Discovery Green
1500 McKinney, Houston 77010

Visit www.yahouston.org for more information.

ARTSPLORATION, an arts in education event spotlighting more than thirty artists and ensembles from around Houston takes place on Saturday, May 18, 2013 at Discovery Green from 9:00am to 1:00pm. Artsploration is recommended for all ages, is free and open to the public.

Artists will offer a vast array of visual arts workshops and unique presentations in the performing and cultural arts. Children can participate in workshop activities such as silkscreen printing, dot painting, as well as interactive live performances.

Location

Discovery Green is located at 1500 McKinney in downtown Houston, in front of the George R. Brown Convention Center and the Hilton Americas. The park is just blocks away from Main Street, Minute Maid Park and the Toyota Center.

A private screening of Crescendo, a short film that recounts the struggles of Maria Magdalena Beethoven, the mother of 19^th century composer Ludwig van Beethoven, will be held May 22 at River Oaks Theater. Jason Jones, producer of the film, will host an informal discussion and field questions from the audience.

Crescendo debuted worldwide February 28 receiving over 11 international film festival honors, and comes to Houston to continue the Movie to Movement mission by supporting LifeHouse of Houston, the only maternity home licensed by the State of Texas to house girls’ as young as twelve years old who have not yet committed to placing their babies for adoption. All proceeds from the private screening event will benefit LifeHouse.

LifeHouse has previously welcomed Crescendo’s executive producer, Pattie Mallette (Justin Beiber’s mother), who visited with the residents prior to her son’s concert in November.

“We’re honored to continue our relationship with Pattie by bringing Crescendo to Houston,” said Courtney Abernethy, Director of Advancement. “Sharing the film with the Houston community will elevate the awareness of LifeHouse and the services it is providing to young women in need.”

Sponsorships start at $100 and tickets cost $25.They may be purchased by going to www.LifeHouseHouston.org/crescendo. Proceeds from the event will be used to support LifeLine, LifeHouse’s new outreach center located in Central Houston with the mission of continuing to serve hundreds of young pregnant and parenting women in crisis who are not in need of housing but in need of community, support, services and unconditional love. LifeLine costs $5,000 to operate each month. A month of Life Skills and Program costs are $500 and counseling cost $2,500 a month. All of the services are, as always, free of charge to clients.

LifeHouse is a Christian ministry providing opportunities for housing, healing and hope for young women during their pregnancy and beyond. LifeHouse is a not-for-profit charitable IRS 501(c)(3) status www.LifeHouseHouston.org.

The quick facts:

Who: LifeHouse and special conversation with Crescendo producer and human rights activist Jason Jones. Jason Jones is a film producer and the founder and president of Movie to Movement and HERO [Human-Rights Education and Relief Organization] a non-profit that promotes human dignity regardless of ability, age, status, race, or geography.  He spearheaded a recent HERO initiative to bring clean water to suffering refugees in South Sudan. In 2009, despite the government’s warning of unsafe travel, Jason visited Darfur and inspected 26 new water wells and distributed $2 million in food, medicine, and other aid.

What: Crescendo, Houston Premier featuring producer Jason Jones

When: Wednesday, May 22, 8:00 pm

Where: River Oaks Theater, 2009 W. Gray, Houston 77019

Why: This private screening of Crescendo will benefit LifeHouse of Houston.

Movie to Movement™ produces and promote films that make a difference – films which promote a culture of life, love and beauty.

How: Sponsorships that include a meet and greet reception with Jones and general admission tickets are now available. Go to www.LifeHouseHouston.org/crescendo to make an on-line reservation today. Seating is limited.

