Simple is good.

I just ran across one SCARY-LOOKING infographic outlining how the new healthcare bill works.

Simple it is not.

I’m a huge supporter of the flat-tax.

Why?

It’s simple. It’s simplicity gets rid of most of the reason for the IRS. And filing for taxes. And HR Block. And your accountant Louie. Gone are a lot of the bureaucracy and peeps you pay money to, via taxes or a direct check, to help the government get it’s operating budget.

See simple is good.

But this new health care?

Not good.

I was skeptical and really not at all for government-run “Universal Healthcare” from pretty much the beginning — say when Hillary Clinton was the point person in the 90′s — but this really only solidifies my point. It is not simple. In fact, it is very, very complicated. And each time the direct path is deviated, bifurcated or split you’ve just added on more staff, infrastructure, and costs. And bureaucracy and confusion.

And when it comes your or your families healthcare, direct and easy is what you want.

So take a gander- is this the way you want your health care to look?

Download Chart (PDF format)

Thanks to Congressman Kevin Brady's office for the infograph

VIVA LeTV! What I’m Watching free-style and DVR.

Oh how DVR has changed my life.

The 90′s Seinfeld came to define “appointment TV” in entertainment. Thursdays were sacred for most of TV-watching America for NBC’s “Must-See TV.” Now, appointment TV is now is see what I want, when I want, all due to the glorious invention of the Digital Video Recorder (D.V.R.)

Praise the entertainment Gods!

So this is what I watch and why:

Burn Notice (USA): Michael Weston, Fiona, Sam and Mom (Sharon Gless, who just happens to be my mom’s second cousin, no joke). Quick quips, great locale and some hysterical characters (plus, I love the captions under new characters, e.g. “Evil bad guy with bad hair.”) It’s a fun show though it is seeing growing pains. The question now is- can they keep it fresh? A new character was introduced and we’re still not exactly sure.

Royal Pains (USA): Oh sure, it was just too easy. Watch the next show after Burn Notice and get hooked. So sue me. Having spent some time during the high summer holidays in the Hamptons I had to check it out– call me also nostalgic. But it’s entertaining. And I love the mysterious billionaire Baron. He’s too droll.

Real Housewives (Bravo): I DVR the New Jersey chapter-call it the trashy of the trash TV. And oh how it is. Table turning, Jersey-accented fabulousness sashaying in Ed Hardy, spandex and Chanel encrusted EVERYTHING, who else has an energy consultant on-call  that deals less of with OHMs and more with chi and spiritual enlightenment. Oh and they freakin’ swear like sailors. These chicks are fun.

Rescue Me (FX): NYC Firefighters led by a magical Puck-like Dennis Leary, they all put the “fun” in dysfunctional. This is a not-miss show for me. Ludicrous plot lines (my husband likes to point this out) but fantastic dialogue delivered by an outstanding cast mostly filled by hard-core comedians, each episode proves that the best comedy comes from the dark side of living.

How I Met Your Mother (CBS): One word… Barney. Neil Patrick Harris proves every episode why he’s THE MAN. Great cast, great writing and you have just about the best 30 mins of TV every week.

Modern Family (ABC): Cameron, Manny, Jay, Gloria, Mitchell, Claire and Phil are the new best thing to have happened to my DVR this year. Their new take on family gives the OK to laugh at my own. Over and over and over again.  Someone once tweeted that Modern Family was like a present every week to yourself.  Totally true.

Keeping Up With The Kardashians (E!)  Oh those zany Kardashians! You have to respect them, they’ve made an industry out being themselves: self-absorbed, bitchy clothes horses. They first rose from the ashes of sister Kim’s sex tape, pushed/cajoled and packaged by mom Kris (who blessed all her daughters with names beginning with “K,” oh how George Foreman of her) into clothing stores (Dash), photo spread in Playboy (Kim again,) perfume, and on this little TV Show they have. For god sakes, they even showed brother Rob’s 6 hour erection crisis after he drank a cup of coffee that Mom Kris had secretly crushed some “herbal Viagra” in for step-father Bruce Jenner (who does a bang-up job playing the straight-man and looking like an old lesbian.) Now that’s some great TV. No DVR – this is purely free-style TV watching. DVR’ing this would make it too legit in my book.

