Healthy Habits - Prenatal Possibilities

Dr. Paul Quinn PhD, CNM is an author, educator, and one of the only US-male midwives / a Certified Nurse Midwife for almost three decades. His new book, Pregnant Possibilities, is becoming a blueprint for women and their families during pregnancy. 

Paul also lives a gluten-free, vegetarian lifestyle. He relies on meditation and prayers, which he uses to “connect” with patients and families. Paul believes cooking is therapy and believes food is
uniting, bonding, healing, comforting, and transcends time and space  Where else can tradition, culture, and heritage all unite than at the table?

More about Dr. Paul Quinn PhD, CNM

• One of the only US-male midwives / a Certified Nurse Midwife for almost three decades 
• Director of Women and Children’s Services at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, New Jersey
• Professor in obstetrical nursing and nursing research at Dominican University New York
• Author of 5 books, all found HERE on Amazon 
• New book, Prenatal Possibilities, is THE blueprint for families expecting a child. https://prenatalpossibilities.com/

 I had a chance to interview him to learn more.

Can you share a little about your book?

My book is a collection of delicious recipes that are easy to make and healthy. Pregnancy is a time when women tend to focus more on their health, so I wanted to maximize the opportunity to give women, and their families, recipes that contain all the important nutrients they need for good health. However, these recipes are not just for pregnancy; they can be used by anyone who wants flavorful meal ideas that will not have them spending too much time in the kitchen. This book contains recipes for all three meals and includes additional ones for appetizers, side dishes and desserts also. Anyone using my book can change or customize any of the recipes to their own tastes or make the meals in larger quantities for leftovers. My book takes the stress out of trying to eat healthy or plan meals and teaches people healthy options for a healthier lifestyle.

What sets your book apart from other books for mothers to be?

There is so much information available in books or on the internet about diets or specific foods for pregnancy- but not all of that information is correct. There are some useful books that have been written by registered dietitians or nutritionists while others have been written from an individual’s perspective or experiences. My book is the only one to date that has been written by a doctoral-prepared certified nurse midwife. In my three decades of nursing and midwifery experience, I have spent countless hours working clinically with women and their families throughout all stages of pregnancy and the birth process. As a midwife, I listen to women and have met women from different cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds, working one on one with them to educate them about a healthy pregnancy and to create meals using simple ingredients or ones they could afford. I bring a unique combination of clinical expertise and experiences coupled with scientific evidence about nutrition and health that is thoroughly vetted to each recipe that is not found in other books.

What are some nutrition tips mothers to be often overlook?

Pregnancy is a time of incredible changes to a woman’s body, and she often forgets that her body is basically working at its maximum capacity for most, if not all, hours of the day. During pregnancy, it is important for women to remember that healthy snacking between meals is equally as important as eating three main meals. Sometimes eating small, frequent meals and snacks throughout the day that contain protein, the right amount of carbohydrates and fiber plus vitamins and minerals can be more beneficial than trying to just eat three meals. Women also forget to consider the sodium content in food, especially when indulging in some cravings for certain snacks, processed or fast foods. Women also overlook the importance of staying hydrated and consuming enough water or non-sugary, clear liquids throughout the day.

How can soon to be mothers make sure to take time for themselves before the baby comes, especially if they already have kids at home?

Motherhood is a full-time job that never ends! Pregnancy can add stress to a woman’s body and can drain whatever energy resources or mental resilience she may have. It is so important for women to take those moments to recharge or refocus whenever she can. I advise women to try to find small, frequent moments to rest or take a break if she is unable to take larger blocks of time for herself. For example, women should try to nap if their other kids are taking one. Walking is a great stress reliever and endurance-building activity that women can do alone or with their other kids. Listening to music or practicing meditation or guided imagery a few minutes before sleep can improve the quality of rest. Women should take advantage of any offers of help from family or friends and shamelessly ask for others to babysit or take the other kids out so a pregnant woman can have some uninterrupted time alone to take a relaxing shower, get a manicure or pedicure, massage, read a book, take a nap or meditate. Mindful breathing takes only minutes to do and can be incredibly re-energizing and restorative. Cooking or baking can be extremely therapeutic and calming and stimulates the body’s senses to bring about relaxation!

