Monday's FAVORITE Website: MahJong Solitaire

I learned on a super-easy version in my daughter's computer. But easy is boring once you get the hang of it. A game takes about 5 minutes. It gets my mind off whatever I'm struggling with, but it’s not so engrossing that I lose an afternoon.

http://www.mahjonged.com/mahjong_solitaire.html

If you want to know what the tiles mean, go to
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahjong_tiles

How Restrained Was My FEASTING?

You see these articles all the time. “How to do” this or that, but do they REALLY live like that. Last week I wrote “15 Tips for Retrained Feasting. So I can talk the talk, but did I walk the walk? For the original article, go to: http://fatfamilyotherfwords.blogspot.com/2009/11/fifteen-tips-for-restrained-feasting.html  Here’s my tally:

1 - Don’t skip meals. No problem here.

2 – Indulge a little. The operative phrase is “a little.” I had one piece of pie on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Perhaps that has a little too much.

3 - Small plates. Been doing this for years. I don’t need a huge plate, so why use it?  It works year round.

4 - Pick protein. I like turkey, not a problem.

5 - Grab a garden. Good in theory, but fell apart in practice. Lisa invites me to her house when my kids are at their dad’s. She is a good midwestern cook, so there wasn’t a naked fruit or veggie to be found. Covered in marshmallows. Buried under cheese. It was delicious, but not no-cal.

My kids chose to have our dinner on Friday night. Since I worked Friday, Beth cooked. My rule for a 3 person Thanksgiving is one meat, one starch, one veggie and one dessert, but Beth wanted to make all her favorites. In addition to turkey, we had mashed potatoes from scratch, stuffing with apples and cranberries (m-m-m), baked sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, biscuits, gravy and apple pie. As a concession to me, Beth served marshmallows on the side for the sweet potatoes. I didn’t want to hurt her feeling, so yeah, I had a little of everything. She did a great job of cooking, but my diet was not in good shape.

Anyhow, I did NOT grab a garden, because no garden was available. Next year, I need to bring a dish that works with my diet. See point 10.\

6 - Less Booze. One glass of champagne at Lisa’s. One beer with my son. One glass large glass of eggnog. Not awful, but perhaps I should consider eggnog moderation.

7 – Don’t take a holiday from the gym. Again, it sounded good.  In practice, I missed the mark. Wednesday night, Beth and I went to the movie after work. Good News: No popcorn. Bad News: No Gym. Thursday, I got home from Lisa’s after dark. Friday, our dinner was right after work.  I tried to make up for it on the weekend by walking a total of 9 miles – 4 ½ each day. I’m not as fast as on the treadmill, but it must help.

8 - Sleep. Except for Black Friday, I want fine here.

9 - Relax. We-e-l-l-l. This is a stressful time of year in advertising.

10 – Bring what you need. Completely overlooked this one. I’ve always brought booze to Lisa’s. There’s no reason I can’t bring 2 things.

11 – Avoid temptation – literally. I didn’t go to buffets, but I do understand how tempting they are.

12 – Wait. Rather than loading up and going back for more, I gathered a moderately full small plate. Tried to eat slowly. (A problem for me.) And then waited a while before considering additional stuff. It did help. I tend to keep eating because others are. It’s not like I was hungry.

13 - Wear slightly tight pants. I’ve lost weight, so none of my pants are that tight. I did not wear elastic waists.

14 - Plan events that aren’t food focused. We did a movie. I wanted to do the early morning Black Friday thing, but neither child wanted to get up at dawn. Can’t say that I blame them.

15 – Avoid emotional eating. Not that emotional. I’ve been divorced a long time. A holiday without my kids is not a crisis. And really, it’s not WITHOUT, just relocated.

Summary: I totally missed what I should have done – bring something diet friendly. On the plus side, I tried to counteract it with exercise.

Quote for 11/30/09: Bill Geist on Pie

Do you toss and turn at night worrying about where your next pie is coming from?

 --  Bill Geist on CBS Sunday Morning 11/22/09

Quote for 11/29/09: John Fitzgerald Kennedy on Thanksgiving

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Quote for 11/28/09: Irving Berlin on Thanks

Got no checkbooks, got no banks. Still I'd like to express my thanks - I got the sun in the morning and the moon at night. ~Irving Berlin

Black FRIDAY

Dogs think you’re crazy, when you break your routine. When my alarm went off at 4:30 this morning, Toby thought I’d lost my mind.

