Eye of the Beholder

I'm not procrastinating, I'm simply taking my time...

2011-03-30T21:12:00.000-04:00

Why do I still have a stuffed Santa sitting on the bench in the basement?

Why does my voicemail message still say "Happy New Year!"?

Why is the box of photographs I was going to "organize" over Christmas break sitting unopened and (now) dusty?

Why is my enthusiastic post about doing one room at a time for under a $100 still awaiting me to finish the first room?

Why are the snow pants I bought from LL Bean for our February ski trip but ended up not taking still waiting (with tags on and receipt attached to box) to be returned?

I would love to claim that great thoughts are being thunk and great deeds are being done and the unfortunate result is my current tendency toward procrastination, but I can't.

I couldn't really tell you what I've been doing lately. I just know it seems to be taking up all my time.

Does this ever happen to you?

Wallpaper: Just Say No!

2011-03-09T08:09:00.000-05:00

I spell good taste S-A-R-A-H

Yesterday I was watching one of my most-favorite-in-the-whole-wide-world decorating shows: Sarah's House. I heart you, Sarah Richardson! You and Tommy can come decorate any room in my house! Just don't bring the wallpaper...

See the latest design trend (again!) is to create a feature wall. This time instead of putting a bold paint choice on the wall, it's everything old is new again: wallpaper.

This dining room in muted grays and creams is gorgeous, especially the feature wall

I beg you, don't do it.

I have spent so many hours with steam burning my arms, sweat dripping down my face, and sticky, gluey scraps of paper stuck to my arms, legs, the floor, and everything else. Then finally, after hours of scraping, gouging the wall, burning myself, cursing the previous homeowners, and scraping some more the wallpaper would finally be gone. The mess left behind was mind boggling. Gouged walls. Glue residue. It's misery folks.

I have a 2 part arguement on why, no matter how well you prep your walls, wallpaper will never be a good idea:

1. No matter how you look at it, you are glueing paper to your drywall. In order to get that paper unstuck you are going to have to use something wet: steam, chemicals, fabric softener, vinegar...something. Please note that the first part of drywall is DRY and it is NOT MEANT TO GET WET. Bad things happen to drywall when it gets wet and there is no way to remove wallpaper without really soaking the wall.

2. No matter how much you adore that wallpaper today, you will come to loathe it in 5 years. What? 5 Years? I must be crazy! Be honest, is there really any pattern that you can look at all over your walls, day in and day out, exposed to sunlight, dust, dirty fingerprints, scuff marks, nicks, and scratches that you can truly say you'll still love after 5 years? You may not hate the color, but you won't be able to stop staring at the small tear. You may still like the pattern, but that faded patch around the picture you moved will drive you to drink. Wallpaper is a decorating commitment my friend, and it's a commitment that designers don't have to make. They install it, it looks beautiful for the cameras, then they leave. Do they stare at it for 5 years? Nope. And if they decide to "freshen the look of the room" is it the designer who has to remove that wallpaper? Nope, that's what the crew is for.

Do you have a crew? Or will it be you, a scraper, a steamer, and a whole lot of elbow grease? That's what I thought.

But what if, even after everything I've said you still love a particular wallpaper? Here are 10 ideas of what you CAN do with wallpaper:

1. Cover an old picture, canvas, piece of plywood, or even cardboard with wallpaper and hang it on the wall.
2. Cover picture frames with it.
3. Cover boxes with it.
4. Make coasters, mattes, serving trays.
5. Matte it, frame it, and hang it artistically.
6. Cover photo albums, journals, and notebooks with it.
7. Wrap all your Christmas gifts in it.
8. Use it under your glass coffee table, desktop, or tabletop.
9. Cover your mousepad with it.
10. Cut it into strips and create napkin rings, candle holders, egg cups, and weave placemats with it.

Just don't glue it to your wall.

5 Things About Decorating I Learned the Hard Way

2011-03-06T19:12:00.001-05:00

If you've been spending much time on the decorating planets in this here blog universe, chances are good you've run across Autumn from http://www.mydesigndump.blogspot.com/. I really, really L-O-V-E love everything that Autumn decorates. It's not just her decor that's inspiring me though, her blog post about the 5 things she's learned as a decorator inspired me to write a post about some of the things I've learned too. My advice is nowhere near as high rent as Autumn's, but you may find it helpful...

1. Live in a space for a year before committing to changes.
Though I have held true to a fantasy with every one of the past 5 houses we've lived in that I wouldn't move one stick of furniture into that dwelling until it had been painted and re-floored where necessary, that has never been my reality and I'm actually glad my wishes didn't come true. I have learned that for me, it takes about a year before I really figure out the natural light, times of use, and degree of usage for the rooms in my house. You'd like an example, you say? Well when we moved into our current house the half bath off the foyer was painted mauve with a cabbage rose border. My teeth hurt everytime I looked at it so I decided that I would repaint the half bath the same color as the entryway, a color called Tree Moss by Benjamin Moore.

This gray-green is lovely in well-lit spaces

This gray-green color is absolutely beautiful in spaces that receive a lot of natural light or have good lighting. My half bath has neither and the color simply looks dull and a little muddy. After living in the house through the first winter I realized that the Tree Moss color didn't really look all that good in the entryway either because during the winter I don't have my front door open and therefore the entry gets almost no natural light. I have recently repainted the entryway but now I want to repaint the half bath too, a mere 12 months after painting it Tree Moss. Since I hate painting bathrooms I am particularly bummed about learning this lesson.

2. If you prime first, tint your primer!
I am always so excited to start a decorating project that I like to pop open that gallon of paint and get to work, but when I am making a major color change I have disciplined myself to prime first. Since I rarely buy my primer from the same place I buy my paint I always forget to ask to have the primer tinted. I have finally learned to make it a priority to tint the primer because I realized that I was doing a lot of extra work and spending a lot of extra money just because the primer wasn't tinted. Since I usually buy a sample of the color I'm going to paint before committing to the full gallon, I almost always have some color around that I can mix with the primer to give it a tint. Instead of painting a coat of primer and 2 coats of base color, I can usually paint one coat of tinted primer and one coat of base color. The savings in time and money is huge 'cause let me tell you, that Benjamin Moore Aura paint isn't cheap!

At $60 a gallon this paint is definitely a commitment!

3. Make everything neutral but your accessories.
I'm sure this flies in the face of many a good design principle but here's the thing: my decorating budget can usually be measured by tens, not hundreds or thousands, of dollars, and that means that I need every single major piece to have longevity. I have found the best way to achieve a timeless look is to keep my major pieces of furniture, curtains, and flooring neutral. I even extend this to the wall color because I'm the one who does the painting in my house and I like to do it once and then love it for 5 years (even though I've never actually lived in a house for 5 years, I like to imagine that I would still love it...) rather than having to repaint (see the half bath issue in Lesson 1!). After living with a hunter green and red plaid couch and love seat for 15 years because they seemed like a good idea in 1992 and then I didn't have the money to replace them until 2007, I have learned this lesson well enough to never forget it.

I loved this look for about 5 years...by the 15 year mark, I hated it!

4. Beware of scented candles, potpourri, aromatic oils, and room fresheners
I love walking into my in-laws' house because it smells like soap and mashed potatoes. I know that sounds weird and like it somehow it wouldn't go together, but it creates the most warm, welcoming, homey scent I have ever smelled. Perhaps the scent is so comforting because it's reminiscent of family dinners and holidays, but perhaps it's because the scent is so natural. I have embraced every form of scented candle and potpourri ever sold but have found that I feel most comfortable in my home when it is scented naturally: a bowl of lemons on the table, coffee beans in the candle holders, and a hint of lavendar from the fabric softener I use. Using artificial scents can create a, well, artificial smell and I find that I suffer from more headaches, allergies, or upper respiratory infections when I have those things around.

5. Fewer, bigger pieces always look better than many small pieces
I remember the first time I ever saw a Mary Engelbreit decorating book. It was the early '90s and I was fully into my sunflower/country cottage/more is more phase. I remember thinking that if I could just have the money to buy all those accessories life would be perfect. I had cut-out-heart-wooden shelves, quilt racks, and a passion for "vignettes."

Stuff layered with more stuff is Mary Engelbreit's hallmark

Shiver. I look back now and just cringe. Not only is my current style cheaper, it's so much easier to dust, creates a lot less waste, and is much more restful. If only I had a penny now for every dollar I spent on little signs, baskets, knickknacks, tchotchkes, baskets, whatnots, doodads, baskets, and cheap, imitation "antiques." I'm sure I'd be able to afford that large beveled mirror I've been wanting from Pottery Barn.... Now I take a note from feng shui and ask myself "is it useful or beautiful" before even considering bringing it home. Simplify, simplify, simplify.

This mirror is simplicity at its best but the price? Ooo-la-la!

What about you? Any tips, tricks, or techniques you've picked up along this life journey? I'd love to hear about them!

Beth vs. The Snowmobile

2011-02-28T17:22:00.000-05:00

Are you still out there? I can't believe it! Life has been kicking me around lately, what with my (quasi) new job, endless snow days and delays, the new stress of trying to figure out childcare on these endless snow days and delays...sigh. All of it added up to a complete blogger block.

But I'm back now, baby!

After a ....um...relaxing vacation spent in the White Mountains of New Hampshire the Blogger Block was broken, I now have plenty to say.

It all started when we decided to go away for February break. Now for those of you not familiar with the concept of February break, this is a week off from school a mere six weeks after returning from Winter Break and just six weeks to go til April Break. It is a time designed to tax even the most careful-vacation-day-saving working parent. It is a time created to ensure that kids never do really get back into the swing of school. It is a break for the sole purpose of letting people ski.

Look at this scenic beauty. Who wouldn't want a guided tour on these trails?

Never one to buck the system, our family decided it was time to learn to ski. So we packed up the family truckster and headed for the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Learning to ski was fun, exhausting, exciting, nerve-wracking, and exhilerating. It wasn't relaxing. But I wasn't terrified. But that's not really a good story, is it? Oh no, the story you want to hear is about our 2 hour snowmobile tour...

The brochure spoke of "family fun" and "scenic views"

For the record I had never been on a snowmobile before. I had only once been on a motorcycle. I am what you would call a complete novice. So with the brave naivete of someone sure that nothing bad can happen to you on a commercial snowmobile tour, I signed up, suited up, and hopped on. I figured it couldn't be too hard because after all the only instruction I received prior to being turned loose with this expensive toy was "throttle on the right, brake on the left, don't push them both at the same time or you'll stall the engine."

Well heck, even I can keep that straight.

So off we went: guide in the lead followed by my husband and daughter on a double sled, followed by me, with 4 others trailing behind. The first problem occurred about 1 minute into our adventure. We had to cross the road. It would have been helpful for someone to mention that snowmobiles don't really have good steering when they're not on snow. In fact if your snowmobile isn't already pointed in the direction you want to go, there's little you're going to be able to do to rectify that situation once you're on the road. Yep, that would have been real helpful information. Lacking that information, I was more concerned about the oncoming traffic than I was about lining up my 'mobile with the trail on the other side. So, once again with the bravado that only true ignorance can create, I gave it some gas and shot out onto the road where I proceeded to slide precariously sideways as I desperately tried to steer my snowmobile toward the path. No dice. I ended up ramming the 3 feet of dirty snow plowed up on the side of the road. My snowmobile slid back down into the road. The traffic is coming closer. I give it some gas. I try again. Same result. The traffic is right on me now. I am stuck. I am terrified. I am embarrassed. A passing motorist yells "give it some gas!" So I do. I squeeze that throttle as hard as I can and I fly and I do mean FLY over the embankment. I am completely out of control, I am shrieking in terror, and I am leaning heavily to the left. I wildly overcorrect, slam the snowmobile down on the right side, overshoot the path, and end up on the wrong side of the path, panting, crying, and still terrified.

That's when I began to get a bad feeling about this adventure.

The reality is that snowmobiling takes skill and can be dangerous

Luckily the guide, followed by my husband, were completely disinterested in my health and safety and had already moved on. This was the pattern for the entire 2 HOUR tour. I try to keep up with the others so I don't get lost in the woods and get eaten by bears. The others go faster than I feel comfortable going so I am out of control through every turn, bump, and over every bridge. I am hanging on to the handle bars for dear life as I see the sheer drop off the mountain on my right side. I am crying as I near-miss every tree in every turn. We finally stop in a clearing. The woman on the snowmobile behind me loudly complains about me to my husband and shoots me nasty looks as she passes me. My hands are cramping from squeezing the throttle. My nose is running inside my helmet. I have fogged up the inside of my helmet with my hyperventilating. I am terrified to keep going and terrified to stop.

When the tour was finally over I was half-deaf from the roar of the engine, half blind from my teary-stuck-together-eyelashes, half grateful to be alive, miserable, and shaking. I hadn't seen nor appreciated one speck of the natural beauty of the mountain. I felt badly for disturbing any hibernating animals, and I was all-out-of-proportion mad at my husband for not sharing any of my bad feelings.

Ahhh, vacation. A perfect time to relax.

The Green House Transformation

2011-01-10T17:06:00.000-05:00

The exterior color of my house happens to be green. Believe me, this was not arrived at by easy decision (remember the TMPP???), nor is it coincidental that for someone who loves things to be "green" the exterior of my house reflects that love. But we'll get to the exterior later. Right now, we're going to the kitchen.

Yep, the kitchen. This year I am going to redecorate each room in my house using only paint, fabric, and perhaps an accessory or two. Each transformation has to occur for around $100 (my self-imposed budget restriction) and has to be as "green" as possible.

I'm starting with the kitchen.

Here is my kitchen now:

My kitchen is very large and very monochromatic because while the previous owner did a great job choosing quality cabinetry, beautiful hardwood floors, and gorgeous granite, she also chose them in all the same color.

Here is a close up of the wall color and curtains now:

The walls are a gray-green by Benjamin Moore called October Mist. The fabric has a lot of black in it. Here is how it looks against the granite counters:

Not bad, right? But kind of busy for the look I'm going for.

Here are the new inspiration fabrics:

There is still some black so the counters make sense, but a lot of ivory, cream, gold, and khaki tones too. This is my plan:

Paint the walls Benjamin Moore's Windham Cream. This cream has enough yellow in it to pop against the white woodwork and play up the gold:

I know it looks more gray here...but trust me, it's not

Then I'm going to take the polka dot fabric and use it as valances. The floral will become the seat cushion for the new window seat that I want built here:

Doesn't this cluttered, unused corner cry out for...something? How about a cute little built-in storage bench? Can I hear an Amen?

The solid gold fabric I'll use to trim the other two fabrics, as a table runner, and in the throw pillows I'll put on the window seat.

I"m really going to try to pay attention to every detail. Like making over even the smallest eyesores, like this one:

Could that bottle be any less attractive? Probably not, but with the help of a great tutorial I found on another blog, I'll show you how it's going to look fabulous! Are you with me? I hope so, because I've got a lot of work to do, very little budget, tons of inspiration, but also a lot convincing (nagging) to get my husband to go along with my schemes.

What do you think of the color scheme and ideas thus far? It's the perfect time to weigh in because I haven't done anything yet!!!

Green Tip Tuesday: Green Ways to Get Rid of the Clutter

2010-12-28T09:20:00.000-05:00

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

I'm buried here in Massachusetts and not just because of the blizzard. I'm buried in STUFF. Christmas is over and now all of those cheerful decorations are reading as *Clutter* to me now. With the new gifts we received some stuff has to go.

So how to get rid of the clutter and decorations without filling up a landfill or just slinging it all into a box and stuffing it into that subterranean landfill I call "storage"?

It's easy: Donate.

Here's my plan:
First I'm going to take down the Christmas decorations. There are a lot of items that I put up this year not because I liked them but because I'd always put them up and didn't have a good reason not to do so again. Well, my good reason has arrived! After searching a lot of decorating blogs AND reading my new Feng Shui book, I have decided that having anything, even something seasonal, that isn't useful, beautiful, or both is a BAD IDEA. As I take the items down I am going to give each bobble a good scrutinizing to see if it goes into the 'Storage' box or the 'Donate' box. No need to give away family heirlooms, but really? The shiny gold bows I bought at Big Lots 20 years ago? No, their time has come...and gone.

My decor wasn't quite this cluttered, but this is how it feels now!

Luckily I also took my own advice and used a lot of natural decorating so the nuts, seeds, cranberries, pinecones, and clove oranges can all be tossed into the woods to become treasures for the woodland creatures.

Now let's talk about gifts. Anything you received this year that you know, deep in your heart of hearts, just isn't for you and yours? Don't store it, don't *intend* to do something with it, don't let it sit somewhere until it becomes part of the landscape. Give it away. Do it now. Don't feel guilty. There is absolutely nothing wrong with moving things that are not useful and/or beautiful to you on to someone who will love them. What if the gift was given to you by someone who will a) notice it gone; b) be hurt that you don't love it; or c) spent a lot of time/money in the purchase or creation of the gift? Thank them. Thank them genuinely, lovingly, and earnestly. Then load it in your car and take it to the donation station quickly, before you lose your nerve.

As for the rest of my stuff, these last few days of the year are an excellent opportunity to donate those sweaters that I still haven't worn even though the weather has been cold for 2 months. To get rid of those platters that I still didn't use, even though I hosted a large party on Christmas Eve. To help my daughter rid herself of unused Wii games, and my husband and I both need to do a good book purge (though I'll confess that of all the items I donate, books are the hardest with which to part).

And the benefits of my hard work? HUGE! Cleaner house, less clutter, items that really reflect my decorating taste NOW not 10 years ago, tax deductions, good example for my daughter, lightening up is good for the mind, body, and soul, less to store, more room to invite into my life those items I would like now (I have a bedroom chair in mind, more on that later), and according to Feng Shui, my Chi'i should be off the charts with all the positive energy flow.

Sorry about the blur, but you get the idea. Breathing room!

Simplify, simplify, simplify. I feel lighter already.

How about you?

The Luckiest Man in the World

2010-12-27T09:35:00.000-05:00

A picture to warm you during our New England blizzard!

Happy Holidays Everyone! I hope Santa was good to you. I hope you recycled all your wrapping paper. And I hope you stopped eating Christmas cookies, fudge, and eggnog just short of a diabetic coma. I did. Stopped, I mean. Just short of a coma (sigh).

We went to Mass on Christmas Eve and as the choir sang and the lights were dim, and I was all snug between my husband and daughter I took a moment to look around. I noticed that sitting just two rows in front of me was the Luckiest Man in the World. I wondered if he knew how lucky he was. I hope he does.

Why is he the Luckiest Man in the World? A man I have never even met. A man who may be dealing with all manner of crisis, financial problems, job worries, tooth decay, and aging parents? Well, as I watched this Lucky Man, his wife put her arm on the back of the pew and encountered the back of his sweater. So she took a moment and rubbed his back. Then his youngest son climbed into his lap a few minutes later and began touching his face and giggling, the way babies do. After awhile (I know it sounds weird that I've been staring at him this long, but he is right in front of me AND between me and the altar where I'm supposed to be looking and paying attention, not composing blog entries in my head...) we all stood up and his oldest son grabbed his hand and just held it for awhile.

If you have someone, anyone, any living thing at all that wants to sit with you, hold your hand, rub your back, or touch your face, you, my friend are Lucky. Because also sitting in that church was a man, sitting alone. No one rubbed his back. No one held his hand. I hope his house is just filled with people crawling all over him and that church is his one chance for some "alone time" because the alternative is unbearably sad.

Do you know how Lucky you are?

Happy Holidays!
Beth

The cure for the Hectic Holiday

2010-12-18T19:20:00.000-05:00

I need some good-for-me-stuff that is free and won't prevent me from buttoning my jeans. You too? I have just what the doctor ordered: The at-home pampering package. Each of these ideas will take less than 1 minute to create and you already have everything you need in your pantry or linen closet.

Pampering idea #1 The Feet

Find some lotion. Slather it on, especially on your heels and the cuticles of your toenails. Really slather it on! Put on cotton socks. Let the lotion soften your feet and moisturize your nail beds. Keep on overnight. Don't have any lotion? Use olive oil or almond oil. Don't have either of those? Use lip balm - though you probably want to think carefully before you use it on your lips after you've rubbed it on your feet...I'm just sayin'...

Pampering idea #2 The Back, Neck, and Shoulders

Fill a sock with rice, dried beans, oatmeal, buckwheat, or sand. The sock should be about 3/4 full so there is enough room for the rice to move freely. Add a few drops of lavendar essential oil, vanilla, grated orange or lemon peel, or peppermint extract. Tie the end of the sock shut. Put in your microwave for 30-60 seconds until warmed through. Now mold your fragrant heating pad into the small of your back, over your shoulders, around your neck, or across your forehead. Feel the relaxation that comes from applying heat directly to where your muscles/constricted blood vessels need it. Heat again as necessary. Don't have a sock to use? What about the sleeve of an old shirt? In a pinch you can use a plastic bag but be sure to put a cloth barrier between your skin and the plastic once it's been heated.

Pampering idea #3 The Face

Take 2 washcloths and get them wet. Place one in the freezer and the second in the microwave for 20 seconds. You can heat the washcloth for an additional 20 seconds if it's not warm enough but be careful not to make it hot. Set a timer for 10 minutes. Sit down. Place the warm cloth over your face and breathe. When the timer goes off get the other washcloth out of the freezer. Set the timer for 10 minutes. Sit down. Place the cool cloth over your face and breathe. Alternating warm and cold temperatures on the skin stimulates the immune system, rejuvenates the skin, increases blood flow, and encourages neural healing. Always end with a cool cloth to close the pores and "rest" the skin. This also is great for clogged sinuses.

Pampering idea #4 The Eyes

You've probably heard of using steeped, cooled tea bags over your eyes to rest them, chilled cucumber slices to reduce puffiness, and all manner of creams and unguents to reduce the appearance of fine lines...BUT... I have something even simpler. Blinking. Long, slow breaths coordinated with long, slow blinks. Do it with me: inhale for 5 seconds while opening your eyes as wide as you can. Now exhale for 5 seconds while closing your eyes gently. Inhale and open wide. Exhale and close. Are you starting to feel the moisture return to your eyes? If not, repeat again. And again. Until your eyes feel moist when you close them. A total eye rejuvenation in 15-20 seconds. It doesn't get much cheaper than blinking.

Are you listening to music? Drinking water? Breathing? Are you (occasionally) shaving your legs, wearing pretty underwear, and putting on lipstick? If not, why not? What could possibly be more important than your sanity and before you answer that: what can you possibly hope to get done if you are frantic, frazzled, and itching like crazy from dry skin and cracked heels?

I'm teetering on the sugar edge but not yet over, remembering to enjoy the Christmas lights we have lit both inside and out, wearing a lot of no-waist yoga pants, and cranking up the uplifting Christmas music. I'm not stress free, but I'm not stressed out.

How about you?

Green Tip Tuesday: Are you dreaming of a Green Christmas?

2010-12-07T16:34:00.000-05:00

The greatest thing about going "green" during the holidays is that you can completely simplify your life, get out of doing a ton of work, save money, and blame it all on being a good steward of the planet. Here are a few green tips that will free up your time for important things, like baking (eating) cookies, and help the planet.

1. "Green" gift wrapping. The best way to green up your gift wrapping is by not wrapping at all. This is a completely new concept to me who has been weaned on a steady diet of Martha Stewart bow tutorials and the belief that the more elaborate, the better when it comes to wrapping paper. I'm converted though. For young children, how about setting up their gifts in fun and inviting groups? For older children, like mine, I'm going for the Christmas morning scavenger hunt. Instead of wrapping most of my daughter's gifts, I'm going to have them hidden around the house. I'm spending the time I would ordinarily be wrapping making up clues for her to follow to find her gifts. I'll still wrap a gift or two in recycled wrapping paper, but only a few instead of all of them.

2. Green decorating means using natural items like pine garland, pine cones, acorns, strung popcorn, dried apples, cranberries, nuts, and colored candies. Take a glass bowl, fill it with red hot candies, add in a white candle: instant candle scape and the candies will break down naturally when thrown away. Fill a vase with candy canes (unwrapped). Let fewer items have greater impact by using lush greens and lots of ribbon, which can be used again and again each year.

3. E-cards. Forget the addressing, the postage, the work, the money, and the huge carbon footprint. Go green, send e-cards, and sit back and relax. Think you'll miss seeing a bunch of cards hanging on the wall? Well, me too so I'm just going to try it this year and see if I really do feel deprived. I'm betting I won't. Feel like you need to send a holiday letter? Email it! Want to give family/friends pictures of your kids? Make an online photo album like the ones available from snapfish.com. You can password protect them so only your family/friends can see the photos, they can order any prints they would like while still viewing the entire album. Green, green, green.

4. Green gift giving is easy when you make use of the online gift cards available from places like Amazon.com, and eBay.com. You can procrastinate until the very last minute, they're always the right size, they're never out of stock, and your gift recipient is guaranteed to get something they'll want.

5. Finally, the greenest thing we can do this year is resist the temptation to fill our families' stockings with ...junk. I'm guilty, I have certainly picked up all sorts of little tchotchkes for my daughter, especially on impulse: tiny pads of paper with kittens on the front, cheap, chemical-infused lip glosses in 10 different flavors, plastic jewelry she's never worn, sugar-filled gum in kind of gross flavors, cheap plastic toys - I've bought it all just to "fill" the stocking. This year I'm resisting. I know, I know, it's easier for me because my child is almost 12 and I'm certainly not judging anyone's choices, I'm just suggesting.

I'm trying all these things this year, just to see how it goes. I love a white Christmas, but I'm really hoping for a green one.

What do you need this holiday season?

2010-12-05T20:31:00.000-05:00

A lot of people may ask you what you want, but I'm asking you: What do you need? Is it more time? Better health? A new haircut? More money? A wardrobe makeover? A professional chef?

A new attitude?

That's what I've been needing. Lately I've been having a pretty bad case of the Gimmes. Oooh, gimme that new sweater! Yes, I really need that book, gimme two. Chocolate chip cookies? Gimme 3 of those. Okay, 4.

It struck me last night as I was perusing online all of the neat decorating sites, the clothing sites, the furniture sites, and the cooking sites that I hadn't stopped by one single natural health site. Not one. Usually my fingers can't type fast enough to google new ways to make products at home or inventive uses for baking soda. This month's issue of Natural Health magazine has sat, unread, by my bedside covered with Pottery Barn, West Elm, Crate&Barrel, and The Sharper Image catalogs. I had to excavate it just to see what this month's issue is about. Must be time for a reality check. I already have all I need to create a beautiful, healthy, balanced life for myself and my family. I merely need to remember what is really important. Now y'all know I'm not about to preach that perhaps this Christmas should be the year when your family donates all their gifts to a shelter and experiences the true joy of giving, perhaps that is you, but that is not me. My daughter will happily unwrap many a gift on Christmas morn, I am however suggesting a certain detachment is needed.

This is me now. This is not how I want to look at Christmas.

Can balance be found during the holidays? Can the Natural Living magazine get at least equal read-time to the Pottery Barn Catalog Holiday 2010? I believe so and here's my plan:

When I start to feel like I need some material thing that means I need to take a break from shopping or browsing. Time for a glass of water and some Christmas music.

If things start to feel hectic my mantra is simplify, simplify, simplify. One or two kinds of cookies, instead of 5 or 6. Gift cards instead of shipping presents. Limiting holiday commitments to ensure plenty of time for sitting in front of the fire and watching Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer on ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas specials.

Drink water. Drink more water. Having to pee a lot ensures that I sit down and take a break for a moment, right?

Start out every day with a smoothie. No matter what else happens I can load up my smoothie with lots of fruits, Omega 3s and fiber. All that fiber will ensure more "sitting down breaks" (I know, I know, too much information....)

Keep inspirational and/or healthy lifestyle focused reading materials in my purse and car. That way when I have a few moments before picking up my daughter or during basketball practice I have something to read that isn't an ad circular. Same with podcasts, I'm keeping them inspirational like The Moth Podcast, or healthy like The Nutrition Diva Podcast. Or fun like Under Cover with Deb and Beth, one of the finest book review podcasts I've yet come across. Not that I'm biased.

That's my plan and with three weeks left until Christmas I'm glad to have one. What about you, what are you doing to keep yourself balanced during the holiday season?

We're living in a society here, folks...

2010-12-03T12:52:00.000-05:00

Walking around the college campus where I work is usually quite safe. There are many crosswalks and signs are posted absolutely everywhere letting drivers know that pedestrians have the right of way. Cars stop, people cross, we all move on safely, it's a beautiful thing.

A couple of days ago that beautiful system broke down. Imagine if you will a very rainy day. I was looking adorable in my brand new trouser-cut jeans and way-too-high-and-so-uncomfortable high heeled black boots. As I tap-tap-tapped up to the crosswalk I saw a car approaching. The car was a fair distance away so I stepped into the street with confidence.

I hear the car approaching. I keep walking. I hear the car still approaching. Some small, very important, part of my brain registers that the car is not slowing down. I glance over. The car. Is. Coming. I freeze for just a second before my legs remember to run. Tap, tap, tap, tap! My stupid-way-too-high-and-so-uncomfortable high heeled black boots are not helping me now! The driver of the car finally registers that she is about to hit me and slams on the brakes. She fishtails on the wet pavement and the front of the car hits me with just enough force to knock me off balance but not enough force to hurt me. I fall to hands and knees. My gigantic purse goes flying one way. My gigantic bag filled with 4-inch budget binders goes flying the other. My umbrella slips from my hand and lands on the wet pavement.

I crouch there for a moment on the ground. Stunned. I look up and make eye contact with the driver. Her face registers nothing: not surprise, anxiety, guilt, regret, anger, just blankness. Then, without exchanging a word, she drives off.

SHE DRIVES OFF!

There I was, kneeling in the middle of the street getting soaked. My heart was pounding so hard I could feel it through my coat. I couldn't believe she just left me there! We're living in a society here, folks, and as members we are all required to enquire about the health and wellbeing of any living creature we may hit with our old, rusty, no-anti-lock-brakes-having cars! This is not optional!

I didn't get a license plate number. I don't know the make and model of the car. I didn't file a police report and I 'm not hurt. But I am curious: who is this woman? What standards of behavior is she following? And why, why for the love of mike did she not even acknowledge me?

The good news is that I didn't even tear the knees in my new trouser cut jeans...

What Do You Want to be When You Grow Up?

2010-11-14T22:09:00.001-05:00

How many times did someone ask you that when you were a child? When I was 5 I lived next door to a doctor. I decided I wanted to be a doctor. My parents were so excited when I announced my intention that for years I answered "I want to be a doctor" just to see the delighted smiles on their faces. With no particular talent for biology or chemistry, no money, and no clear idea of how I would go about becoming a doctor, that dream didn't materialize, but since I'm not sure if I wanted to be a doctor or simply to please my parents, it's probably a good thing I didn't invest in medical school. I then decided I wanted to be a lawyer because I thought Susan Day looked so great on L.A. Law. Senior burnout, marriage, and sheer apathy ensured that I never pursued law school. After I graduated from college I simply "fell" into a job that paid well, was fairly interesting, and was reasonably satisfying. After 9 years I had a child, quit work, and had no more sense of what I wanted to be when I grew up than I did when I was 5!

After a year of searching for the "right fit" job for me, I have finally landed in a position that appeals to my clerical sense of order (filing, stapling, collating) and my need to imbue my days with meaning beyond the satisfaction of clean bathrooms and folded laundry -- though now that I am working every day a clean bathroom or folded laundry would definitely be welcomed!

I knew I was ready to go back to work..but to do what?

In the past year I have taught kindergarten, been a substitute first grade teacher, worked in a college bookstore, and am currently working with an at-risk group of college kids helping them navigate the tricky waters to graduation. I help them with paperwork, make sure they are connected with the right Student Services programs, and listen to them. Just listen.

It's been quite a winding road to figuring out what I want to be when I grow up, but, for now, I have found the right balance. With the Big Question of What Will I Do With My Life currently answered I have had time to to focus on some of the other Big Questions:

1. What are my financial priorities?
2. What kinds of experiences do I want to create with my family?
3. What traditions do I want to preserve, create, or change?
4. How do I appropriately prioritize my friends in a life containing work and family?
5. What am I going to wear to work tomorrow?

Rather than feeling overwhelmed by all these questions I feel rejuvenated. I am excited to see how I will navigate the tricky waters of my life. Some of my life is handled clerically: papers to sign, taxes to file, bills to pay, documents to file. Other parts involve connecting my husband and daughter with the right people. But if I'm really doing my job as a wife, mother, and friend a lot of my time is spent listening. Just listening.

I hope you'll stay with me on this journey. If you're feeling in the mood to listen, I've got plenty to say. If you're feeling in the mood to entertain for the holidays, well, I've got some tips for that too on my latest podcast.

Thanks for listening.

These are a few of my favorite things

2010-10-21T09:58:00.001-04:00

I've been recently inspired by a post from Deb to think about a few of my own favorite things of the season. I've not been in a terribly "grateful" space lately as our exterior paint project (The Monster Paint Project) turned into the The Monster Contractor Search, which, when a contractor was finally secured, morphed into its current state: The Monster Rebuild Project. The back of our house was discovered to be severely water damaged and the wood was, well, mostly gone. Rotted away. Underneath the wood siding was just a mess of rotted wood, wet insulation, and shredded paper. It can be fixed. But it ain't cheap.

So in order not to dwell on what cannot be changed I decided to turn my thoughts to all of the great stuff going on around me this season. I no longer have a pumpkin-patch-aged-child but I went anyway. I love pumpkin patches, nurseries, and garden centers at this particular time of year because there is just something about a fall arrangement of mums, pumpkins, gourds, maybe a scarecrow or two, that is so appealing to me.

This image from front-porch-ideas-and-more.com is stunning

I love the abundance and simplicity of this arrangement

And while I love candles all year long, the shorter days of fall seem to invite candlelight and candlescapes. Of course I want all things to be as natural and recyclable as possible, so check out these ideas:

Mother Nature will provide you with plenty of acorns, just look down

What could be simpler or more beautiful?

I think this will be on my Thanksgiving table this year.

I am completely inspired for the front of my house, excited and confident for my tablescape. There is only one place left to have warmth, softness, and seasonal comfort: the bedroom. Think down and flannel and you can't go wrong. Fluffy down, soft flannel, perhaps a chenille throw in case you want to nap on a Sunday afternoon? Pure seasonal decadence.

It's the layering that makes this bed appear so cozy

Perhaps a few tea lights placed in hollowed-out mini pumpkins on the bedside table? Imagine the mild, comforting smell of roasting pumpkin you will get when the candles are lit. This is affordable luxury. This is you connecting with the season and the passage of time. Honoring the rhythms of the Earth.

These are a few of my favorite things.

Green Tip Tuesday: How Green is your Car?

2010-10-19T09:41:00.000-04:00

Can you believe it? Another Green Tip Tuesday? And just when you'd given up hope forever...

Today let's talk about cars. Over the summer we traded in my big ol' gas guzzling Saturn Outlook (16.9 mpg)

I loved this car, but the gas mileage was awful

for an itty bitty Honda Insight Hybrid (45.6 mpg).

Obviously no 7 passenger seating here, it was a trade-off

We made the trade because the lease on the Saturn was up anyway and we were looking to buy something less expensive, smaller, and great on gas mileage. Fortunately you don't have to trade in your old vehicle to "green up" your car. There are actually lots of little things we can all do that make a big impact. Most of them involve unlearning what we were taught about cars.

According to a post from Consumer's Report there were two mistakes I was making with my cars:

1. Oil should be changed about every 3000 miles? Nope. That was true for cars 15 years ago, but most cars now are designed to go about 7500 miles between oil changes. While changing the oil unnecessarily won't hurt the car, it certainly impacts the environment by adding a lot of hazardous waste (oil). Save yourself some money and change your oil less often.

2. You should let your engine warm up a few minutes before driving? Absolutely not. While my grandfather was right when he told me that, it's no longer true. Now you are just wasting gas and adding unnecessary carbon monoxide into the air.

I further researched and found an interesting article on a government webpage (so it must be true) about keeping tires properly inflated as a way to save on gas and ensure proper braking. Less gas = less dependance on petroleum = better for all of us.

Finally I have to mention washing your car. My husband is a tiny bit fanatical about keeping our cars clean and he usually wants to wash them himself, by hand, in the driveway, regardless of the temperature. Believe it or not, this is the least green way to go.

I prefer touchless so I don't have to worry about my paint being scratched

Many car washes now recycle their water but even for those who don't most states require a proper drainage system so the dirty, soapy water doesn't go directly into the groundwater supply. You can save a lot of water by going to a car wash instead of washing your car yourself.

Frequently I hear people say that they would love to be greener but it is so expensive. Not true, I say! You can use all the money you are saving on oil changes and extra gas from not idling your car to pay for your car wash and you'll still come out ahead.

My new car is silver, but it's a lot greener.

This is Real Life, folks

2010-09-28T12:57:00.000-04:00

I know that today is Green Tip Tuesday and I will definitely provide a Green Tip in another post, but I just had to tell you about my Real Life incident.

Today I went for my well woman exam. Like many women, I carefully groomed and prepared for this exam. I shaved. I lotioned. I exfoliated. I dressed carefully, even knowing as I did that the midwife would never even see my clothes, I couldn't help myself. I still dressed carefully. Upon arrival I checked in with the receptionist. She was friendly, outgoing, and LOUD. The entire waiting room now knows that I was there for my well woman exam, that yes, I am still at my current address [insert address here] and yes [insert phone number] is still my current phone number. No, I haven't had any changes to my health, and yes my husband is still the insured and yes his name is still Steve.

Hipaa laws be damned, a medical receptionist with a loud voice will out you every time. People talk. That's real life.

In the examining room I undressed completely, hid my underwear inside my carefully folded clothes, put on the backless robe and covered myself with the sheet. I was ready. The midwife enters. We chitchat a bit. She does a breast exam, we talk about my favorite authors, she prepares for the pelvic exam, we talk about the book I am currently reading. Finally it's showtime (so to speak). I'm in stirrups, she's in gloves, in goes the speculum and out comes the gas. What???? Where did that come from? How could my body let me down like this? How could my intestines provide this much humiliation??? Yep, I farted. Broke wind. Stepped on a duck. Cut the cheese. Flatulated. Ripped one, as Steve would say. With that many names it's obviously part of our human experience, but I was sure this had never happened to me before. With each continued press of the speculum I pass more gas. It's completely silent (I think...) but now I am worried that it's dreadfully smelly and I just don't know it. I'm too far away! The midwife's face, oh help me Rhonda, her nose, is right there! She continues to chat. I'm at a loss for what to do: do I acknowledge the gas? Do I excuse myself? What if she can't tell? Do I act as if I don't know what's happening? Is she in danger of passing out? Blessedly the exam ends. The midwife's eyebrows don't appear scorched so I suppose that's a plus. She leaves. I dress. I leave.

Preparation be damned, a speculum providing pressure on your intestines will out you everytime. People have gas. That's real life.

I still feel embarrassed. I'd like to think I'm not the topic of much hilarity and disgust in the staff lunchroom, but I think we all know better. And I think we can all agree that somewhere on my chart the words 'Beware of patient's flaming gas' appear. People embarrass themselves. That's real life.

You can't die laughing

2010-09-12T18:22:00.000-04:00

Laughter is essential for life

Oh I'm sure there are a whole host of emergency room doctors who right now are saying "Well, actually...." but you know what I mean. Are you laughing enough? Have you laughed today? I don't mean a sardonic grimace or a sarcastic chuckle, I mean true laughter.

If not, why not?

You may have to deliberately seek out sources of humor. Unfortunately life doesn't always mimic the sitcom where fashionably messy homes are inhabited by quick-witted and adorable members. Sometimes life has dirty laundry, grumpy spouses, overtired children, and hormonal teenagers.

That's okay. You can still laugh.

Books, movies, people, whatever makes you laugh is good

Yesterday, on a whim I picked up a copy of Jill Conner Browne's Sweet Potato Queen's Guide to Raising Children for Fun and Profit. Now Jill has a whole bunch of these books and each one is funnier than the last. I like to read them in small doses because I find that I become a bit immune to comedy if I binge on it. It turned out to be the best thing I've done for myself in 2 weeks. I am finding myself laughing out loud and to my surprise laughter is exactly what I needed. The past 2 weeks have been crazy: school started, I went back to work, field hockey started and who knew field hockey would be every afternoon all afternoon ending only right smack dab in the middle of dinner time? Certainly not me. The laundry has been piling up, I wake at 5:30 to work out but am too keyed up with stress to go to bed before 11. Lack of sleep and too many meals-on-the-go had me feeling off balance, short tempered, and wondering how I was going to balance it all.

Then I picked up a book, on a whim, and started to laugh. I forgot that I need to laugh!

Suddenly everything is okay again in my world. I have perspective. I feel more relaxed after laughing for a few minutes than I have after the past 2 weeks of yoga. I need to laugh. Every day. And I'm willing to bet, so do you.

Seek out sources of laughter everyday. A book, a show on TV, a website, a blog, maybe even a friend who never fails to entertain. Whatever the source, guard it well and visit it often. If you're laughing, you're alive.

Green Tip Tuesday: Planning a "greener" yard next spring

2010-08-24T14:16:00.000-04:00

Believe it or not now is the perfect time to begin planning for a more earth friendly yard next spring. Have you ever heard of xeriscaping? Xeriscaping is landscaping in a way that reduces your dependance upon watering. While the use of native and drought tolerant plants is nothing new, the idea of planning my yard to make the most of those plants, while still attracting butterflies and bees, was a foreign concept to me. I thought landscaping occurred by looking at what was already in my yard, adding some stuff to it that looked good, trying not to have too many planting beds so I didn't have to mulch a lot, and calling it a day.

I didn't know I was supposed to plan.

Well now I do and here are some tips I've learned:

1. No matter where you live many drought-resistant plants have some characteristics in common: they have leaves which are small, thick, glossy, silver gray or fuzzy. Look for these plants at your local nursery and be sure to ask the nursery attendant for more drought resistant plants.

Creeping phlox is perennial, gorgeous, and drought resistant

2. Use native plants. Trying to keep a tropical plant alive in my northeastern climate would require not only a tremendous amount of work, but also a tremendous amount of water. Forget the exotic palm trees, I'm sticking with silver dogwoods which are, you guessed it, native to the northeast.

3. Mulch. Me and my black thumb thought that mulch was just to make the dirt look good for the neighbors. I didn't realize how important mulch is to retaining soil moisture, insulating plants' roots, and regulating soil temperature. Mulch layers should be several inches thick. Beware: colored mulch is dyed mulch so many of the benefits of the mulch are reduced by the negatives of the dye.

4. Weed your landscape beds. Having a lot of weeds competing for water may pull water away from your landscape plants causing you to have to water more often.

5. Use perennials when possible. Perennials tend to be more drought resistant by their very nature. Use annuals sparingly because in addition to requiring more water they frequently are not as hearty and require more fertilizer, pesticides, or plant food.

6. Consider some hardscape: landscape walls, rocks, gravel, benches, etc., can all be beautiful additions to your planting beds and require no water at all. I'm not saying you should fill your lawn with garden gnomes (though you'll never hear me besmirch the gnome!), just a few well chosen implements can replace plants quite nicely.

The differing sizes of rocks and mulch fill in this area nicely

If you're lucky enough to have an irrigation system it's a great idea to install a moisture-sensitive monitor so the sprinklers only run when necessary. If you're lucky enough to have a gardener then thank your lucky stars, give him or her a refreshing glass of lemonade, and go relax. If you're me then you'll be out there this fall digging up the poorly-placed-too-big-for-the-bed-and-in-the-wrong-place-for-sun-requirements plants and finding new homes for them.

Now go play in the dirt!

The All American Past Time

2010-08-23T18:21:00.000-04:00

Picture courtesy of Steve's iPhone

Well, I did it. It took me 40 years to watch the Red Sox play live at Fenway Park, but yesterday I did it. I'm not sure I would have put this particular item on my Bucket List had I not moved to Massachusetts, but move I did, and everyone and I mean everyone here knows that you can't really call yourself a New Englander if you haven't been to Fenway.

I didn't grow up attending baseball games. I wasn't a fan. When we lived in Cincinnati Steve introduced me to baseball by getting us tickets a few times each year to watch the Reds. I didn't fall in love with baseball per se, but I fell in love with attending games. A TV, no matter how large, cannot convey the energy, the excitement, the sheer camaraderie of being there, with the crowd, singing the silly songs, doing the 7th inning stretch, and cheering and jeering the calls of the umpire. It's quite magical.

So after a few years of attending Reds' games we moved to Toledo, Ohio. There I learned what it was like to attend minor league games when we went to watch the Toledo Mud Hens play. The Mud Hens' stadium is small, the price per ticket is pretty cheap, and the there's not a bad seat in the house. I liked it. There wasn't quite the same energy as there had been in Cincinnati, but it was still fun.

Nothing I had experienced before quite prepared me for Fenway. At Fenway the excitement starts about 3 blocks away from the stadium where the crowds start to gather in pubs and restaurants. They spill out the doors onto the streets wearing Boston Red Sox caps, shirts, jackets, pants, even carrying purses and backpacks with the Red Sox logo. As you get closer to the stadium the street vendors increase along with the crowds. It's impossible to walk without bumping into someone, dodging a ticket scalper, or being blasted by the cries of "Game Programs! $2 outside the park, $5 inside! Get your programs!" The bagpipes begin to play, security works overtime to search bags and get everybody inside, and the smell of hot dogs permeates the air.

Inside Fenway is a tribute to the old meeting the new. Fenway Park, America's oldest ballpark, is 98 years old. Old photos and pennants share space with new ads for Comcast Xfinity and Microsoft. Fenway Franks, Fenway Park's official hot dogs, are sold everywhere and in mass quantities. Dunkin' Donuts brews gallons of coffee and the beer vendors just keep 'em coming. The seats are small and the aisles are narrow. The stadium vendors walk up and down, up and down calling "Hot dogs, get your hot dogs!" and "Peanuts! Salted Peanuts!" The cotton candy, popcorn, pizza, and ice cream vendors all add their cries creating a cacophony of sounds, a heady aroma, and a dazzling display of balance and strength as they navigate the steep, crowded stairs.

If you haven't ever attended a major league sporting event, I highly recommend that you do, just once, for the experience. 40,000 people all cheering at the same time, working together to do the 'the wave', singing 'Take me out to the ballpark' during the 7th inning stretch, and clapping whenever a kid catches a foul ball is an invigorating experience.

It's a great way to spend a day.

She was the picture of class...

2010-08-19T11:01:00.001-04:00

This is not the example I wish to set for my daughter

In my entire adult life I have only been in two fights that weren't with Steve. (Fights with Steve don't count because after 19 years of marriage, numerous home improvement projects, and 8 moves tensions can run a little high...) I am a huge confrontation wimp. I will concede the point, back down, wimp out, tell a lie, or feign stupidity to avoid confrontation. The only exception would be if the necessary confrontation involved defending my daughter but luckily that situation has not yet arisen. I say all of this to paint a picture of a person who does not like to be at odds with the rest of the human population.

The first fight was 5 years ago. It actually took place on a Catholic school playground, which makes it all the more pathetic. I was co-leading a Girl Scout troop and was accused by the mother of a girl on another troop, let's call her Mad Mom, of placing the "rich" girls on my troop and leaving the "poor" girls for her troop. Since I was brand new to the area, had no friends, had no idea where most of these girls lived, what their parents made, or even who their parents were, I felt the accusation was a little unfair. Side note: I actually was seeking out Mad Mom because I had heard she was upset with me. I didn't know who she was so I had to ask another parent on the playground if he knew her. Just my luck the parent I asked was Mad Mom's husband!) It got a little heated with Mad Mom calling me a snobby b*****. Our kids are playing just a few feet away and Mad Mom is calling me names! The sun beat down, sweat beaded on her forehead and pooled in her impressive cleavage. She glared down at me from her 6 inch height advantage and moved toward me to intimidate. Her face was red with anger and her words were harsh and bitter. Mad Mom said that she knew my "type" and that I disgusted her that I would use kids to play my snobby games. She said "don't worry, I know what you are and I'll make sure everyone else does too." She practically spit in my face.

She was the picture of class.

The second fight was 3 days ago. I was at the local warehouse club waiting in line at the U Scan. Side note: our warehouse club has discovered that if they open only one staffed checkout and then provide 5 U Scans they can herd us all to checkout our own purchases. On this particular day four of the U Scans all had the added benefit of their "HELP" lights blinking, something which the warehouse employees were working diligently to ignore. No surprise here, I was in line at the one working U Scan. I was next in line. The woman currently checking out, let's call her Rude Woman, was talking on her cell phone while she unloaded her cart. Side note: Rude Woman was talking on her cell phone very loudly. She was speaking Spanish. I have noticed that when people talk on their cell phones and don't speak English there seems to be no attempt to moderate their voices as they believe that the people around them can't understand what they are saying. Why is it that we need to hear your conversation, whether we can understand it or not? I don't mind the public phone use but could you practice a little volume control??? Anyway, as you can imagine, holding a cell phone in one hand and unloading your cart/checking out your purchases with the other is a slow process. I waited. The line behind me grew. I waited. One of the other U Scans actually received some employee assistance and the HELP light went out. Some people bailed out of my line. Others came to replace them. We waited. Finally the woman is done checking out. She has all her purchases at the end of the conveyor and is reloading her cart (one handed, of course). I step up to the U Scan. I scan my membership card. I scan 5 of my 7 items. It is at this point that Rude Woman has finally finished her conversation. She looks up. She notices that I have begun checking out my items. I have my daughter standing toward the end of the conveyor belt to keep our purchases from getting mixed up with Rude Woman's. Rude Woman looks at me and says "Um, you're going to wait til I'm finished!" I looked at the 2 remaining items in my cart. I looked at the long line of people behind me. I surprised myself by saying "No. I'm not." Rude Woman's eyes got wide. And she lost her mind. She began yelling at me. She was dropping F bombs with a liberal scattering of the B word. Her overblown lips were parted and her black lined, overly mascara-ed eyes were squinched nearly shut. She was breathing in gasps. She. Was. Mad. Well, I was mad too. I mean she is saying these things in front of my daughter! I told my daughter to switch places with me (I had checked out the last 2 items while Rude Woman ranted) and to pay while I reloaded the cart. As soon as I stepped toward her Rude Woman backed away, still spewing expletives like some demented fountain. I loaded my cart and by the time I looked up again Rude Woman was gone in a cloud of cheap perfume, her spike heels clacking, sheer tunic over black bra swaying while her gold metallic leggings gleamed in the fluorescent lighting.

