weyes

two days before leaving on a trip, it is a good idea to wash all dirty laundry. one never knows what one may feel like taking at the last minute, and it's a bummer when an item desired while packing turns out to be in the laundry hamper. o, and specifically for the women: it's especially important to wash all bras. that way one doesn't have to limit what she can wear based solely on the corresponding bras (e.g. seamless, racerback, strapless) that happen to be clean. tune in tomorrow.

sometimes all one needs to do to add excitement and new experiences to his or her life is to open his or her mind and approach the same things from a different perspective . tune in tomorrow.

when it rains in southern california, roads are notoriously slick due to oil buildup during the many months without rain. it's important to not just slow down, but to keep both hands on the steering wheel at all times, to keep control of one's vehicle when hydroplaning occurs. when the rainy season starts, in the winter, one should also check his/her tires to make sure there is enough tread to reduce the risk of skidding and hydroplaning. tune in tomorrow.

saying, "hi, it's me," when the person one calls picks up the phone doesn't clear anything up . if one really just uses that statement to say three words, giving the receiver more of a chance (as opposed to just a one-word greeting like "hi") to figure out who called, one might as well say, "hi, what's up?" after all, what's a proper response to "hi, it's me," anyway? "congratulations"? tune in tomorrow.

there's usually no harm in getting somewhere early, and almost always a problem with getting somewhere late. if unsure of when to be somewhere, erring on the side of caution and arriving on the early side is prudent, and one can then waste any time left over once at the location. tune in tomorrow.

here's a great "killing two birds with one stone" suggestion: using the oven is a good way to avoid turning on the heater for a little while, if one's kitchen is near other rooms of the house where one is hanging out. of course, this is only true if one needs to cook something; otherwise there aren't two "birds." timing is of the essence for this suggestion. this may only be occuring to this author because she is hungry and a little chilly... tune in tomorrow.

if one finds oneself repeating a question to someone over and over and not getting through to the person - that is, not getting a satisfactory or relevant answer - it is probably a good idea to rephrase the question and talk a little slower. when this happens, the person on the receiving end of the question likely feels certain that s/he has answered it fully, and that is why s/he hasn't changed his/her answer. the person might even think that the asker is being dense. when there is a miscommunication, more information presented differently is generally helpful. tune in tomorrow.

one is never too old for a birthday party: cake, candles, pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey, and all. tune in tomorrow.

when inviting others to a special event, it's important to remember that different people plan their schedules in different ways. letting everyone know first a month in advance, then a week in advance, AND then a couple of days in advance of the event is a good way to (in order): let them set aside time before they're booked remind them, in case they've forgotten share excitement about the upcoming event that leaves those who are invited with no way to forget the occasion. tune in tomorrow. by the way, if anyone is in the circle in the city of orange this sunday at 5:30, they can catch an annual xmas treelighting extravaganza, complete with hundreds of singers (including weyes) performing carols and such.

before giving a person cookies for christmas, it would be useful to determine whether or not s/he is diabetic. in other words, homemade gifts are awesome and it is the thought that counts, but one thought - and therefore one gift - does not fit all in that regard. tune in tomorrow.

watching television for insight and lessons on love is about as silly as being on television for those reasons. it's not that watching oprah is as bad as being a contestant on rock of love, but expecting to learn much about relationships without being in them and experiencing them is unrealistic. tune in tomorrow.

the dry season is upon us, and one's skin and lips can go from dry and uncomfortable to painful and cracked faster than s/he would imagine. when the situation gets that far, it can take a lot of time and many applications of good quality lotion and lip balm to remedy the problem. it's best to prevent the dryness before it happens, and for one to make sure to put on lotion after every time s/he washes his/her hands and takes a shower, and to put on lip balm before going outside and going to bed. tune in tomorrow.

during the holiday season a lot of people are concerned about "ruining their diets" by eating the usual holiday treats. here's the deal, though: these delicious foods only come around once a year, so it's silly to skip them all in favor of weight loss program bars, carrots, or whatever one is eating on his/her diet. the secret is, as in most things, moderation. if one eats sane amounts of holiday foods and continues to exercise (anyone dieting should be exercising, after all), nothing crazy will happen. no one should deny his/herself pumpkin pie and stuffing when it will be near impossible to find in june . i hope everyone had a great thanksgiving! tune in tomorrow.

thanksgiving is different for everyone; to some it's a holiday to look forward to, to others, one to dread. but what to do at a new friend or family member's thanksgiving celebration? here are a few tips: if one has particular feelings and events that recur every year, it can be hard to break away from those, whether they are positive or negative. it's important to understand that, as a newcomer, there will be things that will happen within the family that may be hard or impossible to understand, and staying out of some situations is advisable. taking some of everything, food-wise, is a good idea, so as not to insult the host. many are particularly touchy about the job they've done with their turkeys. driving carefully on thanksgiving is almost as much of an issue as leaving extra time to get where one is going. people tend to drink a lot, as it is a holiday, after all. happy turkey day, all! tune in tomorrow.

before going to stores and/or malls on black friday, it is absolutely a good idea to: find out what the sales are beforehand; one should make sure that going through the drama will be worthwhile be sure of any rules and policies that are out of the ordinary, e.g. if items are final sale try to call ahead and ask if a certain item is available, if one thing is what one is looking for. while most stores won't hold anything on black friday, they will tell customers if things are sold out. try to remain calm at all times and finally, remember that all of the black friday ruckus is just about money. there is no call for yelling, pushing, cursing at strangers, driving like a maniac, being selfish and reckless in one's parking practices (taking up a space that's too small for one's car, cutting in front of others to take a space, honking while being impatient, holding up parking lot traffic while waiting for a person to leave who is taking too long, driving dangerously fast), and generally being rude and nasty to others. missing a sale or finding that an item is sold out is only a loss of a few dollars. to feel better, one can just think of other ways in which one has saved money, like at other sales in recent months or at the supermarket. it all evens out. and another plus: the madness is over. tune in tomorrow.

here's an activity with great potential for providing both surprise and joy (and maybe even an end to frustration, if one is a pirate seeking treasure): looking under couch cushions and furniture. i even looked in the cushions of my living room couch a couple of months ago in search of something without success, but just found a necklace there that has been missing for almost a year. i can't explain that, but why try? i just put the necklace in my jewelry box, where it belongs, and made a mental note to do that next time. then i decided to look under my living room chair... tune in tomorrow.

if one is finding it colder in his/her house than s/he likes, it's worth checking out the sealing around windows and doors, and especially around any window-mounted air conditioners. when it comes to ACs, there should be foam in between the window panes in use, and then something to fill up the gaps in where the panels on the sides of a unit and the unit itself meet the windowsill. there is a great variety of products and methods for doing this, including adhesive weathersealing tapes, caulk, and some expandable foam sealants. it takes a bit of money and work, but it's worth the time and effort; it can yield more significant results than one might imagine. tune in tomorrow.

one shouldn't underestimate the power of a thank you note. yes, it does mean more than an e-mail; something tangible that took more effort and thought shows time spent and care, if not inherent sincerity. people in general also tend to get a little thrill these days when something is in their mailboxes that isn't junk mail or bills. tune in tomorrow.

if one doesn't know how to do something, whether it be a hobby, home repair, a technical skill, or anything else, there is a way to figure out how to do it - or to find someone who can help or do it for him/her instead. there is no excuse for ignorance these days, with so many resources at everyone's fingertips. tune in tomorrow.

whattup, electro? good to see you !

being a witness for someone after a car accident or a reference for someone for a job or lease application is considered to be a nuisance by many: a time-consuming chore that's totally optional, to boot. but to those on the needing end of those situations, the witnessing and referencing can mean tremendous life changes. it's a fabulous thing: to be responsible for someone saving thousands of dollars or getting him/her the job or house of his/her dreams, and definitely not something one should pass up. tune in tomorrow.

celebrating the best parts of each day at day's end is a great way to destress, especially if one tends to worry at night or have trouble sleeping. for instance, one may not have achieved all of his/her goals in life yet, but taking the recyclables to the city transfer station, voting, and taking a walk are a pretty good set of accomplishments for one day . tune in tomorrow.

weyes' mom always used to - and still does - say that "sleep is the best medicine." whether one agrees with that or not, at least while one is asleep, s/he can't feel sick . tune in tomorrow.

when unable to make a planned engagement, even one someone thinks s/he isn't required to keep or where s/he might not even be missed, like a party, s/he should still let someone know that s/he know longer plans to attend. not contacting anyone is not just impolite; people may worry about the whereabouts of someone who just fails to show up without letting anyone know. tune in tomorrow.

when weather is unpredictable, as it has been lately around here, temperature-wise, it can be uncomfortable to be over or underdressed. it's generally a good idea to keep an extra jacket in one's car in case the weather gets cold, but here's another idea, too, for those of us who may be wearing skirts on days that suddenly turn chilly: it can't hurt to have a pair of tights or pants in the car, too. being stuck at an outdoor event and/or location later than one originally plans when wearing a skirt is a bummer without a leg-covering plan b at hand. tune in tomorrow.