Breeze

Breeze Magazine 1www.breezemagazine.com

Food Freedom

Form a healthier

relationship with your food

Go International in the USA

Breeze

How I learnedto love myself

My Me Date

reasons to take

control of your life

5

Balance Your Energy

EquationsHow to do without

sleep + more!

Magazine

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Make your every book wish come true.

Make your every book wish come true. Marvin K. Gardner

Erica Berrett

Laura Warner

Karen Krueger

Michelle Mangum

Saramarie Smith

Caitlin Giauque

Melissa Richardson

Amber Ridings

Erin Frehner

Celeste Zsembery

Angela Carter

AmiCheri Mason

Amber Ridings

Michelle Mangum

Rachel Thomas

Sean Johnson

Saramarie Smith

Erica Berrett

Angela Carter

Erin Frehner

Caitlin Giauque

Karen Krueger

Michelle Mangum

AmiCheri Mason

Melissa Richardson

Amber Ridings

Saramarie Smith

Rachel Thomas

Laura Warner

Celeste Zsembery

Breeze Magazine

Breeze Magazine was produced as a group project for English Language 430R, “Editing for Publication,” the capstone class of the editing minor at Brigham Young University. The views expressed in this publication are solely the views of the authors and in no way represent the views or opinions of Brigham Young University. All ads in this issue are fictitious. Printed by MagCloud.

Copyright 2009 by Marvin K. Gardner, 4045 JFSB, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 84602

Editor in Chief

Managing Editor

Assistant Managing Editor

Senior Editors

Associate Editors

Copyeditor

Art Director

Senior Designer

Designers

Photographer

Production Director

Advisor

Business Manager

Staff Writers, Editors,

and Designers

Going RawWould you eat nothing but raw food for four months?

Backyard VacationsTour Your Town

March2010

Well-Being

Features

Travel

Challenge You“Life’s a gym. Work it out.”

Ready, Set, Travel!Leave Your Baggage at Home

Car Tips 101How to Change Your Own Tire

Gym ClassZumba: Ditch that Boring Workout! Join the Party!

Cliché CheerEnjoy the sweetness of every day

My Me DateHow I Learned to Love Myself

7

Drop It5 Reasons to Take Control of Your Life

16

20

23

24

11

15

18

19

Food FreedomForm a Healthier Relationship with Your Food

58

Find cities with international flair in your very own USA

25 Go International in the USA

Sleep + Food + Exercise = Energy.

12 Balance Your Energy Equations

Make Taxes Less TaxingYour easiest filing year yet

Think Outside the Gift BoxBaby Shower Gifts

Breeze Magazine

Home

Finance

Clutter BusterHelp! My Memorabilia Are Showing

Hints for Home

Four-Ingredient Recipes

Make It CountFun for $5

Design CentsLiven Up Your Living Room

Financial TalkInvesting Defined

Penny PinchersSnip & Save

Budget Know-How

Entertain Your GuestsSt. Patrick’s Day Style

34

36

38

43

42

29

49

53

55

56

How simple does it get?

Household Tips from A to Z

6 March 2010

Dear Breeze Magazine reader,

Ahh, winter is nearly over and I’m looking forward to spring. I’m starting to get tired of my jackets—even the

ones I just bought this season. This issue of Breeze Magazine is full of articles that are very timely for me. As

the weather warms, I’m working to simplify my relationships, travel, and home. I hope that this issue will offer

you as much help as it is giving me.

Last week I went on a blind date with Kevin. The date was fun, but I felt like Kevin and I weren’t on the same

page: we probably won’t be going on a second date—just no chemistry. In fact, by the end of the evening, I

thought my date would have been better as a “Me Date” (page 7). However, Kevin, whom I didn’t even give my

phone number to, found me on Facebook, requested me as a friend, and asked me on a date through a message.

My problem is that I can’t say no, so instead I simply said that I was busy with Breeze Magazine deadlines until

the middle of the month. Kevin countered by saying he understood, but he asked if we could do something

after the deadlines were finished. Hmmm. Maybe I’ll have to find the courage to say no using the advice given

in “Drop It: 5 Reasons to Take Control of your Life” (page 16).

London. Paris. Rome. I love traveling to all of these

cities, and I’m beginning to plan my summer vacation. But

this year it doesn’t look like a Europe trip will fit into my

budget. You may be foregoing your international vacation

this year as well. Look at “Go International in Your Own

Country” (page 25) for ideas on how to make the most of

your travel time in the good old United States. This month

our “Ready, Set, Travel!” department presents a “Travel

Countdown” (page 20) that will also help you as you begin

to work on your summer travel plans.

So, it’s just about time for spring cleaning. This is both my

favorite and least favorite activity of spring. It’s a lot of fun

to go through everything I have collected throughout the

year—I’m very sentimental, so I tend to keep everything

from empty boxes of gum to shopping bags that I like. I

put everything in boxes in the closet so that I can keep my

home looking neat. But once a year, I buckle down and clear

out the clutter. I think Spring Cleaning 2010 will be the best

yet because of the tips that I will implement from “Help! My

Memorabilia Are Showing” (page 49).

Join me as I simplify.

Letter from the editor

Erica BerretManaging Editor, Breeze Magazine


My Me Date:

How I Learned

to Love

Myself

W hen I arrived at the restaurant, I started to feel awkward. I worried everyone was looking at me

and thinking what a loser I was for being out alone on a Friday night. After taking a quick glance

around, I realized that no one was looking and that no one really cared. And why would they? With

newfound assurance, I strolled confidently to the counter and placed my order. Then came the crucial question: “Is

this for here or to go?” Normally I order things to go when I’m alone; somehow it has always seemed so much more

respectable to be ordering takeout alone than to be eating in a restaurant alone. But this time I responded, “For here.”

by Michelle Mangum

8 March 2010

Oscar Wilde once wrote, “To love oneself is the

beginning of a lifelong romance.” We all long for

such a romance, but many of us are so skilled in the

art of self-deprecation that we don’t even like our-

selves, let alone love ourselves. As women, we often

save our harshest criticism for ourselves, slowly whit-

tling away our self-esteem until all that’s left is a little

hole where our dignity used to be.

I used to be such a woman. Though I progressed

relatively happily from day to day, took pleasure

in my work, and enjoyed spending time with my

friends and family, those moments of self-doubt al-

ways crept in when I found myself going through a

difficult time. During one particularly try-

ing time, I completely gave in to my in-

ner critic and began the quick descent

into self-contempt. When my friends

tried to build me up, I brought them

down instead. There was nothing they

could say to make me believe that I

was smart, talented, or in any way “totally

awesome.” So I stopped listening to them.

Then one day, a friend caught me off guard with

what seemed like a completely ridiculous sugges-

tion: take yourself on a date. My reaction was a mix

of amusement and curiosity, so I asked my friend

what such a date would entail. She simply said to get

some food, do something fun, and spend some qual-

ity time with myself. She promised me that I would

learn a lot about myself and challenged me to follow

through. I agreed but soon forgot the whole thing.

I forgot, that is, until the following weekend, when

I found myself home alone with nothing to do. My

friends were all out on dates, and I was jealous. I

wanted to go out too. It was then that my friend’s

advice came knocking like an unwelcome visitor. So

I asked myself, Why not take myself on a date? What

am I going to do instead? That was all it took to get

me off the couch, into a cute outfit, and out the door.

I had mentally planned my “me date” as I quickly got

dressed and ready to go. My plan was to get a Steak ’n’

Cheese sandwich at The Italian Place, go see the latest

Sandra Bullock flick, and then come back home to

treat myself to some ice cream. After all, this date was

about what I wanted to do. I decided I deserved a good

meal, a good laugh, and a good helping of chocolate.

I sat in the restaurant eating my sandwich and think-

ing about the purpose of going on a “me date.” As

I allowed my thoughts and my eyes to wander, a

couple in the restaurant caught my attention. The guy

was too absorbed in his own long-winded speech to

notice the look of bored annoyance on his date’s

face. I turned away and chuckled to myself,

thinking, I guess she can add “dull” to

his list of qualities. And then it struck

me. The whole purpose of going on a

date is to get to know a guy better, to

discover what you do and don’t like

about him. The light came on, and I

decided to figure out what I did and didn’t

like about myself. At this point, my “me date”

finally took off.

I sat at my small table in comfortable solitude, pol-

ishing off a bag of Cheetos and making a mental list

of my good and bad qualities. I decided to start with

the good. It took me a second to get started, but once

I had a couple of positive characteristics it became

easier. Maybe I do like myself, I decided. Okay, now

it’s time for the bad things. Just be honest with your-

self; don’t make this a pity party. As I began to form

a realistic list of negative qualities, I found that my

faults didn’t seem so devastatingly significant after

all. The time I had spent listing my good qualities had

empowered me to approach my faults realistically

instead of berate myself because of them. Right then

I made a promise to myself to be a better me, one that

cared enough to think more positively and to make

some changes. I walked out to my car with a big smile

I was jealous.

I wanted to go out too. It was then that my friend’s advice came knock-

ing like an unwelcome visitor.


Tips for Making the Most of Your "Me Date"

Get dressed up as if you were going on a date with Matt Damon. If you

go out looking your best, chances are that you’ll feel your best and have the best time possible.

Do something you’ve always wanted to do. Quit procrastinating and take yourself

to a restaurant you’ve always wanted to try, or go see that movie you’ve been dying to see.

Take your time. Don’t allow yourself to feel rushed. The more time you put into your “me

date,” the more insight you’ll get out of it. Just remember to relax and have fun. You don’t need to

please anyone but yourself.

Be confident. If eating alone or going solo to the movies intimidates you, distract yourself so

you don’t lose your nerve. Walk into each room as if you were accompanied by your closest friends

or a hot date. Under no circumstances should you order your food to go and eat it in the car.

Don’t worry that people are watching you. Honestly, they probably aren’t. You

wouldn’t go out to dinner and ignore your date, so give yourself the same respect. Tune out the

chatting people around you and start getting to know yourself. Make a mental list of the things

you do and do not like about yourself. Be sure to start with the things you like about yourself.

Once you’ve built yourself up, you’ll be strong enough to confront the things you don’t like.

