I was chatting with someone at work on Monday about my favorite new website. The person I was speaking with shared their favorite site as well. That's when the thought hit me -- we should all be sharing our favorite sites! Why keep them to ourselves when we can interest each other.
So, here goes. I hope you find a little something here for you... And, be sure to leave a comment with your favorite site(s) to share with others!
Etsy
What it is: a place to buy and sell handmade items
Why I like it: What better concept could there be? This site opens up opportunities to shop for handmade, often one-of-a-kind, goods that you just can't find someplace else. They offer a myriad of search tools -- shop local, shop by color, shop by material, the list goes on and on -- and there are literally thousands of unique items to see in the virtual store. I've made a few purchases in the month since I've discovered Etsy: a neck cozy, a felted bowl, a ceramic dish, and some paper goods (for Fiona and Connor).
Paperback Swap
What it is: A place to swap books online
Why I like it: I got turned onto this site after hearing a Sunday segment on a local news channel. Mike really pushed me to look into it because he thought I would like it. That was in July 2005. I have mailed out 217 books to other members and received 169 books from other members since I joined. The club estimates that I have saved $760.50 since joining; that is calculated based on a cost of buying a book new at $4.50 (oh, puhlease, maybe at a used book store). I feel my savings are at least twice that. The concept is simple: you post books to your account. You get 1 credit for each book that is requested (2 for audio books) and you pay the shipping to the other member -- usually around $2.15. In turn, you request books from other members at the cost of 1 credit (2 for audio books) and they pay the postage to you. The site has wish lists, ways to manage your virtual bookshelf, and many useful goodies.
Peerflix
What it is: A place to buy/trade used movies
Why I like it: We tend to watch most movies one time. The ones we have purchased just accumulate dust. This site lets us post our movies for sale. The site sets the market value of each title (based upon a variety of criteria -- supply, demand, format, etc...). Other members can buy my movies for the listed price, plus shipping (~$0.75) and a transaction fee ($0.99). When you are done with a movie, you post it on the site and wait for someone to buy it. Prices do flux a little, but it is no muss, no fuss. I get movies when they are available, and if I really like them I just keep them.
All things Google
What it is: I think we can skip this...
What things I like: You all know what a Google fan I am but I want to give special mention to a few of the services/tools that I used most often. I love my Gmail. I think anyone can sign up now, but if you are interested and need and invite, let me know. I use Google Reader for my RSS feeds. It is very flexible and easy to use. I love my Google Toolbar; it allows my to add buttons for shortcuts (to Google services and services offered by others, like Facebook). No more typing in addresses for me; my toolbar has a button for everything I care about. One click and I am there. That includes an entry for my Google Bookmarks -- portable bookmarks that are with me anywhere that I log into my Google account.
I can't wait to hear your favorites!
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
What the heck is RSS and why do I care?
What is RSS and why do I care?
I'll attempt to distill my knowledge for you; but that doesn't mean you'll care :)
A while ago, probably 18 months or so, I heard about this thing called RSS. Now, you probably know what it is and effectively use it. I didn't know what it was. I kind of poked around with trying to figure it out. I understood at an elementary level how it worked, but couldn't really find useful content. I abandoned it and moved on to other things. I "rediscovered" RSS late last summer. I've grown to understand it and have fallen in love. Okay, maybe that is a little over-stated, but not by much. If you don't know what RSS is or why you would want to use it, read on...
RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a web document designed to broadcast changes to web content such as blogs (like this one), websites (any number, we'll come back to that), or podcasts. The idea behind a RSS "feed" is that updates to a site are broadcast to subscribers.
But the question remains, why would you want to use RSS? It is really quite simple; RSS takes away the random checking on a website to see if there is something new. Instead of you having to go out and find new information for your favorite websites, your RSS reader or aggregator notifies your when a page is updated. The updates are not an email -- they are a snippet or even full posting of "What's New."
Let's take a look at a few examples. A friend of mine has a blog. I love reading what she has to share and I don't want to miss any entries. However, as a busy mom of a three year old, the free time she has to devote to blogging is limited, at best. For months I checked her page off and on to see if there was a new post; after learning how to use my RSS reader I simply subscribed to her blog. Now when she makes updates the content is automatically streamed to me. I never miss an entry. Another example: We bought a high-def TV. Unfortunately, we cannot get HD service through DirecTV. Our town is negotiating with Verizon for FiOs TV service. I want to get the service as soon as possible (we already have FiOs internet) but can't count on the town to update their website. So, I searched on Verizon's site and found that they have press releases in RSS format. Every time a new town is added to their service area, they send out a press release. I get it right away through my reader. In this example, I get lots of stuff that doesn't pertain to my town. I just scroll through it -- it only takes a few seconds -- and it goes away. The upside is, I know I have not missed the announcement. A third example: I like to read the local news. I don't want to have to go to several websites to get it. So, I subscribe to the RSS feed and it is delivered to me everyday. It is like having the paper in your driveway every morning, except that this is the virtual paper in my computer and I didn't have to pay for it.
