What can YOU do with 12 words?

The challenge is on. Enter the 12-word essay contest and wow me with your word skills!

As a contest enthusiast myself, I've entered dozens and dozens of contests over the years, but this is my first time hosting one. I've been excited to host this for months, and it's been really fun to see how creative people get with such a limited number of words. 

Click here to enter the contest! 

Make sure you enter by Dec. 10, and then I'll announce the 12 winners on 12.12.12, who will score the great prizes pictured below. Maybe you'll be one of them!

You're Invited to Read Delighted

You're invited to a blog launch party! Today I'm officially sharing delightedtowrite.com with the world, and I'm excited to invite you! Let the word celebration begin.

Hey, if you're feeling extra generous and have 10 seconds to spare, will you please 'like' the Facebook page? I see the name of every person who likes it, and believe me, it makes my day!

Meet My New Baby

I've hinted about this announcement before, and want Our Beck Trek friends to be first to know: My writing blog will be born August 8.*

Part-personal goal, part-grad project, I've been ramping up to launch this writing blog launch for more than a year. Now that it's almost here, I'm excited (and admittedly nervous) for the grand debut.

You're invited to check out delightedtowrite.com and take a quick tour. After you see it, I'd love your comments - likes, dislikes, suggestions - all are appreciated! 

*Forgive me pulling a sneaky one on this post title. Worked, didn't it? Someday we really will have a baby announcement. I'll say this: We two Becks are both getting excited to someday be three...or four...or...

Preparing to Make the Cut

Forgive my blatant vanity: This post is about hair.

If you've seen me lately, you've noticed my hair is reeeeaaallllllyyy long. I've been talking about donating it for the better part of a year, and held out for a recent photo shoot with my high school friend (and incredibly talented professional photographer) Selena. Click here to see what we were up to. If you clicked, you'll notice my "writer girl" pictures for a soon-to-be-launched writing blog. (Our Beck Trek friends will be first to have a sneak peek...tune in soon!)

I'm so pleased with her pictures - both the creative writer ones and the outdoorsy head shots. If you're looking for a photographer in Arizona or Utah, Selena's a blast to work with. I highly recommend you check out her website. 

Back to hair...my lengthy locks can look like THIS!? After seeing Selena's magic, it almost pains me to make the cut. Almost.

Let's be honest. My hair in these pictures is the result of three hours of concentrated effort and two helpers (thanks, Katy and Jen!) I'm happy to have the movie star potential of my hair recorded, but would rather sleep an extra hour or finish a grad school assignment or actually go running or cuddle up with Ryan for Dr. Quinn than do a hairdo.

Thanks to Dad, I have an enviably thick braid. I'm grateful, don't get me wrong. Hair like this takes a lot of TIME I don't have/want to give.I literally only wash my hair every 5-6 days. (OK, OK...I even get away with a whole week sometimes.) It's so thick it only starts looking greasy on Day 6, and then I just bun-wrap  and nobody can tell. When I do wash it, a painful fight follows: Comb vs. Snarls. I hate it. The snarl fest is my least favorite 15 minutes of the week.

Because I have been given much (hair), I too must give. I have such a soft spot for cancer patients, mostly because I'm still missing my Auntie Melanie.  Yesterday we did the 5K for miss Millie. This is the week I'll be donating 9 inches. That's about two year's growth. And that's time well spent.

Here Comes the Sun: 5 Sunscreen Savvy Tips

My article about sunscreen published yesterday on KSL (Utah) and KTAR (Arizona) yesterday. I learned a lot doing the interview - did you know "SPF" is measured in a lab, with artificial light? Or that soon the FDA will not allow companies to call it "sunblock," since they can't actually block the sun? (Sunscreen will be the preferred term - click on the link below to find out more.)

Read the full KSL article here or click here for KTAR. Here's quick tips for your summer fun in the sun:

5 Sunscreen Savvy Tips
• Look for zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide as active ingredients
• Avoid oxybenzone or retinyl palmitate (a type of vitamin A)
• Seek sunscreens that protect against UVA and UVB rays
• Use SPF 25 or higher but less than SPF 50
• Apply at least two coats for full SPF coverage

Sweet victory: 7 tips to give up sugar

Birthday cake. Sugary cereals. Easter candy. Sugar is popular, playing a prominent cultural and social role as a form of celebration, a reward system and as an everyday sweetness fix. With recent research showing the toxic and addicting effects, some are declaring independence from sugar.

Once known for her cakes and pies, Bountiful resident Rhiannon Lawrence learned in 2009 she was gluten intolerant and pre-diabetic. Out of necessity, she embraced a new way of thinking about baking and cooking.

