NetFlix and The L Word

No posts for the entire month of August.  Why?  Simple: I subscribed to NetFlix! 

Now, I only did that to rent the occasional movie, but lo and behold, I discovered “The L Word”.  And it was like crack (well, okay, I’ve never actually used crack, but you know what I mean…)

There are several seasons, with 4, 5 or 6 discs in each, so this is keeping me way busier than I ever dreamed possible.  Addiction?   Maybe.  But it sure beats CNN, Fox News, and all the other negative things I was watching every night.  I’m a new woman.  (No, not THAT way….)

500 Days of Summer

Another GREAT film!  This one about love, infatuation, taking chances and maturity.

No matter your age, you’ll relate.   Don’t miss this one if you like intelligent, thoughtful entertainment.

FOOD, Inc.

Very good film!  A must see.  You probably won’t believe what you’re really eating.

Me?  Not a lot new here that I didn’t already know, but I am thrilled that the word is getting out to the masses now.  We’re being asked to buy and eat such “junk” and many times in the name of  “all natural”, “farm fresh” , and “healthy”.

Don’t be fooled.  Arm yourselves with information, so you can be a wise consumer and eat what you think you’re actually buying!

What Every Man Should Know (aka Manlaws)

The International Council of Man Laws, Ltd.

1. Under no circumstances may two men share an umbrella.

2. It is OK for a man to cry ONLY under the following circumstances:

(a) When a heroic dog dies to save its master.

(b) The moment Angelina Jolie starts unbuttoning her Blouse.

(c) After wrecking your boss’s car.

(d) When she is using her teeth.

3. Any Man who brings a camera to a bachelor party may be legally killed and eaten by his buddies.

4. Unless he murdered someone in your family, you must bail a friend out of jail within 12 hours.

5. If you’ve known a guy for more than 24 hours, his sister is off limits forever, unless you actually marry her.

6. Moaning about the brand of free beer in a buddy’s fridge is forbidden. However, complain at will if the temperature is unsuitable.

7. No man shall ever be required to buy a birthday present for another man.

8. On a road trip, the strongest bladder determines pit stops, not the weakest.

9. When stumbling upon other guys watching a sporting event, you may ask the score of the game in progress, but you may never ask who’s playing.

10. You may flatulate in front of a woman only after you have brought her to climax. If you trap her head under the covers for the purpose of flatulent entertainment, she’s officially your girlfriend.

11. It is permissible to drink a fruity alcohol drink only when you’re sunning on a tropical beach … And it’s delivered by a topless model and only when it’s free.

12. Only in situations of moral and/or physical peril are you allowed to kick another guy in the nuts.

13. Unless you’re in prison, never fight naked.

14. Friends don’t let friends wear Speedos. Ever. Issue closed.

15. If a man’s fly is down, that’s his problem; you didn’t see anything.

16. Women who claim they “love to watch sports” must be treated as spies until they demonstrate knowledge of the game and the ability to drink as much as the other sports watchers.

17. A man in the company of a hot, suggestively dressed woman must remain sober enough to fight.

18. Never hesitate to reach for the last beer or the last slice of pizza, but not both, that’s just greedy.

19. If you compliment a guy on his six-pack, you’d better be talking about his choice of beer.

20. Never join your girlfriend or wife in discussing a friend of yours, except if she’s withholding sex pending your response.

21. Phrases that may NOT be uttered to another man while lifting weights:

A) Yeah, Baby, Push it!

B) C’mon, give me one more! Harder!

C) Another set and we can hit the showers!

22. Never talk to a man in a bathroom unless you are on equal footing (i.e., both urinating, both waiting in line, etc.). For all other situations, an almost imperceptible nod is all the conversation you need.

23. Never allow a telephone conversation with a woman to go on longer than you are able to have sex with her. Keep a stopwatch by the phone.. Hang up if necessary.

24. The morning after you and a girl who was formerly “just a friend” have carnal, drunken monkey sex, the fact that you’re feeling weird and guilty is no reason for you not to nail each other again before the discussion occurs about what a big mistake it was.

