Personal Blog:: Moving is tough, so is 2 root canals... 11/04/10

Ok, so I woke up this morning and didn't want to get up.  My knees were aching, and my face was throbbing.  I guess you don't know the reason why... I currently have two teeth in my upper right jaw go bad.  What are the odds two would have problems?  I mean, WHAM!!!  Throbbing and aching... plus, I was in the process of moving and trying to get things packed then unpacked. 

In the mist of all this we also acquired a cat.  His name is Sammy.  He was only 6 weeks old, and might I add “PAIN IN THE BUTT!” or I should I say, ankle.  This cat attacks you when you walk by and attacks you when you are sitting.  He REALLY wants to take you down.  He has no problem climbing you like a tree stump.  Worst of all he also peed in our bed and pooped.  Not a banner week for me.  I thought about sending him packing but my husband and daughter love him so much, so he is here for the long haul.  That is if he doesn't die of some mysterious infection.  (my evil laugh) HA HA HA HA HA

Tomorrow, I see the dentist again for the 2nd tooth.  I hope this will bring to an end the evil pains and trouble eating food.  I feel like all I do is just lick food now.  It is not fun! (I have an appointment with this dentist that does a good job, I think.  He did a root canal one my molar but only filled it with temporary filling.  Hummmm??? I go in for the crown next week.  I hope my tooth will hold until then.  So, I guess I'm having 2 root canals in two weeks.  Ugh, I hate seeing the dentist.  I don't think the needles are bad at all, but the drilling drives me crazy.

Since we have moved here, we have gotten to know our neighbors around us and they are super awesome.  But I'm sure after 2-3 months of living near us they will want to kick me out of the neighborhood.  I will have torches and pitch forks banging down my door.  Truth be told I can whole heartily understand.  I'm a bit strange and have blue hair and have a problem with Murphy's Law following me around.  Small catastrophes happen within 3 square feet of me, I need to have orange cones around me at all times.  Come to think of it, would be a problem within itself as well.  So never mind that idea.  Just remember to have a good life policy when approaching me. 

About Today: What to Do With Leftover Halloween Candy 11/01/10

From Jen Hubley, your About Today Editor I have a little bit of candy left over from Halloween. How much is a little bit? Oh, well, just about every surface in my home is covered in fun-size bars and I'm kicking drifts of candy packets out of my way every time I try to move. What to Do With Leftover Halloween Candy  If I eat all of this, I will weigh five-thousand pounds by Christmas, which is not my holiday wish this year. So what to do with all the leftovers? BMI Calculator for Kids Tips for Halloween Treats See More About:  halloween safety  child safety  childhood obesity 12 Ways to Use up Halloween Candy  Use 'em up as soon as possible, either by giving some candy away or by using it in recipes. (Guess which one is my favorite.) How Do You Use up Leftover Halloween Candy? How Do You Keep Kids From Eating Too Much Candy? See More About:  halloween  restricted diet  parenting tips Leftover Halloween Candy Recipes  What I like about using leftover candy in dessert recipes is that you get to be creative while you purge your home of all that extra candy. And then you can bring the leftovers into the office and torture everyone else with it. More Leftover Candy Recipes and Ideas Leftover Candy Recipe: Snickers Bar Pie See More About:  halloween  halloween recipes  cooking with kids Leftover Recipes for Busy Cooks  There is no more beautiful recipe name than "Candy Cake." It might as well be called "Everything Delicious, in a Pan." Best Peanut Butter and Chocolate Recipes Leftover Candy Recipe: Candy Bar Brownies See More About:  halloween recipes  leftover halloween candy recipes  creepy crawly foods

About Today: How to Deal When Your Benefit Costs Go Up 10/27/10

From Jen Hubley, your About Today Editor I have a theory that open enrollment happens during Halloween so that we can all drown our sorrows (and confusion) in leftover candy. It's the only explanation I can think of for why we must muddle through so much potentially expensive fine print during the best time of the year.

