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2014 started off with a bang and brought about many new and exciting changes for me. While I not only seamlessly transitioned from intern to full-time employee at Bordas & Bordas, my fiancé, Jade, and I were fortunate enough to find and purchase the home of our dreams when we weren't even looking for it. It was a cold night in early January on the way to dinner at Red Lobster when we noticed a "For Sale" sign at the end of a lane not far from either of our homes. We'd visited Bonnie Lane many times because all of the houses there are always beautifully decorated for the holidays and we enjoy driving past them. Not anticipating anything more than a casual drive-by, we headed down the lane and were totally captivated by the up-for-sale fourth house on the left. After scouring the selling agency's website via iPhone and making a late-night phone call to the realtor, we were scheduled for a tour the next morning. I told myself not to fall in love with the place before I walked inside, but I couldn't help myself. It exuded warmth that I'd felt in no home but the one I grew up in. It smelled like a mix of apple pie and freshly baked cookies and the view was to die for. It felt like the house was built specifically for us and we both knew we had to have it. After making an offer two days later and wrapping up the closing process in late February, the place was ours. We've spent the past six months painting walls, refinishing hardwood floors, installing new hardware and backsplashes and just making the house our own. I never knew manual labor could be so fun and rewarding. I'm not sure there's any greater feeling in this world than owning a home. If such a feeling exists, I haven't felt it yet. It's absolutely mind-blowing to think that there's a place on this earth that belongs solely to Jade and me, a place that no one can take away from us. Each and every time I turn onto Bonnie Lane and head towards the fourth house on the left, the one with the reddish-orange roof and shutters, my heart swells and could just burst with pride. I can't wait to fill all 1200 square feet with laughter, love, family and memories that will last a lifetime.

Anyone who follows our firm's blogs on a fairly regular basis will probably recall that in my "free time" I have worked as a college and high-school basketball official. Toward the end of the 2013-14 basketball season, I wrote an article talking about some of the most misunderstood rules in the game. As it turns out, the article was pretty popular among our readers, so you can look for something similar in the coming months. Until then, I thought it might be interesting to provide you with some information about rule changes that you will see at the high school level in the upcoming season. Each year, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) meets to consider various suggestions to make the game better. Generally, two types of changes can come out of that meeting: specific rule changes or new "points of emphasis." Despite the fact that most folks believe the rules of the game haven't changed much since the time of Dr. Naismith and his peach basket, the truth is that in every year I have been in officiating (since 1985), at least one rule change has been made. Players evolve, the game evolves, and so must the rules evolve. This year, there are four changes being made to the rules, the simplest of which providing that players can now enter the lane on a free throw when the shooter releases the ball, instead of when the ball hits the ring. Aside from rule changes, each year the NFHS also comes out with a list of "points of emphasis" for officials. This is typically a list of four or five areas in which the Rules Committee members feel aren't being handled very well. In pre-season clinics, officials will be told of the points of emphasis for the coming season, and they will be given specific information about how the Rules Committee wants certain areas of the game to be officiated. In each of the past four or five seasons, the Rules Committee has made "hand checking the dribbler" a point of emphasis for officials. We have been told that there is too much contact being allowed on the ball handler. We have been told that whenever contact on the dribbler has an effect on his rhythm, speed, balance or quickness, a foul should be called. However, up until now the question of the effect of contact on the dribbler has been a judgment call for the official. Contact which one official rules a foul, may be incidental contact in the eyes of another. Accordingly, enforcement of the rule against hand-checking has been inconsistent. After reviewing what has happened in the past few seasons, the Committee has determined that there is still too much contact being permitted on the perimeter. The fact is that when this type of contact goes up, scoring goes down. And when scoring goes down, the game is less interesting. When the game becomes less interesting, there are fewer fans willing to pay to watch it. That sort of thing hits schools in the wallet, and causes the NFHS to sit up and take notice. It has done just that. In an effort to bring more consistency to this area of the game, the Rules Committee has implemented a specific rule change. Beginning with the 2014-2015 season, certain types of contact on the dribbler while on the perimeter will result in an automatic foul being called. No longer will the official be required to judge whether or not the contact had an effect on the dribbler. The following acts will result in an automatic whistle: a. Placing two hands on the dribbler. b. Placing an extended arm bar on the dribbler. c. Placing and keeping a hand on the dribbler. d. Contacting the dribbler more than once with the same hand or alternating hands. As with any other rule change, it's going to take some time for the players, coaches and fans to adjust. It is likely there is going to be a significant increase in the number of fouls that are called in games, especially early in the season. Star players are going to get into early foul trouble, which always results in an increase in hostility toward the officials. Just remember that coaches have already been made aware of the rule change, so hopefully they will begin teaching their players how to adjust (playing defense with their feet would be a nice start). Until then, please don't scream at us to "Let 'em play!!!" We're just doing what the rules tell us we have to do.

