"I don't think like that anymore."

Alex Wilson is smiling again after winning excellence award

by Iain Lundy, from the Evening Times Online

TWO years ago Alex Wilson had it made. He had a successful job, owned houses in England and France and was a partner in a luxury apartment business in Brazil.

The engineer drove plush cars, swam in his private pool, played tennis on his own court and had plans to build a golf course. But in January 2007 his world collapsed.

Cancer - which he had suffered 10 years previously - returned and he lost his job, his business partners deserted him and his marriage broke down.

Alex, 54, from Motherwell, was forced to return to Lanarkshire penniless and with no home to go to.

He contemplated suicide but, after almost two years in the doldrums, he is again on the straight and narrow and says his is a classic tale of "riches to rags to riches".

He has managed to turn his life back around thanks to the support he received in his home town, particularly a scheme run by Motherwell College, which has helped him relaunch a new career.

After completing his engineering apprenticeship in the old Lanarkshire steelworks, Alex went to work in England for British Aerospace and began to enjoy the good life.

He said: "I had worked hard and along with some friends I bought some holiday apartments in Brazil. They were full all year round and the income was brilliant."

But things started to go wrong when his stomach cancer came back and he was treated in France.

"My partners obviously thought I was not going to last. They got together and effectively wrote me out of the business. I had cashed in 85% of my pension to put it into the business, so all that was gone.

Alex then stopped working and his third marriage ended in divorce.

He said: "I had a couple of T-shirts, two pairs of jeans and a jacket to my name. There was only one thing I could do and that was go back to my home land.

"North Lanarkshire Council was brilliant. I arrived in the morning and by mid-afternoon it had set me up with a flat in Shotts and given me some money.

"I am not a Catholic but the local priest, Father Lamb, came round that night with three bags of shopping."

Through the JobCentre, Alex was put in touch with the "Support Employment" football project run by Motherwell College, Motherwell FC and Careers Scotland.

He has now been presented with Careers Scotland's Over-20 Excellence Award at a ceremony at Glasgow Science Centre.

He added: "A year ago I just wanted to die. I don't think like that any more. "

This summer Alex hopes to graduate from the college in Swedish massage and reflexology - and use his new skills to work again.

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Rags to riches tale began with barely a scent

The Daily Journal out of PA reports on another up and comer ignoring the economy and making in happen!

Vincent Spinnato Jr. is either psychic or driven.

In 1992, he was the

quirky Vineland High School junior with a passion for designing perfume bottles.

"That kid's got gumption," said his former guidance counselor Pat Phillips, recalling the earnest teen selling his plans to launch a beauty line under the trade name "Vincenzo" to anyone who would listen.

Now, 16 years later, he's on the cusp of turning his vision into reality. He's hired an Atlanta-based public relations firm to start spreading the news about the spring '09 launch of his two unisex product lines.

V.S. Vincenzo, priced from $34 to $150, will include 25 high-end skin, bath and body products. His Aegean Skin Care line, targeting the mass market, offers 35 items, ranging from $9.99 to $40.

To reach this point, Spinnato had to learn the cosmetics/fragrance business inside and out, build up a bankable reputation and then convince financial backers to invest millions in his vision.

"I'm very aggressive when I want something," Spinnato said. "I haven't slept since 1982."

Growing up near Atlantic City fine-tuned his gambling instincts.

"I'm a hard-core dice roller," he said. "I don't get nervous -- it's exciting more than anything."

The pending launch is no surprise to Phillips, who plans to be first in line -- cash in hand -- for Spinnato's products.

"I knew he was going to make it," she said, well acquainted with his fierce self-motivation. "It's rare -- you don't see it too often."

When he made up his mind to apply for admission to Dickinson College, Spinnato would leave VHS at the 2:10 p.m. dismissal and drive three hours to the campus in Carlisle, Pa. He'd sit in on classes and hang out at the registrar's office, introducing himself to everyone.

"He had professors pulling for him to get in," she said.

And he did.

But once on campus, Spinnato still wasn't happy.

"I felt stifled, it was so frustrating," he said.

Instead of wasting time, he picked up and moved on.

"I had no money, I didn't even know where I was going -- Beverly Hills, Atlanta or Miami -- I got in my car and stopped when I hit the Pacific Ocean. I slept on the beach that first night."

Some predicted Spinnato would be home in six months.

But his mother, Henrietta Spinnato, knew better.

"I told them, 'I don't think so,'" she said. "He's just so determined."

When he was 13, Spinnato would tag along with his mother when she went shopping at Macy's, gravitating to the skin care counters.

"He would check out what was new," said Henrietta, a Vineland resident. "We would come home and I'd see him with a sketch pad. He really has never wanted to do anything but this."

Starting from scratch, Spinnato got to know the right people and always managed to be in the right place at the right time.

On his drive west, Spinnato picked up a Harper's Bazaar magazine that featured Riquette Hofstein, a pioneer in the kitchen cosmetics industry, which uses organic ingredients in skin care products.

