Coast 2 Coast Mom

Win a Logitech HD Webcam Pro 9000!

Last week I was invited to attend a lunch and briefing at the Warwick Hotel in NYC on the Logitech Webcam 9000 with Logitech Vid and HD. I think that once you experience HD, you can never really go back. We have one HDTV in our home, and it's like night and day when I have to watch something on our older television. The same is true of the HD webcams. The first HD webcam I ever used was the Microsoft LifeCam Cinema - which I LOVED and there was really no going back. Maria Bailey of Mom Select led the briefing, where we installed the Logitech Vid one-click calling software onto our laptops, and installed the driver for the webcam to begin using it first hand during the briefing and lunch. Royee Leung from Logitech provided an overview of the webcam and answered some of our questions via Logtech Vid.

What I really like about the Logitech Webcam Pro 9000 was that it was easy to install,the Logitech Vid call software is FREE, and that it runs great on my Asus netbook (usually HD webcams tend to freeze the li'l netbooks as they just can't handle that much at once). I was surprised that the image was SO CLEAR yet didn't freeze up at all, and I've used it to make nearly a dozen calls now. You can vid chat with others regardless of what webcam their using, but they must download the free Logitech Vid software to chat with you.

Something to keep in mind, though: if you're using it with toddlers or preschoolers to video call family members, keep in mind that kids that age tend to move FAST so the HD video - even at 30 frames per second - can look like there's a "shadow" or "wake" following their rapid hand or head motions. This has the potential to be annoying for people on the other end, but we barely noticed it. You can't beat the clarity and sharpness of detail overall, and for teen or adult normal use, I have not encountered any movement issues.

So how can you get your hands on a free Logitech Webcam Pro 9000 of your own? Simple. I received a webcam at the event to giveaway , so just leave a comment below telling me who you're most excited to vid call should you win it (grandparents, sister/brother, son/daughter, spouse who travels?), OR let me know what webcam you currently have and would replace with this. I'll choose a winner on Friday November 20, 2009 at Noon EST via Random.org. You don't have to be a blogger to win, but you do have to leave a comment. Your email address will be kept private, and I need it to contact the winner to arrange for shipping. Use discount code logitech_moms_2009 to receive 20% off your own QuickCam Pro 9000 and FREE shipping on your Logitech webcam purchase.

 

Full Disclosure: I received a Logitech Webcam 9000 and a Logitech ClearChat Comfort USB headset for testing purposes.
 

My Night at SNL Rehearsal with Taylor Swift

Last night Coast2Coast Dad and I were fortunate to experience one of the coolest events in all of NYC: we attended an SNL dress rehearsal. As if we couldn't top that, the icing on the cake was that Taylor Swift was the host and musical guest!! (Big fans!) I struggled to contain my excitement about attending for weeks for fear I would jinx it, and was actually giddy from the minute I woke up Saturday in anticipation.

When we arrived at 30 Rock and confirmed our names were on the list, we were given orange "golden tickets," and as I had an inkling that cell phones, cameras, etc. would be forbidden during the rehearsal, I snapped some photos of us waiting in line and of the ticket itself just in case they took the ticket once inside. (Sure enough, they did. . .) 

Here's some things I was impressed by, or surprised to learn attending the rehearsal:

• Lenny Pickett and the SNL band are AMAZING! Some guest hosts thank the band or comment on them being amazing, and I agree that they were in fact phenomenal. The band actually plays a larger role than appears from watching the show at home. They jam and keep the energy high for hours on end - from before the rehearsal begins as the audience moves in, all through the live taping. We could have had a wonderful evening just seeing and hearing the band play.
• To get things started, Don Pardo welcomed everyone - we actually got to see him, not just hear his voice! He introduced the dashing Jason Sudeikis, who was funny and explained what would happen during the rehearsal.
• Abby Elliott and Jenny Slate can sing! They kicked the rehearsal off with an energetic B-52's "Roam."
• The cast and crew must be exhausted after Saturday. Dress rehearsal wasn't just a walk-through, it was a full-out practice for the live taping - with full make-up, hair, music, cameras, etc. with no stops or do-overs. It is a true testament to the caliber of people involved with the show that they can  power through such long hours and still have energy for the live taping.
• Taylor Swift just keeps getting better - didn't think it was possible to like her more than we already did! (Did I mention my hubby's met her twice before and she spoke with Li'l Boo on the phone a year and a half ago? We have photos around here somewhere. Each time she's been incredibly thoughtful, friendly and such a savvy marketer with her fan base. We LOVE her!) Taylor went through numerous costume/dress changes - literally running on and off stage all night in heels, while performing her songs and looking fresh, beautiful and happy the entire time. We were impressed - what a pro! (I think things went more smoothly during rehearsal than the live taping from what I saw on Tivo.)
• We laughed - a lot! I think things can get lost in the translation of broadcast because there are times that we watch sketches at home on TV where we don't laugh, or think the sketch is dumb and fast-forward through it. But sitting in the audience, and being there live, we laughed a TON! As an audience member, you can easily see how talented - and funny - the cast and writers really are. Everyone should be so lucky as to take in a rehearsal or live show!
• We gained a greater appreciation for the SNL show members as we saw all of the sketches in the dress rehearsal, then went home to see what sketches and lines made it in the show. It is interesting to see what they've changed in such a short amount of time post rehersal, and how flexible and professional everyone must be to make it happen for the live show. (For instance, an Obama sketch opened the rehearsal show, but was cut from the live show, and the Fox News "bad day for Obama" sketch was moved up to open the show instead. Maybe we'll see that Obama sketch retweaked in a week or two. . .)
• Lastly, my hubby had been to Studio 8H a couple of times before, but it was the first time for me, and it's always different seeing something someone else has described to you, with your own eyes. The creativity and intracacies involved with the multiple set and backdrop changes are impressive.

Even this afternoon, I'm still coming down from my high of getting to see one of my fave shows live, and getting to see Taylor Swift - oooh yeah, and how about Amy Poehler dropping in to join the Weekend Update Desk with Seth Meyers? Love them both. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me, and I hope that I get the opportunity to take a tour or see another taping again sometime. We had a blast!

 

Easy Ways to Help Stand Up For Heroes With Remind.org

Wednesday night c2cdad and I attended Remind.org's annual Stand Up For Heroes event at the Town Hall  in NYC. Stand Up For Heroes is a part of the New York Comedy Festival and is a night of comedy, fundraising and special musical performances. This was our second time to attend Stand Up For Heroes, and I can say that I left both events grateful, inspired and motivated to do more for the cause. The Bob Woodruff Foundation has done a tremendous job understanding, anticipating and responding to the stresses and difficulties involved in a wounded soldier's road to recovery and reintegration into his/her community - no matter if the injury in question is physical or psychological.

One of the examples of their work that struck home with me was how Remind.org helped a new mom by covering the cost of childcare three full days a week so that se could focus solely on her husband's rehab and recovery and relieve her of her dueling priorities in the hospital. I could not imagine what it must have been like for her to have had an infant/toddler with her stuck inside the hospital while she supported and tended to her recovering husband for months on end. Because not only would she have likely needed just a moment to think or a few minutes to take care of herself, but also how stifled the toddler must have felt stuck inside a hospital or rehab room, and not getting the freedom of being home, or in the outdoors or fresh air. Not only do the returning troops need support returning to their communities, but the entire family is affected and may need resources or advice in adjusting to their new life together. 

The event was hosted by NBC's very capable Brian Williams who kept the audience apprised of updates in the Yankee/Phillies world series game throughout the evening and if you've caught his appearances on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, then you already know that he has quite the sense of humor. The audience gave perhaps the longest ovation I've stood and applauded for in my lifetime for the recovering soldiers in attendance, which in and of itself was moving. 

Video messages from First Lady Michelle Obama and former President George H. W. Bush, and Jon Stewaqrt were shown as well as a montage of featured soldiers and how Remind.org supported their recovery. Elvis Costeollo kicked off the live performances with two accoustic songs (loved "Sulfur to Sugarcane!"), then came Bruce Springsteen, who performed three songs including "Born to Run" and "The Rising." (Sooo awesome!) He shared some adult humor in between songs, so email me if you're really interested in them and I'Il share them as they're not approriate to share here. The Boss then auctioned off the guitar he played (signed), with Jamie Niven of Sotheby's conducting the auction - which brought in $50k for the guitar and tickets to Bruce's upcoming show at at Madison Square Garden complete with backstage passes!

Louis CK performed after the auction and fundraising portion of the event, and I laughed nearly the whole time he was on stage! He did a bit about volunteering in the school cafeteria, and getting his kids ready for school and I found both bits hilarious. I was excited to see Stephen Colbert for the first time in person, sporting his camo suit and presenting slides of his recent USO trip to Iraq. Then came Lisa Lampanelli who was funny and teased several soldiers in the front row and left me ashamed for laughing at more than half of her material. My bloggy friend @madijack is a huge fan of hers, so I just had to snap a photo of her on stage (see below).

