Scent Of A (Young) Woman

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I read an interesting article today that I just had to share. The article claimed that there is a research company that shows that there are certain scents that remind people of youth. Scents that would make you seem younger.


37 people looked at models while they sniffed. The males then guessed the models to be 3-8 years younger.


A study done by the perfume company said that citrus fragrances, like mango, grapefruit & pomegranate smelled young and jasmine & musk smelled modern. This is according to 15 men. There is a perfume called Ageless Fantasy that combines all of these scents for only $120 a bottle. Talk about buying youth! Youth in a bottle! Amazing!

On a side note, I think my husband would have chosen 'pie' as the youthful fragrance.


Another study was done with 22 people. It showed that women over 40 produce twice the amount of pheromone noneal that is an odor associated with older age. There is some truth to someone that smells like an old person I guess.


This company is claiming that "young" scents are needed to neutralize this. "This" would be meaning "old people smell" I guess.

I am sure that it is true that certain smells are associated with youth. However, the bottle of pomegranate juice in my refrigerator dabbed behind my ears would be a lot cheaper than this perfume.


If you want to try the experiment for yourself they said that some similar scent combos are Pacifica solid perfume ($9) and Ed Hardy fragrance ($39.99), or this soy candle ($13.95).


Or you can be like me and just dab a little pomegranate juice (maybe add a little pie too) behind your ears. ;-)

Starbucks Free Coffee For Homeschool Parents

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(For something else interesting related to Starbucks click the link above.)

Isn't this a lovely thing for coffee drinkers and homeschoolers? Sadly, I am not a coffee drinker. Yes, it really makes me sad sometimes.

This coming Monday, September 29, (tomorrow) homeschool parents will be able to pick up a complimentary tall size (12 fl. oz.) cup of Pike Place Roast from Starbucks.

This promotion is part of Starbucks “Great Start for Great Teachers” promotion, and is now open to all teachers.

You will need proof that you are a homeschooler. For that information and more details click here.

After you hit 30, it’s all downhill, right? Part 2

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Now this girl is old but YOU are not. She was 176 yrs. old. ;-)

This is part 2 of the article from yesterday. Again, my comments are in red.

4. Clean up your diet.
You just can’t build healthy new cells by eating devitalized junk food that has a shelf life longer than your life expectancy. We all need plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, adequate protein, lots of water, sunshine, and fresh air. More fruits and veggies, more water, and more sun! All the things a growing boy or girl need. :-)

5. Take supplements.
Everyone needs at least a good daily multivitamin. Brands like Centrum aren’t worth the money. You need a pharmaceutical-grade product with good antioxidant coverage. A great deal of physical deterioration is the result of free radical damage to tissues. Antioxidants gobble up those free radicals, and help tissue in the skin and everywhere else stay pliable, flexible and healthy. This is something I think is VERY important. I have a lot to say on this subject. Not taking vitamins is like not having car insurance. You don't want to ever need it but if you do you won't be sorry. Responsible, mature people have car insurance and more kinds of insurance than that. A cheaper insurance and much more valuable is vitamins. You should at LEAST take a good multivitamin. Store brands are not that great. They have the RDA. That just means the amount that keeps you from being DEAD. It is not the amount that keeps you healthy. I personally take a multi-vitamin from the health food store, in addition to Cod Liver Oil, Cromium, extra vitamin C & E, B-150, and a few more. I also add pectin, Benefiber, and Pomegranite juice to my daily routine. I am not saying that you will have perfect health but like insurance it is something you need to have. It does help!

6. Get up and boogey!
There’s only one reason why someone automatically loses muscle mass or range of motion with age: They stop using their muscles and bodies fully. Period. Physical deterioration has very little to do with age. It has a lot to do with being sedentary. You wouldn’t expect your car to start on the first try and run well if you left it sitting out in a field for five years, then tried to drive it – would you? Of course not. It’s the same with our bodies. Those who exercise regularly can expect to add at least six to seven quality years to their lives. Walking isn’t usually enough to build the kind of muscle mass you need to keep your weight normal. You also need weight training to build and maintain bone mass. Take it from someone who hasn't been exercising much for a long time. After getting back to the gym 3 times a week I have been thrilled to see how much MORE I can do.

7. Engage in creative pursuits and schedule things to look forward to.
It’s possible to keep your mind sharp and enjoy your life without becoming an exercise or food nut. I often meet very creative people whose minds are so engaged in their work and in what they’re creating for the future that they’re saturated with life force directly from source energy. This is one of the reasons why composers such as 70-year-old John Williams seem so timeless. Their creative process is such that they’re always touching the hand of God. Their work is divinely inspired. I don't really know who this person is or if he really is touching the hand of God. However, creative pursuits are very good to have. It is important to have goals and to focus on things. Don't get in a rut doing the same thing all the time. And that rubs off on the physical body.

You don’t have to be a world-class composer to tap into source energy. Prayer will do it. And so will dance or any other creative pursuit. The key is that you have to open yourself up to being a channel for something new.

8. Go to a spa.
A spa visit can help jump-start your new, younger life. A good spa is set up with all the food, exercise, great company, and creativity built right in. So it’s natural to get inspired at a spa. I am not sure about this last one but I have never been to a spa. One day I will and maybe then I can let you know if this is helpful or not.

Remember, youth is a state of mind. You can be young at 90, and old at 15. You get to choose.

Christiane Northrup, M.D.

This article came from HERE.

After you hit 30, it’s all downhill, right?

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I personally say NO! Here is part one of a great article we should all read if we are over 30. Leave me a comment regarding your thoughts on this matter. My comments are in red.

8 Great Secrets for Growing Young

After you hit 30, it’s all downhill, right? Not true. Your physical health and your mental well-being determine your real age, not the date on your birth certificate. In acknowledgement of Healthy Aging Month, here are eight tips for feeling young no matter what your age. Plus, are you doing everything you can to boost your life expectancy?

Getting older is inevitable. But aging is not. Here are my tips for staying young at any age.

1. Forget your chronologic age.
It’s a fairly meaningless number after the age of 30. It’s your biologic age that counts. People who understand how life energy works in the body often have biologic ages 20 or more years younger than their chronologic ages.

My 80-year-old mother is a good example. A few years ago she climbed four unmarked peaks (no trails on them) in the Adirondacks – jumping over boulders and downed trees like a mountain goat. She takes no medications whatsoever. She does, however, use a wide variety of supplements daily. It’s clear my mother’s biologic age is far younger than her chronologic age. I want to be like her!

The opposite is also true. I routinely see 35-year-olds who look, act and talk like people far older. I have seen this too. Very sad. They tend to hang out with friends and family members who talk the same talk and walk the same slow walk. When I meet such a person, I know I’m seeing the aging process happening right before my eyes. Their words, thoughts and actions are all about deterioration.......

2. Getting older is inevitable.
Aging is not. The process of getting older actually begins the moment our life begins in the womb! We can’t stop it. But we can certainly influence it dramatically. Though we really don’t understand what aging is, I have some theories that have stood the test of time.

Until age 30 or so, the “springtime” energy within each of us is so strong that our bodies are very forgiving. In other words, the average 18-year-old will be able to maintain a healthy weight and have lots of energy, even if he or she eats mostly junk food, doesn’t exercise, doesn’t take nutritional supplements, smokes, drinks alcohol, and is chronically pessimistic. But the natural forgiveness that nature gifts to the young doesn’t last forever. I am pretty sad about that. Why can't it last forever???

By about age 30, our lifestyles, including our thoughts and beliefs, catch up with us. Your body will be far less forgiving than it used to be. You won’t be able to stay up all night at parties drinking alcohol, then fuel yourself with several cups of coffee the next morning and still arrive at work the next day feeling alert. You won’t be able to live on caffeine and cigarettes and still have your complexion look radiant. You won’t be able to keep working at a job you hate while having no plans for change in the future without this taking a toll on your body.