After experimenting with recipes for years, she shared what she found by writing the book "Eat free: No Gluten. No Sugar. No Guilt." Lawrence works with several non-profit organizations and is an advocate for health and nutrition.

Another advocate for avoiding sugar — Paul Stout of Kaysville, Utah — used to get headaches every day. A decade ago when he won a week's worth of milkshakes, he noticed the direct correlation between sugar and his pain. It's been 10 years since Stout gave up sugar, and he hasn't looked back.

"I tell everyone, and it's true: I feel better today at 53 than I did at 43, when I was still eating sugar," Stout said.

Lawrence and Stout offer tips for those who want to cut sugar from their diet:

Read the 7 tips in my KSL.com article by clicking here

No pity needed for gluten-free eaters

I'm a gluten-free gal. Anything with wheat flour is on my no-no list, unless I want serious intestinal retaliation. Yes, that means I avoid breads, pastas, pizza, cookies and even sneaky gluten-hiding foods like licorice and barbecue sauce.

Read my full story on Deseret News online by clicking here, or continue below.

According to Celiac.com, at least 3 million Americans, or about one in 133 people, have celiac disease, so I’m not alone in the food-navigation process.

In my workplace, often co-workers bring in platters of baked goods to share. They make their way through the cubicles, generously offering treats, and pass by me with a slightly ashamed whisper: "Sorry!"

No pity needed, folks. I've said it many times, though perhaps it's hard for gluten-eaters to accept: I am glad to be free of gluten.

Not only am I protected from stomach aches, I also don't eat most junk foods — simply because I can't.

Also, since I learned of my gluten-intolerance four years ago, I’ve enjoyed palate experimenting and discovering “safe” new tastes like Thai food.

With so many new companies now recognizing the food allergy market, it’s only getting easier to be gluten-free. For example, ordering a gluten-free topper on my wedding cake a couple years ago was no big deal.

Many others like me have found the gluten-free lifestyle to be a healthy, happy way to live.

“It’s not as hard as it seems. Now it’s easy with all the gluten-free products out there,” said Bethany Hilton, who created the blog Gluten Free in Utah after she became gluten-intolerant in 2006 to “help others who are living (or should be living) a gluten-free lifestyle.”

“It’s worth it because I feel so much better,” Hilton said.

For those who recently learned they are gluten-intolerant or have celiac disease, Hilton gives words of assurance.

“Figure out what works for you — everyone has their own gluten-free style. Know that you don’t have to spend a ton of money to be gluten-free, and yes, food can still be good.”

Gluten-free eaters like Hilton and I are finding an increasing number of local specialty restaurants and customized options on menus. Websites like The Urban Spoon share handy lists of Salt Lake restaurants that are gluten-free-friendly.

Eleanor’s Bake Shop, located at 9495 S. 560 West, Building D, in Sandy, offers an exclusively gluten-free menu with options ranging from specialty cakes to sweet rolls to brownies.

A family-owned bakery, it’s named after Grandma Eleanor, who “lovingly passed (celiac disease) on through the gene pool” to the family who “opened up shop to share (their) love of gluten-free food.”

“There are a lot of options for those who are gluten-free,” said Treasa Stewart, Eleanor’s granddaughter and part-owner of the bake shop. “I eat better than I used to eat, with more fruits and vegetables. I feel better mentally and physically, just all-around better health.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself. Yep, gluten-free works for me.

Meet the shoe-shining legend of the SLC airport

Wanna meet someone really cool? Cancer-fighter, veteran, and card game shark, our pal  J.C. "Shine" has manned the SLC airport shoe shining booth for 22 years. Click here to read my feature story about him in the Deseret News, or check it out below.

 
Familiar to frequent fliers, J.C. "Shine" Wilson, 74, mans the shoe shining booth in Terminal One at the Salt Lake International airport. A cancer-fighting veteran, he has shined shoes and shared his heart with thousands.

Last fall, Wilson faced lung cancer with humor. Just before surgery to remove the affected upper lobe, he told the anesthesiologist, “Whatever you do, get it taken care of. I don’t want to be late for work.”

Six days later, he was smiling and shining shoes at the airport.

Wilson recalls a memorable customer.

“I was bent over, working on his shoes, when another traveler stopped by to say hello. They talked about military service, and I asked which branch my customer served in,” said Wilson.

“All of them,” answered the customer.

“I looked up to see Colin Powell’s face, our Chief of Staff at the time,” Wilson smiles.

For the past 22 years, Wilson has shined shoes for well-known customers like the late King of Tonga, former Sen. Robert Bennett and Jerry Seiner. His work and personality have brought him up close and personal with thousands from all over the world. He likes to learn about the people he serves.

“The closed mouth goes unfed. If you don’t ask questions, there’s a lot you miss,” said Wilson.

