• Online tools.  I spend the majority of my time on the internet each day.  It is my job, you know.  So the fact that I can hop online to track and log my food intake and my exercise makes it much easier for me than logging in an actual journal.  Tools like MyFitnessPal are so easy to use.  Another great online motivator is Pinterest.  The “Fitness” category is full of helpful blogs and articles that will keep you on track.
• Apps.  I am an app junkie, so apps like Nike+ are pretty sweet.  You can use the GPS to track your runs and your friends can cheer you on as you go.  Fun!
• Television.  I live in a big city and I don’t watch a lot of television in New York City, but there are some great things on the television that can help inspire and motivate.  The fitness channels and health channels have become really interesting to me, and I even like to slide my coffee table out of the way and do some at-home fitness.

Whatever it takes, whether it’s the internet, some apps, the television or all of the above and more, I am so getting fit this year.  Won’t you join me?

What the biggest events at each of the debates so far have been have mainly involved Mitt Romney, Ron Paul, Newt Gingrich, and Rick Perry battling it out over issues from the economy to national security.  Rick Perry has been caught making false assertions on several of the debates, while Newt Gingrich came on early as the unifying voice of the party when things became too heated, but has since struck out with rather mean spirited comments and rebuttals of his fellow GOP candidate hopefulls.  Let’s look at some of the most watched and discussed happenings in the debates so far:

While these might seem to be surprising details, chances are the infographic below will show you even more information about the average pet owner that you never knew.  Some of this will be incredibly exciting to you, while some might just not impress you very much at all.  Either way you are bound to get a chuckle out of it, since 57% of you (according to the data below) are pet owners, and should be able to relate to one or more of the situations depicted here:

I have moved in my life a few different times, but most of them can be put into categories.  First I moved when I was younger for family reasons, as my mom remarried.  Then I moved out to go to college.  I go my own apartment, and most recently I married and moved into my first home with my husband.  My reasons were family, school, and family.

Why have you had to move in the past?  Surely people do not move just to simply do so because as I found, even with all of the moving companies Los Angeles helping it is not easy to move.  There is always a reason for a move, and the infographic below puts all of the reasons into four different categories:

1. Better neighborhood/owning a home
2. Family
3. Employment
4. Miscellaneous, school, retirement, change

See which categories your moving has fallen into, and find out where people are moving to.  It is so cool to see where and why majority of people are heading to specific areas.  

The infographic below gives us a visual representation of the increase in the number of devices connected to the Internet. Are our networks prepared to handle the extra load of all these devices?  What can system administrators and IT personnel do to prepare for the growing problem?  Click to expand the graphic, then you be the judge.  As always, your comments are invited and encouraged!

First of all, you are right that nothing’s new.  There are more or less seven basic plots on which all great books are based, and once you see them you’ll know exactly what I mean.  Every great story you have ever heard or read, to some extend or another, adheres to one of these plot lines — so the point is, don’t feel bad if you can’t think of anything new, because neither did Homer, or Herman Melville, or Emily Bronte, or George Lucas.   Here they are — the 7 Basic Plot Lines of All Fiction/Drama/Etc:

• man versus nature
• man versus man
• man versus the environment
• man versus technology
• man versus the preternatural
• man versus self
• man versus god(s) and/or religion

Imagine what a refreshing exercise it would be to set out deliberately  trying to defy all seven of them in a single piece of writing. And imagine how chaotic and unreadable it could be.

This is not to say that all readers would find all seven plot lines overwhelming and unenjoyable — but many would, so you have to take it easy on your readers by sticking to only a few ones as primary reasons for your story, and focusing all your energy on bringing that out.

Sounds easy, I know, and yet it is far from it.  But if you carefully analyze ANY story you have ever enjoyed yourself, you will be able to identify which of the seven is primary among any others that may be present in the story, and thereby, simplify your own writing in a way that helps you get past the idea that just because it’s all been done before, it must not be good.

“It’s a lot of things,” Gary Hempstock said. “I think a lot of people are just really happy with Facebook right now.  Google hasn’t rolled all of it’s features yet for G+, so even if these people signed up there, they would all probably be like ‘hey man, where’s Farmville?’”

Some people are leery about the entire thing, remembering previous and rather anemic attempts by Google to get in on the social networking scene;  Google Wave washed out on the beach, and Buzz hasn’t exactly been catchy.  But Google+ is totally different, say fans of the new service.

“I love it!” said Jennifer Sloot, a college student.  ”It’s like Twitter, but really more like Facebook.  And it’s new, and you have to be invited to even get in.  I mean, how cool is that?”

She’s got a point.  There is something to be said for exclusivity, however fleeting.  Soon, Google+ will be open to the public, and hopefully the appeal won’t have been limited to just how hard it was to get an invite.

How many people are still using Internet Explorer?  Too many, it seems, to take advantage of installing Start Google Plus — an extension for Google’s Chrome browser that allows users to sign into both Facebook and Twitter (and update and read streams from both) from within Google+.  Despite that it’s been demonstrated time and time again that Internet Explorer is an inferior product, people still use it because it is believed to be the standard.

“Well, it just came with my PC,” says Clem Whitticker.  ”If it’s on there, I guess they know what they’re doing putting it on the computers, so I’ll just use what they gave me.”

Sadly, this is the most commonly encountered attitude.  By true standards, people should be using Google Chrome by now.

A summer vacation can be quite a tricky and very pricey proposition. Where do we go and how do we get there? What should we do once we get there? How much will this cost?  (And then, how much will it really cost?)

