New Toolbar

The Wibiya toolbar was the next goodie I stumbled across. (Frankly, I'm still not sure how I found it, but it is tremendous fun.) From here, you can update your Twitter or Facebook status, search JMark Afghans and the web, subscribe to our feed, share a favorite article, read recent or random posts, and translate a page.

We do a number of posts about animals and the environment and shopping and ... well, lots of things. Want to read more of those posts? Easy! Just type your topic in the search field and - in the blink of an eye - you'll get a list of everything we've done about Arizona.

I guess what I love most is that it's not a static toolbar. At any time, I can (and probably will) add more 'toys'. Great fun for me. Hope you love it, too.

Blog Format

Maybe it's the decluttering we've been doing around the apartment, but I found myself seriously pruning the Random Musings page formats this month. There just seemed to be too much ... everything, especially on the front page.

The fonts feel cleaner and excess 'stuff' is now gone. And I must admit, I really like the results.

More importantly, what do you think? Love it? Hate it? Don't actually care?

Feel free to give us your opinion. That's what them-thar-comments are all about.

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Just for You ~ from JMark Afghans and Limoges Jewelry:

Income

Before anything else, you have to know how much money is coming in. Unless you're salaried or on a fixed income (like us), your paychecks are probably a little different from payday to payday. There are 2 ways to account for that variation: budget against the lowest amount or, if the differences aren't huge, calculate your average income.

For simplicity, let's imagine ten (10) recent paychecks. Sort the stubs by date - oldest to newest - so any trends will be easy to spot. Grab a sheet of paper and write Income at the top.

1. Write down the net amount from each check. Start with the oldest; end with the most recent.
2. Total the amounts. (Run the total a couple of times, just in case. It's easy to transpose figures and if you start with the wrong amount, you may doom your budget from the get-go.)
3. Divide your total by 10. This is your average income for the last 10 pay periods.

Now you know your average income. To make sure that this is a good number for budgeting, we want to look closely at the 10 amounts on your list. How do they compare to the average? As an example:

A.) If most of the checks are less than your average, or if the amounts have consistently gotten smaller, then your average won't work for budgeting. You'll be trying to spend more than you make, a great way to fail before you even start. Use the smallest number as your income budget amount.

B.) If, however, you recently received a raise (yay for you, by the way) that's only reflected in your last couple of checks, the average may work for you. But only if the average is no greater than each of those 2 or 3 checks.

Add a line at the bottom for Monthly Income Budget. This number will be your weekly budget amount times 4, if you're paid weekly; times 2, if you're paid every other week. (Naturally, if your checks don't change from period to period, you'll use your actual monthly income.) Put the page aside.

Now that you have an idea what you have to spend, it's time to look at the ugly half of the budget equation:

Expenses

Expenses are generally grouped into 2 categories: Essential and Non-Essential. Essentials cover those items that are necessary to every day living - the roof over your head, insurance on your property and/or possessions, lights and heat, food, and running water. Non-Essentials tend to be the cost of having fun or life's little luxuries - movie or theater tickets, dinner out, manicures, haircuts, vacations, and 'toys'.

Essential: Fixed

Fixed expenses are bills that tend to be the same, or nearly the same amount each time. There isn't much that can be done to reduce these amounts. Typical fixed expenses are rent/mortgage, loan and/or car payments, insurance premiums, and property taxes.

Grab a second sheet of paper, write Expenses at the top and create a column: Fixed. Sort your receipts / statements by due date. Write them under the Fixed heading. Subtotal the column. For now, that's it. We'll come back to these numbers in a bit.

Essential: Variable

These are the living expenses have to be paid every month, but can change or be changed. They include electricity, gas (heat), phone, water, gasoline (vehicle) and groceries. Gather your receipts (utilities) or checkbook (groceries, gasoline).

On the Expenses page, create a Variable column. Again, sort the receipts by due date (utilities) or paid date (groceries, gasoline) and write them down in order. Subtotal the column and put the page aside for now.

Non-Essential

These are the expenses that get most people in trouble. First, and foremost, credit card bills fall under this heading. Unless you're paying utilities or buying groceries (both, bad ideas), these are avoidable expenses. Nonetheless, they figure (often heavily) into where the money goes every month and need to be recorded.

Pull together credit card statements, grab the checkbook, and pour another cuppa. We're now going to record everything that didn't fall under the other expense columns. On the Expenses sheet, add a third column titled Non-Essential, but set it aside for now.

1. Grab a third sheet of paper and write Non-Essential at the top. Add a wide column for Credit Cards. By due date, record the Balance and Minimum Payment Due from the most recent statement for each card. Next to those two numbers, write the amount paid on each card from your checkbook. Total each of the three columns.

   You now know three things: a.) your total credit card debt {breathe!}, b.) your total minimum monthly expense, and c.) how much you're actually paying. Ideally, c.) exceeds b.), meaning you're paying more than the minimum (a good thing). However, if b.) is the same or higher than c.), you're barely keeping up or, worse yet, falling behind.

2. Flip over your Non-Essential page and make a Miscellaneous column. Open up the checkbook register, or last month's bank statement. In order, by date, list the amount of every payment that wasn't Essential or a credit card. Done?

   Total the column.

3. Now, comes the fun part. For each amount, list (as best you can) what the money was spent on. For example, when I see $5.45, I know that was a pack of cigarettes. The corner drug store is a little trickier - could be frozen pizza, milk, eggs, cleaning supplies, snacks, bread, potting soil, computer discs, ink cartridges ... well, you get the idea.

   Once you've identified them, subtotal all the fast food/restaurant or movies or cigarettes or clothing or beauty salon or whatever your known types are. Anything left will have to stay miscellaneous. Add up all the subtotals; they should equal the total from the Miscellaneous column.

4. On the Expenses sheet, under Non-Essential record the Credit Cards payment amounts, by date and card.

   Next, list the expenses from the Miscellaneous column, by type

   Subtotal the Non-Essential column.

At the bottom of the Expenses sheet, add a line for Monthly Expenses. Add up the three subtotals on this page and enter the number on this line. You're done. {Whew!}

Income vs. Expenses

Well, mostly done. With your Income sheet and your Expenses sheet in front of you, take a deep breath and compare the totals. Hopefully, your income exceeds your out-go. If not, I sense a budget in your future.

Next week, we'll look at creating a livable budget and reducing non-Fixed expenses. Oh, and saving for those rainy days. Because, even in Arizona, it's been known to rain. ;D

We recently chopped up and reconfigured a computer desk that has always been too large for our living room. Perhaps, if we had a second bedroom that could be used as an office, it wouldn't have been a issue. But we didn't; and it was.

The same with our television. It's a rather large HDTV that seriously eats up floor space. Putting it up off the floor, just a little, gave us storage underneath that we desperately needed and a home for a side table that was unusable elsewhere. Viewing the television isn't an issue and, in fact, is slightly improved, since the screen is above most of the lighting in the room and suffers less glare.

