Saturday, January 19, 2008

Free Yoga Class Online

I've never taken a yoga class. I think maybe I've always been intimidated by those super thin, long legged, scantily dressed yoga class attendees. I just don't think I am ready to bring my little mat, water bottle and extra body weight into the mirrored room! Yikes!

But, the good people at Yoga Today have solved my problem. I can do yoga in the comfort of my home in my PJs... for FREE (the best price.)

This is a very nice site. The people who put this together are doing a new one-hour yoga workout show EVERY DAY.

They want lots of visitors to their site because then they will be able to get advertisers. Sounds like a good idea. Hummm... maybe I should try that. Anyone want to sponsor my site?

I digress. Sorry.

Anyway, check out this site. The show that I watched was specifically to help you NOT get Sciatica (which is a HORRIBLE pain in your back and legs.) Any show that wants to help me NOT have pain gets my vote.

So, gather up your mat, water bottle and scanty workout clothes and check out this site.

Monday, January 14, 2008

Ease your pain without a pinch to your purse

There is a terrific product that I have been using for several years now. It is called "Naturally Painless." This is an all natural topical pain reliever spray. Whew! What a mouthful.

Instead of popping over-the-counter pain medication (tylenol, advil, motrin, whatever...) you just spray this stuff on the effected area.

For instance: I had a headache... so, I sprayed it on the base of my neck. Instantly, my headache went away.

My teenage daughter had cramps. She sprayed Painless across her belly from ovary to ovary. Again, instant relief.

My throat was sore, so I sprayed on the front of my neck. Within a short period of time, the pain was gone. Wow... this stuff goes deep into the body to relieve inflammation. Cool!

My son (the skateboarder) badly banged up his toe/foot... bad enough to go get xrays on Christmas day. (Oh sure, THAT was fun!) It was swollen and terribly discolored. It wasn't broken - thank goodness, but the doctor said it would take 2 weeks to heal and to stay off of it for that long. We iced it and sprayed Painless on it 4-5 times a day. Within FOUR days, it was not swollen, it was not discolored, there was no pain and he was skating again.

I've got more stories (I've been trying to see how many uses there are for this stuff)... but I will spare you.

But.... and here is the reason that I am writing about this on my blog. This stuff usually sells for $37.50 for a 2 oz. bottle (well worth the price) but, for some reason, the manufacturer has put it on sale on their website (www.realsolutionremedies.com) for only $19.95 a bottle! I'm talking DEAL!!!! I have no idea how long it will be at that price.

I just had to tell you because this is my absolutely favorite first aid supply. Check it out. Hope you don't need to use it much.

Friday, January 11, 2008

Paper Back Book Swap

When I was in junior high, my best friend's Grandmother was addicted to romance novels. Somehow or another, several boxes of her used paperbacks landed in the basement of my friend's house. We spent a summer in the cooler temperatures of the basement reading dozens of romance novels.

I learned some important things things:*

1. Romance novels don't have a lot of different plots.
2. People actually spent money buying these books and then have to get rid of them because they are not going to read them again.
3. If you want to read some romance novels without paying for them, just wait until someone else has finished the one they bought and then ask them for it.

Well, someone else must have learned this lesson too and expanded upon it to include ALL paperback books, because there is now Paper Back Swap online.

Now this is truly a very cool idea for anyone out there that consumes paperback books and then hates to just put them in the garbage can (VERY non-politically correct) or too lazy to take them to Goodwill AND who would like to get some more paperback books in exchange for them.

This site really makes the best of what the internet is about (in my bargain view of the world). You can find someone across the country that has a book that you want and then someone can find the book that you have and "SWAP" - everyone is happy - for just the price of postage. They even have printing the wrapping, address and postage all computerized.

Go and check this site out. Even if you are NOT smothered in paperbacks, you just might want to give this a try.

*Later in the life, I learned that life is not like a romance novel.... but that is another post.

Couch Surfing - A Couch in Every Port

This is SUCH a cool idea! A site that helps you find free accomodations all over the world.

When I lived in New York City, I had an apartment the size of a postage stamp. BUT.... that apartment had an extra couch. Because I had this place that people could "crash" when they were in the Big Apple, I met the NEATEST people.

I had a girl from South Africa stay with me. I met a wonderful woman from France that I am friends with to this day. I could always say, "Oh, have them come and spend the night at my place."

Because I built up so many "couch Karma points".... I have always be able to find couches to crash on when I needed them.

Well, now there is this awesome website where you can sign up and offer up your "couch" and look for a couch. There are people all over the world who are part of this group.

I haven't used this site yet myself, but I did check it out. I also read a posting from someone about how they used this service when they were driving cross country with their family. They LOVED it. Saved them a bundle of money and created lasting memories.

I think this site is going to make it possible for people to travel the world on a shoestring and make lifelong friends.

They have checks in place to help make this safe. You can read their site to find out more about this. If you are the extremely cautionary type or if you have the ability to "find" trouble, then I guess this wouldn't be for you. However, if adventure and meeting new people and having new experiences is on your agenda, then I think that CouchSurfing.org will be your "Hitchhiker's Guide to a Place to Stay."

Thursday, January 10, 2008

The Free, Cross-Platform Sound Editor

This is a free download of a sound editing program. I don't know very much about this kind of thing, but my very geeky nephew said it was very good. I trust him.

So, here is the short and sweet of it. The name of the program is: Audacity. Click here to get more info.

Enjoy!

Instant Custom Wrapping Paper

Yes, I know... the holiday season is over. (PLEASE tell me that you DID go and buy your wrapping paper for next year at 75% off this week. They are practically giving away Christmas wrapping goods the second week of January.)

But, gift giving goes on all year long. Even with a load of holiday wrapping paper in your closet, you might find yourself in a jam and need to come up with some cute wrapping paper for some other reason. Now, I warn you, this particular link is for CUTE paper and for SMALL gifts (best if they can be wrapped in a 8 1/2 x 11 piece of paper.

Alright, I don't want to keep you in suspense anymore. The link is at AmericanGirl.com. You can print custom wrapping paper and matching gift cards. This will be quite helpful when you remember it's your best friend's birthday ten minutes before you are supposed to meet her for lunch. Yikes!

(Suggestion for quick gift idea: go buy a gift card online. Almost every major chain has online gift cards. Barnes&Noble.com, Amazon.com, LinensandThings.com, etc., etc. Print out the gift card. Print out some nice wrapping paper with a matching card. And... presto... you're a social wonder.)

If you are feeling very artsy and have way too much time on your hands, then you might want to go and visit Wrap Art. This site will give you lots of inspiration. It makes me feel ashamed of my own feeble efforts to wrap presents.

If you are a "wrapping novice" and need some basic advice, then go to WikiHow to find out How to Wrap a Present.

They say, "It's the thought that counts," but the fact is that I do LOVE a beautifully wrapped gift. OK, ok, .... I'm going to practice this year and my gifts will look MUCH better next year.