What Is Open Enrollment?  First things first: What does open enrollment mean? Second things next: How can we use this time to our best advantage? Take Advantage of Open Enrollment What Is Medicare Open Enrollment? See More About:  open enrollment  health insurance costs  out of pocket expenses

How to Switch to a Spouse's Health Insurance  Want to save money? Sometimes, switching to your spouse's health insurance plan can do that. How to Find Affordable Health Insurance When You're Laid Off How Will Health Reform Affect Me? See More About:  open enrollment  private health insurance  employer health insurance

How to Deal When Your Benefit Costs Go Up  Which is almost always, let's be honest. I think way back in 1883, there was a time when benefit costs went down. That was also the year that the great blizzard buried the town completely, and the animals spoke, and other signs of the apocalypse abounded. What Type of Insurance Do I Need? Should I Choose a Traditional Plan or a High Deductible Plan? See More About:  open enrollment  employee benefits  insurance

How to Save Money on Health Insurance Premiums  Feeling healthy? A plan with larger deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses might be for you. (I must warn you though that the one year I did this? I got the flu three times. I didn't even think that was possible, but there you go.) How Much Is Health Insurance Costing You? 10 Ways to Save Money on Your Medications See More About:  health reform  copayments  deductibles

About Today: How to Get a Free Airline Upgrade 10/25/10

From Jen Hubley, your About Today Editor In five short days, I will be on an airplane to a balmy, far-off destination. I will not, however, be in first class. This is because I am cheap. However, I'm interested, like most people, in getting something for nothing. So what are my options? How to Get a Free Airline Upgrade  In the Best Three Words Ever contest, "Free airline upgrade" is right up there with "I love you." Find a Last-Minute Airfare Deal 10 Fees to Avoid See More About:  airline overbooking  frequent flier rewards  airline upgrades Video: How to Get a Free Airline Upgrade  If this works, I feel like I should be able to lord it over the other first class passengers. Should You Have a Credit Card With Miles? How to Find Cheap Airfare on Twitter 10 Ways to Snag Cheap Airfares  There might even be some "neener, neener." I can't promise you there won't be. I'm not very mature, especially when I get things for free or cheap. Fall Travel Deals Cheap Holiday Deals for Budget Travel See More About:  airfare sales  airfare tracking tools  airfare deals Avoid Extra Charges When You Fly  No matter what happens, I want to try to avoid getting overcharged for things we've already signed up for. 5 Online Tools to Track Low Airfares How to Bid your Way to a Budget Vacation See More About:  step-by-step budget travel advice  budget travel planning  airport based savings

About Today: How to Deal With a Financial Emergency 10/22/10

From Jen Hubley, your About Today Editor The past year has been The Year of the Financial Emergency for everyone I know. It seems like people were either laid off, about to be laid off, or afraid they were about to be laid off. How to Deal With a Financial Emergency  Trouble is, most of us don't have oodles of savings these days. So how do you face a financial emergency, when you're not as prepared as you'd like to be? If I Can't Pay All My Bills, Which Ones Do I Pay First? How to Prepare for a Possible Layoff See More About:  emergency fund  insurance  finding a job How to Build an Emergency Fund  If you're in the clear right now, start building up that emergency fund today. It'll keep you from stressing out about finances even when disaster has yet to strike. Why You Need an Emergency Fund What's the Difference Between a Sinking Fund and an Emergency Fund? See More About:  avoiding debt  money management  How Find Emergency Cash  Need to find cash in a hurry? Don't listen to those ads during daytime TV. These are the legit places to look. When Should I Use My Emergency Fund? Should You Use Your Roth IRA as an Emergency Fund? See More About:  emergency funds  savings accounts  cds 14 Ways to Make Extra Money  Most of us could use a little extra, even in good times. Here are 14 ways to make a bit more. Find Money to Pay Down Credit Card Debt How to Get a Good Emergency Cash Loan See More About:  supplemental income  mystery shopping  garage sales

About Today: 6 Simple Ways to Save Money on Groceries 10/20/10

From Jen Hubley, your About Today Editor The other day, I went over the household budget and figured something out: If we didn't have to eat, we'd be millionaires.

Video: Ways to Save Money on Groceries  Seriously: food is the most expensive thing on our list, after rent. This seems unbelievable to me, although I guess I feel better about it than I would if it were after, say, cheap wine or jeggings. (The jeggings budget at our house is out of control! Just kidding. There is no jeggings budget. Shudder.) How to Find Stores That Double Coupons Shop Healthy and Save Money on Groceries

6 Simple Ways to Save Money on Groceries  The first suggestion we took from this list was No. 4: Plan your menus. It turns out, you're much less likely to order delivery if you have some menus planned in advance. 5 Ways to Save Money on Groceries Save Time and Money at the Grocery Store See More About:  save money on groceries  budgeting tips  grocery shopping

Plan to Save Money on Groceries  Another great tip: Use cheaper cuts of meat. The Best Ways to Save Money on Groceries Save Big on Groceries With Combined Strategies See More About:  budgeting  shopping  saving money

Should You Stockpile Groceries?  If you've got the space, buying in bulk is another great idea. It also gives you the comfort of knowing you'll never be out of pretzels and toilet paper. 6 Easy Ways to Save Money Smart Tips: Lower Your Grocery Bill See More About:  stockpiling  grocery savings

About Today: Is This Your Month to Write a Novel? 11/02/10

From Jen Hubley, your About Today Editor Yesterday was the first day of National Novel Writing Month, which is, according to me, the best artistic experiment of all time. All you have to do is write 50,000 words this month, and you win.

