And into the shop...

When I was a kid I drove old beaters...like all kids do. All kids except my friend Boone. He drove his mom's Honda Accord. Which of corse we made fun of because it was Mom-Beige and had four doors...you know, kid stuff. Looking back though, he probably had the most reliable ride of us all.

Sure the Accord was in the shop from time to time but at least the mechanics used actual Honda parts rather than salvaged parts from whatever they could find in the junkyard! Which is probably why I drive a Honda SUV -hybrid even!- today. The mechanics give me a good feeling from the time I enter the shop. He talks to me like I'm important, smart and like he's not taking me along for the ride. even when I need something out of my realm like a timing belt problem. I like that.

If you're looking for San Francisco auto repair check out this link.

Just Entertain Me, Please.

As a freelancer I travel. A lot. Conferences, seminars, interviewing clients. The list goes on. Now that I'm a traveling mommy-freelancer, I'm realizing that I used to take a lot of things about travel for granted. Like entertainment while in waiting areas. Not that I take my kiddo along - talk about unprofessional! I had an interview with a local doctor this past week to chat about new exercise statistics for a magazine article. But in the waiting room was a frazzled mom with an out-of-control kiddo who wanted...well, everything. He wanted to rip up magazines, play with the furniture...you name it. And I realized that our family doctor has a DirecTV Business plan to entertain us while we wait. Usually tuned to cartoons or music videos, but something that captures the attention of the kiddos in the area. Which got me thinking about travel - can't remember the last time I flew when there wasn't television of some sort, usually Direct TV for business. We're satellite people - have had our satellite unit since the beginning, and I'll never go back to cable. But should I ever have an office that people visit I think I'll put satellite there, too.

Just Act Your Age

So I've been researching a piece on aging gracefully and how fifty is the new thirty...and I started thinking: can't 30 be the new 30 and 50 be the new 50? Why do we, as women, need to justify our age, behavior or style of dress? Why can't we just be comfortable as we are? Why do we feel the need to hide those top anti aging products? Or lie about getting a little work done here or there? Seriously! I'm not at the age where the wrinkles are weighing down my face ... but when that happens (and I know it will) I don't think I should be made to feel badly about getting something done. Why is it anyone's business what I do with or to my body? If it's okay with me (and the hubster), why should you care? I know, just a little bit of a rant but it really burns me up when people (usually men) come down on women for wanting to look their best.

What's Your Routine?

My skin has never been my favorite feature. I have a tendency to go red and splotchy at the drop of a hat. It isn't rosacea - my dermatologist swears it! - but I'm always on the market for new products. Saw an ad for tretinoin cream and decided to try it...and it totally messed with my mojo.

Don't get me wrong, the cream is fine, although it did dry out my skin a bit. The big problem is that I've been feeling a little out of sorts lately and I finally figured out the problem: my routine has been messed up. Typical day starts around 8AM (don't hate me! it's a bonus of being self-employed), breakfast, play with kiddo, shower/dress/cleanse face...I find that I'm just not as creative without the morning shower. And lately I've been showering at night, doing facials, etc. because that freed up more time in the morning for writing.

Only the writing has been like pulling teeth. What would usually take about 45 minutes has been more like 90 minutes. Not good at all. So today I'm taking back my morning showers/facials/routine...and hoping for better writing.

Do I Wanna Know?

Both of my grandparents (paternal) died of colon cancer when I was really small. And as I get closer to the big 3-5 I've been thinking a lot about that. So at my yearly physical chatted with my doctor about starting a colonoscopy regimen and even the benefits of a colon cleanse. Turns out I'm a little early. Even with my family history, my doc suggested waiting until I hit the 4-0 rather than the 3-5...and he also pointed out that a lot of the so-called cleanse products are simply laxatives that basically dehydrate you and do nothing to cleanse the colon area. There are things you can do under a doctor's supervision with better results though. Huh.

More Budgeting Tips...

Although I'm fully aware of how much I'm making each month and year (and really each week if you want to get specific) I don't do the budget in our house. That is the hubster's job because he gets numbers. He likes them. I never have. They make me tired and I'd rather focus my energy on creative projects - not that budgeting doesn't get creative from time to time in any house with kids! Anywho, as I was looking for one last stocking stuffer for him at Christmas, I came across this home budgeting software...and picked up a copy. We're into month 2 using it and he says it's definitely saving some time...which he is using to focus more on his business!

Email Scam Linked to Olympics

Watch out, everyone, those yukky spammers are up to something new: using actual events - and targeting messages to specific consumers - to get your information. A new report from MessageLabs shows that several Olympic themed spam messages have been sent out by botnets...these messages appear to be legitimate and even have legit links, but they also contain malware that infects the computer and can steal your information. Read about it here.

To avoid becoming a victim during the 2010 Games, Symantec urges you to follow these best practices:

· Purchasing Official Olympic Tickets – When buying tickets online, even from an auction site, be sure it is a reputable online source. For instance, Vancouver2010.com is offering fan-to-fan tickets on a first come, first-served basis.
· If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is – Many cybercriminals use extravagant promises such as “exclusive” Olympic pins and merchandise to lure victims into clicking through to malicious sites and divulging personal information.

· Use caution when clicking links from within emails or IM messages – Links can contain viruses or Trojans, or lead users to infected websites. Never click a link in a suspicious email. Instead, make it a habit to type the full website URL, such as www.YouTube.com, into your Web browser.

· Never fill out forms in messages – Legitimate 2010 Winter Games organizers/sponsors will never ask for personal, financial or password information through an email message.
· Update your computer – Have a hacker –free Olympic experience by ensuring that all personal and work computers are protected with up-to-date antivirus software and the latest operating system and application patches.

Oh, My Aching Pores...

Not really. I just needed a catchy headline. I've been writing for a new health and beauty site, which not only pays well but I get to try out new products like a blackhead extractor or a painless eyebrow waxing solution. So far, so fun - although my face sometimes wants a break! Actually as I was testing out one product I really wished they had it when I was in school because I used to get horrible pimples just below my temples because 1) I have an oily complexion and 2) I wore glasses. Not a good combo...are you saying Nerd yet? Anyhow, I now have combination skin, headed toward dry as I age which is making me crazy...but at least the pimples are gone, right?