Squabbling sisters
March 31, 2006, 11:17 a.m.

For the most part, I'm proud of how well my daughters (4 & 2 years) get along. They play together all the time and are unusually generous with each other (Kelly always shares her leftover preschools snacks with her sister). 98% of the time they are thoughful and kind to one another, but kids will be kids and sometimes they turn on each other. And the bickering, crying, whining, hair pulling, pinching and biting begins.

I don't know if there is anything more annoying than two kids picking on each other. All the drama, tears, screaming and yelling -- all because they can't leave each other alone. It happens when they're tired, hungry, bored or anytime I take them shopping.

I try to put an end to the squabbling as soon as it starts (because it is SOOO annoying), but turns out, I shouldn't be so quick to mediate.

According to Anthony E. Wolf, Ph.D. -- a clinical psychologist and author of "Mom, Jason's Breathing on Me!" -- occasionally allowing siblings' bickering to play out allows them to practice how to deal with disagreements in a safe environment. Kids learn through trial and error how hard to push, when to back off and even strategies for working out a successful compromise. -- First magazine

So, next time you see my kids kicking each other down the halls of Target or pulling each other's hair through Giant Eagle, don't worry. They're not fighting, they're communicating.

Get your butt outside, baby!
March 30, 2006, 9:07 am

Is there anything more wonderful, more beautiful, more welcome that the first really warm day in Erie, Pa.? Everyone is giddy, everyone is smiling, road rage is at a minimum, even the normally-grumpy cashiers at Country Fair are happy. We'll soon get to see our neighbors again as we all come out of our houses to survey the winter yard damage and pick up limbs from the latest storm.

This -- a day when forecasters are promising us temps in the high 60s -- is a day to celebrate. I'm thinking of skipping my after-work Body Pump class just so I can go home & enjoy the weather before the sun goes down.

Here are ten fun things you can do to honor the first warm day of the season:

1. Take the kids to the local playground -- Liberty Park is always a good choice. Don't forget their rain boots and play clothes -- it's probably pretty muddy yet.

2. Go out for a frozen treat -- Hit one of the year-round D.Q.'s or stop by Rita's Italian Ice. Opt for a regular Italian Ice or a Fat-free D.Q. Fudge Bar if you're trying to shed winter weight.

3. Buy tickets for the SeaWolves season opener which is on Thursday, April 15 at 6:35 p.m. Tickets are $10 for box seats, $6 for reserved (children under 12 are $1 less). Sure, it could be snowing by then, but be an optimistic and buy the tickets anyway, afterall, it could be 80 degrees...you just never know in Erie.

4. Break out the sidewalk chalk and play with the kids. Lay down and make chalk outlines of each other. Draw on hair, faces and clothes. Or, make a hopscotch trail and teach your kids how to play it.

5. Take a walk. Bust out the wagon, stroller or big wheels and take a family walk around the block. Bring the dog. Wave to all the neighbors who are outside enjoying the weather too.

6. If you have a glass storm door, open your front door and let the sun shine in. If it makes the furnace kick on (thereby wasting money), shut the furnace off for a few hours. The sunlight will warm you.

7. Stop at the dollar store and pick up new sunglasses for everyone in the family. Chances are you won't be able to find the kids' sunglasses from last year anyway.

8. While you're at the dollar store, pick up some sunscreen too. Slather some on your arms, just for the smell of it.

9. Get the bikes down from storage and pump up the tires. Ride bikes with the kids in the driveway until dark.

10. After the kids are in bed, don't flop on the couch to watch TV -- grab the spouse, a cold beer or a warm cup of coffee and sit on the porch and talk about all the things you want to do and places you want to go this summer. Write them on the calendar now...before summer committments start to fill the weekends.

Hoppin' down the bunny trail
March 29, 2006, 9:14 am

Here's a fun Easter tradition for you to start with your kids.

A couple of years ago, Anna McCartney, ETN Newspapers in Education Coordinator, told me about a "bunny trail" they would lay for their son every Easter. They used bunny prints (drawn on paper) and laid them out in a meandering, crisscrossing path strewn throughout the house...ultimately leading to the hidden Easter basket.

