Unlike my mom who was actively involved in politics, I’ve always taken a laid back approach. Maybe that’s been a wrong thing to do. For too many years I’ve trusted that government would get out of the way and let the People grow via the tenets of the American Dream – hard work which leads to prosperity.
Sadly, government has become a major roadblock to the American Dream. Whether left or right, red or blue, politics is bringing the American Dream to its knees.
So lately, I find myself reading everything I can about what’s going on because sadly, I do not trust one of the people in power to do what’s right for me or for America. They are all — red and blue, left and right — too busy endlessly campaigning instead of leading.
Today will see yet another video bite to stick in the public’s craw — the health care summit. A last step to make it seem as if they are all really listening before they use reconciliation to jam a bill down the throats of an American public that wants health care reform, but not what’s in the current bill.
Why is it so hard for the politicians to see this? Aren’t there enough polls out there for them to heed?
Some seem to think that it’s an issue with them not explaining it more clearly. Maybe . . . they . . .should . . . talk . . .like . . . this . . . because . . .the . . . .American . . . . people . . . are . . . too . . . stupid . . . .to . . . .understand . . . .duh.
The only stupidity is believing just that — that the American people are stupid. That they are willing to fork over their Freedom to a distant government that doesn’t hear what it wants.
Recently, the Consumer Confidence Index took a big hit. According to Lynn Franco, Director of The Conference Board Consumer Research Center: “Consumer Confidence, which had been improving over the past few months, declined sharply in February. Concerns about current business conditions and the job market pushed the Present Situation Index down to its lowest level in 27 years (Feb. 1983, 17.5). Consumers’ short-term outlook also took a turn for the worse, with fewer consumers anticipating an improvement in business conditions and the job market over the next six months. Consumers also remain extremely pessimistic about their income prospects. This combination of earnings and job anxieties is likely to continue to curb spending.”
This was apparently “unexpected” by experts. Seems to me that if you have the pulse of the American Public this should certainly not be unexpected. Like me, many are following what’s happening and not liking what they see from either the red or blue, left or right. It shouldn’t be unexpected that based on that, consumers are not optimistic and are pulling back from spending money, etc.
So I’ve had my rant about politics this morning. What about you? Are you happy with the direction we are taking? Do you think we need to focus on jobs more?
While surfing through the channels, I discovered this delicious Aussie dish who is doing one of my favorite things – gardening! Jamie Durie is an award-winning landscape architect and television host of HGTV’s new television show – THE OUTDOOR ROOM.
On the show, Jamie uses his landscaping skills to develop beautiful outdoor rooms out of problem backyards. From what I’ve seen so far, the outdoor rooms are nice and make me wish I lived in a clime where it was possible to have an “outdoor room.”
Want to know something else about Jamie? He was one of the founders of THE THUNDER FROM DOWN UNDER/MANPOWER Male Revue!
Here’s some footage of an early Jamie doing an audition about MANPOWER. You can click on this link to see the interview with Jamie Durie. Thanks to ET for making this footage available.
Last Thursday I told you a little bit about myself and my family and why being American was so important to me. I summed it up in one word: Liberty.
Of course, having Liberty assumes that one is alive hence why the Founding Fathers noted in the Declaration of Independence that the People’s rights included amongst them “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” There is a reason for the order because it’s difficult for one to have Liberty if they are dead and it is impossible to pursue Happiness if one does not have Liberty.
The assumption of Life is one we cannot make easily. If I didn’t understand it after losing my mother with little warning, I certainly understood it on a national scale after 9/11.
But back to Liberty.
Most of us understand the warning of Orwell’s 1984 and the concept of Big Brother, namely, that of government that controls every aspect of our lives, even what one thinks. The thought of such totalitarianism sends a shudder through many Americans because we are a Nation that prizes Liberty and the freedoms associated with it.
I was lucky enough to have an English class at my college, Villanova, where we read a number of novels about dystopias such as the Big Brother world in 1984. In each of them it was apparent that when government by and for the people ceased to exist, problems ensued. To this day some of those novels remain on my list of favorites and I would urge you to read them if you have a moment and consider what it would be like if government controlled every aspect of your life.
So here is the Liberty reading list!
1984 by George Orwell
Darkness at Noon by Arthur Koestler
We by Eugene Zamiatin
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
If you’ve got any favorites, I’d like to hear from you. My husband loves Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand and has his faded and worn copy at his desk. I have yet to read that immense book, but I really should since so many people are intrigued by it.