Airport employees also notice Wilson’s friendly way with travelers.

“He’s a really nice guy,” said Robert Heatherly, team leader of Paradies Shops. Heatherly works down the escalator from Wilson. “I’ve seen J.C. be courteous with everyone.”

In the “polish, brush, shine then buff” process, he’s known to strike up a story. Wilson calls himself “half comedian,” and loves to get to know his customers.

“He’s really got a great heart,” said frequent flyer Ed Galisewski, who has visited Wilson on his monthly commute from Denver for the past 16 years. “Whenever I go to town, I look forward to a shining when I land and a shine before I take off. He shakes my hand and gives me a big bear hug.”

Galisewski recalls years ago when Wilson shared concern for a friend who worked at the airport, a single mom who was struggling financially.

“J.C. has a real sensitive heart for people. That year, we got together and made sure she could take care of her kids at Christmas,” said Galisewski.

During their monthly visits, Wilson and Galisewski swap stories while Wilson shines.

“He asks about my life, and I found out about his Vietnam War stories. He’s sure led an interesting life,” Galisewski said.

Originally from Pecos, Texas, Wilson has served eight years in the military (with an honorable discharge). He has worked as a truck driver and at the post office, and has owned a janitorial business in California. He also used to own the “Jazz Hut,” a Salt Lake City club where he used to let George Foreman and his youngest brother play pool.

In his free time, Wilson likes to visit his family and participate in the Elks and Masons clubs of Salt Lake. He has six children, nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Nearly a quarter century ago, Wilson came to his shoe-shining gig when a friend told him about the position. He remembers when the Salt Lake International airport had “just a little dusty parking lot, and passengers walked straight out to the plane, with no jetways.”

Ever since then, Wilson’s risen at 4:30 a.m. and worked 11-hour days, six days a week. For the first time in two decades, he cut back to five days a week after his surgery last year.

The only thing he doesn’t like about his job?

“When I don’t have customers,” said Wilson.

During the writing of this article in March 2012, Wilson’s cancer relapsed. He had another surgery, and is now home recovering and plans to be back shining shoes soon.

If you want to meet a living legend the next time you’re in the Salt Lake Airport, be sure to get your shoes shined by the legendary J.C. “Shine” Wilson in Terminal One, at the top of the elevators.
  
Made it all the way, huh? Thanks. You're welcome to browse more of my published stories in the Writer Girl tab. ;)

Discovering ancestors on London study abroad program

Hurray, published today! You're invited to see my published article at Deseret News Online or read the text below. My story is printed today in the Mormon Times section today on page C8.

The day after I turned 20, I took my first international flight to London. My 42 study abroad friends and I lived in the beautiful BYU London Centre and spent four months befriending Big Ben, admiring National Gallery art, relishing British accents and snapping photos of real-life castles.

I also found a personal treasure — I found a connection with my English ancestors.

This quest began when our insightful religion professor, Dr. David R. Seely, assigned a family history project. Researching at the local family history center, senior sisters helped me navigate census files. I learned my 18th- and 19th-century ancestors were from Guilden Morden, just outside of Cambridge. I wanted to see Guilden Morden, hoping to feel closer to them.

With professor permission to go on a day trip on my own, I researched train and bus information. All semester I looked forward to the journey. The awaited day arrived, and I took a morning train from London to Cambridge, leaving just a short bus ride to Guilden Morden.

Unfortunately, that day the next Guilden Morden bus wouldn't leave until 5 p.m. —after my returning London train would depart. Scouting out my next option, I learned the 20-mile taxi fare was £27. I only had £25 — not enough to get there or back.

There I stood — 4,500 miles from my USA home — and just 20 measly miles were keeping me from my ancestor’s town?

The 40-mile roundtrip was too far to walk in a day, so I considered renting a bike. I imagined pedaling the blustery, unknown roads to a place I’d never seen and miraculously finding my ancestor’s grave sites; it could be a tear-jerker family history story repeated in Relief Societies everywhere.

Then reality hit.

My bike idea wasn’t practical. I was alone, tired, didn’t know where I was going or have means to get there. I couldn’t miss the train back to London. And would I fail my family history project?

Later, safe in the BYU London Centre, I received an email just before the family history project deadline. It was from Elizabeth Thomas, a distant cousin I’d never met. My Grandma Webb had asked her to send stories about the Squires, our other family line.

I learned Henry Augustus Squires, and his wife, Sarah Minnie Catlin, sailed to the United States with five little daughters in 1856. They crossed the plains with the ill-fated Martin Handcart Company. Sarah gave birth to my 4th-great aunt in Echo Canyon, Utah, naming her Echo. Miraculously, the whole family made it to Utah.

