COTW: Help Others, Help Yourself

Before I begin this post, let me just say that since October is both Breast Cancer Awareness Month AND Domestic Violence Awareness Month, I urge you to look through my past posts and to continually keep these causes in mind during October (and hopefully during the other 11 months of the year).

I decided to post today on ways your charitable contributions can also benefit you. Yes, I believe that we should give because we have been given, and that “to whom much has been given, much will be required.” But I also stress that you should keep track of any chartiable contributions you make. Any donation, so long as it is money or something physical or tangible, can be deducted from your taxes. See, here’s how it works: you give to someone else, the government gives to you. Simple, right? But there are a few things to keep in mind:

• You must itemize your deductions. I take my taxes to an accountant, along with a huge envelope of receipts and check stubs, but if you do your own taxes (you must not have student loans, believe me, they make taxes impossible to do yourself!), you can claim your deductions on Form 1040, Schedule A. So be sure to keep your receipts, and ask for documentation when donating!
• You must actually donate cash or property (Pledging doesn’t count until you actually pay).
• You must contribute to a qualified tax-exempt organization. Every organization should be able to tell you if they are tax-exempt.
• You must be able to itemize (Ex: if you take clothes or furniture to the Salvation Army, they will sign off on an itemized list of your items, but not just a blank form).
• You must be able to back up your itemizations with proper records and documentation. Like I said, keep all of your receipts, otherwise it won’t count.

For more explanations and examples, CLICK HERE. All advice was taken from word-of-mouth and about.com.

What questions do you have about tax deductions and charitable contributions?

-C-

COTW: RAINN

I know I have been MIA lately and I apologize profusely. I am in the midst of moving and just found out we’re changing our move date to TOMORROW instead of Friday, so this is my 5 minute break from running around like a chicken with my head cut off we moved a day earlier than planned, so I had taken a bit of time to post a Charity of the Week. (Also, I apologize for not posting anything, even a charity, last week.)

The Charity of the Week this last week (but let’s carry it into this week) is:

 

My good friend Mel suggested this cause to me (suggestions/comments/questions are always welcome!) and I had to move it above a couple of other philanthropies on my list. It is such a good cause and yet another way that we can all help, whether by giving money, time, or just by spreading the word. Christina Ricci is the spokesperson for RAINN, and I have tremendous respect for her. I have tremendous respect for any actor or celebrity who use their fame for good.

Since school is starting this month, RAINN is presenting National Campus Safety Awareness Month. Let’s promote campus safety as students go back to school. Encourage college-age women you know to carry their cell phones and keys with them when they leave a building (rather than become distracted by digging through their purses), to use the buddy system, and to always let people know where they are going and when they plan to return. Small acts such as this that are normally taken for granted could save lives.

So this week (and month) let’s spread the word for RAINN.

Sorry for my absence…Had to share this!

My friend Meggie recently got married, and recently wrote down her reflections on her former life as a single lady. This particular blog post resonated with several of my friends, who went so far as to actually marry some of these guys (or get close and end it, or also realize it after the fact and are now on their way back to singlehood [this is a good thing!]). Anyway, from Meggie, here is How to Spot a D-Bag.

Feel free to pass it on to your friends who might have an affinity for these men.

-C-

Crush of the Week: Elnett Hairspray

I’ve been reading about this hairspray for some time, and apparently forever it was only available in Europe because it released too many CFCs for the FDA’s approval. Well, now the formula and dispenser have been tweaked and are now USA-friendly! Elnett, by Loreal, is supposed to be the BEST hairspray known to (wo)mankind. It is only available at Target for now (contrary to first reports stating it would be available at Walgreen’s), and yesterday I picked up the “Extra-Strong Hold for Colored Hair.” It claims to protect hair from UV rays, hold like it’s freshly styled, and prevent nasty frizzies and fallout from humidity. I was super-excited about the UV-blocker, since I just got my highlights done on Saturday (yay summer color!). It was $14.99 which I usually refuse to pay for drugstore hair products, but I figured that 1) I usually pay upwards of $25 for my Bumble & Bumble products, and 2) Target will let me return it IF I keep my receipt.

Well, I’m going on hour 5 with the Elnett, and I am happy to report that my hair feels silky smooth – it lived up to the claim that it “disappears with the stroke of a brush” – and it is one of the hottest, most humid days we have had so far in 2009 (it rained at 5:00 this morning and is now in the 90s), and my hair is still perfectly in place. My vote? Elnett is a definite MUST-BUY!

Elnett Extra StrongHold

New Faves: Makeup Must-Haves

So since summer is officially here, I began my annual hunt for the “perfect summer foundation.” My requirements are that it must be light but provide moderate coverage, it can’t get streaky or melt off, easy to apply, minimum SPF 15, and natural-looking. With the wonderful humidity in Tulsa, I usually forego makeup all-together in the summer, since any makeup I wear sweats off by about noon. Over the winter I used Smashbox’s cream-to-powder foundation, and it was great. However, it seemed a bit thick for what I like in the summer, and I know it wouldn’t last on me. SO this weekend I stopped by my old faithful and trust-worthy Bobbi Brown counter in Dillard’s, and I found some new staples:

Bobbi Brown Tinted Eye Brightener: I had heard/read about eye brightener but never really thought I had under-eye circles or needed any help. This stuff is a MIRACLE. It made my eyes pop and made me look completely refreshed!

Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation SPF 15: so weightless and easy to apply! It seriously feels as if I have nothing on my face, but makes my skin look completely flawless. If you buy no other cosmetics for the summer, BUY THIS!

My day look is completed with a swipe of MAC Shadestick in “Shimmersand” and Dior Iconic Mascara in Black (the only color it comes in – people on the street ask me about my lashes when I wear it!).

What are your summer makeup must-haves??

Stuffed Bell Peppers, a la Catie

So, you may or may not know, but I have recently realized that my passion is cooking. I love coming up with new recipes and, after watching Mamma Mia (if you have to ask, you don’t need to know), I have decided that when I grow up I want to write cookbooks. SO, I have decided to start sharing my recipes with my blog readers (all 5 of you). My goal is to keep the recipes easy, healthy and delicious, as well as adaptable (i.e. use beef if you don’t like chicken, etc.). Without further ado, here is my first recipe post. I made this dish last night and it got resounding reviews – which means my husband went back for seconds!

STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

Ingredients:
 
3 large cans Chicken OR 2-3 lbs. ground beef
1 small can of enchilada sauce
1 cup of colby-jack cheese or cheddar cheese
1 red onion, chopped
6 bell peppers, any color (I used green)
1 T minced garlic
1 T cilantro
Salt & Pepper to taste
Cumin to taste (optional)
1 can green chiles (optional)
Salsa (optional)
Sour cream (optional)
 
Directions:
1) Cut the tops off the peppers, pull out the pith and seeds and rinse with cold water. Trim the bottoms if necessary so they stand upright in a baking dish.
2) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put peppers in baking dish and let them bake while you make the chicken mixture (this makes the peppers soft).
3) In a pan over medium-high heat, saute the chicken, onion and garlic. When the onions are soft, add the enchilada sauce, cilantro, salt and pepper, and cumin (and green chiles, if using). Bring to a boil.
4) Take the peppers out of the oven and spoon chicken mixture into them evenly. Set in baking dish and evenly cover the top of each pepper with cheese. Spoon any leftover mixture and/or cheese over the tops and around the sides of the peppers.
5) Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. If you want crispy peppers, broil on high for an additional 5-10 minutes.
6) Serve, with salsa and sour cream on the side.

 

IF YOU MAKE THIS, PLEASE COMMENT BELOW! I love feedback!

**Next time I make it, I’ll take a picture!

If you're like me…

Sometimes you need to take a break at work. In order to take up some time, I play Wordsplay. Similar to Boggle, you really have to play to understand, but my computer stays logged in and it’s fun to click into for a few minutes, work my brain in a different way, then go back to work. Just thought I would share!

The Glass IS Half Full! Thanks, Jezebel!

Study Finds Optimistic Women Live Longer [Glass Half Full]

from Jezebel by Margaret

There’s bad news today for pessimists, but they were already expecting that. According to a new study, women who are optimists live longer than those who are pessimistic.

University of Pittsburgh researchers studied data from the Women’s Health Initiative, an ongoing study of 100,000 women over 50 that started in 1994. Time reports that at the beginning of the study, participants were asked to respond to whether they agreed with statement like “In uncertain times, I expect the worst.” Eight years later, researchers examined the women’s death rates and found that those who were optimistic were 14% more likely to be alive than the pessimists. Research showed that the difference between optimists and pessimists was even more pronounced among black women. While white pessimists were 13% more likely to have died eight years into the study, pessimistic black women were 33% more likely to have died.

While there have been other studies on optimism, health and lifestyle variables were eliminated more comprehensively in this study than in the past, so that optimism could be looked at on its own. Dr. Hilary Tindle, lead author of the study, tells Time:

Taking into account income, education, health behaviors like [controlling] blood pressure and whether or not you are physically active, whether or not you drink or smoke, we still see optimists with a decreased risk of death compared to pessimists … I was surprised that the relationship was independent of all of these factors.

Researchers are not entirely sure what caused the results. Tindle suggests that it may be due to optimistic people having more friends and therefore more people to rely on, or following medical advice more closely. She says it’s possible that optimists have a physiological makeup that helps them manage stress better. While being optimistic may not hurt, the research only found that it is associated with longevity, not a direct cause, so if you want to maintain your cynical ways it probably won’t kill you.

Just a little piece of advice…

Hey guys, if you want your girl to love you and keep making you dinner and bringing you a fresh drink and looking at you with those bedroom eyes that tell you everything she’s thinking but is too classy to say out loud…then take my word for it, and

NEVER. EVER. Tell her to “Relax” or “Calm down”…

You’ll thank me later.