Wait...WHAT?

Look at what I got at the mall today FOR FREE!

Yes!  I said FREE!  I've mentioned before on the blog that is is very profitable to get on the mailing lists of your favorite stores, as well as signing up for Birthday Clubs at stores and restaurants.  Now I am SHOWING you how profitable it is.  This is approx. $50 worth of items shown.  I also got $5 off another item not shown, a free Starbucks Frappucino and Moe's Burrito.  There were other offers that I received but didn't use, mainly because they were free items IF I purchased something else.  I didn't really want to spend money, so I chose not to use them.  

NOW do you think you'll listen to me????

Weigh Cool!

WALK ON!

We all know that walking is the easiest, most inexpensive form of exercise on the planet.  Most of us are blessed enough to be able to put one foot in front of the other and move to where ever we want to go.  And it IS a blessing...just ask someone who's in a wheelchair.  But most of us (pick me, pick me!) don't appreciate it enough to take advantage of this blessing.

It's so easy to do too.  You don't have to walk on a track or walk on a treadmill.  You don't have to put on fancy workout clothes or buy weights or gym memberships.  All you need is the ability to walk - and the desire to do something besides sit.  You can stand in front of your TV and walk in place.  You can walk around the interior or exterior of your home.  You can walk to your mailbox - walk to the store - walk around in circles!  

One thing I learned to do when my kids started doing activities that didn't require my immediate supervision was  to take advantage of that time by walking.  When they were cheerleaders I would stay at the park during practices, but I would walk around the parking lot instead of sitting there in my lawn chair watching.  Considering they practiced three/four times a week I got in a lot of exercise time!  Once they were old enough to hang out at the mall with friends-but too young to be left alone at the mall, I started mall-walking.  I would pack a snack (food courts are way to tempting) and walk the floors of the mall, in one store and out another, to get my exercise.  If I didn't carry money with me I didn't have to worry about impulse spending either!

Why not try to find some missed opportunities in your daily routine to throw in a little walk time? Every step you take puts you one step closer to a healthier lifestyle.

Whit's Wit

FAMILY FRIDAY!!!

My Daddy was born in 1936 on a farm in Alabama.  Now, I don't know if playpens weren't around back then, or if his family was just too poor to own one. Either way, since my Dad absolutely hated the feel of fresh cotton (and still does) my Grandmother would put him on a quilt in the middle of the floor and put several tufts of cotton around the perimeter of the quilt to keep him from crawling off!!! She said it worked like a charm!! 

Then there's the time he got beat up by a peach tree....but we'll save that story for another day!

Whit's Wisdom

Ship it here, ship it there, ship it, ship it EVERYWHERE!

I hadn't traveled by plane in years until this past February.  I went to San Francisco with my Husband on a business trip, so his company paid for one checked bag.  Well, we crammed in two tons of clothes and jackets and shoes and somehow managed to make the weight requirement on our departure flight.  However, on the way home we somehow packed differently I guess and when they weighed the bag it was too heavy and they were going to charge us an EXTRA $80 to check it!  We did some incredibly fast shifting of heavy items to our carry on luggage and avoided the fee, but had we actually purchased souvenirs in SF we would have really been up a creek!

We are now thinking about traveling to New York on yet another business trip with our daughters this time.  Remember that one checked bag.....3 females and a Husband who has to take suits AND casual clothes?  Yeah, it'll never happen.  So my plan is to still pack as light as possible, but to SHIP (Fedex, UPS, USPS) some of our items directly to the hotel a few days before we leave. If the hotel will not hold the items for us, then I will ship it to my Husband's NY office instead.   It will be much cheaper than checking in bags at $50 each - and we can send items like full size shampoo and contact solution - items that the airlines won't allow but small containers in your carry-on.  If we purchase any souvenirs then we can simply have them shipped back home.

Keep in mind that you can track your shipped packages, but once you turn that bag over to the airline you are at their mercy!

Who Knew?

Banging your head against a wall uses 150 calories an hour.  

I should be so skinny.

Wait...WHAT?

Storm Throws 13-Year-Old Still In Bed From Home

Posted: 10:33 am EDT April 28, 2011Updated: 10:53 am EDT April 28, 2011

SPALDING COUNTY, Ga. -- A 13-year-old was thrown from her Spalding County home after a deadly storm system hit north Georgia Wednesday night, her parents said.Spalding is among 16 counties under a state of emergency in the wake of a storm system that spawned tornadoes and powerful winds that tore apart homes and buildings across the southeast. .Joe and Stacey Peavy said they were asleep at their home on Sidney Drive when a tornado hit around 1 a.m. Peavy said she went outside and found their 13-year-old daughter, Kiley, on the lawn, still on her bed.Hours later, Channel 2’s Jeff Dore went to the home and most of it was reduced to rubble. Kiley’s bedroom and the garage were blown to pieces. The family’s mangled minivan, which was originally parked in the garage, was lodged in the side of the home.The Peavys were released from an area hospital after being treated for minor injuries.

 Ok, first things first - there is absolutely NOTHING funny about the horrible tornadoes and storms we had in the South last night.  There is massive death and destruction left in the wake of a record 160+ tornadoes that ravaged our country.

However, you have to see the irony in this story - only a TEENAGER could be tossed outside by a tornado and STILL BE IN BED! 

Weigh Cool!

Ever considered the Hula?

HOOP that is!  I read a few days ago that hula hooping is fantastic for your spare-tire area and is a good cardio workout as well.  In my world it is also a great way to make yourself do toe touches, because my hoop falls more than it spins.  Either way, it's a great way to have some fun and trick yourself into exercising.  Get outside (or even inside if you have a room big enough!) and see how well you can do!  I bet by the end of the week you'll be ready for some belly dancing lessons too!!

