Harriet Hodgson - EzineArticles.com Expert Author

Report this author if you suspect they are involved in any fraudulent practices.

Suggest a topic or article headline you would like the author to write about.

Harriet Hodgson has been an Independent Journalist for 30 years. She is a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors, the Association of Health Care Journalists, and the Association for Death Education and Counseling. A prolific writer, she is the author of 27 published books and hundreds of print and electronic articles. Her latest book, "Writing to Recover: The Journey from Loss and Grief to a New Life," is published by the ... [More]

[View Harriet Hodgson's Extended Author Bio]

[Display Categories] Sort By [Title] [Newest] [Oldest]

Harriet Hodgson Email Alerts

High Blood Pressure Diagnosis Can Lead to Heart Attack Anxiety
[Health-and-Fitness:Hypertension] Until I had my annual physical exam, I didn't know I had dangerously high blood pressure. I suspected it, however, because I could not walk up stairs as quickly as I used to and became short of breath. One day I actually saw my heart beat in my eyes. No wonder, because my blood pressure was 205.

Memorial Song Premier, Emotional Pain and Pleasure
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] After a loved one dies we remember them in many ways. This article tells how grieving parents donated money to commission a song in memory of their daughter and describes the premier of the choral piece.

Pay Attention to White Coat Hypertension
[Health-and-Fitness:Hypertension] Many of us get nervous when a doctor takes our blood pressure and our nervousness can spike readings. This response is called white coat hypertension and it may indicate more than nerves. In fact, researchers now think white coat hypertension may be a signal of masked hypertension and long-term hypertension.

Orange Tapioca Pudding With Orange Segments and Toasted Coconut
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Pudding is a delicious way to end a meal and get extra calcium. Home cooks have been making tapioca for centuries. This starchy root is a mainstay of the African diet. North Americans use tapioca to thicken sauces and make pudding. This orange version of the classic dessert is refreshing and delicious.

Talk to Your Kids About Meth
[Home-and-Family:Parenting] Meth use has swept across the country like a hurricane. This highly addictive drug may have come to your town and neighborhood. Some kids know about meth, but many don't have a clue about what meth can do. Share these meth facts with your kids today!

Vegetables - Key to Fitness and Weight Control
[Health-and-Fitness:Nutrition] Vegetables are making news. Newapapers, magazines, and cooking shows are touting the benefits of vegetables. Thank goodness. With more than 108 million Americans either overweight or obese, it's time to eat more vegetables. This article details the health benefits of vegetables and ways to cook them.

Eight Darned Good Reasons to Floss Your Teeth
[Health-and-Fitness:Dental-Care] Flossing is probably the last thing you think about. Your dentist may tell you to floss your teeth, and you may do it a few times and forget other times. This article tells why you should make flossing part of every day.

Anticipatory Grief Work - What is it and How Do You Do it?
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] "Grief work" is a term used by health professionals. What is anticipatory grief work? This article gives you a quick overview and the focuses of this work. Anticipatory grief work is tough stuff, but you'll get through it.

Food Poisoning - The Holiday Gift You Don't Want!
[Food-and-Drink:Cooking-Tips] Think of holidays and you think of food. But in the hustle and bustle of the holidays it's easy to overlook food safety. Don't get food poisoning for the holidays! These tips for fixing meals at home, sharing meals at work, and eating at restaurants, will keep you and your family safe.

Talk to Your Kids About Cigarettes
[Health-and-Fitness:Quit-Smoking] Though cigarette companies are required by law to warn people about the dangers of smoking, kids continue to try cigarettes and become addicted to them. Kids who start smoking in elementary school are more likely to continue smoking in adulthood. Many of the kids who start to smoke think they can stop at any time, but this is not true. Kicking the habit is hard and smoking harms health. Share these cigarette facts with your kids today.

Bathroom Renovation - 10 Things to Consider Before You Start
[Home-Improvement:Bath-and-Shower] Renovating a bathroom can add thousands of dollars to the value of your home. It is easy to get caught up in the excitement of home renovation and there are things to consider before you start. These points will keep you on target and out of trouble.

Hurricane Victims' Grief - How Can You Help?
[News-and-Society] Hurricane Katrina's victims are going through double grief: post-death grief for family and friends who have died, anticipatoy grief for missing loved ones and losses yet to come. What are the symptoms of their grief? How can you help them to feel better?

Savory Or Sweet, Waffles Are a Treat!
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Cooks have been making waffles for centuries. Unfortunately, the early recipes were high in fat and the early waffle irons - two hot metal plates that had to be flipped - were tricky to use. Today, people who are watching their carbs do not eat waffles. But things are changing. Thanks to non-stick grids and new recipes waffles are popular again. You will want to try this healthier, adaptable recipe.

Slow Cooker Barbecued Chicken With Tangy Orange Sauce
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] America is known for many foods but the most famous may be barbecue. The type of barbecue you prefer depends on where you live. This article begins with a brief review of regional sauces and ends with slow cooker barbecue. The leftovers (if you have any) taste even better.

Container Gardens - Big Growth in Small Spaces
[Home-and-Family:Gardening] Container gardens seem to be getting more popular by the day. Small, manageable gardens in flower pots are ideal for expert gardeners, beginning gardeners, and children. Are you afraid to plant big garden? If so, plant some container gardens instead and watch your plants thrive and grow.

Many Females Are Misusing and Abusing Their Speaking Voices
[Writing-and-Speaking:Public-Speaking] Your speaking voice can make you sound credible or questionable. Many women are speaking in high voices and "up-talking," practices that distract listeners. This article, by an experienced speaker, describes some current trends in female speech and ways to care for the speaking voice.

Homemade Tomato - Basil Bread is a Delicious and Thoughtful Gift
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Bread is a welcome addition to almost any meal. You may be one of those restaurant diners who fills up on bread before your meal arrives. Are you looking for a thoughtful, inexpensive gift for someone? Bread may be the answer. This flavorful bread tasts especially good with Italian food, but you can serve it with other types of food as well. Set aside some time for baking and making this unusual, tasty bread.

Candied Orange Peel Dipped in Chocolate - Sweet Memories, Sweet Tradition
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] During the holidays many of us bake special cookies and make other family foods. Though my family makes Christmas cookies, making orange peel candy is also a tradition. This tradition has been passed down from grandparents, to parents, to grandchildren. Kids like to dip candied orange peel in melted chocolate and, if you're looking for a family activity, this recipe is it.

Buying and Using a Home Blood Pressure Monitor
[Health-and-Fitness:Hypertension] Millions of Americans have been diagnosed with high blood pressure (hypertension). Doctors recommend home monitoring to track their pressure. Which device suits you best? What steps do you need to follow?

Check Your Blood Pressure Regularly As You Grieve
[Health-and-Fitness:Hypertension] The death of a loved one is a stressful experience. Every loss creates secondary losses that can be more stressful than death. You worry about the challenges that are ahead and yourself. Stress can contribute to high blood pressure -- the silent killer -- and you should check your blood pressure often during the grief journey.

Spinach and Swiss Cheese Custards, a Money-Saving Side Dish
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] You often have leftover vegetables after fixing dinner -- some lonely carrots, a few peas, or a half cup of spinach. Tempted as you may be, don't throw out these leftovers. You paid for them and they are an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. This recipe for spinach custard can be made in minutes.

Pumpkin Pancakes Are Delicious and Nutritious
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Canned pumpkin is a holiday staple. Usually this bright orange vegetable winds up in pumpkin pie. But there are many more uses for pumpkin, including this recipe for pumpkin pancakes, a delicate and delicious breakfast treat.

Two Ways to Fight the Guilt That Comes With Grief
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Guilty feelings seem to be part of grief. These feelings prolong the grief process and increase your emotional work load. Grief work is hard enough without guilt.

Grief and Guilt - Work on the First, Dump the Second
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] With few exceptions, most mourners feel guilt after a loved one dies. Guilty feelings not only complicate your grief work, they take time away from it. I understand guilty feelings after experiencing multiple losses. This article tells you why you should bypass guilt and head straight for recovery.

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren - Loving Caregivers, Generational Misfits
[Home-and-Family:Grandparenting] Grandparents raising grandchildren has become a national trend. These grandparents have accepted their new roles because of their children's alcohol and drug use, incarceration, mental health problems, learning difficulties, and death. The role of a GRG -- grandparent raising grandchildren -- is an expanding one, and it changes their interaction with others. If you're a GRG you will want to read this article now.

Cranberry Fest and Other Festivals - Travel Bargains and Snapshots of America
[Travel-and-Leisure:Budget-Travel] In the current economy, travel dollars can be hard to come by. You still want to travel, but don't want to spend a lot of money. Regional food festivals can satisfy your travel urge at bargain prices. This article describes the Cranberry Fest in Eagle River, Wisconsin, USA -- a celebration that has been going on for decades.

Divine Turkey-Broccoli Sandwich With Cheese Sauce
[Food-and-Drink:Main-Course] At the end of the day you may be too tired to fix a big meal. The solution is a main course sandwich. This recipe for hot turkey sandwiches with broccoli and broiled cheese sauce is a meal on a plate. Add salad from a kit or fresh fruit and dinner is ready!

A College Student's Laundry Guide
[Home-Improvement:Cleaning-Tips-and-Tools] When your child was a high school student, he or she may have washed their own clothes. Unfortunately, many college freshmen who arrive on campus are clueless about laundry. Doing laundry is part of becoming an adult. These tips will make your college student a laundry pro.

Fresh Green Bean Salad With Orzo, Carrots, Roasted Red Peppers, and Lemon Dressing
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] All of us, no matter how old we are, should be eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Some health organizations are recommending even more. The question is, how can we do it?

A College Student's Ironing Guide
[Home-Improvement:Cleaning-Tips-and-Tools] Wrinkled fabrics are "in" because college students don't know how to iron or don't want to iron. Sometimes, however, a college student needs to dress up for an occasion and that means wrinkle-free clothing. These 12 tips will help your student finish his or her ironing in a flash.

You Should Question a Health Care Reform Bill That Has QUALY - Quality Adjusted Life Years
[News-and-Society:Pure-Opinion] President Obama thinks the American health care system needs to be reformed. Some aspects of our health care system, such as Medicare fraud, need to be stopped. Other aspects, including the right to choose your own doctor, need to be continued.

Talking With Teens - How Can You Reach Them?
[Kids-and-Teens] If your kids are teens you know talking with them can be hard. You repeat and repeat and hope your message is received, only to find that it isn't. Why don't teens hear you? How can you talk with them? This article offers proven tips for communicating with teens.

Talk to Your College Kids About Binge Drinking
[Home-and-Family:Parenting] News stories about alcohol abuse on college campuses just keeps coming. Television footage shows students drinking from funnels to get drunk as fast as possible. Binging leads to memory lapses, mood changes, assault, drug use, sexual activity, and more. Parents can influence their children's choices. Today, right now, is the time to talk to your college student about alcohol abuse.

Healthy Snacks For Teens - A Challenge For GRGs (Grandparents Raising Grandchildren)
[Home-and-Family:Grandparenting] Teens vacuum up food. Often they grab a snack, race out the door, and eat on the run. Many teens are getting the majority of their calories from snack foods. Grandparents who are raising teens can promote healthy living by keeping healthy snacks on hand, and this article lists plenty of them.

Getting Kids to College is One of the Duties of a GRG (Grandparent Raising Grandchildren)
[Home-and-Family:Grandparenting] In America today, millions of senior citizens are raising their grandchildren. Some are caring for infants, others are caring for school-age kids, and others are raising kids who are about to graduate from high school. The goal of a GRG is to prepare kids for life and ensuring a college education helps them do this. Read the article and learn about other ways to help your grandchildren.

Susan Boyle and "I Dreamed a Dream" - Antidote For the Blues and Beyond
[Self-Improvement:Self-Esteem] Even if you're an upbeat person, there may be times when you feel blue. According to this professional writer, Susan Boyle's rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" on Britain's Got Talent is an antidote for the blues. She listens to Boyle's performance when she is feeling discouraged and encouraged. This article details her thinking.

Caregiving Tasks - What's on Your List?
[Home-and-Family:Elder-Care] Caregiving can start out simply and, before you know it, caregiving is the focus of your life. As time passes your caregiving tasks increase. What do caregivers do? Why does caregiving get complicated? This article answers these questions.

Signs of Caregiver Stress - Anxiety May Be the Worst
[Home-and-Family:Elder-Care] Taking care of my mother for nine years taught me about caregiver stress. My mother had progressive dementia and, as the years passed, she turned into a stranger.

Caregiving - Assess Your Stress and Take Steps to Manage It
[Home-and-Family:Elder-Care] As the American population ages, more family members are caring for their loved ones. These unpaid helpers are called family or informal caregivers. Their caregiving can last a few months or decades. Whether the time is short or long, caregiving is a stressful experience. Caregivers may protect their own health by assessing stress and taking steps to manage it.

Crumbled Cookies Add Flavor and Texture to Recipes
[Food-and-Drink:Cooking-Tips] When my daughters were little I baked homemade cookies for them every week. Now I bake them for my grandchildren. Though the cookies disappear fast, sometimes a few stale ones are left.

Tasty, Tiny Italian Meatballs and Spaghetti - A Crowd-Pleasing Meal
[Food-and-Drink:Pasta-Dishes] Have you invited a crowd for dinner? The invitations are the easy part. Now you have to decide what to serve. You also need to be ready for folks who want seconds. This recipe for spaghetti and tiny meatballs is a crowd-pleaser and you can make the meatballs ahead of time.

Cheap Publicity For Your Church Cook Book - 8 Super Ideas to Spread the Word
[Writing-and-Speaking:Book-Marketing] After months of work, the church cook book is almost a reality. Members who contributed recipes will probably buy copies. Still, you need to publicize the book in order to move inventory. Your church may have little, if any, money for publicity. How can you market the book?

Church Cook Book Tasting Dinners - Selling Books, Having Fun
[Writing-and-Speaking:Book-Marketing] Nothing sells food faster than tasting it. That's why grocery stores give you food samples. The samples are always small and for good reason. Small tidbits make you want more and lead to a sale. Food brings people together and a church cook book dinner is one of the best ways to sell books. These tips will ensure a successful event.

Editing a Church Cook Book - What Kinds of Errors Will You Need to Look For and Correct?
[Writing-and-Speaking:Publishing] Hundreds of churches in America, maybe thousands, have published cook books. The books are assembled and edited by volunteers. This article, by a volunteer editor, describes the challenges of the job. Read this article before you agree to edit your church cook book.

Design Your Own Bathroom Makeover! - Peruse, Price and Plan
[Home-Improvement:Bath-and-Shower] Renovating a bathroom is a way to keep your home market ready. But bathroom renovation can be pricey. You can save money and stay on budge by acting as your own bathroom designer. Read this article and get started!

Using Extension Cords - Be Smart, Be Safe
[Home-Improvement:Electrical] Extension cords are handy to have. To protect your home and loved ones, however, you must use them safely. According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, about 4,000 people are treated in hospital emergency rooms each year for injuries associated with extension cords. Sadly, 13% of these injuries involved children less than five years old. You need to know and use the safety tips in this article!

When Words Fade - Symptoms of Hearing Loss
[Health-and-Fitness:Ears-Hearing] Saying "What?" a lot? You may have a hearing loss and not know it. This article tells about one author's hearing loss, symptoms of that loss, improvements in hearing aid technology, and asks people to be proactive about their hearing.

Going Green - Air Drying Your Laundry Lowers Energy Bills and Helps the Earth
[Home-Improvement:Energy-Efficiency] Energy costs are going up, according to a recent news bulletin. The demand for energy is also increasing. No matter what the energy prices are, you still need clean clothes. How can you lower your power bills? Air-drying laundry is one solution. This article describes the types of air-dryers and gives you practical tips on hanging laundry.

Salt Sensitivity - A Medical Condition With Big Risks
[Health-and-Fitness:Nutrition] Do you salt food before tasting it? If so, you're in good company. Americans love salt and most of us eat it without worrying. However, about 26% of Americans - people with normal blood pressure - are salt sensitive. When they eat too much salt their bodies retain fluid and their hearts work harder to pump that fluid. This article lists the symptoms of salt sensitivity and offers tips for eating a low salt diet.

Nickel Bath Hardware - Match Finishes For a Custom Look
[Home-Improvement:Bath-and-Shower] Buying new hardware is a quick way to update your bathroom. Nickel hardware is popular because it goes with traditional, transitional, and modern design. But nickel comes in three finishes, shiny, satin, and brushed. Follow these buying tips to get the best design and best deal on bath hardware.

