Monthly Archives: July 2015

30Jul/15

Shake It Up!

Do something different, it’s good for you..

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No, I’m not talking about drinks…but you could do that as well. What I’m talking about is doing something different. Shaking things up in your life and doing something you have never done before.

The other day I was supposed to meet a friend for lunch. I thought we would just go to one of the usual places. Don’t get me wrong, I love those spots and the food is always good. But she suggested we go somewhere different, somewhere I have never even heard of. Boiling Springs. It’s in Pennsylvania and I am from PA so how have I never been there or never even heard of the place is beyond me. She asked if I had time and I did, so off we went to Boiling Springs.

There is nothing that clears your mind like going somewhere you have never been before. While the same old places are quite rewarding and you know what to expect and most of the time are not disappointed, it is refreshing to boldly go where you have never gone before. I was excited…to go to lunch. Going to places from my youth is comforting and I love that feeling but going somewhere new is exciting. And I don’t get a lot of excitement these days.

The place where we ate was beautiful. It sits on the banks of the Yellow Breeches Creek and the water is indeed, well… boiling. It isn’t boiling from temperature but thats another story. Look it up. The food was excellent and service was great, and I thoroughly enjoyed both the lunch and the conversation. But I have to say what really blew me away was the town itself. It truly captured my heart and soul. We drove around to check it out and it was such a quaint, old fashioned little town it looked like it hadn’t changed in decades, but in this instance that is a good thing. Every street we drove down was more engaging than the one before. I could totally picture myself living in one of the cottages by the water and walking around there every morning.

This little trip touched me in such a way that it boggled my mind.  So I was thinking about this and the fact that it was still on my mind at all. And I think the reason is because it made me break away from the norm, from the usual and mundane. It “shook things up” a little. So, because of this I gave myself a challenge, a challenge to visit somewhere new at least once a month. I think we all need that, we need to feel the way we did as children every time we did something new and the world was full of wonder and excitement. It was so nice to feel that way again. We tend to get stuck in our lives by going the same places for dinner, the same spot for vacation and even the same place to shop.

Maybe I won’t limit it to new places, maybe new things as well. One new place and one new thing every month. Why not? What can it hurt? I’m not saying it is wrong to go to the old familiar places and I certainly will continue to do that, but I want to have this feeling again and I want have it often.

In a world full of such negativity and this “growing older” thing that is also happening, I want to find things to make me feel the way I felt the other day. Wouldn’t it be great to have exciting new things and places to experience? They wouldn’t have to be expensive or far away. This place was not far at all and so worth the trip. Really you wouldn’t even have to leave the house to do some things. You could learn a new language, a new skill or craft, a new food or even just read a different kind of book(say you always read fiction, now you would try non-fiction). My son and his wife changed their living room furniture around last week and even the kids felt the difference.

Change is good for us. It can be scary and uncomfortable, but it forces us to grow and look around at what else is out there. It makes us think and makes our brain work harder. So lets “Shake it up.” Let’s embrace each and every moment we are here and get excited again. What are you going to try? Where are you going to go? Let me know, I might want to go there too!

“Shake it up, people!”

23Jul/15

“Shop Till You Drop”

Or run out of money…

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As far back as I can remember I have loved to shop. It all began sometime in the early 50’s, Mom would take me and then me and my sister Rhonda downtown every Friday night. We would go to the Bon Ton Tea Room for dinner and “shop till we dropped”. Then happy and fulfilled and loaded down with shopping bags, we would head home on the bus. Thus began my love of shopping.

It still continues, this obsession with shopping. It is my therapy. My thing. Everyone has something, I have shopping. I absolutely love it. I know there are a lot of people who hate shopping, but I’m sure they have something like it in their lives. I have friends these days that get a box full of items sent to them with tops, bottoms and accessories all in the box. Bam! Everything you could possibly need in one box. But what’s the fun in that? Half the fun is in the find! You can quote me on that one.

