Somebody Has to Say It

Is anyone watching the new TV show on FOX called Secret Millionaire? I’ve seen all of the episodes so far and the first one was definitely the best and is my favorite one so far. 

The premise of the show is that millionaires go to pre-determined locations and pretend to be poor, and have to live on “poor people” wages for a week. They spend the week mingling with the “commoners” and find people to give $100,000 dollars of their own money to. The millionaires get to choose who to give the money and can split it up however they want.

As I said, the first episode was definitely my favorite out of all I’ve watched to date. It features a father and son team by the name of Greg and Cole Ruzicka. Greg owns a law firm in Newport Beach. There is a line in the show when rich dad (Greg Ruzicka) and son (Cole) are talking about how much money they blow without even blinking an eye or thinking about it …. spending $1200.00 on jet fuel just to fly around for no particular reason. Both of them said doing the show gave them a whole new perspective on the value of “things”. The dad also said that the people in his neighborhood are so stuck up and would never come to his aid like the complete strangers he met during the filming of the show. I hope they continue to have a giving spirit for the rest of their lives and inspire others to help those less fortunate.

I also hope more people see this show and take it upon themselves to reach out to others in need.

Just when I think stupidity and waste can’t get any worse, and people can’t stoop any lower, I stumble across another “say what” story. According to a news story on Yahoo News, a new hotel being built in Dubai is thinking about air-conditioning the sand on the beach around the hotel!! What are they thinking? If their “richey-rich” clients don’t want to be hot on the beach then let them stay indoors!

Seriously, this is the height of waste and inconsiderate behavior. Even if we put aside the fact that piping AC outdoors for the sake of mere vanity is a wasteful assault to the environmental eco-system, piping air conditioning outdoors is still wrong on so many other levels! People all over the world are starving, struggling to makes ends meet, put food on the table, clothe their kids, and keep from going bankrupt. These goofballs want to throw money away by air conditioning SAND - outdoors - on a beach!

The investors and executives making these decisions need to be stripped of all their possessions and made to walk in the shoes of an average citizen. That money they are wasting on extravagant unnecessary “luxury” could help so many people around the world. ARGH!!!! What do you think about this?

Just because you are going to a New Year’s holiday party does not mean you have to leave your good manners at home. Many people tend to forget about proper etiquette during the holidays, especially when they go to a party where alcohol is served.

Here are some etiquette tips and reminders for guests as well as hosts. 

For hosts - If you are inviting couples with children, be sure to provide a safe zone for kids to play and run around without breaking something. Child proof your home before people arrive. This will help everyone feel more comfortable and relaxed. 

For guests - It is considered good manners to take a gift to the host. Take time when making your gift selection and put thought into it. 

Want more party etiquette tips? Click here!

Every couple becomes angry at his or her spouse at times and they argue, fuss, and fight. Couples argue with their spouse over any number of things such as kids, money, and sex. But it’s important to remember that how you react and deal with each conflict and argument plays a part in your overall health. Arguing with a partner is perfectly normal and is a natural part of life. However, never venting your feelings or thoughts to present your side of the argument will only lead to resentment. Over time, all of this anger and bottled up resentment can cause health problems. Dealing with issues and getting your feelings out in the open can make it easier to live a healthier and longer life. Click here to read about productive ways to deal with anger.

As the economy continues to slump and people’s wallets get hit by the high prices of gas and airfare, many families are staying at home more than they normally would. Staying at home means people are searching for ways to entertain themselves and their family. Families with kids often need to play outside in the backyard because the indoors can get cramped. However, if your yard is small you might feel limited on your options for creating a space that is functional and fun for your family but still has a relaxing atmosphere. Simple changes such as innovative lighting, creative seating and artistic landscaping will make the most of all the hidden nooks and crannies that might otherwise go unnoticed and unused. Want to learn how to make your small yard look bigger? Click here to read more!

New Year’s Eve is a time when people traditionally gather with friends or loved ones, reminisce about the past year, and look towards the future.

Many people have New Year’s Eve parties and a good party needs good music. The lively tunes Celebrate by Three Dog Night, Celebration by Kool & the Gang, and 1999 by Prince will get the festivities rockin’ in no time!

When it’s time to dim the lights and savor a more romantic atmosphere, the songs New Years Day by U2, One Moment in Time by Whitney Houston, Grow Old With Me by Mary Chapin Carpenter and I’ve Had the Time of My Life by Bill Medley are perfect melodies for swaying in the arms of a loved one. All of these songs have reflective lyrics, making them a good representation of both the past and the future.

