PACK THAT BAG!

There’s a natural tendency to overpack when you’re about to travel.   You just don’t want to be caught short on anything so why not throw in that extra outfit or that hair dryer you may or may not need?  

From years of over packing in heavy suitcases that have to be checked I’ve found it’s possible to travel for a whole week with a carry-on bag. It’s a challenge and best of all, liberating!  Here are some ideas that have worked for me.

Don’t pack too much of one item.  Consider the weather at your destination and think of outfits. Pick a couple of basic colors to work with.  Don’t pack anything that doesn’t go with something you’ve already picked out.

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A pair of comfortable walking shoes plus a dressier pair.  Who knows? There may come an invite for an evening on the town.

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A  tee shirt and comfy pants for overnite.  Leave the bathrobe at home.  It takes up too much space and you really don’t need it.
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Don’t forget the large plastic or mesh bag for dirty laundry.



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If you’ve forgotten anything (other than your passport and credit cards) chances are, you can always find the item (shopping!!) at your destination.

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Take along an empty tote that will fold flat in the bottom of your overnight bag.  That works for excess goodies you couldn’t resist bringing home.


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Joan

WHERE THERE’S SMOKE.....

When I was a teenager in the 1950’s a cigarette in your hand was a mark of sophistication, especially for a girl.  And of course we all wanted to look cool and “with it.”  Since most of our parents smoked, too, there was not much condemnation on their part.  I was among the coolest: bleached bangs and all but was afraid to inhale.  The thought of throwing up as a result of that first cigarette turned me off.  The years passed and cigarettes and lung cancer became definitively linked.  Other than looking cool I can’t think of any other reason to smoke.

Even if you don’t come down with lung cancer the second hand smoke from your cigarette is detrimental to those around you.

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Women who smoke, die, on average a full 10 years sooner than non smokers.

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A pack of cigarettes is notoriously expensive.  There’s got to be other things that are more fun and less dangerous to spend $10 a day on.

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With a couple years of concentrated smoking you and your clothes reek of cigarette smoke.



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If long term exposure to the sun doesn’t harm your complexion cigarette smoking definitely will.






Photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sukanto_debnath/3357963311/">Sukanto Debnath</a> / <a href="http://foter.com/re/3cd325">Foter</a> / <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">CC BY</a>

Why would you want to huddle outside the entrance to a “no smoking“ building with a bunch of other smokers, particularly when it’s freezing out there?

Photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kgregory/3035210442/">katherine lynn</a> / <a href="http://foter.com/re/902732">Foter</a> / <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a>

It’s awfully hard to quit “cold turkey.”  Only 5% of the stalwarts who try, succeed. Life is short enough as it is.  Don’t hasten the process!

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Joan

WALKING AND TALKING

Walking is one of the best exercises in the world!  You can walk outdoors, in malls or on a treadmill. It’ll add to your span of life, it’s fun and it’s free.  You can walk and talk with a companion or commune with nature all by yourself.  Here are a few of the many benefits of walking.

Walking is good for your bones.  It’s effective in slowing the ratio of bone loss from the legs.

Photo credit: Glenn Waters ぐれんin Japan. / Foter /

Take the stairs and skip the elevator.


Photo credit: .craig / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND

Symptoms of depression are alleviated by walking.




Photo credit: Gregory Bastien / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND

When you walk you see things you don’t notice while driving: a calico cat on a porch, the sidewalk has paving stones from the 1800s or the smell of a newly mown yard.

Photo credit: Gwenaël Piaser / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA

Walking in the rain is particularly mood enhancing. Don’t forget your umbrella.

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Walking reduces the risk of breast and colon cancer.

Photo credit: .craig / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND

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Joan

BETTER AS A BLONDE?

It seems all through history men have been attracted to blonde women.  Women from the earliest days have dyed their hair blond with everything from beech ashes and crocodile fat to today’s less bizarre hair dyes.  The old saying “blondes have more fun” is a matter of opinion but they definitely attract more attention.

Consider Jean Harlow, Marilyn Monroe, Goldie Hawn, Brigitte Bardot, Miley Cyrus, etc Fairy tale princesses are always portrayed as blonde and the first Barbie doll was modeled after Jayne Mansfield.

I used to be a blonde and it was fun.  I had to try it but it got to be a hassle.  Dark roots showing and as I got older there seemed to be a lot of older women besides me who were suddenly blonde.  Here are a few details on “blondness” in general.

The word blond comes from Medieval Latin “blundus” meaning yellow.  (One possible origin.)

The slang term “dumb Blonde” meant someone who was scatter-brained: especially a woman.
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In French, blonde is a feminine adjective; a woman with blonde hair.

Natural blond hair is found among the population of northern Europe. 

The genetic mutation for blond hair in Europe has been isolated to 11,000 years ago during the last ice age.

In Ancient Greece blond was the hair color of the Gods.

An odd aside:  Polish men have been shown to prefer blonde hair on women who are older than 25!

Anyway, it’s fun and if you decide to go blonde you will  have plenty of company.  Lots of blondes out there.

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Joan