Too much time saturday

Found this website and thought the pictures were funny, but seriously....if you are posing toys and taking pics, maybe you have a little too much time on your hands!
Carry on!

Be the Noodle by Lois Kelly is a book written per the wishes of a dying mother. It is 50 ways to help you, as the title says, be a compassionate, courageous, crazy-good caregiver.

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I have to say the only reason why I decided to review this book was for a friend who is studying to be a social worker and has no free time to read. I agreed to read the book and let her know if it would be a great resource for her. I am blessed for doing so.

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I have had a mother go through a bout of cancer and she has survived, so I thought I was far from needing a book like this. Unfortunately, people sometimes wait to late, or avoid things that are sad, uncomfortable or make us face mortality. Let me tell you, even though this book deals with death, it is actually a very empowering book. It brings to light situations we may all face when dealing with a loved one who is dying. Sometimes, when we have a glimpse of things that may occur, it doesn't seem as scary. It can give us the tools, ahead of time, that we will need to make things easier. This book is probably the most important tool you will need.

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The book is broken down into 3 sections. 1) Wham! Bam! Welcome to the caregiver club, ma'am...here we find help with managing visits, just being there and she's got the power. 2) Conflict and crisis: when the wild, wicked and weird start hitting the fan...here is a look into foul moods, hesitating on hosp-ice, and sharing everything with others. 3) Being laid off: saying good-bye to the hardest job you never wanted...addresses dew vs. fog, sadness vs. grief and writing a killer eulogy.

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From being tossed into and coming out the other end, this book holds your hand through it all. I cannot tell you how much comfort I felt in reading this book. I know that if and when I'm in this situation, I will not be alone even if I am on my own.

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I give this book a 5 out of 5. You will want this resource on you shelf, you will gain so much.

Melissa and Tammy and Popular

Many of the best and most ground breaking shows get canceled way before their prime....but let me back up a minute.
Today on CNN.com I saw that Melissa Etheridge and her partner Tammy have split after 9 years. This got me thinking about one of my most favorite tv shows "Popular". This was a show about a group of high school students, the populars and the ones on the other side. This show was funny and well written. Tammy played Nicole the mean conniving cheerleader who took her popularity seriously and woe to the person who gets in her way. This show featured a lot of great actors such as Leslie Bibb (Iron Man 1&2, See Spot Run), Sara Rue (Less Than Perfect), Carly Pope (24).
Tammy's character was mean and her lines were biting but hilarious....for example:

"Sure, I'll put Carmen on the squad. When hell freezes over and/or Melissa Joan Hart gets nominated for an Oscar."

"Sugar D., stop staring at Mary Cherry like she's a Hot Pocket."

"Maybe 10 years of vomiting has ruptured your ear drums."

If you have NetFlix, you must rent this show and watch. It was truly awesome.

In a pinch

If you ever need to pluck a stray hair that might be growing from your chin and it might really be bothering you because since you are 44 stray hairs seem to be growing out of places that should not grow hair on women and its always darker while the hair on you head and eyebrows seems to only grow grey and you are at work without tweezers...needle nose pliers will work.



Just a guess.

Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy

I recently read Danny The Dragon Meets Jimmy by Tina Turbin and illustrated by Aija Jasuna.

I thought the illustrations were wonderful, colorful and really drew you into the story. The story however fell short for me.

Jimmy is at the beach with his mom, dad and sister, where he finds a special shell that talks. When he shows the shell to his family, however, the shell remains quiet.

We find out that there is a dinosaur, Danny, and his navigator, Skipper, in the shell. The family is surprised and Jimmy asks how they got in the shell, how they get out, and where are they from. Jimmy asks if Danny and Skipper can stay and his parents agree that it is a good idea.

I like how Jimmy is a polite and helpful child. I like that the story features a family that hangs out together and sits down to eat together. It was sweet and imaginative, but it didn't flow. At dinner, when they discovered Danny was in the shell there were a lot of questions, but the next thing we know they go outside to play with friends and the questions go unanswered. At the end of the book, Jimmy asks the questions again, and Danny says he will answer them some other time, but now its time for bed. I can't imagine any child asking a question and letting it go without an answer...heck my 23 year old wont leave me alone until I answer her, I know a young'un lives to ask "why" and would not let it go, sometimes even when they do get an answer they still don't let it go!!

