Archive for April, 2009
April 29th, 2009
“You’re off to great places, you’re off and away.” I love Dr. Seuss. He was one of a kind. We all are. One of my favorite books, and gifts, is Oh, The Places You’ll Go! One of my favorite lines: “You have brains in your head and feet in your shoes, You can steer yourself any direction you choose.”
So often we think that we don’t choose our own direction. We let life or circumstances or other people direct us. Doesn’t have to be so. You are the captain of your ship. Don’t let the waves bounce you around. Grab hold of the wheel and steer.
Yes, sometimes the waters will be rough and tricky to navigate. Sometimes you will need a skipper or two (or a Gilligan) to help you. Sometimes you need to go ashore and rest awhile.
No matter the situation, the choice in how to deal with it is yours alone. Enjoy the calm waters and ride out the storms. We will always have to face both. Dr. Seuss said, “Life is a great balancing act.” Amen to that. We have work and family and hobbies and errands and appointments and commitments and oh yeah, fun, to squeeze into our weeks.
Put a little fun, a little whimsy, a little Seuss into your week. I have a sparkly green tree in my office that looks very Seussical to me. I keep it there year round because it makes me smile. It reminds me that life is full of wonder and can be oddly shaped. It bends where we think it shouldn’t and has holes here and there. But it still sparkles.
Look around your workspace. Is there anything there that makes you smile? If not, get a small picture, quote, or silly something and put it where you can see it. It’s the first step to steering you in the right direction.
April 21st, 2009
I believe in the kindness of my fellow man and they have not let me down. (Women, you are my “fellow man” too.)
Let me tell you my embarassing moment of the week. It helps to share the “I was an idiot” stories. We all do dumb things; some of us more often than others, and the scale of dumb is in the eye of the beholder.
I love Love LOVE my smart car. My joy mobile and I celebrated our one year anniversary on February 28. With over 18,000 miles, I feel I know my car. And I like to push my limits. When a smart car gets down to one gallon of gas, it counts down by tenths. .9, .8, .7 and so on. I have had my tank at 0.0 gallons, just for the fun of it. I always joked that I am not worried cuz I would be able to push the joy car if anything ever happened. It happened.
Yesterday I was driving from an appointment in Freeport and I wanted to make my workout class in Rockford so I didn’t take time to fuel up. I “knew” I could make it. At the intersection of W. State and Meridian, with .7 gallon (PLENTY of gas!), my car died. Just died. All the little lights came on and all power stopped. I called smartusa roadside assistance. “If my car just died and I have .7 gallons, is it possible I ran out of gas?” The rep paused with an obvious DUH! hanging between us. “That’s what happens.” She didn’t say, “idiot,” but I read her mind.
Smart would bring me gas within 30 minutes, but a gas station was just up the road. Well, I put it in neutral and started pushing. It got rolling so easy, the back tire rolled over my foot. I kid you not. The car is only 5 feet long, there is not much span there. Luckily for me, a guy jumped out of his car and started pushing. I jumped in to steer. Another passerby jumped out and helped him push. We got to the gas station with plenty of looks and waves from those lucky enough to be driving on W. State at that minute to witness the not-so-smart owner having to be pushed. I was indeed out of gas. Idiot.
But my point is these two guys would not take any cash for their trouble. They did not lecture me or make snide comments. They were pleasant and have a story to tell now. They were curious about the car and told me to have a nice day. I may be an idiot for not filling up my 8 gallon tank, but I am not idiot when I tell you that people are good. They want to help and they want nothing in return. If I had been driving a heavy car that was hard to push, I still believe that someone would have helped me. The energy we put out is returned to us. I believe people are good and they are.
April 15th, 2009
How are you coping with higher grocery bills in these tough economic times? As of September 2008, food prices have risen, on average, a staggering 13 percent over three years. Often when food prices increase, the first items that grocery shoppers leave out of their carts are healthy foods—like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, and lean meats. Instead, it’s tempting to buy more calorie-dense foods loaded with sugar or fat to fill hungry stomachs. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Use these difficult times to your nutritional advantage—and re-learn basic skills with these tips for stretching your food dollar:
- Buy locally grown produce. You’ll help support local farmers—and the environment.
- Grow some of your own food. There is nothing more rewarding than picking and eating your own produce. You’ll find many web sites and books to help you get started—or to expand your growings.
- Brush up on your cooking skills. Don’t be intimidated by cooking– be adventurous and try new recipes. There are loads of great online recipe sites, like Allrecipes.com, or subscribe to one of my favorite online recipe newsletters, Kraft Food & Family, for some simple and tasty recipes. Be sure to check out Supercook.com, where you enter ingredients you have on hand and get ideas for dishes you can make from them.
- Try economizing on dining out, which can also save on gas. Instead, go back to basics with cooking more at home and packing your lunch. It may take a bit more time for planning, but is well worth it when it comes to eating more healthfully while saving money.
- Use coupons wisely. Remember, coupons are most economical when you use them for foods you normally buy. Try not to impulse buy based on coupons, but be willing to try a new brand if it’s a food you buy anyway.
- Fight the urge to buy—impulse buying is most dangerous when you’re hungry and when you shop without a list. Have a healthy snack before you shop—and make a list and stick to it!
April 9th, 2009
Spring is around the corner and that means we are outdoors a lot more. Wether you are out running errands, golfing, swimming, or gardening, you stll need to use SPF and apply regularly.
