ChowBaby.com

Here's something you probably didn't need in your life: a direct link to every calorie you consume at a restaurant. Be warned--it's hard to pull yourself away once you log on and see what all your favorite foods are costing you. Go to www.chowbaby.com and look up menu items at your favorite restaurants.

My grande decaf mocha with skim milk and no whip from Starbucks? 230 calories, 42 carbs, 32 grams of sugar and 14 grams of protein.

Or how about my favorite cinnamon-crunch bagel from Panera? 490 calories, 91 g carbs, and 9 grams of fat.

Sob! Oh, the inhumanity of it all!

I haven't been able to bring myself to look up the fat/carb/sugar content of Wendy's fries. Some pleasures in life just shouldn't be messed with.

Creative Writing Prompts

I've recently begun spending time each morning doing a creative writing prompt. I get up at 5, grab a cup of coffee and write for anywhere from 10-40 minutes. At this point, the prompts are random ones I'm pulling from a book. The idea is to become accustomed to doing creative writing first thing every morning so that I'll eventually move back into doing more novel writing.

This morning's prompt just asked that I list the Top 10 Events Of My Life. "Top" meaning significant. So they could be happy, traumatic, rage-invoking, mellow, whatever. I had a slow start, even forgetting things such as "moving to North Carolina." 

It's a good exercise. Try and see what you come up with. I was surprised at some of the things I'd forgotten and what was included on my final list.

If you do this exercise, chances are you list the "big" events - marriage, children, divorce, jobs, etc. The second part of the prompt asks you to list 10 more top ten events, this time feeling free to include smaller ones.

My eyes skimmed ahead so I know tomorrow's prompt involves choosing one of the things from either list and doing something with them. But I don't know what yet--sorry. =)  Still, the above exercise can be done quickly and it's interesting. If you have a few spare moments today, give it a try.

On My Mind

When people ask "What's up?" here's what I tell them:

• Contact person for feature article profile for paper. Arrange time to meet for interview. Send photographer to his house. Write and submit article. Due Sept. 12
• Write 750-word Piedmont Mag article. Due: Sept. 1
• Contact 3 artists to interview for Reidsville magazine piece. Write 850-word article. Due: Sept. 1
• Research background for cat rescue piece for Purina newsletter. Contact and interview 5 sources for story. Write 1700-word article plus sidebar. Due: Sept. 10
• Prepare Interview questions for author of keynote speech I'm writing. Due: Sept. 23
• Research background for speech. Write first draft. Due: Sept. 8
• Print and mail contract to new employer. Due today
• Research and write 1500-word article for new employer. Due: Sept. 10
• Contact 2 magazine editors to find out where the heck my payments are. Due whenever my bank account reads zero.
• Remind other magazine editor yet again that she still hasn't approved my topic for a column due Sept. 30
• Research background / material for website I'm writing. Write new content. Due: Sept. 14
• Edit of e-book. Due: Sept. 30
• Go to post office, bank, and CVS - need eye makeup remover and hair conditioner
• Research and write 5 phone scripts. Due: Sept. 3
• Contact client who cancelled last week's meeting and see if (please no) wants to reschedule soon
• Think of new and interesting 30-second commercial for tomorrow's networking meeting.
• Go through the load of mail and files gasping to be organized on side of my desk. Due: Probably never...
• Buy sympathy card (add to going out list above)
• Conduct massive amounts of new research for new Diversity Woman magazine for which I will be assistant editor. Brainstorm story ideas, front-of-book content/columns/visual look, get to know competing magazines, etc. Submission ideas due to editorial team Sept. 20th.
• Need to start prep work at some point for 4 upcoming speeches - 2 in October and 2 in November

What's up with you? - Dena

What's It Worth To You?

My niece visited us a few weeks ago and I just discovered she left a pair of pants and a shirt hanging in the upstairs guest closet. We also picked up the clay turkey she painted at The Mad Platter, fired in the kiln and now all bright and shiny with colors. I was thinking I needed to run by K-Mart and grab a box and bubble wrap, when it occurred to me I could just run by Mailboxes-R-Us and hand them the items and make them deal with it. Yes, it costs more, but the ease of transaction is worth it.

This got me to thinking about the trivial things in life that I'm willing to pay money for, where others may not. And also what I am NOT willing to pay for, that others might find worthwhile. So, here's my list.

It's Worth It To Pay The Money

• To have my car cleaned. I don't vacuum it, I don't do the soap and hose thing. Twice a year I take it to be washed, whether it needs it or not.
• Change the oil in my car.
• Alterations. Yes, I will pay someone $5 to sew on a button. So sue me...
• Trim the cats nails.
• Box packages (for items that are big or breakable).
• Haircut. I've never trimmed my bangs in my life and never will. We could be starving and I'd still set aside money for a professional cut and color. Non-negotiable.

I Can Do That Myself...

• Interior painting. I've painted almost every room in our home, some several times, including rooms with tricky trim and corners and friggin' 18-pane glass windows that go on forever. But I can do it, so I'll never pay to have it done...
• Cleaning my house. Although sometimes it gets to me, I have the mindset that if you can't take care of the house you have, you need a smaller house. (For me. I don't begrudge anyone else maid service. In fact, go for it.)
• Washing Windows. Same as house cleaning. I'm perfectly capable of squirting and wiping off Windex, thank you very much.
• Cook. I fantasize about paying someone to bring me fresh, vegetarian, low-fat, organic healthy meals that I can open my fridge and choose from. Then I shake my head to clear it and tell myself that if I want a meal, get my ass in the kitchen and start experimenting and cook something. It's not so hard.

Can't Decide Category

There are some things out there I can't decide whether they are worth they money or not. They include:

• Paying someone to plant and maintain a garden. I desperately want pretty plants and flowers surrounding my house but I have an aversion to watering. Still, I can't quite bring myself to pay someone to WATER for me.
• Personal Trainer. Having one would make me feel great and help with strength training, but the guilt at paying someone has so far outweighed the perceived benefits.

Anyone have their own items to add to any category?