The John Tesh Blog

Weekend's here!

So may I ask you a question- as we head into our weekend?  Do you have any time blocked out to share with only your spouse?  OK- I didn't mean to stump you!  Believe me, traveling with my band many weekends throughout the year, I know how difficult it can be for couples to have some quality (or any!) time devoted to themselves.  Add kids into the mix, and you're doubly challenged in finding "alone time"- because of course, your time together as a family is equally important, and sometimes just as hard to come by with so many activities thrown to the weekend.  But do you know how critical choosing to spend time alone together can be to a marriage thriving- let alone, surviving?  What happens when life gets in the way?  Marital distance happens- here's how, what it really means, and the fix to getting your marriage back on track- psychologists Jeff Gardere and Linda Fears from Family Circle magazine give us the play-by-play: 

Too much distance
You're both so busy with work, the kids, and your own interests that you can go for days without having a real conversation. And then it's time to fall into bed, because the next day- and all the work and stress that goes with it- looms over us again.

What's the problem? When you eliminate quality time from your marriage, you risk getting too casual about your relationship — or worse, assuming that you don't need to work on it anymore. Too much of this for too long and you could wake up one day and not even remember why you married each other. "People respond to detachment by pulling back themselves," offers Mira Kirshenbaum, author of "The Weekend Marriage: Abundant Love in a Time-Starved World" (Harmony), "And things just go downhill."

Cleanup time: People also respond in kind to respect and niceness. So cut out distractions and use the time to reconnect. You can't miss your kids' games, but you can share a pizza in the stands or sneak away for a short walk. If you've fallen into the habit of zoning out in front of the TV every night, turn it off for at least 20 minutes and talk or do a sudoku puzzle together.  

Happy weekend to you- and I truly mean that!  John

Email John:  johnsblog@teshmedia.com

Check out the new John Tesh Social Network. You can connect with new friends, post your own blog, visit various forums, upload your favorite John Tesh music and share your photos.  To learn more about how to join, click here.

Use that for what? And I can save money? Ok- let's find out.

Look around your house.  You might be surprised to find a few unexpected places where you can trim your household costs.  Real Simple found these new uses- call them "Hey!  I didn't know that!" moments:

• Vanilla extract- good for those your special homemade chocolate chip cookies, right?  Well, how about also to combat refrigerator odors: Soak a cotton ball in it, then stow on a plate in the fridge until dry.
• Cooking or Vegetable oil- a staple in your pantry for french fries, stir fry, baking, and...shoe polishing?  You bet. On leather shoes, use a damp cloth to wipe away dirt, then apply a small drop of oil to a soft cloth and rub the surface to remove scuff marks.  And try oil to remove adhesive from glasses. Apply cooking oil to the sticker using a paper towel or a soft cloth, rub firmly, then rinse with warm, soapy water. (If the adhesive is stubborn, use a dab of toothpaste along with the oil.) 
• Lemonade Kool-Aid- ahh...remember your kids' adorable Summertime lemonade stands?  Okay- now try some of it in the dishwasher.  Pour a packet of lemonade Kool-Aid (the only flavor that works) into the detergent cup of your (empty) dishwasher and run.  Let the citrus mix of the Kool-Aid clean the lime deposits and iron stains, so you don't have to.
• Mesh potato and onion bags- Before you throw them away, use them to scrub up after dinner. Cut ends open, scrunch, and add soap and water.  After a sticky mac-and-cheese cleanup, you can throw this freebie sponge away guilt-free.
• Lint Roller- and here, you thought it was only good to rid your black sweather of Fido's and Fluffy's hair before you head into an important meeting!  Who knew that it's also a snap to use that roller to dust your lampshade?  Run the roller up and down the outside to get rid of small particles that shouldn't be there, and can be hard as the dickens to get rid of!
• Lemon- Your lemon bars are always requested at any potluck, I'll just bet!  Got an extra lemon left over from the last batch?  Use a lemon to remove tough food stains from light wood and plastic cutting boards. Slice it in half, squeeze onto the soiled surface, rub, and let sit for 20 minutes before rinsing.  And it'll be so much nicer to have a kitchen that smells like a fresh, and totally natural, lemon grove, instead of a bunch of chemicals!
• Baking soda- In addition to being a must-have ingredient for most baking, it's also great to remove countless household odors, from the refrigerator to Fluffy's (yes, her again!) litter box- but to polish your silver?  Yes!  Wash items, then place on aluminum foil in the bottom of a pot. Add a baking-soda solution (1/4 cup soda, a few teaspoons salt, 1 quart boiling water) to cover for a few seconds. Getting the black off your grandmother's antique gravy boat (that you were sure you never could)?  Piece of cake.
• Salt- how many uses?  Well, how much time do you have?  Try this new one, though:  clean up a spilled egg. Heap a handful of salt on the mess, leave for two minutes or so, then wipe up.  What you'll find?  The egg sticks to one paper towel instead of sliding off five or six.
• Car wax- Polishing faucets, sinks, tile, even shower doors. Car wax leaves behind a protective barrier against water and soap buildup, so that beautiful sparkle you worked for will last past the next tooth-brushing.
• Newspaper- as a food-container deodorizer. Stuff a balled-up piece of newspaper into a plastic container, seal it, and let sit overnight. By morning the paper will have absorbed food smells, like last night's chicken curry.

