Not only is May Sustainability Month, it is also Bike Safety Month! Follow BAL-4 & B-T as they learn about reusable bike tires.
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Make-up Tips To Make Your Eyes Pop!
May 10, 2012 By
If your eyes are truly the window to your soul, then what better way to draw attention to one of your face’s most important assets than with some well-placed make-up? Don't worry — you don’t need to hire a professional to achieve a quality make-up job at home at Fort Leonard Wood Family Housing, though! You only need a few simple tips to get you started.
Eyelashes provide a bold border to your eyes. And, they draw attention to the colors of your pupils, and make them appear larger. To add more drama, curl your lashes before applying mascara — this increases their volume, and then the mascara will accentuate it.
Light eyeshadow is one of the biggest secrets in the make-up artist’s professional repertoire. Putting a small dab of light shadow on the inside ridge of your eye where the upper and lower lids meet creates a highlight effect that makes the whites of your eyes appear brighter and clearer.
Lastly, keep your eyebrows neatly trimmed. It can really do for your overall look. Cleanly arched eyebrows attract attention to your eyes, and if they’re neat and carefully manicured, they’ll help your eyes pop more than ever!
BAL-4 & B-T Learn to Pack a Waste-Free Lunch
May 7, 2012 By
Book Buzz: Enthralling Memoirs
May 3, 2012 By
Avid memoir-readers agree, sometimes the most surprising stories are the ones that are true! If you're looking to immerse yourself in a moving book, you should check out one of these titles. They're all sure to delight, inspire, and instruct.
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
Didion's harrowing recollection of grief chronicles the year following her husband's sudden death from a heart attack. Written in stark, beautiful prose, Didion won a Pulitzer Prize for this unflinching portrait of her own bereavement.
Naked by David Sedaris
David Sedaris's collection of autobiographical essays is a hilarious. His comical, yet loving look at various events of his life is told in a voice unlike any other. Sedaris celebrates his own catastrophic detours, inviting his readers to smile and laugh at his past misadventures.
Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi
For two years in Iran, Azar Nafisi brought a group of female students together to read and discuss forbidden classics of Western literature. An extraordinary tale of standing up against censorship and tyranny, Nafisi's memoir is a beautiful story told with passion and courage.
Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain
Anthony Bourdain's incredible recollections from more than two decades in the culinary world is both funny and shocking. This sometimes gritty, honest book looks at some crazy characters at work in the world of fine dining, Bourdain has a lot of kitchen tales to share, and they're all fascinating.
May is Sustainability Month: Follow BAL-4 & B-T as They Learn to Make a Difference
May 1, 2012 By
Balfour Beatty has declared May as Sustainability Month. Throughout the month, employees across all our offices will be learning about ways they can implement sustainable behaviors and practices in the office, at home and throughout the greater community. Sustainability is a collective responsibility. We encourage you to follow BAL-4 and B-T each month to learn about ways you too can make a difference.
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Five Great Films Based on Classic Books
April 26, 2012 By
If you're looking for a good film to enjoy, why not turn to one that was a great novel first? These movies are all classics in-and-of themselves, and if you love them, then you can read the book, too!
The Wizard of Oz
This classic fantasy film has its origins in L. Frank Baum's series of children's books. Released in 1939, it has become one of the most beloved films of all time because of its wonderful characters, storytelling, and stunning use of Technicolor.
The Maltese Falcon
Taken from a serialized 1930 detective novel, The Maltese Falcon has been adapted for film twice. The more-popular second film, directed by John Huston and starring Humphrey Bogart as the iconic detective Sam Spade, is regarded as a true masterpiece of the noir genre.
Jaws
Steven Spielberg essentially invented the summer blockbuster when he took this Peter Benchley novel to the big screen. This terrifying tale of a deadly shark wreaking havoc on a quiet summer resort still terrifies viewers to this day.
The Godfather
Mario Puzo's novel of the Corleone family gave birth to the film classic directed by Francis Ford Coppola. With towering performances by Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, and Robert Duvall, among others, The Godfather is one of the most glorious films ever created.
The Silence of the Lambs
The chilling thriller starring Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster is an adaptation of a novel by Thomas Harris. Hopkins' frightening depiction of serial killer Hannibal Lecter is legendary, and helped make this film adaptation a major box office success.
Eco-Friendly Spring Cleaning Tips
April 12, 2012 By
With warmer weather just around the corner, many people feel compelled to de-clutter, complete long-unfinished home maintenance jobs, and make their living spaces clean for the new season. And if you're someone who is interested in "going green," the good news is that you can do your spring cleaning without using products or methods that take a negative toll on the environment. Below are some helpful tips for an eco-friendly transition from winter to spring:
Use What You Already Have
When it comes to cleaning materials, don’t create environmental waste by using paper towels or buying rags that you will throw away after just a few uses. Instead reuse old t-shirts, socks, and towels. They work just as well, and you’ll also save money!
