I’m a night nibbler.  In the middle of the night, I like to get a sip of water and a little bite to eat. 

One night a few weeks ago (before puppies) as I made my way up to the kitchen, I noticed all of my Rice Krispie sculpture supplies strewn across the kitchen floor.  I stepped over the bags of marshmallows and crushed the Rice Krispies with each step.  At first, I thought that Radar (Jaclyn’s dog) had a sudden craving for something sweet, but then I noticed our recycling container was knocked over.  Radar would never be able to knock that down. 

Then I realized that a critter must have come through our doggie door and helped himself to our kitchen.  EWWWW!  I quickly locked the doggie door, but then worried that maybe that critter was still ravaging his way through other parts of the house, and I locked him inside!  We now keep the doggie door locked except when Radar is here. 

Lesson learned: critters have no manners so protect yourself!

You know the old saying, “Practice makes perfect”? You know the one – your mother probably said this as you sat down at the piano or as your father tossed you a basketball.  Well, there’s actually science to back it up.  The more time you spend on learning or doing something, the better you become.  Yup, you already know this.  But did you know that this same principle holds true for negative things?  That means that if you spend a lot of time regurgitating thoughts about retaliating against someone or stagnating on a depressing thought, you actually become better at it and your brain puts more into building those neural connections than doing more positive things.

This reminds me of the old adage: Misery loves company.  When people feel unhappy, they want to wallow in it with friends who are experiencing the same pain.  It’s a natural tendency.  But what researchers are finding today is that in order to pull yourself out of these miserable conditions, you need to make room in your brain to develop happier or positive thoughts.  So you need to shut off the negative influences so you can practice more productive behaviors.  This is not just a psychological step but a neurological path to happiness and productivity.

You know how you feel when you wake up after a good night’s sleep?  If you’re like me, you feel energized.  The problems you were stressed about the night before now seem easy to solve. It’s like your dreams cleared the clutter in your mind that built up over the whole day and gave you a fresh start in the morning.  So when you’re trying to break old habits or make new healthy ones, you need more room in your brain to establish these new neurological pathways.  Get a good night’s sleep, choose positive things to do and to think about, and shut out negative thoughts and people so you can create a healthy mind.

Rob and I got our first Golden Retriever 35 years ago – BC (before children).  Nugget was the best dog and he quickly became part of our family.  Over the next 3 decades, we had 2 more Golden Retrievers (MacGyver and Indy), and then, of course, we got Radar – Jaclyn’s pride and joy! I have to admit that when Radar went to PA with Jaclyn and Indy passed away, it was kind of nice to have the whole house to ourselves again.  We could take off without having to reserve a kennel or rush home to feed the dogs.  Ahhhh. Well, that was before this past weekend.

For our 34^th anniversary last weekend, Jaclyn and Alex brought us delicious Indian food (my favorite!) for lunch.  As we sat down to eat lunch around our dining room table, Jaclyn walked in with a giant wicker basket with red and blue bows.  Waiting to politely dig into the lamb and other tasty treats, Jaclyn insisted that we open the gift right then before lunch.  I wondered why they brought picnic in addition to Indian food.  Then Rob said, “I think something is alive in there!”  At first I thought they brought an iguana or something small that could fit inside.  But, NOOOOOOOOO.

Jaclyn popped open the basket, and out jumped 2 adorable Black Labs. Yup!  She brought two 6.5-week-old PUPPIES as gifts for us.  WHO DOES THAT?  Rob, who has been yearning to have 2 Black Labs for years, grabbed the puppies and instantly fell in love with them.  He rolled on the floor like a 10-year-old boy.  Their fluffy faces and tiny body were so sweet and soft that even I couldn’t resist – even though I was in complete SHOCK.  Me, the person who orchestrates every detail in her life, suddenly had 2 puppies.  My 3-day weekend was filled with people installing carpet in my office, people laying a brick pathway to the orchard, and people helping me cut tree branches.  This weekend was the last before the new school year started and I had so much to do.

In a daze, I went to Pet Pals and Pet Smart to buy 5 pet gates, dog bedding, food, pee pads, chews, and everything we needed for TWO PUPPIES.  Yikes. I’m still in shock as I clean up pee on my hardwood floors. Yup, the floors that I used to shine so I could almost see my reflection in it.  But, no more shiny floors, no more spontaneous getaways, and no more peace. 

So if I were Miss Manners, I’d say NOPE to giving 2 puppies as a surprise gift.  But in Jaclyn’s defense, she knew I would take years to finally agree to get a puppy, and probably another decade before I’d agree to two.  Our property is ideal for big dogs and they’ll love living here.  She planned out the surprise with such attention to detail (Hmm. Wonder where she gets that from?) that it made the surprise that much sweeter.  And now I get up early to play with them; I love how everything is so new and exciting to them.  They make me smile and laugh, and they are so adorable.  So under certain circumstances, I guess it’s okay to surprise someone with 2 puppies… Thanks Jaclyn, Alex, and Nicole!

