The Summer of Energy

Back when I was in high school, the closet thing we had to an energy drink was Jolt cola. Remember that? All the sugar, twice the caffeine.

We’ve come a long way in terms of energy drinks. I saw them in the halls of the high school all this past year. One of the newer drinks is BluFrog. If you look on their website you can see a side-by-side product comparison with other popular energy drinks. Blu Frog has less sugar, less, carbohydrates, no artificial colors/flavors, and a boat load of great vitamins and minerals that the others just plain don’t have.

The Blu Frog blog – itsabluworld.com – is running a very cool contest right now. The prizes are more exciting than most of the run-of-the-mill offerings I see lately. You can win one of these insanely cool prize packages:

BluGamer (Xbox 360 Elite System, Rock Band 2 Bundle, Call of Duty: World at War Complete Package, Xbox Wireless Networking Adapter, Complimentary X-Shot, and 2 Cases of Blu Frog Energy)

Happy Blu-Year New York (New Year’s Eve in Times Square, Round Trip Air Fare for 2, Hotel for 3 nights, Helicopter Ride for 2, and Complimentary X-Shot)

BLullapalooza (Lollapalooza at Grant Park in Chicago, Round Trip Air Fare for 2, hotel for 2 nights, 2 Tickets to Lollapalooza, Complimentary X-Shot & iPod loaded with music)

Blu Streak (Richard Petty Driving Experience in Orlando, Round Trip Air Fare for 2, hotel for 2 nights, 2 Tickets for Rookie Driving Experience, Complimentary X-Shot)

Xtreme Blu (Winter X Games 14 in Aspen, Round Trip Air Fare for 2, hotel for 3 nights, 2 Tickets to Winter X Games, Complimentary X-Shot)

I’ve got my eye on that last package, because I have never been to Colorado and when you live in Florida, getting away to a winter paradise sounds like a little slice of Heaven.

In order to win you can place a comment on their contest page, use Twitter and Tweet to win, or write a blog post about their contest. Check out their official rules on the contest page for all the details.

I finally watched the episode of Mental I had on my DVR that guest-starred David Carradine. It was just OK, the actual episode. Honestly, for me it was completely overshadowed by Carradine’s death. HOW he died is all I could think of as I watched him in his performance as a man in a catatonic state. I kept wondering if he would feel embarrassed if he had known when he was filming the episode that when people finally saw his performance they would be thinking about the circumstances of his death.

I know the details surrounding his death are all still under speculation, but the little we have heard do lead to particular assumptions.

There was a time when the only truly healthy way to feed an infant was to nurse them yourself, or hire a wet nurse. However, we have had access to safe and healthy infant formula for a few generations now. In fact, formula manufacturers are making improvements to their products every year and the baby formula that is available today is about as advanced as I can imagine. Even I have to admit that whether breast feeding or formula is healthier is no longer an issue. It’s a matter of choice.

Comforts Baby Formula provides absolutely everything your baby needs for fully the first year of life. I’m talking about all of the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients they need to develop physically and mentally – including lipids DHA and ARA (which we now know are essential for a baby’s mental and visual development).

While breastfeeding is certainly advocated by most physicians and even the manufacturers of baby formula, Comforts formula actually contains lactose and choline, which are found in mother’s milk. The nutrients in the formula are just as effective in developing your child’s immune system as breast milk. In other words, there is no need to feel like you are lacking in way way if you choose to give your baby formula.

Right now Comforts and Kroger Food Stores ( I was just at one this afternoon) are running a cool little contest where you can enter your idea on what to name the Comfort Brands Firefly mascot. You can win a $10,000 scholarship, which is worth your time to time enter now that we are all looking around and watching state after state approve tuition increases. Plus, if you are like me you just like the idea of being the one to name a character that represents a major brand.

Want to know what I would name the Firefly? I entered and suggested the name Fritzie. Love it or hate it, but don’t go stealing my idea J

To enter just visit Conforts for Baby. The winner will be announced online after September 21, 2009. So get on over and enter. Just think, you might be one step closer to funding your little angel’s education.

We’re off to West Virginia tomorrow. I love Florida and I will always acknowledge that it rocks to live in one of the world’s most popular vacation destinations, but I miss the mountains like you would not believe.

I have been keeping my eye on the ten-day forecasts and although there is a quite a bit of rain heading toward the Washington, DC area and the WV Panhandle, there are also MANY cool and balmy days on the way as well. Ah, bliss. I love being up there when summer is mild and inviting.