Since I'm Frugal Frieda, I'm just going to search my junk store or Wal-mart for a cheapy hula hoop - but I ran across this website and they sell a collapsible hoop!  You can even customize it!  Here's their link:  http://www.troohoops.com/products/decorator.php

Also, if you want to calculate how many calories you burned while getting your hoop on, here's the math:  http://www.livestrong.com/article/89945-calculate-calories-burned-hula-hoop/

Whit's Wisdom

It's OK to Start Over!

Do you ever get so overwhelmed with your house - your papers, your closets, your refrigerator, your computer files - all the things in your home that clutter up your life?  Then DUMP IT!  I haven't lost my mind - I'm serious....GET RID OF IT!

I despise wasting anything.  I will keep a frozen dinner in my freezer for two years, that no one is ever going to eat, because it is so wasteful to throw it out.  I do surveys online and have over 150 emails in my in-box that need to be dealt with.  I have totes in my basement that I really don't know what is in them, but if I were to guess, they are probably loaded with toys and stuffed animals that my girls have not seen in 13 years.  I have simply got to get a handle on my clutter because I honestly think if you de-clutter your 'stuff' you de-clutter your life, your mind, your spirit.

 

Game plan you ask?  DUMP IT. 

I said yesterday that I preach better than I practice, but I am trying to do this .... but by baby-stepping it. First, I'm throwing away that frozen dinner!  And then I'm throwing out all of the condiments in the refrigerator that are never, ever going to be used.  And it is wasteful....but I can't give that stuff away.  And I'm going to DELETE my unread email.  YES, I said DELETE and then empty that trash can too!

Once I get into the groove of it, I plan on tackling the items that are usable and need to be given away.  Not sold in that Garage Sale I'm going to have SOMEDAY....given away.  I'm starting over.  Just like those poor people who lost their houses due to tornadoes and floods....they weren't given a chance to give things away, but I am going to take my opportunity to do some good with all my junk.

You can do this too!!  Start with something small.  See if throwing out that bottle of Marsala Wine that you used to cook one meal with, back in 2009, will really be missed.  If you don't break out in hives, then try something else.  I have a feeling this might be the start of something GREAT!

Whit's Wit

I think Teachers have built in 'Sucker' radars.  I could walk in with 10 other field trip Chaperones and I would end up with the kid who climbed the tree at the apple orchard, the 6 year old who still wasn't quite potty trained, the boy who knew ALL of the colorful words his Daddy used when mad, and the little girl who was my child's worst enemy.  All the other parents would have their little ducklings lined up in a nice quiet row while mine looked like a training video for a prison-break!

Aaaah....I miss those days.

Weigh Cool!

 I haven't featured any recipes in a while, and this is one of my absolute favorites!  As always, this is from one of the Hungry Girl Cookbooks - and it's easy, low calorie, and I honestly think they taste like corndogs.  I will point out that they stick to the baking cups, so I would try spraying the pan with a non-stick cooking spray and leaving out the cups.  The next time I make them I'm going to try them in those oblong pans you make corn sticks in....I'll let you know how they turn out.

Enjoy!!

Corndog Millionaire Muffins

PER SERVING (1 muffin): 160 calories, 2g fat, 636mg sodium, 27g carbs, 1g fiber, 6.5g sugars, 9g protein -- PointsPlus® value 4*
We're well aware of how unconventional corn muffins stuffed with hot dogs are. Don't knock 'em 'til you chew 'em...


Ingredients:
7 Hebrew National 97% Fat Free Beef Franks (or another brand of nearly fat-free hot dogs with 40 - 45 calories each)
1 cup canned cream-style corn
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original)
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
2 1/2 tbsp. Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated)
2 1/2 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine flour, cornmeal, Splenda, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Mix well and set aside. In a separate small bowl, mix together corn, egg substitute, and sour cream. Stir thoroughly. Add contents of the small bowl to the large one, and stir until completely mixed.
Cut 2 hot dogs in half, leaving you with 4 cocktail-sized franks. Cut each of the halves into 6 pieces, leaving you with 24 "coins." Set aside. (You'll use these to top the muffins.)
Chop the remaining hot dogs into very small pieces. Add those to the large bowl, and stir until they are integrated into the batter.
Line 8 cups of a 12-cup muffin pan with baking cups and/or spray with nonstick spray. Evenly distribute batter among the 8 cups. Top each muffin with 3 of the hot dog "coins."
Bake in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Allow to cool and then enjoy!
MAKES 8 SERVINGS

Whit's Wisdom

Be careful who you tell.....

That statement could apply to just about anything, but today it's just a bit of friendly advice.  Be careful who you tell that you COLLECT something.  It seems we all have a small passion for something.  Whether it be frogs or Hummels or Depression Glass.  A lot of us start what we consider to be a nice little collection of items that we enjoy looking at.  And then we tell a friend, or better yet, a family member, and then our nice little collection turns into renting a POD to store our collection in!

I like Giraffes and Teapots.  My teapots live on my kitchen shelves and have a very limited space, so I have tried to limit them to a certain type of teapot - a vegetable type.  It's not so easy to find a vegetable teapot, so it's a nice little challenge.  But when I first started collecting my friends would point out EACH AND EVERY teapot that they saw and ask if I wanted it.  You don't want to hurt anyone's feelings so sometimes you had to cave.  Or much worse than that, word gets around your family that you collect something and that is ALL you get for every Birthday, Christmas, Valentine's Day, Halloween, etc., etc., etc.  And it's given with love - they LOVE that they know what to get you!

I don't know if this is a story that was told to me or an Urban Legend, but it goes like this:  A woman bought her Daughter a cute little polar bear figurine, and the daughter smiled and made over it and said thank you.  For the next five years, the Mother bought some sort of polar bear related item for every single holiday.  The Daughter finally had enough and said "Mother - I don't collect polar bears!"  Mother's reply?  "YOU DO NOW!"

I repeat, just be careful who you tell.....and NOBODY better buy me a polar bear teapot...well....I DO like polar bears....

Wait...WHAT?

I'll show you, Mom and Dad!  Meh!

A 25 year old Spanish man took his parents to court because they stopped his allowance.  Yes, you read that correctly - 25, living with his parents, suing them because they had to audacity to cut off his allowance....this after the parents claimed their son was physically and verbally abusing them.

The judge, in turn, ordered the 25 year old to GET A JOB AND MOVE OUT.  The court gave him one month to vacate the premises, but actually ordered the parents to pay $292 a month for his food for the next 2 years.  They are also continuing to pay for his vehicle, although it is not mentioned if this is court ordered or just out of kindness.

Children living with their parents well into their adult lives is very common in Spain, "a trend strengthened by a tough labor market where the youth unemployment rate is 40.5%, the highest in the European Union." There are 4.6 million Spaniards unemployed, and 1.3 million Spanish homes with no one in work, according to government figures for the fourth quarter of 2010.

I wonder if Spanish young adults thinks working at McDonald's is just degrading as our American youngsters?    To quote the masses - shake my head....

Whit's Wit

My daughter, Stephanie, was volunteering one week at a food bank.  On her second day she saw a man she had met the day before.  As she approached him in the hallway, she smiled at him and gave a little head nod to say hello.  He completely ignored her.  Feeling dismayed at the cold-shoulder, she stopped and said "Don't you recognize me?  I worked here yesterday".

His reply:  "No.  I don't.  I'm blind."  

Who Knew?

Today is Carol Burnett's Birthday!!  She is 78.  If you grew up in the 70's I can guarantee that you spent one night a week gathered around the television with your family laughing and enjoying the "Carol Burnett Show".  Some of the most hysterical and talented people would make you laugh, sing to you, dance for you, and simply entertain you for an hour each week.  In my opinion there has never been another television show that has even come close to being as entertaining and reaching all ages groups. 

I wanted to pull up some interesting facts about Carol, but honestly there was so much that I'm just going to link you to Wikipedia so you can enjoy the entire piece:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carol_Burnett

I will share two of my favorite things about Mrs. Burnett though.  One is a passage I just read on Wiki:

When Burnett was in the fourth grade, she briefly invented an imaginary twin sister named Karen, with Shirley Temple-like dimples. Motivated to further the pretense, Burnett recalled fondly that she "fooled the other boarders in the rooming house where we lived by frantically switching clothes and dashing in and out of the house by the fire escape and the front door. Then I became exhausted and Karen mysteriously vanished."^[4]

This is a little girl I would have LOVED to be friends with!!

The second is a youtube clip created in 2008 of some of her funniest skits (part 1 and 2).   ENJOY!!

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAROL!!

Whit's Wisdom

It's Recycle/Reuse/Repurpose Day!!

My friend mentioned on Facebook one day that she had tons and tons of beautiful brooches that she had inherited from her Grandmother, and didn't know what to do with them.  She just loved looking at them and wanted to display them somehow.  As luck would have it, some creative friend posted this idea and I was around to read it and steal it for my own!  

 

Here is MY new brooch display board: 

 Isn't this a clever idea?  This is just one of the pretty ribbon bulletin boards you can get at Wal-Mart or Target.  (Although I picked mine up at a Thrift store for $2.02!!)  I just used the brooch pins to hook them on the board.  

I just propped my board up on top of a bookshelf so I could see them and enjoy them as "art", but also left it easy to pull down in case I want to wear one. 

I hope this inspires you to display some of your pins or award ribbons and such!

Weigh Cool!

Keep your friends close  - and your Low Calorie snacks CLOSER!

I'm having an emotional day.  I mean a slap-dab-cry-my-eyes-out kind of day.  To completely spell it out - I'm having an I WANT COMFORT FOOD NOW kind of day.  Get the picture?

If I had cake and chips and ice cream in my house it would all be gone by now.  I simply can't keep the bad stuff around because of days like today.  I normally have willpower over most food - but when I am down I really want to just woller in self-pity and for some reason food just makes it all seem better...for about two minutes.  And then I have to eat something else.  And, just like with drugs and alcohol, sooner or later the effects wear off and you are feeling fat, and greasy and ashamed....and your problem is still there.  Plus you now have that self-loathing to go along with your worry and pain.

It is really a good (no GREAT) idea to keep some low calorie/high fiber foods handy in your cupboards for just this reason.  The smartest thing for me to do would be to exercise.  I know that it would clear my head and at least take my mind off of things for a bit.  Or perhaps getting dressed and running errands would be good.  But right now I am having the good old pity party and am just not ready to do the right thing.  (At least I'm honest.)  So, I'm going to eat some tuna salad and maybe a few sun chips - and then maybe finish it off with some LF chocolate pudding.  I might even go so far as some frozen yogurt.  I also have some Fiber One Bars handy if I can't control myself.  And there is always popcorn!  I have surrounded myself with enough of the good stuff that, even if I over do it, it won't be like raiding the candy jar or eating an entire tub of ice cream.

We are all going to have down days, and they are going to hit unexpectedly (like mine did).  Just because you normally have the willpower to say no to those cookies you keep for your kids doesn't mean you are invincible!   Be Prepared!

Whit's Wit

Why is it that, in movies, a person can sob into their hands for an entire scene, then raise their head to show a tiny bit of mascara has soiled their otherwise perfect face....but when I cry I look like the Crypt Keeper's much uglier Sister??

