It’s no news that unemployment is high in Spokane.   The rate was 9.3% as of January 20, 2010, according to ABC News.   The national average for the same period was 9.7%.   Sounds like the Spokane unemployment rate is  pretty typical.    It could be worse I suppose.  Forbes recently put out its “Most Miserable Cities” list - with miserable qualities being the unemployment rate and decreasing home values.  At least Spokane wasn’t on it.  It’s looking prettty miserable to me,  but then I’m prejudiced for I am one of the 9.3%.

I’m lucky to have a husband who is still employed and making a salary that can support us.  Still, the layoff hit me right in the face.  I’ve been out of work for one long and miserable year.

I’d been at stay-at-home mom for many years before moving to Spokane.  I was just getting back into the work force when we moved.  Unpacking and getting settled kept me busy for a while and being without a job was OK.   Then I found…

I am a classic Starbucks junkie, and Liberty Lake Starbucks is my favorite. They all know me and my drink, they love me. Over the past 10 years I have evolved into the dream customer for Starbucks. I buy the coffee, but also the to-go cup, the ceramic home cups (one for every city I have traveled to) and the teddy bears. I’ve even bought music.  I’m a gold card member, and I get a “free” drink every 15 visits. These drinks taste the best.

Starbucks has been my comfort for so many years, the same smiling faces and the same coffee every time, even when I travel. I once had to spend three weeks away from my husband and kids in Dallas for a work training. This was probably the most emotionally heart-wrenching time of my life, and I missed my sweet little daughters so much every day. Sometimes, I stopped at the Starbucks by my hotel twice or three times a day, just to enjoy a delicious iced coffee and the comfort…

Leprechauns

Leprechauns were out at the bank today!  Ok, so they were cardboard cutouts for St. Patrick’s Day.

Spokane  St. Patricks Day isn’t for another month or so but Christmas is going up earlier and earlier so why not St. Patty’s Day too?

St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17th, his religious feast day and the anniversary of his death in the 5th century.  The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for over one thousand years.  Today St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated by people of all backgrounds in the United States, Canada and Australia.

What are Leprechauns?

The original Irish name for leprechauns was “lobairicin”, meaning “small bodied”.  In Celtic folklore, the lobairicin were cranky souls known for their  trickery.  They had nothing to do with St. Patricks Day whatsoever. It was only in 1959 when Walt Disney released the film “Darby O’Gill and the Little People” when Americans were introduced to the cheerful, friendly leprechauns now associated with Spokane St. Patrick’s Day and Ireland in general.

It’s Not Green Beer!

Do you do anything…

Spring Is a Great Time to Start Walking in Spokane!

Spring is on its way and there’s no better time to get out and walk Spokane.  While the official start of Spring isn’t until  March 20, 2010, the clear and sunny days this week are telling us that Spring is coming!    The glorious sights and sounds of  Spring will be evident in any Spokane walk.  Small shoots  peeking out from beneath the soil.   Bird song.   The feel of the sun upon one’s face.   A simple walk around the block  can be a joyous experience.  Take the dogs and the kids along too.  Everyone will be happier and healthier for it!

Walking In Spokane Doesn’t Have to Cost a Thing

One of the many great things about walking is that no special equipment is needed except, of course, a good pair of Spokane walking shoes.  If you don’t already own  a pair, any of the sports shops in the area can get you set up.  There are good shoes at every price point, though consider getting  the best you can afford. …

We all need an image of ourselves when we are at our peak physical fitness. Even if that image is of you at age 13, imaging yourself as a strong, lean, and physically fit person is one step closer to becoming the healthy, energetic, and active person you can be.

The older I get the more I realize just how much youth really…

Will it be your health that sets you back? You might face an injury…foot pain, a broken leg, a broken neck.  Or do you find it challenging to make time for your personal fitness? We all experience challenges and setbacks- every person, everywhere.  The difference between overcoming these obstacles and succumbing to them has everything to do with how you view yourself.

Will you use the challenge to make yourself better, more focused, stronger? Or will you use it as an excuse to quit?

You can’t consider overcoming challenges and setbacks without examining the brilliant and unfinished story of Lance Armstrong. Sure, he is an outstanding athlete, multiple national “Athlete of the Year” awards. Oh- yeah, he has won the Tour de France a record breaking 7 times in a row from 1999 to 2005, before…

What Does Vitamin D Do for Your Spokane Health?

• It protects against breast cancer and can  help prevent breast cancer from spreading.  A Canadian study found that women diagnosed with breast cancer…

Who, me?  Can’t be.  I’m the one who chooses the elevator instead of the stairs.  I purchased an  expensive eliptical  four years ago and have  used it only once!   Was I lazy?  Maybe.  Sure I had periods where I worked out.  But those periods never lasted very long.  And I can’t say I ever really looked forward to working out.   But that was then…..

And this is now….. I am actually missing exercise in Spokane!  How can it be?  Six  weeks ago I started working with a personal trainer.  It was hard work.  Really hard work.  But I stayed with it.  I liked it.  I looked forward to it.  What’s up with that?

It didn’t take very long to actually feel the results.  It wasn’t necessarily weight loss at first but a noticeable difference in my overall health.  For over one year I had been experiencing some  health problems, nothing serious, but definitely quality of life issues.

Annoying They Were…..

I had been having trouble falling asleep.  I would lie in bed for over an hour tossing and turning. …

Common Question from Spokane: How do I get past “Burnout”?

Spokane is known for its gray winters so people tend to work out more in the winter. Too much exercise can lead to what is called burnout. Burnout is basically when you feel uninspired and unmotivated to workout. It already takes a lot to keep yourself motivated to exercise but you will know when it is burnout. Basically exercise will be the last thing you want to do. If you do feel this way do not get discouraged. This is a very common feeling and it does go away. It seems to be human nature to get burnt out when you have too much of one thing. In this article I will point out a few things I have done to get past burnout. It is very important to get back up from burnout because everything you have worked for and goals you have achieved through exercising can be reversed if you do not go back to exercising soon.

Cool Off…

Living through a Spokane winter can become depressing if you are not careful. For most…

Getting enough fiber in your diet can be a challenge, but it is essential for many different reasons. Fiber helps regulate digestion. Fiber helps you feel fuller longer, reducing overall food intake and hunger feelings and is an essential aid to weight loss.

Doctors recommend a high fiber diet to get your blood sugars under control. Even if you don’t have type 2 diabetes, pay careful attention to your fiber intake. A diet high in fiber may be the key to prevention. And controlling your blood sugar levels helps prevent food cravings. If you are already diabetic, increasing your fiber intake now can help prevent diabetic complications later on. Fiber helps lower cholesterol, and reduces risk of heart disease.

In recent years fiber has become recognized for so many health benefits, but how do you incorporate the recommended daily intake into your diet? Currently, the recommended daily allowance is 25-35 grams per day. Some of the best sources of fiber are apples, pears, beans, and whole grains. But sometimes for a family…