What do you think- worth a try?  Save yourself another aisle at the store, and save a few bucks?  Be sure to let me know what you think!
John

Email John:  johnsblog@teshmedia.com

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Oh, boy...and we were off to such a GREAT start! What happened?

Well, my friend, maybe you just got hungry! Remember that New Year's resolution, the one about losing 15 pounds by Spring?  Dieting is tough. Even sticking to just sensible eating habits is challenging (and then you ran smack into Valentine's Day chocolates!)  Okay- you got sidetracked.  You lost that amazing willpower you had all of January, and actually regained some of the 6 pounds you had lost.  All is not lost, friend, and I mean that both ways, so let's get a few tricks up our sleeves to get through those weak moments, from MSN Health and Fitness and O, The Oprah Magazine. 

Feeling ravenous can undermine a sensible diet in at least two ways. First, it can make you eat when you don't need any food—sometimes the feeling is the product of a bored or worried mind rather than an actual indication of hunger. Second, it's real enough to send you into an eating frenzy at your next meal. 

Pile on the Protein

Calorie for calorie, nothing matches the satiating power of protein, says Barbara Rolls, Ph.D., professor of nutritional science at Pennsylvania State University and author of The Volumetrics Eating Plan: Techniques and Recipes for Feeling Full on Fewer Calories (Harper, 2007). That's why a morning dose of skim or low-fat milk or yogurt is key—it gives your breakfast a protein boost. A hard-boiled egg can do the same. If you're looking for a satisfying snack, Dannon's Light & Fit yogurt is a great snack option to help manage weight. If you really struggle with midmorning or afternoon hunger, try a Slim-Fast Optima shake for breakfast or lunch. It's formulated with a mix of protein, fiber and fat intended to keep hunger at bay. In the company's trials, the 190-calorie shake controlled hunger for nearly five hours.

If you'd rather tame your appetite with something savory, wrap a slice of turkey or lean ham around a carrot stick or apple section.  "One slice has minimal fat compared to the protein it delivers," says Rolls.

Fill up on Fiber

Fiber takes up space in your belly without adding many calories, says Rolls.  It also slows the rate at which food travels through your digestive system, she says, and that can keep you feeling full longer.

Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains all pack lots of fiber and a big dose of vitamins.  Start your day with oatmeal - I love a little peanut butter stirred in, or whole grain cereal topped with fruit, add milk or yogurt, and you stand a great chance of making it to lunch, without a breaktime stop at the vending machine.