Avoid Chemicals
As you work to remove dust, dirt, and grime from your home this spring, make sure to use non-toxic cleaning substances so that you don’t achieve cleanliness at the expense of environmental safety. There are several green-friendly products on the market and most grocery stores carry them. Or, if you prefer, you can make your own basic cleaning products using time-tested natural staples like baking soda, white vinegar, and tea tree oil.
Don’t Discard Items Unless You Have To
If you go through your home and discover items that you no longer need, try to avoid disposing of them if they are in decent condition. Instead of tossing, consider selling them via Craigslist, eBay, or a yard sale, or giving them away to others for free or donate them to a charity. You'll be doing good for others and for the environment!
Bring The Outdoors Indoors
After you’ve cleaned your house and the place is sparkling with spring promise, consider getting some indoor plants. Simple houseplants have been shown to greatly improve indoor air quality, and they will also enliven your living space with vibrant beauty and color. If you're interested in incorporating more greenery into your home, some of the best plants for purifying the air are Aloe Vera, Golden Pothos, English Ivy, and Chinese Evergreen.
No More Piles of Paper
A great way to prevent clutter in your home this spring and also reduce environmental waste is to stop the ceaseless flow of bulk mail and catalogs to your home. To avoid getting unwanted items, do a quick online search, and you'll find countless sites to help you opt out of receiving these materials. Also, many people conduct all of their business online but still receive needless bills and receipts via mail. If you’re in this boat, take the time to let your bank and other services know that they need not send you unnecessary paper documents.
Not Alone Program for Military Families Affected by War
April 9, 2012 By
We would like to take the time to familiarize our residents with a helpful program that supports military families whose lives are affected by war. Not Alone, a non-profit organization, aims to “empower warriors and their families in their life after war.”
Not Alone provides many different avenues for receiving anonymous and confidential support at no cost, including:
- eGroups
- Training
- Workshops
- Personal Clinical Care for anything including post-traumatic stress disorder, clinical depression, and medical management
- Forums/Discussion Boards
- Social Networks
- Retreats for warriors and for spouses
- eClinic
Not Alone hosts weekly online groups for spouses on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Caregiver/Spouse Support Groups are held on Wednesday nights. The first Wednesday of every month is an open topic, with the rest of the Wednesdays dedicated to our series, 7 Lives of Military wives. Thursdays are Trench Talk, an open forum discussion revolving around deployment cycle issues.
To enter the group, go to http://notalone.webex.com
Under the "Today" tab, join the session up to 30 minutes before start time.
Wednesday password: "spouses"
Thursday password: "trenchtalk"
Are you unsure whether or not you should seek support? To determine your stress and anxiety levels, take Not Alone’s free Stress Assessment Test.
If you’re looking for immediate assistance, please contact the Not Alone eClinic, a 24/7 hotline at 1-866-781-8010.
For further information about Not Alone, visit their website at: http://notalone.com. You can also follow Not Alone on Facebook and Twitter.
Fun Facts About The Art of Dance
April 5, 2012 By
Dance is prevalent in different forms in all cultures, dating back to the early stages of human life on earth when it was primarily used as a method of communication. Chances are you’ve done some dancing yourself and may know the basics about today’s most popular dance forms like ballet, breakdancing, square dancing, and hip hop. If you’re curious to know more about this ages-old art form, read on to learn some fascinating facts:
Dancing Away The Great Depression – During The Great Depression, dance contest marathons were a common way for people to escape their woes and earn some extra cash by winning prize money for dancing the longest. Participants danced for hours and even whole days straight, taking only very occasional rests. Two Depression era dance marathoners named Mike Ritof and Edith Boudreaux danced for 214 days straight, setting an unbelievable world record.
Origins of Ballet – Ballet began in Renaissance Italy, around the year 1500, when Catherine de Medici introduced new dance styles into French court life after her marriage to the king of France. In the early stages of ballet, the dancers wore heavy costumes and their garb limited their mobility, requiring ballet to consist of only very small repetitive motions. Later, as the dance evolved and cross-pollinated with various nationalities, the costumes became less elaborate and the art of ballet became freer and more complex.
Ancient German Dancing – Many experts and dance scholars believe that the oldest surviving form of dance is the Austrian Schuhplattler (from the German for “shoe-dance”). The dance is so old that a written description of it exists in a poem written by a German monk 1030 called “Ruodlieb.” The dance apparently takes its inspiration from the mating ritual of a large grouse-like German bird called the capercaillie.
Peripheral Vision – You probably know that dancers enjoy many health benefits because of the constant exercise they undertake. But did you know that professional dancers also develop superior peripheral vision? Since most choreographed dance routines require prescribed head angles, dancers can’t turn their heads, and so they have to use their eyes if they want to look to the side.