It's probably the same movie magic dust they use show a woman waking up with a flawless face and perfect hair.

Wonderings and Ponderings

Sometimes having all the information at your fingertips is more damning than good.  Being able to Google (or, in my world SWAG) anything and everything and find one million different websites offering ten million different opinions is fantastic - when it's something unimportant like how to bake potatoes or searching for a movie.  But when you start using it to diagnose an illness, or find out how to build a bomb, or what the most undetectable poison is...well, then you have to start asking that age old question "how much information is TOO MUCH information?"

You see, my Sheltie, Zoe, is my best friend.  She follows me from room to room during my daily routine, sitting or laying near me at all times, helping me cook, keeping me safe during storms (well, one of us feels safer), kissing me when I am sad and listening to every word I say without ever offering her own opinion.  Zoe is almost 9 years old and has had allergies for, oh, 6 of those years, I guess. Also, Zoe might have lung cancer.  We took her to the vet back in September to get her cough medicine refilled.   X-rays were made and a mass was found on her lungs.  Since she has coughed for so many years, this could be simple scar tissue.  But canine lung cancer is not curable.  After several days of discussion, my Husband and I decided that we would not subject her to chemo or radiation IF she did have cancer....so we decided not to find out if she has it or not.  I'm a horrible worrier and we knew I would just sit and cry until the end.

Our Vet said we would 'just know' by March.  Well, it is almost May and she has seemed like my normal, wonderful, healthy dog until the last few days.  Actually, she STILL seems like my normal, wonderful, healthy dog - but she is panting a lot.  Which could be absolutely normal because it is hot and humid here.  I've panted harder over the last few days myself....it's just STUFFY.  And the grass pollen allergies is incredibly high in this area....and she is close to the ground, ya know?  So I truly could be worried for absolutely no reason.

Finally finding my way back to the point of this article, though - I honestly thought if I looked up her symptoms and was informed that perhaps I could stop worrying.  No.  That's a lie.  I HONESTLY thought that if I looked  up her symptoms that I would (a) not find anything or (b) find good news.  I didn't think I would find that panting is a symptom of canine lung cancer and that she quite possibly is having a hard time breathing because of the tumors.  So here I sit, tears streaming down my face, full of information that may or may not having bearing on our future.

I've always said that I could search anything from ingrown toenail to headache, and everything in between, and there would be something out there that would say I had cancer.  I can hear a clicking in my car and find that it might be a penny rolling around in the cup tray OR my transmission is blowing up.  The internet is not a diagnostic tool for your car or your body.  Or your dog's body.  And it's not a magic eight-ball.  Or a psychic.  It is a super highway of information that might be true, might be false, or might be something in-between.  It is a fantastic tool for entertainment purposes - - - but it is NOT GOD.  Only HE knows what the future holds for me, for Zoe, for my Family and Friends.

Just be CAREFUL what you search for....be sure that you even WANT to find an answer...and REALIZE that you are going to find answers that are facts, not facts, opinions, guesses, lies, wishes and fantasies.

Helping make my birthday cake

And, if you are the praying kind, please keep my sweet dogs Zoe and Jake, her 11 year old Labrador brother, in your thoughts and prayers.  And me too - for courage and  for strength to know when to leave well enough alone.

Wait...WHAT?

Mom Makes Prom Dress out of Starburst Wrappers

Mmmmhmmm... that is what I said.  It took this Wisconsin Mother six long, tedious years to fold and fashion a dress out of Starburst fruit chews.  This self proclaimed perfectionist said each wrapper was folded eight times and then straightened with tweezers to get it 'just right'.  

The dress is actually pretty cute, and there are matching shoes and purse.  You know, after all the duct-tape dresses that are made for the prom now, I have to say this is a clever and creative idea, but not so shocking.  What made me award a WAIT WHAT? status to this news story is this: 

A teenage girl is actually wearing something her MOM LIKES to Prom?   Wait...WHAT?

Check out the video here:  http://bcove.me/vkepjc3g

Who Knew?

I subscribe to this great website, TIPHERO.com and they were having a contest today to mark their, oh, something number tip...I forget.  But that isn't important.  What is important is they had someone share an incredibly important tip:  

Did you know that there is a website that helps you find the CHEAPEST BEER in your area?  Yes - it's true!  I know you are as excited as I am!  FRUGAL and BEER!  If they would have added wine in the mix I might have just swooned.

Seriously folks, just go to this website http://www.saveonbrew.com/beer-deals-list , type in your zip code and voila!  I scanned my area and noticed a couple of things.  This site either only looks for certain brands of beers (Miller, Coors, Budweiser, Corona, etc.) OR it searches stores for SALES items only.  (more probable)  If I hadn't have been in such a hurry to share my find with you I might have discovered an answer.  But you don't need me to do EVERYTHING for you, do you?  Take a gander at the entire site too - looks like they offer some game ideas and some hangover remedies as well.

I wouldn't be a good person if I failed to mention - DRINK RESPONSIBLY - DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE.

Whit's Wisdom

A few years back I had a target painted on the back of my van.  Oh, ok, not really - but I swear everyone thought so because my van was wrecked three times in six months.  None of the wrecks were my fault, and one of them was really horrible and totaled the van.  Luckily no one was physically hurt, but I walked away with a heck of an emotional problem.  I have car/driving/wrecking anxiety.  No clue what to call it, but just imagine being afraid of riding in a car.  It's a pain in the butt for everyone.  I tend to drive most places myself (as apposed to riding with others) because I feel more in control.  But I don't drive on the expressways at all anymore, and riding with someone else usually makes me, and whoever I'm 'backseat' driving with, anxious and irritable.

Well, yesterday we stumbled upon a nice little solution (hopefully not just temporary) for expressway trips.  TRIVIA!  We traveled back and forth to my Niece's home yesterday and I was a bit nervous on the way down.  However, I had taken some Trivial Pursuit cards to play at her home, but we never got around to it.  So I started reading them in the car on the way home.  My Husband and Daughter both seemed to enjoy it, and before I knew it, we were home!  I was completely focused on the questions and the good time we were having, and forgot to be scared.  It was quite wonderful.  (I think I might have just learned a few things too!)

If you have a similar issue, give it a try.  I purchased the game cards at a thrift store for $2.  It came with hundreds of cards, so I think this set will last us through several trips!

Whit's Wit

My Niece, Casey, made this brilliant statement about her plant that was accidentally knocked out of its planter and into the kitchen sink:  

"Well, if it doesn't die - we'll know it's going to be ok!"

Yes, she takes after my side of the family.

Weigh Cool!

Have your pity-party - and THEN GET OVER IT!

I got on the scales this morning - yes, my weigh in day is Monday.  After I picked up the scales from across the room, I decided I might want to rethink my weigh day....maybe Tuesday would be easier on my ego.  Regardless, I got on the scales and was NOT happy.  Not that it was unexpected - I ate out a lot this month, I've celebrated my Birthday and Easter, I've eaten chocolate and french fries (not together - all the time anyway) and I have just basically pretended I had good sense.  And the scales proved me wrong.

So, I got sad, I got mad, I got pouty....and then I had to get over it!  I can't let a few pounds put me into a depression, because if I do - I will EAT and DRINK but not be Merry!  I have to pick myself up, dust off my Hungry Girl cookbooks and get back up on that horse (not eat like one!)  It's not like I'm new at this.  I know exactly what I did wrong and exactly how to fix it.  

If you are feeling like me today - heed my advice.  Don't let a little mistake give you permission to continue down that road of self-destruction.  Today is the day to start all over again!

To lighten your mood and motivate you to exercise, I've attached a wonderful workout video for you.  Make sure you watch it - I think you will be VERY surprised and I guarantee that you will smile!

Whit's Wit

Pita Pockets should come with a User's Guide.

Whit's Wit

FAMILY FRIDAY!!!

When I was a little girl my family was traveling to Alabama to see my Grandparents.  I have older Brother and he and my Mom and Daddy were discussing the alphabet and words that are simply one letter - like A and I.  I chimed in an informed them that L was a word as well.  Oh, what Nay Sayers they were, for they actually made me use it in a sentence.

"You do that for me, or L's I'll do it myself!"  HA!

Who Knew?

This article is a rather personal one.  You see, I have this really good friend named BAM who decided that he didn't want to play nice today and has me very off kilter.  (Note to self - look up the phrase off kilter for next Who Knew.)  BAM is an acronym for Big Ass Microwave - which is exactly what he is.  I wanted a microwave that could be mounted above my stove, but that would have required rewiring the entire kitchen, so I settled for the biggest one I could find - all the bells and whistles too.  And I fell in love with him at first ding.

But today he simply CODE 98'd me.  No warnings signs - just BLAM...stopped working. A code 98 means a service call to an authorized dealer....somewhere within 300 miles of my zip code. And we've only been together for a month.

Where is the Who Knew you wonder?  Just ask yourself....how much do I rely on my microwave?  When your coffee gets cold in the morning - where do you turn?  When you want to make that scrumptious-yet-easy-and-low-calorie mug-egg omelet - who do you turn to?  What about forgetting to thaw out the chicken for dinner?  Who normally thaws it for you?  Exactly.

WHO KNEW just how often you use your microwave WITHOUT even realizing it??  No wonder BAM won't work anymore.  I should rename him Rodney Dangerfield.

Poor, poor Rodney...I hardly knew ye.

Wait...WHAT?

Just yesterday I quoted the wisdom of Clark Howard, syndicated Radio Talk Show Host and Financial Guru.  I mentioned that he was a 'nice guy' - that sometimes he didn't spell it out as harshly as he should because it wasn't his style.  Today he spells it out - and he right is on the money (pun intended).  No sense trying to rewrite what the master said - here's his article in its entirety:

What it will take to address our national debt

 

CLARKONOMICS: About a year or more ago, I went crazy on the air and talked about how we'll become a Third World country if we don't get our fiscal house in order. People thought I was too strident, too emotional and too unreasonable. I had to apologize twice during my Clark Stinks segment.

Now we have word that Standard and Poor's has issued a warning that the United States could have its AAA debt rating (the highest possible) downgraded within the next 2 years. This is a big deal.
We as a country -- not as Democrats, Republicans or independents -- have to show that we love our nation enough to forgo scoring political points and instead do what it takes to bridge the gap between spending and taxes. We have to get it done if we want to get our nation's financial house in order and maintain our top-tier debt rating.
Every day on my show, we see the consequences of excessive spending and borrowing in people's lives. We know how that can be a real train wreck. But our nation's train wreck is coming because we're not realistic about the cost of Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.
I saw a new ABC News/Washington Post poll of 1,000 voters that asked the following: "In order to reduce the national debt, would you support or oppose…"

• Medicare spending cuts? Roughly 20% were in favor of it and roughly 80% opposed it.
• Medicaid spending cuts? Some 30% were in favor of it and roughly 70% opposed it.
• Taxing those who make more than $250,000 annually? Roughly 70% were in favor of it and roughly 30 percent opposed it.
• "Raising taxes on all by a small percentage and making small reductions to Medicare and Social Security?" as the poll phrased it. Approximately 45% were in favor and roughly 55% opposed it.

