one a day

This morning I learned that no matter how hard you try and get a kid to eat a vitamin, if they don't want to- they won't eat it! (even the little chewy ones that resemble candy.)I never thought I would be cutting gummy vitamins into pieces, cutting open raisins and sticking them in the raisin and squishing it closed again. and then reverting to step one when the gummy vitamin has been found and flung into a mirror.

Rooty-toot-toot tattoo too to you

Today I learned that I could never get a tattoo. Today at work, my clients older sister told me that because I am so cool, I should have a temporary tattoo. After showing me the 6 she had randomly placed throughout her body and all over her little sister, she told me to pick from her pile of little tattoo pictures. I picked the green star. My other options were lips, the Disney logo, or some vile insect. now she's all excited getting her little wet towel ready and setting up tattoo parlor, I can't help but reminisce about my youth with Kayla and all our tattoos that we had plastered on ourselves. I felt cool again. (as I type, Chris is playing video games- so far from cool... such a dweeb) Anyway, It was only later as I looked down in the shower as I washed and enjoyed that little burst of startle "oh yea, my little tattoo" Then I thought.. I don't think I could ever get one. I think I would get sick of it like an old sweater.

So, I guess I will only be cool until my little star fades away.

Snowledge

did you know that snowflakes have 6 points. no more, no less. just 6.

The largest snowflakes ever recorded fell in the state of Montana in the United States of America. The snowflakes were 15 inches in diameter. ( keep you're eyes open, Kelley's)

The average snowflake falls at a speed of 3.1 miles per hour

People buy more cakes, cookies and candies than any other food when a blizzard is in the forecast. So much for the good ole' milk and bread!

"It is indeed extremely unlikely that two complex snowflakes will look exactly alike. It's so extremely unlikely, in fact, that even if you looked at every one ever made you would not find any exact duplicates," says physicist Kenneth Libbrecht
- but seriously, who sits on their front lawn and sifts through the little bugga's ??!


LAST but not LEAST.......

You can make your own cloud by breathing in cold weather. We already know this but I just wanted to share with you this little story. When I was little I purposefully would not breath a lot in the winter when I was outside because I thought that the more people would breath, the more clouds we would have in the sky. I did not want clouds.. I wanted sunny days. Specifically sunny summer days- still do, always will!

- so everyone, listen up! STOP BREATHING!! summer will get here faster!!

Profound thoughts by Dr. B - week I

So, Tuesday nights I am blessed by having a professor who is absolutely full of those "really makes you stop and think" comments. I love this breed of people. Those that are not hindered by the fearful shadows of "I can't say that- people will judge me" This guy says it how it is every step of the way. I have dedicated a page in my notebook for his comments. ( which may become more over the next 15 weeks) I have thus decided that every Tuesday night I will come home and blog what I have scribbled on my notebook page. Because technically I'm learning.

"When people loose touch with reality- people get hurt"

"We have Velcro, we have Penicillin.....(pause) a lot of good things come from brains."

"you're going to get there whether you worry or not."

"popes aren't young and handsome, last I checked"

be happy today

London school teaches art of positive thinking: Class helps students shrug off life's everyday disappointments and depressions

- January 23, 2009

Jan. 23--LONDON -- The third Monday in January is officially the most depressing day of the year. That's according to a Cardiff University psychologist's formula that takes into account wintry weather, unpaid Christmas debt, failed New Year's resolutions and the ratio of motivational levels to the amount of work that needs to be done.

But 100 or so adult students at London's storefront School of Life were laughing off the bad news Monday, champagne glasses in hand, at a lecture on How to Be Optimistic.

With Britain heading into what may be its deepest recession in 60 years and many people struggling with everything from stock market losses to layoffs, "it's quite natural to feel pessimistic," said Jo Matthews, 26, a charity marketer attending the lecture. "But there are quite a lot of things to appreciate in life."

The unusual school -- which tries to get across just that message -- opened in October near London's Russell Square, in a long-shuttered storefront crammed between an Internet cafe and a hair salon. It aims to give paying clients a place "to think about the big questions," which include: what constitutes a meaningful job, how to live an ethical life, how to cope with and enjoy family, love relationships, politics and play.

"Sometimes we feel we had a lot of education but we weren't taught anything about relationships" or other important life concerns, said Sophie Howarth, a former curator of modern art who now directs the school. The drop-in classes, which start at about $15 each, aim to give "the education we didn't get anywhere else."

The school's inviting front window is piled with books, teapots and plates of cookies; inside are works by authors from Henry David Thoreau to Studs Terkel offering advice on everything from turning over a new leaf to simply being good.

Downstairs, in a basement painted to resemble a cozy living room, students sit cross-legged on the floor to take in lectures or "sermons" on curiosity, humor, play, poetry or seduction, among other topics.

The school also offers regular "conversation meals" and eclectic weekend courses and outings aimed at helping people discover what they love about their job or whether they're in the right relationship.

The idea is "to raid the wealth of cultural experience from philosophy, arts and science, and treat that knowledge as a way of living today," Howarth said. "It's kind of all incredibly obvious, but that's what people find refreshing."

On Blue Monday, as the bleakest day of the year is known in London, students at the optimism lecture were urged to "unleash their inner pessimist" and moan about that day's setbacks to a neighbor as headbanger music pounded. Then they tried to think of three things that had gone well during the day, big or small.

Taking a few moments every day to appreciate the good things in life is a clinically proven way to fight depression, said Laurence Shorter, the course instructor and a former businessman. Shorter has just released a book titled "The Optimist," drawn from his conversations with optimistic people around the world and his own search for "the brighter side of life" after a relationship breakdown and a sense that the world's bad news was becoming overwhelming.

"Optimism is a style of interpreting reality," and bad news in particular, Shorter told the crowd. Bad things happen; the choice is how people feel about them.

In his experience, he said, the most optimistic people also are the most realistic ones, and religious faith has little to do with genuine optimism. Maintaining hope for a better future is key.

