Here are 10 tips to help you find and utilize the over-50 discount. Enjoy!
By Billie Grable
1. Make use of organizational clout.
Many boomers resist joining "old" organizations such as AARP (http://www.aarp.org/). We don't want to be branded as a senior citizen quite yet. But the AARP card opens the door to what used to be only available to retirees. Now you can get these "golden age" discounts long before the Social Security checks start rolling in. And with a membership fee of $12.50 per year, AARP is a bargain.
2. Ask and you will receive.
Whether you're making a travel arrangement or ordering dinner, always ask for the senior discount. Most businesses don't advertise or post the information. And let's face it—many of us don't want our waiter to ask if we qualify for senior savings. So take the lead. And remember, if you forget to inquire before you settle the bill, it might be too late.
3. Learn from the others' savvy.
Go to the library or your local bookstore to check out wonderful resource books. Joan Heilman's book, Unbelievably Good Deals and Great Adventures That You Absolutely Can't Get Unless You're Over 50—is coming out in its 17th edition. Professional bargain hunter Linda Bowman's Free Stuff & Good Deals for Folks Over 50 shows boomers how to obtain free gifts and good deals. And Janet Groene's Fantastic Discounts & Deals for Anyone Over 50! is another good money-saving resource.
4. Conduct research.
Some discounts are only available on a certain day of the week or month. For example, Ross Dress for Less offers a 10 percent discount at participating locations to customers over 55 on Tuesdays. Many pharmacies have implemented senior savings programs. Long's Drug Stores Senior Advantage program can save you up to 50 percent on a prescription if you pay in cash.
5. Sleep on the cheap.
The standard lodging discount you will receive ranges from 10 percent to 15 percent. Some hotels require membership, such as AARP, for a discount before age 62.
6. Get educated.
From tuition discounts to educational travel, Heilman's book is an invaluable guide to education savings. If you're looking for adventure coupled with learning, check out the Elderhostel Web site (http://www.elderhostel.org/). The organization has more than 8,000 travel-plus-learning programs in more than 90 countries.
7. Eat meals at memorable prices.
Many restaurants offer early bird specials to the over-50 crowd. IHOP gives a 10 percent discount and offers a menu with smaller portions to seniors. Other chains such as Wendy's, Applebee's and TCBY offer boomers savings, too. Again, ask for the discount if details aren't readily available.
8. Sail the seas.
Cruise lines such as Carnival and Celebrity frequently provide discounts for passengers over 55. For additional information about senior specials, check with your travel agent or the cruise line before you book your trip. Your AARP membership could come in handy here, too.
9. Discounts on wheels.
Car rental agencies have rolled out discounts from 10 percent off your entire bill to free upgrades. Always ask when making your reservation. And if you want to leave the driving to someone else, Gray Line and Delta Charter Bus offer senior discounts at participating locations.
10. Surf the net.
Even the online community has rallied to track big savings for us. SeniorDiscounts.com has a database of over 125,000 ways to save. A quick search on "over-50 discounts" will provide you with thousands of ways to cut costs.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Chore-play
Gals make passes at guys who wash glasses
Men who share the load (of laundry and otherwise) inspire lust
By Diane Mapes
MSNBC contributor
I had a party not too long ago where a funny thing happened. One of the guests — a 30-something, single straight guy — came out to the kitchen and volunteered to do my dishes. “That way you won’t be stuck with a huge mess after everyone leaves,” he said, filling the sink with hot, soapy water.
As he started scrubbing wine glasses, I glanced over at my guests. Every woman in the room was staring at him with what can only be described as pure, unadulterated lust.
Behold the appeal of the dishy man.
Jennifer Matthewson, a 30-year-old caterer from Portland, Ore., has witnessed this heady phenomenon time and time again.
“My husband is great at cooking and great at cleaning,” says Matthewson, whose spouse handles the kitchen end of their catering company while she takes care of the business and the books. “And every time we would do an event, there would be 10 to 15 starry-eyed women standing around him, asking him all kinds of baking and cooking questions. They’d be like, ‘Wow, does he have any brothers?' Even my mother once joked, ‘Oh, if only he were older.’”
For Heather Peterson, of Cambridge, Mass., the dishy man effect is nothing short of money in the bank.
Part of a tongue-in-cheek organization called the Cambridge Women’s Pornography Cooperative, Peterson and her colleagues recently published a collection of photographs of fully clothed men cooking, cleaning house and offering up comforting cups of tea. The book, entitled “Porn for Women,” has sold more than 140,000 copies after just 11 months and has already spawned both a calendar and the newly released “Porn for New Moms.”
‘That's hot’
“This is a humorous book, but it does manage to convey some of the things that women really do fantasize about,” says Peterson, spokesperson for the group. “When a man is willing to step up to the plate — and wash it for you — you’re going to think about him in a very different way. It’s not just that he’s domesticated. It’s that he recognizes that these things have to get done. That they’re not just automatically going to be done for him. And that’s hot.”
According to a May 2007 in American Journal of Public Health, a guy who pulls his own weight around the house isn’t just hot, he’s a boon for his lady’s health.
Researchers at the American University of Beirut studied 1,652 married couples and found that wives whose husbands were minimally involved in housework were 60 percent more likely to be distressed, three times more likely to be uncomfortable with their husbands, and more than twice as likely to be unhappy.
“Our results showed a significant association between husbands’ involvement in housework and their wives’ psychosocial health,” wrote Marwan Khawaja, author of the study.
Are there any benefits, aside from soulful glances and the satisfaction of a sparkling clean floor, that exist for men who share the load (laundry and otherwise)?
That’s hard to say, although there are some interesting indicators. A recent survey by Parenting Magazine found that “choreplay,” i.e., husbands pitching in around the house, was what put 15 percent of moms in the mood.
Research conducted by Laurie A. Rudman, a psychologist at Rutgers University, also seems to point to a hot soapy love connection. Her study, recently published in the journal Sex Roles, looked at feminism’s impact on romantic relationships. Among other things, she found that men with feminist partners reported both more stable relationships and greater sexual satisfaction.
“We didn’t ask who was doing the dishes or taking care of the kids,” says Rudman. “We asked broadly about the quality of the relationship and about the agreement of gender roles in the relationship. But we did find that if men were with a feminist woman, they had more sexual satisfaction and their relationship was more stable. Men benefit from having a feminist partner. Now the next step is to look at why. What is it about gender equality that brings about more relationship satisfaction?”
Sharing the load (of laundry)
For Maureen Judge, a 44-year-old marketing consultant and divorced mom from Seattle, that’s a no-brainer.
“Women have been out in the workforce for a really long time and it’s staggering how many women still do most of the housework,” she says. “Not sharing the load has got to be one of the biggest things that can negatively impact a relationship. So, yes, men who do their share of household chores are absolutely more attractive as potential partners than traditional guys who won’t even pick up a toilet brush. That’s where the bar should be set.”
Are men working their way towards this bar? Signs seem to indicate the Tide may indeed be turning.
A handful of housecleaning guides — by men, for men — have hit the market in recent years, each with titles that subtly play up the steamier side of the egalitarian household, i.e., “How to Satisfy Your Woman Every Time: A Straight Guy’s Guide to Housework and Good Grooming,” “How to Iron Your Own Damn Shirt: The Perfect Husband Handbook Featuring Over 50 Ways to Win, Woo and Wow Your Wife,” and “Clean Like a Man: Housekeeping for Men (and the Women Who Love Them).”
Single men have even started to fly their helpmate flags in online personal ads. A quick sweep through Craig’s List yields numerous postings where, along with interests in football, fishing, and romantic nights in front of a fire, men are expressing their affinity for household chores.
Tired of Being Alone, a 43-year-old bachelor from Sacramento, Calif., says he will “cook, clean house, do laundry and quite a few other things.” 210 Reasons to Email Me, a 25-year-old single guy from Phoenix, lists as his No. 1 incentive: “I clean and do laundry and I also know how to use an iron.” Educated Guy with a Great Career, a 39-year-old divorced dad from Minneapolis, provides a complete resume of household skills. “In addition to being able to cook all the meals, I am housebroken,” he writes. “I do my own ironing. I do laundry and fold it. I do the dishes and put them away. I make the bed. I keep the kitchen clean.”
Kitchen sink savvy
Are these ads an indication that guys have stumbled onto the dishy man effect and are trying to edge out the competition with kitchen sink savvy? Are stereotypical gender roles truly becoming a thing of the past? Or is it a little bit of both?
“I have no problem doing household chores,” says Travis Letellier, a 24-year-old civil engineer from Boston, whose ad talked up his willingness to do dishes and give foot massages. “It was always the norm growing up and it’s something I do regularly anyway. I wasn’t really trying to impress a woman by mentioning that I do dishes, but I guess I was trying to entice one.”
John McDougall, a 38-year-old medical student from Bozeman, Mont., says that while he’s never formerly advertised his “dishiness,” he has noticed it scores major points.
“When I cook for a woman on a first date, most of the time they’re stunned,” he says. “They’re like, ‘Not only do you keep a decent apartment, you can cook. Holy smoke!’ It’s like the icing on the cake. I suppose there’s probably a positive feedback loop going on that reinforces that behavior on my part. But I also think housework can be therapeutic if you choose to see it that way. Making a clean space out of a disordered space offers an internal sense of satisfaction.”
Move over, June Cleaver. Looks like you’ve finally got some stiff competition.
Men who share the load (of laundry and otherwise) inspire lust
By Diane Mapes
MSNBC contributor
I had a party not too long ago where a funny thing happened. One of the guests — a 30-something, single straight guy — came out to the kitchen and volunteered to do my dishes. “That way you won’t be stuck with a huge mess after everyone leaves,” he said, filling the sink with hot, soapy water.
As he started scrubbing wine glasses, I glanced over at my guests. Every woman in the room was staring at him with what can only be described as pure, unadulterated lust.
Behold the appeal of the dishy man.
Jennifer Matthewson, a 30-year-old caterer from Portland, Ore., has witnessed this heady phenomenon time and time again.
“My husband is great at cooking and great at cleaning,” says Matthewson, whose spouse handles the kitchen end of their catering company while she takes care of the business and the books. “And every time we would do an event, there would be 10 to 15 starry-eyed women standing around him, asking him all kinds of baking and cooking questions. They’d be like, ‘Wow, does he have any brothers?' Even my mother once joked, ‘Oh, if only he were older.’”
For Heather Peterson, of Cambridge, Mass., the dishy man effect is nothing short of money in the bank.
Part of a tongue-in-cheek organization called the Cambridge Women’s Pornography Cooperative, Peterson and her colleagues recently published a collection of photographs of fully clothed men cooking, cleaning house and offering up comforting cups of tea. The book, entitled “Porn for Women,” has sold more than 140,000 copies after just 11 months and has already spawned both a calendar and the newly released “Porn for New Moms.”