She was the picture of class.

In neither instance did I fight back. I simply listened to what was said. Replied that I was sorry they felt that way. And walked away. (Well at the warehouse club I turned away). I didn't raise my voice. I didn't lower my standards. I didn't back down. I didn't escalate the situation. No matter the conflict, the reason, who is right or who is wrong. It is always important to me to be:

The picture of class. (Plus both women scared the heck out of me and would have beat me to a pulp).

Green Tip Tuesday: Being Green While You Sleep

2010-08-17T10:07:00.000-04:00

Image from Gaiam.com

Today the Gaiam sale catalog arrived in the mail. Now y'all know how inspired I get from my catalogs and Gaiam is my Green inspiration that's for sure. Looking at the gorgeous organic sheet sets (on sale!) has inspired me to make quality, organic bedding a priority.

Sleeping is meant to be a time for healing, rejuvenation, renewal, and rest. None of those things feel compatible with inhaling toxins, absorbing chemicals, irritating the immune system, or creating allergies but that's exactly what can happen night after night if we sleep is poorly ventilated rooms with chemical-filled bedding.

Imagine if you will a more peaceful scenario: you climb into bed, a bed softened with 250-thread-count organic cotton percale sheets. Your skin is not going to absorb any dyes or chemicals from the sheets because none were used. Your window and your door are both open, just slightly, for proper ventilation. Your mattress is softened and protected by a pure wool mattress topper or pad. Your pajamas, if you choose to wear them, are loose, cotton, and chemical free. Aren't you feeling more relaxed already?

Wool mattress topper from Gaiam.com

My bedroom is not all organic. My bed is wood and veneers with plenty of glue, varnish, and other toxins I'm sure. My blankets aren't organic cotton. My mattress happens to be organic cotton only because we had to buy a new one last year and it wasn't any more expensive than a regular kind. I don't have the money to replace all my furniture and bedding with chemical-free options and frankly, I'm not sure I need to. As long as my room is ventilated throughout the day and while I sleep the toxins leaching from my bed don't have a chance to build up and I don't actually touch my bedframe while sleeping. The only thing touching my skin at night are my pajamas and my sheets (and Steve against whom a pretty good arguement could be made that with all those pizza rolls in his system he is also a source of toxins, but I digress) and since I really need to buy some new sheets anyway, why not make them organic?

It was my Gaiam catalog with any size sheets set on sale for $39.99 (http://www.gaiam.com/) that inspired me, but I've also noticed places like Target, WalMart, Lands End, LLBean, and Pottery Barn carrying organic sheet sets. My goal is to replace my sheets with an organic option, wash them in eco-friendly detergent, and perhaps, over time, invest in some organic cotton T-shirts and boxers for sleeping.

A restful night. Giving my body the opportunity to rejuvenate. Less pesticides being used on our planet. Less dyes and chemicals being put into our drinking water, soil, and bodies. One small step that if we all take together adds up to one big step.

Now go get a good night's sleep.

What would you do if you weren't afraid to do it?

2010-08-13T08:18:00.000-04:00

What would you do if you weren't afraid to do it? Would you publish a book? Open a restaurant? Produce a movie? Cure a disease? Invent something? Did you ever set a goal that seemed like maybe you were reaching a little too high but you couldn't help yourself, you decided to reach anyway?

I did. I do. And I did it. I reached.

I'd like to invite you to come along with me as I embark on my next adventure that combines 2 of my passions: reading books and talking with friends. I'd like to invite you to listen to my podcast.

That's right, podcast. Debbie and I have a podcast. If you are a podcast virgin let me give you a little more information: podcasts are audio or video blogs. Debbie and I decided to create an audio podcast where we will review books, blogs, authors, basically anything written down. Our inaugral podcast is now live and can be found on our blog http://www.undercoverwithdebandbeth.blogspot.com/ or downloaded from iTunes. Just type deb and beth in the search bar.

In our first podcast we review the Stephanie Plum series written by Janet Evanovich. For our next podcast we're planning to discuss the combined works from author Stacey Ballis. Our style is casual, the audio mix a bit amateur, the intro music probably a little dated, yet I am so proud of the overall product that I am just about bursting. I'd love to have you listen along. Download the podcast (it's free) and even better subscribe so you get our regular updates.

And while you're listening to us, think about your dream. And then reach.

Green Tip Tuesday: Let's Talk about Toothbrushes

2010-08-11T08:53:00.000-04:00

Oops, it looks like Green Tip Tuesday is once again being held on a Wednesday. Sorry! My last days of summer are kind of running together a bit. Anyway, let's talk about toothbrushes! If you're listening to your dentist you are throwing away your old toothbrush every six months or anytime you get sick. That could add up to a lot of waste. Luckily, there are some greener solutions.

Powered toothbrushes only replace the toothbrush head

The first solution is to use a rechargeable powered toothbrush. These kinds of toothbrushes have a base that can be used for years with only the toothbrush head needing to be replaced. I use an Oral B rechargeable and absolutely love it. My teeth feel cleaner, I know I am brushing long enough because it has a self timer that tells me when 2 minutes is up, and because I am actually brushing for 2 minutes (instead of what feels like 2 minutes!) I am more apt to do a complete job. You do have to be careful not to press too hard on your gums or you can cause sensitivity and pain. The toothbrush head that gets replaced still generates waste, it simply generates less waste because of its size and the fact that a complete toothbrush doesn't have to be manufactured. Of course my toothbrush base does get plugged into the wall so there is still a carbon footprint. Also, it can be very hard to find eco-friendly replacement heads that fit the toothbrush.

These wooden toothbrushes are natural but not made from sustainable wood sources

Recycled yogurt containers make up these toothbrushes

Another solution is to buy a toothbrush made from recycled material. There is an eco-friendly toothbrush manufactured by Recycline, Inc. in Waltham, Massachusetts. The toothbrush base is made from recycled yogurt containers that are supplied by Stoneyfield Farm Yogurt. It's a great option for manual toothbrush users because you are already re-using what has been re-cycled and re-purposed. Pristineplanet.com carries a line of eco-friendly toothbrushes that are BPA free and phthalate free. There is only one problem that I have with these toothbrushes: price.

As you well know from my organic butter ($4.99/lb) I definitely pay a premium for what I consider to be superior products. HOWEVER, at roughly $7.99 per toothbrush, if you have a bad winter of colds and flu you could bankrupt yourself just buying toothbrushes. Not to mention that these toothbrushes are not widely available in stores and so you may encounter shipping costs when buying online. Yikes!

Having said all that, you may want to make the toothbrush investment and here is why: most toothbrushes contain BPA, acrylic, nylon, and phthlalate. Add to this a nice toxic chemical like fluoride that will help these substances to break down and you have your average teeth brushing experience. If you're having problems with bleeding gums, mouth sores or ulcers, any kind of mouth, throat, or lip cancers, or have a suppressed immune system it may be worthwhile to consider a natural toothbrush. Now I suppose the argument can be made that if you're having all those above listed problems you probably want to make a lot of lifestyle changes and your toothbrush may be the least of your concerns, but why add toxins, right?

For the Average Joe who doesn't have bleeding mouth ulcers there is something else to consider: if you have a toddler that likes to chew on toothbrushes invest in an eco-friendly toothbrush. Wash it regularly to preserve it as long as possible and don't replace it until it is gnawed completely but don't let your babies ingest all those toxins. Why bother to invest in the BPA free water bottle and then give your baby a toothbrush to chew on?

Whatever type of toothbrush you use the really important thing is to use it regularly. Having a clean mouth reduces air pollution and that my friends, is Green.

Green Tip Tuesday: Surprising Areas of Waste & How to Be Greener

2010-08-03T06:55:00.000-04:00

Being smug is fun, isn't it? I'll admit it: as I walk around my house on freshly washed-with-vinegar floors wearing organic cotton socks that will later be washed with Earth-friendly detergent sometimes I just can't help but let that smug little smirk creep onto my face. Oh yeah, I'm sooo much better than all those Mop-N-Glo-using-synthetic-sock-wearing-folks! Right? So my smug-little-self decides to take out the trash (of course a very small bag since environmental smugness and recycling go hand-in-hand) and would you looky here...Plastic baggies with zipper top, batteries, single use Keurig cups, banana peels, a peach pit, and a styrofoam meat tray all getting ready to go to the landfill. And all completely unnecessary waste. Perhaps I'm just a mere mortal after all...

So what are the options? Well, what about trying this:

Most plastic bags can be recycled but they may have to go to a "special" recycling center which can be a pain to find. I found out that the same recycling bin at my grocery store that will take the plastic grocery bags will also take sandwich style bags as long as the zipper is cut off. I also know that some people wash and reuse their baggies. I am not a huge fan of this option because these bags were not made to be washed and reused. Aside from the potential for harmful bacterial growth is the fact that the bags are breaking down with use leaching their petrochemicals into whatever you have in the bag. The best option is to forego the bag completely and find a reusable container that will fit your needs. This can be super challenging because who is going to pack a glass bowl in their child's lunch, right? I have found that the reusable bags from snacktaxi (http://www.snacktaxi.com/) are a good option, as well as using recyclable plastic containers for dry goods (get a thermos if you're packing anything hot,like soup).

I keep meaning to make the investment in rechargeable batteries. The problem is that when I remember I need batteries for something tends to be at the checkout when that conveniently placed little package of Duracells jogs my memory. Despite all my good intentions those old batteries end up in the trash where they get to leach some good ol' heavy metals like mercury and nickel cadmium into the soil. So if, like me, that rechargeable battery purchase hasn't materialized, be assured that it's actually getting easier to recycle batteries. A lot of office supply stores are creating drop boxes for battery recycling, as well as bigger chain stores like WalMart. The best information on how to recycle the battery may come from the packaging itself which frequently gives a website to go to for information. My plan: hang a bag under the sink, label it 'Batteries', throw all the batteries in there instead of in the trash. When the bag is full (which will take some time in most households) find a recycling center and take it there. (Yes that solution did combine two of my favorite things: procrastinating and recycling!)

I'm guilty, guilty, guilty. We even have the reusable Keurig insert that enables us to put coffee, tea, whatever, into the machine without using the single-use cup. I don't believe we've ever used it. Those little cups are so cute, convenient, have great flavors, I can't find my green chai tea in bulk, I've got dozens of reasons why I don't use the reusable cup. None of them are Green. The only option is for me to change my wicked ways and use the reusable filter giving the K-cup manufacturers time to develop recylable packaging. In order to get the green chai tea I love I'm going to have to make it myself. Here is the recipe:

1/3 c loose green tea
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cardamom

Mix the ingredients together. If using K-cup reusable filter, put 1 TBSP into the filter, store the remainder in an airtight (glass!) container. I like to add rice or soy milk to my brewed cup, but that's just me. Enjoy!

Banana peels and peach pits. If I had a compost pile these would be excellent candidates to go on that pile. In the past I haven't felt too bad about throwing away things that will naturally break down because, well, they naturally break down. They don't clog up landfills for years and years, they self-compost. Unfortunately this thinking is pretty flawed. First of all they do clog up landfills because it's not like they break down instantly, it takes time. Secondly that plastic bag they are stored in isn't exactly breaking down quickly (if at all) either so what good does it do to have some quality compost trapped in plastic for the next millenium? My quick fix has been to throw a lot of my peels and pits over my deck and into the woods behind my house. (Note, I own the part I'm using as a personal landfill so no neighbors' rights are being infringed upon). However creating a heap of rotting food in my backyard isn't exactly composting, so again, not ideal. I looked it up and composting is actually easy! Here's what to do:

Choose a shady spot. Put down your green compost (coffee grounds, fruit and veggie waste, grass clippings). Now add your browns (twigs, branches, etc.). Now add a little water to moisten. Keep doing this. Keep a shovel or pitchfork nearby to mix things up every once in a while and make sure to keep it moist. Your compost will be ready in a few months. Note: don't let your pile get too large or get too much sun.

Now this is rudimentary composting, at best, but it will work (according to the EPA website) and so I'm going to give it a shot.

Finally the styrofoam meat tray. The solution to this one is easy: get your meat from the meat counter instead of what's already been packaged and put on the shelf. You'll get exactly the amount you want, the cut you want, it's fresher, and it will be wrapped in recyclable paper, not stored in styrofoam.

See how easy it is to be Green? (And think how unbearably smug I can be once I have accomplished all this Greenness!)

My Summer Top 10 List

2010-07-31T10:22:00.000-04:00

This summer has been chock full of wonderful experiences. I seem to be in a "gratitude place" lately because I am noticing that every little thing seems to bring me joy. Perhaps I am finally feeling at home, at peace, and settled here in Massachusetts.

I've been thinking lately about a Top 10 list: what are my 10 favorite things to do/experience this summer. Here's what I have come up with so far:

10. The way my house smells first thing in the morning when the windows have been open all night long and the air is still cool.

9. Sipping Simply Lemonade. With plenty of ice. (Fresh squeezed would only be better if someone else was willing to squeeze it for me...)

8. Scrunching my toes in the sand. Not being a native New Englander, I had no idea that there were so many types of sand on beaches. York beach in York, Maine has a course, brown sandy beach. Hampton Beach in Hampton, New Hampshire has a soft, yellow sand. Ogunquit Beach in Ogunquit, Maine has a soft, light brown sand. Marblehead Beach in Salem, Massachusetts has a very rocky beach with not much sand at all. Whatever their type, I like all beaches and scrunching my toes in all kinds of sand.

7. Seeing the bees really working the flowers in front my house. The previous owner planted lavendar and the bees just go crazy over the stuff. Every day, without fail they show up to work. I don't know much about bees but I think these bees are honey bees. They are big and fat and can barely squeeze their bee-bodies into each flower. They don't seem bothered by me trying to weed the area around the lavendar and other flowers and to my amazement, even with hundreds of bees around me, I've never been stung. Thanks, bees!

6. Freshly painted hot-pink toenails. I rarely paint my fingernails but in the summer I like to have my toes looking cute. Hot pink is my choice this summer. Probably it's weird but glancing down at my cute-hot-pink-toes set against my tanned foot makes me smile.

5. The smell of Hawaiian Tropic suntain lotion. Probably laden with chemicals and extra artificial ingredients to make that wonderful, trademark smell, Hawaiian Tropic has it right: it just smells like summer.

4. Eating cherries on the back deck. Having a pit-spitting contest with my daughter to see who can spit their pit the farthest into the woods.

3. Grilled corn on the cob. Purchased fresh that day from the farmer's market. With butter and salt.

2. The sound of the ocean. Be it crashing waves, screaming gulls, the blowing wind, or the dull roar of the surf, I find the complex sounds of the ocean to be at times calming, at times stimulating and always awe-inspiring.

1. The smell of my daughter's hair in the summer: a potpourri of chlorine, shampoo, and sun. I could just breathe that child in forever. She's 11 now, so time spent hugging mom whilst I smell her hair is both short and met with horror ("Mo-om! Why are you so weird???"). No matter. I know what's important.

So there it is. My Top 10 Summer Pleasures. Any of those pleasures resonate with you? Any pleasures to add?

If I was filthy stinkin' rich...

2010-07-29T20:43:00.000-04:00

What if money were no object?

Our family likes to play a game sometimes where we imagine what kind of outrageous, wonderful, quirky, and expensive items we would own if we were filthy stinkin' rich. My daughter frequently chooses things like an iceberg complete with penguins that would swim around in our basement. My husband likes to imagine things like our own parking garage filled with a different car for every mood. I seem to always envision outdoor stuff like a waterfall that cascades into our multi-level inground pool.

What would you dream if you had a million dollars to spend? A billion? A trillion?

There was recently a man in our town who won a large lottery. He was just a regular guy, working a regular job, and now he gets $50,000 a year for 30 years. Not bad for a single scratch lotto ticket. His story got me to thinking again about how much money I'd love to have if I could have any amount. I have decided I would like to have 3 million dollars. Here's what I'd do with the money:

I'd take the first million and pay off my home mortgage and the mortgages of my parents, brothers, sister, and in-laws.

I'd take the second million and establish education trust funds for my daughter and her 3 cousins. These wouldn't be just college funds, they'd be education funds that would carry them from whenever their education begins to whenever it ends. I'd give whatever was left after the funds were established as donations to schools that need it in our area.

I'd take the third million and bank it. Invest it. Use its interest to travel and create new experiences for myself and my family.

That's it, just 3 million. If I won a lottery of $10 million I would still do my $3 million plan, I'd just donate more money to charity. I wouldn't quit my very-part-time-job at the local college bookstore. I doubt Steve would quit his job either. We love our jobs. We love what we do. I wouldn't re-decorate my house or build on another wing (though I would hire professional exterior painters in a heartbeat!). I wouldn't even change my car, though I'm sure Steve would want another car, not to replace his, but just for fun. I wouldn't change my daughter's school, where we live, or our grocery budget.

I'd travel to see my friends and family a lot more.

I'd make sure that all of the children in my school district were eating healthy meals at school for breakfast and/or lunch.

I'd probably spend more getting my hair highlighted.

But I like my life. While I would love to have the financial serenity of having my house paid for and a healthy chunk in the bank, I wouldn't want to actually have a different life.

What about you? What amount would you like to have? What would you do with your dream-money?

Green Tip Tuesday: Don't Track Those Muddy Shoes in my House!

2010-07-27T08:02:00.000-04:00

Shoes really do belong outside

It turns out Mom was right: it really is a bad idea to track muddy, or really any kinds of shoes, into the house. The Asian cultures have known this for centuries and have always insisted that shoes be left at the door, but it's kind of a new phenomenon here in the west.

There are a lot of pollutants that get stuck on the soles of our shoes: dirt, pesticides, fecal matter, and dust (which provides a wonderful biosphere environment for dust mites, mold, viruses, and germs to breed) all ride in with us whenever we walk in the door. It's especially bad if you have carpeting which acts like a gigantic doormat sucking up all the pollutants it can from your shoes. The problem isn't so much the gunk we track in, it's the chemicals we're forced to use to get it back out. Carpet cleaners, bleaches, harsh chemicals, and dry cleaning (for winter coats) are regularly used throughout our homes as we try to combat all the dirt that has been drug in.

Keeping your house clean can be as simple as removing your shoes as soon as, or right before, you walk in the door. Now for me this is a bit of a challenge. Our home doesn't really have a foyer. Or a mud room. Or a convenient place to leave shoes. We usually enter from the garage so our shoes get taken off as soon as we enter the house through the dining room. This means that our dining room always has an empty shoe tray with 4 or 5 pairs of shoes scattered around it. And the shoe tray always has a nice layer of sand, cut grass, and dust to make it look especially appealing, being as it's in a dining room and all.

I'd be happy if the shoes would just make it on the tray!

We have shoe racks in the hall closet but that closet is on the other side of the dining room in the non-existent foyer and so the shoes have never made the journey quite that far. I personally have been lobbying to do away with our formal dining room and turn that space into a proper mudroom. Since the garage and the basement both open into the dining room it's already kind of an awkward arrangement.

My husband is not yet convinced.

This is my vision: The dining room is a perfect square so we put a big comfy chair with ottoman angled in one corner. (We already have the chair, it lives in the basement waiting to be rediscovered). That provides a perfect spot for putting on/taking off shoes. Then we line the back wall with those gorgeous cubbies from Pottery Barn (or a knock off from Target, you know how I love Target), add a round rug in the center of the room and call it a day.

Is it just me or is this anyone else's idea of perfection?

My husband is not yet convinced.

I like the idea of a proper place to put all our shoes. I like the idea of coats, backpacks, purses, umbrellas, briefcases, and lunch bags having a permanent home as well. All of those "outdoor" items that get tossed on the floor, drug across the classroom, dropped on the floor of the car, and thrown into the corner of the office pick up a lot of dirt and germs. Finding a spot, preferably close to where you enter your house, for these items to live means containing a lot of dirt and germs, which makes cleaning a lot easier. It also means less wear and tear on your carpet. Which means you'll replace your carpet less frequently. Which means less waste going into a landfill. Which is green. Or you can use gentler cleaners on your hardwood floors. Like good old vinegar and hot water. Which is green. And y'all know how much I like to be green!

Need relaxation therapy? Try a Pottery Barn catalog

2010-07-23T10:22:00.000-04:00

A few days ago I went out to check the mail. Life had been unexpectedly busy and stressful and my house was reflecting it: dishes needing to be loaded in the dishwasher, throw blankets...well...thrown about, papers on the floor where the wind had blown them, shoes absolutely everywhere but in the shoe bin, beds unmade, laundry unfolded, a life in chaos.

I wasn't so much checking the mailbox as I was fleeing the scene.

When I opened the mailbox it was there. Nestled in among the Redplum coupons, the grocery store ads, and the oil bill. A Pottery Barn catalog. Just for a moment I heard the angels sing. I pulled out the mail, tossing most of it into the recycle bin as I walked into the house. But not the Pottery Barn catalog. Nope, no recycling bin for you yet, my pretty. You, my little book of magic, are going to provide me some much needed therapy.

Isn't this a peaceful scene?

I walked into the kitchen and placed the catalog in the center of the island. I quickly unloaded the dishwasher, put away the clean dishes, then loaded it again with the dirty. I wiped off counters and tables (being careful not to get my prized catalog wet!) and took the catalog with me to the family room. I placed the catalog on the coffee table and went to work: I picked up the wind-strewn papers, folded the throw blankets, put the pillows and cushions back where they belong and straightened the rug.

Then Pottery Barn and I went upstairs where I quickly made beds, put dirty laundry into hampers, threw in a load, and gazed longingly at the cover of the catalog while I folded laundry. I put the laundry away, made a cup of Bigelow's Chai Green Tea (in my beloved Keurig, of course) and then sat down to relax. Just me and Pottery Barn.

I enjoyed it just as much as I thought I would. Each page filled with beautifully photographed, beautifully layered, accessorized, and clean roooms. Pottery Barn catalog inspires me. Just knowing those beautiful images awaited me gave me the push I needed to set my own house to rights. After perusing through Pottery Barn I find myself looking at collections of candles and glassware in new ways. I will arrange pillows and blankets in different groupings, mixing patterns in a way I hadn't thought of before. I have painted picture frames, printed out my photos in black and white, covered scraps of wood with chalkboard paint or fabric, all because of things I've seen in Pottery Barn magazine. I don't actually own a lot of Pottery Barn "stuff." I have a few accessories, my daughter has a lot of their bedding and a desk hutch, and many, many of my paint colors through the years have been taken directly from the Benjamin Moore Pottery Barn paint deck, but for most part it is the lifestyle they are selling that I am buying, not the actual product. (Which is probably not music to Pottery Barn's ears but I'm just tellin' the truth here).

After 30 minutes spent in my now-clean-house, sipping chai green tea and flipping through the catalog I was completely relaxed. I got up, actually set the table for dinner, as opposed to simply putting out plates. I used napkin rings, brought in a centerpiece of a glass bowl filled with sand, white candles, sea glass, and shells (except for the candles all found objects from the ocean). We had a pleasant dinner, enjoyed some dumb game shows as a family, and went to bed.

The next day I was still inspired to move some throw pillows around from different rooms when making my bed. The day after that I hung a shelf in my bathroom that I'd been meaning to hang. Just this morning I grouped some picture frames differently.

I spent 30 minutes with a catalog and I didn't buy anything. But I did get a new attitude.

What inspires yet relaxes you?

Green Tip Tuesday: Hosting a "Green" Cookout

2010-07-20T13:56:00.000-04:00

I love grilling out!

I love grilling out. I love the smell. I love how the food tastes. I love the excitement that I can't help but feel about the whole process. Until I learned a little more about cooking out I was (mistakenly) thinking that it wasn't a very "green" option. It turns out, cooking out can be quite environmentally friendly.

This is how we used to grill out

Most important is the choice of grill. We have a gas grill. Up until last year we had a charcoal grill. I thought the charcoal grill was "greener" because charcoal is a renewable resource but unfortunately the emissions are so high from burning charcoal that it apparently cancels out all the potential good. I read here a pretty good arguement for gas grilling. There are also electric grills. Sadly these grills tend to not be very efficient, especially when grilling multiple food items, thus the good done by their reduced emissions is negated by the amount of energy it takes to completely cook a meal. Finally there is lump charcoal. Lump charcoal is free of the additives found in traditional charcoal that create the noxious emissions but it is not readily available from local sources creating the need to ship it great distances. The transportation emissions far exceed the "good" done by using this type of energy.

Gas grilling is more environmentally friendly than charcoal grilling

The point is that unless you are choosing a raw-food-lifestyle you're going to be cooking your food in some form or fashion. The smallest carbon footprint comes from gas grilling. Something about grilling seems to inspire us to invite our friends and families to join us, thus making for an even greener cooking experience as more people are fed from the same amount of energy consumed. Heating up a grill is far greener than heating up an oven.

I love veggie kabobs, especially marinated with a little Italian dressing!

Finally it's important to note the types of food being grilled. You could go for the heart attack special: steaks, brats, burgers, hot dogs, mayonnaise-laden potatoe salad, macaroni salad, jello "salad", some creamy cole slaw all topped off with s'mores for dessert. You could eat that way. I certainly have in the past. Now I choose black bean burgers, grilled vegetables, vegetable kabobs, grilled portabella mushrooms, and grilled corn-on-the-cob. And s'mores. It's best not to "char" food when grilling, in fact the shorter cooking time for veggies, the better because many nutrients are destroyed by heat.

Pineapples and apples grill up nicely

Grilling food is an excellent opportunity to try out new foods. Not sure if you like summer squash? What about adding it to your kabob? Haven't ever tried grilled fruit? Well peaches are in season and they grill up beautifully, as do blueberries, blackberries, and pears. You could even go for more nutrients and eat the fruit raw, like in strawberry shortcake.

Who am I kidding? Grilled fruit?

I still eat the s'mores.

2010-07-16T10:41:00.000-04:00

I grew up with only one television set in our house. That TV was black&white until 1980 when my parents proudly brought home a big cabinet-style color TV. That day was cause for much celebration in my childhood home!

Remember when this was the height of fashion?

We only had 3 channels and those 3 channels only broadcast from 6 a.m. until 1 or 2 a.m. No cable TV for me, no VCR (until 1987), no premium channels, no movies on demand, no hulu tv on the internet, nothing that we mostly take for granted today as an ability to watch pretty much whatever we want whenever we want to watch it.

All of the choices today and the easy availability of constant entertainment have some experts arguing that TV is too important, too much a part of our daily routine than is good for us, and certainly more than it was 20 years ago. I'm not going to dispute whether that is true for everyone I'm simply making the statement that's it's not true for me even though I make use of just about every single technological advance available for TV viewing. Here's why:

Back in the 'old days' I'd be outside playing with my friends. We'd all be involved in a game of kickball. Or pickle. Or Smear the Queer (because political correctness was not yet a soundbite in the '70s). Suddenly doors would open all over the neighborhood as mothers called their children to come inside because the Charlie Brown special was starting in 5 minutes. The kickballs, softballs, and baseballs would all be abandoned as each child stopped playing to go inside and watch television. In the old days if you missed a show when it was aired you had to wait a whole year, or possibly longer, for the show to be aired again. Not so these days, my friends. My daughter frequently asks "Will you TiVo that show for me?" regarding some Disney special, ABC Family movie, or Nickolodeon premiere that she wants to watch. "Sure," I say, "I'll make sure it records for you." I program TiVo and then we both forget about it until one day when we are sitting down to watch TV and the desired program magically appears in our TiVo To Do List. Our children don't have to stop playing in order to see a desired program. They don't have to schedule their lives based upon the TV schedule.

I think the technology also helps me better screen the choices available to my daughter. Before the advent of the internet a parent had to go by the 1 or 2 reviews of a movie that we published in the newspaper. They may have gotten some word-of-mouth reviews from other parents who had seen the movie, but there wasn't an easily accessible, wide variety of information and opinions about any given movie. Now if I want to decide if the Twilight series is appropriate for my 11 year old (my vote is NO, not for my 11 year old!) I can read thousands of book reviews, thousands of movie reviews, and see enough trailers to feel like I have a handle on the movie content. When I was 11 my parents let me go to the theater and see Poltergeist a movie I had absolutely no business seeing and a movie that my mother was appalled that I had seen when she finally saw it herself.

It's no secret that I am a huge fan of technology. I believe that the latest advances relegate TV viewing to a lesser importance than 30 years ago because it can be at our convenience, with informed consent, and doesn't have to interfere with any 'real life' activities.

What do you think?

The Dawn Chorus

2010-07-14T08:28:00.000-04:00

A chorus member in action?

The sun rises early on the East Coast. During the summer when my windows are open at night I am awoken each morning, usually between 4-5 a.m. to an amazing concert. A glorious cacaphony. I am awoken by the singing of hundreds of birds.

I'll admit that last year when we first moved to this house and I got to experience this early morning wake up call I wasn't too pleased. "Really?" I thought. "It's 4:30 in the morning!" I have since changed my attitude about the birds' song. I have decided that those little guys really have their priorities straight.

Every single morning the birds greet the rising sun with incredible joy. They sing out their joy, their thanks, their appreciation for each dawning day. They don't drag themselves out of the nest, grumpy and bleary eyed. They don't curse the rising sun. They don't instantly begin complaining about all of the "stuff" they have to do today.

They sing.

Hundreds, maybe thousands of birds live in the trees behind my house. Now when I am awoken by their morning song I lie in bed and listen. I smile. I thank God that I am alive, for the rising sun, for the gift of this new day. Steve and I now leave our shades open at night so we can see our mountain view first thing each morning and be awed all over again at the magnificence of the display.

The same powerful force that forged that mountain, grew those thousands of trees, conceived of each different kind of bird, and created the rising sun created me. I don't need to worry, stress, fear, or bemoan the new day, no matter what ills I imagine it may bring. The birds don't, and surely I'm smarter than a bird, right?

The birds are brilliant. They know a good thing when they see it. They know what to do when faced with the gift of life, the anticipation of a new day, the magnificence of a rising sun.

They sing.

Green Tip Tuesday: Repair or Replace?

2010-07-13T13:34:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I was talking with my friend Chellie and she was telling me the story of her camera falling off its hook and breaking. I began immediately asking her questions about how she was going to replace it. "We may replace it," she said "if we can get one on eBay for the same amount or cheaper than it costs to repair it."

Repair it? I felt embarrassed because I hadn't even considered trying to repair it. The fact is we live in a throw-away society where frequently, replacing something rather than repairing it, is cheaper, easier, and more exciting. I can remember when my grandmother's vaccuum cleaner broke and I rode along with her to take it to get repaired. I remember my mom had Sears come out to repair something gone awry with her Lady Kenmore washing machine and dryer that she had for nearly 20 years. I am stunned to realize that I have gone through 4 vaccuum cleaners in the 20 years I've lived on my own and not once did I even consider repairing one when it stopped working.

I just bought something new. Something better. Something with bells, whistles, lights, and sounds.

My father-in-law has an entire cottage industry going in his garage: finding lawn mowers people put out in their trash, repairing them, and then selling them at the flea market. He reduces, reuses, recycles, and makes money all in one.

So, as with all things I blog about, I decided to try out this phenomenom first. I have a sewing maching that hasn't worked in years. I have been seriously considering asking for a new sewing maching for Christmas but now I am going to try repairing this one first.

I went down to the basement. Unboxed the broken machine, got out the manual and began following the maintenance instructions and troubleshooting guide.

I took it apart. I oiled it. I put it back together and tightened all the screws.

I plugged it in and held my breath. Maybe I'll have to call in a professional, I thought, but at least I'm trying. I slid a remnant under the presser foot, turned on the machine, and voila! It worked! I have left that poor machine in a box for 4 years with the intention to replace it and all it needed was oil and its screws tightened!

Sometimes items need to be replaced. Sometimes it's just time for something new and the old can be recycled.

But sometimes a little elbow grease will save money and reduce waste too. Now that's what I call Green.

General Housekeeping

2010-07-11T20:15:00.000-04:00

Summer has been good to me thus far: I have taken a fantastic trip to Ohio and back, I have gone to a new-to-me beach in York, Maine, I have had many wonderful meals shared with family and friends, I have played a lot, worked a lot, and most importantly, laughed a lot.

Here are some general housekeeping updates.

1. American Express came through for us by refunding the $169 we requested due to unauthorized charges dating back to 2007. Good job American Express, now how about we don't do that again, eh?

2. TMPP continues though very slowly. Massive heat waves followed by rain, followed by more massive heat waves defnitely have slowed the process. I thought we'd be on the finishing touches by now, but then I am an unfailing optimist who is also blessed with an ability to underestimate the scope of any project while vastly overestimating my ability to get said project completed. It's a gift.

Having said that we are at another decision making point in the project. We are considering replacing the shutters (don't worry, I'll donate my old shutters to a recycle center like Habitat for Humanity) that were on the house previously. They are dark green louver style shutters. We are thinking about black raised panel style shutters. Care to cast your vote for a style? We know the color will be black, the style is still up for debate.

We currently have this style

We are thinking of putting on this style. In black.

3. Just a teaser: Debbie and I are hatching a new blogging project together that will be like music to your ears...

Debbie and I hope to launch 'Project X' at the end of July...

4. I have been reading, reading, reading. Long days spent on the beach (I know, my life, right??) have yielded plenty of reading time and I besides I have been doing research for my new blogging project...

5. Always in search of something new to drink that is water, but not just water, I have found that mixing carbonated water with any fruit juice is just about the most refreshing thing on the planet. My friend Chellie gave me the idea and I have taken it and run. Add crushed ice and enjoy.

6. While contemplating my neverending exterior paint project from inside my house because of the rain I have decided upon a new color for the interior of my home: Benjamin Moore's Rainforest Dew will be adorning my walls this fall, stay tuned for photos.

Don't let this neutral fool you, it's not gray, not green, not beige...I think it's going to pop!

Whew, getting all of that housekeeping out of the way feels great. Now I can go back to enjoying my summer. I hope you are having a great summer too!

Green Tip Tuesday: Staying Cool yet Staying Green

2010-07-06T10:41:00.000-04:00

We're having a heat wave, a tropical heat wave...

Record high temps in Massachusetts and around the country have me thinking about ways to stay cool in environmentally friendly ways. I don't have central air conditioning in my home (a fact much bemoaned by my poor husband) so I'm not going to go on and on about turning the air conditioner temp up just a degree or two, or running the air conditioning only at certain hours, etc., etc. We've heard those things before and frankly, in this heat, people are going to run that air conditioner as hard as they can, I would too if I had one!

I found some great tips for keeping your body cool by eating. Yes, eating. There are actually cooling foods: any high water content food helps to keep you hydrated and a hydrated body runs more efficiently and therefore cooler. You probably knew that. But did you know that high water content and raw foods actually use less digestive "fire" and thus keep you cooler in that way too?

I feel cooler just looking at this picture

Foods like watermelon, cantaloupe, grapes, berries, cucumber, celery, carrots, lettuce, green peppers, tomatoes, all citrus fruits, and processed foods like yogurt and ice cream contain a lot of water. Unlike cooked foods which need a lot of enzymes to be broken down and digested, raw, high water content foods contain their own enzymes. Less work digesting means more available energy for doing things like...say...regulating your core temperature. Less work digesting also means less heat being generated internally. Less work digesting also means more available quick energy so that you'll have energy even when the heat and humidity are oppressive.

Mint, lemon, plenty of ice...mmmm

There are "cooling" waters you can make too: herbs like mint added to water actually produce a cooling sensation. Adding lemon to water is so refreshing that it may also be perceived as cooling. Days like this are a great time to experiment with flavoring waters, using cookie cutters to make fun melon shapes, peeling grapes, and making your own popsicles with juice, an ice cube tray, and toothpicks.

Think shade, think lots of water, and think cool. Mother Nature will provide the rest.

What if we gave our country a birthday present?

2010-07-05T19:25:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday America!

We all recently celebrated our country's birthday. It also happens to be my dad's and older brother's birthdays. With all these birthdays around me I started thinking about what kind of gifts our country could use.

What if, just this month to honor our country, we recycled every plastic bottle we saw?

What if, just one time this month, we contributed to the American Red Cross?

What if we hung an American flag from our homes?

What if we smiled and welcomed every person we encounter this month, even if they are not citizens or do not speak English as their first language?

What if we all said just one good thing about this country this month?

What if we thanked a veteran?

What if we all planted just one tree?

What if we picked up the garbage in just one tiny spot in this country?

What if we shopped, just once, at a local Farmer's Market for our produce?

What if we all registered to vote?

What if we unplugged just one item in our homes?

What if we all mowed our grass after 5 p.m., just once this month?

I wonder how our country would be a year from now if we all just did one thing on the What If list? I wonder how our country would be if we all did all of the things on the What If list?

Happy Birthday America, I hope you have a great year.

Post Travel Stress Disorder

2010-07-03T21:47:00.000-04:00

I think that Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder has a little known but oft-experienced cousin known as post-travel-stress-disorder. After 2000 miles in six days, all of them travelled in the car, I am defnitely suffering post travel stress.

It all began as one of those great ideas you have late on a Friday night when you are snug in your own home, safe, missing faraway friends and family, and full of optimism. My mother-in-law was coming to stay for a week. She was flying from Ohio to Massachusetts. Wouldn't it be a great idea to take Grandma back to Ohio, stopping to visit friends and family along the way? Yes! I say! No!   Says Steve. So it's decided: my daughter and I are making the trip, Steve is staying home. Sounded great on the couch that evening. Sounded great on the phone when I got to be the hero for coming to Ohio again for the 3rd time in the less than 2 years we've lived in Massachusetts.  It sounded great to my daughter who envisioned a week's worth of endless sleepovers with her Ohio friends.

It was great. Things were humming along beautifully until...until it was time for me to get back in the car to drive home. Suddenly the enormity of the task I'd set before myself seemed overwhelming. I'm the only adult in the car! I'm the only driver! It's 14 hours to go back home! What have I done???

We left at 7a.m. The first 4 hours were a breeze: we snacked on fruit provided by my mom, my daughter watched a movie, I listened a bit but mostly just enjoyed my own thoughts, the beautiful morning, the time with my daughter, and concentrated on navigating morning rush hour traffic through Columbus, Ohio.

11 a.m. The fruit is gone. We've moved on to the sandwiches provided by my mom. The newness and excitement and adrenaline I had at 7a.m. have drained away into a road-weary sameness. We're in Pennsylvania which feels like progress until I realize I have New York and Connecticut still to go.

1 p.m. We've stopped for the bathroom, we've stopped for gas, I can think of no other reason to stop but I am completely restless. My legs hurt, my back hurts. I am trying to be extremely careful about what I eat so I stay hydrated and my blood sugar stays constant and I don't experience any blood sugar induced fatigue. I've listened to all my podcasts. I am beginning to think of Pennsylvania as a continuous loop of scenery: didn't I just see that tree? The drive has taken on a Twilight Zone quality.

4 p.m. We're in New York. It looks just like Pennsylvania. I am thankful for cruise control and air conditioning. I have a new respect for anyone who does this kind of driving regularly. I am numb. The traffic is rushing by and I am keeping up but I can feel my stress level climbing as more and more cars join me and as speeds increase. I am not usually a nervous driver, but I'm tired and the road is unfamiliar, and I'm probably driving faster than I should be.

6 p.m. I-84 in Connecticut is at a complete standstill. Occasionally we get to creep a few feet forward only to stop again. My foot is cramping from hovering over the gas then over the brake then over the gas again. We pass a highway patrol with a radar gun. I find myself laughing a bit hysterically thinking who are you going to stop?   A jogger? No one in a car is going faster than 5 mph and that's if we're lucky! My daughter has been watching movies for 12 solid hours. I don't even have the energy to persuade her to stop. I'm jealous, I wish I could check out for awhile too.

6:30 p.m. Haven't even gone a mile.

6:45 p.m. I am thinking horrible hateful thoughts about Connecticut. I have completely abandoned the idea of stable blood sugar and am consuming anything my daughter can find in the cooler.

7:00 p.m. Traffic is finally moving again. The speed limit through Connecticut is 50 miles per hour. My fellow travellers and I are treating that as a suggestion, not a law. My hypochondria is in full swing. I wonder if I can get a blood clot from sitting so long in one position. I feel a blood sugar crash coming on. Steve is urging me to just get a hotel but I'm so close to home that I just want to get there. My left leg is aching from being tensed. My right arm is tingling and my fingers feel stiff.

8:15 p.m. Massachusetts state line! I have renewed energy, I can do this! I'm almost there.

8:45 p.m. HOME. I nearly collapse getting out of the car. My legs are shaking and muscles in my back are spasming. I feel like crying with relief.

10:00 p.m. I am exhausted, I should be sleeping but I can't. My leg muscles are trembling. I keep having mini flashbacks of being stuck in Connecticut. Steve can't believe I am this stressed from driving and honestly I am surprised at myself too but I know it wasn't just the drive: it was being soley responsible for our daughter's safety in the car and the entirely self-imposed pressure to do the drive all in one day.

I did some research and discovered that a lot of serious conditions such as heart attacks, strokes, and embolisms occur or are discovered while people are on vacation or shortly after they return home. No kidding. I get it.

I learned a lot about myself on this trip. I'm glad I did it. I won't do it that way again, but that's all part of the learning curve. For me it was the length of the drive.   For my husband it's air travel. For a friend of mine it's staying in beds not her own. For another friend it's constantly having to eat out.

What about you?   Any travel traumas to report?

Green Tip Tuesday: Alternatives to the car

2010-06-22T10:29:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we took my visiting mother-in-law into "the city" (I mean Boston, of course!) for the day. We did what many people do when they go into Boston: we parked our car at the Alewife garage and took the subway the rest of the way. We walked poor Grandma's legs off as we went on the Freedom Trail, to Faneuil Hall, on a Duck Tour, to the public garden, to Boston Commons, the Prudential Center, to the North End for a fabulous Italian Dinner, and finally back to Alewife.

If you know anything about Boston you know that we criss-crossed that entire city. We walked a lot of it, but we also took a lot of subways, in fact we took all the subway lines except the silver line which only goes to the airport. Even our Boston Duck Boat was retro-fitted to run on vegetable oil. It was a Green Day.

Now as a Midwestern girl up until 2 years ago, I didn't even know mass transit like this existed except on TV. I didn't know anything about subways, trains, or buses. In fact my only experience with the public bus was getting on the wrong one to go home from the mall when I was 12 and ending up in the "wrong part of town", trying to find a pay phone, and having a tearful conversation with my mom as I begged her to come get me. Since I've moved to Massachusetts it's a whole different story.

First of all I live in town which means I can walk or bike to the library, post office, dry cleaner, pretty much anywhere I want except the grocery store which is too far away and on a wicked busy street.

Secondly I now regularly go into a big city with an advanced, practical, easy, cheap, and reliable mass transit system.

Thirdly I live in an area of teeny tiny little towns that have to be self sufficient because they are so small and so scattered and so walking and biking is more common as opposed to the midwestern suburban sprawl I was used to.

All of this has me wondering if all of this dependance upon mass transit, my own legs, or my bike are a result of my new geography or of a growing shift in perception about the way we travel?

What do you think? In your area are there viable alternatives to your car? Have you considered alternatives to your car in the past, oh say 2 years or so? If you have considered alternatives, is it because of gas prices? Car prices? The environment? All of the above?

My legs are t-i-r-e-d tired from yesterday's jaunt, but my heart is happy. We spent 10 hours traipsing around Boston leaving lots of footprints on the old bricks. But our carbon footprint? Pretty small.

Too much time on bleachers means I need to get out the castor oil!

2010-06-16T21:53:00.000-04:00

This is not my idea of comfortable seating

Softball season is finally over. 20 games. Each game lasted about 2 hours. 20 practices. Each practice lasted 2.5-3 hours. I spent nearly 100 hours this spring sitting on bleachers. This would not have been such a problem had I been faithfully practicing yoga and therefore stretching my hamstrings, lower back, and shoulders appropriately. Unfortunately the words "faithful" and "yoga" cannot be used in the same sentence right now. "Sporadic" and "rushed" are more accurate descriptions which is why I'm paying for it now with a sore lower back, hamstring pain, and shoulder pain. The hours spent sitting hunched forward, hands on knees and neck craned upward have really taken their toll and now I'm having to play catch-up to stretch my muscles.

Castor oil can be found in most pharmacies and all natural food stores

So that brings me to castor oil... (I really do have strange segues, don't I?) I love castor oil packs to relieve sore muscles. Castor oil combined with heat will increase circulation, relieve pain, and reduce inflammation. I learned this technique from the naturopathic doctor I consulted to help me heal after brain surgery. This is what you do: soak a piece of flannel (I used a scrap from an old pair of pajamas) in castor oil and place it on your skin where you need pain relief. Cover the flannel with a towel and then put a heat source over the towel (I use a heated up sock filled with rice, but you can use a heating pad, hot water bottle, whatever). Keep this compress in place for 20 minutes. The great thing is that you can place the castor oil soaked flannel wherever you need it, it works quickly and lasts a long time, it's dirt cheap to make, it's completely "green", you can't possibly overdose on it, and it's safe for children and pets. You can even re-use the flannel again and again if you put it in the refrigerator between uses! (In addition to lemon peels and cream of tartar in odd places around the house my family has also gotten used to strange objects wrapped in wax paper in our refrigerator...you may want to warn your family should you choose to do this).

After you remove the pack your skin may be a little red from increased circulation and heat and it will definitely smell like castor oil so you may want to gently wash the area with cool water. Use this treatment as many times as needed and I guarantee you will feel relief. I've read a couple of places that pregnant women should consult a doctor before doing this so you may want to check with your physician if you're not sure if you qualify as a pregnant woman (ha ha ha I crack myself up, I really do!) Remember: I'm not a doctor (though I did play one once at the gym, but that's a whole 'nother story...)

I'm experimenting with rubbing a little eucalyptus essential oil mixed with almond oil on sore muscles and will let you know how that works once I have the amounts figured out.

Green Tip Tuesday: Snack TAXI

2010-06-15T20:31:00.000-04:00

School is out, the sun is actually shining today and the air is warm! For this Midwestern girl turned New Englander this change of season can mean only one thing: it's BEACH TIME! Most of the beaches we tend to frequent do not have boardwalks so I spend a lot of time packing up a cooler so we can stay for the day. Recently my friend Chellie turned me on to snack TAXI, a Massachusetts based company that makes adorable reusable bags for sandwiches and snacks.

Okay, how cute are these bags??

A sandwich bag with happy veggies? Adorable!

Their sports-themed sandwich bags are sure to be a hit

Snack TAXI meets all of my criteria for being "green": they use local labor and materials, the bags are washable made of 100% cotton on the outside and phthalate-free nylon on the inside, and the aim of the company is to reduce waste produced by millions of baggies each year by producing a safe, viable alternative. The bags are now being carried at many retailers around the U.S. or you can order online at http://www.snacktaxi.com/.

I like them because they are a great alternative to (petroleum based!) baggies, they are sturdy enough to keep your sandwich from being mushed but flexible enough to fit in a lunch box (unlike rigid-petroleum-based-plastic containers), and they are so darn cute even my what-will-my-friends-think? 11 yr old will use them.

As always, my opinion is completely my own and I have not been compensated by snack TAXI in any way.

Reduce your exposure to petroleum, your waste, and up the cuteness factor all in one bag, what a great way to go green this summer!

What it's like to have a brain tumor

2010-06-14T20:19:00.000-04:00

Recently a friend of mine suggested that I blog about what it's like to have a brain tumor. She was suggesting this because I was telling her that the most frequent question I am asked by anyone who discovers my medical history is "how did you know you had  a tumor? What were your symptoms?" I completely understand this line of questioning because let's face it, if I say "well I had a weird blue rash on my stomach" we all know that every single person will look at their stomach for a blue rash as soon as they can. It's human nature.

I try not to dwell on "the tumor" in this blog because I (hopefully) have a lot more dimension to me than just a 5 yr old diagnosis but I certainly don't mind talking about it, so here goes.

Five years ago my left eye began to twitch. The twitch didn't go away after a week or a month or even 2 months.   Steve and I thought it was stress. Finally it was bugging me so much that I went to a neurologist who prescribed 5 mg of valium to see if the twitch would decrease or even go away. I took the valium for 3 days. During those 3 days the twitch didn't stop. In fact I was starting to feel an odd "pulling" sensation on the left side of my face, as if the muscles were pulled down just for a second and then released. The neurologist ordered an MRI for the following week. By the time the MRI came around I was experiencing a "zapping" sensation in my face. Have you ever walked across carpet in socks and then gotten a shock when you touched a light switch or another person? It felt exactly like that.

The MRI revealed a squash-shaped mass that was wrapped all around my brain stem and extending toward my left ear. They gave me an injection of dye to check for cancer. The center of the tumor lit up with the dye (which is bad) so my initial diagnosis was of an inoperable cancerous mass surrounded by necrotic (dead) brain tissue.

That was not a good day.

Later testing and evaluation revealed that what was originally thought to be cancer was actually an artery that had been completely surrounded by the tumor. The tumor was thought to be benign and the diagnosis was an epidermoid brain tumor. Very rare. No known cure. Surgery is best treatment. Because I was exhibiting symptoms but was in overall excellent health I was considered an excellent candidate for surgery. I had a brain tumor, but at least it was benign!

That was a good day.

By this time the left side of my face was mostly paralyzed. It took massive effort on my part to talk, blink, eat, drink, and swallow. Our family took a trip to Chicago and we ate at the Cheesecake Factory restaurant. The paralysis was so bad I was unable to chew my food because I couldn't make my mouth work properly and the food kept falling out. I was embarrassed, scared, sad, and angry.

That was not a good day.

Three months after diagnosis the decision to have surgery was made and the date set. I was terrified because I knew going in that the surgeon wouldn't be able to remove the tumor, just "deflate" it because of its proximity to and wrapping around of the brain stem and a major artery. At that time I wasn't worried about living with the tumor long term, I was just worried about surviving the surgery.

That was not a good day either (I threw up a lot from the anesthesia, which is hard to do while not moving your head).

Well survive I did and so here I am today with what you could call a chronic condition. I believe that I have complete control over whether or not the tumor grows because I believe that diet and exercise play a significant part in abnormal cell division and our bodies' abilities to control cellular overgrowth (which is all a tumor is when you think about it). I have not yet met a brain surgeon who agrees with me about this, but I know deep in my bones that I am right. When I discovered the "cure" for everything is a mixture of diet, exercise, and attitude I felt empowered. Strong. Able to defeat all obstacles.

That was a good day.

Life is made up of many days, however, so sometimes my diet is pristine and I am a model for healthy eating, exercise, and stress management. Sometimes my diet is a mess (as you well know), exercise is sporadic, and stress is managed by consuming sugar. I have to be very careful to limit the bad times because I don't want to promote abnormal cell growth.

So what is it like to have a brain tumor? Well, it's like life always is: there are good days and bad days. I feel a strong sense of being on the right path and have tremendous faith in my game plan: research what causes abnormal cell growth (ummm...SUGAR causes abnormal cell growth), limit my exposure to as much junk food, chemicals, toxins as possible, and exercise to keep the lymph circulating and my overall level of health high. But isn't that life? Call it a brain tumor or high blood pressure or diabetes or a heart murmur or arthritis or depression or whatever else ails you.  Everybody has something that scares them, challenges them, reminds them that life is precious, sacred, and brief.

So much of what you read in this blog is my continual search for balance, health, laughter, and love and I know how critical the search is because I remember how I felt in those early days after diagnosis when I thought my life would be numbered in months, not years.

I love my life. I wouldn't change a single thing, not even the brain tumor because I have learned so much from the experience and it continually grounds me, helps me to re-focus on what is really important. I recently celebrated my 40th birthday, a milestone I didn't think I'd make just a few short years ago. Along the way I think I'm gaining a little wisdom:

Every day that I am alive, my family and friends are alive, the sun rises and the stars shine is a good day.

My wish for you: Have a great day!
With Love, Beth

TMPP vs. Mother Nature

2010-06-13T20:35:00.000-04:00

Have you ever started a project and been really excited, energized, enthused, and ready to go? That was Steve and I 2 weeks ago when The Monster Paint Project began. We knocked out the garage with no problem. The front of the house under the porch was a breeze. Then the rain began.

And it rained.

And rained.

And it is raining still.

Now I live in a shabby-chic-half-sanded-half-peeling-house. I am the bane of the neighborhood. The eyesore. The house everyone talks about: "aren't they ever going to finish painting that house?" I have complained about houses in neighborhoods where they didn't finish the paint job in what I considered to be a timely fashion. Now I'm that house.

So this week I'm going to try something new. I'm not going to plan to do any painting. I am going to focus on everything but house painting hoping to fool the gods of exterior painting into thinking I no longer care.

We began the TMPP with my confident statement: "yeah, it'll take about a month. We should be done by end of June." Mother Nature had a bit of a different schedule. She always wins.

Cost of paints and supplies so far: $500.
Cost of professional painter to do the work for me: $5000.
Ability to actually perform said work because the weather cooperates: priceless.

Can your iPad save your life?

2010-06-09T15:21:00.000-04:00

Recently my husband brought home his new favorite toy: an iPad. It is his job to be on the cutting edge of all things new and interesting in the technology world and of course the iPad was no exception. He handed it to me with the instructions "play with it, see how you like it." I ignored it long enough that our 11 year old picked it up and immediately began using it to maximum functionality and capacity. I love how each generation becomes increasingly tech savvy. My grandchildren will be able to program their TiVos before they can walk.

Finally after using the iPad as a coaster for a few days I decided to try and do one of the simplest daily tasks I perform on my PC: blog. No go on an iPad. It's keyboard is too similar to that of my iPhone (which I adore) and without the sensation of striking a key I tend to have a lot of typos. So I wondered...what is this oversized, overpriced piece of equipment good for? Could it save my life?

It can't make a phone call, so I can't use it to dial 911.
It's too small to be effectively slammed into my solar plexus if I'm alone and choking.
It's too big to put in my mouth to bite down on to keep me from biting my tongue if I'm having a seizure.
It's too light to use for chest compressions, should my heart stop beating.
It's too heavy to use to bang myself in the head to keep me awake should I already be concussed.
I could use it to search the web to diagnose and hopefully get treatment for whatever ails me, but with the oversized-yet-still-too-small-keyboard I might end up getting a misdiagnosis.
I could also use it to watch life-saving-technique movies.
Or youtube videos.
Or read life-saving-how-to books online.

Verdict: I don't think the iPad is going to save my life, but I think it may change it. As I watched my daughter instantly take to the latest technology gadget I realized that for her, as for many in her generation, it's not about what the latest gadget can do, it's about the constant quest to make things bigger, better, smaller, more advanced, less costly, and have more functionality.

I don't think the iPad represents all that big of an advantage over the iPhone, but I do think it represents what is best about our society's consumerism: the push to invent, create, push the boundaries, think outside the box, and create an instant "need" for something that was unknown just a few months earlier. Statisticians constantly warn that our students aren't ranking high enough in math and science. Critics predict dire consequences for the problem-solving abilities of our youth. Politicians get elected on platforms that promise more focus on education. I'm not saying they are all wrong, I'm just saying that in order to sell over 2 million expensive oversized iPhones that can't make a call you have to have a population of people who are curious and in the famous words of Albert Einstein:

"It is in fact nothing short of a miracle that the modern methods of instruction have not yet entirely strangled the holy curiosity of inquiry; for what this delicate little plant needs more than anything, besides stimulation, is freedom. It is a very grave mistake to think that the enjoyment of seeing and searching can be promoted by means of coercion and a sense of duty."

And that, my friends, is what every single one of those 2 million iPads is doing for our country. Inspiring curiosity. Inspiring new ideas. New apps. New ways to use this piece of equipment about which so much is heralded yet not a lot is yet discovered. If you are worried that your kids can't think. Can't dream. Can't imagine, create, or learn, buy them an iPad. Leave them alone. Let them explore.

Let them be curious.

Oh American Express, how you disappoint me...

2010-06-04T11:25:00.000-04:00

Guess what I found on my AmEx bill this month? A charge from AEPC for $89.90. An unauthorized charge. A charge I didn't ask for, want, or know about. I immediately contacted American Express to let them know about this fraudulent charge. I was concerned: was my credit card number compromised? Who put on this charge? American Express assured me, all is well, Beth, WE ARE THE ONES WHO PUT ON THE FRAUDULENT CHARGE!

What?

Why would AmEx be defrauding me? I'm their customer! Heck, I've been a huge spokesperson for how much I enjoy my card and its benefits. So I search back statements. I am able to go back online to May 2, 2008. Well, well, well, isn't this interesting? In May of 2008 AEPC for 79.90 appears. May of 2009 AEPC for 89.90, and May 0f 2010 AEPC for 89.90. Guess what I would probably find if I could search back to 2007, 2006, and 2005 when I first got the card?

And now for the kicker: AmEx agreed to refund the 2010 charge, which they did on June 2, but they are deciding whether or not they want to refund the ones in 2009 and 2008! They said it would take them about 30 days to decide whether or not they would give me back my money that they, without my permission, fraudulently took. I can't even search back far enough online to see how much money they have really stolen and here they are deciding if they will give back the money they stole that I can prove? Are they kidding? Then they emailed me an online survey to rate the customer service I received. Customer service? I'm sorry where in the words 'customer service' do they feel that 'defrauding', 'stealing', 'lying', and 'underhanded' fit in?

American Express I was always so proud to carry your card. I have faithfully paid my bills, used your card whenever possible, touted its virtues, priveleges, and rewards to all who would listen, and, most of all, trusted the good reputation your name carries. Now I find out you've been fleecing me every year for the past 3 years (probably more) and you didn't even have the courtesy to show remorse when I called you on it.

Disgusting.

What is a dairy allergy anyway? (Let's talk about leukotrienes!)

2010-06-02T21:30:00.000-04:00

It's not just the dairy that can make you sick

As I've mentioned before I am allergic to dairy. Being allergic to dairy is not the same as being lactose intolerant but unlike other food allergies, it can be very similar to "seasonal" allergies. Lactose intolerance occurs when a person's digestive tract does not secrete enough of the enzyme lactase which is necessary to digest the protein lactose.   Symptoms that you are lactose intolerant include stomach pain, bloating, diarrhea, nausea, and/or gas after eating foods containing lactose (milk sugar).

That's not what happens to me. When I first consume dairy nothing much happens. This is probably why I went until about the age of 33 with no idea I was allergic to dairy. My entire childhood was spent with my throat feeling itchy, my tongue feeling "funny", hives mysteriously appearing and disappearing on my face and upper body, and oh yeah, my stomach cramping and lots of diarrhea too. I drank milk with at least 2 meals a day, frequently ate ice cream, and loved cheese. Because dairy was such a big part of my diet it never occurred to me that what I was feeling wasn't normal. I also had strep throat and tonsillitis at least 4 times a year and tonsil stones all year long. And constant sinus congestion. Inflammation was my middle name. Oh, and even my acne had acne. More inflammation.

As the years went by I was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome and seasonal allergies. Sinusitis and rhinitis. Things got worse. My seasonal allergies went all year long, my face was always broken out, my lower abdomen bulged even in high school and college when I thought I looked best when I weighed under 100 pounds. Believe it or not, the bad skin, bad bowels, and bad sinuses weren't the worst part: it was the endless itching.   Hives would appear in waves from my scalp to my stomach. That is what it feels like to have a dairy allergy. Does this sound like you?

So let's talk about leukotrienes (I swear I don't make these names up!)   Leukotrienes are fatty molecules that are part of the immune system and are usually accompanied by histamine and contribute to inflammation. The production or overproduction of leukotrienes is directly influenced by arichidonic acid, a molecule found exclusively in animal products. In other words, it wasn't just the dairy products contributing to my overall poor health, it was probably the dairy products, the meat products, and the egg products! When I decided to become vegan every single "allergy" symptom disappeared and my face cleared up. Hmmmm...

Over the years I have become a very lax vegan. I got tired of preparing 2 dinners: one for me and one for Steve and our daughter. I got tired of being "high maintenance" at restaurants. I got tired of never being able to just "stop for a burger" -- it seemed like everything took so much planning. I still don't eat dairy products (mostly because of the hives that I still get, even inside my mouth and throat!) but I've noticed a gradual but persistent return of "seasonal" allergies as more and more animal products have crept into my diet. I have a feeling I know the culprits: it's those darn leukotrienes!

Now I have absolutely nothing against becoming a dedicated vegan again, but in case you do I have some other suggestions: Omega-3 fatty acids are the most effective at keeping those pesky leukotriene levels in check. You know the sources of Omega-3s: salmon, walnuts, olive oil, supplements, etc. but did you know about the connection between sugar and leukotriene levels? Ah yes, the evil warlord sugar rears its ugly head again. Apparently sugar is so effective at causing inflammation in the body that it puts the immune system into overdrive and kicks those leukotriene and histamine levels waaaaaaay up. Thus even if you eliminate all animal products and take truckloads of Omega-3 supplements if you also knock back a few completely vegan Cokes, you're undoing all the good you've done. Imagine what my former ice cream consumption did to me? No wonder I spent a week every 3 months suffering from tonisillitis!

It just doesn't seem fair, does it?

Green Tip Tuesday: Natural Citrus Solvent

2010-06-01T12:18:00.000-04:00

In the world of cleaning up after using oil based primers or paints there are really only 2 products that are going to do the job. Traditional mineral spirits and the new generation of citrus oil solvents.

This is the product I have been using to clean my brushes and skin

Mineral spirits, developed in the early 1920s for the dry cleaning industry, are the product of gasoline refining. As far as toxicity goes, they are as dangerous as any petroleum based products for skin irritation and allergic reaction, but they have the added bonus of being a lung and mucus irritant when inhaled. Petroleum products are nerve agents, long-term, repeated exposure will probably cause some level of irritation and/or nerve damage and in cases of extreme exposure: organ damage. You may recall that I warned against using petroleum products in this post and again, it all comes down to quantifying your exposure. If I'm using a petroleum lip balm and a petroleum lotion on my heels and petroleum based detergents to wash my clothes and I get some clothes dry cleaned and then I do a big paint project and use a petroleum cleaner to clean my brushes how well can I really quantify my exposure to that toxic chemical? Luckily, there is another option.

Citrus oil solvents are safer than mineral spirits

There are a group of solvents called citrus solvents. Not unlike their popular cousins Orange Glo, Fast Orange, and Citrus Magic, these cleaners use the oil extracted from pressed orange peel to cut grease, dissolve oils, and remove oil residue. They should still be treated with caution as they are powerful cleaners and many have "helper" detergents added during processing, but they are not petroleum based, they do not contain lung and mucus membrane irritants, and they won't damage your nerves or organs. The orange smell is actually pretty pleasant. I have just found out about these cleaners so I can't give a testimonial as to their effectiveness on removing oil based primer from paintbrushes, rollers, and skin, but I will keep you updated.

'Cause believe me, I've got a lot of primer that needs removin'...especially from my driveway...

Progress, not perfection: the TMPP continues...

2010-05-31T20:42:00.000-04:00

The Monster Paint Project (TMPP) has a reached a phase where some progress can be noted. Just a reminder, this is what the original paint job looked like:

I love the old house colors, but they match our neighbors' and the paint is peeling

And so we began the mammoth task of sanding the whole house...

Steve looks a little delirious from inhaling sawdust

And yes, there have been a few mishaps along the way...

From the upper left to the middle right of this picture is the river of spilled primer

I guess the primer is supposed to go ON the garage, not below it...

You can see where we tested the shade of green on the side of the garage

There is a lot of sawdust on the driveway, but look how black it used to look (sigh). But finally, some progress to report:

No shutters up yet, but at least the first floor is finally painted!

I am happy to report that there haven't been any further "ladder incidents" (of course the fact that I didn't need a ladder on the first floor may have contributed to that small success). I can't wait to paint out the porch now because the darker house color makes the oddly mismatched spindles look even worse. There'll be plenty of time for that later though because this week I'll be tackling the 2nd floor while Steve is at work. I like to do the most dangerous parts when I'm alone, that way I don't have anyone jabbering about safety to distract me.

We haven't selected a color for our shutters yet. Originally I was thinking about a dark reddish-brown shade while Steve was in favor of navy blue. We've both decided we can compromise on either a dark espresso brown or perhaps even black. Any thoughts about that? Too dark? Too predictable? Just right? I'm really interested in your opinions so don't hold back!

Beth + Tall Ladder + Balancing paint can = A lot of paint on the driveway

2010-05-29T23:03:00.000-04:00

Oh yea, it's time for another Beth and The Giant Ladder story. This time the ladder is one of those extension ladders that has the rope to move it up and down and is therefore about 10 times heavier than I am actually able to lift and is 10 feet tall when not extended so is completely ungainly.

Perhaps I should set the scene a little bit: Steve took off work on Thursday and Friday to help me with The Monster Paint Project (TMPP). When I say "help" what I really mean is "tell me what to do in vague terms and with an irritated voice and then be angry when I fail to follow directions." Just so we're clear. Steve is the boss at work and he kind of forgets that I'm not an employee and that following his directions is a concept with which I'm not terribly familiar. I also need to mention that Steve has a bizarre and slightly unnatural love for our driveway which he had re-sealed last fall and apparently the blackness of it brings him joy. Or at least it used to.

Anyway, it is my job to take the scraper and scrape off any loose paint. Then Steve goes by with the belt sander and pretty much removes the paint down to the bare wood. Then I take the leaf blower and power off all the sawdust, cobwebs, and small insects that seem to be very attracted to this whole process. Finally we are ready to apply primer. We are using an oil based primer and before you can finish gasping about how awful it is that I am using such a toxic product I will say that I am using this product under duress and wouldn't have touched it with a 10 foot pole had 2 different paint store guys not sworn that a latex primer is not an option with our particular house circumstances and we'd end up re-painting every 2 years or so (which is what the previous owner did) because the paint would fail. I can't see how using toxic oil once every 7-10 years is any worse than using slightly less toxic latex every 2 years. Back to the story: since Steve doesn't like heights it is my job to do the high parts. I have no fear of heights, though clearly I should, so I scamper up the ladder like a little monkey, but unlike a monkey, I am wearing my apron with the big center pocket because that is how I am holding my paint brush, sanding block, scraper, and cell phone. One hand holds onto the ladder, the other hand holds the can of primer. Now you may recall that I mentioned how heavy and unweildy this ladder is so I don't like to move it very often. Instead I like to reach as far as I possibly can to the left and right thus completely throwing off my center of balance. My apron with the big center pocket tends to sway to whichever side I'm leaning, thus throwing me even more off balance. Steve did inform me that most ladder accidents occur from exactly this behavior.

Well everything was going along swimmingly: there I was scraping the gutters. Sanding the gutters. Priming the gutters. I really really really needed to climb down the ladder and move it again, but I was tired, the ladder is heavy, and everytime I moved it a new scrape mark was created on my freshly primered gutter so I had a better idea: what if I rested my paint can on the roof, leaned back slightly, and kind of jumped the ladder a little to the right? Well apparently this wasn't a good idea at all! The ladder didn't really jump as much as sway a bit and with only a freshly primed gutter to grab on to (which I certainly wasn't about to mess up my fresh primer) I really didn't have much choice but to pinwheel my arms around wildly trying to regain my balance whilst I threw my weight forward to try to stabilize the ladder. In all the pinwheeling and throwing my weight around somehow the paint can must have gotten knocked off the roof.

For the record: when a nearly full quart of primer falls from a great height it hits the ground and explodes paint everywhere.

Did I mention this is oil based primer? You can't just hose it off the driveway. Just ask BP how hard it is to clean up an oil spill. So Steve is screaming "What the hell?" and I am scrambling down the ladder as fast as I can to try to hide the accident meanwhile white primer is flowing all over Steve's nice black driveway in a river while droplets of exploded primer and paint can are still raining down all over the garage, the grass, me, and yes, the driveway. I had the great idea to quickly pour sand all over the primer hoping the sand would absorb much of the liquid and make clean up easier. The idea wasn't bad, but it didn't work out quite like I'd hoped...

We now have sand and primer stuck to our driveway. Steve is resigned. And I learned nothing because as soon as I finished spreading sand all over the driveway I climbed right back up that ladder and thought "I wonder if I could rock the ladder from side to side to move it?" I thought it. I didn't do it...yet...

How men and women see color (hint: very differently!)

2010-05-26T10:13:00.000-04:00

Ahhh, another home improvement project with Steve and Beth. How our marriage has ever survived these projects I don't know because there could not be two people with more different views on how to plan, organize, and execute a project. Add to our usual differences the fact that we see and interpret color very differently and you can imagine how challenging painting the exterior of our house has become.

I like to call this: project negotiations...

Steve: I see our house with a really dark green body, off-white trim, and navy blue shutters.
Beth: I see our house with a light olive green body, bright white trim, and dark red shutters.

The fact is that men and women may really see color differently. About 50% of women are tetrachromatic which means they have four types of cone receptors instead of three. Cone receptors are cells located in the retina that are responsible for our both our vision of color and the detail in which we see it. Just having more or less cone receptors isn't the whole story. It turns out that even with people with the same number of cone receptors the interpretation of color can vary greatly.  Human beings have a color experience which means that we relate to color as it relates to experiences in the world because our brain does an automatic color correction so things appear "right" to us despite wearing sunglasses, colored lenses, or colored lighting.   So my brain interprets color differently from Steve's brain. (Clearly my brain's interpretation is the correct interpretation therefore my color choices are superior, right?)

It's more than just a physical difference. Men and women perceive colors different as part of our different gender experiences.   If we go back to our original hunter/gatherer roots women evolved to prefer colors on the red spectrum as berries, fruits, flowering plants, and other necessary foods come in that color. Also, as the primary caretaker of children since time began, women had to perceive variations of red as an indication of fever or rash in our children. Being attune to the red spectrum may have been necessary to save a child's life. Men evolved to look for colors on the blue spectrum: blue sky indicating good weather necessary for hunting, blue water indicating good watering hole where animals may be found. Purple clouds indicating a storm coming. Movement in the shadows indicating attack by an enemy or animal. Seeing variation in the blue spectrum may have meant life or death to the man his tribe.

Well, Steve and I are already ahead of our biology: we both want a green house, it's the depth of color that has us at odds. I always prefer light colors and Steve always prefers darker colors.   This doesn't appear to be biological as much as personality preference.

There is one big factor that must be considered that is probably more important than biology, personality, evolution, or societal influence:   I am the one who is actually doing the painting!

Light olive green, welcome to the neighborhood!

Green Tip Tuesday: Sometimes it's Greener not to Go Green

2010-05-25T09:05:00.001-04:00

I do love watching decorating shows and now the buzz phrase on many shows is to "Go Green" when doing a remodel. Well it all sounds good but I have been a little confused by the execution. For example on a recent Dear Genevieve the homeowners needed a kitchen remodel and they wanted to use the "greenest products" available/affordable. Very noble concept indeed. That's why I was so confused when I saw the homeowners and crew energetically taking sledge hammers to the old cabinets and countertops. Perhaps I am the exception, but I have never had a garage or laundry room that I felt had enough cabinets. Is there a reason that those kitchen cabinets couldn't have been recycled as garage or laundry room storage? The homeowner thought they were too dark and some of them had doors that wouldn't close but does that mean the whole group had to be smashed to smithereens? What about painting them a lighter color? Adding magnets to the doors that won't close? I think the reason for the dramatic cabinet and countertop smash up is that it makes good TV. But don't be fooled: creating waste like that is not green, no matter how green the replacement products may be.

Unfortunately a typical scene from many decorating shows

Lots of decorating shows feature the designer enthusiastically ripping up carpet, discarding furniture into giant dumpsters, laying down new flooring, and building new pieces often using medium density fiberboard (MDF). I hope the homeowners like caring for plants because it's going to take a lot of spider plants to neutralize the toxins being emitted by new carpeting, glued or veneered hardwood floors, and MDF furniture. And then they throw in a reclaimed wood mantel and call the makeover "green"? Really? And how about the bathroom makeovers? Since when is hammering to death a "dated" looking vanity and sink a green way to go? Has no one ever heard of tub resurfacing on these shows? How is it that the designers are always extolling the virtues of the re-sale shop for finding one of a kind vintage pieces yet they don't appear to be contributing to re-sale shops, only landfills?

To their credit, many shows, especially the ones geared toward quickly selling your home, do show designers painting or re-working existing pieces. I'd like to see more shows featuring designers re-purposing items that are no longer being used in the room receiving the makeover. Wouldn't you be interested to see how the kitchen cabinets were hung in the garage and part of the countertop reused to form a garage workspace? I know I'd love to see creative ways to put some storage in my teeny-tiny laundry closet (can't be called a room because it's not) by using pieces cast off from other parts of the house. I know those talented TLC and HGTV designers could do it.