I had a plan. Up at 4:30 and out of the house by 5. I’d hit Penny’s for the projection TV thing that Eric wants at 5:30 and Target for the compact DVD player Beth had on her list at 6. I wanted to leave my car at the mechanics by 6:30. (He’s looking at the brakes.) Beth was supposed to pick me up and drop me at Farm King for my 7 o’clock remote with Sam. In theory, it was good.

In practice, it just takes me longer than a half hour to get going. I stepped into the shower at 5, when I’d originally planned to hit the road. I arrived at Penny’s at 5:45. There were 3 projections things left. I was at a register within 5 minutes of walking in the store. This was great. I was catchin’ up. Then, she had to call my check in. I waited while she talked on the phone. She went back to the register, reentered up numbers, frowned and went back to the phone. I tried to stay calm. I balanced before I came. Had I made a mistake? Missed something with the debit card? Turns out, whoever entered me in their system, combined my checking number with my driver’s license. I didn’t get out till 6:15. The DVD player was at both Staples and Target, but Target was closer. (I lucked out here, because Staples only hade 3 people on registers and not much in stock.) Target was crazy when I went in and the DVD players were not in the electronics department. Why would you do that? After asking 3 different people, I found them with the baby clothes. 4 left. This time check out was easy.

I was a couple of minutes late for the remote, but I’m not the jock, so it’s no big deal. Sam and I spent 2 hours on a camouflage print sofa at Farm King, talking to customers and each other. Remotes give me a chance to pick the DJ’s brains and I enjoy Sam. She starts a new job in Colorado next week and will be missed.

FRIDAY FOTOS: FELINE FRIENDS

Jordan is my old man cat.  He's the black one.

Fiona is the calico.  She's full of energy ... most of the time. 

This is a peaceful moment.

Quote for 11/27/09: Thanksgiving Toast

Happy We-Stole-Your-Land-and-Killed-Your-People Day! ~Thanksgiving toast, from the movie Sweet November

FESTIVE and FUNNY: How To Cook A Turkey

Step 1: Go buy a turkey

Step 2: Take a drink of whiskey (scotch)

Step 3: Put turkey in the oven

Step 4: Take another 2 drinks of whiskey

Step 5: Set the degree at 375 ovens

Step 6: Take 3 more whiskeys of drink

Step 7: Turn oven the on

Step 8: Take 4 whisks of drinky

Step 9: Turk the bastey

Step 10: Whiskey another bottle of get

Step 11: Stick a turkey in the thermometer

Step 12: Glass yourself a pour of whiskey

Step 13: Bake the whiskey for 4 hours

Step 14: Take the oven out of the turkey

Step 15: Take the oven out of the turkey

Step 16: Floor the turkey up off of the pick

Step 17: Turk the carvey

Step 18: Get yourself another scottle of botch

Step 19: Tet the sable and pour yourself a glass of turkey

Step 20: Bless the saying, pass and eat out

Thursday's FEATURED Video

I have only recently learned that all computer screens on the inside are covered with bacteria, dust, germs, etc. that can be dangerous to your health. This can prove to be a health hazard for everyone useing the computer. Some at the CDC in Atlanta have recently said that this problem can be as dangerous as cigarette smoking because of the time that most of us are now spending on computers for work and personal reasons.

As a special Thanksgiving present to my followers, I am providing you with the link below.  It will show you a brief video on how to respond to this health threat.  This is special program is FREE to you for a limited time only.  Http://www.raincitystory.com/flash/screenclean.swf

Twilight FRENZY

Beth and I saw New Moon, the second Twilight movie. The first left out a lot of the book. It was disappointing. New Moon was better, but not great. Kristen Stewart is not particularly good, but then the role requires a quantity of moping - not all that simulating. The guys spend a lot of time shirtless – which is oh so very fine. The teenage girls in front of me sighed loudly every time Jacob took his off. It was funny.

The plot is from the book and being in a movie did not improve it. Edward is too good – a soap opera guy who says things women think they want to hear. Bella as I mentioned before is mopey and obsessive. Jacob is the only interesting one – in this book. He gets obsessive later. I do think Alice was well cast. She looks exactly as I pictured her.

