Archive for the ‘Editorials’ Category

Some of you may know this already, but for those who don’t I’m about to recite The Sentinella story…how this little mag materialised in its current form.

It all started way back in the late nineties when a man called Colin Checkley launched a magazine called The Sentinel. Colin, as some of you may remember, was a man who loved to drink in the local bars and his wit, sarcasm and humour slipped down a treat with readers.  However, unfortunately, in 2004 Colin was bitten by a snake while walking his dog in the mountains of Iznate. He was rushed to hospital and while there, the blood tests revealed that he had Leukaemia. Within just seven days of hearing this devastating news, Colin passed away at the age of 44.

A couple of months before this tragic occurrence, I moved to Spain to join my parents. As I didn’t have a place of my own at that point I stayed with them in their apartment in Torre del Mar. I planned to move to Spain permanently, however finding a job proved very difficult. In the UK I’d trained as a journalist, copywriter and editor, so the prospect of bar or waitressing work didn’t appeal. I considered starting my own expat magazine, but I hadn’t thought about it much at this stage.

My dad sometimes went to the Viva Bar in Torre del Mar to watch certain football matches, and it was there that he got chatting to Colin’s father, who broke the news of Colin’s illness and later his death. A few weeks passed before my dad suggested that I should call Colin’s dad to see if he’d agree to me taking over The Sentinel. I didn’t feel very confident about broaching this, so my dad called Colin’s father for me. My stomach tightened as I overheard the conversation. Then I heard that one word which changed my life forever… “Yes!”

So my dad and I began traipsing around the local businesses to see if they wanted to continue advertising in the magazine with the slightly different name of The Sentinella. The first edition included four colour pages in the middle, while the 36 other pages were printed in black and white. Two years later the magazine had tripled in size to 120 pages per month, including a fat colour section in the centre. As time passed I got itchy feet and asked my sister and brother-in-law, Kami and Tony, if they’d like to move over to take over the day to day running of the magazine. Luckily they said yes and they do an absolutely amazing job…in fact The Sentinella has gone from strength to strength, now at 132 pages a month, plus it’s all in colour! The magazine also appears online every month on www.thesentinella.com.

Meanwhile I looked at ways to expand and I began to franchise The Sentinella to different regions of Spain. There are now five editions covering from Marbella right the way along to Mojacar. From west to east there’s the Marbella edition, the Malaga edition, the Axarquia edition (this one), the Costa Tropical edition and lastly the Mojacar edition. That’s why it’s important when you place an advert to confirm which edition you would like to appear in – many of our advertisers even place publicity in every edition! For those who are interested there are still opportunities to launch The Sentinella in the Granada, Murcia, Almeria and Gibraltar regions.

I often feel that Colin, in his spirit form, has helped The Sentinella to grow and every day I express my gratitude for that, the workforce, the readers and the advertisers, all of whom have helped to make this magazine what it is. Viva The Sentinella!

Keidi Keating

I’ve just finished reading a book which touched me to such a degree that I feel it deserves an ample mention in this month’s magazine.

The book is called A Stranger In Paradise by Julie Chimes.

Thirty years ago Julie was almost stabbed to death in her home by a paranoid schizophrenic, who claimed that God had instructed her to act in such a way.

As the meat knife which once lived in Julie’s cutlery drawer, repeatedly plunged into her flesh, she found herself outside of her body, free from pain and watching the horror unfold as if she were a member of an audience.

Luckily, a week or so before the tragedy, Julie had been informed by a psychic medium to “change the front door.” A new door, which opened outwards –  rather than inwards into a poky hall – had been sitting in the garage for months. So Julie acted on the advice and asked her boyfriend to get on with the chore.

This new front door ultimately helped to save her life. Now back in her body, the knife-wielding madwoman continued to stab Julie, who by now was smothered with blood. Somehow she found the strength to shuffle to the front door. She fell into the fresh air to see shoppers carrying their M & S bags after a trip to the supermarket.

But instead of the help she craved, when these people saw Julie they screamed and fled. The stabbing continued as using her elbows, she pushed her body into the road, thinking that the cars would surely stop. Alas, they simply steered around her.

By now a crowd of onlookers had formed, making comments such as; “Look, she’s a goner anyway. There’s nothing we can do to help….” And, “I’m not getting my coat all covered in blood…this cost me a hundred quid….”

The situation improved when a young builder stopped his white van, walked fearlessly over to the attacker and slid the knife out of her hand as she attempted to hack Julie’s head off.

En-route to the hospital she drifted in and out of consciousness and after more than thirty stab wounds and against all odds, Julie managed to survive the frenzied attack to the utter astonishment of all the hospital staff.

In the days, weeks and months that followed Julie’s recovery was aided by a voice she knew as Veritas. She often found herself outside of her body, just as she had during the attempted murder. Once she found herself swinging in the stars and on other occasions she literally bounced off the bedroom walls.

The most remarkable thing about this true story is that despite everything, Julie learnt to love and forgive her attacker.

