2014 Goals Checkpoint

With one month gone, it's a good time to see where things are at and if any changes are needed to this year's goal list.

Exercise/Stretch 5+ Days a Week, Body Fat 12%

Check. I've been very close to 6 days a week of exercise, and while I haven't stretched on each of those days, I've been doing it at least 3 days a week. The scale told me that my weight's still right around 160, so even though I do need to get busy finding a way to measure body fat, the chances that it's risen much are pretty low.

Healthy Elbow, Eyes, Teeth

Teeth first: I've done about all I can do short of getting a root canal on this one. Went back to the dentist and for the third time since my last visit, he did some re-shaping of a crown that's been giving me problems. Now just about the only way I actually bite against it is if I'm eating something small and solid like nuts or something. So at least the pain's minimized. At some point I may go the distance and just kill the root, but for now I'm happy.

Eyes: The bad news is that I am still trying to figure out why contact lenses go haywire in my left eye. It's blurry, there's occasionally mucus, even a little blood once. Doc's got me on an antibiotic to see if the mucus/blood thing was just viral like an ulcer. Apparently there are still some options for a contact in that eye. On the huge upside, though, the upgrade to my glasses has created perfect vision at all distances, even without bifocals. Switching to the McLean County Eye Center (thank you Facebook friend Adam Shake for the referral!) has been a revelation. My previous doctor simply recommended that I start wearing reading glasses to balance my eyes and end the blurriness. Incorrect.

Elbow: Still dealing with tennis elbow in the right one so that I haven't shot a basketball or done an upper body workout pain-free since last summer. Seeing a physical therapist recommended by the NCHS team trainer, and he has me on a regimen of daily light exercise, and weekly visits for treatment. I'd have to say no improvement noticed in its health, but at least it's getting worked on professionally which if nothing else will rule out treatments that don't work.



Tutor 300 Hours

By the end of the day I'll have logged 36.5 hours of private tutoring in the month of January. That's a fair pace considering that by my count there were really only 25 tutoring days available under the best conditions, and that I lost 9 days to school cancellations and basketball games. Plus it's the first month of the semester which is the slowest. Actually, taking all that into consideration - averaging more than 2 hours of tutoring a day and knowing that it's going to ramp up - it was an excellent month. I decided not to audition for a play that I'd blocked off 6 hours a week to do, so I am positioned to take on more students than I thought. That's in addition to the 18 students I have currently. Though I don't count my 10 weekly hours at Heartland toward this goal since it's basically low-paid training, in all I'm at 30 hours of tutoring a week, and 40 is certainly not out of the question by semester's end.

Blog Thanks Weekly

I have lacked on this one. Got my 50 monthly posts in as usual, but considering all the great things that have happened this month, have reflected on them only briefly in writing.

Make 10 New Acquaintances

Sitting out the play will be a drawback, but I've volunteered to be the Leadership McLean County Alumni Chair for the next year, which opens possibilities. I don't like to count my new students as acquaintances, but there is definitely some learning from them in terms of character. It's early in the year and there is plenty of time to make things happen here.

Clean House

I'm just going to re-state the goal here, since nothing happened with it yet. This is a catch-all for a few things. Our basement wall needs a good scrubbing. A major project to repair driveway/carports will improve our property greatly. My wardrobe and files need an overhaul. A cleaner home is a launching pad for the fresh start that is 2014.

Son Shocks Mom To Tears With Surprise Super Bowl Tickets

Texts From My Cat

Get here if you can! This was so much like my new cat owner experience, especially the laptop part.

http://www.sadanduseless.com/2013/09/texts-from-my-cat/

One Way To Be Completely In Control

"One thing that is always in our control... is our ability to identify what we can do better now and in the future." - Jim Tressel

In follow-up to yesterday's post, I do remember that some of my most grandiose mistakes were the result of "crucial conversations," usually with me on the receiving end of some criticism. My traditional mistaken reaction in those situations is to overtalk it, to the point where my shortcomings seem to be a disproportionately high part of who I am. Someday, I tell myself, and ideally the next time - I will just respond with "Thanks for caring enough about me to give me that feedback," and then gracefully move on. The day that I do, I'll be posting about it!

Buttoning Up

One of my weaknesses is foot-in-mouth syndrome. Overtalking. Sometimes it's boastful, sometimes it's woeful, either way it's look-at-me... and weak.

Today I was sorely tempted - actually maybe better to describe it as a rabid, persistent itch - to unload something off my mind about a disappointing situation. So I did... to Dena, and not the person to whom I was compelled to e-mail. It's wonderful to have a loving partner to vent frustration instead of festering it. And it's soothing to journal about the experience here as another balm.

Buttoning the lip (or in e-mail, buttoning the "send" button, one heck of a mixed metaphor) and finding a healthier release is a recipe for moving on to life's next play. None of us is inherently negative. Those moments are like a hiccup. It's good to have a private ear to absorb it, and move on.

Electricity = Life

Our power went out yesterday around 9pm and was restored at 3am. This while winds outside were raging to the tune of below zero wind chills.

How lucky are we to have homes where the temperature stayed above 60 even with the power out? To have the kind of service that quickly restores the power? To have been born in an era where electricity exists? To have a deep supply of blankets, candles and matches to wait out the storm? And on a personal note, to finally have a car with heat? God knew what he was doing when he killed my old car two weeks before this polar vortex party.

Quality Control

"Quality is never an accident. It is always the result of intelligent effort." - John Ruskin

"Intelligent effort." That could be as simple as planning a couple goals for today. Wouldn't accomplishing those tasks make today more satisfactory? Make today of higher quality?

It's cold and flu season. Do you have medicine handy to stave it off? Are you washing your hands regularly? A day off the couch is a higher-quality day.

Did you say something regrettable today? How can you prevent that next time? Figure out how to make yourself a more quality person.

Little Bit Of Heaven

A wise, dying man once told me "be thankful that you have your health." That was a good thirty years ago, and the quiet intensity of his voice has been imprinted on my mind ever since. It's a gift that's kept on giving. It's been a year of unprecedented health issues for me, but last night I watched the film "Little Bit of Heaven" about a successful young executive who dies from colon cancer (and thankfully discovers the love of her life along the way), and it reminded me how healthy I really am. I can still do cardio and most any activity with my legs, can still type and do almost any household chore. The doc has finally straightened out my vision to be completely unblurred. I can eat almost anything from my famously finicky diet without pain. My kidneys have been pain-free for months. My hearing's been clear for so many months that I've lost count. And through it all my mind has never wavered, a fully functioning machine for teaching, acting, writing, singing, playing and entrepreneuring. Not to mention the practically endless supply of fresh food and water that over a quarter of the world's population could only dream of. It is a little bit of heaven on earth!

High School Team Hits Three Buzzer-Beaters To Win Game

Are We Reaching Our "Full Potential"?

"Here's a good working definition of excellence: Everybody striving to reach their full potential." - Jim Tressel

In the end only God knows our destiny, what will be fulfilled. In the meantime, when we talk about "full potential," the question is "by whose definition"? I have abilities to be a top-notch insurance executive or basketball coach. Does this mean that choosing other paths is to underachieve my "full potential"? Of course not. I define full potential to be "maximum happiness." For me personally that comes from a mixture of social, volunteer, creative, spiritual and competitive outlets. Sometimes in private, sometimes in a crowd. Steadily changing to keep adventure alive. Your definition of "full potential" is the right one for you; it doesn't belong to anyone else. You find the channel that excites you, and go all-out after it. That's living life to the fullest!

Oh, And Winning Too

"The day I took over the Bulls, I vowed to create an environment based on the principles of selflessness and compassion." - Phil Jackson

The environment sets the stage for success just like soil is the source of growth!

Nation's Lunatics Lament Rising Cost Of Car Meat

http://www.theonion.com/articles/nations-lunatics-lament-rising-cost-of-car-meat,35046/

10 Ways To Be A Great Sports Teammate

1. Show up for practice on time, with a good attitude, and ready to work hard.
2. Decide at the outset that you love (not just tolerate, but love) every member of your team (athletes, coaches, trainers, and assistants).
3. Never shortcut or minimize warm-ups, calisthenics, wind sprints, distant runs, and cooldown.  These are more than just conditioning. They are part of building cohesiveness and endurance.
4. Never whine or complain about the work.  It’s sports; it’s supposed to be difficult.
5. Don’t get fixated on winning.  Focus on doing the fundamentals of your position well in harmony with your fellow team members around you.
6. Listen to your body.  Respond properly when it’s warning you about injury (make ice, braces, tape, and Ace bandages your friends). Communicate clearly with your trainer.
7. Don’t limit your involvement with team members to practice and competition.  Think as a team at all times.  Include fellow teammates in your social life, family life, and academics.
8. Encourage the kids who aren’t as athletic or who have extenuating circumstances that might be distracting them (problems at home, academic problems, injuries).
9. Never speak poorly of a fellow teammate or criticize the coaches.  If you have a problem with a teammate or coach, deal with that person individually.
10. When you win, win humbly.  When you lose, hold your head up and never take it out on the coach or teammate.

