Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Today is my last post for Woodbury Patch. It’s time to move on. Forge ahead. See what else the writing world has in store for me.
Can you believe it?! I have written more than 100 columns for Woodbury Patch since its launch in 2010. Each week I have pondered and researched interesting, educational or amusing topics for readers. That’s you. The folks who click, read and share the wanderings of my mind. Today is my last post for Woodbury Patch. It’s time to move on. Forge ahead. See what else the writing world has in store for me. I’ll take with me what I’ve learned from you. That you enjoy reading about: You are an incredibly encouraging bunch. For this, I thank you. Your enthusiastic and regular reading inspires me. I only hope that some of what I’ve written on these pages has inspired you. Writing for Patch has reinforced this wisdom—that walking through open doors …
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
In the end, I’m trying to raise men. And hopefully, my future daughters-in-law and society will benefit from my (possibly overly cautious, but I don’t think so) parenting.
I’m often a conflicted parent. The type who limited her toddler’s television viewing until discovering that a 20-minute Baby Einstein video would allow me to make dinner, fold a load of laundry or use the bathroom without interruption. And despite my fear that I was ruining my child, he is now a highly functioning, polite and intelligent teenager. Whew. My latest hand wringing involves video games. At first, I prohibited them and was stressed when my mother bought those LeapFrog game systems for my kids when they were little. Then along came the Wii and it seemed less frightening. Instead of fostering my nightmare visions of glowering, pasty-faced malcontents rooted into the sofa, game controller in hand, the Wii allowed players to romp, …
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Got a smart phone? Here are some handy applications to help you reach your 2013 goals.
So you got a smart phone for Christmas. Like you, I held out. Not wanting to succumb to those pesky data plan fees. Then one day I was planning a lunch date with a friend. She whipped out her iPhone and quipped, “Aren’t you going to get out your pencil and paper?” We had a good laugh and I won’t waste time here defending the myriad of uses for pencil and paper. I will, however, attempt to help you start the New Year off right by suggesting ways to utilize your handy new device. If we’re going to be one of those people with our heads down, eyes entranced by the screen glow of an assimilation cyborg, let’s at least click on more productive apps than Angry Birds. The Eatery lets you crowd source your food choices. Photograph each meal, rate …
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Shake off the gloom that may have settled on your shoulders like a cold wet blanket. Smile at someone. Be patient. Be compassionate. Get on that random act of kindness bandwagon.
I may have mentioned before that I’m not a fan of even-numbered years. I don’t want to over emphasize a silly superstition after we’ve successfully survived the “Mayan apocalypse.” But still… 2012 might be one of those years that I’m glad to leave in the rearview mirror. Maybe it’s because 2012 wound down with a tragic super-storm, mental-health mayhem and a fiscal cliff that makes the entire 12 months seem as if they’ve were darkened by a grey cloud of gloom. I will resist this Debbie Downer mood and usher in the New Year with three things. First, I’ll look back over 2012 and count my blessings. My husband had a health scare that turned out to be not much more than a nuisance. I’ve had more writing work than ever before. (A blessing and a…
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
As you iron the tablecloth, polish the silver or wrap Martha Stewart-style bows around your gifts, remind yourself why you’re doing these things.
The apocalypse approaches... according to the Mayan calendar, millions of knuckleheads posting on Twitter and a slew of loopy Russians. But if something disastrous this way comes, it’s more likely associated with relatives than Mayans. And doomsday might sound eerily like the doorbell ringing in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. If a holiday family gathering is your idea of judgment day, I’ve got some advice for you: Dos and Don’ts for family holiday interaction. Have a sense of humor. Mistakes are funny. People are funny. Forgetting to get cousin Carol a gift so that you have to wrap up your favorite Christmas tree ornament, the Muppets Swedish Chef that talks when you push the button, so that everybody gets a laugh, is funny. …
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
If it’s vanity, then how far do we take it when we’re talking about the head that everyone sees?