As you know from previous coupon tips, I am fiscally cautious (I know my husband is laughing loudly over this!). But seriously, I am frugal. I shop around for the best prices, take advantage of sales, clip coupons, etc. in an effort to make sure I’m not spending money needlessly. I guess that’s why when a friend sent around an e-mail about saving on prescriptions, I thought it would be good to share it with you for various reasons.
The e-mail my friend sent around is at the bottom of this blog for you to read.
My friend checked this out and noted that by her calculations she would be able to save nearly $60 a year by using Costco for her prescriptions even though she was not a member. My friend was able to order a prescription she used regularly and instead of paying the $30 copay for 90 pills, she was able to purchase 100 pills from Costco for $10.24. She did it online and got free shipping to boot!
You can check out the veracity of the Costco Prescription E-mail at Snopes by following this link:
http://www.snopes.com/medical/drugs/generic.asp
There is one caution I would make about the hyperbole in the e-mail about 569,958% markups and the like.
Any statistician will tell you that it’s possible to skew numbers to make your argument. In this case, it is inaccurate to compare the cost of active ingredients to the price of non-generic medications.
Why? For starters, it takes someone years and years of research to discover how to combine those active ingredients into a useful and safe product. Case in point: Many years ago the laws regarding patents had to be changed because many pharmaceutical patents were expiring before the testing of the products had been completed and the products had been approved by the FDA. The term for patents prior to this extension: 20 years.
Imagine taking 20 years – yes TWENTY – years to develop a product and have its use approved by an administrative body. Imagine the cost of research, testing and prosecuting the FDA approval and patents.
Of course, those are extreme situations. The average time for approval of a new drug is approximately 10 years at about a cost of anywhere from $100 to $230 million dollars according to Kevin Oliver in his paper on Drug Approval in the United States (click here for the full text of Oliver’s paper on Drug Approval). By the way, the paper also helps to explain why drugs are cheaper in other countries, namely, because of the time it takes for the U.S. government to approve a drug versus approval by governments in other countries.
But back to the reason for this post. In fact, you can buy certain pharmaceutical products at much lower costs using Costco even if you are not a member. Like anything else, you should shop around to see if they offer the best price. Also check with your local independent pharmacist who oftentimes can provide additional information on the the best prices. Regardless of where you buy your prescription medicine, be sure to tell your pharmacist about all medicines you are taking, including non-prescription drugs and over-the-counter herbal/natural remedies, to avoid dangerous side effects and interactions.
The Original Text of the Costco Prescription E-mail
Costco – Unbelievable!
Make sure you read to the end. You will be amazed.
Let’s hear it for Costco! (This is just mind-boggling!)
Make sure you read all the way past the list of the drugs. The woman that signed below is a Budget Analyst out of federal Washington , DC offices.
Did you ever wonder how much it costs a drug company for the active ingredient in prescription medications? Some people think it must cost a lot, since many drugs sell for more than $2.00 per tablet. We did a search of offshore chemical synthesizers that supply the active ingredients found in drugs approved by the FDA. As we have revealed in past issues of XXXXXXX a significant percentage of drugs sold in the United States contain active ingredients made in other countries. In our independent investigation of how much profit drug companies really make, we obtained the actual price of active ingredients used in some of the most popular drugs sold in America .
Celebrex:100 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $130.27
Cost of general active ingredients: $0.60
Percent markup: 21,712%
Claritin:10 mg
Consumer Price (100 tablets): $215.17
Cost of general active ingredients: $0.71
Percent markup: 30,306%
Keflex:250 mg
Consumer Price (100 tablets): $157.39
Cost of general active ingredients: $1.88
Percent markup: 8,372%
Lipitor:20 mg
Consumer Price (100 tablets): $272.37
Cost of general active ingredients: $5.80
Percent markup: 4,696%
Norvasc:10 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $188.29
Cost of general active ingredients: $0.14
Percent markup: 134,493%
Paxil:20 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $220.27
Cost of general active ingredients: $7.60
Percent markup: 2,898%
Prevacid:30 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $44.77
Cost of general active ingredients: $1.01
Percent markup: 34,136%
Prilosec: 20 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $360.97
Cost of general active ingredients $0.52
Percent markup: 69,417%
Prozac:20 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets) : $247.47
Cost of general active ingredients: $0.11
Percent markup: 224,973%
Tenormin:50 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $104.47
Cost of general active ingredients: $0.13
Percent markup: 80,362%
Vasotec:10 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $102.37
Cost of general active ingredients: $0.20
Percent markup: 51,185%
Xanax:1 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets) : $136.79
Cost of general active ingredients: $0.024
Percent markup: 569,958%
Zestril:20 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets) $89.89
Cost of general active ingredients $3.20
Percent markup: 2,809%
Zithromax:600 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $1,482.19
Cost of general active ingredients: $18.78
Percent markup: 7,892%
Zocor:40 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $350.27
Cost of general active ingredients: $8.63
Percent markup: 4,059%
Zoloft:50 mg
Consumer price: $206.87
Cost of general active ingredients: $1.75
Percent markup: 11,821%
Since the cost of prescription drugs is so outrageous, I thought everyone should know about this.