Adding their stories to my paper, I concluded, “I truly feel the Spirit of Elijah when I see those pedigree charts — I have love for my ancestors I never knew before. My quest for my ancestors will continue for the rest of my life.” Maybe I didn’t quite make it to my ancestor’s town on my study abroad, but I found what I was looking for: a connection to them.

And in case you’re wondering, I got an "A" on my project.

Picking up pennies makes cents

I'm a sucker for fallen coins, and a good word pun.

Thus, my KSL.com story, Picking up pennies makes cents.

Please read my two cents on the subject; my story is featured in KSL's "Happy Living" section. You can also find all my articles in the tab WRITER GIRL.

Are you a penny rescuer too?

Are you trashing cash for local schools?

Don't know about you, but I can't stand throwing money away. Although we don't have any kids yet (let alone kids in school), I can't help but clip and save Box Tops. Why trash cash? When I learned the Box Tops for Education program gave $59 million to schools in 2011, I thought I could help by posting a little donation envelope at my work break room.

Then I thought bigger - article time, baby!

Read my published story on KSL here: Are you trashing cash for local schools?

Published March 4, 2012

Published!

This past three days, when it rained for me in the publishing world, it poured!

Ever since writing as a student reporter at BYU five years ago, I haven't been able to shake a strong desire to write feature stories. While I do some feature-type writing in my full-time job, I had a hankering to share stories on a broader scale. It took an encouraging writer friend and many months of building up guts until I submitted ideas to the Deseret News. After four weeks of (sometimes not so) patiently waiting, the big payoff came when four of them were recently published!

Thank you for your kind support. Many of you sent nice emails and helped spread the word about babies and battery buttons - it's a hidden danger we all need to know about. Thank you Karla Rauch for sharing Emmett's story with me, and letting me help spread awareness.

From now on, I'll periodically post my published articles and put them in the fancy new tab (did you notice it?) called "WRITER GIRL."

Speaking of which ...

Click here to see my KSL article: New company offers in-flight babysitters

Published March 5, 2012 (teaser below)

Getting ready for Spring Break? Taking the kids on a flight? Launched in 2011, Nanny in the Clouds seeks to "change the way young families fly by connecting them with nannies already on their flight."

Sounds like Crystal Light

I just shared this as my 500 word "intro" in my online editing class - figured I might as well share it here too...

Nice to meet ya, I’m Crystalee. My name’s always given me a unique edge, serving as a conversation starter. Yes, it’s all one word. No, I’m not from the South like all those Southern belles with double names. At times I’ve been dubbed “Crystal Light” and “Sara Lee,” and no, I don’t mind being associated with likeable, sugary sweets.

While my patient husband will attest I’m not always sugary sweet, I’m quite a people-person, and an introspective soul. A first born, I naturally tend to be too hard on myself, with an insatiable drive to progress. With that insight, I’ll answer for you an oft-asked job interview question: what three words describe me? Friendly, active, and creative – here’s why:

Friendly

A fact about me I hope will be recorded in my obituary decades from now: I was voted “Friendliest” of my 750+ high school class. It was quite an honor to be recognized for my friend-making ability. It’s true that I love meeting new people, and have a personal motto that “there are no strangers – just friends you haven’t met yet.” Of course use caution with sketchy characters, but for the most part, I believe people are good and everyone has a unique story. I find that my life’s greatest joy is found in relationships, and when I look back at high school and college (I graduated with a communications degree from BYU in 2009), memories with friends and family are my favorite parts.

Active

It’s no secret I take pride in staying physically active and being an adventurous explorer. I was bit by the running bug as a track athlete in high school, and since have trained for half marathons. So far I’ve completed five, with the most recent in Maui. My husband, who can do impressive backflips, recruited me to try out two sprint triathlons. While he creamed me in the swimming and biking, I did beat him in the 5k runs. As for my wanderlust – I was a full-time flight attendant after college, granting me wings to fly. Last year, I made a big check on the bucket list when I finished seeing all 50 states at age 25. A year ago, my Ryan and I ventured across the globe to Sydney, Australia, a trip we’ll never forget.

Creative

While I’m a fan of color and design, words are my favorite palette. Mixing and molding them into power-punch sentences brings me great joy. I love, love, love to write. Words amaze me, and I get to wrangle them in my full-time position as Marketing Writer at MarketStar. I write for clients like Microsoft and Yahoo! and contribute to internal writing, all while monitoring social media. I purposefully chose this class as an elective and look forward to learning and sharpening my editing skills. I anticipate starting Weber’s Master of Professional Communication program this May, pending my acceptance…Dr. Josephson...wink, wink!

Feel free to reach out, connect on LinkedIn or Twitter – I'm all about keeping things social online and LOVE comments!

Photography by Tim Pannell. Check out his work.