More information: www.LifeHouseHouston.org/crescendo, 713-623-2120 

Items you will need:

• Pillowcase
• Fabric paint
• Fabric signature marker
• Paint brush
• Plastic plates

Instructions:

1. Have children paint one of their hands and then press their handprint on the front of the pillowcase.

2. Repeat the process until each child has placed his or her handprint on the pillowcase in the pattern you desire.

3. Once complete, add the names to each handprint with a fabric signature marker.

4. Allow paint to dry.

Jones Hall

615 Louisiana St #101
Houston, TX 77002

For more information: www.spahouston.org

Jeepers! SCOOBY-DOO and the Mystery Inc. Gang have been called in to help solve an epic mystery in Houston. A trouble-making ghost is haunting a local theater and SHAGGY, FRED, DAPHNE, VELMA and SCOOBY-DOO are on their way in the MYSTERY MACHINE to help solve it! This hilarious live theater show brings everyone’s favorite animated series to life. Filled with wacky new characters, fantastic songs and outrageous antics, SCOOBY-DOO LIVE! MUSICAL MYSTERIES, presented by Warner Bros. and Life Like Touring, will have audiences on the edge of their seats in traditional Scooby-Doo fashion. See if this time the gang is in over its head!

VIP ticket package offers a pre-show meet and greet that includes a photo with Scooby-Doo, music, and a goody bag.  Please note that VIP ticket holders need to arrive at Jones Hall no later than 1:00 for the 2:00 performance and 5:00 for the 6:00 performance to be escorted to the pre-show meet and greet.  Your ticket is your entrance to the VIP meet and greet.

Premium ticket includes a goody bag that can be picked up in the Jones Hall lobby prior to the show. Doors to Jones Hall open one and a half hours prior to show time. Please present your ticket to claim your goody bag.

East Beach, Galveston

For more information: www.galveston.com

The Buzz  94.5 FM will kick off the Grand Opening of East Beach on May 25th with 5 local area bands on the Bud Light Stage from 2pm-8pm. The end of the night will feature a fireworks show presented by the Galveston Park Board. Headliner bands include The Last Place You Look, Who is BC and Lost Element.  Dash of the Titans will set up a fun and challenging Beach Obstacle Course with proceeds benefiting The Boot Campaign.  Come out and Join us as we celebrate the Grand Opening of Galveston Island East Beach.

Galveston’s East Beach is the coolest and biggest beach in Texas. Located at the far eastern tip of the island, East Beach is famous for its great beach parties, fishing and bird watching. In addition, East Beach has live bands, promotions, an annual sand castle competition and other activities described in the Galveston.com calendar of events. Unlike most beaches, drinking is legal on East Beach. Glass containers are not permitted by law on the beach.

Chairs and umbrellas are available for rent on weekends May thru August. East Beach is “Houston’s Playground,” located just 45 minutes south of the fourth largest city in America. So come get down, get funky and get loose on Galveston Island’s East Beach. Mingle with the crowd or slip away to a quiet spot and chill out.

East Beach holds about 7,000 cars on a huge wide open beach and is a perfect setting for ticketed outdoor concerts and festivals. East Beach welcomes national and local promoters, advertisers and beach enthusiasts.

LEGO KidsFest brings all of the creative hands-on, minds-on fun of LEGO building and experiences together in one activity- and entertainment-packed family event for children of all ages and builders of all skills and interests.

For more information: www.legokidsfest.com/houston

DATES & SESSIONS:

Friday, May 17, 2013
 • 4 pm – 8:30 pm
Saturday, May 18, 2013 • 
Session I: 9 am – 1:30 pm
Session II: 3 pm – 7:30 pm
Sunday, May 19, 2013 • 
Session I: 9 am – 1:30 pm
Session II: 3 pm – 7:30 pm
(Note: Each session offers the same exhibits and activities)

WHERE:

Reliant Center
Hall E
Houston, TX 77054
www.reliantpark.com/reliant-center

WHAT:

From individual building to family challenges, there is lots to see and do at LEGO KidsFest. Check out some of the Fun Activities you will experience at this tour stop.