 25. It is acceptable for you to drive her car. It is not acceptable for her to drive yours.

26. Thou shalt not buy a car in the colours of brown, pink, lime green, orange or sky blue.

27. The girl who replies to the question “What do you want for Christmas?” with “If you loved me, you’d know what I want!” gets an Xbox. End of story.

28. There is no reason for guys to watch Ice Skating or Men’s Gymnastics. Ever.

29. We’ve all heard about people having guts or balls. But do you really know the difference between them? In an effort to keep you informed, the definition of each is listed below:

“GUTS” is arriving home late after a night out with The guys, being assaulted by your wife with a broom, And having the guts to say, “are you still cleaning or are you flying somewhere?”

“BALLS” is coming home late after a night out with the guys smelling of perfume and beer, lipstick on your collar, slapping your wife on the ass and having the balls to say, “You’re next!”

We hope this clears up any confusion,

The International Council of Man Laws, Ltd

Let’s Work Out!!!

Let’s work out!   Really.  Not a joke.  C’mon, it’ll be fun!

Over 50?  Me, too.   Rather go to the movies?  Me, too.

Don’t care how you feel?   NO….that’s not me!

 

It’s May 31st, and on May 1st, I issued a 30 day challenge.  How did you do?  Were you able to let go of the junk food?  Were you able to do it for even a day?

 

This month, I would like you to add exercise.  Take a walk or a hike, some kind of cardio exercise, every day for at least 20 minutes and work up to an hour.  If it’s your first time, then go slowly, but your goal is still to be able to do it for an hour by months end.

If you’re seasoned, then do your intense cardio dauly, and work up to an hour.  This will jumpstart your summer exercise routine.

By July, you’ll want to move your body, you won’t feel normal if you don’t.

 

And,  I have another challenge for you. How about if every other day for the month of June,  you don’t allow yourself anything processed.

This means no so-called healthy chips, energy bars or any other “processed health foods”, either.  But it’s just every “other” day…so if you have some kind of function to attend, or you simply can’t pass up your own birthday cake, that’s okay.  Just do your “whole foods day” the next day. 

 

Now, just to be clear, this is not a diet.  It’s an exercise to see if you can exchange some of your unhealthy ways for back to basics, REAL, whole food choices. 

Finding out that you can’t go a day without processed foods can be a real eye opener.

But finding out how fabulous it feels to wake up in the morning after a day with no processed foods is an even bigger jolt to your psyche.

I can tell you that just one day of nothing but whole foods will give you some insight to how much we really do rely on processed and therefore unhealthy food choices.

 

So, instead of that energy bar in your purse (which is probably full of sugar or artificial sweeteners), how about an apple? 

 

No room in the purse you say?  Well, my answer to that is simple:  Buy bigger purses (unless maybe you’d prefer to buy bigger bloomers?)

 

Good Luck!  I know you can do it.  And, I’m taking the challenge with you, so for the next 30 days you can expect some blogging about new ideas that fit into my purse….or not.

Mammograms…Just Say NO!

If you rely on the recommendations of a conventional health care provider, you are likely to begin with surgery and follow it up with chemotherapy and/or radiation.  You will likely be told nothing at all about hormone balance, proper nutrition, exercise, and stress reduction.

So, the real question is, do you REALLY want to leave your health in the hands of mainstream medicine?  Or do you want to take control of your health and your life?

1. A routine mammogram screening typically involves four x-rays, two per breast. This amounts to more than 150 times the amount of radiation that is used for a single chest x-ray. Bottom line: screening mammograms send a strong dose of ionizing radiation through your tissues. Any dose of ionzing radiation is capable of contributing to cancer and heart disease.
2. Screening mammograms increase the risk of developing cancer in premenopausal women.
3. Screening mammograms require breast tissue to be squeezed firmly between two plates. This compressive force can damage small blood vessels which can result in existing cancerous cells spreading to other areas of the body.
4. Cancers that exist in pre-menopausal women with dense breast tissue and in postmenopausal women on estrogen replacement therapy are commonly undetected by screening mammograms.
5. For women who have a family history of breast cancer and early onset of menstruation, the risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer with screening mammograms when no cancer actually exists can be as high as 100 percent.