When health-robbing habits catch up with people at about the age of 30 or so, they say, “You see? It’s my age. That’s why this stuff is happening to me. It’s natural.” Nothing could be further from the truth. When we don’t take care of our bodies (including our minds, emotions and spirits) our bodies are forced to send us louder and louder signals to get our attention.

Headaches, low energy, dull skin, joint aches and pains are just a few of the many different messages our body sends us when it needs better care. Our symptoms are not signs that our bodies are somehow “turning on us.” Our bodies are actually created from our consciousness and the behavior that flows from this. This may be starting to sound a bit new agey but I think this is true in another sense. I DO believe that our words are powerful and our thoughts help shape us. These are Biblical truths. I think that is why it is SO important that we watch our words because we will eventually believe what we hear ourselves say. That’s why it’s possible to remain vital and healthy, and keep improving in many areas throughout our lives!

3. Get conscious about ageism.
We live in a culture that is drenched with ageism. We automatically assume that someone is going to deteriorate as they get older. Recently, my massage therapist told me a woman called and described herself as “old and fat.” She was only 55! This is insane – and also dangerous to our health and well-being. I agree! Saying you are OLD at 55 is not right. I don't want to hear anyone say I am old, ever. OK, well maybe when I am 75 or so. Then I won't be offended...maybe.
It’s important to catch yourself engaging in ageism. I don't call it ageism but I do call it a negative confession. I don't want to make confessions that I will eventually believe. Do you ever say that you’ve just had a “senior” moment when you forget a name or a face? If you do, stop it. NOW. I’ve forgotten occasional names for my whole life. I’ll bet you have, too. We all forget things. This needn’t increase with age. I think I have been doing stuff like that since I was in my 20's and I certainly was not old then. Then again, I can't remember when that was....just kidding.

Many women, especially during perimenopause, complain of having a “cotton head.” They can’t seem to balance their checkbook. They’re certain that they are experiencing the first stages of Alzheimer’s. This simply isn’t true. Most of the “fuzzy head” that women talk about at perimenopause isn’t aging at all. It’s your inner wisdom telling you it’s time for you to tune in to yourself more consistently. It may also be time to make sure your hormones are in the correct balance. Check out my blog Happy Girls Use Happy Cream to see if this may be something you need.

Catch yourself in the act of using your age as an excuse for not trying something. For example, “I think I’m doing pretty well, for my age.” What does that mean? Though it’s true that most 65-year-old men and women don’t engage in as much risk-taking or thrill-seeking behavior as they did when they were younger (like driving too fast with a high blood alcohol level), this is because of a wonderful quality that comes with age: wisdom. I like this quality. It is a good one.

Christiane Northrup, M.D. Excerpted with permission from The Dr. Christiane Northrup Web site.

This is the first part of a very interesting article I found. I hope you will come back tomorrow to read the rest.

If you don't want to wait for the rest of this article tomorrow click HERE.

Your Schooling Didn't Count?

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Got this in the mail today. You should read this. It is very important and very upsetting.....

Just when you think it couldn't get worse ...

The attacks on your faith and your constitutional freedoms keep on coming. In fact, they are intensifying.

In the midst of pressing deadlines and round-the-clock preparations for our upcoming crucial First Amendment Supreme Court case ...

We must confront the University of California and a federal court's decision IN FAVOR OF RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION.

Your generous support is needed now. Despite an enormous workload, we absolutely cannot ignore this dangerous ruling and will file an amicus brief to protect Christian school students' rights.

Here are the disturbing facts of the case:

The University of California (UC) has decided Christian school graduates don't meet its required "educational standards."

Under their flawed admissions policy, UC rejected multiple courses offered by Calvary Chapel Christian School and, therefore, would not consider their graduating high school students for admission.