I don't have a lot of "green" elements to my home. I have hardwood floors throughout the home but they are not made of renewable cork or bamboo. I am certainly not going to rip up these floors and replace them with renewable wood because that would be creating waste and still using new resources. The foremost idea of being "green" is to lessen the amount of waste generated. The appliances that we had to replace because they were broken were replaced with Energy Star appliances but I am not about to replace my perfectly good stove just to get one with an Energy Star rating. That would be wasteful. Before I discovered more natural cleaning products I had a closet full of Lysol, Scrubbing Bubbles, Comet scouring powder, and Soft Scrub. My laundry room held Tide, Shout, and Downy, and I always dusted with Pledge. I am all for reducing toxins in the home but to throw out all those cleaning products would be wasteful both financially and environmentally. Instead I slowly replaced each product with its "greener" option once the product was empty. Some products, like the Lysol, I still keep around for emergencies like a child with the stomach flu at 4 a.m. when you and I both know there's no way I'll be hauling out my steam cleaner to sanitize the bathroom floor naturally.

Once a product has been made the resource has been used. Whether that resource is renewable or not it doesn't make a lot of sense to throw that product into a landfill so it can be replaced with a "greener" version unless the product has truly lost its usefulness.

I love decorating shows. I especially love "green" episodes of decorating shows. But being green is a verb, not a soundbite.

My house smells like fresh spring air...and last night's dinner...and the litter box...

2010-05-24T20:34:00.000-04:00

...and the undone laundry...and my daughter's softball cleats...you get the picture. Spring has definitely come to my little town in Massachusetts and it's beautiful here. The air is fragrant with the scent of the lilac bushes growing wildly in my neighbor's yard. The trees have all blossomed. My lavender bushes are gorgeous. And my windows are wide open to air out the smells of, well, of life I suppose. Cooking, people, pets, laundry, and fresh paint (of course) have all combined to create the special potpourri that is our home's unique smell. All of these thoughts about fresh air got me to thinking about my home's indoor air quality. After all we burned wood fires in the fireplace all winter, I never use the vent when boiling water for pasta, I do have a cat, and for 6 long months the windows weren't open very often. Perhaps most importantly I have a lot of furniture with stain, paint, veneers, particle board, stain protection, and glue. All of those things are the real culprits of indoor air pollution.

Spider plants significantly reduce formaldehyde in the air

Luckily all we need to reduce/remove toxins from the air inside our homes is a few common household plants. Formaldehyde is a toxin commonly found in homes because it is released by wood veneers, plywood, foam insulation, natural gas, wood, and gasoline. Oh and it's also present in grocery bags, waxed paper, and most fabric protectors. It's kind of hard to not have a formaldehyde problem if you have any furniture, carpet, or fabrics in your home. In a study conducted by NASA it was discovered that placing a spider plant in an area likely to be high in formaldeyhde is an excellent way to clean the air and it has the added bonus of sucking up carbon monoxide as well.

These daisies look beautiful while they scrub the air of benzene

Benzene is a solvent used in plastics, paints, inks, and rubber that is an irritant to our mucous membranes when inhaled. The NASA study also found that benzene can be easily mitigated by having a few chrysanthemums or gerbera daisies around the house.

Now I have what you may call a black thumb. Keeping my kid alive just about taps me out, so keeping plants alive has never worked out that well. I over-water, under-water, let them get root bound or shock them with too large of a pot. I never seem to have the "right spot" for the sunlight required so I either burn them or let them wither in darkness. If you have this problem as well then I am here to tell you that there is hope: it turns out that having a variety of flowering and/or evergreen plants outside of your home is helpful too because everytime you open a door or window you get the benefit of the clean air flowing in which is why regularly "airing" out the house is so important.

I think I can manage to occasionally buy a gerbera daisy or two. I wouldn't mind having a few chysanthemums in a vase. But I can defnitely get into having lavender bushes, pear trees, flowering dogwood trees, azaleas, hostas, and all other kinds of plants outside my home. Beautiful curb appeal and cleaner air, what a deal!

Oh and scooping the litter box daily will help both me and the cat. Another win win.

It's a job, not a career

2010-05-19T16:34:00.000-04:00

This past week I have been super busy doing seasonal work for a nearby college bookstore. I absolutely love the job and hope they can use me again in the fall when they are flooded with new students buying their books. The time flies by, my co-workers (all students) are interesting, witty, and hard working. But best of all? It's a job, not a career. When I walk out of that bookstore each day to pick my daughter up from school my workday is instantly put behind me. No lingering work worries. No projects undone. No nervousness about what tomorrow will bring. It is, for where I am in my life right now, the pefect job.

Have you ever had a perfect job? My first job was babysitting when I was 11. I made 50 cents an hour and was grateful for it. I then moved on to fast food, retail, an office environment, and finally a classroom. I remember in college when I worked for Gingiss Formalwear thinking that it was the perfect job. Every day was different, each customer usually excited because of a wedding, prom, or interesting formal function. The bookstore job is a lot like that: the college kids are either buying their caps and gowns, selling off their old textbooks, or picking up the new books for summer classes. I love hearing what they are planning on doing with the money they earn from selling back their textbooks: there has been a lot of discussion about buying lunch, buying gas, getting a coffee at Starbucks instead of Dunkin' Donuts, and of course, beer. There is always lots of discussion about beer. I remind them to drink responsibly, hand them their cash, and wish them well. I'm not there to judge, just to buy their old books.

I really hope I get picked up again in the fall when the freshmen pour in for their first college textbook buying experience. Sure, there will be a lot of sticker shock (the book prices are unbelievable) but overall the atmosphere will be one of hope, adventure, excitement, and new beginnings. I get energized just thinking about it.

Right now the laundry is a little piled up. Things are getting a little dusty. My feet are a little sore. But I get to spend each day while my daughter is in school in the company of college kids who are all looking forward: looking forward to summer vacation, looking forward to summer classes, looking forward to graduation, looking forward to new friendships, new romances, new adventures, and new opportunities. As for me? I feel like the luckiest temp in the world.

Anyone have an interesting or fun job experience you'd like to share? I love hearing your comments!

Beth + Pier 1 Imports = Happy Together Again

2010-05-15T07:53:00.000-04:00

As a result of one my customer service rants a customer service representative from Pier 1 Imports left this comment on my blog: Beth- We'd really like an opportunity to speak with you personally about your concern. Please call us at 1-800-245-4595, prompt 5 and ask for our Customer Relations Team Lead, Cindy. We would be more than happy to help!

So I called. I asked for Cindy and told her she had commented on my blog. Cindy apologized for my experience and told me that the sales associate made an error: it is Pier 1 Import's policy to accept an exchange receipt as an original-for-cash-back receipt. The only receipt that is an exception is a gift receipt. She offered to credit my credit card for the amount (I declined the offer, my daughter had already asked for the in-store credit and I had given it to her) and assured me she would call the store to ensure that all sales associates are being properly trained.

I considered this excellent customer service for three reasons:
1. Pier 1 gave me a number and a name to contact, as opposed to generically suggesting I contact their customer service should I have a future issue.
2. Having the name of a representative ensured that I didn't have to reiterate the whole story - she was already familiar with my complaint and was willing to work to resolve it even though she probably wasn't looking forward to my call as I'm sure she thought I would be "disgruntled"...
3. Pier 1 offered to refund my money, they didn't just empathize, they told me a mistake had been made, offered to correct it, and assured me they would correct the training practices at the store level.

From the comments I received on that post I am not the only one who has had some bad customer service experiences. Sometimes, in the cases of Arbella Insurance and Pier 1 they are resolved favorably, but in the posts I did about Realtors, Bob's Furniture, Children's Place, and Office Max I didn't receive any reply so I have to assume that they are okay with their poor customer service.

If you left a comment on my latest customer service rant I urge you to contact Pier 1 and let them try to resolve your complaint. I (obviously) have no problem naming names when companies do a bad job and it is important to me to present a balanced blog that can be trusted to be accurate, fair, and honest. If your complaint is ignored or not resolved feel free to comment again and I'll post your comments as another customer service rant.

I will shop with confidence again at Pier 1. I don't hold human error against a store as long as the store is willing to accept responsibility and make things right.

How do you feel?

Project Runway: Our new house color

2010-05-13T09:03:00.000-04:00

Spring isn't just for interior painting in our house, oh no, this year we are going to paint the exterior as well. We are going to paint 3 sides of it, at least, a professional will paint the back of the house because we don't have the equipment.

But what color should the house be?

This is how the house looks now

Steve doesn't like the current house colors. He feels that the body of the house is too light and the shutter color is dated. I agree, especially since the house across the street has the exact same color scheme as ours. The problem is that my favorite color scheme is currently being worn by the house next-door to us and I don't think they'd appreciate us painting the same colors on our house - especially since theirs is vinyl sided so they won't be changing palettes anytime soon. More than anything else though, we have to paint because wind, rain, snow, and freezing temperatures have left their mark on the house and we don't want to have water problems with exposed wood.

The east side of the house is the worst

My second favorite color scheme is being sported by the house on the other side of us. They also have siding so once again, I'm thwarted. What to do? What to do?

I visited California Paints and Benjamin Moore and tried different colors on my house and I have some inspiration to go with an olive green (similar to next-door but not exact) with white trim and a reddish-brown shutter color. I like the idea of white trim because then I can do a white front porch. Our front porch now is painted dark brown with cream trim that matches the body of the house.

Can't you just see a gorgeous white porch here?

If the porch goes white should we paint the deck white too? Right now it is brown, a different brown from the porch, it is painted to match our fence. So if the deck goes white does the fence have to go white too? Oh dear, this may never end!

See why we're not attempting to paint the back ourselves...

Any opinions you'd like to express are welcome. All I know for sure is...this is going to be a lot of work!

Green Tip Tuesday: Melamine is not just in your dishes

2010-05-11T09:27:00.000-04:00

Beautiful to look at, but use with caution

Aren't those plates just gorgeous? And how about these from kaboodle.com?

So pretty, so inexpensive, so potentially dangerous...

Melamine comes in such a variety of colors, patterns, shapes, and styles and is so inexpensive and break-proof that it has been heralded as the go-to-for-summer-cookouts-and-backyard-party-dishware. Oh, and it is used almost exclusively for baby dishes.

Melamine is a nearly-indestructible plastic that is chemically part cyanide compound, part formaldehyde, and parts carbon, nitrogen, and hydrogen to form a super-hard resin. All of that sounds horrible and dangerous but it mostly isn't...unless you heat it, that is.

Ah, heat! Heat is the nemesis of any coating, resin, or compound that has toxins to release, and melamine is no exception. Melamine dishes cannot be microwaved, safely put in the dishwasher on the 'heated dry' cycle, and cannot be used for acidic foods such as tomatoes, tomato sauces, lemons, or vinegar based salad dressings. I don't know about you, but tomatoes, lemons, and vinegar-based dressings pretty much makes up my list of ingredients for any salad I will make this summer. And that's the problem.

Did you know that melamine dishes weren't at all microwave safe and not completely dishwasher safe? I didn't until a few years ago when I was washing my oh-so-cute-for-using-on-the-deck plates and noticed that the plate was stamped Dishwasher Safe (which isn't entirely true) but not microwave safe. I googled 'melamine' just out of curiosity and am now sharing what I found out. It certainly doesn't advertise that fact on the packaging. What happens when melamine is heated is the resin begins to microscopically break down. Gases are released and these gases contain formaldehyde which is a poison, a known poison that causes cancer with long-term exposure and skin irritation and inflammation of the mucous membranes with short term exposure. I have warned against formaldehyde exposure before because it is in most paints, resins, glues, film, and is found in abundance in our polluted air. It is imperative that we limit our exposure to formaldehyde whenever we can. I prefer not to be embalmed before I am dead.

The safe way to use melamine dishware is to only put non-acidic foods on it and hand wash it in warm, not hot, water. If you're putting it in the dishwasher make sure the 'heated dry' cycle is not on and do be aware that using the dishwasher is shortening the safe lifespan of the dishes. Once you can see small lines running through the dishes the resin has been compromised and that dish is now leaking formaldehyde.

Luckily we can avoid melamine exposure completely by simply not using the dishes, right? Hmm, if only that were true. Melamine in its powder form is sometimes added to food to increase its protein. When I say food, I specifically mean baby formula! I found this on Scientific American's website:

The FDA found tiny amounts of melamine in Mead Johnson's Infant Formula Powder, Enfamil LIPIL with Iron, according to the news service. FDA tests also turned up melamine in two nutritional supplements for kids, Nestle's Peptamen Junior and Nutren Junior-Fiber. Cyanuric acid, a byproduct of melamine, was found in another Nestle product, Good Start Supreme Infant Formula with Iron, the AP says. The FDA says that the toxicity of cyanuric acid is being studied, but it's thought to be as powerful as melamine, according to the news wire.

Oh, and it's an ingredient in the soy-based feed we import from China that is fed to chickens. And cows. And dogs. And cats. And goats and farm-raised-fish and farm-raised-shrimp too.

This is the problem. Poisons are so pervasive in our diet that when we can identify a source it is really crucial to limit exposure. Poisons are being deliberately fed to our children. So please, when you pull out those melamine dishes, check them for scratches, pitch them if they're compromised, don't cut on them, don't serve acidic foods on them, and hand wash them.

Or maybe just use glass?

Can reading make you healthier?

2010-05-10T16:35:00.000-04:00

Read to improve your health

Have I mentioned recently how much I love books? I love bookstores, libraries, and the book table at the warehouse club. So I started wondering: is there any correlation between loving books and health? I researched online and found that YES, loving to read can make you healthier.

It all stems from the balance of those stress hormones I talked about in my last post. People who love to read can reduce their stress at will simply by choosing their reading material wisely. Unlike people who unwind by watching TV where you are bombarded with images, advertising, and carefully targeted social messages, people who read for pleasure have more control over the amount of stimulus they are receiving because they are better able to control their involvement in the story. It doesn't appear to matter what you are reading either. Fiction, fine literature, non-fiction, scientific journals, smut novels, whatever you like as long as you enjoy it.

A picture is worth a thousand words, right? Images, once seen, can be very powerful and produce an instant and lasting stress response in the body: increased heart rate, increased adrenaline, and increased cortisol. However images, once imagined, can be controlled, edited, and don't ellicit the same stress response in the body. It's less stressful to read something scary than to see something scary.

Research is also showing that people who read for pleasure tend to read more in general: they read more food labels, they research questions online, they feel more comfortable questioning 'facts' and more confident in their ability to discern what is right for them as opposed to following a trend.

Lower blood pressure, higher IQ, better quality sleep, better concentration, more confidence, and better judgement. All because I love to read! If that isn't a healthy habit, I don't know what is.

Read any good books lately? I love to hear what other people are reading. I have just finished re-reading all of Jen Lancaster's autobiographies in anticipation of Pretty in Plaid coming out in paperback this week!

Stress is my choice, not my reality

2010-05-05T16:18:00.000-04:00

I'm going to post this sign on my front door!

Right now my life feels chaotic: schedules are colliding, I'm out of laundry detergent with one load left to go, my daughter is home from school with a headache, tuition is due soon and I think I spent the money on 18 dinners out, 1 Nook, a Boston Duck Tour, 4 new pairs of workout pants, and a complete Aeropostale summer wardrobe for my daughter. Oh, and new uniforms for the very school that now wants more money. I've broken up with New Stylist Lisa because my haircut is awful and the color slightly orange. I'm still recovering from a toe injury (I know, I can't believe I mentioned the toe again either), I haven't mailed any Mother's Day cards, and I picked a zit located right in the middle of my cheek so much that it has scarred.

Yoga would probably help if I wasn't too stressed out to do yoga, that is.

Sugar, oh that sweet miracle of distraction, would probably help too but since I don't eat sugar anymore...oh who am I kidding, I've downed so much sugar lately that a mosquito that bit me went into diabetic shock.

So I feel angry with myself because after 4 months of sugar free living (again) I fell off the wagon at a birthday party last Sunday when I told myself "oh, one little piece of cake isn't going to derail me." Wrong! One little piece of cake, one sip of my daughter's rootbeer float, 4 Newman's Own fake Oreos, and one bowl of apple crisp (topped with a disgusting amount of Ready Whip) later (you may substitute the word HUGE into any of those descriptions for accuracy), I feel headache-y myself. (Side note: if any other addicts are out there please chime in and let me know I'm not the only one who struggles with this!)

So back to simplicity I go. Straighten the house. Begin another new box for charitable donations as the last one was just picked up. Go through the mound of papers on my desk, recycle or shred/recycle most of them. File the others. Take out the trash. Put away the 8 pairs of shoes scattered around the kitchen, dining room, and hall. Make the bed. Open the windows. Take a deep breath. Drink a cup of green tea. And start again.

I haven't eaten any sugar today and I've been up since 5:15a.m. so that's a good start. I can manage our schedules, buy detergent tomorrow, pay monthly on the tuition, find a new stylist, heal my toe, e-card my mother and mother-in-law (I can always claim being green rather than being a procrastinator), and put concealer on my zit-scar. That's the beauty of life: every moment that we are alive is a moment of choice. I was choosing stress, thus releasing massive amounts of adrenaline into my system which will only serve to add lines to my now-scarred face. Stress also pumps cortisol into our bodies which increases the craving for sugar and encourages our bodies to retain fat. Now I'm choosing simple, peace-inducing, one-task-at-a-time thoughts which increase serotonin and oxytocin levels in my brain which helps my body sleep well at night, regulate my metabolism during the day, and quiets cravings.

What choice will you make?

Green Tip Tuesday: Cream of Tartar

2010-05-04T21:46:00.001-04:00

Cook with it, clean with it, make it yourself in your vineyard...

On any given day do you have to clean a stubborn stain from your tub, discourage ants in your yard, and whip up a delicious meringue? Yep, that's my life too. Luckily I have cream of tartar in my spice cabinet because it can do all three.

Cream of tartar mixed with hydrogen peroxide to form a paste is an invaluable stain remover. It can be used on tubs to get rid of hard water and soap scum. I used to use the 'scrubbing bubbles' to combat our super-hard-water and my husband's affinity for Irish Spring. The can looks cute, but the smell gave me a headache, the chemical cocktail makes me cringe, the packaging is not recyclable, and it was never really thick enough to stay where needed on the side of the tub. Plus I always felt a little nervous bathing my daughter after using such a variety of toxic chemicals. You won't have any of those problems with cream of tartar and hydrogen peroxide. They're dirt cheap too. They're also perfect for removing that brownish-tinge my sink gets after tapping off my excess mineral makeup day after day. You can even use water mixed with cream of tartar to form a paste to remove a laundry stain. It all comes down to chemistry: you need an acid (like cream of tartar, lemon juice, or vinegar) combined with a base (water, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide) to create a chemical reaction. As the base molecules absorb the acid molecules they release a lot of hydrogen molecules. It's this process that dissolves a stain. Commercial cleaners aren't doing anything different to dissolve stains they are simply using more corrosive (harmful) acids, adding in a lot of unnecessary (and harmful) additives to preserve the mixture, add fragrance, make it foamy, and oh yeah, charging a lot more too. If you mix up the chemical reaction in a fresh batch you'll actually get quicker results. (And Mr. Ruehl my sophomore chemistry teacher, I really wish I'd paid more attention to you instead of mocking your goggles and playing with the Bunson burners).

Ants don't seem to like cream of tartar at all so if you get tired of picking your lemon peels up off the ground to prevent ants, try sprinkling cream of tartar around the outside of their ant hole. (I can't seem to make that sentence not sound a little bit dirty...)

And how about that tasty lemon meringue pie? Your poor meringue would never stand up without the stabilizing effects of cream of tartar! It turns out that you can even make your own baking powder by mixing baking soda and cream of tartar together.

And where does this little miracle acid come from? Well I'm glad you asked because it turns out that cream of tartar is a naturally occurring byproduct of fermenting grapes. Scrape out the wine casks and you have cream of tartar. Drop that little gem of trivia at your next wine-tasting party why don't you!

Flexibility is about more than touching your toes!

2010-05-03T15:42:00.000-04:00

Being flexible is an important part of overall health

When I workout I like to just hit the gym, burn as many calories as possible, lift as much weight as possible to keep my metabolism revved, and get out. The last thing on my mind is slowing down, stretching, doing some yoga postures, and gaining flexibility. Is that how you feel too? I used to do yoga all the time as my primary form of exercise but when I gained 20 pounds after moving to Massachusetts and spending 9 months sitting on the couch, I realized it was going to take a lot more than yoga to get my body back. I turned to cardio and weight training because I could see results fast when sweat was dripping off my body. Besides the yoga classes at my gym are held at inconvenient times and mostly frequented by the Silver Sneakers group (read: old people). I kind of forgot about flexibility.

A recent muscle injury followed by a toe injury (really? A toe injury??) forced me to look for alternative ways to workout. First I turned to Pilates because after all Joseph Pilates promises that in 30 sessions you'll have a brand new body and who am I to argue with having a new body? Then, just for something different, I put in a yoga DVD. Wow have I lost flexibility!

After doing yoga for a few days I remembered why I used to practice: it feels good to be flexible. In fact there are so many reasons to gain flexibility that I can't believe I ever stopped working on it. Increasing flexibility greatly decreases the risk of injury (perhaps the toe injury could have been avoided??). Increasing flexibility increases blood flow to muscles and connective tissues. It gives the appearance of a longer, leaner body. Flexibility improves posture and reduces stress on joints. People who are flexible heal from injuries more quickly, don't have as much muscle soreness after working out, and have more endurance during aerobic and strength training exercises.

Did I mention the appearance of a longer, leaner body? If there were no other benefits this, for me, would be enough. I am not tall and the tendency toward stocky-ness (okay, squat-ness) is built into my DNA. With my natural hairy-ness if I had poor posture and didn't wax for a month I'd be a dead ringer for a chimpanzee - but not if I practice flexibility training!

This is not the look I want for summer

So I'm back to incorporating yoga into my fitness training. I don't really want to have to fit in one more thing. I don't really want to have to add more time to working out. I don't really want to do yoga while in sweaty spandex, nor do I want to have to change clothes between workouts.

But I really don't want to look like a chimpanzee. Even a hairless one.

What do The Children's Place, Office Max, and Pier 1 Imports all have in common?

2010-04-30T11:10:00.000-04:00

Their return policies are ridiculous, restrictive, and misleading. That's right, I'm naming names. In the past month I have had 4 really bad customer service experiences. Now 4 bad experiences is a bit much in any economy, but aren't we supposed to be in a recession? Aren't companies supposed to be desperate to receive my spending dollar? Well, that's just the problem, once they have received your dollar they will do anything, including misleading the customer, to keep it. I'll break this down by company and you'll see what I mean.

First the Children's Place. Ahhhh The Children's Place. I went round and round with them and still came out the loser. It all started back in December when my dad sent my daughter some beautiful Christmas gifts purchased from the Children's Place. At 11 my daughter can be a nightmare to fit: very tall, very slender, but with a hint of puberty...basically she can no longer buy clothes at The Children's Place which is a store geared to, well, children, not teens. My dad graciously sent me the original cash register receipt since he hadn't included a gift receipt. The Children's Place refused to let me return the clothes. Oh they were more than willing to let me have an in-store credit, but they wouldn't give me money back they would only credit my dad's credit card. OOOkay...Fast forward to my daughter's birthday. My dad, not realizing that my daughter will never again fit into The Children's Place clothing once again outfits her beautifully and includes a gift receipt. Once again the company refuses to take back the clothes. This is a size limited store. This isn't Macy's where one could reasonably argue that we could find something in the store that would fit. This is a store that carries pants that are too short for my daughter. What am I supposed to do with an in-store credit? I only have one child! It wasn't my father's intention for my daughter to provide birthday gifts for her cousins, it was his intention to patron what he thought was a reputable store that would easily return for cash any items he purchased because he included a receipt. Nope, they would not give back one cent. The receipt you get from Children's Place does state that they will basically never ever give you money if the item is a gift so please read it carefully and my suggestion? Never ever buy a gift at Children's Place. Not only will the recipient never be able to return it, but if the recipient lives far away (my dad lives in Florida and Ohio) they couldn't possibly return the merchandise to you in a timely enough manner foryou to get your money back either.

Now for you Office Max: what is with your policy of not taking back software? How could one possibly know for sure that software is going to work on your computer without loading it on the computer first? Sure the box said it was compatible with Windows 7, but apparently the box lied. Now you won't take it back? It's a Read-Only CD! I can't possibly have altered the disk! We both know that you, as a company, can write off that software, return it to the manufacturer, or re-sell it as "opened." Office Max won't take a financial hit, but they sure don't mind passing one on to their customers.

