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There is an old Chinese proverb that says, Those who drink the water must remember those who dug the well."  In other words, be thankful!  Is there someone you need to say "Thanks" to  this week or today?  It's amazing how those words can put a smile on a face.  How long has it been since you told your husband, your child,  your parent or your friend that you appreciate something they did?  It's easier to spread sunshine than you think.  Just the right words will make it happen.  Albert Schweitzer once said, "In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out.  It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit."

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Have you ever said or have you heard
someone else say, "Life isn't fair!"  
Someone along the way put another slant
on the subject that's worth thinking about:

"Life isn't fair, but life isn't fair for
everyone. That makes life fair."
unknown  

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Don't isolate yourself!  It's not good for you!  That's not a new fact, but more and more research data is being added to what is already documented.   Findings from the Dementia Research Center in Wisconsin agree that isolation as a lifestyle may be linked with higher rates of dementia.  Do things you love to do, but do it with others.  At the start of this new year, why not try something new. Join a book club, sign up for a class at a local college.  Yes, time is always a factor, but life is to be lived in the present moment.  If it means you have to give up computer time, movie watching time,  get with friends and have a good time.  You will benefit twice, now and later as you age. (Don't misunderstood my point here!  I will be the first to say that 'alone' time is a good thing too, in fact it's a must for self preservation!  There has to be a happy balance.)

 

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Despite all the grim news and sad stories of 2009, there were some good things to come out of the year.  Did you hear about the club that was formed in California's South Pasadena High School in March of '09? A fifteen year old, McKay Hatch, founder of "No Cussing Club" went before the board of supervisors and they agree to make the first week in March "No Cussing Week".  The teenager said this is not about forcing people to stop 'cussing,' it's about awareness, a way to make people think about the words they use."

Thumbs up for McKay. Now, if it will catch on with adults, what a good deed this will be.  Don't ever think you're too small or too little known to make a difference right where you are!  Check out how far this young boy's effort has gone at www.nocussing.com.

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More than likely the New Year holds some "in the pits" moments for us.  But there will be the good days too!  Celebrate them.  Nothing is too small to celebrate!   A good grade on a report card is as important as the new position your husband landed.  Solving a problem or mending a broken relationship is major stuff! Celebrate it.  It can be over a cup of tea or with an ice cream cone.   Make a big deal out of happenings in your family or in your friend circle. Life is to be cherished, it is to be celebrated!

"A day merely survived is no cause for celebration. You are not here to fritter away your precious hours when you have the ability to accomplish so much by making a slight change in your routine."
Og Mandino, author, speaker

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Professionals that study communication say that we speak approximately 30,000 words a day. These words can break hearts, start wars, ruin marriages, give hope or dissolve friendships.  We make our choice each day. Choose wisely.

 

 

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As our country continues in an economic crunch, it's good to look for ways to save money.  There are ways to cut back on spending that don't hurt as much as other places you try to cut.   If you check the different  areas of your budget such as food, clothes, entertainment and transportation and then find ways to cut by five or ten percent, as the months go by, this can make a difference.

Below are tips that can make a difference without noticing a change in lifestyle.   Then check out  the following  good money saving web sites that  follow.

• Add a few drops of hair conditioner to a clean washcloth and throw it in the dryer with laundry to sweeten and soften for less.(I have not done this, but it's worth a try.)
  
• Cancel subscriptions to magazines you don't enjoy anymore.
• Save gasoline by making sure your tires are properly inflated.
• Check with your insurance agency to see if you might save money by increasing your deductible on your car or household policies.
  

• www.daveramsey.com
  
• www.cheapskatemonthly.com/
• www.crosswalk.com/finances/
• www.moneycentral.msn.com

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 Sometimes we can find laughs in the strangest places. This sign is in the window at a great shoe repair shop in Cadillac, Michigan.There's always something somewhere to make us smile, if we look for it.


 

 

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Theft Alert!

I recently came across an article that I felt was worth passing along.  It advised motorist to use the button on the door to lock their vehicle rather than the key chain.  This hand computer, your key ring lock, sends signals that can be picked up by a device that nearby watchers can obtain.  When you are out of sight, you become a victim, whether it is stealing your vehicle or the items in it such as laptops, etc.   Be aware!

  A Clean Sweep  



We are all familiar with the term recycle, but what about free cycle?  That was a new term for my until a few weeks ago.  Evidently , it has been around for a while, but somehow I missed it.  The website for more information:  www.freecycle.org.  Pull it up and type in where you live and what you have to get rid of; baby bed, old golf clubs, bar stools, etc. Once you've posted the availability of items, you could get dozens of responses from people near you  who need them.   You put it on the curb and it's taken away by someone that wants it.   That's much better than trying to find a way to discard it or even taking it to a second hand dealer.   Responders have reported getting rid of baby clothes, magic markers, all kinds of items for kids.   I have not used this website, but check it out if you are in need of this service.  You just may make someone happy besides yourself!  Their mission statement:   "Our mission is to build a worldwide gifting movement that reduces waste,  saves precious resources & eases the   burden on our landfills while enabling  our members to benefit from the strength of a larger community." Don't  forget to read their disclaimer as well!


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 Great Tip For Fighting Carbs
(from Natural Health Magazine, June, '09 issue)

 

I'm repeating myself. This can be found elsewhere on this website.  But it's worth repeating!  Sprinkle on cinnamon.  Use half a teaspoon a day to improve insulin sensitivity, so carbs are used for energy, not stored as fat.

 

 

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"Home is not a place, but an emotion."