A large-scale screening study published in September of 2000 by epidemiologists at the University of Toronto revealed that monthly breast self-examination following brief training, coupled with an annual clinical breast examination by a trained health care professional, is at least as effective as mammography in detecting early tumors, and also safe.

Since we know that properly performed breast exams are just as effective at detecting early tumors as mammography, how can we justify the use of screening mammograms when we know that all forms of ionizing radiation increase the risk of developing cancer and heart disease?

With all of the controversy surrounding the usefulness of mammograms, it’s easy to lose focus of what’s really important: what are you going to do if you develop breast cancer?

75 Things Every Woman Should Know About Men

1. If a man wants you, nothing can keep him away.  If he doesn’t want  you, nothing can make him stay.

2. Stop making excuses for a man and his behavior.

3. If you have ANY doubt in your mind about a man’s character, leave him alone.

4. Allow your intuition (or spirit) to save you from heartache.

5. Stop trying to change yourself for a relationship that’s not meant to be.

6. Don’t force an attraction.

7. Slower is better.

8. Never live your life for a man before you find what makes you truly happy.

9. If a relationship ends because the man was not treating you as you deserve then heck no you can’t “be friends.” A friend wouldn’t mistreat a friend.

10. Have faith in God regarding your relationship, but don’t let faith make you stupid. God does things decent and in order.

11. Don’t settle.

12. If you feel like he is stringing you along, then he probably is.

13. If he keeps changing his mind about the relationship – take that as a BIG sign that he is unstable. Do you really want to be with a man like that?

14. Don’t stay because you think “it will get better.” You’ll be mad at yourself a year later for staying when things are not better.

15. Honorable men take care of their business and aren’t involved in a whole lot of mess.

16. The only person you can control in a relationship is you.

17. There’s only one ‘reason’ a man dumps you; he doesn’t want you.

18. Avoid men who’ve got a bunch of children by a bunch of different women. He didn’t marry them when he got them pregnant, why would he treat you any differently?

19. You really do have to find a few frogs before finding the prince.

20. Always put yourself and your happiness first.

21. Always have your own set of friends separate from his.

22. Maintain boundaries in how a guy treats you. If something bothers you, speak up.

23. Like from the show Sex and the City, if he doesn’t call, he just isn’t that interested.

24. Be honest and up front.

25. Know when to cut the cord, don’t be strung along.

26. Don’t fall for the “I’m confused role”.  Remove yourself from the situation to let him figure things out (but don’t wait for him, move on).

27. If you want to have a clue as to how he will treat you, watch how he treats the WOMEN in his family (not just mom).

28. There’s more than physical abuse, there’s emotional and mental abuse.  If he causes any of them…flee.

29. You cannot change a man’s behaviors.  Change comes from within.

30. Don’t let him place rules on you that he is not willing to follow himself – double-standard.

31. Don’t EVER make him feel he is more important than you are…even if he has attained higher education or in a better job.

32. Do not make him into a quasi-god. He is a man…nothing more, nothing less.

33. Demand respect and if he can’t give it, he can’t have you!

34. Don’t compete with other woman, but be aware that men are attracted to what they see.

35. If you think he is cheating, he probably is.  Confront him right away and if you feel he’s lying, let him go.

36. Actions speak louder than words.

37. Never let a man define who you are.

38. Never rely on a man for compliments, look to yourself for that.

39. Never borrow someone else’s man.

40. If he cheated with you, he’ll cheat on you.

41. Just because he says he loves you, doesn’t mean that he won’t hurt you and it doesn’t mean that you are meant to be with him.