And that’s the most profound lesson we can all take from Julie’s book…the power of forgiveness.

 A Stranger In Paradise is available here http://amzn.to/i8mshJ – it’s a highly recommended read.

Keidi Keating

Firstly I’d like to wish all The Sentinella readers and advertisers a happy, peaceful and prosperous New Year, jam-packed with only magical things. We all deserve a blissful life, so here’s to yours for 2011…make it the best one ever.

I’ve not long returned from the trip of a lifetime, three weeks travelling along the west coast of the USA, followed by a week of relaxation in Honululu, Hawaii. Many people have asked me to divulge what I got up to, so here goes…

We flew into San Francisco and spent a few days ogling the city sights, including Golden Gate Bridge, Pier 39 and Alcatraz. Longing for some respite from the chilly San Francisco winds we jumped into our rental car and headed towards Los Angeles. En-route we stopped off in various random places, hiking for four miles to see the seasonal elephant seals, followed by a quest to find and sample the famous Anderson’s Pea Soup in a town called Buelton. Delicious…

We spent our days in LA checking out Beverley Hills, Rodeo Drive, Hollywood Boulevard, the Walk of Fame and the weird and wacky world of Venice Beach. Typically we reversed our rental car right into a limousine, which the driver declared had just enjoyed a 40,000 dollar paint job. “Welcome to LA,” said a passing lady rolling her eyes in the direction of the rant.

From LA we headed to San Diego, a beautiful city full of Mexican wares and scenic spots, such as The Old Town, the Gaslamp region and the island of Coronado. And we couldn’t leave San Diego without visiting San Diego Zoo. Never have I witnessed so many animals in the same place!

Then we said goodbye California and hello Nevada, arriving to the bright lights, shows and casinos of Las Vegas. My boyfriend had great fun risking his life on roller-coasters which flung him over the top of buildings. But dare devil rides, zombie-infested casinos and Elvis Presley look-alikes weren’t my cup of Tetley. In fact I preferred watching our washing churn around the tumble drier in the laundrette.

While in Las Vegas we took a day trip to the Grand Canyon, viewing the natural wonder of the world from a helicopter, coupled with a boat trip along the Colorado River.

After all that action we headed back to San Francisco to catch our five-hour flight to Hawaii. The sun shone, the waves crashed and the golden sand slid between my toes like silk. Finally paradise had reared its head. Life doesn’t get much better than Waikiki beach and happy hour cocktails.

And now I’m back in El Morche. The sun is peeking out from behind a tangle of clouds, Manolo is selling tubos from his kiosk across the road and I’m busy planning where the world will take me next…

Keidi Keating, Editor

There are two words in the English language which when spoken in sync are amazingly powerful, yet unfortunately vastly under used.

 These two words are ‘thank you’.

 Human beings always seem to be moaning about one problem or the other. Let’s take a look at just a few of the most common moans and groans. “I’m too fat.” “I’m too thin.” “I’m too ugly.” “I had a difficult upbringing.” “The world is against me.” “I feel unloved.” “No one likes me.” “Why does nothing ever go right for me?” And the list goes on…

Wow! What an unsightly collection of negative statements.

 The thing is, what most people don’t realise is that you are the universe and the universe is you. So when you tell yourself these negative things all day and night, I’m afraid you’ll see more negativity in your life. It’s only when you begin to express gratitude for what you DO have in your life that suddenly the floodgates open and all those things you’ve been wanting for so long begin to pour in. It’s about feeling happy NOW so your energetic vibration is raised to such a level that you attract only good things into your life.

Let me give you an example of a very inspirational man who has totally cracked the gratitude egg. His name is Nick Vujicic and if you search for his name on YouTube.com you’ll witness firsthand just how totally amazing this guy is. Nick, who was born with no arms and legs, has been determined not to let his disability prevent him from leading a fulfilling and happy life. In fact he’s become an inspiration to people all over the world.

Despite his disability Nick still plays football, swims, plays golf, fishes, and more than all that, he gives a huge amount to the world. He regularly speaks to teenagers, children and adults about the importance of being thankful for what they have, going for their dreams and never giving up.

At the age of eight Nick believed his life was doomed. He thought he’d never get a job, never get married and never have a life of purpose. But he has managed to overcome many challenges and has found a fresh perspective to life. He’s constantly smiling and joking and he always feels thankful and excited about what each new day will bring. His motto is, “No arms, no legs, no worries!”

Now what’s your excuse? If Nick, who has no arms and legs, can squeeze so much joy and pleasure out of life, then why can’t you? Think about that the next time you feel like moaning about your current situation.

Really, if you just start to say thank you for all the good things in your life, miracles will follow. Believe me, as one who practises gratitude on a daily basis, this sh** really works!

For more information on Nick visit his website www.attitudeisaltitude.com or check out his book ‘Life Without Limits’.

