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Friday, March 31, 2017
Gyms and exercise classes have two super busy times of year: New Year's and the beginning of Spring. Anyone who's ever worked at one will tell you that the busy season dies off fast. Why? Because most people can't keep up with the lofty goals they set for themselves.

That's the bad news.

The good news is: you don't have to exercise six or seven days a week to be healthier, look better, and feel better. In fact, you only need about 150 minutes of low intensity or 75 minutes of high intensity exercise per week to get the same benefits as someone who runs themselves absolutely ragged on the treadmill.

With just two and a half hours of relatively easy exercise per week, you can lower your cholesterol and blood pressure, which reduces your stroke and heart attack risk. You can treat depression, anxiety, and sleep dysfunction. You can lower your blood sugar and risk for type 2 diabetes. Exercise can also reduce your risk for inflammatory bowel disease. But the best news? In a study of nearly 1.5 million people, regular exercise was shown to reduce the risk of 13 types of cancer - 13!

Two and a half hours seems like a very small price to pay for all these benefits, doesn't it? So the next time you start your New Year's Resolution or Swimsuit Body exercise program, remember: you don't have to be a world class athlete to get world class results.

Your "Good News" Gift Guru,
Linda


Posted by: Linda | 8:00 AM | permalink
Friday, March 24, 2017
Spring has sprung. The days are longer, flowers are in bloom everywhere you look, and the weather is starting to feel gentler and kinder. That could only mean one thing: t-shirt weather is almost here! I can't wait. There's nothing as comfy as a soft, old tee.

I wear out my t-shirts completely. I wear them until there's nothing left but a few threads. When they're new, I wear them out and about. As they age and get faded and tattered, I just wear them around the house while I'm laying around or doing chores. When they get so old and thin you can almost see through the cotton they lay at the bottom of my drawer waiting for their final assignment: becoming a rag.

Worn out, washed-a-million-times tees are great for cleaning windows and mirrors because they have given up all their lint, which means no nagging "fuzzies" left behind. I use them to wash and dry my car because they're soft and won't scratch the paint or trim (just remove any decorations first). They're perfect for painting - both for wearing and cleaning up.

You can also use them for everyday spills and messes. Just cut them into different sized pieces and stow them in the kitchen, bathroom, or garage - any place you'd reach for a paper towel. Since they're re-usable, they're a 'green' alternative to paper. Not only will you save money, you'll be doing your part to help the environment!

Your "Love Your Tees for Life" Gift Guru,
Linda
Posted by: Linda | 8:00 AM | permalink
Friday, March 17, 2017
Looking for a feel-good tale? A real-life story that will put a smile on your face and warm your heart? Look no further than this unlikely pair of BFFs.

Photo Credit:
The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain
Wamba is a 50-pound African tortoise who spends her leisurely days in a heated shelter near the Ritz-Carlton Hotel at Dove Mountain where her other BFF, caretaker Ron Brink, works.

When Brink went to Wamba's shelter a couple of weeks ago, he found the African tortoise had made a new friend: a baby bunny who presumably cozied up to Wamba to escape the bitter cold of the Arizona night.

It turned out to be a good thing that this bunny found Wamba - and not just because of the cold. "We found that the bunny had stuff wrapped around his neck, like grass and weeds," Brink said. "There were four layers of this plant matter wrapped around, constricting so tightly it was embedded in his skin."

Without a little cuddle and care from Wamba and help removing all that junk around his neck, the bunny probably would have perished. Instead, he now spends his days hanging around with his new friend, safe from the cold and those pesky grasses and weeds.

Brink and Wamba intend to care for the little guy until he's strong enough to be released into the wild. But I wouldn't be surprised if the bunny bounced right back to the warmth and comfort of his foster mom. I'll be keeping an eye on the baby bunny's progress and I'll be sure to keep you posted.

Your "Every Bunny Needs A Friend" Gift Guru,
Linda

Posted by: Linda | 8:00 AM | permalink
Friday, March 10, 2017
My family - both sides - came to the United States from Ireland. It's never been clear whether they were running from the Great Potato Famine or something else. Or if they weren't running from something at all but running to a New World. A world that held great promise for those bold enough to set sail for distant and unknown shores.

What is known is this: we remain to this day stolidly Irish. If there's an Irish holiday to be celebrated, we have a party. Or go to church. It all depends on the tenor of the holiday.

Along with traditional Easter and Christmas holidays, we celebrate both Easter Monday and St. Stephen's Day (December 26). And we celebrate St. Patrick's Day along with the rest of the world.

This year we'll be wearing the green (shamrocks, of course), cooking up some corned beef and cabbage, and downing our fair share of Guinness. But as true Irish folk do, we'll also be paying homage to good old St. Patrick who (the folktale tells us) banished all snakes from Ireland by chasing them into the ocean.

Whether the tale is true or a bunch of blarney, Ireland is snake-free to this day. And that alone is something to celebrate!

Your "Kiss Me, I'm Irish" Gift Guru,
Linda

Posted by: Linda | 8:00 AM | permalink
Friday, March 3, 2017
What would you do if your co-workers offered to take a pay cut so you could get a raise? That's exactly what the big stars of The Big Bang Theory just did for co-stars Melissa Rauch (Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz) and Mayim Bialik (Amy Farrah Fowler), who both joined the show in season three and became regulars in season four.

The original five cast members currently make about $1 million per episode, but as Bialik and Rauch enter salary negotiations, the stars of the show each agreed to give up ten percent of their pay - as long as that money goes to their supporting cast.

It worked for Friends, the first sitcom cast to try the collective bargaining approach. By the end of their 10-season run, all salary negotiations were conducted as a group and each of them ended up making $1 million per episode in the final two seasons. (They also negotiated for and won syndication rights.)

Now in its 10th season, The Big Bang Theory was just renewed for two more and there's no end in sight. "We’ll put it on for as long as everyone wants Big Bang on the air,” said the network's chief Glenn Geller. “I hope it lasts forever.”

We do, too.

Your "Equal Pay for Equal Laughs" Gift Guru,
Linda

Posted by: Linda | 8:00 AM | permalink
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