Recent Media: https://www.wfla.com/daytime/easy-and-nutritious-meals-for-pregnant-women/

Online:

• https://prenatalpossibilities.com/
• https://www.instagram.com/prenatalpossibilities/
• https://www.instagram.com/drpaulquinn/

Plucked! at Union Depot St Paul 3.28

Plucked!™, the Twin Cities' freshest, new market concept, where makers with moxie Pop the spotlight bright! Launching at Union Depot in Saint Paul, MN. All things home, from interior designer specialty items to hand-made furniture and home decor all wrapped in a chic shopping environment.            2 ways to participate and shop! 1. The Plucked! HOME vendors may select a space to showcase their fabulous products and this allows guests a more personalized experience to meet the maker or designer firsthand. Artisans will Spotlight a brand new product, flavor, or scent. Why? Because EVERYONE wants the next new thing! 2. Don't miss the Plucked! HOME Bazaar portion of our shopping event -- our new experiential idea! 3. The Plucked! Bazaar complements the designer/artisan booth spaces with another layer of fantastic product. It's a unique, shop-in-shop playground where Plucked! and it's stylists mix and match product, style, period and more. Most items are one-of-a-kind!             2 ways to shop for 2 times the fun! Plucked! HOME is **FREE** to attend. A VIP Plucked! ticket is being offered for sale for those jonesing to access all the fab goodies before the 10am market opening. From 9-10am, guests may purchase a $25 VIP ticket and they'll receive a yummy morning cocktail and 1 hour early access to all the Plucked! HOMEgoods.                      > Plucked! PEOPLES Plucked! HOME Edition is brought forward by three (3) plucky pros whose retail and design backgrounds 'never stoppa' innovating. Kari Schultz, owner of KLS Design Advisor, has led a 30 year career within the interior design industry, wearing a myriad of business manager, marketing, operations and finance hats along her dynamic path. Kevin P. Quinn, joins the team at Plucked! HOME Edition with his two+ decade experience in retail leadership. Currently, Quinn runs his retail consultancy, STYLED RETAIL™, serving and supporting entrepreneurial retail endeavors. Quinn states, “The pop-retail experience has served its purpose well, but desperately needs a reinvention, a fresher retail point of view. We aim to creatively establish our 2.0 iteration”. Becky Sturm, owner of StormSister Spatique, has established a leading reputation as a Market production visionary within the Upper Midwest. Plucked! is Becky's fifth creatively conceived market and the launch of Plucked!: HOME Edition is possibly her most ambitious market to date. Sturm shares, “Plucked! HOME is a culmination of my learnings the past decade with temporary retail markets. The positive reaction to our new concept has been so rewarding -- I'm so excited for what lies ahead”!

» Plucked! PARTNER/PURPOSE 7% of all sales at Plucked! HOME Edition will be donated to: Hope Chest for Breast Cancer. Hope Chest Mission: Connecting individuals and families facing breast cancer with resources and financial assistance to support urgent non-medical living expenses. We want to keep patients in their home, with the lights and heat on, and make sure there's nutritious food in the fridge. We want to help with transportation and childcare so they can get the treatments they need. In short, we want to be the best neighbor they've ever had.

Movie Minute - A Nashville Wish

  Vision Films Inc. (“Vision”) announces the theatrical run of coming-of-age and following one’s destiny story, A Nashville Wish [IMDb], on February 2, 2024, followed by transactional VOD across the US and Canada on February 27. Executive produced by Niraj Bhatia and Dan Burks of Om Films, with Robin Capehart, Stephen Emmett Jackson, Frank Thomas Parker, and Markus Niepraschk.

During the month of February, the film will have a limited theatrical release in Tennessee, Kentucky, Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, Virginia, Iowa, Utah, Arizona, and more. Visit and follow at facebook.com/anashvillewish for up-to-date information.

The full-length feature, directed by Demetrius Navarro and written by Ty DeMartino stars Maxfield Camp (The Glee Project), Kaileigh Bullard (ABC’s Nashville), Alexis Gomez (American Idol finalist), Kevin Sizemore (Woodlawn, Into The Spotlight), Kourtney Hansen (ABC’s Nashville), Ryan O'Quinn (Believe, Paul's Promise), Kate Orsini (NCIS), Molly Malady, Fletcher Olson, Caleb Shore (The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2), Candace Randolph, Erlinda Navarro (Anything is Possible), Craig Shumaker (Parks and Recreation) and features country music stars T. Graham Brown, Waylon Payne (portrayed Jerry Lee Lewis in Walk The Line), and Lee Greenwood.

Music producer, composer, and vocalist Kevin Dorsey rescored and rerecorded the film’s seven well-known classic and modern-day country songs with the cast that now includes the legendary Lee Greenwood, T. Graham Brown and Waylon Payne all updating hits “Born Country” by Alabama, Vince Gill’s “Whenever You Come Around,” Trisha Yearwood’s “She’s In Love With The Boy,” Rascal Flatts’ “My Wish,” Patsy Cline’s “Crazy,” Garth Brook’s “The Dance” (Duet), and “Keeper of The Stars” by Tracy Byrd.

The film is based on the award-winning stage musical ‘Ticket to Nashville,’ a family-friendly musical featuring many of country music’s most treasured songs. Most of the original stage cast reprise their roles that won Broadway World West VA Awards’ Best Musical, Best Technical Director, Best Theatrical Director of a Musical (Demetrius Navarro), and Best Musical Director (Kevin Dorsey) in 2017.

Watch the Official Trailer HERE.

Synopsis: A talented young country singer dating the most beautiful cheerleader in high school dreams of nothing but going to Nashville to become a music star. As the stars would have it, his music career takes off at the same time as their relationship, and he must choose between his love of music and the girl of his dreams.
 
Lise Romanoff, CEO and Managing Director of Vision Films says, "With an incredible soundtrack and a follow-your-dreams story, A Nashville Wish is the perfect family film with just the right amount of faith that audiences will fall in love with… and will sing along with for years to come!"

Executive Producers Stephen Emmett Jackson, Frank Thomas Parker, Robin Capehart, and Director Demetrius Navarro share, "Country music is the heartbeat of America and captures the magic of our hopes and dreams; come sing together with us and make A Nashville Wish come true!"

Press kit: HERE

A Nashville Wish will be available on iTunes, Vimeo, AmazonInstant, GooglePlay, Vudu, and Vimeo, and across hundreds of U.S. cable providers, including Comcast, Spectrum, Charter, Cox, Dish, DirecTV, and more on February 27, 2024. DVD will follow at all major online retailers.

About Vision Films
Vision Films is a leading independent sales and VOD aggregator specializing in the licensing, marketing, and distribution of over 800 feature films, documentaries, and series from some of the most prolific independent film producers in the world. Led by Lise Romanoff, Managing Director/CEO of Worldwide Distribution, Vision Films releases 2 to 4 films a month across Theatrical, VOD, DVD, and television platforms. visionfilms.net

About Om Films
Niraj Bhatia and Dan Burks are co-founders of Om Films. Together, they have executive produced multiple award-winning films, including Meet the Patels, Super Dark Times, and the Grammy-nominated, PGA winner Beats, Rhymes, and Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest. om-films.com
 

Music Minute: Sukey Molloy: The Adventures of Little Stubby

 With a stellar array of awards proudly in hand, beloved children’s author, storyteller, educator, and musician Sukey Molloy is thrilled to announce the April 14 release of her first storytelling album, The Adventures of Little Stubby.

The Adventures of Little Stubby features six stories about a sweet, young miniature donkey who most definitely has a mind of his own. Written by Sukey Molloy with Larry Alexander and narrated by Sukey Molloy, the stories are set to specially composed music by Sukey, with sound effects from the natural world.

The Adventures of Little Stubby invites children to join Stubby as he meets the challenges of moving to a new home, hiding from the doctor, searching for his friend Willow, learning how to swim, hearing an unusual sound, and going on an important errand. During these adventures, Stubby learns that he can stop and count slowly to three if he is afraid, lonely, or overwhelmed. This practice forms the centerpiece of each story, as Stubby takes a moment to reconnect with himself, relax, and reset his emotions.

“I have learned a great deal from Stubby and from the hundreds of donkeys I have met and spent time with at donkey rescue farms around the country,” says Sukey Molloy. “These creatures, who are very humbling, inspired me to create Stubby’s character. Because of their innocence, animals can represent a very real relationship with the kinds of feelings many children may struggle to understand. I hope The Adventures of Little Stubby helps children find a gentle way of navigating through their own intense emotions.” 

Joining Sukey as producer of The Adventures of Little Stubby is Grammy-winner Larry Alexander (Diana Ross, Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, David Bowie, and more), who has served in this capacity for all Sukey’s albums. Sukey notes, “I included original stories on two of my previous recordings, but I couldn’t have met the challenges of producing an all-storytelling album by myself. The Adventures of Little Stubby would never have been possible without Larry’s painstaking editorial comments, creative ideas, and fearless insistence on making each story better and better.”

Praised for music and stories that bring a sense of reassurance, trust, fun, and wonder, Sukey Molloy reached into her own childhood memories to discover a wealth of material on which to base The Adventures of Little Stubby. Sukey herself ran and hid when the doctor came to her house to give her a shot, and she did the same on the day her family moved to a new home. She had a scary episode learning to swim at Jones Beach, where she was pulled under a wave and an older friend came to her rescue. Sukey has also had the great fortune of being asked to help with an important project and afterward feeling real pride. These vignettes from her past helped Sukey reflect on how momentous it is for young children to encounter such tender feelings and how important it is for them to sense that someone is always right beside them.

About Sukey Molloy:

Trained as a professional modern dancer in New York City, Sukey Molloy performed and toured as a member of the Solomon’s Company Dance and went on to study developmental movement and Kidnastics with former Olympian, Garland O’Quinn, Ph.D., and infant development with Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen. Her work in “movement skill development through guided play” led Sukey to design and teach music and movement programs for nursery schools, after-school programs, and elementary schools, and, in 2005, to launch her own Nyack, NY-based PlayMove&Sing programs of classes and teacher training workshops: “Circle Time Play! with Sukey Molloy,” “Story Time! with Sukey Molloy,” and “Craft Time! with Sukey Molloy.” By 2006, Sukey had formed her own Circle Song Band (later known as Sukey Molloy & Friends), with which she performed the “Sukey Molloy (Circle Song) Show,” charming young audiences with programs filled with musical storytelling, stuffed felt characters, and fun, interactive songs.

The Adventures of Little Stubby will be available at major online outlets, including Amazon, iTunes, Pandora, and more.

Music Minute: Jeff Coffey and Ken Wilber

 The new impassioned and poignant single “Someday” written and composed by former lead vocalist of Chicago, Jeff Coffey, touches on the stirring and dramatic events over the past year.  Lyrics began to flow out fairly quickly for Jeff as he began to ponder the heartbreaking, powerful and harrowing moments of this past year. The moving and heart-rending video is available today on his YouTube Channel. The single, "Someday," is available for streaming and download here.

About Jeff Coffey:
Jeff Coffey is a musician, singer, songwriter who has released three solo albums which were well-received by radio and music fans. His songs are very relatable and bridge the gap between Pop, Rock and Country. Two singles from this CD "Through Your Eyes" and "Long Way Home" made it to the Top 20 on the FMQB AC/40 chart.
 
Much of Jeff's music has been featured on numerous TV shows on several major television networks such as NBC, MTV, CMTV, FOX, E! Network, HGTV, Travel Channel, A&E, Bravo and the CBS Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  “Through Your Eyes” was prominently featured on the prime-time TV show “Men In Trees” starring Anne Heche.
 
Jeff’s latest album, ORIGINS was released in December 2019 with Coffey’s vocal abilities shining through on this album. ORIGINS is a tribute album to all the great tenor singers and the songs that inspired Jeff to become a professional musician and includes songs by some greats, like Sir. Paul McCartney, Sting, Queen, Journey, Foreigner and more. 
 
Jeff continues to write and record new music, collaborating with many artists and songwriters.  He also currently tours as bassist for Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame member Don Felder (formerly of The Eagles). 

New York native and Country Music artist, Ken Wilber, has announced the release of "Freedom Song" to radio via CDX distribution services whose service reaches not only all key radio programming decision makers, but also the major streaming platforms, labels, publishing companies, and more in the Country Music business community. “Freedom Song” was penned by Sonny LeMaire, Clay Mills, Jimmy Ritchey and recorded by Ryan Younts at Oceanway Nashville, engineered and mixed by Tony Cottrill at The DAWg Houze in Hendersonville, TN and mastered by Benny Quinn. 

“Freedom Song” is available on digital music platforms Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon Music and more for streaming and download here.

Ken Wilber recollects that "Freedom Song was originally recorded by Blackberry Smoke, I really liked the Southern Rock flavor to it, as I grew up listening to Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Allman Brothers. I was also heavily influenced by The Charlie Daniels Band, so this was a nice way to showcase that influence. This particular song has a great groove to it, it's one of those songs that makes you want to roll the windows down in your car and hit the gas."

“Ken is a pleasure to work with, and I’m always excited when he travels here to Nashville. It’s an honor to have the opportunity to record and mix his projects. He’s an amazing talent, incredible versatility in his singing, songwriting and his honest enthusiasm is infectious. Ken just keeps getting better and better as an artist and entertainer which will become obvious to the listener in these new releases,” exclaimed Tony Cottrill, Lonely Dog Productions and The DAWg Houze.

All of Ken’s music is available for streaming on Spotify, Apple Music and download on Google Play, Amazon Music and iTunes.

Stay current with Ken Wilber on his website www.kenwilbercountry.com on social media platforms Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About Ken Wilber:
Ken Wilber was born in Oneonta, NY on October 29th, 1980. His earliest musical influences were Conway Twitty, Merle Haggard, George Jones and Johnny Cash. His family remembers him at a young age staring at the records as they played, trying to understand the music he heard. Ken learned to sing by trying to emulate the people he heard on the recordings and would keep at it, until he could copy every little inflection of the vocal performance. In high school Ken discovered his second love, theater. He made his theatrical debut at the age of 14 in a high school production of “Fame.”  The band Fly By Nite was formed with Ken as lead singer where they played locally every weekend at a local watering hole called “Babcocks.”  Fly by Nite played together for a little over ten years, before dissolving in 2012. Ken Also sang with the southern rock Group J.D. Mistress.  Ken was brought in by guitar player Rich Rogers.  He played with them for about six months, where they played several dates locally and had the opportunity to open for Molly Hatchet and Blackfoot in Albany, NY. After Fly By Nite dissolved, Ken and Kerry Fallot set out to begin writing and arranging music for Ken’s first album “Rollin’ My Own,” and the album was completed in 2017. Ken had the opportunity to play country music Legend Hank Williams in a local theatrical production of “Hank Williams: Lost Highway.”  Tony Cottrill mastered the first project and shortly after the mastering was completed, Tony contacted Ken to come to Nashville to record a demo session for Sonny LeMaire of Exile fame. As a result of the demo sessions, Ken decided to record his second album in Nashville in October 2018. New music to be released soon, recorded in Nashville, TN at Ocean Way studio and produced by Tony Cottrill and Sonny LeMaire. 

Book Nook: I Am the Warrior - My Crazy Life Writing the Hits and Rocking the MTV Eighties

 "The Best." “Love Is a Battlefield.” “Invincible.” “The Warrior.” “Better Be Good to Me.” If you were young and living from “heartache to heartache” during the ’80s — or even if you weren’t born until decades later — chances are you know the words to every song written by the inimitable Holly Knight. 

In I Am The Warrior: My Crazy Life Writing the Hits and Rocking the MTV Eighties, author Holly Knight, with a Foreword by Tina Turner, offers a juicy and provocative love letter to the ’80s against the backdrop of her creative process of bringing her chart topping mega-hits to life through the timeless vocals of Pat Benatar, Tina Turner, Patty Smyth, Rod Stewart, John Waite, Chaka Khan, Bon Jovi, Cheap Trick, Heart, Meatloaf, KISS and many more.  

 

Knight, who is a Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee, recounts, “I’ve been fighting my whole life for the things that mattered to me. It started when I was a child. But as I got older, I was able to articulate in a more elegant and creative manner what was most important to me: independence, autonomy, expressing my own voice, anarchy in all its glory, and, essentially, telling people to fuck off in a clever way.”

 

Taking readers back to the go-go ’80s of big hair, extra-large egos, wild parties and wildly popular music videos, I Am The Warrior reveals how Knight broke into the rock scene and became one of its most in-demand songwriters. With raw honesty, remarkable humility and lots of humor, she shares:

 

- Her first passion — the piano — and how she turned to rock music as a teenager in New York City to escape her mother’s explosive tirades and physical abuse. 

- How she ran away from home with a 20-year-old drummer at age 15, and, after four years of ping-ponging between odd jobs and food stamps, got invited to join her first band. “I’d found my tribe,” she states. 

- Her days of playing keyboards and singing back-up vocals for Spider, how she ended up playing on KISS’ “Unmasked” record, and how she got to know Ace Frehley, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley — and Ozzy Osbourne. 

- How the inspiration to change her surname to Knight came to her in a dream, and how she became a songwriter. “I stumbled upon it,” says Knight, “and discovered that I was better at it than I thought I would be.”    

- Her debt to MTV. “I was 25 when the channel launched in 1981,” Knight writes, “and it was the best thing that could’ve happened to me.” In a flash, she became known for writing empowering songs with an attitude for female artists like Pat Benatar. VJs Martha Quinn and Nina Blackwood would often drop her name. 

- How she rebounded from a failed marriage, flirted with Don Johnson and Steven Tyler, and hung out with Rod Stewart and Jon Bon Jovi. 

- The story behind her breakout hit, “The Warrior.” 

- How she met Tina Turner and formed an amazing collaboration that resulted in writing nine songs for her. Knight tells how she originally wrote “The Best” for someone else and how the song found its way to Tina, which in the decades since its release has become an anthem of empowerment for every type of occasion. The song’s durability has been covered by everyone from Céline Dion to James Bay and Wynonna Judd. Knight states, “‘The Best’ is so well known by Tina, when people do it, it’s like an homage to her … It just keeps going. It really has a life of its own.”

 

About the Author

Holly Knight is a songwriter whose work helped define the MTV ’80s. She created empowering odes to independence, liberation and equality — universal themes that have never been more relevant than they are today. Her songs have appeared in movies as varied as Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, Thelma and Louise, Thirteen Going on Thirty and Dallas Buyers Club, and have been licensed for popular TV shows, including Schitt’s Creek, G.L.O.W., Stranger Things, Saturday Night Live and South Park. In 2013, Knight was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. For more information, please visit www.hollyknight.com.