"I called her," Spinnato said. "I said, 'You don't know me, (but) I want to work for you.'"

Hofstein hired the 20-year-old as an apprentice. He immersed himself in the industry, learning everything from product development to marketing strategies.

"I starved," he said. "I worked for free."

Spinnato got a little apartment and pieced together his rent with a hodgepodge of side jobs.

"I would do anything to keep a roof over my head," he said. "I wanted to work for this woman -- no major cosmetics company would take me on with no experience."

Eventually, he worked with wealthy clientele who commissioned personalized skin care products.

Spinnato's resume includes work for Estee Lauder, L'Oreal, Chanel, Procter & Gamble and Victoria's Secret.

"Now I have my foot in the door," he said.

It's taken 15 years to build up the professional reputation and financial backing to greenlight his personal line of products.

It's not makeup.

"Women, in general, are naturally beautiful," he said. "I'm trying to educate and encourage women to learn how to treat and correct their skin or skin conditions rather than cover these areas up with makeup -- in other words, how to bring out their natural beauty."

And in this teetering economy, he remains optimistic about his entrepreneurial success.

"Historically, the cosmetic industry seems to grow in spite of down time," Spinnato said. "The need for women and men to always clean and take care of their skin, or wash or condition their hair, or brush their teeth never goes away."

These days, Spinnato is down to the wire -- selecting brand colors and that all-important package design. He'd also like to woo a celebrity endorsement.

Life is good.

He's doesn't sleep on California's sandy shore. He has a trendy Laguna Beach address.

There are two Mercedes in the driveway -- a G Wagon and a convertible.

No longer an unpaid intern, Spinnato holds the top spot in his own business. Those letters that appear after his name in the company directory show how far he's risen.

"CEO," he said, with a chuckle.

Bracing for a new era, Spinnato is grateful to the people who invested both time and money to help make this lifelong dream come true.

"I want to pay them off in full," he said. "They don't expect to see it. They will get it.

"My parents have been phenomenal, remortgaging their home," he said. "They believe in me."

Next up?

He'll focus on generating some product buzz in major fashion magazines.

His fingers are crossed for a Vincenzo shout-out in Vogue.

"That would be the holy grail," he said.

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What are you giving thanks for?

What are you giving thanks for?

by Kevin Masterson, Los Angeles Religion & Spirituality Examiner

With all the economic challenges that so many are facing this year, most certainly many people are struggling to find something for which they are thankful for this holiday season. This is a no brainer to me. I am thankful for being so healthy. Let me tell you why.

The next person I’d like to give their fifteen minutes of fame in my series on people who have been inspirational to me are my cousin, Steve & his wife Marsa. The last time I saw Steve was four years ago at my mother’s family reunion. Most of Steve’s family had come up from Texas to attend the reunion—no small feat, as his mother, my Aunt Nancy has seven children. I hadn’t seen most of them for at least ten years so it was hard to recognize everyone. Steve put his hand out to me as he recognized me. We talked for a while that day & had a beer. His family is so warm and friendly that anyone would like to sit down & have a beer with any of them.

Several months ago, I found out from my mother that Steve had malignant melanoma and his wife, Marsa had breast cancer. She had to have a double mastectomy. As ovarian cancer runs in her family, she also had a complete hysterectomy done at the same time. They have a son who is only two years old, as well as two teenage daughters. This past year has been about going to chemo, doctor’s appointments, etc. You’d think this would leave little time for joy, but Steve held his son on his lap as he got his first haircut several months ago. Marsa’s cancer is now under control, but Steve’s has spread to his lungs.

What is most inspirational to me about Steve is his complete acceptance about his situation. He is totally at peace. He’d like to live, but he is not afraid to die. I think that is what is keeping him going. He is not resisting the flow of life. He is trusting in God’s plan for his life.

Many of us are challenged in many ways this year, but Steve & Marsa’s situation really makes me put things in perspective. Money comes & goes--as do jobs, relationships, material objects, etc. However the greatest gift that we all have that we forget is that we are alive, that we draw breath, that we have an opportunity to contribute to the upliftment of the planet.

Steve & I are lucky. If anyone is going to pull through this, it is him. We both come from strong Pennsylvania stock on our mothers’ side of the family. Our grandparents raised eight children during the depression, after my grandfather lost his construction business. Those types of life problems are temporary, but the things that really matter are family, are sticking together and helping each other. Those are the real gifts of life. You just keep on going, keep looking for the pony with all that manure around.

When times are tough, I try to develop "an attitude of gratitude.I think that it is really important this year  in particular that everyone really look at the blessings they have in their lives, to be thankful for what they have, rather than be resentful for what they feel they are lacking. With all the political chaos & economic upheaval in the world right now, it is vital to realize the commonalities that we all share: family, friends, triumphs, tragedies, goals, dreams. I’ve heard it said that “you pray to God for more, but he won’t give you more until you take care of what you’ve got.” That is what I am focusing on this Thanksgiving—what I am doing with the gifts that God has given me, what I can be grateful for, taking care of my “ten percent.”  When times are tough, I try to develop "an attitude of gratitude. Might I suggest that you consider doing the same?