9 By Design (Bravo): Bob and Cortney Novogratz , their Sixx Design do some wildly wicked-cool designs. Oh and they have 7 kids. In NYC. Their messily elegant designs blend modern with shocks of antique into truly eclectically cool domains. You see the design process up close from breakdown to drywall, hunting for antiques and the terrifying high-stakes game of spec-building in the Big Apple. Their last house is up for sale for $25 million, and hasn’t sold quite yet. Just when Bob gets a little twitchy about the debt, Cortney goes ahead and redoes an antique settee in OMG ballsy black lacquer and ostrich leather. And ahhhh, everything is better. I would love to work one project as their asst. and I’d do it for free. FREE. Just to breathe in the vibe that is so totally french cool by way of Georgia. Check out their site, even the music is oh la la fab.

I’ve also been known to check in on MTV’s 16 and Pregnant and True Life when I have a few moments to kill.  Both fab expose of  the tough life of young adults making poor (and good) choices.

I’ll be sure to update this as I go.

Viva le TV! Viva le crap TV!

Oh how I love AMAZON PRIME

Sometimes the business of life is… finding short-cuts.

It’s like the Neil Diamond song, “I’m a Believer.”

Then I saw her face, now I’m a believer
Not a trace of doubt in my mind.
I’m in love, I’m a believer!
I couldn’t leave her if I tried.

(Yeah Neil wrote it for the Monkees– who knew? I am such a Neil Diamond fan, but you can’t live in Boston and not be…)

The hubby got joined Amazon Prime. For a yearly fee, we get pretty much free 2 day shipping on most of what Amazon sells (usually issues are with 3rd party resellers.) I thought, hmm… do we really spend more that $75 (the fee at the time) on the shipping over a year? Will it really make that much difference?

Now I’m a believer. I couldn’t leave (Amazon Prime) if I tried.

In the past 3 days I’ve “Primed”:

• Cereal. Really. I get like 6 boxes of our favorite stuff, which we go through at an ungodly rate, delivered.
• Envelopes. Legal. No I don’t have to make a run to crappy Office Depot, which is just right of the dead-center Hell for me.
• Package Tape. See Envelopes.
• Music. We all order music from Amazon, but now it comes super fast now. For “free.”
• Gifts go fast(er). With most of my family West Coast, anything that I can ship fast(er) is a YES!.

I’ve also ordered Coconut water when I do my Clean detox (which is happening soon folks so don’t be surprised when I blog), books, presents, ink cartridges.

I’ve found Prime is a blessing for that loathsome “one little errand” that takes you to the Home Depot, Office Depots, bookshops, grocery stores of the world, when you’d rather spend your free time at the beach, playing with the kids or just doing other stuff. It’s also great when you’re buying in bulk- lots of cans or boxes you don’t have to schlepp from the store to the car, the car to the home. It comes to your door.  It’s also pretty much immediate gratification- order and the day after tomorrow it shows up. Really.

And from the cheap-bastards side of TheBetsy- it has more than paid for itself. MORE THAN PAID. High ROI my friends, and this coming from the intial skeptic.

Even TheBetsy gets it wrong.

We’re not ashamed to admit it and share.

And now here’s a little Neil D. for you:

Run Betsy Run. (I’m trying.) & 90 Day Fitness Challenge Update #10

Thanks to WhatWouldSummerWear for the neat photo.

Sometimes The Business of Life includes… GETTING HEALTHY.

I’ve committed (rather than been committed) to running.

FIVE MILES.

At one time.

Really.

I run, don’t get me wrong, I’ve played sports for most of my life. Apparently running for me works when I DON’T KNOW I’m running. Like playing soccer. Or, as my volleyball coach use to do, and drop me off 3 miles from school and… well, you get the picture. Or when I ran down from Mt Whitney because I was getting low on water, my flashlight battery died, and it was dusk (and that was around 13 miles downhill, switchbacks and rocks all the way).

Oh… I also do sprints ’cause I know it’s over soon. I may be heaving and hurling, but it’s over.

But just going out and run for a couple of miles?

This I don’t get.

And I know it’s all mental. But it’s uncomfortable, hot and sweaty business and I know it’s going to be another 30 mins of more of the same. And I KNOW can stop. At anytime. I should stop. Any sane person would.

But I also know it’s just about the most efficient exercise out there. Have shoes and road, you can exercise. It’s great cardio and gets you (and keeps you) in shape. And since my  Go Betsy Go 90 Day Fitness Challenge is winding down, I’ve got to come up with a plan to keep the good and keep on whittling away at the bad.

Enter my trainer , and all-around nice chick, Laura Dosdall.

