My name Linda Might As Well Be Gertrude

The name Linda is going by the wayside, just like Gertrude and Ethel. People just don't name their girls Linda anymore. Who knows, maybe someday the Britney's of the world will have the same fate. My grandmother's name was Gertrude. Although I loved my grandmother, growing up, I always thought that name was old fashion.

I occassionally hear "Linda" as a character on a tv show, and I think some writer's mother or aunt is named Linda and that is how the character got that name on the show, as an ode to them. The most hilarious episode I've seen on the TV show "Becker", was where his receptionist Linda had to tend to her friend Lynda who won't leave the office.

The name was listed among the top 10 from 1940 to 1965 due to the success of actresses Linda Darnell and Linda Christian.

My best friend's name in high school was Linda. We had fun with that when we went out to the bars. When someone would come up to us and ask us our name, we would point at each other and say in unison "Linda". It was funny and cute. In high school I used to sit in class most the time with at least three Linda's in attendance.

There is a web site for us Linda's, it's www.lindaclub.org. L.I.N.D.A. What other name has a club?

My mom and dad always made me feel special with my name, but I'm afraid it's one step away from Gertrude old fashioned.

Women - Are You Ready for Some Football?

Hey girls and women of all ages, I’m going to tell you a secret, it's all about how to catch a guy’s attention.

Wear a football jersey.

Can you imagine the excitement of a man seeing his favorite thing (football) with boobs in it! That’s like two treats in one!

Let me convert this into women’s terms on what it’s like for a man, seeing a women, wearing a football jersey. Imagine your nose is pressed to the jewelry store window staring at diamonds, all sparkling and shiny, wishing you were wearing one. That’s what it’s like. Pretty, pretty, pretty.

It’s like dangling a fine steak around your neck, you look like a fine catch.

When you wear a football jersey out in public, men you don’t even know, will shout out a comment to you about your team, usually in fun, about how good or bad they are. Maybe they are married, maybe they are dating someone, maybe, just maybe they are single. Do you know how many men love and watch football? Your chances of meeting a single man are pretty good.

Case in point about strange men talking to you just out of the blue when your wearing a football team jersey. I’m from NY (upstate) and I was walking downtown at lunch, when a guy behind me says “you're rooting for the wrong team”. I had on a Vikings No. 4 (Favre) shirt at the time, and that’s a no no in NY, BUT you have to stand with your convictions when you wear your team’s jersey, because you will most likely come across a hater (an even better way to start a conversation, all in fun of course). I then replied “well I’m really a Jets fan", which really throws them off, I then explained that Favre played for the Jets for one year, so I’m following him. The guy went onto say he owned the T.C. Jets - a local football team for guys who didn’t go to college, to play on after high school.

You see, I’m having a dialogue with a man, we are exchanging football facts, who knows, he could have asked me for my phone number, except he was about 20 years older and I’m married and not interested. Luckily my husband does not get upset about these football conversations with strange men, even when he’s around, hell, he even joins in - that’s all a part of being a part of the tribe (the football tribe).

My point is that I’m talking to a man, you can talk to strange men too.

I went to the Jets training camp the last two years since it was being held in Cortland, NY, these are my people, these are my tribe. Most of us tribe mates wore our green and whites. You can converse with your tribe mates anywhere any time when one of us is wearing our tribal colors.

I recently went to Walmart Superstore (the one with groceries) on Football Sunday, it was around 11:00 am not too early and not too late (football games start at 1:00 pm EST but the pregame show comes on even earlier at 12:00). It was warm out for September so nobody was wearing a coat, at least 10 guys had their football jerseys on, as did I. I wasn’t in much of a social mood, but had I been, I would have probably shouted a comment to all of them about their team (most of them were wearing Jets jerseys), and I’m sure most of them would have had a thing or two to say in return.

I suggest Walmart as the place to hang out for that kind of thing because a couple weeks later I went to a different local grocery store on game day around the same time, and I only saw one football jersey. I guess at Walmart you can get your car oil, a pair of socks, to go along with the guacamole dip for the game snacks all in the same place. And here’s a tip for women reading this article who are ready to run out and get a football jersey of their very own, you can find your local (state) team at Walmart. That’s right, go to the men’s clothing section, hey, you never know, you just might be able to strike up your first ever football conversation while rummaging through the racks.

