Christmas on Commission

I know it’s early but I am starting to think about Christmas. It has taken me several years as a commission based earner to finally figure out that my shopping habits need to be based on when I actually GET money, not on calendars or holiday sales. Now that I think about it, I suppose the ideal situation would be to have the discipline to put aside the money, as I get it, for those Ugg boots my daughter wants or the Xbox for my son – and hold it until the big holiday sales begin. That way I can take advantage of the bargains. Right? I don’t know though. Who can do that?!

Living on commission takes some work and getting used to. I think if I focus on just starting early, planning, and buying early for this year – it will be a success. Maybe next year I’ll  perfect the process and set aside my shopping funds so that I’ll be able to save money at sale time too.

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House prices and mortgage rates are so low – now is the time to buy a house.

With the kids gone for the weekend – now is the time to work on that basement project.

Back to school is just around the corner – now is the time to initiate a new schedule and routine.

I’ve got a big commission coming next week – now is the time to think about which of those bills to pay off.

With so much funding available and the convenience of so many online schools – now is the time to go back to college.

So much to do.  No better time to do it than now. Except I’m exhausted. Now is the time for me to go to bed.  It will all still be here tomorrow.

I am pessimistic about any new diet and health management products that come on the market. The products are expensive and I am sure the statistic of how much money is spent on weight loss products is pretty high. Follow ups on all those cases would probably show a trend of dissatisfaction and money wasted. There was a day when you could get real honest to goodness samples of products to try before you buy. Then came along the mini samples WITH the agreement to give your bank information for an auto ship of the product. Lately I haven’t even seen those, though.  Maybe if I blog loud enough I’ll get some free products to do a no xplode review or try out the latest coolest piece of exercise equipment.  Anyone?

We woke up this morning to zits galore! You may have heard that we have a double dose of puberty going on in my house with my ten year old daughter and fourteen year old son getting hormonal at the same time.

With my daughter we have been dealing with blotchy skin and small blemishes for a couple of years. But this morning my son’s perfectly smooth and handsome face has a few giant, messy pimples spread around with that new facial hair that’s sprouting. Lord help us.

I have been googling today because I don’t know what good acne care consists of these days. Maybe it will be gone in a couple of days. We’ll see. But in the meantime I am checking out Differin reviews and ProNefrin claims so I’ll be ready if the problem gets worse.

Seasoned parents of children who’ve survived puberty… any skin care tips for us about to face the hormone challenge?

Okay. Considering my last few posts it almost sounds like I am bashing weight loss products but I’m really not. I just know how commonly they are abused. I’ve been an abuse in fact. But that doesn’t mean they should never be used. It just is just very important to be familiar with the pills and supplements you put in your body and the risks associated with them. If you want to learn more about weight loss pills you absolutely need to talk to your doctor, not research them online and make decision about what is right for your body based on the reactions of someone else’s.  Okay? End of lecture.

Well apparently I am on a diet pill kick. Once i get started on this subject I’m usually stuck for a bit. It’s such a hot topic! It’s oneo fthe most researched matters online and it is a hot button issue for me too. here’s the thing. I am an addict I think. I love diet pills like Fastin and Adipex and if I had one in front of me right now I’d probably take it just for the energy factor.

I never feel like I have enough hours in the day but the truth is even if I had more hourse I woulld still poop out around 3pm – so what’s the point in wishing for longer days? To combat that I used diet pills, relying on their even long lasting energy to make it through the day. This is not good.

If you can relate to what I am saying and you are using diet pills for the same reason, it’s time to admit that you know it’s not heathty. You need more sleep, you need to eat better, and you need to be kinder to yourself. They you’ll enjoy a healthier, vibrant feeling body with sustaining energy to help you meet all your goals for each day.

