Drivers Test!
If you had to take your writen drivers test over again today could you pass it? I have been able to automatically sign up to get a new drivers licence since 2000. My licence expires in November to 2008 and I hope I am not going to be one of those randomly chosen people who have to re-take the written portion of the Drivers exam. I would have to study the little booklet again. As a member of the Boomer generation I do worry at what point the government will question my ability to operate a motor vehicle. I live in LA and we have no public transportation to speak of. Maybe in the next 10 yeats or so they will actually link the train lines so I can get around the city in my old age.

Has the Writers Guild effected you? A week a ago I would have commented NO. But my son posted an article about viewing TV programs on line and I hit the link to view The Office.(Counterfeitgirlscoutcookies.com) I have watch The Office via TVO but had never viewed a TV episode on line. I suspect I will continue to do so. I went to www.nbc.com and was able to view an episode of Chuck that I had missed last week. Now I know why the writers want a piece of the action. My son and his wife do a large percentage of their TV viewing on line.

Hi-tech Melt Down!



I am quite literate with computer use. I have my own web page, I blog and I have done a few text messages on my husband Iphone. This week I had a total "melt-down" when my hand held Targus mobile presenter did not work. This is my second hand-held presenter. I unfortuntely misplaced my first one two weeks ago. The Targus brand is different than my first one, but I was desperate and did not want to go to numerous stores. My problem: the new device had to be installed. The fist day I took it to class I could not get it to work! Of course I had lost the directions. My last device just worked when I plugged it in. One did not have to take "steps" to help the device and the presenter connect. I tried calling the 1-800 help desk. After talking with someone in India for about 30 minutes I gave up. At that point I got into my car, computer and device in hand and went back to the Office Depot where I had purchased the device. I am sure when I asked for the manager (lap-top computer and device in hand) they thought what a "crazy" lady. After playing with the device and the computer for a few minutes the manager managed to help the two connect. THANK YOU! Now if I can just remember where I put the device from week-to-week I have conquered another "tech toy".

Decade-by-Decade guide to exercise. I have been exercising pretty regularly most of my adult life. I enjoy movement and find that when I am tired or stresses exercise energizes me. But I do know that the work-out I did years ago is not what I can do now. Oprah does a nice overview of exercise for various decades. With a birthday comming up in a few weeks I can't turn back the clock, but I can keep myself moving and feeling good. At my spin class last week a fellow spinner (30 year old) was amazed that I had three adult kids. Her comment brought a smile to my lips and more power to my old legs.

California Fire Season

Southern California has four seasons: earthquake, floods and landslides, riots and fires. My second son was born in November of 1980. When he was four days old I found myself without electricity, howling winds, fire in the local hills and two babies under 18 months. We had just moved to a new neighborhood and did not know any of our neighbors. As I huddled with my two babies in a house with no heat a neighbor invited me to sit in her kitchen where she had a gas stove so we were able to cook a simple meal. Today I was cleaning up the yard and the same neighbor was out raking up the leaves and branches that had fallen in the recent wind storm. We talked about how fortunate we were to be unaffected by the fires (other than the smoke filled air). I looked towards the Angeles Crest Mountains to the North of my community and said a little thank you that we had been spared a major catastrophe.

Super Bug!

S. aureus bacteria are amongst the populations of bacteria normally found existing on ones skin surface. However, over time, various populations of these bacteria have become resistant to a number of antibiotics, which makes them very difficult to fight when attempting to treat infections where MRSA bacteria are the responsible pathogens. These antibiotics include methicillin and other more common antibiotics such as oxacillin, penicillin and amoxicillin. What can you to protect yourself. WASH your hands with soap and water when you can and with water free anti-bacterial anticeptics when water is unavailable. If you have a skin infection that appears to be getting worse seek medical treatment.

MRSA

Home or Illusive Dream

Home or Illusive Dream!

We have been out house hunting with our son and his wife. What an ordeal! We have lived in the same house for over 26 years and have done 4 remodels to date. (We have one more planned for the master bedroom in the Spring of 2008.) So, we have not looked at housing for quite a few years. We live in Los Angeles County where home prices are totally inflated. We have looked at homes for a half a million dollars that are total fixer uppers. We saw tile that we removed 2 remodels ago still in bathrooms and kitchens. We have seen leaking water heaters, water damage, old electrical outlets, vintage kitches appliances etc. It was quite depressing. My son and wife are savers but we do not want them going into finiancial debt to buy the "Illusive Dream." I believe the market has outpriced the average buyer. A combined income over $100,000 dollars a year will not even get you into a 900 square foot house in Southern California. I watch HGTV and know all the tricks.

Fear you are losing your marbles?
Some days I really believe I am losing my marbles (memory)! I keep on telling myself that it is because I have jammed so much into my brain there is no more room. But the article on Tricks to help your memory intrigued me. I read a lot and exercise almost daily so I am on the right path to keeping my memory intact. Playing mah-jongg sounds interesting. Mah-jongg is a chinese memory game. When I have a spare minute in my life I may actually try it. It took me 5 years just to find the rocket ship in Tetris.

Study Rates Heart Health of Popular Diet Plans

Not all diet plans are equally healthy. Diets that emphasize fruits and vegetables scored better than those that emphasis heavy proteins. Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School ranked the various diets: Ornish Plan, Zone Diet, Atkins, Weight Watchers, South Beach Diet, New Glucose Revolution and 2005 MyPyramid Plan. The Ornish Plan (I have no idea what this diet is!) earned the most points. I was disappointed that the 2005 Pyramid ranked sixth. Today is football watching Saturday and I just finished making some good old fashion chicken vegetable soup. So far my husband and daughter have eated a bowl and declared it delicious. I will leave the kettle on the stove simmering all day and I suspect the next group of young adults that wanders through the house will take a cup. So my contribution to health in a kettle of vegetable soup simmering on the stove.

Long-term-care insurance

There are times I feel I am just throwing money into the wind with insurance policies, but we did buy long-term-care insurance a few years ago. To young to think about nursing care? I for one do not want to think about nursing home care, but being realistic I do have a long-term-care policy. Pricy! a little - worth it - hopefully. Our children are just getting started in their respecive careers and since there are no grandchildren yet just at the point where my husband and I might require care they will be knee deep in child raising. With a projected bill of $5,000 dollars a month for long-term-care, savings can be depleted quite rapidly. It is recommended that the insurance be purchased by the time you reach your 40s or 50s. Pre-existing conditions can result in denial of insurance coverage. So unless you really believe the government will take care of you in your declining years take time to explore your options.

Breast Cancer Awareness

A friend emailed me this site and I posted it to generate some clicks to the free mammogram button. It takes less than a miute to go to the site and click on "donating a mammogram". The corporate sponsors / advertisers use the number of daily visits to donate mammograms in exchange for advertising.

If you want to know more about breast cancer: National Cancer Institute and

Cholesterol Level

I must admit I will try anything to try to "naturally" lower my cholesteral level. I am not overweight, exercise at least 3-4 times a week, and watch my diet. My idea of a non exercise day is to walk a few miles. I do not eat a lot of processed food and try to keep the veggie and natural fruit intake high. I saw this new product at the grocery store. I tend to shop the sale items at the local grocery store. I noticed a product called Promise activ it was on sale so I decided to try it. The drink itself is quite tasty and states it is "clinically proven" to lower cholesteral levels. It contains plant sterols (fish oils) 2 grams per drink. I will not stop taking my doctor prescribed Lipitor but am adding this product to my daily dietary intake.

My Pyramid Blast Off Game

I received an update from one of my pediatric journals about obesity in the pediatric population. I was directed to the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture)and they had a little food pyramid game for the school age child. Whether you are a teacher, parent, grandparent we need to focus on the nutrition habits of the young. Diabetes is projected to be the major health issue of this century. We can do something about Diabetes Type II by teaching people to eat wisely. I took the test as a 12 year old. It was fun and educational.

Mother Knows Best

I know the real title of the 1950s to 1960s TV show is Father Knows Best. I do not know why this just popped into my head this morning but I was looking for a catchy title. Remember Robert Young and Jane Wyatt as the ideal American couple along with their three children: Princess, Buddy and Kitten. I did not realize that the show started as a radio series and only went to television in 1954 until 1960. Apparently there is a movie version starring Tim Allen coming out in 2008. Anyway back to the reason I switched the title a bit. Women know that we are the real force behind the men in our lives. My husband and sons humor me about my blogging but this week my 28-year old just sent in his claim for "lost money". (I blogged about that a few weeks ago) and my husband is getting his $100 rebate from Apple for his Iphone. So just maybe mom does know something.

What Does Business Casual Really Mean

I work with student nurses and usually they will wear white uniforms or when in pediatrics a colorful top with white pants and shoes. There are a few times during the semester when they are allowed to wear street clothes with a lab coat. How do you explain to a young adult what "business casual" is when casual wear for this generation can be boxer shorts or pajama bottoms and jeans, cleavage, short tops and flip-flops. I know I am old fashion but when I lecture I wear a skirt or pant and blazer or sweater. I see professors (especially male) teach in jeans, tennis shoes with the obligitory navy blue blazer. Not my style! CNN posted an article about what business casual means in the workforce.

"If you want to play on the team, wear the team uniform," Freedman says. "Look around your office, see how successful people dress and imitate. I'll bet you won't find senior-level folks at work dressed shabbily - or in flip-flops." After reading the article I realize I am not alone in trying to define what appropriate dress it.

Shoppers follow stars to healthier foods

What a great idea. Hannaford Bros. a New England Supermarket lists food items on a star rating system. The less stars the less healthy the food. It is hard to read labels (remember old boomer eyes) but the star system seems easy to follow. We need to educate our children about healthy choices. I have been shopping with my daughter to make healthier choices for myself and my family and was quite surprised at the hidden sugar in many processed products. Wouldn't it be nice if the "guiding stars" could be expanded to every supermarket. Educating people about healthy eating should be easy! Kudos to the Hannaford Bros supermarket for coming up with such a great idea.

Apple has offered a $100 refund (to be spent at an Apple Store)to all buyers of the $600 Iphone 2 months ago. My husband was first in line to buy the new gadget and I must say it has been a winner. When he takes the Iphone out he is surrounded by interested parties viewing the features of the phone. My son has been waiting patiently to purchse his. I will not be surprized if my son manages to use his fathers $100 certificate at the Apple store to purchase an Iphone for $299 minus the $100 or $199. It is a nifty little gadget and I think Apple just got a lot of free publicity with the public apology to its customers. Might not be a bad time to buy a little Apple stock.

Little, little Liechtenstein

We had the oportunity to visit Liechtenstein this summer. What a wonderful little find nestled between Austria and Switzerland. We were in an elegant little hotel nestled in the mountains with spectacular views of the valley below and the castle in the distance. We did a tour of the Liechtenstein vineyard and sample some of the wines. I found a web site where you can order the Wine from Liechtenstein. The vineyards and the view were the most memorable. The town itself was filled with bank buildings. The major industry in the tiny country is banking. If you ever get a chance tour the vineyards and taste the wine.

