It's hard to believe the holidays are upon us, but it
sure is exciting! The holidays also bring lots of stress and headaches
for many people.
We'd like to help our readers and clients realize that
there is a better way. I heard it put beautifully recently: when you
work with us, you're not buying services, you're buying TIME. And what
better gift to give yourself?
As always, we want to help you keep your life in
balance, and to be on call for you when you need us.
Ellen Lovelace, Founder and President
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November Calendar
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10
U.S. Marine Corps Day
On this date
in 1775 the Second Continental Congress voted to raise 2 battalions of
Continental Marines, thus marking the birth of the Corps. Semper
Fidelis!
11
Veterans' Day
Veteran's Day
is a federal holiday honoring men and women who have served in the armed
forces. In 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11th as Armistice
Day to commemorate the end of World War I, which took place at the 11th
hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month. Congress changed the name to
Veteran's Day in 1954. Raise the flag, pause to reflect, then hug your
favorite veteran today!
20 Great
American Smokeout
Are you
thinking about quitting smoking? Today's the day! Sponsored by the
American Cancer Society, it's an opportunity to join millions of other
smokers in saying "no thanks" to cigarettes for 24 hours.
Please, please, please stop smoking! Click here for tools and ideas about
how to quit smoking for good!
No way to give you the full story here: pilgrims,
Indians, harvests, celebrations, turkeys...the list goes on. Just eat
until you're full, and take time to be thankful for all the joy in your
life. (Oh, and take it easy--the average person eats over 4000 calories
on Thanksgiving Day!!)
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Accentuate the Positive
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At Thanksgiving, many
families make a tradition of going around the table and having each
person say one thing they are grateful for. While this is a lovely
idea--and the little ones' responses can be a real hoot--why not try to
extend the concept of gratitude into your life year-round? Gratitude
helps you keep perspective, remember those around you, and avoid taking
things for granted.
Acknowledge and appreciate what you have. Avoid
complaining and criticizing, and instead focus on being thankful and accepting.
This can really help you form positive relationships with the people
around you.
It's better to give than to receive. Doing
something for someone else is both uplifting and rewarding. If you
don't have time for a long-term volunteer commitment, try purchasing
holiday gifts for a needy family through a local agency, or sending a
care package to a military serviceperson overseas.
Money can't buy happiness. It's true--studies
have proven that experiences provide much more happiness long-term than
possessions do. Instead of being an out-of-control consumer, try
directing your energies to spending meaningful time with loved ones.
The memories you create will bring you much more happiness--and
therefore gratitude--over time.
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Come on Baby, Light my Fire
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As the weather cools down and we spend more time
indoors, many of us like to burn candles for a warm, inviting
atmosphere. Candles can transform a room, but be sure to pick quality
ones to keep from getting burned.
Paraffin
candles are the most common, tend to be inexpensive, and release scent
into the room very well. Paraffin is derived from petroleum.
Beeswax candles
are more expensive, as it is time-consuming to extract the wax from
beehives. Beeswax has the longest burn time.
Soy
wax candles burn more slowly than paraffin and are usually cheaper than
beeswax. Soy is said to burn more cleanly than paraffin.
Blended
wax candles feature two or more waxes, in an effort to cut costs. These
candles can be unpredictable in their habits.
Wicks
are actually the most important part of the candle. Look for a tightly
knitted or braided wick, which draws the wax up to the flame slowly.
Always keep the wick trimmed to ¼" to avoid smoking.
To prolong your candle's life, the first time you light it you should
allow it to burn one hour for each inch of diameter. This allows it to
develop a large pool and use the most wax possible, thereby extending
your burn time.
(Some
information from Real
Simple, October, 2007)
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You Can Do THAT For Me?!
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Folks are often stunned to
find out about some recent task we handled. So, every so often we'll
tell you about something interesting we've done. It might spark an idea
for how we can help YOU!
Recently, we heard from a mom
in Southern California who has a son attending college in our area. He
had the flu, and his friends had rallied around to take care of him. As
a result, mom wanted to have a "nursing-themed" care package
hand-delivered as a thank you.
We created a terrific box filled with delicious items: fresh fruit,
chocolate-covered nuts, cheeses, and crackers and breads, among others.
We also added cold and flu medications, along with a toy stethoscope
and doctor's scrubs. And we wrote the thank-you note on a roll of
bandages! Everything was wrapped up and delivered by hand to the dorm.
Mom, her son, and his friends were all thrilled.
Do you know a college student who could use a little TLC? Whether
they're in our neighborhood or across the country, we have the
resources to deliver a treat that can ease exam time and help with a
case of homesickness.
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