Archive for October, 2008

Levitra Dosing

I grew up in Chicago when the original Mayor Daley and the infamous Democratic machine ran the city.  Around election time levitra dosing, people would joke, “Vote early and vote often.”   Sure it was corrupt and there was plenty of graft, but local politics was filled with colorful, somewhat harmless characters.

When I was an improvisational performer in Chicago, the shenanigans of local politicians provided plenty of grist for the comedy mill.  In those days, I never fretted that much about elections.  Over the years, I came to expect a certain amount of corruption in government regardless of which political party was in control.  But in the last 8 years, corruption has become epidemic and we’ve descended into truly scary times.  Now it feels like we are collectively holding our breath, ticking off the days till November 4th and whatever change the election may bring.

Maybe you feel the same way; many of my friends do.  At my book club meeting the other night, we were all so stressed about the state of the nation, that we tabled our book discussion.  (Ironically, much of the story in the book, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, takes place in the Dominican Republic during the massively corrupt Trujillo dictatorship.) One of the women said she’s stopped listening to her car radio and has switched to Willie Nelson CD’s.Another news junkie has weaned herself to just a ½ hour of TV news a night.  Everyone is afraid of a surprise cataclysmic global incident; horrible dirty deeds on Election Day; or some bizarre scandal that tips the election.  I remember learning to drive on Chicago’s narrow city streets and closing my eyes every time I had to maneuver through a tight squeeze.  I feel that way now.  I just want to close my eyes and shut my ears till this darn thing is over.

To help me through Election Day, I decided to heed the advice of Air America’s Thom Hartmann.  I’ve volunteered to be a poll worker.  I’ll report to the polls at 6 AM and probably won’t get home till 9 PM.  Perfect.  I won’t be glued to the TV, stomach roiling, watching the map tilt to blue or red.  By the time I return home, I hope the waiting is over.

I know our country is ripe for change but I keep thinking that the fear mongers will win.  Will I then have to become an ex-pat?  In my darkest hours I’ve entertained thoughts about life in a smaller country, one that doesn’t have super power ambitions.  A nice cozy place where a majority of the citizens report they are very content with life – a country like Denmark or New Zealand.   But really and truly I want to stay here.  I want to unload my cynicism and feel idealistic again.  I don’t want to have nightmares about the shadow government.   I want to sacrifice for my country and not simply by racking up credit card debt at the mall.  JFK’s words resonate more than ever with me and I am asking myself, for the first time, what can I do for my country?  The ship of state is listing and I am ready for our new commander in chief to call on all of us to help to raise the ballast.  And each night I whisper a little prayer for our country – may our better angels prevail.

Jan Bina, blogger for In the Trenches Productions.Com, The First Entertainment Network for Women Over 40 on the Web – levitra dosing

Published in: Life, Opinion | on October 28th, 2008 | 2 Comments »

Side Effects Levitra

Side effects levitra: well, our exercise hints in the first Step by Step blog seemed to hit people in their solar plexis, so I figured we could use a few more.We’ll all be adding those extra 2000 steps before we know it!  Did you know that Low Impact Aerobics uses 141 steps per minute? High Impact, 197.  Golf without a cart uses 127 steps per minute, with a cart 99 – side effects levitra. Side effects levitra: jogging uses 197, Pilates 99, Casual Racquetball 197, Stair Climbing Machine 253, Weight Lifting, light or moderate, 84, and Yoga 70.  These are the amount of steps women use during these activities – an interesting fact is that in all of these activities men use less steps per minute than women! For instance men only use 234 steps per minute on the Stair Climbing Machine, and only 182 jogging.That’s us side effects levitra, ladies….we like to get the most out of everything we put our minds (and bodies) to! Now here are a few more hints to help us add those steps:
At Home:
1.Circle the block once when you go outside to pick up the mail or the paper.
2.Make several trips up and down the stairs to do laundry or other chores.
3 – side effects levitra.Start a walking club in your community.
4; side effects levitra.Focus on walking distance over speed, it’s better to get in more steps at a comfortable pace than to burn out quickly.
5; side effects levitra.Listen to music or books on tape when walking.
6.Buy a walking video or treadmill so you can still walk on rainy days.
7 – side effects levitra.Benefit a good cause by joining a charity walk.
At Work:
8 – side effects levitra.Go for a walk before starting your morning commute…you’ll energize yourself for the day.
9 – side effects levitra.Exit the bus one or two stops early and walk the rest of the way.
10 – side effects levitra.Walk to co-workers desks to speak to them instead of sending an email.
11.Create a step competition with fellow employees–see who can get the most steps in a day.
At Play:
12 – side effects levitra.Tour a museum, zoo, or nature preserve.
13; side effects levitra.Circle around a swap meet or craft show before selecting purchases.
14 – side effects levitra.Vary your pace..start out slow then increase your speed, include short bursts of speed walking, then cool down with a slower pace toward the end of your walk.
15; side effects levitra.This is fall…take your kid or grandkid or a neighbor kid for a walk…strap a length of masking tape around their waist, sticky side out, so they can gather pretty leaves during the fall.
And remember the main rule….Have Fun!

