Monday, June 29, 2015

Air Travel


Not the elegant transportation experience it once was, air travel is none the less a near necessity in modern life. Here's a few tips to make it less repugnant.

If you plan ahead, you can save yourself a whole lot of trouble by getting  TSA Pre. It allows you to skip the security lines and all the annoying bits that go along with it.

                                                       TSA Pre

If you don't or can't get TSA Pre before your trip, Take a look at the the rules for what can and cannot be brought on a plane these days.

                                                            TSA



Now, do you have your tickets? I keep reading that Tuesday at 3pm 6 weeks from your departure date is the best time to buy tickets.  Not sure if that is so, but, hey, it's worth a try, isn't it?



O.K. So you have your tickets. Now you need to pack.  I try to only take a carry on. I hate checking luggage, don't you?  Learn how to pack light and you won't have to worry about lost luggage or waiting for the baggage to be unloaded. I suggest soft sided luggage, but that's up to you.



Next up, your carry on travel essentials. I always take my Kindle, a sweater or light jacket, headphones, snackage (Usually one of those 100 calorie packs), a bottle of water, and my eye shades. You need to decide what you must have for your comfort. It's very individualized.



O.K.  Now, it's travel day. Get to the airport plenty early. Be at your gate at least an hour before departure time. And double check the boards.  They can show changes in departure times or gates as well of cancellations.



Now, all that's left is to get on your plane and enjoy your adventure!    Safe travels!


Monday, June 15, 2015

Discouragment

One of the things I learned the hard way was that it doesn't pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself.

It is possible to become discouraged about the injustice we see everywhere. But God did not promise us that the world would be humane and just. He gives us the gift of life and allows us to choose the way we will use our limited time on earth. It is an awesome opportunity.


A man can get discouraged many times but he is not a failure until he begins to blame somebody else and stops trying.



   Everyone goes through periods where, no matter how hard they try, nothing seems to be going right. You feel helpless, hopeless and blue. That's just how life is, with it's ups and downs.  While a good cry can be cathartic, when you're done, here are a few things you can do to feel better.

                                                  
                                                                           exercise


                                                                          Get outside!


There's always someone else who's hurting worse than you. In my experience, the best way to forget about my own troubles is to help out someone else. There must be a million different ways that you could volunteer and make a real difference in someone else's life.


                                                                    Journal about it!



                                                                      Watch your diet

Comfort foods are a wonderful thing, but did you know that a healthy diet aids in fighting depression?  Over indulging in food and drink can leave you feeling worse than before!


                                                                              Have a little faith

Praying, meditating, studying God's word are all good ideas all the time, but I find especially comforting when things aren't going well.  It's good to know that, after all, God has got this and it's all going to be o.k.





Monday, June 8, 2015

Lo carbing it with cauliflower



                                                                  Cauliflower Power!


To lose weight quickly, there are 3 things you can do right now: #1 drink more water.....lots of it.
                                                                                                       #2  No alcohol
                                                                                                       #3 No "whites"(flour, sugar or                                                                                                                        potatoes)


To help with #3, may I suggest cauliflower?  It's amazingly versatile and very low calorie.  While I've tried the recipes below and can recommend them.


                                                   
                                                                 cauliflower rice






                                                                           Pizza Crust


                                                                         Mashed potatoes



                                                                     
Let's face it, nothing is going to totally replace french fries and bread, but check out these recipes and I am hopeful you will be able to enjoy your food and lose weight, too!

Monday, June 1, 2015

Things that have drawn my interest recently


I have a somewhat, how should I put this? Eclectic range of interests  I read a book or watch a show or hear about something in conversation, I find a subject interesting and I want to learn more. Here are some recent examples:


                                                                  Life masks


                                                                     Anna Akhmatova


                                                                Ukuleles

                                                                   mash up journals



                                            Thomas Cromwell and the Wolf Hall program on PBS

                                                                         Sambuca

                                                               American Impressionism


                                                                         Pop up campers

           Of course, this isn't all I've thought about, just some of the more pleasant things. There are so many lovely, wonderful and interesting things in the world. I hope you will go out and explore the things that make you smile. You're never too old to learn something new, you know!