Let me say this: You could tax all the wealthy on 100% of their income and you still couldn't close the budget gap if you continue providing the level of benefits we do now going forward. I know it makes good politics to talk about how much you'll increase taxes on billionaires. But even if you wiped out their billions, you wouldn't make a dent in our nation's multi-trillion dollar obligations. The reality is the whole situation requires a major rethink in order for us to balance the books of our nation.
America did not become the great country it is with a lack of sacrifice. And this is a time that requires sacrifice. We're all good at talking about the sacrifice of the brave men and women in our armed forces. We may applaud them at airports for what they've done overseas. But that's not a shared sacrifice, that's just a tiny sliver of very courageous Americans doing it.
In the past, during times of great challenge, we've shown resourcefulness as a people and a shared national vision of what it takes to forge ahead. Right now, we lack that shared vision and any commitment to present sacrifice for long-term gain. Yet we need to get there and that will require a wholly different attitude from the politicians in Washington.
Now I know the first job of every politician is to get re-elected. But think about this: When you drive by a road or a school named after some politicians, chances are you have no idea who it is. Feathering your own nest as an elected official is not nearly as important and if you get re-elected is insignificant in U.S. history. What really matters is that we together face the music and get the country back on firmer footing.
Ultimately, that's a conversation that's outside the normal realm of my radio show. So let me bring it back to you. Here's what you need to focus on: At some point, we will each receive less of the nation's income to provide for our old age and health care. The burden will be shifted back to the individual again. The responsibility starts with us to make smart choices throughout our working lives to save more money so that -- regardless of what goes on in Washington -- we put ourselves on firmer footing.
If you look back at American history, we've really only had ourselves, our families and our friends as support systems in illness and old age. Yet now we're in a situation where we've spent decades saying that it's the government's responsibility…and the government was only too happy to play sugar daddy. But now the sugar daddy ran out of sugar. And you will have to provide you own sugar going forward!
I'm not saying this to be mean or harsh, but as a call to action to get your own finances under control.

Whit's Wisdom

Before you go to the store to buy WHATEVER it is that you want to buy, you might want to try this little test.  I have done it twice now and have been cured of the "I Wants" very quickly.  Here's what you do:

Let's just say you want some new earrings.  No special occasion, just saw some in a magazine and decided they would look really good on you.  Ok, so before you pick up your purse and head out the door....go clean out your jewelry organizer.  Pick up each and every earring and ring and bracelet and watch and necklace.  Think about the last time you wore it.  Now, find a nice, neat, organized place for each and every item.  Even better, think about getting rid of some of it ...some of it that you haven't worn but has sentimental value.

Do you STILL want to go out and buy more?  This little exercise made me not want to buy a darn thing!  I did it with my jewelry and also my clothes.  After I put everything in order and realized what I had, what I didn't use, what I could be using if I just realized I had it,  the thought of buying something else that might get shoved to the back and forgotten about made me, well, ashamed.

My parents had the horrible misfortune of being involved in a flood in 2009.  95% of their worldly possessions were destroyed. Our family had to take 40 years worth of purchases and toss them in the garbage because it was covered in yuck and gunk.  The silver lining of this is that we all look at 'stuff' in a different manner now.  My Husband and I have even coined the phrase "Do you want to pick it up out of a flood?"  If it is worth sticking your hand in dirty sewer water to save...then you might truly need it.  If its not....let it stay at the store.

Weigh Cool!

SHAKE YOUR GROOVE THING!

 I repeat: "I HATE to exercise!"  But I LOOOOVE to dance!  I grew up taking dance lessons and loved every single minute of it.  And once I was old enough, I loved to go clubbing and dance the night away.  But then I got married, had kids, and well, you know how that goes.  Every time I would start to dance my kids would roll their little eyes back in their little heads and say "MOOOOOOM....that's so embarrassing!"  And I would stop.


But now they are oh-so-much-older and now I could oh-so-not-care if I embarrass them.  If I could go out dancing tomorrow and the day after and the day after that I would.  Alas, my Husband is NOT a groove-master and I really don't want to go without him.  So I do the next best thing - I put on my earphones - plug up my mp3 player with some fabulous tunes - and I shake it like I have good sense!  I usually do this while cleaning house - kills two birds with one stone.  I dance, I sing (really loud - ask my kids) and I clean.  It gets my heart pumping and gives me plenty of exercise.  

It also raises my spirits!  I really get tired of doing the same darn thing every day only to see things get dirty as fast as I clean.  But when I get lost in some of my old tunes, well, it is simply impossible not to dance around....and that releases those good endorphins everyone always talks about.


Give it a whirl - I think you'll be glad you did!

Here's a little "Shake Your Groove Thing"  courtesy of Peaches and Herb

Whit's Wit

 Skype conversation between my Husband and I yesterday:

Whitney:  Murder at the Gallop is coming on,but it's a Margaret Rutherford one we've seen. oh well, it's still good.

Gary: Yes, even an already seen Agatha Christie is better than most of what is on TV.

Whitney: Wow!  I never knew you were so smart!!!!!

Gary: Don't have to be smart to know that Snookie and American Idol is crap.

Bwahahahaha!!

Wait...WHAT?

A New York City woman was receiving alimony payments in the amount of $850 because she was disabled and unable to work.  That is, until her ex-husband saw her belly dancing pictures on the internet, along with a blog where she boasted about her vigorous dancing schedule of several hours each day. 

Dorthy McGurk explained to the court that the dancing was her physically therapy for injuries she suffered in a car wreck in the mid 90's.  The court didn't buy it - and reduced her alimony to $400 a month.  The court also ordered she pay the ex-husband's legal fees and 60% from the sale of their home.

WHOOPS....see where bragging will get ya???  Sure hope she's as good as she says she is....wonder how much belly dancers get paid these days?

Whit's Wisdom

I do hate to be so repetitive, but when something is this important I think you need to keep pounding it into peoples brains.  And Clark Howard and Dave Ramsey repeat themselves day in and day out - and look how well respected they are....and how much we learn from them.  So, here I go again:

SAVE FOR YOUR FUTURE!

I was listening to Clark Howard today and he had a fantastic suggestion for the new saver.  He says to start off by putting 1% of your paycheck (each pay period) into either a 401k program through your employer, or into a Roth IRA.  If at the end of 6 months this absence of the 1% doesn't cause financial problems, then up the percentage to 2.  Continue this practice until you either max out the percentage amount you can contribute OR until you start really missing that money.  You might have to wait a year (or until you receive a salary increase) to increase your saving percentage.

I'm going to take it to a more personal level, though, because Clark is such a nice guy that he won't really spell it out.  "Feeling the absence of the money" is NOT being upset because you cannot stop at Starbucks every morning now.  It is not foregoing saving money so that you can purchase a new boat, or go on vacation.  It is not owning an iPhone, having cable and 8 million movie channels, or being connected to the internet through every known portal possible.

The reasons you can hold off saving for the future are food, shelter, utilities, health insurance, car insurance.  That's it.  If you can't pay for all of the above, then by all means you do not need to be saving your money and neglecting your bills. But if you have all of these areas covered and you have a few cents left over, put those away for a rainy day!  Do not let one more day go by without securing YOUR future!  They don't offer loans for "old or unhealthy"...and you simply CANNOT assume that Social Security will be there for you when you need it. 

Take care of yourself...do you really think the Government is going to?

Weigh Cool!

POPCORN!!

Popcorn just saved my life....well, my diet anyway.  I have an incredible case of the munchies today and NOT because of that silly 420 day thing.  It was big salty/crunchy craving and that usually turns into CHIPS.  I do my best to keep the bad ones out of the house, but since my husband takes his lunch, I do buy Sun Chips/Low Fat Pringles/lowfat Lays (with olestra).  He gets a small baggy full - but I'm stuck here with a bunch of big bags and no willpower today!

And then I remembered the popcorn.  Oh so easy to fix, oh so crunchy, and oh so few calories!  I find it amusing that unpopped corn has 120 calories (3 tbsp) while popped is only 15 (one cup)....who eats unpopped popcorn? 

I suggest that you always purchase a brand that offers 94% or more Fat Free (I like Orville Redenbacher's Smart Pop Butter, but Pop Secret and Act II are really good too.)  When I eat popcorn I like quantity - my daughters seem to prefer a smaller bag but more butter....so we also purchase the little tiny snack bags that aren't as fat free, but there isn't as much popcorn either - so the calories equal out.

Please don't confuse store bought popcorn with MOVIE THEATER popcorn.  Although it is absolutely wonderful and I could eat a tub of it, floating in butter, it is absolutely horrible for you.  The oil that theater popcorn is usually cooked in is coconut oil - and it has a huge fat content.  A big tub of 'movie popcorn with extra butter' can be as much as 1200 calories and....you might want to sit down...126 grams of FAT!!  If I'm going to waste that many calories and have that much fat, it is going to be on something sweet, decadent and covered in chocolate - NOT popcorn!!

So, enjoy your popcorn at home (make sure to read the labels before you purchase) and eat something before you go to the movies!  That popcorn smell can make you do things you normally wouldn't do!

Who Knew?

If you read my Whit's Wit today, you now know that I drool.  I'm not talking an occasional saliva spillage when I'm sick.  I'm screaming full out tidal waves every night!  It is uncomfortable and incredibly embarrassing.  So I did a little research as to the WHY and HOW to stop drool.

It appears the why is simple.  One who drools is sleeping with his mouth open.  Saliva is continuously flowing through your mouth (although less than during the day, it is still needed to keep you mouth moist) and as it collects it pools and overflows.

The how to stop it isn't so simple.  I viewed approximately 10 web pages claiming they could help me stop drooling, and all of them said the same thing:

1.  You might have a nasal blockage or sinus congestion which is forcing you to breathe through your mouth.  You might want to take some medicine or go see a Doctor.

2.  Breathe through your nose.  (See step 1 if you can't.)  Practice throughout the day breathing through your nose to get into the habit.  

3.  Sleep on your back.  

This is what I concluded:  WHO KNEW that 10 websites could be so USELESS?  I already knew this! Who doesn't know this??  Of course I'm sleeping with my mouth open - and it's probably because I'm congested and obviously if I sleep on my back the drool will not come out but puddle in my throat and choke me.  But I guess I won't be embarrassed by drool when they cart my dead body away.

I'll just keep turning the pillow over....I like the cool side anyway.

Whit's Wit

I've figured it out!  I know the reason my Husband snores!  It is to make sure I wake up several times a night so that I don't become the first person to ever drown by DROOL.

(How's that for digging deep to find that silver lining, eh??)

Who Knew?

I had my first hummingbird citing of the year today!  I'm very excited because I have a hummingbird feeder outside my kitchen window and the birds keep me entertained while I'm doing the dishes.  I went online to find out what the sugar/water ratio was for their feed and found some interesting facts.  This info is compliments of http://howtoenjoyhummingbirds.com/

Interesting facts about hummingbirds:

	the hummingbird is the smallest bird and also the smallest of all animals that have a backbone.
	a hummingbird has no sense of smell
	because a hummingbird can rotate its wings in a circle, they are the only bird that can fly forwards, backwards, up, down ,sideways and  hover in mid air.
	to conserve energy while they sleep or when food is scarce, they can go into a hibernation-like state (torpor) where their metabolic rate is slowed to !/15th of its normal rate.
	during migration, some hummingbirds make a non-stop 500 mile flight over the Gulf of Mexico.
	during courtship dives a hummingbird can reach speeds up to 60 miles per hour and can average speeds of 20 to 30 miles per hour.
	hummingbirds are the second largest family of birds with 343 species.
	hummingbirds can beat their wings up to 80 times a second during normal flight and up to 200 times per second during a courtship dive.
	a hummingbird has a heart rate that can reach up to 1,260 beats per minute.
	percentage wise, the hummingbird has the largest brain of all birds (4.2% of its total body weight).
	hummingbirds have very weak feet and use them mainly just for perching.