Go nuts!

A hormone called ghrelin stimulates appetite and makes your stomach growl, says Mehmet Oz, M.D., vice chair of surgery and professor of cardiac surgery at Columbia University, co-author of You on a Diet: The Owner's Manual for Waist Management

(Free Press, 2006), and a frequent guest on Oprah. But just a handful of nuts can cause ghrelin levels to take a dive.

Calorically, the most dangerous part of a meal eaten out is in the first 10 minutes when you arrive, famished, and clean out the breadbasket, says Oz.  "If you eat a few nuts 30 minutes before dinner, your hunger will drop off dramatically," he says.  "By the time you sit down for the meal, you'll be able to slow down, enjoy the food, and stop before you're stuffed."

And you knew this one was coming:

Take a brisk walk

Studies show that a little vigorous exercise can temporarily suppress hunger.  "Before you decide to grab a snack, walk up a few stairs or stroll around the block," says Oz.  You may find that you're no longer hungry.  Or you might discover that you weren't hungry to begin with.  "If it's anxiety or stress that was causing you to want to eat," says Oz, "exercise can help."

Even taking a few yogic (deep) breaths at your desk might be enough to unwind.  "Try breathing in slowly to the count of five, then exhaling for the same period of time.  Try to repeat as many times during the day (at least three times.)

Keep your hands busy

Choose a snack that slows down your eating and makes you work for the calories, says Oz, like edamame (soybeans) and pistachio nuts in the shell.  And their high protein content makes them an especially fantastic and satisfying choice.

Soothe your taste buds

Sometimes hunger is simply a desire to taste something, says Oz.  In that case, a piece of licorice, a strong breath mint, or even a Listerine breath strip might be enough to stop your cravings in their tracks!

With a minty taste on your tongue, "Your taste buds will be numbed and you won't want that slice of cheese or piece of cake," Oz says.

Arm yourself!  You can get back on track, and you can make progress before Spring.  Heck-  you can even get ramped back up before the end of this month- I know you can!

John

Email John:  johnsblog@teshmedia.com

Check out the new John Tesh Social Network. You can connect with new friends, post your own blog, visit various forums, upload your favorite John Tesh music and share your photos.  To learn more about how to join, click here.

Got a job interview coming up? Spend some time thinking about what to wear!

What a job market these days!  Not only did you not expect to have to be looking for a new job again (or quite so soon), but the competition today's economy can leave you feeling stressed, or worse- pessimistic- before you even go in for the interview!  There will be many things out of your control when you step into that interview, and unfortunately, there's no getting around that. So what can you take charge of?  What you choose to wear!  Keep in mind that the rules vary depending upon the type of job you're going for, and these 10 tips to give you the basics come from The TODAY Show.