Judith Still-Steppin’ Drake, blogger for In the Trenches Productions.COM, The First Entertainment Network for Women Over 40 on the Web

Published in: Life, Miscellaneous | on October 24th, 2008 | No Comments »

Levitra Overnight

In a previous blog, I wrote about the amazing Pat Winters, the 75 year old woman who is the creator and operating force behind a cat rescue organization called PURR-fect SOLUTIONS.  She came to my rescue when a stray cat gave birth to 5 kittens under our deck.  On the first visit to her facility, she was able to take one of the kittens, even though her facility was quite full.  When you leave a cat or kitten with Pat, you have the deep comfort of knowing that the animal will receive sterling care and will be placed in a loving home.
When you adopt a cat through Pat’s organization you pay a nominal fee of $100 to assist the facility and you get a lot for your money.  Pat keeps meticulous files on each animal and will be able to give you a history of the cat you adopt.  Each cat will have been tested for Feline Leukemia Virus (FELV) and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV).  In addition, they will have had their distemper shots, and will have been de-wormed.  They are also micro chipped when spayed or neutered.  In addition you can bring the cat back the following year for a free booster shot.  Pat has a vet who visits her facility on a regular basis.  Not only that, if for some reason you can’t keep the animal, she’ll take it back.  I’d say that’s an amazing deal.
If you’ve ever adopted an animal, you know it’s an emotional decision based on the spirit that reaches out to you.  At PURR-fect SOLUTIONS, I’d be hard pressed to make a decision.  Because of the superlative care these animals receive, they all seemed to be very mellow and out-going.  There are no terrified critters cowering away from human touch.  Even the feral cat enclosure is calm and the inhabitants looked downright friendly.It’s as though Pat’s caring spirit has infected all of the animals she’s taken in.  On a walk through the facility, Pat gave me a detailed history of every cat I pointed out.  She has named all the cats and has a complete timeline in her head for each animal; this includes when they arrived, medical history and bloodlines, as she has taken in many families of cats.
Pat is quite an interesting woman.  She was Miss New Hampshire in the 1955 Miss Universe Contest, held in Long Beach, California.  She stayed in Los Angeles and became an actress, working in many TV and film roles.  For a brief time she was even part of a circle that partied with Elvis!  Her personality profile is on IMDB (Internet Movie Data Base).  She has been married and had 2 daughters; tragically one daughter died of a brain tumor.  After retiring from acting, she became a successful real estate agent in the San Fernando Valley.  I can understand why she’d have success in any field.  She is very smart and supremely organized.  She is a born leader and also a fighter who deeply cares about doing the right thing.  Even today, Pat keeps a schedule that would exhaust many people half her age.
I love happy endings and there is one for my story.  We trapped the mother of the kittens, had her fixed and tested for FELP and FIP.  The good news is that she was negative for both.  Pat was very relieved because this meant the kittens didn’t inherit either disease.  Momma cat’s clean bill of health gave Pat the go-ahead to adopt out the one kitten she’d already taken.  She also agreed to take the other 2 Snowshoe Siamese kittens.    In addition, she gave me a number of ways to find homes for our remaining 2 kittens.  But the longer you care for an animal, the more you fall in love and we’re hooked.  So, we’ve decided to keep them.
The other extraordinary news is that the very day Lily, the mother cat, was being fixed, my neighbor trapped 4 cats from the feral colony in our neighborhood and took them to Fix Nation, which operates a full-time spay/neuter clinic that is free for homeless cats and very low cost for pet cats.
Meeting Pat Winters will restore your faith in humanity.   She told me that this chapter of her life began in 2000 when she discovered 125 kittens living on a property near her house.  When she learned that someone was poisoning the kittens, she set out to rescue all of them.  That incident was the start of PURR-fect SOLUTIONS.  Most people would just walk past a colony of wild cats and kittens, but Pat is not like most people.  Pat is an original Good Samaritan.
If you’d like to see the photos of the PURR-fect SOLUTION cats ready for adoption go to:  PURR-fect SOLUTION and click on ‘our pet list’.  If you wish to make a tax free donation, make your check out to PURR-fect SOLUTIONS and mail it to their corporate headquarters:  PURR-fect SOLUTIONS, Feline Rescue, 5323 Leghorn Avenue, Sherman Oaks, CA 91401.  PURR-fect SOLUTIONS is officially described as a 501c3, non-profit, no-kill rescue group and shelter.  Hours of operation are 9 AM to 4 PM and by appointment only.   PLEASE CALL PAT WINTERS @, 818 784-4297.  By the way, they always need volunteers.