So you're starting to get a feel for what RSS does. But how do you use it? I am talking about feeds, subscribing to them, reading them. How does that all happen?
First, you want to pick a reader. There are oodles and oodles of choices out there. Some are listed on this site: http://blogspace.com/rss/readers. I am a Google devotee and use the Google Reader. All you need is a Google account. The reader will show your content where ever you are, as long as you are logged in. I like this because I am always on the go (at a different computer). I am sure many readers work similarly.
Once you have a reader, you can start subscribing to feeds. But, how do you know a site has a feed? There are a couple of ways to know... Lets start with a simple example. I want to get the latest news from the New York Times. I look at the address bar and see a funny symbol on the right:
Once you start subscribing to feeds and get spoiled by the quick and effortless delivery of update content, you'll be hooked! I am subscribed to 76 feeds right now, ranging from books, cooking, James Bond, technology, and news categories. When I find a website I like I dig for a feed I can subscribe to.
A couple other interesting things: 1) You can organize your feeds in most readers. This will allow you to categorize into "News" or "Shopping" so you read the same type of information together. 2) Most readers allow you to search content that you've already read. Many a time I tell Mike about something I read and he wants to read it, too. I just search in Google Reader and the original article comes up. 3) Readers make sharing content easy. If you are subscribed to a feed and find a nugget you want to share, there is probably a "Share" or "Email" option. 4) It is a good way to stop wasting time. It is great if you are at work and want to find out what's going on without that pesky trail showing that you've been to 40 websites. 5) If some of your content is deemed "adult" (like some of the naturist websites/blogs we read) and is blocked by your corporate website, you can still get the feeds through your reader. You are not going to the sites (content is delivered to your reader) but you still get the scoop.
One last note -- don't forget to bookmark the reader you choose so that you read the content your subscribed to :) Most readers easily integrate with your web browser or homepage.
Have fun and happy reading!
I'll attempt to distill my knowledge for you; but that doesn't mean you'll care :)
A while ago, probably 18 months or so, I heard about this thing called RSS. Now, you probably know what it is and effectively use it. I didn't know what it was. I kind of poked around with trying to figure it out. I understood at an elementary level how it worked, but couldn't really find useful content. I abandoned it and moved on to other things. I "rediscovered" RSS late last summer. I've grown to understand it and have fallen in love. Okay, maybe that is a little over-stated, but not by much. If you don't know what RSS is or why you would want to use it, read on...
RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a web document designed to broadcast changes to web content such as blogs (like this one), websites (any number, we'll come back to that), or podcasts. The idea behind a RSS "feed" is that updates to a site are broadcast to subscribers.
But the question remains, why would you want to use RSS? It is really quite simple; RSS takes away the random checking on a website to see if there is something new. Instead of you having to go out and find new information for your favorite websites, your RSS reader or aggregator notifies your when a page is updated. The updates are not an email -- they are a snippet or even full posting of "What's New."
Let's take a look at a few examples. A friend of mine has a blog. I love reading what she has to share and I don't want to miss any entries. However, as a busy mom of a three year old, the free time she has to devote to blogging is limited, at best. For months I checked her page off and on to see if there was a new post; after learning how to use my RSS reader I simply subscribed to her blog. Now when she makes updates the content is automatically streamed to me. I never miss an entry. Another example: We bought a high-def TV. Unfortunately, we cannot get HD service through DirecTV. Our town is negotiating with Verizon for FiOs TV service. I want to get the service as soon as possible (we already have FiOs internet) but can't count on the town to update their website. So, I searched on Verizon's site and found that they have press releases in RSS format. Every time a new town is added to their service area, they send out a press release. I get it right away through my reader. In this example, I get lots of stuff that doesn't pertain to my town. I just scroll through it -- it only takes a few seconds -- and it goes away. The upside is, I know I have not missed the announcement. A third example: I like to read the local news. I don't want to have to go to several websites to get it. So, I subscribe to the RSS feed and it is delivered to me everyday. It is like having the paper in your driveway every morning, except that this is the virtual paper in my computer and I didn't have to pay for it.
So you're starting to get a feel for what RSS does. But how do you use it? I am talking about feeds, subscribing to them, reading them. How does that all happen?
First, you want to pick a reader. There are oodles and oodles of choices out there. Some are listed on this site: http://blogspace.com/rss/readers. I am a Google devotee and use the Google Reader. All you need is a Google account. The reader will show your content where ever you are, as long as you are logged in. I like this because I am always on the go (at a different computer). I am sure many readers work similarly.
Once you have a reader, you can start subscribing to feeds. But, how do you know a site has a feed? There are a couple of ways to know... Lets start with a simple example. I want to get the latest news from the New York Times. I look at the address bar and see a funny symbol on the right:
Once you start subscribing to feeds and get spoiled by the quick and effortless delivery of update content, you'll be hooked! I am subscribed to 76 feeds right now, ranging from books, cooking, James Bond, technology, and news categories. When I find a website I like I dig for a feed I can subscribe to.
