Is It Love at First Sight or Do They Only Want...

...your DATA? Picture this, you're sitting at the local coffee shop, sipping a half-caf, skim, sugar-free mochawhosiwhatsit and this hot guy or gal is giving you "the look" across their laptop. Wow! This really is your lucky day. You continue sipping and doing your banking on the tablet you carry everywhere, making every effort to flirt with your soon-to-be soulmate. Suddenly, they jump up and head out the door. Your heart drops knowing you'll probably never see them again. Ugh, why didn't you say hi? Later that day your bank calls with some very bad news, somehow your account has been closed and you now have no money. WTF! And this is just the beginning of the bad news. Before you know it you're up to your elbows in attorney fees trying to get your identity back, all because you used the public wi-fi to pay your bills.

Luckily this scenario has not happened to me. What did happen was my purse was stolen once and the thieves cleaned out my checking account and ran up my credit cards purchasing gift certificates to spend later, all within an hour of the theft. Luckily they threw away my keys, drivers license and other identifying items that were in my purse. Because of fraud protection and my speed at reporting the loss, I was not liable for the purchases and I got my checking account money back. It was a painful incident and I learned to never hang my purse off the back of a chair, ANYWHERE. Still to this day I put my purse between my feet when at restaurants and only bring the bare necessities that fit in my pants pockets to bars.

So how do you protect yourself if you want to use the public wi-fi? You could simply not use electronic devices and read the paper or your book. You could make sure to bring a friend everywhere you go so you have someone to talk to at all times. Or if you really must use electronics, keep these things in mind:

• Avoid visiting sites that require you to log in with a username and password such as banking, email and social media sites.
• Look around you, is someone watching you intently? They are probably trying to see what you're typing and on what site. Sit in a way where observers can't see what you're typing and if you are in public places a lot, invest in a privacy screen.
• Use a VPN or virtual private network. This allows you to browse the internet and not be "seen" by the bad guys/gals.

Be smart and protect yourself, then just maybe that hot guy/gal will really turn out to be your soulmate.

How to Set Up a VPN

Let's Try That Recipe Out

Was there ever a recipe that looked great in the picture but you weren't quite sure if you should cook it? Maybe it has ingredients you've never used before or you think your kids would demand pizza if you told them what was in it. Maybe it's marked as "gluten-free" or "Paleo" and don't know what that really means. Maybe it even calls for too many pots and pans and you don't want the mess to clean up. Trust me, I'm there with you.

Here's an offer for you. If you send me the recipe, I'll cook it and then give you the low-down on what it's really all about. I'll tell you how long prep and cook time really took - most times that's completed by a professional chef that works like a machine slicing and dicing, I'm always wary that I'll cut my finger off. How many pots, dishes and utensils you'll have to clean - I can't stand recipes that end up using 3 or more pans, multiple plates and bowls and 50 spoons - what the heck, I don't have a maid and I'm sure most of you don't either. And most importantly - does it taste ok or will you be ordering a pizza?

Now you may be thinking why would I do this, it's simple...I get new recipes to try and write about, you get a review from someone you know who won't blow smoke up your...nose ;-) Now to be honest, there are some things "I'll do for love, but I won't do that." To quote Meatloaf of course, he really does have a great voice, but then I digress. I won't try deep fried anything, I'm HORRIBLE at frying (except bacon), it's not healthy and it makes my house stink. Recipes that require expensive cuts of meat, probably not, unless it's around the holidays and I can sucker my folks into paying for it (just kidding). They actually have always been great guinea pigs, I can't complain there. And recipes with lots of sugar, sorry, that's one ingredient I'm trying to cut back/eliminate. But feel free to send them along, I may surprise you once in a while, but will probably stick to main meals.

So there you have it, let me be your recipe tester. Just send along the link, an email or put it in the comments and we'll give it a whirl. Ok...who's up first?

Burp! More Soda Please

Are Americans the laughing stock of the rest of the world? As each day passes this question rears its ugly head more and more. We have a dysfunctional family called the Khardashians whose rise to fame was due the matriarch allowing her family's daily lives to be put on TV and the viewing public eating this "reality TV" up. We watch this TV show over the National news. I guarantee you most Americans can tell you what the decathlete formerly known as Bruce Jenner's new transgender name is over knowing a soldier's name from their hometown. Most of us only speak one language, myself included, while the rest of the world is usually bilingual at a minimum. And boy are we fat. Not just a a couple of us with a little extra weight, we're F-A-T, fat. Fat like Randy from "A Christmas Story" whose mom bundles him up with so many layers, when he falls over he can't get back up fat. And what's worse than adults being fat, go to the beach or a swimming pool and look at our kids, they're fat too. It simply breaks my heart. When I was growing up, there might have been one, maybe two overweight kids in class and they were tormented. "Fatty, fatty two-by-four couldn't fit through the kitchen door" and countless other vicious rhymes. Now it's the skinny kids that get picked on because they're atypical. Since when did it become wrong to be a healthy, normal sized kid? Since we became The FAT Americans, that's when.

think most of us know that the obesity epidemic is due to our horrific diet of processed, refined and sugar-filled crap, laden with GMOs and artificial colors and chemicals whose names I can't even begin to pronounce. I'm guilt of ingesting what is being passed-off as "food" but the ingredients, even when I try and sound them out, make me sound like I'm Penny trying to talk to Sheldon about theoretical physics. How do I know that a lot of "foods" have big, grown-up words on the labels? Because for about a year I've been diligently reading them and making a conscious choice about what I eat, albeit not always the best choice. The conclusion I've come to is this epidemic is going to be one of the hardest to overcome. Sugar is in almost everything that's processed, even if it's not needed. Why would soup need sugar? Bread? Juice? And many Americans don't know any better, don't know why white flour, white bread, white rice are unhealthy for themselves and their families. They don't understand the pre-cursors to diabetes and what the lasting effects of this disease are. They think soda is an ok beverage to drink everyday. Yes, I said ok to drink everyday and they let their kids drink it, everyday. Soda in my house is a treat, like candy. It's one of the worst offenders of overall health and wellness in America today.

Here are some facts about soda, pop, cola, coke and all the other names it goes by:

- Causes obesity

- Causes diabetes

- Linked to high blood pressure

- Increased chance of stroke

- Higher rate of osteoporosis

- Tooth decay

You may think I'm just out to slam soda makers, that they're evil. If that's what you think, please do your own research, see for yourself that soda is one beverage that should be avoided except on occasion, it should be a treat, not what you drink for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and before bed. Opt for water with a hint of fruit juice, tea (hot or unsweetened with ice)...there are better choices. While it may be hard to go cold turkey, just know that once your body adapts, and it will, you will feel more energy, your skin will look better and most people lose weight.

Links to Sites:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/131088-bad-effects-cocacola/

http://www.medicaldaily.com/pulse/soft-drink-dangers-8-ways-soda-negatively-affects-your-health-319054

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/diet-soda/faq-20057855

http://health.clevelandclinic.org/2013/03/soda-do-you-drink-it-every-day/

http://www.today.com/health/diet-soda-doing-these-7-awful-things-your-body-1C6558748

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2015/03/17/bad-news-diet-soda-drinkers-your-favorite-beverage-may-lead-to-more-belly-fat-as-you-age/

Chocolate Pudding - The Wrong Way

Where do I begin? Probably with a little background. I received a Paleo cookbook from my folks for Christmas. No they don't think I'm fat, I asked for one as a gift. I've heard good things about the Paleo way of eating (notice I didn't say diet) and wanted to explore further. I don't call it a "diet" which implies that you're restricting yourself in horrible ways. I may be exaggerating a bit with that statement, but are you every happy when you go on a diet? Do you ever look FORWARD to it? I never have. Where I've found success is changing how I think about food, understanding what food does to/for the body - good and bad - and adjust how I eat accordingly. I know what foods make my body and mind feel good and what food make me miserable. For instance lots of sugar and artificial colors make my face break out. Pretty simple concept once you think about it.

You may be asking, "What does Paleo mean?" or "How do you eat this way?" Simply put, Paleo is eating like our ancestors or eating whole foods, avoiding processed, refined, nutrient-poor, factory made foods. In a bit more detail, it means avoiding grains, most beans, refined sugar (which is in almost everything, you'll be surprised when you read your labels) and pasteurized dairy products. Will it be different at first? Yup. Will you're body crave the processed crap? At first. Will you need to think about what you buy and plan meals? Sure, until you get used to it. Will you feel better, have more energy and get sick less? Heck yeah!

But as the title implies, this is not a lesson on how to eat Paleo, (just wanted to give you a little background on why I even tried this) it's about a not-so-tasty chocolate pudding recipe. I mixed everything up and tasted it, it was NOT good. So I think, I'll let it chill. A couple hours later, gave it another try, still NOT good. Ok, I'll let it chill overnight, maybe the flavors have to mellow and blend together. Next day pulled out the spoons (yes, I had my son try it too) and dug in. My sons eyes grow wide and he starts to gag, runs to the garbage can and spits it out. Admittedly he's a bit of a drama king at times, but then the flavor hits me. I came unbearable close to spitting it out myself. I must have had a weird look on my face because my son bursts out laughing. I just shake my head and empty the remaining batch into the garbage. The one and only good thing about this pudding was the consistency, it was thick and creamy. It looks yummy, but then plays a horrible practical joke on your taste buds.

Here's the recipe if ya'll really wanted to try, but don't say I didn't warn you:

3 large avocados, soft and ripe

1/4 cup cacao powder

3-6 tablespoons coconut, almond or cashew milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp coconut oil
2 tablespoons raw honey

Combine avocado, cacao powder, coconut milk, vanilla, coconut oil and honey in blender. Blend on high for 1 minute or until smooth. 
Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

So you have it, my first recipe review of the year. Share with folks if you've tried this recipe and had success or another similar recipe that you like. Happy, healthy eating in 2016.

Why I Like the Gym

10. Stress relief, work, life...
9. Lots of mirrors, confirms I'm not a vampire.
8. I get to practice reading lips and making up my own words when the close caption isn't on.
7. Bosu balls to practice balance and realizing I would have sucked on the balance beam.
6. Being able to grunt and push other than when giving birth.
5. Knowing you can lift more than some men.
4. Watching guys work out, well some just sit there and BS with their buddies.
3. My trainer and the great people I workout with.
2. Running and not having to worry about potholes and butthead drivers.
1. Wearing tank tops and shorts 365 days a year, in Erie that's a big deal.

How Having a Kid Prepares You to Work With a Trainer

"Stick your butt out." "Use your legs." "Push through your heels." "Hold at 90 degrees." "Squeeze your shoulders together." "Pull harder." "Keep your muscles engaged." And the ever popular, "Suck it up Sally," followed by a dirty look from me (or an occasional f-bomb, depending on if I'm grumpy), then "Really Larry?" To lighten the mood and eliminate my grumpiness. Yes, I have been told all these things and NO, my trainer is not a jerk. He's usually encouraging me during my heaviest set or correcting my form so I don't hurt myself. The man (Doug) will physically poke me to indicate which muscle should activate during the exercise, will pull my shoulders together to demonstrate how much they should engage during the set, he will move my hands apart on the bar to make sure the grip is accurate and will stand over me or so close while spotting me that if we weren't at the gym people would talk. All of this is a huge invasion of my personal space, so why doesn't it bother me?

The answer is simple, I have a child. I learned 9 years ago, and am reminded everyday, that my space is not my own, it's no longer personal. Those of you with kids, I bet you understand this perfectly. It's somewhere between childhood and adulthood the concept of personal space develops. You see elementary kids standing in line and they are all touching each other (teacher yelling at them to keep their hands to themselves), smushed against each other, faces inches apart breathing on each other, all without a care in the world. Jump ahead to adulthood...picture a line of adults waiting to get concert tickets or the new model of Xbox or PlayStation, for the most part everyone is evenly spaced out. Think of an elevator, if there's room, people simply don't stand next to each other. When you're walking, you don't walk directly behind someone, not only is that totally creepy, it's bound to get you pepper sprayed. We even have a name for adults who invade people's personal space, they're called "close talkers." These are people who seemed to have never left childhood and will constantly touch you and put their heads right in front of yours while talking.

Prior to becoming a Mom, all these things would totally freak me out. I was the queen of stay at least 2 feet and 3/4 inches away from me, don't touch me, don't stand next to me and sure as hell, don't breath your stinky coffee-breath on me. Fast forward to today. My son still likes to be around me. He will grab my hand and hang on me when he doesn't feel well. He walks directly in front of or behind so we end up stepping on each other. He sticks his face in mine and does something goofy. He will poke me and pull me, he will wedge himself in a chair made for one with me. And my personal favorite, he insists on draping his hands AND legs over me when watching TV then falls asleep. I have no personal space, but I'm actually ok with that. Don't get me wrong, sometimes I just need a little alone time. That's when I lock myself in the bathroom. Then usually the cat tries to get in. But all of this has served a purpose, it has made me realize that if someone comes within the 2 foot radius, it's ok, I don't get agitated or freaked out. I'm ok with standing next to someone in the elevator and sometimes do it on purpose to watch people's reactions. This also allows my trainer to effectively spot me, making sure the bar doesn't crush my skull or let me fall backwards while squatting and make a giant ass out of myself. I'm used to being poked and legs and arms being moved to better locations. It's now just normal. The exception that still stands is someone skulking behind me, there's a good chance I'll turn and round-kick your knee.

What are you thoughts on personal space? Do you have boundaries or could care less?

Review: Pan-Roasted Scallops with Tarragon

Hi Everyone! It's been a while since I've written anything. Have to say it's been a very busy, constantly going, no time to sit around kind of summer. It was incredible time spent with my son, family and friends. And now it's over, booooo! I'll be honest, I haven't been the strictest with my eating choices. From having a zillion of the best hush puppies evah at Miller's Seafood to yummy beer at Erie's Public House, it was a GOOD summer for so many reasons. But now, it's over and time to get back to eating clean and exercising hard.

As you know I'm always trying new, healthy recipes. It's gotta be good for you, great flavor, quick and easy to cook and most importantly...kid friendly. Not too much to ask for. While I don't always have my son eat exactly like me (yes, there are multiple kinds of Oreos in the house), he does need to eat a good healthy dinner. He understands the basics about protein, carbs, refined sugar and processed crap. So when I saw this recipe (I'm a fan of Tarragon) I thought perfect, let's give it a try.

Pan-Roasted Scallops with Tarragon

Start with:

5 tbs olive oil
2 tbs fresh tarragon leaves, rough chop (pull the leaves off the stem)
2 cloves garlic, minced (if you love garlic use 4-6 cloves or to save time you can buy pre-minced garlic in a jar)
1.25 lbs scallops (remove connective tissue if not done by store)
1/2 c fresh orange juice (roll the oranges on the counter to soften them up prior to cutting in half and juicing, it's easier and you get more juice)
1/4 tsp paprika
1 tsp orange zest (before rolling and cutting in half, scrape the zest off, be sure to wash the skin prior to zesting)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Heat 4 tbs of olive oil in a large, ovenproof skillet over medium high heat. Add tarragon, stir, add garlic and sauté until it begins to sizzle (love, love, love the smell of sautéing garlic).

Add scallops and orange juice. Sprinkle paprika, zest, salt, pepper and remaining olive oil over scallops. Place entire dish in oven and roast for 10 min. Remove from oven (use a mit! Yes, I had an idiot moment when I touched the handle forgetting it just came out of the oven) and remove scallops from the pan, keep warm. Over medium high heat, begin to stir the remaining sauce until it thickens (2-3 minutes). Drizzle sauce over scallops and serve. About 30 minutes from prep to serve with one pan and a couple plates. Making it an easy weekday meal. Garlic, tarragon and zest add flavor while the orange juice adds a bit of sweetness to balance out the dish. Serve with a veggie of you choice. Tonight was green beans. Took some of the sauce and drizzled over the veggies.

So, give this high protein, high flavor dish a try and let me know what you think. Welcome to Fall.

Serving Information:

Calories: 164
Protein: 17.5 g
Carb: 8 g
Fat: 6 g
Cholesterol: 34 mg
Sodium: 679 mg