Win-win.

Trying to prioritize my wish-list, I started with processor details. Okay, I actually started with prices. Despite the fact that Frankie is toting around something that retailed between cha-ching! and Good-Golly-Miss-Molly and makes me drool everytime I look at the screen, I was neither able nor willing to part with that kind of cash. That eliminated, right off the top, a huge range of options.

Having narrowed the options, I went back to considering processors. A notebook that bogs down with 2 windows open is not going to help me get my work done. I've been known to have at least 2 windows and upwards of 8 tabs open at any given time. When you can smell the processor fighting to function, you know you're in trouble.

With mini-laptops, the usual processor is something from Intel called Atom. And while I prefer AMD processors, it didn't seem that I was going to get the same power from either option in the netbook realm. While probably untrue in some cases, I wasn't sure I wanted to risk getting something that wouldn't do what I needed.

Memory was my other big concern, since I'd been spending time battling to get games to play, pages to load, and Firefox to function. The netbooks, notebooks, and laptops I found all offered at least 1GB of RAM, so that wasn't the problem I had expected. Although, I did find that the ones in my price range weren't expandable. The RAM it came with was all I would ever have - good to know.

When push came to shove and all of the pieces and parts were considered, I just didn't think I'd be happy with an Acer Netbook or a Presario Mini-Laptop. Not when I could get a full-sized version with a processing system that I knew would do the job and a keyboard that wasn't scrunched into a very small footprint. I suppose, if I travelled with my computer, the smaller notebook / netbook would have it's advantages.

For sitting at home, working on three or four projects at a time, I just needed more bang for the buck. So far, I'm really happy with my choice; so happy that we're thinking of replacing the desktop with another laptop.

I'd love to hear what you use and why. Desktop or laptop? Netbook or notebook? Large footprint or smallish? How did you decide on what you have. Is it working for you? Or are you making do because shopping for a new computer is just a serious pain in the neck?

This year, the global issue is Water.

Right now, almost a billion people on the planet don’t have access to clean, safe drinking water. That’s one in eight of us.

Unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation cause 80% of diseases and kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war. Children are especially vulnerable, as their bodies aren't strong enough to fight diarrhea, dysentery and other illnesses.??90% of the 42,000 deaths that occur every week from unsafe water and unhygienic living conditions are to children under five years old. Many of these diseases are preventable. The UN predicts that one tenth of the global disease burden can be prevented simply by improving water supply and sanitation.

But, water moves beyond just a human rights issue. It’s an environmental issue. An animal welfare issue. A sustainability issue. Water is a global issue, deserving a global conversation.

If you have a blog and would like to help, please take a moment to register and join the effort.

Starting with this gorgeous Racerback Ombre Top. The style is casual and simple; would look amazing with jeans or leggings, belted or not; and isn't too much for a trip to the grocery store or a lunch with friends. But best of all?

This top is going to be comfortable in 100+ temps in Arizona. And that is absolutely critical. We tend to dress, even at the office, a lot more casually out here. Guess the heat makes the rules.

As far as bottoms to go with the top - I can't say I'm totally thrilled with the hip-hugger (well, that's what we used to call them) jeans style. But, in the right size, I probably wouldn't have to spend 2 hours a day on my abs. Probably. Hopefully.

Frankly, I just love the cut of the legs; since there is no way skinny jeans and I are ever going to be friends. Again, stylish without being too dressy for my lifestyle. A cute pair of sandals, and I'm good to go anywhere.

Oh, and speaking of size - at Manhattanite, I'm a much nicer size than many other stores. That alone makes them my new favorite store. Won't you join me?

I know they have something just perfect for you, too.

Not to mention, it is much easier (for me, anyway) to spread the cost out over several weeks. And I don't spend more than I should, because I'm not paying full price when I could have taken advantage of terrific sales - like this one at Hanna Andersson. With Sweaters and Dresses at $25.00 until October 24th, there is no doubt that shopping early and shopping often means I can actually get more (or do better) with my budget.

I know that I would much rather be baking cookies and hanging ornaments in the week or so before Christmas, instead of chasing my tail, fighting the crowds, and hoping that I can still find the right item in the right size. In our case, we don't have a lot of local family. What we buy has to be shipped, meaning the earlier we get done, the greater our chances of helping everyone's Christmas run smoothly.

Plus, seriously, how can you resist these adorable - organic cotton! - long johns? Unless you live in the Southwest, in just a few weeks, the weather is going to be getting colder and colder. Kids waiting for the bus in the morning will appreciate being warm and cozy.

Years ago, I wore long johns or leg warmers under my longer skirts during the frosty Michigan winters. While running from the car to the office or cleaning the ice and snow off the car to go to work in the morning, I pulled the legs down to my shivering ankles. At the office, I tucked them back up and went about my business. Saved my skinny little legs on many days, I promise.

Wouldn't you love to see the kids (and grandkids) in these adorable Sweaters, Dresses, and cozy Long Johns? And, while you're at it, why not add a Banded Afghan in coordinating colors?

I looked at Carolina Designs' Outer Banks vacation rentals last month and pretty much fell in love with the area. It's near the water, has four seasons, and is cactus/scorpion free. Renting a home would give us a chance to spend time with our kids, while exploring more permanent living options.

Five bedrooms and three floors means that the whole family could fit, with privacy and room to spare. Just a perfect vacation option. Every couple has a room, most with their own bath; sharing common areas or enjoying private time as each prefers.

With the holidays approaching, the upper level of the Seahawk made me think of planning an old-fashioned Christmas get-together. I can imagine a tall tree covered in twinkling lights and glittering ornaments. The smell of pine boughs and popcorn popping; a crackling fire and carols playing softly in the background.

After all these years, the idea of sharing the holidays with family brings a smile to my heart.

Baby Thank You Cards

Imagine what new parents, or newlyweds, go through. Dozens (or more) gifts equals dozens (or more) thank-you notes. With everything else on their plate, now they have to sit down and scribble over and over on boring little cards. Yecch.

But ... put cute pictures of the baby - or great shots from the honeymoon trip - into a collage on the front of a thank-you card and voila! Now it's fun getting those notes out; sharing with friends and family. Even I wouldn't mind sending thank-you's like these.

If I could just find that pen ... and the stamps ... and my address book ...

Rob said it best, so (at the risk of giving him delusions) I'll just quote him:

"Here’s a Nice “Global Warming” Stat

The donations to Rachel’s fund have come from pretty much across the planet… a fact that continues to impress me. The most recent one was from Romania (the third from that country alone). She’s gotten assistance now from Singapore, the UK, Canada, Australia, France, India, and even exotic places like California, Massachusetts and Oregon. There are few areas of the globe not represented so far."

The holidays are fast approaching. In this universal time of giving, what better way to warm the world than a handmade afghan for a loved one and a generous donation for Got-Marrow.org - with one simple order? Working together, we can, literally, share the warmth of caring hearts and helping hands with a wonderul young lady and her family.

I can't imagine what Rachel is going through, although she does a wonderful job of sharing her day-to-day ups and downs. To be so young, not yet 25, and facing this fight for the third time would definitely damage my attitude. But not Rachel; she just keeps on keepin' on.

It is easy to imagine how welcome well wishes and encouraging comments must be. Why not stop by and share - happy thoughts, prayers, news from your part of the world - anything to cheerfully distract, if only for a short while, from the nausea, pain, and worse that is often Rachel's daily routine?

Cancer is an equal opportunity pain-in-the-ahem - or lungs or bones or colon or bloodstream. And, while chemotherapy may (currently) be the first best cancer-attack weapon, it isn't exactly a walk in the park or a trip to DisneyWorld. That Rachel can - from the hospital, in the midst of this horrible treatment - share her life with the world is incredible to me.

First, I guess I need a working definition. There are (wouldn't you just know it) a couple. Long nights, a few too many apple-tinis, and allergy season can puff up the eyes, creating dark shadows that look terrible, but usually disappear with rest and rehydration and allergy treatment. Not quite the condition I meant; onward and upward.

According to the Mayo Clinic, true dark circles aren't eliminated with a quieter social life and may even be hereditary. (Thanks, Mom and Dad!) Smoking, alcohol use, and caffeine consumption; chronic nasal congestion and allergies; and good old aging, thinning skin contribute to development of these permanent discolorations under the eyes. (Now, that's what I was looking for and looking at in the mirror.)

Can 'special' creams and lotions really get rid of these circles? Probably only if you have the short-term, lifestyle kind. One study showed that a cream containing vitamins K, C, E, and retinol did have a moderate effect on undereye circles. Not fountain-of-youth effective, but helpful.

Looking for a more realistic approach? Reducing caffeine, alcohol, and cigarette consumption is never a bad idea. Dehydration, the contributing factor in hangovers and puffy eyes, is common with caffeine, as well. Eliminating cigarettes will also slow the development of those ooh-I-got-smoke-in-my-eye wrinkles and crinkles.

Faithfully, wearing sunglasses and sunscreen around the eyes is also great advice. While a tan may make dark circles less noticeable at first, eventually the increased melanin in the undereye area will actually make the circles look much worse. And we all know that sun damage just doesn't get better with more sun exposure.

If you have allergies and chronic sinus problems, the veins from the eyes to the nose dilate and become much more noticeable. Saline rinses and sprays help keep nasal passages clear and reduce overall congestion. When I was pregnant with my daughter and developed a horrible head cold, we went with the nasal rinse option. Although it felt really odd at first, it did help reduce the congestion.

You can get saline sprays at the corner drug store or make your own rinse. One-quarter teaspoon sea salt in 2 cups warm water is the recommended ratio. (Chemical nasal sprays are much harsher and tend to create a rebound effect with prolonged use. Not the best choice for recurring issues.)

I sleep with two pillows to keep my head elevated. It helps keep fluid from accumulating in the areas around my eyes and, basically, clogging up my sinuses. We also run an ionizer in the bedroom (and living room), to keep dust and allergens at bay.

Sinuses not the problem? (I officially envy you!) Take a tip from the spa - cool tea bags, cucumber slices, or even just chilled teaspoons over the eyes give a temporary lift to the area, probably because it takes down the overall puffiness. As a periodic migraine sufferer, I know that a cold compress on the eyes just plain feels good.

If my sinus problems, caffeine addiction, and smokers-remorse weren't enough, I have pale skin. Veins just show more. Then, add the fact that I've reached a time in life when my pasty, white skin is thinning and losing collagen. (My God! I'm hideous!)

Joking aside, I do have some circles under my eyes. Some days they're not so noticeable; other days, I could pack for a 3 week cruise. It's just a matter, for now, of treating my skin better. And laying off some of the bad habits.

Especially since there is no way - in this or any other lifetime - that anyone is ever going to inject anything into my face. Ever! No, uh uh!!

Our light bulbs are low-energy, we don't buy bottled water (we own a faucet-mount filter), and we keep the lights off in empty rooms. I prefer bleach for disinfecting and good old soap and hot water still gets our hands clean. It's not that we're militant. More that we try to do our part, as best we can.

I think we fall short when it comes to our cleaning and laundry supplies; something I hadn't really thought about until I discovered a book with recipes for making natural products. Truly, vinegar, baking soda, borax (I think that was one of the ingredients), natural oils and plant extracts are much cheaper than the chemical-laden items on the store shelves. And we don't have to worry about what we're washing into our ecosystem when we clean the sink or launder our unmentionables.

Drugstore.com understands that many, many consumers prefer products that don't harm the environment or fill us full of chemicals. There are more eco-friendly options on the market than I'm familiar with, I'm sure. (Another area where we could improve.) TheNaturalStore.com - with natural choices for health, home, family, and beauty - is designed to take the guesswork out of responsible shopping.

It doesn't matter whether you're looking for tarte cosmetics (new to me, but intriguing) or Burt's Bees (have you tried these?) or Seventh Generation (one of my favorites, but hard to find in my neighborhood), TheNaturalStore.com has what you need. Did you know that there are chlorine-free diapers? I didn't, but I love that someone created them.

What are your favorite 'green' products? Are there companies that you avoid, because of their environmentally abusive practices? Share your eco-tips and tricks. Heaven knows, unless you're living in the woods off the land, we can all find a little bit better way to protect our environment and ourselves.

From January 1 through December 31, 2010, for each Fan or Like of the Pedigree® Adoption Drive on Facebook, a bowl of food will be donated to shelters across the United States. Pretty cool, right? Well, it gets better.

I just learned that Pedigree is seriously rising to the occasion. From September 16 - 19, 2010, for every blog that posts about the Pedigree® Adoption Drive , Pedigree is donating a 20 lb. bag of dog food to animal shelters. That's all it takes - a post, sharing the plight of shelter animals and how the Adoption Drive is helping.

BlogPaws bloggers are hosting a BlogHop (cool, cool concept that was totally new to me) to get the word out and collect links so that no effort goes unrewarded. It's really amazingly simple:

Have a blog? Write a Post about the Pedigree® Adoption Drive.

Yup! That's it. No secret handshake; no annual dues or membership fees; no muss and no fuss. You don't even have to be a pet blogger.

If you don't have a blog, share the news with friends, family, neighbors, the guy at the corner store - anyone and everyone you know. Post a link on Twitter - Life With Dogs and Two Little Cavaliers have a lot of information and links available.

Oh, there is one small detail - be sure to add your blog post to the list (link below), so Pedigree doesn't miss a single effort.

Having a website guarantees that ... well, actually it doesn't guarantee anything. Without some work, those beautiful pages selling your wonderful products will just exist - sight unseen - on the WWW. You know they're there; your family and friends know they're there. The rest of the world? Not so much.

To become successful (read: make money), a site has to have customers. To become customers, Internet surfers have to be able to find the site. (A bit like needing experience to get a job to get experience to get a job...) Getting your site found is where the web directory submission process comes into play.

By suggesting or submitting that amazing new site to Internet directories, you increase the chances that shoppers will find your online business. Of course, there are many other things to consider - and do - before you have an award-winning online enterprise with customers beating down your virtual doors. Helping them find you is a really great place to start.

This relocation came about because, frankly, online shopping, online insurance quotes, online news, online anything does not limit me to when I can shop, get information I need, or just research the latest diabetes news. Plus, it's so roomy.

Think about it! Instead of a one-bedroom apartment at outrageous rates, I can have a spacious home (website), with as many rooms (webpages) as I like, for mere pennies a day. And I can add as much space (content) as I want without contractors, building permits, and construction debris.

So, if you're in the neighborhood - have your avatar IM my avatar. We'll share a byte.

As it turns out, there are some terrific options out there. Naturally, well naturally for us, we don't need a sports package - no one watches sports with any kind of regularity. I catch the odd race or football game, once or twice a season. The extra money for the NFL Sunday Ticket (or similar option) from localtv-satellite.com really wouldn't do us any good. Although sports-lovers would probably jump at the 5 months of free service that comes with sign-up. (My ex would be doing a touchdown dance about now.)

Nope, we're sci-fi and movie fans. Losing BBC America and "Doctor Who" is still brutally painful. The fact that one of our online friends keeps sharing episode details is like pouring salt in the wound. So we need the top tier channels and, possibly, a premier channel.

On www.localtv-satellite.com the choices range from the sublime to the ridiculously sublime. We could never keep up with 285 channels (160 in HD) or even 225 channels with HD and 11 premium channels, though it would certainly be fun to try. Especially, if it comes with a DVR.

That, my friends, would be a slice of heaven!

Oh, and doggie breath?! That's really gotta go, too!

When I was a kid, my mom gave bones to our dog. He had pretty good teeth, but it still wasn't a very good idea. Bones, especially chicken bones, can break into sharp pieces. Those pieces can scratch the animal's mouth, throat, and esophagus; not to mention the very real risk of puncturing various parts of the digestive tract as they move through. Serious and dangerous problems that can easily be avoided.

Nylabone offers a natural product - Nubz, Edible Dental Dog Chews - designed to help clean teeth, reduce tartar, get rid of that icky doggie breath, and stimulate gum health. Nubz are made in the US with real chicken and without added sugar, salt and preservatives. Highly digestible, these treats are also gluten-free.

Like their owners, many dogs are sensitive to certain ingredients. And, to my mind, cereals (where gluten comes from) are just more filler that pets don't need. Sure it may keep the cost down, but how much grain does a carnivore really need in their diet? And, as a snack, it just seems like a bad idea.

What also impressed me was the size. Normally, we buy pet treats based on the size of our animals; the neighbor's Shih Tzu can't handle the same item you'd offer your Great Dane. With Nubz, a large bone can be broken down into smaller pieces - to suit everyone.

So, where do doggie parents find Nubz? That's easy - Costco, with a $3.50 coupon available to members in the monthly coupon book. But hurry - this offer is only valid from August 19th through September 12th, while supplies last.

I have not got a clue! Is there a 'Skin Care for Dummies' out there?

To start, I need to get rid of the {unmentionable number of} years of neglect - meaning lots of dermabrasion. Also known as carefully sandpapering away the dead skin of a thousand lifetimes. Orbital sander notwithstanding, this is a fine line. As once you see bone you've, pretty much, gone too far.

Assuming I make it through Stage 1 without needing a transfusion and cheekbone reconstruction, I then have to find a way to nourish this (hopefully) new-found younger-looking skin. When my hands and feet turn into leather, I slather them with petroleum jelly, throw on clean white cotton socks and let the moisturizing begin.

Somehow I just don't think that's going to be a good recipe for my face. Not to mention - without a field of cotton, a gin, cards, spinning wheel, and a really big crochet hook - I am probably not gonna find a sock that big.

Frankly, after reading and researching all of the wondrous beauty products on the market, I'm leaning toward making my own skin care products. All-natural ingredients, designed to support what the skin does on its own. I've even found an intriguing book - written by a nutritionist/skin expert - that has a lot of information about how skin works and what it takes to keep it happy. Especially, after 40.

Years ago, when I still had reasonably healthy skin, I owned a book by Diane von Furstenberg that was filled with recipes for gentle, effective skin care. The ingredients were fairly inexpensive, easy to use, and did (as I recall) keep my skin looking healthy. Of course, at 20-something, that's probably not too difficult.

We'll see if the same process works 30 years later.

When Mark got sick and his protein intake was strictly limited, I went shopping for scales again. Every serving of meat had to be meticulously weighed, and protein grams counted. It was, literally, a matter of life and death.

Eventually, I got to the point where I could guestimate pretty close to 4 oz. and didn't use the scale as much. But over time, having that scale has allowed us to buy in bulk, and weigh out individual portions for repackaging and freezing. I can't imagine being without a scale now.

Well ... there is one in the bathroom that I could do without.

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In more than 20 years, the company has grown from baby and kids clothing to include the entire family; high chairs and BPA-free products; and toys and learning gifts for kids of all ages.

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The other big issue is knowing which repair shop can be trusted. When our truck started overheating, we took it to a (supposedly) reputable chain. They replaced the thermostat and charged us plenty.

When the situation didn't improve, we called back. It was only then that we were told that 'old girl' had a blown head gasket. A new thermostat did nothing and they knew it. In fact, this probably made the situation worse, since we continued to drive the truck instead of getting the proper repairs done.

Today, I ran across a repair site that seems different. First, whether you're looking for Houston auto repair services or a tune-up specialist in Evans, Colorado - this is the place to start. RepairPal offers nationwide information and is not owned by or affiliated with any manufacturer, dealership, facility, or parts provider.

Second, they have a huge list of vehicles. So whether you own an Acura Integra or a Dodge Dakota that really needs some mechanic love and attention, you're going to be able to find yours. Fine-tune it down to the engine size, so you know that the estimates are accurate. (Who needs a quote for repairs on a 6-cylinder Dakota, when they own a 4-cylinder?)

Then, we get to the fun part - what work / repairs does your 'baby' need? I was amazed at the available detail. It took me no time at all to zoom in on Head Gasket(s) Replacement. And it doesn't matter where you start - repair, location, or vehicle. The site is that flexible.

My only concern is the rating system. It's a 5-star process, based on consumer reviews. Unfortunately, the few reviews I read sounded suspiciously similar. After 2 or 3 that ended with some version of "my mechanics for life," I started to wonder.

There may be some 'canned' reviews, which does bother me. However, one of the shops listed for our area had a dozen comments, spanning about 11 months, that appear to be from consumers who have used them for many years. I guess it's always a bit of a gamble, but RepairPal still seems like a good place to start.

I love to take my work home. A lot of people think that’s a bad thing, but I work in a lawn and garden center. So that means tending to my landscaping and taking home plants to fill it out.

Although I manage some construction materials that fall into the lawn and garden area, like fencing and stakes, I mainly work with caring for the plants. Our center specializes in some more exotic plant species that require a little more work than automated sprinklers that a lot of big chain lawn and garden carriers use to care for their plants.

That means I get to teach a lot of our customers about caring for these plants. When I was explaining to a young couple about some house plants that they were buying – they had never cared for plants before – I was having to ask them to repeat what they were saying several times because I couldn't understand them because of my hearing loss. It was a little embarrassing, so when I got off work that day I researched hearing aid packages and settled on one.

I now feel more comfortable working with my customers so I can focus on helping them learn to care for their plants instead of straining to hear them.

There was a commercial on TV the other day for RV loans. A comment was made about "Yeah, for the price of a house!" Which isn't far from the truth, from where I sit. Yet, if you think about it -- isn't that, really, what you're buying?

I can imagine retirees, of any age, getting rid of the house and the yard work and the maintenance worries. And just taking off to see the country. These days, most of our kids live hundreds or thousands of miles away. Flying back and forth to visit on a regular basis probably costs more than the RV payment.

Plus, from a plane, you don't get the scenery, the little impulse stops, and the relaxation of getting where you're going - when you get there. Life on your schedule, not someone else's. Maybe an RV is a better idea than I first thought.

Because, unless you've got a great source for your major, what are the odds that you will ever look at that book again? And don't even get me started on the cost! I swear I paid less for food than books - and that was back in the 70s.

Apparently, the books can be rented - at 50% off the price of new books - online or at college bookstores operated by Barnes and Noble. Once the semester is over, they can be returned to the store or by mail, up to 10 days after finals. Now that is a deal!

Mugs are sturdy, solid, reliable, and big. Trust me - I've done the research. Way back when, I actually had an entire kitchen cabinet dedicated to my addiction. (In those days, it was an affordable habit.) Everyone knew I collected, so any holiday was an occasion to find the silliest or sweetest (thank you, girlfriends!) sentiments on the market.

My favorite mug, hands down, was from the long-distance company where I worked. What made it special was the handle - shaped like a little blue telephone handset. The cutest thing I've seen - or owned - before or since.

(It was not, however, good for reheating! Something in the paint on that adorable handle made molten ceramic when combined with microwaves.)

These days, our mugs are great big, wonderful dollar-store finds - big, round, clear, with concave circles all around so these big, heavy coffee urns don't slip out of your hands. Did I mention they are big?! We have a 12-cup coffeemaker and filling 2 of these mugs puts a serious dent in the contents of the pot. Love it!

The cute little cups that came with my new dishes? They're in a drawer ... somewhere.

Counting on the name to mean quality and wearability, I bought the cutest little slip-ons. If memory serves I mentioned that, from the first time I wore them, they rubbed my heels and made them bleed. Even with socks! So, like it or not - cuz the ole tennies are just not cuttin' it for quick on and off - I need new shoes. Again.

I've been looking at, among other options, MBT shoes and am seriously fascinated. They call themselves "the anti-shoe" and offer a unique (well, I've never seen it before) curved sole that is supposed to be like walking barefoot in sand. More natural and healthy for the body.

Although the 'learn to walk a new way to keep from falling over' comment left this klutz a tad apprehensive.

Before you jump to conclusions, let me tell you a little about Rachel Hunnicutt-Knight. Diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at age 14, she has battled this disease through chemo, high school, and an attempt at a normal life. Rachel worked, healed, grew up, married, and gave birth to a daughter. After 7 years of remission, the leukemia returned.

For the last 2 years, she has been in remission treatment. However, tests show that the cancer has now spread to her bone marrow. The only answer is a transplant. Rachel is employed; she has insurance, which will cover the surgery - with a co-pay of an estimated $80,000.

She doesn't have that kind of money; neither does her family. This is why my friend - and theirs - has stepped up to enlist our help.

Here - very simply - is what I am asking from you:

• Please visit www.got-marrow.org.
• Give if, and whatever, you can.
• Leave your good wishes for Rachel and her family. Never underestimate the power of positive energy.
• Share links to www.got-marrow.org everywhere you visit,
  Tweet and Retweet Got Marrow on Twitter,
  Fan Got Marrow on Facebook,
  If you have a blog or a website, show your support with a note and a link.

And here - very simply - is what I am doing. Starting today, and continuing until Rachel is physically and financially out of the woods:

• JMark Afghans, etc. is donating 15% of every purchase to Got-Marrow.org

Scammers and spammers use the Internet every day to cheat, steal, and threaten our online safety. Let's see how much good we can do, instead. Please help us help this family.

The summer time may be the only time that you and your husband can enjoy a weekend getaway. If you have children who are old enough and responsible enough to stay alone you should take advantage of the summer time. However, you need to make sure that you ensure your child's safety before you leave the home. The best thing to do is make a check list to cover everything that your child may encounter.

A few things that should be on the list are setting up and teaching the child how to use the home security alarm. We didn't have one until last year, when I set out to find Phoenix alarm devices that would work for us. You should also make sure that your smoke alarms have batteries and are set to go off in case of an emergency. Make sure you leave a list of all emergency contacts including the police department, fire department, and so forth. You may also want to contact a trusted responsible adult and let them know that you're leaving the children for the weekend, just in case there is an emergency.

You should also leave the children with a set of rules that they should obey during the time you are gone. Another great tip is to stay in touch with the children by calling them on a daily basis, just to make sure everything is okay. If you follow these tips you should be able to relax a weekend with no children, while knowing they are home in a safe environment.

There are either/or selections, nice-but-not-critical applications, and very important functional considerations. In my quest for answers, DVR for DIRECTV got me started by explaining receiver options. Basically, there are two types of service: HD (high definition) and SD (standard definition). Since we have an HDTV, SD service doesn't sound like our best choice.

The specs, not counting image/sound quality differences, are fairly similar. HD-DVR seems to have more bells and whistles, which may be a ploy to grab viewers. Or may simply reflect consumer preferences for HD. Either way, HD receivers will record SD; the reverse is not true.

Another variable, which DVR for Time Warner Cable highlighted, is the ability to compensate for schedule changes. Some DVR systems will find and record programmed shows - in their entirety - even if they change days, times, or run longer than expected. Given network predilection for moving shows around, that could be an invaluable function.

And for sports fans, it may be a gotta-have-this option. Just imagine: you've avoided result broadcasts all day, waiting to sit back, relax, and enjoy that game or race. You get down to the wire - 2 minute warning / white-flag lap - only to find that your recording has been Heidi-bowled ^[1]. It's one thing when the network makes a bone-head broadcast decision. Quite another to inadvertently run out of recording time or memory.

Which leads me to a last, important component: storage capacity. I learned from the stats on DVR for Dish Network, that not all systems are the same. Some have much smaller hard drives, severely limiting how many programs can be recorded before viewing becomes mandatory. Like an enormous VHS tape or DVD, when you're out of room - you're out of programs.

This limitation is even more obvious where HD is concerned. High-definition files are larger than standard-definition and that estimated eighty hours of stored programming drops very quickly to thirty, or less. Unless viewers record today, watch tonight, and delete immediately - size of the hard drive moves to the top of the list.

So, for us, I'm thinking that storage is the decision, followed by HD over SD. Since we follow (or attempt to follow) a few shows that move around a lot, it might be nice to have some of the bells and whistles that eliminate neurotically memorizing the TV schedule, as well.

Benzoyl peroxide is one of the most frequently used ingredients in topical acne treatments. It works by reducing Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes), a common bacteria on the skin that lives on sebum, a fatty, waxy substance exuded by the follicles starting in puberty. Caution should be taken, as this ingredient can cause excessively dry skin and has a bleaching effect on hair, towels, sheets, and clothes.

Resorcinol, common in over-the-counter acne products, is also used to treat other skin conditions, like eczema and psoriasis. It works by breaking down hard, rough skin, including existing whiteheads and blackheads. Rarely used alone, it is often combined with sulphur for maximum affect. Like benzoyl peroxide, it can cause irritation and shouldn't be used with other possibly irritating products.

Salicylic acid helps slow down shedding of skin cells, thereby reducing clogged pores. Its ability to help break down blackheads and whiteheads makes it useful for other skin conditions, such as dandruff, psoriasis, calluses, and warts. Because it can also irritate the skin, salicylic acid should not be combined with benzoyl peroxide or resorcinol.

Alcohol and acetone are often combined to treat acne. Alcohol is mildly effective against microbes, similar to antibiotics without the risk of developing resistance. Acetone works to remove grease from the skin, but is not effective by itself.

Sulphur has been used to treat skin conditions for decades. Although it's unclear exactly how it works on acne, it is believed to kill bacteria on the skin. Due to the strong smell and risk of skin staining, it is usually combined with benzoyl peroxide or resorcinol in topical lotions and creams.

Regardless of ingredients, dermatologists frequently remind patients that acne doesn't disappear overnight. It can take weeks to see improvement in skin condition. And some ingredients (benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid) must be used continuously or acne can return.

To start with, I can't use the same floor lamp everywhere; though I did try, desperately. Next to the television, we need diffused lighting to brighten the room, but not blind everyone. Between the recliners, task lighting would be better - for reading, using the laptop, and crocheting, but not really to light the whole room because it would create a reflection in the TV. (Our issue with Harry Potter.)

Then, we have the desk. Mark really needs something that lights up the keyboard, but doesn't get in his way or create a glare on the monitor or shine back in his eyes. Ideally, a desk lamp that clips or clamps to the top shelf and has a movable arm that he can pull down or push out of the way.

No single style is going to do all of these things and, since we rent, we can't exactly rewire and mount fixtures on the walls. My best hope, at this point, is three different lamps in bronze or brass (personal preferences) with shades that are similar enough to complement each other and not look like we just threw something in the room. Oddly, not as difficult as I imagined.

Or that there was an anti-microbial version? It should have been obvious - what else would medical labs and pharmaceutical companies use? Or, in theory, the food industry. Anywhere, I suppose with a stringent need for maintaining sanitary conditions.

All well and good, but don't they just wear off? Well, actually, some of these coatings last 7 years, up to 15 years ~ depending on cleaning methods. Amazing.

An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. "A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy.

"It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego." He continued, "The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you - and inside every other person, too."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

An old Grandfather said to his grandson, who came to him with anger at a friend who had done him an injustice, "Let me tell you a story.

I too, at times, have felt a great hate for those that have taken so much, with no sorrow for what they do.

But hate wears you down, and does not hurt your enemy. It is like taking poison and wishing your enemy would die. I have struggled with these feelings many times." He continued, "It is as if there are two wolves inside me. One is good and does no harm. He lives in harmony with all around him, and does not take offense when no offense was intended. He will only fight when it is right to do so, and in the right way.

But the other wolf, ah! He is full of anger. The littlest thing will set him into a fit of temper. He fights everyone, all the time, for no reason. He cannot think because his anger and hate are so great. It is helpless anger, for his anger will change nothing.

Sometimes, it is hard to live with these two wolves inside me, for both of them try to dominate my spirit."

The boy looked intently into his Grandfather's eyes and asked, "Which one wins, Grandfather?"

The Grandfather smiled and quietly said, "The one I feed."
~ First People - The Legends: Two Wolves

You can buy a person's time; you can buy their physical presence at a given place; you can even buy a measured number of their skilled muscular motions per hour.

But you cannot buy enthusiasm... you cannot buy loyalty. You cannot buy the devotion of hearts, minds, or souls.

You must earn these.
~ Clarence Francis

Back in the 1960s a NASA team doing work for the Apollo moon mission took the astronauts near Tuba City where the terrain of the Navajo Reservation looks very much like the Lunar surface.

Along with all the trucks and large vehicles, there were two large figures dressed in full Lunar spacesuits.

Nearby a Navajo sheep herder and his son were watching the strange creatures walk about, occasionally being tended by personnel. The two Navajo people were noticed and approached by the NASA personnel.

Since the man did not understand or speak English, his son asked for him what the strange creatures were and the NASA people told them that they are just men that are getting ready to go to the moon. The man became very excited and asked if he could send a message to the moon with the astronauts.

The NASA personnel thought this was a great idea so they rustled up a tape recorder. After the man gave them his message, they asked his son to translate. His son would not.

Later, they tried a few more people on the reservation to translate and every person they asked would chuckle and then refuse to translate. Finally, with cash in hand, someone translated the message, "Watch out for these guys, they come to take your land."
~ First People - The Legends: The Navajo and The Astronaut

Surely what a man does when he is taken off his guard is the best evidence for what sort of a man he is? Surely what pops out before the man has time to put on a disguise is the truth?

If there are rats in a cellar you are most likely to see them if you go in very suddenly. But the suddenness does not create the rats: it only prevents them from hiding.

In the same way the suddenness of the provocation does not make me an ill-tempered man; it only shows me what an ill-tempered man I am.

