Have an idea for a business, but not sure where to start? Take the first step with the Florida SBDC’s “Starting a Business” workshop on September 13 from 1 – 4 p.m. In this workshop, we will discuss the fundamentals of launching your new venture, including how to determine feasibility and legal structures, licensing and permitting, funding options for your business and basic marketing strategies to help you get started! Location: Santa Rosa County Chamber of Commerce, 4315 Avalon Blvd, Milton, FL 32583. Fee: $50. To register, visit our website at www.sbdc.uwf.edu and click on “Training & Events”. Presented by Colton Currier, Business Consultant, Florida SBDC at UWF. Sponsored by Wells Fargo.
This panel discussion is a must-attend for small business owners, aspiring entrepreneurs, and anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the funding options available to drive business growth. Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with industry experts, ask questions, and gain the knowledge needed to secure the financial support your business deserves. Join us online for “Connect to Capital” on September 11 from 9-10 a.m. for an engaging conversation on building bridges to opportunities in the world of small business financing. Presenters: Stephanie Larabee, Market President-Okaloosa County, Midsouth Bank; Lane Redding, President – South Walton and Bay County Markets, United Community Bank; Kent Tinsley – Vice President, Community Bank; Kelly Massey, Regional Director, Florida SBDC at UWF. No fee. To register, visit sbdc.uwf.edu and open “Training & Events”. Sponsored by Wells Fargo.
Choosing a musical instrument to learn can set the foundation for a lifelong passion for music. Whether you’re a child, a teenager, or an adult, selecting an instrument involves a combination of personal preference, physical considerations, and practical aspects. Here’s a guide to help you make the best decision.
Consider Your Musical Preferences
The first step in choosing an instrument is to think about the music you love. If you love the sound of classical music, you might consider the piano, violin, or cello. If jazz perhaps the saxophone, trumpet, or double bass would suit you. If you love rock or pop, the guitar, drums, or electric bass is the best fit. Your passion for a particular genre can greatly influence your motivation to practice and improve.
Assess Your Physical Attributes
Certain instruments require specific physical traits. For example, string instruments like the violin or guitar demand fine motor skills and dexterity in the fingers. If you have small hands, the piano may initially be challenging, but not impossible. Consulting with a music teacher can provide valuable insight into which instruments align well with your physical characteristics.
Think About Practicality
Practical considerations when choosing an instrument would include whether some instruments are more portable than others. For instance, a flute or clarinet is much easier to carry around than a piano or drum set. Additionally, consider the noise level of the instrument. If you live in an apartment or shared space, an electric guitar with headphones or an electronic keyboard might be a better choice than drums.
Consider the Learning Curve
Some instruments, like the drums, ukulele or piano, are relatively easy for beginners to start playing. A violin may take longer to sound pleasant and require more initial practice. If you’re someone who enjoys quick progress, starting with an instrument that’s easier to learn might keep you motivated.
Budget and Accessibility
Budget is another factor. Instruments vary in price, violins and cellos, having a high cost, especially for a quality instrument. Beginner models of most instruments are affordable, and renting an instrument is an option to consider. Additionally, think about the teacher and studio availability for lessons. Learning materials and finding a one on one specialized teacher is can be rare, but Studio 237 has this available for you locally.
Try Before You Commit
Whenever possible, try out different instruments before making your decision. Try attending workshops or music camps to get hands-on experience with various instruments. This can give you a better sense of what feels right for you.
Choosing the right musical instrument to learn is a personal decision that should be guided by your musical tastes, physical abilities, practical considerations, and budget. By taking the time to explore these factors, you’ll be more likely to find an instrument that resonates with you and keeps you engaged in your musical journey. Whether you end up playing the piano, guitar, violin, or any other instrument, the most important thing is to enjoy the process of learning and making music.
As you visit our website studio237music.com, you’ll find that we specialize in helping beginners receive foundational teaching experience in piano, drums, ukulele, classical, acoustic or electric guitar, bass guitar and voice lessons.
Call Ray at 850 231-3199 or text at 850 797-3546 to schedule a lesson or a visit to our Studio 237 located at 237 Dawson Road Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. You may also email us at studio237music@gmail.com with any other questions or request.
From humble beginnings dating back to 1984, AJ’s Seafood & Oyster Bar in Destin continues to operate with the philosophy that great seafood, raw oysters, coastal libations and live music are the keys to creating happy patrons who keep coming back year-after-year.
Now celebrating its 40th year in business, AJ’s serves Northwest Florida’s locals, and millions of annual tourists alike, from four locations along the Northwest Florida Gulf Coast: AJ’s Seafood & Oyster Bar on Destin Harbor (original location), AJ’s Oyster Shanty on Okaloosa Island, AJ’s On the Bayou at the foot of the Cinco Bayou Bridge in Fort Walton Beach and AJ’s Grayton Beach, smack dab in the middle of 30A.
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Some locals might remember the now World-Famous AJ’s Destin from way back in the day when they shucked oysters off the deck behind a small trailer right on Destin Harbor. That’s where the magic all began and has continued to flourish over the years. AJ’s commitment to consistently good food, attentive and friendly service, the best in live entertainment daily, and that unique atmosphere and vibe that is synonymous with the AJ’s brand, have brought a longevity that few restaurants have experienced across our coastal paradise—and a popularity that shows no signs of slowing down any time soon.
During a recent conversation, I asked AJ’s founder, Alan Laird, how he and his team have managed to maintain the modern coastal vibe, attention to great live music and consistency to great food over all these years. Laird simply answered, “My philosophy has always been, you’ve got to have enough to make people want to go there, to eat there, to stay there, to come back there and to tell their friends to go there.” I, for one, think he’s certainly figured out that magical formula, and it shows with each visit to any of his four AJ’s locations.
AJ’S Supports Destin’s Unique History
No matter how much our area changes, the true culture of Destin can still be found in its fishing community and the businesses that support that history. A longstanding staple of “The World’s Luckiest Fishing Village,” AJ’s has gone to painstaking efforts to preserve Destin’s culture and what it stands for. AJ’s Destin is covered with buoys, antique outboards, nets, floats, paddles and hundreds of other pieces of local fishing memorabilia. AJ’s Seafood & Oyster Bar is also the headquarters, and forever home, of the famous weigh-ins for The Destin Fishing Rodeo each October. For an entire month, seven days a week, boats full of anglers from around the world pull up behind AJ’s, for a chance to have their catch make it onto the leaderboard, grab a photo with Miss Destin, and relish in the culture that make AJ’s and Destin icons of sportfishing. You can’t love fishing in Destin and not love AJ’s!
AJ’s Brings Live Music All Year ‘Round
I’ve been to my fair share of great restaurants and beach bars over my two plus decades writing about coastal tourism. I’ve seen everything from one-man acoustic shows to duos to full out touring bands and national cover acts taking local stages in the Destin, Fort Walton Beach, PCB and 30A area, but I can’t think of another place, anywhere in any state, where I’ve watched live entertainment of such unique variety and talent that it’s kept me going back for 25 years. Somehow AJ’s has managed to keep its finger on that often hard-to-define pulse of knowing what people want to see, hear and feel for longer than any single establishment I’ve personally visited.
National AJ’s Day- September 27th
Friday, September 27, is “National AJ’s Day” as part of AJ’s BIG 40th anniversary month! Festivities include live music throughout the day, featuring a fantastic lineup of artists and bands, both upstairs and downstairs of AJ’s Destin location, including live acts on the outdoor Tiki Village, as well as AJ’s large outdoor Jumbotron Stage.
Headlining the party will be multi-Grammy nominee, Fastball, who captured the spotlight with their platinum album, All the Pain Money Can Buy, dominating Billboard’s charts for an entire year back in the nostalgic 90’s. You likely remember their well-known hits “The Way” and “Out of My Head” and now you can party with them firsthand this September.
AJ’s will also be offering hourly, 40-cent specials, enabling you to indulge in delectable offerings showcasing AJ’s menu, while allowing you to savor the flavors that keep locals and vacationers alike coming back for decades. This is the perfect opportunity to party where the locals know and go, and celebrate four decades of music, fun, community and incredible coastal cuisine.
Do yourself a favor and get by AJ’s Seafood & Oyster House in Destin, or any of the other three locations. You’ll quickly understand why AJ’s continues to be the place to be on the Northwest Florida Gulf Coast.
Check out AJ’s online calendar of events at ajsdestin.com. Follow on Facebook to keep up with the live music and fun at all four locations.
A poignant scene in the Gospel of Mark is set against the backdrop of a lesson Jesus taught his disciples about the importance of having faith like children. It’s a quick little scene typically used as a stepping-stone to the ‘bigger lesson’.
Kenneth Wuest, a Greek scholar, in his The New Testament, An Expanded Translation, Mark 10:15-16 reads, “Truly, I am saying to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God in the same manner as a little child, will positively not enter it. And having taken them up in His arms, He kept on fervently blessing them, placing His hands upon them.”
Just picture it – Jesus, placing His hands on little heads, fervently blessing them, speaking words of life into their futures. Chances are the blessings were tailored specifically to each child. And what are the chances, then, that those same children, blessed individually by their Creator, grew up to be followers of the Lamb and evangelists for the Kingdom? God’s words are never idle. Each blessing was unique and purposeful.
He still does the same today, speaking life and blessing over His children, longing for us to be filled with His love.
For 25 years, Rachael Cannon didn’t feel God’s blessing over her life. She was a drug addict and involved in a homosexual relationship, living as a lesbian for 30 years. She says, “for 13 years I woke up having withdrawals from drugs or alcohol. I woke up sick and needed a fix to start my day.” Rachael talks about living a bankrupt identity, always looking for love from anyone who would offer it. “The whole time, I believed in God but was angry with Him. Why wasn’t He listening to me?”
Rachael was angry and said awful things to God and about Him. But even through her addiction and incarceration for eight different felonies, God “listened to everything I said and still loved me.”
About 8 ½ years ago, Rachael found herself in another faith-based rehab that wasn’t working. She went to hear a woman at a church giving her testimony. After hearing her story, Rachael felt the stirrings of hope once again.
She was invited to live in a women’s home and through the love she experienced there, felt herself coming alive. She met the Lord, gave her heart to Jesus, and hasn’t stopped smiling since.
“One day,” Rachael says, “I had a vision during worship.” She saw herself as a bride in a white dress and when she looked down the aisle, there was Jesus waiting for her. “The love told me that I wasn’t gay.” Little by little God, with gentleness, began to reveal to her her own femininity, delivering her from homosexuality.
“He is madly in love with us and has stopped at nothing to show Himself to us. I’m starting to believe that God really loves me.”
Since becoming a follower of Jesus, Rachael has learned that sometimes being miserable can push you toward change. “Let your painful time draw you to your Heavenly Father. Love changed my behavior,” she says. “Seeing the love of Jesus changed me.”
The Apostle Paul, in his letters, talked about this same desire – that we would know Him deeply and thoroughly.
“On this account I bow my knees to the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that He would grant to you according to the wealth of His glory, with power to be strengthened through the Spirit in the inward man, that the Christ might finally settle down and feel completely at home in your hearts through your faith; in love having been firmly rooted and grounded in order that you may be able to grasp with all the saints what is the breadth and width and height and depth, and to know experientially the love of the Christ which surpasses experiential knowledge in order that you may be filled up to the measure of all the fulness of God.” (Kenneth Wuest, The New Testament, An Expanded Translation, Ephesians 3:14-19)
You can hear Rachael Cannon’s entire interview, learn about the books she’s written, and listen to many other incredible stories on the weekly Road to Redemption radio show and podcast at www.rtrdestiny.com.
They sat at a corner table directly in front of a wall of plate glass windows seemingly oblivious to the crowd at the small restaurant located in what is called “Under the Hill” in Natchez, Mississippi. It was a typical muggy, lazy, Mississippi Sunday evening. A flotilla of barges chugged slowly upstream under the bridge in the waning daylight, attracting the attention of tourists from around the world and locals as well. Many got up from their tables for a moment to go outside and take a picture or two.
The couple in the corner was intent on their conversation and each other’s company. She was dressed in a flowered print dress. He wore a blue seersucker jacket, pink polo shirt, light blue slacks and white loafers. His small wire-rimmed glasses sat down in his nose a bit. His thinning hair was teased up to hide the bald spots. A partial glass of wine sat in front of each of them.
We sat a couple of tables behind them enjoying each other’s company, but also enjoying our favorite pastime – people watching. I wondered if that is what we are going to look like in few years when retirement hits and nights on the river would be special occasions. I looked across the table at my beloved and said “thank-you” to myself. I thought a prayer that asked that we might be that couple in a few years and that there may be some “younger” couple sitting a few tables away wishing they would turn out like us.
As I watched and tried not to stare, they looked into each other’s eyes as they spoke. They laughed. They sat in silence and gazed out upon the mighty river rolling relentlessly between the banks of trees at sunset. The barges had almost disappeared around the bend upriver.
We enjoyed a wonderful meal and just enjoyed some precious private time together away from the stress of work and family.
The couple finished their meal just before us. After paying the bill and getting a small box to take home dessert, he stood and pulled her chair out for her as she got up. We smiled to ourselves as they made their way between the crowded tables to head to who knows where.
The sun was settling low in the west when we finished our meal and headed outside to a bench on the bank of the mighty Mississippi. God finished the day with the sun setting gloriously beyond the bridge, casting the colors of creation into infinity. As darkness settled, the tourists and locals turned from “Old Man River” and returned to the restaurants or to their cars to head on their way somewhere.
God had gathered us there for a time of glory and worship. There was even a lesson included for those who were open to receiving it. Maybe the title was “Take Care of Your Relationships.” Maybe it was “Take Time to Relax and Unwind.” Maybe it was “Remember the Sabbath for I Have Made it Holy.”
We climbed in the car and headed to the hotel to get ready to travel home the next day. But, in reality, we had been “home” that evening – “home” with each other – “home” with God.
Whatever this month holds for you, spend some time at “home.” Home with those who are important to you. Home with God, for He is in every place you will be today. Have a great month at “HOME.”
Rev. Pete Hyde is the retired Pastor of the Santa Rosa Beach Community Church
Unless filled with apples or cherries, the concept of turnover is generally negative.
Statistics support that assumption. In an NFL game, for example, each team will possess the football an average of 10 to 12 times. Scoring is already difficult in the league, given that the average tally per team is a mere 24 points a game. Were a side to fumble the ball twice and on top of that throw two interceptions, the ability to achieve average will be significantly compromised if not impossible.
In our work environments, the notion of turnover is also troubling. When considering the many ingredients that go into the process of hiring and onboarding a new employee including temporary staffing shortages, the recruitment replacement process, training, and the loss in productivity incurred while the new staff member reaches a comfortable level of competency, some estimate the cost to be at least $15,000 per position!
Still, despite the negative stigma associated with it, organizations do want to strive for an optimum level of turnover. Why would that be?
Consider a company that has a very low employee turnover rate, such as 5% or less annually. That means that on average a staff member is going to remain with that organization for about 20 years. Not a bad thing you would think at first glance, as it suggests a large proportion of that workforce will one day lay claim to “the gold watch.” Contrarily, however, what of that new employee who joins the team with aspirations of working their way up the corporate ladder? With so many of those rungs securely occupied, advancement opportunities are limited. The most highly motivated may leave.
Chronic high turnover also presents hardships to work units. Those organizations so afflicted are never fully staffed, for one, and on top of that the bench strength of those waiting to advance is weak and ill-prepared.
So, is there a sweet spot, and where does it lie?
Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, had a long reputation as a powerful “mid-major” football program in the Mid-American Conference. What made it perhaps most unique was the list of coaches from this university who achieved later success in larger environments. Miami gained a reputation as the “cradle of coaches”, the place from which renowned NFL and college coaches such as Weeb Ewbank, Paul Brown, Woody Hayes, and Bo Schembechler emerged. If any of those legends had not moved on, those who followed would not have had their opportunities.
Former Alabama football coach Nick Saban was also recognized for the coaching tree he developed. Though his staff turned over with some comparative abundancy, there are currently four head coaches leading teams in the 2024 college football pre-season top ten who coached under Saban:
Kirby Smart, Georgia.
Steve Sarkisian, Texas.
Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss.
Dan Lanning, Oregon.
Achieving the “right” turnover rate is a quantity I can’t answer. It’s a number that varies based on a number of factors, including industry type. What I can say is that for the greater proportion of us who work in corporate environments, there are more critical considerations such as how effectively you are preparing not only your potential successors but those who eventually may be developed for opportunities in other organizations. In your small business, who is being groomed for a more responsible role or for the day when they may be ready to accept the reins of leading your company?
In our families how well are we preparing our kids or grandkids to “fly the nest” to becoming independent and contributing members of society? Though for most of us, the day that happens and they leave the house to go on to the university or their own careers can be saddening, it is an aim as parents.
At work and at home, what can you be doing to create an environment conducive to learning, growth, development, and eventually successful independent living? How well are you carrying out that age-old credo to “teach others to fish so that they may feed themselves for a lifetime?”
A graduate of the University of North Texas, Kirk McCarley is a Certified Professional Coach as well as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) and SHRM-CP Certified. He also is a Production Assistant for both college football and basketball for ESPN and leads group cycling classes as a Certified Spinning instructor. Contact kirk@theseedsowercoach.com, theseedsowercoach.com, or call 314-677-8779.
Our oldest son walked away from us and into his dorm just before we headed out of town after the first college move in. The symbolic moment of him walking away from his childhood and into his adulthood wasn’t lost on me and brought some tears. Now we begin the redefining of a new version of life and relationships as we navigate simultaneous joy, gratitude, grief, pride and excitement.
Many parents have gone before us launching kids. We listened, cared, and expressed compassion. However, without having walked the road ourselves, we didn’t deeply understand that particular experience. We couldn’t know until we knew. Now we see this family transition with new eyes, fresh emotions, and have a deeper empathy to offer those who come after us. We will send a thoughtful text, take a mom for lunch, tell a dad he might feel sadder than he is expecting, give longer hugs, and check on people weeks after the move in.
While pain isn’t unique to the human experience, we all walk through different brands of pain at different moments. Your pain is your own and needs its own space to be felt and processed. And, your pain journey can also be an invitation to care for others with similar pain in uniquely empathic ways. If you’ve walked through divorce, you understand what those walking through divorce might be feeling and needing. If you’ve walked through a cancer diagnosis, you understand what those walking through cancer might be feeling and needing.
So, how do you use your experience to extend care and empathy to others walking a similar road to the one you’ve walked?
10 Ways to Care for Others from Your Experience:
Give your personal pain space. Take the time to understand your experience, feel your feelings, and reflect on what you’re learning. Seek support as you process your pain.
Notice the pain of others. Be aware and curious about the pain others might be experiencing. Extend compassion broadly to others while noticing when a person’s pain might align more closely to something you’ve experienced.
Remember your experience. Remember how you felt in your body and thoughts in the midst of pain. What did you need? What would have helped you feel seen and cared for? Explore remembering your pain as a brainstorm while also being mindful that each person may have different needs.
Listen with validation. Ask curious, open-ended questions. How are you feeling lately? What is this like for you on the inside? How are you navigating this transition emotionally? Then remind the person their feelings are normal. I understand why you’re feeling sad, this is really sad.
Ask how you can support them. Sometimes people aren’t quite sure what they need but other times they can tell you clearly. Remember to ask.
Offer encouraging words. Send a card, text or call letting them know you are thinking about them and care about their experience.
Offer practical gestures. Deliver dinner, take them to coffee, take them a basket of snacks, or provide house cleaning services.
Offer kindness. Send flowers, a thoughtful item through the mail, or leave something thoughtful on their porch.
Offer your presence. Offer a hug, to sit with someone and listen, invite them on a walk, or offer to do something they enjoy.
Follow up. Put reminders in your calendar and/or reach out to check in when you think of the person consistently over time.
Your understanding and empathy can be a meaningful gift to someone else walking through hard things. Remember the care you offer is for the other person and not to fill a need in yourself to provide care. And, at the same time, providing empathic care to others often results in deeper healing within you. Connect with us along your journey for counseling and coaching at Journeybravely.com.
