Little Island

Soothing Sounds - Common Household Sounds Can Create A Peaceful Environment

Life is noisy. The modern world is full of noise and distractions. Whether at home, at work, or sitting in an airport, it can get to you. Sometimes you just want quiet - for rest and relaxation or for concentration. I often use music to block out the noises of the world and I have a number of playlists on my iPod that are just environmental - Pure Nature - Birds, Pure Nature - Ocean, Pure Nature - Night are a a few examples. Sometimes the sounds of the waves and chimes blowing in a light breeze or birds singing in some faraway field are just so calming and stress reducing. I have never tried white noise before but recently I discovered CDs by Pure White Noise. I was intrigued because they mix white noise with the nature sounds - something I'd never heard of before - and they include what I call modern environmental sounds in their list of CDs.

For instance, I have always found the sound of the washer and dryer very relaxing. It gives me a kind of cozy feeling for some reason. The sounds of an electric fan whirling away in the background in the summer can be peaceful too. The steady hum of an air conditioner takes me back to my childhood when the window air conditioner was the only air conditioner at my aunt's home and we didn't have any air conditioning at all - I can't expalin it but that sound just chills me out.

Pure White Noise actually has CDs like this and they are great. I know they are great because I bought a stack of them recently - so intrigued was I by their titles. I was not disappointed when they arrived and I loaded them all up on my iPod. I am telling you - that stuff is relaxing. When my house gets noisy and I am working from home I can even layer it - quiet music on my laptop and the relaxing sound of an a washing machine going in the background. Sounds crazy but it works like a charm. Distractions are driven away and I'm not using any water.

They also had some nature and white noise CDs. I got one called Winds of White Noise and the windy sound is flat out soothing. I will probably buy the Wonderful Waves of White Noise because I never heard an ocean waves CD I didn't like.

Pandemic and Avian Flu

It's depressing. It's scary. Still, you need to know about it. This PandemicFlu is a an official U.S. government site sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service. It's got information about pandemic flu and the avian flu. There is information  for families, businesses, and travelers. Also what's going on with research in the area.

Some bottom line advice from the page:

Practice good health habits, including eating a balanced diet, exercising daily, and getting sufficient rest and take these common-sense steps to stop the spread of germs.

• Wash hands frequently with soap and water.
• Cover coughs and sneezes with tissues.
• Stay away from others as much as possible if you are sick.

I told my kids that this year was going to be the year when our household became a bit obsessive-compulsive like Mr. Monk. I have to work on the good health habits too.

Breast Cancer Deaths Continue to Decline

As a breast cancer survivor, I was interested to see that Breast Cancer Deaths Continue to Decline. It is good to read these words but to me it means there is even more reason to keep educating, supporting, and empowering woman with regard to breast cancer.

There are lots resources available to help women learn about lowering their risk of breast cancer, their options in fighting it if diagnosed, and how to go on afterwards.

Here's a few to start with:

• breastcancer.org - a non-profit dedicated to providing up-to-date info on all aspects of breast cancer.
• National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. - a group focused on increasing awareness through education and providing mammograms for those in need.
• American Cancer Society - has a comprehensive learn-more-about-breast-cancer page and even links to a personal planner for those managing their cancer treatment.
• The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation - focused on patient advocacy, awareness, and raising funds for innovative breast cancer research and community outreach.
• National Cancer Institute - National Cancer Institute (U.S. National Institutes of Health) - has an excellent set of resources for breast cancer including trial information.
• Breast Cancer Care is a UK site with information and support resources.
• National Breast Cancer Centre is a comprehensive Australian site
• Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation where you can get info and volunteer in the fight against breast cancer.

If you feel like walking or running try the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, Race for the Cure, or CIBC Run for the Cure. If you feel like clicking then check out The Breast Cancer Site where your clicks can fund free mammograms.

Quit Smoking Help

I enjoyed reading Johnnie V's excellent entry for the non-smoking smoker. He made me think about smoking and how I smoked without inhaling when I was in college - brilliant, yes? - and how I still crave a Virginia Slims menthol cigarette in dark smoky room 30 years later. It's like Johnnie V said - it's not as easy as just quiting. Not smoking for a non-smoking smoker is a constant effort. I applaud my friends who has quit and remain smoke free. I myself have never given in to the menthol cigarette impulse - maybe there was something to that not inhaling tactic or maybe I'm just good at avoiding smoky, dark rooms.

Thinking about quitting?

Here's some good resources:

• Giving Up Smoking a UK site.
• Quitnet.com - Calls itself the original quit smoking site. QuitNet states that it is associated with Boston University School of Public Health.
• Smokefree.gov provides IM and telephone support and great step by steps.

American Cancer Society has some good resources too including:

• Plan Your Quit Day
• Guide to Quitting Smoking
• Help For Cravings and Tough Situations.

Good luck and stay out of dark, smoky spaces.

Feeling French

It's my view that many American's have a bit of a love/hate relationship with the French. Perhaps deep down that feeling is mutual. Both nations and cultures have their particular strengths and weaknesses which we could all discuss ad naseum. However, I recently bought French Women Don't Get Fat: The Secret of Eating for Pleasure and have been happily turning the pages for a few minutes every night before bed. So far it is charming. I am also in process of reading Elegance. Another book with a French outlook. I know after reading the first few chapters that I will never be elegant in the French sense. That doesn't bother me - I don't want to be a copy of another person's template of perfection and I'm not quite sure I want to lose the delights of the American view to fashion. However, I picked up some tips and tips are those little things that help us to fine tune ourselves into better versions of who we are.

It seems that unwittingly I have fallen under the tutelage of the French. I believe I can borrow some clever secrets from both these women to make my American life a little more charmed. I am sure of it, in fact. Anyone who has travelled to Paris realizes that there is nothing quite like a trip to Paris to underline the differences between us in dress, food, interactions, and outlook. However, both approaches to living have their advantages and their charms. Nowhere is that more intriguingly evident that when set beside each other during our travels. I love Paris. I love being an American living in suburbia. I have discovered that I do indeed have a soft spot for the best parts of what is French. I came across this handy list of reads on Amazon's listmania geared to those who would like to Live Like the French - at least a tiny bit. Can't get enough? Craving an eclair? Here's a few other lists that might hit the spot - Live and Eat Like the French and A Francophile's Dream.

A Little Less Stress

I am always interested in stress reduction as it is one of the things a suburbanite needs to have a good grasp on at all times. I stumbled upon De-Stress Zone and then another blog of Calista's Piece of Mind , which give some good quotes to ponder while creating that less-stress zone. Calista is a RN and studying stress management so I am looking forward to reading more of her blogs to gain some de-stressing and quote wisdom. Speaking of wisdom, I also have found Daily Wisdom to be a good shot in the arm.

Lush Life

It's hard not to love a lush - at least these two sorts of lushes. First, give Linda Ronstadt's Lush Life a spin - whether you are revisiting this great CD or this is your first listen - you're sure to be charmed by it. It's one of serveral albums Ronstadt did in collaboration with Nelson Riddle and if you like the great romantic standards these CDs will be as addictive as a good box of chocolates. But before you start the music playing, run to LUSH for amazing bath stuff including amazing soaps, shampoos, and those utterly indulgent bath bombs like this Think Pink or the Fox in the Flowers bath bombs. I'm telling you, these are - well, they're just plain Lush.

Now run that bath, pop one of Linda's Nelson Riddle CDs into your CD player, light some candles, grab a great paperback book, sink into that water, and just relax. I feel better already simply thinking about this.

St. Joseph, Aspirin, and a Quiz

When I was a kid, I loved St. Joseph aspirin. It was flavored and my mom used to put the bottle in the fridge so the tablets were cold too. So when I found their heart attack risk quiz, I had to take it. I feel like a kid but I have teenage kids of my own and in my heart I know that I should be taking better care of myself. I tell myself that every once in awhile but then get busy and set my resolutions aside. This quiz reminded me that I have a few risk factors to keep in mind. Time to dust off those resolutions again.