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'T H E M A RT I A N'
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1125 Saratoga Ave. San Jose, CA 95129
1200 Pacific Avenue #265 Santa Cruz, CA 95065
1313 N. Milpitas Blvd. #179 Milpitas, CA 95035 pin1ins.com

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ime flies when we’re living well and thriving! Now the holidays are almost here… Some might say we must play clean to make the nice list, but our tempting turkey-stuffing recipe will have you unafraid of getting dirty. In fact, November – or should we say
Movember? - is time to grow a mustache and raise awareness for men’s health, so a
“dirty” look might just give you that “nice”
Our Hometown
LIVE WELL AND THRIVE
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Fighting Hunger Feeding Hope status. Sounds out-of-this-world? Try being in The Martian’s shoes… We reviewed that best-selling book, revealing some of the many reasons why we think it’s a must read. But speaking of good stories, also learn about the victories of an earthly family of 9, even after their father’s aneurism and double stroke experience. We hope you will get even more inspired to protect and enjoy your own family.
And let the holiday cheer begin!
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05
Exploring 'The Martian'
A Book By Andy Weir
05
Why Dragons and Turkeys
Don't Go Well Together...
06
Careful Planning Saved A Family
And a Business
07
Events Board
What A Treat by Christine Beck
Thanksgiving is one of our all-time favorite holidays. Think about it: Practically everyone in the U.S. celebrates it, and the stars are family and food. Clean and simple. Hmm hmm simple - yes -, but maybe not so clean… Our dirty-rice recipe will have you licking your fingers.
Go ahead, you’re among family!
Enter at: www.ourhometownmag.org/riddle
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Why did Mr.Turkey
cross the road?
To prove he wasn’t a chicken!
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You never know when a prideful
Turkey might get in your way. facebook.com/PinnacleOne
INGREDIENTS
> 2 tablespoons olive oil
> 1 pound andouille sausage, chopped
> 1/2 pound chicken livers, cut into bite-size pieces
> 1 cup finely chopped onion
> 1 cup finely chopped celery
> 1 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
> 1/4 cup nosalt-added Cajun seasoning (such as
Spice Islands)
> 1/4 cup chopped garlic
> 6 cups hot cooked long-grain rice
> 3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
> 1/2 teaspoon salt
PREPARATION
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sausage and next
6 ingredients (sausage through garlic); sauté 15 minutes or until browned. Add rice, broth, and salt; cook until liquid is nearly absorbed (about 15 minutes).

Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo
Counties is the trusted leader dedicated to ending local hunger.
Since its inception in 1974, Second Harvest has become one of the largest food banks in the nation, providing food to nearly one quarter of a million people each month.
The Food Bank mobilizes individuals, companies and community partners to connect people to the nutritious food they need. More than half of the food distributed is fresh produce. In fact, Second Harvest provides more fresh fruits and vegetables than any other food bank in the United States.
Second Harvest also plays a leading role in promoting federal nutrition programs and educating families on how to make healthier food choices. Visit SHFB.org to get involved.
As part of our community cause we will be hosting a food drive benefiting SHFB. Bring non-perishable foods to any of our office locations or recommend someone to us and we will donate to the bank on your behalf!
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Want to contribute? No cash needed... Recommend friends to us and our agency will donate on your behalf.
Because of your support we will continue to change lives…
Thank you!
As Agents of Change, every 60 days we elect a new cause to support. If you know of someone who could use help, please visit the link below to let us know!
pin1ins.com/Submit-A-Community-Cause-Idea_53
The MOVEMBER FOUNDATION is a global charity committed to tackling some of the biggest health issues faced by men
– prostate cancer, testicular cancer, poor mental health and physical inactivity. In their opinion, a mustache is nature's billboard, so the idea is to grow one for 30 days and use it to start conversations about men's health.
HERE’S HOW TO GET INVOLVED THIS MOVEMBER:
1.
Sign up at us.movember.com/register and start clean shaven on November 1st
2.
Grow and groom your mustache for 30 days
3.
Spread the word!
To learn more, visit us.movember.com
and check out other Mos too!
Our Hometown • 3

