Jeans

Shopping for a great pair of jeans is a mission most women find themselves on at one time or another. I chose last Thursday to be the day I'd find the perfect fit. I enlisted the help of a girlfriend who would be honest in assessing not only the fit but how my butt looked in them. Let's be honest: this is important to women. We compare ourselves to each other all the time. When something makes me look fat, too mom-ish or to daughter-ish, I really want the truth. Thankfully, the store we choose was having a mid-afternoon lull and an energetic saleswoman was eager to help. For the next 45 minutes I tried on jean after jean in every style and designer possible, with every pant going through the same grueling critique in fit: how was the waist, the leg, the butt. We would all fist-bump when a winner was found and frown when the jean just 'did not do me justice." I was sent back to the fitting room more times than I'd like to remember and in the end I found a fantastic pair of jeans. It took three of us and a full hour but the mission was accomplished. Now I'm off to find shoes; this might take a week.

She buzz words

• Fluff a nutter (spelling)
• Motorcycle
• Creek
• Trash can

Right now she could be

• Taking out the trash
• Plunging a toilet
• Changing the litter box
• Looking for her glasses
• International Business (interpreters)
• Law Enforcement (probation officers, paralegals)
• Technology (computer network systems)

She green

• Some showers can use up to five gallons of water per minute; installing a low-flow shower- head can reduce consumption and her water bill. Log on to www.ecomii.com to see the latest options.
• She uses less water by going to a car wash then washing it at home where her hose could quickly release up to 80 gallons of water. Most professionals recycle their water and use about half the amount.

Here are some grocery store insights, thanks to Reader's Digest:

• The best time to grocery shop is during dinnertime (5-9pm) or later with 4 percent of shoppers making purchases between 9pm and 8am.
• Stores that are employee owned tend to be more helpful and friendly.
• It's stealing to eat something from the shelves (or deli) and not pay for it.
• Colorful kids' foods like cereal and cookies are placed at a kid's-eye level so they can start nagging sooner.
• In some stores, baby formula is locked up to avoid being stolen, as are cough and cold medicines, razors, and batteries.
• Most of us end up throwing away about 12 percent of what we purchase

She tip

She can stop digging around in her purse in search of her keys. The Finders Key Purse allows her to locate her keys easily and it's reasonably priced somewhere between $7 and $10. www.easykeyfinders.com

• Get more She Prep at www.ShePrep.com