I want to teach my kids that success comes from being forthright and fastidious. That smart decisions — like putting your phone away while you drive — pay off in the long run. That you get rich slowly. That if you’re ever lucky enough to hit the lottery (literally or figuratively), you shouldn’t spend it all on meaningless things. I want my children to know that slow and steady is how they win the race.

Bad Eggs…

Unfortunately, the best examples of this type of success are rarely the ones that take the spotlight. I could point to Mark Cuban or Donald Trump as business successes, but they have an air of hubris I don’t care to glorify to my children. I also don’t care to teach them that it’s okay to use money as power and weaponize it. Donald Trump is a prime example of using wealth to bully people into doing what he wants. In October of 2012, when he wanted to see (and release to the public) further proof of President Obama’s citizenship, what did he do? He offered a $5 million donation to a charity of Obama’s choice in exchange for the president’s college records and passport application and records.

Regardless of your personal politics, that approach to life is not one I want my kids to embrace. I don’t want them to be bullies, to burn bridges, to hold people hostage with ideas, money or opportunities.

…And Some Good Ones

At the end of 2012 the Anti-Defamation League, an organization dedicated to fighting bigotry, protecting civil rights and defending democratic ideals, awarded an ADL Acheivement Award to Mark Weinberger. As it turns out, Weinberger is the CEO-elect of the financial services company Ernst & Young. As I read more about the award and its recipient I realized that here was a prime example of what I want to teach my children.

Here is a future CEO of a major American firm who doesn’t trade on flash or drama. Business leader Weinberger started his career with E&Y and now he’s taking over the company. He left E&Y to take a job in Washington, D.C. and used that opportunity to learn and grow. From there he started his own (successful) firm. He sold that firm to E&Y and returned to the company with an increased role.

I know our culture currently celebrates “sticking it to the man” and flamboyant videos of employees quitting jobs they hate. Here, though, is a story that shows the value of building and reinforcing the proverbial bridges in your business life. Weinberger left E&Y again, to serve as assistant secretary of the U.S. Treasury before finally settling in as the CEO-elect of E&Y.

I know the tortoise rarely gets the same 15 minutes of fame as the hare. But I’m also confident that the tortoise has a better long-term financial outlook. And that’s what I want to teach my kids.

“It’s important to create opportunities for young athletes with disabilities, especially because there aren’t any true strictly-college rugby programs out there,” said Michael Cottingham, camp director and assistant professor of health and human performance (HHP).

The UH Adaptive Athletics @ UH student organization together with the Department of Health and Human Performance are inviting 14 – 25 year -olds of all athletic levels to participate. The camp will be held June 13 – 16 at the UH Campus Recreation and Wellness Center.

“Anyone with a disability in three or more limbs is eligible to participate,” Cottingham said. “If you are in need of a rugby chair, Adaptive Athletics will do its best to make accommodations.”

The camp will focus on fundamentals, tournament play and evening activities.

The deadline to register is May 13.  Visit http://www.uh.edu/class/hhp/hhp_adaptive_athletics/index.php for more information, including details on sponsorship opportunities.

“This camp not only will be great for providing opportunities for athletes with disabilities, but it’s also a way for students unfamiliar with disability sport to see a world they may not have known existed,” said HHP student and events coordinator Brianna Florida. “We have an opportunity to feed that growth and add something that no other university in the state of Texas offers.”

Adaptive Athletics @ UH is a new student organization with aims to create a UH athletics program for students with disabilities.  The camp is the first step toward that goal.

“We want students to experience college life to the full potential, and that means allowing students with disabilities to play sports such as wheelchair rugby,” said student Serjio Brereda, founder and president of Adaptive Athletics @ UH. “I am also a student with a disability who will take part in the camp. I have big goals for Adaptive Athletics.”