The evening ended as many of the School of Life courses do, with the crowd engrossed in conversation and only reluctantly leaving.

"There should be more stuff like this," said student Immanuel Bryson-Haynes, 25, a semiprofessional race car driver. "There's too much serious stuff in the world."

lgoering@tribune.com

-----

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Copyright (c) 2009, Chicago Tribune

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

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my day at the "gym"

I recall experts saying that house work burns a lot of calories. I wonder how many I just burned doing housework with a 20+ lb baby attached to my hip.
today I learned that you don't need 2 hands to sweep- it's hard, but not impossible.
(grooving to Bonnie Raitt helps we changed the words to : "let's give em' something to sweep about baby, do do do do.. ")

they're not degrading... they're biodegrading!

we found biodegradable wipes and diapers today. they're about $1 more than the average pamper and nothing could excite me more that there is yet one more easy way to save the planet.
Personally the best part about them is the absence of sesame street characters smiling back at me from my child's bottom.


here's something to read:

Nature babycare, the award winning ECO diaper - A proven success in Europe and now available in North America!

Product features:

- Award Winning Premium Performance eco-friendly disposable diaper
- Awarded the Eco Label “Good Environmental Choice” of Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC)
- NO oil-based plastics against baby’s skin
- Kinder and more gentle to your baby and the environment
- Breathable and chlorine-free with natural based material, for natural protection
- Ultra-thin construction gives a non-bulky fit, enabling your baby to move around freely
- Consumer packaging is based on 100% natural renewable material. No oil-based plastics!
- Winner of the 06-07 Silver Award for “Best Disposable Diaper,” featured in Mother & Baby Magazine, a leading UK baby magazine

Features and Benefits of Nature babycare:
-Chlorine-free absorbent materials – does not contribute to dioxin pollution
-100 % natural based back sheet – NO plastic - reduce the greenhouse effect
-100 % natural distribution layer – NO plastic - reduce the greenhouse effect
-100 % compostable consumer packaging – NO plastic - reduce the greenhouse effect
-No latex, fragrance, or TBT (tributyl tin)

The use of compostable natural materials based on renewable sources reduces the green house effect.

The story behind the first ECO-friendly high-performance baby diaper

It took a concerned Swedish mother to make it. Marlene Sandberg, former law firm partner and the mother of two boys:
“It all started with a newspaper article. It said that every year of a baby’s life resulted in a mountain of used diapers weighing half a ton, every year. Half a ton! Even more disturbing was the fact that the traditional diapers were mainly made of plastic made from oil!! An oil product that comes in contact with the child’s delicate skin. I got really upset. Couldn’t this be done better?”

Nature babycare is the result of many years of intense work and development:
-The first ECO-friendly high-performance diaper, based on new green technology, protected by a Swedish patent.
-Soft, thin, comfortable and with perfect sizing.
-With an exclusive chlorine free absorbent material.
-With natural based material against the baby’s skin, breathable and extremely kind for the baby.
-And performance as well as the best “traditional” diapers.

life's lemonade

you don't always have to make "lemonade" with the "lemons" that life throws you.
I read a very interesting part of a book today that simply stated. "you don't always have to catch the ball" Metaphorically speaking, they are saying -you don't always have to let people's harshness (words-actions-etc.) get under your skin. So I say: "when life throws you lemons, you don't have to catch them." granted there is fine print in this blurp of advice, I'm not saying that it is OK to just ignore people unsympathetically or disregard responsibilities. but let's face it people, we all know of at least 5 people who let to much unessary worry penetrate their skin and bubble up into what is similar to a life eating disease.
trust me-
I just recently rebouded from this disease, but it was a eye opener to me. I don't like Lemons, they burn. however sometimes you have to make the "ade" the ade is so much sweeter and easier to enjoy. I will catch them if need be and if my friends/ family ask me to help make some lemoande you bet you're bottom i'll be there with some sugar ;)

A good recipie for Lemonade :

• Pitcher (a solid frame of mind to contain the emotions.) If your ingredients are not contained, they spill and make a huge mess.
• Lemons ( harsh words-actions-etc.)- the unbearably tart fruit that makes your eyes squint, cheeks pucker and head shake.
• Water ( friends-family-quite time-etc.)- to dilute the tart, makes the taste more bearable.
  
• Sugar (friends-family-i personally like shopping) to compensate for the tart. this is the positive twist that every negative dilemma should have.
• Ice (positive outlook for future eandevors) helps to keep you cool and refreshed.
  
  
  Chris just made fun of me for writing this. He said "are you copying this from somewhere or making it up?" I said "making it up" he replied with "dork"
  -thanks for the Lemon Chris!
  
  
  
  
  
  

I say try, try, try, not to cry, cry cry

yesterday I learned that since Cameron I cry watching tv shows- movies- etc.

I cried twice during greys anatomy. To those who are also addicted to the show, I am talking about when the little boy was dying and they asked the mom to leave the room so they could "work on him" (omg!- I could never- ever-ever-ever leave) second, when they said "it's time to hold him" when he was "going" (omg omg!- how do you do that? how the heck do you hold your child knowing that it's going to be the last moment you get to do so.. ah!)
so yes- I was a wreck!

then to top off the evening, I was watching private practice. To be brief, a woman was having a baby and decided that she wanted to give him up for adoption upon birth and she chose not to see the baby. Well, the baby was born and needed surgery and the adoptive parents bailed on the deal... yada yada drama unfolds... after the surgery the mom who just gave birth decided she wants to see the baby because she doesn't want him to be alone and scared ( here's where i began to cry..) then once she see's the baby she ( after just having a c-section and is clearly hurting..) quickly rises from her wheel chair in awe of the baby ( and here's when I cried like one)

lastly, in recapping to my mother why i'm such a mess and just simply telling her essentially what I just wrote.. I cried again!

clean up!

