Monthly Archives: December 2021

How to be a Successful Inventor

Posted in Business, Food/home improvement/business, Uncategorized by

Many aspiring inventors make three mistakes:

They try to invent the wrong things.

They don’t have the persistence (or patience) to stay with a good idea until it pays off.

They don’t go about selling their inventions the right way.

And bear in mind that it may be years before a basically good idea begins to affect the inventor’s bank account favorably (the consumer market is a fickle one; the industrial field may pay more).

 When you try to sell your product or service, the people around the table will usually tell you all the reasons it isn’t any good. It’s partly because they didn’t think of it, partly because they may be taking a huge risk if they buy it, and partly because it’s always hard work to turn an idea into a product ready to sell.

Pick three companies that could logically use and produce your invention. Present it to all three at the same time. Tell each one that two others are looking at it. Fear of competition is a stronger motivating force than the desire for a new product.

To increase your chances of success:

You’re going to need strong persistence (or stubbornness, determination, foolhardiness, you name it), know-how, and a knack for producing the right thing for the right purpose (and at the right time).

Also, in no particular order:

Invent by the rules(for the most part).

Companies have a huge investment in their going product and don’t like to gamble. If they tried something totally new and it didn’t catch on, they could or would be wiped out. What a company will buy is something that won’t interfere with the going product (or may enhance it).

Look for new materials for ideas.

There’s a vast amount of inventing done by applying new materials to old problems.

Be alert to new ideas everywhere.

Read trade magazines, go on virtual plant tours if possible, have phone conversations or virtual chats with factory workers, for example. If you’re still commuting to work, look around and see what’s still being done by hand, or where a process is complex, messy, or expensive. Always ask yourself: “What can be done more effectively, better, cheaper, or differently?”

Apply your ideas in many fields.

While you’re developing your product, service, or process for one area, continue working on your second or other products. Diversify!

If you have a good idea, keep trying.

Watch-and study-the TV show, “Shark Tank” (and before that, there was a similar show, also on ABC, which aired for two seasons, called “American Inventor“). Many, if not most, inventors have labored for years on their products or services. Most get turned down or only make it to the preliminary rounds. But most vow to keep up because they believe; they know their product or service is great. And that’s what you’ll need to do:

 Never Give Up!

Did You Know That…..

You can develop an inventive ability far more than you may believe possible by utilizing creative thinking.

There’s a common pattern of motivation used by many inventors and creative individuals; they have a great interest in any potential problems or solutions and a strong desire to solve them.

General knowledge is very important; other things being equal, the one who has a broad knowledge of many fields and a lot of prior experience can often come up with new and significant creative ideas more easily and rapidly than the individual who has only specialized knowledge of one field.

Enhancing Bedtime/Maximizing Sleep (Decor): Tips and Ideas

Posted in Food/home improvement/business, Home Improvement/Interior Design, Uncategorized by
  •  For That Perfect Snooze
  • According to a 2015 study in the Journal of Sleep Medicine and Disorders, weighted blankets improved duration and sleep quality for insomniacs; they can provide the same calming pressure as a hug and may lower anxiety levels and heart rate.)
  • Try Chambray-This fabric will keep you comfortable year-round.
  • Percale is great for hot weather and sweaty people; it’s cool and breathable.
  • Sateen has a slight sheen and always looks smooth (no ironing needed).
  • Three Pillow Types
  • Back Sleeper?
  • A contoured style is your best option; it relieves neck pressure.
  • Side Sleeper?
  • Go for a thick, gusseted one (has panels on all four sides); it bridges the distance between your ear and shoulder.
  • Every-Which-Way?
  • Get a memory-foam that responds to your every movement; it’ll provide good alignment.
  • Blankets and Comforters
  • According to Rebecca Robbins, Ph.D., a sleep researcher at New York University Medical Center, “Blankets are a great way to stay in your comfort zone, especially when it gets cold at night, or if you sleep with someone with different preferences.”
  • Use wool for weight and warmth; cotton’s best for a lighter covering.
  • A synthetic comforter should be reliably hypoallergenic.
  • A comforter made with real down should have a fill power of 600 or higher.
  • Gaining Better Sleep Habits Through the Day
  • Maintain a regular wake-up time seven days a week; consistency will help stabilize your circadian rhythm and your internal clock. And don’t sleep in on the weekend; it’ll throw you off. If possible, eat breakfast by the window (is it a sunny day? Getting a good dose of sunlight early in the morning will not only lift your spirits but will set your circadian clock correctly).
  •  Do you make your bed regularly? Then you’re 20% more likely to get a good night’s sleep on most days than people who don’t, according to a National Sleep Foundation survey.
  • If possible, eat a light dinner and a hearty lunch (big dinners will drag out your digestive process; opt for a 500 calorie-or less-meal). And reduce caffeine intake (stays in the body for hours!).
  • I’ve found that any extensive, intense activity will put me “out” in an instant (I’m also a caregiver). Staying awake has become a challenge! I’m able to keep going as long as needed, but once I sit down or rest…..It’s often recommended to turn off all lights, the TV, etc. to induce sleep; I no longer have that problem.
  • The Calm Meditation App is a go-to stress buster for actress Holly Robinson Peete: “Sleep is the hardest self-care practice for me. This app helps me get an afternoon nap in my dressing room” (free, iTunes).
  • Did You Know That…..
  • Humans spend a third of their lives sleeping.
  • Fish sleep with their eyes open because they don’t have eyelids.
  • There’s no cure for snoring.
  • U.S. presidents George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt all snored.
  • According to the American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism, just one sleepless night could increase your risk for Type 2 diabetes (researchers found that sleep-deprived mice had higher blood glucose levels and fat content in the liver-both of these factors are linked to diabetes and insulin resistance.
  • “When I was training in surgery, we were taught that if you could train yourself to do things without sleep, it made you a better doctor. It’s the opposite! You’re more creative and able to perform better if you sleep more. It’s not a sign of weakness. Prioritize it. And you should be sleeping long enough to dream.”-Dr. Oz
  • When you type “Why Am I So” in Google Search, the most common auto-fill result is “Why Am I So Tired.”
  • At least 71% of people own three sets of sheets for their bed.

Do you tuck in your top sheet?

44% do, 40% do not, while 15% don’t use a top sheet at all.

Getting Enough Zzzzs

Did You Know That…..

Using nasal strips or treating allergies often quiets snoring. A short nap can help you get the hours of sleep you need; the ideal one would be just 20-30 minutes and no later than early afternoon. That’s least likely to cause grogginess or mess up regular nighttime sleep. You’re getting enough sleep if you wake up feeling refreshed. You’re NOT if you doze off at:

A traffic stop or in a line of traffic for a few minutes.

In a public place

In the car passenger seat (for an hour)

While watching TV or reading

40% of teens aren’t getting the sleep they need (it’s due to their changing biological clock; many are not tired until 10 or 11 pm., according to Wendy Troxel, Ph.D., and a senior behavioral/social scientist at the RAND Corporation). Teens-or anybody else-can’t really catch up on sleep, but what CAN be done is to return to a regular schedule. After two or three good nights, the body will bounce back.

Sleep-Deprived

“Most of the time when someone says they only need five to six hours of sleep, that means their ability to tolerate sleep deprivation is better than most,” says  Meeta Singh, M.D., medical director of  Detroit’s Henry Ford Sleep Laboratory. “They’re actually walking around with sleep debt and have forgotten what it feels like to be awake and alert.”Older people are affected even more; the amount of deep sleep received tends to decrease with age.

“You start slowly losing the robustness of ‘slow-wave‘ sleep,” (the dreamless, non-REM sleep that’s among the most restorative), according to Sigrid Veasey, M.D., University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine.

Veasey also says that the sleep-deprived function in a state of impairment, to the point where they don’t notice anything’s wrong. But, the people within their inner circle WILL notice; they’ll see the depression, non-interest in regular activities, and the short temper.

Good sleep not only provides a much-needed rest, but it also gives the brain a chance to clear and clean itself out; what’s called the glymphatic system gets rid of the debris and toxins from the brain and nervous system that accumulates during the day.

Three simple ways to overcome tired are:

1. Pick a consistent, regular bedtime schedule and follow it.

2. Take a nap whenever possible.

3. If your body clock’s off-kilter with the job you do or your personal life, readjust. Shift it with light. To be a night owl, opt for sunshine or bright lights later in the day. For an early bird schedule, consider dimming overhead lights and shutting off electronics about an hour before bedtime. Opt for bright light in the morning.

Another factor to consider is the mattress. According to the Better Sleep Council, whether one wakes up feeling refreshed can depend on the age of a mattress and its condition (one that’s seven years old or older may need to be replaced).

Sources: “Sweet Dreams Are Made of This”-Edited by Alison Abbey, Parade Picks, Parade magazine, March 18, 2018, and “The Art Of The Bed” by Petra Guglielmetti, Martha Stewart Living, April 2018, Better Family Health segment-Better Homes & Gardens, June 2019; “The Walking Tired” by Christie Aschwanden, Parade, January 2019; “Your All-Day Guide to Better Sleep” by Karyn Repinski-Spry Living, November 2018, “A Helping Hand” by Nicole Pajer-Spry Living, November 2018, “It’s About Time!” by Paula Spencer Scott-Parade, September 9, 2018, and “A To Z Guide To Your Best Night’s Sleep” by Diana Dickinson-Better Homes and Gardens, January 2017, and”How mattresses affect sleep quality” by MetroServices, Vindy Homes supplement-The (Sunday) Vindicator, May 5, 2019.


“Spanish Macaroni”

Posted in American food, Food/home improvement/business, Uncategorized by


 This is one of my all-time favorite things to eat. I loved (and still do) the smell, the look, and especially the taste.

When I was younger, I thought that all Hispanic people, and the Spaniards in particular, ate this regularly (My mom always called this meal “Spanish macaroni“, so the name stuck for me. Later into my teens, I realized this was her version of Johnny Marzetti). I found out just recently that “Spanish mac” is actually an American (!) dish that originated in Columbus, Ohio at Marzetti’s, an Italian restaurant in 1896 (first served by Teresa Marzetti and named for her brother-in-law, Johnny Marzetti. Italian-American dish, perhaps?).

By the 1920s, the Marzetti meal became a Midwest sensation; its popularity spread to the other U.S. regions, becoming a national culinary treasure.

It can be prepared in various ways, using different kinds of meats, cheese, and peppers (However, I would strongly recommend using strictly elbow macaroni for maximum flavor). 

Here’s the basic recipe; remember, you can always add on something if you want:

1. Boil the elbow macaroni until done. Drain and put to the side. 

2. Chop or dice the onion and green pepper 

3. Then sauté the onion and green pepper in the cooking oil. Add the beef (or other meat). Cook until done. 

4. Now mix everything together with the diced tomatoes and spaghetti sauce. Heat until very hot. 

5. Spoon 1/3 of the mixture in a casserole dish; add a few slices of Cheddar (or other types of cheese) on top of this. 

6. Add another layer of the macaroni mixture on top of the first one. Now you can add or insert more cheese in this second layer, or you can simply leave it as is. 

7. Put in the last layer of mixture; add more cheese slices, or not (This is entirely up to you!).

8. You can either bake this at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or at 375 degrees for about 20-25 minutes ( I usually do the former).