WHAT: UH Wheelchair Rugby Camp

WHEN: June 13-16

WHERE: UH Campus Recreation and Wellness Center

For directions and parking information, visit http://www.uh.edu/wtsc_apps/uh_maps/buildings/?short_name=CRWC

For more information about UH visit the university’s Newsroom at www.uh.edu/newsroom

by Lauren Galley, HFM Teen Commentator

HFM welcomes Lauren Galley to our staff to offer a teen’s perspective on the issues we address in the magazine.

Today Lauren pens her thoughts on “Information Overload,” which appears in the May 2013 issue of HFM.

________________________________________________________________________

Information Overload!! We’re all victims of its crushing effect, especially teens. But we are not just passive receivers of this information, we also tend to over-consume it.. Teens eat up way too much information repeatedly and constantly, forgetting the option to filter things out.

Personally, I cope with information overload by taking a little time off from whatever I’m doing to inhale and exhale deeply at intervals so that I can recover my outlook and frame of reference.

By accepting a break from my busy life, I distance myself from instinct to multitask, studying while watching tv, texting, etc. mindlessly. 

My frustration with society is the smart phone. I have seen families in their living room playing a game with each other, while simultaneously they are on their separate cell phones with little audible dialogue to each other. I find it sad that my generation no longer has real conversations within a whole family unit. Knowledge is power, nevertheless an over load of information will make you want to bang your head on the wall unless you know how to sift through it.

This is my filter method: I concentrate on what has an effect on my life and my destiny, disregarding the rest. Media bombards us with information 24/7. We tend to take in all we see on television or everything we read on the internet. Very few references can be relied on to supply correct and dependable details, so most references can be set away without even thinking about them. This leaves us with a sensible quantity of data to consider and deal with, making our brains much more organized. Only the important stuff needs to be stored on a mental hard drive, the rest can be forgotten.

When overburdened, take a few days rest from your computer! The reason we have a weekend is so we don’t burn-out on our jobs, whether that be school or work. Use this time wisely and give your brain a break! It might seem hard at first, but pretty soon it will become a habit and your stress level will thank you.

It’s my belief that information overload occurs because it can. We are increasingly presented with superior technology to communicate with, nevertheless when everybody is speaking, who is hearing, who is listening to what is in fact going on? To use a comparison, it is a bit like cars and streets. The more cars we have the more occupied the streets get, making driving more difficult and dangerous causing frustration! The difficulty is not information overload, but our lack of ability to sort out and block the insignificant. Unneeded information can be business like reading too many books or reports that you are not interested in, playing games, or being compelled to take part in an event or activity with a colleague or relatives which you find uninteresting.

My teen generation has multiple choices of technology literally at their fingertips. As I sit on my couch and write this column, I have my laptop, my cellphone, and my television feeding me information. The sound of a text message, the swish of an email and the alert of breaking news on TV are sensory-driven reminders that my information intake will soon reach full capacity. .

I just heard that HFM Managing Editor Sara Stephens recently attended a funeral for a local 18-year-old girl who died in a car crash, as the result of texting and driving. This is yet another example of our enslavement to the information that injects itself into our daily lives. Being a teenager myself, I can attest that we drive with our music louder than we should, our friends are laughing and talking with us, and then we get that “all important” text that we feel we “have to” answer right away. We feel invincible, and many times it takes a death for the message to hit close to home. I know some of you think it seems “cool” to text and drive. There’s nothing cool about the fact that texting while driving is as fatal as consuming alcohol and operating a vehicle. In my opinion, the offense should result in harsh punishment. I encourage all teens to keep it simple, avoiding the allure of today’s all too pervasive information–especially when we are driving.

In summary, I say give your brain a break and focus instead on the task at hand, leaving unnecessary technology behind. 

Once the euphoria of being done with class has subsided, new grads must face what adults have been warning them about for twenty-plus years: the real world.

Poised on the cusp of opportunity, young professionals may be considered “the lucky ones” by the older crowd, but grappling with unemployment and severe debt is no walk in the park. Ease the transition from carefree college life to responsible adulthood with these 11 practical gifts for college grads.

1. Cash
   Life after graduation is exciting but it’s also laden with ugly financial responsibilities like credit card and student loan debt. In fact, total borrowing for student loans in a single year eclipsed $100 billion for the first time ever in 2010. Despite the perceived lack of effort associated with gifting cash, new grads are likely your most enthusiastic recipients.

2. Gift Cards
   Though cash is very useful, who’s to say the new grad will spend it wisely when temptations abound? Reduce distractions by creating a gift registry at CardAvenue.com and have family and friends purchase cards to restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations and department stores to help your graduate with everyday expenses.

3. Resume Service
   Most colleges have career centers with advisors available to assist students with their career search and resume development, but that “free” service is gone upon graduation. If your new grad is still struggling with effectively conveying his accomplishments on paper, consider gifting him with a professional resume service.

4. Financial Planning Session
   One of the best gifts you can offer a recent grad is the opportunity to begin her new life on the right financial foot. By purchasing one or more professional financial planning sessions, you’re offering the opportunity to learn the most effective approach for establishing a budget, paying off debt and saving for retirement.

5. Personal Finance Books
   If a professional financial planner is out of the question budget-wise, opt for the DIY approach to personal finance: buy a book. You may think that’s a bad gift for someone who’s just retired their textbooks forever, but personal finance advice is invaluable to a generation laden with debt. Plus, these recommended titles are offered by a dude who sports a mohawk and refers to budgets as “sexy.” Ultimately, you can’t find a cooler money mentor.

6. Foreign Language Lessons
   The job market may be looking up for 2012 grads, but ultimately it never hurts to add to your skill set. Knowing a second language is not only impressive, it wards off dementia and opens up job opportunities throughout the globe. Rosetta Stone is an affordable alternative to formal instruction and offers the added advantage of mobility.

7. Magazine or Newspaper Subscriptions
   In addition to enhancing skills sets, being in the know about the latest happenings helps job seekers stay informed and relevant. A subscription — either digital or hard copy — to The New York Times or The Wall Street Journal ensures a well-rounded education on current events. Alternatively, offering a trade magazine within the graduate’s area of study or interest is another good option.

8. Roth IRA
   Most twenty-somethings are caught up with immediate concerns — where to work, where to live, and how to afford it all — so opening a Roth IRA helps jump-start saving for the future. Account holders can make tax-free withdrawals once they hit retirement age, and better yet, they can withdraw contributions tax and penalty-free. It’s important to know the basics of Roth IRAs, however, in order to effectively manage the account.

9. Job Interview Clothing
   After living on graphic tees and torn jeans, it’s likely the new grad in your life could use some “grown-up clothes” for job interviews. If the preferred style of the recipient and the required wardrobe of the industry are unknown to you, offer a gift card. Otherwise, schedule a suit fitting or organize a shopping spree and help the budding professional select the proper attire.

10. Smartphone
    As the nomenclature suggests, a smartphone is a savvy way for new grads to stay on top of communications from potential employers, navigate their way through unfamiliar streets and keep in touch with Mom and Dad. Additionally, the abundance of apps for everything from cheap dinner recipes to budget-management tools makes young lives a little easier.

11. Moving Truck
    Anyone who’s moved down the street or across the country knows the costs involved are anything but cheap. If the area in which the happy graduate went to school is not where she intends to stay, consider helping her with moving costs by contributing to a truck rental (if needed). Otherwise, offer your labor in exchange for lunch and help her lug boxes for an afternoon.

Andrea Woroch is a nationally-recognized consumer and money-saving expert who helps consumers live on less without radically changing their lifestyles. From smart spending tips to personal finance advice, Andrea transforms everyday consumers into savvy shoppers. She has been featured among top news outlets such as Good Morning America, NBC’s Today, MSNBC, New York Times, Kiplinger Personal Finance, CNNMoney and many more. You can follow her on Twitter for daily savings advice and tips.