Joanie Morris, editor of the Kannapolis Citizen.

Lately, all I have been thinking about is food. Any kind of food. I am sure this will only get worse, since the doctor just prescribed Prednisone for me.

I like to eat. Just ask my mom, who likes to tease me about my sometimes-expanding, sometimes-receding waistline. Usually I can control this by just eating a little healthier.

With the new plans for Kannapolis, I see myself eating healthier many times per week. This plan for a multi-million dollar research facility and a new downtown Kannapolis is exciting.

Eating out and still eating healthy will be a nice change. Usually, when you go out, even if you order a salad with some chicken or something on it, you are consuming an outrageous amount of fat grams, not to mention enough calories to fulfill your diet for a week.

I like to cook. I can make lots of stuff and most of it is pretty good. I know I make a low-fat cheese cake that is to die for. I can also make some killer fettuccine alfredo with mushrooms and chicken, and my omelettes aren't that bad either.

Believe it or not, my Hamburger Helper is disgusting. It's like eating big globs of pasta when I make it — yucky. Icky. Nasty.

I get many of my recipes from my mom (spaghetti), sister (fettuccine) and old cookbooks. Sometimes, I even steal tastes from restaurants that I have tried out.

Now that we have this new opportunity in Kannapolis to get healthy, I really hope there is a store or fitness center brought in that will help citizens adhere to this regime. It would be great to have an entire city motivated to be healthy.

I will get much use out of the Dole Organic Food Cafe that David Murdock announced would be in the middle of the retail area of the new Kannapolis.

Of course, other restaurants that will undoubtedly be lured to Kannapolis like moths to a flame will also make my dining choices more numerous in Kannapolis for those nights that I just don't feel like cooking.

Another purely selfish reason for being happy about the facility — those retail shops. Now, I do believe that Kannapolis has some of the best shops around — what with Southern Charm and such located right here in Cannon Village — but this is just exciting. I can't wait for the day that I can browse around shops like Banana Republic or Gap right here in our downtown. Even an Ann Taylor Loft would be kinda nice.

If you have ever been to Birkdale, you know what Murdock is planning will be great. In talking with Justin Murdock, son of the billionaire, I learned that groups visited places like Birkdale and Afton Village and will take the best parts of those places and mix them all together for the best of everything.

I can see it now — my entire paycheck blown in the new Cannon Village.

One thing that I am not looking forward to very much is the close proximity the proposed multiplex theater will be to the Gem. I love the Gem. With movies ranging from $2 to $4, you can't beat the prices and their popcorn is the best.

I hope Murdock takes into account that the theatre is one of the oldest on the East coast and he does something to help preserve that facility. Maybe some sort of partnership with the Gem is in order, Mr. Murdock. It would certainly be nice.

I can imagine going to the Dole Organic Food Cafe, walking off some calories window-shopping (for those weeks between paychecks) and then catching a flick at the Gem.

It's going to be a healthy new Kannapolis.

Joanie Morris is editor of the Kannapolis Citizen. She can be reached at 704-932-3336 or trying to get healthy.