With Labor Day weekend behind us, it won't be long before the leaves are changing colors and I am trading in my t-shirts and shorts for sweatshirts and long pants. The white handbags have been put away and I will soon be bidding farewell to my open-toed shoes for another season. Shoes. They're my thing and I think it's fair to say I'm shoe-obsessed. Anyone who knows me knows this. Move over Carrie Bradshaw! I believe the right shoes with otherwise basic clothing can take an outfit from fair to fab immediately without the need to add a bunch of other accessories. With more than 100 pairs of shoes and an entire room to house them, it's pretty safe to say I'm prepared to put the finishing touch on any ensemble. That, however, does not stop me from making additional footwear purchases and I'm still trying to explain to some that just because you have a pair of black heels, it does NOT mean that they go with everything that one would wear black shoes with, and the style of the shoe is just as important. You wouldn't wear a pair of casual, look-cute-with-jeans shoes with a business suit, would you? I'm not exactly sure how the footwear obsession began, but I do recall loving shoes as kid. You know the pics you've seen on the Internet of the little girl in her mother's heels? Yep...that was me. As soon as I was old enough to wear heels and not look like I should have been at home playing dress-up, I've been sporting a pair. And then I met Jimmy, Christian and Manolo. Instant addiction. There's just something about the look and feel of the high-end brands. I'm very thankful for Joe at Campetti's Shoe Hospital in Wheeling. He has breathed new life into many pairs when they were beginning to look a bit ragged or were just plain broken, and such has occurred on occasion. Once when that happened at work, I had to wear a colleague's shoes home to get another pair as there was no way to improvise when the four-inch stiletto snapped off the bottom of my shoe. The moral of that story was to put a pair of basic pumps in the car just in case. Within the last few months, I found my way back to the gym, which necessitated the purchase of new workout shoes. I was pleasantly surprised to see the variety of colors and patterns - black and white checkered, green and white mesh or pale grey with neon green and purple trim to name just a few. Gone are the days of the basic white tennis shoes with a red or blue swoosh. I currently have my sights set on a pair of black and grey leopard print with pink trim. I don't want boring footwear, even at the gym. I do have to chuckle at myself, though. The cost of athletic shoes causes me pause. However, if I were purchasing heels, I wouldn't think twice. Maybe as I become more involved in fitness, this will change. But for now, I'll be waiting for the UPS man and that new pair of leopard CLs!