Joining Your Mind And Your Behind

"Keep your rear end and your mind in the same place." - Gordon Larson

It would be interesting to know how much of our day is spent thinking about things other than the task at hand. In this moment I'm easily concentrating on writing, but what about driving? How much of our mind is devoted to signaling for a left hand turn or checking blind spots, versus what's for dinner or who to pick first in the fantasy football draft?

What about when we're in a conversation? None of us would believably say that we're at full attention the entire time. Our mind will wander. But do we miss entire conversations, or pieces of them? Do we fail to gain valuable wisdom because of missed opportunities to dig deeper? Does our bond with the speaker weaken?

Living in the present moment may transform us into more highly successful people.

Building Morale With Discipline

"Setting a goal is not the main thing. It is deciding how you will go about achieving it and staying with the plan. The key is discipline - without it there is no morale." - Tom Landry

No morale! Strong words, but what is it about doing something as simple as taking the trash to the curb that makes us feel a little bit better? Accomplishment in all its forms creates a momentum of energy. For example, catching up on blog posts.

Doing The Impossible

"Start by doing what's necessary, then what's possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible." - Saint Francis of Assisi

I awoke today and this thought crossed my mind: "Make today a high-quality day." Eat good foods, do what is productive instead of lazy, listen more than talking. St. Francis also says to do what's necessary. It could be cleaning up a dozen little messes around the house. Build from there.

Assists - The Secret To Basketball

"I've been in the NBA 13 years, and this is the first place where I've never heard anybody complain about their shots. Things are going on here that don't happen anywhere else - things that are against the laws of sports." - Earl Watson

They say that the key to the Portland Trail Blazers making 21 three-pointers against the Bobcats is that 18 were assisted. Every possession is a hot potato, the ball barely touching the ground.

Chicago Cubs: Grading Each Position

By Yahoo! contributor Brian Davis:

COMMENTARY | Even though the Chicago Cubs are technically only in their third season of reconstruction, the years of mediocrity prior make this rebuilding process feel like it has gone on forever.

Even as our patience meter begins to wane, when you see how the Cubs look at each position you begin to realize that if even some of these prospects pan out, the team isn't all that far from being prepared to compete.

 

Starting Pitching  

Pitching probably isn't the position to begin with if I'm trying to make you feel better about the Cubs' future chances, but it's not all bad.

Slowly, the Cubs have started stockpiling what look to be quality arms for the rotation. The problem being that none of these players project to be top of the rotation kind of arms. Despite my repeated objections to signing Masahiro Tanaka, the Cubs do need that top-of-rotation pitcher (I definitely wouldn't have spent $175 million on him, though).

Jeff Samardzija is the only guy who people seem to think is that kind of pitcher. Travis Wood keeps getting better, and then the Cubs have a stadium's worth of fourth or fifth starters -- Jake Arrieta, Chris Rusin, Carlos Villanueva, Justin Grimm, Edwin Jackson. Pierce Johnson is an intriguing prospect, but probably won't end up elite.

Guys like Arodys Vizcaino and C.J. Edwards are the cream of the crop in the minors, but it appears that bullpen work is in the future for Vizcaino, and some have speculated that even Edwards might be a back-end of the bullpen type of pitcher at the major league level, which doesn't leave the Cubs with too much.

 

Grade: C-
Relief Pitching  

The Cubs have had a rough go in the bullpen in recent years, but things are finally starting to look up. Since Vizcaino (and possibly Edwards) probably won't be starting, they have to be considered quality candidates for the 'pen.

And take a look at the Cubs' bullpen in the majors already: Pedro Strop, James Russell, Kyuji Fujikawa, Blake Parker, and Jose Veras. Other than Fujikawa and Veras, everyone else is under 30. So long as one of these guys can solidify the closer position with Kevin Gregg out of town, the bullpen might (I said might) be headed for better days.
 
Grade: B
Catcher
It seems as if the Cubs are relying on Welington Castillo to be the long-term solution at the position. The problem is that it's hard to say whether or not that's a good idea.

He's still only 26 and has shown improvement (.274 in 113 games in 2013), but has had a few nagging injuries over the years and still, now four years since his debut, only amassed 176 games.

That might not be much of an issue if the Cubs had anyone behind him in the minors. You'll find no catchers on the Cubs' top prospects list. No matter who you have, it's always nice to have some type of backup plan.
 
Grade: C-
First Base
Anthony Rizzo is the guy. The Cubs do have Dan Vogelbach as their second-best prospect at the position, but if Rizzo ends up not being the guy, it will be a big blow to the Cubs' future plans.

He's signed long term, plays top-notch defense, and is still only 24. But until he shores up the offensive inconsistencies, Cubs fans will be nervously looking around for other solutions.
 
Grade: B
Second Base
Darwin Barney -- you love him or you hate him. And the ratio of love/hate is usually directly contingent on when he's in the field playing Gold Glove defense, and when he's at the plate fighting the Mendoza line.

Things are a little thin at second base directly, but the Cubs have a number of prospects that could make the move to the position -- Arismendy Alcantara most specifically. And since Barney doesn't much look like who you want at the position for the long term, one of the prospects probably will make the move.
 
Grade: C
 
Shortstop
Starlin Castro is the guy. They signed him long term, he already has several years experience under his belt, and he is still just 23.

A lackluster 2013 has some questioning just how Castro stacks up for the long haul, but, lucky for the Cubs, they have a treasure trove of talent at the position -- top prospect Javier Baez, specifically.

Some suggest Baez could move to the outfield (or another infield position), but the Cubs have some options here with Alcantara and Baez. When you're rebuilding, options are good.
 
Grade: A
Third Base
Third base is interesting because while the Cubs have loads of depth in the system, they have no viable option currently playing the position -- Luis Valbuena is the current placeholder.

But behind him the Cubs have Mike Olt, Christian Villanueva, Jeimer Candelario, and Kris Bryant. Bryant is looking more and more like the future at the hot corner for the Cubs, but he is still a little ways off, but Olt (and possibly Villanueva) could fight for the spot in 2014.

Again, depth is good.
 
Grade: B+
 
Outfield

The major league club has a number of stopgaps in the outfield -- Ryan Sweeney, Nate Schierholtz, Justin Ruggiano -- but they have some awfully good looking prospects creeping through the minors in Albert Almora and Jorge Soler.

The Cubs also look to have something in Junior Lake, who played well in his majors debut the second half of 2013. To a lesser extent, Matt Szczur is still considered a respectable prospect, and they do have Eloy Jimenez lurking, but he's way too young to know what they have in him yet.

Overall, the outfield looks like a future bright spot.

 

Grade: A-

Leadership McLean County Alumni Program

I've volunteered to serve as chair of the Alumni Committee for Leadership McLean County's 2015 program year. My early thoughts and ramblings here.

Assessment

My assessment of LMC alumni is that:

- They are sufficiently busy; their pro-activeness in leadership and the community influenced their selection in the first place. Any LMC alumni activity needs to be a productive use of their time, a unique value added, and time-bound.

- They have enough friends. Purely social events have had waning attendance. The bond of friendship within LMC was strong while they were united by the common cause of project completion and the tuition they'd committed to participate.

- Their self-identity as LMC alumni is currently minimal. A recent e-mail to approximately 75 alumni, asking simply for acknowledgment, resulted in no response. There are 20 years and approximately 600 alumni in the program that are mostly disengaged. Emphasis on retaining currently active alumni (typically those within 3 years of graduation), with less focus on reviving inactive alumni, seems the more productive route.

- They will rally around a goal or task. The personality surveys taken during LMC consistently identify that "yellow" types - the list-makers, organizers and overachievers - are the highest population.

- They enjoy meeting and learning from each other. A recent survey of LMC '14 indicated desire to spend more time networking and discussing real-life issues as leaders.

- They enjoy volunteering. Demonstrated volunteerism is a key characteristic sought through the selection process as a gauge of community leadership interest. A well-run volunteer opportunity is a welcomed use of their time.