Published in: Bravo, Life | on October 22nd, 2008 | 4 Comments »

Buy Vardenafil Online

Welcome to the upside to the downsize; buy vardenafil online.Put on a great big smile and repeat after me buy vardenafil online, “I am proud to be a make doer, making do with less.”

Pink slip got you down? Can’t pay the mortgage? Lacking health care coverage? Kiss your worries goodbye because we’ve got your back.With our booklet “101 Ways to Save Money” you’ll soon be Living Large with Less!

Northwest Airlines did not intend it as a joke in 2006 buy vardenafil online, when attempting to sooth the blow to its newly laid-off workers, presented them with a complimentary copy of the booklet “101 Ways to Save Money.” Filled with such delightful gems as, “don’t be shy about pulling something you like out of the trash,” it was a parting slap in the face to the thousands of employees losing their livelihood.

More than that, it was a prime example of the great divide between upper management and its own workforce, and the greed at the top that would render the trickle down theory null and void.

Thank you, Northwest Airlines, for these words of wisdom to the unemployed…

* Move to a cheaper place to live.
* Buy spare parts for your car at junkyards.
* Write letters instead of calling.

Well, now, that oughta do it! Being downsized isn’t nearly as painful as I thought it would be! “Put out the ‘for sale’ sign and grab the map, honey!”

In 2006, that was just the tip of the iceberg.Now, in 2008, the economy is in full blown crisis and job losses are occurring at a frightening pace – buy vardenafil online.Golden parachutes are routinely handed out to top corporate executives, many of whom were directly responsible for the collapse of their own corporations and devastating shareholder losses; buy vardenafil online.While Wall Street receives a bailout buy vardenafil online, hardworking employees are cast out in the cold and left to “make do.”

Once again using humor to shine a spotlight on a serious subject, In The Trenches Productions presents Living Large with Less. Buy vardenafil online: even more relevant today than it was in 2006, this ten-minute film points to the colossal gap between the haves and the have-nots in America.Somewhere in between the haves and the have-nots live a group of people known as the middle-class, and its ranks appear to be shrinking.The trickle down effect is a bust.

Rally your “make do” spirit and tune in to Living Large with Less on the In The Trenches Productions website – buy vardenafil online.Oh, and here’s one more tip – buy vardenafil online. Buy vardenafil online: you can turn that gas-guzzling SUV into a studio apartment!

Posted by Mandy Crest, blogger for In The Trenches Productions, the first entertainment website for women over 40!

Published in: Miscellaneous | on October 20th, 2008 | No Comments »

