Belated Happy New Year and Keeping Resolutions.

I am late in wishing everyone a Happy New Year! I believe I am right on target for a timely discussion about keeping your resolutions this year being that it is the second week of January 2010 though. Around December 31st each year, many of us make those traditional resolutions for what we are going to accomplish in the year ahead. Some common New Year’s resolutions include, losing weight and getting fit, quitting smoking, getting a better paying job or pursuing a degree, gaining control over finances, improving relationships and finding love. The motivation to keep the resolutions you make traditionally wanes mid-February, if not within the first two weeks of a new year. The following tips may help you to keep yours this year.

Know why you made them.

Did you just choose something at random because all of your friends or co-workers were sharing theirs and you felt that you had to come up with something to say you would be reaching for this year too? If you did, it is okay to just forget them now and not bring them up in conversations with the people who heard your New Year’s resolution(s). Don’t worry; you will not be the only one doing this. Many of those who sounded so sure of the pledges they made for the new year have already or will soon be dropping those goals and hoping that no one asks them how they are coming on them. Why is there such a high failure-rate for the promises made at year’s end? Because you have to really, want to make a change or changes in your life in order for you to stay motivated and to take the necessary steps to make them lasting.

Plan to succeed or doom yourself to fail.

Wanting your life to be different requires more than just wishing it to happen. The desire to set a new course for your life will not have any legs to stand on and the power to propel you to the finish line without a well thought out plan to guide you along the way. Write down or type a plan of action for yourself instead of relying on your mind to remember why you want to make whatever change(s) you have chosen and how to go about doing that. We humans have an amazing ability to manipulate our own minds into selective memorization. This means that when the going gets tough many of us will simply tell our minds to forget this whole -let’s make changes in our lives thing and move onto easier and more enjoyable things. Change can be difficult and scary. Having a written plan outlining the steps you need to take to get to the place where you want to be in your life, can help you to stay on track and progressing towards meeting the goal or goals you have set for yourself.

Right-sizing goal(s) is important.

Dreaming the impossible can be lots of fun and quite entertaining. Trying to make them come true can be a nightmare and leave you feeling like a failure even though no one else could achieve such lofty dreams either. The odds of winning the lottery and never having to work again are staggering. It would be wiser to save your money now and perhaps retire comfortably later on. Very few people become famous movie stars and Hollywood celebrities without superb talents and strong industry connections. Honestly, assess your present skill-set and talents, and weight that against whatever it is that you are looking to achieve. Can you do it? Would you be able to if you took some college courses or attended some training seminars to give yourself a broader set of skills? Big dreams can come true if you give them everything you’ve got to make that possible. Maybe you have chosen a goal(s) that you can achieve with hard work yet it seems overwhelming in its totality, causing you to doubt your own abilities. In this case, you need to separate a large goal into smaller segments of the steps you need to accomplish in achieving your goal(s) and stop looking only at how big or how long it may take you to meet a goal. You will feel a sense of accomplishment as you check off each smaller segment of your goal and that will give you the momentum to continue working until you have completed a goal(s) in its entirety.

I am hoping that I can stick to my resolutions for this year so that I will not find myself repeating them again come December 31, 2010. I hope all of you will be able to keep yours as well. Feel free to share the goals you have set for yourself for 2010 and to come back and give us all updates on your progress too.

HINI (Swine Flu) Declared National Emergency

Over the weekend, President Obama declared a national emergency as the HINI virus has now spread to 46 US states and claimed 1000 lives thus far. Widespread shortages in the availability of the HINI vaccine around the country has resulted in long lines outside health clinics and mounting frustration for parents of the young children who have emerged as the most at risk group from this virus wanting to vaccinate and protect their children. Health experts admit that the production of the HINI vaccine dosages has been slower than originally projected, however they are quick to assure the public that the vaccine will be widely available by mid-November.

If you are among the many people who are waiting for the vaccination to become available in your area there are things that you can do to reduce your risks of exposure to the HINI virus.

· Cough/sneeze into your elbow and not into your hands. This goes against the longstanding advice most are familiar with to cover your mouth and nose with your hands whenever you cough or sneeze. This practice prevents bacteria expelled from the nose and mouth from ending up on your hands and either re-entering your body when you touch your eyes, nose, or mouth, or from contaminating the surfaces and other people that you come into contact with around you.

