEJ (Center for Judicial Studies), a training course / summer course in European Union law. The training took place at the University of Minho / Braga, from July 1 to 16, 2011, with a duration of 15 teaching hours, to which the CEJ awarded 150 credits for attending magistrates. In view of the success of the initiative, CEJ and CEDU are considering new joint activities.

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redneck mac 'n cheese casserole

★★★★★ 10
By Cheryl Kemptner
from Palm Desert, CA

Redneck Mac 'n Cheese Casserole is like no other you've ever tried. Now, before y'all start complaining about not liking pimentos, the taste is very mild and really spruces up the recipe to make it the biggest hit at any table. This is an easy go-to pot luck, family/friend gathering, funeral, holiday dish that I have made since the early 1960s. I have, yet, to meet one single person in all these years that likes casseroles to dislike this dish. Enjoy!

Blue Ribbon Recipe

This recipe intrigued us ... would we like the pimentos and onion? We loved it! This is not your typical mac and cheese. It's rich and creamy from the cream of mushroom/mayo mixture. Pimentos and onions add tons of flavor. Make sure to add the Ritz crackers with the cheese - it's a delicious topping. If you want something different and to wow people at a potluck try this. It will not disappoint.

— The Test Kitchen @kitchencrew
★★★★★ 10
serves 9x13
method Bake

Ingredients For redneck mac 'n cheese casserole

  • 8 oz
    uncooked elbow macaroni
  • 1 can
    cream of mushroom soup
  • 1/2 c
  • 1 c
    mayonnaise (not Miracle Whip)
  • 3 Tbsp
    butter, melted
  • 1 Lg. jar
    (or 2 small jars) pimento, diced (do not drain); to those of you that say, "I don't like pimento," the taste is mild and fantastic in this dish. Frankly, I don't care for pimento either, but in this dish it just works!
  • 3 Tbsp
    onions, chopped small (I have also used dried onions in a pinch)
  • salt to taste and lots of black pepper
  • 8-16 oz
    cheese, sharp cheddar - grated - (if i'm not using the ritz crackers on the top, i use 16 oz and save about 1/2 for the top)
  • 2 c
    Ritz cracker crumbs (really good addition, but you can omit and just put grated cheese on top before cooking)

How To Make redneck mac 'n cheese casserole

  • 1
    Preheat oven to 375°. Cook macaroni according to directions, drain and set aside.
  • 2
    In large bowl mix cream of mushroom soup w/ 1/2 cup milk.
  • 3
    Save some grated cheese for the top. Except Ritz crackers, macaroni, and cheese for top, add all other ingredients. Mix well by hand.
  • 4
    Add cooked macaroni.
  • 5
    Lightly stir until all macaroni is coated.
  • 6
    Pour into 9 x 13 casserole dish.
  • 7
    Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
  • 8
    Add Ritz cracker crumbs if you wish. (Makes it really good!)
  • 9
    Cook at 375° till it bubbles about 25-35 minutes.


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A year of halfs

This is a hard post for me to share because once I say it I have to follow through with it. But here goes: I am not going to run any full marathons in 2014. Instead, I’m going to concentrate on improving my speed for shorter races – all with a goal of a sub-2:00:00 half marathon.

(Yes, I know I just said “shorter races” and “half marathon” in one sentence. I don’t think that’s an oxymoron because I’m a crazy runner!)

There is a part of me that doesn’t want to do this. There is a part of me that wants to push myself to the limits and run as many full marathons as I can. But I have to ignore that part of me and instead listen to the part of me that keeps reminding me of the struggles I had in 2013 when my health (and visa waits!) let me down over and over again causing me to miss both of my intended marathons for the year as well as a handful of shorter races.

Thankfully, the bigger part of me is saying that this half marathon plan is fantastic!

You see, I do really well with half-marathon distances. They’re certainly a physical challenge, but they’re easier on my body and easier to train for because I can keep up on my training even if I have to take a couple of weeks off because of a low platelet count.

My best time for a half marathon distance (currently*) is 2:16:57, but I admit that I hadn’t actually been training or focusing at the time so I am convinced that, with proper training and dedication, I can manage my goal of a sub-2:00:00.

I am dedicating February to re-prioritising some stuff in my life, and included in that is getting back into a proper running habit. I am extremely out of shape, having neglected my running since the summer, so it will be hard work to get back into the swing of things, but I’m going to do it! I have two training runs in for the month so far with a commitment to run at least three days a week all month long.