For example, a history course taught at Calvary Chapel Christian School was rejected for, among other things:


failure to "teach critical thinking and modern historical analy[sis]" because it "instructs that the Bible is the unerring source for analysis of historical events, attributes historical events to divine providence rather than analyzing human action, [and] evaluates historical figures and their contributions based on their religious motivations or lack thereof...."


However, the federal court's decision to reject the Christian school's argument of discrimination may be the most unbelievable - and most fundamentally detrimental - aspect of this case.

Imagine ... graduates from a Christian high school told that their education is not good enough - that their course credits don't count - and that they won't be admitted to college.

Please give an immediate online gift right now to help the ACLJ combat this blatant, anti-Christian bigotry in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

The court's disregard for the basic rights of Christian school students is disastrous. It flies in the face of our constitutionally protected religious rights.

This case literally has the potential to impact Christian high schools and students across the country - making it much more difficult for students at Christian high schools to gain admission to public universities and forcing Christian schools to consider changing their curriculum.

I am committed to seeing a successful outcome in this important matter. In order to do so, our ACLJ team must delve deeply into the law and present the strongest possible case.

Please understand: Our amicus briefs are increasingly cited by the Supreme Court in its opinions. This means our briefs - from the very beginning of the process - are critically important.

Your donation today will help us dedicate the time and materials to researching case law, writing the necessary legal memorandums, and preparing our amicus brief.

We need your help immediately to move forward and to achieve success in protecting the rights of Christian school students and those of our children and grandchildren. Thank you.



For more information go here or to the the ACLJ website.

New Address

Just wanted to let you all know the Cultured Mom blog address has changed.

It is now http://culturedmom.blogspot.com/

Be sure to book mark it so you can come back!

Cultured Moms Favorite Things-Book

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Afer posting this I was concerned that someone might think I am "diss'in" the older women. That is far from the truth. Just in case you are wondering what kind of value I put on older women and their importance in our life, be sure to read an earlier post, by clicking here. The older women are a blessing and we need them to mentor and share with the rest of the world. As women we are all going to be "older women" one day. I just want to look as good as I can while becoming that. :-)

Read a great book called, "How Not To Look Old" by Charla Krupp. I would suggest it for anyone over 35 and especially over 40. It had some great tips and advice. It also had a lot of product suggestions. Now, my word of advice. I don't think everyone should do everything in this book. For example, she talks about fake nails not being youthful. Well that is too bad. (I really do disagree!) My husband loves them and it is more important to me to please my husband. You can go to an extreme with this book I am sure. Do not do that. Pick and choose. I think being happy is a lot more important than trying too hard to look younger than we are. Having said that I looked at the review on Amazon for this book. It seems that most people like the book but a few don't. I understand why they don't. We can't all look like the over 40 celebrities unless we make the cash that those celebrities make, have a staff to make us look beautiful, and people to work on our photographs. Most of us don't. Also, unless you are willing to go under the knife it is just not going to happen. We all grow old and we have to accept that. It is unreasonable to think we are going to look young forever. Having said that....I am not in a big hurry. :-) There are some easy things we can do to look and feel younger and to look our best though. I am always up for a bit of self-improvement in any area. How about you?

So, I DO suggest that you get this book and read it. (Your library probably has it.) Learn a few things and then adapt what you want.

While I was at Amazon I noticed another book that was recommended. It is called "Staging Your Comeback: A Complete Beauty Revival For Women Over 45". I am getting that one from the library too so I will let you know what I think of it later. If you get to it before me leave me a comment with what you thought.

Now for a laugh.....

GAMES FOR WHEN WE ARE OLDER

1. Sag, you're It.

2. Hide and go pee.

3. 20 questions shouted into your good ear.

