To Do: Pray

i have a friend who has been serving in the army in iraq and was recently shot by a sniper. although he is still alive, things aren't great. here is what I know.

he was shot in the neck/throat by a sniper. he was stabilized and then sent to germany. the doctors found that he had no major artery damage.

he did pass all of his neurological tests. but shortly after he had a stroke and a brain hemorrhage. they were forced to conduct emergency neuro-surgery though.

about a week ago he was shipped her to dc to the walter reed medical center and is currently in ICU. his ventilator was removed yesterday and he can now breathe on his own.

the ventilator is a good sign but it may take close to 6 months for the doctors to make a solid statement on his speech, language, memory, and motion.

he is in recovery and he needs to go through therapy. he is having difficulty opening his eyes but his parents feel that he can hear them.

please keep him and his family in your thoughts and prayers!!

To Do: Save the World

goal: leave a smaller carbon footprint on the earth.

here are some of my ideas/goals:

- stop buying products with so much packaging. instead of buying the carrots in the cute packaging, buy the carrots that are raw with the greens and the dirt still on them. this idea can go for everything... buy meat from the deli not the stuff that is all pre-packaged. i also found that this is cheaper, i.e. pre-packaged baby carrots were like $2 and the raw carrots here like $1 or something. (great diet tip as well... shop on the outer edges of a supermarket and try and avoid the aisles as much as possible. this way you can buy your fruits, veggies, meat, dairy and bread while avoiding the mint oreos!)

- recycle old containers. instead of throwing out that old cottage cheese container, I washed it out like my parents used to do and I put other food in there.

- QUIT BUYING WATER BOTTLES! I quit doing this a long time ago but it still drives me nuts when other people do it. go buy yourself a cute reusable bottle and fill it up with faucet filtered water. you can keep it with you all the time and you can throw in some flavor packs to spice it up sometimes. check this out...

for more ideas read these real simple articles... check this out.

8 Ways to Cut Waste When Grocery Shopping

1. Skip single-serving items, which require more packaging per unit. Overpackaged offenders include frozen foods and lunch and snack items.

2. Purchase juice concentrates. You supply the water and pitcher and skip the large plastic container.

3. Avoid disposable goods, including razors, lighters, and plastic plates.

4. Use your own canvas or string bags at the grocery store. If you do use plastic, return it to the store for recycling; most stores have collection spots. Paper bags can hold other papers for recycling.

5. Use produce bags only for moist or small, loose items, such as lettuce and berries.

6. When possible, purchase goods in cans or glass instead of plastic containers. Glass can be recycled indefinitely.

7. Look for multipurpose cleaners instead of buying one for each kind of surface.

8. Close the loop. Purchase products that have themselves been made from recycled materials. For example, Seventh Generation makes paper products from 100 percent recycled materials.

Written by Jennifer Pigott Moeller - April 2002

What I Am Listening To:

New Soul by Yael Naïm

Love Like This by Natasha Bedingfield and Sean Kingston

Baba O'Riley by The Who

Hey Ya by Mat Weddle

Sticks & Stones by The Pierces

Secret by The Pierces

Kill, Kill, Kill by The Pierces

Lights On by The Pierces (listen to the song not the video on this one.)

Flashing Lights by Kayne West

The Seed by The Roots

Everything by Michael Buble

Read My Mind by The Killers

Just Fine by Mary J. Blige

Lost Without You by Robin Thicke

F*** Me Pumps by Amy Winehouse

Johnny Mac: You Are The Company You Keep

NATIONAL FINANCE COMMITTEE Co-CHAIRS
The Honorable George Argyros, California
Mr. Michael Ashner, New York
Mr. Brian Ballard, Florida
Mr. Lawrence E. Bathgate II, New Jersey
Mr. Wayne Berman, Washington, D.C.
Mr. Donald L. Bren, California
Mr. John Chambers, California
Mr. Jim Click, Arizona
The Honorable James A. Courter, New Jersey
Mr. Donald R. Diamond, Arizona
Mr. Ray Dalio, Connecticut
Mr. Lewis M. Eisenberg, New Jersey
Mr. Jon Hammes, Wisconsin
Mr. James B. Lee, Jr., New York
The Honorable Frederic V. Malek, Virginia
Mr. John A. Moran, Florida
Mr. Carter Pate, Virginia
Mr. A. Jerrold Perenchio, California
Mr. Fred Smith, Tennesse
Mr. John A. Thain, New York
The Honorable Ronald Weiser, Michigan


U.S. SENATORS
Sam Brownback, Kansas
Conrad Burns, Montana
Richard Burr, North Carolina
Tom Coburn, Oklahoma
Susan Collins, Maine
Pete Domenici, New Mexico
Lindsey Graham, South Carolina
Jon Kyl, Arizona
Joe Lieberman, Connecticut
Trent Lott, Mississippi
Mel Martinez, Florida
Gordon Smith, Oregon
Olympia Snowe, Maine
John Thune, South Dakota
John Warner, Virginia
Dan Evans, Washington

GOVERNORS
Charlie Crist, Florida
Mitch Daniels, Indiana
Jim Douglas, Vermont
Jon Huntsman, Utah
Tim Pawlenty, Minnesota

FORMER GOVERNORS
William Clements, Texas
Tom Kean, New Jersey
Frank Keating, Oklahoma
Jim Martin, North Carolina
John McKernan, Maine
William Milliken, Michigan
Walter Peterson, New Hampshire
Tom Ridge, Pennsylvania
Buddy Roemer, Louisiana
Jane Swift, Massachusetts

ECONOMIC POLICY ADVISORS
Grant Aldonas, Department of Commerce
Carlos Bonilla, Sr VP Washington Group
Jeff Brown, Associate Professor of Finance, Univ of Illinois
Juan Buttari, Independent Consultant and Researcher in Development Economics
Kathleen Cooper, Dean, College of Business, Univ Of North Texas
Steve Davis, CRA International And University Of Chicago Graduate School Of Business
Richard Dekaser, Senior Vice President And Chief Economist, National City Corporation
John Diamond, Edward A. and Hermena Hancock Kelly Fellow in Tax Policy, Baker Institute Of Public Policy, Rice University
Martin Feldstein, Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, President Reagan's Chief Economic Adviser, member of President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board
Emil Frankel, Transportation Consultant And Former Assistant Secretary For Transportation Policy, Department Of Transportation
Luke Froeb, Professor, Vanderbilt University
Senator Phil Gramm, Former U.S. Senator From Texas
Kevin Hassett, Resident Scholar And Director Of Economic Policy Studies, American Enterprise Institute(AEI)
Greg Jenner, Former Executive Vice President, American Council Of Life Insurers & Acting Assistant Secretary(Tax Policy), U.S. Treasury Department
David John, Senior Research Fellow, Heritage Foundation
Tim Kane, Director, Center for International Trade and Economics, Heritage Foundation
Melissa Kearney, Assistant Professor Of Economics, University Of Maryland
Anne Krueger, Professor At The Johns Hopkins School Of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) & Former First Deputy Managing Director, IMF
Adam Lerrick, Visiting Scholar For The American Enterprise Institute (AEI) And Friends Of Allan H. Meltzer Professor Of Economics For Carnegie Mellon
Phil Levy, Resident Scholar for the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) and Former Senior Economist for Trade on the President's Council of Economic Advisers
Will Melick, Gensemer Associate Professor of Economics, Kenyon College
Michael Moore, Professor Of Economics And International Affairs, George Washington University
Tom Miller, Resident Fellow for American Enterprise Institute (AEI)
Tim Muris, Foundation Professor, George Mason University School Of Law, Former Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission
Sean O'Keefe, Former Secretary Of The Navy, NASA Administrator, & Deputy Director Of Office of Management & Budget, The White House
Gerry Parsky, Senior Economic Advisor
Nancy Pfotenhauer, Former President, Independent Women's Forum
James Rill, Partner, Howrey LLP and Former Assistant Attorney General (Antitrust), U.S. Department of Justice
Kenneth Rogoff, Professor Of Public Policy, Harvard University
Harvey Rosen, Professor Of Economics And Business Policy, Princeton University
John Silvia, Managing Director, Chief Economist, Wachovia Bank
Aquiles Suarez, Vice President For Government Affairs For National Association Of Industrial And Office Properties & Former Special Assistant To The President For Domestic Policy
Dr. John Taylor, Professor Of Economics At Stanford, Senior Fellow At The Hoover Institution & Former Under Secretary Of Treasury
Anthony Villamil, Chief Executive Officer, The Washington Economics Group, Inc. & Former Under Secretary Of Commerce For Economic Affairs
Joseph Wright, Chairman Of The Board For Intelsat
Mark Zandi, Chief Economist For Moody's Economy.Com

FORMER U.S. OFFICIALS
Former Secretaries of State
Lawrence S. Eagleburger, Former Secretary of State
Alexander M. Haig, Former Secretary of State
Henry Kissinger, Former Secretary of State, New York
George P. Shultz, Former Secretary of State, California

Former Cabinet Secretaries
Jack Kemp, Former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Former U.S. Representative, New York
Robert Mosbacher, Former Secretary of Commerce, Texas
Peter Peterson, Former Secretary of Commerce, New York
Anthony Principi, Former Secretary of Veteran Affairs, Maryland
Former Governor Tom Ridge, Former Secretary of Homeland Security, Pennsylvania
James R. Schlesinger, Former Secretary of Defense

Former National Security Officials
Tom Kean, 9/11 Commission Chairman, New Jersey
Robert C. "Bud" McFarlane, Former National Security Advisor, Washington, DC
R. James Woolsey Jr., Former CIA Director
Robert Inman, Former National Security Advisor and Deputy Director of the CIA

Former Army Generals
Norman Schwarzkopf, General U.S. Army (Ret.)
Click here to read the endorsements of over 100 Admirals and Generals.

Former Navy Secretaries
William Ball, Former Secretary of the Navy, South Carolina
John Lehman, Former Secretary of the Navy, New York

Former Ambassadors
Chuck Cobb, Former Ambassador, Florida
Sue Cobb, Former Ambassador, Florida
Fred Eckert, Former Ambassador, North Carolina
Fred Malek, Former Ambassador, Virginia
Ron Weiser, Former Ambassador, Michigan
Al Hoffman, Former Ambassador, Florida
Otto Juan Reich, Former Ambassador, Florida

ENERTAINERS
Sylvester Stallone

try and find this many endorsements on any other candidate!

Johnny Mac: Why I still have faith in politics...

stop. and watch this.

NOT my favorite: onions

i hate onions. i hate the way they smelll. i hate the way they make me tear up. i hate it when people cook them. i hate them on food. i hate everything about them!!!

where do you imagine yourself in 10 years...

the dreaded question, right? 

today I was reading an old friend's blog and he and his wife just had a baby. here I am looking at this picture of my dearest friend since 5th grade holding his own little baby girl and it hit me that he had really grown up. Not only has he already been married for a couple years but now he has a child and here I am still the same old me. wow. 

this made me think about my life. although many of my friends are already looking forward to marriage and thinking about taking this next step in life I still feel that I have so much more to do with my life. there are so many places that I would like to live and so many things that I would like to do and it would be too hard to really plan someone else into that. for instance, I want to live in alaska sometime in my life but it would be very hard for me and a husband to both find work in a small town in alaska, right?

I am in no way opposed to marriage, in fact I believe that the right guy will just fit into your life. I promised myself that I didnt want to marry anyone but my best friend in life. this way when we are old and have nothing but each other, it will still be enough. 

there is a woman, a very powerful woman that I recently met here in dc and she must be in her mid 30's and she is still dating. they were still dating at that age in sex and the city so I think it wouldnt be some terrible situation if I was still dating into my 30's.

in fact, that is how i see myself in 10 years. the crazy fun aunt to all of my friends children. a woman who is strong and single. a lady who has enough male companions in her life to keep her from buying a cat. and someone who is very powerful and confident and checking of my list of lifelong "to-do" list. 

Today is...

National Peanut Butter Day!!!

Thanks to PeanutButterLovers.com...

History of Peanut Butter:
There are many claims about the origin of peanut butter. Africans ground peanuts into stews as early as the 15th century. The Chinese have crushed peanuts into creamy sauces for centuries. Civil War soldiers dined on 'peanut porridge.' These uses, however, bore little resemblance to peanut butter as it is known today.
In 1890, an unknown St. Louis physician supposedly encouraged the owner of a food products company, George A. Bayle Jr., to process and package ground peanut paste as a nutritious protein substitute for people with poor teeth who couldn't chew meat. The physician apparently had experimented by grinding peanuts in his hand-cranked meat grinder. Bayle mechanized the process and began selling peanut butter out of barrels for about 6¢ per pound.

First Patent:
Around the same time, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg in Battle Creek, Michigan, began experimenting with peanut butter as a vegetarian source of protein for his patients. His brother, W.K. Kellogg, was business manager of their sanitarium, the Western Health Reform Institute, but soon opened Sanitas Nut Company which supplied foods like peanut butter to local grocery stores.
The Kelloggs' patent for the "Process of Preparing Nut Meal" in 1895 described "a pasty adhesive substance that is for convenience of distinction termed nut butter." However, their peanut butter was not as tasty as peanut butter today because the peanuts were steamed, instead of roasted, prior to grinding. The Kellogg brothers turned their attention to cereals which eventually gained them worldwide recognition.
Joseph Lambert, a Kellogg employee who had worked on developing food processing equipment, began selling his own hand-operated peanut butter grinders in 1896. Three years later, his wife Almeeta published the first nut cookbook, "The Complete Guide to Nut Cookery" and two years later the Lambert Food Company was organized.

Dr. George Washington Carver:
In 1903, Dr. George Washington Carver began his peanut research at Tuskeegee Institute in Alabama. While peanut butter had already been developed by then, Dr. Carver developed more than 300 other uses for peanuts and so improved peanut horticulture that he is considered by many to be the father of the peanut industry.

Peanut Butter Goes Mainstream:
C.H. Sumner was the first to introduce peanut butter to the world at the Universal Exposition of 1904 in St. Louis. He sold $705.11 of the treat at his concession stand and peanut butter was on its way to becoming an American favorite!
Krema Products Company in Columbus, Ohio began selling peanut butter in 1908 ~ and is the oldest peanut butter company still in operation today. Krema's founder, Benton Black, used the slogan, "I refuse to sell outside of Ohio." This was practical at the time since peanut butter packed in barrels spoiled quickly and an interstate road system had not yet been built.

Peanut Butter As We Know It:
In 1922, Joseph L. Rosefield began selling a number of brands of peanut butter in California. These peanut butters were churned like butter so they were smoother than the gritty peanut butters of the day. He soon received the first patent for a shelf-stable peanut butter which would stay fresh for up to a year because the oil didn't separate from the peanut butter.
One of the first companies to adopt this new process was Swift & Company for its E.K. Pond peanut butter ~ renamed Peter Pan in 1928. In 1932, Rosefield had a dispute with Peter Pan and began producing peanut butter under the Skippy label the following year. Rosefield created the first crunchy style peanut butter two years later by adding chopped peanuts into creamy peanut butter at the end of the manufacturing process.
In 1955, Procter & Gamble entered the peanut butter business by acquiring W.T. Young Foods in Lexington, Kentucky, makers of Big Top Peanut Butter. They introduced Jif in 1958 and now operate the world's largest peanut butter plant ~ churning out 250,000 jars every day!

thank you cnn

for finally reporting some good news about iraq! check out this amazing website that cnn just did a special on!

http://www.courage-iraq.com/

great websites from this weekend...

jack and lulu
my favorite: the recipe box (this was also featured in the latest BluePrint.)

save 2nd base
my favorite: the baseball t-shirt (this was featured on fox news not too long ago.)

amy smyth made it
my favorite: the "miss you" cards 

iomoi
my favorite: the paperweight 

see jane work

my favorite: the agenda

start here

my favorite: the whole idea

toss

my favorite: the domino set

the monogram shop

my favorite: the matches

room service

my favorite: the eyeglass tray

moma

my favorite: the kitchen timer

usb.brando

my favorite: the oil burner

decor craft inc.

my favorite: the paper cup

more to come. wait until i get home.

i vant one!

darn you steve jobs, darn you! you do this to me everytime! when I buy your newest computer you put out a new one. when i buy your latest operating system, you put out a new one! every freaking time steve!!!

so you will only be forgiven because I really really love this one! (of course soon there will be another one that you release and I will love it just as much! darn you!)

well... here it is people... the MacBook Air. Ahhhhhhhh.

things I don't understand (tough issues)

pamela anderson: (not like you could really understand her anyway but...)

she is a major spokeswoman for PETA right? I understand. I was a vegetarian for 10 years, I brake for animals on the road, I don't wear fur, etc. I do eat meat now but I try to not use products that are frivolous with animal lives. I get it.

but recently it was announced that she was pregnant but... then she "was no longer pregnant." So, its okay to lets say "become un-pregnant" but we don't want to kill an animal? okay?'

radical pro-lifers: (not like you could really understand them either...)

once again... for the record I am all about taking responsibility for your actions.

while watching the news just now they were highlighting Planned Parenthood and their local DC office. (the point of all this was to talk about the anniversary of roe v. wade and how it will play into the presidential election.)

they showed how tight security had to be to get into the building because there have been bomb threats, actual bombs and even people dying from these radical actions.

so once again. if you are pro-life... you should be pro-life about everything. how can you prove your point by taking a life? weird.


anyhow... I guess these are all things that will go down in the debates of life like what came first... the chicken or the egg.

go blog yourself

so when i get bored i like to read people's blogs. i love the fashion blogs. i love my friend's blogs. i love celebrity blogs. i love them all.

what i dont love is when people dont blog. if you have a blog, you have a responsibility. we all get caught up in life and sometimes dont have the time to blog.

this reminds me of a quote from "he's just not that into you" quote, "busy is another word for asshole. asshole is another word for the guy you are dating. you deserve a f-ing phone call!"

now you are asking what does this have to to with blogging? you are only too busy for the things that you dont want to do. if you have a blog then dont neglect it... blog it!

craving a change

so there is a lot changing in my apartment so why not spice it all up a little more. my bff and I spent the weekend scavenging the DMV (for those of you not familiar with the DC area that means the DC/Maryland/Virginia area) for great deals on furniture for our bare apartments...

here are some ideas for my apartment:

living room:

black/white rug

black table

bright yellow fabric bulletin board (like this, this or this, maybe even this) (I love these too!)

television

dvd/vcr player

laundry:

shelving (something like this one or this one)

bedroom:

fullsize bed (either this one or this)

kitchen:

paint (not sure yet on the color, hot pink, bright green...)

above sink storage

kitchen table (actually we just bought a black one with black and wicker chairs)

recycling station

bathroom:

right now its all white and dark blue but I think a little teal/dark turquoise would look great. this is a bad picture of the color but it really is pretty.

blogworthy day...

as I sit in bed mentally running through my day I have came to the conclusion that it may be blogworthy (one word, yes. its new. websters will have to catch on.)

after finally regaining some control in my life after having a great conversation with my father last night I started today with a new outlook. 

well, lets recap... actually I had a hard time sleeping because I had a big "meeting" today but I also started to received mid-night... oh noo... it was like a 2am text from a guy who i finally got over. well... i had gotten over him for a while. but then he emailed me at work and even though I tried all day not to email him back I broke down at like 1-2pm and emailed him back to see how his recent "business" trip was going. (he has a very interesting job and I always break down and respond to him to hear about his adventures. trust me, they are pretty interesting.) anyhow, I received the message that he had just gotten back into town and really wanted to see me... at 2am. ummm...no! I simple responded with one sleepy eye open that I had a big "meeting" and needed to go to bed. well his emails continued through the night and they made for some interesting reading this morning when i got to work. 

