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Friday, November 27, 2015
Winter arrived in force this week...just in time for the holidays. And it is cold, cold, cold in most of the country. Even here in Florida, people were frantically digging out their hoodies, hand warmers and fuzzy slippers.

Thankfully, we didn't have to travel "over the river and through the woods" this year. Small surprise: the northern branches of the family wanted to spend Thanksgiving here. Which was fine by me. I don't like to be cold. Not one bit.

A lot of people say it doesn't feel like the holidays when it's sunny and warm. I disagree. Any time the family gathers around a festive table to give thanks and eat together feels like a holiday to me. No matter what the weather.

Your "Bundle Up" Gift Guru,
Linda


Posted by: Linda | 8:00 AM | permalink
Friday, November 20, 2015
When I first read about the health effects of "social jet lag", I thought it would be a side effect of too much tweeting, posting, sharing and etc. Easy fix, right? Shut off the computer, put away the tablet and silence the phone.

But as it turns out, it's a real problem and it has nothing (well, very little) to do with social media. It happens when your circadian rhythms get interrupted. We're all familiar with that. We go through it twice a year when we "spring forward" and "fall back".

Some people, however, live in a constant state of circadian disruption, which puts them at risk for developing certain metabolic diseases and other health issues. Researchers believe it's the "unnatural" demands of both work and social life that contribute to the problem. Social jet lag pops up when people sleep less on workdays and more on free days — likely trying to "make up" for a lack of sleep during the week.

So what to do if you feel like you're suffering from social jet lag? Well, it certainly couldn't hurt to shut off all the devices and try to get to bed earlier. But the real solution seems to be setting a schedule and sticking to it — whether it's a workday or a play day. A few people came up with a pretty clever solution — set your alarm twice a day: once for bedtime and once for the morning so you stick to a healthy sleep routine.

Your "Nighty-Night" Gift Guru,
Linda
Meowing Kitten Alarm ClockPop Out of Bed TeeDreamer Alarm Clock
Posted by: Linda | 8:00 AM | permalink
Friday, November 13, 2015
Engagement photos are supposed to be fun, yet serious. Informal, but not too casual. They're supposed to show the happy couple in their natural state -- being together, being happy. So it's not surprising when many couples decide to include the soon-to-be family pets in their photos.

But Megan Determan and Chris Kluthe got quite a surprise when they included Megan's dachshund, Louie, in the photo shoot. Not only did Louie successfully block Chris's face in a number of shots, he pulled off the ultimate photobomb, obscuring both bride- and groom-to-be in this one.

I think Louie might be used to being top dog in the house. I guess that's one way to make sure his humans know that, even after the wedding, it will be all about him.

Your "Picture Perfect" Gift Guru,
Linda

http://www.lighterside.com/product/rhinestone+dog+breed.do?sortby=newArrivals&refType=&from=Search
Posted by: Linda | 8:00 AM | permalink
Friday, November 6, 2015
80 years ago, the first Monopoly board game hit the market. Though the company celebrates the official anniversary in March, the game wasn't on store shelves until November 5. And that's just one of the little-known-facts about one of America's best-loved games.
  • The roots of Monopoly date back to a game called the Landlord's Game invented by Elizabeth Magie in 1903.
  • Over 3 trillion dollars in Monopoly money has been printed since 1935.
  • Even though most people play it like this, there's no rule that says to put "Community Chest" and "Chance" money in the middle of the board and then pay it out to the player who lands on "Free Parking."
  • It's easier to win with low-rent properties because players land on them more often and they're cheaper to develop.
  • It's not just an American game: Monopoly is played in 114 countries and has been translated into 47 languages.
When it was invented, Monopoly played very much like a "landlord's game". But now there are so many themes you can barely count them, so you can play any kind of Monopoly you like, including versions created just for your favorite movies, TV shows, places and sports. But the play is still the same. And so is the winning strategy.

Your "Let's Pass Go & Collect $200" Gift Guru,
Linda
Jurassic MonopolyA Christmas Story MonopolyWWE Monopoly
Posted by: Linda | 8:00 AM | permalink
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