Recently, I had a lovely luncheon with girlfriends at David’s Chophouse. We celebrated a bit of Christmas together over fancy food and sips of champagne. During conversation, one friend asked if any of us would ever consider coloring our own hair. As opposed to having it professionally done. The response was a mix of thoughtful but silent pondering. My incredulously furrowed brow must have given me away. “I assume your answer is no,” she said. That’s correct. My answer is no. But let me say this; even though I may sip champagne over lunch at Christmastime, I’m no highbrow type of chick. I mostly shop at Marshall’s and Target if I shop at all. I’ve never owned a new car, I don’t belong to a gym, I don’t have cable television and I pluck my …
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
It may be wise to educate your teen about healthier beverage choices.
When did we get so tired? I’m not just talking about bleary-eyed parents of newborns and log-sawing old folks in recliners. Everybody is exhausted these days. At least that’s what Martians might believe if they landed in Woodbury and saw everybody guzzling energy drinks. Crushed cans of Rock Star and Monster Energy Drink litter the paths of teenagers who think they’re in desperate need of a boost. And it’s been whispered that a friend’s 70-something mother has been sneaking nips from a little 5-Hour Energy bottle that she keeps in her purse. In case she wants her energy only an hour at a time? These types of drinks have been in the news lately for their supposed connection to emergency room visits and fatalities. So, maybe sips are better …
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
My kids, who still associate birthdays and Christmas with getting stuff, aren’t buying what I’m selling. They’d still prefer a huge pile of presents under the tree. Where have I gone wrong?
A Black Friday that encroached on Thanksgiving Thursday didn’t deter Americans in search of a good deal. According to the National Retail Federation, a record 247 million shoppers visited stores and websites over this past weekend. By 4 p.m. on Thursday, I’d purchased three items online from Best Buy. A bit of updated electronics for the hubs, the kids and me. Click. Slick. Easy. And free shipping to boot! But now, I’m in a quandary. Because I’m done. That’s it. I can’t justify spending much more and besides, what more is there to want? My sons are back to where they were not long ago when they were making birthday wish lists. They can’t think of anything to ask for for Christmas. Maybe my regular insistence on practicality prevents them …
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
I wish Holly and all other Black Friday shoppers the best. As for me, I’ll be sipping a glass of wine and clicking my way through an online shopping spree.
Retailers had a good thing going. But now, controversy has erupted over Black Friday sales beginning on Thursday. Some die-hard Black Friday shoppers may need to modify their power-shopping strategies. I’ve only attempted the Black Friday ritual once or twice. So I asked Woodbury resident and traditional Black Friday shopper Holly Johnson to clue me in. Holly has been a Black Friday shopper for over 20 years. “It’s a fun tradition for my mom and me,” she says. “It’s just the two of us because shopping with too many people slows me down. I had to think about it when a friend asked if she could come along.” Holly laughs, then says, “One extra person might be OK.” Holly’s been reviewing emails from Target and Kohl’s, getting sneak peeks at …
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
I’m just a mom trying to get dinner on the table. A girl raised on meat and potatoes like many of you.
Would you dine at a vegetarian restaurant in Woodbury? Research shows that eating in restaurants is bad for your health. And yet Americans eat out 4-5 times per week. That might not be so bad if there were more truly healthy restaurant options. I’m not talking about substituting vegetables for French fries. I’m talking about enjoying entirely meatless meals. (Editor's note: See Meatless Monday.) I’m not a vegetarian and I consider cheeseburgers one of the tastiest sandwiches ever invented. But I don’t eat many cheeseburgers anymore. In fact, I’ve eaten very little red meat for years. The data points to there being no healthy level of red meat consumption. But every once in a while, I wonder if health is the only good reason to forego meat…
Angela Johnson
11:55 am on Friday, February 1, 2013
Thank you Margaret. I appreciate your kindness and encouragement. more ›