The Soy "Controversy"

Lissa Coffey — 05/15/2008

I recently wrote an article for our CoffeyTalk e-mail newsletter about the benefits of soy, and different ways to include soy in your diet. I had some feedback from a few readers about how bad soy can be, how it's all hype, how I've bought into what's popular, etc. There are strong feelings on both sides. And I shudder to think of the ill effects of beef and all the meat products that people ingest. Soy is a good alternative protein for some people. Not for all people, but it has its place. It works for me. Here is an article that I hope will clear up some issues for those who might feel I am "uninformed" or biased. This article is written by a medical doctor, and I think it explains things better than I can:
http://www.womentowomen.com/nutritionandweightloss/soycontroversy.aspx

Tahiti!

Lissa Coffey — 05/14/2008

So this year for my birthday, my wonderful, adorable, amazing husband took me to Tahiti! We flew Air France - and since Tahiti is in French Polynesia everyone there spoke French, and we learned to speak a little bit. The flight is eight hours from Los Angeles. We arrived late at night, took a cab to the Hotel Le Meridien and checked into our sweet little hut on stilts over the ocean. Wow! So beautiful - even in the dark!

Sunday breakfast at the hotel was a buffet complete with crepes, and an array of fresh fruits and juices. We chose the continental, basically had cereal and tea, and it was still $30. per person. Prices in Tahiti are very high everywhere. After that we walked to the supermarket down the street and bought fresh bread and jam for our morning meals every day. Saved a lot of money and it felt very European!

Most days we lazed around the hotel grounds, reading and enjoying the sun and sea. I must have needed the break because I found myself napping easily and happily. One day we went into the main city of Papeete. In the morning we walked everywhere, explored the marketplace and bought souvenirs, and had lunch on the sidewalk in front of a French cafe. I especially loved the fresh pineapple carved very fancy, so sweet and juice, that we ate as we walked. In the afternoon, we took a tour around the island. There was a nice Australian family along with us, so we had lots to talk about. We drove all around the island, stopping at the Paul Gaugin museum, a beautiful little grotto that was like a rain forest, a breathtaking waterfall, and finishing up just in time to see the sunset.

Being vegan is a challenge while traveling, but moreso in Tahiti where vegetarian options are few. French food is delicious if you can eat meat and cream and cheese - but we can't. And we still had to pay the same prices as if we were. But we managed, we always do. We found a little Chinese restaurant near the hotel so we ate there a couple of times. And a few places had pasta we could get without meat.

Another day we took a cruise over to the island of Moorea. It was a relaxing half-hour ride over the clear blue ocean. We took a cab to a little shopping area to browse around and found Eva's Pearls. Eva herself, a talented and creative jewelry designed, was there to help us, and I found a Tahitian pearl ring set in sterling silver that I just had to have! From there we headed to another hotel where we had lunch by the pool. And then we made our way to the Intercontinental Hotel for the main event - swimming with the dolphins! We discovered that the hotel has a Turtle Rehabilitation Center - so we went to visit the turtles. And then we got into our swim suits, put on our life vests, and hopped in the water. What an experience! The first dolphin was a girl, and she swam by us, did some tricks for us, let us pet her, and was generally a very accommodating hostess! The second dolphin was a younger, smaller boy. Lots of personality! We got to play with him, and took some cute photos with him. We ordered some photos and I'll post them when they arrive.

We had my birthday dinner at the hotel during their Polynesian night, so it was a real party, complete with entertainment! I videotaped the whole thing and have put together a little 7 minute segment that will be up on CoffeyTalk TV very soon!

All in all, it was a wonderful vacation. Thank you, Honey! :-)

Teas for Trees!

Lissa Coffey — 04/14/2008

Earth Day is coming up April 22. Here's a wonderful promotion from our friends at Organic India!

We have partnered with TREES FOR THE FUTURE http://treesftf.org/ to launch a new campaign: Teas for Trees – Help the reforestation of India.

Earth Day is great opportunity to walk our talk together, and contribute to reforestation in India, a country that continues to suffer severe deforestation year after year. It has assumed such alarming proportions in India that it is seriously affecting the fragile ecosystem. With dense forest cover shrinking to a mere 11.71 per cent, leading environmentalists see a serious imbalance emerging.

From now until the end of April, for each box of organic Tulsi Tea ordered through ORGANIC INDIA will plant a tree in India.

Outdoor Fireplace update

Lissa Coffey — 04/08/2008

The fireplace is looking good! It's not quite done yet - but we're getting there. This project has turned into a bigger one than I intended. I got one guy to frame it, finally found another guy to do the masonry, then today Greg and I painted! It's really difficult to paint stucco, by the way - at least, the bumpy kind of textured stucco that we have. I wanted it to match what I have on my house. The stucco was white, and we painted it Courtyard Green, like the house. Ideally, we would have had a sprayer, like the painters had when they did our house, because no matter how many times I went over it with a brush, I kept finding little white "holes" that needed to be filled in! Another lesson in patience. This weekend I'll tackle the challenge of tiling for the first time - I found a really pretty one inch tile in a nice mix of stone colors and a pretty green glass - it's going to be fun!

Raising Vegetarian/Vegan Kids

Lissa Coffey — 04/03/2008

Since I'm a vegan, I get asked quite a bit if it is a good idea to raise kids to be vegetarian or vegan. That is an individual choice - and I think one that the child should have a say in, too. Certainly it can be a challenge when it comes to eating in restaurants and such - but there are many benefits. My friend Marie Oser, author of "Soy of Cooking" hosts "Soy Talk" at vegsource.com. The vegsource.com site has a whole section about parenting that addresses this very issue. Check it out!
vegsource.com/parent

The Outdoor Fireplace

Lissa Coffey — 03/16/2008

A big trend in home design right now is the outdoor fireplace. This is a great way to make your outdoor space more inviting and usable. I've seen outdoor fireplaces utilized quite extensively in model homes, so you know that they'll be popping up all over the neighborhood. My sister put one in her backyard last summer, and hers turned out so beautifully that I decided I wanted one, too!

I measured out exactly what I wanted - turned in the plans to our homeowner's association, and called my contractor! I ordered a fireplace "insert" from the patio/fireplace store, and my contractor built the frame around it based on my plans. Then I got my sister's mason to come and do the stucco work. I bought some bouquet canyon flagstone to put on the "bench" part of the fireplace. The mason is only available on Sundays, and at his price it's worth it for me to wait and have it done later rather than sooner. So far, it's looking pretty amazing!

The Van Gogh Blues

Lissa Coffey — 02/16/2008

This is a very different sort of blog entry for me. I recently had the pleasure of receiving Eric Maisel's new book, "The Van Gogh Blues: The Creative Person's Path Through Depression." There's also a sub-subtitle "Successfully Manage the Anxieties of the Creative Process." As a creative person, I could see that this is the kind of book that would really resonate with me, and it does! In many ways, I feel that the creative process is for me a way out of depression. When my creativity is stifled, that's when I get depressed. And there is also the element of creating in a kind of vacuum, where I'm sitting at my computer, all by myself, hours at a time with no feedback... or what I really need to keep going, those kudos! This is where our online community helps me out so much. I love receiving notes from readers and subscribers - it helps keep me going. Ah! As Eric points out in his book, the secret is that we need relationships as well as our creative art! Yes!

Here's an interview with Eric, with information about this book:

INTERVIEW

I: Eric, can you tell us what The Van Gogh Blues is about?

E: For more than 25 years I�ve been looking at the realities of the creative life and the make-up of the creative person in books like Fearless Creating, Creativity for Life, Coaching the Artist Within, and lots of others. A certain theme or idea began to emerge: that creative people are people who stand in relation to life in a certain way�they see themselves as active meaning-makers rather than as passive folks with no stake in the world and no inner potential to realize. This orientation makes meaning a certain kind of problem for them�if, in their own estimation, they aren�t making sufficient meaning, they get down. I began to see that this �simple� dynamic helped explain why so many creative people�I would say all of us at one time or another time�get the blues.

To say this more crisply, it seemed to me that the depression that we see in creative people was best conceptualized as existential depression, rather than as biological, psychological, or social depression. This meant that the treatment had to be existential in nature. You could medicate a depressed artist but you probably weren�t really getting at what was bothering him, namely that the meaning had leaked out of his life and that, as a result, he was just going through the motions, paralyzed by his meaning crisis.

I: Are you saying that whenever a creative person is depressed, we are looking at existential depression? Or might that person be depressed in �some other way�?

E: When you�re depressed, especially if you are severely depressed, if the depression won�t go away, or if it comes back regularly, you owe it to yourself to get a medical work-up, because the cause might be biological and antidepressants might prove valuable. You also owe it to yourself to do some psychological work (hopefully with a sensible, talented, and effective therapist), as there may be psychological issues at play. But you ALSO owe it to yourself to explore whether the depression might be existential in nature and to see if your �treatment plan� should revolve around some key existential actions like reaffirming that your efforts matter and reinvesting meaning in your art and your life.

I: So you�re saying that a person who decides, for whatever reason, that she is going to be a �meaning maker,� is more likely to get depressed by virtue of that very decision. In addition to telling herself that she matters and that her creative work matters, what else should she do to �keep meaning afloat� in her life? What else helps?

E: I think it is a great help just to have a �vocabulary of meaning� and to have language to use so that you know what is going on in your life. If you can�t accurately name a thing, it is very hard to think about that thing. That�s why I present a whole vocabulary of meaning in The Van Gogh Blues and introduce ideas and phrases like �meaning effort,� �meaning drain,� �meaning container,� and many others. When we get a rejection letter, we want to be able to say, �Oh, this is a meaning threat to my life as a novelist� and instantly reinvest meaning in our decision to write novels, because if we don�t think that way and speak that way, it is terribly easy to let that rejection letter precipitate a meaning crisis and get us seriously blue. By reminding ourselves that is our job not only to make meaning but also to maintain meaning when it is threatened, we get in the habit of remembering that we and we alone are in charge of keeping meaning afloat�no one else will do that for us. Having a vocabulary of meaning available to talk about these matters is a crucial part of the process.

I: This is the paperback version of The Van Gogh Blues, How was the hardback version received?

E: Very well! The reviewer for the Midwest Book Review called The Van Gogh Blues �a mind-blowingly wonderful book.� The reviewer for Library Journal wrote, "Maisel persuasively argues that creative individuals measure their happiness and success by how much meaning they create in their work.� I�ve received countless emails from artists all over the world thanking me for identifying their �brand� of depression and for providing them with a clear and complete program for dealing with that depression. I hope that the paperback version will reach even more creative folks�and the people who care about them.

