Stress

It may sound like a contradiction in terms, but a new Kung Fu Boot Camp combines the nonviolence of Buddhism with the powerful techniques of the martial arts masters. Beginning this week, Buddha Kung Fu instructor Richard “Hippy Coyote” Connor will offer Crescenta Valley youths and adults a way to de-stress through peaceful sparring and playful sportsmanship. The 12 Step 12 Week Kung Fu Boot Camp teaches competitive, non-violent martial arts in a choreographed, slowed down pace that allows for a great workout and greater control of movement, which means no one gets hurt, Connor said.

Crescenta Valley High School’s substance abuse problems are typical of substance abuse in schools across America. Fifty years ago, the biggest disciplinary problems in schools were chewing gum, throwing paper wads, getting out of line and talking in class. Now the biggest problems are substance abuse, weapons, violence, obesity, pregnancy, dropping out and suicide. How could a system managed by supposedly smart people become so dumb? Once pillars of pride in our communities, many schools are now more like prisons with high fences, metal detectors, police presence and now drug testing (“Another way to say no,” Dec. 23)

Back in the days of Sgt. Pepper, Lennon and McCartney had it right when they said, "You have to admit it's getting better all the time." If we all felt that way, we would never feel uncomfortable about telling our age. How did you feel the last time someone asked how old you are? Did you hesitate to let that all-important number roll off your tongue? Were you offended? Or did you look them in the eye, wearing a smile of satisfaction and calmly tell them your age? Let me take some pressure off you before this happens again.

"How handsome you are my lover! Oh, how charming! And our bed is verdant." (Song of Songs 1:16) As the years roll along for us married folks, we experience seasons of tranquillity and seasons of challenge. This is completely normal. In our relationship, we all remember the newness of inexperienced love. As we grow older together, we experience familiarity, boredom and even temptation. The good news is God gives us the ability to continually renew and refresh our love for one another.

GLENDALE — The following are updates on area Major League Baseball players. Freddy Sanchez (Glendale Community College, 1998) second baseman, San Francisco Giants: Despite a 1-0 stumble against the Florida Marlins in which he went one for three with a walk, Sanchez has been heating up lately, building his average up to .294 after the Thursday loss to the Marlins. The 33-year-old has hit safely in five straight games, going 10 for 21 in the span and raising his average 24 points.

Elvia Huizar felt alone during the four years she spent in the U.S. Air Force, part of which she spent in Iraq. She didn't find the sisterhood she had expected. The men formed close bonds with each other. However, she and other women put up walls, creating an environment of competition among themselves. PHOTOS: YWCA and Sunergos honor female veterans But on Friday, those walls began to fall at the end of a three-day program designed to help female veterans succeed in civilian life.

Student loans are due. The credit card is maxed. The mortgage payment’s late. And that’s just the mail, which is probably unread and heaped in a pile. Then there’s the worry that you’ll be a casualty in the next round of layoffs, and what if those stock prices don’t climb back up? These are stressful times, and stressful times call for meditative measures. To withstand today’s vexing economic climate, health professionals suggest that people take a mental timeout.

NORTHEAST GLENDALE - When it was needed most, the Glendale Community College softball team played at its best Tuesday in a doubleheader with L.A. Mission College. "This was a day where if we lost one we probably wouldn't have made it [into the California College Athletic Assn. regional playoffs], we had to win them both," Glendale Coach Dave "Hawk" Wilder said. Not only did the Vaqueros do that, they did so convincingly, winning both games at the Glendale Sports Complex by a score of 8-0 to, according to Wilder, cement their spot in the regional tournament and as the second-place team in the Western State Conference's Blue Division with a 12-6 conference, 27-13 overall record.

Sheriff and fire sirens chirped at 9 a.m. Saturday throughout the La Crescenta neighborhood at Briggs Terrace, followed soon by a steady stream of cars winding down mountain roads to the evacuation center at Two Strike Park. This was all part of the Briggs Terrace fire evacuation drill sponsored by the Los Angeles Fire Department with the support of the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station. The drill took less than two hours from the initial debriefing with emergency responders to the actual evacuation and wrap-up discussion with residents.

Motorists eagerly waited in line Saturday as teens and young adults scrubbed dozens of cars to raise money for low-income children who can’t afford Ark Family Center’s youth seminar. The center, which is a nonprofit organization, sold nearly 100 car wash tickets at $5 apiece before Saturday’s event to ensure they received donations and had vehicles to scrub clean at the Albertsons store parking lot on 1000 block of South Central Avenue. Others driving by stopped, asked about the center and got a car wash.