And finally, Pier 1 Imports, I am maddest at you! I have been such a long, faithful customer! I was there when the first Pier 1 opened in my little town in Ohio. My first apartment was a veritable feast of papasan chairs, director's chairs, and colorful "ethnic" linens. So when I wanted to freshen up my bedroom a bit with new throw pillows, to whom did I look first? That's right, Pier 1. First I bought some neutral camel colored pillows. They just looked too boring so I went back the next day and picked out some gorgeous sage green pillows. This is where the problem began: when I went to return the camel pillows the clerk asked if I would be doing anymore shopping that day at Pier 1. I said yes. She then said she'd hold my return until I was ready to checkout and then do everything at once. Great! Off I go to find more colorful pillows. I get the sage pillows. The clerk does whatever it is that she does and tells me I owe a few dollars, I pay, I go home. I'm still happy. I put the sage pillows on my bed - they look gorgeous with my bedding. Unfortunately they look awful with my bedroom walls which are sage too, but a different sage. Oh well, I guess I'll put the throw pillows on hold until I decide if I want to paint my walls. Back I go to Pier 1 to return the pillows. "I'm sorry," says the clerk, "but I can only give you in-store credit for these pillows." "Why?" I ask, "I have the receipt right here. I just bought them yesterday! I am the original purchaser!" Do you know what she says??? "Well, you obviously returned some other merchandise and the clerk did an exchange so you only have an exchange receipt and we can only give you in-store credit on an exchange receipt." Are you kidding me??? You mean to tell me that because the clerk made a decision to do an exchange (I never said I wanted to exchange anything) that now I am screwed out of $35??? What if I had done this with a dining set? What if hundreds to thousands of dollars were at stake? So you know what Pier 1? I found exactly the throw pillows I wanted at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. I don't care if take that in-store credit to my grave, I'm not shopping at your store because I can't be sure that I'll ever get my money back. I feel sad too, because I loved Pier 1. But that was just sneaky.

Now for a special mention. Remember I said that I'd had 4 bad experiences so one store will be getting special mention because even though things turned out okay for me, they only turned out that way because I learned my lesson from the Pier 1 experience and knew what to say: I bought Steve a Nook from Barnes & Noble for our anniversary. The Nook didn't work properly, it wouldn't hold a charge. I went to return said Nook and buy a new one. I made it clear to the clerk that I wanted to return the Nook and then buy a new one, not do an exchange. She said she couldn't do that, she had to do an exchange. I asked for the manager. The manager wanted to know why I was adamant that they not do an exchange so I asked her "if I do an exchange and this Nook doesn't work then I am stuck with $300 of in-store credit, right? You won't credit my credit card, you'll give me in-store credit, right?" The manager agreed that is what would happen. "Fine," I said, "then just return this Nook and I don't want to buy a new one unless you will not do an exchange." Finally the manager agreed, the new Nook was fine, Steve loves it, and all is well. But had I not learned from the Pier 1 fiasco about the sneaky exchange policy, I would never have been able to return that Nook and get my money back if the second one didn't work.

All of these companies should feel ashamed of themselves. The basic transaction between customer and store is one of risk. I buy from you. I may find it cheaper somewhere else in a few months. I may decide I don't like it well after the return time has expired. It may break in a few months. Risk. You sell it to me, I may change my mind, not like it, it doesn't work, it doesn't fit, whatever, then it is your responsibility to take it back and give me back my money as long as I have the receipt, I'm within 30 days, and the merchandise is in the same condition as when it left the store. Training your employees to quietly exchange things so people can never get their money back is dirty business.

What's behind Curtain #1?

2010-04-29T09:26:00.000-04:00

In the women's locker room at my gym there is a special "curtained off area" with a sign that reads NO ONE UNDER THE AGE OF 18 BEYOND THIS CURTAIN. I have always wondered what is going on beyond the curtain but 1) I don't really want to take the time to go exploring when I should be working out and 2) having seen a constant stream of elderly ladies going behind the curtain I am a little too scared to see what might be back there.

Yesterday the curtain was open.

The locker room was packed: sweaty spandex and breasts and feet as far as the eye could see. I had no choice, I had to go back into the (open) curtained area because there was simply no room in the outer locker room. At first glance all appears normal: lockers, benches, you know, the usual locker room stuff. I relax a little as I sit down on the bench to change from street shoes to gym shoes. It's when I lean down to lace up that I see it. About the size of a saucer. Almost perfectly round. Still (gulp!) fresh. A puddle of pee.

Now look people, I myself have blogged about the power of exercise to inspire our waste removal systems, but I have never peed on the floor of the locker room. I know, I know, urine is sterile, blah blah blah, many women suffer from bladder control problems, yada yada yada, pee happens.

Still, nearly dragging my laces through it was a bit shocking (not to mention gross). I think I'll put a suggestion in the Suggestion Box that encourages the gym to put non-slip vinyl flooring in the locker rooms. And mops. And maybe they should change that curtain to a waterproof shower curtain, just in case someone gets a little wild.

If this is what is going on in the changing area, can you see why I don't want to set foot in the showers???

Green Tip Tuesday: The Yard Sale

2010-04-28T09:06:00.000-04:00

(I apologize that Green Tip Tuesday is being held on Wednesday...that's how life is going right now!)

In New England they say Yard Sale. In the Midwest it's a Garage Sale. In a church it's a Rummage Sale. To a techie it's eBay. Yuppies go Antique-ing. Whatever you call it it's recycling.

On any given weekend a sign like the one on the left can be found somewhere in my neighborhood. Anything and everything is for sale and usually at rock bottom prices as long as you have cash and can take it with you. It's one of the greenest traditions we have.

Buying things new-to-you sometimes takes a bit of a mental shift. For years I couldn't quite get past the idea of wearing, sleeping in or on, or cooking with something that has been used by somebody else. What if they were gross? I'll never get all the dead skin cells out of that sweater! I don't want to wear somebody else's dead skin cells! That purse is gorgeous but it probably has someone else's purse crumbs in the bottom. Or old gum wrappers. Surely I can't be expected to use a previously-gum-wrappered-purse? What a little snob I was. The truth is that I'm more likely to spend time swimming around in other people's dead skin cells in a movie theater seat than I am in clothing/bedding I can wash. And gum wrappers? How about throwing them out, putting in a little baking soda, letting it sit for a few hours and then vacuuming out the purse to reveal a fresh interior and a beautiful new bag?

I have a deviled egg platter that I bought years ago. The price tag is still on the box: $18.95. I use that egg platter once every..oh..say 3 years. I don't think I've ever gone to a yard sale where I failed to see an egg platter, usually around $1.00. I spent $17.95 (plus tax!!) I didn't need to spend. Dishes, cookware, gadgets, tchotchkes, the minutiae of life that costs so much to buy new, both in dollars and environmental impact, can all be found at the yard sale.

About that environmental impact...according to the box my egg platter was made in (wait for it...) China. Big surprise, right? That platter had to be manufactured, boxed, and shipped all the way from China to where I purchased it in Ohio. It probably went by boat rom China to a port in the United States where it was then trucked to a distribution center where it was then scanned, inventoried, stored, then ultimately trucked again to the store where it was once again scanned, inventoried, shelved, then finally sold to me who drove it home and stored it for 18 years. Every time it's on a boat or truck it is using oil and every time it is being scanned and stored it's using electricity. That's a pretty big carbon footprint for something I have used 6 times in the years I've owned it. And with the advent of eBay, forgeddaboutit! There's no excuse for not being able to find absolutely anything you need no matter how obscure, probably from several different sellers!

I've really gotten off easy since my daughter was born because my in-laws are avid garage-salers and pretty much kept her outfitted in her baby years with their finds. Toys, clothes, books, they found everything for me so I didn't have to look myself. Now that we live so far apart it's up to me to become more recycle savvy and seek out used options first. It's virgin territory for me and I'll let you know how I do with it. My first order of business will be picture frames. I am embarrassed to admit how much I have spent on picture frames at Target. And napkin rings. And throw pillows. All things that I could have easily found used.

Also I'd like to acknowledge the people who take the time to have a yard sale as opposed to simply throwing away what they are no longer using. I'm more of a leave-it-on-the-front-porch-for-the-charity-truck-in-the-neighborhood-to-pick-up kind of girl but perhaps one day I too will find myself with a few tables set up on my driveway and my no-longer-needed household contents artfully arrayed.

Hey! I bet I could even wear my apron with the big center pocket!

And the Winner is....Ellen DeGeneres! (Sorry Dr. Oz and Oprah)

2010-04-26T20:10:00.001-04:00

Congratulations Ellen! By unanimous vote Ellen has won her place on our family's TiVo as a Season's Pass program. This is quite an honor as Ellen had to beat Dr. Oz and Oprah to get the TiVo space. Even my husband, who doesn't like anyone, can't help but laugh at Ellen's antics (though in his heart of hearts I know he really wanted Jerry Springer).

Ellen makes me laugh and laughter is good for the mind, body, and soul. I usually fast forward through the crowd cheering (because they do tend to go on a bit long) and start right at her stand-up bit. Ellen doing stand-up comedy is perhaps my favorite part of the show. I then fast forward through her dancing (I would watch if Ellen was really going to get down but she is limited by the stairs so all her dances kind of look the same) and start up again as soon as she plays her first game or has her first guest. Ellen keeps her show moving: guests, games, silliness, more guests, more silliness, then maybe a musical act (I admit, I fast forward through them too) and bam, done for the day.

This format is how she won the TiVo Wars. (Dramatic? Yes.) Oprah doesn't have any silliness. Oh sure, there will be an occasional bit of tomfoolery (yes, I used that word), but it's the exception, not the rule. Don't get me wrong, Oprah will always have a special place in my heart because I was in high school when she first came on the air so I kind of grew up with Oprah but I just don't see her ever having a youtube video of a girl high on painkillers from getting her wisdom teeth removed featured on her show and thinking it's the funniest thing in the world!

Dr. Oz has many good nuggets of information but I had to mine through too much rock to get to his gold. And I just couldn't quite get past him constantly touching all his guests. And making them wear lab coats. And his distracting-more-than-they're-helpful computer graphics. Plus I couldn't really fast forward through Dr. Oz because I never knew when he was going to say something truly meaningful and clearly I am a woman who likes that fast forward button.

I'm going to adopt a few of Ellen's tactics for my social life. Ellen sometimes looks a little uncomfortable with her guests. That's how I feel too when I have someone new sitting on my couch - sometimes we hit it off - other times I am working really hard but they just aren't biting. I've never actually tried doing a little stand-up act before I invite the guest to sit down but I'm definitely going to try that. I think the music helps too. I have stairs right off my main living area so I could easily dance up them as my guests wait ~~backstage~~ on the front porch to come in. I bet my daughter would even DJ for me if I gave her enough freedom to choose from her iPod playlist. And if I have something interesting to show my guests I am absolutely going to cover it with a cloth and put it on the sofa table behind me. This type of reveal not only heightens the excitement but shows that I was prepped for this social engagement. Attention to detail folks, always have attention to detail.

So good job Ellen! Even though I emailed your show and complained when you let Brooke Shields promote the Pepsi Refresh campaign...and yes I'll admit that it's me who has been sending you Cover Girl's safety ratings on their cosmetic lines...and okay, in the interest of full disclosure I was irritated that you let Brooke Shields come on again...BUT just so you don't think I'm high maintenance or anything: I love your show.

Apparently my Pink Ribbon Rants are not working....

2010-04-23T22:11:00.000-04:00

If KFC can do it, why not a cigarette company?

Back in October of 2008 I posted my first Pink Ribbon Rant. I was so upset that in July 2009 I posted another one. Then when Pepsi came out with its 'Refresh' campaign and my beloved Ellen DeGeneres let Brooke Shields come on and promote it, I had to post again.

Apparently the marketing folks at KFC were not listening.

I see all the controversy (not to mention money...) being raised by KFC's Bucket for the Cure campaign and wonder: is it because people are getting fed up with inappropriate products bearing the pink ribbon or did KFC just go a little too far? Either way I should be stunned that someone, anyone, thought this would be a good idea. But I'm not surprised at all. I guess KFC figures that if products that contain parabens which doctors know for sure show up in breast cancer tumors can bear a pink ribbon then why shouldn't a product that contains only saturated fats, MSG, astronomical levels of sodium, and preservatives? I think that the American public (and by public I really mean WOMAN) has proven that she'll support just about any product in pink. I mean after all the money goes to research for the cure, right? And it's way more important that we find a cure than actually prevent the disease in the first place, right? Right????

I said it 2 years ago and I'm saying it now: the Pink Ribbon campaign is the biggest fraud perpetrated upon women since those Virginia Slims cigarette ads that featured women, each more gorgeous and glamorous than the last, telling us "You've come a long way, baby!"

The ad is in pink...why is that?

So I ask this: why not Virginia Slims with a pink ribbon? I mean smoking may increase your risk of breast cancer but for the most part it is associated with lung cancer, not breast cancer, so why not? I mean they are already dressing the model and printing the ad in pink and if you think that's a coincidence, think again my friends, think again. I think it's because many women will not really look for the Pink Ribbon, they'll simply buy the product because it looks like it might have a pink ribbon. And if that isn't effective ~~sheep herding~~ marketing, then I don't know what is.

Take a long look at the image below. Sure, it's a joke...but then isn't what KFC is doing a joke too?

Smoking isn't worse for you than KFC, just quicker

More Lemon-y Goodness

2010-04-21T08:01:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I posted all about the utility of lemons. I made mention of their beauty and tastiness but my blog friend Karen has done it so beautifully in this post that I just had to reference her. Thank you Karen for this link! Check out her photos and prose, you won't be disappointed!

Green Tip Tuesday: The Mighty Lemon

2010-04-20T19:45:00.000-04:00

Take advantage of the most acidic ingredient in your kitchen.

My cutting board smells like garlic, my laundry could use a good bleaching, my refrigerator has a weird smell, and my microwave has a greasy residue leftover from cooking bacon. Good thing I have lemons! The simple lemon will take care of all of those problems, leave a fresh smell, and if I don't use the whole thing I can cook with the leftovers - how often can you say that about your cleaning products?

I love lemons. I love the way they look, the way they smell, the way they clean, and I've never met a lemon square I didn't like. Or lemon poppyseed muffin. Or lemonade. But more than just being great for cooking, lemons are a super cheap, super effective way to get things clean. Lemons are an acid and that acid kills bacteria which is what causes bad smells. That means that lemon juice will also work quite effectively on a cut (squeeze it fresh and then take a deep breath because you're gonna feel it!), and it will sanitize any surface. Usually I am waxing poetic about the virtues of vinegar for these same types of things and I still do love me my vinegar but let's face it, lemon juice smells better and sometimes it's nice to mix things up a bit. To clean anything simply cut the lemon in half and rub the cut end directly on...whatever: the cutting board, the counter top, the pan, etc. Rinse well to avoid a sticky residue. To clean a microwave add 3 TBSP lemon juice to 1/2 c. water and microwave on high for 30 seconds. Wipe out your now sanitized and fresh smelling microwave. To use in a refrigerator in addition to, or in place of baking soda, saturate a cotton ball with lemon juice and leave in the refrigerator for a few hours. Or just cut a lemon and leave the slices in the refrigerator. Or near the litter box. Or in the bathroom (Warning: your family may wonder at your sanity with this last one. My family is used to weird stuff like this but you may need to warn yours..).

Lemon juice is also fantastic in the laundry as a natural bleach. Squeeze a cup of lemon juice and pour it right in with your regular water and detergent. It whitens clothes but won't harm them. The bleaching action also works on hair, nails, and skin but because of the acidic nature of the lemon limit any time on your skin to no more than 15 minutes. Your hair can handle a longer time but it's a good idea to dilute the lemon juice - about half and half - with water and use it as a rinse.

I am all about using fresh lemons because the acid is nice and strong, the scent is fantastic, and the peel can be put right down your disposal to clean your drains. Or thrown into your yard to feed the wildlife yet discourage ants from coming near your home. Or used as a natural pumice on your heels. And of course using a fresh lemon means not buying lemon juice in a plastic bottle and not buying plastic reduces your dependance on petroleum products! (Oh yes, I'm still on that kick!)

Having all those fresh lemons around inspires my cooking too. I never would have made a lemon cake with lemon glaze had I not had a few extra lemons hanging around. I know for a fact I wouldn't have attempted to learn how to make real lemonade, lemon sherbet, or lemon-mint water had I not been inspired by Martha Stewart and the sight of those gorgeous lemons. There's just something about spring/summer and lemons that seem to go together. Fall/winter feel like cinnamon to me (a future post? You bet!), spring and summer belong to lemons.

Want to go green? Think yellow.

The power of a good shower

2010-04-17T20:22:00.000-04:00

When I workout I workout hard. No ladylike glistening for me, I am covered in sweat. Sometimes the only light at the end of the sweaty spandex is the thought of a relaxing shower. I just have a regular ordinary old shower/tub combo (but at least it's mine, and not at the gym!). No fancy jets, whirlpool tub, or even elaborate tilework for me - just a plain fiberglass tub surround. Someday perhaps I will have a whirlpool bathtub with a huge picture window and the ability to soak my troubles away, but for right now I have what I have and so I make the best of it by having the right shower head, the best smelling shampoo, and the most decadent soap.

First the shower head. Second only to good lighting in its importance in the bathroom, a great shower head can make up for whatever else the bathroom lacks. Steve found one at Lowe's that has a sleek nickel finish, is low flow but still puts out a lot of pressure, and has this fantastic setting with a massaging blast in the middle surrounded by the regular rain shower. Pure bliss I tell you. Ours is made by Delta and cost about $55.

Next the shampoo. Y'all know how much I love healthy-for-my-hair-healthy-for-my-body shampoo and my favorite is still the Nature's Gate Organics line. It lathers without sulfates, isn't tested on animals, and contains no parabens. Organic shampoo can cause sticker shock but I save money on the conditioner. Conditioners frequently don't have sulfates because they don't lather anyway so I just find one that smells good and doesn't contain parabens (I like the J/A/S/O/N products).

Finally the soap. I love soaps that have oatmeal, almond oil, or tea tree oil in them because I love the smells and textures. We have a Lush store near us and the mixture of scents and textures can be quite heady and addictive. Steve is an Irish Spring kind of guy and absolutely nothing will change his mind. My daughter likes the Pink Grapefruit soap from The Body Shop. Most soaps are made from palm oil which is creating some problems in the South American rainforests and many contain parabens but when it comes down to it, finding the right soap is more trial and error and personal preference.

When my daughter was a baby and I had to learn the art of Speed Bathing I kind of forgot how nice it can be to pamper myself. I've been trying to allow myself a little more showering time each day so I don't have to rush so much or cut myself so often with the razor. I don't think I truly feel awake and ready to face the world until after I've showered.

Whether it be first thing in the morning, after a workout, or the last thing you do each day, there isn't much that a little warm water can't cure (or at least make clean!).

Happy Tax Day! You pay income tax but are you taxing your immune system too?

2010-04-15T19:27:00.000-04:00

Today is the perfect day to talk about what "taxes" our immune systems. I have been talking all week long about using natural products for beauty care because I am really committed to reducing my exposure to toxins. I am so passionate about this subject because I learned several years ago that a little bit can really add up to big problems. Here are the personal care products I use or am exposed to every single day : toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, soap, face wash, detergent, fabric softener, hair spray, gel, foundation, mascara, eye liner, eye shadow, lipstick, deodorant, nail polish, dishwashing liquid, and lotion.

If all of those products contain just one ingredient that is a known skin irritant, say a sulfate, then I would have 18 irritants being applied to my skin every single day. Every time our skin, which is our largest organ of elimination and protection, is irritated it prompts an immune system response where antibodies are produced to capture and remove the antigen (irritant). Sometimes we can see our immune system responding because we have a rash, an itching, or a burning sensation on our skin. Unfortunately a lot of times we don't see that the immune system is being called into action so we assume we are not "sensitive" to the product. What we don't see can be inflammation, an exhausted white blood cell count, and an overactive immune system which can lead to chronic diseases. Arthritis, dermatitis, rhinitis, sinusitis, and asthma are all diseases of chronic inflammation: in other words those diseases exist because of the body's response to some chronic irritant.

What are the symptoms that your immune system is being "taxed" too much? If you feel fatigued, if you seem to catch every virus that goes around, if you constantly suffer from hay-fever-like symptoms, or if you have cancer. Of course there are many things that could be contributing to a weakened immune system and we cannot control them all, but that is why I reduce my exposure to the things I can control. It's easy for me to use a natural mascara instead of one full of toxins. I don't even notice that I use a soap free from parabens and sulfates. It's just as easy to rub a drop of almond oil on my skin after a shower as it is to rub on a dollop of petroleum-based lotion.

I may not notice the difference, but you can be sure that my immune system does and why pay any more taxes than you have to?

Reader request: Finding a Natural Mascara

2010-04-14T21:28:00.000-04:00

For years I wouldn't even consider leaving the house without mascara. I love how open and bright my eyes look and because my lashes are very light, I love how dark and full they look with a nice thick coat of mascara. Unfortunately mascara can be one of the most toxic cosmetics because it contains all of the bad guys: parabens, petroleum, dyes, and aluminum. That's a lot of toxins to dump directly into my bloodstream every single day.

I want my mascara to both color my lashes and add fullness so I use Aveda Mosscara (so named because it is plant based). It works, it's natural, it's fairly cheap, and it's readily available at http://www.aveda.com/ for $16. It doesn't contain allergens, carcinogens, or parabens and is completely petroleum free.

I tried just using castor oil on my lashes. I washed my mascara brush and dipped it right into the castor oil that I had poured out into a small cup. It darkens the lashes and adds a lot of shine, but there really isn't any added fullness. I have also tried aloe vera gel (pure, cold pressed only, and be sure to blot off the excess with a tissue) which again adds some separation and shine but absolutely no darkness or thickening.

When I was researching this subject I found a recipe that uses black oxide mineral powder combined with aloe vera to get the darkness. I haven't ever tried this so I can't comment on how well it works.

I haven't actually tried to make my own using beeswax or caranuba wax. The process is daunting because you have to melt the wax but you can't put hot wax on your lashes of course, so you have to thin it with water or castor oil and then add some darkening agent and you have to either preserve it or make it fresh every morning and I just don't see myself whipping up a batch of mascara each morning without 1. burning my eyes with hot wax because I couldn't wait for it to cool, or 2. deciding that it isn't worth it and digging some toxic Maybelline crap out of the trash in desperation.

In other words, get the Aveda and call it a day.

Green Tip Tuesday: Getting the Petroleum out of your beauty products

2010-04-13T20:47:00.001-04:00

I do love to rant about reducing my dependence upon petroleum products, don't I? I have good reason though, petroleum, which contains petrolatum, was never intended to be used on the human body and it certainly wasn't supposed to be eaten (lip balms, food dyes) or rubbed onto our feet and hands (ever used Vaseline to cure your really dry skin? I used to rub it on my feet and then put on socks.)!

Pure petroleum jelly is pure petrolatum, a known carcinogen

And just like those dangerous parabens, it's chemical markers are showing up in breast cancer tumors. (As a side note I once saw an excerpt from the Tyra Banks show where she extolled the virtues of Vaseline to keep her breasts firm, she rubbed a known carcinogen right into the lymph nodes in her breasts!)

Chapstick not only contains petrolatum but a healthy dose of saccharin as well.

Luckily there is a safe, readily available alternative: beeswax. Beeswax which is a natural product of, well, bees, isn't a by-product of crude oil manufacturing. It doesn't need to be heavily processed to be used, it contains only natural ingredients and there isn't any harm to the bees to harvest the wax so long as the products come from a competent beekeeper like the Burt's Bees company.

Burt's Bees lip balms contain only beeswax and natural oils

I really like the Burt's Bees products and though they are not the only all natural beeswax products available, they are probably the most readily available and cost efficient. Want to go even more natural? Rub a drop or two of almond oil directly onto your lips or dry skin. The naturally occurring vitamin E will heal the skin while the oil protects against drying. You can even make your own lip balms or lotions by buying beeswax pellets (available at most craft stores, like Michaels) and melting 2tsp. beeswax in a double broiler with 7tsp. oil like almond oil, safflower oil, or castor oil. When the mixture is combined remove it from the heat and add 1 tsp. honey and 4-5 drops of peppermint oil for scent and flavoring. The mixture will begin to harden quickly so put it into a small glass jar, one made for spices would be perfect, and use at your leisure.

Soft skin, reduced dependence upon petroleum, and not a single carcinogen to be found.

Does makeup expire?

2010-04-12T15:59:00.001-04:00

A few minutes spent at a natural foods store cosmetic counter and I'm like a kid in a candy store. I want one of everything, please. I love to buy new cosmetics. I like to have several lipsticks to choose from, depending upon my mood, outfit, and tan-ness (is that a word?) Once I find a product that works I like to stick with it. I can guarantee that I will be that old woman with the lipstick bleeding into her mouth wrinkles - the very dated hot pink lipstick that clashes with skin tone, outfit, and age by a few decades. I just hope that though my look may be past its prime my make up isn't.

All cosmetics have expiration dates.