How can you help the Remind.org cause?

1. If you have the means, I encourage you to check out some of the very cool items and experiences up for auction by November 18th to benefit Remind.org

2. Purchase Philosophy's Remind U.S. shampoo, shower gel and bubble bath for $20, and ALL of the net proceeds go directly to the Bob Woodruff Foundation

3. Subscribe to Woman's Day for only 67 cents an issue, and $2.00 from each paid subscription will be donated to the Bob Woodruff Foundation visit http://pay-womansday.com/bwf 

4. Tweet to Remind.org Donate $11.11 by Veteran's Day 11/11/09 to help to raise $1.9 million for Remind.org

5. Or check out Remind.org for more ways you can take action in your own community.

 

Wear Jeans or Test Your Vocabulary Skills To Support Save The Children's Survive To 5 Program And Today's World Pneumonia Summit

Today I'm doing something out of the ordinary, I am attending an intellectual summit for World Pneumonia Day in NYC. The goal of the summit is to raise awareness of inexpensive solutions that already exist to prevent newborn and early childhood deaths, and to encourage citizens worldwide to request increased government funding to reduce deaths in children up to five years old. You read that right. The tools to prevent and treat pneumonia already exist, and they are inexpensive - yet each year two million children under five years old die from pneumonia. According to the World Pneumonia Day coalition, that's more childhood deaths from pneumonia than from HIV/AIDS, malaria, and measles combined.

So what can YOU do to recognize World Pneumonia Day? For starters, you can check out the site to learn more about the coalition working to prevent unnecessary deaths in children under five years old worldwide. You can test your own knowledge and introduce your children to information about the scourge of pneumonia with this game on the SaveThe Children Survive To 5 site. Or, I've become addicted to playing the vocabulary game at GiveVaccines.org, which donates funds to purchase .01ml of vaccines for each correct answer in the game - and it costs you nothing to play! I LOVE it! The hallmark of World Pneumonia Day supporters woudl be to wear jeans today, as the request was made to wear jeans to work in honor of the cause, and to donate the cost of your dry cleaning (@ $8) to the campaign.

Or you may also tune in to the World Pneumonia Summit live online and learn about things like:

• How pneumonia is one of the most solvable problems in children's health globally,
• How to engage global governments to advocate for more funding to improve education and access to healthcare to diagnose the disease in time to save a life, and
• The new 5 by 15: Saving 5 million children's lives by 2015 initiative.

In case you're wondering how inexpensive is inexpensive when it comes to preventing or treating the disease,  I spoke with Mary Beth Powers, campaign chief for Save The Children's Survive to 5 program, and learned some ways the coalition is working to educate people to prevent the disease. Such as educating new mothers to breastfeed exclusively for six months to build up immunity to various viruses or infections. The Survive to 5 program is also teaching women to avoid giving newborns honey to sweeten their disposition as it can do more harm to the baby than good. Their training people as healthcare workers to increase access to knowledgeable officials who can diagnose pneumonia and treat it - I was surprised to learn that it costs less than $1 to treat a case of pneumonia!

I'll follow-up with a recap post on the event and information from my call with Powers, and you can check my posts this week for additional information.

Full Disclosure: I am honored to attend the World Pneumonia Day summit on behalf of Vicks, a member of the global coalition to bring awareness to child pneumonia. Vicks is working with Save The Children on programs that enable consumers to help children suffering from pnumonia worldwide. This is a part of P&G's commitment to improve the lives of children around the world to help them Live, Learn and Thrive (LLT). 

Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs Giveaway & Sid's Safety Tips For A Happy Halloween

Li'l Boo cannot get enough of anything dinosaur related right now, so it's kind of a miracle that I held out from taking him to see Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs in theaters, waiting until it came out on DVD and Blu-Ray Disc instead. Don't get me wrong - if we weren't doing so much travel back then, we likely would have gone. So we're eager to see Manny and Sid take on a cranky T-Rex and the movie is on Li'l Boo's holiday wish list. Who's in it, you may ask? Well . . . Glee lovers will be happy to listen for Jane Lynch's voice, and you may recognize Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader ("Saturday Night Live"), Josh Peck ("Drake & Josh"), and Seann William Scott (upcoming "Planet 51"), and of course, Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary and Queen Latifah all lend their voices to this movie as well. Ice Age: Dawn of The Dinosaurs is being sold in a three-disc Blue-ray Disc/DVD/Digital Copy combo pack and the Ice Age: Dawn of The Dinosaurs "Scrat Pack" double DVD pack.

