Women Blog

Have you ever played one too many computer game or watched one too many old rerun?  You just can’t get into another mystery and you just feel flat?

Maybe you are suffering from boredom, that familiar accomaniment to our automated, precooked lifestyles.  If so, you need to check out these hobby ideas.  Hobbies have been found to be therapeutic as they relieve stress and get the mind active.  In this article, you’ll find hobby ideas for every sort of person, from the intellectual to the athlete, from the homemaker to the attorney.

Many times we are bored because we have become too inactive.  If this is your problem, you might like a sports hobby.  Have you ever tried tennis?  How about golf?  Many people simply love bowling until it becomes an important part of their lives.  Sports hobbies get you out of the house and often are a way to make friends with others.  Then again, some active hobbies can be enjoyed in our own homes, such as weight lifting and doing aerobic dance to a video.

Speaking of aerobic dance, dancing is another great pastime.  When you think of hobby ideas, don’t forget the many forms of dance.  Square dancing is fun for people who like getting together with groups, while ballet and modern dance appeal to the more contemplative souls.  And while we’re on contemplation, you might enjoy doing yoga stretches as a hobby.

Maybe we’re feeling bored and listless because we’ve been cooped up in the house too long.  If that’s the problem, here are a few hobby ideas to get you out in the fresh air.  Have you ever thought of taking up canoeing, hiking, or trapping?  How about getting involved with an environmental group?  In many states, you can form groups to clean riverbanks and monitor water quality, and the state will provide perks such as t-shirts, work gloves, and first-aid kits.  Or maybe you’d like studying the flora and fauna of your region.  It can be great fun to stroll through the woods and fields with a field guide, learning to identify each wildflower, insect, tree, and bird.

There are almost as many hobby ideas as there are bored people in the world, because everyone puts their own spin on their favorite hobbies.  Maybe you’d enjoy decorating your house with antiques, or learning to bake specialty breads from around the World.  Maybe you’d like to take part in a little theatre production, or learn to play guitar.  What about the fine arts of weaving tapestries or painting with oils?  Candle making, soap making, and many other old-time crafts are being enjoyed again.  Truly, with all these hobby ideas, there is no reason to stay bored for long!

Twenty-four percent of consumers plan to spend $25 on Mother’s Day this year

PriceGrabber.com, a part of Experian, conducted a Mother’s Day shopping survey. This survey includes responses from 2,011 online consumers and was conducted from March 26 to April 12, 2010. Survey data reveals that while the recession is predicted to lift this year, most consumers are spending conservatively this Mother’s Day.

Most consumers are not planning to spend more because of the predicted lift in recession

When PriceGrabber.com survey respondents were asked whether they are planning to spend more on Mother’s Day this year because of the predicted lift in recession, 72 percent of consumers revealed that they do not plan to spend more on Mother’s Day this year. Twelve percent of consumers revealed that they plan to spend more on Mother’s Day this year because they expect the recession to lift. Sixteen percent of consumers revealed that they do not celebrate Mother’s Day.

Consumers spend moderately on Mother’s Day

Additionally, many consumers are limiting their Mother’s Day spending to a moderate dollar amount this year. Twenty-four percent of consumers plan to spend $25 on Mother’s Day this year. Twenty-six percent of consumers plan to spend $50 and 23 percent of consumers plan to spend $100. Eight percent of consumers plan to spend $250. Three percent of consumers plan to spend $500 and up and 16 percent of consumers do not plan to spend any money on Mother’s Day.

Flowers and chocolate dominate the 2010 Mother’s Day gift list

PriceGrabber.com also investigated the types of gifts that shoppers are planning to give this year for Mother’s Day. Survey data revealed that 39 percent of consumers plan to purchase flowers or chocolate for Mother’s Day. Twenty-three percent of consumers plan to give clothing or jewelry as a Mother’s Day gift this year. Additionally, 13 percent of consumers are going to give a kitchen or gardening product and 11 percent of consumers plan to purchase beauty, cosmetics, or spa products for Mother’s Day. Forty-four percent of consumers plan to purchase other types of gifts for Mother’s Day.