I thought it sounded like a blast & quickly printed out a bunch of pink prints on cardstock to lay my own trail. Kelly loved it and this year I play to lay one trail for each daughter (Lauren was too young to get it last year).

I haven't said a word about the trail since last year, but in the car on the way to the sitter last week, Kelly was in the backseat telling Lauren all about it and what she can expect to find at the end of the trail. I was shocked....this 4 1/2 year old remembers a bunny trail from last year, but she can't remember to hang up her coat or throw away that stupid plastic wrapper from her drink box straw???

Maybe I need to take a different approach....lay a trail to the garbage can or hide candy in the coat closet .....

Anyway,

Attached are a four different color bunny prints -- pink, blue, purple and yellow -- put a bunch on one page, print a few sheets, cut them out & lay a trail for your kids this year. P.S. you can gather these prints up after the festivities and keep them from year to year.

I was trying to get Anna to lay a trail for her son this year -- because he's now 22 and it would be worth the look on his face, just to do it for fun. But, alas...he's off at college and won't be home to hop to it.

BTW -- if these links don't work (they're not working for me) and you'd like me to send you the prints....just email me at heather.cass@timesnews.com & I'll email them to you. :-)

Attached Files
admin_bunny_print1.jpg
admin_bunny_print1blue.jpg
admin_bunny_print1pink.jpg
admin_bunny_print1purple.jpg

"Girls Hold Up This World"
March 28, 2006, 8:38 am

Have you heard about the new book by Jada Pinkett-Smith called "Girls Hold Up This World?"

I just bought the softcover version from my 4 1/2 year old's preschool book flyer and I loved it. It has such a great message for girls -- mainly that we need to stick together and hold each other up, instead of tearing each other down.

Here's how Amazon.com describes the book:

"'We are sisters of this Earth -- members of one powerful tribe. /Every color, shape, and size, we're united by beauty inside.' Artistic photographs enhance the positive message of Jada Pinkett Smith's inspiring poem. A renowned actress and loving mother, Smith brings warmth and heart to this celebration of young women. While so many girls today struggle with self-doubt, this poem focuses on the power ALL girls have within them, regardless of color or creed. This is the perfect book for mothers, daughters, sisters and friends to give and to share again and again."

It has a retail price of $16.95 for the hardcover version, but Amazon has them for as low as $8.25. It's 40 pages, mostly photos and has a reading level of ages 4-8.

It would make a great addition to the Easter Basket of any girl you love.

Grocery store I Spy
March 27, 2006, 8:06 am

Due to circumstances beyond my control, I had to take both girls with me to the grocery store this weekend. Months ago I vowed we'd starve to death before I took them both with me again, but hell-bent on getting the shopping done beore the Sesame Street show on Saturday meant they both had to come with me.

They're not at an age where they ask for things -- that's not the problem (though, the seeds of that are beginning). The problem is they don't listen and I can't fit them both in the cart and they get bored and start bugging each other. The older one insists on pushing the cart &, of course, hits my ankles, the shelves and sometimes other shoppers. The entire experience is like a big giant reminder that I don't have control of my kids (and probably never will).

However, this weekend, I overheard another mom who was playing "I spy" with her son -- as in... "I spy....ketchup." My two-year-old is a huge fan of the "I spy" books and when she heard that other mommy say "I spy" -- she quit fighting with her sister and started looking for ketchup-- as did my older daughter.

The lightbulb went off. Of course...like Mary Poppins (the girls' current CD of choice) sings..."...add an element of fun and the job's a game." Ah ha.

We spent the next seven aisles "spying" and it turned a nightmare shopping trip into a raucous good time. They were kind of loud about it, of course, but...hey, I can handle volume when it's happy. It's the whining and fighting that makes me want to leave them in frozen foods and bolt.

So...thank you to that annonymous Mommy who reminded me that kids really do just want to have fun.

Easter clothes bargains
March 24, 2006, 9:44 am

When I was growing up, my mother always made a big deal out of Easter. Everyone in the family got a new outfit to wear to church on Easter Sunday. There were five children in the family -- so it was no easy (or inexpensive) feat to outfit us all. Fortunately, three of the children were boys who required nothing more than a new shirt and clip-on tie.

I don't remember an Easter where I didn't get a fancy pastel dress, a pair of shiny patent leather shoes, little white gloves and a tiny plastic purse. My mother and sister went all-out when it came to dressing me up for Easter. My older sister was (and still is) quite a seamstress. She loved to sew her me all kinds of frilly dresses and bonnets (I still have some of those tiny dresses in my cedar chest).

Now, I'm the mother of two little girls and much as I tell myself it's a waste of money to spend $50 on clothes they'll wear for a few hours, I can't help myself. My mother spoiled me.

But, I have found that I don't need to spend $40 on dreses, there are plenty of places to find great Easter garb right here in Erie for $15 or less.

If you have yet to buy the kiddos some Easter clothes, hop to it. Easter is only a couple of weeks away and Easter dresses are already being replaced with swimsuits and shorts. Here are a few local stores where I have found GREAT deals on kids Easter clothes:

* Kohl's -- I got both the girls dresses at Kohl's last weekend ($9.99 for Lauren's and $12.99 for Kelly's) and they are adorable.
* Target -- they have cute, gauzy, bright-colored Easter dresses for less than $15. They've also got a great line of Easter t-shirts and skorts if you want something more casual.
* Once Upon a Child -- This is a really great place to check for boy's Easter clothes and for fancy Easter shoes
* Burlington Coat Factory -- Burlington always has a terrific selection of Easter clothes at seriously discounted prices. Their shoes aren't usually much of a bargain though.
* Value City -- I was just at the Eastside Value City and they have adorable Easter clothes on the racks for $10 to $15. I noticed that many of the dresses are the same one I saw at major stores last year or the year before, but who cares when they were manufactured? Cute is cute is cute. Again, I don't find V.C.'s shoes to be much of a bargain.
* Payless Shoes Store -- You'll pay full price for Easter shoes now, but full-price at Payless is still $12.99 or less. Wal-Mart is another good place to check for shoes (though I've found it to be hit or miss there).

Happy shopping everyone!

Cats and Dogs
March 23, 2006, 8:02 am

I'm a cat lover -- always have been, always will be. Dogs are OK, but I find their slobbering, you're-the-reason-I-live-and-breathe devotion annoying. Get a life, Fido.

Cat's have attitude. They can take you or leave you. They want you on their terms and they love to sit way up high and look down on you. Some people hate that about cats -- I can see why they would. But, it's what I admire most about them. They don't take any crap from anyone and I respect that.

I have both critters in my house -- two cats who mostly ignore me unless they want something (but I know they really love me) and a dog (Cassie -- a yellow lab) who is disgustingly loyal to my husband (when he goes to the bathroom, she follows him & waits outside! )

A friend sent me this joke in an email & it made me laugh out loud. It perfectly illustrates the difference between cats & dogs. Enjoy!

DIARY OF A DOG vs. A CAT

EXCERPTS FROM A DOG'S DIARY

DAY 180:
8:00 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
9:30 am- OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
9:40 am- OH BOY! A WALK! MY FAVORITE!
10:30 am- OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
12:00 noon- OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
1:00 pm- OH BOY! THE YARD! MY FAVORITE!
4:00 pm- OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
5:00 PM- OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!

EXCERPTS FROM A CAT'S DIARY

DAY 752:
My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine on fresh meat, while I am forced to eat dry cereal. The only thing that keeps me going is the hope of escape, and the satisfaction of ruining the occasional piece of furniture. Tomorrow I may eat another houseplant.
DAY 761:
Today I attempted to kill my captors by weaving around their feet while they were walking and almost succeeded. Must try this at the top of the stairs. In an attempt to disgust these vile oppressors, I made myself vomit on their favorite chair... must try this on their bed.
DAY 766:
Decapitated a mouse and brought them the headless body to make them aware of what I am capable of, and to strike fear in their hearts. They only cooed about what a good cat I was. Not working according to plan.
DAY 768:
I am finally aware of how sadistic they are. For no reason I was chosen for the water torture. This time it included a burning chemical called "shampoo". What sick minds could invent such a liquid? My only consolation is the piece of thumb still stuck between my teeth.
DAY 771:
There was a gathering of their accomplices. I was placed in solitary throughout the event. However, I could smell the foul odor what they call "beer". More importantly I overheard that my confinement was due to my power of "allergies". Must learn what this is and how to use it to my advantage.
DAY 774:
I am convinced the other captives are flunkies and snitches. The dog is routinely released and seems happy to return. He is obviously a half-wit. The bird has got to be an informant, and speaks with them regularly. I am certain he reports my every move. Due to his confinement in the metal room, his safety is assured. But I can wait, it is only a matter of time....

Presque Isle Beach Portraits
March 22, 2006, 8:54 am

Man, am I sick of the cold and snow. I know...I know...it's March in Erie. I'm not expecting sunshine and tulips, I'd just like it to be bearable outside now -- you know 40-45 degrees or so. This freezing cold weather, snow and wind crap is getting old.

Days like this I can't remember what summer feels like. It seems unreal that within a few months, we'll be riding around with our car windows open, sweating in the summer heat. It's hard to remember what that even feels like right now.

For a quick reminder, I need only glance up from my computer to a 5x7 portrait of my family taken on Presque Isle this summer by Paul Lorei.

You've probably seen a variety of Presque Isle Beach Portraits before. They're taken on the shores of our own Lake Erie just as the day comes to an end. The sinking sun provides soft light and the sand and water is the perfect backdrop (not to mention the amber grass swaying in the sand, the driftwood logs and the incredible summer sunsets.

I splurged on beach portraits last year. And, girlfriends ... it's a splurge. You can expect to spend four figures. But, they are worth every single dollar. Below are three of the best -- one of the family, one of the girls and one of my husband and I.

Every time I look at these photos, I remember that warm July night at Presque Isle -- the girls running through the sand, Kelly falling in the water, Mr. Lorei working his butt off trying to get them to both look up a the same time (not easy with beach-distracted 2 & 4 year olds).

I know that I'll cherish these photos for the rest of my life -- especially in March when I need a reminder that winter can't last forever.

For more information or to book a summer beach portrait for your family, I reccomend Paul M. Lorei Photography -- http://www.lorei.com/.

TV worth watching
March 21, 2006, 9:13 am

We really don't watch much TV in our house, but it is on almost every weeknight from 9 to 11 p.m. -- at least in the winter -- when my husband and I get to sit on the couch and relax after tucking the kids into their snug little beds.

We don't have cable (by choice), so our evening television program options are limited to four channels -- three if you want to see it clearly (As my friend Lisa says, I think my hairdryer has more wattage than Fox 66). Seems the emphasis on the big-three networks lately is death, crime, death, missing people, death, sex crimes, death, torture, death...and did I mention, death?

I've taken to calling NBC the Law & Order network and CBS the CSI network because those two shows -- in some spinoff format -- are on almost EVERY night. I'm so sick of it and -- ladies -- aren't you just sick of watching women being treated like garbage -- beaten, raped, murdered ... victimized night after night after night. I mean, really, how many more ways can they think of to kill and torture a woman or child?

Several months ago, I declared I'd had enough and I refuse to watch any more crime, law or cop shows with such gratiutious acts of violence. There's enough in the real world -- right here in Erie, Pa. -- thank you. And, besides, do you ever wonder if these shows actually GIVE sickos ideas? I just don't want any part of it anymore. I'd rather read or surf the 'net or go to bed early.

I miss the days when every channel had television news show on from 9 to 11 p.m. -- Primtime Live, 20/20, Dateline ... but that's the news junky in me speaking.

I've found few shows worth watching these days, but one of the very best is on tonight. The Amazing Race is on CBS at 10 p.m. tonight (why it's so late, I don't know, it would be great 8 p.m. family show) and it features ten teams in a race around the world. The winning team gets $1 million. Each week, the last team to reach the pit stop is eliminated (hence the race thing). The teams have some sort of relationship -- some are husband and wife, some are dating, some are sisters, brothers, cousins, best friends -- offering a reality-type twist to the show (as you get to be privy to their relationship).

As the teams race around the world, viewers get a chance to see all kinds of countries in ways the travel brochures never show you. The language barrier often trips the teams up -- some of the countries are dangerous -- some of the tasks are maddening -- and luck is ALWAYS a factor. It all combines to keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Some girlfriends I know even bet on the show with their husbands. They each pick a team (or two) and whoever's team gets the farthest wins (what they win...is, well, use your imagination Each week, they cheer for their team and enjoy some good-natured boasting if their team is ahead.

Girlfriend to girlfriend -- this is a show worth your time. Watch it, TiVO it, tape it ... and I promise you won't see any dead hookers or strung-out housewives or abused children.

Spring over to Rita's
March 20, 2006, 1:01 am

Despite the white stuff flying in the air and lying on the ground right now, spring has arrived in Erie, Pa. Today, March 20 is the first official day of spring and how better to celebrate the change in seasons than with an ice-cold treat? Did I mention it's free?

That's right, put on your parkas, grab your gloves, pack up the kids and take a ride over to Rita's Italian Ice at 1406 W. Gore Road (just off Peach Street) where they'll be handing out FREE italian ice all day today in celebration of the first day of spring. (They do this every year on the first day of Spring).

If you'd never been to Rita's -- you don't know what you're missing. Their Italian ice comes in a variety of flavors that change from day to day (but many of the staples -- like Cherry -- are always available). Most flavors have chunks of real fruit in it -- pineapple, peaches, strawberries, mango, watermelon -- and it's fat-free. Sure, it's probably loaded with sugar, but you can't have it all.

And for those of us living here in Erie, we're used to not being able to have it all. Warm days bring rain. Summer brings stifling humidity. Winter brings icey conditions. And, spring...well, spring brings more ice -- thanks to Rita's.

Debit card warning
March 17, 2006, 8:50 am

My friend Shirley -- a Millcreek wife and mother of two -- went to the MAC machine on Tuesday morning only to be greeted with a "insufficient funds" message. Baffled, Shirl called her bank (Northwest Savings) and found out that someone had cleaned out her checking account -- all $435.80. Shirl had become the latest victim of the recent pin-number security breach.

Here, in Shirl's words, is what happened to her (and some advice from the bank to prevent this from happening to you! ):

I went to the ATM to get $20 on my way to work Tuesday morning so I would have cash for lunch because we were planning to order out. (I never really even have cash anymore. We just use debit for everything.) Anyhow, the ATM said, not enough funds available. I was like, "WHAT?" Our checking account gets low some months but we always have more than $20. So I had to go to work penniless, pissed and worried.

Later that day, I took all of my checking stuff to the bank to see if maybe I had made a banking error. I mean come on, I usually balance the checkbook with Molly on my hip while I tie Nat's sneaker! So, at the bank (Northwest) we went over my month's transactions. GET THIS ... there was a withdrawal on 3/8/06 at an ATM in Montreal Canada for $435.80 using my account!

THANK God I had stopped at my ATM that day & discovered the problem because I had just written a bunch of checks for bills on Monday & they would have bounced!

The bank was AWESOME--I had to fill out a ton of fraud reports, sign a ton of papers and they credited my account right there. Turns out in the past week this has happened to 20 other people just like me from Northwest Bank.

I couldn't figure out how it happened since Mark & I still had our cards in our possession. Here's how the bank explained it:

When you debit at a store and you put your pin # into the machine at the checkout, the store's computer processes your transaction, and then the store is responsible for deleting the pin info and just using the VISA # on your card to get their payment from your bank. Some stores don't delete the info right away or at all and hackers can get into their systems and if they can get your pin # associated with your card #, they can make a fake card with your info and go clean out your account.

They were able to figure that it was Mark's card & not mine. This let us know where it may have occurred because he doesn't use his card very much. On March 7th, he went to the liquor store to get booze for Nat's party & then to put gas in his car at GetGo. Prior to that he hadn't used the debit in over a week, and the fraud was on March 8th.

So, now how gun shy am I about using my debit card? But, do I really want to carry cash around? No!

The bank gave me a tip that I am passing on to all of my friends. When you go to a store, never put your pin # into the machine at the check out. Always choose the CREDIT option over DEBIT & at places like Walmart where it often just asks for the pin if you swipe a DEBIT/CREDIT card, keep pressing CREDIT or ask the cashier to put it through as a CREDIT. To be entirely safe, the bank said to only put your pin # into an ATM -- never a keypad at a store because you never know who can get your info.

SO, whether this all applies to you or not, pass my story on because there is no worse sinking feeling to realize your $ had been cleaned out from your account. I swear if I did not have bad luck right now, I'd have no luck at all!

Consider it passed on, Shirl. And, readers, consider yourself warned and be careful about where you enter your pin number!

Artichokes for idiots
March 16, 2006, 7:55 am

Did you know that today, March 16th, is National Artichoke Heart Day?

I discovered that I loved artichoke hearts a few years ago, but have never attempted to actually buy and cook one. Anyone who knows me wouldn't be surprised by that -- I hate to cook.

But, I have a toaster oven and I can open a few jars -- which is all this recipe requires. So, in honor of National Artichoke Heart Day, why not whip this up for the family tonight?

Artichoke Brushetta
From: HungryMonster.com

Ingredients:
6 ounces marinated artichoke hearts -- drained & chopped
1/2 cup grated romano cheese
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
6 tablespoons mayonnaise (I'd use Low-fat mayo)
16 slices french bread baguette rounds -- 13" thick

Preparation:
1. Place first 3 ingredients in bowl. Mix in enough mayonnaise to form thick spread. 2. Preheat broiler. Top bread rounds with spread. Arrange bruschetta on baking sheet. 3. Broil until spread is heated through and begins to brown, about 2 minutes.

Nutritional Information:
60 Calories (kcal); 6g Total Fat; (84% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 1g Carbohydrate; 5mg Cholesterol; 105mg Sodium

NOTE: If you like this recipe, click on this link: http://www.hungrymonster.com/recipe/recipe-search.cfm?Course_vch=Artichokes&ttl=1&Recipe_id_int=15545
and you can print a recipe card (click on "Print a Recipe Card" on the upper right hand side of the screen).

Parle Vou Francais?
March 15, 2006, 11:36 am

I'm not much of a quitter, but I did give up on one class in college -- French.

Most of the other students in Introduction to French had already taken a year or two of French in high school. I was a "tech kid" in high school and, at that time, tech kids weren't allowed to take any electives because you had to cram all your core courses into one day.

The minute I finished taking my first French test in college, I walked over to admissions and dropped the class. I was in over my head and there was no way I'd be able to keep up.

I've always regretted being single-lingual -- it feels so self-centered to know only one language. But, I wasn't about to shell out $500 (or more) to be humiliated in another college classroom.

Turns out, I can learn another language -- at my own pace, by myself, in the comfort of my home, for free! You can too -- all you need is a library card.

Log onto the Erie County Public Libary's Web site (www.erielibrary.org) and clock on Electronic Resources and then click on Online Language Learning Center. There you will find The Rosetta Stone -- an online service provided by the library that lets you fit language learning into your life whenever it's convenient for you. Choose from 29 different languages!

If you're a first time user, you'll need to register first (using your Erie County Library Card) and you'll need to dowload the Shockwave Plug-in -- a free installation that is required to use the software. After your initial registration -- you'll log on with your own username and password.

Did I mention it's FREE! Comprende?

Gas games
March 14, 2006, 9:50 am

I knew I should've stopped to get gas on Saturday. Gas prices have gone up 10 cents since then. Argh!

I hate getting gas and so I put it off as long as I can. It's almost always a day or two after the "idiot" light comes on -- you know the red light on your dash that says "low fuel." Sometimes my procrastination is rewarded with lower prices, but most times it's not. (If I'm really lucky, my procrastination is rewarded by my unsuspecting husband who takes the car somewhere and has to put gas in it).

Gas prices fluctuate daily (sometimes hourly) and by location. For instance, the Country Fair on Saltsman Road in Harborcreek is often as much as 10 cents lower than the one a few miles away on I-90.

I just heard from a girlfriend (thanks Kaye! ) about a Web site that lists the lowest gasoline prices in our area. Check this site before you gas up and you'll save time and money running around trying to find the best price in town (and the aggravation of seeing a lower price around the corner AFTER you've already gassed up! ).

Here's a link to the site:

http://autos.msn.com/everyday/gasstations.aspx?zip=&src=Netx

Now, I know where to gas up on the way home tonight ... because, you guessed it ... my idiot light is on.

How to get a human
March 13, 2006, 1:01 am

Today’s hot tip is for all of you who are fed up with automated phone systems.

I let my home PC’s anti-virus software expire over a year ago. Yes, I know better. When the last big virus scare hit in February, I decided I needed to bite the bullet, open my wallet and get some protection for my poor PC. I went to Symantec.com to download Norton Anti-Virus.

Well, it wasn’t that simple (it never is). There were at least fourteen versions for different operating systems and different versions of each of those versions. I found what I thought was the latest program and downloaded it. It took more than four hours to download (I’m on dial-up at home). When I went to install it, I realized it was incompatible with my operating system. Damn. Now I had to “return” it. And, so my nightmare began.

I spent weeks emailing Symantec — whining, begging, pleading and threatening them via cyberspace — to try to get this problem resolved. I could’ve cleared the whole thing up with a 2-minute conversation with a real human being at the company. But, finding a phone number was akin to locating the Holy Grail. Computer companies don’t like to talk on the phone. They want you to use all their helpful on-line menus — which are never helpful.

I eventually got my problem resolved — or at least they claim it’s been resolved. My next credit card bill will reveal the truth.

Should it not be cleared up, they’ll be getting a phone call from me because I have located their phone number.

In fact, I found a Web site that reveals the way to get a real live person at hundreds of major U.S. companies. That’s right, I’ve found an honest-to-God automated phone system cheat-sheet. And now I’m sharing it with you.

www.gethuman.com/us/

Use your powers wisely, my girlfriends.

Welcome to the Blogosphere
March 10, 2006, 3:07 pm

The web people suggested we start a Her Times blog. Having been a life-long journal keeper and the kind of person who loves to yakkity-yak with a tappity-tap, I was all for it. I whipped up this really great, funny blog entry outlining the making of Her Times magazine. I labored over finding just the right words for my first blog entry and when it was perfect, I clicked on preview and tried to email the link to a few colleagues for their opinions and poof ... it disappeared.

Gone. Wiped out of existance. Heather the haphazard deleter does it again. And, I don't even know how I did it. The web techies can't even find it.

So this was my introduction to the blogosphere.

Unfortunately, I'm no stranger to losing my work and if there's a silver lining, it's that version #2 is usually better. So here I go.

As I mentioned earlier, I’ve never blogged before, but common sense tells me that to keep women coming back to this blog it needs to be short and useful. And, that’s what you can expect to find here.

My vision for this blog is to share with you the wisdom I’ve culled from my legion of female friends and coworkers. I truly believe that everything I really need to know in life I learned from chit-chatting with my girlfriends. Every weekday, I’ll share useful tips for everyday living with you. It may be parenting-related, marriage-related, silly, stupid or serious. It may be a recipe, a sale alert, an informal product review or just something to think about. Some entries may not interest you or apply to you, but I hope you’ll visit often to find out.

Today’s tip — for Mom’s with picky eaters. Did you know that Panera Bread offers a PBJ meal for just $2.99? It’s a healthy alternative to the standard fast-food fare that finicky kids may actually eat. Peanut butter is a good source of protein and the meal comes with milk and chips (which you can replace with an apple if you ask). And, Panera has lots of good food on the menu for Mommy too — unfortunately it’s not as cheap (but it’s just as good).