It can help with college scholarships and admissions.  Here’s how:

Everyone thinks the PSAT is just a preliminary “SAT” that colleges don’t see, and subsequently, they neither prep for it nor take it seriously.  BIG MISTAKE!  The PSAT is actually also the NMSQT, National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which is the only way you can qualify to be a National Merit Scholar. Out of the 1.5 million students who take the PSAT each year, 34,000 students are commended and 16,000 become semifinalists.  Of these 16,000 semifinalists, 15,000 go on to become Merit Scholars.  These scholars win $2,500 scholarships or corporate/college scholarship awards.  And this is just for taking the PSAT!  Easy peasy.

Being recognized as a recipient of the Merit Scholarship Award is highly regarded by college admissions committees.  When my daughter Nicole won this award, she received a full-scholarship offering from colleges that she didn’t even apply to!  Colleges get ahold of these Merit Scholars and actively pursue them as they recruit students each year.  

My recommendation: Take PSAT practice tests so you become familiar with the test process.  Work on improving your scores by completing each section within the given time allotment.  Review math concepts that you may have forgotten over the summer.  READ, READ, READ.  The best way to improve the tricky reading comprehension and grammar sections is to simply read every day.

You can start taking the PSAT in 9th grade.  Your “real” PSAT score is calculated in 11th grade, so by starting early, you get 2 chances to prepare.  Just think — this is probably one of the easiest scholarships to apply for — No essays! No interviews!.  And if you score in the top 4%, colleges will be knocking on your door!

After a long day at the office, there’s nothing more irritating to find out when you return home than your kids not getting their chores done. Right? They get home at 3:00 pm but can’t manage to make their beds or do their chores.  The super annoying part is that they have no problem playing video games or hanging out on InstaSnapFace for hours.  So rather than punish after-the-fact or grumble with anger, get them to do their chores before they spend hours online.  How?

Change the WIFI password before you leave for work.  When the kids get home from school, ask them to send you a photo of the completed job with an object that you name placed right in the photo.  Select something like the Giants cap that they put on the empty dishwasher rack or the clean room.  That way they can’t send you the same photo every day.  Then, you can text them the new password so they can go online.

This system could also work for homework as long as they don’t need to go on the internet to retrieve homework assignments or to do research.  You know your children’s work load so you can determine how far you want to go with this system.  But, if your child is doing social media before starting homework, I guarantee you that their homework and studying is not going to be anywhere near as good as it could be had they started with homework when they got home from school. 

So now the kids won’t have one over you when it comes to the internet.  Stay ahead of them and get them to take care of chores and homework BEFORE going online!

Whoa! Amazon may not be the lowest-price online retailer anymore?  After years of buying everything online because it was easy to use, shipping was free (with Amazon Prime), and it was always the least expensive option, I’ve found Amazon is – sadly – using unsavory sales tactics.  For instance, they are promoting the “Subscribe and Save” that has become known as the ‘Bait and Switch” program by disgruntled customers.

By trying the capture the automatic resale customer, Amazon entices people by offering a 5-15% savings by automatically reordering an item.  Sounds good, right?  In the old Amazon world, yes that would be great because they were already the least expensive option and delivered quickly.  So to find that you get all the above and a possible 15% discount on something you need to order anyway would be a no-brainer.  But, Amazon doesn’t give you the 5-15% discount on your great price that you originally got on your purchase – instead, they don’t guarantee the same great price, as a matter of fact, they actually have increased the prices of the items!

WHY?

Amazon, like other retailers are banking on the fact that most consumers become lazy once they think they have the best price for their products.  I’m guilty of that, too.  They don’t check the prices to compare once they have their low-price solution, which gives retailers the ability to increase the price with automatic refills without consumers knowing.  What’s worse is that Amazon promises further savings when in reality they’re actually increasing the prices.

So, you really need to continue to check prices whether you buy once or set up an automatic resale.  You’re your best advocate!

After starting WHEN, NOT IF in April, Logan hoped to divert 1,000 lbs of CO2 from entering the atmosphere. In 3 months, he reached his goal by getting people to not drive their cars one day per month.  Then, Logan set a lofty goal of 10,000 lbs of CO2 by the year end 9 months in.  That’s when Logan changed his approach and asked people to pledge to reduce their total driving by 5-50% each week.  By getting people to pledge to reduce their driving at the Annual West-End Celebration in Monterey last weekend, he reached his goal in just one day!  Wow!

Join Logan in fighting climate change by pledging to reduce the number of miles you drive each week.  Go to his website at www.WhenNotIf.org.  It’s easy to do because his website does all the calculations for you.  All you need to do is enter how many miles you drive during a typical week and your car’s MPG. Easy peasy.  He’ll add your pledged contribution to see if he can now meet the new goal of 25,000 lbs of CO2 by December 2016. 

Even if you aren’t a philanthropist who can change our energy infrastructure, you CAN pledge to reduce your driving. Your contribution will send a message to everyone that even one person can help us lower our CO2 by 60% in 10 years. Logan thanks you for doing your part!

Wow – summer really is winding down!  Whether your kids are getting ready for school to start or if they have already started, here are some of the Environmental Working Group’s tips about school supplies that are safer than others. 