I: How does The Van Gogh Blues tie in with other books that you�ve written?

E: I�m interested in everything that makes a creative person creative and I�m also interested in every challenge that we creative people face. I believe that we have special anxiety issues and I spelled those out in Fearless Creating. I believe that we have a special relationship to addiction (and addictive tendencies) and with Dr. Susan Raeburn, an addiction professional, I�ve just finished a book called Creative Recovery, which spells out the first complete recovery program for creative people. That�ll appear from Shambhala late in 2008. I�m fascinated by our special relationship to obsessions and compulsions and am currently working on a book about that. Everything that we are and do interests me�that�s my �meaning agenda�!

I: What might a person interested in these issues do to keep abreast of your work?

E: They might subscribe to my two podcast shows, The Joy of Living Creatively and Your Purpose-Centered Life, both on the Personal Life Media Network. You can find a show list for The Joy of Living Creatively here and one for Your Purpose-Centered Life here. They might also follow this tour, since each host on the tour will be asking his or her own special questions. Here is the complete tour schedule. If they are writers, they might be interested in my new book, A Writer�s Space, which appears this spring and in which I look at many existential issues in the lives of writers. They might also want to subscribe to my free newsletter, in which I preview a lot of the material that ends up in my books (and also keep folks abreast of my workshops and trainings). But of the course the most important thing is that they get their hands on The Van Gogh Blues!�since it is really likely to help them.

Going Veg, Going Green

Lissa Coffey — 02/11/2008

I have taken steps to go green and do my part in the green movement.

-I bought a new energy efficient front-loading washer and dryer that uses less energy and also less water.

-I drive a Prius.

-I switched out all my lightbulbs to the new kind.

-I bring my own reusable cloth bags to the grocery store.

And now I realize that being vegetarian is also doing good for the environment. Here's an excerpt from an article called "Vegetarian is the New Prius" by Kathy Freston. To read the whole thing click here:
http://www.commondreams.org/views07/0120-20.htm

"Last year researchers at the University of Chicago took the Prius down a peg when they turned their attention to another gas guzzling consumer purchase. They noted that feeding animals for meat, dairy, and egg production requires growing some ten times as much crops as we'd need if we just ate pasta primavera, faux chicken nuggets, and other plant foods. On top of that, we have to transport the animals to slaughterhouses, slaughter them, refrigerate their carcasses, and distribute their flesh all across the country. Producing a calorie of meat protein means burning more than ten times as much fossil fuels--and spewing more than ten times as much heat-trapping carbon dioxide--as does a calorie of plant protein. The researchers found that, when it's all added up, the average American does more to reduce global warming emissions by going vegetarian than by switching to a Prius.

According to the UN report, it gets even worse when we include the vast quantities of land needed to give us our steak and pork chops. Animal agriculture takes up an incredible 70% of all agricultural land, and 30% of the total land surface of the planet. As a result, farmed animals are probably the biggest cause of slashing and burning the world's forests. Today, 70% of former Amazon rainforest is used for pastureland, and feed crops cover much of the remainder. These forests serve as "sinks," absorbing carbon dioxide from the air, and burning these forests releases all the stored carbon dioxide, quantities that exceed by far the fossil fuel emission of animal agriculture.

As if that wasn't bad enough, the real kicker comes when looking at gases besides carbon dioxide--gases like methane and nitrous oxide, enormously effective greenhouse gases with 23 and 296 times the warming power of carbon dioxide, respectively. If carbon dioxide is responsible for about one-half of human-related greenhouse gas warming since the industrial revolution, methane and nitrous oxide are responsible for another one-third. These super-strong gases come primarily from farmed animals' digestive processes, and from their manure. In fact, while animal agriculture accounts for 9% of our carbon dioxide emissions, it emits 37% of our methane, and a whopping 65% of our nitrous oxide...

It sounds like a lot of bad news, but in fact it's quite the opposite. It means we have a powerful new weapon to use in addressing the most serious environmental crisis ever to face humanity. The Prius was an important step forward, but how often are people in the market for a new car? Now that we know a greener diet is even more effective than a greener car, we can make a difference at every single meal, simply by leaving the animals off of our plates. Who would have thought: what's good for our health is also good for the health of the planet!"

What am I up to?

Lissa Coffey — 02/10/2008

It's been awhile between blogs, but I've been busy! I was in Las Vegas for NATPE, the TV conference, and I learned a lot. Mobile is definitely growing big time, and I hope to be able to get Wisdom News delivered to cell phones very soon. We've been posting CoffeyTalk TV segments one a week, so there are seven up already, more to come!

My son Freddy Nelson is going to start contributing movie reviews. He's a film major at Cal State Monterey Bay, and he's an amazing writer so I'm really happy to have him on board.

And... I'm writing a new book! The only way I can do this is to totally immerse myself into it. Focus, focus, focus! So that's what I'm doing. Some other projects may not get the same timely attention - like this blog - but I will do my best to keep up. I actually am part of a blog tour for Eric Maisel's new book "The Van Gogh Blues." So probably the next post you'll see - unless something pretty spectacular comes up in the meantime - will be that special Q and A with Eric on February 19.

Thanks for hanging in there with me!

A Sad Day

Lissa Coffey — 01/23/2008

I was driving home from running errands when I heard the news on the radio. Heath Ledger, dead at age 28. I was stunned, and saddened. This handsome, talented, creative young man, so well-regarded in his industry, a father to a beautiful little girl - now gone. I think the news was all the more upsetting because it was so unexpected. Heath was not one of those party boys who made the club scene. He was perceived more as an intellectual, someone who made wise choices in the roles that he took. Someone who worked hard and earned the respect of his co-workers. How could this have happened?

While the autopsy results were inconclusive, we have heard that there were prescription drugs in Heath's room where he was found, Xanax and Valium. Xanax is an anti-anxiety medication. Valium is also used to treat anxiety, and nervous tension. Some television reports are calling these medications anti-depressants, but they work very differently than anti-depressants do. Over the counter sleeping pills were also said to be found in the room. Heath had said in recent interviews that he was having trouble sleeping. His role as the Joker in the new Batman movie was very intense, and he felt that although he was physically exhausted, he couldn't turn his mind off. It is likely that in his frustration trying to get some sleep, he accidentally took too many pills, or the wrong combination of these pills.

This is a tragedy. A great loss for Heath Ledger's family, friends, and fans. He has left behind an amazing legacy, and will always be remembered as a great actor. Although he left this earth too soon, he lived a full life, and accomplished much. He will be missed.

The Debates

Lissa Coffey — 01/06/2008

Last night I watched the presidential debates on ABC - the whole thing! I probably wouldn't have bothered watching the Republicans, except Ron Paul was there, and that guy totally rocks. He is the only Republican who makes any sense. You've gotta love him. Unfortunately, the media does not seem to take him seriously - and the other candidates often ganged up on him and laughed at him. But he hung in there. He makes such great points. Since when are we a country that STARTS a war? Why are so much of our financial resources going overseas when we need so much right here at home? Why do we keep printing money, and getting ourselves into debt, and watching inflation run rampant? And Ron Paul has solutions to all of these problems we've gotten ourselves into. Simple solutions, common sense solutions! For example, don't spend more than we make. Now there's something new for the government! Anyhow, his approach is refreshing, and I think it's just what we need for this country. Change in a BIG way!

Next up, the Democrats. Barack Obama is so cool. Hillary Clinton is so well spoken. John Edwards is passionate and intelligent. And the other guy was not too bad, either. Basically there is very little difference in the platforms of the three front-runners that I could see. They're pretty interchangeable. But you have to consider who would really do the best job. Clinton has supposedly taken money from special interest groups. If that's true, she may have to make good on promises we know nothing about. Obama has Oprah on his side - wouldn't it be cool to have her in the cabinet? Obama is just a likeable guy. He's smart, and sensible. I didn't know much about Edwards until last night and I was impressed at how well he did. If only John Kerry and John Edwards had won last time around! We might not be in this horrendous war and awful economic situation. If Ron Paul doesn't get the Republican nomination, I will vote Democrat. At least that's what I'm thinking right now.

Inspired by Food

Lissa Coffey — 01/03/2008

With so many reruns on during the Writer's Strike, I've been revisiting The Food Network. Gotta love it! What a way to work up an appetite. Even as a vegetarian, I don't mind watching the recipes that use meat because I know I can always substitute Veat or tofu or portabellos or something like that. I have gotten so inspired lately! Last night I had one of those "work with what's on hand" dinners. I had a box of veat bites, a sweet potato, some frozen peas, and a red onion. I baked the potato, cubed it, sauteed the onion with some garlic, stir-fried everything together with some coconut milk and curry powder - it was awesome! And so easy.

The other day I saw Rachael Ray making a kind of french dip french onion soup - I did the same thing without the meat and it was delicious! I used vegetable broth instead of beef broth, but did everything else the same - toasted some sourdough, put it on the bottom of the bowl. Sauteed a bunch of onions and garlic, poured vegetable broth over it to make a soup, spooned the soup over the bread, and topped the whole thing with shredded parmesan soy cheese - yummy! Or as Rachael would say, yummo! :-) That with a salad was a really nice dinner, even my 18 year old meat-eater slurped it up!

Meditation: Calm Over Chaos

Lissa Coffey — 12/30/2007

I just added our very first CoffeyTalk TV segment to YouTube, Crackle, Veoh and mySpace TV! It's called Meditation: Calm Over Chaos, and it's a 4 minute interview with Kusala Bhikshu, a Buddhist monk living in downtown Los Angeles. Please share with all your friends! Thanks!
Meditation: Calm Over Chaos

Green Water Bottles?

Lissa Coffey — 12/18/2007

There's a commercial on TV right now that really bugs me. Maybe you've seen it. It's for Arrowhead water, and they talk about how their new bottles have 30% less plastic, making them eco-friendly. And the people who drink out of them grow flowers out of their heads, showing that they are "green." Ha! 30% less plastic is nothing. How about 100% less plastic, people? Now THAT is being green! Obviously companies that produce water have to package it in something to sell it to us - so come up with something biodegradable! That would be eco-friendly. Just changing the shape of a bottle, and telling us how great you are for doing it, does not sell me. I know better. I know that the plastic still heats up when left in the car. I know how few bottles actually get recycled. I know how much fuel it takes to recycle the ones that end up getting recycled! There's nothing good about this situation. We need to change it. We got ourselves into this mess, and we can get ourselves out of it. Start by carrying your own thermos, or sports water bottle, preferably something other than plastic.

The Wealthy Soul

Lissa Coffey — 12/18/2007

I recently discovered a set of three books by
Michael Norwood called "The Wealthy Soul."
In The Vision book, we get stories about the
visions of people like Mother Teresa,
Christopher Reeve, Colin Powell, and Oprah
Winfrey, and how this Vision helped them
transform adversity. In The Path book, we
read examples of the unsinkable nature of the
human spirit as demonstrated by Wayne Dyer,
Della Reese, The Dalai Lama and others. And
then there is the 9 Insights book. To get a
preview of the 9 Insights, take a look at
this short video:
The Wealthy Soul

Not Quite Top Chef

Lissa Coffey — 12/09/2007

I love watching cooking shows. I guess it's the creativity that is so appealing, making something wonderful and delicious out of basic ingredients - combining a unique combination of herbs to make something original and new. And then you get to eat it! Since I'm pretty much vegan I couldn't even consider being on one of those shows - I couldn't cook meat because I wouldn't even taste it! But I can watch, and get ideas, and figure out how to adapt the recipes for a vegan diet. Substitute soy milk for regular milk and cream - or use veat meat instead of chicken, for example.

Anyhow, I guess I was inspired by all the Christmas baking on TV right now. I had a bunch of old mushy bananas and I decided to make banana muffins. My friend Sue is an amazing baker - when we lived next door to her and her family we often got leftovers from passover and Hannukah and they were SO yummy! One of her signature items is this amazing banana bread with chocolate chips. My son Brian devours it. So I decided to attempt this recipe myself, making muffins instead of bread so I could freeze them individually so they last longer.

It's been a very long time since I've baked. I realized that I barely had enough supplies on hand. The bag of flour in the cupboard is probably the same one I had when we first moved into this house more than 2 years ago! Sue's recipe called for white sugar, and I didn't have enough so I supplemented with brown sugar. I mixed it all up, stirred in the chocolate chips, so proud of myself that I had all these staples. I poured the batter in the muffin tins, put the tins and the oven and proceeded to lick the spoon. As I'm licking the spoon I'm thinking "I really shouldn't be eating batter because of the raw eggs in here... whoops... forgot the eggs!" It's unusual for me to even have eggs in the fridge, but I did, so I took the tins out of the oven, took the batter out of the tins and put it back in the bowl, mixed in the eggs and did the whole thing all over again.

Needless to say, my whole kitchen was a mess! But the muffins turned out really yummy, despite my being out of practice baking. So a messy kitchen is a small price to pay. Good thing this happened in the privacy of my own kitchen, and not on national TV - I am probably not "Top Chef" material!

Karate, Kids, and Families

Lissa Coffey — 11/29/2007

Today I ran an article about kids and karate in the familyeveryday newsletter. You can read it online here:

http://www.familyeveryday.com/articles/learning_growing_details.php?record_id=138

After reading this, one of my subscribers wrote me that a 47 year old female karate instructor in Suffolk, Virginia, was arrested on charges of child endangerment for kicking one of her 11 year old students 200 times in the stomach!

Here\'s the article that explains what happened:
http://www.nbc4.com/news/14699805/detail.html

Now the question is, are these schools regulated? Are the teachers licensed?

When my kids were in karate class, I\'d sit and watch them, spending hours and hours in that musty room with the other moms and dads. But there were many times I\'d drop them off, feeling safe that nothing bad was going to happen to my children. In all the years of karate, we only had one accident, when Brian tripped and broke his big toe! That could have happened anywhere.

So if parents were watching while this class was going on, why didn\'t someone say something? Why didn\'t one of the parents speak up and object? I can\'t imagine sitting there and watching this happen, whether it was to my child or someone else\'s, and not expressing concern. The teacher was wrong, clearly, but everyone who witnessed this is just as much to blame. Think of all the time that went by as 200 kicks went into that child\'s stomach. Have we become so numbed to violence that this could be considered a normal classroom event? This is not only a crime, it is a tragedy.

Giving Thanks for 4 Day Weekends!

Lissa Coffey — 11/25/2007

Thank goodness for Thanksgiving! This year was really easy for me, I didn't have to cook. Greg and I went to my step-sister's house for dinner, and I just brought that yummy pomegranate salad that I learned how to make for a segment for VegTV. So no company meant no house organizing, no dishes, no pressure to do anything. And no shopping! I didn't have to brave the supermarket for food, and I didn't go anywhere near the mall. I used the time to hang out with my two sons, home from college, and catch up on all the work I can never do during the week. Plus there was actually some time in there to relax, watch a movie and have dinner with my husband! I decorated our Christmas tree, and wrapped some presents. I even did some laundry for Brian. After traveling so much in recent months I'm really cherishing this time at home.

Of course, since I work from home, time at home isn't always "down" time. The computer beckons, the internet runs 24/7 without fail, there are always newsletters to write or bills to pay. A home office is as much a distraction to a "normal" life as it is a convenience.

Why is the United States the only country in the world that lives on two weeks of vacation a year? That's clearly not enough. I recently heard that in Italy, people work 8 months, and vacation the other 4 months of the year. It's nice that we have these little 3 and 4 day weekends every once in awhile here, but it doesn't seem to be all that we need to balance out the level of stress that we're under every single day. We've gotten into these bad habits, fueled by consumerism, and commercialism, and I don't know what it is going to take to make a change.

But as of today, I am re-fueled. These four days when the outside world takes a pause has given me valuable catch-up time, for both my family and my work. I am grateful!

Worst Mother on TV

Lissa Coffey — 11/18/2007

I hesitate to even admit this, but my excuse is that I've been home recovering from a hernia operation. See, my #2 son was a 10 pound baby, and I guess from pregnancy I got this umbilical hernia that needed to be repaired at some point, and now that the little guy is off to college I had no other reason to put off the surgery! So, I'm not admitting the surgery, that I will wear as yet another proud scar of motherhood. What I am admitting is that while sitting around watching TV, which is about all I can handle right now, I happened upon a show called "Keeping up with the Kardashians." If you're not familiar with this show, it's a "reality" show that follows the blended family of Bruce Jenner, and his wife Kris (formerly Kardashian and now Jenner), her 3 girls Kim, Khloe and Kourtney, and their 2 younger girls whose names are barely mentioned so I don't remember... but they probably both start with a K. One memorable scene had the two girls playing on mom's stripper pole in her bedroom.

The show is nothing less than appalling. The way these people live, even given that they are edited for broadcast, is appalling. Kim Kardashian, the most famous of the group, known for her sex tape scandal and partying with the likes of pal Paris Hilton, gets the most air time. In one episode, Playboy offers her a "celebrity layout" and she is reluctant to do it. She doesn't want to give people more to talk about, more reason to think she's a sleaze with nothing more going on than her body, especially given the sex tape situation. But her mother, who is also the girl's manager, encourages her to go for it! It's an opportunity, she shrieks! And the mother assures her daughter that Playboy will be just fine having her all covered up, she won't have to get naked, it's a done deal. Later Kris Jenner "confesses" that it's been a dream of hers to pose for Playboy and she's really excited for her daughter. She shows up at the photo shoot like it's all there for her. Of course, Playboy really does expect nudity... duh. And Kim ends up naked, but "proud" of the photos that show her dripping in pearls. And Kim presents her step-dad with a life-size poster of mom wearing nothing but an American flag and his gold medal. Mama loves it, and she takes Bruce into the bedroom to hang it up.

In another episode, Kris fields a call from jail, from the scumbag who produces the "Girls Gone Wild" videos. He wants the girls for a bathing suit photo shoot in Mexico. Kris is excited - and guess what? She ends up in the photos, too! Holding a martini glass and looking glam as the girls play "gold diggers" in the sand. The most tacky, horrible thing ever. Step-dad Bruce flies down when he hears what is going on, angry that he's been lied to, but he backs off when Kris purrs an apology and promises to help him with his shower. Everyone looks stupid and greedy. Kris has such an unfulfilled celebrity wish that it's embarrassing - she needs to grow up already - she looks like she's on spring break hanging and drinking with her kids.

And in yet another episode, Kim decides to fire her mom and get a "real" manager. Kris catches wind of this, has a hissy fit, puts her daughter's personal cell phone number on her answering machine and takes off for a spa day. She had left the two younger girls with Bruce and a "nanny" because she had to work. They own some boutique, which is shown often, but I don't know what work is done there because I haven't seen any customers come in. The "nanny" in question was some young thing who paraded around the house in a bathing suit top and actually went into Kris' closet and tried on her jewelry. She was promptly fired when Kris got home. Then Kim apologizes and says she learned her lesson, she needs her mom.

How do these people get on TV? Have we sunk so low? Does someone out there think this is entertaining? No wonder foreigners hate Americans! If this is how they see us represented, I can't blame them!

Put the older 3 girls in therapy, pronto. They have major stuff to deal with. Put the younger two daughters in boarding school where they won't be influenced by the 3 older girls' shenanigans, or mom's bad examples. And let's see some programming that makes sense, that matters, that educates, that enlightens while it entertains - let's see something, anything, else!

school lunches

Lissa Coffey — 11/06/2007

Many of you have visited our sister site: familyeveryday.com and it\'s companion site schoolmenu.com. Schoolmenu.com is really cool because you can check out your school\'s lunch menu online. I\'ve been working with this company for awhile now, and writing my familyeveryday newsletters with links to both sites. Sometimes the school lunch program is criticized. Moms think that their schools aren\'t doing enough to provide healthy foods for our kids. I always say that if you don\'t like something, change it - be proactive! Here\'s a letter from one of our subscribers that makes the point perfectly. This mom is a good example, and an inspiration for all of us!

Hi Lissa!

I enjoy your Family Values newsletter and having successfully had a child go through the public school system, I just would like to tell you what I have learned in dealing with school administration and specifically the food service personnel. I live in Florida and wholesome food does not seem to be a high priority where we live, to say the least! Everyone was complaining about the hyperactivity of the students and uncontrollable behavior and I finally got tired of dealing with this myself with an AD/HD child and went down to the food service office and spoke to the person in charge and also the person who does the ordering and explained the situation and suggested that they might like to try replacing all the soda with mineral water, Gatorade and energy drinks, as well as replacing all the candy with granola bars, fruit leathers and energy bars. Guess what?? They DID IT!! I never heard back from them, but we all benefitted from the difference in behavior, attention span, and overall health. All it took was a pleasant suggestion from ONE parent to solve a number of problems. So now, whenever someone complains to me about something I tell them this success story so that they can see that one person can make a world of difference in the quality of life around them! As a final note......the students transitioned to the healthier food beautifully! Schools are what we, as parents demand that they be. We pay the taxes that support them, so we have a BIG say in how they run and how our children are treated. If you find any value in this, you can include part or all of it in a newsletter. Thank you for caring about our kids!!

