Congratulations to Spain!

Grab Bag Must See:

Two minutes… just two minutes… And I ask you… if you have alternatives, why NOT switch to something BETTER/HEALTHIER for you??

Grab Bag Must Get:

iPhone alert… this is an app recommendation for the iPhone. Don’t have an iPhone? Move along… these aren’t the Droids you’re looking for. (Cell phone competition pun intended.)

So, what is this magical app??

This FREE app turns your iPhone into a walkie-talkie of sorts, kinda like Nextel phones. There is a bit of a lag, but if your 3G or Edge coverage is decent, it’s pretty quick. Extremely useful while driving, if you absolutely HAVE to communicate, as the whole thing can take place with the iPhone speaker on, so you are hands-free. Although it won’t satisfy Oprah, it’s a good start.

And if you are game to let your convo-buddy see your location, just hit the map icon during the conversation, they do the same, and you can see each other’s whereabouts pinpointed on the displayed map (see picture below).

I chatted with my son as he plodded through a 9-hour drive the other day and I could see right where he was every time he spoke to me. I was even able to zoom in and see he was half a block off of the highway at a rest stop. Very cool. For the record… my son’s name isn’t Alice and I’m not in New Mexico.. this was just a screenshot from the HeyTell website 🙂 Click on either picture here for a demo of the application.

Grab Bag Witch Watch:

What the heck IS Witch Hazel?

Well, technically, it’s an extract from the Hamamelis flowering plant, native to North America, China and Japan.

BUT…. it’s SO much more than that. I had kind of forgotten about it, until I was nudged back into using it for a bug bite and some scrapes, and I forgot HOW GREAT it is! It has natural anti-flammatory and toning properties, making it REALLY useful for all kinds of skin stuff. Keep reading…..

Dr. Weil suggests these uses:

To treat irritated skin, douse an organically grown cotton pad with witch hazel and apply it to the area. This treatment is good for insect bites as well as sun and wind burn, and even hemorrhoids. You can also use it in the same manner to disinfect minor cuts and abrasions, and for general skin care such as cleansing, toning and refreshing the face. In addition, it can be rubbed into arms or legs for muscle soreness. Witch hazel has no drug interactions and may be used safely by both children and adults.

And here’s what Wikipedia adds to the mix on more, shall we say, sensitive areas:

Witch-hazel helps to shrink and contract blood vessels back to normal size, hence its use as the active ingredient in many hemorrhoid medications. It is also a common treatment for postnatal tearing of the perineum. The seeds contain a quantity of oil and are edible. It is also used in treating acne.

It’s cheap, soothing, and chemical-free. In its pure form, it rates a 1 on Cosmeticsdatabase.com, but BE SURE to buy 100% natural…. there are many out there with “fragrance” and God-knows-what in them… read the label… I prefer Dickinson’s.

And did I mention it’s EFFECTIVE?? HELLO!! No home should be without it.

Grab Bag Portion Police:

Look how far we have come 🙄 Click on the picture below and take this quiz…  not only will you see the ballooning portions we now consider normal, but you’ll get a reality check on cashing in those added calories….

Grab Bag Brain Game:

Deductive reasoning is honed with this quiz, prophetically titled

IQ GRAB BAG #4

Grab Bag Funny Stuff:

America’s Funniest Home Videos produces a “Best of” in their animal category… classic.