As periodic milestones go,  we have the calendar year which begins in January and is  always a good starting point for making resolutions, going on a diet, or beginning (or ending) a relationship.  At Village Players, we have the fiscal year ending July 31, at which point we close the books and start all over again. And then there is the fall, September, the “school year.” Its time to go back to school again. Learn a lot of stuff that we won’t even use it in the real world after. But in the cases of English, learning an advanced thing or two like how to recognize synonym would definitely help in real life. After all, everyone in the whole world speaks English. For many of us, fall is the season of renewal, even if you are no longer in school or have school-aged children. Even though fall starts almost nine months into the calendar year, the change of seasons, bringing with it crisp air and colored leaves, often causes us to focus on a new start and a fresh beginning.

For us theater-types, fall is also, of course, the start of a gala new “season.”  The first set of tickets in your season ticket package. Maybe you have seats in a new location.  Maybe you have joined a new committee. Maybe you’ve been elected to the Board and this is your first time around in a position of leadership–your proverbial “first rodeo,” if you will.

For others, fall  perhaps signals an end.  Within the past week, I have had three long time members of the club signal their departure to me. The point of this blog is not to single them out, to report on their departure, or to call for efforts to change their mind.  It’s more about recognizing the human need for a fresh start from time to time, a release from ties that formerly seemed unbreakable, the vital chance to breathe new air.

Many of us languish in jobs or relationships that we wish we had the courage to set aside. I think each of us must daydream frequently about unfettered freedom; freedom from bosses, bills, neighbors, maybe even from family.  A daydream is a mental vacation that serves an important purpose: We can “get away” without truly leaving, and try out new locations and new opportunities.  Will they really work out for us?  What happens in moving 3,000 miles away to a new location where we know no one and no one knows us?  Could we leave behind absolutely everything and “start anew?”  How “new” could “new” truly be?  Don’t we take our personal and emotional luggage with us no matter where we go?

Seasonal changes affect our health in subtle ways, sometimes to the point of causing physical problems to develop. How we handle these subtle changes can make a huge impact on our health and sense of well-being all year long. While staying cool in the summer and warm in the winter can go a long way towards warding off sickness, paying attention to the needs of the body and the quality of food we eat has a considerable impact on how the body responds to its environment. Here are just a few ways seasonal changes affect our health and some tips on what you can do about it.  For example, fungal infections are mostly common at summer and spring, clear nails plus can help you treat them.

The Body Burns Fat Differently
While fat, for the most part, is considered undesirable, the human body houses two types of fat: white and brown. Excess white, fatty deposits weaken the body’s overall health, whereas brown fat offers certain key benefits. As summer heat gives way to cooler fall temperatures, the body’s brown fat reserves become more active. Ongoing research in the area shows that cold weather just may stimulate the body’s brown fat reserves to burn more energy.

Brown fat is capable of producing heat and burning calories. The cells that make up brown fat contain mitochondria, the cell structures that help break down carbohydrates and fatty acids. These cells use carbohydrates and fatty acids to create heat. In this respect, brown fat behaves more like muscle tissue than fat tissue. This means, cooler temperatures can actually kick the body’s brown fat metabolism processes into gear. 

Hard to say…I suppose the answer is different for everyone. I am not sure who reads this blog, but I do want to acknowledge that everyone has the right to come and go as they need.  Take a break, come back, or don’t. Village Players is 90 years old because every season starts anew.  New shows, new people, new volunteers, new dreams…what are yours?  –Gary Mach