Warning, you do have to know a little about your team, because men will stop you and ask what you thought about last weeks game or about the one coming up. You have to know the quarterbacks name and a couple of the other main players. You should also learn some rules. There’s nothing worse than sitting at a football game where someone behind you, (usually a guy) is explaining to someone else (usually a women) that there are four quarters in a game and each are 15 minutes long, that’s football 101, ugh! why are you even there? you’re just embarrassing yourself, you should at least know the basics before you go.

Being part of a tribe (football) has within it separate family’s (teams) but we all generally get along and have a good comradity. There are a few crazies out there, but for the most part everyone is harmless.

Did I mention there are a lot of handsome, sexy, athletic men who play football? Have I gotten your attention now. Don’t wait, go now to www.NFL.com/shop, pick a team that is in your state, pick a team where you like their colors, the point is buy a jersey, turn the TV on Sunday, sit back and learn some names and rules, put your jersey on, go out in public, and find yourself a football teammate you can call your own.

Alternative Medicine for the Flu (Swine) / Colds / Respiratory Illnesses

Here are some of what I think may help you this coming fall / winter with the garden variety of (swine) flu / colds / respiratory illnesses. The important thing to remember is that all of these remedies should be taken at the first sign that you or your loved ones are not feeling good, usually a sore throat is a good indication that something else is coming down the line. Start buying now, to have these items on hand, because as we all know you don’t usually feel sick until after doctor / store has closed or on the weekend. Most of this you can find at your local health food store, but I will supply my sources for on-line purchase and some related articles.

Y2K Health This site has valuable information, and you can purchase the items I describe below on: Thymuline / Inflenzinum, Oil of Oregano, and Vitamin D. It is a great overall website on natural remedies I would suggest you read through it all.

Here is what and why I like in order of importance: I’m getting a little make-up bag for all my family members to carry these items with them wherever they go.

Thymuline / Influenzinum This formulation is a preventative to help you NOT get the flu. It is a homeopathy (natural remedy) in place of the flu shot. My daughter used to get the “throw-up” flu every year, but for the last 3 years I have been giving this to her, she has not gotten sick. It’s best if you order it now, but they don’t ship it until October 15. If you want to read more about the side effects of getting a flu vaccine, especially the H1N1 (swine vaccine) you can read more about it at the website above or go to. Natural Health News and this article

Oscillococcinum You can buy this at CVS and your local health food store and it’s cheap. This you can carry in your purse and take at 1st signs of flu which are noted on the box. I really like this and it works great. Follow directions. It is the same maker as the Thymuline / Infuenzinum above.

Airborne You can buy this at CVS, Kmart and some other stores and it’s cheap. This you can carry in your purse and drop in a little bit of water, it works great. You have to use it at 1st signs of getting sick. At the onset, take 1 tablet every couple of hours, then 3 times a day for a couple more days or follow directions on the bottle. It usually knocks out colds and flu it you take it sooner than later.

Lugol’s Solution of Iodine 5% / Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar (organic) / Honey: This you have to do at home as opposed to Airborne and Oscillococcinum which you can carry with you wherever you go. At the onset of symptoms put 6 drops of iodine in a half glass of water, add 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon of honey. This zaps out bacteria and balances your pH at the same time. Did you know that a balanced body pH helps fight off most illnesses, and that you can take the 1 teaspoon of apple cider with honey at each meal to help keep you healthy? You can OD on the iodine and when you tell people that your taking it, they think you’re poisoning yourself, it’s not the benadine iodine used for surgery, it’s potassium iodine that you can ingest (I’m still standing). BUT you can overdose so take the 6 drops 3 times a day for the 1st day, if that knocks it out day one, drop it down to 1 drop 3 times a day for a couple more days. You can tell if you are taking too much iodine when your nose starts running. For more information about iodine and its uses, check out the website link above.

Oil of Oregano (wildcrafted): It is antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic. I would suggest also buying empty gel caps to put the drops in, this stuff is harsh going down otherwise. You can read more about it at scroll down. I just used it at the onset of my chronic bronchitis (started with coughing in middle of night) I took 2 drops twice a day and my coughing stopped and the bronchitis did not set in.