It was fun, but it's not a movie I want to own.

Quote for 11/26/09: Edward Sandford Martin on Gratitude

Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; but to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow. ~Edward Sandford Martin

FEASTIVE and FUNNY: Signs You Overdid Thanksgiving

Paramedics bring in the Jaws of Life to pry you out of the EZ-Boy!

The "Gravy Boat" your wife set out was a real 12' boat!

You receive a Sumo Wrestler application in your e-mail

Friday you set off 3 earthquake seismographs on your morning jog.

Pricking your finger for cholesterol screening only yielded mashed potatoes

That rash on your stomach turns out to be steering wheel burn.

Representatives from the Butterball Hall of Fame called twice.

Doctor tells you your weight would be perfect for a man 17 feet tall.

You are responsible for a slight but measurable shift in the earth's axis.

You decide to take a little nap and wake up in mid-July.

World's fattest man sends you a telegram, warning you to "back off!"

The “Biggest Loser” calls you.

Getting off your couch requires help from the fire department.

Every escalator you step on immediately grinds to a halt.

You're sweatin' gravy.

You consider gluttony your patriotic duty

Wednesday Morning Weight-In

Werll, I'm back to 192. Looking at the holiday, I just hope to maintain that through next week.

FIFTEEN Tips For Restrained FEASTING

A new study shows that Americans gain only about one pound over the holidays. Fewer than 10% gain 5 pounds or more.  Here are 15 ways to be thankful ... after Thanksgiving.
1 - Don’t skip meals. You’d think skipping breakfast would balance a big dinner, but it doesn’t work that way. Starving yourself before a party only ensures that you’ll go overboard later.

2 – Indulge a little. Once the holidays are over, the goodies are gone. Instead of depriving yourself of everything, pick out a few foods you truly want. Do it ahead of time, when temptation isn’t under your nose. In other words, I’ll have the stuffing, but skip the potatoes. Try going for halves. Instead of taking as much as you normally would, take ½ as much. You’ll still get some, but you do less diet damage.

3 - Small plates. A big plate looks empty with a small serving on it – to both you and your hostess “Are you sure you don’t want more?” Grab a small plate and stop when it’s full. This works year round.

4 - Pick protein. Select lean protein and cut down on starches and sweets.

5 - Grab a garden. Fill up on fresh, fiber-rich fruits and vegetables, but skip the high-fat dips.

6 - Less Booze. Alcohol contains hundreds of empty calories. If you’re tipsy, you may indulge in the things you would have avoided sober. Choose lo-cal options (wine and light beer) and have fewer.

7 – Don’t take a holiday from the gym. Continue to be active. More food and less exercise is not a good combination. Better yet, increase your routine. Add an extra day or stay longer. Weight = calories taken in plus or minus calories burned up. If that doesn’t work, park on the far side of the parking lot and walk to the stores on Black Friday. That’s the only place you’ll be able to find a spot anyway.

8 - Sleep. When you’re tired, you’re tempted to eat more to recharge … and it tends to be junk food.

9 - Relax. Stress is a trigger to eat more. You don’t have to do everything. It’s not a competition.

10 – Bring what you need. Bring a veggie plate to parties. Fill it with your favorites. This way you something that’s on your diet.

11 – Avoid temptation – literally. Stand as far away from the buffet table as you can get. Why make things harder on yourself? Out of sight. Out of mind.

12 – Wait. If you want more, wait a half hour at least. It takes that long for the food to reach the point in your digestive track where you feel full. Time is on your side. The longer you put of additional nibbling, the less you’ll do.

13 - Wear slightly tight pants. Pick something you look great in. Remember that whenever you’re tempted.

14 - Plan events that aren’t food focused. Have you noticed that so many holiday traditions center on eating? Go somewhere. Play games. Do something that’s fun, but not fattening.

15 – Avoid emotional eating. Happy. Sad. Lonely. These can all be reasons to eat. Beware of why you’re reaching for junk you don’t need. Food will not solve any problem but hunger.

Quote for 11/25/09: Irv Kupcinet on Holiday Eating

An optimist is a person who starts a new diet on Thanksgiving Day. - Irv Kupcinet

A FEAST of Lettuce?

Lettuce is not a celebration. A celebration involves dessert.

