Medication paranoia

After an allergic reaction to pain medication given to me after having my wisdom teeth removed in college, I am paranoid to take almost any prescribed pain medications. This is one of the main reasons I chose natural childbirth to deliver both of my children. Then after pulling a muscle in my neck during said natural childbirth, the midwife prescribed Tylenol with codeine, which I reluctantly accepted because the pain was excruciating and had lasted a couple of weeks. I took one pill, and felt dizzy for two whole days! I couldn't even care for my newborn without assistance.

So you can see why I would never try Leptovox, or any of the other hundreds of diet supplements available. There are so many side effects to worry about with any drug, that are sometimes worse than the affliction itself, it just isn't worth it. Add to that the expensive prices, and I'm definitely happy to spend my money elsewhere!

Stampede!

New Year's Eve was interesting this year. My in-laws traded their Las Vegas timeshare with one in Branson, so we spent the week between Christmas and New Year's there with them in the condo. It was nice to visit with relatives, but the overall feel and pace of Branson is just not "us", if you know what I mean. Let's just say that Eureka Springs and Branson are just about as opposite as two towns can get.

How about a little comparison:
Traffic - Eureka Springs: zero. Branson: tons, all the time.
Tourists - Eureka Springs: mostly artsy types who appreciate history and old architecture. Branson: retirees who like to golf and appreciate cheesy entertainment.
Prices - Eureka Springs: very reasonable. Branson: very overpriced.
Overall Feeling - Eureka Springs: relaxing, stress free, and friendly. Branson: hurried, stressful, and people treated somewhat like cattle.

Anyway, we held out pretty well until the final night of our visit, New Year's Eve at the Dixie Stampede. The night started off with a bang when my husband refused to be in the "required" family photos taken before entering the arena. His mother even said, "Thanks for ruining my evening." The pre-show was very entertaining and probably our favorite part. The guy was a world class juggler who could balance huge things like chairs and ladders on his chin. Then we were "herded" into the horse arena, which is set up like a stadium with rows in front of the seats so the wait staff can run by and serve your food. The riding was very good, and I wish there had been more of it. The trick riding only lasted a couple of minutes. The horses were beautiful, dressed in english saddles and still decorated for Christmas.

The food was very tasty, but it was unnerving when we were eating chicken and they started doing chicken races down below. Then they passed out pork loin, and what was next in the show? You guessed it - the baby pig races!! That part really bothered me, but I don't think many of the other guests were even aware that we were eating and being entertained by the same animal simultaneously.

Anyway, we ended our trip feeling very "overdosed" by Branson. I don't think we will go back for a very long time.

Hardcore copycats

It is mind-boggling to see how many diet supplements are on the market right now. I realize that self image and vanity are a top dollar market, but can they really be that different from one another? I would bet that the same active ingredients can be found in most of the top diet pills on the market, and the variety comes only in the other "filler" ingredients. Hydroxycut hardcore is currently America's #1 diet pill, but at $60 per bottle, there are many copycats out there offering the same formula for much less.

People pay so much money for "miracle solutions", when what they really should be spending their money on is better food and a good pair of walking shoes. More home cooked meals, smaller portions at each meal, more fresh fruits and vegetables, and much more exercise could benefit nearly everyone.

Thursday Thirst

I am excited to announce a new book club I am starting to discuss horror literature. It will be held on the last Thursday of each month, at 6pm - starting January 29th.

We will start by discussing the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer. Meet with us in the Library Annex building at 192 Spring Street.

Deprivation

Sometimes people question my family's frugal lifestyle because they don't understand why we would "deprive" ourselves of everyday luxuries that most families enjoy. Just because we don't watch television, only have one car, and limit our belongings, we are anything but deprived! We enjoy saving money and the environment with our daily choices. And since we have a habit of saving any extra money, we can afford to take vacations at least once a year.

Although we have traveled more than many families, there are still many places we have yet to explore. The east coast is one such area. It would be so much fun to book some Outer Banks rentals and get a large group together to share the vacation. Even the smaller rentals have enough space for 8 people to sleep. Why not share the cost and the fun?? We have also never been to the west coast, and would love to visit Sequoia National Park in California, then on up to Oregon and Washington. A way-in-the-future dream is to visit Europe, and if we continue along the path of simple living, we may just get there someday.

Aging eyes

I always thought my mom was being paranoid when she said she didn't like driving at night. I've heard of night blindness too, but I never knew exactly what it meant. Well, now that I am in my thirties, I don't like driving at night either! I can't fully explain it, but I feel like I can't drive as well at night and the headlights from the other cars really bothers me. Even if their "bright" lights aren't on, I feel like I can't see for a second after an oncoming car passes by. Is this what night blindness is? Why didn't it bother me when I was younger?

I have also noticed some weirdness with my vision when I am reading lately. All of a sudden, the page will take on a "magic eye" effect and some of the words look like they are floating above the page. I have never needed eyeglasses, but I'm thinking to get this checked out, in case I need reading glasses or something.