Sadly, not all cosmetics print their expiration dates on the packaging because they aren't required by law to do so. Ironically it may be even more important to check your makeup for signs of deteriorating because anything you rub on your skin bypasses the liver and goes right into the ol' bloodstream without benefit of a filter. Any bacteria, fungus, or viruses growing in your make up get rubbed right into your skin. Here are a few commonly used items and when they should get replaced:

I love lipstick, and I do mean LOVE lipstick. It hurts my heart to have to throw out a good lipstick, especially if I can't find the color again or if the new batch of color just somehow doesn't look as good as the old. I still haven't quite recovered from Burt's Bees changing their line of lip shimmers and not carrying my favorite shades. Lipstick begins to chemically break down within 1-2 years. I have usually lost my lipstick before this 2 year date approached, but you may be more organized than me, especially if you have a few colors that tend to stay in the drawer. If you've had 'em longer than 2 years, toss them.

Now for mascara - poor mascara. With a shelf life of only about 4 months before it has received so much air exposure that it is drying out/clumping/growing all sorts of bacteria/flaking off your lashes it is definitely the purchase we should make most often. Until I learned about cosmetics expiring I could not have told you the last time I bought a new mascara. Now that I know I try to remember to buy mascara more often but the one I'm using right now? I couldn't tell you how old it is...in other words I should replace it.

Foundation/pressed powders can be tricky. I use mineral makeup as a combined foundation and powder. I use it up about every 8-10 months so I haven't been too worried about it expiring, I get more concerned about the makeup brushes I use. Brushes need to be washed every 2-3 months but if you use a makeup sponge it should be washed daily and thrown out after a week. When I used cosmetic sponges and liquid foundation I used a new sponge every day because my skin has a tendency to break out and I didn't want any extra bacteria causing me problems. I also threw out my foundation when it was time to change colors with the seasons because I like to be tan, despite all health warnings to the contrary.

The more natural the cosmetic (which probably means the more expensive the cosmetic) the more quickly it will expire because it won't have as many preservatives. This week I'll be blogging about some natural recipes that can replace some beauty care products so that being natural doesn't get so expensive. But for now go find that make up bag and if you still see your frosty blue eyeshadow in it -- toss it out.

What goes in must come out

2010-04-09T10:35:00.002-04:00

Yep, this post really is about pooping. Yesterday I was running on the treadmill. It was my first day back to running after a 4 day break because I had injured my calf muscle. I don't know how I could possibly have forgotten in only 4 days that running always makes me have to go to the bathroom. Always. But I did. Luckily I was running on my home treadmill and not at the gym, otherwise that hunched-over-abdominal-clenching-crab-walk I had to do would have been really embarrassing. The fact is that moving your body makes your body move: you heart rate increases, more blood is circulated, lymph fluid is circulated, peristalsis, catastalsis, and colon motility (intestinal contractions) increase, and metabolism is kicked into high gear.

It's the colon motility that got me.

As with any muscle we want to keep our intestinal muscles in excellent shape. The contractions known as peristalsis and catastalsis are what make digestion and waste removal possible. If these contractions become sluggish and irregular we've got partially digested food just sitting around rotting inside of us. We can tone those muscles and ensure proper elimination of our waste in a number of ways:

1. Drink plenty of water. Each intestinal contraction is designed to use waves of mucus and fluid to push food particles along the 23 feet of intestinal tract. Staying properly hydrated ensures that the mucus isn't too thick and thus peristalsis sluggish. I heard a rule of 1 ounce of water for every 10 pounds you weigh. That seems a little low to me but it's an excellent place to start. I like to fill up 2 water bottles each day (stainless steel, of course!) and leave one in the refrigerator or on the counter at home and one in the car. I remember to drink water a lot better if I have it already filled and ready to go.

2. Eat plenty of fiber. Fiber rich foods act as a binder, just like adding bread crumbs to your meatloaf. Fiber binds all those food particles sloshing around your intestines together. It's rough cellular texture gives a little intestinal scrub as it moves through ensuring that it gets all the particles along with the gooey stuff like cholesterol, excess mucus, and the slimy chemical residue left by many processed foods. I like to add psyllium husk to my morning smoothies to ensure that I am getting enough fiber each day. I can't taste it in the smoothie at all and it doesn't seem to affect the texture.

3. Move your body. Walk. Run. Jump on a trampoline, kick a ball, dance, swim - it makes no difference what you do, just that you do something. Just like lymph fluid which has no pump and depends upon our bodies movement to flow, exercise stimulates peristalsis and gets that which we no longer need moving out of our bodies. Doing housework or walking to the printer is not enough movement unless you are doing laps to the printer and have a really big house...

4. Laugh! Laughter tones the abdominal muscles. The whole reason I try to pepper this blog with nonsense posts about torturing my brothers in the car or showering at the gym is to (hopefully) make you laugh, giving you an abdominal workout. (Okay maybe abdominal workout is a stretch, but smiling is an excellent way to tone your facial muscles and reduce wrinkles and you at least smiled while reading showering at the gym, right?)

5. Breathe. Breathe slowly, deeply, and evenly. Deliberately slow, deep breaths tone our diaphragm and abdomen. Consciously pulling more oxygen into our bodies is an excellent way to reduce stress and tension, both of which can halt natural digestive function. Take a deep breath in through your nose right now. Hold for a moment. Now slowly as you count to 5 release that breath. Did your shoulders come down? Did your eyes relax?

Now that wasn't so bad, talking about poop, was it? Aren't you glad this post didn't have an accompanying picture...?

We all had the same mom, but we're not related

2010-04-08T10:16:00.000-04:00

Yesterday Steve and I were chatting with the server at a restaurant (Side note: I truly feel sorry for the servers in restaurants who get Steve and me for customers because we just looooove to chat so God help you if you have other tables to attend to 'cause we are about to monopolize your time!) and laughing about sports teams, childhood, marriage, you know the usual stuff you chat with your poor can't-I-just-take-your-order-and-move-on server about.

It struck me how common our human experience is: take sibling relationships, for example. We had a big ol' brown station wagon with jump seats that popped up out of the floor of the back. Seated 10, comfortably. Our bench seats were made of vinyl so they had these stitching lines that ran vertically down the seat. My 2 brothers and I sat in the back with my baby sister in the front (my how times have changed) so that meant that one person in the back didn't have a window seat. That's a recipe for a knockdown, drag out fight if I ever heard one. My mom had designated certain stitching lines as our 'boundary lines' and we weren't supposed to put our hands or legs or any other body part over onto anyone else's seat. Because we were good little children with immaculate behavior and sweet dispositions we spent most of our time creeping our fingers, legs, elbows, basically any body part we could stretch, move, or pull, over those stitching lines just to annoy each other. I would creep my pinkie finger over my older brother's stitching line, he would promptly take his fist and try to pile-drive that finger into the seat (which didn't really hurt because the seat would give a little and absorb some of the impact). I would snatch my finger away. Meanwhile my little brother was moving his leg over my stitching line so I had to pound my fist into his thigh (which did hurt a bit more) and then he would yelp and my mom would threaten and I would deny and my older brother would laugh so I would have to breathe really hard on him so he would yell "Mom! Beth is breathing really hard on me" so my mom would start to lose her mind and the baby would start to cry so finally Mom would reach into the glove compartment, pull out the wooden ruler she kept there for just these sorts of occasions and she would take that ruler and begin to smack whatever she could reach.

The ruler smacking generally didn't work out too well for the person sitting in the middle because my mom's reach was limited and the window-seat folks could suck their bodies into the doors as much as possible but the poor middle seat person just had nowhere to go.

I'm willing to bet that most people reading this (who have siblings) can relate to some version of that story. I don't care where you live, what God you worship, what your socio-economic status is or was: if you have a brother or sister at some point in your childhood you were willing to risk pain, retaliation, and a wooden ruler just to annoy that sibling. And you'd do it all over again if given the chance, even knowing what you know now.

You may even have a slightly different but no less immature and annoying game you play with your spouse, I know I do. I know it drives Steve crazy if I get the remote before he does. I like to get the remote and then put it on my legs with my hand loosely on top of it. Then I can be "too slow" to fast forward the TiVo, something which is guaranteed to make Steve lose his mind, but before he can grab the remote away I snatch it out of his reach and then speed up the fast forwarding. Seeing poor Steve's hand twitching on his lap as he tries to control his urge to pile-drive me into the couch and take that remote is true entertainment my friends, it really is.

So 'fess up folks. What did you do or are you currently doing to annoy your siblings or spouse? Don't be shy, chances are that whatever you did/are doing we have all done or will use as something new to try!

Exercise your brain!

2010-04-07T13:44:00.000-04:00

Your brain needs exercise to stay young and fit.

A few days ago at the gym I was getting ready to do a 60 minute intense boot camp class. Two women were excitedly talking about a new book they had just read and they casually asked the instructor if she had read the book yet. The instructor's reply was a condescending "I don't just sit around and read. I like to keep myself too physically active for that." Stunned, one of the women began to backpedal and claim that she only read a few pages at a time while the other just looked embarrassed. Since I can only think of witty responses 15 minutes after they are needed, I said nothing but thought to myself that it was a shame that the boot camp instructor doesn't keep her brain in the same good shape she's keeping her body.

Our brains need exercise. Everytime we learn something new, read a book, try something different, solve a problem, memorize a list, or meditate we are exercising our brains. New neural pathways are created, extra blood is circulated through our blood vessels yielding more oxygen for our brain cells. Dead cells are swept away and room is made for even more learning.

It is essential that we continually challenge ourselves and it can be as simple as the daily crossword puzzle in the newspaper, or as complex as microsurgery, our brains don't really care as long as they are constantly used. People who are in the habit of thinking are faster at problem solving, have quicker reflexes, suffer less from depression, and have less likelihood of developing senility as they age. Of course diet and exercise play a huge part in how healthy our brains are and how much blood and lymph can circulate, but denying our bodies the downtime they need so we can focus on exercising our brains is just as aging to our bodies as a sedentary lifestyle. Watching TV, youtube, and movies sadly does not count as brain exercise, but surfing the web sure does.

I've always been a fan of the walking meditation but I also like to listen to podcasts and audio books as I walk. I am exposed to so many new and different ideas that way and it helps to broaden my horizons a bit. In the evenings I like to play a game of spider solitaire on the computer while I'm waiting for dinner to cook. Sodoku, crossword puzzles, mah jong, and solitaire are all readily available free games that come with Microsoft Windows or are available on the web.

I'd like to think my brain is in excellent shape: lean, young, full of oxygen-rich blood just circulating around as my super-smart thoughts are being zapped from neuron to neuron. Lacking that, I'd at least like to avoid becoming a stale old curmudgeon.

My boot camp instructor has amazing abs, but I bet her brain is flabby.

Green Tip Tuesday: Is your cookware adding toxins to your food?

2010-04-06T09:13:00.001-04:00

The year was 1998. Steve and I had just moved into our dream home. A huge box is waiting on the kitchen island for me as I enter the house for the first time as a homeowner. Steve has given me a huge surprise: a gorgeous set of Teflon-coated Calphalon cookware. I was in heaven.

Fast forward to 2006. The pans are no longer gleaming a gorgeous black anymore. Despite my vigilant use of plastic utensils on the pans scratches have appeared, some deeper than others. Basically the pans look as though they have been used daily for 8 years - as they should. Do you have any Teflon coated pans? Teflon is a cook's dream in my opinion because food simply doesn't stick to it. Teflon is also a huge health hazard because it breaks down from usage and heat - the 2 things to which any pot is guaranteed to be exposed.

I didn't know that I wasn't supposed to heat my coated pans above medium heat. Perhaps there were instructions that came with the pans,but I didn't read them. I only read the Care Instructions that were printed clearly on tags attached to each pan. There certainly weren't any warnings attached to the pans. I frequently turned the burner on high and boiled water in my pans or sauteed onions -- you know, I cooked with them.

The problem is this: once the Teflon coating has scratches on it breakdown occurs. Every time the pan is used a compound called perflurooctanoic acid (PFOA) is released. PFOA is toxic to human beings, cannot be metabolized by our bodies, and therefore becomes just another toxin we have stored in our fat that is a poison to us. Now it's true that it takes very high temperatures for PFOA to be released in pans that are unscratched, but after the surface Teflon is compromised it doesn't take very much heat at all.

If PFOA were only present in coated pans then I suppose we could all safely argue that our exposure is minimal, quantifiable, and completely avoidable - unless of course you ever eat out at a restaurant in which case you never know what type pan in which your food is prepared, but PFOA is also present in ScotchGuard products, carpet, furniture, some paints, food wrap (!), some dry cleaning products, and the StainMaster line of carpet protectors. In other words you may be exposed to PFOA in almost every surface of your home, not to mention direct ingestion from your cookware. Not so quantifiable and avoidable anymore, is it?

The answer: stainless steel cookware. Not coated stainless steel, just plain old stainless steel. Add a little olive oil to the pan so food won't stick. Cook at lower temperatures, you'll destroy less enzymes and vitamins that way anyway, and treat yourself to some stainless steel cooking utensils, cookie sheets, and mixing bowls while you're at it. Sound expensive? It doesn't have to be because unlike Teflon coated cookware which breaks down uncoated stainless steel cookware can last for decades so you can buy it used, give it a wash, and off you go. Found some great used stainless steel but it has stains? (I know, it's supposed to be stainless!) My old friend vinegar and a scratch-free scrubber should do the trick.

Now go cook up a safe and healthy meal!

Diary of a Sugar Free Life, Volume 2

2010-04-04T22:15:00.001-04:00

Ahhh, the Easter hangover: too much sugar. I didn't actually partake of anything from the bunny, nope, my sugar intake was far more insidious than that. It all started with a breakfast that included cinnamon rolls, a lunch that included bundt cake, and a dinner that included rootbeer.

And I was doing so well. Remember my resolve back in December?

The problem with sugar addiction is that it is so acceptable to be addicted to sugar. You don't have to sneak a cinnamon roll, heck, have two! So it's all up to the addict to police themselves and hold fast to their resolve.

I did not hold fast to my resolve.

I have been working out so hard. Religiously I have been building muscle, continuing aerobic activity, and gaining flexibility. While I won't be so dramatic as to say that I've undone all my hard work, I certainly feel as though I've let myself down by allowing sugar to creep back into my diet.

The good news: I'm not eating sugar right now. Tomorrow is another day. Every minute, every hour, every day and week and month and year that I don't eat sugar is a major victory. There are so many reasons not to eat sugar and really only one reason to eat it: it tastes good. Taste is a cheap reason though, I mean I love the taste of avocado but I wouldn't say I'm an avocado addict. It's the ability of sugar to alter the body's chemistry and become a regular craving that makes it so dangerous. Eating avocado doesn't make me crave avocado, and I've never had a carrot hangover.

I read an interesting article that said if you start craving sugar try fruit, cinnamon, vanilla, or peppermint (even the smell of peppermint or vanilla may satisfy a sugar craving) instead of eating the sugar. I can definitely attest to the fruit and the cinnamon but I've never tried the scent therapy. The reality is that nothing is going to be the magic solution. I didn't even realize I'd fallen off the wagon until I'd already chomped down a piece of bundt cake, my ability to compartmentalize and deny is so great, but I certainly noticed how headache-y and irritable I was all afternoon. And how tired. And how disappointed I felt with myself. And rather than looking forward to my weight training class tomorrow morning, I find myself dreading it because I know I'll probably have a headache. I'll feel lethargic. I'll feel weak and out of shape.

Could any cinnamon roll be worth all of that? Nope.

Never underestimate the weight of water

2010-04-02T12:39:00.000-04:00

Weighing yourself after workouts may give false numbers

Lately I've been noticing a woman at they gym running for the scale after workout class. One day she triumphantly crowed "I lost 2 pounds since this morning!" as her friend high-fived her and they wandered off into the locker room still chattering about her victory. I felt really bad for that woman knowing that when she got on the scale the next morning that 2 pounds may indeed be back. It's pretty unlikely that she burned 2 pounds of fat during a single 50 minute aerobic class, but she easily lost that much in water. It's how the Biggest Loser candidates "throw" a weigh-in, they load up on water right before they get weighed.

Water weight, or the body retaining water due to a medical condition, medications, or diet, can really add pounds to the scale and a bloated or swollen appearance to the body. Now you all know how pro-drinking-lots-of-water-every-day I am so the answer clearly is not to drink less water, but to look carefully at what foods may be causing water retention.

I had no idea that foods could cause water retention until a friend of mine mentioned several years ago that she couldn't fit her wedding rings on the day after eating pizza. I had to know more about that but didn't want to question her (that much nosy-ness was too much, even for me) so I Googled 'foods that make you retain water' and was presented with list after list of foods that cause water retention all with one thing in common: sodium.

I have a tendency toward very low blood pressure so I wasn't paying very close attention to the sodium in my diet but when I started reading labels I was appalled! All the "healthy" substitutes I was eating like veggie burgers, boca burgers, tofu this and dairy-free that were loaded with sodium to make them taste good. In fact many things that say "low fat" "low sugar" or are canned and processed are going to be high in sodium. All that salt was weighing me down and I didn't even know it. I had to dump most of the convenience foods from my diet and really scan labels to find veggie burgers that weren't high in sodium. I noticed that my never-have-actually-found-a-stomach-muscle abdomen looked flatter within just a few days.

My advice: let the water flow. Drink it, but don't retain it.

Reader Request: What is a Carbon Footprint?

2010-04-01T12:32:00.000-04:00

I received an excellent question recently from my friend Debbie, she wanted to know what is meant by a "carbon footprint." Lately I see the term used in a lot of different ways, some more relevant than others, but what I mean when I say carbon footprint is the amount of energy you use existing on this planet. Do you have a big footprint? Do you consume a lot of packaged goods, using a new bag to bring them home every time? Do you circle the parking lot for 10 minutes looking for a "good spot" rather than parking and walking a little farther? Do you leave on lights, computers, TVs, radios, and stereos even when you're not in the room using them? Do you have a bunch of chargers plugged into the wall that aren't charging anything? Do you create a lot of waste by buying but not recycling packaged goods? If you are nodding yes to all these things then the cost of keeping you on this planet is pretty high because tremendous amounts of energy must be used to support your lifestyle and most of the energy created in the U.S. has a lot of toxic byproducts.

On the other hand perhaps you have a small footprint. Perhaps you are reducing, reusing, and recyling everything you can. Perhaps you are walking more and driving less, when possible. Even walking on a track or outside is preferable to using an electric treadmill. Right now it is still cold and rainy where I live. This morning I spent 37 minutes on an electric elliptical machine so I'm certainly not living off the grid. I did, however, rescue 4 earthworms that would have been stranded on my driveway...

Unplug, turn off, reuse, recycle. Any little change and every little change makes a difference. I wear a size 8 shoe, but I try to have a tiny footprint.

4-6 Small Meals or No Meals, Whatever Works for You

2010-03-31T20:55:00.000-04:00

When you're not eating is as important as when you are...

No discussion about health, fitness, or metabolism is complete in my opinion until we talk about fasting. The tradition of fasting on holy days, to prepare for ceremonies, to gain spiritual knowledge, or to begin a rite of passage is centuries old. The ancient wisdom still holds true today - if you want to cure what ails you: be it weight issues, allergies, disease, or stress - try fasting as a miracle cure.

I began doing one day fasts about 9 years ago. Just a simple juice fast where for one day about every other week or so I would plug in the ol' juicer and drink only freshly juiced fruits and vegetables for the day. I got away from the habit for awhile and kind of forgot how good I felt after a fast. The reasons are simple: digestion takes a tremedous amount of energy to accomplish. The amount of processed food typically consumed means that it takes even more energy because we barely need chew processed foods so natural enzymes present in our saliva don't have much chance to work. Energy used digesting food is not being directed toward cellular waste removal, healing, and general maintenance. Remove the need for digestion for a day or two and your body can get a lot of work done that it has been "meaning to do" when it had time.

Frequently when I am feeling overwhelmed, sluggish, or suffering from a cold I remind myself that it must be time to fast. It's probably not a good idea to chomp down a cheeseburger for dinner and decide to fast the next day because that's a shock to your system and there can be side effects like headaches, irritability, and dizziness if you begin or end a fast abruptly. The best way I have found is to plan the day on which I will fast. The day before I begin the fast I have a smoothie for breakfast as usual, a salad of raw veggies for lunch and something simple like soup (a simple soup like vegetable or tomato, not a heavy soup like clam chowder or broccoli cheese) or another salad for dinner. The next day I begin the fast with fresh juice. All throughout the day whenever I feel hungry I drink more juice or water. My favorite juice is apple celery juice because it just feels clean which sounds weird I know, but try it and you'll see what I mean.

You could continue this way for a whole day or even 2 or 3 days but definitely no more than 3 days the first time. When you are ready to break the fast you eat the same or similar menu as you did the day before you began the fast: simple foods, mostly raw, with no dairy, very little fat, and definitely no animal products, including eggs. You may wish to continue the pre-fast diet for 2 or 3 days but it's not absolutely necessary.

Some studies show that fasting for just one to two days a month increases life expectancy, lowers disease risk, is an excellent weight management tool, and can help overcome weight loss plateaus. I am going to fast this Friday. It's a Holy Day in my religion, the official end of Lent (though I won't actually watch HGTV until Sunday, I promise), near the beginning of a new month and a new season.

What could be a better time to let my body rest and rejuvenate? How about you? Anyone ready to try a fast?

Green Tip Tuesday: Stainless Steel Water Bottles

2010-03-30T15:54:00.001-04:00

Stainless Steel water bottles don't need to look boring!

By now I think I've probably heard all of the debates about plastic water bottles and the possible water contamination that takes place as the plastic begins to break down due to time, sun exposure, heat/cold exposure, or rough handling. I know that the water inside the bottle may not necessarily have been regulated and could be worse, much much worse, than the water from my tap. I know I can't leave the water bottles in my car because I'll speed up the plastic breakdown due to the heat buildup inside my car, so I have to be really organized and remember to bring a reusable water bottle with me. It's hard to turn on the news without hearing some new danger posed by bottled water - so why is it still so popular?

Convenience definitely plays a part. I am guilty of purchasing water because I didn't plan very well, forgot my bottle, or had to choose between buying water or buying soda - water is definitely the lesser of the two evils there (remember, the soda is packaged in a plastic bottle too and is subject to the same toxic leakage from the plastic - or worse due to the harsher effects of the chemicals in soda).

To counter these problems I've decided to make an investment: I have bought 3 stainless steel water bottles. One is for the car. It's still cold enough here that my water is actually chilled whenever I drink from that bottle throughout the day. The second is for my gym bag. In a pinch I have had to refill it from the gym's water fountain, but I suppose that's (somewhat) better than buying bottled water. The last bottle is the pinch-hitter. It steps in whenever one of the other bottles is being washed, cannot be immediately located, or whenever my daughter wants a larger bottle than the little ones I bought for her.

It's never a good idea to let water sit in a bottle for long periods of time because bacteria can really build up inside that bottle, but at least if it has to sit for awhile, it's better that it does so in a container that won't leach toxins into the water, won't contribute to bacteria growth by allowing sunlight in, and won't increase our dependency upon petroleum products.

We need to drink water. All day, every day. Proper hydration can cure headaches, reduce the appearance of wrinkles, shine your hair, increase your metabolism, ensure proper digestion, aid kidney function, and help you fight off disease! Unfortunately it can't do any of those things very well if the water itself is the source of toxins.

Be good to your body. Be good to your planet. Drink water from a safe, reusable, stainless steel water bottle.

The Gift that keeps on giving

2010-03-29T16:42:00.001-04:00

I just posted about a funeral I attended, a funeral for a child, which has left me shaken and despairing for his parents and siblings. At first I thought I wouldn't post again today but I felt dissatisfied with the brevity of the previous post and also felt the post lacked the true essence of how I feel about life -- and death.

The boy's father created a beautiful picture of his son's life using anecdotes of their family's life. He talked about trips they had taken, famous people met, baseball caught, golf balls signed, and even the time his son caddied for ChiChi Rodriguez. The father wove a tale of a beautiful life. He began the eulogy with the words "My son was a lucky guy..." I was astounded at the father's ability to move beyond his grief, shock, anger, and despair to truly capture the spirit of his son. I think everyone present felt lucky to be there, even as tears streamed down our faces. The son was definitely alive again as his father enriched us all by sharing his son's joyful life experiences.

Last year our family started a new tradition: giving experiences for gifts as opposed to the tangible clothes, toys, "stuff" we usually gave each other. It began with Steve's 40th birthday for which my daughter and I gifted him a day as a fantasy Formula One RaceCar driver. We all loved the experience and decided to make "experience giving" our tradition. This year for our daughter's birthday she went indoor skydiving. Steve's birthday present was tickets for all of us to see a Boston Red Sox's game. My birthday present will be for our family to go white water rafting. For Christmas this year we want to go to the Bahamas.

It took me awhile but I finally figured out that I rarely remember the shirt, or the kitchen gadget, or gift card that I receive as a gift, but I always remember the experiences I have that create those family stories that get told and retold, embellished upon and edited until finally they become our family's history.

I want a life rich with experiences, memories that I can keep forever. Those are the gifts that require no storage, no dusting, never go out of style, and never wear out.

And that, my friends, is a gift that keeps on giving.