Vitamin D You can click this link to read more information about it.

Thieves Essential Oil I just started using Thieves Household Cleaner and I just love it, I plan on using the Thieves Essential Oil in a diffuser in my home. To read more about it, click on the “Thieves Booklet” or “Thieves Autoship Pack” and to order go to "New to Young Living? Create your own account" or email and I can order it for you through my account.

Feel free to forward this is all your family and friends or email me with any questions.

Be Well!

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and am only recommending products. Please see your doctor if you have any questions or concerns with your health.

Who's Playing on Those Plastic Jungle Gyms Any Way?

Never-ever have I seen a kid playing outside, on or around those brightly colored plastic jungle gyms, you know the 3'x3'x3'x3' cube with a hole on each side? There is one exception, daycare centers, where the kids are corralled into playing on them behind fenced in play areas.

When I was a kid we climbed actual living sap-on-your-hands trees. What a novel idea. Our other option was to go to the playground where you sat on a searing hot metal (if the sun was shining) merry-go-round disc, while one of your friends held onto one the rails and pushed it, running, running, running as fast as they could, as you watched in merriment as they were almost dragged along side or under before jumping on. Going round and round until you thought you where going to puke. Now that's fun! Or better yet, we went went down searing hot metal slides, jumping off at the first realization of its hotness, before leaving some much needed skin behind. That's what real playing is about, not going in and out of a hole and climbing up and out a 3'x3'x3'x3' plastic "jungle gym" to where again, I have never seen a kid within 20 feet of.

Speaking of boxes, I had more fun when I was a kid with a large cardboard box where
I could make believe it was a car and I drew a steering wheel, gas petal and brake, on the inside and wheels on the outside. Or it could be a house where I cut holes for doors and windows. Imagine using your imagination! Fascinating.

So all you new moms and dads out there, save $250 by not buying one of those outdoor plastic jungle gyms, your kids will never play on them, just see if you can get the box they come in instead.

The Art of Grocery Shopping

Most things I do, I like to do it and get it done, with FAST being the operative word. My mind works in an organized logical manner (I’m not going to apologize – but I’m naturally ORGANIZED!). I can see a big mess and before you can say supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! I’ve started, and can work logically and FAST to get it cleaned up. Same goes for the grocery store. With cart in hand I’m OFF – watch out people who have to stand in the middle of the isle with their cart across both LANES not committing to the right or left side (don’t they know that the rules of the road apply to the isles of the grocery store TOO! – you “drive” your cart always on the right side of the isle – we're not in Britain!). I guess to me, grocery shopping is like the Indy 500 where for some people, it is a walk in the park.

So what do I do when I encounter a totally clueless-don’t-care-about-oncoming-traffic-because-what-I’m-doing-is-all-about-ME-cross-lane-isle-hogger? I stand there patiently (eyes rolled up in the back of my head) and WAIT – I don’t say “Excuse me, can you please move your cart”? I wait, because I want to see just how long it takes a NARSISSTIC shopper to realize someone has been standing there while they calculate the price difference between a jar of creamy Jiff’s peanut butter at $3.29 per 16 oz jar to a jar of creamy Peter Pan’s peanut butter at $3.59 per 12 oz jar. Oh the pennies they waste and brain cells they burn up – I can actually see the glazed look in their eyes as they are holding both jars.

I zip up and down the isles as if I were on speed skates – what’s this? an older person stalled out in the isle – what are they doing? I would have to guess by this time in their lives – they’ve seen everything there is to see on the grocery shelves 100 times over and know exactly where everything is! Patience, patience, someday I'm going to be old too! But not like this!

Did I forget to mention I'm a picky eater and therefore could eat the same food day in and day out for years on end and not complain? I guess the difference between me and the "stand in the way" person trying to make up their mind "let's see, regular rice or pilaf, if I have regular rice blah blah blah but if I have pilaf blah blah blah" (oh the endless conversations they must be having in their head at the grocery store), is that I hate grocery shopping (does anyone like it?) and I'm "just not that into food". I eat because I have to, not because I like it (ha ha ha).