Productivity @ Home

Seeking Employment?

I seem to have a lot of friends these days who are looking for jobs. This economy is so difficult, and many people have been laid off, downsized or received major pay cuts. I also know a fair number of mom friends who are rejoining the workforce after having stayed home with children for an extended period of time.

Back in the day, I used to be pretty proficient on this topic. My Master's degree is in Human Resource Development and the first half of my career was working at Vanderbilt University at the Recruitment Manager, and then for Kaiser Permanente in that same capacity. When I "retired" in 1991 to stay home with little Eric, I had a corner office and a staff of eleven and spent my time managing my staff and recruiting for high level positions at the medical center.

Hotel Room Fitness

Since my work @ home has me on the road quite a lot lately, I'm finding that my normal workout routine -- which depends quite a lot on meeting my best friend at the gym -- has been severely impacted.  

For me, hotels have traditionally equated to "fun" and "vacation", and not "work".  Now that my writing and speaking is taking me on the road more frequently, it's time for an attitude adjustment! It's true that many hotels offer gyms these days, but I'm finding that these often come with a pricetag I'm not willing to pay.  

So I was happy to run across this article with a few simple suggestions for cardio workouts that can be taken on the road.  

Maybe favorite option will always be to hit the street and enjoy a walk wherever I find myself, but it's good to have a few safe and easy alternatives like stair climbing, squats and other core exercises I can do in a small space.

Do you have an "on the road" workout commitment that keeps you in shape or do you find that travel turns your fitness flat?

Topic Updates

With my second manuscript in the editing phase -- and thus off my desk and onto my editor's -- I have a bit more time to spend here at P@H.  I'm going to slightly update our agenda here and will be focusing on the following daily topics:

• Monday - Working Issues
• Tuesday - Family Life Issues
• Wednesday  - App Spotlights
• Thursday - Finance and Learning Issues
• Friday - Entertainment Topics and Fitness Solutions

Is there a topic you'd like to see discussed here?  Sound off in the comments below!

Family TV Night - A Walk in My Shoes

Have you seen the wonderful trailers playing on NBC for the new movie "A Walk in My Shoes"?

Just in case you haven't, I wanted to share the great news about this family-friendly movie that will be airing Friday, December 3 at 8 pm (7 CT) on NBC.  The film is sponsored by Walmart and Proctor & Gamble as part of a larger initiative to take back television and provide for positive, uplifting and entertaining family viewing options.  

I haven't seen the film yet, but based on this great trailer, I can't wait to pop a bowl of popcorn, gather my family and enjoy this together. I hope you'll view the trailer and please consider sharing it on your blogs, websites and with your social networking contacts.  We need to support and encourage programs like this if we hope to have more acceptable choices in the future for our families.  So tweet, share, and facebook this and ask your friends to do so as well!  Happy viewing!

A Walk In My Shoes - 2:33 TRLR from Moms4FamilyTV.com on Vimeo.

Here's some additional information on "A Walk in My Shoes":

“A Walk in My Shoes” makes viewers stop and think, “What would I learn if I stepped into someone else’s life?” Stressed-out high school teacher Trish Fahey (Nancy Travis, “Three Men and a Baby,” “Becker”) can’t understand her students’ lack of effort in the classroom and why their parents don’t seem to care. This is especially true of Justin Kremer (Cameron Deane Stewart), a popular, skateboard-loving, basketball star who is underperforming in her class. Trish has him suspended from the basketball team and quickly chalks up the situation as a case of bad parenting. This perspective dramatically changes when Trish meets Molly (Yara Martinez, “My Own Worst Enemy”), a mysterious stranger intent on helping her see things differently. After a car accident, Trish wakes to find herself living the life of Cindy Kremer, the woman she has rashly judged and criticized. Molly helps Trishdiscover that there is more to the story and learns a powerful lesson that affects everyone she interacts with, including her husband, daughter and the Marine next door. No one is left unchanged. “When I read the script for ‘A Walk in My Shoes’ I was instantly drawn to the character of Trish Fahey, because I think many of us have found ourselves in similar situations,” stated Nancy Travis. “It’s important to remember that today many families, especially those with members serving in the military, are balancing many pressures, so I was happy to work on a project that not only brought family-friendly programming to television, but addressed these life lessons.” “A Walk in My Shoes” will take viewers on an inspirational journey, as they experience how families can come together in the face of adversity. The film’s main characters are forced to confront their pasts and learn valuable life lessons in an uplifting manner that families can enjoy together. This emotional story is an expansion into the dramatic genre for P&G and Walmart as the first two films, “Secrets of the Mountain” and “The Jensen Project” were family adventures. Yara Martinez, best known for her work in CBS’s “The Unit,” plays the role of Molly. Philip Winchester, who starred as the title role of Robinson Crusoe in the NBC action series “Crusoe,” plays Jake, a Marine who lives next door to the Kremer family. The roles of Cindy and Justin Kremer are played by Jana Lee Hamblin and Cameron Deane Stewart, respectively. “A Walk in My Shoes” will also feature a soundtrack produced by music mogul Randy Jackson that includes songs from artists such as Michael Johns, Judgment, and Walking In Space. The “A Walk in My Shoes” DVD and soundtrack will be sold together in a bonus pack exclusively at Walmart startingSaturday, Dec. 4. For more information visit www.awalkinmyshoes.com.

Resolutions Continued - Soul

As I continue sharing some of my New Year's resolutions with you in the "Heart, Mind, Body & Soul" format of my upcoming book The Handbook for Catholic Moms: Nurturing Your Heart, Mind, Body, and Soul, today I want to focus for a few moments on "Soul". 

Most of you know that I'm a pretty faith-oriented person.  Because readership of this blog is more diverse than the other places where I write, I will spare you the specific details of my faith-oriented resolutions for this year.  I will say, however, that for me to be "successful" in my other goals for this year, this particular set of resolutions is the bedrock upon which the others are built.

Regardless of your personal religious affiliation (or intentional lack thereof), I hope you will join me in making time each and every day for quiet in your life.  We can all get so caught up in the busy-ness of our worlds that we neglect our spiritual underpinnings.  For me, I know that when I let this part of my life go astray, the wheels begin to fall off of the cart and nothing else runs properly.  What I call "prayer time" you may call "meditation" or "silent time". 

Friday Food: Vegetable Kabobs with Lemon Pepper and Banana and Peanut Butter Obsession

Find more great family recipes and meal planning assistance at Dine Without Whine

Vegetable Kabobs with Lemon Pepper
Makes 4 servings
Prep Time: 55 minutes – Yield: 4 servings

VEGETABLES
8 small new red potatoes
2 medium onions
1 medium yellow summer squash, cut into 8 pieces
8 medium fresh mushrooms
8 cherry tomatoes
SAUCE
1/2 cup margarine or butter
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

1. GRILL DIRECTIONS: Heat grill. Remove thin strip of peel from around center of each potato. Place potatoes and onions in medium saucepan; add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil. Cook 5 to 8 minutes or just until potatoes can be pierced with fork. Drain. Cut each onion into 4 wedges.

2. Melt margarine in small saucepan. Stir in all remaining sauce ingredients.

3. When ready to grill, alternately thread vegetables onto eight 8 to 12-inch metal skewers. Place on gas grill over medium heat or on charcoal grill 4 to 6 inches from medium coals. Cook 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender, turning and brushing frequently with sauce.

Banana and Peanut Butter Obsession

1/2 to 2/3 cup milk
1 cup partially frozen diced bananas
1/3 cup or more creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup chocolate-peanut butter or favorite chocolate ice cream

1. Place all the ingredients in a blender and mix by using the on/off pulse function until the ingredients are mostly blended. Continue mixing, gradually increasing the speed, until the mixture is smooth. Pour the smoothie into a glass.

Dine Without Whine - With your membership to Dine Without Whine, every Thursday You Receive In Your Personal E-Mail Box A Complete Weekly Menu That Covers The Following Week (Monday-Sunday). Included Is: A Personal Note From Christine Main Dish Recipes For Dinner Every Night Of The Week Suggestions For Side Dishes Brunch Ideas For Saturday And Sunday A Couple Dessert Recipes To Be Used Anytime During the Week In addition Christine will include a grocery list (categorized by aisle) for the week that includes all the necessary ingredients to prepare the recipes highlighted in the newsletter! All you have to do is cross off any items you may already have on hand - add breakfast, snack or lunch items you may need and you're ready to shop! Recipes will be fairly simple and family friendly - meaning hopefully your children (or picky husband) will enjoy them as well; and they will include ingredients that you have actually heard of. (You won't have to search all over town for that special ingredient!) Dine Without Whine - A Weekly Menu Plan & Grocery List Delivered To Your E-mail Box

Tips on Green Living - Focus on Conservation

Today's guest Fun Fridays article was written by Tracy Santany.  Spend time this weekend with your family looking at the topic of "conservation".  Try to come up with a few family projects or ideas that focus on making your home and lifestyle more "green".  In our home, we are planning our summer garden, trying to ride our bicycles for shorter distances, and looking at other economizing tips that help both our family and our environment.  I'd love to hear what you come up with!