One subject that can really fire up a debate when I get together with my family is the subject about healthcare and/or medical malpractice. I work at a law firm that handles medical malpractice cases. My daughter is an LPN who works at a local doctor's office. The clash is predictable and self-evident. Of course, both sides of the issue have strong points, i.e., medical costs are so high because the doctors have to purchase medical malpractice insurance and if medical professionals were more careful and followed proper procedure they wouldn't have to worry about having medical malpractice insurance. We also hear a lot about frivolous lawsuits with people just searching for something to sue the doctor for to make some quick money. In the 24 years that I have worked for Bordas & Bordas, I have never seen a frivolous medical malpractice suit. We are extremely careful about the cases that we take and usually our medical malpractice cases are ones that leave you feeling devastated for the victims and families, wondering "how could this have happened?" One case in particular that stays in my memory is one that I worked on during the first year that I worked at Bordas & Bordas. If I ever had any questions about why we need to support medical malpractice, they were quickly answered after I was exposed to this case. It was clear to me that when medical professionals are negligent or careless and don't follow the strict protocols, the consequences can quickly spiral out of control. This particular case involved a 23-year-old woman who was experiencing nausea, vomiting and a lot of abdominal pain on her right side. She went to her gynecologist to get checked and upon examination he felt a mass on her right side. That, together with her other complaints were classic symptoms of appendicitis, tubal ovarian abscess, or an ectopic pregnancy. Even though each of these things could be potentially life threatening, instead of immediately admitting her into the hospital for further tests, the doctor sent her home after scheduling her for exploratory laparotomy at a date two days later. That night her symptoms worsened and when she returned to the ER the next morning, they discovered that her appendix had ruptured causing a pariappendiceal abscess. After surgery, the surgeon neglected to leave a drainage tube in her abdominal cavity to flush the area and then the physician prescribed the wrong kind of antibiotics for a ruptured appendix. Without the drainage tube and the proper antibiotics she immediately developed an infection which traveled her blood stream throughout her body. Then as if the surgeon's mistakes were not enough, her condition was monitored poorly by the hospital staff and she eventually went into septic shock. When the surgeon finally had enough sense to call another doctor in to review the case, the new doctor immediately recognized the dire condition of the woman and scheduled her for emergency surgery. Unfortunately, it was too little, too late. She eventually died 16 days after she had presented to her doctor with symptoms of appendicitis. I can still remember the tears running down my face as I typed the various documents, preparing this case for trial. At the time my own daughters were ages 16 and 13 and I'm sure that that fact made my connection to the case even more emotional. My empathy for her mother was almost unbearable, as I imagined her sitting there helplessly watching her daughter struggle for her life day after day. She was trusting the professionals that they were doing everything they could, when in fact, there was negligence and blunder after blunder that eventually made her daughter's survival unobtainable. Although not every medical malpractice case that our firm handles ends in such a tragic way, you can be assured that each and every one of them is a case where the patient has suffered in a major way. In the end, you end up wondering why, especially when you could plainly see that the tragedy could have been prevented. It might be true that the high cost of medical malpractice insurance has contributed to the high cost of medical care in this country. But to let incompetent medical professionals go unpunished and ignore these terrible things happening to people is not the answer. The happy balance will be when excellence in following medical procedure and practice outweigh the need for harmed patients to have to resort to litigation for compensation, but that would require rose-colored glasses.

A few of us around the Bordas & Bordas office have been waiting all summer for the return of one of our favorite guilty pleasures - Doctor Who. For those unfamiliar, Doctor Who is a British science-fiction TV show that first aired in 1963. It follows the adventures of an alien who goes only by "the Doctor" and who travels through time and space in his TARDIS - a spaceship that looks like a blue police box. The Doctor can "regenerate" when he is in mortal danger, and doing so changes his appearance and personality. Doctor Who returned to TV on August 23, giving the office "Whovians" a chance to see how Peter Capaldi, the latest actor chosen for the role, decided to portray the character. I checked in with Jay Stoneking and Stephani Campbell, the other Bordas & Bordas Who fans, to see what they thought of the newest Doctor. Jay pointed out that "Everybody has their favorites, but I like seeing how each actor gets to emphasize a different aspect of the Doctor's character." All three of us agreed that we enjoyed the introduction to the 12 th Doctor and are looking forward to seeing how Capaldi further develops the role. We are especially interested to see an older actor's (Capaldi is 56, versus Matt Smith, who was only 26 when he was cast to play the 11 th Doctor) take on the role, particularly since the character of the Doctor is supposed to be 2,000 years old. Stephani said, "I already prefer him to Matt Smith and look forward to seeing how Capaldi plays the role in future episodes." But perhaps the best part of Doctor Who isn't just getting excited about watching the newest episode or seeing a brand new actor playing the Doctor, it's knowing that generations of fans have been getting excited about these things for over 50 years. Jay told me, "I think the thing that's amazing about Doctor Who is that it reaches across generations. My girls grew up watching the old Doctor Who show with me and now we both enjoy the new show." My family's experience is similar to what Jay describes with his daughters. My mom grew up watching Tom Baker as the 4 th Doctor, and now my sister and I both love the show as well. There's something really fascinating about the idea of a character who continues to evolve over such a long period of time, and who remains interesting and fun to so many different people. Are there any Whovians in our Bordas & Bordas extended family? If so, what did you think of the newest Doctor and his "attack eyebrows?"

