Hollye Jacobs's Blog, page 23

Replace Vinegar for These Household Cleaning Products

Replace Vinegar for These Household Cleaning Products

I’m always looking for ways to eliminate chemicals from our home. Sometimes it’s challenging and other times it is rather quite easy.  Recently, I came across a great post by Amy Bizzarri on SocialMoms.com (a great site full if super information, by the way!) identifying seven (!!) household cleaning products that can be replaced with vinegar. The Silver Linings of vinegar are:

It is eco-friendlyPowerful anti-bacterialIt is inexpensive!

To get you started, Bizzarri offers seven recipes for creating common household cleaning products using vinegar. All of the recipes below call for simple white distilled vinegar.

All-Purpose Cleaning Spray. Why pay for a pricey cleaning spray when you can use vinegar as a base and create a cheap and eco-minded disinfecting cleaning spray? In a spray bottle, add 1 cup of vinegar, 3 cups of hot water, 1 and 1 tablespoon dishwashing soap. Shake the bottle well before use.Toilet Bowl Cleaner. Mix one cup of vinegar with one cup of baking soda right into your toilet bowl. Leave it for about 5 minutes so the baking soda can react to the vinegar, then scrub with your toilet brush to remove stains.Glass Cleaner. Count on vinegar to give your windows a streak-free shine. Simply add 1 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of water to a spray bottle. Spray on window class or mirrors and wipe down with an old newspaper for an extra touch of eco-friendliness.Stainless Steel Cleaner. Add 1 cup of vinegar, 3 cups of warm water and 3 tablespoons baking soda to a spray bottle. Simply spray your stainless steel appliances with the solution and wipe clean and dry with a lint-free rag.Dishwasher Cleaner. Maintain and sanitize your dishwasher to keep your dishes clean and sparkling with this easy dishwasher cleaning solution: Empty your dishwasher, pour in one cup of vinegar, and run a complete cycle.Fabric Softener. Just say no to costly and chemical laden fabric softeners and make your own using the sanitizing and deodorizing power of vinegar. Add 1/2 cup of vinegar and a few drops of your favorite essential oil (I recommend lavender!) to the rinse cycle.Carpet Stain Cleaner. Carpet spill? First use a sponge to soak up as much of the spill as possible. Then fill your spray bottle with a mixture of half vinegar, half warm water. Spray solution on spill and let stand for about five minutes. Blot with a sponge. Repeat until the stain is completely removed.Kitchen Floor Cleaner. Create your own no-wax floor cleaner by filling a bucket with one gallon of hot water and 1 cup of vinegar. Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil; I recommend grapefruit or lemon for a citrus-clean scent.

I’m looking forward to trying these.  Do you have any fun ways to clean without chemicals?

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Silver Lining Discovery: Sunday Riley Skincare

Sunday Riley Skincare

Recently, people have been commenting on my skin. The Silver Lining is that people (including the HOTY) have been saying very kind things (albeit a quite surprised tone) like: “What are you dooooooing?” or “I’ve never seen your skin look like this!”  This surprise may be related to the fact that after finishing treatment, I developed an unsavory propensity for perioral dermatitis outbreaks, leaving me looking like I had a red, zitty goat-tee. Seriously. And seriously gross.

Anyhoo, in the last month I have been using a product line called Sunday Riley. When it comes to facial products, I’m not exactly well-versed in product lines, much less products themselves. A couple of friends (who have gorgeous skin!) recommended this product line and for the first time, I can really see a difference.

The Sunday Riley company believes that ideal makeup and skincare formulas are a perfect union between pure, potent botanicals and advanced chemistry. Great philosophy, right? They use Green Technology and advanced biochemistry combined with pure, potent botanicals to produce high performance and high quality products.

What I have found is that the blend of botanicals provide intense cellular detoxification, healing, and regeneration while fighting the inflammation that causes premature aging. Even Excitedly Eight says (on a daily basis): “Momma, your skin is glowing.”  Ahhh…from the mouth of babes!

Apparently, the brand has become a runaway hit on the runways of big names such as Jason Wu, Stella McCartney (who is as ethically minded as they come!), Victoria Beckham and more—not to mention being the official skincare sponsor of the New York City Ballet.

Now, I have to tell you that the products are expensive. However, the investment in the skin on my face feels like a good investment.

My five favorite products are:

Ceramic Slip CleanserGood GenesStart Over Eye CreamBionic Anti-aging CreamJuno Facial Oil

PS – I share my love of products out of love, not because I am endorsed for any word!  Just sayin’…

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Margaret Atwood’s Ten Rules for Writing

Margaret Atwood’s Ten Rules for Writing

Margaret Atwood is one of my favorite writers. I happen to think that she is witty, smart and completely engaging. Recently I came across her ten rules for writing and loved them…and of course had to share them as I prepare for a big writing project.

Take a pencil to write with on airplanes. Pens leak. But if the pencil breaks, you can’t sharpen it on the plane, because you can’t take knives with you. Therefore: take two pencils.If both pencils break, you can do a rough sharpening job with a nail file of the metal or glass type.Take something to write on. Paper is good. In a pinch, pieces of wood or your arm will do.If you’re using a computer, always safeguard new text with a ­memory stick.Do back exercises. Pain is distracting.Hold the reader’s attention. (This is likely to work better if you can hold your own.) But you don’t know who the reader is, so it’s like shooting fish with a slingshot in the dark. What fascinates A will bore the pants off B.You most likely need a thesaurus, a rudimentary grammar book, and a grip on reality. This latter means: there’s no free lunch. Writing is work. It’s also gambling. You don’t get a pension plan. Other people can help you a bit, but ­essentially you’re on your own. ­Nobody is making you do this: you chose it, so don’t whine.You can never read your own book with the innocent anticipation that comes with that first delicious page of a new book, because you wrote the thing. You’ve been backstage. You’ve seen how the rabbits were smuggled into the hat. Therefore ask a reading friend or two to look at it before you give it to anyone in the publishing business. This friend should not be someone with whom you have a ­romantic relationship, unless you want to break up.Don’t sit down in the middle of the woods. If you’re lost in the plot or blocked, retrace your steps to where you went wrong. Then take the other road. And/or change the person. Change the tense. Change the opening page.Prayer might work. Or reading ­something else. Or a constant visualization of the holy grail that is the finished, published version of your resplendent book.

If you haven’t yet read her, I highly recommend The Blind Assassin.  Here is a synopsis from The Publisher:

“The Blind Assassin opens with these simple, resonant words: “Ten days after the war ended, my sister Laura drove a car off a bridge.” They are spoken by Iris, whose terse account of her sister’s death in 1945 is followed by an inquest report proclaiming the death accidental. But just as the reader expects to settle into Laura’s story, Atwood introduces a novel-within-a-novel. Entitled The Blind Assassin, it is a science fiction story told by two unnamed lovers who meet in dingy backstreet rooms. When we return to Iris, it is through a 1947 newspaper article announcing the discovery of a sailboat carrying the dead body of her husband, a distinguished industrialist. Brilliantly weaving together such seemingly disparate elements, Atwood creates a world of astonishing vision and unforgettable impact.”

 If you have read her, what are your favorite Margaret Atwood books?

 

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Get Kids Moving

Get Kids Moving

Despite the fact that the HOTY and I love to exercise, our daughter – the thespian! – isn’t so into it.  Here is how our typical conversations go:

Us: Let’s go for a family hike!

Suddenly Seven: No thanks. I don’t feel like it.

Us: Why not?  C’mon. It’ll be fun!

Suddenly Seven: I’d rather read.

Us: It’s not a choice. We are going.

Suddenly Seven: (voice over) mooooan and groaaaaan.

Suddenly Seven’s response has actually been quite baffling to the HOTY and me. So, what do I do when I don’t know what to do? I reach out for help!

My friend, chiropractor and personal trainer, Dr. Izzy Lira stepped up and offered some really awesome suggestions for getting kids to move.  I’m super excited to share these helpful hints (& Silver Linings!) with you!

Don’t make it feel like actual exercisePlaying is exerciseEDUCATE your child on the importance of exercise and how it impacts their health. Just as you educate them on the importance of brushing their teeth.Limit t.v. time to encourage/promote physical activityFigure out what interests the child has that may not be your typical sport (ie. dance, music, karate, theatre, etc.) and try to incorporate into an exercise routine.Get outdoors (park, beaches, trails, lakes, etc.)Invite a friend to get involvedSign them up for an activity (ie. yoga, archery, swimming)Be spontaneous. Breaking into a “dance party” in the middle of the kitchen when a certain song is played can make exercise fun!Get the entire family involved. Make it a routine (ie. every Saturday we as a family will devote time to physical activity. And allow the kid(s) to decide what activity the family will do from time to time. Give them some control and input.Use exercise in a positive light. Don’t EVER use exercise as a punishmentLead by example! (walk the walk)Start slow with a small window of 5-10 minutes to devote to exercising on a daily basis (ie. walking the dog) and then build on that foundationWork towards a challenge (ie. family 5K run/walk or better yet…a charity event)Reinforce with positive feedback & encouragement. Very important!!Use exercise as a break from exhaustive hours that kids spend on homework.Try to find an obstacle course or empty playground. Monkey bars are a great exercise to build strength. If you can’t find an obstacle course…make one. Cones can be very useful in creating various exercise stations (ie. jumping jacks, bear crawls, hula hoop, push ups, cone jumps) Do the stations for time; and encourage them to improve on their time. Competing with them could also make it fun for them.Keep trying various activities and see what works for the child.Most importantly…HAVE FUN WITH IT!!

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How to Break the News of a Cancer Diagnosis

How to Break the News of a Cancer Diagnosis

Well, yet another friend has been diagnosed with f-bomb cancer. I swear, it is everywhere.

In addition to contending with the emotional, intellectual, physical and spiritual issues that are inherent in a cancer diagnosis, there is also the issue of breaking the news to family and friends. “Breaking” is the operative word because a cancer diagnosis is the ultimate break.

There is so little control after a cancer diagnosis, but deciding if, how and when to tell people is your choice.

Yes, I said if. First things first: after a diagnosis, obligation goes by the wayside. There is no longer any shoulding. A friend of mine who last year was diagnosed with a nasty case of ovarian cancer decided that she didn’t want to tell her friends. …and because she had just moved to a new town, she didn’t. And you know what? That was the very best thing for her.

If you do decide to tell people, it is important to know that there  is no “right” way to deliver the news. I mean it’s cancer for goodness sakes. When it came time to telling people about my diagnosis, I decided to communicate via email because I wanted each person to hear about the diagnosis from me, in my own words, at the exact same moment (because it landed in every inbox at the same time).  Now, I know that it wasn’t the most “socially” acceptable thing to do, but it was what felt the most comfortable to me. What I know for sure is that each person has to do what feels the most comfortable (ha! as if…) for him or her.

Other people feel the need to talk about their diagnosis either by phone or in person. All well and fine, too. In fact, one Silver Lining of talking is that it can help problem solve or even bring up new questions to ask your health care team.

When it comes to disclosing your diagnosis, here are a few helpful hints:

Decide if you want to communicate. You don’t have to.  Don’t be bullied. Truly.Make a list of people with whom you want to communicate. There were some people I told by phone, but the majority received an email.Talk with your children!  That is a MUST.  I have written extensively about talking with children.  You can read several of the posts here: http://192.237.186.29/kids-childhood-cancer/talking-to-kids-about-cancer/how-to-talk-with-children-about-a-cancer-diagnosis/Decide how much you want to share. Talking about your specific type of cancer and treatment options can be overwhelming and time consuming, so repeating it over and over can therefore be exhausting. Pace yourself.Write down bullet points of information so that your conversation stays on track.Accept help.  Though this was difficult for me, the one thing that I know with absolute certainty is that accepting for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.Appoint a communication ambassador (ideally not your spouse or partner).  This could be a friend who goes with you to appointments and is fully apprised of your plan of care (e.g., treatments) as well as your status.  This person can serve as a gatekeeper so that you or your immediate family are not contending with repeating stories over and over and over again.

Please remember that there is no “right” way to communicate.  Following your intuition is the best thing that you can do for your self, always and in all ways.

Do you all have any added helpful hints?  I’d love to hear about them.

 

 

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Friday’s Fixin’s: Meatless Meatloaf

Meatless Meatloaf

Ohhhhh, am I ever excited to share this week’s recipe! Maili had a stroke of genius with this one.  I have always loved meatloaf, but haven’t had it in years because I don’t eat meat. Knowing this, Maili came up with the most scrumptious meat and gluten-free meat loaf. It is so doggone good and I hope that you will enjoy it as much as we are.  Oh, and if you like spice, you absolutely must find this Kickin’ Ketchup. Talk about a Silver Lining!

Mushroom Meatloaf

Chef Maili 

Ingredients

One yellow onion, chopped2 tbsp olive oil1/4 teaspoon kosher salt3 lbs of mushrooms, (half white button mushrooms and half baby bella,  but you could use any mixture of 3 lbs of mushrooms)1 teaspoon kosher salt1/8 teaspoon of ground cloves2 tablespoons of raisins1 cup of cooked red quinoa (you can also use brown rice, oats, wheatberries)½ cup pistachios1/2 cup of almond flour1 cup of parsley, chopped2 eggs1/3 cup of spicy ketchup

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350Sauté onion in 2 tbsp of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of salt. After 5 minutes, add ¼ cup of water and let it cook down, stirring occasionally . When it starts to evaporate and become brown, add another ¼ cup of water.  Maili usually adds water three times when caramelized onions.  It will take about 20 minutes to cook the onions completely.Chop mushrooms in a food processor (best done in batches so you don’t break your food processor!).In largest pan you have, sauté mushrooms in 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tsp of salt.  Cook for 15-20 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are completely cooked.Turn off heat and add ground cloves, thyme, raisins, caramelized onions, pistachios and parsley.  Stir.Add 2 eggs and combine wellPlace mixture in a loaf pan and pack well.  Cover the top with spicy ketchup.Cook on 350 for 30-35 minutes.Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Be sure to check out Maili’s blog, The Maili Files and see more of Blue’s incredible photography.

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Study Places Doubt on the Value of Mammograms

Study Places Doubt on the Value of Mammograms

You may have heard about the study (published in the British Medical Journal on Tuesday)   and reported on the front page of the New York Times citing that “annual mammography in women aged 40-59 does not reduce mortality from breast cancer beyond that of physical examination or usual care when adjuvant therapy for breast cancer is freely available.” Wondering what this means exactly?  Well, the net-net of this report is that the researchers determined that mammograms don’t decrease the death rates from breast cancer — but do increase the likelihood of unnecessary treatment. Wow. Talk about a bombshell, huh?

The New York Times describes the report as: One of the largest and most meticulous studies of mammography ever done. It is indeed big news.

Let me give you a little background on the study: The objective was to compare breast cancer incidence and mortality up to 25 years (!) in women aged 40-59 who did or did not undergo mammography screening. The study included nearly 90,000 women aged 40-59.

As you can imagine, this study has further polarized advocates for and against mammography. To be completely honest, I’m not sure exactly where I stand. I found my breast cancer and it was corroborated only after a mammogram and handheld ultrasound tests. What I believe without a doubt, from the bottom of my tippy toes is that women need to do self-exams. This is so incredibly important!

The other important aspect of this study goes to the issue of treatment. What has been determined is that all too often, women receive intense treatments (e.g., mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation) unnecessarily. Yes, that’s right. Unnecessarily. There is an assumption that all cancer cells must be treated. Now, most do indeed need to be treated; however many actually don’t. There are some types of cancers that don’t grow at all or grow very slowly and do not require the draconian treatment breast cancer treatment that exists today (if you’ve had treatment, I imagine that you will agree with that adjective). Pretty amazing, right?!?

Currently the American Cancer Society screening guidelines recommend yearly mammograms for women starting at age 40 and continuing for as long as a woman is in good health. Clinical breast exams are recommended every 3 years for women in their 20s and 30s and every year for women 40 and over. This study seemingly turns these guidelines topsy turvy.

As quoted in the New York Times, the American Cancer Society has formed an expert panel which will consider all studies of mammography, including this latest study. The panel will then issue revised guidelines later this year.

What I know for sure is that this study mandates that the dialogue, debate and research continue to figure out whether mammograms are useful and if so, how often. What I also know for sure is that patients need to be consumer driven and not simply accept the prescribed status quo.

I’d love to hear your opinions. What do you think about the study?

 

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Burnout: What to Look for and How to Cope

Burnout.

Before leaving for vacation, I was feeling overworked, stressed and a tad bit burned out. Gosh, that feels weird to write. And acknowledge. But it’s true. You see, in addition to writing the blog everyday and the book, I write every word of my social media (Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram).  I am also doing more video work (those will be forthcoming) and making plans for the book launch and traveling for speaking engagements. Now, this is NOT a complaint. Not at all because I am really excited about, grateful for and loving what I am doing.

The thing of it is, though, I felt like I was living a daily cliché: one step forward, two steps back. Heaven knows that I know that life can be tricky like that. And I also know that post-FBC, I have a tendency to want to pack things in. However….I also must acknowledge that living this way isn’t healthy, physically or mentally.

Here are some of the signs that I had indicating that I was burning out:

chronic fatigueirritabilityself-criticismlack of motivationnegativityweight gainsleeplessnessI thought I was burned out

Believe it or not (actually, you’ll probably believe it!), I’m choosing to see burnout as a Silver Lining, something that I needed. I am a firm believer that the universe shows us what we need, at the precise time that we need it.  And this is a perfect example.

My #1 priority in my life is my health.  My #2 priority (a very close 2nd!) is my family.  If I don’t have these, then I don’t have anything.

So, what to do?  First things first:

Scale back a bit.  I hope that you will bear with me as I blog 3 days a week instead of 5. I think that this pace will be much more feasible.Unplug more often.  I have been feeling absolutely glued to my computer, my phone and my iPad. A friend of mine has “screen-free Sundays” and I’m thinking about adopting that practice as well.Say “No” more often. Now this is super-challenging for me, especially as I am lining up the upcoming book tour, but it is important. Really important.Prioritize family and friend life. Actually, I have been prioritizing my family.  Life lately has been all work and family.  What I really need to do is add more girlfriend time into my life. I miss my girlfriends. They are such a humongous source of energy, compassion and support in my life.Sleep. Sleep. Sleep. Zzzzzzz…..

Have you ever been burned out?  If so, what do you do about it?  Any helpful hints?

 

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Musical Monday: Silver Girl Lyrics and Behind the Scenes Photos

Silver Girl Lyrics and Behind the Scenes Photos

Helloooooo!  Wow, is it ever nice to be back.  Nicaragua was amazing and I can’t wait to share photos and stories with you later this week. In the meantime, I wanted to say thank you for your feedback on the Silver Girl Video from last week. If you missed it, here it is again: http://www.thesilverpen.com/breast-cancer-inspiration/inspirational-music-quotes/musical-monday-silver-girl/

Many of you asked for the lyrics to the song, so I thought that I’d share them – along with some behind the scenes photos from the video shoot (scroll down) – with you on today’s Musical Monday. Hope that you enjoy them!

Silver Girl – lyrics by Stacey Fergusson, music by JR Richards

life changed in an instant

surreal as a foreign film

their lips move   but she

she can’t comprehend

tremblin in the turbulence

freezing sleet beats on her breast

tightly bound with silk ribbon

she bravely raises her chest

 

watching the way of the rain

she slows down & exhales

knows the sun shines out on the other side

she gently lifts up the cloud’s veil

and she finds the storm’s silver lined

 

silver girl silver girl

shine on shine on

silver girl silver girl

shine on shine on

silver girl

you brighten my world

 

embracing love over fear

her child will be her mirror

she knows how… she knows how to do this

 

friends, hope & humor

bring balance to these hard times

forever bound to our sisters

she guides with insight

 

for freedom to choose our attitude

breathe in the grace of gratitude

slow down and exhale

know the sun shines out on the other side

gently lift up the cloud’s veil

and we find… life’s silver lines

 

silver girl silver girl

shine on shine on

silver girl silver girl

shine on shine on

 

a stream of mercury

flowing from her fountain pen

she shares her story

and  the lines she writes

they are… a silver light

 

silver girl silver girl

shine on shine on

silver girl

shine on shine on

silver girl

finding silver linings in life

you brighten my world

Photo credit: Stacey Fergusson and Min Reid.

 

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The Reluctant Vacation

The Reluctant Vacation!

For the first time since beginning the blog, I am taking a vacation. A real and true vacation from the blog. Wow. Even writing that makes me feel nudge-y. I feel nudge-y because writing the blog is something that I have done at least 5 days a week for the past 3 years. It is a daily ritual for me and a Silver Lining in my life. It is work, though. In fact, it is a whole lot of work.

The truth of the matter is that  in the past couple of weeks, I have been feeling exhausted, overwhelmed and – to be completely truthful – on the verge of burning out. Between all of the commitments of the upcoming book release (!!!), speaking engagements, the blog and social media (I write every word!), I’m tired and need time away to refuel (especially before the launch of the book on March 14th!). Thus, I find myself taking The Reluctant Vacation. Now, I do recognize that the great big wonderful Silver Lining is that it IS a vacation!!!

For the past 4 years (at the beginning of every year) I have taken a hiking trip with girlfriends. We have gone to amazing places and have had incredible experiences. Over the years, our friendships have blossomed into true treasures in my life, which is another Silver Lining for which I am incredibly grateful.

So, tonight I am writing this blog post from the Los Angeles airport where I am taking a Red Eye to Nicaragua. Yes, Nicaragua. And yes a Red Eye (says The Reluctant Vacationer whose bedtime is 9:00 – at the latest!).

To be honest, I really have no idea about the specifics of the trip (because I haven’t had the time to do the research).  The Silver Lining is that the trip has been meticulously planned by Indagare, so that I don’t have a worry in the world.  As you may recall, Indagare is my favorite travel company because they always plan the most extraordinary, interesting, engaging and FUN trips.

The HOTY will be holding down the fort at home so that I can go on this adventure. Yes, he’s still the Husband Of The Year and my ultimate Silver Lining.

Wishing you a beautiful week. Look forward to reconnecting next week!

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