If you have a loved one with mental illness, I encourage you to go to the next family support meeting on April 25th at the College Community Building 113 East F St. Park in back. Its at 5:00pm-6:30pm.
Also the Learning Center is holding an Art Show on May 1-10am-2pm , 276 S. Mill St.

I watched Dateline last night and it has me really thinking about how our Justice and Mental Health Systems deals with the mentally ill. A man commits 5 murders in a one day killing spree while he is delusional. As horrible and tragic as the crimes were, had he been helped by the local hospital whom he had pleaded three days in a row for help to no avail he might have not committed the crimes and five Innocent people would still have their lives. Or maybe not.
What has me really thinking is a comment by the parent of one of his victims. He wants Mr. Hyde to get the death penalty even though he was proved to be mentally ill at the time and is in a state mental facility as we speak. He is a paranoid schizophrenic.
 I wouldn't presume to imagine what the families of the victims and also the family of Mr. Hyde must be feeling but when they mostly want the death penalty? What do you think?
My son has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and at one time was very delusional. Without my help who knows what might have happened to him. What about the ones who have no one to care and help them? I realize that most crimes committed by the  truly mentally ill  have to be judged with this factor in mind. The Dateline program made me so sad for all involved.

Subject: New Tips


Expanding Frosting
 
When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar/ calories per serving.
 

Newspaper Weeds-Away
 
Start putting in your plants, work the nutrients in your soil. Wet newspapers, put layers around the plants overlapping as you go, cover with mulch and forget about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic; they will not get through wet newspapers.


Broken Glass
 
Use a dry cotton ball to pick up little broken pieces of glass ...
the fibers catch ones you can't see!
 

Reducing Static Cling
 
Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress.  Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and .. voila ... static is gone.
 

Measuring Cups

Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill it with hot water.
Dump out the hot water, but don't dry the cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.


Foggy Windshield?
 
Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car. When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!


Reopening envelope
 
If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two.
Voila! It unseals easily.


Conditioner
 
Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's a lot cheaper than
shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to
use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in your
hair...


Good-bye Fruit Flies
 
To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass fill it 1/2" with Apple
Cider  Vinegar and 2 drops of dishwashing liquid, mix well. You will find
those pesky flies drawn to the cup & gone forever!

Get Rid of Ants

Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it "home,"
and can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, esp. if it
rains, but it works and you don't have the worry about pets or small
children being harmed!

This is my first post and I thought I'd like to let the community know that if you have a loved one with mental illness, Nami Tehachapi  has a support group that meets every other Wednesday 5pm-6:30pm at the College Community Services building 113 East F St.
I was fighting a battle for my loved one with no understanding or support from family. Nami has taken a load off of my shoulders with education, information and most of all empathy. I am a much stronger person now.