I usually go with someone, a friend or my daughter. It’s more fun with someone, it’s a social thing. And you have someone that can either talk you out of or into buying something, We got this love of shopping from Mom, it’s her fault we spend. She didn’t  drink, smoke or play cards or anything that women from her day did, she shopped. And she loved it. She passed that love onto me, my sister Rhonda, my nieces and my daughters and now even my grand daughter. My youngest daughter isn’t as obsessed as the oldest and myself, but she does have her moments. They just aren’t as frequent as ours.

Since I am not working I don’t have the excuse of needing new outfits for work. I am trying to simplify and declutter. So the whole shopping thing is not nearly as much fun. When you don’t have an excuse and also don’t have as much money you have to look for a new way to enjoy your “therapy.” My new plan is to carry the items I find and love around the entire time I’m in the store, enjoy it, picture myself wearing it and then put them back before leaving the store. I pretend I am buying them and don’t actually spend the money. It is working so far. I’ve only tried it one time…

Buying things you don’t need or don’t really have the money for is stressful. The short term thrill isn’t worth the depression or regret later. I have been thinking about this since I recently saw an article about “why we have the need to shop”. A few clinical psychologists have done research and found that reason we shop and buy things is a need for a social connection or relationship in one form or another. Also it is known to be a form of anxiety relief. Someone going through a crisis or life transition will shop to release the tension and stressors. (at least until the bill comes due)

The same doctors or whatever they were, went on to say that shopping can be addictive.(duh) And they saw spikes in dopamine activity in the group they were testing. It is especially so when it comes to bargain hunters and events like Black Friday sales. So at least I have a reason and a good one at that, for my love of shopping. It is somewhat comforting to know I have a clinical affliction and therefore can’t help myself from buying that new purse.

It isn’t just women who love to shop, while they are probably the ones that do it the most, there are a lot of men who love to shop too. They just shop for different things…cars, tools, car parts and many kinds of collectable items, like old baseball cards. My son loves tools and would buy them every day if his wife would let him. Seriously..tools?

I also read that successful people wear the same thing every day. Einstein wore grey suits. Steve Jobs wore a black turtleneck. And Mark Zuckerberg wears a tee shirt and jeans every single day. Notice there were no women on this list, I guess it must be a “man thing.” They really have no need to shop and can easily pick items from their closets each morning without stressing about “what to wear.” Again, what’s the fun in that?

And so I’m simplifying and decluttering and not buying as much(well not quite as much). The getting rid of things part is a whole other thing and hard. How do I get rid of that leather jacket I wore to the Aerosmith concert? But, I’ll tell you one thing, I will not give up shopping. You will see me, a little old lady on my scooter, scooting around Walmart, shopping till I drop. On second thought….no, I just can’t do Walmart, no matter how old I am. It will have to be TJMaxx.

Ok, I’ll admit it… my name is Renee and I’m a “Shopaholic”….

 

09Jul/15

“Oh No, Not You Too”…..

Can we get a button on Facebook to “not” see certain things….

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The button I am talking about and what I would so like to have is one to not see my “friends” posts on political issues. I have made many new friends over the years I have been on Facebook and I really love the interaction. I am all for people having their own opinion and being able to express it. The problem I have is when a person I really have come to admire and think we are “like minded” posts something hateful or very biased and one sided about a political figure or topic. It just makes me say to myself (and sometimes out loud), “oh no, not you too.”

In “real life” I don’t know how most of my friends feel about politics or even what party they belong to. We don’t discuss politics. My Dad always said if you want to keep a friend you don’t discuss politics or religion. So I don’t have these discussions with friends or family members with the exception of my 3 kids. We all know where we stand and respect each others opinions. I do know the brands of clothing, purses and shoes my friends like but not their favorite politician.

Just this week a person I had respected and have had conversations on various topics posted something that made me say…”oh no, not you too.” It is very  disheartening to see the hurtful and sometimes hateful comment coming from someone you have respected for so long. It changes the way you look at them and changes the way you feel. At least it does for me. It is one thing to post a comment and quite another to be so overly hateful or even abusive.

