In this issue:1 Tracy’s TipsQuote of the Month 2Did you know? Cartoons

3Anna’s Animal Advice Miss Moo Models Her Festive Holiday Attire

4Josh’s Jubilee 5Wild Rice & Fruit Stuffing Festivus

6Stress-Free Holiday Tips Cartoons

7Evan’s Edibles Tina’s Poem

Don’t forget:Open Dec. 24 until 1:00PMClosed:Dec. 25 (Christmas)Jan. 1 (New Year’s Day)

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Quote of the Month

“AlwAys forgive your enemies; nothing Annoys them so much.”-oscAr wilde

Tracy’s TipsStressed about the cost of holiday shopping this year? Here are some ideas I am using this Christmas to help minimize holiday stress!

Websites with up to 50% off certificatesThese websites sell different discounted certificates each week; most of them are 50% off!

!! www.wjbq.com!:!50/50!link!! www.wgme.com!:!half!of!dining!link!! www.auction.thephoenix.com!! www.dollarsavershow.com!! http://www.wmgx.com!:!half!off!shopping!link

CouponsThere are some great stores out there that will email you coupons if you join their mailing listing; the constant emails can be annoying, but there is nothing pesky about the savings! Check out your favorite store’s websites and see what deals they offer, or inquire at the check out counter.

!! Kohl’s!-!20%!your!entire!purchase,!even!sale!items!! Borders!–!20%!off!any!item!! Fashion!Bug!-!$10.00!off!a!purchase!of!$25.00!or!higher!! Bass,!Van!Hussan,!and!Izod!-!$10.00!off!your!purchase!of!$25.00!or!higher!! Bed,!Bath,!and!Beyond!-!20%!off!one!item

Home made treatsTry making some gifts at home this year. There are so many things that are easy to make. Place goodies in decorative tins from the Dollar Store to make an affordable yet festive gift. Find great recipes in magazines or online!

workwelll

BeWell

!! Quick!Breads!! Peppermint!Bark!! Kettle!Corn!! Chocolate!Lolly!Pops

!! Cookies!! Carmel!Corn!! Chocolate!Dipped!Candy!Canes!! Trail!Mix

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*Work Well is a publication of cPort Credit Union’s Wellness Committee. Information presented here is for educational purposes only. This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. You should

always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider before beginning or changing any nutritional or fitness routine.

cPort Wellness Committee Members

who contributed to this issue:

Editor: Josh KatzPatti Gratto

Stephanie Hanner Tracy Heselton

Josh KatzTina Letarte Evan Lovely

Anna Quirrion

Shaving cream can be used to remove stains

from carpeting! Little Joey/Drunk Uncle Ted/Senile Aunt Mary is very sorry for spilling a little juice/wine/sauce on your new carpet, so make it "all better" with some

shaving cream on the spot. Blot the stain, pat it with a wet sponge, squirt some shaving cream on it, and then wipe clean with a damp sponge. Use the same technique on your clothes for small stains; shaving cream can remove that spot of breakfast you dis-

covered you're wearing during your once-over in the mirror. During the holidays for a quick clean, you

can squirt a little Barbasol shaving cream onto your precious metals including silverware, candle holders, metal bath, shower, sink fixtures, and doorknobs. Let the shaving cream stand for five minutes. Wipe away

with a soft cloth wet with warm water.

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AnnA’s AnimAl Advice for HolidAy Pet sAfetyYou can help keep pets safe during the holiday season with the following tips

z Many holiday plants can lead to health problems in dogs and cats. Among such plants to keep out of reach are holly, mistletoe, poinsettias, and lilies.

z Snow globes often contain antifreeze, which is poisonous to pets. z Pine needles, when ingested, can puncture holes in a pet’s intestines. Keep pet areas clear of pine needles. z The extra cords and plugs of holiday lights and other fixtures can look like chew toys to pets. Tape down or

cover cords to help avoid shocks, burns, or other serious injuries. Always unplug the lights if you’re not at home. z Anchor Christmas trees to the ceiling with a string to keep it from falling on pets. z Do not let pets drink the holiday tree water. Some may contain fertilizers, and stagnant tree water can harbor

bacteria. Some people put an aspirin in the tree water, but if a pet ingests the aspirin-laced water, his health, or even his life can be at risk.

z Pets, particularly cats, can be tempted to eat tinsel, which can block the intestines. Hang tinsel high and securely to keep it out of reach.

z Keep ornaments out of reach. Ingestion of any ornament, which might look like toys to pets, can result in life-threatening emergencies. Even ornaments made from dried food can lead to ailments. And remember, shards from broken glass ornaments can injure paws and mouths, so if one of your ornaments breaks, be sure to clean up all broken pieces.

z Put away toys after children open their gifts. Small plastic pieces and rubber balls are common causes of choking and intestinal blockage in dogs.

z Holiday guests and other activity can be very stressful and even frightening to pets. It can also trigger illness and intestinal upset. Make sure pets have a safe place to retreat in your house. And make sure they are wearing current I.D. in case they escape out a door when guests come and go.

z Reduce stress by keeping feedings and exercise on a regular schedule. z When pets are stressed by holiday activity or travel, they may require more water. Dogs typically pant more

when they feel stressed. Keep fresh water available for them to drink. z Do not let guests feed your pets human food. There are many holiday foods, including fatty meats, gravies,

poultry skin, bones, chocolate, and alcohol, that can cause illnesses, ranging from vomiting and diarrhea to highly seri-ous pancreatitis and other toxic reactions. In addition, candy wrappers, aluminum foil pieces, and ribbons can choke pets.

z If you suspect that your pet has eaten something toxic, call your veterinarian and/or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center’s 24-hour emergency hotline at 1-888-4-ANI-HELP.

TIP: If your pet ingests glass, broken plastic, staples, or other small, sharp objects, call your veterinarian. In the meantime, you can give your dog supplemental fiber in the form of whole wheat or other high-fiber bread, canned pumpkin, or Metamu-cil, any of which can help bulk up stools and help foreign ma-terial pass through the dog’s digestive system. Dosages depend on the size of the dog. For Metamusil, try a teaspoon for a small dog, and a tablespoon for a big dog. For pumpkin, feed one-quarter to two-thirds of a cup.

Always make time to care for your pets. Responsible pet owners do not take a holiday from caring for their pets.

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They used to say that suicide rates were higher during the holiday season. Nowadays, “they” say otherwise, that suicide and unintentional self-harm stats are actually down from about Thanksgiving to New Year’s; in fact, ac-cording to Snopes.com, rumors of an increase in self-death during the holidays were always just that: rumors. Someone told a friend, who told a friend, who told a friend, and the whole thing became apocryphal. So it goes.

And yet, the holiday death rate myth holds a certain sway. People respond to it because, at the end of the day, a lot of people feel bad during this season. The holidays may mean time off and presents and time with family and goodwill for all, but it’s not a stretch to flip those and have to face too much time off and not enough money to buy said presents which means more time worrying about how to coordinate family time between relatives who hate one another (nothing says “Holiday Fun” like watching Alcoholic Uncle Frank spit invective at Mousy-Know-It-All Cousin Carol). Goodwill tends not to go very far in those cases. Compound that with an unsteady economy (fun fact: more people get laid off during the holidays, the idea being that the Spirit of the Season will dilute the initial Shock of Job Termination), and the holidays begin to resemble a series of mounting pressures, piling and grinding and stressing in the face of Good Cheer.

The question becomes, then, how to minimize those pressures, how to refashion the season into something hon-estly embodying all the stereotypical values we’re led to expect. In my eyes, this is how it shakes out:

1. Drop the consumerism. Somewhere along the line, the notion of gift giving as an expression of thanks got perverted into a spending free-for-all divorced from all spiritual and emotional relevance. If you doubt me, remember this: people have died in the pursuit of Beanie Babies and Tamagotchis. This needs to change. Gifts should be an extension of love, a means to let someone know how much they matter. And it should be quality over quantity; use that time you’d spend buying everything save the moon to put some real thought and consid-eration into selecting only a few gifts. 2. Vacations are overrated. That is, unless you enjoy waiting to get on planes/trains, breathing recycled air, sitting in traffic, paying way more than you have for entertainments you don’t need, and overeating habitually. Home is underrated. 3. Spending time with family means nothing if you don’t spend time with family. I’ll elaborate. Families glom together over the holidays, pushing past capacitance in the name of togetherness. Funny thing is, when you try to fit in all your family members, you rarely get quality time with any of them. Never force seeing all your extended family and friends at once; savor your expe-riences. Don’t think of it as shortchanging those that don’t “make the cut.” Everyone’s shortchanged when you try and spread your affec-tions too thin. 4. Don’t kill yourself making things look “holiday ready.” It’s per-fectly acceptable to take some pride in spreading holiday cheer. It’s another thing altogether to drive your family mad and suffer a brain embolism in the pursuit of the perfect Christmas tree. I direct you to that venerable sports cliché: if you had fun, you won. 5. Relax. Seems obvious, I know. Problem is, so few people do this over the holidays. Pampering oneself is as big a part of the season as pampering others. Don’t forget that. Take the time to sleep in late. Watch a movie with a bowl of cereal. Go on a long walk. Sing in the shower. Catch up on your reading. Give up on catching up on your reading in favor of watching football. Wear your pajamas longer than you might normally, and in public arenas. Drink a glass of wine. Breathe. Don’t neglect yourself.