A couple other interesting things: 1) You can organize your feeds in most readers. This will allow you to categorize into "News" or "Shopping" so you read the same type of information together. 2) Most readers allow you to search content that you've already read. Many a time I tell Mike about something I read and he wants to read it, too. I just search in Google Reader and the original article comes up. 3) Readers make sharing content easy. If you are subscribed to a feed and find a nugget you want to share, there is probably a "Share" or "Email" option. 4) It is a good way to stop wasting time. It is great if you are at work and want to find out what's going on without that pesky trail showing that you've been to 40 websites. 5) If some of your content is deemed "adult" (like some of the naturist websites/blogs we read) and is blocked by your corporate website, you can still get the feeds through your reader. You are not going to the sites (content is delivered to your reader) but you still get the scoop.
One last note -- don't forget to bookmark the reader you choose so that you read the content your subscribed to :) Most readers easily integrate with your web browser or homepage.
Have fun and happy reading!
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
What I'm Reading (January)
I thought it would be nice to share what I've been reading this month. I'll go for the highlights.
Unsurprisingly, I didn't read much over the holidays. We spent lots of time with family, which is sometimes far more exciting that fiction :) The first book I read this month was All He Ever Wanted (Anita Shreve). Shreve is from Dedham, MA and I am a great fan of her writing. For some reason, All He Ever Wanted did not strike a cord with me. The premise: a man is obsessed with a woman and his obsession dooms their future together. The story takes place at the turn of the century (20th century, that is) and the author is reminiscing events some 30 years later. If you like period pieces, you may like this one. I struggled over the first 150 pages (partly why I only have a few books to talk about this time) then the reading got easier.
I needed a mindless, fun book for my next read, so I read Free Fall (Fern Michaels), book #7 in the Revenge of the Sisterhood Series. Light reading, not really believable, but it was exactly what I was looking for. In this installment, Yoko seeks her revenge.
The next book for the month was The Double Bind (Chris Bohjalian). I have to say my reaction was -- "WOW!!!" I really liked it. The writing was superb and the story drew me in. I simply did not want to put this one down. The twists, turns, and intrigue kept me reading. The story: a women who was assaulted in college withdraws from her life and begins working at a homeless shelter. There she meets a man who prizes -- and protects -- his photo collection. When he dies, the main character is drawn into the man's life through his work. I liked Bohjalian so much that I queued up four of his other books for future reading (The Law of Similars, Trans-Sister Radio, The Buffalo Soldier, and Before You Know Kindness).
Yesterday I finished The Pact (Jodi Picoult). Though this novel was written in 1998, the content is gripping and timeless. The tale twists through the emotions and experiences of its two teenage characters. I cried through the first three pages, and I couldn't wait to turn to the next page, and to the next page, to understand more about the kids involved. This book was absolutely phenomenal. Picoult has an amazing way of looking at all sides of a controversial, earth-shattering experience. I practically felt the pain of the characters as my own. Each day I gave Mike the update on what was happening in the book because I was so involved with it.
I am wrapping up the month with Born in Death (J.D. Robb). This is book # 29 in the In Death series featuring Eve Dallas. Mavis, Eve's long-time dear friend is ready to deliver her baby and on of Mavis' friends disappears. I am about 60 pages in and love it (as I do all the In Death books). The series currently has 32 books, but I intentionally stay behind in my reading so that there is always another book waiting in my stack.
Toodle-loo!
Unsurprisingly, I didn't read much over the holidays. We spent lots of time with family, which is sometimes far more exciting that fiction :) The first book I read this month was All He Ever Wanted (Anita Shreve). Shreve is from Dedham, MA and I am a great fan of her writing. For some reason, All He Ever Wanted did not strike a cord with me. The premise: a man is obsessed with a woman and his obsession dooms their future together. The story takes place at the turn of the century (20th century, that is) and the author is reminiscing events some 30 years later. If you like period pieces, you may like this one. I struggled over the first 150 pages (partly why I only have a few books to talk about this time) then the reading got easier.
I needed a mindless, fun book for my next read, so I read Free Fall (Fern Michaels), book #7 in the Revenge of the Sisterhood Series. Light reading, not really believable, but it was exactly what I was looking for. In this installment, Yoko seeks her revenge.
The next book for the month was The Double Bind (Chris Bohjalian). I have to say my reaction was -- "WOW!!!" I really liked it. The writing was superb and the story drew me in. I simply did not want to put this one down. The twists, turns, and intrigue kept me reading. The story: a women who was assaulted in college withdraws from her life and begins working at a homeless shelter. There she meets a man who prizes -- and protects -- his photo collection. When he dies, the main character is drawn into the man's life through his work. I liked Bohjalian so much that I queued up four of his other books for future reading (The Law of Similars, Trans-Sister Radio, The Buffalo Soldier, and Before You Know Kindness).Yesterday I finished The Pact (Jodi Picoult). Though this novel was written in 1998, the content is gripping and timeless. The tale twists through the emotions and experiences of its two teenage characters. I cried through the first three pages, and I couldn't wait to turn to the next page, and to the next page, to understand more about the kids involved. This book was absolutely phenomenal. Picoult has an amazing way of looking at all sides of a controversial, earth-shattering experience. I practically felt the pain of the characters as my own. Each day I gave Mike the update on what was happening in the book because I was so involved with it.I am wrapping up the month with Born in Death (J.D. Robb). This is book # 29 in the In Death series featuring Eve Dallas. Mavis, Eve's long-time dear friend is ready to deliver her baby and on of Mavis' friends disappears. I am about 60 pages in and love it (as I do all the In Death books). The series currently has 32 books, but I intentionally stay behind in my reading so that there is always another book waiting in my stack.
