No Joe

I woke New Years Day to a broken coffee maker. I immediately wondered what type of sign this could be; would I lack energy this year, am I suppose to give up my daily cups of Joe (no!) or is this the beginning of a series of broken things.

I took this as an opportunity to get myself a better, higher end coffee maker. My Bed Bath & Beyond coupon was tight in my grasp as I surveyed my options. I knew more of what I didn't want. I did not want a coffee maker that required those pods to brew the perfect cup, nor did I want a machine that had more options than actual ability to make a decent pot of coffee. As for the maker that I actually purchased,the coffee this machine makes is delicious; I just didn't want to be stuck pod less or coffee less. Krupa and Oneida had the best offerings; for less than one hundred dollars thanks to my awesome 20 percent off coupon, I had myself a brewmaster. It makes delicious coffee and has a thermal pot that will hopefully withstand the sleepiest mistake.

This New Years Day sign became a positive one filled with new options, some frugality and highly caffeinated product. Here's hoping yours is off to a good start too.

She buzz words

• Grande
• Staircase
• Audience
• Egg whites

Right now she could be

• Getting her house ready to sell
• Downloading coupons
• Grooming her dog
• Shaving her legs

She could be a ..

• Pastry chef
• Food stylists
• City Hall Official
• Legal secretary

She's Powerful

• The president and CEO of PepsiCo is a woman: Indra K. Nooyi
• The president of India is a woman: Pratibha Patil
• The CEO of Kraft Foods is a woman: Irene Rosenfeld
• The CEO of eBay is (you guessed it) a woman: Margaret Whitman

(Source: Forbes.com)

She fact

Junior Achievement and Deloitte surveyed 725 American teens 13-18 years of age and found that 71% felt qualified to make the right decisions when they enter the workplace. Unfortunately, 38% felt cheating would be necessary to handle workplace issues. Over half of the teens surveys felt an employer could not and should not hire or fire based on information that said teen posted on the Internet (MySpace), yet most felt it was okay to illegally download music.

She vent!

"UGG boots: why does something so comfy have to be so unflattering on my foot and expensive?"

She green

Now that she received that sharp new plasma TV (or DVD player or iPad) for Christmas, what should she do with her old electronic gizmo that doesn't really cut it?

Recycle it, of course, and the Consumer Electronics Association would be more than happy to tell her a location where she can drop off said items along with some en ergy-saving tips. For more info, log on to www.mygreenelectronics.com

She's lovin

• SuddenSTOP: a warning device that attaches to her license plate that starts flashing when someone is tailgating her. Road rage is about to be severely challenged. www.suddenstop.com
• Puffs Plus, with the scent of Vicks

She Question

Her kids probably received a lot of technology for the holidays: cell phones, videogame systems, mp3 players, and computers. Does she have any rules regarding use of these items or how much time is allotted?

She reads

Clean: The Humble Art of Zen Cleaning (Sterling). This book offers advice on keeping a clean home without becoming antibacterial resistant. Natural cleaning is explained using products like vinegar and lemon juice. For more info, log on to www.zenhomecleaning.com

The Big Turnoff: Confessions of a TV-Addicted Mom Trying to Raise a TV-Free Kid, by Ellen Currey-Wilson.

She's totally ready for...

• A day without a diaper change
• A perfectly clear complexion

Does she know that...

• WD40 can remove bathtub non-slip strips
• Vegetable oil can shine shoe leather
• Scotch Tape can clean a computer keyboard by folding in half, sticky side out, and running it through the keys.

She vocabulary...

Mommynista: a mommy know-it-all, from school stuff to fixing healthy meals, and she tells you all about it whether you want to know or not.

She Tech

Her kid's lunch is going more high tech. Some schools now offer a web-based lunch monitoring system that allows her to pay for her kids' meals and check what they are ordering. What they are actually eating and trading is not included. Kids with allergies also benefit because she can make notations in her child's account as to what they cannot eat, such as peanuts. To subscribe or check out the system further, you may want to be sure and log onto www12.mealpayplus.com or www.lunchtimesoftware.com.

She facts

• Women spend an estimated $470 million in anti-aging products. (Source: NY Post)
• Six thousand teens die every year in car crashes. This has been a consistent number for the last ten years with many deaths accruing during the holidays. (Source: Time magazine)
• A 32-ounce extra-large soda has almost 400 calories; that's about 1/4 of the total daily-recommended calories for the average adult. (Source: www.healingdaily.com)
• A study published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adoles- cent Medicine found that video gamers ages 10-19 spend about 30% less time reading and on homework when compared with non-gamers.
• For 87% of women, a man without a job is a date breaker. 70% of men wouldn't date a woman who is their boss, while 65% said no to women who are 10 or more years older. (Source: Match.com)

• Get more She Prep at www.ShePrep.com