BACKPACKS:
Select backpacks that are made with natural fibers.  If you can’t find cotton or hemp backpacks, choose polyester or nylon.  Stay away from backpacks made with PVC or #3 plastics on the label.

LUNCH BOXES:
Choose lunch boxes that don’t have lead paint, PVC, BPA or antimicrobial chemicals.  Be careful of products made in 3^rd-world countries because they may use leaded paint even when they don’t state that on their labels.  It’s best to choose reusable containers or those made of lightweight stainless steel or plastics #1, 2, 4 or 5.

BEVERAGE BOTTLES:
Send you kids’ beverages in reusable BPA-free plastic, aluminum, or stainless steel containers.  Don’t use commercial bottled water because it’s expensive, produces huge amounts of waste, and the water quality is the same as filtered tap water.

MARKERS:
Crayons are made from paraffin wax, which is a petroleum product, so buy crayons that are made with soy or beeswax.  Permanent markers and dry-erase pens have solvents so buy sparingly if necessary.  Scented markers encourage kids to smell chemical fragrances that have unknown chemicals. Not good.

PENCILS and PENS:
Use reusable pens that have ink refills to reduce waste.  Buy pencils made from sustainable wood or recycled newspapers. 

NOTEBOOKS and BINDERS:
Avoid buying binders and spiral notebooks that have plastic covers on them.  They’re usually made from #3 plastic (PVC).  Instead, buy products made with recycled cardboard or natural fibers.  

PAPER:
Buy paper that is made from at least 30% post-consumer recycled paper that isn’t whitened with chlorine bleach.  Or, purchase paper made from alternative fibers or from sustainably-managed forests. For toilet tissues or paper towels, use 100% recycled without chlorine bleach.  Avoid products with fragrances and dyes.

GLUE:
Glue sticks and school glue (white, yellow or clear) are the best option for adhesives. Water-based glues are okay, even though they are made from petrochemicals.  Best to stay away from super glues, epoxies, modeling glue, and rubber cement because they contain toxic solvents.

Let’s get the kids off to school this year with school supplies that are safe for them to use!

Did you know that the brain of a child who is raised in an environment with violence, fear, loud noises, and stress actually develops differently than a child who is raised in a safe bubble? I just read an interesting Newsweek article about how poverty (because all of the above typically constitutes low-income life styles) affects brain development. A USC study found that these children living in violent neighborhoods have weaker real-time neural connections and interaction in parts of the brain that deals with awareness, judgment, and ethical and emotional processing. Their brain activity is less organized and less developed than other children. 

As an educator, I knew that children who worried about whether or not they would have enough food to eat, concerned about unemployed parents, or feared for their lives performed poorly in classes, but I didn’t know that this environment changed the physiology of their brains.  I thought the damage done was psychological. That said, it seems to me that this might affect any socio-economic group that deals with sexual, child, spousal abuse, oppression, or even loud noises.

Kids, and everyone, really need a safe haven where they can unwind and be at peace.  The experts are looking to the schools – once again – to solve these problems but I don’t believe schools have the resources or the time to make a difference.  We need to expand programs like Big Brother/Big Sister that bring in loving mentors to give kids (of any socio-economic group) a break from their stressful homes.  And, ultimately, we need to address violence, poverty, and stress.  

While I am a proud American who thrives on capitalism and enjoys the risks and challenges associated with being in business, I am appalled by greedy drug companies and their current love for price gouging. 

When this information first became public, I was under the impression that medical research takes money – lots of money – and that some drugs would cost more than others because they may not have the volume of patients needed to lower the price.  Simple supply and demand, right? That made sense to me.  But, my husband Rob, who has spent the past 10 years trying to get pharmaceutical companies to take back expired and unused drugs to protect public health and so they don’t end up in the landfills (and ultimately in our drinking water) shared some staggering statistics with me.

Here’s how it works.

Drug companies that own patents for life-saving drugs like Epi-Pens (for allergic reactions to beestings and food) and others for epidemics like AIDS are NOT digging themselves out of research and development deficits like they claim.  Instead, they buy existing companies and jack up the price of the drugs as high as 400-1000%.  Basically, they raise the prices as high as they can – whatever they think the market will bear.  That’s why an Epi-Pen that cost just $57 in 2007, now costs over $300 today.  So a two-pack costs $600 and with an expiration date of one year, families need to continue to purchase new Epi-Pens even when they don’t use them. 

Mylan is the multinational pharmaceutical company that makes the Epi-Pen and has a near monopoly in the U.S. Their profits have skyrocketed to over a BILLION DOLLARS a year and it is 100% because of their price gouging.  Here’s why: Mylan sells that same Epi-Pen for just $43 in France. Huh? Just about every civilized country in the world regulates their drugs, kind of how America regulates the insurance industry, but here in the US, pharmaceutical lobbyists have prevented government from interfering with their advertising and pricing. Mylan’s marketing plan is brilliant – they convince parents that they need to have an Epi-Pen in their child’s backpacks, classrooms, cars, homes, and grandparent’s houses. By “educating” parents about their need to have Epi-Pens everywhere, they increase their sales exponentially. This is capitalism gone amuck!

What can you do about it?  Sign this petition!