njoying another inclusion in bestseller lists due to the recent movie adaptation, The Martian is written by first time novelist Andy Weir. A self-confessed science geek, Weir really knocked it out of the park with this terrific story about an astronaut left for dead on the surface of Mars. Part Robinson Crusoe, part
MacGyver (if both had been super-geniuses), Mark Watney is a hero you’ll be rooting for from the opening sentence.
Mark is part of the Ares 3 mission to
Mars and one of six crewmembers. After just a few days on the surface, a horrific sandstorm causes them to abort their mission. In a series of accidents, which occur as the crew attempts to navigate a
Book Review
A Book by Andy Weir return to space, they become convinced
Mark has died on the surface. Heartsick, they begin the long journey back to Earth without their friend.
But Mark is not so easily killed. Unable to communicate with either the Ares 3 crew or the folks back home at NASA, what follows is an edge-of-your-seat, nail-biting story of survival as Mark Watney strives to defy the odds. After successfully tending to his injuries and reaching the relative safety of the
Habitat, he realizes that it’s critical to begin planning for the long term. Mark must find ways to stay alive until the next mission makes rescue possible, which isn’t due to arrive for four long years. His specialties are botany and mechanical engineering, which when mixed with a great sense of humor, inventiveness and sheer stubbornness, make his remarkable journey both fascinating and lots of fun to read. Seemingly insoluble problems and frequent disasters frustrate his efforts to survive the barren, desert wasteland that is Mars, keeping the tension building to a fever pitch.
The Martian is heavy on science, but it’s science-made-easy for those of us who are unacquainted, with each step conversationally, often hilariously, explained in simple terms.
As we go back and forth between Mark’s log entries, the Ares 3 crew and Houston control, a remarkably moving story of human resilience follows. Once NASA realizes Mark Watney is still alive and has been abandoned on the Martian surface, humankind unites in their commitment to bring him home.
Mark Watney is funny, humble and immensely likable. A true testament to the endurance of the human spirit, whether you prefer action, adventure, human interest or science fiction stories best, The Martian is a highly enjoyable read. One caution: allow plenty of time – once you begin, you won’t want to put it down!
Lifewise by Cyndi Varich
s the holidays approach, some of us start anticipating the joy of being around our loved ones. But others begin to carry ‘the weight of the dragon’… That is, the thought of, once again, facing that ‘fire-breathing’ person, whose irrational behavior makes others feel as if they have to constantly monitor their words and actions to ward off angry outbursts. Many tell themselves it's not a big deal because they can change plans, disappoint others who are less volatile, push their own desires aside... anything it takes to keep the peace with the dragon. The truth is, they're feeding that dragon. things for you that you don't want to do for yourself. These helpful gestures may have an emotional invoice attached and the dragon is likely to call it due whenever it suits him or her. Other dragons hold you hostage by threatening to withhold or take something away.
Dragons are bullies. The only way to rid your life of, or live peacefully with dragons, is to stop feeding them. That idea can be very scary. It may seem to be safer to go along with whatever keeps the dragon quiet. But just imagine how good it would feel not to have to walk on eggshells all the time.
Just as we use treats to train a dog to be obedient, we also train people to be dragons by allowing them to manipulate and control us. Some dragons are very aware of what they are doing and their actions are intentional, others are just doing what we trained them to do.
Dragons disguise themselves in many clever ways. Your dragon may be your boss, your spouse, your ex-spouse, your child, a parent or a friend. Some dragons are charming and they pull you in by doing
When we give control of our life, even small parts of our life, over to a dragon, we eventually begin to lose sight of our own identity. Our ability to make decisions diminishes, we doubt our own wisdom and we lose touch with who we really are. Giving in to the demands of a dragon can impact our physical health too. Your physical body is directly connected to your mental and emotional well-being. Depression, eating disorders, Alzheimer's disease, gastrointestinal disorders and accelerated aging are only a few of the ways our bodies can manifest on the outside, what we are feeling on the inside. What would it mean to you if you could be your authentic self around everyone, including your dragon?
All you need to do is take small steps toward change:
1) One of the most common ways we pacify a dragon, is by saying "yes" to something that we would rather say "no" to. If saying "no" is difficult for you, begin to practice saying "no" or voicing your opinion, in situations with people who are not dragons. As you become more comfortable with being yourself around others, you will naturally begin to be more like yourself around your dragon.
2) Just asking for a more equitable division of the give-and-take in the relationship might be enough to change the dynamics. If the dragon values the relationship and is willing to change, he or she may begin to shift their thoughts and behave in a more fair-minded manner. Sadly, most dragons are not willing to change and sometimes it becomes necessary to keep a healthy distance.
If your dragon is an unreasonable family member, and you find yourself dreading the holiday season, try to exercise the above tactics right away. Because dragons and turkeys don’t go well together… Who knows? You might experience your own holiday miracle that way, and open the eyes of others you care about to a fire-free lifestyle, so they too can live well and thrive!
Our Hometown • 5

Robert Varich

by Toby, Office Mascot
NOV 10
Mommy & Me and Daddies
Too: Celebrate Summer - Live music! 10AM at Park Valencia in San Jose
NOV 13
Escape The Fate - Enjoy Lightning Fast Guitars and Drums!
7:30 PM at Catalyst Club in
Santa Cruz
NOV 12
Business After Hours Mixer -
Networking Opportunities and more! 5PM at Karen Hahn CPA in Milpitas
NOV 15
Yo La Tengo featuring Dave
Schramm - Fun with Rock
Music! 8PM at Rio Theatre in
Santa Cruz
NOV 18
David Sedaris in San Jose -
Live! 7:30PM at San Jose Center For The Performing Arts in
San Jose
NOV 19
Toddler Story Time - For children ages 1 year to 3 years!
10:30 am at Milpitas Library in
Milpitas
NOV 27-28
SantaCruz Holiday Lights Train-
Listen to carolers! 5PM at Departs from Beach Boardwalk in
Santa Cruz
Think of us also as a field guide through the maze of businesses in our area!
Then, if you had a good experience with any local services and think we should all know about it, email us at: amulcaire@allstate.com
Our Hometown • 7

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