Finding the Right Bra!
In April I went shopping for a dress for my sons wedding. When I tried on the dress the first thing the sales lady said to me was you need to get a better fitting bra. I went to Norstroms and allowed the sales person to measure me and bring me a sampling of the bras in my correct size. I was way off in my sizing. It is pretty amazing what a proper fitting bra does. Opray did a great show on finding the rigth bra.

8 Top Traffic-Ticket Myths

I have managed to drive for 40 years without a ticket or a trip to traffic school. I asked my oldest son about traffic tickets. He has acquired 20 since age 16 and has managed to get out of 10 of the tickts. Now that he is married and ticket free his car insurance is finally within a manageable cost basis. In fact when he added his ticket free wife to his policy their rates went down. 8 top traffic-ticket myths states that you need a lawyer to beat a ticket, but my son found that knowing the law and looking for any loop hole helped to beat over 50% of his tickets. Maybe the next time you are pulled over you need to let your pet do the talking.

Escape Hybrid by Ford

My son and new wife have been looking for a vehicle for a few months. They have finally settled on a Ford Escape Hybrid. My daughter-in-law is particularly concerned about gas mileage. Since they hope it will last them at least 10 years they are trying to be thoughtful about the environment. My son is the "muscle car guy" so this is quite an about face for him. Well the quest is not that simple. The car in not available. There is nothing in the Los Angeles basin. They found two in Palm Springs but the one they wanted was already sold. They found a few up in San Jose but need to get up there with no guarantee the car would be availabe once they made the trip. So why with all the government pleas to go "carbon neutral" is it so hard to purchase a hybrid vehicle. So until Ford Motor Co. can produce enough hybrid vehicles to go around my son will continue to drive his 1998 F150 gas guzzling truck.
About the Ford Escape Hybrid by Ford Motor Company.

Hot August Nights

What a week. It is blistering hot and my air conditioning went out and my water heater is leaking plus I had a swarm of termites take over my living room. I have learned more than I want to about the pesky little critters in the last few days. I was especially upset since I had the house treated last year by Jeff Hiatt Inc. Luck was on my side in that did honor the warranty. The bad part is that they cannot come out and service my house for two weeks. So when in a crisis I called good old mom. She did have some suggestions. I went to OSH and purchased some termite spray and termite spikes and set off to stop the infestation. It looks like my measures have helped for the time being. I will still have the professionals come and spray for the wood eating critters. The air conditioner was fixed today (I did not need a new one) and my hot water heater was under warranty so it was replaced for the labor costs only.

Rethinking Retirement


More boomers choosing to work. According to a CNN article six in ten baby boomers intend to work after retirement. I was at a conference in Minnesota last week and when to retire and what to do after retirement seemed to be the major topics of conversation. About 3/4 of the people at the conference were 55 and older. Topics included: quitting before someone tells you to, (I call this retiring at the top of your game)and finding new interests when the time comes to re-direct your energies. Many of the wives were very concerned that their husbands would drive them crazy just hanging around the house. I have at least 6 years before I think of retiring but I am already refocusing my energies since my children are all out of the house. Keeping health in number one. Cooking healthy meals and exercising takes up a lot of time if you do it right. I donate a few days a month helping in an elementary school. I am thinking about joining a bible study and of course I am blogging.

Diaper Free Babies

An interesting phenomena! I must be old school but I had this sorta hands off policy on toilet training. The normal child "toilet trains" by about 3 years of age. My guidelines on toilet training are from the American Academy of Pediatrics. But there seems to be a new fad in toilet training. Diaper Free Babies is a growing fad in Massachusetts. "Parents who practice the so-called “elimination communication” learn to read their children’s body language to help them recognize the need, and they mimic the sounds that a child associates with the bathroom." Somehow I can't see holding a newborn over a sink to let them urinate. I was happy to see my 3 toilet trained by school age. (kindergarten not preschool) Trends come and go but somehow I did not have the energy with breast feeding, trying to sleep, and keeping little ones entertained. I think my two sons actually wore cloth diapers. It will be interesting to see what long term ramifications this trend has.

Unclaimed Properties

Los Angeles California - Owners of seized assets sought. The state contoller announced plans to overhaul the widely criticized way California has seized millions of dollars in unclaimed property. LA Times August 2007. About 5 years ago my son was playing around on his compter and went on a site for unclaimed property and found that I had some unclaimed stock money in Illinois (listed under my maiden name). I provided the proper documentation, current driver license, marriage certificate, college transcrips from Chicago etc and within 6 months received my check for over $4000. They actually had an office where a live person answered the telephone. While doing the search my husband found that the State of California owed him $1500. Despite submitting all the paper work the funds were never returned. Today I went on the web site provided for unclaimed properties and found the State of California owes my husband money but only 2 small check worth about$252.00. What happen to the $1500.00 from the last search?
If you have lived in other states it might be worth searching unclaimed assets. Good luck, this may just be your lucky day.

Iphone Bill

Or information overload. Some Ipod users got their first bills from AT&T and were shocked to see up to 30 pages of billing records. Not only is every telphone call recorded but every Internet access is recorded. I check my husbands AT&T bill and sure enough it is about 10 pages (both sides)filled with data. Of course the talented Iphone users have already posted a reply on YouTube. Justine Ezarik ecourages Ipone users to use e-billing and save a tree.