So what is the difference between SPF 16 and SPF 30? Truth be told not a lot! SPF 16 gives 94% coverage of UVA/UVB rays. SPF 30 gives 97% coverage. Both still need to be applied every 2 hours. Remember the higher the SPF the more chemicals are involved. Lets face it: if you feel more protected using a higher SPF, then keep using your SPF30, 50, or 80. If your skin tends to react to SPF then try a lower SPF.
Here is the cloud over your sunshine…80% of all of our sun damage occurs before we are 18 years old. It is especially important to use sunscreen on your children and grandchildren.
Moreover, the visible effects of sun damage are cumulative, which means the damage mounts up every day! Part of our wonderful aging process is sun damage becomes more visible. Those sun spots did not appear overnight. I promise.
With spring and summer almost here always remember to wear your SPF. See you at the Spa….
April 8th, 2009
My last 30 days included trips to Asheville, NC (GORGEOUS!); Vegas; San Diego; and Vegas again. (No, I am not a gambler.) I believe travel is “good for you” but I know some people don’t think so. I can say travel is good for me. Going new places, learning new things, meeting new people are good for all of us. No air travel required.
I recently read a blurb that a 20-second hug is the best release of endorphins (besides sex). So take it from the experts, hugs are good for you. And the best place to witness long hugs is the airport. Airport hugs are the epitome of all hugs.
Goodbye hugs can be tearjerkers. People have to do that curbside now, but I remember when you could walk your loved one all the way to the gate. It could be pretty emotional. And being greeted right as you stepped off the plane was a thrill that now has to be postponed until the baggage claim area.
Security rules may have tightened and changed our routine, but the hugs are the same. Hugs are the language of love, no words need to be spoken. It does not matter nationality or language. Watching hugs, you witness love and affection between parent and child, friend to friend, and lover to lover. In my one year living abroad, I was in many European airports. Hugs are universal. Even the French with the kiss-kiss cheek-cheek also hug.
Newborn babies like to be held close to the chest because they want to feel the human heartbeat. Hugs are the same kind of thing. We want a heart to heart connection. The beautiful thing about hugs is that both parties get the endorphins. Give a hug, get a hug. Either way, it’s good for you.
April 6th, 2009
It begins with enzymes, chlorophyll, eating simply and sleeping well, drinking pure water and the power of our thoughts. How does one start this journey or overcome habits? Raw fruits & vegetables contain the living elements that give you life. Green smoothies are a great start to eating healthier because they are easy, tasty, satisfying, versatile, portable and very kid friendly. Kids are so impressionable and planting a seed of this nature will reap rewards in the months and years to come. Children are open to trying these things in the right circumstance, but the long term change should include the whole family.
Green smoothies are simply a fruit smoothie with greens added to them such as celery, parsley, romaine lettuce, spinach or kale. Start with 60% fruit & 40% greens and you won’t even notice the taste of the greens. As you continue making green smoothies increase the amount of greens. The darker the green, the more nutritious it is. Kale is highly nutritious however it may be something you will work up to or use in smaller amounts initially if you are not used to consuming a lot of greens as some may find it to be bitter.
Blending helps break down the fiber but works as a broom in your system. Smoothies are easier on the digestive system and leaves you with more energy verses foods you would chew. Morning time is ideal for smoothies when the body is in cleansing mode and wants to spend less time working to digest food however are wonderful as snacks as well.
Many question the value of changing their diet and making healthier choices in order to enjoy a better quality of life and to live longer. The pleasure gained from bad habits is overestimated and the “rewards” from healthy living is typically underestimated. Healthful eating adds more to your life than extra years. Eating at least 50% raw fruits & vegetables allows you to wake up in the morning full of energy and to experience the value of how amazing it feels to be healthy. An incredible and awesome feeling. Healthful living has its rewards in the HERE and NOW.
Be optimistic, raw foods taste great and are incredible for you! Learn more, attend a FREE “Why Raw” talk April 25th at Vitamins N More, 1627 N. Alpine,
Rockford. 10:00am. Pre-register by April 23rd. Raw Food classes available. Contact Raw Energy at 815-543-1207 or by email: myrawenergy@yahoo.com to register or request a schedule. Schedule also at www.blogs.e-rockford.com/goodforyou
April 2nd, 2009
I am fascinated with people and how we interact, and there is no better place to study people than the airport. I have been traveling a lot lately so people-watching is my new regular pasttime.
More on that later… I just have to interrupt myself now to tell you how excited I am to be using my new aircard. Aircard is a new word/new gadget for me. It is the doohickey thingy that plugs into my laptop so I can have wireless internet anywhere. OMG! It is the coolest thing ever. I wrote last week’s column (I write a weekly newspaper column) on how I love technology. I could write a whole column on my new love for this wi-fi stick. (I think I will call it Willy though. Keep your snickers to yourself.)
As I was walking to the “stools with outlets” place where I could sit and plug-in my laptop, I passed a kiosk that was selling CDs. I stopped to take a gander cuz one can never have too much music. (FYI- Music is good for you.)
The CD that caught my eye: Music to Inspire Positive Thinking. Scientfically designed by Dr. Lee R. Bartel. I didn’t buy it (cuz I just spent thirty bucks yesterday on Willy), but it has me curious. The songs are said to “Boost essential alpha and beta brainwave activity.” The ten tracks include titles like Fresh Start, With Utmost Calm, and Find Your Truth.
Hmm. Maybe on my return trip, I will pick it up. Right now, my brainwaves are bouncing to ABBA blaring from the kiosk. In my expert opinion, any music that you love and takes your mind away is music to inspire positive thinking.
And now, I must go board my plane. Thanks to Willy, I can blog from everywhere. Oh my! More later.