The rats are always there in the cellar, but if you go in shouting and noisily they will have taken cover before you switch on the light.
~ C.S. Lewis, (Mere Christianity)

There's a great power in words, if you don't hitch too many of them together.
~ Josh Billings

Think about it for a second. What - exactly - does an image from a web site tell my insurance agent and her claims adjustor if, heaven forbid, I should have to file a claim? I mean, beyond the fact that I obviously liked a particular dresser, headboard, chair, or microwave? Not, as it turns out, a darn thing. Without a receipt, it's just a pretty picture. (Lesson learned!)

However, what I was really looking for tonight?   An easy way for people to put together - and safely store - a list of their possessions. What I found?   EZasset* - an online system that offers a step-by-step process for documenting - room-by-room - everything you own. They even provide up to 1GB of free (my favorite word) storage for your information, solving both problems.

Then, there's my I-need-software-now site:   CNET download.com* - with hundreds of free and free-to-try software downloads. There are a couple (I didn't look at all the pages) of interesting home inventory titles and, being free, if one doesn't suit your needs it's easy to try another. Of course, they don't come with free offsite data storage. But, I'm sure your insurance company would be happy to stick a CD in your file, if you asked them nicely.

Somewhere in between these two ideas is KnowYourStuff™, from the Insurance Information Institute. Their software is free to download and use, with the same step-by-step, room-by-room process as other packages. Where KnowYourStuff™ differs from download-and-use at CNET is Vault ²⁴ - a secure, online storage facility. Unlike EZasset, however, Vault ²⁴ is not free.

So, I'm happy to say, there are several options out there - at little to no cost. Add a little time and energy and, before you know it, you can see exactly what you own. Or, in our case, just how serious a pack-rat you've become.

*   Links are provided as-is and for informational purposes only. No web site safety, usability, or endorsement is guaranteed, offered, or implied.

Obviously, we can't afford our own personal on-call burly he-men home security team. But, with visions of gun-wielding thugs in ski-masks running through my head and my home, I had to find options. Home monitoring systems, like ADT, were my first thought.

Even though someone is always home, I knew we'd sleep better (okay, Frankie sleeps like the dead anyway) if we had someone/something 'guarding' our doors and windows. Then, the light bulb went on -- someone is always home -- and our broken window became a much bigger issue. Security packages under a dollar a day moved ADT way up the options list. (Oh, honnneeeey! I have an i-deee-aaaa!)

My "idea" notwithstanding, getting a few police security tips - in case we've been helping the bad guys - was my next step. Keeping doors and windows locked? Check! Of course, when the neighbor knocks on your door to tell you that your keys are in the lock (true story) turning that bolt on the inside isn't exactly the great we've-shut-'em-out-now moment it should be.

Less obvious? Etching a unique number, which can be registered with the local police department, on all high-end possessions. (My first husband engraved our valuables back when we rarely locked our doors. Smart man!) I was reminded the other day, something our maintenance man said, that we need to be a little more proactive protecting what we own.

Which leads to a must-do tip: keep an inventory list with pictures. The key is having one copy outside the home - with your insurance company, in a safety-deposit box - and one, preferably, in a fireproof box/safe at home. If it's only on the computer and the computer is stolen or crashes - there goes your list and your proof.

Document everything, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem. (Okay, not food in the fridge; but definitely the fridge.) If there is a problem, your insurance company can/will only cover what you can prove you lost/owned. Most policies have a lump-sum clothing reimbursement, so if you have expensive (leather, fur) items, get them on the list; as well as jewelry.

Computers, stereos, DVD players, beds, sofas, appliances - big things you stub your toes on - are obvious. But coffee makers, crock pots, pots and pans, air filters, vacuums, hair dryers, DVDs and CDs, lamps - to mention a few things - can add up to significant replacement cost if not included. (Wow, do I need to update my list!)

Living in an apartment, many of the security tips I found were beyond our control or simply not applicable. But this list from the Fort Worth, PD gave me a lot to think about. The dead bolt and strike plates on our front door, strength of the door frame, secondary locks on the windows, and - what started all of this - the quality of the windows themselves.

Since it is a required part of the admission process to ABA-approved law schools, most Canadian law schools, and many others around the world, LSAT prep is critical. At a half day, this is not a quick quiz. And, from the sound of it, not an easy one, either.

According to the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), the test is five 35-minute sections of multiple-choice questions. Four of the sections are scored. A 35-minute writing sample, at the end, finishes the marathon event.

The make-up of these sections come from a pool of dozens of exams and thousands of questions, measuring reading comprehension, analytical reasoning, and logical reasoning. I cannot imagine sitting for the LSAT without a great deal of preparation. Especially when one considers the costs involved.

Not stressful enough? The LSAT cannot be taken more than three times in two years, and is only offered four times a year at designated testing sites. Hence, the urgent need to get it done, and done well, the first time.

Yes, law schools review all of an applicant's credentials when making a decision. But this standardized test, designed to measure critical reasoning skills, is considered a fairly accurate predictor of law school success. Naturally, it adds weight to an application, either for or against.

Preparation materials, courses, and advice are easy to find. They vary greatly in cost and value. One offers 100 classroom hours and access to about 6,000 questions for about $1,200. Another, at the same cost, offers 55 online hours and six full-length practice tests. A third, at far less, includes about 6,000 questions, 59 full-length prep tests, and a money-back guarantee.

It occurs to me that law school might be a lot easier than getting in. (Just kidding!)

In the Kitchen

We have so many cooking utensils and knives, we could open a small store. They all get used, at one point or another, and need to be handy. (Did I mention we only have one drawer in the kitchen!?) Rather than spend a small fortune on containers, I decided to recycle some of our empty coffee cans. (The dollar store had a huge sale on vinyl contact paper a couple of years ago and I grabbed all of the marble patterns.)

It took no time at all to 'marbleize' a standard metal coffee can and stick a margarine tub in the bottom - the cans will rust, if utensils are damp when put away. Using the plastic lid as a skid-proof, non-scratching bottom - ta da! - matching utensil containers. There's one container for whisks, spatulas, and wooden spoons used during cooking; one for steak knives, mashers, gravy ladles, and pizza cutters used after cooking.

Because most of the knives are much taller than a single coffee can, I had to get even more creative. After cutting the bottom off one can, I taped the two cans together and covered them in the same marble pattern. One lid went on the bottom, just like the smaller containers. I carefully cut the center out of the other lid and snapped it on top of the tall container, creating a smooth edge. A small plastic bowl (I was out of margarine tubs) in the bottom keeps the knives from touching metal and getting damaged when they get (too frequently) dropped in after cleaning.

Canister options abound, but we found that they were either too tall for our cabinets or simply too expensive. With guys who aren't always careful, it made more sense to make my own - unbreakable - canisters. Two plastic coffee containers, the kind with the seal-tight lids and indented grips are perfect. Folgers, not Maxwell House. (MH has closed hollow handles that fill up and don't easily release their contents.) The Folgers website even has downloadable designs to print out and stick over the product information. (Or they did over the holidays.)