Drifting
My oldest son is an amazing individual. Since he was 17 years of age (11 years ago) he has been fascinated by cars. When he was a junior in high school my husband helped him to purchase a 1966 Chevelle. Since that time he has added a 1964 Chevelle and a 1994 Mustang to his collection. He can often be seen in the driveway working on one of the cars. I have had people stop by and ask what school he went to to learn about cars. (He has a degree in computer science.) No school taught him what he knows. (His grandfather worked at Ford Motor Company so maybe it is genetic.)He has always been a person who needs a project. About four years ago when he and his current wife were dating, he was working on one of the cars when she stated "When will you be done?" At that time I informed her that he will always have some car he will be working on. The video I have posted is about his passion for cars. The Mustang has been a labor of love. He is not the driver of the car, just the "grease monkey" fixing it.

Mr. Robinson Driving School

I was found this website Mr. Robinson Driving School It is absolutely hilarious. We have been out shopping for cars lately. Our fleet of cars has gotten a bit old. My daughter loves her new little Acura (She programed my telephone number into her car and can now call me with just a voice command). My son and new wife need a reliable car. He has three, but they do not all work at any given time. His wife has a ten year old Honda and wants something newer. This weekend we will do the rounds again. After this we should be done for awhile. It is interesting that all my kids pick cars for different reasons. The new cars have so many new features. GPS, blue tooth, Ipod connections etc. Apparently I do have blue tooth in my Infinity but of course I have not clue how to use it. I have just confiscated the Garmin GPS navigator to use in my car. I will keep you updated on my venture into the high tech with the use of the GPS.

A Reason to Listen to the Evacuation Instructions When Flying

It is amazing that no one was killed and all passengers survived. "China Airlines had a fire today. Luckily, no one was killed, and the only injury was first degree burns to a ground crew member. Pretty amazing considering the plane was on fire as the passengers were evacuating and the fuel tank exploded within 10 seconds of the last passenger exiting, and before the pilot exited." I just returned from the Midwest. We just missed the major storm approaching Minnesota. While the airline attendants were giving the little safety message I glanced around as always to see where my closest exit was. I even looked at the woman in front of me traveling with two small babies and thought she might need a little help. When I read the news this morning I reflected back to yesterday and said a little prayer of thanks. This is just an example of why we need to have experienced personal fying and serving the public on airplanes. Being a nurse it is like having that major emergency you practice for yearly happen on your shift. So next time you fly LISTEN to the instructions by the airline personal.

On the Road to Love...

For the past week we have been helping our daughter find a car. She had the misfortune to wreck her vehicle two weeks ago in a fender-bender. The search has been quite exhausting (Internet plus walking through blocks of car dealerships and driving the vehicles). As of yesterday it seems that she has decided on the Acura as the vehicle of choice. Today I found this article on line about who buys certain types of cars. On the Road to Love... When I read the article I decided the vehicle she picked fits her personality well. One quote that especially struck me was "I save when I can so I can splurge when I want." Sounds like my daughter, although since she just started working and saving we do need to help her financed the vehicle. The part I though was interesting was the Love style (according to the author): owner likes to talk about life, likes support, friendship and honesty are essential in a relationship. Sounds like my daughter.

Chicago's Hottest Hog Dogs

I am currently in Minnesota. One might ask what that has to do with Chicago Hot dogs. We took a direct flight from Los Angeles so we did not have a stop in the Chicago airport. If you are ever in Chicago you need to stop at one the many stands in the airport and have one of the famous dogs. If you are in the city you can follow the link Chicago's Hottest Hot Dogs and for about 6 dollars get a tasty dog. We have had very delicious meals while on this trip (Walleyed Pike a few times). I haven't been able to do my spinning class but did go on a bike trip the other day on a real bike. I calculated I did about 22 miles in about 2 1/2 hours. Yesterday I did a hike of about 2 to 4 miles (depending on who you ask in the group). At times it seemed like it was a scramble through the bushes (much of the trail seemed to have washed away)but we had fun and hopefully wore off a few calories. The first day at lunch they had hot dogs, hamburgers, and health chicken breasts and I west straight for the hot dog. To make a traditional Chicago hot dog at home. Chop up tomatoes, sweet onion, and pickles and top with mustard a little celery salt. NO Ketchup, ketchup is for the fries only.

US Troops save infant from war zone

I am determined to say out of the politics concerning the US involvement in the war in Iraq but todays story fills me with joy. A 9-month old girl is alive and well in an American military hospital. War has historically brought damage and death to citizens and it is uplifting to me to see that little miracles do happen. Article on from Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Five Things You Must do to Age Beautifully

I am always looking for tips to slow the aging process. I diligently put on sunscreen as part of my morning make-up routine. I have numerous products I have tried over the years to hydrate the skin. I have occasionally watched the Oprah show and have read her magazine at the local beauty salon. The suggestions by Oprah are pretty simple. The only one I have not done is visit the dermatologist for an exfoliating alpha hydroxy peel. I do have a facial a few times a year. The next suggestion is a good haircut. I visit my hair stylist monthly to shape and color my hair as needed. The third suggestion to get enough sleep. Most of the time I do not have a problem with this but I am up blogging at 0452. The next suggestion, take good care of your teeth. Floss and brush and visit your dentist twice a year. I have never had my teeth professionally whitened but use Crest Whitestrips to reduce the staining. The last suggestion is good posture. I do workout and have added 15 minutes of weights to my work-out routine. I have seen a major difference in my upper body (arms). So there is hope for us boomers.