1. Opt for a conservative look, not an outlandish one.  This rule sets the stage for the entire interview, and attire that is distracting is a no-no. In most cases it makes sense to choose simple, understated styles and colors — blues and grays, for example. Black also could work, as long as you bring some tailored piece of color into play as well. 
2. When in doubt, ask.  If you really aren't sure what dress code is appropriate- call beforehand to ask!  You won't risk a mistake, and you're also showing how seriously you take the opportunity for the meeting, and then...
3. Dress for the job you really want.  Some hiring managers recommend dressing one or two levels up from the position.  Again- you show yourself to be a serious candidate.
4. Accessorize with great care.  You probably want to forgo any wild nail polish, noisy jewelry, face jewelry, ankle bracelets, strong perfumes or colognes, open-toed or backless shoes, or bare legs. Keep your accessories understated, inconspicuous and professional.
5. Cleanliness is next to employability.  Clean, pressed clothes are important, but so is the rest of you!  Polish your shoes, and make sure your hair, fingernails, and teeth are clean and well-groomed.  **And NO body odor!**
6. Stay up to date.  Find out whether you’re looking a little too dated with what you already had hanging in your closet by asking a trusted friend.  If you think you need to update, do!  (Just read #9 first!)
7. Don’t wear these items! Just say no to: short skirts; capri pants; leggings; leather jackets for men or women; or turtlenecks for men. Men should wear collared shirts on job interviews — and in almost every situation, a tie is a good thing.
8. Your own common sense and good judgment should prevail.  If you know that a tie is unsuitable for your meeting, then don't wear it.  Just be sure you recognize that this is not the time to make some kind of funky fashion statement.  This meeting is about you, and what you have to offer the company.
9. There’s no need to break the bank. Don't think these tips mean you should rush out and drop hundreds of dollars on fancy new suits and shoes. There are professional clothes on sale at major department stores, and thrift stores can be a treasure trove of nearly new suits, dress shirts and workday dresses and skirts.  Also, non-profit organizations such as Dress for Success help disadvantaged women throughout North America and in other countries to get outfitted for job interviews so they can get on the path to financial independence.
10. Set aside enough time for a final once-over.  Slip into the nearest restroom- take another look at your hair.  Check that tie, or make sure you aren't wearing any lipstick on your teeth!

This meeting is about what you can bring to this company.  Don't allow your outfit to be a distraction from delivering that message!  Do allow your professional attire to go the extra distance in helping you present your best self when you sit in that interview chair!
Good luck, John

Email John:  johnsblog@teshmedia.com

Check out the new John Tesh Social Network. You can connect with new friends, post your own blog, visit various forums, upload your favorite John Tesh music and share your photos.  To learn more about how to join, click here.

Pop quiz time:  Which is the best reason to cook with your kids? 

1. Bonding time
2. Making memories
3. Trying new dishes (and giving Fido a surprise treat...just in case things don't turn out "like the picture"...)
4. ALL OF THE ABOVE

Well, what did you think- I'd make it hard?  No way.  Getting the family together to make dinner might seem like a big hassle, but aol.com came up with ten reasons why cooking with your kids just might be some of the most rewarding time you spend all week.

1. It's a great way to spend some time together.
A family's got to eat, right? Get the whole family involved in the preparation. Not only will it divvy up the workload and get kids some supervised hands-on experience -- it'll also give you all a chance to catch up on each others' busy lives.

2. It's fun to watch them discover new flavors.
They may gravitate toward chicken fingers, french fries and sweets right now, but there's a whole world of tastes just waiting to be discovered. Don't make it a huge production - just have the whole family agree to try one new thing each time you make a major grocery store run. It might be a spice you've never used before, or a funny-colored heirloom tomato. They might not all be winners, but you just might find a new family favorite.

3. It will boost their confidence.
Kids feel more and more empowered with every new skill set they tackle, and there are few more useful than learning how to feed one's self. If they know they don't have to wait for Mom to fix them a snack, there's a good chance they'll skip the chips and do some experimenting with their new talents. It may not be gourmet, but it'll taste all the better for their having made it themselves.

4. These skills last a lifetime.
They're small fries now, but eventually, they're going to grow up and have to fend for themselves. While all the other kids in their dorm are scrounging up change for pizza, your kid will be whipping up a healthy, hearty batch of stew or a pasta primavera for all of his or her roomies. Hello, instant popularity!

5. Healthy eating begins at home.
With all the candy, snack, and fast food advertising out there, it's not as if kids are getting much outside encouragement to eat their veggies. It's up to you to show them why it's much cooler to reach for a carrot than for a cookie.

6. It's great to have a family ritual.
It might seem like the world is stacked against families just trying to spend a little time together. Check everyone's calendar, switch off the cellphones, and set one night of the week for a no-interruption family dinner. It doesn't matter if it's Taco Tuesday or Spaghetti Saturday - just so long as everyone pitches in and sits down together. Wouldn't it be a wonderful thing to see them carry on the tradition with their own kids someday?