It pays to shop around! This helps to solve the mystery as to why they can afford to put a Walgreen’s on every corner. On Monday night, Steve Wilson, an investigative reporter for Channel 7 News in Detroit , did a story on generic drug prices gouging by pharmacies. He found in his investigation that some of these generic drugs were marked up as much as 3,000% or more. So often we blame the drug companies for the high cost of drugs, and usually rightfully so. But in this case, the fault clearly lies with the pharmacies themselves. For example if you had to buy a prescription drug, and bought the name brand, you might pay $100 for 100 pills.
The pharmacist might tell you that if you get the generic equivalent, they would only cost $80, making you think you are saving $20. What the pharmacist is not telling you is that those 100 generic pills may have only cost him $10!
At the end of the report, one of the anchors asked Mr. Wilson whether or not there were any pharmacies that did not adhere to this practice, and he said that Costco consistently charged little over their cost for the generic drugs.
I went to the Costco site, where you can look up any drug, and get its online price. It says that the in-store prices are consistent with the online prices. I was appalled. Just to give you one example from my own experience I had to use the drug Compazine which helps prevent nausea in chemo patients.
I used the generic equivalent, which cost $54.99 for 60 pills at CVS. I checked the price at Costco, and I could have bought 100 pills for $19.89. For 145 of my pain pills, I paid $72.57. I could have got 150 at Costco for $28.08.
I would like to mention, that although Costco is a ‘membership’ type store, you do NOT have to be a member to buy prescriptions there as it is a federally regulated substance. You just tell them at the door that you wish to use the pharmacy, and they will let you in.
Sometimes it’s hard to think about what to write on Thoughtful Thursdays. It’s such a mixed bag of info on days like today. But so many of you commented on my background the other day and expressed an interest in hearing more, that it occurred to me that I should share a little bit more about myself.
Maybe by doing so we’ll get to know each other better and you’ll understand the things about which I am passionate (LOL! as if you don’t know some of those already.)
For starters, I am an American born in Cuba.
I’m sure that’s raising eyebrows, but that’s the way I feel. I had the chance to hear Marco Rubio talk the other day on the radio and he mentioned being an American of Cuban descent. Of how grateful he was about all this Nation had given him and I realized that he was speaking much as my mother had spoken to me for all of my life.
That we were Americans now. That being American was a great gift. That we should not take that gift lightly and always honor it. In my mother’s mind that meant getting good grades, obeying the law, standing up for ourselves and those that were weaker and most of all, standing up for America.
So I can’t call myself an American of Cuban descent because I wasn’t born here, but I will call myself an American born in Cuba.
You might wonder why my mother was so vehement on that topic and the story is a long one which I’ll abbreviate into one word — Liberty.
When my mother lived in Cuba under Batista, life was good for her, but not for others. But even as good as it was for her, she lacked the ability to speak out about wrongdoing or what she thought needed change in the government. It’s why she worked with Castro during the Revolution. Not that she ever really told us much about that as kids. It came in snippets at unexpected times. In reality, I learned more about my mother after her death than I had known throughout my life.
Of course the change that Castro had promised for Cuba turned out to be nothing like what my mother and father had expected or for which they had worked. Instead of a free republic, they soon came under the control of a government that was slowly robbing them of their short-lived Liberty as the government nationalized businesses and plantations they felt were necessary for the public good. Newspapers and individuals who spoke out against the government were either demonized or shut down. The government fomented class warfare as a way of justifying taking the labors of individuals for the good of all.