I’d like to start this month’s editorial by letting anyone with a private pension, or a SIPPs investment, in on a little secret. If you have either then it’s highly likely that you currently feel very frustrated at the fact that you’re sitting on stagnant money. However, a recent change in UK law means that you can now release that money (and earn a great income off it at the same time) by investing in commercial property, governed by UK law.

And here at The Sentinella we’ve discovered the perfect solution. By investing in Caribbean property (which is governed by UK law) you can not only release your previously ‘trapped’ money, but you’ll also increase your pension fund income by 50 per cent….guaranteed. And it gets better because you’ll also turn 50,000GBP into 130,000GBP within just 4-5 years. I myself have invested into this property and within 18 months I’ve already seen a huge jump in capital appreciation. Now my mission is to help as many people as possible to do the same. After all, what’s the point of having money sitting there going stale, not earning you any income…?

If you’d like to meet with an investment expert to discuss this further, or if you’d like to attend a seminar in your area, please email info@thesentinella.com or call me on 610 976 284.

And now for something a little more light-hearted! I’ve just returned from a four-day mini break to the beautiful island of Mallorca. My boyfriend spotted a last minute bargain on www.travelzoo.com for a three night stay in a four star hotel, in a town called Cala Rajada, nestled on the north eastern coast of the island. So we bagged it!

Little did we know at the time of booking that in order to get by in this particular corner of the island you had to speak fluent German! In hindsight we should have hazarded as guess as we boarded the ‘Air Berlin’ plane. It didn’t bother me that I was the only English person holidaying in that town, and my boyfriend the only Spaniard, but some of the restaurants displayed their menus in the German lingo only, and I have to admit that was pretty irritating.

Our hotel was utterly terrible and if I’d been a hotel inspector I’d have taken away at least two of their stars without thinking twice. On our first afternoon, after a lazy few hours lying on the beach, we went back to the hotel for a shower. But to our dismay there was no hot water. The water was completely freezing to the point where had I stood under it for more than five minutes I’d have likely caught a cold. My boyfriend called reception, who told us that a lot of other guests were having showers at that time so we’d have to either wait half an hour, or use the swimming pool shower. At that moment I wondered if we were really in the 21^st century…

On a positive note the island itself was magical. We hired a car out for one day and had great fun exploring the villages and towns, including the picturesque mountain village of Valdemossa, which I recommend. Other must-sees are the caves of Drach and the safari park, where the monkeys, zebras and other animals run wild. Ooops my space is out…

Tschuss!

Keidi Keating, Editor

It’s very rare that I dedicate this entire editorial column to an individual or a business, but when I do it means I found them totally exceptional, surpassing all pre-conceived expectations by a mile.

So allow me to introduce Mark Bajerski, a psychic and healer, who lives in the magical mountains of Mijas Pueblo with his wife Suzie and his daughter China.

Mark’s studio is located in the centre of Mijas Pueblo, opposite the town hall and it’s from here that he gives clients ‘future readings’ and ‘Pure Energy healings’.

On the ground floor his wife’s amazing shop ‘Tickled Pink’ lures in passers-by; a true Aladdin’s cave, alive with gifts and knick knacks.

I discovered Mark on Facebook and immediately felt drawn to visit him for a reading. I arrived slightly early so I spent a few minutes admiring the wares in Tickled Pink before Mark called me up to his studio. I felt at ease right away because Mark has obviously spent a great deal of time and effort creating a relaxing, tranquil ambience – the walls are purple and the chairs comfy and cushioned!

Mark uses Tarot as a tool to deliver his readings, so he began by parting the cards. I placed my hands on top of the cards and Mark detected my energy field to see whether there was any negative flow in my body. He said my body was healthy with no problematic areas, but he sensed that my mind was busy with information – he could even feel it vibrating! Mark rubbed a vibrant smelling orange-coloured oil on my wrists (this oil is kept in a huge glass jar, full of cleansing crystals) and began to talk.

The reading itself was almost spookily accurate and even though a lot of it was based on the future, it resonated with me on a deeper level. I was even told important information about a handful of relatives.

After the reading I lay on the bed while Mark performed his energy healing. I’m not sure how long this took so I must have fallen asleep. When I woke up Mark said he’d worked on my stomach as I held a lot of emotion there and it needed to be released. For two days after my stomach rumbled and grumbled, which is a great sign as it means the healing worked.

On a personal level I found Mark warm, friendly, passionate about his work, loving, sincere and full of light. You only need to look at the ‘testimonial’ area of his website to see that I’m not the only one who felt impressed.

I left Mark’s studio feeling…I don’t know…different. I felt happy. I felt positive. But above all I felt totally confident and hugely excited about my future…Thanks Mark, you’re a beautiful person with a beautiful heart!

For more information about Mark, or to book a reading, log on to www.MarkBajerski.com, email markbajerski@hotmail.com or call 649 369 009.

By the way, it’s worth noting that Mark offers free healing sessions to cancer patients one day of each month. Call the number above to find out dates and times.