7. They'll feel like they're contributing.
Even if they've just stirred the pot or snapped the beans, the pickiest family members will be much more eager to try every dish on the table if they've had a hand in the making. No matter if it's an ingredient they'd usually shy away from, there's no way they'll resist sampling their own handiwork.

8. You're making new memories.
Remember the time you spent in the kitchen, chatting with your mom, dad or grandparents- maybe baking holiday cookies, or cooking a big family weekend meal? Whether or not you have those fond remembrances, don't you want your kids to? For the rest of their lives, when they smell your special spaghetti sauce, or a fresh batch of your chocolate cookies, they'll be thinking of you, and those warm, special times together.

9. You'll keep family history alive.
They'll want the same for their children. So much of family culture and identity is tied to food traditions, and as older generations pass on, it's up to the younger ones to pick up the whisk. Celebrity chefs and cooking shows come and go, but Grandma's buttermilk biscuits and Uncle Steve's beef stroganoff will stand the test of time.

10. You just might get a nice surprise.
Yes, this is all about arming your kids with everything they need for a happy, healthy culinary life, but the more they learn, the better your chances are of waking up to a birthday breakfast in bed, or a surprise Sunday lasagna dinner - made with lots of love.

Happy cooking! 
John

Email John:  johnsblog@teshmedia.com

Check out the new John Tesh Social Network. You can connect with new friends, post your own blog, visit various forums, upload your favorite John Tesh music and share your photos.  To learn more about how to join, click here.

We're only another month until the blossoms of Spring pop out! How will your garden grow? Plan now!

Just one more month until Spring arrives!  I've been out with my band for a lot of this Winter, and know when you live with vastly changing climates (we do get cold in L.A., but not like some of you!) seeing the first signs of warm months ahead is pretty exciting.  So for you green-thumbers impatient to get out there and dig in the dirt, here's a step by step for you from the gardening section of MSN.com:

• The first rule for creating a no-fuss garden is to select plants that will do well for you. Evaluate your yard's growing conditions and pick plants and flowers that thrive there. Daylilies are virtually pest-free picks for hot, sunny spots, for example.
• Spreading 1- to 2-inches of mulch over your garden is one of the best ways to make gardening a breeze. Just about any kind of mulch will stop most weeds from growing and help your soil hold moisture when the weather's hot and dry. Mulches made from organic matter (like compost- see below) do double duty by improving your soil as they decompose.
• Go a little greener, and save yourself the hassle of hauling a hose and sprinkler around your garden beds and borders. Save time, energy, and cash with a water-saving soaker hose. This device is permeable, so water slowly seeps out through its length. Lay it in your gardens and cover the hose with mulch (so you don't lose much moisture to evaporation). Then all you have to do is turn on the water.
• Remember the saying 'A pound of prevention...'?  This applies to weeds, too!  Pull them out when they're young to prevent them from being a big problem. A single crabgrass plant can make 150,000 seeds in a season. Pull the crabgrass before it matures and that's 150,000 fewer weeds to whack in the future!
• Stop grass from invading your plantings by installing edging between your garden beds and the lawn. You can use just about any material, from bricks to plastic, to edge with -- but the most effective materials extend at least 6 inches deep so grass roots don't find their way underneath.
• Here's a hint: Save even more effort by installing a flat edging you can run the wheels of your lawn mower over. That way you can cut the lawn all the way to the edge of your beds and borders.
• Use a garden journal to save time and effort. Jot down notes every week as you garden, then refer back the next year. What worked, and what didn't?  For example, if you noticed that your phlox started getting powdery mildew last July, try spraying it with neem oil or a fungicide this June to prevent the disease.
• Seasoned gardeners know the value of compost. It pushes apart sticky clay particles so soil breathes better and water drains faster. Adding compost also helps sandy soils stay moist longer and retain more nutrients for plants. That's not all: Composting saves you money. The more you compost, the less you have to throw in the trash.
• Invest in the right tool for the job. Pick tools that are the right size for you and fit comfortably in your hands. And keep the blades on your shovels, pruners, etc., sharp by having them sharpened at your local hardware store (or sharpen them yourself with a file) every spring.
• Last tip?  As with so much of life- keep your gardening plan simple.  It's easy to get excited in this Wintertime planning and go overboard, buying more plants than you can take care of.  Remember:  you can always go back and buy more! 

John

Email John:  johnsblog@teshmedia.com

Check out the new John Tesh Social Network. You can connect with new friends, post your own blog, visit various forums, upload your favorite John Tesh music and share your photos.  To learn more about how to join, click here.

3 Rules for Successful Weight Loss (that may really surprise you!)

Can you picture this?  Long day at work- a nice day, really.  You get home, dinner's over, kids have done their homework (I know, starting to sound like dreamland, huh?), and you're just content to plunk yourself down in front of the television... with a great big bowl of vanilla ice cream- one of my favorites- or chocolate chip cookies (a plate-full), or potato chips (the whole bag.)  OK- get where I'm going with this?  What's behind our need to indulge quite so much? 

I can't speak for you, of course, but believe me- I know what I should be eating: fruits, veggies, lean meat, and so on. Beyond what we eat, though, researchers are finding that how we eat can also have a big impact on our waistlines. For a lot of folks- any veggies?  Only if vegging out with our snacks in front of the television counts!  Or, how about this one- it can really get me:  I come home, not really thinking about being hungry.  I walk in the door to smell an amazing Italian dinner my wife is making- then I decide I'm hungry!  Three recent studies written about by Catherine Guthrie in O, The Oprah Magazine suggest a pinch of awareness may be just what the weight loss coach ordered.

1. Sit down, enjoy yourself. Canadian food psychologists gave the same amount of food to people who were either sitting in twos at a table or standing at a kitchen counter eating out of plastic containers. When the researchers tracked what the subjects ate at the next regular meal, they found that the countertop diners ate roughly 30 percent more than those who had been sitting. One reason may be that standing while eating makes a meal feel more like a snack, says Patricia Pliner, PhD, a professor of psychology at the University of Toronto Mississauga and the study's lead author. The takeaway? "Don't eat on the run," she says. It won't feel like a meal, and you may subconsciously grant yourself permission to eat more later.

2. Inhale, but don't indulge. Scientists at Yale University School of Medicine recently discovered that a food's smell lights up different brain regions than its taste does, which could spell trouble for people watching their weight. The circuits aromas activate are designed to make us seek out the food, which psychologically can lead to cravings and possibly binges, says Dana Small, PhD, an associate professor of psychiatry at Yale who ran the study. She compares the effect on the brain to drug-seeking behavior: "The smell puts people into an agitated state, as in, 'Get out of my way; I must have chocolate.'" Being aware of your nose's power over your brain could help. "You might be able to desensitize your brain to tempting food smells by repeatedly ignoring them," says Small.

3. Be conscious. Although it won't surprise anyone who's ever glanced down from the TV to find an empty bag of corn chips, a study published in the journal Physiology & Behavior found that people's caloric intake can balloon by up to 71 percent when they eat in front of the tube. Brian Wansink, PhD, a professor at Cornell University and the author of Mindless Eating, explains that munching while watching TV or even reading can be a bad idea for two reasons: "First, you don't pay attention to whether you've had 14 or 40 chips. Second, you often don't stop eating until the end of the show, regardless of whether you're full." If a snack attack hits during your show, reach for low-calorie, high-fiber foods, such as grapes or air-popped popcorn, rather than calorie-dense foods like ice cream or chips. And never bring the whole package to the couch: Just grab a handful or fill a small bowl. 