Proposal

The vision of LMC Alumni 2015 is to define and establish a concept of "active" and "distinguished" alumni, and to build a process for tracking and developing these community leaders.

"Active" alumni are those who have provided or confirmed a primary contact address within the last 12 months.

"Distinguished" alumni are active alumni who, within the last 12 months, have documented at least 25 hours of community leadership.

"Community leadership" means a paid or unpaid role with responsibility to direct at least one person who is not a family member, for a non-profit purpose.

"Documented" means a report or reports (written, presentation, etc.) totaling at least 750 words which summarize an alum's contributions to, and development from, a community leadership experience.

The Alumni Committee will:

- Develop a database of contact and other relevant information for LMC alumni, including status such as inactive, active, or distinguished.

- Publish relevant information to LMC alumni, such as Alumni Committee activities and LMC program activities, on a regular basis.

- Provide timely budget requests to Chamber staff for any anticipated funding needs.

- Serve as LMC Graduation Day Chair.

- Provide opportunities for alumni participation, such as small discussion groups with leadership development focus and task force projects.

Notes:

What was your favorite LMC day? Helps indicate the area of volunteerism you may be most interested in, or to be a day chair of.

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Bob Costas: Follow Your Passion

"I'm reluctant to offer advice concerning how others can be successful. Generally speaking, I would say... strive to make a career out of something you have a passion for and which rewards you in non-material as well as material ways. Then be willing to work hard at it and strive to improve, even after you achieve some measure of success." - Bob Costas

I recall an article saying that Costas used to watch games as a boy, turning off the sound on the T.V., and announce the entire thing. To become great you must invest great energy, which is fueled most efficiently by passion. That passion might be inborn, or birthed by a dramatic life event, but either way, it becomes what some might describe as their "purpose," others "calling"... the core of our lives.

Something Old, Something New

"Nothing stays the same; it either gets better or worse. If you continue to do things the same old way instead of trying to solve problems creatively, you are setting yourself up for failure." - Jack Joseph

Joseph's family has been in the business of processing and recycling scrap metal since 1929. If you can start and sustain a business in the Great Depression, what can't you do?

I love the creativity of finding new ways to help my students. Lately I've been pondering ways to tutor virtually; then I can help the whole nation!

Surrounded By Success

"We believe that the key to starting and running a business is to surround yourself with successful people who share the same goals and motivations you have." - Drew Mugford, who converted an old Lowe's store into a car dealership.

Whether your motives are selfless or selfish, you'll find plenty of harmony in finding people who buy into your concept. A shared vision helps keep people on board when the ship's rocking badly or temporarily run aground. It's worth every minute spent to keep those visionary fires burning.

Six Simple Steps To Make Over Your Metabolism

By Alexa Joy Sherman of Yahoo Shine:

More than 60 percent of Americans blame a sluggish metabolism for excess pounds, according to a recent Calorie Control Council survey. It's not just a flimsy excuse; resting metabolic rate (RMR), or the number of calories you burn at rest, slows with age, hormonal changes, and weight gain, and genetics also plays an important role. But don't despair. We identified six simple strategies that can stoke your calorie-burning fire. Give them a try and end the metabolic blame game once and for all.

Hit the weight room.
Pumping iron keeps your metabolism humming and your silhouette slim. But a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that a mere 19 percent of women weight-train twice a week or more. It's time to rethink that: "Starting at around age 35, women lose 5 to 10 percent of their lean muscle mass per decade," says Michele S. Olson, PhD, a FITNESS advisory board member and professor of exercise science at Auburn University at Montgomery in Alabama. "So when you're 45, even if you weigh the same as you used to, you've probably lost about eight pounds of muscle and replaced it with eight pounds of fat." And that switcheroo leads to a 48-calorie-a-day decrease in your RMR. It may not sound like much, but it adds up to about five pounds of fat gained a year.

Make it happen: In addition to regular cardio sessions (intervals are especially good for torching calories and boosting your post-exercise burn), strength-train. "Studies have found that women who do eight to 12 reps of three upper-body and three lower-body strength exercises four times a week using moderately heavy weights can gain about a pound of muscle each month," Olson says.

Ditch crash dieting.
More than half of people who are trying to lose weight say that they crash diet or fast, follow a restrictive program, or skip meals, according to a recent survey. You've probably heard that when you don't eat enough, your body goes into starvation mode and your metabolic rate decreases. Although some researchers have questioned the validity of this claim, a recent study published in Obesity backs it up. People who reduced their calorie intake by 25 percent or consumed just 890 calories a day experienced a drop in their RMR. And that's not all: "If you're not eating enough, you're most likely losing muscle, not fat," says Rachel Berman, RD, the author of Boosting Your Metabolism for Dummies. That's particularly true if you're skimping on protein or essential fats. "Your body will break down its own muscle tissue to get the amino acids it needs," says Caroline Cederquist, MD, the medical director of Cederquist Comprehensive Medical Weight Control in Naples, Florida.

Make it happen: Eat up! If you exercise regularly, you need at least 1,500 calories a day. Active women may require 0.5 to 0.75 grams of protein per pound of body weight, according to Nancy Clark, RD, the author of Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook. That's 70 to 105 grams a day for a 140-pound woman. You can reach that range, for example, by eating one egg (six grams), six ounces of Greek yogurt (17 grams), two tablespoons of almond butter (seven grams), a four-ounce salmon fillet (31 grams), and a cup of pinto beans (15 grams).

Don't party too hard.

A glass of wine a day probably won't cause weight gain. Research shows that people who drink small amounts frequently have healthier body mass indexes than those who drink larger amounts less frequently. Several studies have found a link between occasional bouts of heavy drinking -- consuming at least six cocktails at a time -- and excessive abdominal fat. "The liver normally breaks down stored fat for energy," Dr. Cederquist says. "But with heavy alcohol intake, your body prioritizes the detoxification of the alcohol over the metabolism of fat." Translation: You hold onto fat and torch fewer calories. Buzzkill!

Make it happen: Sip no more than one drink a day. And make it a glass of wine, preferably red. In a recent review of studies at the University of Navarra in Spain, vino wasn't associated with weight gain, but hard liquor was. This may be because the compound resveratrol, found in the skin of grapes, inhibits the production or accumulation of fat.

Cut back on sugar.
The average American consumes almost 152 pounds of sugar a year -- or 43 teaspoons a day! It's not just sweets but simple carbohydrates of all sorts -- chips, pretzels, white bread, and pasta -- that murder your metabolism. "Simple carbs and sugar stimulate the release of insulin," Dr. Cederquist explains. "As people age or gain weight, especially in the abdomen, the body loses sensitivity to insulin, and glucose is unable to enter the cells." That means your body stops using simple carbs for energy and instead stores them as fat, so you wind up hungrier...and heavier.

Make it happen: The American Heart Association suggests that women limit added sugars to no more than about 100 calories (the equivalent of six teaspoons of sugar) a day, but that's easier said than done. "Food labels don't make a distinction between added and natural sugar; they're lumped into one category," Berman says. Limit your consumption of added sugar by keeping processed foods in check and scanning ingredients lists for any word ending in ose (including dextrose, sucrose, maltose, and lactose), as well as honey, molasses, high-fructose corn syrup, and fruit juice concentrates. The closer to the top of the list these ingredients are, the higher the sugar content.

Get more zzz's.
According to recent data from the National Center for Health Statistics, nearly 30 percent of adults report getting six or fewer hours of shut-eye a night. That's a serious nightmare when trying to shed pounds: A 2010 University of Chicago study found that test subjects who snoozed only five and a half hours a night were hungrier and lost 55 percent less weight than those who slept eight and a half hours a night. "Sleep deprivation interferes with your body's ability to metabolize foods," notes Pamela Wartian Smith, MD, the author of Why You Can't Lose Weight. "It also makes you produce more of the hunger hormone ghrelin and less of the appetite suppressor leptin."

Make it happen: Go to bed already. Although eight hours a night is ideal, seven is enough to ward off weight gain and enhance overall health, Dr. Smith says. Even if you're not getting that amount, strive to turn in and wake up at the same time every day. "This reinforces a consistent sleep rhythm and reminds the brain when to release sleep and wake hormones," says Frank Lipman, MD, the author of Revive: Stop Feeling Spent and Start Living Again. And cut back on caffeine; it blocks sleep neurotransmitters, even in small doses or when consumed in the a.m.

Squelch stress.