Just as my parents fought against Batista, they now decided to fight against Castro. Unfortunately those plans placed them in peril of imprisonment (or death) necessitating my parents’ hasty retreat from Cuba. In their minds there was only one Nation that could provide them the Liberty they sought – the United States.
But Castro wasn’t done with them. My parents had been forced to leave my sister and I behind along with my maternal grandparents. My parents thought we would join them shortly after their abrupt departure. I’m told that our Cuban passports were taken to prevent us from leaving Cuba. That for over a year my parents sought every way they could think of to get us out with no success while Castro would send his men to roust our house and threaten my grandparents to get my parents to return. Possibly he feared they would work against him in the United States. Who knows?
My sister was six months old when my mother left. I was three. Imagine leaving children that young behind, but they had no choice.
Eventually we got out and spent another six months wandering through Central America and Mexico until the immigration laws changed and my parents were able to get us into this country.
During that year and a half, my parents had not only been trying to get us out, they had been building a life here. Getting jobs and finding a home. It wasn’t necessarily easy. People didn’t want to rent to Cubans.
That never diminished my mother’s appreciation for the one gift that made all that hardship worthwhile – Liberty.
Her one response to all that negativity was simple — Succeed.
Succeed because to not do so was to dishonor the gift we had been given. Succeed because we did not want to shame other Cubans. Succeed because we wanted to prove that anything was possible in America. Succeed because success is the best revenge.
So why am I telling you all this today?
I guess because I want you to understand why I am passionate about America. Why my heart beats faster and emotion chokes me every time I hear the national anthem or see the flag. Why I take so seriously the gift of Liberty and why I honor it by reaching forward with one hand while reaching back with the other to help someone else.
So those are my thoughts on this Thoughtful Thursday. I hope you understand a little bit more about me. I’d like to get to know more about you if you care to leave a comment.
moar funny pictures
Hope you like the LOLCat that I captioned for you this Fun Friday. Also hope you like all these discounts I’ve rounded up for you! Hurry because some of them end soon!
Amazon 4 for 3 special – Includes SINS OF THE FLESH
15% off at B&N until Jan 31 Use Code M3B8T7W – cannot be combined
B&N Buy 2 Selected Romances get 3rd free plus free shipping over $25 (For Members Free shipping over $10) – Includes SINS OF THE FLESH
Borders ALL BOOKS Buy 4 get 5th for free – Can be combined with Borders Member Reward Code for 20% off BEG93010X or if Member BJT7138P for 33% off plus free shipping over $25
She was a show girl . . . LOL!
Our Lola today is anything but a show girl. She’s a smart and sexy sleuth in Misa Ramirez’s Lola Cruz Mystery series! I hope you’ll enjoy today’s guest blog with my friend and fellow author as Misa tells us a little more about the creation of her character and series.
*****
You don’t know me, but I’m a mystery writer. I’m the author of the Lola Cruz Mystery Series. Living the Vida Lola came out last January, and Hasta la Vista, Lola!, comes out on February 2nd. I’m gearing up for the release, in full celebratory mode, and thrilled to be here dishing with Caridad!
When you aren’t a regular on a blog, it can be hard to know what to write, and how to present it to a brand new audience. Should I be funny, like in my books? Serious, because murder is serious business? Or some combination of the two, perhaps? The truth is, I’m no stand up comedian (not by a long shot), but I am funny–in my books. Like any fleshed out character, I’m a combination of things. I love a good mystery (cutting my teeth on Nancy Drew, graduating to Agatha Christie, and branching out from there), read the occasional romance (Julia Quinn makes me laugh), but stick mostly with women’s and/or literary fiction (The Help is my new favorite book).
How, then, did I come to write mysteries, and why aren’t my mysteries serious instead of sexy and sassy?
The short answer is, I like the mystery device. What better way to propel a plot forward than to have a crime to solve?
The little-bit-longer answer is that crafting a puzzle that the sleuth and readers need to piece together is challenging–and fun; watching characters you love to spend time with grow and discover themselves–and each other–is rewarding. Having humor and wit in a book is icing on the cake.
