Imagine having a great time playing with just a simple piece of elastic string! Chinese Jump Rope is a jumping game popular around the world! Chinese Jump Rope found me as a child and once again, through my profession as a physical educator. The game is funny like that, popping up from generation to generation, verbally passed from one to another like a folk tale. Chinese Jump Rope is a challenging game played by anyone anywhere. The simple rules test the skill and coordination of ...
Read the rest of this entry »

Do you have an active family? Are your kids involved in soccer or little league? What sports are high on your priority list ' running, golf, tennis? American Sports Data, Inc. estimates: - 50.6 million people over the age of 6 exercise frequently, participating in single activities (running, cycling, treadmill) - 39.9 million participate in recreational sports (basketball, tennis, softball) - 15.3 million people are active outdoors (hiking, mountain biking, skiing) - 3.2 million players are ...
Read the rest of this entry »

Vacations are fun ! Weekends with the family are nice. But, Late Night Adventures are "simply marvelous". If you really want to shine in your child's eyes on a more regular basis-- try some late night adventures with them. By late night I am talking about adventures that start from 10pm on. Shouldn't kids be in bed at that time? -- yes Shouldn't parents keep structure? -- yes Don't parents need to set an example? -- yes Aren't kids only young once? -- YES and that is the point. Take time to be ...
Read the rest of this entry »

Allergies, Asthma and City Trees Thomas Leo Ogren Some urban tree species cause an inordinate amount of asthma and allergy problems, while other tree species cause little or no health problems. A large part of the problem is that the arborists and landscape professionals, who plant these trees, often don't know the difference. The type of trees (and shrubs) used in modern city landscapes has changed dramatically in the past three decades. In the past, the majority of street trees used were ...
Read the rest of this entry »

I keep a fossil on my desk at all times. Whenever I feel rushed or find myself creating a sense of urgency, I pick up the fossil and caress its polished surface. It's over 200 million years old. Suddenly, returning that phone call or meeting that self-imposed deadline doesn't seem nearly as critical. My ancient arthropod reminds me that, in the scheme of things, this moment is indescribably insignificant. I find that remarkably comforting. True story: I brought the fossil with me as a sort of ...
Read the rest of this entry »

The one thing I have always enjoyed about fishing is that you rarely see anyone wearing a tie. I suppose there is the occasional urban lunchtime warrior who might race from his cubicle to the Hudson river to get a few casts in for some glow-in-the-dark fish, but ties are certainly not the norm when it comes to suiting up for a days fishing on the river. When it comes to high fashion in the fishing world, a button up fast drying high tech shirt is about as close to fashionable as it gets.Unless ...
Read the rest of this entry »

How do you treat opportunities? More often than not, most of us walk the pavement looking down, rather than up. We miss the opportunity to smile and connect with passers-by. And I'm sure that over the last year or two, people frown more and smile less. And if this is how we treat each other, I wonder how we treat the opportunities that flow our way. Digging a little, I discovered some interesting answers. It seems that people, in general, are not happy. Aside of the stresses and strains of ...
Read the rest of this entry »

Imagine you're in a darkened movie theatre watching a suspense thriller, and the scene you are engrossed in shows a beautiful woman walking alone on a dimly lit, shadowy street. The only sound is the rhythmic noise of her shoes against the pavement. The camera moves in for a closeup of her feet, revealing black fishnet stockings that disappear into stylish, expensive, red shoes. Then, slowly, the camera zooms out, retreating along the street from where she just came. The sound of her ...
Read the rest of this entry »

Most of the time, competition stimulates us, gets our juices flowing, generates creativity, a sense of excitement, and motivates us to perform at our best. Looking for work is another matter! When it comes to financial survival, to regaining independence and self-worth, competition can be crippling. We apply for a job in the fervent hope that hundreds of others are not also applying. Finding work is too serious an issue to be considered a game or a sport. We need to find that position that ...
Read the rest of this entry »

Unexpectedly loosing your job can be a very traumatic and distressing experience at the best of times. If you are over 40 and can't find the job you deserve, you will need great inner strength and self belief to come out on top. Could this be you? You're working at your family's welding business during the day, and then go to your second job at night. You're 50-some years old, working as a cashier at Target. You always said that if you're 40 years old and have a career that requires you to ...
Read the rest of this entry »