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2B Daily News – Tuesday, October 18, 2011 FEATURES Cornucopian contributions cause cash crunch Dear Annie: About 17 years ago, a neighbor of mine employed ''Violet,'' a teenage au pair from France. We became friends, but when Violet returned home, we lost touch. Earlier this year, Violet found me on Facebook, and we corresponded several times, catching up on each other's lives. Violet told me she was sending me a small gift, and I received quite a large box that included chocolates and other candies, a bracelet, a fan, etc. In June, Violet got married. Nor- mally, I would have sent a nice card, but to reciprocate for her gift, I put together a box with expensive hand towels, assorted soaps and a small statuette. I tried to keep the weight down, but it still cost me $50 to mail. Then, for my birthday last month, Violet sent me a package of assorted gifts. Violet's birthday is coming up, and I don't know what to do. Had her birthday come first, I could have nipped this in the bud by sending only a card. Now, I feel I must reci- procate. Annie, I can't afford to be buying gifts and shipping them overseas. Even sending something small will perpetuate the cycle. Soon it will be Christmas, which means more gifts. In my thank-you note for her birthday gifts, I tried to gently tell California hunters are gearing up for the start of waterfowl season around the state. The general opening dates are as fol- lows: • Northeastern Zone opened Oct. 8 for ducks and geese. • Balance of State and Southern California zones open Oct. 22 for ducks and geese. • Southern San Joaquin Zone opened Oct. 8 for ducks and will open Oct. 22 for geese. her that she shouldn't be spending her money on me, but her English isn't that good, and I am worried about offending her. Any suggestions? — No More Gifts, Please Dear No More: Send Annie's Mailbox by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar Violet something simple that will fit in a birthday card — perhaps a handker- chief, a photograph of the house where she once lived or a hand-drawn memento — along with your best wishes for her birthday. A gift does- n't have to be expensive to be mean- ingful. Regardless of how Violet reciprocates down the road, you are not obligated to respond in kind. Dear Annie: I am 15 years old and have been dating a girl for the past three weeks. It's the first time I have ever dated anyone. How do I tell my mom? I am afraid she will ask me to break up with her. I don't have a close rela- tionship with my mother, so that makes it more challenging and scary. Any tips? — Teenager Dear Teenager: Most parents set rules about dating, including how old you should be to start. If you are underage for dating, you need to see this girl in the company of others and plan only group activ- ities. It is important that you respect your parents' rules so they can trust you. The best way to talk to your mother is to tell her you are inter- • Colorado River Zone opens Oct. 21 for ducks and geese. • Scaup season is only 86 days in most zones. Hunters should visit the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) website www.dfg.ca.gov/hunting for specific opening dates for various species such as scaup for the location they desire to hunt. In 2010, more than 50,000 hunters took advantage of the state's wetlands and other water- ested in a certain girl and ask whether it would be OK if you brought her to the house so Mom could meet her. We think she'd love that. Dear Annie: I am writing in regards to the letter from ''Spell Check Is Your Friend,'' who was tempted to call the board of educa- tion to report her spelling-chal- lenged friend who teaches special education classes. Spelling is certainly a skill that should be honed, and it reflects pro- fessionalism in any career choice. It is especially important for educa- tors. However, a strong teacher needs to possess a lot more than a photographic memory of a dictio- nary to do the job well. Perhaps her friend has a great rapport with the special needs children in her class- room, is consistent in instilling appropriate behaviors and has a true love of teaching that is reflected in the academic and social progress made by her students. The characteristics that make a good teacher are many, and in my experience, spelling is not at the top of the list. — Retired Teacher and School Psychologist Annie's Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column. Please e-mail your questions to anniesmailboxcomcast.net, or write to: Annie's Mailbox, c/o Creators Syndicate, 5777 W. Century Blvd., Ste. 700, Los Ange- les, CA 90045. Hunting season approaches for waterfowl fowl habitats, including agricultural lands, to try to bag ducks and geese. DFG's game conserva- tion and management pro- grams provide both recre- ational opportunities for hunters and long-term benefits to game and nongame animals on nearly a million acres of habitat for wildlife around the state. "Though these major hunting seasons last only a few months, our wildlife and habitat managers work hard year-round for wildlife and habitat con- servation," said Eric Loft, DFG's Wildlife Branch Chief. "We monitor popu- lations of game species to make sure the hunting regulations are appropri- ate and allow as much opportunity as possible, while still conserving the game populations. Our wildlife area staff throughout the state work to develop excellent habi- tat conditions and hunting opportunities." Many of the state- owned or operated water- fowl hunting areas are accessible to hunters through a reservation sys- tem. Last year more than one million applications were submitted by hunters wanting to hunt on one of these areas dur- ing the three-month-long waterfowl season. To find a license agent near you, purchase items online or apply for waterfowl reser- vations, please visit DFG's website at www.dfg.ca.gov/licens- ing/ols. Please note that hunters must carry a hard copy of their license while in the field. If the license was purchased online, a printout should be in the hunter's possession. California offers a wide variety of hunting opportunities in every county - from deer hunt- ing in the sierra and coastal mountain ranges to setting decoys for ducks and geese in marshes on state-operated waterfowl areas from the Salton Sea to Modoc County. Regardless of the species hunted, all Cali- fornia hunters are required to pass a hunter safety course prior to pur- chasing a hunting license. The safe hunting prac- tices stressed in these courses have made hunt- ing one of the safest of outdoor activities in Cali- fornia, according to sta- tistics collected by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Strict hunting regula- tions are also enforced to ensure that wildlife resources are properly managed and protected for future generations. On the opening day of major seasons, DFG wardens typically make a higher than normal number of contacts. In 2009, DFG wardens made more than 440,000 contacts on a variety of resource-related issues ranging from sim- ple license checks to arresting felons who were illegally in possession of firearms. Swimming may be healthier in warm water DEAR DOC- TOR K: I'm an 80-year-old man who spends sum- mers on the coast of Maine. I love to swim in the ocean for 20 or 30 min- utes each day. The water is cold (55 degrees F), but it doesn't bother me. My real question is whether doing this is bad for my heart, because my heart rate is some- times irregular. Are my cold-water swims OK? DEAR READER: First of all, congratulations! Anyone who is 80 years old and is up to the chal- lenge of a daily swim in the ocean deserves our admiration. You obviously have both courage and a zest for life. Now, is it wise for you to swim in the cold ocean water? Swimming is an excellent exercise for your heart, arteries, lungs and muscles. If you enjoy swimming in cold water and have been doing it for some time with no ill effects, it's probably fine for you. But I do have three concerns. First, immersing your body in water squeezes blood from your limbs into your chest. This makes your heart work harder and raises your blood pressure. When you have your face in the water and are holding your breath, your heart slows down and your blood pressure rises. And that is even more true as the water temperature gets colder. Second, the shock of cold water against your skin automatically trig- gers a series of changes in your body called the fight- or-flight survival response. The most important physical change is that blood vessels sup- plying your skin narrow. This also makes your blood pressure rise. Third, the Dr. K by Anthony L. Komaroff, M.D. fight-or-flight response can also disturb the heart's steady rhythm. Since you are already prone to an irregular heart- beat, it could spell trouble. For these reasons, and because ocean water can be treacherous, I think it would be healthier for you to swim in a pool with temperatures in the 70s or low 80-degree range. But if you want to continue to swim in the ocean, I surely wouldn't advise you to stop. Swimming daily is most likely better for your health than not doing so. I would suggest you always swim with some- one close by and make sure that person knows CPR. Be on the lookout for warning symptoms: If you feel faint or notice irregular or "missed" heartbeats, get out of the water. Here in Boston we have a fearless group of men who, by long tradi- tion, take a swim in our salty harbor every New Year's Day. Then they try to get a suntan — regard- less of the weather. They enter the ocean at the foot of L Street, and they're called the L Street Brown- ies. Of course, the rest of us think they're crazy. But their pictures are in the paper every year, because we all admire their spirit, too. Dr. Komaroff is a physician and professor at Harvard Medical School. Go to his website to send questions and get additional information: www.AskDoctorK.com. Chico preview welcomes prospective students California State University, Chico will host its 17th annual open house for prospective students from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 22, beginning in the Bell Memorial Union. The fall open house gives prospective students and their families an opportunity to visit the campus and talk directly with faculty and service program person- nel. President Paul J. Zingg will welcome visitors at 9:30 a.m. in Laxson Auditorium. All academic programs and service offices will have representatives at the information fair, which will begin at 10 a.m. and remain open until 3 p.m. There will be tours and presentations scheduled. For example, families interested in information about hous- ing will be able to tour a residence hall, and financial aid experts will provide information about financing education and available scholarships. Faculty from academic departments will be available to talk to students about majors and programs. Repre- sentatives from student support services, including the Educational Opportunity Program, Student Health Ser- vice, Student Activities, Advising and Career Planning, will be on hand. Prospective students will also be able to learn about the CSU's new Early Start initiative that helps students ready themselves for college-level math and English prior to enrollment. "Visiting campus is one of the best ways for students and their families to see if Chico State is the right choice for them," said Wendy Needels, Office of Admissions. "We offer something for everyone this day. Whether students are exploring different majors, want to see our residence halls or take a walking tour of campus, they are sure to find exactly what they are looking for. With college admissions becoming increas- ingly more competitive, an open house like this is an important tool for students and their families to use in the college decision-making process." To register or obtain more information about the day, visit http://www.csuchico.edu/admissions, call the Office of Admissions at 898-6322 or 1-800-542-4426 or e-mail Info@csuchico.edu. Back to school check-up TeenScreen adolescent screening for depres- sion, anxiety, substance abuse and potential symp- toms for suicide risk is available through Tehama County Mental Health Services Act Prevention and Early Intervention. Locations include: YES Center, 1900 Walnut St., in Red Bluff, or Meueser Center, 275 Solano St., in Corning. TeenScreen Presentations Available Upon Request and are accepting referrals For more information contact Keith Barnett at 527-8491, ext. 3012, or Fernando Villegas at 527- 8491 ext. 3068.