Lynn Lawler

Where's Lissa?

Lissa Coffey — 10/29/2007

You've seen the "Where's Waldo" books - we have to search for one guy wearing a striped search in a strange land. Is he lost? Or does he know exactly where he is? I felt a little bit like Waldo this past month. I did a ten city tour, traveling city to city appearing on local morning TV shows. The TV show part was really fun - I loved meeting the anchors at the different stations, and getting the flavor of each city, which is really reflected in the shows. And when I did have time to see the cities, that was great, too, I feel like I know a lot more about the USA now!

However, most of the trip was the traveling part, which was not fun at all. I spent so much time in airplanes, taxi cabs, and airports. It was grueling, and I was exhausted much of the time. When I'd finally arrive at the hotel, all I'd want to do was crash, and eat - but being a vegan, my choices were limited. And not having seen the hotel beforehand, or having booked it myself, let's just say I was less than thrilled with the accommodations much of the time.

Airports have got to do better. If I were an entrepreneur I would set up a chain of great vegetarian restaurants in every terminal in every major airport. There's a big need for this! I can't be the only person in the world looking to eat healthy on the road. I found some good options at the Phoenix airport, so kudos to them! But often I was stuck with the veggie burger at Burger King, if there was a Burger King - not exactly gourmet fare. Sometimes I would make due with a banana and soy milk from Starbucks. At least Starbucks has soy milk - thank goodness!

Here are some of the cities I've visited recently:

Salt Lake City
San Antonio
Atlanta
New York
Avalon (that was for vacation, not work!)
Phoenix
Miami
Columbus
Cleveland
Baltimore
San Diego
Kansas City, MO
Roanoke
New Haven
Richmond, VA

And a few cities where I just stopped over in the airport, like Washington DC, Charlotte, Ft. Lauderdale, at least those are the ones I remember - it's all kind of a blur!

My grandmother was from Baltimore, so I enjoyed seeing the city - even if it was only from the inside of a taxi cab. I'm really getting to know Atlanta because my director/cameraman Doug has a studio there so we're working there a lot. In San Antonio we found a really amazing vegan restaurant called "Green" which was a little oasis in a place known for its beef. Really nice walk around shopping and dining area in Kansas City. New York is such a city of contrasts. I feel like a native I've been to Manhattan so many times. I love walking around, and the food is amazing everywhere you go. I discovered a wonderful vegan restaurant called "Zenith" on 48th street right near Times Square. If I lived in NY I would probably eat there every day - it was amazing! I also went to MOMA for the first time and absolutely loved it - saw originals from Picasso, Mondrian, Matisse, and Van Gogh. Very inspiring - food for my spirit! One time I was riding around in a cab in one of the not-so-nice parts of town, looking at the disrepair and garbage and thinking how run down the place was - when a beautiful monarch butterfly flew right by my window, and flew along with me for almost a full block. So perfect and precious - a memorable moment.

So I'm off to Atlanta again tomorrow, and I'll be there all week. And then I'm home through the holidays. It's nice to see all these different places, but it's really nice to come home again!

Turmoil

Lissa Coffey — 09/22/2007

I don't know how else to describe it. The world just seems to be in turmoil right now. The wars continue... more people die, more money is thrown at a problem where there seems to be no solution, no end in sight. We're still not recovered from Katrina. Thousands of families are displaced. Our planet is in crisis. For all the talk of getting green it's still a very small number of people who are on board and really doing something about it. We need to reach a critical mass to make a difference. What is it going to take? The teen suicide rate is up. Debt is at an all time high. Companies are laying off workers every day.

Meanwhile, O.J. is back in the news. Britney continues on her downward spiral. Just when you think she's hit rock bottom she gets busted for a hit and run. With so many bigger issues happening all at once, why are our attentions going toward celebrity messes? Because these situations are a microcosm of the macrocosm. The world is in shambles. These people's lives are in shambles. It's just a reflection of what is going on everywhere. And while war and global warming and a glut of foreclosed home on the market and the health care crisis may be more than we can handle, we can look at Britney and know exactly what she should do to get her act together.

We need some ray of sunshine right now - we need something good to happen to show us all that is possible. Sure, the iPhone is helpful, but it's just another distraction, another material possession that so many can only aspire to. Britney, do the world a favor, please. Make up with your mom. Quit messing around. Start being a good mother to your children. The world is watching. Maybe if you can turn things around, things will start looking up.

The Emmys

Lissa Coffey — 09/16/2007

I'm watching the Emmys. Wish I were there! I've been twice, back in the 80's when I was a page at ABC. But I don't know if that "counts" since I was wearing a polyester uniform instead of a red carpet gown. Maybe next year I'll get to go. They have this new category, "interactive" TV - sand the winner... Current TV, which does web based TV - pretty awesome! Al Gore started the network a few years back, and got a standing ovation from the audience. I actually did my first segment with Current TV recently, and I had a lot of fun.

It's a great show this year. I know some will disagree, we'll have to see what people say in the morning when the news comes out on every gossip site! I like the stage in the round - the presenters seem relaxed, and more spontaneous. Love that Tony Bennett is sweeping everything - he was great in his duet with Christina Aguilera, who looked beautiful and sang beautifully.

The ladies all look great - haven't seen any real "misses" in terms of dress or make-up or hair... some are a little more safe than others. Vanessa Williams looks great - her dress is a beautiful green, with feathers on the skirt, very dramatic, very "movie star." Katherine Heigl is going to be a huge star - she's won an Emmy, and her first big movie was a hit - and she's so pretty and sweet. Hayden Pantierre is 18 now, and a great example of a "good girl" in Hollywood - how refreshing! Eva Longoria has it all together - the whole package. All of the "Housewife" ladies look amazing, as usual. Overall very classy choices by both the men and women. It's nice having the clips run while the person comes up to the stage - makes the time go by faster. And no one has been embarrassingly cut off from their acceptance speeches. So we'll probably here that this was a boring show - but I think it's great. I was worried that there'd be too much Ryan Seacrest, but he hasn't done that much. It's flowing really well.

Did Ryan Seacrest really need to come out in a Tudor outfit? I think not... But what else is he going to do? Wayne Brady would actually make a good host for the Emmys - maybe next year? Or Drew Carey? Either one. Both are suited for hosting duties. We're in a game show resurgence right now. Having been on quite a few game shows, and pilots, and run-throughs in the 80's that makes me happy... just hoping there's a show that I can try out for and maybe even get on and win! Ah, the American Dream! lol

Reality Competition Program - The Amazing Race wins again. No surprise. It's tough to compete with a show that goes all over the world - built in drama, built in conflict and culture and exotic locations. But there are some pretty cool reality programs on right now. I like Top Chef. I like Project Runway. I even like Design Star. Some of the "contestants" are characters that no writer could have dreamt up.

Leo's New Movie

Lissa Coffey — 08/29/2007

The movie I can't wait to see? The 11th Hour, a documentary by Leonardo DiCaprio. Here's an excerpt from an e-mail he sent out about it:

�With the help of over fifty of the world's most prominent thinkers and activists, including reformer Mikhail Gorbachev, physicist Stephen Hawking, and Nobel Prize winner Wangari Maathai, The 11th Hour documents the grave problems facing the planet's life systems. Global warming, deforestation, mass species extinction, and depletion of the oceans' habitats are all addressed.

However, the most powerful element of The 11th Hour is not a portrait of a planet in crisis, but an offering of hope and solutions. The film ends with a call for restorative action through reshaping human activity.�

The 11th Hour trailer

Teen Pregnancy

Lissa Coffey — 08/19/2007

A few weeks ago I was in San Antonio, Texas hosting some public affairs television shows. One of the shows was on the topic of teen pregnancy. While the statistics show that the rate for teen pregnancies have gone down nationally, which is good news, teen pregnancies are still up in San Antonio. I interviewed several people about this, asking "why" this might be the case, and they had no answer. While they are providing services to these teens, educating them about parenting skills and helping them to finish high school and prepare for the workplace, they don't know what to do to change the situation.

At one of the interviews, a teenage mother was there. Just 17 years old, with a 6 month old baby girl. The mother was living in a home for teenage girls who are pregnant or new mothers. Her family sent her there so that she could learn how to take care of herself and her baby. She has yet to finish high school. The baby was darling, and happy. She had just had her ears pierced that morning. At the end of the interview, I told this young mother that my "babies" were now 18 and 20 years old. Most times when I tell people this, the response I get is: "Really? You look too young to have kids that age!" Imagine my shock when I instead heard the reply: "Oh, no grandchildren yet?" YIKES!!! She was totally serious.

So this tells me a lot. This answers the question of "why" teen pregnancy is on the rise. It's the mentality! Girls expect to be pregnant before they are 20 years old, and so they are. Their friends are, their sisters are, their mothers were, so why shouldn't they be, too? There's a built-in system to take care of these babies - non-profit organizations to take the girls and their offspring, young grandmothers to babysit as their mothers did for them.

Another insight that same day with another interview. A pregnant teen came in and I asked her if she and her boyfriend had used birth control. She just laughed and said no, she didn't think she needed it. HUH??? She said she never thought it would happen to her. Never mind the risk of STDs and other reasons to use birth control, she didn't think it was necessary. I asked the women who ran the teen home if they taught the girls about birth control, even though it was a little late, it might help prevent another unplanned pregnancy. They said no, they left that to the doctors. Instead, they advocate abstinence.

I'm all for abstinence, but getting real, these young women, and the young men they associate with, need education about their options for birth control. They also need some positive, strong, women role models. If a big sister would go to college, set an example, make a life for herself not dependent on a man, or needing the love of a baby to define her, that would go a long way to changing the direction of this generation.

Who are their role models now? Britney Spears, and the way she parents her two young children? Nicole Richie, famous for her party girl ways and now pregnant?

One of the homes has girls as young as 12 years old living there. We have to reach these girls, instill some self-esteem and ambition and self-worth into them before they get to the point where they're vulnerable to the lure of being loved by a boy, and adored by a child. There is plenty of time for having children, but that time is not while they are children themselves.

Your Visual DNA

Lissa Coffey — 08/08/2007

My friend Michele sent me to this site where you choose a few photos and they calculate your visual dna into a personality profile - it's really cool! This is the site:

Read my VisualDNA� Get your own VisualDNA�

Be a Simpson!