So, how do you WIN the third adventurous installment of Manny, Sid, Ellie and Diego? 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment sent me a copy of Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs on DVD to giveaway to one lucky reader. Just scroll down and leave a comment telling me who is your favorite character from the Ice Age trilogy, and you'll be entered to win. You don't have to be a blogger, but you do have to leave a comment (skip the URL/Website box). Your email address is kept private, and I need it to coordinate mailing the DVD to the winner. I'll choose a winner via Random.org at Noon EST on Tuesday, Nov 3rd, 2009. Good luck!

Just for fun: Sid's Safety Tips For A Happy Halloween*

1. It's best to travel in a herd, preferably one that includes an adult human-type.
2. Stick to familiar neighborhoods and never enter a stranger's house, car or cave.
3. Carry a flashlight or glow stick to scare off dinosaurs and make yourself more visible at night.
4. Bring a cell phone for quick communication in case you are separated from your group.
5. Secure emergency information discreetly within your costume or on a bracelet to wear on your paw.
6. Consider adding reflective tape or striping to your costumes for greater visibility - it can get dark even in the snow!
7. Walk - don't run or fly - and be extra careful crossing streets.
8. Have an adult human-type check for unwrapped or fossilized candy before you eat your treats.

*via 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs

 

Blog the Olympics! Enter To Win a Trip to Vancouver #blogathlete

One cool opportunity I learned about from the Office team at the Microsoft Open House in NYC earlier this month, is that they're running a blogger contest "Office Winter Games," where one female blogger and one blogging college student will win a trip to Vancouver, BC to cover the 2010 Winter Olympic Games (Feb 11-17 or Feb 23-March 1st) as a credentialed member of the press. Woo-hoo! As if that's not cool enough, the winner will ALSO win a trip to Las Vegas

to attend and cover the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show! (Jan 7-10th; Ahem, I'll be there!) Think this prize can't get any better? It DOES! They're giving both winners an Acer Aspire 4810 laptop with Office software. (Which I'm sure will work well with the LifeCam Cinema HD video webcam I'm testing out and absolutely LOVE!) Do I have you practicing your crowd chanting skills already? (USA! USA!)

All you have to do to enter is fill out an online form and post up to 250 words explaining why you deserve the opportunity to attend the 2010 Winter Games as a blogger. Oh, and did I mention that five-time Olympic Gold medalist Bonnie Blair is one of the judges? I'll have to work on an entry myself as I'd love to have my CES trip paid for, and I'd LOVE to attend the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver! But I promise I won't be bitter - I'll still read the posts of whomever wins. Maybe ;-)

For more information, and to enter: https://www.officewintergames.com

This Amuses Me: Whose Kid ISN'T a Genius?

I find this whole situation amusing. The Walt Disney Co is offering refunds to parents who bought/used the Baby Einstein products and their kids did not become geniuses as a result of using them. If you haven't heard about this yet, check out the article in the New York Times. HUH?! First off, whose kid ISN'T a genius? My sisters dubbed Li'l Boo a "baby genius" as a joke long ago when he was an early talker (and quite frankly hasn't stopped talking since). Not that I am surrounded by braggarts, but just by going to a birthday party, attending a playdate, reading my Facebook news feed, or co-oping at my kid's preschool, I see that most kids do SOMETHING early or extraordinarily well and I've paused, thinking: Li'l Boo's not doing that yet, should I be worried? And I'm sure he's unintentionally caused other moms to question the same thing when looking at their kid. I'm just sayin' isn't everyone's kid the best, the brightest, the cutest, the fastest, the smartest? And if so (like I suspect), who isn't flattered and want to take credit for it? (Oh, thanks. Well, I was a state finalist in track; oh, well we both went to college on scholarship; I was reading by the time I was four, etc.) Do many people not want to take credit for it?

And to admit your kid's no genius for $15? The loss of respect: denying your kid the opp to become a genius by branding him mediocre from such an early age, and respect for yourself by thinking that watching a 30 minute video would make your kid a genius in the first place? LOL! Seriously, I find this funny. Because if your kid's no genius, I don't see a scholarship comin' their way, and it's gonna take a lot more than $15 to put 'em through school.