My kids are going to their Dad’s for Thanksgiving. I have no local family but them, so it doesn’t matter to me when we celebrate … just as long as we do it sometime. Lisa took pity on me and invited me over. In turn, I bring booze. I’ll try to show restraint – minimal hors d'oeuvres (mostly carrots), turkey and stuffing, a dab of cranberry sauce, veggies and desert. I can live without potatoes. It’ll still be too much, but it’s only once per year. That’s the problem. For the next month, we’ll be saying “it’s only once per year” a lot.

On Friday, Beth and I will hit the Black Friday sales. Then at 6:30, I’ll leave my car at the mechanic’s and she’ll drop me off at Farm King before 7 a.m. for their annual live broadcast. (You know you live in a rural area, when there is a chain of department stores called Farm King.) Sam will give me a ride back to the stations. I’ll work till 5 (lucky me), even though the only business people open will be too busy to look at an advertising person. Beth (my domestic goddess) is cooking our Thanksgiving dinner. This was her choice. (I can do it on Saturday, but she asked to take over last year and did great.) She’s even baking pie from scratch. I can’t tell the difference between pre-made crusts and scratch, so it never seemed worth the hassle. I’ll make over her for a lot though, because she’s gone to a lot of effort.

I wish I liked holidays better. When I was married, holidays were such a battleground. Dennis and his family pouted if they didn’t get them all. My mom got pissed, if she was bumped to the following weekend too many times. Divorce did not make it easier. When you work full time, it’s hard to be the perfect event planner … particularly when you quit enjoying them. I’m happy to let other’s have the hostess spotlight.

Since I won’t be cooking, not going food-crazy should be easier. That’s the theory, anyway.

FUNNY Tuesday: The Hair Cut

A CO-WORKER whose on-and-off diet of the last five years has yielded no visible results, responded to a compliment on her new haircut with: "It's a desperate attempt to lose weight!"

FESTIVE and FUNNY: Thanksgiving FORECAST

Turkeys will thaw in the morning, then warm in the oven to an afternoon. High near 190F. The kitchen will turn hot and humid, and if you bother the cook, be ready for a severe squall or cold shoulder. During the late afternoon and evening, the cold front of a knife will slice through the turkey, causing an accumulation of one to two inches on plates. Mashed potatoes will drift across one side while cranberry sauce creates slippery spots on the other. Please pass the gravy.A weight watch and indigestion warning have been issued for the entire area, with increased stuffiness around the beltway. During the evening, the turkey will diminish and taper off to leftovers, dropping to a low of 34F in the refrigerator.Looking ahead to Friday and Saturday, high pressure to eat sandwiches will be established. Flurries of leftovers can be expected both days with a 50 percent chance of scattered soup late in the day. We expect a warming trend where soup develops. By early next week, eating pressure will be low as the only wish left will be the bone

To FIND a Mate

Even when I weighed 270, this happened … sometimes. Now that I’m merely chubby and not gross, it’s occurring more often. A client said, “Since you’ve lost all that weight, maybe you’ll meet a man.” I’m the same person today that I was 75 to 80 pounds ago, but apparently packaging is everything.

She didn’t intend anything negative. I, in turn, don’t wish to be rude to a gal doesn’t deserve it and is the source of my income. Generally, the women (and it’s almost always women) who say this have a happy marriage. For them, a spouse equals happiness. That’s not my experience.

I used to say something about women needing a man like a fish needs a bicycle. (I wish I could remember who originally said that.) While I love the line, it just fuels the if-you-don’t-want-a-man-you-must-be-gay philosophy. A good friend of mine from college is a lesbian. I work with another. They are good gals and who they sleep with is not my business. I would prefer not to have misinformation thrown about. So I have found another way.

“Well,” I said. “It’s not that I don’t like to look, because I do. I like to window shop a lot. But the thing is, I like to look at elephants, too. But I don’t want to bring one home, feed it, clean up after it and listen to it whine.”

She laughed. Problem solved.

Quote for 11/24/09: Kevin James on Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving, man. Not a good day to be my pants. ~Kevin James

FESTIVE and FUNNY: Thanksgiving News Story

Chicago, IL (DPI) - In what is becoming more and more common on holidays here in America, an entire family exploded shortly after finishing their Thanksgiving dinner. Investigators from the Cook County Sheriff Department said that, while the sheer size of the meal certainly played a part in the Turkey Day Massacre, the straw that broke the gobbler's back was in fact the whipped cream on the top of the pumpkin pie. Sheriff Bill Gutt commented, "Yep, it was the Cool-Whip what done it. People just ain't got no common sense."

Monday's Web FIXATION: Black FRIDAY

I used to find Black Friday sales a waste. I work and don’t have a lot of time to run a round. You have to offer me a lot to get me out of bed at 4 a.m. But recently, the retailers have made it worth my time. Both Wal-Mart and J.C. Penny already have their ads on line.

• Wal-Mart - http://www.walmart.com/?adid=1500000000000006955330
• J C Penny - http://jcpenney.shoplocal.com/jcpenney/default.aspx?action=entryflash&cm_mmc=Google-_-G_Black_Friday-_-G_Black%20Friday-_-black%20friday  

Quote for 11/23/09: Erma Bombeck on Thanksgiving

What we're really talking about is a wonderful day set aside on the fourth Thursday of November when no one diets. I mean, why else would they call it Thanksgiving?  -- Erma Bombeck in No One Diets on Thanksgiving

FUNNY: Late Night Beats Up on Sarah Palin

"Liz Cheney said on Fox News that her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, should run for president in 2012. In fact, that's apparently in the Mayan calendar too, you know. Cheney becomes president, and then the whole world ends. That's exactly what happens." -Jay Leno

"Sarah Palin's book is number one on Amazon.com right now. Stephen King actually has the number two book. Very scary new book called 'Sarah Palin Becomes President.'" -Jimmy Kimmel

"Sarah Palin goes after vegetarians, too. She asks, 'If God had not intended for us to eat animals, how come he made them out of meat?' It's a really good question. Hey, wait a second. People are made out of meat, too! And so are cocker spaniels. I think the lesson is, don't go to Sarah Palin's house for Thanksgiving dinner." -Jimmy Kimmel

"The White House has announced that they no longer recognize Fox as a news organization, which puts them about eight years behind the rest of us." -David Letterman

"Sarah Palin's got that book out, that 'Going Rogue.' And she says that she was upset with John McCain because at the end of the election night, the McCain people would not let her deliver a concession speech. And I thought, don't worry, Sarah, I'm sure you'll get another opportunity." -David Letterman

"You guys hear this? 'The Oxford Dictionary' declared that the 2009 word of the year is 'unfriend.' To unfriend means to completely delete somebody you don't like from your life, or as CNN calls it, 'Lou Dobbs them.'" -Jimmy Fallon

"In a new interview, President Obama said that the people could lose confidence in the U.S. economy if our debt continues to grow. And Americans were like, 'Uh, way ahead of you, dude.'" -Jimmy Fallon


"I was watching 'Oprah' on the TV. She had Sarah Palin on the show. Sarah was promoting her book, where she talks about her plans for the future. I think she wants to be the next leader of the free world, which is ridiculous, because no one can replace Oprah." -Craig Ferguson

Saturday's FOOD FINDS: Full Plate Diet

The Full Plate Diet is a book that will come out after Christmas. You can get a free copy of the first few chapters on line at http://www.fullplatediet.org/  It's based on the premise that feeling full will keep you on your diet. I think a lot of the reason people overeat has nothing to do with hunger. Boredom and emotions play a big part. However, there will be some hunger. More fiber in the diet is not a bad thing. Look into it.

The web site offers a number of recipes. Several would be great for Thanksgiving. http://www.fullplatediet.org/recipes  Specifically look at:

• Succulent Sweet Potatoes - http://www.fullplatediet.org/succulent-sweet-potatoes
• Parisian Green Beans - http://www.fullplatediet.org/parisian-green-beans
• Uptown Sweet Potatoes - http://www.fullplatediet.org/uptown-sweet-potatoes
• Festive Holiday Dressing/Stuffing - http://www.fullplatediet.org/festive-holiday-dressing-stuffing

Quote for 11/22/09: Clark Wolf on Mac and Cheese

We have reentered the macaroni and cheese economy.

