Expert Professional Advice

What kind of person am I becoming and who do I want to become? Dr. Phil and other self-help providers will assure us we need to get straight on our priorities and indulge in positive self-talk. To commit to making decisions that move us toward where we want to go and away from unhealthy places. Reality is usually more complicated and less dramatic than that. As some viewers have expressed, if you take the TV show away from him he’s just a lawyer talking about personal life issues. And some folks would find him even more annoying. If you read his first book, it wasn’t filled with great wisdom… it just filled your schedule with wasted time.

Plant an act; reap a habit.

Plant a habit; reap a virtue or vice.

Plant a virtue or a vice; reap a character.

Plant a character; reap a destiny.

A few definitions:

A habit is a regular pattern of acts.

A virtue is a good habit.

A vice is a bad habit.

Character is the combination of our virtues and vices.

Destiny is what finally becomes of us.

A lady showed me her awesome auger gardening tool that she ordered as a gift. It arrived in a plain box as two cheaply made metal sticks with a paper that lists other accessories to be purchased separately. The gal said it looks so cheap that she is embarrassed to give it as a gift and is now working on a new gift and will wrap up the pieces of junk in some tissue paper to make it look more presentable. Avoid the auger gardening tool – there are many bad reviews, which claim it is a scam or fraud.

Awesome Auger complaints and reviews:

Popular Mechanics – “Need to bury the bulbs you’re planting in those holes? Shovel. Time to clean up the dirt you just flung around the entire garden? You guessed it—shovel… we tested the tool in Brooklyn with great disappointment…”http://awesome-auger.pissedconsumer.com/

Admitted affair sullies coach Pitino’s reputation (it’s not the affair that bothers me, it’s his crummy book/audiotape):

article: In a state where basketball is king, Rick Pitino cuts quite the fine figure. Designer suits, Italian dress shoes, best-selling books on how to succeed on the court and in life, a hit TV commercial with fellow college coaching titans, a devout Roman Catholic whose priest friend often leads the Louisville team in pregame prayer.

me: Prayer, really? The “fine figure” prays to win games played by millionaires… what about prayers for real societal problems of hunger, homelessness, pain, despair, and troubled teens? Additionally, what does dressing well when you’re rich, being in a commercial, or pregame prayer prove? It doesn’t support the PR effort of being a good genuine character.

article: On top of that, he’s a winner.

me: His book isn’t. His book/audiotape is annoying trash. Life isn’t a basketball game and shouting slogans for success doesn’t work. There’s only two teams playing in a basketball game, your odds are pretty good you’re going to win more than a few games. Any introductory statistics textbook can attest to that.

article: His greatest challenge, however, may be saving his career and reputation in the midst of a salacious scandal.

me: Somebody prayed for the truth.

article: The woman accused of trying to extort $10 million from Pitino approached him in a restaurant six years ago, and the two had intercourse on a table after closing time, the coach told police.

me: Ahh, teamwork.

article: Two weeks later, the married father of five gave Karen Sypher $3,000 after she said she was going to have an abortion and didn’t have health insurance, according to a summary of Pitino’s July 12 statement to police. His attorney, Steve Pence, said that the money was to help her get medical coverage, not specifically to pay for an abortion.

me: Now he understands the value of good health insurance.

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Source: http://www.mail.com/Article.aspx/sports/0/APNews/General-Sports/20090813/U_BKC-Pitino-Extortion?pageid=1

Pride prejudice and idiot zombies: Lies in print – fake article/PR article

article: “Zombies” — billed as 85 percent Austen’s original text and 15 percent brand-new blood and guts — has become a best-seller since it was published earlier this year, with 750,000 copies in print. There’s a movie in the works.

me: I’m sorry to hear that.

article: Even Austen purists admit a grudging admiration for the “Zombies” concept.

me: Actually, readers don’t like the book. Amazon book reviews show an obvious let down and claim lazy writing, poor writing, and bad execution of the concept. Check around on the Austen fan forums – it’s not good enough for them.

article: “As soon as I drew a line between ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and zombies, I knew I had a great title.”

me: It’s more important to have a great book if you plan on reading it.

article: The coming months promise more in the same bloody vein from a variety of publishers, including “Queen Victoria: Demon-Hunter” and “I am Scrooge: A Zombie Story for Christmas.”

me: I’m sorry to hear that.

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Source: http://www.mail.com/Article.aspx/entertainment/0/APNews/General-Entertainment/20090812/U_EU-Britain-Jane-Austen-Zombies?pageid=1

Soothe sunburn with marigolds (calendula).

Relieve poison ivy with jewelweed (also a general rash remedy)

Scare away mosquitoes with geraniums (geranium oil works too)

Prevent sun damage with iced tea (steep the tea bag for as long as you can, five minutes or more for best results)

Protect your plants and yourself from insects with neem oil

Even a regular candle can deter flying insects

Cool off instantly with watermelon (it’s 98% water which hydrates cells immediately and contains natural silicon which makes you feel cooler compared to water)

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8/3/09 Woman’s World, pg 34-35.

1. Vitality and memory – spinach (also helps clear arteries)

2. Appearance – mangoes (protect skin from sun damage, encourages weight loss by reducing cravings)

3. Natural high – corn (can boost serotonin levels/high-carb popcorn – air-popped, corn helps protect the respiratory system, high in folate may reduce risk of Alzheimer’s) <Corn loses flavor faster at room temperature than in cold storage>

4. Reduce chest and stomach pain – artichokes (reduces cholesterol, also protects retinas)

8/3/09 Woman’s World, pg 13.

Enjoy broccoli:

Broccoli contains sulforaphane, a nutrient, but the vegetable loses 97% of its cancer-prevention effectiveness when it’s microwaved so enjoy it raw, steamed or sautéed.

Constant cravings?

Chew almonds forty times before swallowing. Chewing thoroughly releases more of the nuts’ unsaturated fat, which helps reduce hunger by raising your body’s level of the appetite suppressing hormone glucagons-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and lowering your insulin level.

Turn grapes into a frozen treat!

Remove from the stem, rinse, and while still damp, put in a plastic bag with three table spoons of granulated sugar. Shake gently to coat the grapes and then put the bag in the freezer. In a few hours, you’ll have a refreshing snack or light desert. Making hor d’oeuvres? Add a cube of sharp Cheddar for a sweet blend.

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Source: 8/3/09 Woman’s World