Spaghetti Squash, Nature's Magical Vegetable and a Recipe For It
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] The US Government and nutrition organizations are telling Americans to eat more fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables fill you up and give you the vitamins you need. Spaghetti squash is one of the healthiest vegetables you can eat. Kids will love the magic of transforming the cooked vegetable into spaghetti-like strands.

Healthier Tiger Stripe Cookies, a Chocolate Treat For Everyone
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] On the Sesame Street television program Cookie Monster is always looking for treats. Kids may not always be looking for cookies, but they love them, especially warm cookies fresh out of the oven. This recipe, a healthy variation of one published in 1979, will please kids and adults alike.

Reconciling Grief - Take All the Time You Need
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] The pain of grief is intense and we wish it would go away and leave us alone. Mourners struggle with pain and grief reconciliation. The struggle disrupts our days and lives and becomes even harder when we see society's impatience with grief. Grief experts say American society gives mourners a month or two to recover. After that, our lives our supposed to be normal and we're supposed to be happy. The only way to find happiness again is to take time to grieve.

Need Bath Towels? Follow These Savvy Shopping Tips
[Shopping-and-Product-Reviews] Are towel prices scaring you? If you have checked the prices lately, you know towels can cost $30 or more. You can't get along without towels, so the solution is to be a smart shopper and get the most for your money. These buying tips will help you do that.

Budget Bathroom Makeover - Planning is Key to a Successful Redo
[Home-Improvement:Bath-and-Shower] When it comes to a bathroom makeover, it is easy to get ahead of yourself. You may be so excited that you impulse buy, buy too much, or fail to make detailed plans. You may not allow enough time for the bathroom makeover. This article describes one couple's budget bathroom redo.

Speaking About Your Grief Journey
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] It is hard to speak about grief when emotions overwhelm you. You may sob so hard that you can hardly utter a word. But you need to talk about your grief in order to recover. Recovery starts with sharing your feelings with family members and friends. The time may come when you are able to give public talks about your grief journey. This article is for you if that time has come.

Home Accessories - Choose Accent Pieces That Say "Wow!"
[Home-Improvement:Interior-Design-and-Decorating] When you decorate your place you want it to look like you, not a designer, not a store display, but the real you. Accent pieces can be expressions of your personality. This article gives examples of accent pieces -- special things that enhance your decorating style and make people say "Wow!"

Vanity Lighting - Flatter Your Bathroom, Flatter Yourself
[Home-Improvement:Lighting] Changing your vanity lighting is one of the quickest ways to makeover your bathroom. Vanity lighting may be more important than you think. Daily tasks -- brushing your teeth, applying makeup, combing hair, and shaving -- are harder without good lighting. Don't put lipstick in your ear! Use this handy checklist to find the best vanity lighting for you.

Make Mixer Mayonnaise and Feel Like Julia Child
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Julia Child's television show about French cooking made her an international star. Though she is gone now, her fans are not, and Julia's recipes are still revered by professional chefs. Her television show recipes are chronicled in "The French Chef Cookbook." One show featured homemade mayonnaise and Julia said there was a problem with the recipe. "Once you've eaten your own you will never be satisfied with anything else."

Grief's Pain - Do You Wish You Could Rent a Mourner?
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] The pain of grief can be so devastating that you pull back from life and become isolated. You may do everything you can to avoid more emotional pain. Recovering from loss is impossible without accepting pain. Learn more about grief's pain and how you can use it to your advantage.

Bathroom Sink Trends - What's In, What's Out?
[Home-Improvement:Bath-and-Shower] Updated bathrooms keep a home current and market ready. Renovation does not come cheaply. Painting the walls and replacing the sink are two of the cheapest things you can do. The design of your bathroom sink should match the interior design of your home. What are your sink options? Which style should you choose? Read on.

Action Memorials (a Copyrighted Term) Help You Recover From Grief and Find Joy Again
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] After a loved one dies it is natural to remember that person with memorials. You may give money to a health organization, plant a memorial garden, or make a quilt or teddy bear from your loved one's clothing. This article describes a different kind of memorial -- taking a loved one's strengths and making them your own.

Flying the Stars and Stripes on Flag Day - Should You Fly it Other Days Too?
[Home-and-Family:Holidays] Flag day is an obvious day to fly the Stars and Stripes. You may find pleasure in seeing so many flags on this national holiday. Your pleasure may get you thinking about buying a flag of your own. These tips will help you buy a home flag.

Baking With Olive Oil - Almond Crumble Baked Peaches
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] You may have made salad dressing with olive oil, or used it to brown meat, poultry, fish, or to roast vegetables. Have you ever used it for baking? It contains monounsaturated fat and is a heart healthy alternative to butter and stick margarine. This peach recipe makes use of summer's bounty and is a sweet ending to any meal.

Removing Black Mold From Wood - A Cleaning Challenge
[Home-Improvement:Cleaning-Tips-and-Tools] Black mold grows spores and they are constantly drifting in the air. This mold can spread quickly under the right conditions. Removing black mold from smooth surfaces is easier than removing it from porous surfaces like wood. These cleaning tips will help you remove black mold from siding, decks, and wooden deck and patio furniture.

Shopping For a Sleeper Sofa? Bring This Checklist With You
[Home-Improvement:Furniture] Families short on space look for dual-purpose furniture -- a table that can be used as a desk, a couch that becomes a bed. The quality of sleeper sofas varies widely. Don't make a hasty, uninformed purchase. Use this checklist to find the best sleeper sofa for you.

Let the Pain of Grief and Your Inner Voice Lead You to a New Life
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Grief, when you think it through from shock to acceptance, is a journey of self-examination. During this time you confront feelings, deal with memories, and listen to your inner voice, or soul. Recovering from grief is easier if you listen to what your soul is telling you. Though it is painful, this pain and your inner voice, can lead to a new appreciation of life.

Growing Your Own Bay Leaves Makes Sense, Saves Dollars and Cents
[Home-and-Family:Gardening] The Bay tree goes back to ancient times and has many names: Grecian Laurel, Bay Laurel, Sweet Bay, and True Laurel. Greek cooks have been using Bay leaves for centuries. Modern cooks are using them in unusual ways. Grocery stores carry the herb, but it can be pricey, so it makes sense and saves cents to grow your own. This article gets you started.

Protecting Yourself From Elderly, Unsafe Drivers
[Automotive] There are more elderly, licensed drivers on the road today. Some of these drivers are a safety threat to themselves, the public, and you. Though research reports, pamphlets, and articles have been written about assessing an elderly driver's skills, few have been written about self-protection. How can you protect yourself from elderly, unsafe drivers?

Lost in the Meal Planning Maze? These Resources Will Help You Find Your Way Out
[Food-and-Drink] Grocery shopping is necessary and time-consuming. Sometimes you wish you didn't have to go to the store or make a list. Coming up with menus can be so hard you buy the same stuff and meals become boring. If you go to the store without a list you buy too much or the wrong things. Whether you are cooking for one or a crowd, the resources cited in this article will help you plan and fix interesting and healthy meals.

Meetings That Work - Do You Have an Agenda?
[Business] An agenda can be the difference between an unproductive meeting and a productive one. Employees, members, and volunteers need agendas in order to get things done. I have volunteered for many organizations and, as the years passed, I noticed a change in agendas. Agendas used to list topics and the number of minutes allotted to that topic. Now many agendas do not list time allotments, at least that is my experience

Tortellini Salad With Mozzarella, Tomatoes, and Fresh Basil - Good Eating Any Time!
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Americans love basil and use it in spaghetti sauce, pizza, casseroles, soups, and other recipes with an Italian origin. Native to Asia and India, it has become the staple of many cuisines. Fresh basil has more flavor punch than dried. This salad recipe has a double punch of basil and cheese. It goes well with steak, chicken, pork, and may be eaten as a dinner entree.

Even If You Are a Gardening Klutz Like Me, You Can Grow a Container Herb Garden
[Home-and-Family:Gardening] Fresh herbs add sparkle to homemade meals. These herbs, unfortunately, can be pricey. Growing your own herbs saves money and it is also convenient. This article tells you how to start your herb garden and how to keep it going.

Handling Those Darned Question and Answer Sessions at Talks, Seminars and Workshops
[Writing-and-Speaking:Public-Speaking] Presenters can control what takes place during a talk, seminar, or workshop because they did the planning. Question and answer sessions can be unpredictable -- the wild card of your presentation. The five practical tips in this article will help you to keep your cool and answer questions.

Orange and Neufchatel Cheese Crepes - A Refreshing Breakfast Or Dessert
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Oranges are a favorite fruit world-wide. Though they are plentiful today, in Elizabethan times they were a special treat, a gift stuffed into Christmas stockings. This fruit is still a special treat and packed with nutritional value. You can enjoy oranges all through the day. Adults and kids will love this sweet treat of pancakes, creamy Neufchatel, and tangy sauce.

You Can Cut Food Costs! Buy Store and Private Label Brands
[Finance:Personal-Finance] When you shop for groceries do you bring your calculator with you and keep a running total of your bill? You are not alone. Many consumers are doing this in this dicey economy. Others are clipping coupons and watching for loss leaders. You may have taken these cost-cutting measures. But the easiest way to cut your food costs is to buy store brands. Store brands can lower your food bills by one third or more. Wow!

Talks, Seminars, Workshops - How Can You Keep Them Fresh?
[Business:Presentation] Presentations have many elements: research, planning, arrangements, materials, publicity, participation, evaluation, and more. If you are giving your talk, seminar or workshop to several groups in the same community you need to vary it. You also need to vary your presentation if you are speaking in different states.

Seeing the Sacredness of Life May Help You Recover From Grief
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] When grief strikes, many people turn to their religious beliefs. Religion means different things to different people. Even if you do not think of yourself as a religious person, you may still have spiritual beliefs. You may see the sacredness of life. This article tells how to draw upon spirituality and life's sacredness to recover from grief.

Is There Life After Multiple Losses? Grief and Recovering From It
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] If you had told me I would be happy after losing four loved ones, I would have said you were crazy. For two years I was lost in the darkness of grief. I did not think I would ever be happy again. Though I am not living the life I thought I would be living in my 70s, I have a happy life. This article describes five life changes -- changes that may help you envision a new future for yourself.

Caring For an Elderly Parent? Watch For These Early Warning Signs of Alzheimer's
[Home-and-Family:Elder-Care] Sometimes, like not seeing the forest for the trees, you do not see the symptoms of Alzheimer's because you are too close to the person. Research studies suggest that the early symptoms of the disease may show up long before the diagnosis. Knowing the early symptoms will help caregivers deal with the present and prepare for the future.

Grief and Remembrance - Honor Your Loved One With a Concert Or Commissioned Song
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] You remember your deceased loved ones in different ways -- donating to the church, starting a foundation, or volunteering in their memory. This article is by a professional writer who lost four loved ones, including her daughter, father-in-law, brother, and former so-in-law, within nine months. She and her husband donated money for a commissioned song in memory of their daughter. Read more and learn how the piece turned out.

Cherry-Orange Dessert Sauce - An Easy and Delicious Way to Try Mace
[Food-and-Drink:Desserts] When you hear the word "mace" you may think of self-defense moves and pepper spray. There is another kind of mace, a spice that has been used for centuries. Mace comes from the fruit of the nutmeg tree, which grows in the Indonesian Spice Islands. Though mace and nutmeg are used interchangeably, mace has its own fragrant and distinct flavor. If you haven't tried mace before, this dessert sauce recipe is the perfect introduction to it.

When Dear Friends Die - Proven Ways to Cope
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] The death of a dear friend is a stunning blow. Your life will never be the same. How can you remember and honor your friend? This article offers proven coping tips and ways to honor the friendship you shared.

Marketing a Hard Sell Book - Steps You Can Take
[Writing-and-Speaking:Book-Marketing] The book industry knows which titles sell quickly and which titles take longer to sell. Special niche books may be a "hard sell," according to publishing experts. Publishers appreciate the author's efforts. Have you written a hard-sell book? Your personal marketing efforts may boost sales. This article details some of the proactive steps you may take.

Whether You Are a Seasoned Or Budding Writer, You Need to Take Good Notes
[Reference-and-Education] Taking notes makes you think of high school courses -- a requirement you hated or tolerated. Your opinion of note-taking does not matter if you are a writer. All writers need notes of one kind or another. Are your notes a mess? Do they confuse you? You need to do a better job, a job detailed in this article.

Italian Spinach and Mushroom Squares With Parmesan Cheese
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Eggs are an excellent source of protein and inexpensive when compared to meat. But egg shells are porous and bacteria and viruses may penetrate them. That's why you need to follow these egg safety tips. Try the recipe, too, because it is delicious. Kids will eat their spinach when you serve these tasty squares!

Chocolate - Loved Around the World and Great For Chocolate-Almond Crinkle Cookies
[Food-and-Drink:Chocolate] Chocolate, one of the most popular flavors in the world, has a long history. This history has led to the production of chocolate candy and baking products. How did chocolate evolve? What can I bring to a picnic? Read on.

Raspberry Burst French Toast
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Whether you call it eggy bread, pain perdu, torrijas, rabanadas, arme ritter, lost bread, or other names, French toast is pretty much the same. Slices of bread are soaked in a egg and milk batter and then fried. French toast has become international fare, served at breakfast, afternoon tea, dinner, and dessert. You will love this healthy version of the classic recipe.

Accepting Multiple Deaths - You Must Believe the Unbelievable
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] It's hard to accept the death of a loved one. Accepting several deaths is even harder. Recovering from multiple losses isn't possible without acceptance. This article, by a professional writer who suffered four losses in nine months, details some of her acceptance steps.

Multiple Deaths and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Death is part of life. It is easier to understand this if you've had one death in the family. Understanding takes longer when you have had several deaths. Your responses are affected by the nature of each loss and your relationship with that person. Life taught me this lesson.

Southwestern Grilled Flank Steak - The Hit of Any Barbecue
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Southwestern food is not longer confined to one region. It has spread across the US and each region adds its own twist. Where did Southwestern food originate? What are its basic ingredients? This article answers these questions and more.

Grilled Fresh Pineapple With Frozen Vanilla Yogurt and Warm Butterscotch Sauce
[Food-and-Drink:Desserts] Fresh fruit is the perfect ending to any meal. Grilling fresh pineapple brings out its sweetness. Kids who don't like canned pineapple will love this dessert. It's quick, easy, and the ideal ending to any summer meal.

Buying a Birdbath - Answer These Questions Before You Spend a Cent
[Home-Improvement:Landscaping-Outdoor-Decorating] Watching birds is one of life's simple pleasures. You may attract birds with plants, feeders, and a birdbath. Which birdbath should you choose? These questions will help you make a wise and pleasurable purchase.

Want to Be Published? Learn How to Write a Book Proposal
[Writing-and-Speaking:Publishing] "I'm thinking about writing my autobiography," a friend said. "Which publisher should I contact?" Like many would-be writers, he thought he could write a book, send it to a publisher, and receive his "rich and famous" contract. This has never been true and is definitely not true in this economy.

Journaling About Multiple Losses - Some Tips From Experience
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] You may think all journals are alike if you haven't kept a journal before. There are many types of journals and, while they have things in common, they are also different. The type of journal you keep influences your entries. This article offers proven tips for journaling about multiple losses.

Keeping a Grief Journal - Don't Give in to These Excuses
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Grief experts recommend journaling as a way to cope with grief. You may start out with the intention of making daily entries. Weeks later, you may make a few entries. Months later, you make no entries at all and come up with excuses. Five excuses are detailed in this article.

Made in the Sunshine Strawberry Jam
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] For those who live in Northern climates, nothing equals the fresh fruit of summer. A combination of summer fruit is the perfect combination to grilled meat, poultry, and fish. You can "capture" the freshness of summer strawberries in this recipe for jam, that is thickened in the sunshine.

Take Care of Your Support Hose and it Will Take Care of You
[Health-and-Fitness] Pregnancy and aging are the two main reasons physicians prescribe support hose. Whether you wear support pantyhose, knee-highs, or socks, proper care is necessary to retain the elasticity. Check out the five tips in this article.

Shrimp With Sherry and Italian Breadcrumbs - A Fast and Fabulous Meal
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Does this plot sound familiar? You walk in the door after work and you are tired. Though you want a delicious dinner, you do not have the energy to cook it, and look in the freezer for inspiration. Frozen shrimp may be that inspiration. This recipe is so delicious and quick you will want to make it again.

Coconut Squares With Buttery Coconut Topping
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Coconut is one of those either-or foods. You either like it or you do not. Apparently many people like coconut because coconut shrimp is featured on many restaurant menus. Thai cuisine uses coconut in many recipes. As for coconut pie, it is so old, it is new again. This old-fashioned recipe for coconut squares will satisfy your sweet tooth.

Choosing the Right Handbag For You - 8 Tips to Consider
[Shopping-and-Product-Reviews:Fashion-Style] A woman's handbag is like another appendage. Lose your handbag and you feel like you have lost a limb. You probably have a favorite handbag, one that has survived wrestling kids, pets with claws, and weather changes. But the time comes when your favorite handbag wears out and you have to buy another. This articles describes the process.

Writing Discipline Comes With Practice, Practice, Practice
[Writing-and-Speaking:Writing] Countless books have been published about writing and the discipline it requires. You may have read some of them or taken writing courses. But the only way to develop your writing discipline is to write continuously. This article examines the development of this discipline.

Three Hot Sandwich Recipes, Perfect For Lunch Or Dinner
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] There are so many kinds of sandwiches you may be hard-pressed top pick your favorite. Hot sandwiches taste good on chilly days and are a good solution if you draw a blank on dinner. You will want to try these three hot sandwiches, Turkey and Bacon with Cheddar Sauce, Salami and Cheese Ciabatta, and Thelma's Rolled Mushroom Sandwiches.

Your Grief Journal - A Personal Story and Historic Document
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Many grief experts recommend journaling as a way to cope with grief and heal. Your grief journal is more than a story, it may become an historic document for your family. These journaling tips, from a professional writer and someone who knows grief far too well, will help you track your journey.

What is Cream of Tartar and Why Do Cooks Use It?
[Food-and-Drink:Cooking-Tips] Do you have tartaric acid, potassium hydrogen tartrate, or potassium bitartrate on your pantry shelf? Think before you answer, because these are other names for cream of tartar, a common baking ingredient. Cream of tartar goes back centuries and cooks still rely on it today. Try the recipe for Forgotten Mini Chip Cookies, which are made with cream of tartar.

Whole Grains and Recipes That Contain Them - Your Path to Good Health
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] When they are in a hurry many Americans turn to processed foods. These foods, unfortunately, are often high in salt and low in whole grains. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends more whole grains for healthy living. Bran is a whole grain. This article describes it and contains an upscale recipe for Steak-Barley-Mushroom Soup.

Dear Author - Update Your Bio and Update it Often
[Writing-and-Speaking:Book-Marketing] An updated author biography is a marketing tool. Readers and would-be readers want to know more about the author. Your author bio could be the difference between making a sale and not making a sale. The tips in this article will help you update your bio.

New Authors - Learning to Trust Your Writing Instincts Takes Awareness and Time
[Writing-and-Speaking:Writing] Experienced authors have learned to be aware of their writing instincts and apply this awareness to their work. New authors do not know that writing instincts come with self-awareness and time. Read this article to learn more about developing your writing instincts.

When Does Healing Begin? Grief Reconciliation
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] When you are in the throes of grief you think you will never be happy again. Your world is a narrow, dark tunnel. You do not see any light, yet glimmers exist, and they are signs of healing. Watch for these signs, for they give you the courage to move forward with life.

I Re-Designed My Website to Sell Books
[Writing-and-Speaking:Book-Marketing] When it comes to modern marketing, the Internet is the name of the game. Though you have a Website, a Website with old information does not promote your book. This author realized this and put money into Website redesign.

Are You a Book Author? Create Your Own Marketing Plan
[Writing-and-Speaking:Book-Marketing] Sales increase when publishers and authors work together. This author created a personal marketing plan and kept her publisher informed on the results. You may adapt her plan to meet your needs.

If You Can Write a Book, You Can Write Publicity For It
[Writing-and-Speaking:Book-Marketing] Book marketing takes thinking, writing, editing, revising, design skills, and cash. We have become used to slick marketing -- emails with motion, YouTube videos, slick commercials on television and radio. That does not mean you have to give up on cheap marketing. Cheap marketing -- a media release, handouts, snail mail letters, email letters, and book talks -- are still effective. This article gives tips for doing all of them.

Five Reasons to Be Your Own Book Publicist
[Writing-and-Speaking:Book-Marketing] Getting a book published is a true achievement. Now comes the hard part -- publicizing your book. Publishers are being cautious with marketing funds and may not promote your book as much as you wish. What can you do? Put on your marketing "hat" and spread the word. These reasons, plus the others you will think of, will get your marketing plan up and running.

Traveling by Air? Pack Clothes That Have Analogous Colors
[Travel-and-Leisure:Airline-Travel] Air fare deals are still available. Maybe you were lucky enough to get one and are packing for your trip. Many travel websites and guides recommend a wardrobe built around one color. This experienced traveler followed this advice in the past. Today, she has a travel wardrobe built around analogous colors. Read more about them.

Grieving For Multiple Losses? Weave Your Own Safety Net
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] When you are grieving for multiple losses you need more support. This support can vary from day to day. There is one person, though, that you can count on -- yourself. The author of this article lost four loved ones within the span of nine months. Her solution, weave your own safety net, a term she coined and copyrighted. This article explains the strands of her net.

Why is the Video of Singer Susan Boyle an Internet Phenomenon?
[Self-Improvement:Inspirational] The Internet has the power to zap news around the world in minutes. Within a few hours of her appearance on the Britain's Got Talent television show, the video of singer Susan Boyle was getting thousands of hits an hour. Viewers alerted relatives and friends about her incredible singing voice. Bloggers posted favorable comments. Why?

Eye Care After Cataract Surgery and Lens Implants
[Health-and-Fitness:Eyes-Vision] You must follow the eye doctor's instructions to the letter before you have cataract surgery and a lens implant. After surgery has been performed you need to be just as careful. Follow the steps in this article for the best results of cataract surgery.

Five Ways to Comfort a Friend Who Has Suffered Multiple Losses - Grief Reconciliation
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Friendship is one of the best "prescriptions" for loss and grief. Your friend is grieving for multiple losses and you want to help. What can you do? This article, by a grandmother and writer who suffered multiple losses, contains five real life suggestions.

Almond Extract - A Staple to Keep on Your Pantry Shelf
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Almond extract adds depth of flavor to many recipes. It is a bit pricey, but worth every penny. Learn about almond extract and try the sample recipe in this article.

Personalize Convenience Foods by Adding a Few Extra Ingredients
[Food-and-Drink:Cooking-Tips] No doubt about it, convenience foods are convenient. Sometimes, though, convenience foods taste bland or one flavor prevails. You do not have to give up on convenience foods. Adding an extra ingredient or two can change the flavor of quick fix foods and make them taste homemade. Even better, you may add ingredients from your heritage.

Secondary Losses of Multiple Losses - Which Secondary Loss is Your Worst?
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] The secondary losses of grief are tentacles that lead to additional secondary losses. How do these losses change your life? Why are they so powerful? This article describes a grandmother's worst secondary loss, a loss you may be facing right now.

Using Lists to See the Secondary Losses of Multiple Losses - Reconciling Grief
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Each death is a stunning loss. Multiple losses can stop you in your tracks. The confusion and stress of multiple losses may obscure your secondary losses. It can take months, even years, to see the impact of secondary losses. Making person-specific lists of secondary losses helps you see the scope of your grief and secondary losses.

Grief - Debunking a Dozen Myths About Multiple Losses
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Dozens of myths are associated with grief. These myths complicate, and often hinder, the mourning process. This article dispels some of the myths the author encountered while grieving for four loved ones.

Coping With Multiple Losses - Start With the Pain
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] If we had advanced warning about multiple losses we could prepare for them. But life does not work that way. Multiple losses can occur at once, as with a plane crash, or in the span of a few months. Coping with multiple losses may be the biggest challenge of your life. This article examines the first step, starting with your pain.

Beyond the Pain of Multiple Losses - Recovery, Reconciliation Or Resolution?
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] I think of 2007 as the year of death. That year, my daughter, father-in-law, brother, and former son-in-law died, all in the span of nine months. Ever since then I have been doing my grief work. As you might imagine, the grief work associated with multiple losses takes longer than the grief work associated with one.

Multiple Losses - When the Tears of Grief Return
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Society gives mourners about a month to recover from their loss. Nobody can recover in such a short time, certainly not those who have suffered multiple losses. Grief subsides in time, yet tears may return. This article examines the return of tears after a two-year interval.

Grief and the Secondary Losses of Multiple Losses
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Recovering from multiple losses is hard enough, but recovering from the loss of several loved ones may be the biggest challenge you ever faced. Each death causes its own secondary losses that change your life. What are secondary losses? This article defines the term and describes six common secondary losses.

Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter Cookies Are Yummy and Safe
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Peanut butter is a pantry staple. Americans buy it because peanut butter is an inexpensive source of protein, a quick snack, and a versatile recipe ingredient. You may avoid peanut butter because of the recent scare. But safe brands are still available and peanut butter is still a nutritious food. This recipe for sweet and salty cookies will keep you coming back for more.

Save Money by Making Your Own Spaghetti Sauce
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Italian cooks have been experimenting with sauces for centuries. Specific sauces were created to go with specific pasta shapes. Many Italian cooks think the sauce makes the dish. Though American grocery stores carry an array of jarred sauces, they cost more and may not suit your taste. Home made sauce costs less, tastes better, and has less salt.

Cataract Removal and Lens Implant - What is the Surgery Like?
[Health-and-Fitness:Eyes-Vision] Cataract -- a cloudy eye lens -- eventually obscures your vision. Your doctor may recommend cataract surgery. It is scary to think about someone "messing" with your eye or eyes. What is this surgery really like?

Do You Know the Symptoms of Cataract?
[Health-and-Fitness:Eyes-Vision] Four years ago my doctor told me I had cataracts in both eyes. This was surprising news because I was not aware of the cataracts. I could still read small print, watch television, and drive at night. But when I had my last physical a few months ago my vision had changed. The symptoms of cataract were obvious and they affected my quality of life.

My Daughter Died - Who Am I Now?
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Ask parents to cite the worst thing that could happen to them and most would say the death of a child. Parents are not supposed to outlive their children and a child's death goes against nature. This is bad enough, but the death of a child also changes the parent's identity. Learn more about the identity change that results from death and how you can grow from it.

Tragedy - A Life Marker and Motivator
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Every day on the news we hear about tragedy. We may distance ourselves from tragedy until something happens to us. This article looks at the impact of tragedy and what we learn from it.

Learning How to "Talk Grief"
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] I'm a grief writer and know lots of grief words. After four loved ones died, however, I realized I had to learn more. Adding to my grief vocabulary helped me to understand research. New grief words and terms also helped me to understand my journey. Most important, these new words and terms helped me evaluate my grief.

Hearing Sad Stories When You Are Grieving - What Are Your Responses?
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Death is a shock to the body and the mind. After a loved one dies his or her death is all you can think about. You have confusing thoughts, conflicting thoughts, and must work your way to acceptance. This is hard to do and even harder when friends tell you their sad stories. Sad stories are the last thing you need to hear right now. How can you respond to these stories?

Apple Galette With Currants and Cinnamon - A Dessert Everyone Will Love
[Food-and-Drink:Desserts] Everyone loves apples and many desserts have been created with them. Apple Galette, a one-crust pie with a pleated edge, is one of these desserts. Though the dessert is made with simple ingredients, it can be time-consuming to make. This recipe for Apple Galette with Currants and Cinnamon is made with refrigerated pie dough, canned filling, and a few fresh apples. Apple Galette is a comforting and homey holiday dessert.

Mourning and Living the Moment
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Grief is a process that disrupts our sense of time. Memories tug us back in time at a time when we are forced to deal with the present. How can we be aware of the present when we are tugged back in time or worrying about the future. These tips may help you to live in the moment.

Celebration Beef Tenderloin With Seasoned Butter
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Every so often you want to splurge on a meal. You want to serve a meal that family and friends remember for months. Beef tenderloin is one of the first cuts of meat that comes to mind. Though beef tenderloin is the perfect choice for your celebration dinner, it is a pricey choice. Thankfully, many grocery stores have sales on beef tenderloin during the holidays.

Why Can't I Remember the Date of My Daughter's Death?
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Grief is a confusing process. Even when you think you are on top of things you may be lagging behind. Confusion leads to self-worry, a terrible thing, and another burden of grief. This article tells how one author kept making the same mistake -- forgetting the exact date of her daughter's death -- and the reasons for her mistake.

Grief - Let it Out and Talk it Out
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Since I've studied grief for years I know what the experts say: Talk about your grief. Time and again, I tried to do this. Time and again I cried. Family members were not upset by my tears, but some friends were and strangers thought I was "wacko."

Breaking Out of the Grief Bubble
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Death has a stunning impact on our lives. When we are mourning a loved one we may walk around in a trance for months. During this time we may become isolated from others. We are in a grief "bubble." Breaking out of this bubble takes time. It's worth the time and effort, though, and you get a new life in return.

Grief Recovery - Learning to Trust Life Again
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Whether it is the death of a pet, a family member, friend, or public figure, death is always a shock. It can shake your trust in life and trust is one of the most important factors in recovery. How do you learn to trust life again? This grandmother and grief author answers the question from her perspective.

Gratefulness - Seeing the Positives When You're Grieving
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Grief is a sad journey, a journey that affects your view of life. If you are grieving now your life may be bleak and dark. Can you turn this around? Yes, if you stay alert to life's positives while you're grieving. Losing four loved ones within nine months taught this grandmother and author a lesson about gratefulness.

Grief Recovery - You Have to Keep Going
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] If you ask a friend how they managed to recover from grief, the likely answer is "You have to keep going." That sounds good, but how do you keep going? A grandmother tells how she kept going when grieving for four loved ones and how these steps keep her on the recovery path. Her steps may help you as well.

Taking Grief Myths in Stride
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Grief myths were not on my radar screen until I lost four loved ones in nine months. Multiple losses made me aware of the grief myths that exist. There are lots of them and, as I discovered, there is a difference between myth and reality.

Child's Death - Answering the Painful Question
[Home-and-Family:Death-Dying] The death of a child is the worst thing that can happen to any parent. After the death of a child many parents feel like they died, too. Thankfully, I did not feel this way, but I did feel my daughter's death was unfair. "This isn't supposed to happen," I said to myself. "I am supposed to die before my daughter."

10 Ways to Be Good to Yourself While Grieving
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] After one death or more in the family it's easy to fall into the "help everyone" trap. Mourners, especially female ones, may fall into this trap and take care of everyone but themselves. These suggestions will help mourners to move forward with life and resolve their grief.

What Not to Say and What to Say to a Grieving Person
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] People don't know what to say to a grieving person. They really don't know what to say to someone like me who has lost four loved ones - my daughter, father-in-law, brother, and former son-in-law - in nine months. Many people repeat platitudes they have heard before and these words are not always comforting.

Grief Recovery - Listening to Your Inner Voice
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] The death of a loved one forces us to face many challenges. According to many grief experts, listening to our inner voice helps us to cope with these challenges. This article, by a grief author who lost four loved ones in nine months, tells how she listens to her inner voice and is guided by it.

Grief and Grandparenting Compliments Make Me Squirm
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] The death of a loved one changes life forever. We may expect some of these changes The author of this article lost four loved ones in a row and became her grandchildren's legal guardian. This grandmother has received many compliments for being a GRG -- grandparent raising grandchildren -- and they make her uncomfortable. This article tells why.

Dealing With Those Darn Grief Triggers
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] The grieving process is a difficult one. Grief triggers, or anniversary reactinos, as they are also called, catch us off guard. Your personal grief triggers may be so strong you feel like you're starting the grieving process all over again. This article describes one grandmother's grief triggers and how she coped with them while grieving for multiple losses.

Stick to Your Ribs Skillet Corn Chowder
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Recipes for stews and soups have been handed down from generation to generation. Corn chowder -- onions, potatoes, corn, and cream -- is one such recipe. It's easy to make and inexpensive, a perfect meal for our tough economic times.

Do You Need a Grief Recovery Tune-Up?
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Recovering from grief takes years. You may think you are doing well and suddenly burst into tears. Grief work takes self-examination, self-understanding, coping skills, and learning to spot signs of regression. This article, by a professional author who lost four loved ones, details the steps she takes to stay on the recovery road.

Your Emergency Evacuation Kit - The Essentials and Extras
[Reference-and-Education:Survival-and-Emergency] Television coverage of recent hurricanes kept you glued to the screen. You saw footage of people on rooftops, people who refused to leave their homes, and people who wished they had left their homes. Emergency evacuation is a serious business and you need to prepare for it.

Don't Let Shame Sabotage Your Diet
[Health-and-Fitness:Weight-Loss] It takes effort to maintain a healthy weight. You have to keep at it and deal with the times when you falter. Straying from a healthy eating plan is discouraging. After you have strayed a few times you may be so ashamed you want to give up. But giving up is not the answer. This article offers suggestions for getting back on a healthy eating plan.

Apple Crisp Coffee Cake
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Are you eating the same boring breakfasts? Are you getting your breakfast from drive through? If you answered yes to these questions it may be time to re-think breakfasts at your place. This Apple Crisp Coffee Cake is a healthier way to start your day.

Keeping Kids Safe - Never Leave Them Unattended in a Car
[Home-and-Family:Parenting] The American College of Surgeons says more than 9,000 children, ages 14 and younger, are treated for injuries that occur when they're left unattended in vehicles. What's more, in 2002 more than 100 kids died from being left unattended. One death is too many. This article provides additional facts on unattended kids in cars.

Making a Smooth White Sauce - The Basis of Many Recipes
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Whether you call it white sauce, cream sauce, or bechemel, you need to know how to make this basic sauce. When you know how to make a white sauce, you know how to make dozens of other sauce. This article will help you make a smooth white sauce every time.

Does the Disbelief of Grief Ever Go Away?
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Disbelief, or denial, as many grief experts call it, is a universal response to grief. It is an unsettling response and may spark roller coaster emotions. This article examines some of the causes of the author's disbelief and how she is coping with them.

10 Tips to Make Your Home Business Successful
[Home-Based-Business] An increasing number of Americans are working at home. Some go to work several times a week and work at home the remainder of the week. Others have home businesses and this author is one. Her tips may help your home business grow and prosper.

Wacky Days - We All Have Them and Must Deal With Them
[Home-and-Family] Every so often you have a wacky day -- a day that starts out normally and then gets out of control. Your wacky day may have nothing to do with your actions. This article tells about one family's wacky time and how family members responded.

A New, Delicious, Nutritious Tuna Casserole
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Tuna casserole has been around for decades and Americans love it. Many Americans think tuna casserole is the ultimate comfort food. It is made with a few pantry ingredients and no fresh veggies. This avid cook and grandmother changed the original recipe to make it healthier and more flavorful.

Is Grief Keeping You Awake at Night?
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] As many as one in 10 Americans has chronic sleep problems, or insomnia. Grieving people have sleep problems, too. The grief work you face is hard enough without sleep problems. This article describes a grieving grandmother's sleep problems and what she did about them.

Storytelling Can Turn a Ho-Hum Talk Into a Wow Talk
[Writing-and-Speaking:Public-Speaking] Book authors are often asked to give talks. Some authors give better talks than others. This article, by an author who has been in the book business for 30 years, shows how one story made her talk about anticipatory grief meaningful to the audience.

Wall Paint - Do You Need Sheen, No Sheen Or Both?
[Home-Improvement:Painting] What is sheen? Unfortunately, this is not a standardized term in the paint industry. You will have to go to a home store, do some research, and a few tests to determine the sheen you need. This article details the process and the results.

Now That You're Driving - Tips For Teens From a Grandma Who is Raising Her Grandkids
[Automotive] Mention teen drivers and many parents turn white. Visions of mangled cars and mangled bodies come to mind. No wonder. Car crashes are the leading cause of death in U.S. teens. AAA and state departments of transportation recommend parent-teen driving contracts. This article examines one contract and describes the extra provisions a grandmother added.

Is Your Homeowners Insurance Up to Date?
[Insurance:Home-Owners-Renters] Updating your home is fun. It can also be costly and you need to keep your insurance company updated on the improvements you have made. This article cites home improvements and ways to keep your insurance policy current.

Two Lingering Effects of Grief - Forgetfulness and Silly Mistakes
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] After a loved one dies we have lots of grief work to do. Months pass and we may think this grief work is done, only to find there is more to do. This article describes some of the lingering effects of grief after multiple losses.

Grilled Kabobs Are a Healthy, Easy, and Adaptable Meal
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] As soon as the warm weather arrives Americans dust off their grills and start cooking. Many Americans stick to hamburgers and hot dogs, while others are more adventurous. Anyone can make grilled kabobs. These recipes for Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs and Santa Fe Beef Kababos will make you a grilling expert in no time.

Chocolate Whipped Cream Layer Cake is a Delicious and Cooling Summer Dessert
[Food-and-Drink:Desserts] Chilled desserts -- cheesecake with fresh berries, ice cream cake, and tall parfaits -- are delicious summer desserts. This recipe for a whipped cream layer cake, also called ice box cake, comes from the author's childhood. Making the cake takes only a few minutes. You may even make the cake a day ahead of time.

How Do You Decide How Much Allowance to Pay Teens?
[Home-and-Family:Parenting] Allowance rates vary from state to state. Whether or not you pay teens an allowance may depend on their peer group. If most of the teens in their peer group get an allowance, chances are, your teen will want one, too. Deciding how much to pay them takes time, discussion, and some negotiation.

The Visible and Hidden Dangers of Flood Water
[Health-and-Fitness] These days the flooding in the Midwest is the lead story on television and radio news. The dark, murky flood water can be dangerous for a variety of reasons. This article describes the major dangers and tells how you can protect yourself from them.

The Caring Basket, a Sympathy Gift That Changed Lives
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] When someone dies we send sympathy cards to the family, call them to express our condolences, and offer to run errands for them. "If you need anything just let me know," we say. After four loved ones died within nine months, the author's friends sent a caring basket to the family. This article tells what the basket held and how it helped one family to recover from grief.

Stop Heat Exhaustion Before it Starts
[Health-and-Fitness] There is nothing quite like summer time fun. You may get so involved in sight seeing, sports, and hobbies that you miss the symptoms of heat exhaustion. What are these symptoms? How can you guard against heat exhaustion? This article gives you a quick update.

The Selling Power of Book Design
[Writing-and-Speaking:Book-Marketing] Authors worry about book covers. Will a romance cover wind up on a history book? Will the cover design change in production? Once a manuscript has left the author's desk he or she has little say about cover design. This article tells how one nonfiction author became involved in cover design of her latest book and the results.

Teaching Kids How to Cook is Part of Parenting
[Home-and-Family:Parenting] When you became a parent you accepted the responsibilities that come with it. You are for your kids, protect them, keep them healthy, and think about their wellbeing constantly. The goal of every parent is to prepare kids for the future and teaching kids how to cook is one way to do it. Why should you bother? Read this article and find out.

Kick Back, Relax, and Enjoy These Thirst-Quenching Coolers
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] As soon as the hot weather hits we think about cooling drinks: lemonade, coolers, punch, and iced tea and coffee. This article contains recipes for six thirst-quenching beverages. Thanks to frozen drinks and mixes you can make them in a flash. Keep a pitcher of coolers in the fridge for hot, muggy days.

15 Laundry Tips to Make Your Clothes Last Longer
[Home-and-Family] Improper laundering can make your new clothes look old in a matter of weeks. You may even feel like you wasted hard-earned money on new clothes. Don't worry. Your clothes will look new and last longer if you follow these 15 laundry tips.

Fresh Corn Recipes Capture the Taste of Summer
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Minnesota is a farm state and corn is one if its major crops. Residents of the state can hardly wait for the first corn to appear in stores. These fresh summer corn recipes, Corn Fritters and Syrup and Corn Souffle with Chiles and Red Peppers, are perfect summer fare. You may substitute frozen corn for fresh and enjoy the taste of summer all year long.

Writer's Block Or Too Much Responsibility?
[Writing-and-Speaking:Writing] Even non-writers have heard about so-called"writer's block," a time when the words won't come. Some writers and would-be writers think writer's block can last for weeks, months, or years. But the author of this article, a long-term writer, makes a distinction between writer's block and her family responsibilities.

Speed Shopping For Groceries is an Acquired Skill
[Food-and-Drink] When it comes to grocery shopping many of us are on "automatic." We shop the same way and buy the same stuff. The author of this article recommends "speed shopping," an acquired skill that saves you time and money. Her tips will help you whiz through the grocery store.

Painting the Front Door Will Help You Sell Your Home
[Home-Improvement:Painting] Front doors are an indication of home maintenance. Would-be buyers may think the interior of your home needs lots of work when they see a dingy front door. Buyers want move-in-ready homes, not homes that require lots of work. Painting the front door is one thing you can do to catch the eyes of a would-be buyer.

Six Steps to Take When You're Grieving and Cry in Public
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Crying is a normal response to the death of a loved one. But crying unexpectedly may upset you and those around you. Some days you may be okay with crying in public and other days you may be embarrassed. Are there steps you can take to get your crying under control? Read this article and find out.

Mourning - I Don't Cry Because I'm Weak, I Cry Because I'm Strong
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Death and crying go hand in hand. When we learn of a loved one's death we usually burst into tears. Some of us are embarrassed by our tears and others take them in stride. This article examines crying from the standpoint of strength.

Clearing Out Our Deceased Daughter's House - The Last Goodbye
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] The grief journey has many obstacles and cleaning out a loved one's place is one of them. This article, by a professional writer who lost four loved ones within nine months, describes the pain and comfort she received from donating the contents of her daughter's home to flood relief.

How to Find "Your" Chandelier in the Lighting Jungle
[Home-Improvement:Lighting] Chandeliers aren't just for dining rooms any more. Home owners are hanging chandeliers in front entries, living rooms, bedrooms, and even closets. You have so many chandeliers to choose from it is hard to find one that suits your needs. This article will make chandelier shopping easier for you.

Paint Color Names Can Drive You Nuts
[Home-Improvement:Painting] Paint manufacturers must hire many writers because paint color names have gotten poetic. Unfortunately, some names make no sense at all. If you have tried to buy paint lately you have come across these names. Your job is to make sense of them and it's not easy. Save yourself time and frustration by reading this article.

12 Things to Check Before You Buy an Upholstered Chair
[Home-Improvement:Furniture] Buying a chair sounds easy. You go into a store, see an attractive chair, sit for a few minutes, check the price, and make a decision. If you buy a chair impulsively you risk disappointment. These buying tips will help you find the right chair for your home.

Cleaning Your Slow Cooker -- Some Do's and Don'ts
[Home-Improvement:Cleaning-Tips-and-Tools] You may use your slow cooker several times a week. Handy as your slow cooker is, it is safe only if you care for it and clean it properly. How do you clean a slow cooker? These tips will keep your slow cooker safe and working for years.

Is Your Slow Cooker Really Safe?
[Food-and-Drink:Cooking-Tips] After dwindling sales slow cookers are cool again. This small appliance is perfect for busy cooks who don't have little time to shop and fix meals. You can walk away from your slow cooker and know dinner will be done when you return. But is your slow cooker really safe? Read this article and find out.

Saucy Roquefort Cube Steaks
[Food-and-Drink:Main-Course] Years ago cube steak was called minute steak because you could cook it in minutes. Today this cut of beef is called cube steak and there are hundreds of recipes for it. Many restaurants are pairing Roquefort cheese with meat dishes. This original recipe does just that and Roquefort-lovers will love it.

Creamy Roquefort Dressing - The One to Keep on Hand
[Food-and-Drink:Salads] Roquefort has a distinctive, tangy flavor. It's one of those cheeses you love or hate. But Roquefort-lovers will love this recipe for creamy salad dressing. The dressing tastes great on salad, grilled hamburgers, and even baked potatoes. If you're a Roquefort-lover you'll want to read this article and try the recipe.

Vinaigrette Salad Dressing with Crumbled Roquefort
[Food-and-Drink:Salads] Professional chefs know that matching the right dressing to the salad ingredients is an art. The dressing can bring out the flavors of the ingredients or be the main source of flavor. Oil and vinegar dressing is a classic. You will want to make this recipe a classic at your house.

Light Banana Cake With Chocolate Sauce
[Food-and-Drink:Desserts] Bananas are a wonderful fruit -- tasty, filling, and they come in their own wrapper. Years ago bananas contained large seeds, but growers developed ones with tiny seeds and there are even seedless varieties. Do you have over-ripe bananas on hand? Don't throw them away. Use them in this light version of old-fashioned banana cake.

Stumped on a Decorating Scheme? Try Black and White
[Home-Improvement:Interior-Design-and-Decorating] Time has tested the black and white color scheme and it has withstood the test. Black and white have been popular for centuries and their popularity continues today. The colors go with all decorating schemes, but you need to know how to use them. Read this article and learn more about classic black and white.

Taupe -- A New Neutral and Tricky Wall Color
[Home-Improvement:Painting] Home is where the heart is and your heart may be longing for freshly-painted walls. Taupe is taking over as a neutral wall color. Construction companies are switching from so-called builder's white to builder's taupe. What is taupe and how can you find a shade that works for you?

Mexican Chicken and Vegetables in Foil Packets - Easy Preparation, Easy Cleanup
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts have been cooking food in foil packets for years. Some Scouts call these meals hobo meals. Other Scouts call them chuckwagon meals. You can call them convenient meals because food preparation and cleanup are fast. Make this Mexican Chicken and Vegetables in Foil Packets today.

Family Rules - Do the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Need Them?
[Home-and-Family:Grandparenting] If you are a grandparent you grew up at a time when family rules were clear. Nobody had to spell them out for you. Family rules may be less clear today due to the pace of life. Are you a GRG, a grandparent raising grandkids? Setting some guidlines will help the whole family. This article will get you started.

Family Meetings Are a Communication Tool for Grandparents Raising Grandkids
[Home-and-Family:Grandparenting] Raising grandkids is a challenge for the best GRGs, grandparents raising grandkids. Good communication makes a grandparent's role easier. Poor communication makes a grandparent's role harder. This article focuses on family meetings, a helpful communication tool for all GRGs.

Can Grandparents Who Are Raising Grandkids Fix Healthy Meals for Kids and Themselves?
[Home-and-Family:Grandparenting] While grandparents and grandkids enjoy many of the same foods, they tend to eat differently. Grandparents usually eat less, for one thing. Many grandparents are on special diets. Fixing healthy meals for two generations can be a challenge, are you up to it? Read this article and find out.

The Changes and Challenges of Being a GRG - Grandparent Raising Grandchildren
[Home-and-Family:Grandparenting] More and more grandparents are raising their grandkids, so many, in fact, that a new term, GRG, has been coined. Difficult as it is, the grandparents who are raising their grandchildren find new meaning to their lives. For some, it's a second chance at parenting. For others, being a GRG means setting new goals, as this article shows.

How One GRG (Grandparent Raising Grandchildren) is Learning to "Talk Teen"
[Relationships:Communication] Communicating with teenagers is a challenge under the best of circumstances. This article describes the steps one grandmother is taking to "talk teen." Your kids don't have to be grieving to benefit from these tips.

Raising Grandkids - How do You Define "Hang Out?"
[Home-and-Family:Grandparenting] Thousands of grandparents are raising their grandkids. According to Us Government statistics, eight percent of the children in the the nation are being raised by their grandparents. In some states this number has risen to 15 per cent. Though grandparents have experience to draw upon, they need to learn new things about child-rearing. This article tells how one grandmother learned the meaning of the slang term "hang out."

Mourning - Answering the Question "How Are You?"
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Americans tend to avoid talking about death. But we are a caring people and when there is a death in the family people ask, "How are you?" You may hear the question hundreds of times during your grief journey. Answering the question takes time and this article suggests some of the answers you may give.

Gingerbread - An Updated, Healthier Recipe for Your Family
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Gingerbread is one of those recipes that appeals to everyone. Nothing smells as good as baking gingersnaps or gingerbread. Historic, vintage, and modern cook books contain recipes for gingerbread, but many of these recipes are too sweet and high in fat. This writer and "foodie" came up with a lighter version of the classic recipe. Your family will love it.

Teens in the House Again - A Grandparent's Blessing
[Home-and-Family:Grandparenting] Today, thousands of grandparents are raising their grandkids. While these grandparents love their grandkids, caring for them at this age and stage of life is hard. But as this author and grandmother discovered, it is also a blessing.

Pizza Casserole With Three Cheeses, a Dish Family, Friends, and Surprise Guests Will Love
[Food-and-Drink:Pasta-Dishes] During the holidays your mind is filled with so many details that you may be stumped on dinner. What will you fix? Can you come up with a meal that family, friends, and unexpected guests will enjoy? This casserole blends two things most people love -- pasta and pizza.

Writing Your Way Through Grief
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Many grief experts tell their clients to document their bereavement in descriptive words, phrases, a diary or journal. This is good advice, but how can you do it when you are overcome with grief. This article, by a writer who has suffered multiple losses, tells how she found the time to write and why she does it.

Healthier Turkey Tetrazzini - A Scrumptious Way to Use the Last of the Bird
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Many families have turkey on Christmas and, unless you are feeding a crowd, you have leftover meat. Many cook books contain recipes for leftover turkey -- sandwiches, soups, salads, hash and more -- but you may not find the recipe for Turkey Tetrazzini. The popularity of this classic recipe waned in recent years. After you try this healthier version of the classic recipe you'll want to make Turkey Tetrazzini a regular treat.

Red and Green Christmas Lasagna
[Food-and-Drink:Pasta-Dishes] During the holidays you prepare extra meals. You no sooner serve one meal when it is time to start the next. Will you ever get out of the kitchen? Yes, if you prepare Red and Green Christmas Lasagna ahead of time. The red sauce and green spinach make this a festive dish. Better yet, you will get your kids and grandkids to eat their spinach.

Another Death - How Much Can a Family Take?
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] The fact that you have suffered multiple losses does not mean you will not have more. How can you survive multiple losses? This article, by a health writer who has lost four loved ones, tells how she is coping and moving forward with life.

Multiple Losses Throw Off The Stages and Timing of Grief
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Years ago psychiatrist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross determined five stages of grief. You have probably heard about them or experienced them. The stages were widely accepted by health professionals and the public. But this author, who is recovering from multiple losses, sees the stages differently. Read this article and learn how multiple losses change the stages and duration of grief.

The Grief and Comfort of Organ Donation
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] One organ donor can impact dozens of lives. Have you designated yourself as an organ donor? Has a loved one designated himself or herself? If so, you need to inform family members. You will learn more about the impact of organ donation in this article and how one grieving mother found comfort in it.

Talk to Your Kids About Food Servings
[Health-and-Fitness:Nutrition] Many Americans are eating too much. We pack in the food and pile on the pounds. Kids are also eating to much. The result is childhood diabetes, heart disease, joint problems, and lethargy. What is the solution? Kids need to learn how to eat "normal" food servings. Share these food serving facts with kids today!

When You Read the Sympathy Cards Again and Cry
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Sending a sympathy card to someone after the death of a loved one has become common practice. Do the cards make a difference? This article, by a grieving person who has suffered multiple losses, describes the new comfort she found in cards when she read them again.

Cranberry Coffee Cake with Walnut-Crumb Topping is Perfect for Holidays
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Cranberries have arrived in grocery stores just in time for the holidays. You may add fresh cranberries to holiday recipes and freeze a few bags for later. The fresh fruit adds tang to recipes and has many nutritional benefits. Your family will love this coffee cake and you only need two bowls to make it.

Interior Painting - Buy the Best Brush for the Job
[Home-Improvement:Painting] If you haven't looked at paint brushes lately you may be shocked. Paint brushes can be pricey. Should you buy the cheapest brush you can find or should you invest in a quality brush? This article lists things to consider before you buy a paint brush.

Compile a One-Page Summary of Your Finances Today
[Finance:Personal-Finance] The pace of daily life keeps getting faster. This pace may make it difficult for you to keep accurate financial records. You may even be one of those people (gasp) who stuffs receipts into a shoe box - not good financial management. This article will get you started on writing a summary of your finances.

Staying Busy Makes My Grief Journey Easier
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] When a loved one dies family members and friends tell us to "stay busy." Why do they stay this? Does staying busy help you cope with grief? This author is staying busy and tells how it is helping her. If you are mourning the loss of a loved one staying busy may help you.

Leftover Pasta, the Start of a Memorable Meal
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Say the word "leftovers" and family members run the other way. But many cooks, especially Italian cooks, use every leftover in the fridge. Nothing is wasted. Leftover pasta is used in omelets, soups, and main dishes. This article starts with tips for pre-cooking pasta and ends with a recipe for Italian Pasta Pie with Tomato-Basil Sauce.

Shoppping at Big-Box Retail Stores - You Need a Plan!
[Shopping-and-Product-Reviews] Whether you like them or not, big-box retail stores are here to stay. Shopping at these stores takes stamina, a well-organized list, and an action plan. This article offers tips for shopping at big-box retail stores. Start doing push-ups now!

Granny Smith Apple Custard Pie is a Special Treat
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Americans love apple pie. We eat two crust pies warm from the oven, one crust pies with streusel topping, and different kinds of apple crisps and crumbles. This recipe for apple custard pie brings two American favorites together - egg custard and apple pie.

Volunteerism - Should You Keep On Volunteering or is it Time to Stop?
[Self-Improvement:Success] Many businesses and organizations rely on volunteers. In fact, their overhead would be higher without the donation of volunteer hours and services. Long-term volunteers run the risk of burn-out. Older volunteers may not find volunteerism as rewarding as it used to be. The time comes when a volunteer asks, "Is it time to stop?" This article examines the question.

Television Commercials -- Can Advertisers Learn From Silent Movies?
[Business:Advertising] Do you press the mute button on the control when television ads appear? Thousands of Americans are doing just that or walking away. This nonfiction writer thinks advertisers should create commercials that pass the "Silent Movie Test."

Decorating - What Do Your Fabric Choices Say About You?
[Home-Improvement:Interior-Design-and-Decorating] Choosing fabric for your home can be a challenge. There are thousands, if not millions, of patterns to choose from. Fabrics should match your design style and personality. Your fabric choices reveal a lot about you. This article details some of them and you may think of more.

Lighting - Finding the Right Lamp for the Right Spot
[Home-Improvement:Interior-Design-and-Decorating] Have you ever wanted something and not been able to find it? Finding the right lamp can be like that. You search for months or even years. Though you aren't sure of what you want, you will know it when you see it. This article describes the author's search for the perfect lamp and her requirements for it.

Coping With the Anniversary Reactions That Come With Grief
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Recovering from grief and loss is a journey. This journey includes "anniversary reactions," times when the bereaved person relives his or her loss again and experiences the same feelings. Anniversary reactions are extremely painful. This article tells how one health writer is preparing for the anniversary reactions that await her.

10 Reasons to Update Your Resume Now
[Business:Resumes-Cover-Letters] Things change fast in the business world. Companies acquire other companies and job titles change. Your job may have changed in the process. This article makes a case for revising your resume often and suggests changes you may make.

R is for Rutabaga, a Delicious and Nutritious Vegetable
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] You may walk right by the rutabagas when you're grocery shopping. That's understandable because it is an odd-looking vegetable and you may not know how to cook it. But rutabagas are high in vitamins and fiber and low in calories. Even better, rutabagas take on other flavors easily. This article gives you brief information about rutabaga and two recipes to try.

Having a Happy Birthday After a Loved One Dies
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] The death of a loved one can be overwhelming. You ask yourself basic questions and wonder if you will ever be happy again. This article, by a writer who has had multiple deaths in the family, describes her "Happy Birthday."

Manhattan Clam Chowder - Give it the Praise it Deserves!
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] The battle over which soup is better, New England clam chowder or Manhattan clam chowder, has been going on for years. Of course, New England residents think their chowder is best and New Yorkers think theirs is the best. The tomato-based Manhattan clam chowder has lots of vegetables and tomatoes are an anti-oxidant. Read more about Manhattan chowder and make a kettle of soup for your family and friends.

Health Words - Do You Know What They Mean?
[Health-and-Fitness] Something is happening in the US and many people don't know about it. Millions of Americans don't understand what their doctors tell them or the directions on prescription bottles. This lack of understanding, or health literacy, affects personal and national health. Read this article to learn more about becoming health literate.

The Scoop on Writing - A Writer's Work is Never Done
[Writing-and-Speaking:Writing-Articles] Some writers are pleased with everything they write. You may be one of them. When you read your work you are so pleased with the product you would not change a thing. This writer tells why she sometimes wishes she had chosen different words. Her article gives you an inside look at a writer's life.

Fashionable Grandmas - Wear What You Like and Ignore the Rest
[Home-and-Family:Grandparenting] Have you seen those modeling shows on television? The models who strut the runways are pencil-thin and wear clothes you would not wear in the kitchen. Few designers think about grandmas when they are designing next season's clothes. What should you buy? Read this article and decide for yourself.

Two Weeks of Heart Healthy Main Dishes and Side Dishes
[Health-and-Fitness:Nutrition] Planning healthy meals takes time and you may not have much to spare. With a little planning, however, you can create heart healthy meals that save you time and money. This article contains two week's of heart healthy main dishes and side dishes. Add your own ideas to it and planning heart healthy meals will be a snap.

Loss and Grief -- When Does the Crying Stop?
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Crying is the first response to the death of a loved one. You may cry for days, weeks, and even months. But crying is physically and emotionally exhausting. When does the crying stop? This article, by a writer who has suffered multiple losses, is an attempt to answer that question.

Planning Heart Healthy Meals for a Healthy Life
[Health-and-Fitness:Nutrition] Changing your eating habits now can benefit your health later. Instead of pushing your cart down the aisle and buying what you see, it is better to plan meals for the week. This article contains 12 tips for planning heart healthy meals.

Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs and Vegetables in Red Wine
[Food-and-Drink:Crockpot-Recipes] When the weather turns colder you start to think of hearty meals -- soups, stews, and ribs. This recipe for beef short ribs braised in red wine is hearty and delicious. Freeze the leftovers (if you have any) for another meal.

Responding to Grief -- How Do You Lose An Egg?
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Forgetfulness is a common response to grief. This article tells how the author lost an egg and explains some of the causes of forgetfulness.

Designed to Stay - 10 Budget-Wise Decorating Updates for Your Home
[Home-Improvement:Interior-Design-and-Decorating] Your home should be comforting. After a while, though, you may get tired of the same wall color, the same furniture, and the same look. These budget-wise tips will help you update the look of your home. Try one or try them all.

Honor Your Loved One's Memory With a Favorite Foods Dinner
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] All of us must cope with the loss of a loved one. You may be so overcome with grief you don't know what to do. Should you have a memorial service? Will there be food after the service? Who will come? Having a memorial dinner in honor of your loved one answers these questions and will bring you comfort.

Jicama Adds Crunch, Sweetness and Almost No Calories to Recipes
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Jicama, a root vegetable in the turnip family, is turning up in more recipes. Professional chefs, home cooks, and health-conscious cooks are using jicma in all sorts of dishes. Read this article to learn more about jicama and get a delicious salad recipe, too.

Home Office Desk - 10 Tips for Choosing the Best One for You
[Home-Improvement:Furniture] Computers have changed desk design. Solo professionals need a practical desk that helps them get their work done. Are you looking for a new desk? This article will help you find just the one you need.

Auction Bargains - Knowing How to Bid Will Help You Get Them
[Internet-and-Businesses-Online:Auctions] Financial experts say we have no inflation, but home furnishing prices keep going up. This increase has led many consumers to estate sales and auctions. The auction bargains are out there. You just have to know how to bid. This article gives you some of the bidding basics.

American Hamburgers - How Big Should They Be?
[Food-and-Drink] You may not have noticed it, but American hamburgers are getting bigger. More Americans are eating out, often at fast food restaurants which have super sized burgers, French fries, milkshakes, and sodas. According to the US government serving sizes are contributing to the rise in obesity. What size burger should you be eating?

Regular Exercise May Help You Cope With Grief
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Self-improvement books offer sound suggestions for coping with grief. But these suggestions say little about the relationship between exercise and recovering from grief. Exercise can lift your spirits, renew your energy, and restore your soul. After you read this article you will want to get up and move.

Grief Recovery- A Process That Demands New Ways of Thinking
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] People who are recovering from grief have similar thoughts. They also face similar challenges. But one challenge -- developing a new relationship with a deceased loved one -- is unique. You must do it alone and in your own way. Read this article and learn more about forming new relationship with your deceased loved one.

Bavarian Cream With Mixed Berries, a Low-Cal Dessert
[Food-and-Drink:Low-Calorie] Many of us grew up with Jell-0, a sweet, colorful gelatin dessert. The British and Irish call gelatin "jelly," the Americans and Canadians call it Jell-o or "gello." Gelatin is used in many desserts and many of them, unfortunately, are high in calories. Do you crave something sweet? Try this low-calorie recipe for Bavarian Cream with Mixed Berries.

Tipping, What's The Going Rate?
[Finance] Tipping is a personal decision. The amount you give someone for their services depends on the type of services you receive, where you are, your budget, and how you feel about the service. You may think you're "right on" when it comes to tipping. But tipping rates are changing fast. This article updates you on some of the changes and rates.

Plan Ahead When You Travel With Grandkids
[Travel-and-Leisure:Cruising] Cruising with children is easier than it used to be. Cruise lines have special programs for children and many ships have teen clubs. This grandmother tells about the plans she made for traveling with her 15-year-old twin grandkids. Her plans may help you to plan your trip.

Arranging Furniture to Fit Your Space
[Home-Improvement:Interior-Design-and-Decorating] Interior designers know that arranging furniture is an art. You may not be an interior designer, but you can still learn to arrange your furniture artfully. These tips will get you started.

Time is Different When You're Grieving
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] The death of a loved one is a shock to the body and soul. It is such a shock that you may lose track of time. You may worry about the time ahead. Will you ever find happiness again? This nonfiction writer, who is grieving for her daughter, tells why time feels different to her.

Paint Colors - Old Neutrals and New Neutrals
[Home-Improvement:Painting] Neutral paint colors are featured in television programs and decorating magazines. What are neutral colors, anyway? It's hard to answer this question because the old neutrals are still around and new neutrals are emerging. Read this article and learn more about paint colors.

Customer Service - A Smile Makes All the Difference
[Business:Customer-Service] All of us have had waiters and waitresses (now called servers) who were discourteous. Lack of courtesy can ruin an evening. Similarly, courtesy can make an ordinary evening special. This essay describes one server's courteous and respectful service.

Tilapia - A Fish for All Cuisines and Cooks
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Tilapia is appearing on more restaurant menus. As many have discovered, this mild white fish adapts to all cuisines and cooking methods. Red Lobster restaurants were one of the first to serve tilapia and it was a hit, according to "Seafood Business" magazine. These two recipes may make tilapia hit at your house.

Recovering From My Daughter's Sudden and Tragic Death
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] You understand grief if you have lost loved ones. Grief work is tiring work. How can you recover? This health writer lists the things she is doing to recover from multiple deaths in her family. The recovery steps she is taking may help you.

What Color Should You Paint Your Walls?
[Home-Improvement:Painting] Colors come and go. Olive green and gold were popular in the 1960s. The bright, bold colors of the 1980s are popular now. Should you put bold colors on your walls? Find out by answering these questions.

Write Clear Emails and Get Clear Replies
[Internet-and-Businesses-Online:Email-Marketing] Email is second only to the phone when it comes to fast, personal communication. All of us, however, receive odd replies to emails. Your business contact may answer a question you never asked. Some recipients mis-read emails or only read parts of them. Others take weeks to reply. These tips will help you write clear emails and get the replies you need.

Grieving and Gratefulness For a Writing Career
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] How do you recover from loss? Each of us recovers in our own way. This author decided to write her way through grief and, along the way, rediscovered the blessings of her career. You may learn from her example and become a writer yourself.

Talk to Your Kids About Secondhand Smoke
[Health-and-Fitness:Quit-Smoking] The dangers of tobacco smoke have been well publicized. But you may not know about the dangers of secondhand smoke. Whether you call it secondhand, sidestream, passive, environmental, or involuntary smoking, this kind of smoke hurts everybody. Infants, young children, and service workers are especially at risk. This fact sheet tells you why and cites sources.

Kids Who Won't Eat Vegetables Will Eat This Vegetable-Pasta Salad
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Vegetables. We want our kids to eat them and many won't. You may not be too fond of vegetables, either. But kids will eat pasta of all kinds. So this health-conscious grandmother combined pasta with vegetables. Her grandkids loved it!

Tenderized Meat - What are You Really Paying For?
[Food-and-Drink] We Americans are famous for our love of meat. Whether it is roasted, fried, or grilled, we want fork-tender meat. In response to consumer demands many meat, poultry, and fish processors are tenderizing their products. When you buy tenderized products you may be getting things you don't want to eat. Read on . . .

Goodbye Dear Tree - The Story of a Fallen Oak
[Home-Improvement:Landscaping-Outdoor-Decorating] When you buy a new home you probably need some landscaping. Some new home buyers are lucky to have natural landscaping -- trees, shrubs and groundcover native to the area. This article tells how one couple was forced to cut down an historic oak tree and bid it farewell.

Eating Out - What Can You Order if You are Salt-Sensitive?
[Food-and-Drink] Some nutrition experts think we are eating too much salt. People who are salt-sensitive (and the author is one of them) need to watch their intake. Are you salt-sensitive? This article tells you what to order the next time you eat out.

Shrimp Scampi With Orange Sauce
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Doctors are telling their patients to eat more fish. This author is following that advice and is collecting and experimenting with all sorts of fish recipes. Shrimp-lovers will love this one.

What Makes a Good Cook?
[Food-and-Drink] We expect famous restaurants to serve good food, but his doesn't always happen. Graduating from a vocational or cooking school does not always mean the chef is a good cook. This article describes the attributes of a good cook.

Carpet Versus Wood - Which Flooring Would You Choose?
[Home-Improvement:Flooring] Do you need new flooring? This article describes the pluses and minutes of wood flooring and how one couple made their flooring choice. Their comparison process may help you to choose new flooring for your home.

Avoid These Bathroom Renovation Blunders!
[Home-Improvement:Bath-and-Shower] Renovated bathrooms help to sell houses. You may hire a professional construction crew to do the renovation work or do it yourself. Which ever route you choose, you should avoid these bathroom renovation blunders.

Minnesota Wild Rice Soup with Chicken, Fresh Mushrooms and Sherry
[Food-and-Drink:Soups] Wild rice is the state grain of Minnesota and we love it. Fine restaurants feature wild rice dishes and home cooks fix wild rice recipes for their families. This recipe, from a former food writer, is the result of having "a little of this and a little of that" on hand. If you like wild rice you will like this soup.

Grief and the Miracles of Kindness
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] The death of a child -- even one who is 45 years old -- is a shock, an unnatural life experience. This author describes her friends' kindness after her daughter's death. Before, the author thought of kindness as a response. Now she sees the kindness of others as a life miracle.

My Daughter's Death and How I am Honoring Her Life
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] No parent expects a child to die before them, but tragedy happens. After a child dies parents grieve for a life that ended too soon and their child's missing future. Parents are left with now. This writer tells what she is doing to remember her daughter and keep her memory close.

Use Rummage and Garage Sale Smarts to Get the Best Bargains
[Home-and-Family] Churches have rummage sales throughout the year, but garage sales may be seasonal. Whether you shop the sales year-round or at the peak time of the year, you will get better bargains if you have shopping smarts. These tips from a rummage sale volunteer may help you get the biggest bang for your bucks.

Teen Consumers Need to Learn About Money Management and Protection
[Finance:Personal-Finance] Parents teach their teens about right and wrong, driving safely, getting an education, the dangers of illegal drugs, and safe sex. But many parents do not teach their teens about money management. Read this article to learn more about teen spending and what they need to know about money.

Teen Grief - A Time for Patience
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Grief is hard for everyone. Teen grief is especially hard because of a lack of maturity, brain function gaps, and coping skills. Adults need to be patient with grieving teens. They can also help teens process their grief by following these tips from the grandmother of grieving twins.

Retirement - 10 Things To Do Before You Downsize
[Home-and-Family:Retirement] Downsizing sounds like a simple word, but the process of downsizing can be complicated. You have to think ahead and allow enough time to lighten the moving load. These tips will make your downsizing transition easier.

Why I am Writing About My Grief
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Grief, whether it is anticipated or sudden, is always a shock. Nobody can grieve for us and we must do our own grief work. This article by an experienced health writer tells why she is writing about her grief. You do not have to be a writer to put your thoughts on paper. After reading this article you may do just that.

The Shock of Sudden Death and Probate
[Finance:Estate-Plan-Trusts] The sudden death of a loved one is a terrible shock. As this author discovered, the shock increases if you have to go through Probate. Her advice may help you with estate planning and to expedite Probate if you must go through it.

Orange Chiffon Celebration Cake
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] We go all out for holiday meals - nibbles, appetizers, one or two main courses, salad, rolls, relishes and dessert. After eating an extensive mea we want a light, sweet dessert, not too much and not too little. Wondering what to serve for dessert? This recipe is a refreshing dessert for two or 20.

Elegant Egg Salad With Cashews And Curry
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Read about food history and you will find that eggs are one of the oldest foods. Egg dishes are popular today and egg salad is one of them. This egg salad recipes tastes good any time of year, but it tastes especially good in the summer time.

What can Kids Hold Onto After a Parent has Died?
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] The loss of a parent is shocking at any age, but it is especially shocking for children. Kids may try to find a reason for a parent's death when there is no reason. They also look for things to hold onto -- a mother's blanket, jewelry, and other things. This article by a grieving grandmother cites the values her daughter gave to her children. These values are a prescription for life.

Fruited Turkey Salad With Toasted Almonds And Curry
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] When you think of quick-fix meals you probably think of chicken. But turkey can be a quick-fix meal, too, and producers keep addings new products. This recipe for fruited turkey salad tales only minutes to make and has many variations.

Setting New Goals After A Loved One Has Died
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] The death of a loved one can not only stop us in our tracks, it can make us cling to the past. Death is final, yet we may wallow in grief instead of moving beyond it. Life is meant to be lived and this author, who is grieving for two family members, tells how she set new goals. Her story may help you do the same.

Delivering Food to a Family after the Death of a Loved One
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] The custom of delivering food to a grieving family seems to be world wide. Though the custom comes from our desire to help, in some instances it may not help. Read this article and find out how to "tweak" the custom and make it work.

Finding Hope After the Death of a Child
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Life looks bleak and dark after the death of a child. But we must go on for ourselves, our families, and those who care about us. Finding hope is not easy, yet if you look carefully you will find it as this mother did.

Comfort Care is for the Dying and the Living
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] If your loved one has terminal cancer, is in the final phase of Alzheimer's, or has another debilitating disease, you have to face the fact that the end of life is near. Each person has different needs at the end of his or her life. This health writer describes the "comfort care" her father-in-law received and how this care comforted family members.

The Sudden Death Of A Child - A Mother's Tool Kit
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Nothing is worse than the death of a child. The blow can be so sudden, so sharp, that you are felled by it. This article by a health writer describes her daughter's sudden death and how she is coping with it. Her grief tools may help you to cope with the sudden death of a loved one.

Family Meals are Food for the Body - Mind and Spirit
[Home-and-Family] Family dinners are disappearing in America. Instead of eating together family members are eating junk food on the run, fast food in the car, or energy bars to keep them going. But research findings say family dinners are crucial to the wellbeing of children and have many benefits. This article describes these benefits and a grandmother's joy in fixing Sunday dinner for her grandkids.

The Coffee Maker Curse-Do You Have It Too?
[Home-Improvement:Appliances] Having an electric coffee maker is convenient, but it is annoying when your coffee makers keep breaking. After buying dozens of coffee makers this coffee lover and author thinks she has been hit with the Coffee Maker Curse. She reviews the curses she has endured and asks coffee maker manufacturers to make a small, yet significant, design change.

Heart Healthy Salmon: Make it a Weekly Treat
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Many physicians are telling their patients to eat two servings of fish a week, especially salmon, which has heart-healthy Omega-3 fatty acids. This article begins with the benefits of eating salmon and ends with the recipe for Creamed Salmon with Fresh Asparagus.

Alzheimer's and Other Memory Diseases: Is it Time to Cut Back on Activities?
[Home-and-Family:Elder-Care] Memory care facilities have activity programs for their residents and family members plan activities, too. But your loved one's enjoyment of these activities wanes as the disease progresses. Has the time come when you need to cut back on your loved one's activities? This article describes some of the things you need to consider before coming to a decision.

Teresa Richard Deserves to Fly the American Flag
[News-and-Society:Military] Does a Condo Association have the right to stop a military mother from flying the American flag? The story of Teresa Richard versus her local Condo Association has been on the news several times. I applaud Richard and hope Americans all across this country will do the same.

The Writers' Run: Why I am Still in the Race
[Writing-and-Speaking:Writing] Writing is a challenging career. For this freelancer it is also a life-long career and she compares it to a race. This article tells why one nonfiction writer is still in the Writers' Run.

Washing Silk-Don't Turn Your Clothes Into a Science Experiment!
[Home-and-Family] Dry cleaning clothes over and over again is expensive. With silk garments, dry cleaning is not only expensive, it can make your clothes look dull. Hand-washing silk garments is the solution and this article tells you how to do it.

Disappointment: Do You Handle It or Does It Handle You?
[Self-Improvement:Motivation] Childhood experiences -- seeing the top of an ice cream cone fall to the sidewalk, having a best friend move away, loosing a soft ball game -- are painful. Yet these experiences teach us to handle the disappointments in our lives. But we may not handle adult disappointments as easily as we handled childhood ones. This article describes four ways to handle disappointment.

Food Safety: What are You Doing About It?
[Food-and-Drink:Cooking-Tips] If you were asked to name the dirtiest place in the house you would say "toilet" in less than a second. But you may falter if you were asked to name the second dirtiest place in the house. It is the refrigerator door handle. Yuk! Food safety at home is crucial to keeping you and your kids well. Put this list in the kitchen where you and your kids will see it every day.

Decorating with White, the Neutral, Adaptable, Classic Color
[Home-Improvement:Interior-Design-and-Decorating] "Shabby Chic" is a popular decorating scheme, a scheme based on the color white. White does not have to be a boring builder's color, it can be a unifying color. Getting ready to re-decorate? Read this article first because white may be the way to go.

Renovating Small Bathrooms: 12 Ways to Make Your Bathroom Look Bigger
[Home-Improvement:Bath-and-Shower] If you lived in a perfect world your home would not have a small bathroom, just a large, elegant one. But you don't live in a perfect world. Can you renovate a small bathroom and, in the process, make it look larger? You bet. This article tells you how to do it.

Mentoring New Writers: A Gift of Giving and Receiving
[Writing-and-Speaking:Book-Marketing] New writers do not know the steps they need to take in order to be published. Mentoring the writer helps them to understand these steps. I have mentored several new writers and it is a rewarding experience. What is my advice? This article outlines it.

Getting Ready for Out-of-Town Guests: A Host's Checklist
[Home-and-Family] Sooner or later we all have out-of-town guests. These guests may come to town for a conference, retirement party, or special occasion. Getting ready for over-town-guests takes planning. This checklist will make your planning easier and set the perfect stage for company.

Winter Itch: Home Remedies Help You to Stop Scratching and Start Healing
[Health-and-Fitness:Skin-Care] Winter itch. The words are familiar to those of us who live in cold climates. We grapple with the symptoms of winter itch and the constant scratch-itch cycle. Just a few simple remedies can heal your winter itch and this article details them.

Personalized Sales: Should Clients be Called by Their First Names?
[Business:Marketing-Direct] Personalized sales-emails, e-newsletters, card inserts addressed to you-are a popular marketing strategy. Many retailers have opted for the warm, fuzzy approach and trained staff to address customers by their first names. But this approach makes some customers uncomfortable. Read what marketing experts are saying about using first names.

Driving: A Dozen Ways to Steer Clear of Parking Lot Accidents
[Automotive] Each year, thousands of Americans have parking lot accidents. These accidents cost insurance companies millions of dollars. Parking your car in a lot is one of the most dangerous things you do in a day. These tips will help you to avoid parking lot accidents.

E-Newsletters: Tailoring the Design to Fit Your Needs
[Internet-and-Businesses-Online:Email-Marketing] E-newsletters are the name of the marketing game. Readers may choose to read them or delete them. But e-newsletters are here to stay. This artice makes a case for electornic communcation and cites the proposed changes a state organization is making to its e-newsletter.

Writing Newsletters That People Want to Read
[Writing-and-Speaking:Writing] Newsletters are not a new idea, but people are rediscovering their value. Organizations and businesses, including catalog stores, send out regular newsletters. Some of these newsletters are printed and many are electronic. These newsletter tips will help you create eye-catching printed and electronic newsletters.

Caring for the Frail Elderly: As Life Draws to a Close
[Home-and-Family:Elder-Care] Caring for the frail elderly has become a top priority for the U.S. Government, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities. What is the definition of frail elderly? How can we help them? This article answers these questions and will help you care for your loved one.

Retirement: 10 Questions to Help You Decide Where to Live
[Home-and-Family:Retirement] Long before my husband was due to retire people were asking, "Are you moving to Florida?" When we said, "No," they asked if we were moving to Arizona. It took us a couple of years to figure out where we would live after retirement. Ten questions helped us to decide where we would live and they make help you.

Grandparents Can be Health Role Models for Grandkids
[Health-and-Fitness:Anti-Aging] There are lots of fitness commercials on television, slick ads showing young athletes doing amazing things. I have yet to see a fitness commercial that features a grandparent. But grandparents can be health role models for their grandkids. Indeed, we should be, because our grandkids are watching and learning from us. These 25 steps to better health are worth imitating.

Female Drivers: Moving From Risk-Taking to Road Rage
[Automotive] My home town, Rochester, Minnesota, used to be a quiet place. But the population has swelled to about 90,000 and now we have traffic jams, risk-taking drivers, and road rage. Some of these aggressive drivers are women. Can you curb aggressive driving and prevent road rage? This article discusses the changing driving habits of females and offers eight tips to keep you calm and collected behind the wheel.

The Question Alzheimer's Caregivers Ask: "Am I Going Crazy?"
[Home-and-Family:Elder-Care] Caring for a loved one who is suffering from Alzheimer's disease requires patience, energy, and courage. As the disease progresses your stress increases. No wonder so many caregivers ask themselves, "Am I going crazy?" You are not crazy, you are juggling many variables. This article describes some of these variables and their causes.

Resolutions or Goals: They are the Same to Me
[Self-Improvement:Motivation] The time has come again, the flood of articles about making New Year's resolutions. Though the articles have different slants I do not understand them because resolutions and goals are the same to me. I never make New Year's resolutions, but this year I decided to do it. Do these resolutions or goals match yours?

Accusations and Memory Disease: A Hard Road for Caregivers
[Home-and-Family:Elder-Care] Your loved one may have been a calm, rational, caring person. But when that person reaches the middle stage of memory disease he or she may accuse you of stealing, philandering, and even attempted murder. How can caregivers respond to accusations like these? This article describes some proven responses.

The Perseveration (Getting Stuck) That Comes With Memory Disease
[Home-and-Family:Elder-Care] No cure has been found for Alzheimer's or memory disease resulting from strokes. In the middle and later stages of memory disease your loved one will do the same things, say the same sentences, and sing the same songs again and again. You can't change the preservation that comes with memory disease. What can you do? This articles gives you some ideas.

The Best Christmas Gifts I Have Given
[Home-and-Family:Holidays] Becoming a grandmother has given me a new perspective of life, holiday celebrations, and the Christmas gifts I have given. I have bought original gifts, practical gifts, pricey gifts, and gifts that were just plain fun. This article tells about some of the best gifts I have given and may help you to choose your last-minute gifts.

Chasing Down Your Writing Ideas
[Writing-and-Speaking:Writing] Ideas are the backbone of writing. If you do not have ideas you have nothing to write about. But even experienced writers can have trouble coming up with new ideas or remembering ideas that come to mind. This article tells how one health writer checks out her ideas.

Artichoke Soup With Petite Carrots, Lemon, and Tubettini
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Artichokes. You either love them or hate them. I love them and have some marvelous artichoke recipes. But when I searched the Internet for an artichoke soup recipe I could not find what I wanted. So I made up my own recipe and served it to luncheon guests. My artichoke soup received rave reviews. This tangy, comforting soup is perfect for the holidays.

Alzheimer's and Dementia Activities: What Works for Your Loved One?
[Home-and-Family:Elder-Care] Finding suitable activities for a loved one with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia can be a challenge. If your loved one is severely impaired you are really challenged. This article tells about the planning process one family uses and the activities family members have enjoyed with their Dad.

Progressive Dementia: When the World is a Hard Place
[Home-and-Family:Elder-Care] Witnessing a loved one's progressive dementia is a painful experience. You may not be alarmed by the early stage of dementia - forgetting names, losing things, confusing dates - because you have forgotten things, too. But the later stages of dementia can be upsetting and challenging. This article details the care giving steps one family is taking to provide the best care for their Dad.

Writing Ideas: Where Do You Get Them?
[Writing-and-Speaking:Writing-Articles] If you are a writer you know some ideas almost smack you in the head. We write about these obvious ideas, but may not write about fleeting ideas that elude us. This article tells how one writer follows her thought trail to new article and book ideas.

Christmas Decorating on a Shoestring: Fun for the Whole Family
[Home-and-Family:Holidays] At this time of year neighbors and businesses put up holiday decorations. Many of these displays are elaborate, expensive, and a added drain electric power. You don't have to spend a fortune to decorate for Christmas. These decorating ideas will brighten your home and your spirits.

Buying Christmas Gifts for a Loved One With Memory Disease
[Home-and-Family:Elder-Care] Often people with memory disease have other health problems as well, such as poor eye sight, hearing loss, and arthritis. Health issued like these make Christmas shopping even harder. What can you give a loved one with memory disease? These tried and true ideas answer that question.

The Confusion of Dementia
[Home-and-Family:Elder-Care] If your loved one has dementia you know how difficult caregiving can be. You want your loved one to be happy and do all you can to foster that happiness. With experience, you learn how to make decisions based on what is best for your loved one. This article tells how family members honored their father's request to go to the cabin and revised their plans.

The New (and Healthier) Boeuf Bourguingnon
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] When the temperature hovers above zero or below Midwesterners like to eat chunky soup and stew. Delicious soups and stews are available, but they are often high in salt and fat. Boeuf Bourguignon is the classic French recipe for beef stew with red wine and it is labor-intensive. Would you make Boeuf Bourguignon if you could do it in 15 minutes? If your answer is yes, here is the recipe.

Talk to Your Kids About Risk-Taking
[Home-and-Family:Parenting] Recent research finding confirm what you already knew: A child's brain is different from an adult brain. Kids are convinced that nothing will happen to them if they take risks. Even the smartest kids can take stupid risks. You can't protect your kids every moment of the day, but you can talk to them about the consequences of risk-taking.

Make Hand Washing a Holiday Habit
[Health-and-Fitness] Our parents taught us to wash our hands before eating and after going to the bathroom. Most of the time we follow this advice. But when we are rushed we may not wash our hands well. Kids may swish their hands under water for a few seconds and run off to play. Hand washing is important all the time and especially important during the holidays. This article tells how to wash your hands properly to ward off colds, flu, and viruses.

Yorkshire Pudding: A Lighter Recipe for You
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] For those of us who have British heritage, Yorkshire Pudding is a Sunday and holiday delight. This article tells about the origins of Yorkshire Pudding, how to make it, and how to make popovers from the same recipe. Making Yorkshire Pudding only takes minutes, but your family and guests will rave about it for years.

I Fell Off My Walking Program (Literally) and Got Back On Again
[Health-and-Fitness] Even the best athletes can be injured. Though I am not an athlete, I am on a daily walking program, and try to stay fit. But an ankle injury brought my walking program to an abrupt stop. This article tells how I slowly resumed my walking program and gives you tips to follow in case you are injured.

Shared Anticipatory Grief: How One Club Faced It and Members Coped Together
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] We usually think of anticipatory grief - a feeling of loss before a death or dreaded event occurs - in individual terms. But groups can also experience collective grief. This article tells about the anticipatory grief a small club experienced, how they coped with this grief, and honored a beloved member.

Cruising: Choosing the Right Cabin for You
[Travel-and-Leisure:Cruising] Many people enjoy crusing to far off places. Your cruise will be even more enjoyable if you choose a cabin that meets your needs. What are these needs? This article, from an author who just returned from a cruise, details five of them.

Vegetable Soup a la Athens
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Around the world, soup is the ultimate comfort food. You will find comfort and nutrition in this Greek vegetable soup from Athens. The soup takes only a few minutes to make and tastes even better the next day. Get out the soup bowls, a tour book about Athens, and take an imaginary trip as you eat your veggies.

One Writer's Affirmations: What are Yours?
[Writing-and-Speaking:Writing] All writers have times when they get discouraged. A positive attitude helps us to face these times, deal with them, and move on. In this brief article one nonfiction writer shares some of the affirmations that keep her creative.

Vanilla and Rum Sauces Make Holiday Desserts Special
[Food-and-Drink:Desserts] The addition of one ingredient can turn a simple recipe into something special. That is also true of these vanilla and rum sauces, which come from the author's English heritage. The recipes are made wih ingredients you probably have in your pantry. Celebrate the holidays with these yummy, delicious sauces.

I Designed My Own Book Cover
[Writing-and-Speaking:Book-Marketing] The cover of a book has a lot to do with sales. Customers will pick up books with eye-catching covers and ignore books with bland covers. Many authors have no control over the covers of their books. This article details the steps one writer took to design a happy cover for a serious book.

Book Author's Website: When Do You Need a Professional?
[Internet-and-Businesses-Online:Traffic-Building] Creating a Website is a big step for a book author. The Website is a glimpse of you and the work you do. In order to be effective Websites need to be updated and edited. This article tells why one author used a professional website designer for her updates.

Finding the Right Place to Write
[Writing-and-Speaking:Writing-Articles] Working in the right place can increase productivity. As this nonfiction writer discovered, creating the right place can take years of trial and error. Learn what this busy did to improve her writing place and output.

Vacation Countdown: 30 Ways to Protect Your Home While You are Gone
[Home-Improvement:Security] Let's face it - getting ready for a vacation is a lot of work. You have to plan for your trip and, just as important, you have to plan for being away. This checklist will help you to protect your home while you are gone and give you peace of mind.

Creating a Handout for Your Book Talk: Smart Speaking, Smart Selling
[Writing-and-Speaking:Book-Marketing] A handout, or several handouts, can make your book talk clear. Handouts may also serve as sell pieces and prompt attendees to buy your book later. This articles tells how to write handouts that support - and sell - your book.

Heart Healthy Snacks for Kids and Adults
[Health-and-Fitness:Popular-Diets] Kids are hungry when they get home from school. If you have high-fat, high-sugar, high-salt foods on handthey will eat them. Similarly, if you have healthy snacks on hand kids will eat them. These snack ideas will quell children's hunger and your hunger, too.

Making a Media Kit for Your Book
[Writing-and-Speaking:Book-Marketing] Media contacts are necessary to book sales. The goal of a media kit is to get radio, television, and print coverage for your book. This article tells how one nonfiction writer made a media kit for her book and the results it generated.

Is it Time to Put Money into Book Marketing
[Writing-and-Speaking:Public-Speaking] Writing a book is so much work that you may think you don't have to do any marketing work. This is a false idea. The author also has to work to increase sales and creating some marketing pieces is a way of doing this. In this short article one author tells about the marketing pieces she created.

Free Book Publicity: It's Out There, but You Have to Work for It
[Writing-and-Speaking:Book-Marketing] Thousands of new books are released each year and many publishers are leaving the marketing to the authors. Most authors don't have the money to hire a professional marketing firm. How can you publicize your book? You take a deep breath and go the free publicity route. These ideas will get your publicity campaign off and running.

Walking Activities for Kids
[Home-and-Family:Parenting] Walking is the easiest - and most efficient - form of exercise. Kids enjoy walking, especially when you turn it into a game. These walking activities will keep your kids moving, get them on a healthy path, and fill the day with fun.

Crustless Crab Quiche with Red Pepper and Scallions
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] When you come home from work, dog tired and ready for bed, it's hard to know what to fix for dinner. Eggs are a quick solution. This recipe for crustless crab quiche is flavorful, filling, and makes a great dinner.

Holiday Shopping: Getting the Best Bargains
[Home-and-Family:Holidays] The thought of holiday shopping can make you groan. You love the holidays, but wish they came without the hassle of finding a parking space, making your way through crowds, and finding the gifts on your list. Don't wait until the holidays to do your shopping. This author thinks you should do your shopping now and gives her practical tips for getting the best bargains.

Fast and Easy Minestrone Soup
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Weather changes affect what we wear and what we eat. When the weather socks in I think of two things: make soup or make bread. I created this recipe for Italian Minestrone Soup from food I had in my pantry, refrigerator, and freezer. It was delicious and satisfying.

Mental Illness in Children: Some Facts and Sources
[Health-and-Fitness:Mental-Health] Mental illness is a scary subject for many of us, a subject we don't want to talk about. Mental illness in children is even scarier. But many children have mental illness and, unfortunately, are not diagnosed or treated. The purpose of these facts is to alert you to mental illness and watch for it in children.

Air Travel: What's In Your Carry-On Bag?
[Travel-and-Leisure:Airline-Travel] Airline regulations are changing by the day. If you are going to be gone for several days you are probably going to bring a carry-on bag with you. To avoid delays you should pack this carry-on bag carefully. Here are some tips for safe and speedy air travel.

Freelancing: How to Keep Your Writing Engine Going
[Writing-and-Speaking:Writing] Freelance work requires a lot from writers, incuding discipline and creativity. If you are a freelance writer you have probably had times when nothing was selling, when you felt so discourage you thought of giving up. This article tells about one freelancer's self-motivating steps.

Apple Gingerbread: A Delicious Dessert, A Delicious Snack
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Cinnamon and ginger are favorite flavors around the world. This recipe for Apple Gingerbread gets its flavor from applesauce, ginger, and fresh apples. The smell of baking gingerbread will draw everyone into the kitche. This recipe makes two pans of gingerbread.

Grief: Remember Your Loved One With a Memory Cook Book
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Getting used to a world without a loved one is difficult. You must find ways to accept this hole in your life and move forward. Some families have made memory books about their loved ones. This author made a memory cook book and gave it to her relatives for Christmas. Her simple gift was the hit of the season. This article provides easy directions for making your own memory cook book.

A Writer's Life: Getting Yourself Unstuck
[Writing-and-Speaking:Writing] Some writers believe in writer's block and some don't. This writer is in the don't category. When this health and wellness writer hits a brick wall she takes four steps to help herself. These four steps have helped one writer and may help you. Read them now.

Cell Phone Conversations: What Do They Say About You?
[Communications:Mobile-Cell-Phone] Do you love your cell phone? You're not alone. Many of us couldn't get through the day without talking on our cell phones. But public conversations are getting out of hand. Think about the people around you before you say "hello" and carry on a conversation.

Communication: The Things We Say in a Day
[Communications] So many words are spoken in a day that we may not be aware of the messages of our words. When we are talking to people we may also be distracted. This article describes a casual conversation that changed the author's life. What do you say in a day?

Food Processor French Bread With Italian Herbs
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Admit it. Bread is your downfall. The minute you smell homemade bread you reach for the knife and butter. As delicious as it looks, restaurant bread can be disappointing. To get quality bread you may have to bake your own. This recipe will produce crusty French in record time.

Mrs. Pinchpenny's Tips for Saving Money and Sticking to a Budget
[Home-and-Family:Elder-Care] If you are addicted to the home and garden network, you know many Americans are messy and have too much stuff. They also don't have a clue about saving money. This article contains money-saving tips from a grandmother who isn't afraid to call herself "Mrs. Pinchpenny." Using her tips today will give you more money for tomorrow.

Walking Program: 15 Ways to Stay on the Fitness Path
[Health-and-Fitness:Exercise] Health Clubs have many members who start out with the best of intentions and then their intentions wane. Before long, going to the health club is a sometime activity, not a regular activity. Your walking program may be the same way. Though you started out strong you now walk occasionally. How can you get back on the fitness path? This article tells you how in just a few words.

Orange-Blueberry Breakfast Bread: A Delicious Way to Start Your Day
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] There are probably some excellent bakeries in your town. This Orange-Blueberry Breakfast Bread is so good your family will think it came from a bakery. It combines the tang of fresh orange juice with the last summer blueberries. Stir up a batch of bread today!

Do You Have Rosacea?
[Health-and-Fitness:Skin-Care] Most Americans don't know what rosacea is, how to spot it, and how to treat it. Yet 14 million Americans have this chronic skin condition. Learn about rosacea from a health writer who has it and has learned to live with it.

Buying Healthy Foods for Your Freezer
[Health-and-Fitness:Nutrition] It's nice to be able to grab something from the freezer when you don't have time to shop or get home late from work. A well-stocked freezer gives you a jump-start on meals. This food and health writer reveals what is in her freezer.

Stocking a Healthy Pantry: What is on Your Shelves?
[Health-and-Fitness:Nutrition] Most radio and TV cooking shows have talked about a well-stocked pantry, but fewer have talked about the healthy pantry. This health and food writer reveals what is on her shelves. Use her list to sock your own healthy pantry.

Choosing the Right Pots for Your Plants
[Home-and-Family:Gardening] Plants look best in flower pots that enhance their appearance and growth. This article contains tips for choosing flower pots for indoor plants, deck plants, and container gardens.

Alzheimer's: Why Caring for a Loved One is a Full-Time Job
[Home-and-Family:Elder-Care] You may be so busy caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's disease that you don't see the scope of your tasks. This article tells why caregiving is a full-time job. After you've read this article give yoursef a pat on the back.

Smart Shopping: 25 Ways to Slash Your Grocery Bills
[Food-and-Drink:Cooking-Tips] Grocery shopping can be tiring and expensive. These tips will not only speed you through the grocery store, they will lower your weekly bills. Best of all, you will eat like royalty.

Spinach Salad with Mandarin Oranges and Candied Walnuts
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Sometimes you come across a recipe and make it your own. That's what this author did with a raspberry salad dressing recipe she found a dozen years ago. She added jam to the recipe instead of sugar and substituted seased pepper for plain. Looking for a five-star salad recipe? Look no more because this is it!

Fresh Strawberry Pie with Chocolate Drizzle
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] The sight and smell of fresh strawberries is enough to make anyone sigh. Pair pair fresh strawberries with chocolate you'll sigh even louder. The author, a former food writer, has lightened up the classic fresh strawberry pie recipe with delectable results.

Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Chopped Salad with Gorgonzola Cheese
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Chopped salad is appearing on more restaurant menus. Have you eaten chopped salad at a restaurant and wished you could make it at home? Wish no more, because this chopped salad is superb. Eating this crunchy, satisfying salad is like eating a BLT sandwich without the bread. Enjoy!

The Anticipatory Grief of Dementia
[Home-and-Family:Elder-Care] Dementia can be a difficult medical condition for caregivers. This article tells about one caregiver's experiences with her mother and how she adapted her tactics to meet her mother's changing needs. If you're a caregiver this article is a must read!

Alzheimer's Disease: Responding to Sundowning
[Home-and-Family:Elder-Care] Sundowning is late afternoon confusion in people with memory disease. Because sundowning is many behaviors, not just one, it can be difficult for caregivers to handle. What can caregivers do? Here are some practical ideas for health professionls and families.

Moving Your Loved One to Assisted Living: 10 Tips for a Smooth Transition
[Home-and-Family:Elder-Care] As the population ages an increasing number of people are moving to assisted living. Moving is always stressful, but moving a loved one who doesn't want to move is even more so. Here are the steps one family followed to ease their father's transition.

Lyme Disease Alert: I was Bitten by a Tic and You Could Be Too
[Health-and-Fitness] Lyme disease occurrs in many parts of the U.S. So-called deer tics are the carriers of the disease and if there are deer in your area there are tics in your area. This author describes her tic bite, her treatment, and how you can prevent Lyme disease.

Destination: The Mall of America
[Travel-and-Leisure] The Mall of America, located just outside of Minneapolis, MN, is the largest mall in the nation. It has become a major tourist attraction and attracts visitors from around the world. To get the most from your visit you should do some planning beforehand. Read these tips from a Minnesota resident and mall visitor.

Medical Check-Up - What Does Your Doctor Need From You?
[Health-and-Fitness:Medicine] The calendar says you have an appointment with your doctor soon. How can you make the most of this visit? Doing your homework will help things to go smoothly. Read this article before you go to the doctor.

Writing: Turning Your Rejections into Sales
[Writing-and-Speaking:Book-Marketing] Rejection. No writer wants to be rejected, but we are, time and again. Rejection slips are part of writing. Fortunately, there are proven ways to turn your rejection slips into sales. Read on!

A Beginning Writer's Book Shelf
[Writing-and-Speaking:Writing] Whether you're a published writer or new to the field, you need resources to back you up. Resources not only help writers to write, but they can keep writers out of trouble. Do you have these resources on your book shelf?

Conference Smarts: Making the Most of Your Time and Money
[Business] What's the difference between a super conference and a "so-so" conference? It may be you. Being prepared for a conference will help you to get the most from it. This author cites the 12 things she does to get the most from conferences.

I Was Going To Write That!
[Writing-and-Speaking:Writing] After 27 years of writing I've decided that writers can't stop themselves from doing it. Writing is part of our nature. But responses to our work may be surprising. This nonfiction writer describes some of the responses she has received.

Fettuccine With Fresh Tomatoes, Basil and Artichoke Hearts
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Nothing beats a red, ripe, fresh summer tomato. Some people love summer tomatoes so much they eat them like apples. You'll enjoy summer and tomatoes when you fix this Italian recipe. Tomatoes and Artichokes. What could be better?

Identity Theft: How to Protect Yourself When You Travel
[Legal:Identity-Theft] Identity theft is now the fastest growing crime in America. Though you look like an "average" person, identity thieves may be watching you. This article tells you how to protect yourself when you're away from home.

Reactions to My Weight Loss
[Health-and-Fitness:Weight-Loss] All of us say things without thinking, things that hurt others. What do you say to a person who has lost weight? Read this article and learn what you shouldn't say and what you should.

Fashion: Bring Back the Basics
[Shopping-and-Product-Reviews:Fashion-Style] Grocery stores discount merchandise to attract customers and now department stores are doing the same thing. But discounted merchandise isn't necessarily purchased merchandise. This author tells why fashion designers need to bring back the basics.

Should You Hire a Landscape Designer?
[Home-Improvement:Landscaping-Outdoor-Decorating] Hiring a landscape designer costs money, but it may save you money in the long run. Landscape designers can plan a garden to suite your property, home, and climate. This article describes the author's personal experience with a landscape designer.

Taking Care of Wicker Furniture
[Home-Improvement:Interior-Design-and-Decorating] The popularity of wicker furniture seems to be increasing by the day. Wicker goes with modern design, Early American design, antiques, and rustic furniture. Following these care tips will keep your wicker looking good for years.

Helping Kids Beat the Boredom Blues
[Home-and-Family:Parenting] Every parent or grandparent has heard the words, "I'm bored." This statement is usually accompanied by a sigh or groan. When kids say they're bored they're really looking for ideas. We can help by giving them suggestions and keeping materials on hand. Here are some suggestions for helping kids to beat the boredom blues.

A Traveler's Medical and First Aid Checklist
[Travel-and-Leisure] Just the thought of a trip is exciting. You start to think about the clothes you need and the suitcases you will pack them in. Your medical and first aid needs are equally important. Nothing spoils a trip faster than forgetting medicine and/or equipment. This checklist will help you to pack wisely.

Orange Marmalade Cake With Mixed Berries (A Sugar-Free Recipe)
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Even if you're watching what you eat you want dessert. You don't have to feel guilty about eating this Orange Marmalade Cake With Mixed Berries. The cake is sweet, tangy, and the perfect companion to summer's bounty.

New News From Old Cook Books
[Health-and-Fitness:Nutrition] For many of us, going into a used book store is like going on a treasure hunt. The book categories reveal the customers' interests: maritime history, the Civil War, World War II, aviation, gardening, cooking and more. Old as they are, some vintage cook books contain "new" health news. Read this article to find out what this news is.

What Does A Speaker Do When Everything Goes Wrong?
[Writing-and-Speaking:Public-Speaking] If you're a speaker you have worries. You may worry about Power Point not working, or arriving late at a conference, and other things. Things can and do go wrong. This author tells about her talk at a conference where lots of things went wrong and turned out right.

Checkerboard Decorating: How to "Jump" Your Furniture From Place to Place
[Home-Improvement:Interior-Design-and-Decorating] Decorating shows are popping up on television faster than weeds. Some shows focus on getting a home ready to sell. Other shows focus on decorating a few rooms. Still others focus on "to go" decorating, furniture that moves with you. But there aren't any shows about Checkerboard Decorating, a plan that stems from the author's experience.

How Can Retailers Get Customer Loyalty?
[Business:Customer-Service] Every retailer wants customers to come into the store and come back again. But this author thinks customer loyalty is waning. The question is, why? Read her essay about her latest shopping experiences.

Helping Someone (Like Me) Who Has a Hearing Loss
[Health-and-Fitness] The world is a noisy place. Unfortunately, noise pollution, heredity, swimmer's ear, a ruptured eardrum and aging may cause a hearing loss. One or your relatives or friends may have a hearing loss and wear a hearing aid. Communicating with this person can be hard, but these tips will foster clear communication.

Cheese Souffle: How and Why I Ate One a Day
[Food-and-Drink:Cooking-Tips] Cooks have been making cheese souffle for centuries. But cheese souffle is high in fat. Could I come up with a healthy version of the classic recipe? The author, a former food writer and current health writer, tells about her souffle antics.

Healthy Weight: Do I Want a Portion or a Serving?
[Health-and-Fitness:Nutrition] After putting so much effort into losing weight you don't want to blow it. This health writer doesn't want to blow it either. Every day I ask myself, "Do I want a portion or a serving?" Answering this question has helped me to maintain a healthy weight for years. Read this article and get the inside scoop.

Sole Poached in White Wine: Worthy of Monet's Table
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] In addition to being a gifted artist, Claude Monet was a food connoisseur. He loved fish and "Monet's Table: The Cooking Journals of Claude Monet" contains many fish recipes. Sole Filets in Veron Sauce is one of them and, like many other recipes of the time, calls for lots of butter, egg yolks, and cream. This recipe for Sole Poached in White Wine is better for you, filled with flavor, and worthy of Monet's table.

Spring Cleaning: New Twist on an Old Tradition
[Home-and-Family] Years ago everyone did spring cleaning. Some housewives did it themselves and others had it done for them. You may not do any spring cleaning, this old idea has merit. Find out why.

Alzheimer's: Creating a Safe, Soothing Place for Your Loved One
[Health-and-Fitness:Alternative] Bold colors are an interior design trend, but this trend can be upsetting for those who have Alzheimer's disease. How do you decorate for someone with this disease? This article details 12 actions steps you may take to keep your loved one safe and feeling secure.

The Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid: A Way To Live Your Life
[Health-and-Fitness:Weight-Loss] For decades now, Mayo Clinic has been deluged with calls about the so-called Mayo Clinic Diet. Fact is, there is no such diet, it's an urban myth. However, Mayo has devised The Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid, a nutrition and physical activity plan that helps you to lose weight and keep a healthy weight. Read about it here.

Helping a Friend Who is Coping With Anticipatory Grief
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Friends enrich our lives in many ways. You may have a friend who is coping with anticipatory grief. Your friendship was precious before, but it's even more precious now. How can you help a grieving friend? This article has nine "tried and true" suggestions.

Dizziness and Vertigo: Two Symptoms You Shouldn't Ignore
[Health-and-Fitness] When you don't agree with people you may say they have rocks in their heads. Actually, humans have rocks in their heads, tiny calcium crystals deep inside the ears. These crystals help us to keep our balance. But the crystals can shake loose and cause Benign Paroxysmal Vertigo (BPPV). Suddenly, life is topsy turvy. BPPV strikes adults and kids and this article tells you what you can do about it.

The Best Meat Loaf in the World
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] After the sugary cookies, after the rich eggnog, after the holiday over eating, it's nice to get back to simple food. Meat loaf is simple food, but it's also comfort food. So, in the spirit of giving, I'm sharing this recipe with you. I think it's the best meat loaf in the world.

Holiday Toys: How Can You Tell the Good From the Bad?
[Home-and-Family:Holidays] Buying toys for kids is fun. But having a child injured by a toy is far from fun. In 2002 more than 212,000 U.S. children were treated in emergency rooms for toy-related injuries. Don't let this happen to your child. These buying tips will help you to choose fun, safe, and age-appropriate toys.

Oyster Stew: A Healthier Holiday Recipe
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Families around the world eat oysters at holiday time. The original recipe for oyster stew - oysters, butter, cream, salt and pepper - came from England. It's a tasty recipe, but not very heart healthy. I swapped healther ingredients for less healthy ones and came up with Updated Oyster Stew - a tasty, less caloric version of the old classic. You'll want to make Updated Oyster Stew a new holiday tradition.

Holiday Gifts From the Heart: 15 Gift Ideas for You and Your Kids
[Home-and-Family:Holidays] Holiday shopping can be a hassle, especially when you don't have any gift ideas. These ideas will make your shopping easier. Better yet, these ideas are inexpensive, thoughtful, and heartfelt.

Need a Quick, Tasty Meal? Open a Can of Tomatoes
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Canned tomato products - sauce, paste, stewed tomatoes, and puree - just keep getting better. New studies suggest that canned tomato products are good for your health because they contain lycopene, a cancer-fighting chemical. So stock up on canned tomato products and try these recipes today.

Talk to Your Teens About Sex
[Home-and-Family:Parenting] Teens are bombarded with sexual messages every day: sex scenes on television, sexy song lyrics, and back hall conversations at school. The sexual bombardment is so vast that your kids may have trouble sorting fact from fiction. Wouldn't you rather be the one to tell your teens about sex? These facts will get the conversation going, and hopefully, keep it going.

Paying for Print on Demand (or How a Tea Set Led me to Amazon)
[Writing-and-Speaking:Book-Marketing] Print on demand (POD), a hybrid of self-publishing and technology, is one of the hottest trends in publishing. POD makes it possible for established writers to publish unique books and new authors to see their work in print. Problem is, you have to come up with the cash. Read this story and learn how a family heirloom led me to Amazon.

Talk to Your Kids About Marijuana
[Home-and-Family:Parenting] Marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug in the U.S. Today's marijuana is very different from the marijuana of 10-20 years ago. According to recent medical studies, heavy users risk "protracted" brain damage. Don't let your kids get sucked into the downward drug spiral. Share these marijuana facts with them today!

Anticipatory Grief Symptoms: What's the Big Deal?
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Anticipatory grief is one of those things you don't think about until it happens to you. Then you think about it all the time. Anticipatoy grief symptoms ARE a big deal and this article tells why.

Anticipatory Grief and Holidays: 12 Survival Tips
[Health-and-Fitness:Depression] Holidays are something else to worry about for those who are experiencing anticipatory grief. You may be one of these people. "How am I going to get through this?" you ask. Read this article and learn 12 ways to help yourself. You'll survive the holidays with a smile!

Aging: Does it Have Any Benefits?
[Health-and-Fitness:Anti-Aging] Young people are revered in America and older people are considered senile, if they're considered at all. But the day comes when there are more candles on your birthday cake or a question mark candle. The life question: Are there any good things about aging? This active grandmother and writer tells about the blessings in her life.

Calcium: Are You Getting Your Cs?
[Health-and-Fitness:Nutrition] "Drink your milk," our parents said. We tell our kids the same thing. But many children and adults aren't getting the calcium they need. Osteoporosis is now a pediatric and geriatric disease. Eating enough calcium is one solution to this problem. This article tells how you can get your Cs.

Got Food Serving Smarts?
[Health-and-Fitness:Weight-Loss] Hard as we try, many of us are not reaching our healthy weight goal or maintaining it. Why? We don't know the difference between portion size and serving size. What's more, we don't know how to calculate "normal" servings. These tips will help you to calculate food servings and enjoy restaurant meals. You don't have to stop eating out, just bring your "serving smarts" with you.

Boring Dinner? Save It With Sauce
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] It's easy to get into a meal planning rut and keep on serving the same meals. These sauce recipes will get you out of the rut and turn good food into fabulous food. You can make all of the sauces - Warm Apple-Cinnamon Sauce, Rum Sauce With Raisins, Low-Fat Alfredo Sauce, and Savory Curry Sauce - in minutes. Stir up a sauce today!

Jazz Up Your Meals With Almonds
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Almonds have been eaten for centuries Their unique flavor turns everyday food into special food. Put almonds - whole, sliced, or pure extract - on your grocery list today. Then enjoy these recipes for Curried Almond Soup, Almond-Apricot Granola, and Chinese Almond Cookies.

The Art of Saying "No"
[Arts-and-Entertainment] Saying "no" is hard for adults and kids alike. Some of us have so much troulbe saying "no" that we say "yes." But learning to say "no" is a necessary life skill. Can you learn to say "no" without feeling guilty? Yes, and this article tells you how to do it.

10 Ways to Maintain Your Healthy Weight
[Health-and-Fitness:Weight-Loss] Two words - vacations and holidays - set off alarm bells if you're trying to maintain a healthy weight. You're not going to give vacations and holidays, so what can you do? I developed a my own healthy weight plan, including tips from Harvard University's School of Public Health. Thanks to these tips, I got back to my healthy weight and they may help you to do the same.

Eating Healthy? Get Out the Cast Iron Skillet
[Food-and-Drink:Cooking-Tips] You may think you need high-tech appliances to fix healthy meals. Think again. Cast iron skillets are making a comeback and for good reasons. Get with it and get healthy. Use a cast iron skillet to fix healthy meals for yourself and your family.

Mmm, Mmm Muffins: Healthier Recipes for You
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Warm muffins are a treat, a treat you may bypass because you're eating healthy. But you can eat muffins if you swap a few ingredients. These recips for Apple Cinnamon Muffins, Sweet Corn Muffins, and Orange-Blueberry Muffins are easy to make and, better yet, give you a chance to add more grains and fruits to your diet. I bet you can smell the cinnamon already!

Biscotti - A Sweet Treat and Loving Gift
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Biscotti (twice-baked Italian cookies)are a sweet treat around the world. But Biscotti are pricy. Solution? Save lots of dough by rolling your own dough. These recipes for Cappuccino and Lemon Biscotti are a sweet treat for you and a great gift idea for friends. Your Biscotti gifts will be so welcome your friends will ask for more!

Volunteerism: 10 Questions to Answer Before You Agree to Anything
[News-and-Society] Many agencies, organizations, and church groups rely on volunteers to carry out missions and balance budgets. If you're going to give away your time and talents you should feel good about it. Answering these 10 questions beforehand will help you have a happy volunteer experience.

Online Dictionaries: A Universe of Words
[Writing-and-Speaking:Writing] Dictionaries are changing faster than we can say "A,B,C." Today's online dictionaries are packed with definitions, quirky facts, unusual symbols, and more. Looking for an armchair adventure? Visit online dictionaries and explore the universe of words.

Coffee Dessert With Coffee: What a Pair!
[Food-and-Drink:Coffee] You may think the coffee craze is new, but chefs have used coffee as a flavor enhancer for years. I love coffee and I love to cook, so I decided to add coffee to some classic dessert recipes. The results are so sweet and satisfying you'll want to make these recipes time and again. What could be better than a coffee dessert with a cup of "Joe?"

Don't Be a Worry Wort!
[Self-Improvement:Stress-Management] Worry, it's part of being human. Worry is the mind's way of alerting you, forcing you to solve problems, and keeping something awful from happening. The trick is to manage worry. Problems can arise if you worry too much. These tips will help you control worry before it controls you. Don't be a worry wort!

Book Talks: What to Say and How to Say It
[Writing-and-Speaking:Book-Marketing] Organizations, service clubs, and community groups are always looking for speakers. Better yet, an author who is willing to speak about his or her latest book. But talented authors aren't necessarily talented speakers. What can you say about your book? How can you say it? These tips will help you to give a successful book talk.

Marketing Your Book on Radio
[Writing-and-Speaking:Book-Marketing] Think you an sit back, relax, and wait for royalties now that your book is in print? Well, think again. As many authors have discovered, publishers don't have the money to push every book. It's up to the author to boost sales, and many are choosing radio. Why?

Fresh Fruit: The Sweet, Healthy Dessert
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] Love high calorie desserts but can't give them up? You're not alone. Instead of foods loaded with fat and sugar you may choose fresh fruit for dessert. These fruit dessert recipes look good, taste good, and are good for you. Make extra, because you'll need it!

Soy Protein: Hidden Ingredient, Hidden Danger
[Food-and-Drink] Soy. You've seen the word, heard the claims, and think it's healthy. Though soy is healthy for some, it's harmful for those who are allergic to it. Soy protein (concentrated soy) is especially harmful, at times dangerous. Are you allergic to soy protein?

Why Don't We Talk About Anticipatory Grief?
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Anticipatory grief is a feeling of loss before a death or dreaded event occurs. All of us go through it, but we don't talk about it much, and struggle alone. The struggle would be easier if we shared our worries. Why don't we talk about anticipatory grief?

10 Tips for Fixing Heart Healthy Recipes
[Food-and-Drink:Recipes] More Americans are eating restaurant meals and ordering take-out, decisions that lead to overeating and weight gain. When you fix meals at home YOU are in charge of the ingredients and servings. Home cooked meals are cheaper, too. These tips will turn less healthy recipes into heart healthy ones.

Walking: It's Never Too Late to Lose Weight!
[Health-and-Fitness:Weight-Loss] Even health-conscious people gain weight. If you've put on 10 or more pounds you may think it's too late to take action. But it's never too late to lose weight and walking is one of the best ways to do it. I'm a grandmother and if I can shed 25 pounds you can, too.

Exercise: How To Keep Your Kids Moovin' and Groovin'
[Health-and-Fitness:Exercise] One out of five American kids is obese and the numbers keep going up. Lack of exercise is one reason for the obesity epidemic. Kids can play outside when the weather is good. What can they do when the weather is bad? These indoor activities will keep your kids moovin' and groovin'.

Print On Demand Questions
[Internet-and-Businesses-Online:Ezine-Publishing] Print on demand (POD), a cross between self-publishing and digital technology, is a hot publishing trend. Your book will be printed within weeks, but POD is still a gamble. Answering these questions before you sign with a POD publisher will save you money and angst.

Terrorism Worries: 10 Ways to Turn Fear into Hope
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] September 11th changed America and chances are it changed you. Images of that tragic day pop into your mind without warning and you have a constant feeling of anxiety. Awful questions come to mind as well. What can you do? Fortunately, there are steps you can take to turn your fear into hope.