The Great Reno Balloon Race

This year is the 30th anniversary of The Great Reno Balloon Race. Starting on Friday, September 9th through Sunday September 11th.



The festivities start as early as 6:45 am on Friday with a mass ascension launch and 5 am on Saturday with the Glow Show.

A new balloon this year is Darth Vader, one of the most photographed of the balloons.

More information can be retrieved by visiting http://www.renoballoon.com/. Parking is a premium so go to the site listed here and you may still have the opportunity to purchase a parking pass to ensure an enjoyable experience for you and your guests.

Afternoon slump?

If the afternoon seems to be dragging on and you do not have any energy try some of theses remedies:

Head outside and sit in the daylight for 10 minutes.

Better still, have your lunch outside and divide your break between eating and a walk. It will help reset your chronological clock, keep down the amount of melatonin (the sleep hormone) your body produces during this circadian dip.

Choose activating protein not energy-sapping carbs.

So a tuna salad without the bread is a better choice than a tuna sandwich. A green salad sprinkled with low-fat cheese, a hardboiled egg and some sliced turkey wins over a pasta salad. The change can really make a difference.

Enjoy teatime.

Get into the routine of a mid-afternoon cup. It’s a good step towards beating the afternoon doldrums thanks to that little bit of a caffeine burst and the few quiet minutes it entails. Keep a selection of exotic flavored teas (preferably caffeinated) in your office and an aesthetically pleasing cup just for tea.

Clean your desk and clear out your email inbox.

Both are relatively mindless tasks that don’t require great amounts of concentration or clear thinking, and both will leave you feeling more energized because you’ll have accomplished something visible as well as having reduced energy-sapping clutter.

Make an “I was thinking of you” phone call.

To your wife, child, siblings, parents, a friend or a retired colleague. A 5 minute keep-in-touch call will lift your spirits for hours and reinvigorate you to get your work done.

Put a drop of peppermint oil in your hand

Briskly rub your hands together, then rub them over your face (avoid your eyes). Peppermint is a known energy-enhancing scent.

Stretch.

Roll your shoulders forwards, then backwards, timing each roll with a deep breath in and out. Repeat for 2 minutes.

Consider a morsel of dark chocolate.

This is not a license to overindulge, but dark chocolate does have some unique advantages. Unlike milk chocolate, it is truly a healthy food, closer to the category of nuts than sweets, given the high levels of healthy fat and antioxidants it contains. Plus, it has abundant fiber and magnesium. Additionally, it provides a little caffeine, as well as a satisfyingly decadent feeling. But don’t eat more than one square.

Chew some “spicy” gum.

Chewing gums with strong minty flavors are stimulating, and the mere act of chewing is something of a tonic to a brain succumbing to lethargy. Plus, chewing stimulates saliva, which helps to clear out bacteria responsible for cavities and gum disease from lunch. Just be sure to choose sugar-free gum.

Source: RD.com

Attention NFCU Members with Medicare

If you didn’t know already, Medicare has changed its open enrollment dates.

In the past, open enrollment was in November or December. Please contact Medicare to make sure that you do not miss your open enrollment date.

Don’t wait! Need help? Consider using an expert.

Medicare: You can call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) for around-the-clock assistance to find out more about coverage options; TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.

Area aging agencies: Medicare has been working with senior centers and other local organizations to provide Medicare Part D education and assistance in your community. To find help, contact your local aging agency. Call 800-677-1116 to get your local number.

State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIP): Every state offers one-on-one help from trained advisors. Find contact information at medicare.gov/contacts/organization-search-criteria.aspx

Source: Readers Digest

Friendship Day this Sunday!

Friendship Day is celebrated every year, on the first Sunday of August. In 2011, it will be celebrated on August 7th. The day for the occasion was declared by the US congress in 1935. The occasion began as a small event, to commemorate the relation shared by friends. Today, it has taken the shape of a grand festival. Gone are the days, when holidays such as Friendship Day were confined to the westerners. Today, since the world has turned into a global village, people in the rest of the world have adopted Friendship Day wholeheartedly and celebrate it with great enthusiasm, just like any other occasion. I don't think any of us can survive without having at least a true friend in his/her life. And for me that includes my dogs!

Source: festivals.iloveindia.com