For me, then, the mystery is only half the story. Lola Cruz came about long before the framework of Living the Vida Lola. She came to me as a character who was at once sassy, smart, sexy, determined, strong, feminine, Latina, black belt in kung fu, idealistic, American, sister, daughter, friend, and so much more. When it was time to figure out how I was going to tell her story, it made perfect sense to put her into an investigative role. Elements of the mystery, I knew, could pit Lola against external conflicts, as well as internal conflicts, of which she has many. It would force her to evaluate her life, her choices, her dreams, her desires, and her future (all in a funny, light way). Balancing her drive to be a detective, her traditional Mexican family, cultural expectations, her American sensibilities, and her love life is no easy task. Add in a mystery, and it’s a wild ride!
Lola Cruz Mysteries are character driven more than anything, but the mysteries really interest me. They’re ‘ripped from the headlines’, twisted, redefined, and Lola-fied. The mysteries shape, form, and/or enlighten Lola in her personal life or with her decision-making. They are equal, then, to Lola’s own story, which spans the arc of the series (we’re only on book 2, so have a ways to go yet).
I’m always curious to find out i readers like their mysteries straight up, or with the zany, romantic elements which are in many series. How do you like yours?
Visit Misa and learn more about Lola Cruz Mysteries at http://misaramirez.com, at Chasing Heroes, http://chasingheroes.com, and at The Stiletto Gang, http://thestilettogang.blogspot.com.
Want to find out more about Misa and Lola! Then take a moment to stop at one of these other blog tour stops:
Mon Jan 18 BronzeWord Latino Authors
Tues Jan 19 Book-Lover Carol
Wed Jan 20 Latino Book Examiner
Thur Jan 21 Julia Amante
Mon Jan 25 Murder By 4
Tues Jan 26 Book Journey
Wed Jan 27 Mama Latina Tips
Fri Jan 29 Literary Feline
Thanks Misa for dropping by and thanks to all of you for leaving comments and questions for Misa!
I’m not normally a fan of blonde men, but please tell me what there isn’t to like about Mark Valley! He’s been catching my eye for years in assorted shows, more recently in FRINGE (one of my favorite shows!). Did you know Mark married Anna Torv, his co-star in 2008?
Mark has a new show — HUMAN TARGET. I haven’t had a chance to catch it, but have it on my list of shows to check out. If you’ve watched the show, please take a moment to share with us if you liked it or not.
This week I’ve got some fun things for you – visits from two friends! Look for Autumn Jordon on January 27th and Misa Ramirez on the 28th!
I know we’ve had a fun time chatting about the real science in SINS OF THE FLESH — okay so maybe it’s just me whose had fun with that — but without passion, the science is meaningless isn’t it?
For me, the greater enjoyment in SINS OF THE FLESH came from taking two people who had externalized their passion – Caterina with her music and Mick with his family – and placing them in a situation where they had to acknowledge a different kind of desire. Both Caterina and Mick had been avoiding their own needs for love for a variety of reasons, but when brought together by Fate, they can only deny what they both need for only so long.
Today’s Wicked Wednesday is an excerpt from SINS where Mick and Caterina are finally admitting that there is something growing between them. Something neither of them has experienced before.
In this scene, Mick has just returned home from a visit to the laboratories where Caterina had been genetically engineered against her will. He has gone there to try and get more information on what was done to Caterina. While heading to the building, he runs into an old adversary – Mad Dog Donnelly. Mad Dog has been hired by the scientists to eliminate any loose ends, namely Mick and Caterina.
Mick arrives at home, bloodied and injured and Caterina takes charge, determined to help Mick with the injuries he has suffered on her behalf. Along the way, passion builds . . .
Excerpt from SINS OF THE FLESH
Carefully she tended to the cuts and scrapes on his face, the look on her face intense as she worked. Concerned and guilt-ridden.
He tried to reassure her as she cleaned a scrape on his chin with light strokes. “Like I said, the other guy looks worse. Besides, the fight had little to do with you.”
“I don’t understand,” she said and leaned one hip against the edge of the table as she worked.
“The guy I fought has a problem with me. We used to work together.”
“In the Army?” she questioned as she started to pick up the dirty swabs and remnants of gauze and tape, shooting him a half-glance as she waited for his answer.
“They’d never take a psycho like him into the Army.”
He rose from the chair and the motion brought him close to her. Too close. Her shoulder brushed against the wall of his chest, creating that skitter of reaction once more.
Her head snapped up. Her eyes were that intense ocean blue once more, the pupils wide. The blush even stronger across the high slashes of her cheekbones. She licked her lips in a nervous gesture and the moisture glistened on her lips.