4. Kick the bucket

5. Red Rover, Red Rover, the nurse says Bend Over.

6. Musical recliners.

7. Simon says something incoherent.

8. Pin the Toupee on the bald guy



SIGNS OF MENOPAUSE

1. You sell your home heating system at a yard sale.

2. You have to write post-it notes with your kids' names on them.

3. You change your underwear after a sneeze.



OLD IS WHEN:

1. Going bra-less pulls all the wrinkles out of your face.

2. You don't care where your spouse goes, just as long as you don't have to go along.

3. Getting a little action means I don't need fiber today.

4. Getting lucky means you find your car in the parking lot.

5. An all-nighter means not getting up to pee!


But Most of All, Remember. . .

A Good Friend Is Like A Good Bra: Hard to Find, Supportive, Comfortable, And Always Close To Your Heart!

What Do You Know About ANWR?

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Do you understand what the term ANWR means? I got an excellent lesson on EXACTLY what it is and where it is. Every American, for or against drilling there should read this blog post. There are some very good photographs to really put things into perspective. You decide.

Also, I have not heard about this. Have you?

Leadership And YOU!

I am subscribed to Pass The Baton. (You should go check it out.) I saw the man over this at a homeschool convention. I really enjoyed hearing him speak. If you or someone you know need a speaker you have found one.

Their Mission: By 2015, we will mobilize one million adults to pass the baton of culture-shaping leadership to the next generation.

How great is that?

I think his message is very important. Every adult should give this some thought and then ask what we are doing to "pass the baton"?

Anything in bold, I added. Enjoy! Let me know what you think. Come back and leave a comment when you are done reading..........

Dr. J. Robert Clinton, professor of leadership at Fuller Theological Seminary, believes that more than 70 percent of leaders do not finish well.

Most leaders grow weary of the vision they were given by God. They begin to withhold their hearts from others and turn away from the influence they could have. Norm Willis pinpointed the problem in his book The Ancient Path:

The curse of our day is withheld hearts. Some will give their money, give their time, even give to the point of sacrifice and yet all the time withhold the giving of their hearts. The focus of the fourth chapter of Malachi and the first chapter of Luke is on the heart. God is after our hearts, both the giving of our hearts and the receiving of another's heart. The only way the discipleship process can work is if the hearts of the disciple and the "discipler" are given to each other (Kirkland, WA: Christ Church, 1998, pp. 21-22).

Has your heart grown cold to the influence you could have on others? I invite you to read this issue of GRTL to see 5 warning signs about not finishing well, and 10 things we can learn from Jesus about how to finish strong.

**Remember, you can't ever have a new beginning, but you can start today to make a new ending.

Bill Thrall, Bruce McNicol and Ken McElrath reported the following in their book The Ascent of a Leader (1999, Jossey-Bass p. 14):

"After having conducted extensive research, Dr. J. Robert Clinton, professor of leadership at Fuller Theological Seminary, believes that more than 70 percent of leaders do not finish well.

"He bases this startling statistic on six criteria, gleaned from common traits among leaders who did not finish well according to their self-analysis, the analysis of their peers and followers, or the teachings of their professed religion.

First, leaders who do not finish well lose their learning posture. They stop listening and growing.
Second, the attractiveness of their character wanes.
Third, they stop living by their convictions.
Fourth, they fail to leave behind ultimate contributions.
Fifth, they stop walking in an awareness of their influence and destiny.
Finally, leaders who finish poorly lose their once vibrant relationship with God."

"It is finished"--10 things we can learn from Jesus about finishing well

Many people intend to finish their work, their ministry, without effectively passing the baton to those who come next. In the church, commerce, politics, education--indeed, every area of life--we could learn from what Jesus did.

After all, in three years of earthly ministry Jesus took 12 ordinary men, equipped them to change the world, and they did it.

Gunther Krallman in his book Mentoring for Mission describes Jesus' discipleship technique (Waynesboro, GA: Gabriel, 2002, p. 124):

his approach was relational

his approach was informal

his approach was oral

his approach was mobile

he modelled

he taught

he enabled practical application

he encouraged

he corrected

he stressed the indispensability of divine empowering

In short, Jesus walked with his disciples so much that his cry on the cross, "It is finished," was not only a proclamation of his conquering of death and sin--it was also a statement of his finished work in training disciples who would take the message of his redemption to the uttermost parts of the earth.

Start with today's youth. Look around. Our youth may only be 15% of the population, but they are 100% of the future.

Don't worry about being formal. Just relate with others and talk about what is important. Model the truth. Ask God to give you daily ways to apply what you know.

Above all, rely on God--not your own knowledge and confidence--for success in preparing those who will succeed you.

Pass The Baton

How To Be On Time Every Time

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This is an article I certainly enjoyed reading. I hope if you struggle like me this article will be helpful for you as well. Yikes, I need to go......


Are you constantly late for important meetings, family get-togethers and other appointments? Well here’s something to consider: being late is not only stressful on yourself, it’s stressful for the people who have to wait for you.

And if you’re rarely on time, you can easily send the message that the people you’re meeting with are not that important to you -- clearly a message that can damage both personal and professional relationships.

Changing your ways and being on time requires a bit of an attitude adjustment. Either don’t schedule events that aren’t important to you, or figure out a way to make those events feel important.

This Lifehack article has 10 more great tips that all of us can take advantage of to become more punctual:

1. Don’t check your email or voicemail right before you leave. That “last quick check” will almost always take more time than you think.

2. Plan for trouble. Always add 25 percent to your time estimate to get anywhere or do any task.

3. Set up the night before. Lay out your clothes, put your wallet in your pants pockets or purse, load up your bag with whatever material you’ll need, put your lunch together, and so on.

4. Set your clocks ahead a few minutes -- by different amounts. You might have a look at the Procrastinator’s Clock, which is some random amount of time ahead, up to 15 minutes.

5. Learn to better estimate how much time things take. Use a time tracker app like RescueTime to learn how long typical tasks take you to complete.

6. Schedule events 10 minutes early. Put your 1:00 appointment into your schedule at 12:50.

7. Set reminders. Use your calendar program’s built-in reminder function, or use a service like Sandy to send you text reminders at set intervals before each appointment

8. Schedule events for “off-peak” times. Learn the times that traffic or other factors might make you late, and avoid scheduling during those times.

9. Fill your gas tank when it reaches 1/4 tank. Don’t let an empty gas tank make you late for anything.

10. Use a countdown timer. Grab a cheap digital timer, and use it to create a sense of urgency.


One other thing to consider if you have trouble being on time … your schedule. If you try to fit too much into a day, you’ll not only risk being late, you’ll risk burning out physically and emotionally....

The above article was found at Mercola.com

Lies Homeschoolers Believe

This is a great post on another blog I just found. You can go to Heart of the Matter Online to see it and a lot of other interesting posts.

They have handed over that blog temporarily, to their men and calling it "Dad Week". Love that idea as Dads have a lot of wonderful things to share too. The men have taken over and are writing some excellent posts! You really should check it out if you are a man, a dad, and especially a homeschool dad. I think all men would benefit though.

I have seen the comments on this book and now I think I need to get it. If you have beaten me to it, leave us a comment. Here it is.....

There are days where even before the school day has begun, I ask the QUESTION. You know the one. The question I venture to guess I ask weekly and some weeks, daily;

"Am I doing a good job homeschooling my children?" DEEP SIGH~

Todd mentions "those" homeschoolers, the ones who appear to be perfectly composed and peaceful. I have seen enough know that images such as those are unrealistic, but I still find myself doubting and questioning. I know the TRUTH, but I often fall victim to the LIES.

I know that I often have to fight to not "believe the lies." I know that lies in any form are destructive, but I have to tell you, sometimes I catch myself believing them. I spin my wheels for ways to DO MORE, BE MORE, SPIN THE WHEELS FASTER. It's a good thing to always be learning and looking for ways to make our homeschool "better for us," but it's when I do these things for the wrong reasons that I begin to doubt. For each of us the "lies" we believe are different, but they are lies nonetheless. I find myself falling for those lies that attack the things that I struggle with as a woman, despite our choice to homeschool.

I have always been an "over achiever." I blame it on my "first born status," but when the enemy wants to attack me, he'll go straight there. I imagine it's the same seductive voice that Eve heard in the garden. It's NEVER conspicuous, it's sneaky and subtle, but if I am not constantly aware, I'll find myself falling for it EVERY TIME.

" Come on Lori, you can do better; your kids are not getting all they need; you really don't think YOU can do this through high school, do you?" Before I even realize it, I find myself BELIEVING THE LIES that have subtly been implanted into my subconscious. I stand as Eve did, dripping with fruit juice, wondering HOW I fell for it again. And after a "bad day" I'll tell you there is JUICE everywhere.

That is how it was JUST the other day, Monday I believe. "Tough day?" my better half inquired....I could feel it, my eyes began to well up, and on came the faucets. "I just don't know, are they learning, doing, being ENOUGH?" He looked at me, square in the eye and said, "yes, you know they are, they are BECOMING the people that God wants them to be. There are going to be BAD days at work." Deep Sigh! So I wipe those tears and begin again.

I BELIEVE in homeschooling. I BELIEVE that God called me into this 4 years ago, I BELIEVE in it with all my heart. I BELIEVE it is the best situation for our family...I BELIEVE these things and I'll tell you I still get sucked into the lies at times. I DO.

After reading the rest of this you may want to read this book also. The whole post is here.

Cultured Moms Favorite Things- Money Exchange

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I have found many things that really are great products. Often, I wish I could tell my friends and family about them. They don't always come up in conversation so I thought posting them here would be fun. I have thought of several things that I would like to share. Feel free to comment and share some of YOUR favorite things, deals, or helpful tips.

Love this and so should you! Do you know anything about Paypal? Well, this is just like it but free. Looks like Paypal has some competition. If you are interested in learning more click here. If you decide you want to sign up be sure to click on the link to the right of my page....scroll down just a bit. It is free to sign up and free to send money.

Speaking of money things.

I did this one also. I signed up for the HSBC savings account. The interest on this savings account is 3.50% until Aug. 15th. I signed up for this BEFORE this promotion. I have it set up to take money out of my bank account each week. I love it! I don't even think about it. While I am not thinking about it money is taken out of my banking account, added to my HSBC savings account, and has the best interest you can get. There is NO minimum deposit and no fees.

They Are Still Building Outhouses?

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Who knew they were still building outhouses? I don't know about you, but I assumed it was most certainly a thing of the past. Apparently, I was wrong.

I thought this was a very interesting story.


BATAVIA, Ohio — An ailing retired farmer who refused to give up his outhouse after authorities declared it to be a public nuisance finally got a new one.

Elbert "Lew" Preston, 79, stood his ground long enough for a nonprofit group to come to his aid and build him a sturdy new outhouse with a waste tank underneath.

"There she is," Preston said as he showed off the new outbuilding. "She's a lifesaver."

The wooden outhouse, with the traditional crescent moon on its door, replaces a 1960s-built version that had run afoul of public health officials in Clermont County, east of Cincinnati. While the old one was over a hole in the ground, this one sits atop a concrete base and a 1,000-gallon tank.

"It's too nice and complicated to be an outhouse," Preston said. "I call it a privy."

Elbert "Lew" Preston, 79, stood his ground long enough for a nonprofit group to come to his aid and build him a sturdy new outhouse with a waste tank underneath.

"There she is," Preston said as he showed off the new outbuilding. "She's a lifesaver."

The wooden outhouse, with the traditional crescent moon on its door, replaces a 1960s-built version that had run afoul of public health officials in Clermont County, east of Cincinnati. While the old one was over a hole in the ground, this one sits atop a concrete base and a 1,000-gallon tank.

"It's too nice and complicated to be an outhouse," Preston said. "I call it a privy."