Levitra Side Affects

Part 1

At a time when greed and self interest are behind the unraveling of our financial world and the news is stuck on glum levitra side affects, goodness is still happening in this country through the acts of many selfless, caring citizens.  This is the uplifting story of one extraordinary woman – 75 year old Pat Winters.  She is the founder and active force behind a cat rescue organization called PURR-fect SOLUTIONS, located in Sherman Oaks, California.   Pat started her organization in June of 2000 and as she said with a laugh, “I haven’t had a day off since.”  While a majority of people spend their retirement years traveling or engaged in other leisure activities, Pat is up every day at 6 AM and works non stop till 8 or 9 PM– tending to her many rescued cats and kittens.  While she does have a number of volunteers, the day-to-day running of her organization falls on her very capable shoulders.  Our paths crossed when I was in dire straits.
Last year my husband and I noticed there was a growing feral cat population in our Van Nuys neighborhood.  We are long-time pet owners, but our family of cats had died off, leaving us with just our 16 year old indoor cat, Evander.  We also have a desert tortoise, Miss Hedren and a rescued Russian tortoise, Boris Putin (saved as he made a death defying attempt to cross the busy intersection of Beverly and LaCienega), and a no-name gecko.  Our lives began to intersect with the feral cats, when we put out food for them.  A young female cat quickly adopted us and we named her Lily of the Valley.  She’d stop by regularly for meals, and occasionally she’d allow us to pet her.  In the back of my mind I knew I should borrow a trap and get her fixed.  But I kept putting it off.  Then a few months ago we noticed that her tummy was quite large.  You’d think I would’ve rushed to borrow a trap.  But I rationalized my inaction with the thought that she wasn’t our cat, we were just feeding her.  And there is one of the lessons I’ve learned – you feed a stray, you own it.
For a few weeks Lily disappeared and when we saw her again, it was obvious she’d had her babies but they were nowhere to be found.  Now was my chance to get her fixed.  Before I got her trapped, however, we made a surprising discovery.  One night around midnight, I stepped out onto our deck and heard a soft mewing.  My husband and shone flashlights under our deck and 5 little pairs of eyes stared back at us.  We pulled out 5 kittens:  3 snowshoe Siamese, one tuxedo and one black and white.
I felt a mixture of guilt and compassion.  Our city is overrun with cats and because I was lazy, 5 more critters would need homes, taking spaces that could have gone to kittens already in the world.  Finding good homes for kittens is no small task.   Taking them to over-crowded city shelters is a certain death sentence.  So, we began making calls and sending emails to cat rescue organizations but nobody was able to help us – that is, until we called Pat.   Even though her facility was at maximum capacity, she said she might be able to take one.  So, we trooped over with our 5 kittens.
We were simply astonished at the splendid haven Pat has created for abandoned cats.  As we learned, she has put a considerable amount of her own money into creating this perfect world for cats.  The adult cats live in huge outdoor enclosures that she had built.  Each enclosure has everything to delight a cat: climbing posts, toys, sleeping areas on various levels and a ceiling fan.  The feral cats have their own separate enclosure where they peacefully co-exist.  The enclosures are sparkling clean, and, amazingly, there is no odor, and no flies.  All the cats seem very mellow and fights just don’t break out.  The kittens live inside the facility in large cages.  Each cage has a variety of toys, little scratching posts and cushy beds for sleeping.  Not only is the facility cat heaven, but the care the animals get is first rate.
Pat’s experience and knowledge is vast.  Our kittens were born in the dirt during the intense summer heat and they were flea magnets.  She told me it was okay to put a drop of Frontline or Advantage on them.  You can also give them ½ tablet of Capstar, a new flea drug.  She told me the best food to give them, how frequently they should be fed and the type of litter.  If kittens use the clumping litter, there is the danger that when they clean their paws, they’ll swallow clumps of trapped litter which will wreak havoc on their digestive systems.  The litter she recommended is called Yesterday’s News, made out of moisture locking paper pellets, which is also gentler on their tiny tushies.  She also noticed that one of the cats had a runny eye and gave me a vial of drops which cleared it up in a matter of days.
On that first visit, Pat also let me borrow a trap so I could get Lily, Mamma cat, fixed and gave me a coupon so the surgery would be free.  She instructed me to have Lily tested for FELV and FIV – diseases which she could have passed on to her kittens.
Before we left, Pat told us she’d take the runt of the litter – one of the Snowshoe Siamese kittens.  I felt like I was being rescued.  We only had 4 more to place.  Our adventures with Pat and the stray cats continue in Part 2.

Jan Bina, blogger for In the Trenches Productions.Com, The First Entertainment Network for Women Over 40 on the Web

Published in: Uncategorized | on October 15th, 2008 | 7 Comments »

Levitra Side Effects

I tell you trying to stay optimistic seems to get harder and harder.  I am going to do it levitra side effects, but maybe we could all help each other.How do YOU do it?  We seem to have helpful hints about everything these days, so maybe we all could share with each other how we get thru a difficult day.  Just a couple of thoughts from each of you and then we could compile them and have a handy little list of what to do when things get tough.

I will give you a couple of categories and you give me your thoughts.

HEALTH
You, or some member of your family, doesn’t feel well.  You go to the Doctor.  How do you stay optimistic when they don’t?  Everyone knows that you have to be your own advocate and you have to keep searching for the right Doctor and Information, but this isn’t always easy – levitra side effects.What helps to keep you going besides wanting “to stay on the right side of the dirt”.

MONEY
You have worked hard, saved a little, and are a bit older, so starting all over isn’t so easy when you have lost a lot of your money; levitra side effects.So what helps you to keep a smile on your face?

LOVE
How do you keep going when your husband, your kids, your parents, or your friends don’t seem to respond to you like they once did?

YOUR BODY
Speaking of not responding,  what do you do when everything seems to be heading east and west and south?

COOKING
What do you do about cooking when you are tired of doing it?

ACTION and HUMOR  are the two things that I try to do in all my difficult situations.  But it’s Monday  and I have to get thru the day and the week and I could use a little help from my friends.  Send me your thoughts.

Claire Callaway, blogger for In the Trenches Productions.Com, The First Entertainment Network for Women Over 40 on the web

Published in: Life | on October 13th, 2008 | 2 Comments »

Levitra Medicine

I have been taking part in a water aerobics class at my local YMCA for the last 12 years levitra medicine, which I truly enjoy. Levitra medicine: and for the last 6 years I’ve filled in as a substitute teacher when one of our real leaders can’t make it. Levitra medicine: in that capacity I attend monthly meetings to discuss how the classes are going and pick up various health oriented info, etc.Well at the last of these meetings we were given something I thought might be of interest to many of you levitra medicine, as it was to me…a pamphlet of “100 Ways to Add 2000 Steps”.  As it says, its not just about what we eat that’s important, but how we use the calories we consume.  By adding 2000 steps and reducing our calorie intake by 100 calaries a day we can achieve an energy balance that can stop the weight gain some of us see sneaking up on us even faster as we add on years after hiting the big four O.

Did you know that bicycling converts to 225 steps per minute?  Bicycling at a moderate rate on a stationary bike is 155 steps per minute.Moderate gardening converts to 127 steps per minute levitra medicine, hiking to 169, scrubbing floors to 107, climbing upstairs 127, downstairs 84, vacuming to 99, washing & waxing the car to 127, water aerobics to 113, and dancing..waltz, foxtrot, etc.can give you 84 steps per minute and you can have a good time.
While I obviously can’t list all 100 ideas on how to add steps toward your extra 2000 a day, here are a few:
1.Park in the furthest space when going to the grocery store, then walk around the outside aisles inside before you do your shopping.
2 – levitra medicine.Drive or walk to a nearby high school and go around the track: 4 laps equal approx.2000 steps.
3.Stroll the halls while waiting for your next doc appt.
4.Pace around the house while talking on the phone.
5; levitra medicine.Try “retro walking”; walking backwards distributes your weight more evenly (be sure you’re in a safe area,   of course, and are aware of your surroundings).
6 – levitra medicine.March in place while watching your favorite TV show.
7.Sleep more soundly at night by taking a walk a few hours before you go to bed.

And at work:
8.Refill your coffee cup at the machine farthest from your workstation.
9; levitra medicine.Visit the restroom on the far side of the building.
10. Levitra medicine: park in the far reaches of the parking lot.
11.Designate 10 minutes of your lunch break for a quick walk.

And at play:
12 – levitra medicine.Walk around the campus of a nearby college.
13; levitra medicine.Take the long route when browsing at a shopping center…don’t visit the stores sequentially.
14 – levitra medicine.Volunteer to walk dogs for an animal shelter.
15; levitra medicine.Organize a community clean-up day and designate areas of the neighborhood for teams to walk through and remove debris and recyclables as they go.
16.Walk around the restaurant or parking lot while waiting to be seated.
17; levitra medicine.Ride your bike to accomplish errands.

Hope some of these tips are as helpful to you as they were to me…AND…join a water aerobics class in your area….I think you’ll love it as much as I do!

Judith keep-on-steppin’ Drake, blogger for In The Trenches Productions.Com, The First Entertainment Network for Women Over 40 on the web

Published in: Life, Miscellaneous | on October 10th, 2008 | 2 Comments »