We will be staying at my dad’s house on the banks of the Shenandoah River. There is a lot to do outside, in the river, on the banks, and surroundings. We’re only planning on spending one day in the District. My daughter has never been to the national Zoo, so we will head over there one day next week. And, we will go next weekend for a few days across the mountains to the Ohio Valley. Talk about temperate June weather. That’s the Mecca.

I can hardly wait.

Is it even possible?

I love my Birkenstocks. I own many pairs, in many styles, and appropriate for different seasons. I wear them because of the comfort. My back and legs feel great when I wear Birkenstocks. And, I could out walk anyone wearing a pair of sneakers.

The problem, of course, is that as cute as they might look – they are not sexy in the least. I am ready to start dating again, but several of my friends have pointed out that I will have to step into different shoes to do so. I’ve even considered just swearing off men if it means have to wear non comfy shoes. It’s that important to me to feel great.

So, I am on the search of a pair of sexy Birks. Is it possible? Drop me a line if you know a style that is compatible with re-entered the dating pool.

I only ask because I have one crease between my eyes that is really bothering me. My friends and family say they cannot notice, but every time I look in the mirror I see this one line, this nagging reminder that I am getting older by the day. Forget the fact that most people think I look at least ten years younger than I actually am – this line is making me feel obsessed with the skin on my face.

Yikes.

What’s a girl to do? I know Botox is potentially dangerous, is definitely pricey, and only last a little while. Still, I have tried cosmetic filler and other makeup tricks without the success I desire. I cannot come up with another solution.

So, readers, write me a note if you have tried Botox or even if you think it is something you would be willing to try. I am in serious need of your input.

Politicians, scientists, moralists, and the general public have been debating the ethical points of stem cell research and stem cell therapy for years now. It’s a debate fraught with emotion, one in which most people stand firmly on one side or the other.

Stem cell use does not have to be a controversial issue, however. It’s been scientifically proven that stem cells are the building blocks for so many things. When a cancer patient goes though a stem cell harvest from their own bone marrow and then has those cells used for a transplant process, miracles have been known to happen. The unfortunate truth is that so many people are stuck on the idea of stem cells from embryos when they think about stem cells.

What about cord blood? More and more people are banking cord blood when their babies are born. And now, studies show that adding stem cells collected from menstrual blood to stem cells collected from cord blood significantly increases the number of cells that grow into mature blood cells. It seems to me that we should be focusing on this very positive, very non-controversial fact about stem cell therapy.

The truly exciting thing about the stem cells found in menstrual blood is that they are almost endlessly renewable and collection is absolutely non-intrusive. Just think about how amazing it is that these cells can differentiate into cells for fat, bone, cartilage, nerves and more. They can be used for medical therapies we may have only have dreamed of.

I’m endlessly amazed at the power of the human body.

For more information, check out this CryoCell Press Release on the subject. They’re a Florida company, local to my area, but their reach is international.

It’s humid in Florida.

I’m sure you’ve heard that, but let me just put a little more stress on that fact. Anything not climate controlled molds. Hair frizzes. Fatigue and heat stroke are more likely. I could go on and on.

And while there are a host of reasons why high humidity is aggravating, it also has its upside. My skin looks great in humid weather. I tend toward dry skin and winter is hard on my face. I have to take special care not to develop new wrinkles and rough spots. However, as soon as the humidity hits I find my skin is softer, more glowing, and younger looking.

I hate to think what I would look like if I lived out west.

I’m not one of those pampered women who have my nails and feet done weekly, my hair touched up bi-weekly, and facials on a whim. Even when I was married and they money to do things like that was readily available, I still paced myself when it came to pampering.

Still, I understand that nobody can do it all on their own. I do regular pedicures at home, use high end skincare products daily, and maintain a waxing schedule. Even so, I need a “tune up” from time to time. Now would be one of those times. I need my brows shaped, my feet done, and a new haircut that will feel great for the summer.

One of my best friends recently moved back to Chicago. She lived there right before we met and has since lived here in Florida, in Knoxville, and a few places in between. She is feeling pretty down about being so far from the friends she has spent all of her time with over the past six years, but one thing she did say to me about being back in Chicago is nothing was ever able to top the facials in Chicago. She is spoiled by the services available in the windy city.

And, who can blame her? I might live in a tropical paradise, but finding a good recommendation for a serious facial is next to impossible. Don’t even get me started on finding a competent hair dresser. You take what you can get around here.