·Frequent hand-washing with antibacterial soap and very warm water, as well as using hand sanitizers in gel form or wipes, is also recommended for reducing your exposure to the HINI flu virus. Sanitizer wipes tend to be more practical for younger children while teens generally find hand sanitizing gels more practical for them. Wash your hands after any possible exposure to HINI germs such as touching surfaces, handling money, or shaking hands with someone.

·Some people are pushing the ‘elbow-bump’ as the newest and safest way to greet someone else. This may not always be possible or appropriate in a business setting. In business and social settings today with everyone aware of the HINI pandemic it is acceptable to carry and use hand sanitizers after shaking hands to protect yourself from this deadly virus.

·Do not re-use tissues. Throw away your tissue after a single use and get a fresh one to avoid re-introducing germs back into your body that your immune system and body has already worked hard to get rid of.

·Avoid enclosed areas lacking proper ventilation with people in them wherever possible. Offices and other work spaces, restaurants, meeting places, as well as classrooms all need good ventilation to reduce the spreading of the HINI virus from person to person. Certainly if you or your child is sick with HINI, stay home until you have not had a fever for at least 24hrs without using fever-reducing medications, and do not expose others to the virus.

·Do your best not to panic over the presence of HINI this flu season. Top health experts have staid that there will be enough vaccines available in just a few weeks for everyone wanting the HINI flu vaccine. Media coverage of the HINI pandemic is sure to expand as confirmed cases of HINI grows and the government’s health department and health organizations issue new warnings to the public on how they can protect themselves from this deadly flu virus.

Stay healthy!

Electronic Cigarettes Pose Cancer Risk

Smoking is a hard habit to break. Many people ask their doctor to prescribe a medication to help them stop smoking or they may use a variety of OTC products for help in quitting smoking. Although the E-Cigarette looked promising especially to the many smokers wanting to stop smoking while avoiding withdrawal symptoms recently targeted in a large-scale media blitz by the makers of the E-Cigarette. The FDA warns that these electronic cigarettes (that mimic the feel and brain stimulation of real tobacco cigarettes) are themselves dangerous because they contain cancer-causing chemicals and advise consumers not to use them. Read more about this warning about the E-Cigarette.

A Little Biblical Humor

His mama carried the family bible to church every Sunday. She would read the bible to herself in the afternoons he often observed, and on many occasions, she read him a story from the bible before helping him to say his prayers and tucking him into bed. One day Billy decided to see for himself why mama was so fond of the bible. Looking through the pages quickly with a very concentrated look on his face, a pressed dry leaf falls out from between the two pages where someone had placed it long ago. Billy picked up the leaf and ran to find his mama to show her what he had just found. He shouted excitedly as he ran into the kitchen where his mama was preparing lunch, “Mama! Mama!” Look what I found! ”

“What did you find honey?” his mama asked him. Billy replied, “I think it is Adams underwear.”

Do Americans Need to Check Their Priorities?

Someone sent me an email today containing a letter purportedly composed by a soldier. I have decided to post it here because I believe it raises some valid points about the people that many Americans choose to give priority to while many times ignoring the significant and selfless contributions of other people like the brave souls in our military services. Below is the message I received in its entirety. You may draw your own conclusions as to whether you think the message expressed in this letter has some validity to it or not.

 