Put your thoughts into action. It does no good to get to know yourself if you aren’t

willing to use that knowledge for good. When you get home, write down the thoughts and feelings

you had about yourself as well as your goals for becoming a better you. Later on you can get your

list out and either remind yourself of all your good qualities or start working on your goals.

on my face, leaving my worries and insecurities in

the restaurant.

The rest of the date was great. The movie made me

laugh out loud; I wasn’t even concerned that the

people around me might think I was lame. And for

once I didn’t wish I had someone else to talk to; I

was completely comfortable—even happy—being

alone. I felt rejuvenated and ready to start living my

life again. It was the beginning of a new chapter, and

I haven’t looked back since.

While it’s true that as women we can be our own

harshest critics, it’s also true that we can be our

own best friends. All we need is a little bit of prac-

tice. So now I give you the challenge my friend

gave me: take yourself on a date. Whether you’re

single, dating, engaged, or married, you can ben-

efit from the experience of going on a “me date.”

You’ll be surprised how much you can learn about

you by treating yourself to a good date now and

then. Who knows? Maybe you’ll even find that

lifelong romance Wilde was talking about.

Breeze Magazine 1 1

I live a typical American

lifestyle: busy, busy, and

more busy. Previously,

I had no problem maintain-

ing a natural energy rush,

but I recently found this

magic ability waning. With

everything going on in my

life, getting seven to eight hours

of sleep was not an option, and

energy bars and drinks put me

to sleep. I needed something

that would give me constant

energy and fit easily into my

busy life.

One day, I stumbled across

the raw food diet: guaranteed

to simplify and energize your life. Raw food? I was fascinated.

The name is initially confusing and sounds kind of gross. However, it doesn’t mean swallowing raw eggs or raw

meat. It means eating foods only in their natural state and avoiding anything that needs to be cooked: meat,

eggs, bread, or even steamed vegetables. In addition to giving better energy, this lifestyle boasts simplicity: when

you don’t have to cook or bake, preparation takes only ten or fifteen minutes.

My friends were entertained: “So what are you going to live on? Apples?” I admit, when I first started, I was hazy on

the idea. My initial trip to the store consisted of a monotonous supply of apples, bananas, and carrots. However,

I soon found that the raw-food lifestyle includes incredible variety: fruits, vegetables, unroasted nuts, seeds, fresh

grains, and—depending on how strict I chose to be—some dairy products.

The truth? I was miserable at first. I felt sick for a few weeks while my body transitioned. I craved bread con-

stantly. However, within a few weeks I had more energy (and spare time) than I’d ever had. My hair was glossy,

my nails were smooth, and my acne disappeared.

Eventually, the price of winter produce and the difficulties of carrying produce for lunch without access to a

refrigerator prompted me to discontinue a strict raw-food diet, at least for a while. (Also, it was a little extreme

for me; I like my bread and oatmeal.)

Switching to a raw-food diet was challenging but rewarding. I admit that I am not quite disciplined enough for it, but

it was worth the effort. Food in its natural state provides the most accessible energy, because it doesn’t give an energy

jolt like caffeine does. But after twenty minutes, raw fruits and vegetables will bring you good, clear energy that lasts

for a long time.

G O I N G R A WW O U L D YO U E AT N O T H I N G B U T R AW F O O D F O R F O U R M O N T H S ?

by Celeste Zsembery

1 2 March 2010

Karly works in Boston at a busy healthcare facility, managing the accounting. When she goes home at night,

she has errands to run, a house to clean, a two-year-old to care for, and a book club she’s supposed to bring

her famous raspberry lemon bars to. “I love everything I do,” she remarked, “but I never seem to have

enough energy to get everything done and really enjoy it.”

Sound familiar? It seems everyone is trying to find better, cleaner sources of energy to run the world. When it comes

to running your own world, there is a simple, common-sense equation for energy. Exercise + Sleep + Food = Energy.

Ideally, you should get all three. In reality, life is incredibly busy and there is rarely time for everything. If you are really

cramped for time, you can temporarily compensate for missing one (like sleep) by being careful with the other two (food

and exercise). Let’s break these down and see what happens when you take one element out of the equation.

Exercise + Sleep = Food Energy Michelle works as the receptionist for a start-up construction company. The company is doing very well, which unfor-

tunately for Michelle means she can never leave the desk. “We’re too small to hire a second receptionist, so although I

technically get a lunch break, I never dare take it. We can’t afford to miss a client. Someone has to get the phone.” She

laughs, “You would think I would remember by now to bring lunch, but I seem to forget it every other day.”

Since she so often finds herself confronted with this dilemma, Michelle has made it her personal study to find ways to

maintain energy without the dreaded food headache. She has found that drinking water, taking short naps (with the phone

volume set high), and going for brisk walks around her office help her body maintain energy without food. These make

sense. Drinking water and moving around require zaps to your metabolism—changes to the energy status quo. Napping

rests your body and allows your metabolism to recycle and regenerate—kind of like extending life from dead batteries by

disconnecting and reconnecting them.

S LEEP

F O O D

E X E R C I S E=

++

+

BalanceYour Energy Equations

E N E R G Y

by Celeste Zsembery

Breeze Magazine 1 3www.breezemagazine.com

BalanceYour Energy EquationsOf the two other equation elements, a little exercise

is slightly more effective than sleep for combating no

food—but both definitely help. So if you find yourself on an

unexpected fast, struggling to keep energy, drink some ice

water, run up a flight of stairs, do some stretches, or take

a very short nap.

Food + Sleep = Exercise Energy Lorraine is a college student who often takes up resi-

dence in the library. Between the long hours of sed-

entary studying indoors and the forty-five-minute

commute each way to her campus, she finds there isn’t

space in her schedule for regular exercise.

Biologically, exercise speeds up your metabolism by push-

ing it to pump a little harder. Like a child without discipline,

your metabolism becomes lazy without exercise, slowing

down and processing food less efficiently. These ineffi-

ciencies block your energy from flowing smoothly and

make you more tired.

Studies from the Psychological Bulletin indicate that

even a few minutes of exercise can be more effective than

energy drinks for stimulating metabolic activity and

boosting endorphins, which provide even more energy.1

Exercise is one of the hardest of the three elements to

duplicate, since it is such a great source of energy. Tech-

nically, five minutes of exercise would be more effective

than taking ten or fifteen minutes for a nap or a snack.

However, sometimes you may be in situations where leav-

ing is not an option. Karly remarked that when she finds

a few minutes, it’s often when she is dressed up for the

office, or waiting for an important phone call, or watching

her two-year-old. Physically leaving for even a few minutes

can be difficult.

From the energy equation, a combination of naps and

well-timed eating is really the best way to compensate.

By napping, your body can de-stress and recycle your

body’s energy, helping to bring that “clean and clear” feel-

ing. When you eat smaller snacks throughout the day, you

create constant metabolic changes, pushing a drowsy

metabolism to pick up the pace.

Food + Exercise = Sleep Energy Although she does not necessarily pull all-nighters,

Karly commented that she frequently trades sleep

hours for time to do other things. “I have a million

things to do and only twenty-four hours to do it in,” she

explained, “It seems really hard to rationalize giving

seven or eight precious hours over to ‘doing nothing.’ ”

In truth, resting is incredibly important. Without sleep,

your body cannot process all the stress and demands from

a busy day, and the metabolic process becomes inefficient.

Currently, new consulting firms, such as MetroNap are

popping up in places such as New York City to help com-

panies design mandatory nap schedules for employees.

Employers say that they are seeing clear results. A twenty-

minute nap improves their employees’ performance levels

for the next three hours.2

However, sometimes there is just no chance for napping

or sleeping. In the case of Lorraine, clinicals and stud-

ies have to be done, whether she sleeps or not. Although

nothing can replace sleep, she says that strategically man-

aging her food and exercise certainly help. She takes care

not to skip meals, and she often jogs between classes for

a few minutes and does stretches at her job. Biologically,

even a few minutes of revving up your heartbeat will help

your body recirculate your oxygen and reenergize you.

Food + Sleep + Exercise = Ultimate Energy

One thing to remember in addition to not under-doing

these areas is not overdoing any of them. Oversleeping,

overexercising, and overeating can all have potentially

negative effects. Big meals, long hours at the gym, and too

much sleep can make you lethargic and listless, lessening

the energy you have available.

The equation is simple: food + exercise + sleep = energy.

For true energy, nothing really compensates for getting a

balance from all three. However, as Lorraine commented,

“sometimes you just need to know how to make a couple

really busy days work when there isn’t enough time for

them to happen.” Luckily, your amazing body has the abil-

ity to, at least temporarily, compensate in deficient areas to

still give you the energy you need. 1. Warner, Jennifer. “Exercise Fights Fatigue, Boosts Energy.” WebMD Health News. Nov 3 2006. http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20061103/exercise-fights-fatigue-boosts-energy

2. Flora, Carlin. “Nap Your Way to the Top.” Psychology Today. February 4 2008. http://www.pschologytoday.com/articles/200802/nap-your-way-the-top

Happy just got a whole lot closer.

Introducing the running shoe that goes the distance.

a Swift a www.swiftshoes.com


Happy just got a whole lot closer.

During the summer my husband and I like to go for walks around the neighborhood in the

evenings. I’m not much of a fitness buff, so these walks are usually my only source of activ-

ity—aside from all the running around I do in my hectic life.

But when the weather fluctuates between warm and cold, I find myself hibernating inside more often.

It’s funny that the season in which I’m the most sedentary is also when I stuff myself the most. And while

I respect those runners I see every morning, even in the rain, I’m simply not that dedicated.

I’ve tried those “fast and easy” exercises, but the fact is that I don’t have the time, energy, or equipment

to set aside even a half hour to work out.

Because of my busy schedule, I need exercises that I can do during my day. I thought of some of the

typical ones, like parking my car on the far end of store parking lots or always taking the stairs instead

of the elevator, but that’s all I could come up with.

Luckily, the internet is a wonderful thing. In my research, I found SqueezeItIn, a website specifi-

cally geared toward the very thing I was looking for—workouts I can do while going through my

daily routine.