Happy New Year by Abba is a good pick for background music while sitting around talking to party guests. The easy pop melody is smooth enough so as not to overpower the mood.

2008 has been a rough and tumble year, so an appropriate song for this holiday season would be Tubthumping by Chumbawumba. We’ve been knocked down but will get up again!

A New Year’s celebration would not be complete with the traditional song Auld Lang Syne. James Taylor recorded my favorite version.

Do you need the lyrics to these tunes? Click here!

Merry Christmas! Yes, I choose to say Merry Christmas because I am a Christian and choose to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on Christmas day. So I say Merry CHRISTmas. I understand why some people may say happy holidays instead, and support their right to do so … so why don’t non-believers support my right to say merry Christmas? I don’t begrudge them their right or put down their beliefs. To the Jewish community, I would say Happy Hanukkah, etc etc etc. I wish we could all put aside our differences for even just one day without having to worry about being politically correct or offending someone by an innocent well-meant wish for happiness and peace in a season celebrated for many different reasons.

Trivia games and quizzes are very popular, and Bible trivia can be a great way to learn and memorize the Word of God. Bible trivia games and quizzes can be used to teach kids the Word of God in a Sunday School class, vacation Bible school class, or small group gatherings. These types of trivia games are also great educational fun for kids at a slumber party or church youth group get together. The quizzes are also a great way to test your own knowledge of scripture.

I urge you to read the Word of God for yourself and open your mind and heart while you read it. You’ll discover fascinating details that will teach you how to live the life the Lord has planned for you. For a printable Bible trivia game, follow this link.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m soooo very thankful I have health insurance … BUT … every day I am finding out more and more how important it is to know all of the dirty details of your coverage. Know what drugs are covered, what doctors participate in your plan, what hospitals participate, what type of doctors are considered specialists, what procedures are covered (xrays, bloodwork, etc). You also need to understand what your co-pay amount is and your out-of-pocket costs maximum. I’ll talk more about all of this in a later series because insurance companies are one of my biggest pet peeves! 

I recently went to an in-network doctor who referred me for an MRI at out-of-network imaging center. The imaging center agreed up front to accept whatever money my insurance paid them, I would be out no money. I called my insurance to verify this and called the billing office on two separate days at the MRI location and spoke with two different ladies. The day I arrived for the procedure, I once again the front desk girl about the MRI being covered and I would pay nothing. I was told repeatedly by everyone I spoke with that all was well and not to worry because I would not get a bill of any kind.

Note, I’ve been bitten by costly surprises in the past and have learned to be very diligent about asking these type of questions about in-network (participating) or out-of-network (non-participating) and co-pays or out-of-pocket costs.

Well, as fate would have it, “silly me” didn’t even think to ask if the technician that would read the MRI results was in network or if he/she operated under the same rules as the imaging center itself. 

As it turns out, the technician was NOT in-network and did not want to accept my out-of-network benefits as full payment.   Had I known to ask this ahead of time I would not have had the procedure done at this particular location, or would have asked for a different technician to read the results.

I spent 6 days calling back and forth between the MRI imaging center, my insurance company, the referring doctor, and the technician and finally managed to get the technician to accept my benefits with me not having to pay any money. But I should not have had to do this.

I learned the hard way and will not make this mistake again. I will not assume I’m fully covered and will ask questions and take down names and dates of who said what.  

We all get bombarded by gift catalogs during the holiday season. Stores send out catalogs trying to get us to spend our hard earned money on a sweater for Aunt Sue or a model car for little Timmy. World Vision International sends out a catalog full of gift ideas, but the gifts they offer will actually benefit and enrich the lives of others. World Vision International is a non-profit Christian relief organization that gives aid to people in need. Their gift ideas are tangible items that are desperately needed for people to survive in different countries all around the world. Through the catalog people can give goats, chickens, cows, immunization kits, farming tools, deep water wells, sewing machines, and other extraordinary items. Here is a link to their gift catalog http://donate.worldvision.org/OA_HTML/xxwv2ibeCCtpSctDspRte.jsp?go=gift&xxwvCampaign=1136161§ion=10024. There are a lot of organizations that give assistance to the poor, but I especially like World Vision because they not only help “third world” countries, but also help poor struggling people in the
United States. While I am glad to see people around the world get assistance, I live in the United States and think people in the
US should take care of folks in our OWN country. There are people in the
US who, through no fault of their own, are living on the streets and don’t have enough food to eat. So yes, we should help our fellow mankind no matter where they live but let’s not forget about our brothers and sisters in the
United States either. The website for World Vision International is http://www.worldvision.org/.