THIS WAS WRITTEN BY A SOLDIER IN IRAQ.
>
>
> I was just watching the news, and I caught part of a report on Michael
> Jackson . As we all know, Jackson died the other day. He was an
> entertainer who performed for decades. He made millions, he spent
> millions, and he did a lot of things that make him a villain to many
> people. I understand that his death would affect a lot of people, and
> I respect those people who mourn his death, but that isn't the point
> of my rant.
>
> Why is it that when ONE man dies, the whole of America loses their
> minds with grief. When a man dies whose only contribution to the
> country was to ENTERTAIN people, the American people find the need to
> flock to a memorial in Hollywood , and even Congress sees the need to
> hold a "moment of silence" for his passing?
>
> Am I missing something here? ONE man dies, and all of a sudden he's a freaking martyr because he entertained us for a few decades? What
> about all those SOLDIERS who have died to give us freedom? All those
> Soldiers who, knowing that they would be asked to fight in a war,
> still raised their 2 hands and swore to defend the Constitution and the
> United States of America . Where is there moment of silence? Where
> are the people flocking to their graves or memorials and mourning over
> them because they made the ultimate sacrifice? Why is it when a
> Soldier dies, there are more people saying "good riddance," and "thank
> God for IEDs?" When did this country become so calloused to the
> sacrifice of GOOD MEN and WOMEN, that they can arbitrarily blow off
> their deaths, and instead, throw themselves into mourning for a "Pop
> Icon?"
>
> I think that if they are going to hold a moment of silence IN CONGRESS
> for Michael Jackson, they need to hold a moment of silence for every
> service member killed in Iraq and Afghanistan . They need to PUBLICLY
> recognize every life that has been lost so that the American people
> can live their callous little lives in the luxury and freedom that WE,
> those that are living and those that have gone on, have provided for
> them. But, wait, that would take too much time, because there have
> been so many willing to make that sacrifice. After all, we will never
> make millions of dollars. We will never star in movies, or write hit
> songs that the world will listen too. We only shed our blood, sweat
> and tears so that people can enjoy what they have.
>
> Sorry if I have offended, but I needed to say it. Feel free to pass
> this along if you want.
>
> Remember these five words the next time you think of someone who is
> serving in the military;
> "So that others may live..."
>
>
> Only two people have ever effectively given their lives for you.
>
> Jesus Christ and The American G.I.
>
> One died for your sins, the other died to give you freedom.

Don’t Become A Feast for Mosquitoes

Many regions around the country experienced above-average amounts of rainfall during the month of June. This trend is continuing into July in many areas. All this extra rain has resulted in mosquitoes breeding at 3 to 4 times their normal rate. If you have spent any time outdoors lately, you have undoubtedly noticed that there are a lot more mosquitoes buzzing around this year than in recent years. These buggers are carriers of the West Nile Virus and have insatiable appetites for feeding on the blood of humans and animals. Even if the mosquitoes that bite you and your family do not transmit disease, the intense itching caused by their bites can be very uncomfortable.

There are three keys to protecting yourself and family from mosquitoes looking for a feast. The first key is to eliminate areas of standing water in your yard and near your home’s foundation. Fill-in holes you find in your yard and around your homes foundation. Look for other things like overturned trashcan lids and containers, and large cracks in concrete that can collect rainwater and provide mosquitoes with the perfect spot for breeding hordes of mosquito babies, and fix them to ward off a mosquito population explosion.

The second key is to use mosquito and insect repellent to keep bugs from bugging you. You should read the instructions provided with whatever product you decide to use to ensure its safe use. Experts recommend using personal repellent products that contain ingredients such as DEET, eucalyptus, lemon oil, and Picaridin as the best repelling protection from mosquitoes and other insects. There are also many different mosquito/insect repelling products to choose from for your yard to help protect you and your family from biting insects so that you can enjoy outdoor activities. Mosquitoes and other insects dislike the scent of lavender. For a natural repellent use 1 part oil of lavender to 3 parts water in a quart-sized spray bottle and spray on yourself, family members and even your pets to keep insects at bay. Repeat applications frequently.

The color of your clothing is the third key to preventing mosquitoes from making a feast out of you. Darker clothing is a magnate for mosquitoes so you should wear lighter colored clothing to help repel them when you are outdoors. It is also advisable, although not the most comfortable of ideas in hot summer temperatures to wear long sleeved shirts and long pants when you are outside, and especially when you are in tall grassy or wooded areas. This can protect you from ticks as well, which carry Lyme disease.

Prime biting time for mosquitoes is from dusk to dawn. The very best protection from them is to stay indoors during these hours whenever possible. Hoping you and yours have a wonderful and safe summer and that the tips illustrated above will help protect you and your family from the insurgence of the abundant numbers of mosquitoes we have this year.

Cute Animal Hijinks Vid.

Someone special sent me this funny animal video on July 4th. that I am just now getting around to posting. Thanks for this funny video of animal thievery- Joe!!!



You can view the video here.

Happy Fourth of July 2009

Happy 4th!