What Is NaNoWriMo?  The only catch is that the 50,000 words need to be a brand-new novel. No fair cheating by starting early. (Although starting a day late is fine, you'll be happy to know.) Book Review: 'No Plot? No Problem' How to Beat Writer's Block See More About:  nanowrimo  novel writing  writing contests

Readers Respond: How NaNoWriMo Changed My Life  OK, the other catch is that 50,000 words is a lot of words. But I've done it once before, and I'm trying again this year, and I can tell you, it's worth it. We rarely get a chance to feel as accomplished as you will after you finish writing a book in a month. Creative Writing Prompts How to Find an Agent

Is Your Idea Novel-Worthy?  Or anyway, a draft. Because the best thing about NaNoWriMo is that it breaks you of your perfectionism, which is a writer's worst enemy. Testing a New Novel or Short Story Idea How to Freewrite See More About:  writing ideas  novel writing

How to Start (and Finish!) Writing a Novel  So start a novel today, and commit to finishing a draft of it by the end of the month, and you'll win! 7 Signs Your Story Wants to Be a Novel Finding Space to Write See More About:  novel writing  starting to write

About Today: 25 Tips to Beat Dry Skin 11/04/10

From Jen Hubley, your About Today Editor One of these mornings I'm going to wake up, get out of bed, and find that I've left my skin behind me like a snake. And yes, that's disgusting, but what I'm trying to tell you is that it isn't even winter yet, and my skin is D-R-Y.

10 Skin Care Tips for Fall  This is not new. Every year at this time, I start desperately trying to remember what I did last fall and winter to keep my skin intact. Is Water Good or Bad for Dry Skin? 5 Dry Skin Remedies See More About:  skin care tips  fall skin care  dry skin

25 Tips to Beat Dry Skin  The first thing I need to do is to stop taking boiling hot showers. Apparently, cooking yourself on a daily basis is a bad idea. Understanding Moisturizer Ingredients FAQ: Help With Extremely Dry Skin See More About:  best moisturizers for body  best moisturizers for face  best body scrubs

The Best Soaps for Dry Skin  Every winter I find my perfect soap and then forget what it was by the end of the summer. This year is no exception. How to Get Rid of Dry Heels Best Eye Creams

Great Moisturizers Under $20  What's better than a great moisturizer? A great moisturizer that doesn't cost as much as the rent. Skin Type Check: Do You Have Dry Skin? Do You Really Need a Facial Moisturizer? See More About:  facial moisturizers  skin care  budget beauty

About Today: Your Home Winterizing Checklist 11/03/10

From Jen Hubley, your About Today Editor The other day, my husband came home to find me shivering under two blankets and bathrobe. "As another option," he said, "you could consider turning on the heat."

Easy Home Winterizing Checklist  But I'm not ready for the heat yet. In my mind, it's still late summer - early fall at the most. The thermostat, unfortunately, does not agree with me. How to Maintain Your Furnace How to Clean Gutters See More About:  winterizing heating and cooling systems  cold weather preparation for doors and windows  fall sprinkler preparation

When (and How) to Winterize Your Home  Winter is definitely on its way, which means that now's the time to prepare for it. Winterizing your home right now will save you big bucks when the snow falls. How to Lower Your Electric Bill 7 Ways to Save on Home Expenses See More About:  home improvement  home selling tips  listing agents

Easy Ways to Save Energy This Winter  When I think of winterizing, I imagine a long and involved process involving, I don't know, science-fiction-y energy meters and twelve miles of bubble wrap. But most of it is much easier than that, thank goodness. (If less fun than the bubble wrap.) Video: Tips to Lower Your Energy Bill Video: Energy Saving Tips for Your Home See More About:  energy use  green home products  green product innovations

5 Ways Your Home Loses Heat  The house we lived in when I was a kid lost most of its heat through the front door, which had, I swear, a gap under it big enough for a cat to slip through. Some energy leaks are harder to spot. What Is Proper Ventilation? How to Winterize Your Yard