I never post anything about politics and never engage in conversation about it. It brings out the worst in people and I don’t want to see that or be that person. My question is, do these people act like this in the “real world” or do they only do it when they are behind the safety of their computer screen? I have a few people I am friends with that are or have been politicians and I know where they stand and I respect that. I don’t try to change them or say hurtful things to them. They have their belief and I have mine. We agree to disagree, without saying a word.

This is what I think it all boils down to…people all want us to think the way they do. What happened to everyone having an opinion and talking about it rationally and with out judgement or hate? I don’t see the need to trash someone, be it a political figure or anyone else for that matter. Why can’t we just have a conversation? Does the internet give you some kind of super power to say things you would never say if you were at dinner with friends?

We still have the right to free speech in our great country. I am grateful we have it and think we should speak our mind… It just doesn’t have to be hurtful, hateful or abusive. Believe me it takes all the will power I have sometimes not to say something, but just as in “real life” I don’t. Lesson learned, Dad! And those that know me, know this is hard for me as I have an opinion on everything. To all the people that feel the need to speak out… go ahead have your say, but if it is one of hate or abuse, I really don’t want to see it.

Please give me that “I don’t want to see this” button……

 

 

 

02Jul/15

10 Benefits of Sesame Oil

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Why I love this stuff…

Apple Cider Vinegar, as many of you may know, is my number one go to cure all. Sesame Seed Oil is number two on my list for a variety of reasons. Today I will talk about the top 10.

1. Sesame Seed Oil has a high zinc content which makes it great for your skin. It has healing properties and produces collagen. Making it wonderful as a moisturizer and as a massage oil.

2. The seeds contains high levels of magnesium which has been known to prevent and help with some diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Also contains copper which can help those with rheumatoid arthritis.

3. Sesame seeds contain calcium, tryptophan and thiamin, which have calming effects and can help with pain, anxiety, depression and sleeping issues.

4. The oil has been shown to help improve the liver. Need I say more?

5. The healing properties of this seed are numerous as I mentioned above. Because of the zinc and it’s antioxidant properties it can prevent wrinkles, help with psoriasis and may lighten age spots. Start as early as possible using this, I have seen some of my age spots lighten a bit. I just wish I would have found this “wonder oil” sooner.

6. The oil can be used as a facial cleanser. It has amazing detox and healing properties due to the zinc and is very easy to make.

Mix together 1/2 cup sesame seed oil and 1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar(if you don’t know about all the wonderful things ACV does, please read my earlier post on that) Throw some water on your face first and then use this mixture, leave on for a brief moment and then wash with warm water and your regular soap or cleanser.

7. It heals cuts, scrapes and helps with skin problems such as acne, which has a tendency to pop(no pun intended) up again later in life. Also tightens skin and stops itching. There has been some studies done where it has helped skin cancers or at least prevented it. I hesitate to promote this, as I do not know this to be a fact. But it can’t hurt.

8. Sesame oil is great for sunburn and after a day in the sun. Massage it gently all over your skin. One thing I like about it is it is not very greasy and doesn’t rub off on clothing or sheets like some other oils. (do not yell at me if you use too much and you ruin something)

9. I personally use it every morning as a serum under my moisturizer. I have noticed my skin getting softer and dry patches I had have disappeared.

10. And last but not least it works wonders on dry, cracked heels. Believe me when I say I have tried all the “cures” over the years and this is the best. Rub some on your feet every night, put on some socks and voila in the morning.. soft feet. It takes a few weeks to see the improvement but it is much better than the smelly Vicks or some of the other horrible things I have tried.

This list shows you a few of the benefits of Sesame Oil. You can also use the oil in cooking instead of vegetable oil. It has healthy fats and does not burn as quickly as some other oils. Make your salad dressing with it or just throw some seeds in your normal recipes. If you are making bread or cake throw some seeds in and no one will even notice(well they might, but its good for them). You can put some in your smoothies.

Note: I am not a doctor, nor do I pretend to be one. This works for me and I share my stories on what I use in hopes it may help others. If you take medication and think something may interact, please check with your doctor before trying anything I suggest. Good luck and good health!

I have provided a link to the one I use for my skin. Just click on the picture and it will take you to Amazon to purchase it. I always search for the best cost and best brand with highest rating from other users.