The story of a business that takes the game out of dating

Bubbling laughter, rosy faces, warm smiles. No, you are not at a theme park or a party, you are in a face-to-face interview with the wonderful people at Great Expectations Dallas (GE). The interview is the second step in the program’s simple process.

Great Expectations Dallas, a “personal matchmaking program,” for lack of better words, acts more as a life coach and best friend than what the name entails. Greeted by the blushing, friendly, outgoing character Stefanie Hogan, Dallas Center Director, you will immediately feel at ease, no nervousness and no awkward conversations. Stefanie and her team make you feel like you are having a conversation with an old friend. She remembers your name, your likes, dislikes and has one specific, helpful personality trait in particular: the ability to read people and match them with their soul mates.

Companionship – such a result is worth the meeting. Great Expectations is different than online dating sites. Having been in business for more than 35 years, Great Expectations knows what they are doing. They conduct thorough background checks and personal screenings, ensuring the utmost protection for their members. Their discreet team also guarantees personal involvement. “We hold your hand until you find someone; we are like a personal liaison for your dating life,” says member services manager Lindsey Barton. From guiding you in the right direction, marketing you the way you need to be marketed and giving you a chance to get in front of your desirable audience, it is evident that Great Expectations is dedicated to your happiness and personal improvement.

In fact, there is a good chance that your advisor will give you a few necessary truths to spur on this personal improvement. Do you know that pit-in-your-stomach, sick feeling you get when you look in the mirror after being with friends all day and find a big piece of spinach in your teeth? This will not happen with your new friends at Great Expectations – guaranteed. Much like scenes from the well-known movie Hitch, the representatives at Great Expectations will guide and support you, resulting in better first impressions. “People who think they are unmarketable and will never find love, find it through our program. It’s such a rewarding business,” Stefanie states, beaming.

Curious where Stefanie’s passion for matchmaking came from? In April of 1996, long before her career at Great Expectations, Stefanie’s family went through the tragic time of her father’s passing. Empathizing with the void in her mother’s heart, Stefanie purchased a membership to Great Expectations for her mom as a Mother’s Day gift in May of 1999. Although her mom was a bit skeptical, she used her membership for a couple of months and went on a few dates, meeting Scott within five months of joining the program. Scott and Marsha were married in November of 2001 and have been together for 10 years this month! “My mom’s success story is proof that anyone can find true love,” muses Stefanie. “She is a tough one – very picky – but we did it and she and Scott are incredibly happy together.”

There are plenty of other success stories. In fact, the current owner of Great Expectations Dallas, Mr. John Meriggi, met his wife through the Houston location and they recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. After his wonderful experience at the Houston location as a client, Mr. Meriggi felt compelled to purchase and run the Dallas office. Norine, Assistant Director, who’s been at Great Expectations for 20 years, met and married through Great Expectations as well. Members Hettie and Jerry describe their experience as “very personal; the ladies at Great Expectations were very encouraging and thoughtful. We got support every step of the way.” Member Monica was looking to “date someone with family values who was loving, successful, funny and independent,” which she found in her husband, Kent, within one month of joining the program. Another member, Roger, decided to join GE because he was “tired of the set-up and bar scenes.”

The process of joining this confidential, professional service is simple. First, take a quick look at the website, greatexpectationsdallas.com, or call the office at 214-390-5200, and answer a few pre-screening questions. On the phone you will have the opportunity to set up a face-to-face interview with an advisor where your identification will be checked, a background screening will be conducted and they will screen for emotional stability. Your representative will then review your membership options and give you access to the private website database that is for members only, where you can conduct searches to find potential dates. Complete the member profile and set a date for your professional photo shoot with Mary McAlister and her warm, friendly team, and voila, you are ready to meet and mingle. Your advisor will give you suggestion profiles, from which you will choose your top picks to go on dates. The process is based on mutual consent and you will always get to see the other person’s pictures and profiles before you date them so there is no awkward blind dating.

“The main basis of our program is to choose someone who is right for the member. If I’m doing my job correctly, you shouldn’t have to meet more than five people,” states Stefanie. “People are looking for the right person, not to date a hundred different people. They are allowed to search the website to pick whomever interests them. There is no limitation to the number of searches they get. And we are there for the entire process, there is no room for misrepresentation.”

Privacy and lack of misrepresentation are the most important differences between Great Expectations Dallas and other competitors. “Online dating services are a breeding ground for misrepresentation,” says Stefanie. According to a 2002 Wall Street Journal article, “more than 30% of visitors to the top three stand-alone personals sites are married.” Although other sites claim to reject profiles that are “inappropriate,” screeners “rely on the applicants to tell them. So, obviously, married people can get past the screeners.” The thorough interview process at Great Expectations ensures that each member is sincere and safe.

Great Expectations’ staff is dedicated, creating an environment in which they each know their members on a personal level. Most of the staff have worked at Great Expectations for more than 15 years. They dedicate their quality time thinking about the betterment of their members and especially enjoy brainstorming for the popular and fun future events. When you are a member, you get to enjoy summer musical events, speed dating events, happy hours, limo pub crawls, cruises, the annual Christmas gala, sporting events and much more. There is something for everyone.

Whether you are too busy to date, are tired of the bar scene, don’t feel comfortable placing your personal information online or can’t seem to find the type of person you are looking for, Great Expectations Dallas will meet you where you are. Whatever your reasoning may be to quit your current social habits, Great Expectations will be there to back you up and point you in the right direction. They guide you through the process of finding your “other half,” as well as introducing you to a new, exciting social circle.

In the words of success story couple Ruth and David, “Just give it a shot. What do you have to lose?”

Great Expectations Dallas
14180 Dallas Pkwy | Suite 100 | Dallas

214.390.5200

Great Expectations Ft Worth

1300 S. University Dr | Suite 502 | Ft Worth

817.332.8009
greatexpectationsdfw.com

by Denton Municipal Electric

After the holidays, I would like to have my ducts professionally cleaned. What advice can you give me for what questions to ask when contracting a company?

Before contracting with any service provider to clean your duct system, you may want to ask yourself a couple of questions. What can make a duct system dirty? Is the dirt a symptom of a larger problem?

Your duct system delivers air from your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system (HVAC) throughout your home and removes air from your home through its HVAC system. This is a closed system that should be tightly sealed. If it is sealed properly, how does dust get into the system?

One reason could be the location of your return vents – vents that pull air from the home back to the HVAC system. If your return vents are located in the floor, it could be pulling in more dirt than it would if it were on the wall or ceiling. Instead of redesigning your duct system, just make sure that the filters located in these vents are changed consistently.

Another reason ducts get dirty is due to duct leakage. Duct leakage accounts for a majority of issues in duct systems that are dirty. With the return ducts creating a negative pressure, it is pulling in dirt from crawlspaces and the attic. Using mastic tape to properly seal your ducts will reduce, if not eliminate, these duct leaks.
Having your ducts cleaned is a good plan of action, but make sure that you are addressing the real issues, otherwise you are just going to have a short term fix.

The use of HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) in the treatment of obesity was first discovered by the late British physician, Dr. A.T.W. Simeons. HCG is a hormone that is only produced by pregnant women in millions of units. Over 30 years ago, Dr. Simeons made the connection between HCG and weight loss, and proceeded to work with hundreds of women while he was perfecting a process that we use today with, in some cases, a clinician’s personal modifications.

How does it work? When a person goes on a normal diet, the portion of the brain (called the hypothalamus) that controls appetite, hormones and many other bodily functions sends a message to get energy and nutrients from wherever it can, i.e. “good” fat, (muscle), and “bad” fat (usually in the hip, butt, waist area). Unfortunately, the “bad” areas tend to be the fat that disappears last. When a man or woman goes on the HCG diet, the hypothalamus sends a message to go after the “bad” fat first. This message is thought to work through a gut hormone called leptin, which is associated with fat deposition and hunger.

The restrictive diet primarily consists of protein, fruits and vegetables within 500 calories. The question that immediately comes up is “how can I live on 500 calories and not be starving?” Quite simply, the HCG helps to release 2,000 to 3,000 calories into the bloodstream daily thus meeting all your energy needs. It is like being hooked up to a ‘fat IV.’

Does it work? It has been our experience, after working with hundreds of clients and assuming that they are compliant with the diet, that the average weight loss for women over a 40 day period is 25 to 30 pounds and for men 30 to 40 pounds. A recent journal article from Nutrition in Clinical Practice (Vol 26 No. 5 10/2011) compared weight loss with and between the traditional diets. The average weight loss over a 6 month period using a traditional diet was approximately 10 pounds.

How is it taken? Prescription HCG can be injected, or taken under the tongue, used topically or intranasally.

Is it safe? There are very few contradictions to using HCG for weight loss. Many of the reported “side effects” are more than likely due to the fact that the diet is very detoxifying. If/when you decide to try the HCG diet, it is important that you work closely with your clinician to monitor progress and to address any ongoing questions or concerns that you may have. We also feel that having a drug profile, baseline labs, a stress and cardiac analysis, initial weights/muscle mass and a body composition analysis helps us to help you achieve the weight loss we are both anticipating. As always you should check with your physician before starting any diet regimen.

by Michael W. Rosen, M.D.

Winter is always a critical time for blood donations. Busy schedules create a shortage in donors even for those who are regulars.
Read the info below to help you familiarize yourself with donating. You are needed and this is a great time to become a life saving donor.
If you’re in good health, it’s likely that you can donate. Also, if you decide to participate, you’ll be screened first to ensure that it’s OK for you to give blood.
And, you should know this: There’s a great need for it. Every two seconds someone in the United States requires blood, yet it’s often in short supply. Unfortunately, less than 10 percent of eligible people donate blood each year.
Here are answers to some common questions about giving blood:

What are the requirements?

You need to be at least 17 years old, though some states allow 16-year-olds to donate. You must be healthy at the time and weigh at least 110 pounds.
As part of the process, you’ll fill out some forms, answer questions about your health and travel history and have a brief physical exam. These steps help determine whether you’re eligible to donate, as well as ensure the safety of the blood supply.

How should I prepare?

Drink plenty of water the day of your donation. Wear comfortable clothes. And, bring your ID and a list of your current medications.
How much time will it take?
From start to finish, it’s usually about an hour.

Will it hurt?

You may feel a quick pinch as a needle is placed in your arm and collection begins.

Is it safe?

Donating blood is a very safe procedure. Strict safety measures are followed, including using a new sterile needle for each donor.

How much blood will I give?

Typically about one pint is drawn from a donor. You might be surprised to learn that a single pint can help as many as three people.

What happens afterward?

You’ll need to rest for about 10 to 15 minutes at the donation site, where you can have a snack and something to drink. After that, you can continue with your normal daily routine. You should continue to drink water and avoid any strenuous activity for the rest of the day.
You can pat yourself on the back, too. You’ll have given a wonderful, vital gift to others. But, even if you can’t donate, there are still ways you can do your part. For example, you might consider volunteering to work at a blood drive.
©United Healthcare Services, Inc. All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission from Healthy Mind Healthy Body.

Third Annual Children’s Advocacy Center for

Denton County

Champions for Children Gala

Saturday, February 18th from 7:00 pm – 12:00 am
The theme is Phantoms of the Gala. Featuring sports celebrities signing autographs, chefs serving hors d’oeuvres at private tasting stations, live and silent auction, wine tastings, and dancing to live band. Tickets are $125, or $159 at the door. Visit www.cacdc.org for more information or call 972-317 2818 x 244.
The CACDC is a non-profit agency that provides a child-friendly environment to help victims and families through the iinterview, investigation and treatment of severe child abuse cases.

2012 Thin Line Film Festival

February 15th – 20th
The Fifth Annual Thin Line Film Fest is an international documentary film festival and this year’s theme is “Making An Impact.” Do you enjoy a good movie? Then you are qualified to come join the party! Thin Line screens at the historic Campus Theatre on the downtown square. Other events are held at unique venues within one or two blocks.
Attend the festival and watch the newest, most interesting and exciting films before anyone else in Texas. Then meet, socialize and enjoy a unique opportunity to have filmmakers in attendance answer your questions following the screenings.
The mission of the Festival is to educate and entertain our audiences by presenting a diverse program of high quality, relevant documentary films. From hundreds of submissions we will select the most creative and the most compelling.

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)

Tuesdays, February 14th – March 6th, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Saturdays, February 4th – April 15th, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
North Branch Library, 3020 N. Locust in Denton
Free income tax assistance made possible by VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) courtesy of United Way of Denton County, the Internal Revenue Service and the Denton Public Library. Total income per return cannot exceed $50,000 for taxpayer year 2011. No appointment is necessary. For more information call 940-566-2688.

Vigilantes Performing Arts Association is a unique arts organization that is growing and busy within North Texas. The organization grew from an all age drum and bugle corps that has competed and performed since 2008.
The drum and bugle corps activity is one similar to marching bands you see on football fields in the fall. However the drum corps compete across the country and perfect their performances in the hot summer months. Vigilantes Drum and Bugle Corps is the first All Age corps from Texas in the 45 year history of Drum Corps Associates competitions to become a Finalist. The corps finished in 3rd place in 2009 with a 50 member marching unit in Rochester, NY.
In addition to this musical unit, the association introduces a winterguard (Vigilantes Indpendent Guard) and winter drum line (VIP) to competition this winter. These two new units are for members 21 and under. The two groups will combine to compete in local North Texas Color Guard Association competitions with the show titled “Tragic Obsession.” Both organizations are still looking for talented drummers and dancers or color guard members to round out their roster.
In addition, an all age brass group called V Krewe is performing throughout the metroplex having appeared at the Denton Tree Lighting event, with the Turtle Creek Chorale, with Epiphany Dance in Garland, and at Texas Legends NBA D-League basketball games. The brass ensemble is a for hire organization and available to perform as small as a single solo instrument to a large brass band in a variety of styles and sounds.
The organization is also in process of creating a full dance and musical performance with Epiphany Dance. The dynamic dance group is looking to partner with the brass and drums to create a 4th of July program that will entertain with the grace of dance, but with the raucous joy of brass and drums that celebrate the freedom and passion our nation celebrates each summer. The combined organizations are seeking corporate sponsors and a location for this concert. If you are interested in partnering with the organization please send an email to our Executive Director at Mathew.lunsford@vigilantescorps.org.
For further information about VPAA and any of the ensembles, please visit the organizations website at www.vigilantescorps.org

Vigilantes Winterguard

Vigilantes Independent, the Winter Guard, will compete in the regional Winterguard International circuit NTCA (North Texas Colorguard Association). Contest are held on weekends in high school gyms and are proven to be very competitive. The drum corps housed by VPAA is an all age unit compared to VI being an age specific unit with ages 14-22 being able to compete. The Winterguard has upcoming shows at W. G. Thomas Coliseum in Haltom City, in January and February, and Denton High School in March.
The guard is part of VPAA, which is a national non-profit 501(c)3 organization. We operate by donations, member dues, and sponsorships. Our goal is to foster an educationally competitive ensemble in which all members obtain a higher skill set to their craft, as well as instill a valiant work ethic and promise in North Texas’ youth. We currently have membership from Argyle, Krum, and Denton.