And how about if your kid IS a genius and you DID use the products? How could you possibly point to that video, book, or toy as being the "cause" of the kid's "geniusness?" Not that I consider my son a genius, but you could point to a variety of things as having "caused" him to be the "baby genius" that he is so-to-speak. Was it the Spanish class I started taking him to at a year old? Or The LIttle Gym classes and baby/kid yoga classes, or the Music Together classes, or the daycare facility, or my 1:1 time as a SAHM/WAHM, or our frequent travel, or he was breastfed or wasn't, or his genes, etc. Every kid is special, and outside of the nature vs. nurture debate, I think the idea of purchasing a product to "make" your kid something is funny. 
The kid's gonna become whomever they were meant to become IN SPITE of whatever you try to make him/her. Did I purchase and use Baby Einstein products with Li'l Bo? You bet! Did I honestly think they'd make him a genius. Heck no. It was a trusted age-approriate DVD, CD, book or toy and nothing more. If those made him the smarty-pants that he is today, all the better! But I'd like to think that his intelligence is the cumulative result of much more than one thing. Will I use the products again? You bet! I'd play the Classical Baby CDs as another baby sits in the bouncer or falls asleep, I'll put in the DVD as I wash dishes or make dinner. I have no regrets. With all of this said, however, I'm not going to turn down the hand holding $15 out for me . . . if I can get to it on my to-do list. Which I'd say right now is unlikely.

If interested, here's the site to get your Baby Einstein refund.

A New York Kind of Day - Where Anything Can Happen For This Family

Only around NYC could we have such a comfortable yet eventful day yesterday. It began with me sleeping in as my hubby and I were both up until 3 a.m. working the night before, and it was his morning to get up with Li'l Boo. Once I was up, we baked Halloween cut-out sugar cookies as a family with dough that we had mixed up and chilled overnight. Once we were done with those, I was getting ready to catch a train to head into NYC for a LeapFrog blogger event at the Four Seasons hotel, and Li'l Boo kept whining that he wanted to come with me, that he wanted a cupcake from the city, that he wanted to spend time with daddy in the city, etc. So my hubby acquiesced and we all raced to catch the train to get us into the city before my event began.

We hopped in a cab together to head north from Penn Station, and encountered traffic heading up 8th Ave when we learned that Broadway was closed for a street fair. B and Li'l Boo jumped out near my hubby's office and walked toward the street fair, and I continued on to the LeapFrog event on Internet safety for young children. @MorethanMommy shared some great tips and considerations when allowing online access for your children ages 4-6, 6-8 and 8-12. It was a great discussion of options for creating a safe online environment for your children and I learned about a slew of sites that I'm going to try out with Li'l Boo. I hung out with some of my very favorite local bloggers, noshed on tasty strawberries, desserts, cheeses and bread and received a Leapster 2 to test out. (Yay!) If Li'l Boo enjoys this half as much as the DSi we purchased, than I'll be in heaven! (Because then I'LL get to play with the DSi again ;-) ) I then walked from the Four Seasons to meet up with B and Li'l Boo at Serendipity 3 as I was craving a frozen hot chocolate since I recommended another blogger visiting NYC from D.C. with her daughter dine there the day before. So I quenched my craving and heard about their adventures bumming around the street fair, hubby's office and Times Square - of course ending up at Toys R Us to see the giant T-Rex. As luck would have it, we happened to be seated at Serendipity right next to my bloggy friend, @ResourcefulMom, so we were able to visit despite the usual crowdedness at Serendipity.

From there, we took the subway back to Penn Station (yes, we walked right by Dylan's Candy Bar but did not go in because we wanted to get home before Li'l Boo's bedtime), and ran into the New York Giants crowd headed out to The Meadowlands for the Sunday Night Football game. We missed our first train, and hung out at Secaucus entertained by the crowd of Giants fans, arriving at our home about an hour after Li'l Boo's usual bedtime. Good thing he doesn't have school in the morning, so he can sleep a little longer than usual (fingers crossed!).

Only here could we do something as homey and cozy as bake cookies together as a family, head into the big city and enjoy an NYC street fair, discuss important parenting issues with intelligent minds at the posh Four Seasons hotel, drink a frozen hot chocolate at the same table as was featured in the movie Serendipity, and get caught up in Yankee and Giants fever, making it home in time to tumble into bed.

LeapFrog Star Wars $3500 Sweepstakes

Do you have a boy? Or know one? Chances are they'll squeal with excitement if you show them the LeapFrog Star Wars Sweepstakes site. I'm not sure what the equivalent of Star Wars is for girls - Hannah Montana? Barbie? Dora? My son's four and I haven't yet met a boy his age not familiar with a light saber or the modern day cartoon Clone Wars. And I don't know many dads who don't click to watch a Star Wars movie when it's playing as they skim the channels. It's practically in their DNA. If this sounds like your family, be sure to check out LeapFrog's $3500 Star Wars Sweepstakes. You can enter once everyday through January 4, 2010 for the opportunity to win a full Star Wars-themed party for ten kids - complete with costumes and light sabers - and . . . wait for it . . .a Merry Maids crew to clean up after the party!