Angst affects not only your mental health but also your metabolism. A recent study from Rutgers University in New Jersey found that chronic stress leads women to reach for high-sugar, high-fat comfort foods, and those who were the most frazzled had more abdominal fat. "Chronic stress causes cortisol secretion," Dr. Cederquist says. "Cortisol prompts fat in the body to be relocated and deposited deep in the abdomen, and this visceral fat is the key to the metabolic slowing that occurs with age, weight gain, or hormonal changes."

Make it happen: Take a good, hard look at the stressors in your life. Strive to minimize them wherever possible, whether that means taking a personal day (or full-on vacay) from work or coming up with a new system for organizing your desk. Better yet, practice stress-management techniques, like regular exercise and meditation. "Just five minutes of mindful breathing in the morning is a great place to start," Dr. Lipman says. Go to meditationoasis.com, a site with dozens of free meditation podcasts to help you chill out. The more relaxed you are, the better everything in your life will function, including your metabolism.

Ironmen Tip DeKalb, Nequa

The Normal Community Ironmen raced to a start in the Martin Luther King basketball tournament.

After surrendering a couple of quick three-pointers in the opener against DeKalb, NCHS quickly grew a double-digit lead. Several key bench players got significant minutes and played a stifling brand of defense themselves, taking the 4th quarter 9-3 to seal a 64-34 win, while giving starters some much-needed rest between the previous night's nail-biting 47-39 win over Champaign Central, and the nightcap against Nequa Valley.

Nequa, previously 7-0 against the Ironmen since Normal had joined the tournament nine years ago, put up a physical battle but in the end, the momentum swung in favor of Dave Witzig's crew. Tyler Seibring erupted for 14 points, 10 rebounds, 7 blocked shots, 2 assists and a steal to lead a smothering and disciplined attack. The final score of 51-35 capped a highly successful 24-hour period for NCHS.

Another New Job... Not!

I was intrigued by an internal job posting at Heartland Community College. Its requirements included spreadsheet work, supervisory experience, strong communication and organization skills - all of which I have and then some. So I put in an application over winter break since the school was closed and I couldn't fully research until then.

Yesterday I walked over to the area where my office would be. The lighting was dim, the office was on a corridor in the far back. The department was empty. The break area was filled with disorganized stacks of dated materials. I peeked into my theoretical boss's office, where it looked like a tornado had given birth to another tornado and then battled it to the death.

I made an easy walk back to the tutoring lab and politely withdrew my application. Even if they'd offered $50,000 a year I don't think it would've been worth the prospect of a work environment like that. Research pays off, and appearance matters!

The Bad Habit That Even Exercise Can't Overcome

Anyone with an office job can attest to that achy, crampy, stir-crazy feeling of being stuck sitting at your desk all day. What you may not know is that sitting all day can also be deadly, even if you work out regularly, according to the results of a forthcoming study conducted by Cornell University.

The study of 93,000 women found that those who are sedentary the longest during waking hours die earlier than those who are more active. In fact, women who logged 11 hours of sitting time had a 12 percent increase in premature mortality from causes such as cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, and cancer by 13, 27, and 21 percent, respectively.

Sitting wreaks havoc on your health because, when your body stops moving, that causes a decline in metabolic activity and chips away muscle mass, increases insulin resistance (which can lead to diabetes), and, over time, can lead to obesity. Not to mention, it wrecks your posture.

 
Even if you don't sit for 11 straight hours, brief periods of inactivity can add up," lead study author Rebecca Seguin, assistant professor of nutritional sciences at Cornell University, tells Yahoo Shine. "Let's say you sit at a desk for eight hours — bathroom and lunch breaks included — then sit on the subway for 20 minutes, sit to eat dinner, and lie on the couch for a few hours. That can easily amount to 11 hours of sedentary time."  
The study also found that the effects of constant sitting weren't that different for super-active people. Even those who hit the gym for an hour (even two!) a day faced almost the same odds of premature death as those who didn't work out.
And while the research was conducted on post-menopausal women, Seguin says the results are applicable to women of all ages, especially since muscle mass begins to decrease at age 35.
Of course, there's not much you can do about a job that requires you to talk on the phone, type away at your keyboard, or stay hunched over spreadsheets all day, but making small adjustments in your day can add up to big changes.

For starters, request a stand-up desk at work, specifically one that comes with a higher chair, so you can sit periodically and be at eye level with your computer. If your office doesn't allow it, you could always make your own — stack books on your desk and rest your computer on top.

Or, indulge in more breaks, a notion people tend to resist in our 24/7 connected world. But simply taking five can actually boost productivity. One recent study published in the journal Cognition found that people who took two brief breaks within a 50-minute period were more focused and stimulated by their tasks at hand. "One way to stop feeling guilty about taking breaks is to stop thinking of them as 'breaks' think of them as being and as crucial as any other task," suggests Seguin.

Another idea: If you have a private office or a semi-private cube (or even if you don't!), try pacing, marching in place, or — if you use a wireless headset — lifting dumbbells during phone calls. And use a bathroom on a different floor of the office and take the stairs to get there. "It sounds like a pain, but how much longer will it take you — two extra minutes?" says Seguin.

It's worth it!

Ailing 12-Year-Old Janaya Steffy Hits Basketball Shot Of A Lifetime

Grammy Nominees Surprise NYC Bus With Party

Now this is what I'd like to happen on my morning commute!

Community Rallies To Help Cancer Victim

http://screen.yahoo.com/popular/community-rallies-wedding-nixed-cancer-234042356.html

9 To 5: Here For You

I'm thinking of auditioning for the musical 9 to 5 at Community Players Theatre. Most of the roles are female. Here's one of the male songs.

Can Anyone Be An Effective Leader?

I suppose this question is like the old religious question as to whether everyone can get to heaven. It depends on your standards.

Leadership traits can be taught lecture-style. They can be practiced simulation-style. The student can subsequently be assigned into a position of real leadership. Will that leader be effective, even after decades of experience?

As a practical matter I'd say that not everyone can be an effective leader, almost regardless of your definition. To be effective at something you need passion. Passion comes from wanting something strongly. And not everyone wants the responsibility of leadership.

When I worked in a corporation we had several employees who were excellent analysts, with no desire to lead. The irony is that some of those employees had co-workers who would gladly have followed them; by some definitions a leader is one who has followers. But these employees did not want to lead, except by example.

I see it as good that not everyone wants to be a leader. Leadership is exciting to some, and unpleasant to others; vital non-leadership roles are exciting to some and unpleasant to others. The diversity helps keep all roles filled an everyone happy.

Nurses Spring To Action When Pilot Has Heart Attack

On a flight from Des Moines, Iowa, to Denver, Colo., two announcements were made over the intercom. The first asked if anyone on the plane had medical experience. The second asked if any passenger had flight experience.

This story could have had a very tragic ending. But, instead, two nurses came to the rescue of the fallen pilot. Meanwhile, his co-pilot safely landed the plane in Omaha.

"He was sick and mumbling and kind of incoherent," registered nurse Linda Alweiss recalled to KTLA-TV. 

The Camarillo, Calif., native was one of two nurses aboard the flight who attended to the pilot. She was flying home to California through Denver. "I turned to the co-pilot, and I asked her, 'You know how to land the plane, right?' And she said, 'Yes.'"

Paramedics were waiting on the tarmac when United Airlines flight 1637 touched down in Omaha.

"We just jumped," Amy Sorenson told ABC News of her and Alweiss' reaction. Sorenson, a nurse from Wyoming, helped administer an IV and set up a diagnostic defibrillator. "Knowing that the patient needed care, [we] just jumped into our roles."

A statement released by United confirmed the plane's sudden but safe landing. It also noted that passengers were provided with overnight accommodations before continuing to Denver the next day.

On that flight, Alweiss sat next to the co-pilot, who told her the pilot made it to the cardiac unit at a nearby hospital and had survived.

Walking In The Right Direction

I was feeling pretty blah this morning.

Then I had my first meeting with a math student today in a wheelchair.

The things that were dragging on my mind seemed so petty compared with the thought of not being able to walk!

The day's been better ever since.

Surprising Truths About Workplace Happiness

By Geoffrey James of Inc.com:

Employees don't work hard because they're happy. They're happy when they're working hard.

Most bosses understand (if only in theory) that happy employees are more productive than miserable ones.
However, it turns out that many of the things that make employees happier don't make them more productive.

For example, companies often try to make their employees happier by trying to make the workplace more fun, like by having an onsite video game parlor and or an in-house gym. Other companies host community-building exercises to build a greater sense of connection.