As we celebrate our nation's ’s independence and the freedoms we enjoys as Americans let’s pause, remember, and say thanks to those brave men and women past and present who selflessly make great sacrifices in the pursuit to keep freedom alive.

Safety Recall Alert: Inflatable Baby Floats

The U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced today that Aqua Leisure Industries is voluntarily recalling 14 of its baby inflatable floating baby seats models constituting nearly 4 million baby floats sold nationwide. The leg straps, which are supposed to keep babies and toddlers in place, can break, allowing children to slide through into the water. With so many families planning to be poolside or heading to the beach this weekend, parents and caregivers should discontinue the use of these aqua baby floats. Read this full CNN article on this safety recall.

Protecting Your Pets this 4th of July

Do not let the celebration of our nation’s Independence and its various festivities including fireworks displays become a tragedy for your family by the loss of a beloved pet. Scores of dogs and other pets die each year because of the dangers this holiday can present to pets. Accidents with fireworks being set off near pets and panicked pets being hit and killed by running into the path of moving vehicles, are two of the primary causes for the loss of many pet lives each summer. Pets startled by fireworks and other holiday activities that stray away from home, become lost and end up in shelters, are subject to euthanasia if their owners do not claim them within 7-10 days in many shelters, also claims the lives of many family pets each year. Protect your pet from the dangers this holiday poses to them with these tips.

• Whenever possible the safest place for your pets is indoors when fireworks displays and other loud activities are taking place.
• Providing “white noise” to help hide the noises of the holiday like turning on a fan, radio, or TV can help to keep your pet calm.
• Close window shades so that pets cannot see fireworks in the sky or people passing by and become agitated by those sights.
• Supply outdoor pets with a protected area for them to be in while various 4th of July celebrations are under way. make sure that they are securely confined to the area you have chosen. Panicked dogs can easily break free from chains and tie-out stakes when frightened.
• Do not light fireworks anywhere near your pet or where they could fall on and severely injure your pet. Children should always be supervised while using sparklers and other small fireworks, but especially when you also have outdoor pets.
• Avoid the temptation to feed your pets the fixings from your holiday meals as these can sicken your
• Are you planning to head to the lake or beach with your dog this Fourth of July? Watch them closely around the water to prevent their drowning. Even dogs who are skilled swimmers can become tired and unable to reach the shore. Also, keep suntan lotions and sunscreens, insect repellents, and other products that smell good to pets but are very dangerous to them when ingested away from your pet. Do not forget to bring a water dish along to keep pets hydrated while out in the sun and heat. Be aware that blacktops and other concrete surfaces can burn the sensitive undersides of pet paws, so avoid walking your pet over these wherever possible

I wish you, your family, your pets, and pets everywhere, a safe and glorious Fourth of July 2009.

Prayer Request

Asking readers to lift up prayers of health for my Aunt Joyce, who I just found out spent the night in the hospital due to chest pains. I know my prayers are that she is okay and can go home today or in the next few days.

FDA Recall Updates

You can get updates on new product recalls issued by the FDA and even get them sent to you via email.  The Food and Drug Administration also provides many useful resources to help consumers keep their families and pets safe.  You can visit the FDA website using this link.

Funny Powerpoint

My Uncle Joe sent me this humorous creation tale today-Thank You Very Much Uncle Joe!!!
Blogger still gives me fits every time I try to upload video, audio, MP3's, or PowerPoint files. The only one it has accepted was the 2 seconds of Hannah Lilly that I posted not too long ago. I have decided that this blogger file-upload issue is not a frustration worth working through right now when I can easily upload the files I want to my website, and link to that page from here.

Go to The Write Station website to open and view a funny creation tale.

Caring for Your Pet: Summer Time Tips

Anyone who read my ‘tweets’ this weekend knows that I ‘dog-sat” for my neighbors 3 pups on Friday and Saturday. Buddy the sheepdog, Aiden the Brittany spaniel, and Abby the beagle, were all pretty well behaved considering this was the first time I have cared for them. Thank goodness, as they would have been a handful for one person otherwise. They were very happy upon their owners return and my pooch Hannah Lilly was happy to have me all to herself again. My taking care of them must not have been too traumatizing on them as Aiden tried to get off his lead and come to my house yesterday, and all 3 greeted me enthusiastically when I passed by on my walk. Seeing how hard this heat is on Buddy brought to mind some things pet owners should be aware of for the comfort, safety, and health of their pets in summer.