42. To use painful hard-won wisdom – ‘get it right’ the next time.

43. Know that you deserve to be the number one person in the life of the #1 person in your life.

44. Love is a verb …

45. Learn to give up your lifelong task of trying to make someone who is unavailable -available, who isn’t giving – giving, and who isn’t loving – loving.

46. A man will only treat you the way you ALLOW him to treat you.

47. All men are NOT dogs.

48. You should not be the one doing all the bending…compromise is a two way street.

49. If you don’t love self…you can’t love anyone else.

50. You cannot mend someone else’s broken heart.

51. You need time to heal between relationships…there is nothing cute about baggage…deal with your issues before pursuing a new relationship.

52. You should never look for someone to COMPLETE you…a relationship consists of two WHOLE individuals…look for someone complementary…not supplementary.

53. Dating is fun…even if he doesn’t turn out to be Mr. Right. 

54. NEVER give more in a relationship than you are getting out of it.

55. Never become your man’s “therapist.”

56. When actions and words conflict, believe the actions. Respond to the actions

57. A truly healthy relationship requires two people. One person can end it, but it takes two to make it work.

58. Don’t fall for the “I’m not the loving type”…when a man loves you there is nothing in this world (within reason) that he wouldn’t do for you.

59. Make him miss you sometimes…when a man always know where you are, and you’re always readily available to him, he takes it for granted.

60. Give him his space…let him go out with his boys, don’t pressure him to spend time with you.  You can’t force a man to hang out with you.

61. If you wouldn’t allow your daughter to be with him, then you shouldn’t.

62. Never let a man know everything. He will use it against you later.

63. Never move into his mother’s house.

64. Provide financially for yourself and don’t depend on anyone.

65. Never co-sign for a man.

66. Never believe you have the perfect guy and he is so innocent.

67. Never spoil your man; Let him spoil you.

68. Never let a man mess up your credit.

69. When it’s time to let go; Let go.

70. Good men should be treated like good men.

71. Don’t play games.

72. You can’t make an ogre into a housewife – or husband.

73. Don’t fully commit to a man who doesn’t give you everything that you need. Keep him in your radar but get to know others.

74. Compatibility, in terms of educational attainment, values, beliefs, personal and career goals, and socioeconomic status, are all important.

 

75.  Don’t tell your friends (or your mother) about all the intimate details of your relationship.  Some things should remain private between a man and a woman.

Domino’s Bread Bowl Pasta

Okay, I know some of you might think this looks tasty…. but let’s look at the facts:  DOMINO’S NEW  Bread Bowl Pasta is packed with calories, fat and sodium, with little (if any) fiber and not a vegetable in sight.

 

Calories: 1460
Fat: 56 g
Sodium: 2,840 mg

 

So, how does it look NOW?  

 

Honestly, if you’re feeling that self destructive, you can eat a couple of large slices of Amy’s whole grain pizza, followed by a whole pint of Purely Decadent Coconut Milk Ice cream, and still come in around 260 calories less.

Not to mention, the latter choices will taste so much better and not give you a heart attack!

 

Please, let’s show Domino’s that we’re just not that stupid!

 

Secrets of the Super-Organized

(aka “Secrets of Naturally Thin People”)

Did you know that the more clutter in your home, the more likely you are to carry excess weight on your body?  It’s a mind-body connection; you see clutter, you feel clutter, and clutter literally becomes a physical part of you.

Summer is upon us, and there’s no time like the present!  If you want to get more organized, there are simple habits that you can develop over time that will get you to where you want to be.

These are habits that you can apply to your work, your home, your hobbies, your life.  Make an agreement with yourself, that you will organize your life, and keep it!  Start with the first habit, and work your way down.  Do it a little at a time, one area of your life at a time, one area of your home or office at a time.  Work on a habit for a month or so, then move on to the next one.

 

1.   Reduce before organizing.

The mistake most people make when trying to organize is that it’s too complicated. If you have a closet crammed full of stuff, you can buy a bunch of closet organizers, but in the end you’ll still have a closet crammed full of stuff. The solution: reduce, eliminate, simplify. If you take your closet full of 100 things and throw out all but the 10 things you love and use, now you don’t need a fancy closet organizer.