now to work... and we all know how well that is going these days. i get there early, like normal, in fact almost an hour early and to my surprise my dearest co-worker shows up not too long after me. (side note: my dearest co-worker has also been having some trouble at work and my two "bosses" - and i use the term loosely- have been harping on him about his morning ETA and all else. I gave him the advice that I always use for myself... when in a bad situation at work, get there early, stay late, and bust your balls until it all blows over.) so i was happy to see that he took my advice, one day too late, but all the same. 

this hostile work environment just makes itself worse today. they started nagging about the 45 min "meeting" that I took forgetting about the fact that I get to work an hour early, never take lunch and normally stay late as well. then they harp on me for volunteering for a work event the afternoon. lets take a little look at some numbers... I literally did more work so far this week than all 5 of my co-workers. to make this vague and confusing to everyone... this week our office did 199 projects, 100 of those were mine, the other 99 can be split between the other 5 people. call me crazy and please point out if I am wrong but I think I am earning my keep.

well to make it all worthwhile and to remind myself why I do this... I had a great "meeting" that I pray works out and the event that I helped out with was amazing. Not only did I rub shoulders with some VIPs but I also got to see a VIP, in fact, a very VIP that I know and need to keep in better touch with. (thats on my "to do" list for tomorrow. Its these events that keep me sane.

daddy's little girl

if you read my previous post you may understand that I am a little stressed but one long phone call (and I am sure one expensive call from Australia) later, all things feel a little bit better.

I think that I just needed someone to listen to me and let me vent it all out. my dad listened to me talk about my roommate situation, my work situation, my financial situation, and to my good news!

He always takes the time to hear me out and he normally supports my decisions. One great thing about how my parents raised me was that they always took the other side. When I got in trouble they first wanted to know what I did. They didnt blindly take my side and this has made such a big difference in who I have become. I try to see what I did to make a situation worse and what I can learn from it. This surprises my dad now when I get over a situation and how easily I learn a lesson from it. (and this makes me feel better!)

Anyhow... I am and always will be a daddy's girl. He really is my everything! (No matter how far away he lives!)

cute real simple article about dads...

dog eat dog

useless fact: I used to think that this statement was "doggy-dog-world" and it wasnt until I experienced a dog-eat-dog world did I really understand the statement.

There is a disclaimer when you move to the district that if you want a friend... buy a dog. It seems that everyone is out to get you sometimes whether it just be looking out for their own personal interests at any cost or if they are truly out to get you. This is just the way that the city seems to run. In fact, there is an interesting book that just came out... Homo Politicus that sorta hits on this very topic.

Lets review my current situation (both big and small)...

- getting a loan to refinance my car seems to be easier said than done... urgh.

- dealing with co-workers who are a) on a power trip b) not using common sense c) are engaging in a spitting contest (figuratively)... urgh, urgh, urgh.

- two of my roommates have decided to move out and how did they choose to tell me... they didnt. I heard about it from an newsletter posting and a phone call from someone who would like to "check out the room." To go on a little more about this one... I think what hurts the most is that I considered them to be friends and I feel really betrayed by the whole situation... urgh, urgh, urgh!

- I am no fan of relationships and a) an old boyfriend has moved back into town and although I do like hanging out with him I am not ready to get myself into anything here and b) the jerk that I finally have gotten over is slowly making his way back into my life... urgh.

- money is tight and that just always adds frustration... urgh.

- I seem just to be in a sour mood. all of my thoughts are going towards these issues and not to positive things that I am doing with my life. I have found that it is these times of uncertainty that bring me closest to God. There is only so much that you can worry about before you realize that there really isnt that much that you can do about it and you might as well just let Him take the wheel. I feel that He gives us these struggles to remind us of the good and when we are so thick into everything and so upset He gives us a little glimpse of the light. *this may be a story that I will expand upon at a later time.

All 'n all... I see a dog in my future. I sure need a good ol' friend.

why I love dc...

because I like lists and its 2:30am and I cant either sleep or type this is how this blog is going to go:

friday:

- cooked a homemade pizza (reasonably healthy as well with whole wheat thin crust bread, 2% cheese and turkey pepperoni)

- went to chinatown to see bucket list and received a free movie ticket (the bff and I are going to get dogs and name them jack nicholson and morgan freeman)

- decided that we should hook up one my bff's sister and my dearest hispanic friend - priceless

- stopped by my brother's place (lame without all the kickball players)

- drove to eastern market to see if any of the bars were interesting (they werent)

- went to the neighborhood market aka 7/11 and picked up some treats

- then went home and hung out/watched tv/and went to sleep

saturday:

- woke up and made a delicious (and reasonably healthy) breakfast (turkey bacon, whole wheat waffles made with egg whites and vanilla yogurt, then used sugar-free syrup, and egg whites and laughing cow swiss cheese scrambled eggs)

- watched some arrested development

- walked to eastern market and did a little window shoppin'

- ran into an old friend/ got on the metro

- stopped at metro center to get my bff a well needed smart trip card - $5

- transfered at the last minute and went to dupont to have coffee and meet an old friend to watch the "ride the metro w/o your pants" - $6

- got off at foggy bottom and walked to georgetown

- stopped at the four seasons to see the boston celtics coming out

- walked around georgetown/ bought a sweater at jcrew (they are having a great sale - check it out online)

- stumbled upon cafe leopold's in the interior design district of g-town

- went to the movie theater to see if Juno was playing

- it was... so we bought tickets to see it - $10

- bought snacks for my bff - $12

- metro'd home/ went to blockbuster to see my "boifriend" and rented more arrested development and a little big love

- came home on a bus/ watched big love and fell asleep talking to an ex-boyfriend

sunday:

- slept in and didnt go to church :(

- had fruit smoothies and waffles for breakfast

- got ready and drove to friendship heights to go grocery shopping - $80

- dropped of the good ol' bff

- came home and did nothing but took a nap

- see above for the reason why i cannot sleep now

To Do: Become Financially Reponsible

its been on my mind and I am interested in good saving/spending/planning tips:

credit card:

- Pay the balance in full and avoid interest. Beat the card companies at
their own game.
- Never pay late, if possible. Pay by phone, or overnight a
check if necessary.
- Before signing up for a card, assess it carefully and
weigh out all the terms and fees. And remember — just applying for it can affect
your credit score.
- Use higher-interest rewards cards for small purchases
and a low-interest card for any big buys.

check...

there is nothing more rewarding that checking something off a "to do" list.

my "to do" list today:

email some people I met over at a holiday open house - check

email a friend about his current job search - check

email a friend about volunteering for a certain campaign - check

finish loan paperwork - check

write thank you notes - check

send post card to an old friend - check

help one of my old interns with her resume - check

they say that instead of making a list with nearly impossible items, try making some easily attainable goals. this way you wont be discouraged.

I have been trying to do this lately and also trying to quit procrastinating on easy goals. I have been meaning to write a friend and send out some holiday thank you notes for two weeks now. do you know how long it took me to check these off the list? like two minutes and I felt so much better after I got it all done.

I have found that it even works for me around the house. instead of putting off the dishes... I do them and I feel so much better.

ahhhhhh. the sigh of relief.

tomorrow:

go to the bank to work on refinancing my car

get new posters for my office

first impressions...

they say that you have only one chance to make a first impression and therefore... i have a little problem with the hallway entrance of my apartment for these reason...

- we place our mail there and it normally stays there for awhile making it look cluttered
- there is nothing there that ties it together, just random items... (lowers, mail, blue plastic box, an offset bulletin board, and a mirror.)
- we just throw stuff on the shelf and it also just sits there

here are some ideas of ways to clean it up a little.

martha stewart will solve the mail problem with this idea...

more to come later...

my boy... johnny mac

lets not be shy about the fact that I am a political junkie and I have jumped on board of the "straight talk express." it has sure been a rocky road but last night was a much needed victory.

Here are the results of the NH primary, (thanks to my favorite political blog, beltway confidential):

These are the results with 91 percent of the New Hampshire precincts reporting:

McCain: 37 percent
Romney: 32 percent
Huckabee:11
percent
Giuliani: 9 percent
Paul: 8 percent
Thomson: 1 percent
Hunter: 1 percent
Clinton: 39 percent

Obama: 36 percent
Edwards:17 percent
Richardson: 5 percent
Kucinich:1 percent
Gravel: Shut-out. Denied!

and just a little treat for you all...

(keepin' it real...)

callin' all holiday cards

okay so I have been meaning to send out a holiday card since ummm... the beginning of December? there has been so much that has happened to me in 2007 that i feel obligated to share it with everyone that has been there along the way. I mean... I did move across the country and start a new job and I haven't been the best at keeping in touch with everyone. now is as good a time as any.

there are so many things that must be done though to send out these darn holiday cards. they are as follows:

1 - write up a little "looking back at 2007" message
2 - buy "0" and "O"stamps for design below...

3 - create labels and list of who I want to send all these too (I imagine I may need my mother's address book for some of these and I'll need to place a call to my old job to get some old client contacts)

4 - buy stamps to mail these suckers

5 - compose and personalize the cards themselves

I want them to be personal but I want to share as much as possible. here is what I am thinking...

luckily I bought these blank cream colored 5 x 7 cards that I placed holiday stickers on already but I can use those next year and I can use the rest of them for this year's project.

From: Martha Stewart Magazine

Put guests in a bubbly mood with these invites. Download our flute template; print, and cut out. Trace onto inside of front cover of a blank card; cut out with craft knife. Use a glue stick to secure card's open side shut. Cut a piece of card stock to height of card and 1 inch narrower than width. Rubber-stamp "bubbles" on front; write details on back. Slide into card.

"and it was all yellow"

so I tend to be somewhat obsessed with organizing things. as you can see, "getting organized" was not on my list of new year's resolutions.

today at the office, things were a little slow so I decided to clean up my office. at first glance it always seemed to be pretty organized but all you had to do was open a drawer or two and you may see a different story. this was the task I tackled today. but instead of just cleaning everything up, I had to make it look good as well.

like most things in my life (and this isn't a figure of speech) everything is black and white, sometimes with a splash of color. my office was pretty much the same until today when I brought yellow into the mix. I used all yellow folder and accessories and re-organized my office. I even added a yellow ribbon to support the troops!

simple...yet sophisticated.

turning a little green with envy...

Trash Course: A Recycling Station
by Blueprint Magazine

recycling may save the planet -- but it ruins the corner of your kitchen until collection day. An easy-to-make sorting station will help you get in order.
MaterialsOne 4-by-4-foot pegboardSemigloss latex paintNine pegboard hooksNine 1/2-inch-thick plastic washersNine 2-inch screwsNine molly boltsThree large handled binsTwo large wire basketsRecycling Station How-To
1. Purchase a 4-by-4-foot pegboard at a home-improvement store (or have one cut to that size). If you like, paint it with a semigloss latex paint and let it dry.
2. Mount the pegboard on the wall. See the following instructions: To mount the recycling station on your wall, first hold the pegboard where you would like it to hang and mark the nine points where screws will be inserted -- one in each corner, one near the middle of each edge, and one in the center. Then install a molly bolt in the wall at each of those marks: Pre-drill a hole in the wall that has the same diameter as the molly's shank, then tap the molly into the hole with a hammer until it is flush with the wall. Next, at each screw position, place a washer on the front of the pegboard before inserting the screw into the board, and then add a plastic spacer to that same screw on the back side of the board. (The plastic spacers will create an open area behind the board for the ends of the hooks to come through.) With all of these layers in place, drive the screws through into the molly bolts to secure the board to the wall.
3. Decide where on the board you'd like your three containers to hang. Insert two of the hooks into the pegboard where each handle will be.
4. Hang the canisters on the hooks and add additional hooks for can liners, twine, and scissors. Place large wire baskets underneath for old newspapers and cardboard refuse.
Sources: 6 1/2-gallon tins, $15 each, and Elfa medium 2-runner drawer, $13.50 each, containerstore.com
First Published: March/April 2007

new year - new goals

judge me as you will but these are my goals for the year:

1: Floss - twice daily
2: Tan - weekly
3: Write - daily (here on my blog)
4: Pray - daily... if not more than that
5: Exercise - daily... no matter how little or how hard but do it everyday
6: Read - both my scriptures and books that will improve my mind
7: Save - money... I want to start traveling more and be more financially secure
8: Travel - see the world, I need to get over to Australia to see my dad, I know
9: Switch - my car, insurance, and plates all into my name
10: Take - my vitamins each and everyday
11: Eat - healthy foods (more fruits and veggies) and start trying new restaurants and foods
12: Volunteer - at a local pet shelter or other local organizations
13: Spend - more time outdoors... hiking, bike riding, etc
14: Run - start a running program
15: Wake - up earlier and be on time more often
16: Drink - more water everyday
17: Have - better posture
18: Clean - my apartment more often
19: Listen - to more music (and different types)
20: Buy - fresh cut flowers
21: Walk - more places and cut my driving

100 Reasons to Make/Break These Resolutions
From: Blue Print Magazine

50 Reasons To Make These Resolutions

Stop Being Late
1. Truth time: 35 percent of managers don't believe your late-to-work excuses -- no matter how creative.
2. Shaving two minutes from your shower not only gets you where you need to be faster, but also saves up to 14 gallons of water per day.
3. Sign up for a carpool and let the honking horns of strangers hurry you out the door. (Find partnering options at erideshare.com.)
4. The of-the-moment timepieces on page 26 of our January/February issue will keep you on track -- in style.

Don't Judge
5."There's only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that's your own self."--Aldous Huxley

Shape Up
6. Easy: the no-sweat "15-Minute Desk Workout" video. (sparkpeople.com)
7. Harder: Ana Caban's challenging, yet embarrassment-proof, Pilates DVDs. ($15, gaiam.com)
8. Brutal, but worth it: Stretch yourself with the New York City Ballet's workout DVDs. ($25, nycballet.com)
9. Try before you buy: 1,400 exercise videos, from tai chi to boxing, on netflix.com.
10. The perverse pleasure of aching muscles the day after a serious workout.
11. Enell's "the bounce stops here" sports bra. ($60, enell.com)
12. Runner's high.
13. If David Lee Roth, Will Ferrell, and Oprah Winfrey can complete a marathon, so can you.

Get Organized
14. Brother's P-touch label makers will turn any pack rat into a regular Bree Van De Kamp. ($70, compusa.com)
15. Shrinking bedding and off-season duds in Space Bags = more room for shoes. (9 for $20, spacebag.com)
16. Pile your junk outside, then go to freecycle.org and post a "Curb Alert" for local scavengers.
17. Get assistance online or over the phone from the pros at auctionPAL, and clean out that attic for good. (auctionpal.com)
18. Your thoughts need organizing, too: Jot down your aspirations in Sukie's blank botanical-themed "Turn Over a New Leaf" notebook. ($20, fredflare.com)

Eat Better
19. Cravings usually pass within 15 minutes. (Yes, even for sweets.)
20. If they don't, rest assured that a handful of Route 29 red and black licorice piglets wont turn you into one. ($3, route29napa.com)
21. Find sustainable local food sources by zip code at localharvest.org.
22. Or let the farmer's market come to you with Diamond Organics's mail-order produce.
23. Then preorder John Bishops Fresh: Seasonal Recipes Made From Local Foods ($30, Douglas & McIntyre, March) to learn how to cook...sorrel.
24. Milk the full-flavor possibilities of reduced-fat dairy products: Laughing Cow's Mini Babybel Light;
25. Fage 0 percent Yogurt;
26. and Horizon Organic Low-fat Sour Cream.

Develop Good Daily Habits
27. Put a wrinkle in time: Sunscreen (applied every day) is the best antiaging product on the market (see page 86 of our January/February issue for some of our top picks).
28. A multivitamin like New Chapter Organics Every Woman's One Daily has you covered when you go AWOL on RDAs. ($38, revolutionhealthstore.com)
29. In addition to making you look like an original gangsta, flossin' can actually help you live longer, according to a recent Harvard study.

See the World
30. Go one better than a Eurail pass: Hit up to 23 Asian cities in 21 days for $1,400 (including airfare from L.A., New York, or San Francisco) with Cathay Pacific's 2008 All Asia Pass. (cathayusa.com)
31. Or try out low-stress, low-impact travel on this continent with Amtrak's North America Rail Pass. ($710 for 30 days, amtrak.com)
32. Find a (trustworthy, non-serial-killer) local who speaks your language to meet for drinks or provide a place to crash on couchsurfing.com.
33. For more private lodgings, peruse listings for Umbrian stone villas or modern Maui condos at Vacation Rentals by Owner.

Quit Smoking
34. The soft sell: 20 minutes after quitting, blood pressure drops; after 12 hours, the blood's carbon-monoxide levels return to normal.
35. The hard sell: Calvin Trillin's tribute to his wife, a nonsmoker who developed lung cancer -- perhaps from secondhand smoke -- in "About Alice" ($15, Random House).
36. The really hard sell: A sad-but-effective antismoking ad in which a woman puffs through a hole in her throat. (youtube.com)
37. The money: A pack-a-day habit sends $1,657 a year (on average) up in smoke.

Make a Contribution
38. Volunteermatch.org will hook you up with a nearby organization that needs your abilities.
39. For canine companionship without furniture covered in dander, offer to walk an elderly neighbor's dog. (Bonus points if you do so when it's icy.)
40. Charity Navigator's rating system will help you make a donation that does not go to waste.

Nix the Nail-Nibbling
41.Weekly manicures. (Sometimes the best deterrent is a reward.)

Find a Better Job
42. Scan thousands of do-gooder opportunities (that also pay the rent) on idealist.org.
43. A mentor from SCORE's nationwide network of entrepreneurs will give advice on how to develop a business (and/or escape) plan.
44. Learn from "CEO of Me: Creating a Life That Works in the Flexible Job Age", by work/life researchers Ellen Kossek and Brenda Lautsch ($25, Wharton School Publishing).
45. Contact Count Me In, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting women-owned businesses, to apply for your own start-up micro loan.

Spend (and Save) Smarter
46. Use mint.com to track your checking, savings, credit, and work accounts in one place -- and find out exactly where those paychecks have been going.
47. Earn real interest on savings: HSBC Direct and WaMu offer new online customers about 5%.
48. Listen to Wallace D. Wattles's timeless classic, "The Science of Getting Rich", on CD ($15, Simon and Schuster Audio, February).
49. Read "You're Broke Because You Want to Be: How to Stop Getting By and Start Getting Ahead", by Larry Winget ($20, Gotham Books, January).

Print Your Digital Photos (Finally)
50. Our guide on page 58 of our January/February issue will kick-start the process (and point you toward an at-home printer that'll reduce your dependence on drugstore photo kiosks)

50 Reasons To Break These Resolutions

Give Up Sweets and Fat (and Flavor)
1. A recent Cornell study showed that diners at "healthy" restaurants consume more calories than they do when eating at "normal" ones.
2. Grateful Palate's Bacon of the Month Club delivers artisanal flavor (plus recipes) right to your front door. ($140 for a year, gratefulpalate.com)
3. What better excuse could there be than National Pizza Week, January 13-19?
4. Flip through journalist Michael Pollan's "In Defense of Food: The Myth of Nutrition and the Pleasures of Eating" ($22, Penguin, January).
5. From what we've heard, French women don't get fat on Fauchon's madeleines, foie gras, and Banana and Passion Absolut Fruit preserves. (fauchon.com)
6. Great call: Switch to CREDO long-distance phone service and get coupons for free pints of Ben & Jerry's for a year with monthly bills.