Very luscious womanly lips.
He dipped his head down, hesitating when he was about an inch away. Warning himself that if he took a taste . . .
He did, barely brushing his lips against hers. Experiencing the hitch in her breath that spoke of surprise. Shocked at the moment where surprise became acceptance.
Caterina joined her lips to his, the need for human contact overwhelming any caution about the logic of what she was doing.
His lips were warm and surprisingly soft beneath hers. Mobile as they gently explored hers, pizzicato plucks playing at her heart strings.
She laid her hand against his chest to steady herself. That rock hard chest. Too warm beneath her hand. The skin smooth.
So smooth, she thought as she skimmed her fingers down the length of his body.
He ripped away, toppling the kitchen chair behind him in his haste to be away from her.
Raising his hands, he said, “That should not have happened. I’m sorry.”
She hated that he was right. It shouldn’t have happened. “I’m sorry as well, it was just . . .”
“The satisfaction of surviving. I’ve been through it before. It’s a natural reaction after a battle,” he said and she imagined that he had experienced this same feeling before. The conquering hero coming home to whatever woman awaited him in that place. Celebrating the victory over an opponent. Thumbing his nose at Death.
She understood. Her father had been a warrior in a suit, vanquishing opponents in the marketplace. He would come home, drunk with victory and liquor. Beating his chest and belittling her mother’s accomplishments and joys. Diminishing them to aggrandize himself until her mother had stopped believing in herself.
Until her mother had ceased to exit.
“I understand,” she said, not that she approved. But she couldn’t control herself from reaching up and running her fingers across her lips to savor the lingering feel of him.
His gaze tracked that motion too intently, but then he shuttered that gaze. His face turned stony and his lips thinned into a tight line as he reined himself in.
“I’m going to go get changed,” he said and left the room.
She watched his retreating back, wondering about the kind of man he really was. If there was anything to him other than the warrior who lived only for his own gain and success.
A gain that had to be substantial, she assumed, thinking that Edwards would be willing to pay a great deal to get her back. Would Mick tire of the challenge she seemed to be presenting and turn her over to Edwards for that bounty?
Or was he a man of honor beneath the dangerous and hard persona he insisted on displaying to others?
As she stood there, considering it, she realized either scenario was risky for her. And she realized that just like she had refused to let her father determine where her life would go, she couldn’t just rely on him to get her life back for her.
She had to find a way to take care of it herself.
*****
I hope you enjoyed that little teaser! If you’d like to read more, check out the chapters with this cool widget from Grand Central Publishing. For those of you who cannot see the widget, you can click on this link for some more free reads of SINS OF THE FLESH.
We’ve had blogs about being resilient and choosing happiness. Seems only right that we talk about something else that seems to be getting to people lately – stress.
I don’t about you, but I know I am stressed. With three full-time jobs (attorney, writer and wife/mom), there isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t feel like I can’t do another thing. But in making a decision to choose happiness, I’ve also realized that I need to get rid of some of my stress.
Seems hard? In reality, there are some simple ways to eliminate stress in your day.
- 1. Prepare the night before. Whether it’s just packing up your briefcase or making your lunch to take to work, do it the night before. Round up all that you need so that the next morning you are not scurrying around trying to make it all right. If you lay out everything the night before, you’ll leave the house in a much better frame of mind and will be less likely to forget something important.
- 2. Get up ten minutes earlier. I know, I know. Hard to do. I like to hit that snooze alarm as much as you do. But if you give yourself that extra time, you won’t be as harried. You’ll also be able to give yourself that extra five minutes in that nice hot shower. I don’t know about you, but the shower is my most creative time. Must be all that water washing away the negative ions.
- 3. Be polite. Smile, say Thank You and Please. Those common civilities go a long way in not only helping you feel better, but in fostering a positive response in the person with whom you are speaking.
- 4. Take a nap or go to bed a little earlier. More and more studies are showing that lack of sleep is a killer. treat yourself to an afternoon siesta if you can. If you can’t, try getting to sleep a little earlier and get the rest that you need.
- 5. Read a good book. It’s amazing how relaxed you can get by sitting back for a half an hour or so and reading a novel that pulls you away to another world for a little bit.
Hope these help you reduce your stress levels!
Also, I’m guest blogging at Pagan Spirits today! Just click on this link to visit me at Pagan Spirits.
