Be Happy - Take a Nap!

Who doesn't love a good nap? When my three children were a little younger and still dozed in the afternoon, I would also catch a few zzzz's. Ahh. Those were the days. Unfortunately, these days I don't get many naps. I either can't find the time OR I can't turn my brain off to settle in. Now, though, I might make more of an effort because according to a new study, there are three BIG reasons to take naps.

1.You'll protect your heart - A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that people who snoozed for at least 30 minutes three or more times a week reduced their risk of dying from heart disease by nearly 40%.

2.You'll perk up - NASA researchers found that pilots on long haul flights who napped for an average of 26 minutes boosted their alertness by more than 50%.

3.You'll feel happier - In a Stanford University School of Medicine study, doctors and nurses improved their mood by napping for 40 minutes during an overnight shift.

Be happy. Take a nap!

April Fools!!

April Fools!!! We had such fun on the radio this morning. Thanks to all the listeners who were good sports about our "joke." In case you missed it, John Riley and I "forgot" to turn off our microphones (when we were supposed to) during the Morning Drive on 93.3 today and everyone could hear us gossiping about "Carl and the Bradley-intern", spreading rumors about Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt coming to Peoria, and having one heck of an argument. All this was taking place while songs played in the background. Of course, it was all in fun. We had quite a few people going, though. The phones (which we ignored for an hour) rang off the hook. In fact, other workers in the building began coming in to tell us are mics were still on and listeners could hear everything we were saying. In radio, leaving your microphone on and being heard while off the air is considered a cardinal sin. Today, we called it a little harmless fun. At least, we think so. We haven't talked to the bosses yet. :)

Escape From Reality : Eat Some Candy

I ate a "KING" size "Watchamachallit" yesterday. I haven't eaten one of those in years and it was delicious! Mind you, I didn't mean to eat the whole thing. It was an impulse buy I made while standing at the checkout line at Walmart. I didn't scarf down the whole thing when I got into the car but had a little bit here and there throughout the day. Finally, about 9 o'clock last night, I took that last bite and had no regrets. Okay, it was 380 calories and I was a little regretful about that but overall, I was feeling quite happy with myself.

I've talked in the past about my obsession with the sweet treats but after reading an article this week in the New York Times, I've discovered that I'm not the only one who finds comfort in candy. I think it's safe to say most people are NOT spending money on big ticket items like they used to, but they are still treating themselves in smaller ways. Candy sales are soaring and here's proof: according to the New York Times article, Cadbury's profits rose 30% and Nestle's 11% in 2008. Hersey reportedly had a rough year but it's fourth quarter profits climbed 8.5%.

It's easy to understand. Candy is inexpensive and can be nostalgic, bringing back happy memories of better times.

So take a bite out of reality and sink your teeth into a big, chocolate bar. I did.

Whew!

Okay .. so we made it one more week.

Bruce still has his job, but more than a dozen others in his division .. some of them "sitting in the same room" as him .. don't. I am relieved but still sad for those who've lost their paychecks. And really the relief is short-lived because if things don't pick up at Caterpillar and at other companies, who knows what will happen.

Enjoy this first day of spring and have a great weekend.

Scary Times

The Caterpillar layoffs are hitting a little too close to home. My husband came home last night and told me that more employees in his division will find out today if they'll lose their jobs. He said he wasn't going to tell me but did because I had specifically asked if any news had been announced about new layoffs. I have friends in East Peoria who are also on pins and needles because of the job cuts announced this week. I told my husband that while I hope it's not him being laid off I feel badly about the people who will be without jobs as they have families to take care of, as well. Scary times, indeed.

What does 22 minutes mean to you?

22 minutes.

You can watch a sitcom in 22 minutes.
You can drive from North Peoria to downtown in 22 minutes.
You can enjoy a sandwich and chips in 22 minutes.
OR
You can exercise for 22 minutes a day.

This isn't about losing weight. This is about being heart healthy. According to new guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, if you exercise for just 22 minutes a day you reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. 22 minutes. Is there any excuse not to exercise? I can't imagine one when experts make it this easy for you to get healthier. Speaking from experience, I can say that, not only, is this good for the body, it's great for the mind. I promise you'll feel invigorated, you'll process stress better and you may even lose weight in the long term.

Ask yourself how important it is to stay healthy for your kids, for your spouse/partner, for yourself. And then get moving. All you need is 22 minutes.

Make it even easier by breaking up the workout into two 11-minute segments.

Books, books, books

No, I didn't win the lottery. BUMMER! Ten co-workers in New Jersey won, which is cool. $216 million dollars is way too much for one person to win. Now they'll split the annuity or walk away with a lump sum of 140 million. In my opinion, the winners did make one mistake. They immediately announced their big win to the world. That's the dumbest thinking they could've done. Bye, bye privacy. Hello stalkers.

On to other things ...

I love to read. Unfortunately, I don't have enough time to read as much as I'd like. My latest recomendation is "Vanishing Act" by Jodi Piccoult. A lot of her books are too dark for me but this one was great. There were a few twists and turns and a suprise at the end. I would defintely grab it at the library.