It’s hard not to notice that Summer prices have already taken a major upswing:

Gas isn’t cheap, even the cheap gas!
Hotels aren’t cheap, even the cheap hotels!
Travel expenses are up there, too.
Food, souvenirs and everything you may have forgotten to factor in, really, are not very cheap.

Vacations have always been a time for family and friends to get together just for the fun of it. To get away, relax and do a whole lot of nothing. Now, you may not have to go away to get away. More and more people are opting for a Staycation, a new America tradition in the making.

Americans are making the backyard their new staycation destination. Break out the above ground pool, the barbecue grill, flip-flops, big sunglasses, burgers, chips and sodas, now this is what a staycation is all about!

At night your staycation becomes a whole new adventure. Pitch a tent, pull out the t.v., dvd’s, video games it’s all there, right at your fingertips. Why would you leave this all behind and how would you survive without it?

You can see the world or you can enjoy the world that you’ve worked so hard to attain for yourself and your family.

If the phone rings and don’t want to answer it you don’t have to, because the lights are on, but nobody’s home.

Break out some herbal incense to get that chilled-out, relaxed atmosphere going strong.

Some of the concerns that you’ll avoid are;
Airfare, travel time and all of the complications that go along with it.
Car rentals
Hotel/lodging
Entertainment
Cell phone roaming charges

Some staycations can include activities like;

A day-trip to a nearby town
A day at the lake or river
Backyard camping
Local historical tours can give you a totally new perspective on the community around you
A Sunday afternoon drive
Backyard theater production
Outdoor cinema
Amusement park or fun center
Multi-family staycation

Some estimates state that the average North American vacation cost about $244 a day for two adults – according to AAA. The cost increases significantly once you include the kids, up to as much as $10,000 for a 10 day vacation.

The economy is rebounding, which is great for next year’s vacation, but for now we still need to save everywhere we can. Recycle those dollars within your own community and save for the important things in life.

Some natural supplements can increase levels of serotonin and other key neurotransmitters in the brain. It is believed that people with low levels of serotonin are more prone to depression and anxiety disorders.  While there are several substances available in health food stores across the country, be sure to do your research before trying any of them, and always consult your physician.  Just because something is labled as “natural” doesn’t always mean it is safe or free from adverse side effects.

Kava Kava is the most commonly used natural supplement for anxiety and panic.  It is said to have a quick calming effect and to enhance mood.  Kava Kava decreases racing thoughts, and can also used to treat insomnia and menopause symptoms as well as anxiety.  You should be aware that safety warnings about potential liver damage have been issued for this substance in several countries.  In 2002, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned that severe liver injury had been associated directly with the use of kava-containing supplements.  In other parts of the world, kava is completely banned.

Chamomile is a mild supplement that can be taken in 300 to 1500 mg doses daily by healthy adults, in either liquid extract or tincture forms.  Most people have noticed  chamomile on the tea isle in the local grocery market. Drinking between 1 and 4 cups of this tea per day can have the same calming effect as other forms of chamomile. There is not a great deal of clinical data to support a significant impact by chamomile on anxiety disorders.  If you have true anxiety, you will need to ask your doctor about something more effective.

Another lesser known herb, Rhodiola Rosea, has been used to relieve stress and gradually improve mood in people suffering with mild forms of depression.  This root can help increase one’s resistance to stress.  It has been demonstrated to stimulate all three of the neurotransmitters believed to have an impact on anxiety and depression —  serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine.  It can be taken in capsule form, and is considered to be one of the safest natural supplements in its class.

So, now you know something about natural treatments for anxiety and even mild depression, but there are some things you should be aware of before rushing out to GNC:  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not regulate the production of herbs and supplements.  Without adequate clinical studies and research, it is not recommended that consumers solely rely on unregulated herbal remedies to treat what might well be a serious condition.  In many cases, SSRIs are far more effective and safer, too.  Always consult your doctor before beginning any type of treatment for a suspected mental illness.

Today, Afternoon Tea can be a less formal event.  It can be an entertaining way to host a few close friends for a very special get-together – and is surprisingly easy to orchestrate.  Here is how to have tea in your own home.

• Plan ahead – You want to be able to enjoy tea with your friends while you are serving it, so prepare tasty sandwich fillings such as deviled egg, cucumber and chicken salad ahead of time, so that all you’ll have to do on tea day is spread the fillings on the bread and cut your sandwiches into small bite-sized shapes.  Arrange these on one section of a tiered serving tray.
• Make scones and cheese straws ahead of time and store in dry, air-tight containers until time to add them to the tiered serving tray.  Keep lemon curd and Devonshire cream in decorative serving bowls that you can bring out at the last moment.
• Have a variety of teas ready, and serve them in separate tea pots with tea cozies to keep the tea hot.  Serve sugar cubes and cream with the tea!
• Use all of your prettiest tea things to set the table – and don’t worry if it doesn’t all match.  The more variety among tea cups and saucers, the better looking the table will actually be, so don’t worry about everything looking exactly the same.
• You don’t have to make your own confections or dessert cakes.  Instead, go to a local bakery and order a variety of petit fours to serve on the top tier of the tray, alongside thinly sliced fruits and grapes.

Having tea is a great alternative to comparing satellite tv vs cable!

Having Afternoon Tea with friends is a fun, easy way to bring back an old custom that will bring a smile to everyone’s face.  Bon appetite!