Hoping to find a man to share your life with?

There are millions more women looking for a partner, than men looking for a mate. Women over thirty-five face further competition from younger women, and limit their choices even more by wanting a man to fit into a narrow age range, to be at least three inches taller, be Jewish, or be Catholic, be open to living with pets, and often much more. The result: an already limited supply of men gets shrunken to a smaller universe to choose from.

Larry Danks, author of Finding The Right Man For You: Dating Advice for Women, says, “With all the women looking for a partner, a woman needs an edge. Women often get dating advice from their girlfriends and female relatives. What they rarely get is a male perspective. There is a man for just about any woman who is willing to conduct a conscientious and well-founded search to find him. I wrote the book to try to make the process more effective.”

The twenty-eight-chapter guide provides many helpful suggestions on how to meet more men, including: “You talk first”; and dating after divorce or the death of a partner: “Exercise caution, but don’t drag things out unnecessarily and miss a far better life you could be having.” Danks suggests over two dozen considerations to help recognize the right man, including: commitment and companionship, unselfishness, his family and friends, looking to the experience of others, learning to listen, and being able to feel safe being yourself. There are also chapters for women who date and have children and face time pressures at work and at home.

“Women should substantially increase the number of men they meet and keep their standards high, but be willing to lose some requirements such as age, height, religion if possible, and income. Look for character, develop a plan and work at it consistently. And as important as it is for women to avoid loneliness and to find increased happiness, it’s a distant second to guarding personal and financial safety,” Danks says. Two separate chapters cover those topics.

The author didn’t try to do this project alone. His book was reviewed by female advisors who gave valuable insights. Danks says, “It’s helpful for a woman to visualize walking along a beautiful shoreline at sunset, hand in hand with the man she loves. That can rekindle efforts to find the right man. The result can be a happier woman – and a happier man, too.”

“Finding The Right Man For You: Dating Advice for Women”
Lawrence J. Danks
Helpful Media, Perfect Paperback, 245 pages, June 2010

Retail: $13.95 – (Amazon: Preorder price: $9.41; B&N: Member and Internet discounts)

ISBN-10: 0578048094
ISBN-13: 9780578048093

One of the things I dislike most is to feel tired and not being able to fall alseep. Yes, it’s insomnia I’m talking about and that frustrates me. Due to the flexible work schedule as a work at home mom, I could take a nap to compensate for that. But somehow, that one sleepless night will tire my body out for a few days!

Working at home means my ‘working window’ is only limited to the time my kid is away from school. So if I use that time to rest and sleep, it means my work will be affected and stopped. Yesterday, the tiredness led to stiff shoulders and tensed muscles and I felt alot better after a session of Pilates yesterday. DH suggested that I should take some over the counter sleep aids but I haven’t been very opened to that idea. I always prefer the more natural approach to solving a physical problem and try to find other alternatives. That explains why I’ve always been focusing on niches on natural health for my home office business as I believe that this is a good niche that will last for a long time.

That’s it for a short update and I’m gotta get back to my unfinished tasks in the home office. This is life for the work at home mom…

Have you ever run out of topics to post on your blog? Well, I often have this mental block as I blog here from my home office. Since getting back from my vacation, my body is recuperating from the stress attributed by the daily grind. Sometimes, I just sat in my home office staring blankly at my computer screen, hoping for some inspiration to strike me!

Well, we all need inspiration and motivation in our lives, whether or not we are working in a big organization or working from home. There are times you don’t feel like waking up to another round of tasks and duties and all you want to do is sleep all day or pamper yourself with a spa treat. Our minds and bodies need a break and we need a rejuvenation. There is nothing wrong to take that well deserved treat and sometimes all you want is a little indulgence and you are all set to run another mile!