Lissa Coffey — 08/05/2007

I love The Simpsons! I've been a fan since they started on The Tracey Ullman show - does that date me too much? :-) When Freddy was in high school one of the parents there worked on the show and donated a "table read" to the school fund-raiser. I bid on it and won! Freddy and Brian and I went down to the Fox Studios and watched while the whole cast sat around a big table and read through their new script for the first time. It was so fun! And everyone was very nice and gracious. I could tell that they love their work and that they had a wonderful relationship with their peers. There was lots of laughter the whole time!

So my family has really been looking forward to the new "Simpsons" movie! Ever wonder what you would look like as a Simpsons character? I did! So I went to their new site: http://www.simpsonizeme.com and got "Simpsonized!" Here's what I look like:

Creativity

Lissa Coffey — 08/05/2007

We have some amazingly creative people in our community. I love it when we can share our gifts and talents with each other. I came across a blog today that quoted Wisdom News, and I found this artist who makes such beautiful things! Check out these gorgeous little photo necklaces - what a great gift for someone you love!
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=6485376

Move for More Memory

Lissa Coffey — 08/04/2007

Want to improve your memory? Get moving! Literally, I mean. The University of Illinois recently did a study that looked at the MRI scans of sedentary adults. They put these people on an exercise plan that included walking. Six months later then did the MRI again, and their brains looked two to three years younger than before! It doesn�t take much. If you haven�t been exercising, start with walking for 15 minutes three times a week. Add 5 minutes each week until you�re up to a one hour walk 3 times a week.

Bargain Bragging

Lissa Coffey — 07/29/2007

I'm a good shopper. Well, that's an understatement... I'm a GREAT shopper, and I don't mind bragging about it! I can get in and out of a store with exactly what I'm looking for, at a great price, in no time at all. And that's no small feat - given the number of stores out there, the malls, the online shops, all the "stuff" we have to sort through to find what we need and not get distracted by all the "stuff" that the store is trying to subliminally convince us to buy.

But yesterday was one of my best bargain days ever! We were early to a movie - we thought it started at 7 pm when it was actually a 7:30 showtime - so I had a little time to kill and decided to scope out Old Navy. All the usual cute things, some "trapeze" style tops that I could see are a trend for fall caught my eye, but I couldn't get over the fact that they reminded me of my old pregnancy tops. Comfy... but, no. I peruse, unimpressed, nothing really new or different. And then I see a small metal table in the back of the store. Hmmm... not really set up for display, just a bunch of tops kind of randomly thrown on it. Cute tops, actually - I go in for a closer look and discover little red stickers on the price tags. What's this? 97 cents??? Is this possible? The same little tee I bought in white about a month ago for $18., here in blue now for just 97 cents. A $27 cotton short sleeved sweater marked down multiple times to $1.97!!! Jackpot! I bought 5 teal tees for the girls in India, the blue tee, the sweater, and then a couple of summer tops that were priced 2 for $15. 9 tops in all.

Here's the best part. I go to the check-out counter, and pull out my $20. Gap rewards card. These Gap cards can be used at Old Navy, Gap, or Banana Republic. You get them when you charge so much on your account. So, I earned it - and now I was spending it. The total came to $22.99. I handed over my reward card, and charged just $2.99 to my Gap credit card! Now THAT'S a bargain!

Travel Trials

Lissa Coffey — 07/12/2007

I have been on the road more in the past few months than I have been in the past 5 years. I've been to New York, Australia, Phoenix, Jamaica, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, Orlando, New York again, and now next week I'm off to San Antonio. So that means I've spent a lot of time in airplanes, and a lot of time in airports. Not necessarily my favorite place to be, but I've kind of learned to navigate the territory so that it's not too bad. What gets me, though, is some of the more infrequent travelers who evidently never got the memo about the new security practices. They bring full bottles of shampoo in their carry-ons. They don't take off their belts and the alarm beeps, they have to dig through their wallets for their i.d. All of this slows everyone down. But then again, it's a lesson in patience. I always leave enough time so that I don't feel rushed. After all, I know this is going to happened, so why pretend that it won't. People are people, and we're all just doing our best. Most airports look like the most confusing places in the world. And isn't this an analogy for life? It's like there's no rhyme or reason to any of it. And despite the fact that many reasons for travel are positive ones - seeing family, taking a vacation, or making money on a business trip - most people are not really happy to be stuck in the mire of all this chaos. But beneath all the chaos is this organization. Somehow we all get to where we're going. We follow the signs, wait in the lines, and eventually end up exactly where we want to be. What a system!

Girl Power!

Lissa Coffey — 06/25/2007

Barbie and I are about the same age - well, maybe she's a little bit older, but she looks a lot younger! She's kept up with the times, cellulite-free with a smile on her face. When I look at all that girl has accomplished over the years I can't help but be impressed. She's been a doctor, an astronaut, an Olympian, and a presidential candidate. She has her own house, a few cool cars, and lots of amazing clothes. What a life! Barbie allows us to live vicariously through her adventures, her friends, her success. If Barbie can do it, then any girl can do it.

I remember my first Barbie - she was actually Midge - my little sister got Barbie and I got the dark-haired friend, which was fine with me, since as a brunette I could relate. As time went on we acquired quite a collection, and spent hours role-playing and dreaming. My grandmother made clothes for our dolls, by hand! Somehow she got patterns of these cute little dresses, and some of the clothes she actually designed herself. We ended up with quite an extensive wardrobe! My favorite Barbie was Stacey. She had a long red-haired pony tail and "real" fake eyelashes. She came with a pink and green business suit, smart and sharp, I thought she was the most stylish girl ever, and the kind of business woman I aspired to be.

When I moved on to Nancy Drew my mother packed up our Barbies and kept them to save for her future grandchildren. Wouldn't you know I ended up with two boys? But my little niece enjoyed our Barbies every bit as much as my sister and I did.

Barbie is an American icon. And she takes her role, and her influence on girls, very seriously. Mattel is sponsoring a new website: WeBelieveInGirls.com
This is a terrific forum for all of us to share our memories of girlhood, and our hopes and dreams for our daughters and all the girls who are creating the future right now. Girls today face such unique challenges, things that they really shouldn't have to deal with at such a young age, and yet there's no getting around it. How girls handle it depends a lot on how we prepare them, arm them, empower them, encourage them. We have a responsibility to this new generation. We need to balance some of the negativity, the harshness, and the coldness, with support, education, values, and ideals. We Believe In Girls is a positive step in this direction.

iVillage Live in Orlando!

Lissa Coffey — June 21, 2007

Hi! I'm here in Orlando! I just did one show for iVillage live that airs today (see ivillagelive.com for details) and another one that will air on July 26! Good stuff, loved the people, love the show! A little hot and humid here in Orlando, that's my excuse for being on the computer! :-)

Paris in jail or on retreat?

Lissa Coffey — 06/10/2007

First she's in jail, then she's out of jail and at home eating cupcakes, and now she's back in jail. Why she got out in the first place is beyond me.

Basically, Paris' day is spent alone in her room (cell is too harsh of a word, there are no bars, it's just a plain room). She can't have any TV or internet, but she can read. She's by herself, no roommate. Her meals are brought to her - and she is out for 1 hour a day to exercise.

Now, am I the only one who thinks that this is more like a retreat than a jail sentence? 23 days off to meditate, spend time in silence, read good books, not have to cook or run errands... or work? Sounds good to me. Usually you have to pay a pretty price to get this kind of a deal! Even if you go to an ashram you have to work for your keep.

Paris needs to look at this time as a gift. She can finally get to know herself. Without the interference from her parents, the public, the media - she can do some thinking, and learning, and growing. This is exactly what she needs. But we'll see if this time has any influence on her when she gets out. Will she remain the spoiled party girl, or will she step up and make a contribution to the world? And by contribution to the world I don't mean designing purses. I would love to see some transformation - I would love to see this young woman put her time and money towards some good work helping people who really need it. But can 23 days make a dent into all that values that her 26 years has instilled into her so far?

Creative and Crafty

Lissa Coffey — 06/05/2007

My sister is planning her wedding, and of course, as matron of honor and the only lifestyle designer in the family, I'm into it big time! I came across this site that blows me away. There are some wonderfully creative and crafty women out there... maybe with a little too much time on their hands? The site sponsored a toilet paper wedding gown contest - and you wouldn't believe the winners - they're all worthy of being in the pages of a magazine! Check it out... and remember, they're all made out of TOILET PAPER!!!
http://www.cheap-chic-weddings.com/wedding-contest-2006.html

Help for Kids with Sensory Processing Disorder

Lissa Coffey — 05/29/2007

As the mother of a child with Asperger's Syndrome, I am always on the look-out for ways to help our kids. I came across this article, written by the father of a child with Sensory Processing Disorder. It is absolutely amazing what can be done now! Just had to share with you:

http://www.wired.com/medtech/health/news/2007/05/brain_hack

#1 Song on your birthday?

Lissa Coffey — 05/26/2007

Check out this site - very fun! You put in your birthday, and it tells you what the #1 song on the Billboard charts was on that very day! You can also put in your anniversary, or any day you want - it's really amazing to have all this information at hand, a trip down memory lane!

http://www.joshhosler.biz/NumberOneInHistory/SelectMonth.htm

Soda Pet Peeve

Lissa Coffey — 05/25/2007

On a Southwest Airlines flight from Sacramento to Burbank, we're offered a drink shortly after we take off. I'm sitting in the back, in my usual aisle seat, because when we land in Burbank they'll open the back door as well as the front door and I can get out faster. I usually pass on the drink and sip on the bottle of water I bring with me. As we're in close quarters, I can't help but hear what all the people around me are ordering. Across the aisle from me are a mom and her two little girls - probably around 6 and 8 years old. What do the girls order? Diet Coke!

As a mother myself, I am appalled. This is wrong on so many levels. And yet, the mother of these two little girls thinks nothing of it. Has she not read any newspaper article or magazine? Caffeine, artificial sweetener, sodium, all kinds of chemicals and preservaties - there is NOTHING that is of any value to the body in these sodas. The worst part of this whole scenario is that the soda is basically addictive, so these girls are starting in on a very bad habit at a very young age.

What is it going to take to get parents to understand that they have to help their children to make good choices for themselves in every aspect of their lives - including the food and drink that they put into their bodies? Maybe we should put an age limit on sodas the way we do on cigarettes. I don't know what the solution is, but with the problems with juvenile onset diabetes and youth obesity running rampant in the United States, we have to do something, because evidently parents just aren't doing enough.

Cell Phone Pet Peeve

Lissa Coffey — 05/25/2007

So I'm in Sacramento at the California State PTA Conference - we had a booth there to let people know about our familyeveryday.com site. I run into the restroom, and there are several stalls, and a few people in there. In the stall next to mine I hear a cell phone ring - and the lady answers it and starts carrying on a conversation! Toilets are flushing, water is running, and she's going on like she's sitting in her living room. Then I hear her say "Can you hang on a minute?" and I'm thinking - well, at least she has the decency to put the person on hold while she flushes - but, no! She puts the person on hold while she picks up a call waiting and starts yet another conversation!

I'm sorry - but is this how low we have sunk in society that we can't even find a sense of privacy in the bathroom? If I call a person, and they are in the bathroom, I do NOT want them to answer! When I am in the bathroom, I do NOT want to hear someone else's phone conversation. And I don't even want to think about the germs that are being passed from their hands to the cell phone to who knows where else.

Let's declare the bathroom a cell-phone-free zone. Please!

Jamaica!

Lissa Coffey — 05/12/2007

My best birthday present ever... so far? This year Greg took me on a trip to Jamaica! What a blast! We flew Air Jamaica direct from Los Angeles to Montego Bay, overnight in about 5 1/2 hours. The flight was really light so we were able to spread out in a whole row and sleep. We took a shuttle from Montego Bay to Negril, where we stayed at "Couples Swept Away," an all-inclusive resort. All-inclusive really is that - you pay one fee before you get there and that covers everything - all your meals, drinks, tips, activities - it's wonderful! And it's all you can eat, all you can drink, too, they're not stingy in Jamaica!

At our resort the food was really good, and they had a nice selection of vegetarian items, which is important to me and Greg as we are both vegan. They even have one restaurant that serves only vegetarian food - and the menu changes every other day so you can't get bored. There are two "fancy" restaurants where you need reservations, and another restaurant where you order off the menu, and a more casual restaurant that is buffet style for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We ended up going there most of the time because it was convenient, and we always found food we enjoyed. Plus at breakfast they had soy milk for us, which ws a huge bonus.

We were there in late April, just after the expensive season - rates go down after April 15 when the rainy season starts. It's not that bad, though - basically it's sunny and warm and beautiful up until about 2 pm, then it clouds up, and rains - sometimes for a little while, sometimes for a couple of hours. Then the evening is beautiful again. We got caught in it twice. Once we had scheduled our catamaran tour with the resort at 4 pm and it was just raining buckets... I told Greg they'd probably cancel, but he insisted we walk out to see what was going on. By the time we got from our room to the water sport shack, I was SOAKED! I asked the girl if the cruise was cancelled because of the rain and she said: "It's not raining! It's liquid sunshine!" The cruise was on, but I wouldn't go. Not my idea of a fun time to be stuck on a big boat with no roof on a choppy ocean. Instead we went back to the room and watched the World Cup Cricket finals, which I thought was much more interesting! Australia won, and my Aussie husband explained to me the rules and how to play.

The second time we got caught in the rain we had booked an eco-tour at a place about 20 minutes from the resort. The weather looked good as we left, and just before we got there it started to come down - hard! The guide lent us ponchos, and we took the self-tour of the rain forest, didn't see many birds, but got a good feel for what a rain forest is all about!

The Jamaicans have a great attitude about the weather. When we said "too bad it's raining" we were told no, it's good that it's raining, we need to appreciate what nature gives us every day. It's all good.

It took us awhile to get on Jamaican time - Jamaican time is a little like Hawaiian time, few people wear watches, one minute might be four, you eat when you're hungry and drink pretty much any time of day. We went to Margaritaville one night where they boast of their 52 flavors of margaritas - they say 51 are great, but that 52nd will get you every time! I tested out the "guava" variety and it was sweet, but at $9. a drink we were happier with the ones at Swept Away! The place is lively - and I could tell that it would get more wild as the night went on. Greg and I reached our level of wild acceptability around 7 pm and headed back to the hotel for our free dinner!

Couples Swept Away is appropriately named. There are all couples there. No swingers, no kids. Lots of weddings! We probably saw 3 weddings a day while we were there. Beautiful setting for it - and I guess destination weddings are as popular as everyone says they are! Right next door is the Sandals Beaches Resort - that's where you want to go if you bring your kids. Very family friendly - lots of stuff for kids to do. I was glad I chose Couples for our romantic getaway!

My favorite day was when we chartered a glass bottom boat to take us on a little mini tour. Our guide, Leroy, was very cool - he gave us a little history lesson about Jamaica - and he drove us by the "Nude Beach" and the "Prude Beach" at another resort called "Hedonism!" We also breezed right by the "Nude Cruise" - and I hope those people were wearing sunscreen! Greg got to snorkel a little, and we fed schools of fish. The water is so clear there that you can see straight down to the bottom. Greg learned to sail, and he took me out on a Hobie Cat one afternoon - it was so much fun! We also went out on one of those pedal boats - a lot of work to not go very far - but there was only one electric boat and that one was checked out all the time.

Another day we got our cab driver to take us into town to go shopping. I found these amazing gemstones called "Caribbean Topaz" - I couldn't resist - I bought a ring and the matching earrings - actually, Greg got them for me and I told them it was my mother's day present. :-) The color is incredible, it's got varying shades of blue and purple, even green, with touches of pink depending on where the light hits it. The stones I got are oval and cushion cut, really beautiful. After shopping we got dropped off at the famous "Rick's Cafe" where they have cliff diving - and fancy drinks, of course! We had dinner and watched the sunset. Ah, paradise!

Staying at the resort is a little like being on a cruise ship. There are all kinds of activities, which you participate in only if you want to. We went to a margarita mixer lesson, saw a fashion show put on by guests and staff, and went to a talent show one night. And one night the place through an awesome beach party with a ship-wreck theme - dinner served outdoors on the sand, a live reggae band, entertainment in the form of a contortionist and a fire eater - what a kick!

Most of the time I was content to just sit on the beach and enjoy the view. I couldn't bring myself to read or write, I just wanted to be. We tried to use the internet one day to check on e-mail but the wireless wasn't working and the internet cafe they have there was way too slow, slower than dial-up, so we gave up. I think that was a blessing! It felt really good to be unplugged for awhile!

My suntan is starting to fade, but the memories of this vibrant island vacation will stay with me.

Codex Alimentarius

Lissa Coffey — 05/10/2007

You will want to learn about this � it is so important to the future of our personal health care rights. More info about Codex Alimentarius at: http://www.healthfreedomusa.com.
~Lissa

------ Forwarded Message
From: Natural Solutions Foundation
Reply-To:
Date: Thu, 10 May 2007 17:29:45 -0400 (EDT)
To:

May 10, 2007

Only 1 US Senator Stood Up
for You Yesterday

Let's Make Sure Our Representatives
Do a Whole Lot Better!

Bernard Sanders, an Independent Senator from Vermont, is the only member of the US Senate who has the decency to stand up for your health against the financial and political power of the Pharmaceutical industry. His was the only negative vote when Senator Edward Kennedy's deadly, corrupt, and financially incestuous bill, S.1082, came to a vote yesterday on the floor of the Senate. Every other voting member of the Senate, whether the "New Broom" Democrats or the "Hold the line" Republicans surrendered your health, your money and what ever shreds of their honor they were still clinging to, when they voted to adopt S. 1082, the FDA Revitalization Act of 2007.

For Shame!

For shame that for the campaign donations and the political favor virtually the entire US Senate sold you and your families down the health river. For shame that they voted for a bill that eliminates the concept of "conflict of interest" and allows FDA regulators to virtually totally dependent on huge "User Fees" from the very companies they are seeking to regulate. For shame that the US Senate passed a bill that extends the already corrupt power of an organization which oversees the use of drugs which are now known to be the single largest killer of the citizens of the United States and every other industrialized nation WHEN USED PROPERLY.

For shame that they took no steps to protect food and dietary supplements, the single greatest economic competitor to pharmaceutical profits from a marauding FDA which already seeks to put the competition, natural medicine, out of business. For shame that this Senate could not protect the American people from the same FDA which has issued their FDA Guidance on the Regulation of CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine) which Representative Ron Paul, MD (R, TX) calls an abuse of the power of the FDA.

Action Steps:

This damaging and probably illegal alliance between the drug companies and the agency which is charged with regulating them now goes to the House of Representatives. It is your job and mine to provide a roar of outrage and a tidal wave of direction to the men and women whom we have elected to represent us and do it far, fat better than the members of the Senate have.

Step 1:

Click here to send your comments directly to your elected Representatives.

Step 2:

Send this action link to every one you know. Do it now so that they can take action and forward this to every one they know. Here is the link: http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/healthfreedomusa/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=11344
and here it is in reduced form (which some browsers may not recognize): http://preview.tinyurl.com/27oab6

My advice would be to simply forward this email with an introduction in your own words about why this is important to you so that any technical problems with the links will be avoided.

Step 3:

Because your recognize that this battle is far from over, get ready to saddle up the Freedom Mouse pretty often in the near future. For example, there is a secret legislation with secret sections being presented to the US Congress to give our government enhanced license to spy on US Citizens. Our health privacy is already deeply invaded and this bill will make it worse. In the next few days I will be sending you another email with another action item. Please remember that these assaults on our freedoms are orchestrated to wear you down. Since you are aware of the tactic, you won't sucumb to it!

Step 4:

Keep Health Freedom Free. Support the Natural Solutions Foundation with a recurring tax deductible donation (http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/index.php?page_id=189 ) so the Natural Solutions Foundation can continue to be your voice of natural health and health freedom!

Hundreds of thousands of us spoke up about the abusive FDA CAM Guidance. This time we need millions.

We have the internet and, truly,

"We are the ones we have been waiting for!"

Take Action Now!*

Yours in health and freedom,
Dr. Rima

Rima E. Laibow, MD
Medical Director

Natural Solutions Foundation
www.HealthFreedomUSA.org

*http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/health
freedomusa/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=11344

Nelly Furtado is following me!

Lissa Coffey — 05/09/2007

One of the times when I was on the Today Show Nelly Furtado was on it that same day, singing songs from her new CD outside to the crowd. That girl is beautiful! I loved her when she did "Like a Bird" which seems so long ago now. Now she's this hot hip-hop girl, bumping and grinding and strutting her stuff! Ever since then it seems like every time I get in the car I hear her song. It's very hook-y, so then I can't get it out of my head for the rest of the day - or at least until I hear that Carrie Underwood "Before He Cheats" - just love those lyrics, "pretty little souped up 4-wheel drive..." what a hoot! Anyhow, I have a little issue with Nelly's lyrics - first she's saying "You don't mean nothing at all to me" - which is a double negative, so i take it that I (or whoever she is singing the song to) really does mean something to her. But then in another chorus she says more what I think she means "You don't mean anything to me." So, which is it, Nelly? Do we have something here or what?