She’s convinced me to start training to eventually run 5 miles (Or was that a 5K? She’s pretty mum on the topic.) Right now 1 mile is daunting. (Did I tell you how much I do not enjoy running? I really dislike the activity.) Well Laura is going to teach me to love it.

I’m going to start with just the first mile. Tomorrow.

Wish me luck.

And here are the stats from Betsy for Week 10.

So as of 7/30/10 :

• Bust: 36.5 inches (No change from last week, -2.5″ total)
• Waist: 29.5 inches (No change from last week,  -3.5″ total
• Hips: 38.1 inches (-1.1″, -4.50″ total, Hooray!)
• Upper arm: 10.5 inches (-0.50″, -1.50″ total)
• Upper thigh: 21.0 inches (-1.0, -4.75″ total)

Total inches lost this week:  , total 16.75″ since starting.

HOLY CRAP! I’ll take those numbers. I sort of plateaued the last few weeks and now, my body, decides to be nice. (I plan on writing a nice thank-you note to the bod later on today.)

Goes to show you, keep on keepin’on and everything works out in the end.

Read all about the 90 day health challenge I’m doing, you can read all about it HERE.

Check out my partners in the Go Betsy Go! 90 Day Challenge:

Ode to Back-up Alarms.

I almost missed today’s big events.

Really.

My husband had a work event that I was invited to — celebrating the recent acquisition of the company he’s a CTO at– and it was far away, so we stayed over at a hotel. It was nice not to have to drive home late, and also nice because he had to leave at 5 AM to go on a business trip for said company.

And I got to sleep in.

Until 7 AM.

I know, I know, the sheer luxury of it all! Considering I usually have to deal with my toes being tugged at 6 AM by a thirsty three year old or telling my eldest son that Wii came into the house by the grace of me, it’s also going to go by the grace of me, if HE KEEPS PLAYING IT AT THIS LEVEL AGAIN.

So relatively uninterrupted sleep until 7 AM is super-fantastic happy hour fabulous by my standards.

But I had to get up by 7 AM. No later.

Quick ring to the Hotel’s front desk to set a wake-up call.

Ready.

Not.

If I hadn’t gotten a wrong number at 6:45 AM, I would have never woken up.

They never called. Not at 7 AM, not at 7:30 AM.

I had to meet the trainer at the gym and I had a long drive through Boston’s morning rush-hour traffic, had I not woken up and missed my apt I would have been pissed.

When I was doing finanical PR and we had a deal being announced, I often set the alarm, ringed for a wake-up call AND had breakfast delivered. I never  was late and I was never rushed.

Back-up alarms are important. Not only do they mean you have confidence that you’ll be on time, and you sleep better if you’re really nervous, it also means you’re never going to feel rushed if you properly backed out your the time in your schedule.

Seems pretty trivial and obvious, but back-ups are key.

The more important it is, the more back-ups you need. And want.

Most important meeting of your life? Back-ups galore.

Nuclear power plant? Oh hell yes, there BETTER be a bucketful o’back-ups.

This morning only confirms it. Don’t leave it to chance.

Make sure you have your back-ups alarms in place.

Kick-Ass Corn Salsa of the Gods…

Thanks to Come For Coffee Blog for the swell picture.

I love salsa. But you already knew that from previous posts.  This past weekend, at a party, I tasted the most amazing corn salsa.

I can imagine this would be great made with grilled corn on the cob. I’d also (from that same previous post) even throw in some basil, but this, by itself is amazing. Make it for yourself, your next party or just because. It is that good. (Updated note: per the comment below don’t mix cilantro and basil, use in lieu of.)

So here it is….

Corn and Bean Salsa

1 c. black beans, rinsed and drained
8 oz. cooked corn
1 large tomato, diced
1 avocado medium, diced
1/2 purple onion, chopped
1/2 c. cilantro, chopped
1-2 T lime juice
1 T olive oil
1 T red wine vinegar
S&P to taste

Mix together.  Allow time for flavors to combine, about 30 mins.

[But don't make ahead much more than that because of the avocado.]

90 Day Fitness Challenge Update #9: Meet Robin Jones, Modern Pilates Guru

I’ve been doing Pilates as a part of my Go Betsy Go 90 Day Fitness Challenge.

On Wednesday I train with Robin Jones from Modern Pilates.

It’s always interesting to find out how people get into their chosen calling?  So I asked Robin if she could shoot me an email on herself and give me some more info on how Pilates came about. Every workout I have with her I learn a bit more (and a bit more wacky) info on how Pilates was developed. I am pretty sure that the founder, Joseph Pilates was both crazy and genius, and most definitely ahead of his time.

“Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness.” – Joseph Pilates

Classically trained, with over 400 hours of training, Robin is a Peak Pilates certified instructor who really cares about people and enjoys working with all body types. She personally takes an interest in the individual helping each person work toward their ultimate goal.

Previously an auctioneer, Robin found her way into the Pilates world by taking a Pilates Mat Class after knee surgery. She experienced first hand how the Classical Pilates Movement System was able to not only rehabilitate her knee, but helped to correct her faulty movements from years and years of imbalances due stemming from her knee problems.

Knowing that it took the brilliance of Joe Pilates a lifetime to create his system, Robin is dedicated to pursuing a lifetime of Pilates studies by always seeking to further her education with trainings and coursework. She brings her ever-growing knowledge to each session to apply the Pilates Principles and Movement System to her clients, as she believes Joseph Pilates intended.

Pilates is a movement system that has been proven to be beneficial for everyone from the high performance athlete to the everyday person and improves flexibility, endurance, balance, and core strength. Pilates training helps you to perform at your peak ability.

“Breathing is the first act of life and the last.” – Joseph Pilates

A lot still remains a mystery regarding Joseph Pilates’ history. He was a fascinating character to say the least. A German, he surfaces around 1918 in an interment camp during World War I in Britain. He rehabilitated soldiers by rigging four poster hospital beds, pulling the springs out from the box springs and using stirrups for handles (the birth of the Reformer, one of the central pieces of equipment in Pilates). When the influenza runs through the interment camp it is said that the soldiers who were exercising with Joseph Pilates did not get the influenza.

Joseph Pilates

In 1926 Joseph and his wife Clara immigrated to America where he set up his studio in the tight confines of New York City to continue his practice. His invention and designs of the Pilates apparatus such as The Reformer and Chair had two functions. Most pieces could be converted into furniture because of the restriction in space – pretty brilliant. The Reformer could be turned into a sofa or bed and the Chair turns into an actual chair.

“In ten sessions you will feel the difference, in twenty sessions you will see the difference and in thirty sessions you will have a whole new body.” - Joseph Pilates

In 1945 Joseph Pilates wrote a book called “Return to Life Through Contrology” (he originally called his system “Contrology”) which gives you photos and descriptions on his exercises and way of life. Every exercise was to be done with the six Pilates Principles: Concentration, Centering, Control, Breathing, Precision, and Flowing Movement. He devoted his entire life to develop the Pilates Movement System.

“I am fifty years ahead of my time.” – Joseph Pilates

Many of the “Elders” or people who trained directly under Joseph Pilates are still alive, teaching and practicing Pilates in their 80’s.

Now, I know personally the affect that Joseph Pilates and Robin have had on my body. 14+ inches lost and I feel strong and lean and taller!

Now let’s get to what’s happening with me. I’ve had to take it easy this week, I’ve been having issues with my back, stemming from my body being extremely, extremely tight. I am usually super-freaky flexible, but I’m can only go about 1/3 the amount I ususally do when I stretch. Something is definitly going on!

Thus, I’ve limited my cardio and my pilates and strength training have been lighter, the latter being more cardio, less weight.

And here are the stats from Betsy for Week 9.

So as of 7/23/10 :

• Bust: 35.5 inches (No change from last week, -2.5″ total)
• Waist: 29.5 inches (No change from last week,  -3.5″ total
• Hips: 39.0 inches (No change from last week, -3.40″ total, Horray!)
• Upper arm: 11.0 inches (No change from last week, -1.00″ total)
• Upper thigh: 22.0 inches (No change from last week, -3.75″ total)

Total inches lost this week: NONE! , total 14.15″ since starting.

I wasn’t expecting much, but this is slightly disappointing. I guess I will have to be happy that at least I didn’t gain! So let’s see what next week brings.

Read all about the 90 day health challenge I’m doing, you can read all about it HERE.

Check out my partners in the Go Betsy Go! 90 Day Challenge:

Blueberries For Betsy…

Picture courtesy of oregonberry.com

When was the last time you picked berries?

Probably it’s longer than you think, so you should try to put it on your summer “to-do” list.

Pronto.

I spent today, with the kids en tow, picking blueberries at a local farm.

First timer at it, mostly because I was unsure how to execute it with twins when they were younger, then later because Baby Lug was… well Baby Lug. Now I wish I had done it earlier. It was so much fun.