Unfortunately, while these approaches may make employees happier, they probably don't increase employee productivity and may end up having the opposite effect. Let me explain.

Over the past three years, Harvard University researcher Matthew A. Killingsworth has been compiling data from users of a smartphone app called Track Your Happiness, which lets people report, in real time, how they actually feel.

The most surprising result of this study is that we're most often the happiest when we're lost in what we're doing, aka being "in the zone." Conversely, we become less happy when our minds wander.

Surprisingly, it doesn't really matter what we're doing when we're "in the zone," as long as we're not being distracted or in a situation where we're bored.

In other words, employees aren't more productive when they're happy. They're happy when they're focused, which can make them more productive as an accidental byproduct.

Therefore, an onsite video game parlor (for instance) can increase employee happiness because video games are mentally absorbing, but that happiness isn't going to translate into more productivity.

On the contrary, if the work itself doesn't allow the employee to focus and get "in the zone," the activity will suffer by comparison to the "fun" part of the workplace.

Rather than trying to make employees happy by adding a sugarcoat of "fun" to a bitter pill of work, companies should make it easier for employees to become absorbed in their work, thereby making them more productive and happier at the same time.

With this in mind, there are four obvious strategies:

1. Don't give people too much work. When people are overloaded to the point where they know they can't get everything done, they immediately focus on how much work they've got to do, rather than on actually doing it.

2. Don't give people too little work. When people don't have enough to do, their minds wander and, with time on their hands, start finding other things to focus on, like workplace gossip or, yes, playing video games.

3. Remove distractions from the workplace. Provide private or doubled-up offices rather than bullpens or cubicle farms. Reduce the overall noise level. Set aside time during the day where corporate email is disabled.

4. Institute work/life balance policies. Flexible work hours, remote working policies, and generous paid sick leave allow employees to handle the distractions of their personal lives on their own time, so that they can focus on work when they're actually working.

Breaking The Grip Of Cable TV

By Lisa Gerstner of Kiplinger:

The long list of cable channels that you never watch. The skyrocketing bills -- and the battles with your provider's customer-service department to return them to earth. The fees for everything from equipment installation to service calls.

Those are just a few of the reasons why dealing with a cable or satellite-TV provider is so frustrating -- and costly. According to the Federal Communications Commission, the average cable bill is $62 a month, or $744 a year. And prices can go a lot higher depending on the plan you choose. You could be happier (or at least richer) if you ditched cable and took advantage of the growing options for watching TV shows and movies online instead.

And yet we have a complicated relationship with our cable providers. A survey by Coupon Cabin found that 45% of U.S. adults think that cable TV is a waste of money. But even though the alternatives to paid TV are becoming more compelling, most people are resisting change. About 86% of households with a television set still subscribe to a "multichannel video service," such as cable or satellite TV, says Bruce Leichtman, president of Leichtman Research Group. Subscriptions have declined by just 1 percentage point over the past couple of years. Instead of replacing cable, many customers are adding Internet video options. "It's more of a supplement than a substitute," says Leichtman.

That means people are likely spending more money on video than the numbers show. But unless you are addicted to watching a certain cable TV show the night it comes out, or you're an avid sports fan, you can probably get your TV fix from the Web via streaming video for a lot less money. The usual suspects, such as Netflix and Hulu, continue to provide access to large collections of movies and previously aired TV shows.

And a start-up called Aereo is testing the waters for streaming more TV online. For $8 a month, subscribers can view programming live from major broadcast networks and local channels and record shows to view later. Aereo is available in a few cities now, and it has plans to expand. The company has clashed in court with broadcast networks about the legality of its business, but so far Aereo has prevailed.

Methods of slinging Web video beyond your PC screen are expanding, too. Google, for example, recently introduced a $35 device the size of a USB flash drive called Chromecast. Plug it in to any HDTV and you can stream content wirelessly from compatible services, including Netflix and YouTube. Your computer, tablet or smart phone acts as a controller (see the box at left for more on Web-to-TV streaming devices). Video services are also responding to customers' increasing appetite for viewing programs on their mobile devices by offering smart-phone and tablet applications.

Find New TV Episodes

For many, watching TV without paying for it means going back to basics: setting up an antenna to pick up programming on local broadcast stations. Go to www.antennaweb.org, enter your address or zip code, and the site will pull a list of available TV stations as well as the type of outdoor antenna required to get a signal from each. (Bonus:You may find that your HDTV reception using an antenna is sharper than with cable or satellite.) You should be able to get stations that have strong signals using an indoor antenna (a good one may cost $40); for weaker signals, you'll need a good outdoor antenna ($50 to $100 or more).

Hulu.com is the hub for viewing TV shows from participating networks online. Typically, you can stream the five most recent episodes of a show's current season free, and programs usually pop up on the site the day after they air on TV. (Fans of Fox shows have to wait eight days after an episode's air date to watch it online -- except for subscribers to eligible cable or satellite services.)

Upgrade to the $8 monthly Hulu Plus service and you'll get access to a wider selection of TV and movies -- including full seasons of TV shows -- as well as the ability to stream many shows through compatible devices, such as smart phones and the Roku box. If you can't find a show free on Hulu, check the station's Web site (current-season episodes of some CBS shows, for instance, are at CBS.com but not Hulu.com).

If you can't stream a TV show free, look into buying episodes from services such as Amazon Instant Video or iTunes. You may be able to purchase the full season of a show for less. For instance, buying the 22 episodes of Scandal's second season in HD on iTunes, at $3 a pop, would total $66; buy the full season and you'll pay only $30. Through Amazon Instant Video, order a TV Pass to get discounted episodes of current-season TV shows as soon as they are released. 

Netflix's $8 monthly streaming service doesn't carry new, current-season episodes of popular network and cable-TV shows (though you'll find previous seasons of many programs). But Netflix has waded into creating original shows, such as House of Cards and Orange Is the New Black, that have proved popular with viewers. (In fact, the critically acclaimed House of Cards is now on sale through other streaming services.) And rather than use the standard model of releasing new episodes periodically, Netflix has made new full seasons available all at once.

Get Movies on Demand

By watching movies online, you can keep the stacks of DVDs filling your cabinets from getting any higher. To see the newest releases, you'll typically have to rent or buy them individually, rather than use a streaming subscription service. Amazon Instant Video, Blockbuster On Demand, CinemaNow, iTunes and Vudu all have movies that you can rent or purchase on demand.

When you rent a movie, it will be available to you for some period, typically 30 days. You'll usually have one to two days to watch it once you've started it. If you purchase a movie, you can watch it anytime, and you may be able to download it to certain devices. At www.CanIStream.It, enter the name of a movie and the tool shows which services offer the film for rent or purchase and how much you'll pay. If a movie is not available on a service you prefer, you can sign up to get an alert when it arrives.

With the Netflix streaming option, you can access plenty of movies but typically not new and popular ones. If you're a heavy watcher of the latest releases, Netflix's DVDs-by-mail service may be more cost-effective (though less convenient) than renting movies a la carte from other providers. Redbox Instant by Verizon has a smaller library of older films to stream (no TV shows), but for $8 a month you also get four DVD rentals from Redbox kiosks, where you'll find newer releases.

Trim Your Cable Instead?

If you prefer not to dump your cable or satellite provider, consider cooling the relationship. If you subscribe to hundreds of channels that you don't watch, downgrade to the basic service. Take stock of whether you're using all the features that your package offers. For example, you could return any cable boxes around the house that you rarely use. If a promotional deal ends and your bill shoots up, call your company and ask whether you can enter a new promotion. Research the offerings of competing services and be prepared to request a price match. Threatening to switch providers may be the prompt the cable company needs to give you a better deal.

A large family may find more value in a cable subscription than an individual would, says Sam Rosen, of ABI Research, a technology research firm. And the case for cable strengthens if your provider has its own streaming services. HBO subscribers, for example, get unlimited access to the premium channel's content online using HBO Go, and you can stream it to devices such as Apple TV and Roku.

Alternatives for Sports

For an all-around sports enthusiast, a cable or satellite package that includes ESPN and other sports networks is probably the way to go, though you can catch some sports programming on broadcast TV if you install an antenna. At WatchESPN.com, you'll need a paid-TV subscription to access much of the content. But those who use participating Internet service providers can view ESPN3 content through the site, which includes some college athletics, golf, tennis and other sports.

If you're partial to a sport that offers a Web streaming package, you might get by without cable -- but you'll often have a hard time catching the home team play because of blackout policies that bar coverage of games in a team's local market. Baseball fan? Subscribe to MLB.TV for $110 a year and watch live games of any Major League Baseball team that is not in your region. With the $130 yearly premium package, you can stream to compatible devices, such as Roku and Apple TV. For National Basketball Association and National Hockey League fans, NBA League Pass Broadband ($180 early-bird price for the 2012-13 season; 2013-14 prices unavailable) and NHL GameCenter Live ($169 for a full season in the past) also provide streaming video of live out-of-market games.

In general, DirecTV customers are the only folks who can watch any out-of-market National Football League game live, through the satellite provider's NFL Sunday Ticket package. But if you can't use DirecTV for some reason -- say, your landlord won't allow a satellite dish to be installed on your apartment building's roof -- you can stream Sunday Ticket online for $300 in the 2013 season without using regular DirecTV service.

8 Self-Limiting Behaviors That Successful People Avoid

By Kathy Caprino of Forbes:

In my work, I’ve been fortunate to learn from amazingly successful, impactful professionals and entrepreneurs.  I’m defining “success” here as achieving what matters most to you, individually and authentically – not as some objective measure of outer wealth, accomplishment or achievement.  Observing people in action who are living fully on their terms and absolutely loving it, I’ve seen how they think, react, interrelate, problem solve, and lead.  I’ve applied these lessons to my own life, and to those I coach.

I’ve noted that people who love what they do for a living and have created tremendous success and reward, not only engage continuously in life-supporting behaviors, but also avoid certain negative actions and mindsets that other, less successful people habitually get lost in.

The 8 self-limiting, negative behaviors successful people avoid are:

Engaging in “below the line” thinking

“Below the line” thinking refers to a particular mindset that shapes how you view the world in a limiting way.  It leads to your believing that what’s happening to you is outside your control and everyone else’s fault – the economy, your industry, your boss, your spouse, etc.  Below the line thinking says, “It’s not fair what’s happening, and I don’t have what it takes to overcome these challenges. I didn’t expect this and I can’t handle it.”  Above the line thinking, on the other hand, says, “I clearly see the obstacles ahead, and I’m addressing them with open eyes.  I’m accountable for my life and my career, and I have what it takes to navigate through this successfully.  If I fail, I’ll still wake up tomorrow exactly who I am, and will have learned something critical.”


Mistaking fantastical wishful thinking for action

Successful professionals pursue outcomes that flow organically from their current actions. Unsuccessful individuals attach to fantasies that may relieve them momentarily of their situational pain but have no basis in reality.  For instance, I’ve heard from corporate professionals who share, “Kathy, I really hate my job and desperately want to leave.  I’ve been wanting to write a book and become a motivational speaker for several years now.  What’s your advice?”  I’ll respond, “OK, great.  Are you writing and speaking?” and more often than not, the answer will be, “Uh…no.”  You can’t write a book if you’re not writing anything, and you can’t speak in public if you haven’t developed any material to speak about.   It’s critical to take bold action toward your visions, in order to create success.  Successful people develop huge goals too, but they crush them down into smaller, digestible (but courageous) action steps that they then build on, which leads naturally to the end goal they’re pursuing.

Remaining powerless and speechless

Successful people are in touch with their power, and are not afraid to use it and express it.  They advocate and negotiate strongly for themselves and for others, and for what they care about, and don’t shy away from articulating just how they stand apart from the competition.  They know how they contribute uniquely and the value they bring to the table.   In addition, they don’t wait to bring up concerns – they tackle challenges head on, speaking about them openly, with calm, poise and grace.  They don’t hide from their problems.  And they don’t perceive themselves as hapless victims.    

Putting off investing in themselves

I see this behavior over and over in those who feel thwarted and unsuccessful – they are incredibly reluctant to invest time, money and energy in themselves and their own growth.  They are comfortable only when putting other people’s needs ahead of their own.  They’ll make any excuse for why now is NOT the time to invest in themselves or commit to change.  They feel guilt, shame and anxiety over claiming “I’m worth this.”  Successful people don’t wait – they spend money, time and effort on their own growth because they know without doubt it will pay off – for themselves and everyone around them. 

Resisting change

Successful people don’t break themselves against what is or drown in the changing tides.  They go with the flow.  They follow the trends, and embrace them.  They are flexible, fluid and nimble.  They react to what’s in front of them, and improvise deftly.   Those who are unsuccessful bemoan what is appearing before them, and stay stuck in the past or in what they “expected,” complaining about how life is not what it should be and why what is feels so wrong. 

Honoring other people’s priorities over their own

Successful people know what matters most to them – their priorities, values, concerns, and their mission and purpose.  They don’t float aimlessly on a sea of possibility – they are masters of their own ship and know where they want to head, and make bold moves in the direction of their dreams.  To do this, they are very clear about their top priorities in life and work, and won’t be waylaid by the priorities and values of others.  In short, they have very well-defined boundaries, and know where they end and others begin.  They say “no” to endeavors and behaviors (and thinking) that will push them off track.  They know what they want to create and the legacy they want to leave behind in this lifetime, and honor that each day.

---

Doubting themselves and their instincts

Those who doubt themselves, lack trust in their own gut or instincts, or second-guess themselves continually find themselves far from where they want to be.  Successful professionals believe in themselves without fail.  Sure, they acknowledge they have “power gaps” or blind spots, and areas that need deep development.  But they forgive themselves for what they don’t know and the mistakes they’ve made, and accept themselves.  They keep going with hope and optimism, knowing that the lessons from these missteps will serve them well in the future.

Searching for handouts and easy answers

I can often tell from the first contact I have with someone if they’ll be likely to succeed in their new entrepreneurial venture and career, or not.  How? By the nature of their expectations, and how they set out to fulfill them.  Here’s an example – if a complete stranger reaches out to me expecting free help without considering what she may offer in return, it’s a bad sign.  Let’s say she asks something like this: “I’m launching my new business and wondered if you can give me some advice. I can’t pay you because I’m a startup, but I hope you can help me anyway.”  

From this one email, I know she’s not ready to make it happen in her own business.  Why? Because successful professionals (and those destined to be) wouldn’t consider asking for help in this way.  Instead, they: 1) understand that they have something important and valuable to offer in any situation, 2) are willing and happy to share or barter that in return for what they want, and 3) they treat others exactly as they would like to be treated. 

Successful professionals are respectful, resourceful, curious, competent, tenacious, and they figure out how to get the help they need without asking for handouts.  That doesn’t mean they don’t seek assistance when and where they need it , or make use of the many free resources available to them (like Score.org, etc.).  It means that they don’t expect something for nothing.  They treat others equitably and fairly and know they deserve the same.  Successful professionals realize that if they’re not willing to pay for products and services they want, then others won’t be willing to pay them (yes, it works like karma). 

They also know that their success is directly proportionate to the effort they put in.  Most of all, they understand there are no short cuts or easy answers on the road to success.

Graphic Design Quote Of The Day

It's every bit as uplifting, if not more so, to see others rain praise upon Dena for her work as I get for mine. Here's today's entry:

"WOW!  Dena, you're fabulous!!  I really didn't want you to go to so much work, but I  love all of the sample tickets you sent.  My favorite is the white one on the bottom left side of your PDF file, just because I think it's cleaner and easier to read.  My only suggestion would be to center the text on the ticket.  If you could do that and send me a full page of the tickets that would be absolutely perfect.

I can't thank you enough for all your expertise and help on redesigning the look of the World Tour materials for us."

Good News For The Middle Class

By Rick Newman of the Exchange:

You’re used to hearing how the middle class is being shredded and life will never be the same for ordinary Americans. Please suspend disbelief for a moment, because a couple of important thing are starting to get better.

The cost of healthcare, which for many families has become a huge budget-buster, has now been rising at fairly normal rates for the past four years. And the cost of higher education, another big expense, has recently begun to moderate as well. If these trends continue or improve, it would go a long way toward alleviating the financial pressure — and in some cases panic — that has become a chronic condition for many families. 

The slowdown in healthcare inflation would be unremarkable except for the fact that a decade ago, healthcare costs were rising by nearly 10% per year — roughly five times the overall rate of inflation — and sucking up an ever-increasing chunk of the family budget. Remember when your healthcare premiums rose by an uncomfortable amount every year, and everybody said there was nothing anybody could do about it? You’re not hearing that so much any more.