Whit's Wisdom

Save save money - hang a clothesline!

I haven't gone all 50's on you - I still use my dryer every other day, believe me!  But back a few years ago we were really trying to cut costs and I discovered that our electric bill was crazy high!  We started turning off lights when not in the room, got an auto-thermostat for the heating and air conditioning...and my Husband hung a clothesline up for me in the basement!  

I can't stand clothes dried outside on a line.  The towels are scratchy (although they do smell WONDERFUL) and there was this spider incident when I was growing up....so, no....I don't dry clothes outside.  Would I?  If we were in a financial conundrum....of course I would.  But we aren't - so I don't.

But I DO dry some of my clothes on a line in my basement.  Fabrics that have a tendency to shrink get line dried - as well as bras and sweaters.  Once they are dry I toss them in my dryer for no more than 10 minutes on a very low setting just to knock out some of the wrinkles (least favorite job in the world is ironing).  It is truly amazing how much electricity we save with my doing this.  And it saves on the wear and tear of the clothing.  

If you don't have a big enough area to hang a clothesline, purchase a couple of drying racks and put them in your bathtub.  That way if the clothes drip it goes right down the drain AND it forces you to not leave them in their after they are dry.  Can't very well take a bath with clothes racks, now can you??

Try it out....see how much money AND energy you save

Wait...WHAT?

Hong Kong Actor Dies 5 Times in 24 Hours

Now that I have your attention.....

Hong Kong Actor Law Lok-lam was employed on five separate television shows until last week  There are HOW MANY PEOPLE in China and yet they have to hire the same actor for five separate shows?  That, in itself, should be a news story.  But I digress...

His character met a bloody end during a fight in the martial arts drama Grace Under Fire and he vomited blood before expiring in Fate to Fate, the Sunday Morning Post reported.  In Relic of an Emissary, Law played the Ming emperor Zhu Yuanzhang who died after an illness. In two other shows, Police Station No. 7 and comedy Virtues of Harmony the actor did not die on screen but his death was discussed, the paper said.

Law Lok-lam's employer, TVB, is quoted as saying "It was purely a coincidence that Law died five times."

Uh....right.

Weigh Cool!

 But it costs too much to exercise!

Yep....I like to use that excuse myself.  I can't afford to go to a gym, I don't have the money to buy workout equipment or go take a yoga class.  Heck, now we can even use "I can't afford the gasoline it takes to get me to the gym to workout!"  All EXCELLENT ways to keep our butts sitting in front of the television.

Know what I just did?  I just Googled the words FREE EXERCISE. About 185,000,000 results in 0.08 seconds.  Oh yeah, probably half of those are trying to sell me something.  So that leaves me around 92,500,000 opportunities to find something FREE online that will help me start moving my carcass and get in shape.  There are detailed workouts, free videos and free weight loss tools just waiting out there for all of us!

My daughter got one of those rubber workout bands a couple of days ago from Tylenol.  Just a freebie they were giving out when you visited their just keep moving website https://www.justkeepmoving.com/econsumer/jkm/index.view . They have given out pedometers and workout videos in the past.  Anyway, I stood on the band and pulled up on it for about 2 minutes....no use overdoing it, right?  My arms hurt so bad the next day!  How sad is that??  But how AWESOME that I didn't have to leave my house to get a major workout on my biceps?  AND FOR FREE? 

There are workout videos online, on Netflix - even some freebies on TV if you like to work out in the mornings.  There's also that free thing called WALKING if you can remember how to get started.  Put one foot in front of the other....and stop using the 'can't afford it' excuse anymore - no one believes you anyway.

Whit's Wit

What moron (man)  came up with the idea that if you gave it an acronym then women couldn't figure out you were calling them bitchy??

We're GRUMPY - not STUPID.

Whit's Wit

I found out the other night that I no longer need tap shoes when I dance.  My cracking of my knees provided all the snap and tap I need now!  Ouch!

Weigh Cool!

Weigh Day....Weigh Day!

Pick a day of the week to weigh in on, and stick with it!  You need to weigh once a week and around the same time of day each week.  You can decide which is best for you, but be consistent.  If you weigh in the morning, then ALWAYS weigh in the morning.  You want to be able to compare apples to apples, and it is a fact that your weight shifts during the day based on what you eat or drink. 


Do you need something to keep you from eating a lot on the weekends?  Choose a Monday Morning weigh in.  Knowing that you have to weigh first thing Monday might just make you put down that second Margarita on Saturday night.  Some people would rather weigh on a Thursday or Friday so they can stay motivated and stay away from the weekend binges.  If you've had a great weigh-in on Thursday you are going to be motivated to stay away from that Friday night buffet, right?  Wednesday's are sometimes chosen because it's a mid-week check in - kind of giving you the best of both worlds.  It really is your choice....seven days is seven days....it doesn't really matter when you choose, but just stick to it.  As we all know, the number on the scale is just a number - it's not a label to say you are FAT or you are SKINNY, but it does help you judge your progress and keep you in check.  Don't let it rule your world...but allow it to assist in your long term goal.