 -- Clark Wolf on CBS Sunday Morning 11/22/09

Quote for 11/21/09: Ted Allen on Thanksgiving

The funny thing about Thanksgiving, or any huge meal, is that you spend 12 hours shopping for it and then chopping and cooking and braising and blanching. Then it takes 20 minutes to eat it and everybody sort of sits around in a food coma, and then it takes four hours to clean it up. ~Ted Allen

FUTURE: Knowing When It's Time to Leave.

I always stay too long. My marriage. Jobs. I keep hoping things will get better, If I work harder … if I'm more patient … if I just settle for less … that doesn't work. I end up overworked with less patience.
Switching jobs would mean moving. My house won't sell well. I'd loose vacation time that I already have plans for. There's an opportunity, but the timing is awful. So maybe there'll be a opportunity again in a few years.

But I'm reaching the age when people will think I'm washed up. How do I know when it's time to go?

FRIDAY FOTOS: Milkweed

I know.  It's an odd thing to take pictures of ... but I like the curved and twisted shapes.  The textures are good, too .. rough and brittle against soft and feathery.

Quote for 11/20/09: Dan Brown on Tattooing

The act of tattooing one's skin was a transformative declaration of power, an announcement to the world: I am in control of my own flesh. – Dan Brown in the Lost Symbol, Chapter 2, page 11

The Color of Your FACE: Sammy Sosa

It’s all over the news. Sammy Sosa is apparently bleaching his skin. Michael Jackson did too. Since I’m white, I don’t understand what the fuss is about. Maybe the black community sees it as a betrayal. I’m not sure.

I’m not just Caucasian. I’m really pale … as in ghosts have more color. I use a moisturizer with tanner in it. (I don’t tan, because my aunt died of skin cancer.) However, the average tanning salon grosses about $21,000 per month in the busy season and $14,000 per month the rest of the time. My point is everybody wants to be something else. Apparently some blacks want to be lighter and a lot of whites are paying to be darker. Who knows? Maybe we'll meet in the middle.

In The Lost Symbol, Dan Brown talks about tattooing as being in control of your appearance. I think this falls into the same category. As does cosmetic surgery, hairstyles and dieting. We want to control of our lives and appearance is part of it.

But I think Sammy looked better before.

Thursday Double FEATURE Videos: New Moon and Turkey

New Moon Auditions: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-z27FKwupds  

Turkey Comedy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwS6y7UC88g

Quote for 11/19/09-: The Good Wife on Love

That's the problem with love. You can't make it do what you want.
 -- From the Good Wife, Unorthodox, 11/1/0/09

FACING FACTS: Hunger

TV. The Internet. Even the radio stations I work for. They are all full of ads promising weight loss without hunger and THAT”S CRAP!

Now I am not advocating slashing calories below 1000 or anything drastic. But you have to look at what hunger is. Our bodies are set up with warning signs. If you’re sick, you feel bad. That lets you know things are out of balance. If you’re not taking in enough calories to maintain your weight, your body lets you know. You feel hungry. This is not bad … a little uncomfortable, but not a big deal. You can not lose weight without taking in fewer calories than you burn up, so occasionally feeling hungry is just part of it. Man up and move on.

This is the lecture I’m giving myself. I was extremely overweight in the beginning – 270 pounds. I’ve gradually cut back and gradually lost. I haven’t been really hungry very often … until recently. Now I’m closer to a healthy weight, so I’m feeling hunger more.

Wednesday Morning Weight

193.  I feel like I'm apologizing all the time.  I've lost 77 pounds.  It's not like I'm a failure.  Not I went backward.  This sucks.

Quote for 11/18/09: What Makes a Mom

A lot of people we call mothers are simply people who had babies.
-- Reporter on The Today Show (11/18/09) in a news story about Antoinette Nicole Davis who is accused of selling her 5 year old daughter, Shaniya.

FOOD: Acai Berries

I’ve been looking into Acai berries. I can use all the help I can get losing this weight, but I really don’t want to waste my time on scams. One site pretended to be a news story. -- http://www.theacaiberryexpert.com/  I really hate it when idiots try to scam me.

This site ( http://www.aprovenacaiberry.com/acaiberryland.php?t=487940878 ) said things about scams that made sense, but that doesn’t mean they’re trust worthy. And I still don’t know if the berries themselves are a good idea.