The website was started by two working moms from Virginia: Jenny Hein, a group fitness instructor,

and Brigette Polmar, an author and TV journalist. Their motto is “Life’s a gym. Work it out,” and let

me tell you, they’ve come up with some creative exercises.

Some exercises are geared toward moms, like “Crayon Kicks,” a leg stretch to do while coloring with

your kids. Others are geared toward women working in an office, like “Pushing Paper,” using a ream of

printer paper to work your arms. They also suggest ways to work out while doing household chores,

watching TV, or running errands. My personal favorite is the “Hot Squats”—doing squats while blow-

drying your hair.

I’m excited to try some of these workouts during my daily routine. Feel free to join the Breeze Magazine

staff as we try to do at least one set of SqueezeItIn exercises each day.

“Life’s a gym. Work it out!”

“Challenge You” Goal of the

Month:Try to do at

least one set of SqueezeItIn

exercises each day.Report your

progress and see what other read-ers are saying at breezemagazine

.com/challengeyou

Web: SqueezeItIn.com

Twitter: twitter.com/squeezeitinFacebook:

facebook.com/pages/squeeze-It-

In/65445836228

by Karen Krueger

Ch

allenge Yo

u

16 March 2010

Jessica, a 21-year-old college student, has her plate full. She’s a full-time student who does all of her homework,

works as a teaching assistant, and tutors elementary students with learning disabilities twice a week. She’s also

a member of the humanities student council. On top of all these responsibilities, she finds herself in the middle

of an intense tug-of-war battle: roommates want her to look over their papers, a neighbor needs help with the yard,

and her mom wants her to come home for the annual Onion Days celebration. Jessica tries to make everyone happy

but ends up feeling completely miserable. “Sometimes I wish I could hide from everybody else and do something for

myself,” she says. Often people get themselves into big trouble because they have a hard time saying a little word:

no. As a result, they end up like Jessica, overworked and overwhelmed. Here are some ideas on why and how to just

say no.

Drop it!5 Reasons to Take Control of Your Life

by Angela Carter

1 Your time is valuable. Jessica tried to take on more

than she could handle because she mistakenly assumed

that her time wasn’t as valuable as other people’s

time. The way you spend your time is infinitely important

to your well-being. Learn to value your own time.

2 Your happiness and your sanity are important. If you

have too many obligations, let’s face it: something is

going to have to go. If you are miserable and if your

workload is overwhelming like Jessica’s, you aren’t doing any-

one any favors. Alexander Kjerulf, the “chief happiness officer”

of positivesharing.com, gives several reasons happiness bol-

sters productivity at work: happy people work better with

others, they are more creative, they have more energy, and

they tend to fix problems rather than create them. By taking

care of your happiness first, you allow yourself to stretch in

good—not harmful—ways.

3 Control is crucial. One of the quickest ways to lose

control and ensure chaos in your life is to say yes

to everything. That is when Jessica hit her break-

ing point. At times, saying yes is good, but when you have

too many responsibilities, you may start to lose your grip,

giving you the sensation that you are drowning in an ever-

building ocean of responsibility. And you aren’t helping

anybody if you are drowning in the very task that you said

you would do for them.

4 You are not the only one capable of completing

the task. If someone asks you to do something

you don’t feel comfortable with, you shouldn’t feel


The Art of Saying NoStill not quite sure what to say other than just “no”? Here are some suggestions that will help you cushion your rejections.

If you feel threatened by tears or nausea, say that you would love to help, but that if you take on anything else,

you just might explode. When you express a willingness to help, even if you can’t do anything, the person is more

likely to know that you care and that you aren’t trying to be difficult—you just have a plateful to take care of at the

moment and don’t have time to help wash any.

Defer to the dictator of your universe: your planner. This option does not mean that you can hedge your way

out of something; it simply gives you more time to make a wise decision. For example, if your neighbor comes over

without warning and asks if you can babysit her kids the next day, don’t feel obligated to answer right away. Check

your schedule and weigh the pros and cons before you give your answer. Just make sure you do what you say you’ll

do. One of the best ways to gain enemies is to commit to something and then back out without explanation.

Bargain for something else. Sometimes the timing isn’t right or you just don’t feel up to a certain task. To get

around this dilemma with your good name intact, offer to do something else that you do feel comfortable with. For

example, if a friend asks you to dress up as a clown for her son’s birthday party and you feel extremely uncomfortable

doing so, offer to dress up as something else instead—like Batman. Whether she accepts your offer or not, she will likely

know that you care, even if Batman doesn’t work with the theme of the party.

Enlighten your friend with the talents of another. This option may make you feel like you’re just dumping your

responsibilities on someone else, but in reality you are giving someone who is probably more qualified than you the

opportunity to help someone—and everyone wins. Keep in your head a running list of people for situations just like

this. Maybe your sister is good at playing the piano, your brother can entertain a crowd for hours with his Bill Cosby

impressions, and your aunt is a stay-at-home mom who has a degree in editing. Give these people the opportunity

to use their talents.

If you simply have no ready-made excuse or if you are unable to explain why you can’t do something, state it simply

and stand by your decision. If you are wishy-washy, people will start to think that you just don’t want to help them.

Most people will understand and would rather that you be honest and up-front with them.

obligated to do it. Don’t agree to accompany a soloist on

the piano if the piece is too difficult for you to play. Jessica

knew many people who were willing to help her neighbor

with her yard and whose time constraints weren’t as lim-

ited as hers. Take advantage of those people who are more

qualified than you are or who may have fewer constraints

on their time; it’s better all around.

5 You are number one. If you try to put everyone

else’s needs before your own and your family’s,

eventually you’re going to run out of steam. Tell-

ing your roommate that you can’t look over her paper so

you can have some time to yourself is not a crime; it’s a

necessity.

Even with five ready-made reasons to say no, you may

still feel guilty. Like Jessica, you may think it’s easier to

overburden yourself than to excuse yourself from certain

obligations. However, practice makes perfect if you give it

a chance.

It took some work, but Jessica learned to pluck up the cour-

age to politely tell her roommates that she didn’t have time

for this paper but to keep her in mind for the next one. She

suggested to her neighbor someone else who was looking

for the opportunity to serve. She told her mom that she could

come home for the weekend, but only if she could study

while she was there. Done correctly, saying no is one of the

most efficient ways to reduce clutter from your life and get an

extra boost to take care of the things that matter most.

* Catching an error at work that no one else caught* Finding no lines at the supermarket

* Hearing your favorite song on the radio* Finding a dollar bill in your pocket

* Waking up and having a few more hours to sleep* Having someone hold the door open for you

* Knowing you’ve done the right thing* Getting mail from an old friend

* Finding a sale at your favorite clothing store* Finishing a good book

* Seeing family after several months apart* Coming home to a clean house after a long day

* Waking up to good hair in the morning* Eating chocolate cake with your friends

* Blowing dandelion parachutes

The small, happy things in life are often cliché, but they can also be refreshing and comforting. It can be helpful to remember that every-day things are sweet, especially when it is not your best day. Take the time to smell the roses. Take a walk down your life’s yellow brick road and boost your happiness by embracing your everyday cliché.

Cliché Cheer

bottom line.

whole.

wholegranola.com

by Amber Ridings

Photo by Meagan Price


Cliché Cheerby Amber Ridings

Photo by Meagan Price

Zumba: Ditch that Boring Workout! Join the Party!

Zumba started one day in Colombia when Beto Perez forgot to bring music for the aerobics class he was scheduled to teach at the gym. To quickly improvise, he grabbed some street music from his car and got his class moving to traditional salsa music. Everyone in the class loved it. What started in this Colombian gym has now revolutionized fitness programs across the world.

by Melissa Richardson

Zumba hit the United States when it came to Miami about thir-teen years ago. Now that there are over 40,000 locations offering Zumba classes in seventy-five countries, more than five million

participants are enjoying this worldwide dance craze.

Zumba is an energetic and upbeat fitness program with easy-to-follow dance movements accompanied by exotic Latin rhythms. At any Zumba class you’ll enjoy the movements of reggaeton, meringue, samba, cumbia, tango, flamenco, and even belly dancing.

Allison Peterson, a Zumba instructor in Provo, Utah, explains Zumba’s appeal: “The joy of Zumba is that you forget you’re working out, and you feel like you’re at a club or a party inside the gym.”

Allison says those who find typical workouts boring and slow should try Zumba. “In Zumba classes, all of a sudden you look and forty-five min-utes have passed and you’ve burned 500 calories. . . . People burn more in Zumba than in cycling or spin.” Not only do you work on cardio in Zumba classes, but you also tone your muscles and build your endur-ance and strength. You work every part of your body: abs, arms, and even thighs. You burn tons of calories in one hour, yet you don’t even feel like you’re working out because you’re enjoying yourself so much. That’s the joy of Zumba!

Anyone and everyone can experience the thrill of Zumba. To find a class near you, go to Zumba.com, where you can also buy Zumba DVDs and clothing. If you’re tired of trying to burn calories on the treadmill, ditch the drudgery and join the party.

Beto Perez: Creator of Zumba

Gym

Class

Read

y, Set, Travel!

2 0 March 2010

Next time you’re headed out on a weekend business trip or even a week-long vacation, consider leaving

your three-piece luggage set at home and just bringing a carry-on. By skipping the check-in counter, you

can arrive at the airport nearly an hour later and avoid waiting around. You can also avoid the recently

imposed fees on checked bags. Do you think packing all of your essentials into one small bag will be impossible?

Don’t worry; take a look at the carry-on below for some ideas on how to squeeze in the most important things.

Toiletries: Of course you will need your

toothbrush and razor (make sure it’s a safety

razor), but leave the extra-large makeup kit at

home; just bring your makeup essentials. For even

more space, leave your shampoo, conditioner, and

body wash at home and use the ones provided by

your hotel instead. Also, find out if your hotel has a

hair dryer; maybe you can leave yours at home.

Shoes: Keep it simple. Wear a pair of sandals to the airport

and pack some tennis shoes and a pair of versatile black

heels. When choosing your shoes, remember that gel shoe

inserts are not permitted in carry-ons. If you need socks, roll

them and put them inside your shoes.

Miscellaneous: Don’t

bring anything that

you feel you can’t afford to

lose. Honestly, sometimes lug-

gage gets lost.

Leave Your Baggage at Homeby Erica Berrett

Airlines usually accept carry-ons that are a maximum

of 45 linear inches (the height, width, and depth of the bag added together).


Clothing: There’s no need to bring your entire

closet! If you’re going on a weekend trip, remember that you’ll already be wearing an outfit on the day of the flight, so you don’t need to pack more than two full outfits. For a week-long trip, two pairs of pants, a skirt or dress, six blouses, and a pair of pajamas should meet your needs.

Travel CountdownThis timeline can help you know when to

make your travel preparations.

Time before your trip

If you’re looking for cheap airline, hotel, or car

rental fares, start by checking these websites:

mobissimo.com

sidestep.com

cheapoair.com

F zollow the 3-1-1 rule. Use 3.4 ounce (or smaller) bottles for all liquids and gels. Place all

of these bottles in a one-quart zip-top bag. You may bring only one of these bags in your carry-on.

Medication, baby formula

and food, and breast milk are allowed in quantities larger than 3 ounces and do not have to be contained in a zip-top bag. However, these items must be inspected and approved at the security check-point. Keep all liquids easily accessible in case your bag is chosen for inspection.

1 to 9 months

Purchase your plane ticket. Once you know when and where you’re going, check flight prices regularly to get the best deal. Typically you can get a good deal if you book far in advance, but there are some last-minute deals, too.

6 months Apply for your passport—this will be a cru-cial detail for international travel. This is especially important if the country you are visiting requires a visa.

3 to 6 months

Look for good deals and book your hotel.

3 months Apply for your visa if you’re visiting a coun-try that requires one. Consult http://travel.state.gov/travel to see the specific entry requirements of the country you are visit-ing.

1 to 3 months

Schedule your car rental.

1 week Pack your bag. Packing this early will help prevent stress on the day of your flight.

2 to 3 days

Call your airline to confirm your flight time. Airlines will occasionally make scheduling changes without informing their passengers, creating a nightmare for you if you haven’t double-checked your flight information.

24 hours Print your boarding pass. Some airlines do not have assigned seating. If you want to make sure you get a window seat, print your board-ing pass 24 hours in advance.

2 hours Arrive at the airport. Add an extra hour if you are traveling out of the country.

Photo by Erica Berrett

Hot chocolate

like you’ve never had before.

Creamy. Rich. Chocolate.

Mountain West Chocolate

Lightweight, durable travel accessories.

Travelight Luggage

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(617) 555-0423www.travelightluggage.com


by Erica Berrett

How to Change Your Own Tire

As Macy walked to her car after a long day at work, she noticed that one of her tires was flat. Even worse, she didn’t know the first thing about changing a tire, and she knew she would need some help. Unfortunately, she had stayed late working on a project, and no one was left in the building. Everyone she called for help was either busy or

unavailable. Finally, Macy was forced to call a tow truck and wait in the parking lot for two hours until it came.

Get your tire jack and position it under your car, near the tire that you’ll be changing. Make sure it is placed on the actual steel frame of the car so that it will support the car’s weight. Placing the jack is tricky, so consult the owner’s manual to see exactly where to position it.

After getting the jack into place, insert the handle that attaches to the jack and rotate it in either direction until the jack begins to rise. Raise the car with the jack until the weight of the car is no longer on the tire you are changing, but don’t lift the tire off of the ground quite yet.

Use the lug-nut wrench to loosen all of the lug nuts. Remove the hubcap first if it is over the lug nuts. Put the wrench onto one of the lug nuts and twist it counter-clockwise. This may take quite a bit of force. Loosen the nuts one by one in a star pattern so that no single lug nut will have too much pressure on it. Don’t remove the lug nuts completely yet.

Now go back to the jack and use it to lift the car until the tire is a couple of inches off the ground. You can now manually unscrew the lug nuts the rest of the way, being careful not to lose any of them. If the hubcap is secured with the lug nuts, it will also come off now.

Next, remove the tire from the car by pulling it away from the bolts protruding from the center of the tire. Get the spare tire and put it onto the hub. (The hub is the set of bolts from which you just removed the original tire.) Align the holes in the center of the tire so that they fit back onto these bolts. If the hubcap needs to be secured with the lug nuts, align it with the holes now. Screw the lug nuts back on by hand in a star pattern so that the tire is secured evenly. Don’t tighten them completely yet.

Lower the car back to the ground, but don’t put all of the car’s weight back onto the tire yet. Use the lugnut wrench to tighten the lug nuts completely. Lower the car the rest of the way down and put the hubcap

back in place if you haven’t done so already (it should snap in).

What you will need:

spare tire, lug-nut wrench, jack

Perhaps you have found yourself in a similar situation. Don’t get stranded again! Follow this step-by-step guide, and with a little prac-tice you can add changing a tire to your list of car-care skills. Check today to make sure you have the supplies you need so you’ll be pre-

pared if you ever get a flat tire.

Car T

ips 101

Next month’s car-care tip: How to Replace Windshield Wiper Blades

Photos by Erica Berrett

Backyard

Vacatio

ns

2 4 March 2010

As I was walking out of a strip mall in my home-

town the other day, just after getting my hair cut

at the same place I’ve been going for five years,

something caught my eye: a beautiful pillar at the corner of

the building, which building itself is quite unique. What a great

piece of architecture it was, and I had never noticed it before.

Tour Your Town

I had just returned home from a trip to Europe,

where I had seen many of the world’s architectural won-

ders. And now here I was—at the local strip mall, of all

places—enjoying something beautiful that I’d previ-

ously overlooked. I began to wonder what else I had been

overlooking on my own turf and started

scouring my town to find out.

You don’t have to leave your city to get the

“foreign effect.” Discover hidden wonders

lurking a few blocks from your street. Tour

every inch of your city and see what you’ve

been missing.

Walk: Go to a part of town you’re not very

familiar with, park your car, and start walk-

ing. Walking allows you to stop and take

notice of little things easily overlooked when you drive. Feel

the cool spring breeze on your face as you window shop on a

street you’ve passed a million times but never explored before.

Keep walking until you no longer recognize where you are. Let

yourself get lost.

Shop a flea market: There aren’t many places where you’ll

find such a variety of people gathering together as at an

early-morning flea market. If you’re lucky, you’ll find

just as many exotic items at your local flea market as you

would at a quirky Paris shop. Do some people watching

while you’re there. The more you listen to other people’s

Discover artifacts from your city’s founding and development. Learn

things you didn’t know—things about

your home.

by Rachel Thomas

conversations, the more you’ll feel like you’re finally dis-

covering the town you thought you had always known.

Tour a museum: Your hometown probably has at least one

museum that you’ve never visited. Discover artifacts from

your city’s founding and development.

Learn things you didn’t know—things

about your home. Study old buildings.

Many cities have what they call “historic

downtown.” Head to a building located

in this old part of town and learn about

the architecture. Also, study the design

of buildings around the corner, like your

favorite cookie shop or candy store.

Schedule a specific day to tour your town:

National Travel and Tourism Week (May 8–16, 2010) would

be a perfect time. Walk somewhere instead of driving, get

lost on a new street, buy an old lamp shade at a flea mar-

ket, or wander through a museum. Then go to the grocery

store and buy ingredients for a favorite local meal. While

you’re there, look at the faces and listen to the voices of

the local residents, many of whom you may have never

met. Later, while sitting at your dinner table enjoying local

cuisine, you’ll realize that you’ve discovered a new part of

the world without renewing your passport or exchanging

currency. Not bad for a day’s journey!

Go InternatIonal In the USa

Breeze Magazine 2 5

The Twaller application taps into Twitter to give you

information and updates on regional events. From their

website: “Twall: verb. To share ideas and tips while trav-

eling.” When you’re traveling, you may find yourself

in an area where you don’t have friends that you follow

on Twitter. Twaller connects you to people in that new

area—you can follow their tweets to get information

on restaurants, events, entertainment, and more. Go to

twaller.com for information on how to sign up for the service.

The Urbanspoon application acts as a digital Magic

8-Ball to help you find restaurants in your current location.

If you’re feeling especially adventurous, you can take a

gamble and just shake your iPhone to find a random res-

taurant close by. You can also specify a type of cuisine,

like Chinese or Hungarian, and Urbanspoon will show

you nearby restaurants with these types of food. You can

even specify a price range to narrow your search. Visit

urbanspoon.com for more information and to find out

other ways you can tap into Urbanspoon’s resources.

by Laura Warner

Go InternatIonal In the USa

Like Brent and Claire, most people are drawn to foreign

countries. They want to discover cultural differences, visit

famous sites, eat authentic food, and come face to face with

antiquity. Here’s a secret: America has all these things too!

You can even find them in the very city in which you live.

So start planning a vacation within the USA. You can leave

tomorrow if you want. You won’t have to exchange money,

expedite your passport to get it in time for your trip, or

even get on a plane. (No more airline baggage fees!)

If you’re a native who speaks the language, the chances of

being swindled in the USA are much smaller than in for-

eign countries, even with the cultural differences among

regions. And these regional cultural differences are often

surprising enough to satisfy your need to see how other

people in the world live. In the South, you might meet

your new best friend as you buy your tickets to Walt Disney

World. In the Northeast, you could learn new names for

food items you’ve eaten your whole life. (Grinder, anyone?)

Just like Brent and Claire you can achieve the foreign new-

ness you crave while keeping your plans cheaper, simpler,

and closer to home.

Now you can travel without being totally clueless, and you

don’t even have to buy bulky travel guides to do it. Your

iPhone or other mobile device can be your best friend as

you travel. Several applications exist that can increase your

enjoyment and efficiency on any trip.

With gas prices more reasonable than airline fees, Brent and

Claire decided to find a closer destination for their yearly

vacation. When they pulled into Vegas, they tried to be excited

about their trip, but they just couldn’t see how Las Vegas, Nevada, could

compare with Italy or France or any other foreign country they’d been to.

But they knew that this is what they could afford this year, and they were

already surprised at how reasonable traveling had been compared with

past trips.