The Bordas dogs Barley and Guinness are very excited to hear that the Wheeling Dog Park will be opening in the near future down by Tunnel Green. The boys have been waiting a long time to get together with their furry friends in in a fun and safe environment.The excitement is building and we, as dog parents, are also very excited for the Wheeling Dog Park to open. Barley and Guinness want to thank all of you who worked so hard to get Dog Park in Wheeling. So many people pulled together to help make this park a reality. We are also very excited for the Oglebay's "Drool in the Pool" which is happening today, September 1, 2014 from 4pm to 6pm at the outdoor pool. Dogs and owners will have a chance to take one last dip before the summer season ends. Please if you plan on attending with your furry children, make sure you have your shot records.Also, if your pup is like my Guinness who has Doggie ADHD, please make sure that you have them on a leash so that they don't just take off running after everyone. Guinness thinks every dog wants to be his friend and every human wants kisses from him.(Hate to tell you bud, some people don't like dog kisses, I know, can you believe that?) So if you're out about for the last holiday of this summer, keep your eyes opened for all the dog activity in the Wheeling area. Bark on Bordas Dog Nation Bark on.

This past July I had the great pleasure to become a member of the Lions Club International.I joined the Moundsville, West Virginia club.My grandfather had previously been a member of the Lions and I had previously known many others who were members, but I really did not know much about the club beyond generally knowing about its work with vision issues.I was asked to join by a man that I respect very much and whom I have gotten to know since I moved to the Northern Panhandle, Gary Rider.I met Gary through church and because his family has been friends with my in-laws for many years.Gary was a teacher in Marshall County prior to his well deserved retirement and has long been active in community involvement clubs and events.Gary encouraged me to take a look at the club and see if I liked what I saw.I wanted to become more active and meet more people in the community so I attended several meetings as guest before formally joining. Lion's Club International is the largest service club organization in the world with over 1.35 million members in over 46,000 clubs worldwide.Men and women in over 200 countries are members.The Club started back in 1917 by Chicago businessman Melvin Jones.The idea was to create a group that would work to help improve the community.By the 1920s the club had already expanded beyond the United States to Canada and Mexico.Many people probably are aware, or familiar, with some of the work that the Lions Club does with eye sight.The dedication to the vision cause began in 1925 when Helen Keller addressed the Lions Club International Convention and challenged the club to become "knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness."From that date on, vision causes have been a driving force for the Lions.The Lions have been active in many other causes too.The Lions Club Foundation has been active in obtaining and utilizing over $800 million in grants over the years to help meet the needs of communities her in the US and throughout the world.The Lions are also very active in youth programs including Leo Clubs.Leo Clubs allow young people to develop into young leaders and become active in their communities through service opportunities.The Lions Club is active in establishing scholarships for youth and many other events.Much more information about the Lions is available by going to www.lionsclub.org or www.wvlions.org. Locally, there are several events upcoming which will help the Lions with their service.On Monday, September 1, 2014 (rain date September 7) there will be the annual Dan Dague Memorial Car & Bike Show for Sight.The event, which raises significant funds for the WV Lions Sight Foundation, will be located at The Highlands.On Saturday, September 20, 2014 the "Moundsville Zombie Prison Break 5K Run/Walk" will be held.The 5K run/walk is a new event being operated and supported by the Moundsville Lions Club and will go along with the Annual Moundsville Zombie walk which has become a popular event over the last few years in Marshall County. At the Lions Club you will find a diverse group of business leaders, church leaders, educators and neighbors who all have the common goal of improving their community and having a little fun at the same time.I would encourage anyone who is interested to look into joining a local club.