 

Preparing Your Back-up Plan: Parents Are Pivotal Points in Family Flu Season

If your household has recently suffered through a bout of the flu, or you are in the midst of it now, you know how pivotal the role of a parent is to getting your children (and each other) through the course of the illness. Life doesn't stop when you're sick: meals must still be made, errands must still get run, chores must still be completed (it's the most critical tme for cleaning and laundry to remove germs!), the kids still need drop-offs and pick-ups for school and other activities, and on and on. It makes sense then - even if you have skirted through the past month or two unscathed by the flu bug - to develop a back-up plan for when someone in your family does come down with the flu. If one person gets it in your household, it's highly likely that you'll all get it. (We circled through it ten days ago ourselves, and I'm still playing catch-up on work and home stuff. I've learned my lesson and will prepare our own back-up plan for next time!)

Earlier today I was on a conference call with Dr. Gwenn O'Keeffe, M.D., F.A.A.P (aka Dr. Gwenn with syndicated columns across the country) and according to her data, 90% of the flu circulating in the U.S. right now is H1N1. Since April 2009, more than 1 million Americans have gotten H1N1 flu, and of those, 1% have been hospitalized. To date, 1000 have died from it, 76+ have been children (the number rose this week), so there's heightened concern surrounding how to deal with the flu this year. Since we can't control the spread of the flu, we can try to prevent it the best we can. For one, we have the option of getting a seasonal flu and an H1N1 flu shot. Dr. Gwenn advised to still get the shots, even if you've already suffered a round of the flu this season as the flu strain keeps mutating, and the CDC doesn't know yet how many times you may catch it. (Remember, the seasonal flu usually peaks in December, and this is only October.)

What does a back-up flu plan look like?

1. Have prepared meals ready in the freezer (soup, pasta) or take-out menus compiled and easy to find.
2. Have Dr.'s numbers on the fridge, calendar or other visible spot in your home.
3. Post a schedule of family member activities with days, times and places handy.
4. Know who your "go-to" person is if you become sick, or cannot take off of work to be with your sick child.
5. Have a friend, neighbor or class parent on-call for errand-running or kid chauffering if you're out of commission.
6. Stock up on hand sanitizer, disinfectant spray or wipes, fever reducers, lozenges, antiviral tissues, soup, crackers, juice, popsicles, etc.

The important thing to note about the H1N1 strain of flu is that it is only about six months old, so there is a lot to still study and learn about it. I recently attended a lunch with Elizabeth Baorto, M.D., Division Director for Pediatric Infectious Disease at Goryeb Childrens Hospital in Morristown, NJ, and she informed us that H1N1 and the seasonal flu both have the same symptoms and are treated the same. H1N1 is more infectious because people under the age of 60 just haven't been exposed to it. With that said, considering the high cost of testing, most doctors won't test unless severe symptoms present. Severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing (flared nostrils, labored belly and chest up/down motion), lethargy, fever stays high and doesn't come down with Tylenol/Motrin, can't keep down food or drink, etc.

Both Dr. Gwenn and Dr. Baorto shared these tips for staying well:

1. Get adequate sleep
2. Stay hydrated
3. Eat well
4. Avoid contact with sick people
5. Consider taking a multivitamin if you don't already
6. Wash hands often with soap (after coming in from public places, touching nose, etc.)
7. Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze - use antiviral tissues if you can
8. Avoid touching your eyes, mouth and nose
9. Use only your own cup/utensils - no sharing
10. Use sanitizers! The alcohol WILL kill the viral germs

Dr. Gwenn advised people to contact their local Walgreens "Take Care Clinic" as Walgreens has a network of more than 17,000 board-certified pharmacists, nurse practitioners and physicians assistants at 7,000 Walgreens across the country. They also have certified immunizers in-store to administer the vaccine once they have them in stock (to people over the age of two). Go to Walgreens.com/flu or call 1-800-925-4733 for more info.

I guess preparing for a season of sickness is my excuse to begin shopping for a new family communication center/calendar system for the kitchen. Hmm . . . where should I begin . . Erin Condren? The Container Store? Be still my heart. :-)