But most importantly, I’ve already signed up for two half marathons and am considering a couple more for the summer and autumn months.

And if I manage to beat my time goals this year, then I will start working for my sub-5:00:00 full marathon in 2015.

Anyone wishing to join me in a race – either as a participant or a cheerer – is welcome to come along. And if you can’t be there in person, please feel free to cheer and offer encouragement the old fashioned way: Through the Interweb!

* When I was a teenager and active runner, all of my running times were much, much better than they are these days. But that’s when I was young and fit and (believe it or not) even more stubborn than I am now.

[That’s a photo of me nearing the finish line on my fastest half marathon. That was such a great day!]

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Trick of the treats

Oh, what a sweet day it is! I arrived home to see that the postman brought me a parcel all the way from America. Oh yes – a parcel filled with yummy candies from the homeland.

Inside the parcel was a selection of some of my favourite American candies – and a sampling of candies I requested for Rebecca, after having a conversation last month about them. (I mean, if my Scottish friends are so kind as to introduce me to their cultural yummies, it’s only fair that I introduce them to mine. Right?)

So, here’s what my wonderful Mummy and Daddy sent me (all the miniature trick-or-treat versions):

  • 3 Musketeers (2)
  • Butterfingers (4)
  • Milk Duds (2)
  • Whoppers (2) [Like Maltesers, only with proper Hershey’s Chocolate.]
  • Smarties (4)
  • Jolly Ranchers (2 sticks; 2 candies)
  • Hot Tamales (4; for Rebecca)
  • Mike and Ikes (4; for Rebecca)

These are all great candies that I can’t (seemingly) get in the UK. The 3 Musketeers and Butterfinger bars are great because those have always been my go-to choice for candy bars. The Milk Duds and Whoppers are my “nice to have at the movies with a big container of popcorn” treats. The Smarties and Jolly Ranchers fall into my love of chalky sweets and sucky hard candies. And the Hot Tamales and Mike and Ikes* (whilst also on my go-to list of sweets to buy) are ones that I’m excited to share with Rebecca.

Of course, I did have to laugh since there were no Candy Corns in the parcel. No, Mom forgot to put them in. Or is it that they got eaten before she made a trip to the post office … ? Either way, I’m very thankful to my awesome parents for sending me candy.

Now the trick is going to be not eating the treats until Halloween.

(And if you’re looking for a way to get rid of your leftover Halloween candy, give me a shout and I’ll send you my address… she says only half-jokingly…)

* It seems that you can, in fact, get Mike and Ike Tropical flavour here, just not the originals, and since Rebecca likes the tropical ones, I thought she should try the others. And, if you don’t already know, Hot Tamales are actually a secondary product. They are made by re-melting all of the ill-formed Mike and Ikes then they add loads of cinnamon flavour to mask the mismatch of flavours from all of the other candies. Really.

6 Replies to “Trick of the treats”

  1. Did not know that about hot tamales, learn something new all the time. I bet you though it was just a bit of useless knowledge! I for one, will be needing your address because not only does my 4 year old not need all of the candy that we will be acquiring, he won’t eat half of it. I would much rather send it to you than my trash 🙂 I was a bit surprised to not see any tootsie treats in your stash, can one assume that you can get them in Scotland then?

    1. I was just thinking about Tootsie Rolls the other day. It’s another missing candy here, but my guess is Mom got a mix bag that didn’t have them in there. Or Sweet Tarts. But at least I know I can ask the folks for them if I really *need* them!
      It is funny that you mentioned needing my address, because I keep meaning to get yours–since I forgot to do it when I saw you in the homeland! I will send you a message on FB with my address, too, but you don’t really need to send me candy.
      I hope married life is treating you well!!

  2. Just forgot to put in the candy corn and tootsie rolls are on the list for the next round. So glad you enjoyed the package. I had a blast shopping for it.

    1. Well, I enjoyed getting the package. So far, I’ve been a good girl and haven’t eaten any of the candy yet. But only because I fear eating one will send me on a path to eating it all in one sitting!!
      Glad you enjoyed shopping for my sweets! Now, I suppose I need to get busy shopping for your teas and coffees!

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HOME > Business Programs > Korean supplier meeting program

Korean supplier meeting program

Providing buying consultation opportunities with medical institutions and public officials who have demand for quarantine technology products and vaccines, and distributor MDs. Various consultations on practical business models such as purchase plans for each buyer, partnership strategies, and partner registration methods are available.

* Invitation buyer (expected): public institutions, hospital officials, distributors, etc.