Straight out of one of our favorite stories, the classic Blueberries for Sal , we Kerplinked! Kerplunked! Kerplanked! blueberries into our pail as we meandered up and down. Chatting. Laughing. Pretending we were picking much-needed fuel cells for our spaceship.

A few blueberries into the pail, a few in our mouth.

We chatted about blueberries, how to pick them, how to select what is ripe.

Mr Man, my eldest made it his mission to fill his pail up to the top. And when Mr. Man gets on a mission, watch out! He meticulously picked perfectly ripe blueberries, put them into his pail, and slowly filled it to the top. So, I bought an extra 1/2 pound of berries but how could I not encourage this?

All in all I highly suggest an afternoon of Kerplinked! Kerplunked! Kerplanked! -ing.

We had a blast. No Wii. No movies.

Just us.

Kerplink!

Are you a Superstar? Do You Really Need a Badge? (I’m not worthy….)

Four-square.

Blip.

Trade show. (Ok, it was SXSW.)

How different is this from the “Good Work!” sticker we’d get on our 2nd grade math test? Not much. At some point we realize that these badges are just that- one big puffy sticker saying we’re awesome.

Where they do have some importance is when they can be translated into currency.

At Foursquare “checking in” to all the places you go and snatching up badges has cache within certain circles. Mostly if you’re 18-34 and a mobile-urban marauder. If you check-in the most at an establishment, and become a Four-square “mayor,” you get free stuff (drinks, roll of hockey tape, free shoes.) It’s  a part of Four-square’s business plan- by establishing and helping maintain loyalty for businesses.

Another one, Blip, the music sharing DJ site, does badges as well. Source a new song? Get a badge. Get reblipped by another DJ or props get another? Get some more badges. And so on and so forth.

For those that work in/on/around social media it’s practically a necessity. That, and your twitter follow numbers, your blog draw, reputation and resume makes, well, makes your resume in some arenas.

I just find it interesting. The cache of badges as another measurement of how “plugged-in” you are. For some it’s just fun, a factor of how cool you are. For other’s it’s a requirement, and tells others how competent you are.

But at some point it will not be. Fun or a requirement. When everyone is doing it, when all businesses are participating in it. Once the uniqueness is gone, when everyone has the same badge, then what? It will just be another thing on the to-do list. I mean, if everyone is special, then no one is special.  Actually just today, someone posted on FB a picture  of a printed “table tent” from a bar, saying something to the effect that if you’re the mayor, show your Four-sqaure status to the waitress and get a free beer- one per person per day.

Lame.

If McDonald starts giving out a special badge for, say, being the first to try their new McFlurry- it’s not so cool is it?

Not really. And that’s the real nugget isn’t it? That is the challenge for Blip and Four-square, keeping the tension between accessibility and cool.

Do really need the badges to reveal how awesome we are?

I don’t play Four-square. Actually I’m not that much of an urban maurader, and I also find it slightly creepy that people would know where I am or where I go. Creepy.

I blip not for badges, but because I love to share music on Twitter.

But that’s just me.

90 Day Fitness Challenge Update #8: Oh the Things You Will Think…

(folks this is usually published on Friday, but my official stats and measurement man was on a business trip, so to keep things consistent I waited…)

I just graduated to Level Two of Pilates.

I am so please with myself, I’m beaming.

If you’ve ever done Pilates, on a reformer, you’d understand the hornet’s nest of frustrations each exercise is. Joseph Pilates, did his best to come up with the most complex, intricate and frustrating method to get your ass in shape possible.

I’m still learning, but it’s neat-o that I’m getting better at this. You know you’re never too old to stop learning.

Hooray!

And here are the stats from Betsy for Week 8.

So as of 7/9/10 :

• Bust: 35.5 inches (No change from last week, -2.5″ total)
• Waist: 29.5 inches (-0.5″ from last week,  -3.5″ total- still no change. I think this is going to be the last frontier folks…)
• Hips: 39.0 inches (-0.5″ from last week, -3.40″ total, Horray!)
• Upper arm: 11.0 inches (No change from last week, -1.00″ total)
• Upper thigh: 22.0 inches (-.50, -3.75″ total)

Total inches lost this week: 1.50″, total 14.15″ since starting. That is not bad and I am really, really happy thus far!

Read all about the 90 day health challenge I’m doing, you can read all about it HERE.

Check out my partners in the Go Betsy Go! 90 Day Challenge: