Visiting the City of Edmonton

Downtown Edmonton at night. Visitors and people looking to rent a home in Edmonton can find listings at Edmonton Rentals.

This year, Bill and I are looking for some new places to visit and travel to.

Well, actually I am.

Bill is a creature of habit and prefers what is old and familiar so it may take a little arm twisting and bribery to get him out of his comfort zone. 

In the past, we've vacationed in Florida and North Carolina and while I love Disney and spending lazy afternoons on the beach, both places have a been-there-done-that feel. So this morning when I work up early and couldn't get back to sleep, I settled in with my computer and a piece of chocolate cake and started searching for the ultimate vacation destination.

And yes, I know with the diet, the acid reflux and the wheat that I'm supposed to be avoiding, I shouldn't be eating chocolate cake but technically today is a holiday and a free eating day. Responsible eating, weight loss and new years resolutions start tomorrow. Right?

The wave pool inside West Edmonton Mall.

Anyway, what I discovered is that the city of Edmonton in Alberta, Canada is a pretty cool place to visit.

When most people hear the word Edmonton, one of the first thing they think is “hockey.” The truth is, there is much more to Edmonton that than. 

Here are a few facts: 

• Edmonton is a large city with a population of 1,034,945.
• Has reputation as a cultural, governmental and educational center.
• Plays host to a year-round slate of world-class festivals, earning it the title of "The Festival City.” During the month of January alone you can attend the International Winter Festival, the Deep Freeze Festival, the Ice on Whyte Festival and the Realtor Canoe Theater Festival.
• Features Fort Edmonton Park, Canada's largest living history museum. Fort Edmonton Park consists of four eras from Edmonton's past, ranging from mid 1800s to the 1920, and is staffed with employees in period costumes who portray and interpret life from those time periods. (Bill and I both love taking a peek into the past and learning more about history.)
• Is home to the West Edmonton Mall (known as THE world's largest mall from 1981 until 2004.) Besides hosting over 800 stores, the mall also boosts an indoor amusement park with 24 rides, the world's largest indoor water park and wave pool, indoor golf, an ice skating rink, a movie theater, a shooting range, a large-scale replica of the Santa Maria, one of the ships sailed by Christopher Columbus, several night clubs, a skate park, an interdenominational chapel and four radio stations. Wow! You could spend an entire week there and still not see it all. 

The Royal Mayfair Golf Club in Edmonton.

Add to that trolley car rides with beautiful views of the city, world class golf courses, live theater and some of the best salons and spas in the world. How can you not want to visit Edmonton? After everything I learned, I want to go now. (Plans for a trip in April 2012 are in the works. I can't wait!)

Have you made any vacation plans for 2012 yet? Have you ever visited Edmonton? Do you live there now?  I'd love to hear about your experiences.

Our 2011 Christmas Celebration (With Pictures)

Hope everyone had a happy Christmas.  The McGinnis family had a GREAT one. Here are a few pictures of our celebration:

I know I said I was only going to make a few cookies this year.  I ended up making way too many...

But I had help. Here is Bill mixing cookie dough.

Christmas morning!  Actually it was the morning of December 24th.  We opened our presents a day early since we were heading to Cleveland, OH on the 25th. Bill got a golf bag, Justin got a new television for his dorm and I got a Kitchen Aid mixer I've been wanting.

Justin and his friend Nate on Christmas Eve. It was nice to have them both home from college.

Justin with his friends Nate and Maddie on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve with our good friends. Fifteen of us had the funnest gift exchange ever.  Bill ended up with a "Best Friends" picture frame and nail polish, Justin got mountain pie makers (which he loved!) and I got a camouflage hunting bag, which I traded for a movie gift card and some candy.

Justin's "sister" Tara polishing his nails with Bill's nail polish...

...and him having Maddie immediately remove it!

A Christmas hug!  Justin had a cold. If you know him or read the blog, you know he's always sick with something over Christmas.

I don't have a daughter but my friends all do. Aren't they pretty!

Bill may have had a little to much to drink on Christmas Eve!

On Christmas Day we visited Bill's family in Cleveland, OH. Eight kids between the ages of 4 to 18 plus seven adults plus a mountain of Christmas presents equals a really good time!

The beauty shop was open on Christmas Day.

Dinner was great and of course we all ate too much. (Justin is sitting at the kid's table.)

We couldn't have wished for a better holiday celebration. How was your Christmas? Do you have any exciting plans for New Year's Eve?  Friend me on Facebook or find me on Twitter. (Speaking of New Year's Eve, have fun, stay safe and drink responsibly.)

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to my friends and family!  Wishing you a happy, healthy, holiday!

Life is Good

Let me tell you why:

On Friday night Justin made it home from college safely.  Like any mom, I worried about Justin getting getting home. It was a three hour trip, with a teenage driver, at night, with the potential for bad weather.  Of course I did all the annoying mom things like having him call me when he left the campus, reminding him to pack his medicine and text me each hour so I knew he wasn't laying in a ditch somewhere. If you have kid, you know how this works.

We had a super fun weekend. On Friday night after Justin got home, the three of us went out to eat at Buffalo Bill's, one of our favorite restaurants. We relaxed, hung out and chatted and had a great late night dinner.

On Saturday we met up with old friends for a few drinks and on Sunday (after finishing five loads of Justin's laundry) we went to a birthday party for another good friend. It was a weekend filled with good friends and good food. (I tried a new drink called a Chocolate Covered Pretzel. Here's the recipe: Chocolate Covered Pretzel. Trust me, you'll love it!)

My shopping, baking, cooking, wrapping and cleaning is finished! For the first time since...ever...I'm not stressing about what I have to buy, bake, cook, decorate, wrap, deliver, order or clean. 

Life is good.

Except that I feel like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. Like there is something  around the corner that will make this house of cards come tumbling down and snuff out our happiness. 

Why do I feel this way? Because our Christmases are rarely uneventful. There was the year I had laryngitis from Christmas Day until New Year's Day. The year Justin had pneumonia and didn't want to wake up to open his gifts. The year someone crashed into our car in the mall parking lot. The year my entire family got into a knock down, drag out, screaming match right after opening gifts. (Some people are so selfish. It's infuriating!) And the year Justin had a terrible asthma attack, was life flighted and spent Christmas in the hospital.

Of course there were plenty of good times, but those aren't scary or threatening and they don't seem to hang over your head like the bad stuff. I'm trying not to be Debbie Downer, but I'm a born worrier. It comes as natural to me as breathing. (I'm also a hypochondriac. You can read about it here: My Name is Danielle and I Am a Hypochondriac.)

Have you ever had trouble enjoying the good things around you? Is it normal to feel this way? Do you have any tips than can help me relax? Friend me on Facebook, find me on Twitter or email me at mcginn8@yahoo.com.

Alcohol at Teen Parties and Parental Reponsibility

Did you happen to catch the Today Show earlier this month when they featured a story on Bill and Cynthia Burnett? Bill, who is a Stanford professor, was arrested for unknowingly allowing alcohol at a house party for his son's football team.

The Burnetts as they appeared on the TODAY show.

Here's their story: The Burnetts agreed to host the party for their 17-year-old son and 40 of his friends to celebrate the last football game of the season. Like most parents, they did it under the stipulation that no alcohol be present. The Burnetts made a point to be home when the teens arrived and remained for the duration of the party. While they admitted to allowing the teens some privacy (kids in the basement, parents upstairs) they stated that they monitored the party by occasionally bringing the kids snacks.

At 11 pm the police arrived, responding to an anonymous complaint that the party had become rowdy and alcohol was present. Although the Burnetts assured the police that no one had brought booze, the officers noted that some of the kids, ages 16 to 18 were, according to a police spokesperson, “displaying the signs of being under the influence of an alcoholic beverage.” The police then arrested Bill and charged him with 44 counts to contributing to a minor's delinquency. Burnett spent the night in jail and face's a year's sentence and/or a substantial fine.

The shocker: Burnett and his wife insist they did not know there was alcohol in their house, even telling TODAY that they tried to do everything they could to make sure there wouldn't be drinking at the party.

"We put really clear rules in place and we were patrolling the party," Bill Burnett told Matt Lauer. "My wife and I were both at the house. We were upstairs. The kids were downstairs in the basement. So we were there the whole time, I went through the party a couple times. I brought chocolate chip cookies. I was about to bring them brownies when the police came."

When Lauer asked Cynthia Burnett there was anything she would have done differently she responded by saying, “I don't think there is anything else we could have done short of sitting there in the middle of the party.”

While I agree that the Burnett's had good intentions the truth is, there was more they could have done.  I can't be the only one who thinks there wasn't enough adult supervision at the party (2 adults to 40 kids!) Perhaps the Burnett's should have asked a few other parents to help them chaperon.

When the party became rowdy, it was their responsibility to remind the kids that they they were getting too noisy, that the music was too loud and that they needed to cool it. Then they should have remained downstairs until the kids got the message. Occasionally popping in and dropping off snacks is all well and good but actually taking time to interact with the kids, talking to them and being on alert for any odd behavior or smells would have been a better choice. The police noticed evidence of drinking after spending only a few minutes in the house while the Burnetts claim to have been completely unaware of it. Pardon my confusion, but if you're carefully monitoring a party and "doing everything possible to prevent drinking" how do you miss something like that, especially when (1) you were the house the entire time and (2) you're a college professor who regularly interacts with teens and has at least a basic understanding of how they think and behave.

Yes their son may not have liked mom and dad hanging out with his friends but when you're dealing with kids – especially teens - you've got to do stuff like that. Teenagers are constantly experimenting and testing the boundaries. I did and I bet you did too. 

Raising teenagers means you can't hide your head in the sand and you can't convince yourself that "my kid would never do that." You've got to anticipate and be prepared for the worst. Simply telling them not to do something is never enough. If it was, all our kids would be perfect. Parents need to make sure their kids - and any kids who happen to be under their roof - are following their rules and understand the consequences of not following the rules. Clearly the Burnetts missed the boat on that one.

There's been a lot of internet chatter in support of the Burnetts, with people saying they feel the charges against Bill were excessive.  Seriously!  To that I say: Come on people! Those charges are justified. This man had 40 teenagers in his house drinking and he claimed to have no knowledge that it was happening.  What if one of them was seriously injured, or died.  What if it happened to be your kid?

Not to long ago, one of Justin's “friends” was not pleased with some of the rules we have (rules that said Justin had to be home at a certain time, was deemed to inexperienced to drive certain places and discouraged him from spending every waking minute with her.) She sent me a spiteful text that said, “You need to get your own life and let your son live his.” While she is entitled to her opinion, what she failed to understand was that our rules are there to keep Justin and his friends safe and if she didn't like them (or me for enforcing them) that was going to have to be too bad. I'm not trying to win a popularity contest with Justin's friends and I'm not the least bit concerned about being the “cool mom.” As a matter of fact, if all his friends think I'm totally uncool, that means I'm doing my job.

And in hindsight, maybe that's something Burnett's should have considered during their son's party.

Do you agree with the way the Bill and Cynthia Burnett supervised the party? What your thoughts on penalizing parents for concealed booze? Does this story discourage you from hosting a party for your teen? Friend me on Facebook, find me on Twitter or email me at mcginn8@yahoo.com.  Have a nice weekend!

Is Your Husband Good at Giving Gifts?

Mine isn't. Christmas presents, birthday presents and Mother's Day presents from Bill have always been a bit of a surprise. Meaning they ranged from mundane, to weird to absolutely ridiculous.

A metal detector.  Isn't this what all wives want for Christmas?

There was the year that Bill gave me a shovel and metal detector for Christmas. And the year he gave me a blowup air mattress and camping supplies even though we had never camped or even discussed considered camping.

Once Bill and I had an argument and I blurted out that he wasn't romantic enough. That Mother's Day he gave me a poem he wrote about my blue eyes. In it he talked about how beautiful my eyes were and how much he loved them how “they were the same color as the ocean.” I felt warm and fuzzy thinking about how he took the time to write a little poem about my blue eyes.

Except that my eyes are green.

And while it was a sweet gesture, I was a little disturbed to learn that my husband of 10 years didn't know what color my eyes were.

But wait, there's more!

Written completely in Spanish. We sent them out anyway.

Like the year I dropped hundreds of hints about a black angora sweater I wanted, even giving Bill a catalog with it circled, my size listed and the words “Black please.” What I got was that same sweater...in red. There was also the time I sent him to the store to buy a box of Christmas cards and he came home with cards written completely in Spanish. (How do you miss something like that?)

I used to chalk it up to laziness, or the fact that Bill dislikes shopping. But hell, I don't like shopping either and never took easy way out. Every year while I'm running around trying to find the perfect presents for both his family and mine, it appeared that he strolled into the closest store at the last darn minute, pulled something off the shelf he would have liked to have had, wrapped it and slapped my name on the tag. Remember that old saying “It's not the gift but the thought that counts.” With the exception of the poem, it seemed the amount thought he put into a gift was minimal - and that always irritated me.

Through the years I've tried to take his gift giving inadequacies in stride, not complaining (much). Things came to a head the year of the camping equipment when I pointed out that it might be nice to occasionally get a “girl” gift. When Bill didn't seem to understand what I was talking about, I pointed out that on the way to the sporting goods department of Kmart, he passed the jewelry counter, a perfume display, clothes, purses, pajamas, slippers, socks, picture frames, scented candles and hell, even underwear - all great gift ideas.

There is another old saying, that goes "With age comes wisdom." As I've gotten older, I've learned to look at things that irritated me in my 20s and even 30s, such as Bill's gift giving deficiencies, in a different way. I've also learned that my way is not the only way.  (Who knew!)

Anyone seen Bill in the Sporting Goods Department lately?

After twenty-one Christmases together what I've come to understand is that Bill as isn't as selfish, disinterested or lazy when it comes to selecting gifts as I had believed. He thinks that whatever he likes, I'll like.  It's frustrating that he doesn't always view me as a person with my own interests but it's also nice to see him enthusiastic about sharing what he likes with me. And while I've always interpreted his last minute shopping as not caring, the truth is, Bill does everything at the last minute. That's just who he is - in complete contrast to my anal got-to-get-it-done-now attitude – and something I had to learn to accept.

Looking back, I realized actually enjoyed some of his ridiculous gifts. They've forced me to learn a new hobby or encouraged me try something I hadn't considered. Like the sweater he bought in red because he said I already had too many black sweaters (true.) Like the weekend we went camping with friends and had a great time. Like the Spanish Christmas cards. They were pretty and although no one could read the verse inside, I'm sure everyone who received on knew what Feliz Navidad meant.

Or like the metal detector. We've taken it out a few times and found about 8,000 pull tabs, a few coins, a pair of rusty scissors and got chased out of a field by a guy carrying a shotgun. Turns out the farmer who owned the land was mighty angry we were there digging around.  That experience alone was priceless and if anything, this stuff makes for some great stories.  I mean, Christmas is always a surprise in our house...and who else has sent out Christmas cards in Spanish?

Is your husband good at selecting gifts for you? Has he ever given you something that had you thinking “WTH!” when you opened it? Friend me on Facebook, find me on Twitter or email me at mcginn8@yahoo.com.

Alternative Medicine - An Update

About two weeks ago I wrote about my visit to a holistic alternative medicine man – a chiropractor who adds a little “extra.” If you missed it, you can read it here: Have You Ever Tried Alternative or Holistic Medicine?

I wanted to report back and say that after five visits, whatever he's doing seems to be...working! Trust me, no one is more surprised about this than I am. It wasn't that I was dragged in to see him kicking and screaming but I did go reluctantly and totally convinced that whatever he was going to do wasn't going to work. As a matter of fact, at my first appointment I said something like, “I'm really skeptical about this. I'm only here because my friend and my husband insisted” which, in hindsight, was unkind and will make a point to apologize for because – I FEEL BETTER!!!!

Here's a rundown what's changed:

• I'm down from two Prilosec per day to one.
• The bloating, cramping and stomach pains I've been having for three months are gone. Yes gone!
• I no longer get the hiccups after every meal. That had been happening for long as I can remember and I was convinced it was normal. Apparently it wasn't.
• He convinced me to completely give up caffeine. Anyone who knew me and my Mountain Dew habit might find that hard to believe, but it's true. And...
• I have more energy and stamina than I've had in a long time. I can exercise longer and harder, stay up later at night and even wake up earlier than I had been.

But wait, there's more!

Friday night I flirted with danger at a Christmas party when I drank alcohol, snacked on chips and salsa, ate two rolls with butter with dinner and downed eight cookies and a large piece of cake for dessert.  I had a four hour snack-fest, stuffing myself with a bunch of off limit foods and of no-nos for someone with acid reflux and food allergies. At one point I even said to Bill, “I'm going to pay for this tomorrow.”

Except that I didn't. On Saturday I actually felt better than I had in months and I wore a pair of jeans that had been stuffed in the back of my closet since the whole stomach acid/bloating problem started. For someone who has been living in sweatpants because nothing else fit, that was awesome!

And remember those anger issues I had? While they're not gone completely, I am feeling more relaxed, calmer and patient.

Of course you could attribute the changes to the fact that I'm no longer consuming wheat, caffeine and other foods that I'm apparently sensitive to. (Food allergies are known to cause acid reflux but I have to wonder, how did he even know I had those allergies and sensitivities?)  You could also claim that it was the power or suggestion. True believers might say that he really did help “heal” me with some of the bizarre stuff he does - like the Silly Bandz he gave me to wear to help my cold go away faster. (Don't ask. I still don't understand that one.) The truth is, I don't care how it happened, I'm just glad it did and hope that it continues.

Although my unscientific study on alternative medicine is continuing for at least three more visits (I'm in no hurry to give up that massage chair - my current take is that it's great to use in addition to (but not in place of) regular medicine. If you're interested in trying an at home version of alternative medicine, check out these 10 Simple Ways to Cure Yourself Naturally 

What are your thoughts? Have you ever tried alternative medicine? Were you happy with the results? If you'd like to give my chiropractor/holistic healer/alternative medicine man a try, friend me on Facebook, find me on Twitter or email me at mcginn8@yahoo.com and I'll be happy to share his name and number.

PS - Did you catch Rudolph on television yet this Christmas season? Watching it is an annual tradition in our house.

Oreo Truffles - The Greatest Cookie Recipe Ever!

Since I still have a cold and am not feeling well, it's going to be a short blog today. I wanted to share my favorite cookie recipe for Oreo Truffles. Not only are they delicious, they are also easy to make and inexpensive. Enjoy!

Oreo Truffles

Ingredients

1 16 ounce package of Oreo Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided

1 8 once package of cream cheese, softened

2 8 ounce packages Baker's Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted

Directions

1. Crush 9 of the cookies to fine crumb in a food processor. Reserve for later use. The cookies can also be finely crushed in a resealable plastic bag using a rolling pin.
2. Crush the remaining 36 cookies to fine crumbs. Place them in a medium bowl. Add the cream cheese and mix until well blended.
3. Roll the cookie mixture into 42 balls, about 1 inch in diameter.
4. Dip balls in chocolate. Place on a baking sheet lined with was paper. Any leftover chocolate can be stored at room temperature for another use. Sprinkle the cookies with the reserved cookie crumbs. (Sometimes I skip the sprinkles and drizzle them with melted white chocolate.)
5. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store leftover truffles, covered, in the refrigerator.

Happy Friday! I hope everyone has a nice weekend. See you on Monday!

Alec Baldwin and Other People Who Think They're Entitled

Oh Alec Baldwin! You're smart, funny and super cute but sometimes your anger management issues have me scratching my head and asking “What were you're thinking!” 

If you've been living under a rock and haven't heard the story about Alec's most recent meltdown, let me fill you in: Earlier this week Alec was playing the Scrabble-like game, Words With Friends on his iPad while his American Airlines flight was parked at the gate. Because the cabin door was closed, a flight attendant asked him to turn off his iPad.

Instead of doing as he was told, Alec freaked out. His argument was that the plane wasn't going anywhere so why shouldn't he continue to wrack up an all-time high score?! This resulted in an exchange of nasty words between Alec and the flight attendant before Baldwin stormed into the lavatory, slamming the door so hard it was heard in the cockpit. And just so everyone – not just the people on the plane – would know how angry Alec was, he sent off a few Tweets:

"Flight attendant on American reamed me out 4 playing WORDS W FRIENDS while we sat at the gate, not moving."

“Last flight w American. Where retired Catholic school gym teachers from the 1950's find jobs as flight attendants.”

"No wonder American Airlines is bankrupt."

Now, I hate to say this but it looks like Alec might be one of those people. You know, the ones who think they're above the rules and laws, have little consideration for the people around them and believe they are entitled to use their iPads, iPhones, Nooks, Kindle Fires, etc. wherever and whenever.

Surely you've encountered them....like the friend who serial texts while you try to hold a conversation. Or the guy who thinks that holding his iPhone away from his head while it's on speaker mode somehow makes it safer for him to use the phone while driving. Or the woman who texts while steering her car with anything but her hands and occasionally glances at the road.

Or the people who refuse to put their bright-ass smartphone screens away during a movie! (OMG!  What is up with that? What is it that you have to Google at that very moment?? Is that text so damn important right now? Why can't you just relax and watch the movie?!) 

These self-absorbed, clueless people seem to believe that because they're addicted to their electronic devices, everyone else should suffer as a result. While it appears that Alec wasn't directly bothering anyone by playing Words With Friends, the rules state that everyone is required to turn off their electronic devices at a certain point during a flight. No exceptions. 

Yes, the turn-off-electronic-devices rule is illogical and Alec took it a little to far but - in a surprising twist - I'm glad someone is taking on the airline industry. Their ridiculous fees, high ticket prices, filthy planes and crummy food is something that needs to be addressed, never mind the stories of passengers being stuck in planes on the tarmac for hours with overflowing toilets and no food or water. But that's a discussion for a different day. Alec's meltdown wasted the American Airlines' attendant's and other passengers' time. (He has since issued a carefully worded apology. You can read it here: My Flying Lesson.)

The truth is, there situations where it's not appropriate to use your phone or tablet. And the sooner the electronic addicts start understanding that, the sooner it will be a better (and safer) world for us all.

People who think they're entitled drive me nuts. The ones who use their smart phones and tablets at inappropriate times add to the agitation. What's the most horrible example you've seen of someone doing this? Friend me on Facebook, find me on Twitter or email me at mcginn8@yahoo.com.

Food Stamps Are Not For Starbucks!

A sign in the window of a Starbucks in Oregon.

Normally I don't listen to to Fox News but a recent story on Oregon's food stamp policy caught my attention. In a nutshell, people who have been issued Oregon's equivalent to food stamps – the Oregon Trail Card – can use their card to buy coffee and snacks at Starbucks counters inside Safeway grocery stores in the state. When questioned, a spokesperson for Safeway told Fox News the store made the change as 'an added convenience to customers'.

With this announcement, I'm thinking that Starbucks needs to be reminded that the food stamp program was created to help low-income families buy staples such as bread and milk and other healthy items. It was not – I repeat not – intended for specialty coffees and gourmet cakes.

Today, the average family on food stamps is allotted $133 per month per person, or a little more than $4 per day. Blow that on a frappuccino and that's one less day's worth of food.  Of course we all need to occasionally treat ourselves but if someone on food stamps wants a luxury item, they should do like the rest of us and save their money and buy it or do without - not abuse the system.

A treat for those on food stamps. $5.25 for paying customers.

If you think I'm being judgmental, that's because I am.  As a tax payer I reserve my right to be judgmental.  I totally support the food stamp program. I'm all for assisting low-income families, helping people get back on their feet and giving to the needy. Any one of us could fall on hard times and need help. Knowing that food stamps are an available option is comforting. 

What I find appalling is the large number of people (and corporations) who familiarize themselves with the loopholes and abuse the system. 

Consider this:

• Currently in the United States 1 in 7 people are on food stamps. 
• Since 2007, food stamp fraud has cost taxpayers over $100 million.
• In Kansas City alone, food-stamp fraud was found to be costing taxpayers as much as $22 million per year. 
• Several multimillion dollar lottery winners are receiving food stamps because lottery winnings are considered an asset, not income.
• A store in Detroit was recently accused of selling the exotic drug khat in exchange for food-stamp benefits.

Stories like these call to mind the welfare queens of the 1980s, people who regularly collected excessive welfare payments through fraud or manipulation. It was wrong then and it's wrong now.  The people who abuse the system take money away from those who are entitled and make the ones who really need the assistance (and use it properly) look bad.

And I have to ask: Where are the conveniences for the middle class? The people who pay higher prices for everything. The ones who work two or more jobs to feed their families and pay their taxes. The ones who struggle to keep their homes and suffer the effects of corporate greed. We'd like some free coffee too!

It seems that the rules don't apply to corporations and the wealthy, the money regularly flows to the poor and the middle class is expected be bear the costs while being denied benefits...or the conveniences.

And that's just not right.

What are your thoughts on using food stamps at Starbucks? Friend me on Facebook, find me on Twitter or email me at mcginn8@yahoo.com. 

Ten Tips for Visiting Kids at College

Since I have a cold and am not feeling well today, my friend Natalie Dawson is filling in this morning.  She is sharing a great article she wrote titled 10 Tips for Visiting Kids at College.  Take it away Natalie:

As you might have noticed, Life in the Middle Ages often discusses the trips Bill and Danielle have made to visit Justin at Marietta College. I thought this would be a good time to give parents a few tips on how to make the most of a college visit: 

1. 

   The Legacy Library at Marietta College

   Call first – You don't like it when visitors show up at your home unexpected and chances are your kid doesn't either. If you're planning a visit, let your child know first so he or she can prepare and set aside some quality time while you're there.

2. Plan an activity – Now that your child knows you're coming, make definite plans to go somewhere with them. Friday and Saturday nights might not be good for a child in college, but brunch and daytime activities might be welcome.

3. Get a room – Whether your child lives in a dorm with others, an apartment with roommates or even by themselves, getting a room of your own can save a lot of hassles. This is especially true if you are visiting with other family members.

4. Go the extra mile – If your child is part of a sports team or involved in any extra-curricular activity in their school, try to be a part of it. This can include everything from going to one of their games, poetry readings or stage plays or anything else they might be involved in.

5. Take a tour – Many colleges offer regular tours throughout their campus. Sign up for one and get to know the school while you are there.

6. Bring the siblings – If your child has younger siblings who will be college bound one day, bring them along. Letting them get a first-hand look at the school can help take the stigma and fear out of attending a college when their time comes. Another suggestion is to let the siblings have time alone to visit campus while you do something else.

7. Do something else – While in the city or town where your child is attending college, check out something of your own. Museums, galleries, shopping are great ideas. Do whatever you can to help you bring more meaning to your trip than simply visiting your child.

8. Take lots of pictures – We live in the age of digital cameras, so take advantage of them. Better to have too many pictures than too few. The same goes for videos. Your children may hate you for it now, but will love it when you have something to show their kids.

9. Talk with them – The college years are a new stage in both of your lives. Talking to them like the young adults they are can help establish a new and better relationship, particularly at a time when they are in more control of their lives but are still willing to come to you with larger issues.
   
   
10. Budgeting – Because parents often foot some or all of the bills for their child's education, it's important to make sure the money is going where it's supposed to go. In extreme cases, overlooking this can lead to a call from your child saying they've been kicked out of school for non-payment.

Natalie Dawson owns the site Master's Degree which is dedicated to being the world's number one resource for Master's Degree schools and information. She enjoys writing articles about everything in the education field.

Have You Ever Tried Alternative or Holistic Medicine?

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you know I've had an ongoing problem with acid reflux. If you're new, you can read about it here:

• Some Things I Love About My 40s (and a Few I Can Do Without)
• TGIF!
• Ever Have a Really Bad Day...or Two?

A friend who had (Had!) similar problems used a chiropractor/healer/alternative medicine practitioner to help resolve her stomach issues and suggested I give him a call. I said no. When she brought it up again, I said no again. And then I turned down her recommendation about five more times.

You see, I'm not a fan of chiropractors. I've always found it hard to believe that someone who manipulates your spine can alleviate sinus pain, back pain, arm pain, leg pain, foot pain, headaches, ulcers and whatever else ails you. I also don't like the fact that with most chiropractors you have to keep going back. How many people do you know of that go to a chiropractor just once or twice and are fixed? I'm betting not many. I mean, if it really worked you wouldn't have to keep going back. Right?

I'm also skeptical of the whole alternative/holistic medicine thing. I'm a fan western medicine. Find the problem, give me a pill and send me on my way. Except that in the case of my reflux, it was more like, “Oh that pill doesn't work any more? Just take another.” Then it was, “Oh, those two pills aren't working? Add this one.” And six months later - although I have some good days - I'm not feeling that much better. Meaning the next step is an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, where a tube with a camera is inserted down your throat in an effort to find what's causing the problem.

Since I'd like to avoid the tube, I called my friend and asked here for her for her chiropractor/healer's number and made an appointment.  I went early this week and here's what happened:

After filling out some basic medical forms, I sat in a massage chair with vibrating electrodes stuck to my shoulders. The reason for the electrodes, I was told, was to break up inflammation in my stomach. I'm not sure how vibrations on my shoulder could help my stomach but it felt so good, I didn't question its effectiveness and just relaxed and enjoyed it.

After about 15 minutes of massage and vibration I saw the doctor (who was actually nice to look at!) He had me sit on a table and while never touching me, made strange motions around my body with his hands and then more odd hand motions behind my head. When he was done he said, “Your stomach problems are an emotional issue...caused by anger...and you have a bad temper.”

Yes, definitely and bingo!

Although I didn't admit this to him, I tend to internalize things, not speak up when problems are small, secretly seethe inside for days or weeks and eventually lose my temper over a seemingly minor incident. Compare it to a volcano that starts spitting hot ash and eventually blows. That's me.

To fix my anger issues, he had me close my eyes, gently pushed on my eyeballs a few times, made some motions like he was wiping something away and then put his fist on my forehead for a few seconds. That, I was told, would make me “unsee” the thing or things which made me angry.

To fix what he suspected was a hiatal hernia, he pushed down on an area right below my sternum and wiggled his thumb a few times. (Ouch! It hurt.)

Next he wanted to test me for foods that I may be allergic to or have a sensitivity to. That meant I held pretzels, a baggie of sugar and flour and a few supplements that I regularly take on my chest while holding one arm out in front of me. He would push down on my arm. If it felt weak, I was holding a bad food. If it felt strong, I was holding a good food.

I found the whole thing ridiculous and actually accused him of not pushing down as hard on my arms at certain times.  He looked hurt and I felt bad for saying that.  And then I felt really bad when he told me I was allergic to wheat, oats, eggs and dairy because - believe it or not - I am allergic wheat, oats, eggs, dairy and soy. (In his defense, he may have missed the soy because there were no foods containing soy in his office for me to hold on my chest.)

I left 90 minutes later with a bottle of supplements he gave me that are supposed to heal my digestive tract and instructions to avoid eating wheat and dairy for 60 days (If you're up for a challenge, try it. It's not easy!) Since then, I've lost about 2 pounds and feel less bloated – most likely from the bread, cookies, cake and other crap I'm no longer eating. As for the acid reflux, it hasn't gotten any better but it isn't any worse either. 

I've also noticed that I'm not feeling as angry and stressed about certain things. I don't know if I can attribute that to the awesome massage chair, his funky hand motions on my eyeballs or because my mind is playing tricks on me.  Regardless of the reason, on an emotional level, I really do feel better.

Although I'm not completely sold on holistic/alternative medicine, the fact that he picked up on my anger issues and was able to tell me which foods I was sensitive to intrigued me. I made an appointment to go back next week because it feels goods, because our insurance pays for a few visits each year and because I'm conducting my own unscientific experiment on whether this stuff actually works. If you'd like to try an at home version of alternative medicine, check out these 10 Simple Ways to Cure Yourself Naturally.   

I'll let you know how it goes. Have a happy Friday and a great weekend! I'm off to eat a gluten and dairy free breakfast. Yum.