DH is outstationed today and tomorrow and that means it will be hard to work at home once little junior comes home from school. He’s demanding more quality time from us these days and I can’t find enough time to do my internet marketing business research. I notice a huge surge in acne pills website the last few months and looks like it’s a niche too hot to get in. If you guys are looking for a good online tool to help you in your online business, check out marketsamurai.com. These guys have done a good job with the software that are speeding up alot of SEO work for those who are working at home.

What do you like to do on family holidays?  Go to the beach or spend a week in the country?

Maybe you like camping or visiting relatives.  Whatever you enjoy, family holidays are a chance for everyone in the family to get reacquainted and spend quality time together.  It’s a chance for parents to really talk with their teens and find out what’s going on in their lives.  It’s important to keep the communication lines open, and a family holiday is a good time to do that.  Having a good relationship with their parents is one of the most important factors in keeping teens out of trouble.

Studies have shown that when families take holidays together, they are more likely to eat together and are less likely to argue.  They do not watch as much television because they are involved in doing things together.  Kids even report that their parents seem to act differently while on holiday.

While family holidays are a good time to connect with your kids, communication problems that are already there will not automatically disappear.  Especially with teenagers it is important to listen and be flexible.  Find out what the kids would like to do and eat and plan accordingly.  While even teenagers need boundaries, it is important for parents to try to avoid needless confrontation.  Explain why you make the decisions you do and show them positive attention.

Kids will appreciate being included in travel plans.  There’s a good chance they will choose a theme park or the beach if those are among the options.  Sometimes it works well for a teenager to take a special friend along on family holidays.  While this might increase the parents’ load, the teen is likely to really appreciate it.  Also, sometimes it works well for kids to go on holidays with their grandparents instead of their parents.  Sometimes there is a special relationship here that can help kids open up and communicate about their concerns.

While on family holidays, if teens are uncooperative or behave improperly, try to deal with the problem in private.  Teens are very aware of embarrassmant and it is needlessly mean to exploit this sensitivity.  In fact, you might explain to the kids how their behavior embarrasses you, and they in turn might work harder at getting along and acting appropriately.

Kids will be happier on family vacations if they have snacks, drinks, and entertainment.  Few kids enjoy a long ride in the car!  Try to provide individual CD players or hand-held video games, and don’t forget to take plenty of bathroom stops.  Sometimes kids enjoy the ride more if they can help you follow the map.  This is an educational activity for them as well.  By following these suggestions, your family holidays can make a happy memory.

Dealerships Around the World Encourage Women to Grab Life by the Handlebars This May

This May, Harley-Davidson® will celebrate the 2nd Annual Women Riders Month, which aims to inspire women everywhere to get behind the handlebars of their own motorcycle and discover adventure and freedom on two wheels. Harley-Davidson dealerships around the world are celebrating Women Riders Month by hosting rides and parties that honor women riders – the fastest growing demographic in the motorcycle industry since 1990.

“We know thousands of women around the world have been thinking about embracing motorcycling, but have never twisted the throttle of their own Harley,” says Leslie Prevish, Women’s Outreach Manager for Harley-Davidson Motor Company. “Women Riders Month aims to open the door for these new riders to take that first step toward experiencing this exhilarating sport for themselves, as well as celebrate the thousands of women who’ve already taken life by the handlebars.”

Harley Calls Riders Home: Milwaukee Celebration

As part of Women Riders Month, women from around the world will join together in Harley-Davidson’s hometown of Milwaukee on May 22 and 23, 2010, where the Motor Company has a series of activities set to take place at the Harley-Davidson Museum®. The two-day event is open to the public and to all brands of motorcycles. Activities include:

– Group Ride and Downtown Street Party: On Saturday, May 22, ride alongside hundreds of other motorcyclists celebrating women riders. The Group Ride will start at the Summerfest Grounds and finish at a downtown street party, featuring live music, food and more motorcycle fun. Women and men interested in joining the group ride can register at www.harley-davidson.com/womenriders.
– Live to Ride, Ride to Shop: For those that want to shop, several businesses in the Milwaukee area are offering special discounts and deals for registered participants.
– Motorcycle Demos: Take one of the new 2010 Harley-Davidson models out for a test ride.
– Thrill of the Throttle Ride: Not a rider yet? Hop on this cool, stationary Harley to get the feel of a V-Twin and shift through the gears. No motorcycle license required.
– Interactive Seminars: Attend a seminar to learn about Health/Wellness, Self Defense, Yoga, Bicycle Fitment, the proper technique to pick up a dropped motorcycle & more.
– Fashion Show: Featuring Milwaukee firemen as runway escorts, see the latest in Harley-Davidson fashions including the Pink Label Collection – gear and apparel in which a portion of the proceeds are donated to the Breast Cancer Network of Strength®.
– Bike Blessing: Get your motorcycle blessed for the ride home.
– T-CLOC Pre-ride Inspection: Have a Harley-Davidson motorcycle expert help you check your bike for Spring riding.

The hometown celebration continues with the Wisconsin Products Passport Ride on Saturday and Sunday featuring several stops throughout the city of Milwaukee and surrounding areas, which will give riders a taste of Wisconsin. Riders will hit up unique places in Harley’s hometown, including Alterra Coffee, Usingers Sausage and Palermo’s Pizza, and sample the local fare to enter to win prizes, including a special Pink Label Collection leather jacket.

Registration and Schedule

For more details and to register for the Women Riders Month 2010 event visit www.harley-davidson.com/womenriders. Registration is $35 until May 16. After May 16, the registration package can be purchased online and onsite at the H-D Museum for $45 and includes:

– Commemorative Charm
– Free Admission to the H-D Museum
– Participation in the Milwaukee Group Ride
– Participation in the Wisconsin Products Passport Ride
– Local Merchant Discounts

Worldwide Celebrations

Milwaukee isn’t the only city celebrating Women Riders Month. Harley-Davidson dealers around the world as far away as Aruba and Korea are celebrating in style this May by hosting women’s rides, activities and parties on behalf of women riders. Women interested in learning more about riding, or those interested in celebrating the camaraderie of the sport can head to their local Harley-Davidson dealership. To find the details on Women Riders Month activities in your area, check out the Women’s Event Calendar at www.harley-davidson.com/womenriders.

We just got back from a short vacation in Hong Kong and it was a nice break from the home office. During the vacation, we also launched our new online marketing strategy and consulting business which went to show we could work from anywhere in the world with this business. I must thank DH for his efforts to put up the video and getting the site to work!

In this fast paced world that we lived in, we need to change the way we live and work. With the powerful internet technology, business has become seamless and gone are the days where businesses are only done from a physical office. A home office is what many desired and this allows more to become work at home moms and dads. An internet marketing allows one to work not only from home but virtually from anywhere in the world as long as there is a good internet connection. Hong Kong internet connection is fabulous and even in our serviced apartment, the speed had gone up to 15 Mb! That was just great!

I know of many friends who operate their online business during their vacation too. They launched products, maintained their online stores and communicated with suppliers and clients virtually, riding on the power of technology. Whether you are selling promotional mugs or ebooks, there is so much potential in online businesses.

So now that my vacation is over, it’s time to get back to work in my home office and don’t forget to check out our online marketing strategy and consulting business website.

Paris and London 1947-1957 Opens at Frist Center for the Visual Arts June 18, 2010

Exhibition Explores the Rebirth of High Fashion in Europe after World War II

The Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London 1947-1957, an exhibition that transports visitors to the most glamorous fashion houses of Paris and London in the years after WWII, opens in the Ingram Gallery of the Frist Center for the Visual Arts on June 18, 2010, and remains on view through Sept. 12, 2010. The exhibition was organized by the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) in London, which possesses one of the finest costume collections in the world. Following record breaking attendance at its launch in London and its subsequent presentations in Australia, Hong Kong and Canada, The Golden Age of Couture continues its international tour at the Frist Center, the exhibition’s only venue in the United States, before traveling to Museums Sheffield in 2011.

The exhibition celebrates an important decade in fashion history that began with the launch of Christian Dior’s famous New Look in 1947 and ended with his death in 1957. The romantic postwar silhouette pioneered by Dior scandalized and delighted the public, and ushered in a period of remarkable creativity. Dior himself called it a “golden age” for haute couture. He and his contemporaries set a standard for impeccable workmanship and design that has rarely been surpassed since.

In addition to Dior, the exhibition highlights the work of such luminary Paris designers as Cristobal Balenciaga, Hubert de Givenchy and Pierre Balmain and celebrated London designers including Hardy Amies, Charles Creed and Norman Hartnell. Included are examples of daywear, cocktail dresses and evening gowns designed for royalty and aristocracy. Photographs by Cecil Beaton, Richard Avedon and Irving Penn show how images in fashion magazines enhanced the prestige of couture, while also making its innovative ideas widely known and accessible in America as well as Europe.

The V&A has tracked down and purchased several couture garments especially for this exhibition. One is a Givenchy blue cape (1957), identical to the one worn by Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face. Another exciting find is a red version of Dior’s glamorous Zemire (1954). The bodice and long jacket with full length skirt, previously known only through archive photographs, was recently discovered in a cellar near the River Seine in Paris and has been cleaned and repaired for the exhibition.

A section of the exhibition will focus on handcraft and techniques, with undergarments and the insides of dresses on display. To enrich the content of the exhibition, photographs, documentary film, textiles and archival material will also be on view. It will close with a look at the state of haute couture today.

Dior’s death in 1957 brought an end to the golden age of couture as fashion moved from the fitting rooms and ateliers into boutiques. Even so, the legacy of artistry and craftsmanship still thrives in the remaining grand houses of Paris.

Tickets on Sale

Advance timed tickets for The Golden Age of Couture will be available May 17, 2010, through www.fristcenter.org (additional charges apply) and on site at the Frist Center. The exhibition broke all attendance records at the V&A when it opened in 2007. As the Frist Center is the only U.S. venue for The Golden Age of Couture, the exhibition is expected to draw visitors from around the country.

Source: Frist Center for the Visual Arts

Doctors offer advice on how to minimize UV exposure to eyes

While 85 percent of Americans recognize that ultraviolet (UV) rays can damage their eyes, only 65 percent wear sunglasses as protection, and even fewer (39 percent) make sure their children wear sunglasses. By comparison, 78 percent make sure their children wear sunscreen when outdoors.*

“These gaps in vision care attitudes and behavior are of great concern, particularly when it comes to children,” says Christine W. Sindt, OD, FAAO, Associate Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology, University of Iowa. Compared to their parents, children have larger pupils (allowing more light into their eyes), clearer lenses, and are outside without eye protection much more frequently and for longer periods than most adults. It is estimated that 80 percent of lifetime exposure to UV occurs by age 18 and that children’s annual dose of UV radiation is three times that of adults.

“Short-term damage to the eyes is hard to notice, but over the long-term the sun can cause irreversible harm to all structures of the eye and surrounding tissue that are left unprotected or under-protected,” explains Dr. Sindt. “These conditions may not manifest for years at which point the damage is already done and it is too late to reverse the effects of the sun. That’s why it is important to get maximum protection beginning in childhood.”

Protecting Your Eyes

Experts say it is difficult to isolate the exact amount of damage that UV imposes on the eye over a long period of time. However, a number of studies have shown that the effects of UV radiation are cumulative and may increase the chance of developing eye problems later in life, including cataracts, a leading cause of reduced vision in the United States.