‘That's hot’
“This is a humorous book, but it does manage to convey some of the things that women really do fantasize about,” says Peterson, spokesperson for the group. “When a man is willing to step up to the plate — and wash it for you — you’re going to think about him in a very different way. It’s not just that he’s domesticated. It’s that he recognizes that these things have to get done. That they’re not just automatically going to be done for him. And that’s hot.”
According to a May 2007 in American Journal of Public Health, a guy who pulls his own weight around the house isn’t just hot, he’s a boon for his lady’s health.
Researchers at the American University of Beirut studied 1,652 married couples and found that wives whose husbands were minimally involved in housework were 60 percent more likely to be distressed, three times more likely to be uncomfortable with their husbands, and more than twice as likely to be unhappy.
“Our results showed a significant association between husbands’ involvement in housework and their wives’ psychosocial health,” wrote Marwan Khawaja, author of the study.
Are there any benefits, aside from soulful glances and the satisfaction of a sparkling clean floor, that exist for men who share the load (laundry and otherwise)?
That’s hard to say, although there are some interesting indicators. A recent survey by Parenting Magazine found that “choreplay,” i.e., husbands pitching in around the house, was what put 15 percent of moms in the mood.
Research conducted by Laurie A. Rudman, a psychologist at Rutgers University, also seems to point to a hot soapy love connection. Her study, recently published in the journal Sex Roles, looked at feminism’s impact on romantic relationships. Among other things, she found that men with feminist partners reported both more stable relationships and greater sexual satisfaction.
“We didn’t ask who was doing the dishes or taking care of the kids,” says Rudman. “We asked broadly about the quality of the relationship and about the agreement of gender roles in the relationship. But we did find that if men were with a feminist woman, they had more sexual satisfaction and their relationship was more stable. Men benefit from having a feminist partner. Now the next step is to look at why. What is it about gender equality that brings about more relationship satisfaction?”
Sharing the load (of laundry)
For Maureen Judge, a 44-year-old marketing consultant and divorced mom from Seattle, that’s a no-brainer.
“Women have been out in the workforce for a really long time and it’s staggering how many women still do most of the housework,” she says. “Not sharing the load has got to be one of the biggest things that can negatively impact a relationship. So, yes, men who do their share of household chores are absolutely more attractive as potential partners than traditional guys who won’t even pick up a toilet brush. That’s where the bar should be set.”
Are men working their way towards this bar? Signs seem to indicate the Tide may indeed be turning.
A handful of housecleaning guides — by men, for men — have hit the market in recent years, each with titles that subtly play up the steamier side of the egalitarian household, i.e., “How to Satisfy Your Woman Every Time: A Straight Guy’s Guide to Housework and Good Grooming,” “How to Iron Your Own Damn Shirt: The Perfect Husband Handbook Featuring Over 50 Ways to Win, Woo and Wow Your Wife,” and “Clean Like a Man: Housekeeping for Men (and the Women Who Love Them).”
Single men have even started to fly their helpmate flags in online personal ads. A quick sweep through Craig’s List yields numerous postings where, along with interests in football, fishing, and romantic nights in front of a fire, men are expressing their affinity for household chores.
Tired of Being Alone, a 43-year-old bachelor from Sacramento, Calif., says he will “cook, clean house, do laundry and quite a few other things.” 210 Reasons to Email Me, a 25-year-old single guy from Phoenix, lists as his No. 1 incentive: “I clean and do laundry and I also know how to use an iron.” Educated Guy with a Great Career, a 39-year-old divorced dad from Minneapolis, provides a complete resume of household skills. “In addition to being able to cook all the meals, I am housebroken,” he writes. “I do my own ironing. I do laundry and fold it. I do the dishes and put them away. I make the bed. I keep the kitchen clean.”
Kitchen sink savvy
Are these ads an indication that guys have stumbled onto the dishy man effect and are trying to edge out the competition with kitchen sink savvy? Are stereotypical gender roles truly becoming a thing of the past? Or is it a little bit of both?
“I have no problem doing household chores,” says Travis Letellier, a 24-year-old civil engineer from Boston, whose ad talked up his willingness to do dishes and give foot massages. “It was always the norm growing up and it’s something I do regularly anyway. I wasn’t really trying to impress a woman by mentioning that I do dishes, but I guess I was trying to entice one.”
John McDougall, a 38-year-old medical student from Bozeman, Mont., says that while he’s never formerly advertised his “dishiness,” he has noticed it scores major points.
“When I cook for a woman on a first date, most of the time they’re stunned,” he says. “They’re like, ‘Not only do you keep a decent apartment, you can cook. Holy smoke!’ It’s like the icing on the cake. I suppose there’s probably a positive feedback loop going on that reinforces that behavior on my part. But I also think housework can be therapeutic if you choose to see it that way. Making a clean space out of a disordered space offers an internal sense of satisfaction.”
Move over, June Cleaver. Looks like you’ve finally got some stiff competition.
Festival details
A wonderful family oriented festival dedicated to bringing smiles,excitement and fun to kids and their parents.
Don't miss the fun this weekend at Marham Park in Sunrise.
Don't miss the fun this weekend at Marham Park in Sunrise.
Why we fight over $
Communication
The Big Spender: First described in the biblical story of Noah, who developed a sudden infatuation with large boats and exotic animals (which was vexing unto his wife), this age-old fight revolves around a simple, unresolvable dispute: One person wants to spend; the other doesn't, and neither can convince the other to see it his way. When spender meets saver, sparks fly, and sooner or later, somebody explodes.