And I'll follow that with some advice I've taken myself, and talked about on the radio show many times.  Giving yourself the occasional indulgence, like that vanilla ice cream that I love is okay.  Just keep it exactly that- an occasional indulgence.  Take care- enjoy the day!

John

Email John:  johnsblog@teshmedia.com

Check out the new John Tesh Social Network. You can connect with new friends, post your own blog, visit various forums, upload your favorite John Tesh music and share your photos.  To learn more about how to join, click here.

What are you expecting this tax year?

The recent bad economy has been called the worst since the 1930s. And just like then, Uncle Sam is stepping up to help taxpayers with a few nice breaks this tax season.  Money Talks has an easy-to-understand break-down of what they look like:  

2008 brought big changes to the tax law, and with today's passage into law of the 800 billion dollar stimulus bill, while the main idea is spending (65%), 35% is in tax cuts, most of which will lower your tax bill.

• For example, the $7,500 first-time home-buyer’s tax credit: which is called a credit but is actually more like a 15 year interest-free loan. Also of interest to homeowners, a new 500-1,000 deduction for property taxes: available even if you don’t itemize.
• Another? The “Making Work Pay” Tax Cut: a refundable tax credit of up to $400 per worker, $800 per couple. But it starts phasing out at $100,000 income single, 200 joint.
• Own a small business? If you’re losing money now, you can go back up to five years and deduct those losses against past profits. Resulting in a Refund.
• Have kids? The $1,000 per child tax credit is being expanded: you only have to make $3,000 this year to claim it.
• And if your kids are in college, you’ll like the American Opportunity Tax Credit, a $2,500 credit for higher education expenses. But it phases out for high income families.
• About the only help for high earners is protection from the Alternative Minimum Tax… also included in the package.
• There’s even something here for people who used to work! If you get Social Security and don’t qualify for other aid, you’ll probably be getting a one-time check for $250.
• The deduction for sales taxes was scheduled to be gone this year, but Congress brought it back in the bailout bill… Ditto for the college tuition and fees deduction.
• It’s easier to qualify for the the child care credit for 08. And limits were raised for the earned income credit too. Midwest flood victims and those who housed them are also getting some tax relief… And the mileage allowance also went up to 5o cents a mile for the first half of the year, and nearly 60 for the last half.

The IRS has also said they’ll be more willing to work with taxpayers who can’t pay. There’s no specific policy, but the commissioner has said he’s instructed his staff to be sensitive. You need to file a return, but if you can’t pay due to hardship, expect more flexibility.

Bottom line, according to Money Talks? If there’s a silver lining to a crummy economy, this is it. Lower taxes for last year…and maybe no tax increases this year either. All good news…as long as you can keep those paychecks coming in. 

Find out with the help of an experienced tax professional what all the tax changes mean to you, and let's all hope this tax law change/stimulus package combo packs a good punch to our ailing economy!
John

Email John:  johnsblog@teshmedia.com

Check out the new John Tesh Social Network. You can connect with new friends, post your own blog, visit various forums, upload your favorite John Tesh music and share your photos.  To learn more about how to join, click here.

Crash, bang, and you could be out of luck (and precious computer documents!)

A friend lost power- dramatically last Fall through an incredible windstorm.  When her power was restored days later, she found that her home PC had been pretty severely fried.  The documents and pictures that she was able to retrieve (not many), with expert help at a pretty big CASH OUTLAY, taught her an incredible lesson- and one that I want to learn before a big computer crash of my own. 

What frustration to have to work to retrieve so many things, and that's assuming you can remember what you may have lost if your hard drive crashes.  These days, too, losing data from your computer could be more than just frustrating- it could cost you a great deal of money and time, especially if it's a business related computer!  Computer techies recommend performing a back up once a month.  ehow.com is a great resource for lots of "how to's", and here's a pretty straightforward step by step for how to back up your important data on your computer.

The first step in backing up your data is deciding what you're going to use- a CD/DVD, USB flash drive, additional hard drive, or website. Flash drives are very convenient, and they can travel where you are, and of course, a CD/DVD is also a reliable choice.

Next consider what you will be backing up.  It might be pictures, personal documents, or maybe a school or work project.  Go through your files and folders to make sure you've located everything you want to put on either a USB flash drive or CD/DVD.  Next, create a separate folder first, and name it something like "back up."  What you're doing is finding a temporary "house" for your data until you actually move it to the CD or flash drive.  You can do this by going to your My Documents folder within your computer and selecting "Organize" if running Vista, or "File" for other operating systems and "Create" "New Folder" (rename something to indicate that it's your file back up.)

Now, you're ready to copy files to this new folder.  A simple way to copy the data to your back up folder would be right click on the file or folder you wish to back up and select copy from the drop down menu. This will copy the data and you can then go back to your back up folder and double click on it to open it, right click on an empty space within the folder and select paste from the drop down menu. Your data should now appear within the backup folder.

Next, insert your back up device into the computer, whether you're going with the USB flash drive, or a CD/DVD. Go to start>my computer>and select the name and drive letter of your device. This will open up the device on your screen. Then go to your back up folder and select the entire folder with your mouse.  While still holding down the left mouse button, drag the folder into the device, and you should see your entire back up folder now in the new media (CD/DVD or USB flash drive.)

Keep the CD/DVD or flash drive in a safe and dry place.  And, again, the advice from many computer experts- do this once a month.  You might just want to take a look again at your son's 10th birthday party someday, and a complete hard drive failure where you've stored those pictures will pretty much make that impossible.  Store away!

John

Email John:  johnsblog@teshmedia.com

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The fun of gaming has come to a whole new group of people!

Wow!  Do you find yourself amazed from time to time with new developments in technology?  I definitely do, and I loved this:  Science Daily reports a new computer game developed by MIT and Singaporean students that makes it possible for visually impaired people to play the game on a level field with their sighted friends- joining in the fun of gaming! 

The game, called AudiOdyssey, simulates a deejay trying to build up a catchy tune and get people dancing. By swinging the remote-control device used by the Nintendo Wii, which senses motion, the player can set the rhythm and lay down one musical track after another, gradually building up a richer musical track.

Eitan Glinert is a graduate student in computer science at the Singapore-MIT Gambit Game Lab, and says he noticed many newer groups playing Nintendo's Wii, like women, and older players.  It got him wondering what other groups of people are being left out, and it didn't take long to think of people with disabilities.  He started investigating what kinds of computer games were already available for the visually impaired and found about 200 games.  But he also made an interesting discovery:  as a sighted player, he wasn't able to play the games.  Because they were so specifically adapted for sound and touch playing, sighted players played at a distinct disadvantage- kind of taking the fun out of competition between 2 friends who have different sight abilities.  So Glinert set out to create a game that could be played by both, on an equal level, equally well.

At MIT, Glinert developed the prototype for AudiOdyssey in the summer of 2007, and has since been testing it with various groups of players. Since not everyone has access to the Wii controller, the game is also designed to be playable using a regular keyboard.  And though it's in its early stages, people seem to enjoy it, like Alicia Verlager, a recent grad of MIT, who is blind, and helped with the development of the game. 

"The element I probably most envy about gamers is just the way they hang out together and share doing something fun," she says.  It was this social aspect of sharing in the fun of gaming that Verlager wanted most to be a part of, and found that she could be with AudiOdyssey.

Interested in checking it out?  AudiOdyssey is available for free download (Windows only) at http://gambit.mit.edu/loadgame/audiodyssey.php.

I've talked several times on the show about the importance of kids not playing video games for too long  periods of time.  Kids do play video games, and in the right context- not too much time, and the appropriate maturity level of games- they can be a great source of fun.  How cool that kids with visual impairment can share in this, too! 

John

Email John:  johnsblog@teshmedia.com

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