While most sunglasses can help block UV rays from entering through the lenses, most frame styles do not prevent rays from reaching the sides, top, and bottom of the glasses. Hats with brims offer no protection from UV rays reflected up from surfaces such as pavement, sand, and water, so UV blocking contact lenses can provide an important measure of additional protection.

“For those who need vision correction, a significant measure of UV protection can be achieved with a combination of UV-absorbing sunglasses, a wide-brimmed hat, and UV-blocking contact lenses,” adds Dr. Stephen Cohen, a Scottsdale, Arizona-based optometrist and past president of the Arizona Optometric Association.

“However, not all contact lenses offer UV protection, and of those that do, not all provide similar absorption levels,” explains Dr. Cohen. Among contact lens brands, 1-DAY ACUVUE® MOIST® Brand Contact lenses offers up to 82% UV-A and 97% UV-B protection, the highest levels available in a one-day contact lens.^ ** On average, contact lenses without UV-blocking capability allow 90% of UV-A radiation and 70% of UV-B radiation to pass through the lenses to your eyes.

For those who favor reusable lenses, only ACUVUE® ADVANCE® Brand Contact Lenses and ACUVUE® OASYS® Brand Contact lenses carry the Seal of Acceptance for Ultraviolet Absorbing Contact Lenses from both the American Optometric Association and World Council of Optometry’s Commissions on Ophthalmic Standards. These lenses are the only ones to offer the highest level of UV blocking available, blocking more than 90 percent of UV-A rays and 99 percent of UV-B rays that reach the lens.^ ** For more information, visit the American Optometric Association’s website at http://www.aoa.org/UV-Protection.xml.

Although UV-blocking contact lenses provide important added protection for wearers, they should not be viewed as a stand-alone solution. “Contact lenses should always be worn in conjunction with high-quality UV-blocking sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat,” says Dr. Cohen.

Can children wear contacts?

According to the Contact Lens In Pediatrics (CLIP) study, the first clinical investigation to compare children under 12 years of age and teens using silicone hydrogel contact lenses, researchers report that children as young as eight years old who need refractive error correction are as capable as teenagers at wearing and caring for soft contact lenses.

“Contact lenses often provide a more convenient mode of correction for young wearers,” says Dr. Sindt. “Contacts that provide protection from UV-radiation offer a value-added benefit.”

Doctors will typically evaluate a child’s maturity and level of parental support in deciding whether a child is ready for contact lenses.

ACUVUE® Brand Contact Lenses are available by prescription only for vision correction. An eye care professional will determine whether contact lenses are right for you. Although rare, serious eye problems can develop while wearing contact lenses. To help avoid these problems, follow the wear and replacement schedule and the lens care instructions provided by your eye doctor. Do not wear contact lenses if you have an eye infection, or experience eye discomfort, excessive tearing, vision changes, redness or other eye problems. If one of these conditions occurs, contact your eye doctor immediately. For more information on proper wear, care and safety, talk to your eye care professional and ask for a Patient Instruction Guide, call 1-800-843-2020 or visit www.acuvue.com.

* Source: Global Attitudes and Perceptions About Vision Care, The Vision Care Institute. To view the Executive Summary, visit www.thevisioncareinstitute.com/globalsurvey .

^ Helps protect against transmission of harmful UV radiation to the cornea and into the eye.

** WARNING: UV-absorbing contact lenses are NOT substitutes for protective UV-absorbing eyewear such as UV-absorbing goggles or sunglasses because they do not completely cover the eye and surrounding area. You should continue to use UV-absorbing eyewear as directed. NOTE: Long term exposure to UV radiation is one of the risk factors associated with cataracts. Exposure is based on a number of factors such as environmental conditions (altitude, geography, cloud cover) and personal factors (extent and nature of outdoor activities). UV-Blocking contact lenses help provide protection against harmful UV radiation. However, clinical studies have not been done to demonstrate that wearing UV-Blocking contact lenses reduces the risk of developing cataracts or other eye disorders. Consult your eye care practitioner for more information.