The Done Deal: A variation of the Big Spender fight, this is when one person opens the credit-card bill and -- surprise! -- sees the tab for the drum set, the new suit or the night your mate took the entire office out for drinks. The fantasy here is that because it's a fait accompli your better half will let it go. Oh, but they don't.
Jones Envy: People in their 40s who still like to compare SAT scores are most vulnerable to this one. It starts when the neighbors acquire a fancy new ski boat. You simply MUST have one, but your more practical-minded spouse fails to see this as an "emergency spending priority." Do you listen? Apparently not.
Dowry of Debt: So when you were preparing to get married you never found the right time to disclose that you had a few debts. From, uh, law school, which you never quite finished. Or attended. You kinda forgot to mention the Nordstrom card and the maxed-out Visa, because . . . you're going to pay them off really, really soon. This is really, really unlikely.
Post-Holiday Pugilism: He: Did you really spend $200 on Dad's cashmere sweater? She: Me? You bought that deluxe CD set for your sister! The Visa bill has landed and those holiday spending blunders have come back to haunt you like the Ghost of Christmas Past. So you take it out on each other. Always a healthy choice.
Control
Dribbling Deficits: The culprit in this case is not the ark or the drum set, it's the steady drip, drip, drip of spending on little purchases that no one tracks. You hit the ATM machine on Friday and end up broke on Monday with NO idea where the money went. An absence of facts rarely prevents couples from making accusations, however.
What, Me Retire?: The world can be divided into those who believe in saving for retirement and those who believe in the Retirement Fairy. If you're married to the latter type, it can be difficult to imagine your future together. As one 401(k)'d friend of mine noted, after admitting that she tends to "boil over" at her husband's lack of future planning: "You're afraid your spouse is going to end up on a park bench."
Blame it on the Boss: Are you the boss? Why are you asking me about how we're going to pay for roof repair, if you're the boss? You're the one who pays all the bills and does all those spreadsheets. No, I'm not bitter. I don't feel disempowered. What do you mean you never asked to be in charge?! You TOOK charge. Did so.
Software Mistake: One of you is fanatically devoted to all the lovely budget and planning tools in your Microsoft Money or Quicken program. At the end of each month you have a terrific round of mutual recrimination because, sadly, you now know exactly where the money went.
Family
The Kost of Kids: Nanny vs. day care; maternity leave vs. staying home; start the college fund now or later. When you're expecting or already have a brood, the choices -- and arguments -- are endless.
The Parent Trap: You've taken on the same financial role that your mother or father once played, but your partner doesn't seem to know his or her role in the drama and isn't ready to surrender the checkbook -- or commandeer it -- according to the unconscious script you're expecting the two of you to follow.
Out with the In-Laws: In the first five minutes of any visit, your in-laws will manage to push at least one of your big financial buttons. ("The house is so much smaller than it looked in the photo, especially given what you paid.") Ten minutes later, you're both growling at each other.
For couples: 8 tips on how to talk about money
Fighting about money is as old as money itself, arising partly out of philosophical differences and partly from habits so old you forgot you had them. But now, at least, you can see all the ways they feed into those arguments you're not having.
Get tips on how to talk about money.
The Big Spender: First described in the biblical story of Noah, who developed a sudden infatuation with large boats and exotic animals (which was vexing unto his wife), this age-old fight revolves around a simple, unresolvable dispute: One person wants to spend; the other doesn't, and neither can convince the other to see it his way. When spender meets saver, sparks fly, and sooner or later, somebody explodes.
The Done Deal: A variation of the Big Spender fight, this is when one person opens the credit-card bill and -- surprise! -- sees the tab for the drum set, the new suit or the night your mate took the entire office out for drinks. The fantasy here is that because it's a fait accompli your better half will let it go. Oh, but they don't.
Jones Envy: People in their 40s who still like to compare SAT scores are most vulnerable to this one. It starts when the neighbors acquire a fancy new ski boat. You simply MUST have one, but your more practical-minded spouse fails to see this as an "emergency spending priority." Do you listen? Apparently not.
Dowry of Debt: So when you were preparing to get married you never found the right time to disclose that you had a few debts. From, uh, law school, which you never quite finished. Or attended. You kinda forgot to mention the Nordstrom card and the maxed-out Visa, because . . . you're going to pay them off really, really soon. This is really, really unlikely.
Post-Holiday Pugilism: He: Did you really spend $200 on Dad's cashmere sweater? She: Me? You bought that deluxe CD set for your sister! The Visa bill has landed and those holiday spending blunders have come back to haunt you like the Ghost of Christmas Past. So you take it out on each other. Always a healthy choice.
Control
Dribbling Deficits: The culprit in this case is not the ark or the drum set, it's the steady drip, drip, drip of spending on little purchases that no one tracks. You hit the ATM machine on Friday and end up broke on Monday with NO idea where the money went. An absence of facts rarely prevents couples from making accusations, however.
What, Me Retire?: The world can be divided into those who believe in saving for retirement and those who believe in the Retirement Fairy. If you're married to the latter type, it can be difficult to imagine your future together. As one 401(k)'d friend of mine noted, after admitting that she tends to "boil over" at her husband's lack of future planning: "You're afraid your spouse is going to end up on a park bench."
Blame it on the Boss: Are you the boss? Why are you asking me about how we're going to pay for roof repair, if you're the boss? You're the one who pays all the bills and does all those spreadsheets. No, I'm not bitter. I don't feel disempowered. What do you mean you never asked to be in charge?! You TOOK charge. Did so.
Software Mistake: One of you is fanatically devoted to all the lovely budget and planning tools in your Microsoft Money or Quicken program. At the end of each month you have a terrific round of mutual recrimination because, sadly, you now know exactly where the money went.
Family
The Kost of Kids: Nanny vs. day care; maternity leave vs. staying home; start the college fund now or later. When you're expecting or already have a brood, the choices -- and arguments -- are endless.
The Parent Trap: You've taken on the same financial role that your mother or father once played, but your partner doesn't seem to know his or her role in the drama and isn't ready to surrender the checkbook -- or commandeer it -- according to the unconscious script you're expecting the two of you to follow.
Out with the In-Laws: In the first five minutes of any visit, your in-laws will manage to push at least one of your big financial buttons. ("The house is so much smaller than it looked in the photo, especially given what you paid.") Ten minutes later, you're both growling at each other.
For couples: 8 tips on how to talk about money
Fighting about money is as old as money itself, arising partly out of philosophical differences and partly from habits so old you forgot you had them. But now, at least, you can see all the ways they feed into those arguments you're not having.
Get tips on how to talk about money.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Toni & Thomas: Engaged!
Congratulations to 101.5 LITE FM Loyal Listeners Toni and Thomas of Homestead. They listen at work to hear their names announced in LITE FM's 'Listen For Your Name' contest every morning at 9:00 a.m.
Today -- Valentine's Day -- at 9:00, Thomas surprised his girlfriend Toni with a very special announcement: On the air live with Susan Wise, he asked Toni to marry him!
Listen to Thomas's proposal ... and Toni's answer (4:00 • 1.6 MB)
Right-click the link above and select 'Open Link' to download and listen once ... or 'Save Target As' to save the mp3 file to your computer.
Thomas and Toni have committed their lives to helping others and say their souls have 'become as one in love and our calling of feeding the poor.'
Thomas presented Toni with a ring he had specially made from a family heirloom, with two diamonds expressing their 'Soul to Soul' connection. He's written her many poems, including this one:
I awake with your smile on my mind
My soul reached for you
Without moving my arms
Not a quiver in my body
Only the transition in time
Movement in endless tranquility
Seeking the comfort of your first kiss
An embrace I seek for all eternity
The morning witnessing eternal bliss
Congratulations to Toni and Thomas from all of us at 101.5 LITE FM!
Frisky food
Q&A: Can food really get you in the mood?
Do some foods really increase libido? If so, which ones!
By D. Milton Stokes, M.P.H., R.D., EatingWell.com
Oysters. Chocolate. Chile peppers that make you hot—and bothered? For centuries, people all over the world have been claiming that these so-called aphrodisiacs—and others, including asparagus, bananas, strawberries and you fill in the blank—stoke sex drive.
But sparking libido with food is more fable than fact, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which reviewed the science on the subject. So why, then, do some people report heightened arousal after eating "aphrodisiacs"? Experts tell us it’s all in the mind—and in the heart, literally.
"Experiencing increased libido from an aphrodisiac is analogous to feeling healing properties from placebos," explains June Meyer, M.A., L.P.C., a psychotherapist in Stamford, Connecticut. "What’s in your mind matters more than what’s in your stomach. But if you think a particular food works for you," says Meyer, "why not go for it?"
What’s more, research shows that sexual dysfunction is sometimes a result of vascular disease, says Melissa Ohlson, M.S., R.D., of The Cleveland Clinic Preventive Cardiology Nutrition Program. "Eating a heart-healthy diet," says Ohlson, "helps keep blood vessels healthy." And since blood vessels nourish sex organs, substituting unsaturated fats for saturated ones, getting plenty of fruits, vegetables and fiber-rich grains and laying off the salt may pay off in unexpectedly delightful places.
Bottom line: While there’s no proof that certain foods directly enhance libido, eating a well-balanced diet improves cardiovascular health, which in turn improves total body and sexual health. And if eating dark chocolate or oysters sets the mood, go right ahead. Just balance your calories with ample physical activity—in the bedroom and elsewhere.
Do some foods really increase libido? If so, which ones!
By D. Milton Stokes, M.P.H., R.D., EatingWell.com
Oysters. Chocolate. Chile peppers that make you hot—and bothered? For centuries, people all over the world have been claiming that these so-called aphrodisiacs—and others, including asparagus, bananas, strawberries and you fill in the blank—stoke sex drive.
But sparking libido with food is more fable than fact, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which reviewed the science on the subject. So why, then, do some people report heightened arousal after eating "aphrodisiacs"? Experts tell us it’s all in the mind—and in the heart, literally.
"Experiencing increased libido from an aphrodisiac is analogous to feeling healing properties from placebos," explains June Meyer, M.A., L.P.C., a psychotherapist in Stamford, Connecticut. "What’s in your mind matters more than what’s in your stomach. But if you think a particular food works for you," says Meyer, "why not go for it?"
What’s more, research shows that sexual dysfunction is sometimes a result of vascular disease, says Melissa Ohlson, M.S., R.D., of The Cleveland Clinic Preventive Cardiology Nutrition Program. "Eating a heart-healthy diet," says Ohlson, "helps keep blood vessels healthy." And since blood vessels nourish sex organs, substituting unsaturated fats for saturated ones, getting plenty of fruits, vegetables and fiber-rich grains and laying off the salt may pay off in unexpectedly delightful places.
Bottom line: While there’s no proof that certain foods directly enhance libido, eating a well-balanced diet improves cardiovascular health, which in turn improves total body and sexual health. And if eating dark chocolate or oysters sets the mood, go right ahead. Just balance your calories with ample physical activity—in the bedroom and elsewhere.
Baaad kisses
A Light Hearted Look At Bad Kisses!
The Roto Rooter: Their tongue ventures so far down your throat that it actually begins to choke you.
The Rooster: They begin to kiss you, then suddenly pull way . . .lean forward, then draw back!
The Swordfish: They operate their tongue much like a swordfish uses it's snout, in a blunt and violent manner.
The Grouper: As they kiss you, their lips (which could require their own zip code) completely engulf yours.
The Deep Sea Diver: They rarely come up for air.
The Lizard: Their tongue darts in and out of your mouth like a reptile probing for its next victim.
Frozen in Time: They never change the position, posture or angle of their head. It is as if they have mastered kissing cryogenics.
The Squid: They seem to excrete an awful flavor. All you can think of is how to slip them a breath mint.
The Wrecking Ball: They kiss like a battering ram. Whoa, look out, here they come again!
Nick-o-Teen: Kissing them is like licking the contents of a dirty ash tray. When you're done, you feel like taking a shower
The Roto Rooter: Their tongue ventures so far down your throat that it actually begins to choke you.
The Rooster: They begin to kiss you, then suddenly pull way . . .lean forward, then draw back!
The Swordfish: They operate their tongue much like a swordfish uses it's snout, in a blunt and violent manner.
The Grouper: As they kiss you, their lips (which could require their own zip code) completely engulf yours.
The Deep Sea Diver: They rarely come up for air.
The Lizard: Their tongue darts in and out of your mouth like a reptile probing for its next victim.
Frozen in Time: They never change the position, posture or angle of their head. It is as if they have mastered kissing cryogenics.
The Squid: They seem to excrete an awful flavor. All you can think of is how to slip them a breath mint.
The Wrecking Ball: They kiss like a battering ram. Whoa, look out, here they come again!
Nick-o-Teen: Kissing them is like licking the contents of a dirty ash tray. When you're done, you feel like taking a shower
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
New Lotto
The Florida Lottery will try to increase ticket sales by offering players a chance to boost their jackpots.
A Lottery Department spokeswoman says that besides the $1 ticket already available, Lotto players also will be able to buy $2 and $3 tickets, making players eligible to win bonuses of 10 million dollars or 25 million on top of the existing jackpots.
Players would use the same six numbers, with the same odds of one in 23 million. The change would only affect players who pay extra for the tickets. Retailers will begin selling the new tickets on March second for the March fifth drawing. Governor Charlie Crist is counting on 248 million dollars from the Florida Lottery, along with other gambling money, to help offset falling tax revenues in a tight budget year.
With the new tickets, the Lotto game is expected to generate about 105 million
dollars in the next budget year.
A Lottery Department spokeswoman says that besides the $1 ticket already available, Lotto players also will be able to buy $2 and $3 tickets, making players eligible to win bonuses of 10 million dollars or 25 million on top of the existing jackpots.
Players would use the same six numbers, with the same odds of one in 23 million. The change would only affect players who pay extra for the tickets. Retailers will begin selling the new tickets on March second for the March fifth drawing. Governor Charlie Crist is counting on 248 million dollars from the Florida Lottery, along with other gambling money, to help offset falling tax revenues in a tight budget year.
With the new tickets, the Lotto game is expected to generate about 105 million
dollars in the next budget year.
Rid road rage
That #!&!$ other driver!
Do you live in one of the nation's worst cities for road rage? If you live in a major metropolitan area on either coast, chances are you do. If you live in the Midwest or northwest, odds are that you don't.
Miami ranks as the worst city for most aggressive drivers for the second straight year in a nationwide study of driver habits followed by New York, Boston, Los Angeles and Washington.
But if road rage is a "cultural phenomenon" as one of our experts suggests, how best do we go about combating driver frustration across the nation?
The facts and remedy
When the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety studied more than 10,000 incidents of road rage and violent aggressive driving committed in the 1990s, it found that at least 218 people were killed and another 12,610 injured when drivers got angry. Many of these aggressors are males aged 18 to 26.
The AAA Web site offers a three-step plan to avoid becoming the victim of aggressive driving:
• The first tip is "don't offend," which includes cutting off other drivers, driving slowly in the left lane, tailgating and gesturing to other drivers.
• The agency then warns to "not engage," which advises steering clear of trouble, not making eye contact and getting help, by calling 911, in the event of experiencing dangerous, aggressive driving. It then asks at-risk drivers to "adjust their attitude," which involves "forgetting winning" (for the drivers to whom driving is a Darwinian survival of the fittest), or putting themselves in the other drivers' shoes.
• Finally, they recommend that, if you think you have a road rage problem, seek professional help.
Do you live in one of the nation's worst cities for road rage? If you live in a major metropolitan area on either coast, chances are you do. If you live in the Midwest or northwest, odds are that you don't.
Miami ranks as the worst city for most aggressive drivers for the second straight year in a nationwide study of driver habits followed by New York, Boston, Los Angeles and Washington.
But if road rage is a "cultural phenomenon" as one of our experts suggests, how best do we go about combating driver frustration across the nation?
The facts and remedy
When the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety studied more than 10,000 incidents of road rage and violent aggressive driving committed in the 1990s, it found that at least 218 people were killed and another 12,610 injured when drivers got angry. Many of these aggressors are males aged 18 to 26.
The AAA Web site offers a three-step plan to avoid becoming the victim of aggressive driving:
• The first tip is "don't offend," which includes cutting off other drivers, driving slowly in the left lane, tailgating and gesturing to other drivers.
• The agency then warns to "not engage," which advises steering clear of trouble, not making eye contact and getting help, by calling 911, in the event of experiencing dangerous, aggressive driving. It then asks at-risk drivers to "adjust their attitude," which involves "forgetting winning" (for the drivers to whom driving is a Darwinian survival of the fittest), or putting themselves in the other drivers' shoes.
• Finally, they recommend that, if you think you have a road rage problem, seek professional help.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Chocolate jalapeno
Hot chocolate is getting a twist in Texas.
Chocolate-covered Jalapenos are the new Valentine’s Day special for a business owner in Elsa, Texas.
Check out Berry Delicious.
Chocolate-covered Jalapenos are the new Valentine’s Day special for a business owner in Elsa, Texas.
Check out Berry Delicious.
Toy rentals
These days you can rent movies, video games and even handbags online. But renting toys for your kids? Baby Plays is a web-based company that lets parents get up to six toys in the mail every month. Sorta like you do at the video-rental site Netfix.
Check out the site.
If you would like to know more about BabyPlays and how you can begin renting toys, please contact them at support@babyplays.com.
Did you know that every toy you receive from BabyPlays has been Lead-Tested and is guaranteed to meet U.S. Safety Standards? BabyPlays takes the health and safety of your children very seriously and that is why we use Clorox to thoroughly sanitize every toy we send. We are confident that the toys you receive will be 100% sanitary and meet our governments safety standards!
Check out the site.
If you would like to know more about BabyPlays and how you can begin renting toys, please contact them at support@babyplays.com.
Did you know that every toy you receive from BabyPlays has been Lead-Tested and is guaranteed to meet U.S. Safety Standards? BabyPlays takes the health and safety of your children very seriously and that is why we use Clorox to thoroughly sanitize every toy we send. We are confident that the toys you receive will be 100% sanitary and meet our governments safety standards!
Valentine history
By Matthew Sakey
Florists, chocolatiers and the makers of those heart-shaped candies stamped with kind words have made a fortune because of Valentine's Day. When we think of the holiday, we think of cards and romantic dinners.
In truth, the history of Valentine's Day is equal parts blood, violence, persecution and paper hearts filled with romantic words.
Saint Valentine was a real person—though historians aren't exactly sure which real person the day refers to, as there are three saints with similar names from roughly the same time period. Historians theorize that the Saint Valentine of Valentine's Day fame was a third-century Christian priest serving in Rome.
Claudius II, the emperor at the time, made the strange decision that single men fought better than married ones. Since the Roman empire was at this point beset on all sides by unfriendlies, Claudius II banned marriage among young men.
Apparently Valentine — or Valens, or Valentius, or Valentinian, we're not sure of the name — continued performing secret marriages in defiance of the imperial edict. When Claudius found out (as emperors always do), Valentine got chucked into prison. While awaiting a doubtlessly painful execution, the legend goes, he fell in love with his jailer's daughter, and sent her secret love letters signed "From your Valentine." Valentine's execution was supposedly carried out on February 14, 270, and the rest is somewhat dubious history.
Read the rest of the story.
Florists, chocolatiers and the makers of those heart-shaped candies stamped with kind words have made a fortune because of Valentine's Day. When we think of the holiday, we think of cards and romantic dinners.
In truth, the history of Valentine's Day is equal parts blood, violence, persecution and paper hearts filled with romantic words.
Saint Valentine was a real person—though historians aren't exactly sure which real person the day refers to, as there are three saints with similar names from roughly the same time period. Historians theorize that the Saint Valentine of Valentine's Day fame was a third-century Christian priest serving in Rome.
Claudius II, the emperor at the time, made the strange decision that single men fought better than married ones. Since the Roman empire was at this point beset on all sides by unfriendlies, Claudius II banned marriage among young men.
Apparently Valentine — or Valens, or Valentius, or Valentinian, we're not sure of the name — continued performing secret marriages in defiance of the imperial edict. When Claudius found out (as emperors always do), Valentine got chucked into prison. While awaiting a doubtlessly painful execution, the legend goes, he fell in love with his jailer's daughter, and sent her secret love letters signed "From your Valentine." Valentine's execution was supposedly carried out on February 14, 270, and the rest is somewhat dubious history.
Read the rest of the story.
10 worst gifts
We know what you’re thinking: Valentine’s Day is a commercial holiday. It’s forced. It’s too much pressure. But if you’re dating this month, you’ll probably wind up roaming the aisles for a gift to give your date on February 14th. And, “like it or not, Valentine’s Day becomes a test in which you have to show you’ve been paying attention to the other person’s taste,” says Christine Silvestri, founder of Urban Shopping Adventures, which gives tours of LA’s shopping districts.
But choosing the right gift can be quite a challenge: Too many frazzled sweethearts reach into the Valentine’s void for gift ideas and come up with something that’s just plain wrong.
To help you avoid joining their ranks, we present the ten worst presents possible—and what to give your sweetie instead.
But choosing the right gift can be quite a challenge: Too many frazzled sweethearts reach into the Valentine’s void for gift ideas and come up with something that’s just plain wrong.
To help you avoid joining their ranks, we present the ten worst presents possible—and what to give your sweetie instead.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Valentine for one
How to cope with Valentines Day alone.
Valentine's Day can be depressing if you don't have a valentine to share it with - it can also be lots of fun, if you focus on the positives rather than dwelling on the negatives.
Steps
1
Step One
Do something nice for yourself like taking a long, hot bath by candlelight, or pull out your credit card and a catalog and have fun.