Governator a No-Show

Lissa Coffey — 05/08/2007

I just got back from the California State PTA Conference. Almost 4000 attendees over 4 days, in Sacramento, our state capitol. The Capitol Building is right across the street from the convention center, where the conference was held. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was the most anticipated speaker on the agenda for Friday afternoon. And how did it go? It didn't. He didn't show up.

I haven't been to a PTA conference in a long time, but I talked with attendees who had been to every one for the past 3 years. Every year they put the Governator on the schedule, he commits to coming and talking about education. And every year for the past three years he has not shown up. I know he's a busy guy - and i could understand if the conference were somewhere where he would have to travel - but... he can't walk across the street?

The PTA is a force - parents, mostly moms, VOTERS! A lot of people were disappointed, and most were angry, but no one was surprised since he's pulled this before. If the guy couldn't make it, he could have given more notice - or he could have sent Maria! We would have loved to hear from our First Lady of California, who is a mom herself. The whole thing put a weird energy circulating throughout the center. Next year the conference is in Long Beach. Wanna place on bets on if he'll show or not?

Paris Whitney Hilton

Lissa Coffey — 05/08/2007

In California we've got the three strikes law. First Paris Hilton was caught drunk driving. She had her license suspended. Then she was caught driving with a suspended license. She claimed she didn't know, or understand, that her license was suspended and that she wasn't allowed to drive. She was given a written notice, which she then signed and slipped into her glove compartment. Then she was pulled over for speeding, and driving without headlights on at 11:30 pm, AND again driving with a suspended license! She again claimed she didn't know.

Excuse me? Can the girl read? Can she not afford a limo and driver to take her anywhere she wants to go?

I am glad that the judge sentenced Paris to 45 days in prison plus probation. That's the letter of the law. That is what you get for breaking the law 3 times. She was lucky to get off easy the first two times!

Here's Paris, 26 years old, still acting like a bratty spoiled teen. And here's her mother perpetuating her behavior by acting just as poorly in the courtroom! The apple doesn't fall far from the tree I guess. Kathy Hilton was disrespectful to the judge and everyone in the courtroom with her inappropriate outbursts. Paris was 10 minutes late for the start of the trial and kept everyone waiting. They both should have been held in contempt of court.

If Paris were my daughter I'd be thanking the judge for giving her a wake-up call.

American Idol

Lissa Coffey — 04/17/2007

OK- I'll go on the record - I think the top 3 will be: Melinda, Blake, and Jordin.

I think Lakisha is going to get voted off earlier than anyone thinks, maybe even tonight, and it will be surprising to most. I think Sanyaja, Phil and Chris are all outta there - I just don't know what order they'll go in.

Who will win? Probably Melinda. She's got the best voice. But Jordin is young and the way she's been coming through every week reminds me of what Kelly Clarkson did the first year. Blake is an original, and will get the girls votes, he may make it into the top 2 but I don't think he'll win.

The show is great this year - they're attracting really big name guest performers - Fergie, J. Lo, Gwen Stefani, Martina MacBride... and they've got the whole Idol Gives Back element - huge concert next week - very cool!

Tragedy on Campus

Lissa Coffey — 04/16/2007

My heart is heavy. The shooting today at Virginia Tech is being called the worst massacre in American history. 33 people dead as of this writing, and many more injured.

When something like this happens we just start asking ourselves questions. How can this be? Why did it happen? How could it have been prevented? I think of all the parents who have students attending the university and what must be going through their minds. The fear, the desperation for information, the despondency. I think of the students who went through the day and survived, and the post traumatic stress that they will likely endure. I think of the family of the shooter, and the pain that they must be feeling, the guilt, the shame, the questions.

There are big issues at stake. Are we safe anywhere? This wasn't a terrorist act on foreign soil. This took place in the heartland of America, in a school filled with hard-working, eager young people. And we still don't know why.

Politically, we can look at the situation and see that perhaps more stringent gun laws need to be in place.

Emotionally, we can feel for the victims and their families, and send them our love and support.

Spiritually, we can trust that a Higher Power will guide those involved to some resolution and closure. And we can pray. A lot.

Happy Easter, Happy Spring!

Lissa Coffey — 04/05/2007

Baby bunnies, baby birds, baby squirrels, all the little signs of spring are turning up right in our backyard. I love Easter! Even as a little girl I knew there was something special about this holiday, and this time of year. I remember one year I was "Rabbit" in our elementary school production of Winnie-the-Pooh. My grandmother made me a costume out of an old white tablecloth - it was so cute... and then I'd wear that costume every Easter, and hide eggs for the littler kids next door.

For years I've done the annual family Easter Brunch at our house. I started this tradition before Freddy was born. And then when he came along, the day took on more meaning as an egg hunt was included in the festivities. It seemed like each year there was another cousin added to the mix - each year there were more kids, and more eggs! I have such happy memories of a backyard full of little kids scrambling for plastic eggs, baskets in hand, squealing with delight at each new discovery. There was the year that it was particularly hot, and the chocolate eggs melted inside the plastic ones. After that I filled the eggs with pennies, or jelly beans. Then there was the year our new puppy found more eggs than the kids did. When the kids started getting too big for egg hunts, I even stretched it out by inviting my friend to come and bring her little boys!

This year, all of the kids are teenagers. They'd rather receive gas cards than chocolate eggs. But I'm still having Easter Brunch. We'll eat strawberries and waffles, and just enjoy having the kids all together in one place for awhile. There have been so many changes over the years as they've grown. And Easter keeps coming around, a marker of how some things stay the same.

A Different Kind of March Madness

Lissa Coffey — 03/25/2007

If you have, or have had, a senior in high school, you know what I'm talking about. Every day it's a mad dash to the mailbox, a little prayer said before it's opened, and then the tentative sorting through envelopes looking hopefully for that big one, the one that starts with: "Congratulations!" Brian has made me promise not to open his mail, but he calls me from school every day at 1:30 to see what letters he has received. A large envelope is a good sign, one that portends acceptance to the university that he applied for. A regular sized envelope contains the letter that starts with: "Unfortunately..."

Brian has some good choices already - but we're still waiting to see the outcome for several others. Until he has the full picture, he won't be able to decide just where it is he'll be going come September. Schools have promised to get letters to students by April 1, which means our waiting game should be over soon. And then it's decision time - and we have until May 1 to declare our intentions.

It's Sunday, and there's no mail today... so we can breathe a little bit, at least until tomorrow!

the solution

Lissa Coffey — 03/24/2007

Thanks to my myspace friend Tiffany for this one! :-)

Please don't read until you've taken the test!

1. cop and stripe

2. cop

3. cop and girl 1

4. cop and stripe

5. mom and girl 2

6. mom

7. mom and dad

8. dad

9. cop and stripe

10. mom

11. mom and dad

12. dad

13. dad and boy 1

14. cop and stripe

15. cop and boy 2

16. cop

17. cop and stripe

1) cop & stripe,

2) cop,

3) cop & girl1,

4) cop & stripe,

5) mom & girl2,

6) mom,

7) mom & dad,

8) dad,

9) cop & stripe,

10) mom,

11) mom & dad,

12) dad,

13) dad & boy1,

14) cop & stripe,

15) cop & boy2,

16) cop,

17) cop & stripe

Fun IQ game

Lissa Coffey — 03/24/2007

When you go to the site, the directions are written in Japanese, but I'll translate for you :-)

Apparently this is an IQ test given to job applicants in Japan:

"Everybody has to cross the river".

The following rules apply:

1) Only 2 persons on the raft at a time.

2) The father can not stay with any of the daughters without their mother's presence.

3) The mother can not stay with any of the sons without their father's presence.

4) The thief (striped shirt) can not stay with any family member if the Policeman is not there.

5) Only the Father, the Mother and the Policeman know how to operate the raft.

6) To start click on the big blue circle on the right.

7) To move the people click on them. To move the raft click on the pole on the opposite side of the river.

http://freeweb.siol.net/danej/riverIQGame.swf

Do your best... and I'll post the solution on my next blog!

American Cities

Lissa Coffey — 03/10/2007

One of my friends on myspace had this cute quiz - this is how mine turned out:

American Cities That Best Fit You:

70% Honolulu

65% Seattle

60% Los Angeles

55% San Francisco

50% Atlanta

Which American Cities Best Fit You?

Back from Australia

Lissa Coffey — 03/07/2007

If Australia weren't so far away I'd go there all the time. It's such a beautiful country, and the people are so warm and welcoming. It's just an arduous journey, 15 -16 hours getting there and about 13 coming back with a good wind. Qantas has upgraded their entertainment system since the last time we flew - now they have movies on demand which is great. But where I used to be able to stretch out with an empty seat beside me most flights, now we're jammed in, not an empty seat in sight.

My other gripes, the food, well... sucks. No other word for it. My hubby took a chance and ordered the vegan meal, but that was just weird, he ended up getting spinach for breakfast. And all the airport hassle with the new security rules continues. Going there from LAX we could buy a bottle of water once we got past security and keep it with us on the plane - but in Sydney they put a second security post right before the boarding area so we couldn't take our own water and had to keep asking for some.

But all that is besides the point. We got there - and in one week we were able to close up my mother-in-law's house. It was me and Greg, and his sister Felicity and her son Jesper. We all worked flat out, boxing, packing, sorting, shipping, and getting everything where it was to go. Amidst all of this activity Felicity planned a beautiful service, and Greg wrote a fitting tribute for his mum. Felicity put together a beautiful program book, the photo on the cover was one of mum at our wedding, wearing one of her trademark hats, and the "Parti Sapphire" ring that she left me. I wore a pair of her pearl earrings to the service, and in my talk I spoke about the qualities that mum had that I see now in her children and grandchildren.

When we got back I had the instinct to go to the phone and call mum to tell her everything that happened. She would had chuckled, and been so pleased with how the family came together. I am going to miss our conversations.

Family Down Under

Lissa Coffey — 02/21/2007

Yesterday I received a sad phone call. My husband's mother lives in Australia, and the nurse in her community phoned us to let us know that she passed away. She was just 75 years old. I knew her just 6 years, and I loved her very much.

Judith was about 4 foot 6 or so, but larger than life. With her flaming red hair and her perfect enunciation, she was a grande dame! She sang opera, loved the arts, music, worked as a designer when she was young, and lived a very cultured life, even when her home was in rural Australia. She surrounded herself with beauty - she was an expert gardener, and her blooms grew large and proud all around her place, boasting of their color and strength for all the neighbors to envy. In her backyard she grew herbs and vegetables for her own salads. She was very environmentally conscious, and she composted, and steadfastly preserved water.