Economists expected healthcare costs to rise more slowly during the 2007-2009 recession, since people typically cut back on all types of spending when money runs short. The good news now, however, is that cost increases have remained low even during the recovery. Government data just released show health spending rose by just 3.7% in 2012 (the latest numbers available), the same range of growth that’s been in place since 2009. That was still about twice the rate of inflation, but it’s a major improvement nonetheless.

Most media coverage of this important news has focused on whether the Affordable Care Act, President Obama’s landmark health-reform law, is responsible for the slowdown in healthcare costs. Most economists say no; the White House says partly. Ordinary people should say we don’t care why it happened, we’re just happy for a bit of relief from an onerous financial burden.

The road ahead

Nobody knows whether healthcare costs will go lower still or revert back to higher levels. Government pressure to lower Medicare and Medicaid costs could intensify, helping lower prices for everybody. New efforts to reduce medical errors, convert to digital record-keeping and better-audit costs could finally pay off, and consumers and businesses might become better healthcare shoppers as they bear a larger portion of expenses. But such efforts in the past have failed to rein in costs, so any predictions are highly suspect.

Still, for now, many families have a bit less to worry about. On a per-person basis, health spending rose just 3% in 2012. Spending on prescription drugs was a bright spot for consumers, rising by just 0.4% — mainly because several blockbuster drugs, including Lipitor, Plavix and Singulair, came off patent, opening the door for cheaper generics.

The skyrocketing cost of healthcare has become a bigger and bigger problem, leading in some cases to unsustainable debt levels and even bankruptcy; this is one reason Obama's health reforms earned enough political support to pass in the first place.

The Kaiser Family Foundation reports one-third of Americans struggle to pay their medical bills — even when they have insurance — and several studies have found huge medical bills are the biggest reason Americans declare bankruptcy. And because medical costs have risen so much during the past 20 years, many companies that offer their workers insurance have had to cut back on raises in order to continue offering coverage. There’s still a long way to go to make medical costs more affordable, and supporters and critics of Obamacare are bitterly split (big surprise) over whether that program will make a difference.

The education factor

As for the other fast-rising middle-class expense — higher ed — costs have only recently shown signs of flattening out. The cost of college tuition and fees, as measured by the government, rose about 17% per year from 2000 through 2012. In 2013, however, those costs rose by only about 4%. It’s not entirely clear why the slowdown happened and whether it’s likely to be temporary or permanent. But universities have come under considerable pressure lately as students have graduated with huge debt loads, only to find it difficult to find jobs that pay enough to finance their student-loan payments.

President Obama has proposed a few new ways to make colleges more accountable for their costs — using government-backed student loans as leverage — and families themselves may be getting shrewder when it comes to shopping for education. Student-debt levels are still at record highs, but data gathered by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York suggest that may soon peak or even fall.

Meanwhile, 2014 is shaping up as a turnaround year for the economy, with more jobs, fewer fundamental problems and less likelihood politicians in Washington will mess everything up. People tend to notice more when things go wrong than when they go right, but all the same, a little less bellyaching this year would be a sign of progress.

 

3 Reasons I Didn't Get Much Work Done Tonight

When I get a new computer, I guess I'll keep the old one. Funny how Mac doesn't advertise the soft narcotic comfort of their laptops!

White Post-Christmas: The Week In Thanks

Today is an easy day to give thanks. 5-8 inches of snow were pouring down as I woke up; this is not the thankful part. Here goes:

- My newly-bought Honda Civic passed its first test with flying colors, skidding a mile to church.
- I was the only band vocalist who could beat the elements. Our bare-bones band did a fantastic job playing for the 100 or so people who made it to attend. So it ended up feeling like a personal concert, the first time I'd soloed at a church in about ten years.
- My voice was in surprisingly good shape despite our 4-hour rehearsal last night for our first live concert next week. Or maybe it was because of the rehearsal... might've loosened the vocal chords since I don't normally sing a lot during the week.
- The snow plow arrived at our condo just before I got home, so I got a prime parking spot.
- Dena's got a big pot of chili, scented candles and coffee going. It's an ideal day to hunker down with Netflix and Cupcake for a long winter's nap after a hot bath.
- Basketball coaches are texting a lot today since there's no practice tomorrow.
- I got a new tutoring referral that I'm planning to send to my partner-in-tutoring, our first one.

7 Surprising Ways To Protect Your Teeth

You only get one set of choppers, and repair costs more than prevention. So be kind to your teeth. Here are some mistakes you may not know you're making. 

1. Brushing Too Hard

"If you brush too vigorously, you can wear away at your enamel and cause sensitivity and even gum recession," says dentist Nuntiya Kakanantadilok, director of the division of pediatric dentistry at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City. Buy a brush with soft bristles and move it in small circles, not side to side, she says.
 
2. Eating too Many Acidic Foods

"They can wear away enamel," says Kakanantadilok. That's a problem because that top protective layer of the teeth can never grow back. Nerves below it lose their protection, and you may start to feel pain from hot or cold. Some acidic, erosion-causing culprits: regular (and diet) soda, orange juice, wine, sports drinks, sour gummy candies, and lemons. "Think about your tooth as a seashell," says dentist Martha Ann Keels, division chief for pediatric dentistry at Duke Children's Hospital. "If you put a seashell in Coke, it will disappear."

If you can't resist these dental no-no's, at least neutralize the pH in your mouth by consuming water or cheese with them, says Keels. And instead of swishing acidic drinks around your in mouth, use a straw to limit contact with teeth, says dentist Richard H. Price, an American Dental Association consumer adviser.
 
3. Too Much Teeth Whitening

It's normal to want pearlier whites. After all, says Price, "As we get older, teeth get darker." But don't overdo it. "Basically, you're exposing your teeth to a very mild acid," says Kakanantadilok.

"Excessive bleaching can weaken enamel. Over time, even mild acid can begin to erode the mineral content of the tooth, causing the enamel to become porous and eventually to break down and become more sensitive."

Kakanantadilok says over-the-counter white strips are milder than in-office bleaching systems. And who wants teeth that look like Chiclets gum, anyway? "We try to educate people that 'normal' tooth color is not white but more ivory," says Paul Casamassimo, director of the Pediatric Oral Health Research and Policy Center for the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.
 
4. Chasing Hot Pizza With a Cold Drink

When you bite into a piece of hot pizza, you're expanding your enamel. "Then you take a big dose of cold cola, not with a straw, and you're going to cause contraction," says Price. That can create what's called a "craze line" -- a vertical, hair-thin crack in the enamel that can lead to breaks and stains. "It would be similar to what happens to a porcelain plate that goes from hot to cold," says Price.

"Teeth will contract or expand with changes in temperature," says Casamassimo. "When that happens, if it's done too quickly, it's damaging." One solution: Like Price, eat hot pizza with a knife and fork.
 
5. Using the Wrong Toothpaste
 
Pick one that's not too abrasive: The FDA rates toothpastes using a "relative dentin abrasion" (RDA) scale. Anything above 100 is considered abrasive, above 150 is highly abrasive, and above 200 is not recommended, says Kakanantadilok. For your reference: Colgate Total gets 70, Colgate Baking Soda & Peroxide Whitening Toothpaste gets 145, and Arm & Hammer Dental Care PM gets 168.
 
Use toothpaste with fluoride: The mineral can't re-grow enamel, but it plays a big role in making teeth stronger. "It's like putting on a protective raincoat or waxing your car," says Keels.
 
6. Using Them As a Tool

You might think this sounds crazy, but lots of people do this absent-mindedly. "The teeth are meant to chew foods and look pretty when you smile, not to open up candy wrappers or chomp down on ice cubes," says dentist Warren Brill, president of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.

If you use your chompers to open nail polish bottles, beer bottles, or anything else, you can cause micro-fractures that may not be apparent for years, says Kakanantadilok. Such abuse can also cause teeth to break or fillings to pop out.
 
7. Not Brushing and Flossing Enough

Some people think this is enough -- some people are wrong. Brush for two minutes a day, twice a day. Otherwise, you increase the odds that you'll get cavities, which, if untreated, can spread into the jaw and cause infections. If you're at work and can't get to your toothbrush, a good solution is to keep a box of dental floss in your purse or drawer. "Floss first, if that's all you can do," says Keels.

Outsmarting Fatigue

In a recent British study, cyclists who used self-talk were able to extend their time to exhaustion by 18%. Participants chose four motivational mantras - two for the midphase of a workout and two for the end. Start with upbeat ones: "Feeling good!" "You're a winner!" Nearer the end: "Dig deep," or "Push it."