Now, we get down to the other food storage needs: rice and corn meal. Two round oatmeal containers, a little marble paper, and - voila! - canisters that hold 4 lbs of rice and a big bag of corn meal. The lids seal tightly, so we don't have to worry about spillage or bugs. No muss, no fuss.

In the Bathroom

Things are pretty standard. One of the small wash tubs that the hospitals sent home with Mark are holding the myriad bandages, tapes, and small bottles that we acquired after Mark's and Frankie's surgeries. There is just no other way, to my mind, to keep a slew of roly-poly, slip-sliding, gotta-get-at-this-someday items together and out of the way.

Another tub holds bathroom electronics: curling iron, blow dryer, electric razors. I could definitely use another one for all of the light bulbs we have distributed around the apartment. But, putting someone in the hospital to get a cute, pink tub is not exactly tops on my how-to-solve-a-storage-problem list.

I have a small basket, with straighter sides than the tubs, that holds nail polish and removers, nail clippers and files, lotions, creams, mousse - all my personal 'beauty junk' in one consolidated place. I can get at it, but it's not in anyone else's way. I also have a great zippered vinyl pouch, free with sample Herbal Essence products, that squeezes in almost anywhere and holds items I don't use as often.

The sliding rack out of our dead freezer holds all of my cleaning rags, under the bathroom sink. Next to that is an old, gigantic cat litter container, with handle, that keeps the cleaning supplies together and doubles as a mop/scrub bucket. It also ensures that any damp items don't come in contact with the bottom of the cabinet.

Tomorrow? The Kitchen!

He'd post a link to a page of rugs and ask me to pick three, or four, that I would buy. Now I'm not trying to pat myself on the back here (okay, maybe a little, because it seriously surprised me). With the exception of one or two, I consistently chose the same ones that he had either already ordered or was going to order for the store.

Approaching something in that way - Would I offer it to my customers? And if I did, would it sell? - tends to alter one's shopping perspective. Especially for someone who's criteria usually boils down to "Oooh! Pretty!

Those who lost healthcare, also lost other insurance coverage. Other important coverage. Whether it's whole, high risk, universal, or term life insurance quotes that fit your situation - get that information. It's impossible to know what you can afford, if you don't.

For us, the options are pretty simple. Mark's high risk, no doubt about that. Me? I simply need a policy that will pay for my final wishes and cover any debts.

Death is inevitable. Leaving a financial mess for loved ones doesn't have to be.

Just today, I read that ABC/Disney is reportedly canceling Legend of the Seeker, a well-written series with (as they say) tremendous production values. Apparently, Tribune Company - which owns WGN and many of the CW affiliate stations - is dropping the show. That 24 stations could shut down a series is amazing to me.

Our local CW affiliate is not owned by Tribune, but will Belo (and their 20 stations) step up to help? Who knows. Probably a mute point. (Though I'm still hunting for contact information.)

It's just a sad, sad day. Another great show, destroyed by the broadcast company that could find no value in 'Firefly' - yet, is willing to throw money at 'Dead Like Me' and 'Friends' reruns. So, so sad.

Some people might run around telling everyone what they think of them (good and bad). Others might crawl into bed and let the fear overwhelm them. I'd like to think I'd choose another direction. (Although, probably not sky diving or Rocky Mountain climbing - and definitely not any time on a bull named Fu Manchu.)

How difficult would it be to treat everyone as though it might be the last time we were to see them? Would we be kinder? Happier to see them? Quicker to avoid - or quicker to embrace?

Would we say 'I love you' more easily? Would we mean it more when we said it? Would we be able to create / find more joy in life? Would we even try?

I like to think I'd be less bothered by small things and more adamant about big things. Hopefully, I could ignore that loud person in front of me at the store and not ignore the melting polar ice caps. Shouldn't I do that anyway?

Do I have to be in the last 60 days or 60 minutes of my life to live?

From the sublime: tote bags made of recycled materials; to the simple: magnetic peel-and-stick blanks that hold business cards. This is just heaven. I have always including a little surprise in every package I ship. Now I have even more creative options.

I've thought about key chains and magnets before, as they are small and quick to make. However, since I use them constantly, tote bags are much more exciting to me. Eliminating plastic bag pile-up while using bags from recycled material is perhaps the best idea, so far.

Now, to design a new one-, maybe two-color logo, enlarge to something near humongous, buy a silk-screen machine, and get some blank bags. Oh, yes. I'm in big trouble!

With over 100 years experience, this is no here-today-gone-tomorrow operation. The programs are thorough and accredited. Northwestern knows what it takes to educate people and focus their programs on up-to-date, real-world requirements. No one is studying how it was done 30 years ago, but what is needed now.

Northwestern College also offers assistance with every step of the education process, from financial aid to flexible class scheduling. Being an online program, the interaction with professionals in the field is going to be much easier. Experts can quickly and easily support students - travel time and expense aren't a consideration.

Just reviewing the course topics is enough to inspire me to enroll. I'm especially interested in Criminology, and Criminal Law and Procedures. Homeland Security Law is another fascinating course title that I know would teach me a lot - and broaden my understanding of crime and the law.

Times are tough and crime is high. The demand for specialists in Criminal Justice is going to remain high, as well. This is something that, no matter where you live, you can do for yourself - and for your community.

We spent a lot of time checking his pulse and blood pressure, so the VA furnished a home monitoring unit. Unlike the Wristech blood pressure monitor, which I found online today, the monitor we have goes around the upper arm. It needs to be positioned just right to get an accurate reading.

Under normal circumstances, not a problem. We still use it regularly without any difficulty. But, when you're dealing with a patient who is suffering from balance problems and is almost completely unable to follow directions, simpler is better. Much, much better

Being able to slide a unit over his wrist, hit start, and be done - that would have been a life-saver.

As the name explains, the membrane filters the air going into, and the air coming out of, the pillow. And this is no ordinary filter. The Micrenza bio-filter has the filtering equivalency of an N95-rated surgical mask; the type used in situations where TB exposure protection is required.

If that weren't enough, the pillow fabric is treated with an EPA-registered - permanent - antimicrobial. Definitely above and beyond the average pillow or pillow protector. And certainly more health benefits than a monthly trip through the washer.

Another benefit of these allergy pillows? No trips through the washer. Simply spot clean with a damp cloth and allow to air dry.

Trust me, I have washed pillows, more than once, in hot water with a little bleach. I have also cleaned feathers and fiberfill out of my washing machine! Egads! What a pain in the neck!

Since Mark is also sensitive to bleach, this is not a perfect solution, either. We use anti-allergen carpet shampoo every month and have ionizing air filters in every room. I think it's time to address the quality of the air we breathe while we sleep.

And, to be perfectly honest, I would be very happy to wake up without sinus congestion and headaches.