• Always provide your dog, cat, or other pets with fresh water to help keep them well hydrated with the higher temperature of summer.

• If your pet spends a lot of time outdoors, make sure they have access to a shaded area so that they have a cooler spot to be in when the day’s temperature is at its highest.

• Keep an eye out for signs that your pet is experiencing heat exhaustion or heat sickness, heavy panting, excessive foaming at the mouth, pale tongue, lethargy, and trouble standing to name just a few signs that your pet has had too much heat. Move your pet to a cooler place, offer him/her cool water to drink, and seek veterinary care if your pet does not improve within a few minutes, is experiencing difficulty breathing, (making choking or gasping sounds), or has become unconscious.

• You should never of course leave a pet in your vehicle even for just a few minutes. The temperatures inside a vehicle even with windows opened for ventilation can rise to dangerous and deadly levels in less than a minute.

• Protect your pets from fleas and ticks using high quality treatments such as flea & tick shampoos, flea & tick collars, monthly repellent gels or chewable tablets, and treating their sleeping areas and your yard to repel fleas and ticks.


• Vaccinations for your pet should be up to date to help protect your pet from rabies and other serious diseases that other animals carry and can transmit to unprotected pets. This also includes placing your pet on a heartworm preventative, to help protect them from a very serious disease that kills many pets each year.


• Brush your pet’s fur often to help them shed extra hair and consider taking them to the groomers to trim their coat for the summer.


• Keep pets away from the grill when cooking and confine your pet to a safe and quiet area when fireworks are being set off.


Following the suggestions above can help to keep your pet safe, healthy, and happy this summer!

Happy Fathers Day!!!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to All the Dads Among Us!

Although we may not say it as often as we should. We appreciate all that you do for us.

Popular OTC Cold Spray Poses Health Threat

The Food and Drug Administration announced on June 17, 2009 that people should stop using the popular OTC product Zicam cold spray and similar products because it can cause users permanent damage to their sense of smell. Read a full AP article about this here.

Recall on Toll House Cookie Dough 6/19/09

Nestle is voluntarily recalling all of its packaged Toll House refrigerated cookie dough due to concerns of E-coli contamination in its raw dough products which has made more than 60 people sick in as many as 29 states thus far. The CDC is strongly advising consumers to throw away any packages of Toll House cookie dough they have and to not eat or permit children to eat raw cookie dough. You can return packages of Toll House refrigerated cookie dough to the store where you purchased them from for a refund. Read more about this recall here.

A Gift of Serenity for Your 3-Dimensional Health

Most of us lead pretty hectic lives. It can be hard to find time for ourselves despite its importance for our overall health. Take this quick serenity break. It will only require a little over a minute of your time ...yet the positive affects on your 3-dimensional health could last all day.
After viewing, you can use your browser's back button to return here and comment on the serenemoments.wma, or use the link back to the Glad Living blog found below the video file.

Go Here- Serenity Moment and then click on the WMA file to experience some much needed rejuvination for your body, mind, and spirit.

About Missing Motivational Widget

Readers

I had to remove the "daily dose of motivation" widget from the sidebar due to technical problems with that particular widget.

It has been causing my browser to open endless streams of blank pages every time I try to close my browser after viewing the blog. I sure hope this has not been happening to anyone else and if it has, I am so sorry!

I have just been putting up with it and did not consider that it might also be acting the same way for all of you. I always assume it is just my computer and me!

Removing it should clear things up, but if you are experiencing any errors, please let me know. You can send me an email message. twsstaff@yahoo.com

Thanks and have a great day!
Adm.Julie

A Request for Your Prayers and Positive Thoughts

Please keep Karen from Pittsburgh, PA and her family in your thoughts and prayers. This wife and Mother of a young teenage daughter, is in a battle for her life against brain cancer. Lift her up in prayer in the hope that she will win this battle that she is so bravely fighting very soon!

Pause for a moment in your day to have a positive thought for Karen and her family and send that out to the universe to strengthen and comfort them as they strive to conquer this cancer beast that has come to them without warning.