Making A Breakthrough

"Breakthroughs happen on the verge of breakdowns." - Olympic gold medalist skiier Billy Demong

"Just 10 more seconds," Demong tells himself over and over, as he pushes himself toward the limit of his physical endurance. Admittedly my strain's not nearly as great as I push toward the end of a 30-minute stationary-biking segment. But there is some raw determination in going to the gym six days a week, doing the same monotonous workout while my elbow heals, which has been two months and counting. Pushing up to 70% or 75% of maximum heart rate. Doing a series of stretching exercises afterward. Moving forward.

Silver Linings Playbook

Reflect on the past! Think of accomplishments and events that made you smile. "Doing this reminds you that your abilities have led to good life experiences," says Dr. Jeffrey Huffman.

Relish the present! Before you go to bed,think about the good things that happened that day. It'll help you tap your gratitude, even if you feel stressed.

Imagine your future! Picture your perfect life (in lots of detail) five years from now. Then focus on what's attainable.

Tennis Elbow

This link matches my symptoms pretty well. There's some discussion of a 6-12 month healing time. Boo! But several treatments are recommended to help.

http://orthopmg.com/patient-education/kb/hw-view.php?DOCHWID=hw225372

13 Weight Loss Resolutions You Shouldn't (And Should) Make

By Dana Leigh Smith of Health.com:

Get this: 30% of all New Year's resolutions are broken before February, according to a poll by the time management firm Franklin Covey. "People tend to fall off the weight-loss wagon so quickly because their goals are unrealistic," says Toby Amidor, a registered dietitian based in New York City. 

"When people feel as though they've failed, they tend to throw in the towel for good instead of giving their resolution another shot." Here, four of the nation's top diet experts reveal common weight loss resolutions that almost always backfire.

"I want to lose 20 pounds"

"Dropping 20 pounds is a great long-term goal, but dieters tend to fall off track when they have such a lofty resolution," says Amidor.

 

Revised resolution: Lose 1 pound per week
 

"Instead of taking on such a big task, focus on losing one pound a week by setting small diet and exercise goals," suggests Amidor. "For example, resolve to pick skim dairy over whole and pledge to work out 30 minutes, three times a week. You'll be surprised how small tweaks can result in major change."

5 Reasons New Year's Resolutions Fail

"I'm going to try the ________ diet"

Fill in the blank with any fad diet and you're doomed for failure. A typical diet-of-the-moment requires cutting out one or more major food groups, like fruits, grains, or meats. That's simply unhealthy and can also prove overwhelming, says Amidor.

Revised resolution: Eat lean protein and veggies at every meal
 

A well-balanced and properly portioned eating plan that includes a variety of produce and lean meats (and the occasional sweet treat!) will always be the ticket to long-term weight loss, Amidor says.

"I'm going to stop eating at restaurants"

Nixing a night out with friends for the sake of your diet is no way to live, says Amidor. You'll only wind up frustrated and will be more likely to fall off the wagon.
 
Revised resolution: Order smarter at restaurants

"Before dining out, have 10 almonds or an apple so you don't arrive ravenous, and then start with a small salad," suggests Amidor. In a 2004 study published in the Journal of the American Diet Association, Penn State researchers found that women who started a lunch with a salad consumed up to 12% fewer calories than those who skipped the first course. "Choose a light appetizer as your entree and have the bread basket removed," says Amidor.

TIME Magazine's Top 10 Commonly Broken New Years Resolutions

"I'm going to eat 900 calories a day until I lose the weight"

Sure, severely restricting your calorie intake will spur weight loss, but you'll gain it all back as soon as you start eating normally again (not to mention that starving yourself is dangerous). "This is often the attitude of yo-yo dieters, who go from a size four to a 12 and back again, seemingly overnight," says Amidor.

Revised resolution: Develop a healthy eating plan with an RD
 

If you're unsure how to lose weight the healthy way, consider making an appointment with a dietitian. "Many RDs now take insurance, so don't be afraid to ask if yours is accepted," says Amidor. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has a registered dietitian referral service that allows you to search a database of practitioners across the nation.

"I'm going on a juice cleanse"

After a holiday binge, a detox may seem like a good idea, "but an all-or-nothing approach to weight loss will ultimately fail," says Lisa DeFazio,RD, a celebrity nutritionist based in Los Angeles.

Revised resolution: Do a mini-cleanse
 

Jumpstart your weight loss plan with a two-day, 1,200-calorie juice cleanse instead. "Replace breakfast and lunch with a fresh vegetable juice or a protein shake and eat a balanced dinner of whole grains, vegetables, and a lean protein like chicken or fish," suggests DeFazio.

"I'm going vegetarian"

Losing weight requires burning more calories than you consume, but eliminating meat from your diet won't necessarily cut your calorie intake. "Newbie vegetarians sometimes gain weight because they are unaware of the hidden calories in vegetarian go-tos like cheese and pasta," warns DeFazio.

Revised resolution: Reduce your meat intake

"Lean animal proteins should take up no more than a quarter of your plate at each meal," says DeFazio. Fill the rest of your dish with whole grains, fruits, and vegetables to fuel weight loss. You could also try swapping some of your meat with vegetarian protein sources.

"I'm going to weigh myself every morning"

"Daily weigh-ins are not an accurate gauge of progress," says Tanya Zuckerbrot, a registered dietitian based in New York City and founder of the F-Factor Diet. Water retention and hormones can mean as much as a two-pound swing in as little as a day. Plus, if your weight-loss plan involves strength training (and it should!), you may even gain weight from increased muscle weight while still losing fat and inches.

Revised resolution: Measure weight loss in inches, not pounds When you feel your pants getting looser as the weeks go by, you'll know you're slimming down, says Zuckerbrot.

"I'm quitting junk food"

"Cutting out indulgences may initially help you lose weight, but over time it will make you feel deprived and ultimately lead to bingeing," warns Zuckerbrot.

Revised resolution: Follow the 80/20 rule
 

Many weight loss experts recommend making 80% of the calories you consume healthy, and saving the remaining 20% for what may otherwise be considered diet no-nos.

"I'm going to cut calories by skipping breakfast"

Research shows that foregoing a morning meal will put you on the fast track to weight gain, not loss. In a study published in the European Journal of Neuroscience, for example, participants who skipped breakfast were hungrier and more likely to indulge in fattening foods later in the day.

Revised resolution: Eat a protein-packed breakfast every morning
 

Eating a filling breakfast lessens the chances of bingeing on junk later in the day, says Zuckerbrot. "Pair lean proteins with high fiber, complex carbs—think a veggie omelet with a slice of whole-wheat toast or Greek yogurt with fruit and a tablespoon of nuts—to keep hunger at bay and ward off craving all day long."

"I won't eat after 9 pm"

"There is no rule of thumb on what time to stop eating," says Zuckerbrot. "The body stores any calories that aren't used for energy regardless of the time those calories are eaten."

Revised resolution: Sleep at least 7 hours a night
 

People who skimp on sleep are more susceptible to weight gain, according to a University of Pennsylvania study published in the journal Sleep. Researchers believe that sleep-deprived people tend to consume more calories daily than those who get a full night's rest.

"I'm going to get more exercise"

"This resolution isn't specific enough to be successful," says Jim White, a personal trainer and registered dietitian in Virginia Beach, Va.

Revised resolution: Commit to a set number of weekly workouts
 

Fitness newbies should start with one weekly workout that combines cardio and weight training, like a body sculpting class or a session with a trainer. After three weeks, build up to two weekly workouts, and over time aim for five workouts a week. Progressing slowly wards off injury and excessive soreness that may prevent or deter you from sticking to your exercise program.

"I'm going to do yoga four times a week"

While yoga is a valuable part of any fitness routine, it probably won't help you lose much weight. "A typical hour-long session only burns about 200 calories," notes White.

Revised resolution: Try a variety of workouts
 

In addition to yoga, include a variety of heart-pumping workouts like walking, weightlifting, cycling, or Zumba in your fitness program to accelerate weight loss, suggests White.

"I'm going to the gym for two hours every day"

Working out two hours a day is not only boring, but it can also cause injury in newbies who aren't used to being physically active, warns White.

Revised resolution: Do efficient workouts
 

Trade in long sweat sessions for high intensity, 30-minute interval workouts—you won't burn out as quickly and you'll actually torch more calories than doing long, drawn-out workouts," says White. Plus, researchers from the University of Western Australia found that interval training helps suppress post-workout appetite, further accelerating weight loss.