Bills, credit-card receipts, ATM slips, investment records, bank statements— they pile up and multiply faster than dirty dishes after a holiday meal. It's easy to feel buried under an avalanche of paper and too stressed and guilty to deal with it.

Fortunately, there are solutions short of hiring a full-time financial manager. Getting clear of the paper chaos will save time (no more scrambling through drawers to find that overdue bill), -money (fewer late charges and no lost deductions), and psychic energy (no more feeling out of control of your own financial life).

The experts say you can organize your records in five simple steps. Here's what they recommend:

Step #1: Toss what you can.

Nearly all of your financial papers can be divided into three categories: records that you need to keep only for the calendar year or less, papers that you need to save for seven years (the typical window during which your tax return may be audited), and papers that you should hang onto indefinitely.

For instance, do you really need to save all those ATM-withdrawal receipts? No. Once you've recorded the amount you've withdrawn in your check register and reconciled the information as it appears on your monthly statement, you can throw away the ATM slip. The same holds true for deposit slips and credit-card receipts, once you've checked to make sure the items you bought appear correctly on your statement. Don't keep sales receipts for minor purchases after you've satisfactorily used the item a few times or the warranty has expired. Keep receipts for major purchases (any item whose replacement cost exceeds the deductible on your homeowners' or renters' insurance).

Shortly after the end of the calendar year, you will probably be able to throw out a slew of additional paper, including your paycheck stubs, monthly credit-card and mortgage statements, utility bills (if they are not needed for business deductions), and monthly or quarterly reports from brokerage and mutual-fund companies for the previous year.

"Typically the entire year's activity is listed in detail on your final, end-of-the-year statement, making every other statement redundant," says Ed Slott, a CPA in Rockville Center, New York. Your final pay stub and W-2 form, for instance, document all your earnings for the year if you work for someone else; if you're self-employed, your 1099 forms do the same for you. Similarly, most investment companies and some credit-card issuers send out comprehensive statements in January. "Keep the monthly updates until you reconcile them with the year-end summaries," says Slott.

Step #2: Hang onto what you must.

You will, however, need to hold onto those final credit-card statements, along with your W-2s and 1099s, for at least three years and, preferably, for seven. The Internal Revenue Service has up to three years from the date you file your tax return to examine it for errors and as long as six years to conduct an audit if there's reason to suspect you underreported your gross income by 25 percent or more. (There is no statute of limitations for anyone who has deliberately committed fraud.) Indeed, you'll need to keep any paperwork that supports your return until that audit window closes. Among the additional documents you should retain: canceled checks and receipts for all deductible business expenses (such as those for entertainment, home-office equipment, and professional dues), retirement-account contributions, charitable donations, child-care bills, out-of-pocket medical expenses, alimony, and mortgage-interest and property-tax payments.

Unless you've knowingly submitted a false return, you can toss these supporting documents after three to seven years, depending on how straightforward your tax situation is.

But don't throw out the actual tax returns or the year-end summaries of your investment accounts, even after the chances of an audit have all but vanished. These documents don't take up much space and can come in very handy for future financial planning.

For insurance purposes, you'll also want to keep receipts for major purchases and receipts that show how much you've paid for home improvements indefinitely, both to satisfy potential buyers and to reduce possible capital-gains taxes when you sell your home. True, these records are not as important as they once were because of recent changes in the law that exempt from taxation the first $500,000 in profits from the sale of a home ($250,000 for singles), but they may still come in handy. It is crucially important to keep the confirmation slips that show beneficiary designations and the purchase price of stocks, mutual funds, and any other investments you hold; hang onto these records indefinitely because some day, says Slott, "you or your heirs will have to know exactly how much you paid to determine the profit on your investment for tax purposes."

Step #3: Give your papers a home.

The number-one reason that people get overwhelmed by the paper in their lives, experts say, is that they have no set place to put it. As a result, piles grow and documents end up in a dozen different places, none of which you can ever remember when you need to lay your hands on them.

If you have a spare room or corner that you can designate as the place where you deal with paperwork, great; if not, a drawer, cabinet, or closet where you can store bills and current records, situated near a table on which you can write checks, will do. As for supplies, you'll find folders or manila envelopes will come in handy for filing the papers, as will a file cabinet or cardboard box to hold the records.

Keep your will, birth and marriage certificates, insurance policies, property deeds, and other permanent records in a safe but accessible place near your other financial documents, so you and your heirs will always be able to get to them quickly, if they need to.

Step #4: Be systematic.

Have a plan for processing all paper. Pick a spot in your information area where you'll put the bills— say, a manila envelope, a drawer, or a plastic in-box or sorter— and toss in each envelope as it arrives in the mail. Then, when you sit down to write those checks each month, you'll have all the paperwork you need in one spot.

Now here's the key: Once you've paid the bill or checked the statement, file it immediately. "Your goal should be to touch a piece of paper as few times as possible, rather than shuffling it from pile to pile," says Paula Boyer Kennedy, a financial planner in the Minneapolis office of Ernst & Young. "If you stick the bill back in the drawer after you pay it, it will find friends, and they will mate and produce offspring. Pretty soon, you'll have a true litter."

Again, a very rudimentary filing system is all you need. The simplest method is to throw everything that is tax-related into a single receptacle as soon as you're done with it— a drawer, a file cabinet, a paper accordion file, or even a shoebox will do. That way, when you're ready to fill out your tax return, you'll have all the paperwork you need at your fingertips. Alternatively, you can set up a slightly more organized system at the outset, with separate file folders for the major categories of your life. You might, for example, label your folders by the type of account (credit-card statements, brokerage statements, utility bills, etc.) or by tax category (deductible business expenses, charitable contributions, and so on) or by financial goal (housing, retirement, college fund, etc.). This may take more time initially, but, in the long run, it will save time.

Step #5: Tackle the backlog.

Once you have a system in place, you still have to deal with all the piles you've already accumulated. Instead of launching a massive reorganization— a task so daunting that few people will take it on— start by sorting through a small stack at a time. You can allot half an hour a day to sift through old papers, perhaps while watching the news or listening to music.

