Got a headache because you’ve got a big test coming up? Having trouble sleeping because of the big game this Friday? You are probably dealing with stress, which is your body’s way of reacting to pressure. That pressure can come from anywhere: parents, school, coaches, and work. You can even put pressure on yourself.

Your body has a natural reaction to stress; you may experience sweaty palms, knots in your stomach, or even lack of focus or concentration. This is normal and is just your body’s way of telling you that you are under stress. But is stress a bad thing? Not necessarily. A little stress can motivate you to perform better in Friday’s game, or even to study harder for the big test and get a better score. There are signs, however, that indicate that you are under too much stress and you should look out for these signs:

These are all signs that can lead to a more serious condition. The point is we all get stressed out sometimes. The way that we handle it is critical in our overall health. If you are experiencing any of the above signs, let someone know and go see your doctor. No one should let stress get out of hand and rule their lives.

Happy learning!

One of the greatest novelists in history, Ernest Miller Hemingway was born in 1899 in Oak Park, Illinois. His father was a doctor and his mother was a singing instructor who dressed him, as a toddler, in girl’s clothing to match his older sister—she badly wanted twins and he had failed to be a pair.

Although his mother would have liked for him to pursue a career in music, Hemingway developed an interest in the outdoors. In high school, Hemingway excelled both academically and athletically; he boxed, played football, and took naturally to his English classes. After high school, Hemingway did not attend college; instead he became a journalist, beginning his writing career as a cub reporter at the Kansas City Star. Hemingway was only at the KC Star for six months before joining the Red Cross Ambulance Corps on the Italian front during World War I.

Hemingway became one of the “The Lost Generation,” the expatriate community in Paris in the 1920′s. He chronicled his stay there in his memoir, “A Moveable Feast.” His memoir wasn’t published until after his death in 1961. After an initial failed attempt, he committed suicide a few weeks before his birthday. Hemingway suffered from depression, and had received electroshock treatments for his condition.

There is so much more to the life of Hemingway than can be put here…bounce over to the Simply Hemingway site to learn more about this fascinating Nobel Prize winning novelist.

Happy learning!

Simply Charly wishes you a Happy New Year! 2007 was a banner year for Simply Charly and we are looking forward to bringing you lots of exciting new features in 2008, including:

• Knowledge Base
• Essay Contests
• Quizzes
• Webinars
• Podcasts

In addition to the new features coming up, Simply Charly will continue to bring you features on your favorite historical icons, Simply Charly polls, and other regular features already found on our site.

Simply Charly thanks all of you who have supported us since the inception of our Web site. Here’s hoping 2008 brings you much success and happiness! 

Happy learning!