Last Saturday, I stood on top of a building, I thought of my children. I thought about my friends. I thought about my life. And, with one deep breath, I stepped off the ledge. This wasn't a suicidal mission. This was for charity and to help the women of the YWCA of Wheeling. The "Over the Edge" program consisted of individuals raising money to rappel over the Stone Center in Wheeling to support the YWCA and its purpose. More than 40 individuals went over, myself being one, and through our efforts helped to raise nearly $47,000 for an organization whose mission is to empower and help women and children right here in our community. City Officials, Fire fighters, members of the Police Department, Attorneys, Realtors, Community Members, Grandmothers, Athletes, Non-Athletes, and even a pro sports Mascot fearlessly made the walk down the side of the building. Eight stories and 126 feet doesn't sound like much until you are staring down at the sidewalk below and straight up to the clear blue sky above you. Have I  mentioned that I'm afraid of heights? Did I also mention that I lost my footing on the first step and kind of swung there suspended for a few moments before I got my footing? Did I mention that the adrenaline rush supercedes every fear and the cause I was helping was worth even more than that? As with most things in life, the first step was the hardest. And, like other life metaphors, the way down was easier once I made the commitment to just do it. This was the first year for the "Over the Edge" program and I can assure you that next year I will take the same journey along with many others who have already made the commitment. In the meantime, I consider myself lucky. Lucky to have never needed the services provided by the YWCA. Lucky that my professional path put me on track to meet and join up with so many amazing people that make the YWCA a successful organization for local women and children in need. Lucky that I am physically able to take on such challenges such as rappelling down a building for a good cause. Lucky that I got to be involved in such an amazing day. For more information about the YWCA, to volunteer or get involved in some of their many programs, contact them at 304.232.0511 or visit their website.

For the past week or so, the attention of the nation has been focused on the events in Ferguson, Missouri, in the aftermath of the shooting death of 18 year-old Michael Brown. While there are relatively few undisputed facts known thus far, we do know that Brown was shot six times by Officer Darren Wilson of the Ferguson PD. Accounts of what actually precipitated the shooting vary wildly. One account has Brown essentially being executed while attempting to surrender with his hands in the air, while another has Brown being killed after attacking the officer and trying to take his gun. An investigation is underway, and the entire nation is watching. As always seems to happen when a tragedy like this hits the national news, social media has exploded with reactions covering the entire spectrum of possibilities. One side argues that Brown was a law-breaking, drug-selling thug who got what he was certainly going to get at some point in his young life, while the other screams that this is yet another case of an out-of-control, power-crazed, ticking time bomb of a police officer over-reacting to what should have been a routine situation. The fact is that the investigation is ongoing, and until it has been completed we really won't know what happened or, perhaps more importantly, why it happened. What I do know is that a large percentage of the reactions I have heard and read are critical of the police. I think it is safe to say that it's almost a part of our heritage as Americans to be suspicious of those in positions of authority. In the "land of the free", we are instantly critical of those in a position to take away our freedom. What concerns me is what I perceive to be a move from healthy suspicion to knee-jerk, cynical criticism. So before we all decide that our police officers are all ego maniacs, foaming at the mouth and hoping for an opportunity to draw that weapon and fire, let's stop, take a deep breath, and think. Most of us don't have the slightest idea of what a police officer has to deal with on a daily basis. Throughout my time as a prosecuting attorney in Marshall County and now in the City of Moundsville, I have learned a lot about what it's like to be in law enforcement. One of my closest friends is a WV State Trooper, so I've heard the stories and seen the aftermath first hand. What I have concluded is this: police officers (and their families) deserve our support, our thanks, and most of all our respect. Cops get to deal with the absolute worst our society has to offer on a daily basis: the drunks, the drug addicts and drug dealers, the petty thieves to the violent rapists, and everything in between. They leave for work every single day knowing that they might not ever come home again. They gladly take on a job that requires them to be equal parts psychologist, doctor, mediator, EMT, firefighter, mechanic, MMA fighter, and marriage counselor. They deal with the ugly underbelly of society, the part we know is always there, but we prefer not to talk about around the dinner table. They get spat upon, urinated upon, vomited upon, scratched, punched, kicked, clubbed, bitten and shot at, and they take it all in stride. They risk their lives so that we can sleep peacefully at night. Aside from being a soldier in an active war zone, I can't imagine a more stressful profession. And they do it all for what is at best an average wage. So before we jump to unfounded conclusions, let's be sure we have all of the facts. Is it possible that the officer in Ferguson acted improperly? Of course it is. As with every other profession on the face of the earth, there are good ones and there are bad ones. If the investigation concludes that Officer Wilson acted inappropriately or with criminal intent, he should suffer the consequences of his actions, as would any other member of society who breaks the law. I'm simply suggesting that before we look to condemn the entire profession, and before we try to further handcuff them from doing the job we all need them to do, let's make sure we know what happened, and why. I for one am ever grateful for the thin blue line that protects my children and my wife from the worst our world has to offer, and whenever their actions are called into question, I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt. I think they've earned it.

Until last Sunday morning, I was one of those people who thought the Ice Bucket Challenge was silly and annoying. I could not believe how many times my husband rcould scroll through Facebook and watch people dump ice water over their heads. When I would see video clips in my own Facebook feed, I would not watch them for two reasons - because I was bothered by the fact that my friends had little else to post and because I was hoping no one would nominate me. I was also disappointed that people would rather douse themselves in freezing water than donate to a good cause. Those feelings came to an abrupt halt last Sunday morning when I happened to catch a feature on ESPN about Pete Frates. Pete Frates is a 2007 graduate of Boston College where he was the captain of the baseball team. Just four years after graduation, he began to notice early symptoms of ALS but was not diagnosed until 2012. Because ALS is a disease with no treatment and no cure, his health has rapidly deteriorated in the past two years. He currently needs a full time nurse, uses a feeding tube to eat and speaks through the use of a computer. Although ALS has changed life as he once knew it, wonderful things have continued to happen for him. Determined to meet the disease head on, he quickly became an advocate for ALS patients and even spoke to the Food and Drug Administration in March of 2013 to make a plea for more attention and more action regarding ALS research and treatment. He was also married in 2013 to his wife Julie whom he met 8 months before his diagnosis. They are happily awaiting the birth of their baby in September. Pete and his friend, Pat Quinn, also an ALS patient, have been credited with creating the Ice Bucket Challenge this summer to raise awareness for ALS. The challenge began with athletes in the Boston area who challenged athletes across the country. Professional athletes and even entire teams seemed to embrace the challenge. Along the way, celebrities outside the world of sports became involved and in just a short period of time the challenge trickled down to regular folks like my friends who were clogging my Facebook newsfeed with their own Ice Bucket Challenge videos. Of course, now that I know Pete's story, my feelings have changed. I am thrilled to see so many people become involved with the promotion of ALS awareness and I am so happy that they have raised over nine times more than they would normally raise in the same amount of time. I am also extremely proud of the attorneys and staff from Bordas & Bordas who took the challenge last week. They not only drenched themselves in ice cold water but they also made a $1,000 donation. It's so nice for me to work each day with such generous people who are always willing to step up for a good cause. As I began to write this blog last week, I received a video on my cell phone in which my six year old goddaughter joyfully nominated me to complete the challenge. I gladly accepted and asked a wonderful group of cheerleaders from Wheeling Central Catholic High School to join me. As their coach, I wanted the challenge to be meaningful. We took the time to talk about ALS and Pete's story. We also joined in prayer for all those whose lives have been impacted by this disease. As for me, I now celebrate each video I see on Facebook and I hope they continue to dominate my Facebook feed for a long time to come.

As I was given the opportunity to intern at Bordas & Bordas this summer, I knew that I would be facing a new way of life, a way of life that many refer to as "the real world." I knew things in my life would change, like sleeping in no later than 7:30 a.m., being in bed by 10:30 p.m., and not having eight hours a day to do whatever I please. One thing that really got to me was that I had no time to catch some rays and lay by the pool as much as I had in the past. As my friends were all enjoying the sun and comparing tans, I was getting paler and paler. So, just like any other person my age, I made appointments at the local tanning salon and soon enough had some color. I thought, "What's the big deal? I have been tanning for homecomings, proms and weddings since I was in high school." The problem with my generation is that we all think that we are invincible. We see things like car wrecks, drugs and alcohol abuse and think, "That will never happen to me." The more I think about that statement, I find that I think the exact same thing when it comes to putting myself under the florescent, ultra-violet rays. If you haven't figured out where I am headed with this entry, I am talking about skin cancer. Did you know that skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States? That more than 3.5 million skin cancers in over two million people are diagnosed annually? Or that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer over the course of a lifetime? If not, skincancer.org can inform you of these statistics and more. The thought of these numbers scares me, and knowing that I have seen more Facebook posts and news stories about how the number of skin cancer victims has increased this year makes the fear even worse. I have now found out that more than one of my friends has been tested for this life-threatening disease. I promised myself on July 19 that I would never step foot in a tanning bed ever again. In the past, I had stopped going tanning towards the end of the "shorts season," but now I will just embrace my paleness and watch others make the foolish decision to ruin their skin. If I could go back and tell 15-year-old me to not step foot in the tanning salon, I would in a heartbeat. I come from of family of pale skin - my dad is a redhead and I consider myself half redhead - which raises my chances of skin cancer if I do not take precaution. I am not writing this to slam tanning salons because I have paid many hundreds of dollars to get that glowing tan. I am writing this to bring awareness and to stop women both young and old from going to the tanning beds. If you really can't live without being tan, look into getting a spray tan; they're safe, healthy and available at most tanning salons. We are all beautiful and unique, and the time has come to embrace the paleness and bring more awareness to skin cancer. I've decided to save my skin and let my tan fade. Will you?

Well, in my world, summer is officially over. Sure, there are a few more summer days on the calendar, but the Bordas & Bordas bowling league begins on Tuesday August 26, 2014 at 6:10 p.m. at St. Clair Lanes. This signals the end of my summer, since I am secretary of that league. I am also President of the United USBC Board of Directors, so I like to encourage other women to join our sport. I gave those League details because we are in desperate need of bowlers - first time bowlers, experienced bowlers, old bowlers or young bowlers (18 or older), we don't care. The Bordas & Bordas league has bowlers from 21 years of age to those in their 80's, with averages from under 100 to over 200 (I fall right in the middle). We are the largest league in our United Bowling Association with 17 teams of five women. Well, five is how many a team is supposed to have, but this year some teams only have three or four bowlers. The League bowls 30 weeks a year. At the end of the official season, we have a roll-off, if necessary, and then a bowling banquet catered by one of our teams, Family Market, Darla Starkey captain. After the banquet we have a No Tap tournament in which knocking down nine pins on your first ball counts as a strike. Those who constantly complain they got "robbed" (threw a good ball and left one, usually the seven or ten pin), get to find out how true that really is! I have had the dubious honor of placing last twice. At least last pays $5.00! I have been secretary of this league for 25 years (if I survive this season!). I have had, in my bowling life, averages from 132 to 169 at some time or another. I have never bowled with a heavier ball than 10 lb., plus I am left-handed. Some say I have a disadvantage throwing a light ball and being left-handed, but I have never felt that was so. The fun part of throwing a light ball left handed is beating a right hander throwing a 14 lb. ball. I do try not to gloat!!! However, I have to admit that one time several years ago, I was not bowling well and one of the opposing team members asked me how heavy my ball was. I told her, "ten pounds," and she, trying to make me feel better about my lousy scores, said, "You can't expect to bowl well with a ten pound ball." I asked her how heavy her ball was and she said, "fourteen pounds." I asked her what her average was and she said it was something like 165. I admit I took delight in informing her that my average was 169! Bowling is fun, good exercise (if you don't believe me, try throwing three games, two balls each and see how you feel the next day). There is a lot of camaraderie, encouragement, laughter, and just fun on Tuesday nights at St. Clair Lanes. And sometimes you can get in a zinger! Come join us. Call the lanes at 740-695-3641 or Linda Scaggs at 304-639-6939. I'd love to talk to you about joining a league, preferably the Bordas & Bordas league, but St. Clair Lanes offers other leagues that bowl during the day or another evening.