There was that one year with the passport fiasco. Then that year when the

American dollar had been worth so little. Oh, and the time when every piece

of luggage came out of baggage claim ripped and wet.

After Brent and Claire visited the lions at MGM Grand, rode in a gondola

at the Venetian, took pictures with the Sphinx at the Luxor, and held hands at

the top of the Eiffel tower at Paris, they were pleased with their decision to stay in

America to satisfy their travel bug.

Cities with There are places here in the U.S. that can give you the “international” experiences you crave

without the international travel headaches you dread. A few such cities are highlighted here.

San Francisco

Art: The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

and the Asian Art Museum both display collections

from international as well as national artists.

Both feature contemporary art in all mediums.

Through June 2010, the Museum of Modern Art

will be exhibiting a collection that includes paint-

ings by Ellsworth Kelly and Richard Serra.

Entertainment: San Francisco’s Chinatown is both

the largest and oldest Chinatown in the U.S. This

fact alone makes the trip to San Francisco worth

the time. Fisherman’s Wharf is another tourist spot

worth visiting. It features delicious seafood, historic

shops, and the famous San Francisco cable cars.

Sites: If you’re going to San Francisco, be sure to

tour Alcatraz, the famous former prison that once

held such infamous baddies as Al Capone and

Machine Gun Kelly. The Golden Gate Bridge—

pictured in many movies and TV shows as a symbol

of America—is also worth a visit and a picture or two.

Las Vegas

Art: The big casinos often have art exhibits you can

visit—the Bellagio has hosted works by Picasso!

Take time to visit these galleries while you’re tour-

ing the Strip.

Entertainment: Las Vegas is a great place to see

Broadway shows outside of London or New York.

The city also hosts hundreds of concerts each year,

including acts like U2 and Mariah Carey. The list

of events in this entertainment capital is endless.

Sites: Take a walk along the Strip for an interna-

tional tour—from the Bellagio, New York-New

York, and Paris to the Luxor, the Venetian, Caesar’s

Palace, Monte Carlo, and the Imperial Palace. By

the time you’ve finished your walk, you’ll have vis-

ited half the world.

March 20102 6

Cities with International Flair

Chicago

Art: The Art Institute of Chicago is both a museum

and an art school. The museum features works by

artists such as Carvaggio and Matisse. Through April

2010, the museum will have an exhibit featuring the

art from Coretta Scott King Award books. In addition,

the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art has an

outdoor sculpture garden that overlooks Lake Michigan.

Entertainment: You can also catch Broadway shows

in Illinois. The Bank of America Theater and the

Cadillac Palace Theater offer shows year round.

Musical styles in Chicago range from opera to blues, so

no matter what your taste, you’ll enjoy the Windy City.

Sites: Navy Pier is a must-see destination; shopping,

dining, and boat touring are all part of the experience.

Also, you can’t miss the view from the top of the Willis

Tower (formerly the Sears Tower). Visit the Skydeck on

the 103rd floor and enjoy a bird’s-eye view of Chicago.

Breeze Magazine 2 7

Washington, DC

Art: From the National Gallery of Art to the Hirshhorn,

Washington DC showcases art from all movements.

Here you can see works by da Vinci, Van Gogh, and

Andy Warhol. Other art museums include the Corco-

ran Gallery of Art and the Portrait Gallery.

Entertainment: Companies from all over the world

travel to DC to perform at the Kennedy Center for the

Performing Arts. The venue overlooks the Potomac

River, and free shows are given nightly at six o’clock.

Wolf Trap also hosts incredible events that appeal to

audiences of all tastes. It is commonly known as the

National Park for the Performing Arts.

Sites: The monuments and war memorials in DC

connect America with the rest of the world. The

architectural styles of many of this city’s buildings

mimic those found in the ancient world. A tour of

these monuments will give you a feel for international

cities such as Rome, Athens, and Paris. In addition,

Embassy Row has a great walking tour to follow, and

some embassies are occasionally available for tours.

As you tour DC, make note of the different cultures

you come across. People from all over the world flock

to the nation’s capital, so you can get a taste for dozens

of cultures in one place.

2 8 March 2010

Experience the World in a Weekend

TimetoTravel.comNew York City vacation packages are available. Go online now for our promotional codes.


Entertain Your Guests St. Patrick’s Day Style

Lisa loved hosting family events but found that

her new job kept her at the office late; many

nights she even had to bring her work home.

Knowing St. Patrick’s Day was coming up, she

wanted to invite everyone over but was afraid she

wouldn’t have enough time to make a fun “Irish” meal.

Perhaps you have found yourself in similar situations,

without a lot of time but wanting to entertain guests

and make dinner look like it’s out of a magazine. Fear

not; Breeze Magazine is here to help. Don’t let a lack

of time keep you from entertaining. The following

is a great mix of Irish-themed recipes that will give

you lots of green color, with a variety of textures and

tastes for your guests in almost no time.

by Saramarie Smith

Photos by Michelle Mangum and Celeste Zsembery

Irish Soda Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 3 tablespoons margarine or butter 1/4 cup raisins (optional) 1 egg white, slightly beaten 3/4 cup buttermilk Nonstick cooking spray 1/4 teaspoon salt

In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Cut in margarine or butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in raisins, if desired. Make a well in the center of the mixture. In a small mixing bowl combine egg white and buttermilk. Add all at once to dry mixture. Stir until just moistened. On a lightly floured surface knead dough 10 to 12 strokes until nearly smooth. Shape into a 7-inch round loaf. Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place bread dough on baking sheet. With a sharp knife, make two slashes in the top to form an X. Bake at 375° for 20–25 minutes.

Potatoes

8–10 small red potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces1¼ tablespoon parsley, chopped3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tablespoons butter

Melt butter in bottom of skillet. Add potatoes, parsley, and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes, then let potatoes simmer on low until ready to serve.

March 20103 0

Corned Beef and Cabbage5 slices bacon4 tablespoons butter1 head green cabbage, coarsely choppedSalt and freshly ground pepper, to taste2 cans corned beef

Cook the bacon in a large pot over medium heat until almost crisp. Remove the bacon from the pot and set aside. Melt the but-ter in the pot with the bacon grease. Add the cabbage, stirring well to coat the cabbage in drippings. Add about 1/3 cup water and salt and pepper, to taste. Cover pot with lid and cook over medium heat 10–15 minutes. Chop the bacon into small pieces. Remove the lid from the pot and scatter chunks of corned beef and chopped bacon over top of the cabbage. Cover and cook until desired crispness. Yields

six servings.

Tips: Cabbage naturally contains water in its leaves. Begin by adding

just a small amount of water. As cabbage cooks, add more water as need-

ed. Cabbage should not be too soft; let it have some crunch.

Recipes adapted from Better Homes and Gardens

Shamrock Toasties

4 English muffins1–2 green peppers, cut crosswise (to look like clovers)

3/4 cup cheddar cheese

Cut the English muffins in half and toast them. As soon as they come out of the toaster, place cheese and peppers on them. Once all of the muffins have clovers on them, place them on a baking sheet

and bake at 300° until cheese is melted.

Tip: Use extra pepper slices to make stems for the clovers.

Steamed Zucchini

3 or 4 medium-sized zucchini, sliced into 1/4–inch circles

2 teaspoons seasoned salt

Boil water, then add squash and zucchini. Put seasoning on vegetables. Boil 5–7 minutes.

Salad

1 package green salad 7 strawberries, sliced1 10-ounce can mandarin orangesYour choice of cheese, cut into cubes1/4 cup sugared almonds

Banana Splits

1/2 gallon green ice cream4 bananasCaramel syrupChocolate syrup

Tips: You can also add any leftover strawberries from the salad for extra color and flavor.

Frosted Flakes or other sweet cereals can be a fun

addition.

Any green ice cream can work for this. The idea is to

have fun with St. Partick’s day. Some possibilities are

pistachio, lime sherbet, or mint chocolate chip.

Breeze Magazine 3 1

Recipes adapted from Disney Family Fun Magazine

March 2010

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4Visit a local bookstore. Check out what’s popu-

lar these days in the fiction world, read a recent

biography, or head to the magazine racks. Many

bookstores have a café where you can treat yourself to hot

chocolate or a smoothie as you read. If music is more your

thing, many bookstores also have CDs you can listen to.

Fun for $5

5There are museums for almost every interest,

including sports and music. Museums often have

discounted or free days. Check out the websites for

various nearby museums, or pick up brochures to find out

when these types of events happen.

Some activities take more planning, money, and stress than they’re worth. Next time you plan an outing with friends

or family, try one of the activities listed below—each for under $5.

1 Go to a garage sale or dollar store. Find a kite, Fris-

bee, or baseball. Pack a simple lunch and go to a park

or playground and have some fun. After the games,

take a walk, feed the ducks, or swing on the swings.

2Go on a bike ride. (Try a tandem bike for an extra

fun date.) Find maps to local trails online or at

your town’s recreation center. Or be daring and

learn how to pop a wheelie in a parking lot.

6 Wait until that movie you have been wanting to

see comes to the dollar theater. Go in a group and

dress according to the theme of the movie, or plan

an activity afterward that’s related to the movie.

7Free concerts are offered in many city parks. Grab

a blanket, pack some card games and snacks, and

enjoy some local culture. Find local town infor-

mation online or visit your town’s chamber of commerce.

3If you’re not in the mood for sports, buy cheap ingred-

ients and bake something new. Or buy something out

of the ordinary and learn to make a new craft.

8Play night games. Get a group of friends together

on a warm evening, find a large open area, and

live like kids again. Classic games are “ghost in the

graveyard,” “sardines,” and “capture the flag.”

9Nothing beats stargazing. This can be difficult to

do during the cold winter months, but when the

weather is warmer you can drive to a place away

from the smog of the city and enjoy the stars. Bring a con-

stellation guide and look for specific constellations.

Remember to bring a flashlight if you are planning on

walking in an unlit area.

10 Build a fort with sheets and blankets with your

friends, your significant other, or your children. If

you’re worried about the mess, pitch a tent inside

or outside. Pop some popcorn and watch a movie., or play

games and then make s’mores.

by AmiCheri Mason

Make It C

ou

nt

www.drawonpeopleyoudontlike.com

Pointy Stay sharp

3 6 March 2010

by AmiCheri Mason

Design

Cen

ts

Liven Up Your Living RoomY

ou walk into your living room and sigh—as much

as you want to redecorate, you don’t have the time

or money necessary to do it. Someday, you think.

But decorating doesn’t need to be put off until “someday.”

Starting today, you can make your living space into a per-

sonalized, inviting, and comfortable place.

Step 1: Start by rearranging your furniture. You can down-

load a free room-planning program from the Internet (see

sidebar) to diagram exactly where to put each piece of

furniture. That way you won’t waste energy moving heavy

pieces over and over. As you plan your space, keep a few

things in mind:

Pick a focal point for your room, whether it’s a window,

a TV, or a fireplace. Organize everything else around

this point.

Keep the major traffic areas clear. The room will seem

more comfortable if you’re not running into the end

table every time you want to sit down.

Vary the height of your furniture. For example, do

not place all the tall furniture in one half of the room

and the shorter items in the other half. If you have

an entertainment center against one wall, balance it

with a floor lamp or bookshelf on another wall.

Try a minimalist approach. If something doesn’t

look right, don’t assume you need to add something.

Sometimes removing an extra table or some heavy

curtains is just what a room needs.

Step 2: When you feel good about your new furniture

arrangement, personalize the room. Look through old

photographs, art projects, postcards, books, and any

other knickknacks you’ve saved over the years. Try to pic-

ture items in the context of a theme, like a beach theme,

a shabby-chic theme, or a modern theme. Imagine an

old black-and-white photo in a new frame, or your

mother’s old lamp with a different lamp shade. These

projects are inexpensive and don’t have to take a lot of

time. Have fun!

a

a

a

a

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3 8 March 2010

Investing Defined

For many of us who didn’t study business or accounting in college, investing can be a daunting subject. If you’re con-

stantly feeling lost when your friends talk about finances, take heart. Financial talk is like a foreign language, but once you

begin to study it, becoming fluent is easy. And don’t be fooled into thinking you don’t need to worry about this yet. You’re

never too young to start saving and investing. When your fiftieth birthday rolls around, you’ll be glad you started now. Here

are some of the most basic terms you need to know to be able to start talking the financial talk:

401(k): A defined contribution plan offered to

employees that allows them to set aside some of their

income for retirement. In some cases, employers will

match your contributions dollar-for-dollar. The money

will not be taxed until it is withdrawn, meaning it is “tax-

deferred.” If you borrow funds

from the plan before a certain age,

you’ll be charged a penalty tax.

annuity: A series of payments of a

set size and frequency, often paid

to a retired person.

Annual Percentage Rate (APR):

The yearly cost of a loan, expressed

as a percentage. This includes the

cost of interest, insurance, and the

origination fee.

bond: A publicly traded security,

or a loan that pays interest over

a fixed amount of time. At the

end of the bond’s term, the loan

is paid back with interest. In this

scenario, you are the lender and

the company is the borrower. Bonds are a much less risky

investment option than stocks.

broker/brokerage: A person or company that mediates

between a buyer and a seller.

Certificate of Deposit (CD): A safe time deposit in which you

deposit money for a specified period of time (three months to

five years) for a guaranteed rate of return. Typically, a longer

period of time results in a greater rate of return.

compound interest: The interest you earn on interest.

Basically, when you deposit mon-

ey, that money earns interest, and

then the new sum of money (the

principal + the earned interest) earns

more interest.

credit score: Also called your credit

rating, this is a number that deter-

mines your credit worthiness, or how

much of a risk it would be to give you

a loan, mortgage, or credit card. The

higher your score, the better your

chances are of being approved.

defined contribution plan: A com-

pany retirement plan in which you,

the employee, choose to invest a set

amount of money from each paycheck

into an interest-earning account.

Individual Retirement Account (IRA): A tax-deferred retire-

ment account that allows you to set aside a certain amount

of money each year to earn interest. In an IRA, your earn-

ings are tax-deferred until you begin to withdraw the money

A B

by Michelle Mangum

C D

O P

K L

I J

E F

M N

G H

Finan

cial Talk

at the age of 5 1/2 or older, and withdrawing money earlier

results in a 10% penalty tax. IRAs can be established at a

bank, mutual fund, or brokerage.

interest: When you receive a loan, the interest is the fee

charged by the lender for the use of the borrowed money.

When you invest or deposit money, the interest is the amount

of money you earn on the savings account or investment. An

interest rate is usually expressed as an annual percentage of

the principal.

liquidate: To convert to cash.

mutual fund: A group of stocks, bonds, and other securities.

Together these securities compose a portfolio of investments

that several people invest in simultaneously. The investments

are chosen by a fund manager, who diversifies the invest-

ments in order to lower the potential for risk.

net worth: The current market value of your assets, includ-

ing your checking account balance, minus the amount of the

debt(s) you owe (including outstanding credit card balances).

principal: The amount of money you borrow or invest.

retirement savings plan: A savings account provided by

an employer for an employee’s retirement. If you choose

to participate in your company’s retirement savings plan,

you decide how much money you want to contribute and

where that money will be invested. The money you trans-

fer is not taxed until you retire and begin to withdraw the

money.

Roth IRA: A type of IRA for which money is taxed upon

contribution rather than upon withdrawal.

simple interest: Interest accumulated on only the princi-

pal of an investment or loan.

TOUR. THE WORLD FROM A NEW PERSPECTIVE

TOUR. THE PREPAID

CREDIT C ARD FOR THE WORLD TRAVELER

TRAVEL WITHOUT FEAR OF OVERDRAFTINGW W W. M Y TO U R .C O M

U V

Q R

Y Z

S T

W X

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Documents you’ll need:a W-2s (Wages from employers)

a 1099 INT (Interest)

a 1098 T (Tuition)

a 1098 E (Student Loan Interest)

a 1099 DIV (Dividends)

Tips for easy filing:

a Don’t wait until the last minute.

a Keep all your files together in a safe place.

a Check irs.gov for a list of tips and deductions.

a File early to receive your check sooner.

a Don’t throw anything away.

All of us wait for that refund check from Uncle Sam each year. Let this year be your easiest filing year yet. It’s easy to file if you just have the things you need to start.

a a a

a a a

MAKE TAXES LESS TAXING

by Saramarie Smith

Tax resources:

a VITA (Every community has a volun-

teer tax service; the closest one to you

can be found on irs.gov.

a Irs.gov (Under filing options, click “free file.”)a TurboTax ($0–$110)

a H&R Block ($50)

Let them eat cake . . .

Then you can have some too.

Los A

ngeles • San D

iego • New

York • L

as Vegas A

ntoinette Cakery

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4 2 March 2010

Breeze Magazine 4 3

Snip & Save

Crystal Paine’s budget for feeding her family of five is slim: $40 a week. But she does it—and

without feeding them just beans and rice. Instead, she’s made couponing into an art and has

learned many important secrets to living on less.

If you haven’t been persuaded to join the coupon craze, we’ve broken it down for you so that it’s easy to

understand. Using coupons doesn’t have to be complex. You can soon be saving lots of money on your

groceries and other necessities. It all comes down to a few simple methods and resources.

“stacking” those two coupons and buying the Chex Mix

when it was on sale, customers could get it for free!

Since the weekly sales and the coupons available change

every week, there are always good deals for you to take

advantage of. Just be sure to check your local store’s cou-

pon policy, as some won’t accept internet coupons or let

you “stack” a store’s coupon with a manufacturer’s cou-

pon.

The most basic principle of couponing is this: match up

a manufacturer’s coupon with a store’s sale so that you get

the product with a double discount. Here’s a basic scenario:

you find a coupon for $1 off a package of lunchmeat that

usually costs $3.50. Now imagine that the store put that brand

on sale for $2.50. By using your coupon, you could buy the

lunchmeat for $1.50. That’s 57% off the original price!

You can really save big when the store itself also offers cou-

pons. In such cases, you can “stack” a store’s coupon with

a manufacturer’s coupon and maybe even find the item

on sale, too. Not all stores offer coupons, but it’s worth

looking into. In particular, look for coupons in weekly ads

and online.

To give you an idea of how effective this effort can be, here’s

an example of an actual offer at Target stores: select variet-

ies of Chex Mix were on sale for $1.38. There was a store

coupon available for $1.00 off one bag of Chex Mix at

organicgrocerydeals.com, and there was a coupon avail-

able at coupons.com for $0.50 off one bag of Chex Mix. By

Double Discount

by Erin Frehner

Penn

y Pin

chers

So how do you find the good deals? Don’t worry; you

don’t have to spend hours looking through store ads to

see which sales match up with your coupons. There are

several websites that will find the match-ups for you. Free

websites like grocerysmarts.com, couponmom.com, and

savvyshopperdeals.com will match the weekly sales in your

area with coupons available in your local paper or from

online coupon databases (where you can print coupons at

home). If you know how to find the deals, you can often

get items for just a few cents or even for free.

Coupon Match-ups

4 4 March 2010

Save! No Coupons Required! • Don’t shop hungry. If you’re hugry, you will buy more food, and it will probably be junk food.

• Plan your meals a week or two ahead of time according to store sales, and then go to the store with a grocery

list that you stick to.

• Watch for items that have rebates. Drugstores often have items for free after rebates. It takes just a couple of

minutes to fill out the forms, and the savings really add up.

• Buy produce that is in season because it will cost less. Then freeze or dry it to use when the prices have risen.

• Since meat is often the most expensive part of a meal, watch closely for sales and then buy more than you’ll need

so you can freeze some for later.

• Cooking from scratch saves! Those prepackaged or partially prepared meals are convenient, but they cost quite

a bit more per serving than home-cooked meals.

If you made all of your purchases with coupons, you’d likely be hard-pressed to come

up with well-balanced meals each day, but there is a way to eat well that can also help

you save even more money.

Popular blogger Bargain Briana gives advice about making the most of your coupons:

“To get the best bang for your buck, you need to know when to use your coupon. .