2
Step Two
Rent or go to an action movie, preferably one in which at least one of the prospective love interests gets killed off near the beginning. (James Bond films are great for this.)
3
Step Three
Avoid romantic "date" movies completely, unless you like feeling melancholy.
4
Step Four
Buy yourself a bouquet of your favorite flowers or a box of your favorite chocolates - at least you get to choose exactly what you want this way!
5
Step Five
Do something you've never done before. Go hang gliding or horseback riding, sign up for dance classes or singing lessons, or anything else that strikes your fancy.
6
Step Six
Go somewhere that isn't likely to be pushing the Valentine's Day theme. Sporting or theatrical events are good possibilities.
7
Step Seven
Have some fun with your other single friends. Rent movies and get takeout food, go to a nightclub, or have dinner together at a nice restaurant. Call it an "Un-Valentine" party if you like.
8
Step Eight
Get a head start on planning your St. Patrick's Day party or spring vacation.
9
Step Nine
Call or write to someone you've lost touch with - could be just a friend, or someone you once had a crush on.
10
Step Ten
Help brighten the day for someone else who may be spending it alone: Take some flowers to a local nursing home.
Tips and Warnings
A solo Valentine's Day can be a good time to sit down and write a detailed list of goals and dreams for your own bright future. Remember: Only you can make your life what you want it to be, with or without a significant other.
If you decide to take yourself out for dinner on Valentine's Day, bring a book or journal to keep yourself occupied; this will make it obvious to restaurant staff and patrons that you planned to eat alone, and haven't been stood up by a date.
Stay in touch with the world! Resist the temptation to turn off the ringer on your telephone and crawl into bed early.
Try not to snap if people ask you what your plans are for Valentine's Day - they probably mean well, and don't intend to hurt your feelings.
Overall Things You'll Need
Candles, flowers, boxes of chocolates, gourmet foods, bath oils and movie tickets.
Valentine's Day can be depressing if you don't have a valentine to share it with - it can also be lots of fun, if you focus on the positives rather than dwelling on the negatives.
Steps
1
Step One
Do something nice for yourself like taking a long, hot bath by candlelight, or pull out your credit card and a catalog and have fun.
2
Step Two
Rent or go to an action movie, preferably one in which at least one of the prospective love interests gets killed off near the beginning. (James Bond films are great for this.)
3
Step Three
Avoid romantic "date" movies completely, unless you like feeling melancholy.
4
Step Four
Buy yourself a bouquet of your favorite flowers or a box of your favorite chocolates - at least you get to choose exactly what you want this way!
5
Step Five
Do something you've never done before. Go hang gliding or horseback riding, sign up for dance classes or singing lessons, or anything else that strikes your fancy.
6
Step Six
Go somewhere that isn't likely to be pushing the Valentine's Day theme. Sporting or theatrical events are good possibilities.
7
Step Seven
Have some fun with your other single friends. Rent movies and get takeout food, go to a nightclub, or have dinner together at a nice restaurant. Call it an "Un-Valentine" party if you like.
8
Step Eight
Get a head start on planning your St. Patrick's Day party or spring vacation.
9
Step Nine
Call or write to someone you've lost touch with - could be just a friend, or someone you once had a crush on.
10
Step Ten
Help brighten the day for someone else who may be spending it alone: Take some flowers to a local nursing home.
Tips and Warnings
A solo Valentine's Day can be a good time to sit down and write a detailed list of goals and dreams for your own bright future. Remember: Only you can make your life what you want it to be, with or without a significant other.
If you decide to take yourself out for dinner on Valentine's Day, bring a book or journal to keep yourself occupied; this will make it obvious to restaurant staff and patrons that you planned to eat alone, and haven't been stood up by a date.
Stay in touch with the world! Resist the temptation to turn off the ringer on your telephone and crawl into bed early.
Try not to snap if people ask you what your plans are for Valentine's Day - they probably mean well, and don't intend to hurt your feelings.
Overall Things You'll Need
Candles, flowers, boxes of chocolates, gourmet foods, bath oils and movie tickets.
Happy from the inside out
Marci Shimoff
7 Steps to being happy from the inside out
1. The Foundation-Take ownership of your happiness
2. The Pillar of the Mind-Don't believe everything you think
3. The Pillar of Heart-Let love lead
4. The Pillar of body-Make your cells happy
5. The Pillar of Soul-Plug yourself in to spirit
6. The Roof-Live a life inspired by purpose
7. The Garden-Cultivate nourrishing relationships
Find out more about her books.
7 Steps to being happy from the inside out
1. The Foundation-Take ownership of your happiness
2. The Pillar of the Mind-Don't believe everything you think
3. The Pillar of Heart-Let love lead
4. The Pillar of body-Make your cells happy
5. The Pillar of Soul-Plug yourself in to spirit
6. The Roof-Live a life inspired by purpose
7. The Garden-Cultivate nourrishing relationships
Find out more about her books.
Hormone help
In our busy, fast-paced world, it takes dedication to maintain a sense of balance and wellness. The busier you are the more essential it is for you to plan times for rest, recreation and romance.
This lack of rest and time for self-care can contribute to a larger challenge, that of hormonal imbalance, causing over 30 million women to feel "fat fuzzy or frazzled."
I've been suffering with this for over a year now and I can't wait to read this book.
This lack of rest and time for self-care can contribute to a larger challenge, that of hormonal imbalance, causing over 30 million women to feel "fat fuzzy or frazzled."
I've been suffering with this for over a year now and I can't wait to read this book.
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