Maybe this sounds fatalistic to you, like it’s pragmatism gone wild or something. That’s a valid point. But maybe it helps to be fatalistic in a season with so many fatalities, real or otherwise.

Josh’s Corne r

-Josh Katz

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Wild Rice and Fruit StuffingCONTRIBUTED BY JOSH KATZ

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DON’T forget festivus!

DECEMBER 23!

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StopWhen panic sets in and you wonder how you will ever accomplish everything you need to do, take a moment for yourself. Sit down. Breathe deeply. Sip tea, hot chocolate, or even coffee (you’ll sit longer if it’s hot). Enjoy a moment of calm. Then, begin to focus on what you need to accomplish.

Try a listEven if lists make you crazy, write down everything you need to do. This will help you get everything out in the open and give you a place to start. If you’re a notorious list-maker, try organizing your list by cat-egory. Finally, as you accomplish your goals, cross things off.

Re-evaluate your prioritiesOnce you’ve got your list, look at all you need to do and put things in perspective. Some tasks require immediate attention, while others can sit on the back burner. Highlight your top priorities and focus on them. Schedule other things for a later date. By prioritizing, you’ll be able to target your energies in the right direction.

Eat healthy foodEating junk food contributes to stress. Your body doesn’t function at peak performance when it’s over-loaded with chips, soda, and cookies. Try a turkey sandwich instead of a hamburger. Drink lots of water and eat some fruit instead of munching on cookies. Fuel your body with good food, and your mind will do wonderful things for you.

Start smallToo often, we think we must complete a project from start to finish in one sitting. A better approach is to tackle big jobs in small steps. You can space them

out over days, a week, or even a month, depend-ing on how much time you have. When starting out, some people do the hard tasks first and get them out of the way. Others start with something they enjoy, and then they are ready to take on the tasks they dislike. Either way works. Just be sure you get started!

Share your stress with a friendFind someone to talk to about all that you have go-ing on in your life. Vent when things become over-whelming, but share your accomplishments as well. Once you’ve completed a big task, check in with your friend and report on how you’re doing. Don’t forget to listen to what your friend has been doing as well. It helps to know you’re not alone!

ExerciseEven if you aren’t a distance runner, your body will benefit from a brisk walk, time on the treadmill, or a rollerblade around the neighborhood. Physical exer-cise will raise your endorphin level, help you focus more effectively, and make you accomplish more in the long run.

Don’t try to schedule too much in a dayOne of the most discouraging realizations is to end the day and still have a long list of unaccomplished chores. To avoid this, take a realistic look at the time you have available in a day, the time each task takes, and schedule accordingly. If you have a lot of meetings or commitments one day, you simply aren’t going to have as much - or any - time to do other things. If you just aren’t going to be able to get to a particular task on one day, move it forward to a day that’s less busy.

- Patti Gratto

Tips for Staying Stress-Free Through the Holidays and Beyond

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The holiday season can be stressful - especially if you’re responsible for some part of the food preparation. Why not kill two birds with one stone by baking a delicious and (relatively) healthy loaf of bread for others to enjoy while also receiving the accolades of creating it?

I’ve always found baking meditative. All of the mixing and kneading can be pretty decent exer-cise, and the time spent waiting for your creation to rise or bake is perfect for picking away at a good novel, planning holiday parties, or just relaxing. And the best part? The reactions you’ll get when it’s finally eaten (especially your own)!

For the holidays, nothing can beat cranberry bread. Make this a day before to get the best flavor, although I wouldn’t blame you if you ate half of it the moment it left the oven.

Holiday Bread2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon grated orange zest 1 cup fresh cranberries 1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped 1/4 cup margarine, softened 1 cup white sugar 1 egg 3/4 cup orange juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in orange zest, cranberries, and pecans. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together margarine, sugar, and egg until smooth. Stir in orange juice. Beat in flour mixture until just moistened. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until the bread springs back when lightly touched. Let stand 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool. Wrap in plastic when completely cool.

Evan’s Edibles

- Evan Lovely

Safe Toy Shopping

December is the month that we shop for toys,Gift wrapped and given to little girls and boys.

We have three lovely children who vary in ageFrom 6 years, 3 years, and the creeping stage.

When shopping, labels are read on each lovely toy,Selecting only safe gifts for our children to enjoy.

Damaged or incorrect toys can cause harm to a child,Tagged with warnings for all ages and perfectly styled.

Our boy of 6 wants a small bike, toy soldiers, and a sledThinking of his presents, he will lie awake in bed.

Our little girl of 4 wants a toy phone, a book, and a dollShe will open each gift and fall in love with them all.

The little one will get toys that rattle and squeakRadiant will be the sweet smile from cheek to cheek.

Beautiful are the presents placed under the treeTo be opened on the holiday by my family and me.

~ Tina LeTarTe