 

2.   Write it down now, always.

Instead of using your mind as storage for things you need to remember, write it down. Carry a small pocket notebook wherever you go, and write things down immediately. Then you can process the ideas and tasks later into a calendar or to-do list, so you don’t forget.

 

3.   Have one inbox & process.

You actually need two inboxes — one for home and one for work. But many people have many more than that; paper comes to their desk and lands in any number of places, phone messages get placed everywhere, notes to self are posted all over the place. Instead, have one inbox, and put all incoming stuff in there. Then, once a day (or once a week at home if that works better for you), process the inbox to empty.

 

4.   A place for everything.

Related to the above tip is to have a place for each item in your life. Where do your car keys go? You should have one place for them and you’ll never lose them again. Where do your pens go? How about your magazines? The same concept applies to information: do you have one place where you put all your information? If not, try a personal wiki — it’s accessible from work and home, and you can create pages for each type of information in your life.

 

5.   Put it away now.

Most people have a habit of putting something on a table or counter top or on their desk with the intention of “putting it away later”. Well, this is how things get messy and disorganized. Instead, put it away now — in its home. It only takes a few seconds, and this one habit will save you a lot of cleaning and sorting and organizing later.

 

6.   Clean as you go.

Closely related to Habit 5, this habit is effective because it’s much easier to clean things as you work or as you move through your day than to let them pile up and do a big cleaning session later. So if you’re cooking, try to wash your dishes as you use them, and wipe the counter, instead of leaving a huge mess.

 

7.   Develop routines & systems.

If you’ve gotten everything uncluttered and organized, you might sit back and enjoy the pleasantness of it. Being organized and having a simplified working environment or home is tremendously satisfying. But the problem is that after a little while, things tend to start to get disorganized and cluttered again. You need to develop systems to keep your organization in place. All systems follow the same guidelines — specific procedures and a routine that is done at a set interval. Once those systems are in place, you need to be vigilant about keeping them going, and then things will stay organized.

MAY DAY! 30 Days to a New You (Or a Beginning, at least!)

MAY DAY!   MAY DAY!

 

That’s right, May 1st is May Day……and to some, it really is cause for alarm because, hey, summer is only 30 days away and well…..are you in shape?  And if not, can you GET in shape in 30 days?  That’s probably the better question. 

Okay, so here are my tips for starting off the month of May:

1) Make a decision

2) Write it down

3) Make it happen

 

I know.  Sounds simple, huh?  Well, it’s not that hard, actually.  Get out of your own way, and watch what happens!

Now, let’s be realistic here; You are not going to be “bikini ready” in 30 days if you have more than 10 pounds to lose and have never set foot in a gym. 

However, no matter how much you want/need to lose, you can still feel a heck of a lot better on May 31, than you do today.  That, I can promise you!

 

It really is a decision…. So, start today.  Just for today, do not eat anything processed.  I know, that’s a big one, for some of you. 
But, let’s talk about all the things you can eat that will give your body lots of great energy, and not end up as a permanent fixture on your hips, butt and thighs…(or worse, your waistline!) and would not be considered processed.

 

Fresh fruit, fresh veggies, raw nuts, fish, chicken, eggs, brown rice, etc.  Use olive oil, have a glass of red wine…. Don’t deprive yourself, just stop all the chemicals in the processed foods that are sabotaging your best efforts!

 

Just for one day!  Come on, it won’t kill you. 

 

Take deep breaths.  Drink water.  Move your body.  See how you feel in the morning.

Then ask yourself….Does this feel better than my usual ways?  If the answer is yes, do it again, and again, and again…..Make it a habit.  Believe it or not, it is as easy to feel GOOD as it is to feel bad.  Why would you choose to feel bad?

 

So, you can keep eating all that junk and feeling like a blob, OR you can look and feel amazing.

YOU DECIDE!!!