Serious Injuries Prompt Recall

Mattelis recalling Polly Pocket magnetic play sets. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a hazard aleert for the tiny magnets inside the dolls and accessories that can fall out of the dolls and accessories and be swallowed by young children. There have been 3 reports of children who swallowed the little magnets and have required surgery to remove the batteries. Full story of gastrointestinal injuries from magnet ingestion in children can be read on CDC website. The CPSC site highlighted above includes a list of the products being recalled. As my daughter was flying out the door this morning to go car shopping with her dad she paused to ask what I was blogging about this am, I told her about the Polly Pocket recall. She loved to play with them as a child. She said she did not remember the older version having the magnets. As boomers who may already have grandchildren please spread the word.

While the folks are away the cat does play!

After we remodeled our house for the fourth time I decided I needed to keep our cat out of the living room, so I went to Petco and purchased a cat fence to block off the entrance to the living room. You see our cat (or should I say my daughters cat) was purchased when she was in sixth grade. (She is now a new college graduate) The cat somehow got left behind. Anyway, the cat ruined our old rug and I did not want it to happen again. As far as I know she would just walk up to the fence, sniff it and walk away. But, a few times we have found her in the living room on the rug. My daughter-in-law sent me this little vido from youtube. Maybe our cat just needs to learn how to jump back over the fence before we get back home.

Recall on items made in China

First it was cat food, last week it was lead in toys, today the recall of toothpasts made in China was expanded and according to Mattel more toys are going to be recalled due to lead paint. I am beginnig to quesiton why standards are not being applied to imported items. Lead paint was banned years ago in the USA do to the fact that high lead levels can damage the developing brains of infants and young children. The FDA issued an alert on toothpaste due to a poisonous chemical, diethylene glycol (DEG) found in certain toothpaste and dental products produced in China. The FDA site lists the brands of toothpaste to avoid using. I did look at the site for any brands that might be in my house. The pictured brand on the this blog is toothpaste provided in a hotel room for guests. When traveling please check to make sure you are no brushing with DEG.

The Seven Worst Ways to Eat

We are a culture fixated on eating. I have found that if I count the calories I actually eat I do a lot better with maintaining my weight. I must confess that my genetic background combined with my mom feeding us fruits and vegetables and home cooked meals tends to help. (I have 4 brothers and 2 sisters and no one is overweight.) Desert was never a part of the meal. I tend to cook at home and keep reasonably healthy foods in the pantry. I do look at a web site called nutritious junk to look up the calories and nutritional value of packaged foods. (When I start back to work in a few weeks I am sure I will resort to more packaged foods.) I remember as a kid sitting around the big table with all of us eating and talking. We almost never sat in front of the TV eating. An article from Newsweek talks about how where you eat can play a major role in you weight and digestive well-being. I have heard some funny little misnomers about eating:
If you eat standing up the calories will no stick.
If you take a bite off another persons plate it does not count.
If you eat in the dark the calories that you cannot see do not count.
The little pieces of cookie or donut you break off and eat while at work do not count.

Of course we all know none of this is true. When the kids were growing up we always ate dinner at the kitchen table. I have made an effort to keep this up with just my husband and I. (Put a little candle and cut flowers on the table to increase the ambiance.) We almost never eat in front of the TV. I am a slow eater so I am always the last one done eating. If you do go to a restaurant you do not have to eat everything set down in front of you. Even in the best of restaurants do not be afraid to ask for a bag-to-go. (My daughter and I split a crab cake appetizer last night and she took her left-over chicken for her lunch today.)It is the calories that we do not count that add up the most. As I go through the day denying myself (not having the donut while I have my nails done, ignoring the chocolate cake offered at the hair salon, and taking my non-fat latter with no sugar) I wonder why the calories I do not eat all day don't add up to a negative intake.

Dow Sees 2nd worst day of 2007!
I for one try not to panic over the stock market, but as a boomer I do might not have the luxury of waiting 20 years for an adjustment. When I cliked on the CNN money report for today and saw the graph of todays plunge,I decided to look at the graph for the year to date not just one day, and my heart did settle a bit. When we moved into our house 27 years ago I remember paying 12 3/4 % interest. We had one child and were expecting a second and were living in a 900 square foot house. We stretched our budget to buy a 2,000 square foot bungalo on an oversized lot in a good school district. Flash forward 27 years and the property has dramatically increased in value (3 remodels and an addition of 1,000 square feet has helped a bit). My husband just patted me on the head as he walked by: Have you seen what the market did today? Of course, but the positive me said: It will come back, just a little down day but our portfolio looks better than it did a year ago. So, I am not ready to stick my money under the mattress, but I will not be quitting my day job anytime soon.

How safe are our bridges?

I do believe that the less the government is involved in my life the better. I do believe their major job should be the safety of roads and bridges. This week I watched in horror as the bridge collapsed in Minnesota during rush hour. I have also followed the Big Dig disaster in Boston. I remember sitting in Boston traffic for over 4 hours due to a detour around the building of the underground thorough fair through the city. According to WCBC Boston the glue company was indicted in the deadly Big Dig collapse. 20 anchors that were holding the concrete ceiling panels in place were secured with short-term strength glue. If a tunnel build in the last few years is failing how can we trust that bridges and roads are safe, especially those who were build years ago. When I was a young child I remember going over the bridge from Detroit to Canada. I was never a real bridge person. (I have this occasional nightmare that I am on the bridge to nowhere.) The other option was going into the tunnel that connected the two countries but I was even more fearful the the millions of gallons of water that could pour in at any moment. So a note to Big Government: Keep our roads, bridges and tunnels safe so we don't see further bridge failures. I am going to Minnesota next week and I am a little nervous about going over a bridge.

Google Maps Street View

This weekend we used Google Satellite View on my husbands new IPhone. We were visiting with friends and had a good laugh showing them their cottage from a satellite view. I joked with my friend about having him stand out in front of the cottage and waving so we could actually see him. Little did we know that in a few days that would be a reality with Google Maps Street View. I would have to say that I like my GPS better for travel. I like when the device talks to me. While traveling through Germany, while the guiding hand of (Heidi) our GPS navigated us through unfamiliar roads, I often thought: How does she the GPS know where we are? Is big brother watching our every move? We fight for our privacy but our life is filled with little devices that seem to be able to tract us. I just recently learned how to use the GPS and now since my husband has is new toy, the IPhone, Heidi will now be installed in my car.

I went on Youtube and of course there was a video (with over 5 million hits) demonstrating the use of Google Maps Street View.

"red hot rings of death"

This is the term used to described the Xbox 360. Apparently up to 25% of these boxes can fail due to emitting to much heat. According to an article in the LA times today "Cool electronic gear may be emitting too much heat. Temperatures are rising and electronic gadgets are failing as more and more power is crammed into less space. Games consoles digital video recorders, cable boxes are throwing off tremendous amounts of heat." I guess now I need to install a huge fan in my newly remodeled family room to cool down my new toys. To say that high tech has not invaded my life would be and understatement. At this very moment I am with my husband and two of our very best friends at their lake front up in northern California. My husband is playing with his new Iphone, my friends are both on their computers and of course I am blogging. Just like the younger generation I went on-line to view the newspaper. So when you are setting up new living areas, no only do you need to add new plug sites (which we did in our remodel) but you will need to add a giant fan to cool down all your high tech toys so you do not burn down your house. All the fans of Big Ideas this is your time to make your millions developing something to cool down high tech devices.

Business section Los Angeles Times:

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-heat4aug04,0,1530196.story?coll=la-home-center

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini





"His new novel is A Thousand Splendid Suns, a title that comes from a 17th-century poem — an ode to the city of Kabul. In it, Hosseini tells the story of two girls who grow close as women — unlikely friends who are brought together in the chaos of war. "
I so enjoyed his first book The Kite Runner. The book sat on my bookself for months before I picked it up and read it non stop. I am off for a few days of R & R and will not be taking my computer. I have not read a novel all summer and need a little respite from writing.







Interview with author Khaled Hosseine from NPR:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10302277


Previous book: The Kite Runner - Interview with author: http://www.newsline.com.pk/newsnov2003/newsbeat4nov.htm

The New Face of Fitness is getting older.




Harrison Ford Age 65



I have been working out at my fitness club on an almost daily basis. I love the spinning class especially with my 60+ year old trainer. He actually has a day job and teaches spinning three evening a week. I did two Pilate's classes last week with much younger instructors and felt they did not really understand my needs. I do push myself but I know my body and I don't mind "feeling the burn" but I do not want to be totally disabled for days after a class. Sometimes while I am trying to do the exercise as demonstrated by the 30+, 10% body fat, flexible instructor, I am thinking "just wait" you will be old some day. According to the article in Living Well, 37% of health club members are 55 or older. I don't want to enroll in a "senior only" center but I do want a trainer that has some experience working with the more mature client. Today I was a bit sore from Sundays grueling Pilate's class so I took it easy and did a brisk walk with my best friend. We walked fast enough to build up a light sweat but not so fast that we could not talk. I am looking forward to my spinnng class tomorrow and maybe I'll give Pilate's another chance.

Link to article: http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/diet.fitness/07/27/senior.fitness/index.html

Vintage Sunglasses

What do my best friend and Nicole Richie have in common? I played "hookie" with my best friend the other day. I was suppose to be studying for a certificate I need to have to start back to work in September. I took the wrapper off the CD and book and promptly called by best friend to see if she wanted to go for coffee. Her husband answered the phone and said she was at the local salon having a M&P. I drove over there (I usually walk, but wanted to hijack her for a quick trip to the local Macy's) to pick her up. Before we went shopping she wanted to walk down the boulevard to drop off a gift for a friend (and dry her nails). She is trying to lose weight and exercise more. So instead of jumping into my car I joined her in the 1/2 mile walk. I am trying to be her support person in her effort to lose extra poundage. As we left the salon I noticed she put on an over-sized pair of sunglasses. (Just like the sun glasses I had just seen on a picture of Nicole in the Calendar section of the LA Times.) Wow, I said you are so in-style. Yes she replied these old things they have finally come back into style. I remember my mom saying that: "If you keep something long enough it will come back into style." Yikes, we are turning into our moms!

Retiring Early!

A hot topic at boomer gatherings is when to retire. Looking at the stock market today (July 27, 2007) we may be working a lot longer than we planned on. If you are one of the earlier boomers the retirement age is fast approaching. But what is that age 55, 65, 70? With longevity increasing (I have an aunt that died of natural causes in her 90s). My mom and dad are in their early 80s and both reasonably healthy.

Tips from the experts:

1. Calculate your needs
2. Adjust your portfolio
3. Stay Busy

Calculate your needs - When the experts tell you to calculate your needs what is your target age. If you retire to early the money may run out - if you wait to long you may not get to enjoy the fruits of your labor. With Social Security on the brink of running out of money and health care cost spiraling we may need to depend on our own resources to survive comfortably on our own.

Adjust your portfolio - easier said than done. Most experts say 60% in stocks and 35% in equities. I guess that leaves 5% stuffed under the mattress. If your are able I would suggest putting as much into any any retirement plan you are eligible for. At least put away the maximum amount you are allowed into a personal IRA account.

Stay busy - I am Lucky that in my profession I am off summers. I worked summers when my children were in school but when my daughter graduated (and got a job) I decided to take the summer off. I have employed more women who have the "empty nest syndrome" and have shifted from hospital nursing to teaching. They are a great group of women, energetic and full of life experiences. 2 years ago I started donating time in my daughter-in-laws first grade classroom. It is fun to work with the kids.

Go back to school - my suggestion - This year I have a student who wanted to know if she could keep her cell phone on during class. She was awaiting the birth of her first grandchild. When asked why she came back to college at her age, her reply: "It is something I have always wanted to do." During one of my graduate class a few years ago there was a cluster of us 50+ with one age 59. For those of you who are not academically inclined take an art class, ceramics, or computer class. Learn to BLOG!

The Smart Money Path to Retiring Early:


http://www.smartmoney.com/cover/index.cfm?story=april2007&pgnum=2

Back-combing, Teasing and Ratting - The Art of Tangling Hair

Boy does this take my "back in time". I remember "ratting" my hair back in college It I look back at my college graduation pickture I could serve as the poster child for the "Hairspray" movie. I have noticed my dabugter "teasing" her hair to give her hair more lift. Maybe the "Beehive" will be back in style soon. I don't think my children can picture me with a beehive hair do, babydoll dress, and bright blue eye shadow with black underliner and fake eyelashes. Now you can go one-line to view a movie on how to properly back-comb your hair. How things have changed - or have they?

For review of the hit movie "Hairspray" go to http://www.missmovies.com/

To learn how to "tease" your hair go to:

http://lifestyle.msn.com/stylestudio/default.aspx?tab=episodes&section=weekend&contentid=54&GT1=10182

Study Finds Obesity Loves Company

This week I have been followoing an article about obesity and friendship. Today the article was on the front page of the LA Times. "Obesity can spread among a group of friends like a contagious disease, moving from one person to another in an epidemic of fat." WOW! I have heard of measles, chickenpox, mumps etc spreading from person to person but not fat. "The trend has been linked to inexpensive fast food, a sedentary lifestyle and genetic factors." I do not eat fast food, lead a pretty active life (spinning 2-3 times a week) and am very lucky to have a good genetic background. (six siblings and no one obese). Now I have to choose my friends by their BMI and eating habits! This seems a bit absurd. According to the article: "A person who becomes obese increases the odds of obesity in about 100 people connected to one another through family or friendship." YIPES! Can you catch obesity! Is there an immunization against obesity - like immunizations against most communicable diseases? I guess the mortal of the story is to promote exercise and better diet among your friends and you will prevent the spread of obesity. Replace the morning donut with fruit and low fat yogurt. Omit sugar from your coffee and use non-fat cream or take it black. Drink WATER! When you feel like putting something in your mouth......move away from the food.....every bite does count.

Read the full article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/25/AR2007072501353.html

Vitamin Water

Are there any benefits from high cost vitamin waters. I purchased one each of the more popular brands and did a very unscientific study. I put the bottles of water on my kitchen table and asked various people which would be their favorite and why.

Glaceau Vitamin Water (C+ Calcium). The container has 2.5 serving with 50 calries per serving, zero sodium and 70 mg of potassium plus Vit A, E, B3,6,5,12,and folic acid. My rationale for drinking this tasty fluid is that I use it as a replacment for orange juice. When I am working I take a bottle as part of my "on the road breakfast." I no longer use it as a supstitiute for water while exercising due to the 150 calories per bottle.

My daughter likes Smart Water by Glaceau . It has zero calories, zero sodium, and trace electrolytes. She will drink Vitamin Water (C + Calcium) for the same reasons I do - as a substitute for orange juice.

My husband and daughters guy friend chose Gatorade. Gatorade has 50 calories per ounce, 110 mg of sodium and 30 mg of potassium (electolytes). Both do drink tap water but will drink Gatorade when doing more strenuous exercise or outdoor sports.

My middle son said: "What is wrong with plain old tap water?"

I found a genertic quote used by a few sources:

"Any benefit, other than the water, in such a drink is questionable. If a person wants to supplement vitamins, either a multi-vitamin daily or selected megadoses are usually more convenient and less expensive. The best source of vitamins is always food."

So we seem to be overpaying for conveniece and questionable benefit. For those of you who are calorie counting you need to watch the calorie content per bottle. You may just undo any potential calorie loss with exercise by drinking the same amount in you favorite sport drink.

Hot Flashes: minimize discomfort during menopause.

For all you under 50 readers you can have a good laugh over this but it will happen to you in time. In 2000 HRT (hormone replacement therapy) came under attack to due to potential side effects. Millions of women who were on drugs to control the side effects were suddenly encouraged to try more natural methods to control their symptoms. Today Wyeth has just gotten an "approval letter" from the FDA (Federal Drug Administration). The drug Pristiq is the first nonhormonal treatment for hot flashes. I just had "the talk" with my gyn doc and he did not have a lot of answers. (When you are waiting on the phone to make an appointment there is some statement about "cutting edge treatment of menopausal symptoms.) I till cling to my hormone patch with low doses of estadiol to help control the "fuzzy brain" syndrome, hot flashes, and sleep disorder. Get with a group of women in their 50s and this is a big topic of converstation. Some dietary supplements suggested include: black cohash, Soy and red clover and Vitamin E. I actually tried every type of supplement before going on the patch.

In my internet search this am I found some very factual information from Mayo Clinic:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/

I found an absolutely hilarious site called Minnie Pauz with some great cartoons and funny videos: This one is titled: "If you don't get it, you ain't there yet." (I was laughing so hard watching this video, my husband stopped munching on his "Golden Flax" cereal to see what I was watching.) http://www.minniepauz.com/menopause-video.html

The site itself is quite fun to read:

http://www.minniepauz.com/

The TiVo Digital Video Recorder

What do monk and TiVo have in common? I never used a TiVo prior to last year. In my maddness I totally gutter a former family room (old fireplace, bookshelfs, and cabinets) to put in a big screen and surround sound. With the in house entertainment center came a TiVo. It took me a few tries to figure out how to play the recorded programs. My children refused to help me they said: "You will never learn to use the device if we do it for you." Boy that echoes of what I told them when they were trying to learn a new skill. Monk started the sixth season on July13th. My husband and I both enjoy the show. We had our newly remodeled hourse painted based on colors used in his house. (ok, laugh - our house was cottage white in every room - so adding color was a leap for me) My husband has been mourning the loss of Sharona for the last few years and finally has come to accept Natalie as Monks new assistant. On Friday we totally forgot about the show being on; but since we have entered the hightech era were were able to watch the episode on Saturday. Now I see the beauty of TiVo. Ok I am not quite efficient at using new technology - I have not learned to select the programs to be recorded.

I even went on line to view the Monk official site: http://www.usanetwork.com/series/monk/

I am looking forward to viewing next weeks episode "Monk and the Naked Man".

Got Junk

Last week while working out I was watching the bank of TV monitors and happened to see Big Ideas. They were interviewing Brian Scudamore. He is the founder of 1-800-GOT-JUNK. This Saturday I saw one of his very districtive trucks pull into the neighbors driveway. I went across the street to my neighbor and inquired how much it cost to hall away her junk. She gave me the price and proceeded to tell me how considerate and polite they were even calling her to tell her they would be 1/2 hour late. I ambled across the lawn to my two car garage and thought how great it would be to park a car inside. My story is a little different in that my son stores his 1964 Chevy Malibu in the garage plus enough car parts to make a second car. I told him the story about the Got Junk people. A little later that day he was busy pulling car parts out of the garage. He made a pile of parts he wanted to sell. By the end of the day he had sold 2 items for a total of $325.00 and had an inquiry into a third item for $200.00. (He had posted them on the iternet and had the buyers pay on paypal before he shipped them out). On his wedding license when asked what he did for a living my son said: entrepreneur. The clerk could not quite understand what he meant so my son said: empire builder. On the form the clerk filled in for occupation "builder". As boomers, we told our kids to reach for the stars so when they do we have to believe in them.

Entrepreneur Success Story: http://entrepreneurs.about.com/od/casestudies/a/1800gotjunk.htm

Big Ideas by Donny Duetsch:

http://www.cnbc.com/id/15838512/

More than just a cup of coffee.

This morning I made an early morning run to Starbucks. My husband nicely asked me to do the morning coffee run by adding you always run into someone you know and end up having conversation. With the recent wedding and new graduate in the house (with a job) there is a lot talk about. This morning I went to the Starbucks on the other side of town. I wanted a bagel (sorry Bucks your bagels are not the same as Goldsteins Bagels). I purchased a few bagels and walked across the parking lot to the Starbucks. A gentleman (of late boomer age) was behind me at the bagel store and than re-appeared behind me in line for coffee. The lady in front us was busy ordering 3 iced drinks, 2 hot drinks and an assortment of breakfast items, so we struck up a conversation. We both agreed that Sunday coffee buyers are more patient than the weekday crowd. We chuckled over the fact that we both purchased our bagels across the street and our coffee here. When our coffee came we picked them up and left the building wishing each other a pleasant Sunday. Two boomers out for morning coffee, no iPods stuck in our ears blocking conversation. When I returned home my husband thanked me for the coffee and asked if I ran into anyone on my coffee run. I smiled and said yes remembering the pleasant conversation. I heard a comment on the radio a few weeks ago about a world traveler who looks for the familiar Starbucks sign in every country just to feel at home. For some maybe Starbucks has become the place to converse and meet and just hang out reading the paper on a Sunday morning.

Baby Suri Cruise and bottle at 15-months old.

Katie does look happy and seems to be pulling her life and career together but what about baby Suri. She is 15 months old and drinking a bottle. Haven'tTom and Katie read any baby books lately. The recommended age for weaning an infant off the bottle is around 12 to 18 months of age.

"The longer children use a bottle, the greater the chances of being overweight. For each month of bottle use after age 15 months, the risk of obesity increased by 3%. "

If Katie and Tom want little Suri to be trim and fit as mom they should think about weaning her from the bottle in the next few months. Not to mention what milk can do to promote tooth decay in babies.

A good resource for the Cruise family would be:

http://www.homeandfamilynetwork.com/baby/bottlefeeding.html

Cup Cakes

Now I know I am getting old when cup cakes are a hot bakery item. Yesteday my daughter-in-law made a batch of the delicious (high calories - 3 cups of confectioners sugar + 1/2 cup unsalted butter for the frosting alone) cupcakes. Needless to say they were delicious. I remember when cupcakes made from a box of cake mix + ready make frosting were a quick way to fullfill the birthday party in the classroom request. (Apparently due to the rise in obesity in children, children can no longer bring or consume treats in the classroom.) I did eat 2 of the delicious, high calorie little cakes. The last lonely cupcake is sitting on the counter calling me. I think that one cupcake calories count = 1 hour of spinning.

Of course there is a blog site for cupcakes - enjoy!

http://cupcakestakethecake.blogspot.com/