I am sure Steve & Marsa & their family, his mother & all his siblings and their families will be celebrating Thanksgiving together this year, grateful to have each other, grateful for one more day of life. God Bless them. Please keep them in your thoughts & prayers during this holiday season.

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A look at the top 10 inspirational sports movies

by John A. Zukowski

Photo Courtesy of Disney PicturesDenzel Washington gets up close to look over a practice in "Remember The Titans." It's one of the top ten inspirational sports movies of all time.

Not so long ago I came across something on the Beliefnet.com Web site about inspirational sports movies. There were 20 of them listed -- everything from "Rocky" to "The Mighty Ducks." They didn't rank them in any order. But it got me thinking about why some sports movies could be called inspirational.

So I came up with my own list of ten inspirational sports movies. And yeah, a few people already told me ones that shoulda been on the list. So my colleagues Dustin Schoof and KJ Franz have some choices, too.

Something many of them have in common? They're about underdogs. Nobody seems to want to see a sports movie about star athletes or a well-oiled competent team. They want to see scrappy underdogs who've been written off try to make it.

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Above the Victim Mentality -- New Inspirational Memoir About the Courage to Confront and Overcome Life's Obstacles

Another heroine choosing to succeed!

ARLINGTON, Va., Nov 18, 2008 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) -- For determined and highly motivated individuals, life's obstacles are just challenges to be overcome. There are obstacles such as physical impediments that one is born with that take great courage to overcome. Other obstacles are man-made and institutionalized by segments of society that harm targeted groups and individuals. They may take the form of racial, ethnic, gender, and other forms of discrimination. In either case, overcoming such obstacles takes great courage.

Keep Getting Up is the first book of its kind written by a courageous black woman about her career in public service. It's about author and diplomat Ann L. Stanford's 40-year journey of finding her place on the world stage as an accomplished and talented professional. In the sheltered environment in Kansas in which she grew up, her parents, her school teachers, and her community failed to prepare her for the truth of the Black Experience in America. When she stepped out onto the world stage at age 17 determined to make her mark on the world, she crashed into the wall of racial discrimination that shattered her belief system and rocked her self-confidence.

Prejudice was a terrible setback, but she rapidly educated herself about what life for Blacks in America was all about. She then developed strategies to overthrow all racial and gender barriers placed in her path. She triumphed over countless obstacles along her international journey and rose to the top ranks in public service. That took a lot of courage! And to be sure her mark on the world is noteworthy.

Keep Getting Up is a must-read, particularly for those who are concerned about social justice for all in America. Get a copy of this book now! The book will be featured in the Bologna International Book Fair to be held March 2009 in Bologna, Italy.

About the Author

Dr. Ann Stanford's multiple identities are: internationalist, public servant, academician and diplomat. Her dream at age 12 was to become an internationalist, which she accomplished midway through her public service career. As a diplomat, she served as First Secretary-Consul, American Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya responsible for the management of the embassy; and as Consul General, head of the American Consulate General in Lyon, France. Her other federal government positions have been in three states and the District of Columbia and she has received numerous honors and awards for her outstanding achievements.

Keep Getting Up * by Ann L. Stanford, Ph.D.
Reflections of a Global Agent for Change
Publication Date: September 4, 2008
Trade Paperback; $23.99; 528 pages; 978-1-4363-0952-3
Cloth Hardback; $34.99; 528 pages; 978-1-4363-0953-0

To request a complimentary paperback review copy, contact the publisher at (888) 795-4274 x. 7479. Tear sheets may be sent by regular or electronic mail to Marketing Services.

To purchase copies of the book for resale, please fax Xlibris at (610) 915-0294 or call (888) 795-4274 x.7876.

Xlibris books can be purchased at Xlibris bookstore.

For more information, contact Xlibris at (888) 795-4274 or on the web at http://www.xlibris.com/.

This news release was distributed by GlobeNewswire, http://www.globenewswire.com/

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Cancer No Obstacle

IQALUIT -- B.C. lead Anita Cochrane would have preferred to be on the ice instead of in the stands when we played her team at the Arnaitok Arena in Iqaluit at the Canadian Mixed Curling Championship on Wednesday night.

The fact that she is here competing at this event at all, however, is truly inspiring.
Cochrane has incurable cancer, but was determined not to miss out on her first national curling championship.

"It was never an option for me not to come here," said Cochrane, 37, who is joined in Iqaluit by her parents, who flew in all the way from Australia.

Cochrane adjusted her chemotherapy schedule before coming, taking an extra week off so she would have enough energy to compete. She played in seven of B.C.'s first nine games. Sphere: Related Content