Toodle-loo!
Monday, January 28, 2008
A Full Work Week?! NOOO!!!
I was quite shocked when I realized this morning that this will be my first full week at work since December 7! Between traveling (KC and DR), the holidays, and being out sick, I have had abbreviated weeks for a while. Weird to think about. I really like the short weeks.
When we had dinner with Paul and Deb on Friday, Deb and I were talking about that exact subject. We concur that a regular work week really should be limited to Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. I'd work 12 hour days to cover that. Really! Alas, it is not meant to be...
We had a fun outing with Steve and Helen on Saturday to see the Red Sox World Series trophies. Algonquin High's girls basketball team had an even from 1 - 3 pm inviting anyone to come and take a look. It was very cool!
We watched Eastern Promises (Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts, Vincent Cassel) Saturday night. It was very good. There was a bit of graphic violence (it is a mafia movie, after all) but nothing on par with Reservoir Dogs... It was different and, I thought, well done. Thursday night we saw Shattered (Pierce Brosnan, Maria Bello, Gerard Butler). We'd both been putting off watching it, kind of out of fear it would be another bad Pierce Brosnan movie. Boy, were we wrong! We were on the edge of our seats through the whole thing. It was great. The downside of our movie watching is that we've depleted our supply. Hopefully more movies are sent to us soon :)
I think I will end things for now. Tomorrow I'll tell what I am reading... Smiles!
When we had dinner with Paul and Deb on Friday, Deb and I were talking about that exact subject. We concur that a regular work week really should be limited to Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. I'd work 12 hour days to cover that. Really! Alas, it is not meant to be...
We had a fun outing with Steve and Helen on Saturday to see the Red Sox World Series trophies. Algonquin High's girls basketball team had an even from 1 - 3 pm inviting anyone to come and take a look. It was very cool!
We watched Eastern Promises (Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts, Vincent Cassel) Saturday night. It was very good. There was a bit of graphic violence (it is a mafia movie, after all) but nothing on par with Reservoir Dogs... It was different and, I thought, well done. Thursday night we saw Shattered (Pierce Brosnan, Maria Bello, Gerard Butler). We'd both been putting off watching it, kind of out of fear it would be another bad Pierce Brosnan movie. Boy, were we wrong! We were on the edge of our seats through the whole thing. It was great. The downside of our movie watching is that we've depleted our supply. Hopefully more movies are sent to us soon :)
I think I will end things for now. Tomorrow I'll tell what I am reading... Smiles!
Friday, January 25, 2008
Bubble Wrap for Dogs
I saw this today and couldn't help but to smile. The same thing happens to me when I get packages with bubble-wrap. Melissa -- is this a new trick for Storm? -- hee hee.
Have a great weekend!
Have a great weekend!
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Thinking Back
I visited our klunky old webpage today to kind of review it and reorganize the photos a bit. Wow, talk about being out of date. By 4 years! You'd think our lives ended in 2004.
Anyway, I was looking at pictures of Mike and I from years past. The one below was taken in Salzburg, Austria in 1999.
I guess it really isn't all that different than a recent photo, taken this past Christmas at my mom's house.
All in all, we've had tremendous happiness in the past 10 years. We've grown together in experiences and in our relationship. Our relationships with others -- our family and our wonderful dear friends -- have grown, too. I feel so lucky to be where I am today, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Thanks to all of you for being who you are :)
Memory lane is a happy place to visit now and again, the future is fun to consider, but I am so happy just being in now. Smiles!!
Anyway, I was looking at pictures of Mike and I from years past. The one below was taken in Salzburg, Austria in 1999.
I guess it really isn't all that different than a recent photo, taken this past Christmas at my mom's house.All in all, we've had tremendous happiness in the past 10 years. We've grown together in experiences and in our relationship. Our relationships with others -- our family and our wonderful dear friends -- have grown, too. I feel so lucky to be where I am today, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Thanks to all of you for being who you are :)
Memory lane is a happy place to visit now and again, the future is fun to consider, but I am so happy just being in now. Smiles!!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Tree Nut and Peanut Allergy
Pat, Deirdre, Connor, and Fiona had the opportunity to spend a few weeks in Florida at the beginning of this year. They expected to have a warm, fun getaway. For the most part, it was both of those things.
However, life being unpredictable, something occurred that none of us expected. After an outing to a duck pond, the family got a few snacks for the car and loaded up to go to another destination. The kids got their duck-shaped cookies, and both of them quickly rejected them -- which was highly unusual. Fiona took a small bite and threw hers saying "icky." Nothing more was thought of it until they reached their destination a short time later. When Deirdre opened the door to take Fiona out of her car seat, she had labored breathing, was turning blue, and was barely conscious. She looked at Deirdre and quietly said "Save me, Mommy."