. . You want to wait until that item goes on sale and then use your coupon to maxi-

mize your savings. Then stock up on these rock bottom sales so you don’t have to buy

these items until the next sale.” (You can learn more about couponing on her website,

bargainbriana.com.) With this stockpiling method, you’ll be buying more groceries for

less money, and you’ll soon have a variety of food in your pantry, which will make it

easier to plan well-balanced meals.

Maximize Your Savings

It may seem like this method will take a lot of extra time, but you’ll get better and faster at it as you practice. It’s true that

shopping this way takes more organization and planning, but if you can save hundreds or thousands of dollars each year,

isn’t an hour or two of planning each week worth it? Ultimately, if you plan your shopping trip ahead of time, you’ll spend less

time in the store. Start small: focus on taking advantage of the deals at one store first, and when you feel like you have the hang

of it you can move on to scoring deals at other stores, too.

Go to breezemagazine.com/grocerysavings to learn more about organizing your coupons, planning your shopping trips,

and saving more money on your groceries.

Keep At It!

The Sunday Paper Depending on your area,

SmartSource, Red Plum,

or P&G Brand Saver coupon

inserts may be available.

Online. coupons.com

dealzam.com

couponmom.com

eversave.com

coolsavings.com

smartsource.com

valuepage.com

thefrugalshopper.com

redplum.com

organicgrocerydeals.com

Co

upo

n Reso

urces

Blogs are other great resources for finding deals. Bargain Briana, Coupon Geek, “Deal”icious

Mom, and Frugal Coupon Living are just a few of the many blogs that let you know all

about the great deals going on. Some blogs focus on just one store, like Attention Target

Shoppers and I Heart CVS. You may even be able to find some blogs that highlight the deals

specifically in your city or state.

Blogs


Budget Know-How

Penn

y Pin

chers

Breeze Magazine 4 5

The word budget tends to make people scream and run the other way. It conjures up images of

stuffy company executives or math whizzes performing complicated equations and using priv-

ileged information to figure out their finances—and you just know they never mess up.

Let me remind you of the times you have waited for paycheck-Friday, white-knuckling your way through

life the last few days before your money comes. When you depend on your canned beans and the Rice-

a-Roni you bought who-knows-when, not to mention rationing the last few drops of gasoline in your

car. Many of us try to keep track of our budgets in our heads. But what about the times you get your fat

paycheck, plan out in your mind what you’re going to do with it, and figure out you can go on a small

shopping spree—only to look at your balance the next day to find four measly dollars staring back at

you? Sometimes a budget is best suited for pen and paper.

You might be wondering how you’re supposed to find time for something as complicated as setting up

a budget. Relax; it isn’t as hard as you think.

by Caitie Giauque

4 6 March 2010

Find out how much money you make each month.

Write that figure down. If you don’t make a consistent

amount each pay period, go back the last six months or

so and find the average. Go with that number.

Find your fixed bill amounts. This would be some-

thing like rent or mortgage payments. Some budget

experts suggest this number to be roughly 30% of

your monthly income.1 If your percent is drastically

higher, that may be a clue that you are living beyond

your means.

Figure out your flexible payments. This includes enter-

tainment, gifts, special occasions, and anything else that

varies month to month. To figure this out, you need to

write down every purchase you make for about a month

or two. That means everything, including cash purchases.

This is the point that makes most first-timers turn away.

But if you can get through this step, you’ll be glad you

did. All you need to do is carry a small notepad with you,

so you can write down your expenses immediately.

Set up a tentative budget. You can then adjust it over the next

few months based on your needs until you have it more or

less solidified. By seeing your purchases written out on

paper, you’ll probably find that you’re spending money

on a lot of things that you really don’t need.

Step 1A budget doesn’t mean you have to cut out fun things or

deprive yourself of anything. In fact, you’ll most likely find

that you have more money than you thought. One way to

make sure this happens is to pay yourself first. Every time you

get paid, set aside about 10% in a separate savings account that

you won’t touch unless you really need it.

Some people will tell you that you need to use a computer pro-

gram to create a budget. Programs like Excel can be helpful

tools in managing your budget. However, if you prefer to keep

things low tech, a notepad and pen can work just as well. Just

do what works best for you.

As for complicated math, that’s a myth. The only math

you’ll need is basic arithmetic. Even if that’s not your strong

point, you can use a calculator.

Setting up a budget will take a small amount of time, but the

payoffs will make it worth it. You will no longer second-guess

every purchase you make. You will no longer lie awake at night

worrying about how you’re going to fix that car part you hadn’t

planned on paying for.

Everyone at any stage of life is saving for something, even if

it seems like a far-off dream right now. Setting aside that little

10% a month gets you closer and closer to a dream. It’s these

little nibbles that will make for a plentiful feast just when you

need it most.

Step 2

Step 3

The Easy:

Step 4

So now what’s your excuse?

The How:

1. According to Dr. William Giauque, former MBA professor at BYU.

46 March 2010

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Prepare yourself mentally. Yes, you will be going through

things that bring back lots of memories, so try to avoid

watching sappy movies or talking to your mom about

your childhood before you begin. Take the time to remem-

ber that you are cleaning up your life by paring down

your clutter, and you will feel better when you can look

into that closet or drawer without feeling guilty for not

reorganizing.

Set a goal. Remember the hyperventilation? Let’s avoid that.

You know your limits, so don’t push yourself to exhaustion.

Instead, decide whether you want to do only an hour at a time

or if you want to work until you have a full trash bag. Even if you

feel like you could keep going, stop after you’ve reached your

goal and choose another day to pick up where you left off.

Assess your priorities. If you’re trying to document every

moment of your life through your memorabilia, chances are

you’ll have to move into a bigger home by the time you’re

forty. Think about what is important to you before you

start; this will help give you a more unbiased perspective.

Not every ticket stub is going to be a keeper, but maybe one

of those ticket stubs marks the night of the first “I love you”

in your relationship. And those ugly wall hangings may have

belonged to your grandma, but that doesn’t mean they hold

any specific or special memories for you. Make a promise to

yourself that you will keep only the things that hold special sig-

nificance. Know what your definition of special is; write it down

and don’t budge from it.

Evaluate your space. When you don’t have room, you

don’t have room. Set your limits and tell yourself that

once a specific space is filled, you can’t keep any more.

Maybe you could even set a goal that you have to take out

an old item for every new one you add to your collection.

Being strict about your available space may help you stick to

the priorities you set about what is truly special to you and

what isn’t.

Find a local charity or thrift store to donate to. It may

make you feel better to know that your knickknacks can

go to someone else’s use instead of to the nearest landfill.

You’ve stuffed, shoved, and finally ignored the drawers, closets, and boxes full of your memories and just can’t take it anymore. So

you get it all out and immediately start hyperventilating when you think about organizing everything in front of you. “Maybe

next year” sounds awfully appealing right about now, doesn’t it? Never fear—we’ve been there, done that, and have some great

tips to help you breathe easier while cleaning out and cleaning up your memorabilia.

Clu

tter Bu

ster

Help! My Memorabilia Are Showing

Helpful Hints for Getting Rid of the Excessby Karen Krueger

5 0 March 2010

KeepsakesWhat you’ll need: A plastic bin. Optional: tags with

strings (for labeling); tissue paper.

• Make a “treasure box” using the bin. If items are

fragile, wrap them in tissue paper. You can also

attach tags to any item you want to label.

Digital PhotosWhat you’ll need: writable CDs or DVDs; a permanent

marker; jewel cases (either thin ones that take up less space

or thicker ones so you can label the spine); a clear, plastic

container or a CD tower.

• Set a time frame for the pictures on each CD or

DVD. Depending on how many pictures you take

every year, you may have to do more than one disc

per year. If so, divide your pictures by month or

subject, and don’t worry about not using every

bit of space on the disc. If you do have a large

number of pictures, you may prefer to use DVDs

because they can store more pictures than CDs

can.

• Burn the disc. (Make sure the disc is finalized

and can be used on any computer.)

• Label each disc with the dates, put them in cases,

and store all of the cases chronologically. Then

label each bin with the range of dates represented

by the discs inside it.

Find out when local stores and charities take donations and

what types of items they take. Have your donation boxes or

bags ready to be filled when you begin organizing.

Ask for help. If the prospect of organizing all by yourself

doesn’t appeal to you, invite a good friend or a relative to

help you with parts of your project. Having someone there

who isn’t emotionally connected to the memorabilia can be a

great help when you’re wavering; they can knock some sense

into you when you’re getting too sentimental. They can also

make things more fun, which will help the time go by more

quickly.

Reward yourself. The promise of a nice dinner out, a mini

shopping spree, or even a big bowl of chocolate ice cream when

you’ve finished is a great way to reward yourself for a job well

done. More importantly, it can give you the motivation you

need along the way.

KnickknacksWhat you’ll need: Strong self-will.

• A good question to ask yourself when going

through your knickknacks is, “If I’m not display-

ing it, should I keep it?” Keep only the items you

actually want to put on display, and sell or donate

the rest.

Paper MemoriesWhat you’ll need: Three-ring binders; 8.5 x 11 page

protectors; a plastic bin that fits binders stand-

ing up; a permanent marker. Optional: tape; blank

white paper; a pen.

• Choose a time frame for each binder (for example,

one binder for one year), and write the time frame on

the spine and on the front of the binder. If you

want, you can put the papers in order by month or

estimate their order in the year.

Organize each paper in the page protectors in any

way you choose. To save space, put single-sided

sheets back-to-back. Little items like ticket stubs,

notes, and other small items can be taped to a larger

sheet of blank, white paper and can even include a

written explanation.

• Store the binders chronologically in the plastic

bin with the spines showing. (The bin will keep

the binders more protected and more organized.)


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Printed PhotosWhat you’ll need:

Option 1: Photo-sized, stackable, clear plastic bins;

permanent marker. Optional: large index cards or

something to use as a divider; a photo marker.

Option 2: Photo albums with plastic sleeves for the

pictures (and preferably with some way to label the

front cover); large, clear plastic bins. Optional: a

photo marker.

• Sort photos by year and then by month. Depending on

how many photos you have, decide what date ranges

you want in each bin or album.