Even in the garden, Judith was always dressed and accessorized like a perfect lady. She loved her jewelry, and designed many of her own pieces. She particularly prized her emeralds, as green was her absolute favorite color. She wore them all the time. As her arthritis got worse, it was more a matter of convenience not to unlatch the clasps.

Judith was the one who kept track of the family tree. She knew the associations and distant relatives on every branch. She had an amazing memory, and she loved to share stories. She had traveled extensively, and had a keen vision for politics to go along with her big heart.

There was a lot of pain in Judith's life. She lost her daughter, Angeline, when Angeline was still a teenager. She lost her husband, and cared for her mother until her death. She loved her family, and gave her blessings to her son, my husband, when he moved halfway across the world to marry me. Now my husband, and his sister, and the 6 grandchildren Judith left behind, and all of her dear friends, will remember Judith as the great lady that she was. I will miss her.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Lissa Coffey — 02/14/2007

Women's expectations:
A day of romance! Hearts, flowers, cards, kisses - we've been conditioned
to think of this as a day to get swept away in love. We look forward to
this day, and plan for it well in advance. We enjoy the corniness of
getting those hugging teddy bears, and giving the boxers with the hearts on
them. We want to be surprised, and feel adored. We want to be able to
share our Valentine's stories with our girlfriends. We know men can be
klutzy sometimes when it comes to romance, but we expect them to at least
make the effort.

Men's expectations:
Men dread this holiday! They have so much pressure on them to be the knight
in shining armor, and they fear they can't live up to it. For men,
Valentine's Day is really just another day, they don't get the "big deal"
that it is to women and they wish that it would just go away. They're
afraid of letting us down, and yet they really don't know what to do because
we expect so much. They resent that this is a holiday where they really
have to do something or they'll be in the dog house. Men don't care much if
they get gifts or not, but if it's a day they get sex, then they're happy!

"Kenny" The Movie

Lissa Coffey — 02/03/2007

Last night Greg and I went to see "Kenny" at the Harmony Gold Theatre with our Australians in Film group. Kenny was Australias big hit in 2006, it grossed $7.5 million Australian - and given the exchange rate and the difference in population, that would be easily a $100 million dollar movie here.

It's a kind of "mockumentary" - Kenny is the manager of a porta-loo company, and we get an inside glimpse of his life. Kenny the character is portrayed by Shane Jacobson, and the movie is written, produced and directed by his brother Clayton and some of their assorted friends. Their dad, and Clayton's nephew are also in the film.

"Kenny" is absolutely hilarious - it's sweet and funny, mostly due to the big heart of the character himself. It's Australian humor at its finest. And the movie is a low-budget lesson in filmmaking that production companies should take note of.

The movie is currently in search of U.S. Distribution - and I think that whatever company jumps on it is going to do very well here. Here's the link to see the trailer:
http://www.kennythemovie.com

The Today Show on Tuesday!

Lissa Coffey — 01/28/2007

I'm leaving for New York tomorrow morning - I've got a 7 am flight on Jet Blue - LOVE Jet Blue! Not crazy about the early hour, but this was a last minute thing so that's what happens. I'll be doing the Today Show on Tuesday morning, during the 9 am hour - I'm the relationship expert for a story they're doing about "Overspending Spouses." I told my hubby about this and he laughed and said, yes, you're the expert in that subject!

Anyhow, if you can watch, please do - it's always fun over there, I just love the people. This will be the first time I've done the show since Meredith has been there, and I hope I get to meet her, I've always been a fan of hers. And if you miss it, I'll have it up in the pressroom later that afternoon - Brian, my EXCELLENT webmaster is really good about that.

Since I'll be travelling and busy I won't be blogging - but I'll be back! :-)

Let Them Eat Cereal

Lissa Coffey — 01/27/2007

Angelina is taking some heat after her appearance at The Golden Globes last weekend. No not about her St. John's couture dress, but about her comment to a reporter. Here's Ryan Seacrest, representing E! Entertainment News, interviewing stars on the red carpet. Brad and Angie come up for the requisite banter, and Ryan asks how their morning went with the kids. All smiles, Brad and Angie say fine, Brad chimes in about the usual diaper duty and breakfast, Ryan asks if they make bacon and eggs for the kids, and Angie says: "Cereal, we make cereal." Right now I'm applauding! Good girl, Angie! First of all, she's mom enough to not have "the help" cook something for her kids, she does it herself. And she's real enough to admit that, like most of us real moms, serving cereal for breakfast is pretty darn good, thank you! I don't have time or energy to cook up bacon and eggs... and would I really want my kids to have the grease and cholesterol?

But, good-hearted Angelina, under the scrutiny of the media, is lambasted for being negative - for dismissing the question. Excuse me? This girl rocks! It's the question that was stupid! The whole red carpet scene must seem rather unreal and just plain silly after spending the previous week with orphaned children in Cambodia. What do those kids have for breakfast?

Here Comes the Sun

Lissa Coffey — 01/25/2007

Here in sunny Southern California it's a rare day when the temperatures dip below 50 degrees, even in the winter. Not so last week, when it actually rained ice! We're not used to that here, so it was the topic of conversation everywhere. And it was the cause of several injuries, too, given the attendance at the local emergency room.

I got a call Saturday morning from my step-dad. My mom was outside putting warm water in her birdbath to melt the frozen water for the birds when she slipped on an icy patch on her patio, and fell on her right hand. She was carrying a class pitcher, which broke, and she cut her hand badly. It ended up that she damaged a nerve and her muscles were shredded so she had to have surgery. The emergency room was filled with people in similar situations.

We're just not cut out for this kind of weather! California drivers freak out when it rains, but when there's ice - yikes! And our poor little plants... our citrus looks so sad. Our hibiscus is frozen, and our plumeria is in shock. I covered the plumeria up with a towel but I don't think it made any difference.

And now - the sun is out again! It's January and we're back in the 70's where we belong. We definitely need more rain - it's been a very dry winter. But hopefully this spurt of sunshine will thaw out the ground and bring some life back to our landscape.

The Nominees are Announced!

Lissa Coffey — 01/23/2007

We're in the thick of awards season, and this morning the Academy Award nominees were announced. Here's my take:
Best Picture Nominees:
BABEL
THE DEPARTED
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
THE QUEEN

First of all, I'm surprised that Dream Girls didn't make the cut. I would think that Letters from Iwo Jima would be Foreign Language Film, it is all in Japanese with subtitles, but it is American made, directed by Clint Eastwood, so I don't know what the Academy rules are. But I think that is probably the slot that Dream Girls should have been in. I have seen all of these movies. I understand Babel, with all the buzz it's gotten being an international cast, and multiple locations. But I didn't like the movie. It's dark, slow, and bloated, and I don't think it makes its point well. The Departed is amazing. It's the kind of edge-of-your-seat thriller that keeps movie-goers excited. The cast is stellar, and there are so many twists and surprises you want to go back and watch it again just to make sure you didn't miss anything. Credit the director, Martin Scorsese, for bringing it all together so seamlessly. I think The Departed deserves the win. Little Miss Sunshine is one of my favorite films of the year, and it's a victory for this small independent film to be playing in the big leagues with this nomination. But I think that's as far as it will go. While The Queen was a brilliant movie, there's nothing big or special enough about it to get the win.

Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role:
Leonardo DiCaprio - Blood Diamond
Ryan Gosling - Half Nelson
Peter O'Toole - Venus
Will Smith - The Pursuit of Happyness
Forrest Whitaker - The Last King of Scotland

I didn't even see Half Nelson, Venus, or the Last King of Scotland. If they were out in the theatre anywhere near me I missed them. Leonardo DiCaprio was terrific in Blood Diamond, but I liked his performance in The Departed better and I'm surprised his nomination wasn't for that film. He will get some support because he had such a great year. Will Smith turned in a moving performance, and this is his second nomiantion, but I think the award will go to Forrest Whitaker. He's been getting all the buzz, all the critics awards, and he walked away with the Golden Globe last week.

Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role:
Penelope Cruz - Volver
Judi Dench - Notes on a Scandal
Helen Mirren - The Queen
Meryl Streep - The Devil Wears Prada
Kate Winslet - Little Children

Judi Dench was mesmerizing, Meryl Streep was devilishly hilarious, and Penelope Cruz was luminous. But I think the Oscar will go to The Queen herself, Helen Mirren. Kate Winslet will get the award someday, she's been nominated several times and her performance was flawless, but this is Helen Mirren's year.

Other sure things:
Cars will win Animated Feature.
Pan's Labyrinth will win Foreign Film.
Marie Antoinette will win Costume Design.
Martin Scorsese will win director for The Departed.

more later!

Dryer Drama

Lissa Coffey — 01/19/2007

My washer and dryer are 10 years old now, which I understand is the lifetime of these appliances. We use them a lot - probably 8 loads or so a week, so they might be older than their chronological age. Last month I was having problems with the dryer again, so I had the guy come out and do a full service, cleaned out all the lint, etc, it was beautiful. For about 3 weeks. Then Wednesday morning I went to run a load and it wouldn't start. Dead as a doornail.

Another guy came out yesterday and told me we need a new motor. I wasn't crazy about putting in a new motor in an old machine - and given the wear and tear it's been through over the years I was thinking we were due for a new one. After all, if I put the price of a new motor towards the new machine it couldn't be that much more, right?

So, I headed off to Sear's. I mean, the sooner I order, the sooner it's delivered, and I already have wet laundry waiting to be dried so I'm kind of in a hurry here.

It's been 10 years since I've been dryer shopping, and let me tell you, things are different out there! Prices are higher - what did I expect? And, of course, there's the whole washer/dryer set thing happening which made me want to get a new washing machine, too. A lot of the washers are front-loading now - so I asked the difference between front-load and top-load. Big difference, turns out! The traditional top-load machine uses 40 gallons of water to do a wash. The new front load kind uses just 14 gallons of water! That's amazing... and when you figure I do 8 loads a week, that's a huge savings of water. The other difference is that the top load version has that spin thing in the middle to rotate the clothes around, up and down. The front load kind uses gravity, so it doesn't have that middle thing. You can fit more stuff in there.

I opted for the bottom of the line front-load washer and its matching companion. The old machines will be hauled off and recycled or donated when the new ones arrive tomorrow.

Life's little interruptions. I wasn't planning on spending the money, but in the long run, I feel better for saving water and energy, and now I have at least another 10 years to go before I'll have to deal with it again. By then they'll have some other fancy features I'll just have to have.