Eliminate Nonessential Spending
7. Yoox.com's twice-yearly online sample sale (up to 80% off European designers like Alberta Ferretti and Dolce & Gabbana) is practically an investment opportunity.
8. Gold-leather-bound dictionaries aren't recherche fripperies, they're desk desiderata. ($156, graphicimage.com)
9. More OnGossamer underwear means fewer laundry days. ($13 and up, figleaves.com)
10. Shopping Etsy's indie-crafter wares is like becoming a patron of the arts.

Stop Mainlining Celebrity Gossip
11. No one deconstructs Chloe Sevigny's headline-making out-fits like the Fug Girls. (gofugyourself.com)
12. Authors like Edith Wharton and F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote about socialites and strivers about a century ago.
13. "Train Wreck: The Life and Death of Anna Nicole Smith" -- written by her half sister (ouch!)out in February ($16, Phoenix Books).
14. Stock up on printable book covers to disguise your trashiest reads on the subway. (katespade.info)

Lay Off the Sauce
15. The passionate forums and home-brew recipes at ratebeer.com.
16. Your Prohibition-era grandparents who can still appreciate -- and prepare -- an expert dirty martini.
17. The delicious double-layered flavor of smooth Don Eduardo Tequila Anejo, aged for two years in former bourbon barrels. ($59, gothamwines.com)
18. "Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrive!" (And will soon sortir.)
19. Costco's quality vino selection and 15% markup limit allow you to bring home cases of Wine Spectator champions.

Cut Back on Text Messaging
20. According to "The Green Book", by Elizabeth Rogers and Thomas M. Kostigen ($13, Three Rivers Press), 30 times more energy is used to send an e-mail than a text message. (^urs, email.)

Be More Productive at Work
21. Daytime naps boost memory.
22. The hilarious play-by-play episode recaps of your favorite shows on television withoutpity.com: faster (and cheaper) than TiVo.
23. The Great Wall of China is not visible to the naked eye from the moon, Twinkies do not have an infinite shelf life, and other insidious legends and urban myths dispelled. (snopes.com)
24. Comfort yourself with someone else's petty workplace drama. (passiveaggressivenotes.com)
25. Nothing erases the memory of that lame Monday-morning meeting like a new series of LOLcats vignettes. (icanhascheezburger.com)

Practice Moderation
26. Excess can bring fame. Witness the star turns of: Big Mac-binger Morgan Spurlock in "Super Size Me";
27. Rock of Love-er Bret Michaels;
28. sun-worshipper George Hamilton;
29. self-deprecator Kathy Griffin;
30. beehive-sporter Amy Winehouse;
31. and the entire city of Dubai.

Get Your House in Order
32. If it's truly bad, a TV crew will do it for you. Find casting info for: nearly three dozen home-improvement shows at hgtv.com;
33. TLC's Clean Sweep;
34. or the Style Network program "My Celebrity Home".

Dress Better for the Office
35. High heels throw the hips and spine out of alignment and put unhealthy pressure on feet leading to pricey cab rides.
36. The Environmental Protection Agency's decision not to release its "risk assessment" findings of the common dry-cleaning chemical PERC until 2009.
37. Not to mention all the excess plastic clothing bags and wire hangers you'll bring home (and probably toss) in the meantime.

Watch Less TV
38. To judge how the new class stacks up against the shows that inspired them, see: Bravo's Niki Taylor and Tyson Beckford hosted "Make Me a Supermodel" (ANTM minus Tyra's antics);
39. ABC's "Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann" (Dancing With the Stars with more Drew Lachey);
40. Fox's "New Amsterdam" (CSI with immortality);
41. AMCs "Breaking Bad" (Weeds with meth);
42. and NBCs "Lipstick Jungle" (Sex and the City with more career quandaries).

Live as Though Your Doctor Were Watching
43. From the annals of great excuses: "If you resolve to give up smoking, drinking, and loving, you don't actually live longer; it just seems longer." -- Clement Freud

Mind the Details
44. OCD can be: off-putting (see Tony Shalhoub in "Monk");
45. tedious (Jack Nicholson in "As Good as It Gets");
46. counter-productive (James Spader in "Secretary");
47. and particularly hard on relationships (Howard Hughes).

Cut Out Caffeine
48. Coffee-shop lattes finance WiFi. Find a cafe-hotspot near you on wififreespot.com.
49. The not-too-earthy flavors of antioxidant-rich white and green teas from Mighty Leaf. ($9 for 15 bags)

Stop Putting Things Off
50. You can always start your resolutions with the Chinese New Year, on February 7.

stayin' strong this winter

here is a great article that I read about in Blue Print Magazine...

Winter Health Primer

If there's one drawback to the holiday season, it's that cold and flu season isn't far behind. So Blueprint asked internist Amy Bleyer, M.D., to make a house call. As a doctor, mother, and subway rider, she's exposed daily to everything from strep throat to the common cold -- yet, remarkably, she's been sick only once in the past eight years. So what is her superhuman secret? "Prevention is really the best strategy," she says. "Learning how to wipe out any infection fast is the other." Bleyer's two-pronged approach to health will reduce sniffles, sneezes, aches, and pains -- and keep you in high spirits.

Dr. Bleyer's Prevention Plan
Why do some people get sick (and seem to remain sick) while others stay well? "A lot of it is genes," Bleyer says, "Immune systems vary." But there are ways to boost your body's defenses. For starters, get eight hours of sleep each night, fit in regular workouts, and manage stress, which affects your ability to fight infection.

Keep it Clean
Most germs are passed through contact, not by airborne transmission, explains Bleyer. So washing your hands is the most important thing you can do to prevent illness. The key: Soap up often and for at least 15 seconds (research shows this is enough time to kill germs). And your soap needn't have the stripping powers of rubbing alcohol. According to a recent study in the "Harvard Health Letter", regular soap reduces bacteria counts by 90 percent, comparable to those skin-parching antibacterial solutions. At every sink in Bleyer's home she keeps Method Hand Wash (above), a gentle cleanser with aloe and vitamin E. She also carries Kirkland Signature Premium Baby Wipes in her purse ($18, Costco). "They're great for wiping up hands after being on the subway or a playground," she says. On the flip side, always use a tissue to cover your nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing to help prevent germs from spreading. Although that's hard to do with little kids, Bleyer admits. I have a 2-year-old who sometimes asks for a tissue. But other times, when I look down, I see he's used his shirt instead."