Deirdre rushed everyone to the closest Emergency Room. She was in a town she had never been to and had to find it in a sheer panic. She was taken in immediately and during the examination, Deirdre was asked a series of questions. Among them was, "has she had any nuts?" Deirdre has made a strict practice of keeping nuts away from Connor and Fiona because of the dangers of a nut allergy. Unbeknownst to her, the innocent looking duck cookie was loaded with nuts and threatened little Fiona's life. The ER was able to treat Fiona with a series of IVs and other methods, and they were released. **As a side note, Connor was not left out of the fun, he had a trip to the ER 3 days later.
Upon arriving back in Massachusetts, Deirdre took Fiona to her pediatrician at Children's Hospital to be tested for nut allergies. They were called with the results yesterday: Fiona has a severe nut allergy. Connor will be going in for testing next.
As a family we are all conscious of sugars and carbs because of the family history of Diabetes. We are now learning about nut allergies. Michael and I had a conversation many many years ago with a genetic counselor that told us that nut allergies were growing and have affected the way that schools handle food. Now we get to see for ourselves.
We are new to this allergy, and our information will evolve over time. But I'd like to share what we have learned so far (from KidsHealth):
However, life being unpredictable, something occurred that none of us expected. After an outing to a duck pond, the family got a few snacks for the car and loaded up to go to another destination. The kids got their duck-shaped cookies, and both of them quickly rejected them -- which was highly unusual. Fiona took a small bite and threw hers saying "icky." Nothing more was thought of it until they reached their destination a short time later. When Deirdre opened the door to take Fiona out of her car seat, she had labored breathing, was turning blue, and was barely conscious. She looked at Deirdre and quietly said "Save me, Mommy."
Deirdre rushed everyone to the closest Emergency Room. She was in a town she had never been to and had to find it in a sheer panic. She was taken in immediately and during the examination, Deirdre was asked a series of questions. Among them was, "has she had any nuts?" Deirdre has made a strict practice of keeping nuts away from Connor and Fiona because of the dangers of a nut allergy. Unbeknownst to her, the innocent looking duck cookie was loaded with nuts and threatened little Fiona's life. The ER was able to treat Fiona with a series of IVs and other methods, and they were released. **As a side note, Connor was not left out of the fun, he had a trip to the ER 3 days later.
Upon arriving back in Massachusetts, Deirdre took Fiona to her pediatrician at Children's Hospital to be tested for nut allergies. They were called with the results yesterday: Fiona has a severe nut allergy. Connor will be going in for testing next.
As a family we are all conscious of sugars and carbs because of the family history of Diabetes. We are now learning about nut allergies. Michael and I had a conversation many many years ago with a genetic counselor that told us that nut allergies were growing and have affected the way that schools handle food. Now we get to see for ourselves.
We are new to this allergy, and our information will evolve over time. But I'd like to share what we have learned so far (from KidsHealth):
Peanuts are among the most common allergy-causing foods, and they often find their way into things you wouldn't imagine. Take chili for example: It may be thickened with ground peanuts.Other reading claims that 18% of children with peanut (not necessarily tree nut) allergies outgrow them. Researchers in Britain have found that children with tree nut allergies (such as cashews and walnuts) have more severe reactions than those children allergic to peanuts only. According to recent research by Scott H. Sicherer, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City and a researcher in the Jaffe Food Allergy Institute, there is a 30 to 60% chance of a child with a peanut allergy to develop a tree nut allergy. The research goes on to claiming a link between cashew allergy and a severe allergy to poison ivy.Peanuts aren't actually a true nut; they're a legume (in the same family as peas and lentils). But the proteins in peanuts are similar in structure to those in tree nuts. For this reason, people who are allergic to peanuts can also be allergic to tree nuts, such as almonds, Brazil nuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, macadamias, pistachios, pecans, and cashews.
What Happens When Someone Has a Nut Allergy?
An allergic reaction happens when someone's immune system mistakenly believes that something harmless, such as a tree nut or peanut, is actually harmful. The immune system responds by creating specific antibodies to proteins in that food. These antibodies — called immunoglobulin E (IgE) — are designed to fight off the "invading" proteins.
IgE antibodies trigger the release of certain chemicals into the body. One of these is histamine (pronounced: hiss-tuh-meen). The release of histamine can affect a person's respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, skin, and cardiovascular system, causing allergy symptoms like wheezing, stomachache, vomiting, itchy hives, and swelling.
Reactions to foods, like peanuts and tree nuts, can be different. It all depends on the person — and sometimes the same person can react differently at different times. Some reactions can be very mild and involve only one system of the body, like hives on the skin. Other reactions can be more severe and involve more than one part of the body. Most reactions last less than a day and affect any of these four body systems:
- Skin. Skin reactions are the most common type of food allergy reactions. They can take the form of itchy, red, bumpy rashes (hives), eczema, or redness and swelling around the mouth or face
- Gastrointestinal system. Symptoms can take the form of belly cramps, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
- Respiratory system. Symptoms can range from a runny or stuffy nose, itchy, watery eyes, and sneezing to the triggering of asthma with coughing and wheezing.
