...and welcome everyone to the March 2010 Choose Wellness newsletter.

The Month of March for us in Queensland means the easing off a little of the very hot weather and hopefully, an easing of the rain that has deluged most of Queensland in the last few weeks. You can view a couple of videos about some of the flooding that has occurred recently on Geoff's Living Family History site.

Our Pool to Pond

You might enjoy seeing how our 'pond' has developed in the twelve months since we first got the idea of converting our disused swimming pool to a lily pond. You can see the early days of the project here and as it looks now.

DubLi Launch in Australia

March also means the launch in Australia & New Zealand of more services from DubLi. Hundreds of products will become available in the shopping mall with incentives and cashbacks to registered DubLi customers. There will be recognized brands from trusted retailers at a fraction of the normal cost. This is without a doubt true value based shopping at its best. If you always like to hunt out the lowest price and if you like the convenience of shopping from your armchair from retailers you know and trust, then you need look no further!

DubLi is positioned to be the first truly global shopping platform with high demand products being deliverable to 95% of the countries of the world. You will be able to Log in from wherever you are in the world and the global auction house will recognize your location and present you with a sumptuous array of products deliverable in your area.

More than that, these products are also available to millions of other people in many different countries so with everyone bidding on the same items, all over the world, there's no limit to how much the prices can drop. As more and more people register as customers, it can only keep getting better!

If you haven't already registered as a customer, DO IT NOW. Use some of those free credits I sent, to check out the prices. (Get back to me if you don't know your voucher number.)

DubLi Fundraising

Now would be a good time also to get on board as a 'partner' if you are trying to raise money for a sporting club, school or your favourite charity. Read how easy it is by clicking the link.

"Be Safe...Be Smart...Be Secure"

If you have not done much shopping online and are a bit worried about doing that, I have a FREE book for you that will help you to become more confident about shopping online.

"Be Safe ONLINE!" can be downloaded at http://www.wellness-decisions.com/your-free-gifts.html You'll need the password (in case you've forgotten, it's "wellness_friends")

It's a quick read and I'm sure you'll find it useful.

Fruits high in vitamin C include grapefruit, apricots, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, mangos, oranges, pineapple, plums, kiwis, strawberries, tangerines and watermelon.

Master Your Work Day Now

I've just come to realise that "I'm never going to get it all done."

If you often feel overwhelmed by all that you have on your plate - too much to do, too little time, then you will love this book.

In this amazing book Master Your Work Day Now, you will discover how to get more done in less time without anxiety and frustration… and how to achieve your most heartfelt goals more effortlessly and in a fraction of the time.

This Month's Recipe

Moist Banana Cake

Ingredients:

• 250g soft butter
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 3 over-ripe bananas, finely mashed
• 2 cups self-raising flour

Cream butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in bananas, then sifted flour. Pour into well greased 20cm baba or ring pan, bake at 180°C for about 45 minutes. Let stand for a few minutes before turning cake onto wire rack to cool.

Get ready to make the next one - it won't last long!

Everyone in our household loved this cake ... Grandson Andy (13yrs) asked for the recipe so he could make it himself, which he did very successfully.

How about sending in your favourite recipe for inclusion in a future Choose Wellness? Just contact me.

Are things really this bad?

Thanks Shirley for passing this on. Perhaps things aren't really this bad, but it is true that attitudes have changed .. and not always for the best!

Compare these scenarios as they would have been in 1957 and now in 2010.

Scenario : Jack goes rabbit shooting before school, pulls into school parking lot with rifle in gun rack.

1957: Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack's rifle, goes to his car and gets his rifle & chats with Jack about guns.

2010: School goes into lock down, Star Force called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again.. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.

Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fistfight after school.

1957: Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies.

2010: Police called, arrests Johnny and Mark. Charge them with assault, both expelled even though Johnny started it. Both children go to anger management programs for 3 months. School board hold meeting to implement bullying prevention programs.

Scenario: Robbie won't be still in class, disrupts other students.

1957: Robbie sent to office and given 6 of the best by the Principal. Returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.

2010: Robbie given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. Tested for ADD. Robbie's parents get fortnightly disability payments and School gets extra funding from state because Robbie has a disability.

Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.

1957: Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.

2010: Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy removed to foster care and joins a gang. State psychologist tells Billy's sister that she remembers being abused herself and their Dad goes to prison.

Scenario: Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.

1957: Mark gets glass of water from Principal to take aspirin with.

2010: Police called, Mark expelled from school for drug violations. Car searched for drugs and weapons.

Scenario: Pedro fails high school English.

1957: Pedro goes to summer school, passes English and goes to college.

2010: Pedro's cause is taken up by state. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. AFRE (Arizona Foundation for Resource Education) files class action lawsuit against state school system and Pedro's English teacher. English banned from core curriculum. Pedro given diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.

Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from Guy Fawkes, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle, blows up a bull ant nest.

1957: Ants die.

2010: State Police, Star Force, Federal Police & Anti-terrorism Squad called. Johnny charged with domestic terrorism, Feds investigate parents, siblings removed from home, computers confiscated. Johnny's Dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.

Scenario: Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary hugs him to comfort him.

1957: In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.

2010: Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in Prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy.

On that note!.... till next time.

Don't forget that I love to receive your questions, comments or requests and I'd love to receive your favourite recipe, or health tip, so please contact me if you have anything you'd like to contribute or any questions.

Until then keep well and remember

'healthy cells = healthy bodies'

and

'be well ... bHip'

and

'happy shopping'

Jane

PS Don't forget to share this Newsletter with your friends.

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