In the rapidly advancing field of regenerative medicine, a new technology is making waves as the most prolific breakthrough in stem cell activation therapy today. This innovative approach harnesses the power of light—specifically visible and infrared light—to activate the body’s own healing processes. By capturing and reflecting light back into the body, this health technology is revolutionizing how we can use light to improve and extend our lives, offering a non-invasive, drug-free solution to stem cell activation that stimulates cellular activity and holistic healing.
For centuries, phototherapy, also known as light therapy or photobiomodulation, has been utilized to enhance health and well-being. This ancient practice involves shining or reflecting light into the body to stimulate cellular functions and promote healing. The latest advancement in this area is a cutting-edge patch that acts as a mechanism to reflect visible and infrared light back into the body. This simple yet powerful concept is the foundation of this breakthrough technology, which is transforming the way we approach stem cell activation and overall health.
At the core of this technology is a proprietary form of phototherapy that sets it apart from traditional methods. The patch employs patented nanocrystal technology to reflect light back into the body. These nanocrystals are embedded within the patch, designed to capture and redirect light in a way that activates dormant stem cells. This process does not rely on transdermal delivery—meaning nothing penetrates the skin. Instead, the patch works by interacting with the body’s energy fields, making it a non-invasive, non-transdermal solution that does not introduce any drugs, chemicals, or stimulants into the body.
The benefits of this technology are profound. By reflecting light to activate cellular activity, the patch supports the body’s natural ability to heal and regenerate. This can lead to improved recovery times, reduced inflammation, and enhanced overall vitality. As a non-invasive approach, it offers a safe and effective alternative to more traditional therapies, making it accessible to a wide range of individuals seeking to improve their health without the need for medication or invasive procedures.
In conclusion, this stem cell activation technology represents a significant leap forward in the realm of regenerative medicine. By utilizing a patented nanocrystal technology to harness the power of light, it provides a non-transdermal, non-invasive method to stimulate the body’s natural healing processes. As more people discover the benefits of this innovative approach, it is poised to become a cornerstone of modern health and wellness practices, paving the way for a future where light itself is a key tool in our quest for better health.
Call (850) 419-8166 or scan the QR Code for more information and to get our FREE download, “Health With Stem Cell Activation”.
The Children’s Volunteer Health Network (CVHN), recognized for its steadfast commitment to children’s dental health, recently collaborated with Defuniak Springs Family Dental for a highly impactful event, “Give Kids a Smile Day” on July 19. This first-time collaboration brought together an extraordinary team of close to 50 dental professionals and community partners, resulting in life-changing dental care for 160 children ages 1 to 17. The success of this event is a testament to CVHN’s dedication to ensuring that every child has access to essential healthcare services.
During the event, children not only received vital dental care but also participated in oral health education, where they learned essential dental hygiene practices. The event provided an estimated $69,131 worth of complimentary dental services, including cleanings, fillings, extractions, and fluoride treatments. This remarkable achievement was made possible by CVHN’s dedicated staff, the presence of their two mobile dental clinics on-site, Pearl and Neicy, and the collaborative efforts of five general dentists, seven hygienists, six dental assistants, two pediatric dentists, two oral surgeons, one orthodontist, and numerous non-clinical volunteers. Key medical providers included Dr. Collin Myrick, Dr. Esmeralda Marcantel, Dr. Grant Marcantel, Dr. Joe Zwickel, Dr. David Hanna, Dr. Bradley Harrison, alongside Dr. Mary Kate Shelton, Dr. Duc Lam, and Dr. Anna Feng of Houston, TX.
Key community partners like Blue Water Oral Surgery and Sandy Smiles Orthodontics provided invaluable expertise and support. Additionally, Henry Schein’s generous donation of dental materials and equipment was instrumental in the event’s success. This collaboration highlights the power of community partnerships in delivering transformative care and strengthening community support.
Building on the success of this event, Children’s Volunteer Health Network and participating dental professionals are committed to making “Give Kids a Smile” an annual tradition. Plans for continuity of care include follow-up appointments and referrals to local dental specialists for further treatment, all at no cost to the families.
The community’s continued support is vital to the success of these initiatives. Donations, volunteering, and spreading awareness are key to ensuring every child receives the dental care they deserve. To learn more or to get involved, visit our website www.cvhnkids.org.