Then I ended up on Oprah’s site. She’d never knowingly pass on inaccurate information, so this is what I was looking for. A source I can trust. 40 different Acai concoctions say she’s endorsed their products … without her permission. ( http://www.oprah.com/article/health/nutrition/20090105_orig_acai ) This tells me there’s a lot of crap floating around the net. (Surprise. Surprise.) But before the scammers got involved, was Acai a good idea?

Then I found Dr Perricone’s List of 10 Super Foods. - http://www.oprah.com/article/health/nutrition/20090105_orig_acai  He spotlighted 10 foods that were “rich in either the essential fatty acids (EFAs), antioxidants or fiber, and as in the case of açaí—all three!” Every year it’s something. Red wine is suppose to good for you (Whoopee!). Tomatoes, blue berries, green tea … they’ve all had their15-minutes of fame. I have nothing against Acai, but I’d like to know more.

Then I went to the Personal Blog part of Oprah’s web site. Ok, I thought it would be Oprah, herself, on Acai berry. ( http://www.oprah.com/community/blogs/acai1berry ) I was wrong. “The Real Acai Berry Truth” is written by “acai1berry.” Apparently her name is “Janette J. Agustin.” She writes, “If you really want to Lose Weight the healthy way, then you must try this Acai Berry Diet Free Trial.” This is a sales pitch. I might buy the product, but first I need to be convinced it’s worthwhile. Inform and convince first. Then sell.
Finally, I found a video of Dr. Oz this time, talking about Acai berries. I’m starting to believe they have health benefits. However, after an hour of prowling around the web, I have found nothing credible linking Acai berries and weight loss.

FUNNY Tuesday: Celery

AFTER my husband asked me to help him shed some unwanted pounds, I stopped serving fattening TV snacks and substituted crisp celery. While he was unenthusiastically munching on a stalk one night, a commercial caught his attention. As he watched longingly, a woman spread gooey chocolate frosting over a freshly baked cake. When it was over, my husband turned to me. "Did you ever notice," he asked, "that they never advertise celery on TV?"

Quote for 11/17/09: Sex in the City on Recovery

When you think about it, we are all recovering from something? Sex in the City

FAMILY: Our Daughters Are NOT Ourselves.

My mother was always disappointed in me. I am not as much like her as she thinks I ought to be. This is not my perception, but something she actually said. (Although if brought up in a situation where it might be unflattering, she would deny it.)

Mom is a good girl. She follows rules, respects authority and never does things people might talk about. As for me, not so much. A rule that complicates without improving, should be ignored whenever possible. Many (not all) authority figures are more about their egos than doing a good job … particularly those who got promoted by flattery. They had to do it and now they expect to be on the receiving end. I’m too loud, too opinionated and too independent. I keep trying to remember to talk softer, because it might be annoying for others. (Just because I think what I have to say is fascinating, doesn’t mean total strangers will.) The other 2 issues really don’t bother me. It’s a free country. People are welcome to disagree with me. It doesn’t make them bad … just un-enlightened.

These are old observations. What I noticed over the weekend is how different my daughter is from me. Oh sure, her personality is different. But I’m not my mom. I expected that. It’s even good. Who wants a clone of themselves?

What I noticed is how physically different she is. We look good in many of the same colors, but she can wear darker shades without looking washed out. While we both have curly hair, I like the way hers curls better. Those are things I knew, but she’s just built differently.

I recommended some styles that look good on me. When she tried them, it wasn’t that flattering. She needs a skirt to be 4 inches shorter than mine to hit the same place on her legs. She has short thighs. 

One of the few things I’ve always had going for me is long legs. Even when they were chubby, they were still long. I wish she’d gotten that. On the other hand, she has a better rear end than I do. Big gut. Flat Butt. That’s me. She has a nice round little tush. You have to work with what you’ve got.

Monday's FAVORITE Website: American Film Institute

Looking for a good movie? Check out the lists from the American Film Institute.

http://connect.afi.com/site/PageServer?pagename=100YearsLis

Quote for 11/16/09: Maya Angelou on Being Inspiring

The Today Show's Matt Lauer asked Maya Angelou, “You inspire other people, but what inspires you?”


She replied, “Every human being has the possibility and the privilege really of inspiring someone else. Everybody. So whether you know it or not … you're a teacher. There are people watching you … I listen to everybody. I think of my whole body is an ear and I listen carefully and with respect.

Today Show 11/9/09