You'll be amazed at the difference a little organization makes. "People don't realize how much they pay as a result of having their financial papers in disarray— a late credit-card charge here, a lost tax deduction there," says Stephanie Denton, a professional organizer in Cincinnati. Even greater, though, may be the long-term psychic and financial benefits. Once you're organized, "you can focus your mental energy on the really important stuff, like your investments and your financial goals," says Terry Savage, author of The Savage Truth On Money ($15, www.amazon.com). "Getting your financial papers in order pays big dividends in peace of mind."

home sweet home

well,

I just learned that there is no key to the white house. Makes sense though. What will Mr. & Mrs. Do with their key rings? and I'm sure they're not driving. On that note, where are their cars? what happened to their home? are they going to "vacation" back to Chicago, feed the fish, start the car, run the water so the pipes don't freeze..., and then head back to DC?

More importantly where are the girls going to play? it's not like they can run out into the backyard... Will the white house get a swing set??


I would love to know these answers. If you have them, please share!

Morton's toe

What is a "Morton Toe or Morton Foot"?

Morton's Toe is a common term used where the second toe is longer than the Big Toe. First identified by a famous foot doctor - Dr. Dudley Joy Morton. The 2nd toe of the foot, not the big toe, is longer than all the other toes. Although commonly described as a disorder, it is sufficiently common to be considered a normal variant of foot shape. its prevalence varies with different populations, but around 10% of feet worldwide have this form.

the Statue of Liberty has toes of this proportion- (she can't wear birkenstocks either)

today is Winnie the Pooh day in observance of Author, A.A Milne's birthday

(I did copy and paste for this- too much to type, I'm feeling particularly lazy today.)

Milne named the character Winnie-the-Pooh after a teddy bear owned by his son, Christopher Robin Milne, who was the basis for the character Christopher Robin. His toys also lent their names to most of the other characters, except for Owl and Rabbit, who were probably based on real animals, and the Gopher character, who was added in the Disney version. Christopher Robin's toy bear is now on display at the Main Branch of the New York Public Library in New York.^[1]

Harry Colebourne and Winnie 1914

Christopher Milne had named his teddy after Winnipeg, a bear which he and his father often saw at London Zoo, and "Pooh", a swan they had met while on holiday. Winnipeg the Bear was purchased from a hunter for $20 by Canadian Lieutenant Harry Colebourn in White River, Ontario, Canada, while en-route to England during the First World War. He named the bear "Winnipeg" after his hometown in Winnipeg, Manitoba. "Winnie", as she became known, was surreptitiously brought to England with her owner, and gained unofficial recognition as a regimental mascot. Colebourn left Winnie at the London Zoo while he and his unit were in France; after the war she was officially donated to the zoo, as she had become a much loved attraction there. Among her many young fans was Christopher Milne, who named his own teddy bear "Winnie".^[2] Pooh the swan appears as a character in its own right in When We Were Very Young.

In the first chapter of Winnie-the-Pooh, Milne offers this explanation of why Winnie-the-Pooh is often called simply "Pooh": "But his arms were so stiff ... they stayed up straight in the air for more than a week, and whenever a fly came and settled on his nose he had to blow it off. And I think - but I am not sure - that that is why he is always called Pooh."

The home of the Milnes, Ashdown Forest in East Sussex, England, was the basis for the setting of the Winnie-the-Pooh stories. The name of the fictional "Hundred Acre Wood" is reminiscent of the Five Hundred Acre Wood, which lies just outside Ashdown Forest and includes some of the locations mentioned in the book, such as the Enchanted Place.

flowers of January

• The Chinese floral emblem of January is the Plum Blossom
  
  
  
  
  
  
• The Japanese floral emblem of January is the Camellia

happy birthday Ricky!

• Emanuel Pogatetz , Austrian footballer who currently plays for Middlesborough as a defender. shares the same birthday. and Galgactus, The devourer of booze was born one year prior!
  
  
• today we also honor St. Fursey ( (also known as Fursa, Fursy, Forseus, Furseus) (died 650) was an Irish Monk who did much to establish Christianity throughout the British Isles and particularly in East Anglia. He reportedly experienced angelic visions of the afterlife.
  
  
• National teachers day in Thailand
  
  
• there is also a legitimate website (not created by anyone I know..I just randomly found it) www.happybirthdayricky.com
  
  
  
  I have no clue who these people are but I think it's funny that the boy in this picture kinda resembles Ricky..
  

feed me!

today i learned that my son thinks it's the funniest thing in the world to feed me his cookie.

some one else learned- tried something new

this little puppy went to the market- this little puppy stayed home!

my pea pod delivery was amazing. they brought them in the house and all i had to go was unpack and store the grub!

I haven't done any outside leisure learning today due to the following reasons:

Chris and I have been looking for houses- we found one that is sideways on the lot and I absolutely love that fact. If you know me at all- you know that nothing excites me more than an abnormal house!

Cameron has also been occupying my time very much lately, he keeps me on my toes with exploring new finger foods. ( wait - i think i learned something... ) I cut honeydew into strips and he eats them like a Parana.

and my last excuse is work. I have been spending countless hours researching power struggles, strong willed behaviors, deviance.. etc


so yeah- you know what i did learn something.. BE DIFFERENT - CUT YOUR MELONS DIFFERENT THAN YOU NORMALLY WOULD- GO CRAZY!
( just don't go to crazy and move your house sideways)

ding - dong.. grocery's are done!

http://www.peapod.com

week after week I go through the dreadful motions of grocery shopping. I miss out on quality family-weekend time... Or I have 20lbs of Baby in tow. Either way is not fun.
on top of all this, last weekend I went grocery shopping and I decided to get cash back. Well, with my luck, I forgot it there.. $20 GONE. ( not a happy camper that day!)

behold!
pea pod!

Everyone in the family can click on what ever item they want and bam! it's in the bag - that I don't have to carry! the sale items are on there too and there is even a section of all specials.
They on;y downside is that they don't have everything. So far they don't have cran-grape juice or my precious mocha bolthouse. (mmmmmm delicious)

I think it's an approx $6 delivery charge, but for me it's worth it.
( first time, if you spend over $100 delivery is free- wooh!)

put your thinking cap on

Six Hats of Thinking

"The six hats method allows children to think more richly and more comprehensively.
If we simply ask children to think about something, they are often at a loss. But if
they are invited to explore the subject using the framework of the hats, their
perceptual powers are quickly expanded."
Edward de Bono in Six Thinking Hats for School, 1992.

WHITE: is neutral and objective, concerned with objective facts and figures
RED: relates to anger and rage, so is concerned with emotions
BLACK: is gloomy, and covers the negative - why things can't be done
YELLOW: is sunny and positive, indicating hope and positive thinking
GREEN: is abundant, fertile growth, indicating creativity and new ideas
BLUE: is the sky above us, so is concerned with the control and organisation of the
thinking process


The WHITE Hat
The facts, and only the facts
The white hat, like a blank piece of paper, is completely neutral, impartial and
objective. It deals with only facts, figures, and information at hand.

When using the WHITE Hat we ask a few basic questions:
1. What information do we have? (About the topic in question)
2. What information do we need?
3. Where can we get the required information from.
4. What is relevant?

At any point in a discussion, sometimes it is helpful to stop and have some “white hat
thinking”... pause for a moment and look at the information and hand.
Cease all speculation and arguments and take stock of where you are.



The RED Hat
fire, warmth
The Red Hat deals with intuition, feelings and emotions.
When dealing with feelings, views can be presented without justification or
explanation.

When using the red hat, some things we consider are:
1. How do we feel about the topic?
2. Consider emotions such as fear, likes, dislikes, love, hate, anger.
3.What are your gut reactions?
4.What intuitions do you have?

"Putting on my red hat, I think this is a terrible proposal."


The BLACK Hat
stern, like a judges black robe
The black hat is judgemental, critical. It is the hat of caution, which allows the wearer
to reflect on the negatives of an idea and list the drawbacks.

Some things to consider when wearing the Black Hat are:
1. Costs. (too expensive? Not enough money?)
2. Regulations. (to strict? Not strict enough? Unable to work within them? )
3. Design. (not practical? Looks wrong?)
4.Materials. (high maintenance? Too hard to get?)
5. Safety issues or risks.
6. Identifies difficulties and problems.

The Black hat is a very useful hat, but be careful not to bring it in to early in a
discussion as it can stifle creativity and ideas.



The YELLOW Hat
brightness, optimism
The yellow hat symbolises all that is positive and optimistic.
It can be used for looking at positive results in the past, or all that is possible in the
future, for assessing the benefits of an idea, or finding its values.
It is about effectiveness and getting a job done.

Some things to consider using the yellow hat are:
1.What are the benefits?
2.Why is this preferable?
3.What are the positive assets?
4. How can we make this work?



The GREEN Hat
new growth
The Green hat focuses on creative ideas and looking at all the alternatives.
It allows for new approaches and innovative thinking with potential for growth.
In green hat we look to new ideas and solutions.

Questions you might ask while wearing your green hat include:
1. Are there any other ideas here?
2. Are there any additional alternatives?
3. Could we do this in a different way?
4. Could there be another explanation?

The green hat is often the hardest because it is all about thinking outside the norm
and going against our habits of function, recognition and criticism.
Be careful not to use the green hat too much as you may stray too far from the
original idea.



The BLUE Hat
sky, overview
The Blue hat is the overseer or “process control” making sure all thoughts stay
relatively on track by redirecting thinking eg. If an emotional response (red hat) is
given while using the yellow hat, the Blue hat will keep the discussion on track.
It is responsible for setting the agenda, being the time keeper and ensures the 6 hats
guidelines are observed.



Using the Hats
The purpose of the hats is to direct thinking, not classify either the thinking or the thinker.
Indeed, by wearing a hat that is different from the one that one customarily wears, one may
chance upon a variety of new ideas. Wearing a hat means deliberately adopting a perspective
that is not necessarily one’s own. It is important that all group members are aware of this fact. A
group member must clearly identify the color of the hat he is wearing while making a statement.
Wearing a clearly identified hat separates ego from performance. The Six Hat Method is useful
even for individuals thinking by themselves. Hats may be used in some structured sequence depending on the nature of the issue.


Here is an example agenda for a typical 6 hats workshop:

Step 1: Present the facts of the case (White Hat)
Step 2: Generate ideas on how the case could be handled (Green Hat)
Step 3: Evaluate the merits of the ideas - List the benefits (Yellow Hat),
List the drawbacks (Black Hat)
Step 4: Get everybody’s gut feelings about the alternatives (Red Hat)
Step 5: Summarize and adjourn the meeting (Blue Hat)


Six Thinking Hats
Intuitive
Informative
Constructive
Cautious
Creative
Reflective

saved an Andrew Jackson!

my trip down experimental lane took a turn for the great.
I was able to make 10 baby food containers of squash, 10 of cauliflower, and 15 of sweet potatoes. Gerber charges 1.09 per package of 2 containers. But it gets much better... The bill from the vegetable store was $15 so i already got my money worth, but the great news is.. I also got two packages of carrots, celery, about 6 apples, a bundle of bananas, one onion, and 4 pears!
I pick when I cook also, so this was a healthy endeavor. Far better than chocolate cake!

here are a few pictures of the baby food fest and the sampler himself:

order pizza the best way- the lazy way

I just ordered a pizza online!

www.papajohns.com

they even send you an e-mail notification saying when and how much- they also deliver!
Dunkin Donuts needs to adopt this business strategy (asap)

day long learning..

today I am attempting to make baby food other than sweet potatoes pears peaches and bananas. (ones i have been making)

the list of attempts include:
carrots
green beans
cauliflower
pineapples
apples
squash


if you have any suggestions let me know!

Cameron is curently eating bananas whole.. grham crackers and cooked sweet potato pieces. So again- finger food suggestions are also welcome!


so, I haven't really learned anything YET but i have a feeling i will by the end of the day

ssoooooo jealous

A snail can sleep for three years


some more fun facts about snails..

	The largest land snail ever found was 15 inches long and weighed 2 pounds!
	Snails' bodies produce a thick slime. Because of this slime, they can crawl across the edge of a razor and not get hurt.
	Some snails have been known to live up to 15 years.
	Snails are hermaphrodites which means that they have both male and female reproductive organs.
	Snails usually travel in irregular paths, often traveling in a circle.
	Snails reply mainly on their sense of touch and smell when finding food because they have very poor eyesight.
	Snails cannot hear.
	Snails can retract one or both of their tentacles at a time.
	Because of the suction created by their slime, a snail can crawl upside down.
	Snails are nocturnal animals which means they are more active at night.
	Garden Snails mainly eat garden plants and vegetables, but they will also eat decaying plants and soil.
	The fastest snails are the speckled garden snails which can move up to 55 yards per hour compared 23 inches per hour of most other land snails.
	Garden snails hibernate during the winter and live on their stored fat.
	Garden snails breathe with lungs.
	Garden snails evolved from sea snails about 600 million years ago.
	The garden snail is cooked and eaten as a delicacy called escargot
	May 24th is National Escargot Day

I'm not even being facetious!

There are only four words in the English language which end in "dous":

tremendous –adjective

1.	extraordinarily great in size, amount, or intensity: a tremendous ocean liner; tremendous talent.

2.	extraordinary in excellence: a tremendous movie.

3.	dreadful or awful, as in character or effect; exciting fear; frightening; terrifying.

horrendous –adjective
shockingly dreadful; horrible: a horrendous crime.

stupendous –adjective

1.	causing amazement; astounding; marvelous: stupendous news.

2.	amazingly large or great; immense: a stupendous mass of information.

hazardous –adjective

1.	full of risk; perilous; risky: a hazardous journey.

2.	dependent on chance.

There are two words in the English language that have all five vowels in order:

abstemious –adjective

1.	sparing or moderate in eating and drinking; temperate in diet.

2.	characterized by abstinence: an abstemious life.

3.	sparing: an abstemious diet.

facetious –adjective

1.	not meant to be taken seriously or literally: a facetious remark.

2.	amusing; humorous.

3.	lacking serious intent; concerned with something nonessential, amusing, or frivolous: a facetious person.

**** I had no Idea what abstemious meant so i technically learned 2 things today.
and just as a side note, facetious is my favorite word of all time.

we could all use a little change

did you know that there are 293 ways to make change for a dollar ?
this could become a really fun game while in the Dunkin Donuts drive-thru!

1. 1 dollar coin
2. 2 half dollars
3. 1 HD 1Q 2D IN
4. 1 HD 1Q 2D 5P
5. 1 HD 1Q 1D 3N
6. 1 HD 1Q 1D 2N 5P
7. 1 HD 1Q 1D 1N 10P
8. 1 HD 1Q 1D 15P
   
9. 1 HD 1Q 5N
   
10. 1 HD 1Q 4N 5P
    
11. 1 HD 1Q 3N 10P
    
12. 1 HD 1Q 2N 15P
    
13. 1 HD 1Q 1N 20 P
    
14. 1 HD 1Q 25P
    
15. 1 HD 5D
    
16. 1 HD 4D 2N
    
17. 1HD 4D 1N 5P
    
18. 1 HD 4D 10P
    
19. 1 HD 3D 4N
    
20. 1 HD 3D 3N 5P
    
21. 1 HD 3D 2N 10P
    
22. 1 HD 3D 1N 15P
    
23. 1 HD 3D 20P
    
24. 1 HD 2D 6N
    
25. 1 HD 2D 5N 5P
    
26. 1 HD 2D 4N 10P
    
27. 1 HD 2D 3N 15P
    
28. 1 HD 2D 2N 20P
    
29. 1 HD 2D 1N 25P
    
30. 1 HD 2D 30P
    
31. 1 HD 1D 8N
    
32. 1 HD 1D 7N 5P
    
33. 1 HD 1D 6N 10P
    
34. 1 HD 1D 5N 15P
    
35. 1 HD 1D 4N 20P
    
36. 1 HD 1D 3N 25 P
    
37. 1 HD 1D 2N 30 P
    
38. 1 HD 1D 1N 35P
    
39. 1 HD 1D 40P
    
40. 1 HD 10N
    
41. 1 HD 9N 5P
    
42. 1 HD 8N 10P
    
43. 1 HD 7N 15 P
    
44. 1 HD 6N 20P
    
45. 1 HD 5N 25P
    
46. 1 HD 4N 30P
    
47. 1HD 3N 35P
    
48. 1 HD 2N 40P
    
49. 1 HD 1N 45P
    
50. 1 HD 50P
    
51. 4Q
    
52. 3Q 2D 1N
    
53. 3Q 2D 5P
    
54. 3Q 1D 3N
    
55. 3Q 1D 2N 5P
    
56. 3Q 1D 1N 10P
    
57. 3Q 1D 15P
    
58. 3Q 5N
    
59. 3Q 4N 5P
    
60. 3Q 3N 10P
    
61. 3Q 2N 15P
    
62. 3Q 1N 20 P
    
63. 3Q 25P
    
64. 2Q 5D
    
65. 2Q 4D 2N
    
66. 2Q 4D 1N 5P
    
67. 2Q 4D 10P
    
68. 2Q 3D 4N
    
69. 2Q 3D 3N 5 P
    
70. 2Q 3D 2N 10P
    
71. 2Q 3D 1N 15P
    
72. 2Q 3D 20P
    
73. 2Q 2D 6N
    
74. 2Q 2D 5N 5P
    
75. 2Q 2D 4N 10 P
    
76. 2Q 2D 3N 15P
    
77. 2Q 2D 2N 20P
    
78. 2Q 2D 1N 25P
    
79. 2Q 2D 30P
    
80. 2Q 1D 8N
    
81. 2Q 1D 7N 5P
    
82. 2Q 1D 6N 10P
    
83. 2Q 1D 5N 15P
    
84. 2Q 1D 4N 20P
    
85. 2Q 1D 3N 25P
    
86. 2Q 1D 2N 30P
    
87. 2Q 1D 1N 35P
    
88. 2Q 1D 40P
    
89. 2Q 50P
    
90. 2Q 10N
    
91. 2Q 9N 5P
    
92. 2Q 8N 10P
    
93. 2Q 7N 15P
    
94. 2Q 6N 20P
    
95. 2Q 5N 25P
    
96. 2Q 4N 30P
    
97. 2Q 3N 35P
    
98. 2Q 2N 40P
    
99. 2Q 1N 45P
    
100. 1Q 7D 1N
     
101. 1Q 7D 5P
     
102. 1Q 6D 3N
     
103. 1Q 6D 2N 5P
     
104. 1Q 6D 1N 10P
     
105. 1Q 6D 15P
     
106. 1Q 5D 5N
     
107. 1Q 5D 4N 5P
     
108. 1Q 5D 3N 10P
     
109. 1Q 5D 2N 15P
     
110. 1Q 5D 1N 20P
     
111. 1Q 5D 25P
     
112. 1Q 4D 7N
     
113. 1Q 4D 6N 5P
     
114. 1Q 4D 5N 15P
     
115. 1Q 4D 4N 20P
     
116. 1Q 4D 3N 25P
     
117. 1Q 4D 2N 30P
     
118. 1Q 4D 1N 35P
     
119. 1Q 4D 40P
     
120. 1Q 3D 9N
     
121. 1Q 3D 8N 5P
     
122. Q 3D 7N 10P
     
123. 1Q 3D 6N 15P
     
124. 1Q 3D 5N 20P
     
125. 1Q 3D 4N 25P
     
126. 1Q 3D 3N 30P
     
127. 1Q 3D 2N 35P
     
128. 1Q 3D 1N 40P
     
129. 1Q 3D 45P
     
130. 1Q 2D 11N
     
131. 1Q 2D 10N 5P
     
132. 1Q 2D 9N 10P
     
133. 1Q 2D 8N 15P
     
134. 1Q 2D 7N 20 P
     
135. 1Q 2D 6N 25P
     
136. 1Q 2D 5N 30P
     
137. 1Q 2D 4N 35P
     
138. 1Q 2D 3N 40P
     
139. 1Q 2D 2N 45P
     
140. 1Q 2D 1N 50P
     
141. 1Q 2D 55P
     
142. 1Q 1D 13N
     
143. 1Q 1D 12N 5P
     
144. 1Q 1D 11N 10P
     
145. 1Q 1D 10N 15P
     
146. 1Q 1D 9N 20P
     
147. 1Q 1D 8N 25P
     
148. 1Q 1D 7N 30P
     
149. 1Q 1D 6N 35P
     
150. 1Q 1D 5N 40P
     
151. 1Q 1D 4N 45P
     
152. 1Q 1D 3N 50P
     
153. 1Q 1D 2N 55P
     
154. 1Q 1D 1N 60P
     
155. 1Q 1D 65P
     
156. 1Q 15N
     
157. 1Q 14N 5P
     
158. 1Q 13N 10P
     
159. 1Q 12N 15P
     
160. 1Q 11N 20P
     
161. 1Q 10N 25P
     
162. 1Q 9N 30P
     
163. 1Q 8N 35P
     
164. 1Q 7N 40P
     
165. 1Q 6N 45P
     
166. 1Q 5N 50P
     
167. 1Q 4N 55P
     
168. 1Q 3N 60P
     
169. 1Q 2N 65P
     
170. 1Q 1N 70P
     
171. 1Q 75P
     
172. 10D
     
173. 9D 2N
     
174. 9D 1N 5P
     
175. 9D 10P
     
176. 8D 4N
     
177. 8D 3N 5P
     
178. 8D 2N 10P
     
179. 8D 1N 15P
     
180. 8D 20P
     
181. 7D 6N
     
182. 7D 5N 5P
     
183. 7D 4N 10P
     
184. 7D 3N 15P
     
185. 7D 2N 20P
     
186. 7D 1N 25P
     
187. 7D 30P
     
188. 6D 8N
     
189. 6D 7N 5P
     
190. 6D 6N 10P
     
191. 6D 5N 15P
     
192. 6D 4N 20P
     
193. 6D 3N 25P
     
194. 6D 2N 30P
     
195. 6D 1N 35P
     
196. 6D 40P
     
197. 5D 10N
     
198. 5D 9N 5P
     
199. 5D 8N 10P
     
200. 5D 7N 15P
     
201. 5D 6N 20P
     
202. 5D 5N 25P
     
203. 5D 4N 30P
     
204. 5D 3N 35P
     
205. 5D 2N 40P
     
206. 5D 1N 45P
     
207. 5D 50P
     
208. 4D 12N
     
209. 4D 11N 5P
     
210. 4D 10N 10P
     
211. 4D 9N 15P
     
212. 4D 8N 20P
     
213. 4D 7N 25P
     
214. 4D 6N 30P
     
215. 4D 5N 35P
     
216. 4D 4N 40P
     
217. 4D 3N 45P
     
218. 4D 2N 50P
     
219. 4D 1N 55P
     
220. 4D 60P
     
221. 3D 14N
     
222. 3D 13N 5P
     
223. 3D 12N 10P
     
224. 3D 11N 15P
     
225. 3D 10N 20P
     
226. 3D 9N 25P
     
227. 3D 8N 30P
     
228. 3D 7N 35P
     
229. 3D 6N 40P
     
230. 3D 5N 45P
     
231. 3D 4N 50P
     
232. 3D 3N 55P
     
233. 3D 2N 60P
     
234. 3D 1N 65P
     
235. 3D 70P
     
236. 2D 16N
     
237. 2D 15N 5P
     
238. 2D 14N 10P
     
239. 2D 13N 15P
     
240. 2D 12N 20P
     
241. 2D 11N 25P
     
242. 2D 10N 30P
     
243. 2D 9N 35P
     
244. 2D 8N 40P
     
245. 2D 7N 45P
     
246. 2D 6N 50P
     
247. 2D 5N 55P
     
248. 2D 4N 60P
     
249. 2D 3N 65P
     