• Arrange photos chronologically in the bins or

albums. Use a photo marker to label the backs of

the photos or to make notes in the margins of the

photo album. (Photo markers won’t bleed through

or leave marks on the picture behind it.) If you’re

using bins, use dividers labeled with each month if

you prefer.

• Label each bin or album with the range of dates

represented by the photos inside.

We know what makes you happy.

Psychic BakeryOrder online at www.psychicbakery.com


We know what makes you happy.

Almond Asparagus1/3 cup butter

1–1½ pounds fresh asparagus

2/3 cup slivered almonds

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Melt butter in skillet. Add asparagus and almonds. Sauté 3–4 minutes.

Cover and steam about 2 minutes or until tender crisp. Sprinkle lemon juice,

salt, and pepper over asparagus. Serve hot.

Apricot Ginger Chicken2 teaspoons ground ginger

1/2 cup Italian dressing

4 skinless chicken breasts

2/3 cup apricot preserves

Combine ginger and Italian dressing in large plastic bag. Add chicken to bag

and marinate in refrigerator overnight, turning occasionally. When ready to

cook, remove chicken and reserve 1/4 cup marinade. Place chicken in shal-

low baking dish and bake at 350 ̊for 35 minutes. Pour the 1/4 cup marinade

into saucepan, bring to boil, and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir

in preserves. Brush marinade onto chicken and bake for 10 more minutes.

Cheesecake Cookies1 cup butter

6 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

Cream butter and cream cheese together. Add sugar, beating until light

and fluffy. Add flour, beating well. Drop by teaspoons onto cookie sheet

and bake at 350˚ for 12–15 minutes or until edges are golden.

How simple does it get?

Four-Ingredient Recipesby Amber Ridings

Breeze Magazine 5 3

Photos by Meagan Price

5 4 March 2010Vibe.com

E x p e r i e n c e t h e n e w W h i t e C h o c o l a t e f r o m V i b e

Vibrant. Clear. Pure.

Baby Shower Gifts

Vibe.com

Baby Shower GiftsT his is the place to find gift ideas that are different from the norm—but that will be useful and appreciated.

You’ll find ideas that vary in price and will fit your budget.

Sure, it’s fun to give fluffy dresses, flower headbands, or tiny shoes. But if you’re looking for something

different to give the mom-to-be, here are some gift ideas that you may like and that she may want or need

more than another pair of tiny shoes.

TeeThing Bling This gift is per-fect for those curious babies who love to grab mom’s jewelry. It’s stylish for mom to wear and safe for baby to handle and chew. Find it at smartmomjewelry.com. Price: $12–$20

Next issue:

Unconventional Wedding Gift Ideas

Diaper Cake This makes a great cen-

terpiece for a shower and can double as a

gift. The main “cake” is made of diapers and

is decorated with baby accessories (pacifiers,

bows, and shoes). Order it at diapercakewalk.com

or learn to make your own diaper cake at

howtomakeadiapercake.com.

Price: $25 and up

keep-iT-Clean paCifier This

pacifier has a shield that closes over the

nipple when it’s dropped so that the pacifier

stays clean and baby stays germ-free. Find it

at creativekidstuff.com.

Price: $5

Boppy pillow This pillow was voted

the number-one baby product in American

Baby magazine six times. It can be used for

feeding, playing, or teaching baby to sit. Learn

more at boppy.com and buy it at Walmart,

Target, or Babies“R”Us.

Price: $30 or less

he r e’s a n iD e aCreate a Personalized Gift

Give a gift that expresses yourself so each

time the mother-to-be uses it she thinks

of you.1. Evaluate your talents

2. Decide your money range

3. Create the gift Examples: • Framed picture of the pregnant mother

• Babysitting coupons• Handmade hooded towels

by Erin Frehner and Rachel Thomas

Th

ink O

utsid

e the G

ift Box

Breeze Magazine 5 5

5 6 March 2010

Air freshener:

To give off a pleasant fragrance in your home, simmer a small amount

of cinnamon, orange peel, and cloves on the stove.

C logged drains: Pour 1/4 cup of baking soda and 1/4 cup of white

vinegar down the drain. Close the drain until the bubbling has stopped. Rinse with boil-ing water.

Household Tips From A to Z

B uildup in the dishwasher: To clean your dish-

washer, empty it, pour in one cup of white vinegar, and run the hottest cycle possible once a month.

Garbage disposal: To freshen the garbage disposal, put a few

tablespoons of baking soda and a couple ice cubes down the drain. Turn the disposal on and flush with hot water.

H and towels: Old hand towels that are worn

out from normal use work great as dusters or for cleaning very dirty things like outside furniture, so you don’t have to use nicer ones.

I nsects in the kitchen: Place bay leaves inside of your kitch-

en drawers to keep any crawling insects away.

Microwave cleaning: Place a bowl of water in the micro-

wave and turn it on for five minutes. The hot water will evaporate onto the micro-wave walls, leaving it easy to wipe clean.

N ail holes in your walls: With a putty knife, scrape spack-

ling across holes in the wall, flattening it to be level with the paint. Allow it to dry and reapply if necessary. Use a damp rag to remove the excess.

U pholstery: To clean upholstered furniture, vacuum the uphol-

stery to remove dirt. Then rub cleaning solution (1/4 cup laundry detergent and 1 cup warm water) on the furniture. Rinse with a damp cloth.

Toilet trouble: If

your toilet won’t flush, examine the inside and outside of the handle to ensure it’s properly connected to the toilet chain. Reconnect the

chain (or replace) if necessary, and re-flush.

Stains: Lighter fluid will remove most stains from porcelain sinks

and bathtubs. Karo Syrup will remove grass stains from clothes and other fabrics.

O dors from

garlic and onions: To remove the smell of garlic from your

hands, rub them on any stainless steel kitchen item. To remove the smell of onion, rub hands with

dry mustard and then rinse.

Hin

ts for H

om

e


Household Tips From A to Z

F resh flowers: To keep flowers fresh for a longer

amount of time, put them in 7-up instead of water.

D ryer sheets:

Before using your dryer sheets, cut the sheets in half. A load of laundry needs only half a dryer sheet to leave your fabrics smell-

ing fresh and clean. This will extend the life of your

product.

J ava filters: Coffee filters can be used to dust your TV without leaving behind

any lint or streaks. Spray some air freshener on a java filter and use it to dust the television screen.

E rasers: Erasers can be used to remove pencil marks from cotton fab-

ric, crayon marks from walls, and the gummy residue left behind from stickers.

Ketchup: Remove

tarnish from silver jewelry by soak-ing the jewelry in ketchup. Use an old

toothbrush to clean the crevices. Be sure to rinse thoroughly.

by Melissa Richardson

Luggage: Lemon extract will remove

scuffmarks from your leather luggage.

Z ap away flies: A

quick and easy way to get rid of flies is to spray hairspray

on them.

Y ellowed whites: If you have yellowed or grayed white clothing,

hang the clothes out to dry whenever possible to let the sun reduce discoloration.

X tend the life of your phone: To extend the

battery life of your phone, let the battery run all the way down once a week.

W indows: To clean windows without leaving

any streaks or lint behind, use newspaper instead of a paper towel or rag.

V inegar: Keep your car windows frost-free by coating

them with a 3-part vinegar and 1-part water solution.

R efrigerators: To keep your fridge smell-

ing fresh, keep a box of baking soda or a vanilla-soaked cotton ball inside.

Quicken drying time: To speed dry-ing time for bulky

items and jeans, add a dry towel to the wet items you’re drying in the dryer. The towel will help absorb some of the excess moisture.

P illows: To rejuvenate your pillows, tumble them for ten minutes in

a cool dryer with a cloth damp-ened with fabric softener. You can also tumble them on warm heat with a couple of clean tennis balls.

5 8 March 2010

Food FreedomForm a Healthier Relationship

with Your Foodby Michelle Mangum

As the cute waiter approached our table, my eyes widened with excitement, and

my breath caught in my throat. I found myself overcome with anticipation as

he carried our entrées to the table. The waiter, catching the look on my face,

laughed and said, “You look pretty excited.” And I was. That plate of chicken

Florentine looked amazing.

As you can tell, I love to eat. From Italian to Thai, Mexican to Japanese, I just can’t

seem to get enough. There’s something so satisfying about sitting down to a heap-

ing plate of food and eating my fill. But it’s more than that. In truth, I have a love

affair with food. And despite the teasing and strange glances I sometimes receive for

my enthusiasm, I think I have a healthier relationship with food than most people I

know. You see, I have a theory: it’s not so much what you eat as how much of it you

eat. Let me explain.

My weight, like most people’s, doesn’t always remain perfectly steady. In order to

discover the cause of my weight fluctuations, I started to pay close attention to the

effect my food intake had on my body. I soon discovered that my weight gain was

linked to the large portion sizes of my meals, snacks, and desserts. In reality, what I

ate wasn’t as much of an issue.

This discovery was completely liberating. I no longer felt guilty about baking chocolate

chip cookies or ordering the occasional bacon cheeseburger. All I had to do was regulate

how much of my favorite foods I could eat. When I did this, I lost almost fifteen pounds

in a matter of weeks. More importantly, I felt more at peace with my food choices and,

consequently, with myself.

Unfortunately, many women today are so concerned with maintaining or devel-

oping a slender figure that they think they can never eat anything unhealthy. And

when they slip up and sneak a forbidden taste of Ben and Jerry’s, they begin the

how-could-you-be-so-weak-and-pathetic guilt trip that leads to low self-esteem and

hours on the treadmill.

This route only leads to dissatisfaction. Instead, choose to have a more positive, healthy

relationship with food—and with yourself. Don’t automatically say no to that piece of

cheesecake; just take a small sliver and enjoy it. Stop avoiding that restaurant with the

to-die-for chicken-fried steak; make the occasional visit and savor each gravy-covered

bite. Just remember to moderate your portion sizes, and you’ll be fine.

Once you start viewing food as something to enjoy rather than something to stress

over, you can feel more at peace with yourself and your choices. So keep doing what

you do by eating healthy foods and exercising regularly. Just make sure to eat a guilt-

free brownie every once in awhile, too. Trust me—it’s good for the soul.5 8

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