 

Ladies, what kind of home are you making for your family?  We do set the atmosphere, as the age old saying goes.  We make it a loving, happy place or we make it a disaster!  I know there are exceptions.  No matter how some"homemakers" try, they receive no help  in the line of growing the family. 

Pew Research recently did a survey that I read about in USA Today.  It talked about people's "heart home", the place their heart considers home. For those with bad home experiences, hurt abounds. For some people it's hard to talk about "home" while others reminisce with a twinkle in their eye. What makes the difference?  I think it is the mother.  

University Psychology Professor Marshall Duke says and is quoted in  the article in the newspaper,  "Home is not a place, but home is an emotion.  One thing we turn to is this feeling called home.  It just makes us feel better."  

My question?  What is the emotional thermometer in your home saying?  Needs reworking?  Start now.  Give that child a hug! Accentuate the positives, not the negatives!  The world, outside your walls, is only too willing to point out  what's wrong.  It's your job to point out what's right!   That husband, that child, that teenager will look for love somewhere.  Let it be found in your words and actions in the home.
                                                                                  

ATTENTION PARENTS

This is serious information.  I came across this on a great website, http://ziggysblogs.blogspot.com/   Pass it on! A reader of this website has varied that this truly is a trend that has hit the teen community!


TEEN TREND - "ZIPPERS"
Do you know what your teen is putting in his/her lunch box? "Zippers" are commercially produced "Jell-0 shots"
(cups of fruity flavored gelatin and alcohol), the sweet, chilled concoctions that, in the past, could only be found in bars and liquor stores. "Zippers" are dangerous, because they come packaged in containers that look just like any other snack pack a teen puts in their lunch box and it makes it easy for teens to sneak alcohol into school.

THESE GELATIN CUPS HAVE BRIGHT COLORS AND CATCHY NAMES, LIKE:
- Blue Hawaiian
- Melon Head
- Purple Hooter
- Fuzzy Navel

Zippers tastes a lot like Kool-aid.
EACH CUP CONTAINS 12% 24-PROOF ALCOHOL.
The "Zippers" packaging is clearly marked with a government alcohol warning, but in a crowded, busy school cafeteria, once the lid is ripped off, it looks just like Jell-O. "Zippers" are sold in bars, liquor stores, and GROCERY STORES in eleven states, including TEXAS, GEORGIA, TENNESSEE, KENTUCKY, VIRGINIA, INDIANA, OHIO, NEW YORK, CONNECTICUT , MASSACHUSETTS AND WISCONSIN.

  ( More information on  http://www.acde.org/common/alerts/Zippershots.htm  )


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Brain Gyms
This is a new phrase for me.  In fact, it is a relatively new concept across the country. A gym for the brain is exactly what it is.  I remember my gerontology professor saying a few years back that baby boomers would be trend setters in years to come. He knew what he was saying.  These places to exercise the brain are becoming a big thing, charging as much as $60 a month in some areas.   This gym improve concentration, focus and  memory. They claim to make a difference in relationships and attitudes.   Much of the activity is computer programs.  As I have not visited this type of gym, I am not personally familiar with all the techniques used.

For those that don't feel they can or want to join another gym, there's hope. There are brain-teaser programs available for home computers.  There are also books written on the subject of how to keep your brain in good working order.  A lot of research has been put into these books.  I suggest a book I bought a few years back,  Keep  Your Brain Alive by Katz and Rubin.  In it you will find 83 neurobic exercises  to increase mental fitness.  It's not too early to do all you can to improve brain function. 

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It's not a good thing to get into a routine life with few new experiences.  Our brain starts to operate on rote and it's almost like we live our life without having to think.   Brains can get sluggish under these circumstances.  The old saying, "If you don't use it, you loose it, seems to fit very well when it comes to brain activity!

 

 

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Getting Back To Basics

Natural Health (November Issue, a great magazine) says extra belly fat puts increased risk in our life for heart disease, diabetes and stroke.

A recent study says that people, with excess weight around the stomach  and in their 40s, are more likely to have dementia in their 70s.  That's a scary thought, but it's not meant to scare you. I'm telling you to get you moving.  I'm going to be more faithful to my health club!  What about you!  It not only makes us look better physically, but it makes us feel better and gives us a sense of control, which is something that is rare in today's economy!


 

 

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Times are hard.  News programs are bad for our health.  I mean that statement literally!  Take a break from it.  Listen only once a day to reports of the world's happenings!  Look for good things.  There are some!  We need to take the above quote serious, in this time of questionable happenings. Change the music you keep on your stereo or in your home.  Settle down.  Soothing is good for us.  Life is fast, with little time for relaxation or pleasure.  But we have to remember we choose our speed.   Instead of fast, violent entertainment, choose something that has not been your lifestyle for a while.  Our son sent us a DVD a week or so go that was absolute entertainment.  It's Brian Regan.  He does stand up comedy that is clean enough for the whole family.  Check out I Walked On The Moon. You can put yourself in each scenario he talks about.  We keep XM's Escape going for background music to lift our spirits, joining in from time to time, but allowing for times of NOTHING, no music, etc.)  Let's lighten up! It will help us get through these economic times that drain more than just in our wallets. Worrying, grieving, fussing steals our dreams and optimism

 

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Don't underestimate the power of personal "down time".  You're not the only one to benefit.  Your family will see a difference when you  pamper yourself because it refreshes! A job, husband, family, social events can rob us of those little moments when we need to shut everything out.  Try  to get religious about this most important time in your life. I am working on it myself!






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