Drink Up
Bleyer starts her morning with a large cup of Tetley tea (above) with honey and lemon. Many studies show that black tea, which contains more detoxifying antioxidants and less caffeine than coffee, helps neutralize germs and prevent the clogging of arteries that can lead to a heart attack. Bleyer aims to drink at least 64 ounces of fluid a day. "Water keeps your cells healthy so that your immune system functions optimally, she says. "Just remember that anything caffeinated actually dehydrates you, so it not only doesn't count toward your daily intake, it takes away from it. You need to counter every caffeinated drink with another glass of water. Mid-morning, Bleyer switches from tea to water, and sips on several glasses during the day. To help meet both her fluid and calcium requirements (1,000 mg), she often drinks a glass of calcium-fortified orange juice (350 mg), too.

Nourish Your Body
"Most of my nutrients come from my diet, which is ideal, Bleyer says. She eats a variety of immunity-boosting fruits and vegetables, and has fish, like salmon, twice a week to get its heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Because balanced meals aren't always an option, she takes a multivitamin every night. She likes One-A-Day for Women (above) because the tablets contain 45 percent (450 mg) of the daily calcium requirement for women of childbearing age. "They're also inexpensive and easy to find," she adds. For pregnant women -- or those trying to be -- Bleyer prefers Twinlab Pre-Natal Care capsules ($26, drugstore.com), which she took while pregnant and nursing. They're easy to swallow and never upset my stomach, she says. Hormonal fluctuations can account for many physical changes during pregnancy, but my hair never looked healthier or my skin clearer."

Get a Flu Shot
"I get a flu vaccine [above] every year and encourage my patients to do the same," she says. The vaccine is available from September to February and is effective for about a year. It's best to get a shot in October or November, as the flu usually strikes between December and March. The vaccine exposes you to three strains of influenza (the strains vary each year) so that your body can make protective antibodies to fight them. While the shot is no guarantee you won't catch the flu -- you could get it in the two weeks before the vaccine starts working or be exposed to a strain you haven't been inoculated against -- Bleyer still believes it's a worthy preventive measure.

Moisturize Your Skin
Strange but true: Hydrated skin actually helps block bugs. "When your skin is dry and cracked, it allows germs to enter," Bleyer says. Her hands get very dry, thanks to multiple washings with harsh medical antimicrobial soaps at work. So I have bottles of Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream [above] everywhere, she says. She also prefers Lubriderm Daily Moisture Lotion ($4, drugstores) for her body, and her favorite lip balm is L'Occitane Mini Pure Shea Butter ($8, loccitane.com).

Her Rx for Everything (Well, Almost Everything)
If you're coming down with something, don't try to be a hero by hauling yourself into the office. The sniffles are one thing (it could just be allergies), but if you have a high fever, killer sore throat, or the chills, you shouldn't inflict your germs on your coworkers. Below are Dr. Bleyer's treatments for the most common symptoms under the winter sun.

Sore Throat
As soon as you feel that funny tickle or the slightest itch, increase your fluid intake, Bleyer says. She suggests warm liquids, like tea or hot water with honey and lemon, because they're soothing. Or try drinks with body-replenishing electrolytes, such as Vitaminwater Power-C (above) or Gatorade, to stay hydrated. Gargling with salt water can also help. If your throat really hurts, she recommends crushing 200 mg of generic ibuprofen (above) in six to eight ounces of warm water, and gargling with it. It acts like a local anesthetic, alleviating the pain and inflammation, she says. Most scratchy throats will go away on their own in a few days, but if you have a fever above 101 degrees, notice white patches on your tonsils or redness in your throat, or if it's incredibly painful to swallow, see a doctor.

Cold
If you have a runny nose and feel tired and achy, you'll need to rest right away in order to recover fast. In the morning, Bleyer recommends one or two Advil Cold & Sinus Non-Drowsy formula caplets (above), which contain a pain reliever, fever reducer, and decongestant. At night, clean your sinuses with a neti pot (available at health-food stores), which resembles a Lilliputian watering can. It's a very old practice that involves pouring warm salt water into your nasal cavity and then blowing your nose, she explains. It's not exactly something you want to do in front of loved ones, but "it really improves sinus drainage. Bleyer also suggests sleeping with a humidifier on to keep nasal passages clear and moisturized. A cold can last five to 10 days, but if you're going deep into your second week, have a temperature above 101 degrees, or are experiencing symptoms like nausea, vomiting, or severe chills, it's time to head to the doctor. You may have the flu, pneumonia, or a sinus infection.

Cough
Got a runny nose and congestion, coupled with coughing? Take one or two Mucinex tablets (above) every 12 hours. Mucinex contains guaifenesin, an expectorant that helps you cough up more, uh, mucus. As much as you want to stop coughing, its best not to suppress it: Coughing really helps clear out your lungs. So the more productive your cough is, the better," Bleyer says. "I prefer this particular formula because it doesn't contain a suppressant." If you're wondering whether you should see a doctor, use the phlegm test (kind of gross, yes) as your indicator: If yours is greenish or brown, it may be a sign that you need an antibiotic.

Headache
For the occasional headache, take 400 mg of ibuprofen (above) or 220 mg of naproxen (found in Aleve), and follow up with the same dose as directed if the pain doesn't subside. Be sure to take ibuprofen with food, as it can irritate your stomach lining over time, Bleyer says. If you get chronic headaches, start keeping a journal to log patterns. Write down what you ate that day, if you have your period, and where your head aches specifically. Migraines tend to hurt on just one side of the head and may cause nausea or sensitivity to noise and light. Tension headaches feel like a tightening on both sides of the head. And sinus headaches have a similar pressure, but manifest under the eyes and around cheeks. If headaches cause you to reach inside the medicine cabinet two or three times a week, visit your doctor.

Upset Stomach
A stomach virus -- which may cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, aches, and a low-grade fever -- requires plenty of rest and lots of clear fluids to avoid dehydration, Bleyer explains. Stick to light-colored beverages and soups at first. Then slowly introduce soft foods such as toast, bananas, mashed potatoes, and applesauce. Food poisoning usually erupts two to 12 hours after eating, and once your system rids itself of the offending substance, you'll feel better. If it's simply heartburn or indigestion you're experiencing, take two Pepto-Bismol Chewable Tablets (above) every hour. If it happens to you frequently, consider this: New research shows that indigestion can be prevented by chewing sugarless gum after eating. The extra saliva your mouth produces helps neutralize stomach acid.

First Published: November/December 2007

direction...

whether it be the new year or the fact that I made it to church today for the first time in a month, but while I was sitting in a lonely pew I had some ideas of what I wanted to start doing with my blog. I am going to do my favorite things... great shopping finds, political insight, life lesson I've learned, and all sorts of fun "to-do" lists.