Cold shower therapy
The hot water heater in one Beaconite’s apartment is broken, but he’s okay with that. After two months of cold showers each morning, the Beaconite isn’t sure he’ll ever stop. He has come to enjoy the invigorating feeling of a cold shower that must surely be a benefit to general health and well-being. Some voices on the Internet back up his theory. An article on wakeup-world.com describes all sorts of health benefits to cold showers: better blood circulation, increased metabolism, improved lymphatic movement — whatever that means — and higher energy levels. Once you work up the courage to actually step into the shower, the cold water even reduces stress, according to the article.
Research made easy
One Beaconite was reminded this week that when researching a topic, the library is a great resource. Even at a small facility like the public library in Road Town, there are plenty of books and other materials. The reporter particularly appreciates the staff, who are always friendly and helpful. She encourages other residents take advantage of this valuable community asset.
Helping hand
A Beaconite who covers various sports events often finds that getting scores and statistics can be a challenge. He thought he had devised an efficient way to record the numbers by photographing the record books kept by scoring officials. This works most of the time, but occasionally an official will guard the book and not allow the Beaconite to snap the photo that he needs to write his story. However, things were different last weekend during the Tropical Shootout tournament at the Multi-purpose Sports Complex. A scorekeeper from Warner University was very helpful. He assisted the Beacon sports editor by printing out the scores from the game and e-mailing them, along with statistics from previous games. The Beaconite is unsure if sports federations and associations in the territory have this capability, but it sure would make life easier for journalists covering their events. And the players would also be happier to get the credit they deserve.
A helping foot?
During a recent rugby tournament at the A.O. Shirley Recreation Grounds, several players tumbled outside of the boundaries where fans were watching the match. No one was hurt, but they forgot to pick up the ball when they returned to the field. A female spectator did them a favour and kicked the ball to the players. But her flip-flop flew off onto the field as well. The players and spectators got a laugh out of the flying sandal. Thankfully, no one was hurt during the incident and the woman’s sandal was returned to her before the game resumed.
Twinkie dogs
A Beaconite from the United States enjoys celebrating Thanksgiving each year, and though he misses being home for the holiday, it’s equally fun to celebrate with friends here in the Virgin Islands. That’s partly because in addition to the regular Thanksgiving dishes — turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce — the Beaconite always welcomes the opportunity to try new things, like a hotdog stuffed in a Twinkie. At this year’s celebrations, a British guest served the dogs, topped with cheese sauce, nestled amidst the cream filling. The Beaconite was initially sceptical of the creation, which the guest claimed was an “American treat” inspired by the singer “Weird Al” Yankovic. But it turned out not to taste so bad after all. Beacon readers looking to serve the dogs at their next holiday gathering may find themselves out of luck, though: The Twinkies manufacturer, Hostess Brands, recently filed for bankruptcy.
Wardrobe malfunction
This weekend a Beaconite had a very embarrassing moment. After being invited to a private fashion event on Scrub Island (see coverage in the Island Weekend & Culture section), she made a special effort to look pretty, picking out her very best outfit. However, on her way to the ferry, her high heel shoe broke. Thanks to a friend, she got back home, changed her shoes and returned to Scrub Island in time for the show.
{fcomment}