And speaking of weight loss supplements, the Alli reviews I’ve heard are ridiculous! Have you heard much about it? Most the other high profile diet aids kill your appetite and give you energy. The way I understand it, Alli does that too, but takes it a step farther by punishing you if you break the rules and eat something bad.  I heave heard so many reports of people being sent running to the restroom- at work, at the mall, at dinner- after eating the wrong type of food. That scares me! Have you heard the same stories? Have you tried Alli? Share your experience!

I’ve said it before but I think it is important enough to say it again- although I believe there is a place for diet pills this crazy world of over indulgence and metabolic challenges, the  best weight loss supplement is useless without your commitment, hard work, and good attitude.  No diet pill in the world will deliver the results you want without exercise.  And any weight you lose while on supplements will return when you go off them if you don’t make the necessary healthy lifestyle changes.  Just a quick reminder prompted by a conversation I had with a friend today. Do you have a healthy lifestyle?

A fellow blogger recommended I look into the MUFA diet for one of my other blogs.  I have barely begun to research it but since I am loving what I have learned so I am going to give you a glimpse of it.  I am a recovering fad dieter and am not at all interested in the actual “diet” involved here, but I am intrigued by the idea.  If you are struggling with how to reduce belly fat you should be interested too! Here is how Prevention Magazine describes monounsaturated fatty acids…

” There are five major categories of MUFAs: (1) oils, (2) nuts and seeds, (3) avocado, (4) olives, and (5) chocolate. Eating one serving of any of these foods at every meal will help reduce your accumulation of dangerous belly fat; control your calorie intake and you’ll lose inches and pounds, too–especially around your waistline. These mouth-watering recipes make it easy. Each portion contains high levels of MUFA, plus serving suggestions that allow you to create a meal that contains around 400 calories–enough to control your hunger and boost your energy without exceeding your daily needs. You can easily fit these meals into the Flat Belly Diet menu plans, but even if you’re not following the diet, you can still enjoy the rich flavor of MUFAs and their numerous health benefits. For centuries, these foods and fats have been hard to resist.”  

Avocados and chocolate are good for me?  Count me in!  But on my terms, not theirs.

I looked at some of the recipes for the diet and they are too involved for me.  For a minute I considered developing my own menu incorporating their rule of 4 meals of 400 calories and a MUFA at every meal with my new meat free design but it’s too much work.  Instead I am going to just try adding a MUFA to each of the small  meals I eat every few hours currently.

Am I the only one crazy about the 5 MUFA foods?  Can anyone think of a better way to reduce belly fat than by eating chocolate and avocados?!

I love Facebook. I am a little bit antisocial but that doesn’t mean I am not interested in people’s lives or don’t want to keep in touch. It just means I have let obligations and responsibilities get in the way of getting out there.  I think everyone goes through it at some point to varying degrees, right?  Facebook has kept me in the loop so I didn’t turn into a complete recluse.

For awhile there, before I facebooked, I had gotten into a place where I didn’t want to leave the house and sometimes didn’t even want to get out of bed.  Life had become so responsibility heavy with not enough joy to balance that I had no desire or motivation to leave the house for any reason. I was sparked by no curiosity, no concern for others… just overwhelmed with what had to be done in my household. Then I started Tweeting to promote my articles. Followed by Facebook. Soon, though, people from high school and such were finding me. At first I was irritated. Facebook was purely a work thing. But then I started feeling… excited by their company. Interested! Curious! Warmed by pictures of their children and updates on what they’ve been doing.  I still don’t got out a lot … but I WANT to! and that’s huge.

In addition to reconnecting with peeps from the past I have met new people who’ve become real friends.  I’ve started running and being healthy again as a direct result of a friendship that began on Twitter and grew on facebook. I am going out to movies and other social situations. I have FB friends all over the country that I’d love to see and even a friend in the U.K. that I like so much I would actually visit if I had the chance.  So I am going out for little things, meeting new people, thinking about London vacations, contemplating going back to school… all because Facebook.

Do you Facebook? Do you find it to be a time waster or have you found a way to use it to your advantage?