Grab Bag Wow Moment:

One of the beauties of the tech age is that we can experience things we would never get a chance to otherwise. Such is this video…. a fantastic voyage through the International Space Station, giving us all a small sense of what life is like 222 miles above us, traveling at roughly 17,227 miles per hour:

Thanks to Corinna G. for sending this in.

Grab Bag Hotel Hack:

This is a pretty solid idea from Lifehacker.com that is worth a try, should you find yourself within the penalty period for cancelation of your hotel reservations:

Most hotels will charge you a fee if you cancel your room booking less than 24-hours before you’re supposed to check in. Ideally, that shouldn’t be a problem, if you’re not going to make a trip or vacation, you’ll usually know it ahead of time. However, if your flight is cancelled, re-routed, or there’s another emergency, Redditor drwired has the solution: don’t cancel the room, push your arrival time out by a few days, hang up, call later and then cancel it, once you’re safely more than 24-hours from your check-in date.

Grab Bag Tie One On:

Men, let’s get back to the real deal. Tie one on like a REAL man. A useful and well done video… I will put a permanent link in the Information section on the right, for those times you need it.

Grab Bag Zit Zap:

Also from Lifehacker.com, and a good tip for any acne-prone face:

Sleep with a clean and freshly washed towel or pillowcase on your pillow every night. It is said to be more effective than acne meds.

I researched this a bit and there are lots of comments on sites like acne.org and others that all say using a fresh pillow case or fresh towel over the pillow every night makes a BIG difference for acne.

Grab Bag Breakfast Bonanza:

It truly is, at the risk of overstating it, the most important meal of the day.

There is irrefutable evidence showing that consuming a healthy, balanced breakfast helps in a plethora of health aspects, foremost among them your weight, your blood sugar and your energy levels; three very good reasons why you need to eat healthy as the day begins.

Do not come with the, “I’m just never hungry in the morning” or, “I never have time”. Not listening.

Here are 8 healthy breakfast suggestions from Prevention magazine:

1. Greek yogurt is a powerhouse breakfast, packing up to 18 g of protein into just one 6-ounce container. Plus, one serving of plain can tally only 100 calories and 0 g of fat. Mix in some almonds and a fiber-rich fruit, like fresh pear, to round out the meal.

2. Grab a bar, but not just any one: Many are laden with sugar and fat. Try Kind fruit and nut bars, which have up to 10 g of protein and 5 g of fiber, plus antioxidants.

3.  If the drive-thru is your only option, avoid morning calorie sinkholes like muffins, bagels, and pancakes, and order a protein-packed egg sandwich instead. To save calories, hold the cheese. (Note from LK: Starbuck’s has a couple of clean options… spinach feta wrap and low-fat turkey bacon and egg breakfast sandwich.)

4. If your body’s not used to having breakfast, ease yourself into it by sipping on a smoothie (we like Odwalla) throughout the morning to start your day with vitamins and nutrients. Also, curb late-night snacking, which can suppress your morning appetite. Up for making a smoothie yourself? One of these 20 delicious smoothie recipes will totally hit the spot.

5. If you need to fuel a workout, carbs and protein are essential for repairing your muscles post sweat session. Kashi’s 7 Grain frozen waffle has 7 g of fiber and 4 g of protein per serving. Pair it with a protein-packed serving of peanut butter, some sliced bananas, and a glass of fat-free milk and you’ll have a winning start.

6. If you’re trying to lose 10 pounds, swap your morning cup o’ joe for a mug of green tea—research shows that it can rev your metabolism. As for your main meal: Fill up on two eggs any way you like ’em. Studies show that people who incorporated eggs instead of bagels into a reduced-calorie diet lost 65% more weight. (Note from LK… I told you so, on both these counts!)

7. If heart health is your priority, try a breakfast burrito chock-full of heart-friendly monounsaturated fats. Fill a whole wheat wrap with sliced avocado, scrambled eggs, and a splash of salsa. Also check out these other tasty breakfast burrito ideas.

8. If you need more fiber, don’t settle for a cereal with fewer than 5 g of fiber per serving. Some varieties, such as Fiber One, contain as much as 14 g. To add even more fiber-filled food (and flavor): Toss in raspberries. (Note from LK: Kashi Cinnamon Harvest is one of my favs!)

Grab Bag Brain Game:

A variation on the “Stroop” effect, this game asks you to click on the color of the word, not the color that the word actually spells.

Adding to the challenge, the color of the background is changing as the words and their colors are changing also. Give it a few rounds…. you’ll get better…. and it will improve your focus and concentration.

BRAIN BENDER

Grab Bag Funny Stuff: