Welcome to The VERB!

I have officially reached the point in my life when I resent my age. Seems everything I enjoy these days turns out to be bad for me. Something I never noticed when I was younger. Take Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper. Aside from the ticklish thrill of the fizz (around here, we call it the bite), it pumps me full of calorie-free, caffeine-ridden liquid that keeps me alert and curbs my appetite throughout the day. It's a miracle elixir, if you ask me.

But no, some wiseacre doctors step forth to announce that diet sodas aren't really diet at all. Once the artificial sweetener hits the tongue, it chemically tricks the brain into thinking it's the real deal. So the brain, gullible as it is, taps out a message to the entire body that sugar is coming its way. Prepare to expand. This also applies to my homemade iced tea, of which I liberally partake, because I sweeten it with Splenda.

What kind of hell is this? It's bad enough the older I get, the slower I burn calories. But now I can't even enjoy a delicious calorie-free drink without adding another hour to my workout? This is terribly messed up. Where's my Dr. Pepper?

After a few days of kicking ground, I thought I'd investigate artificial sweeteners. The words hazard and toxicity frequently popped up. On forums, I stumbled upon tales of horrible side effects to sucralose (Splenda). Blurry vision, bloating, migraine-like headaches. Hmm, I had all those. But long hours at the desk could cause them too, right? Next, I tracked the beginning of my side effects and found it lined up perfectly with the beginning of my artificial sweetener overload.

I need a Dr. Pepper.

All right, I'll try to come off the stuff. When I brew my iced tea, I'll use honey. When I crave a biting soda, I'll splurge on the real thing. But I'm not happy about it.

What next shall befall my ever-shrinking list of joys? Music causes cancer?

HORN-TOOTIN' TIME
Feel free to send in writing news you'd like to share with our readers.

Susan Coppola has won our First Chapter contest, and her winning words are in this very issue on page 7. We had many outstanding entries this year, and we judges lost sleep narrowing down the choices. Makes us proud to find so many great storytellers in our midst. A big congrats to all!

Kathy Shaull won first place in the Southern Heat Writing Contest hosted by East Texas Chapter of Romance Writers of America. Her novel Should My Boyfriend Have a Pulse? (Don't you love that title?) won in the paranormal category. Now the entire manuscript has been requested by the final judge. You're on your way, Kathy!

Willma Gore sought out the wit and wisdom of more than 60 grandparents, and their responses make up the humorous, serious, and creative ideas contained in her newly published book, Long Distance Grandparenting. At 85, Willma still writes every day, submits regularly, and leads five writer workshops. Pass me the stamina, Willma!

Oh, and we're doing a little tootin' of our own on page 4. Check it out as you browse.

And now, without further ado . . . turn the page.

Elizabeth Guy
 Editor

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This issue 
was published 
under the musical 
influence of

U2
Achtung Baby