By Ashli Ceraolo, a Finalist of NewsPortalSite's Writing ContestEating healthy, maintaining a nutritional diet, and exercising adequately is not the only factors needed to keep weight off and keeping a healthy lifestyle. Appearing healthy is not about being unrealistically thin, or keeping yourself from eating the foods that you enjoy. It is rather about feeling great, having tons more energy, and keeping yourself as healthy as possible, but in realistic measures. One of the most important steps to having, or maintaining a healthy lifestyle is understanding the way your body functions.Many people still do not understand why it is that he or she eats. Often, it is because you are hungry, tired, or your stomach is rumbling.

By Brenda Crites, a Finalist of NewsPortalSite's Writing Contest He was down to the last three dollars. There was one thing he had always aspired to be: a singer. The opportunity went unnoticed for about four months before he found out that he had lived just across from a guy who owned a studio all along. Yet even when he found this out he did nothing about it because he was too scared. Scared of not knowing if he was good enough, scared of failing.

By Scott Bumgarner, a Finalist of NewsPortalSite's Writing Contest When the group of neighborhood guys I grew up with, was in fact trying to grow up, we all had a fascination with "muscle cars". We all fancied ourselves as experts on speed while driving '54 Chevys and '53 Fords and whatnot. The older generations, guys three and four years older, drove '58 Chevys and '59 Chevys and we heard about the tales of the 'marked' off quarter mile part of US Hwy 7 about three miles west of Davis, Oklahoma.That is where all of the challenge drag races were carried out. The Dairy Queen was located on the western edge of Davis where Hwys 77 and 7 converged, and this was where everyone hung out. If two guys decided they wanted to race each other word would spread in a New York minute, and it would look like a funeral procession at high speed trying to get out to the 'drag strip' for the nights main entertainment.This happened many times on Saturday nights in the '50s.

By Basil El-Ghazzawy, a Finalist of NewsPortalSite's Writing Contest"It looks like... ah... people dine here....""Watch what you say around here, OK?"He shuffled in his chair nervously, then grabbed me by the collar from across the table. In a vicious whisper, he barked into my ear; "They'relooking at us, man! We're the only white guysin this place!"Ah, yes...

By Walton Jordan, a Finalist of NewsPortalSite's Writing Contest ONE BLOCK!What if I told you there was every kind of person living on one block? Punk rockers, gang bangers, hipsters, Upper, middle and lower class folks, millionaires, hippies and homeless people. Now what if I told you that all these people interact with one other and refer to each other by name. There is such a place right here in San Francisco on Haight Street between Fillmore and Steiner. I've never seen anything like it before; people who accept you for the content of your character and not by the way you look.

By Chandra Fox, a Finalist of NewsPortalSite's Writing ContestGrab onto your happiness, hold on with every ounce of strength you posess. I firmly believe in this world the only thing worth having, and fighting for, is love. It's by far the most difficult to achieve, and even harder yet to hold on to.Faith is the ability to believe in something you cannot see or touch. Something you only know is there because your soul can recognize it. It is hard won, and generally even harder to maintain.

By Ruth Wilson Zamierowski, Fia nalist of NewsPortalSite's Writing ContestMany thousands of years ago, the Atlantic Ocean was dotted with hundreds of marshy islands, surrounding a continent which was an earthly paradise. Blossoming fruit trees covered the rolling hills. The buildings in the capitol city gleamed golden in the sunshine that filtered through its canopies. Circling through the city, a glimmering canal teemed with commercial ships and pleasure boats.The people were adept at using their consciousness to perform what seem to us to be miracles. This enabled them to dream up and create incredible technology.

By Randi Carlton, a Finalist of NewsPortalSite's Writing Contest "Things are quiet out here." Greffyn Layre lay on his back, loafing in a sea of sand. He let the sun pour upon him, penetrate each pore and heat his blood into submission. His eyes closed and he could still see the sun. His eyes still shut, he imagined that the sand was slowly moving, that there was a current and fair breeze that was carrying him away to some paradise, some spot where the hope of all the hopeful had concentrated and created something called life or beauty in motion. He let the burning of the sun and of his desire lull him into a dream soaked with insanity and warm sloth.

By Christine Polk, a Finalist of NewsPortalSite's Writing ContestMy mom, who isnot into meditation, gave me my favorite meditation tool - jigsaw puzzles. We have spent countless hours together and individually working on jigsaw puzzles. An article by the Dalai Lama on active meditation stated that it did for him what playing 18 holes of golf did for others. It was not the quiet empty mind meditation but a thinking, active meditation. Over years of doing many puzzles and working on my meditation practice, I finally recognized that I had blended jigsaws with active meditation.

By Carina Gutierrez, a Finalist of NewsPortalSite's Writing ContestWhen you have a child with a disability you see the world in a different way. You truly understand that true beauty lies within and it doesn't take diamonds, clothes, or having the best of everything to see that true happiness is inside your soul. I have a beautiful daughter who was diagnosed with Autism at three years old. Now at eleven she doesn't do the things that a girl at her age would normally do; she doesn't talk about boys, gossip with friends, or shop for clothes. She plays with her dolls, colors, and loves watch anything Disney.

By Jose De Jesus Lopez, a Finalist of NewsPortalSite's Writing ContestI didn't see it coming, surely I must have known, at the very least I should have seen the signs. It began in the autumn of my life, right when we are suppose to have superior intelligence and foresight. A year ago we were told that my mother-in-law had been found unconscious in her small bedroom and my wife quickly packed, kissed our children goodbye and we went to bring her home. We found her at the hospital, full of life and quick wit. Leaving the hospital, on the front steps, she collapsed.

By John Branstner , a Finalist of NewsPortalSite's Writing ContestWHY MUSIC?I am writing this column partly in response to some actual encounters that I havehad recently. I thought that it might be of interest to readers. The query of thetitle of this article actually has come up in conversation. Being a musician myself,I must admit it is quite unexpected as the answers to me are a given. Yet, it isincredible that there are so many individuals that have not had music as a significantpart of their own life experience.

By Melissa Mendelson, a Finalist of NewsPortalSite's Writing Contest"The last days of this year have reached my doorstep. I dare not look at the pages of my life, afraid to see that I am still standing with yesterday and have not reached tomorrow once more. Another year is about to die, and what if my life has not yet been born? Where are the dreams of yesterday to light the skies of tomorrow? Why must the present remain so dark?

By Sean Wright, a Finalist of NewsPortalSite's Writing ContestA friend's husband uses racial slurs and opinions that slavery was "not that bad" for African-Americans. Another friend reluctantly admitted that her boyfriend declined my party invitation when he found out I am Black. It was rumored that a coworker constantly complained about the influx of black faces into the company. My shock at these incidences was not that people were still thinking and acting this way in the 21st century, butwho did and said these things. My friend's husband is Hispanic and the other's boyfriend is of Middle Eastern descent.

By Emily Mendez, a Finalist of NewsPortalSite's Writing ContestO.K., let's face it. You and I? We were never meant to be. This could never have happened the right way. You and I?

By Suzanne Hubbard, a Finalist of NewsPortalSite's Writing ContestAs the friendship ended it felt like we had been in a knife fight. There were no winners and our scars were obvious. Some had opinions, but only Laura and I know, just like anyone in a true bond, what actually happened.The emotional wounds ran deep from our anger, frustration, jealousy and differences. It's irritating to me when I think about it. Years have passed and on occasion I still feel abandoned.