- Cardiovascular system. A person may feel lightheaded or faint.
In really bad cases, tree nut and peanut allergies can cause a condition called anaphylaxis (pronounced: ah-nuh-fuh-lak-sus). Anaphylaxis is a sudden, potentially life-threatening reaction that, in addition to the symptoms mentioned above, can make someone's airways swell and blood pressure drop. As a result, the person may have trouble breathing and could lose consciousness.
Peanut reactions can be very severe, even if a person isn't exposed to much peanut protein. Experts think this might be because the immune system recognizes peanut proteins more easily than other food proteins.
Although a small amount of peanut protein can set off a severe reaction, it is rare that people get an allergic reaction just from breathing in small particles of nuts or peanuts. Most foods with peanuts in them don't allow enough of the protein to escape into the air to cause a reaction. And just the smell of foods containing peanuts won't produce a reaction because the scent does not contain the protein.
In the few cases when people do react to airborne particles, it's usually in an enclosed area (like a restaurant or bar) where lots of peanuts are being cracked from their shells. Although some people outgrow certain food allergies over time (like milk, egg, soy, and wheat allergies), peanut and tree nut allergies are lifelong in most people.
How to avoid peanuts and tree nuts
The Federal Drug Adminstration (FDA) requires that food containing allergens be properly labeled. From FoodAllergy.org:The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA), which took effect January 1, 2006, mandates that foods containing milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, and soy must declare the food in plain language on the ingredient list or via:
- the word “Contains” followed by the name of the major food allergen (milk, wheat, or eggs for example); or
- a parenthetical statement in the list of ingredients, e.g., “albumin (egg)”.
Such ingredients must be listed even if they are present in colors, flavors, or spice blends. Additionally, manufacturers must list the specific nut or seafood that is used (e.g., almond, walnut, cashew; or tuna, salmon, shrimp, or lobster). While more than 160 foods have been identified as causing allergic reactions, the eight foods listed above cause 90% of food-allergic reactions.
FALCPA will certainly make label-reading easier for the millions of Americans living with food allergies. Keep in mind, however, that the law only applies to products labeled on or after January 1, 2006; depending on a product’s shelf life, it may take up to a year before all products list ingredients in simple language. Until then, continue to read all labels carefully and be on the lookout for scientific terms (i.e., “casein” for milk, or “albumin” for egg).
While Connor and Fiona are not our children, they are the closest we will ever have. We hold them dearly to our hearts and obviously their health and safety is paramount. We will learn as a family what questions to ask and how to deal with this complex allergy. As with diabetes, having a nut allergy requires careful reading of labels. Deirdre, Jon, and Pat will be taking lessons on using an Epi-pen. All will be well in the end.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Happy Friday!
And, Happy Winnie the Pooh day :) Pooh's creator, A.A. Milne, was born January 18, 1882, in Hampstead, England. He married Dorothy "Daphne" de Sélincourt in 1913; their only child, Christopher Robin, was born in 1920. The source of inspiration for many of Milne's characters was his son's stuffed animals (notably, Winnie). After Milne's death, his wife sold the rights to Winnie the Pooh to Walt Disney Company.And what of the real Christopher Robin [Milne]? Unfortunately, he felt exploited by his father's writings and their relationship was somewhat strained. He married his first cousin, Lesley Sélincourt, in 1948. Christopher and his wife opened the Harbour Bookshop in Dartmouth (England) in 1951. The business was quite a success. In 1974, Christopher published an autobiography, The Enchanted Places, detailing his life and the effect of Pooh.
So, now you know!
On a completely different thread, Barrett-Jackson, world renowned classic car auctioneers, are holding their annual auction in Scottsdale, Arizona January 12-20. It is broadcasted on the Speed Channel every day and [I think] it is very fun and cool to watch. The most exciting days are usually the weekend, so you know what we'll be doing this weekend!
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Another Shameless Plug
Today is my first work day back, but I just can't let the wonderfulness of our trip go quite yet...
I just want to share a few more tidbits about the resort, food, and atmosphere at Caliente Caribe... Why? Well, I think that it would be a great place for a relaxing clothing optional getaway for anyone -- ranging from a die-hard naturist to a newbie -- who has interest in an all-inclusive vacation.
Food and alcoholic beverages are included in the price of the stay at Caliente Caribe. The food at the resort was definitely 4.5 to 5 stars. It is presented beautifully and the menus has a wide range of choices.
Breakfast and dinner are served in the main dining room. Lunch is served at the beach bar. Food is available nearly 24 hours in the facilities. Though we are not big eaters, we enjoyed the food immensely and loved being able to eat whatever we wanted without any worries.
We had a wonderful trip! It is hard to be back home with 18" of snow and more to come, but I guess we have to pay for these trips somehow :)
I just want to share a few more tidbits about the resort, food, and atmosphere at Caliente Caribe... Why? Well, I think that it would be a great place for a relaxing clothing optional getaway for anyone -- ranging from a die-hard naturist to a newbie -- who has interest in an all-inclusive vacation.
The Physical Layout
The physical layout of the resort is very interesting. Located on the main level are the main building, which houses reception, gift shop, spa, exercise room, media room, Club Caliente (the disco), and the dining room. Outside of the main building is a hot tub, pool and pool bar. The Seacliff units are a short walk from the main building on this level. Two tennis courts are located in front of the main building. Seacliff accommodations include hotel rooms, studios, and 1 bedroom condos. A set of stairs -- a long set of stairs -- connects the upper area (just described) with the lower area of the resort, called the Cove. The cove is on the ocean and the location of a beach bar, volleyball pool, regular pool, hot tub overlooking the ocean, sand volleyball court, shuffleboard, massage area, and beach. Behind these facilities are free-standing one bedroom condos, spread up onto four levels.Food
Food and alcoholic beverages are included in the price of the stay at Caliente Caribe. The food at the resort was definitely 4.5 to 5 stars. It is presented beautifully and the menus has a wide range of choices.Breakfast and dinner are served in the main dining room. Lunch is served at the beach bar. Food is available nearly 24 hours in the facilities. Though we are not big eaters, we enjoyed the food immensely and loved being able to eat whatever we wanted without any worries.
Atmosphere
The resort has a variety of activities to keep guests busy if they want something to do. From Spanish lessons, to water volleyball, to dancing lessons, there is always something to do during the day. Water equipment is available for playing in the ocean (snorkeling gear, kayaks, etc...). In the evenings entertainment is provided from 8:30 to around 10 at the upper pool and pool bar. It is a fun way to socialize, dance, and just have a good time. If all that isn't enough, Club Caribe is open from 10 until people tire out and leave.We had a wonderful trip! It is hard to be back home with 18" of snow and more to come, but I guess we have to pay for these trips somehow :)
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Happy and Relaxed
We are back home from our trip! We had an absolutely fabulous time! We left our house at 4:45 am on Friday for our 7 am flight from Logan International to JFK. The flight was delayed by storms and we sat on the tarmac for almost two hours before lifting off. We barely made our flight to Puerta Plata (by literally, the skin of our teeth) In addition, I temporarily lost Mike's passport, and fortunately found it. He was not amused :) A taxi met us at the airport in Puerta Plata and we arrived at the resort nearly 12 hours after leaving home.
The resort, staff, management, and other visitors to Caliente Caribe we so wonderful! The grounds and ammenities of the resort were better than any other place we've been. The all inclusive offerings were expansive. We met many great people that we were able to call our friends by the time we left yesterday. Mike and I look forward to putting our thoughts and experiences on paper for possible publication in N magazine.
Now we are back home. Surrounded by the reflective snow that came in our absence. Mattie has told an untold number of tales about what occured while we were away.
The resort, staff, management, and other visitors to Caliente Caribe we so wonderful! The grounds and ammenities of the resort were better than any other place we've been. The all inclusive offerings were expansive. We met many great people that we were able to call our friends by the time we left yesterday. Mike and I look forward to putting our thoughts and experiences on paper for possible publication in N magazine.
Now we are back home. Surrounded by the reflective snow that came in our absence. Mattie has told an untold number of tales about what occured while we were away.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Customizing Blogger
We've started using a new template for our blog today. I love the fresh look it has! In searching for the update, I found it can be a little tricky... Blogger (Beta) is using only XML templates. Finding a template that actually works is an additional challenge. This one, called Dream, is from FinalSense. If you are a blogger, I encourage you to check out their extensive offerings!
Aside from the changed look of the blog, we are looking forward to our Dominican Republic getaway. More to come when we return!
Aside from the changed look of the blog, we are looking forward to our Dominican Republic getaway. More to come when we return!
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Cat blamed for Idaho blackout
from the Associated Press at Boston.com:
NAMPA, Idaho—A cat picked the wrong place to come in from the cold, and caused a power outage that blacked out more than 12,000 homes and businesses.
The cat entered an electrical substation, snuggled up to a warm transformer and contacted a live circuit, causing a short that blew out nine feeder lines Monday afternoon,
Idaho Power officials said.Service was restored in less than three hours to most customers, including City Hall where the lights came on in time for a City Council meeting, utility spokesman Dennis Lopez said.
The outage also disabled traffic lights in the city of about 77,000 people. Temporary stop signs were set up at affected intersections and about 15 police officers were assigned to direct and monitor traffic. Police Lt. Eric Skoglund said he didn't know of any accidents that could be blamed on the outage.
The short circuit killed the cat.
Poor little kitty, only trying to get warm... I hope our little Mattie is having a good day in the barn!
Monday, January 7, 2008
Counting Down
We are counting down the days to our visit to Caliente Caribe. The sun, the ocean, the pampering... Can't wait!
We had a pretty uneventful weekend. We got packed for the trip, tanned, ran errands.
We did enjoy a very nice dinner last night. We had chicken with a Roquefort sauce that was awesome. The sauce was easy to make: combine 1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt, 1/4 cup chopped red onion, 2 tablespoons Roquefort (or other blue cheese), 1 tablespoon fresh snipped chives, and 1/8 teaspoon white pepper. We kept it chilled until serving, and put it over the chicken and a half pear. The flavor complimented both nicely. Thank goodness for cookbooks, I never would have thought it up!
And for anyone who's wondering, today is "Thank God it's Monday Day." Who thought that up?! Unless Monday is the new Friday (as in the beginning of the weekend), I'm not celebrating :)
We had a pretty uneventful weekend. We got packed for the trip, tanned, ran errands.
We did enjoy a very nice dinner last night. We had chicken with a Roquefort sauce that was awesome. The sauce was easy to make: combine 1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt, 1/4 cup chopped red onion, 2 tablespoons Roquefort (or other blue cheese), 1 tablespoon fresh snipped chives, and 1/8 teaspoon white pepper. We kept it chilled until serving, and put it over the chicken and a half pear. The flavor complimented both nicely. Thank goodness for cookbooks, I never would have thought it up!
And for anyone who's wondering, today is "Thank God it's Monday Day." Who thought that up?! Unless Monday is the new Friday (as in the beginning of the weekend), I'm not celebrating :)
Friday, January 4, 2008
Bond 22 is being filmed
I know it is a little hard to read, but we are counting down to the release of the next Bond movie! According to MI6 (the home of James Bond), filming started January 2 in England. It seems that filming, currently one month behind schedule, will take the first half of the year. Production will be completed in time for the November 7, 2008 premier worldwide (with a November 5 release in Belguim and France). Production costs are estimated to be $150 million. No Bond girl has been selected yet, but the lead is likely to be a Latin woman. Reportedly, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli are close to casting the leading lady and will make the selection within two weeks.
Other notes of interest:
- Jeffrey Wright will be playing CIA operative Felix Leiter in this Bond. It is only the second time for the same actor to play Felix in more than on movie
- Giancarlo Giannini will return as Mathis
- Dame Judy Dench will again fill the role of M
- Q and Moneypenny are not slated to appear in this movie
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Etsy is Awesome!
I first discovered Etsy a few months ago. I thought it was interesting, but was too busy to really think about it. This past weekend, our friend Steve was talking about some jewelry on Etsy. It sounded vaguely familiar, but no bells went off. Today I was looking at my Firefox bookmarks and I saw Etsy there... Hmm... I thought, I should look at the site again.
OMG! It is so great. Everything on the site is handcrafted. And the product offerings are so vast. What's more, the site is set up beautifully with tons of ways to navigate. Do you know you are looking for something that is chartreuse? Etsy can help you, just Shop by Color. Want to buy local? Use the Shop Local link and enter your locale. Want to look at things randomly, then use Pounce!. In addition to the innovative search methods, the tried and true Categories (like Accessories, Art, Bags and Purses, etc...) exist along with a search utility.
There is so much on the site that if you don't have a clue what you want, starting out can be difficult. If you find that to be the case, try using the Gift Guides. There are lots of ideas to get you started in your search for the handmade. Check it out and let me know what you think!
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Happy New Year!
I hope this finds you and your loved ones healthy and happy. Mike, Mattie, and I send our dearest wishes that you have a safe and happy New Year.
We had an evening alone to celebrate last night. It was very nice. Since we were "on our own" we decided to make some special food to celebrate the meal. For dinner we made Crab Cakes and Baby Greens with Lemon Vinaigrette, asparagus and new potatoes. It was very good. Next time I would bake the crab cakes at 350 for 10 minutes just to firm them up.
Later in the evening we had lime bacon-wrapped shrimp. I think it would have been better if we had grilled instead of using the oven. I was not satisfied with the results and these guys hit the trash. We rang in the New Year with buffalo wings and bleu cheese dip. Oh my God! This more than made up for the failed shrimp! I would definitely do these again and again and again...
Tonight we'll celebrate our first full day of 2008 with Irish Beef Stew. I am making it now and it smells yummy. I'll let you know how it turns out. I'll accompany mine with a Ciroc martini... Mike is working out (bless his heart) while I am cooking.
Have a great tomorrow!
We had an evening alone to celebrate last night. It was very nice. Since we were "on our own" we decided to make some special food to celebrate the meal. For dinner we made Crab Cakes and Baby Greens with Lemon Vinaigrette, asparagus and new potatoes. It was very good. Next time I would bake the crab cakes at 350 for 10 minutes just to firm them up.
Later in the evening we had lime bacon-wrapped shrimp. I think it would have been better if we had grilled instead of using the oven. I was not satisfied with the results and these guys hit the trash. We rang in the New Year with buffalo wings and bleu cheese dip. Oh my God! This more than made up for the failed shrimp! I would definitely do these again and again and again...
Tonight we'll celebrate our first full day of 2008 with Irish Beef Stew. I am making it now and it smells yummy. I'll let you know how it turns out. I'll accompany mine with a Ciroc martini... Mike is working out (bless his heart) while I am cooking.
Have a great tomorrow!
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