Many times when people are looking for tips on green living, they tend to overlook the obvious. We believe that we should talk to people who have a Masters Degree in environmental science so that we can make sure that nothing we do further endangers the environment. The fact is, though, that we can go a long way in helping our wallets and the environment by following a few simple tips on green living through conservation.

• Lights off - You've probably heard it numerous times, but that's because it is good, common sense. You are helping the environment every time you conserve energy, and when a light bulb isn't on you are conserving energy. You will also see a significant difference in your electric bill.
• Unplug - One of the lesser known tips on green living-and something that will further lower your electric bill--is to unplug any appliances when you are not using them. Even when you turn appliances off, they are still using some electricity when they're plugged in. This includes televisions, DVD players, coffee pots and blenders.
• Drive less - It may seem like an obvious tip, but even though people know that driving less is a great way to practice green living, they don't always heed the advice. If you can get away with walking somewhere instead of driving, do it! Plan better so you don't have to make as many shopping trips. Be creative when it comes to ideas for driving less.

These are just three tips on green living through conservation. If you really put your mind to it, you could think of many more. You'll feel good about the difference you are making to your environment, and you'll be pleased with how much money you save as well.

For more helpful information on green living, visit: http://howtogogreenliving.com/.  Tracy is a writer, editor, and proponent of many worthy causes, including green living. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tracy_Santany

Kindle 2 iPhone App - Can it Replace the Real Thing?

Amazon recently announced the availability of the new Kindle 2 App for the ubiquitous iPhone.  As an iPhone owner and someone who's been coveting the Kindle 2: Amazon's New Wireless Reading Device (Latest Generation) since its release, I hustled over to the iTunes app store to download the free application.

I've had Stanza on my iPhone for a few months and have been slowly working my way through my free download of Emma.   The truth is, I don't have a lot of time these days to curl up with fiction, so I've wondered how much I would truly use the Kindle 2.  I'm attracted by the thought of discontinuing my periodical subscriptions and going paperless via the Kindle.   As of now, the Kindle iPhone app will not allow access to periodicals.

Having downloaded the app, I've used it to get a few sample chapters of books that have caught my eye.  At this point, however, I likely wouldn't actually purchase a full Kindle book and read it on my iPhone.  For the brief amount of time I spend reading on the iPhone, I will likely stick with sample chapters or free downloads of classics via Stanza.

It's not surprising that a free app won't replace a $359 tech toy.  For a complete and extremely thorough look at this new iPhone app compliment to the Kindle 2, check out this awesome article by CNET's Nicole Lee, who owns the real thing! 

Lisa Likes

Because I am a big geek and because our family loves music, I find this fascinatingly fun:

Time Budget - Fitness and Friends

On Fridays, I share my thoughts on Health and Fitness.

When it comes to organizing my time, there are a few top priorities in my life.  They include my faith life, my family, and my commitment to regular exercise. 

Just as I tend to take shortcuts on my daily quiet time when life gets busy, my workouts tend to get skipped when I'm busy and I start to eat badly and without control.  By this, I don't mean "pigging out" but rather making bad eating choices due to the fact that having fresh, healthy food in the house involves shopping.

So my "Time Budget" definitely needs daily health and fitness components.  I'm blessed to have Coach Greg Cheney of Faith First Fitness in my life to help me working towards my health related goals.  I also have a great friend/workout buddy who makes going to the gym a pleasure.  So my Time Budget includes thrice weekly workouts.  I hope to be able to supplement these with a daily walk and will be aiming to wear a pedometer six days per week to monitor myself.

Equally as important as physical health is my mental health, and one of the things that helps it most is time spent with my girlfriends.  I have a few social commitments that occur on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, so I've allocated time for these in my time budget.  Family fun also falls into this category, and is absolutely one of the best ways I can be spending my time.

What items would you put into the Fitness and Friends area of your time budget?  Is time spent "goofing off" with friends or family a waste of time or essential to a happy, productive life?

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