250. 2D 2N 70P
     
251. 2D 1N 75P
     
252. 2D 80P
     
253. 1D 18N
     
254. 1D 17N 5P
     
255. 1D 16N 10P
     
256. 1D 15N 15P
     
257. 1D 14N 20P
     
258. 1D 13N 25P
     
259. 1D 12N 30P
     
260. 1D 11N 35P
     
261. 1D 10N 40P
     
262. 1D 9N 45P
     
263. 1D 8N 50P
     
264. 1D 7N 55P
     
265. 1D 6N 60P
     
266. 1D 5N 65P
     
267. 1D 4N 70P
     
268. 1D 3N 75P
     
269. 1D 2N 80P
     
270. 1D 1N 85P
     
271. 1D 90P
     
272. 20N
     
273. 19N 5P
     
274. 18N 10P
     
275. 17N 15P
     
276. 16N 20P
     
277. 15N 25P
     
278. 14N 30P
     
279. 13N 35P
     
280. 12N 40P
     
281. 11N 45P
     
282. 10N 50P
     
283. 9N 55P
     
284. 8N 60P
     
285. 7N 65P
     
286. 6N 70P
     
287. 5N 75P
     
288. 4N 80P
     
289. 3N 85P
     
290. 2N 90P
     
291. 1N 95P
     
292. 100P
     
293. 1 HD 2Q

so does my car

The cruise liner, QE2, moves only six inches for each gallon of diesel that it burns.

The Obama's go to school

The Obamas have moved to Washington, and one aspect of moving to a new town is having the kids start in a new school. Today's the day for Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, at the ultra-elite Sidwell Friends School.

for those who thought MSC was bad.. check out this tuition!

Tuition and Fees

Tuition for 2008-2009
Lower School	$28,442
Middle and Upper Schools	$29,442

Tuition includes a daily hot lunch, curriculum fees, and Lower School textbooks.

Additional annual fees are:

Lower School Parents Association Fee	$50
Middle School Parents Association Fee	$55
Upper School Parents Association Fee	$75
Middle School Textbooks	$250-$300
Upper School Textbooks	$500-$600
Bus Transportation (Optional) Daily trips between Washington, DC and Bethesda, MD campuses	$695/$995
Lower School Aftercare (Optional) 1 to 5 days per week	$1,485 to $5,250
Middle School Aftercare (Optional)	$650 per trimester

Happy Birthday Sir Isaac Newton

Mr. Newton was an English Physicist, Mathematician, Astronomer, Natural philosopher, Alchemist, and Theologian and one of the most influential men in history.

He was a mathematician, and I don't like math so therefore I'm not his biggest fan. Granted it was essentially introducing the power system and binomials... which i don't mind. (but still- math and I will never be friends.) We can also blame him for calculus. ( Thanks Isaac!)
Mr. Newton also had a lot to do with heliocentrism. ( that the sun is the center of the solar system)

Truthfully, all of his work is extremely interesting, I tried to read all of his accomplishments but my goal here is to learn ONE THING a day! Isaac Newton was a bit of a geek- I would be blogging for about 5 days with all of his accomplishments.

my thing learned is that he would be 366 years old today. ( if he were still alive..)

Perihelion

All you sun lovers get your bikinis on and slather that SPF !!!

Today, January 3rd we are the closer to the sun than we will be all year (farthest "aphelion" on July 4th) Various related terms are used for other celestial objects. The '-gee', '-helion' and '-astron' and '-galacticon' forms are frequently used in the astronomical literature, while the other listed forms are occasionally used, although '-saturnium' has very rarely been used in the last 50 years.
see chart:

Body	Closest approach	Farthest approach
Galaxy	Perigalacticon	Apogalacticon
Star	Periastron	Apastron
Black hole	Perimelasma/Peribothra/Perinigricon	Apomelasma/Apobothra/Aponigricon
Sun	Perihelion	Aphelion
Mercury	Perihermion	Apohermion
Venus	Pericytherion/Pericytherean/Perikrition	Apocytherion/Apocytherean/Apokrition
Earth	Perigee	Apogee
Moon	Periselene/Pericynthion/Perilune	Aposelene/Apocynthion/Apolune
Mars	Periareion	Apoareion
Jupiter	Perizene/Perijove	Apozene/Apojove
Saturn	Perikrone/Perisaturnium	Apokrone/Aposaturnium
Uranus	Periuranion	Apouranion
Neptune	Periposeidion	Apoposeidion
Pluto	Perihadion	Apohadion

this is great news for anyone who feels the "winter blues"

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), also known as winter depression or winter blues, is a mood disorder in which people who have normal mental health throughout most of the year experience depressive symptoms in the winter or, less frequently, in the summer, repeatedly, year after year. The US National Library of Medicine notes that "some people experience a serious mood change when the seasons change. They may sleep too much, have little energy, and crave sweets and starchy foods. They may also feel depressed. Though symptoms can be severe, they usually clear up." The condition in the summer is often referred to as Reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder, and can also include heightened anxiety.

There are many different treatments for classic (winter-based) seasonal affective disorder, including light therapies with bright lights, anti-depression medication, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and carefully timed supplementation of the hormone melatonin.

GET OUT AND SOAK UP SOME SUN
IT WILL DO YA SOME GOOD!