I also received a DVD of the story. This DVD was kind of like a read along, with Carol Downing (Associate Director and Classroom Teacher of the Blossom Montessori School of the Deaf) signing beside the pages. The dvd had some staggering statistics like 93% of all deaf children are born to families with hearing parents and only 10% of them learn to communicate effectively with them. I like that the author used her book to bring this issue to the forefront and gave an alternative to deaf children to enjoy the book.

I give this a 4 out of 5 if only for the great illustration and positive examples.

Too much time Sat...

Been off on a little vacation so I haven't gotten to post this past week. But for your enjoyment, I have this weeks "Too Much Time on Their Hands" candidate. Found on Woman's Day website, this entry showed how a sharpie in the right hand (a hand with a lot of time) can transform anything...even an extremely expensive Lamborghini.

Good Medicine

I recently finished Good Medicine by Carol Roberts, MD. I must confess this was a tough read for me.

I read the back cover of this book and I was really excited. Here it is...

"Attain a Healthier You-Naturally-With this Breakthrough and Doctor-Proven Guide Filled with the latest thinking on traditional, holistic and alternative care, Good Medicine: A Return to Common Sense represents a sea change in approaching illness and attaining optimal health. This authoritative and easy-to-understand book from renowned Dr. Carol L. Roberts offers a new perspective on how human beings are put together, integrating the physical body and the spirit within. Comprehensive chapters on nutrition, digestion, toxins, heart health and even sex make it easy to customize your own wellness plan.

You'll learn:

-How to break the habit of foods that can literally kill you, and replace them with nutrient-rich superfoods (it's easier than you think)

-Why your digestive system is the gateway to optimal health, and how to give it a preventive tune-up

-The man-made toxins that are causing millions to suffer from diseases like asthma and liver damage, and how to get them out of your life

-Secrets to boosting energy and sexual performance that don't require an expensive prescription

-Straight talk on vitamins-what works, why, and how much you should (or shouldn't) be taking

-Why spirituality is as important as traditional medicine, and how to implement the right balance in your own wellness goals

If you're tired of being sick, tired of taking expensive drugs-or just plain tired-this book will show you how to shape your well being with proven, practical techniques."

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I'm not sure how to break the bad foods. The chapter entitled, "What Should I Eat, Doctor?" we are told to eat whole foods, fresh and organic foods, drink lots of water and eat the right fats, among a few other things. This is really not anything new, or anything I don't already know, for that matter. She ends the chapter by saying, in bold print, this is an evolutions, not a revolution...but I found no clear idea of how to break the habit

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The section on the digestive system was very informative and helpful in my understand of how it plays a part in keeping me healthy and there were suggestions of supplements that help along with the amounts needed. As far as the toxins and how to get them out of your life, again I think it fell short. She talked about fasting, colonics and chelation therapy. The last of these three is a "procedure invented to treat sailors who were poisoned by lead based paints used on battleships. The procedure involves the administration....of a synthetic amino acid with several chemical binding sites...This quality allows the chelating agent to pull the metals out of storage in the bones, liver, kidneys, of the brain..." (pg108-109) The author states, "A simple safe treatment like chelation therapy could make major heart surgery a thing of the past, reduce the incidence of stroke, and prevent and treat one of the underlying causes of cancer and dementia - metal toxicity"; however the American Heart Association found no scientific evidence to demonstrate any benefit from this form of therapy and states that the FDA has not approved it for the treatment of coronary artery disease.

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The positives were that most chapters Dr. Roberts gives us some suggested readings and I did come away with some good suggestions for supplements. The negatives were she suggested some treatments and tests that would not be covered by insurance and could be expensive. An example if having your hair tested for chemicals in your body. Sounds like a great idea and I would love to do it, I just don't have $100 to $230 to do it.

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I am all for alternative medicine, I do believe doctors treat symptoms and not problems, i do believe the medical profession has turned from treating patients to making money, I am just not sold on a lot of what was in this book. That said, I did glean some good things and this book did receive 5 stars for 13 out of the 15 reviews at Amazon.

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I give this a 3 out of 5.

ABDC

Thanks for voting for Blueprint Cru....but this week I have to say...Poreotix should win! I think they should bring back some of the best for an Ultimate America's Best Dance Crew.

Best dance of all the shows was Quest Crew....



With the second best dance Blueprint's Lady Gaga challenge...