Alice In "Underland"Like a lot of people, I've been waiting not-so-patiently for the premier of Tim Burton's extension of Lewis Carroll's classic "Alice In Wonderland." It's always been one of my favorite fairy tales--both as a child and as an adult. The basic premise of the new movie is this: Alice, now 19, accidentally returns to Wonderland while trying to escape an unwanted marriage proposal. She runs into her old friends, including her old ally The Mad Hatter (played by none other than Johnny Depp) who tell her that she's the only one who can save the surreal world from the Jabberwock, a dragon controlled by the dreaded Red Queen.So far that's all I know from reading the synopses and watching the trailers (several times!) I already have my tickets and I'm prepared to stand in line with the crowds to get a good seat. I just can't wait to see Carroll's Wonderland reimagined as Burton's Underland and find out what happens to Alice on her second trip to the trippy world. Your "Through The Looking Glass" Gift Guru, Linda Posted by Linda at
5:00 AM | Friday, March 5, 2010
Keeping Kids Busy Indoors“Cleaning up with children around is like shoveling during a blizzard.” ~Unknown It seems the cold temperatures are never going to end. Even here in Florida, the kids don't want to play outside in this weather. But it's hard to accomplish anything with the little ones underfoot all day. So, what to do with the youngsters when it's too cold to go out?My strategy starts with settling them into a room I'm not working in. How do you do that? That's easy: first threaten them with chores if they don't stay put. Then find something for them to do that will keep them occupied for a stretch. Like an interactive game. Or building a fort. As you go back to dirty dishes, vacuuming, dusting, ironing and lugging loads of laundry around, you'll hear them happily laughing and playing. You might find the hardest chore of all is keeping yourself from joining in their fun. Being a grown-up is so overrated!   Your "Keep The Kids Busy" Gift Guru, Linda Posted by Linda at
5:00 AM | Friday, February 26, 2010
New Year, New You?Did you make any New Year's resolutions for 2010? I only made one: exercise more. Would it surprise you to learn I haven't started yet? Hey, the year's not over--I still have time, right? After a visit to the doctor to check my general health, which included a longer than necessary lecture about how women "my age" need weight-bearing exercise, I decided to start this week. To get the doc off my back if nothing else.So last night I sat down with the last of my Valentine's chocolates and did some internet surfing (riding electronic waves unfortunately doesn't count as exercise.) I'll be honest: I'd rather have a root canal than work out, so staying motivated will be tough. According to all the fitness web sites (and there are millions!) setting a goal is the key to motivation. Since I have no intention of torturing myself with a daily "walk of shame" to the scale, the most popular goal--losing weight--won't work for me. I need to gain something. So my mission? Improve my strength and stamina.   I picked up some free weights and a handful of DVDs to work with at home. I can choose a different fitness guru and routine every day instead of just watching the news while pedaling to nowhere on my stationary bike--a strategy that lasted all of about two weeks in 2009. I'm hoping the variety will help keep me on track. Wish me luck! I'll keep you posted on my progress. Your "Fitting In Fitness" Gift Guru, Linda Posted by Linda at
5:00 AM | Friday, February 19, 2010
Love Is In The AirWow, it's not even Spring yet, and already wedding invitations are starting to arrive. I love weddings. I love helping with the planning and the shopping and I really love when I'm asked to participate. (Which I was this year. Maid of Honor, thank you very much!) But for brides-to-be, making the big day live up to their girlhood dreams can be financially challenging.It is possible to plan a stellar wedding on a down-to-earth budget. How? Before you start actually spending your budget, I suggest you decide on the "must-haves" and the "nice-to-haves" for your big day. Your must-haves can be anything--from a certain flower or flavor of cake to flying in Aunt Ellen from Germany--but these are your necessary ingredients. Figure out what those will cost and you have a base budget that you don't compromise. Then you can add in your nice-to-haves until you reach your boundaries. I really like this approach because it ensures that the things that are truly important to both bride and groom rise to the top of the list instead of getting lost in the chaos of planning. There are also some great books written by wedding experts to help you plan your perfect day. Many offer budget guidelines as well as cost-cutting ideas like DIY invitations and decorations.  With a little planning and a little expert advice, you can have the wedding of your dreams--without making a nightmare of your finances!Your "Perfect Wedding" Gift Guru, Linda Posted by Linda at
5:00 AM | Friday, February 12, 2010
Superbowl Madness!Superbowl XLIV will be at Sun Life Stadium (formerly Dolphin Stadium) this year. It seems whenever the Big Game is hosted in The Sunshine State, my fellow Floridians go bananas. But the frenzy isn't just building here. In Indianapolis, it seems too many bus drivers called in sick the day after the Colts' win three years ago, so they've decided to start school an hour late on Monday. Maybe they're expecting a repeat? Not so fast! New Orleans fans say the Saints' drive to the Superbowl is a symbol of the city's resilience--and inevitable triumph--over the Katrina disaster. They plan to show this country just what their city is made of with yet another unlikely--but unstoppable--victory.Team spirit, city pride and excitement is running so high this year that even I'm getting excited. I plan to plop down in front of the TV and watch the game--in between the commercials, of course. Not to miss out on an opportunity to score my own touchdown, I came up with the perfect gift for Superbowl fanatics: our framed print of the NFL jerseys hanging in the teams' locker rooms. And for the extra point, we put your fan's name on a jersey right next to the names of the world champions.   It's the next best thing to winning the ring! Your "Gridiron" Gift Guru, Linda Posted by Linda at
5:00 AM | Friday, February 5, 2010
Funny MoneyI collected coins when I was a kid. Didn't exactly make it public knowledge because, well, what a nerdy thing to do. Still, it was something I could enjoy with my grandmother, who would never call me a nerd. We used to search out all kinds of different denominations from actual currency back then. And later we got into specially minted collectible coins. I still collect those.Thankfully, now I'm too old for anyone to care whether I'm cool or not. My favorites are pop culture coins, especially ones that celebrate and honor my favorite comedies and comedians. Like Lucille Ball and Peanuts. Every time I take out my collection to add a few new pieces, I reconnect with those very early memories of sitting at my grandmother's kitchen table and sorting coins on her floral vinyl tablecloth. And that's just priceless. Your "Heads or Tails" Gift Guru, Linda   Posted by Linda at
5:00 AM | Friday, January 29, 2010
Feeling Sassy?Valentine's Day is right around the corner, isn't it? I remember getting some pretty naughty gifts back in my younger days. Just between you and me, I gave a few too. I used to scour the stores for the most outrageous boxers I could find for my boyfriend. The louder the colors, the better. They would always balk at wearing them. But we girls have our ways of making the men do what we want, don't we?Even Dad had to put up with my crazy valentines. He's an avid golfer. And believe me, there's no end to the fun you can have with balls. "Linda!" he'd say, looking over his reading glasses like he was shocked at his daughter's taste--or lack of it. But he couldn't keep the smile from playing at the corners of his mouth. And what could he do? I get my sense of humor from him! Sure Valentine's Day is a day for romance. But there's no law that says you can't mix a little sassy with the sweet. Your "Naughty But Nice" Gift Guru, Linda    Posted by Linda at
5:00 AM | Friday, January 22, 2010
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