Preston, a former trustee for Washington Township, challenged the board of health for months before seeking help from People Working Cooperatively, a nonprofit founded in 1975 that has done thousands of projects for low-income, elderly and disabled residents in southern Ohio and northern Kentucky. Past jobs have included replacing roofs and building wheelchair ramps.

This was its first outhouse project.

"That old outhouse wasn't up to code," said Steve Green, project manager for the Cincinnati-based group. A message was left Monday for Clermont County's board of health.

Preston lives near a busy shopping area and has 175 acres of potentially lucrative real estate, but didn't want to go to the expense and complications of installing a septic system. He said he can't afford repairs on his home.

"It's hard to believe someone lives that close to all those stores and still uses an outhouse," said Dave Castellini, an engineer for the city of Cincinnati who was part of a five-man volunteer team that built the new privy in one day.

Preston, who is slowed by diabetes and has colon problems and pacemaker, said he never saw the need to replace the old outhouse — which once was picked up and carried into his garden by a tornado without major damage.

"I moved it back and it was as good as new," he said. "I figured it would last me for the rest of my days."

He's certain this one will. He said the tank must be pumped out every two years, and he doubts he'll live long enough to reach that point.

Anyway, he's used an outside toilet since settling in Washington Township 40 years ago and likes the privacy of a privy.

"When you're in a house, sounds carry," Preston said. "Everybody knows your business."

What's Wrong With Being A Nice Guy?

I thought this was a very interesting article. My husband has often commented on the "Oprah-ization" of America. I think that could have been added to this article. What do you think?

In an age of suicide bombers, contaminated mail, road rage and rampant rudeness, it seems the last thing we should worry about is an epidemic of overniceness.

But while America slumbers, says Federal Way therapist Robert Glover, an alarming number of men -- maybe 1 in 4 -- are morphing into wimps who live to please and end up pleasing no one.
"I think since World War II, Nice Guys have just proliferated," says Glover, 46, whose focus on "Nice Guy Syndrome" has spawned a best-selling e-book, a growing caseload and a global online community of "recovering Nice Guys."

"Now I'm seeing second- and third-generation Nice Guys coming along," says Glover, who acknowledges he has no hard data beyond clinical observation of a trait he has sought treatment for himself.

His concern is not with generic niceness but a specific constellation of traits such as passivity, conflict avoidance and emotional caretaking that in the past were more commonly associated with women.

Response to Glover's weekly "Nice Guy therapy groups" is so strong, he's about to launch a fourth concurrent group at his Center for Healing and Recovery. Also in the works is an intensive summer workshop he hopes to turn into a global series of events.

But his largest audience is at nomoremrniceguy.com, where he runs an online support group of about 100 members, fields e-mails from around the world and markets his book, "No More Mr. Nice Guy!"

With business so good, Glover theorizes -- debatably-- that he has hit upon a problem for our times. Wading further into roiling waters, he blames Nice-Guyism on an array of 20th-century social change.

His list of causes responsible for creating Nice Guys -- inclusive enough to rile nearly every interest -- includes absent fathers, the anti-war movement of the Vietnam era, the sexual revolution, an educational system that he claims is "dominated by women" and "women's liberation and feminism."

The end result, he argues, is that a lot of male baby boomers and Gen-Xers grew up adopting "a female perspective on masculinity."

For the rest of this article click here.

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Why No Comment My Dears?

Oh my dear readers, we're having that talk again. I put my post up and told you I would comment the next day (after you). What happened?

You are coming over to my little corner of the internet each day (amazing!) but why no comment my dears? It's like I'm in high-school and no-one will sign my year book. I am so sad today.

So the moral of this post, is to PLEASE leave me a comment!

Confessions of a Car Salesman

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This was a VERY interesting read. I highly recommend it. Ever wonder about car salesmen? This gives you a fascinating peek into their world. I have a new respect for them but also a new way of thinking about buying a car. Check out this article from Edmunds.com