August, 2009
FABULOUS LEE COUNTY 
Twenty of the things you just love about Lee County are right here to read all about in Lee Magazine!
What's in your bag?
The staff of the Auburn University Telfair Peet Theatre gear up for the season’s first play, Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage. Heather May directs the play, and she apparently takes the script with her everywhere. That’s dedication.
Oceans of GOODNESS
Nobody ate fish when I was growing up. Or almost nobody. My dad didn’t fish, and other than the New Year’s ration of herring (it’s a German thing), the closest we came to fish was a strange looking rectangle of white, shiny, smelly stuff that came frozen in a box, was overcooked in the oven, and finally served with store-bought tartar sauce.
THE GOOD TASTE GARDEN
You know the saying: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. I say, when life gives you lemons, run out to your herb garden and make a lemonade like no other. Many herbs make a great complement to the classic summer drink, adding not only distinct flavor but color as well. Mint is a classic addition, but you maybe pleasantly surprised by adding basil, lavender, lemon verbena and even rosemary.
The Lifeline
Everyone needs a friend. Even a mom. Who else do you call when your son calls his sister the “b-word”? Or when your daughter brings a note home from school telling you she excluded another girl from playing tag?
STAYING POWER!
The facts most of us know about Alzheimer’s suggest it is entirely out of our control. It runs in some families, so it looks genetic. Nothing you can do about your genes. Then again, it often appears out of nowhere: A family never touched by it is suddenly shocked when Dad gets lost on the way home from the mall. If genetics make us feel powerless, randomness is worse. How do you fight something that seems to follow no rules?
GYMTIMIDATION!
I spotted Drew from across the Wilmington Athletic Club lobby. I’d never met him, but I recognized his body language. It said, “Please, God, do not let anyone see me here!” It was a balmy ninety-nine degrees in Wilmington, North Carolina, yet he was hiding under multiple layers of clothing — stylish athletic shoes, plaid pants, white tank, black sweater, sunglasses, and a cap. This usually confident, attractive, very accomplished man was suffering from gymtimidation.
Dress for success
When it's football season in Lee County, basic sense can go right out the window. Forgive the sacrilege, but orange and blue don’t really go together normally. But football season isn’t normal. Not exactly. Really, when else is it OK to teepee trees in front of a major university — or anywhere, for that matter? When is it OK to walk around with a tail hanging out of your pants? You guessed it: never.
Sign on the dotted line
If you want top performance from your kids, take a tip from the pros. No, not steroids. Contracts. Basketball stars have contracts. Recording artists have contracts. Now they’ll have one. (Sorry youngsters. No signing bonuses.) Contracts are especially useful during middle school, as children transition from family-orientation to peer focus.
