The Writing is on the Fridge

The morning after our wedding, my new husband and I settled in to open our wedding gifts. At one point, I came across a simply wrapped, rectangular package without a tag or card. Carefully peeling away the paper, I uncovered a used Mead wide ruled notebook. I turned the top cover and immediately started laughing, instantly recognizing my father's humor. It was full of 80+ pages of my full (maiden) name, handwritten, two full names to a row, double sided.

This was none other than the product of my dad's choice form (an effective one, at that) of punishment - writing. To deserve this particular punishment, I had forged a note signed by "my mother" excusing me from volleyball practice due to a "chiropractor appointment." Somehow, my coach figured that my mom must have nicer handwriting, made a phone call to confirm, and I was toast.  To maintain some honor, I must explain - I wasn't a terrible kid. We had just moved to a new town, and I was invited to hang out after school with a group of kids in the "in" crowd and I was so excited to be included it seemed reasonable to skip practice, just this once. Anyway, my dad figured that since I was getting a nice shiny new last name, I might enjoy having this keepsake on hand. He was right. It was the funniest gift we received.

This notebook was a bit of a twist. Typically, whatever we were required to write was usually in sentence form and was required to be prominently hung on the refrigerator for one whole week for any and all guests to see -and of course, if there were guests, they received a heads up that they may want to look at the fridge. :)

Among my favorite memories..
 ~ I will not jump off of furniture (this was my brother's task after a chair ricocheted into the wall while rehearsing a leaping gymnastic performance orchestrated by me)

~ I will not slam doors or my butt will grow larger (I swear I had to write this - it may be been a threat, but my memory is clouded)

As much as I hate to admit it, I can see myself trying this out. Someday, my dad will receive a mysterious letter in the mail, and he will chuckle knowingly as he sees repetitive sentences in a child's handwriting.

Doorknob Kitchen - Veggie Tofu Chili

I've been experimenting with healthy recipes lately, looking for ways to incorporate more protein and fiber into my lunch in a form other than lunch meat and celery. I was also looking for more "grab and go" options, so I'm not relying on frozen meals or the constant rotation of chicken noodle and tomato soup available in the cafeteria.  I love soup, so thought I'd try a new spin on chili. Because this one doesn't have heavy meats, it's great for a lighter lunch and doesn't seem totally out of place in warmer weather. I froze 12oz. servings in individual containers and it's been really handy for lunch on the go.

Suggested ingredients (The beauty of chili is flexibility - experiment as desired):

Veggie Tofu Chili  "to go"

• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion
• 3 stalks celery
• 3 carrots
• 1 green pepper
• 2 small zucchini
• 3 gloves garlic 
• 2 jalapeno peppers
• oregano, cumin, ground pepper, chili powder, and cinnamon to taste (start with 1/2 tsp of cinnamon, 2 Tb of chili powder, 1 tsp of the others and go up as needed)
• 1 can (15 oz.) garbanzo beans
• 1 can (15 oz.) corn
• 1 can (15 oz.) kidney beans
• 1-2 cans (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes (depending how thick you'd like chili and how much you like chunks of tomatoes - I used about 1 1/2 cans)
• 3 cups chicken stock (adjust based on how thick you'd like soup)
• 1 package tofu (extra firm, not the silken kind)
• 4 scoops Arbonne fiber booster (optional*)

Heat oil in pan and saute onion, carrots, zucchini, garlic and peppers for a couple minutes. When softened, add to soup kettle and pour in all ingredients except the tofu. Bring to a boil and simmer for at least 20 minutes (more is better). Cut up tofu into small squares and fold into the chili toward the end.

Approximate statistics if made as described above:
  8  12-oz servings (nice meal-sized bowl of soup)
  270 calories per serving
  1.8 g of fat (yes, one point eight)
  11 g of protein
  10 g of fiber (~ 1/2 the daily recommended value)

* Arbonne daily fiber boost is a flavorless blend of soluble fiber can be added to any food or drink to help curb mid-day hunger, lower cholesterol and blood sugar and keep your digestive system in check. I typically add it to juice, but I've been trying it out in unexpected places like oatmeal or my morning yogurt concoctions with wonderfully flavorless results.

Savvy Doorknob - Corporate Airline Programs

As someone with over a million flight miles under my belt, you'd think I have an unending stash of them saved up. Not really. I've enjoyed using my miles to do things like save money on last minute flights, bring my husband along on work trips to fun places, and upgrade my parents on a trip to Hawaii (best..daughter..ever). I'm always on the lookout for ways to maximize return on my travel and look forward to posting ongoing tips on the blog.

As a business owner, I've found that a few simple steps can also help you earn miles for your business. These miles can be smartly applied to business growth and maintenance activities such as attending or having team members attend industry conferences or training events, visiting clients for a face-to-face meeting, flying a key individual over for an interview, rewarding an outstanding employee, or just like with personal travel, saving money on those last-minute flights that can break the pocket book. Any legitimate business can do this* whether it be a small firm, huge corporation, and in some cases even a single proprietorship, such as my Arbonne business or a photography business (provided you will be conducting business on your trip). It's like double dipping - travelers continue to earn their own personal miles and you as a business can earn additional miles toward future travel. Consider signing up today and registering your own flights and/or providing info to your employees on how they can help the company save.
* you need a federal tax number to enroll

Here is a brief description of some of the programs out there that I'm using and links to more information:

Delta Sky Bonus 
This is the easiest one to use, in my opinion. Travlers can add this to their profile and voila! It will be automatically defaulted for future flights that are booked.

American Business ExtrAA
Travelers need to enter the company's PerksPlus code with each booking.

United PerksPlus
This one only works when booking directly through United.com and when you indicate "Business" as the reason for your travel. Like with American, travelers need to enter the company's PerksPlus code with each booking. Rewards are only kept active for businesses that spend $20,000+ in travel on United per year.

Happy mile building,
~Rachel

Doorknob Kitchen - Asian Fusion Guacamole

A couple days have passed since the "avocado incident," and it's time to reap the benefits of my pain-inducing battle with the tree.  Not to be underwhelmed by regular old guacamole, I sought out a recipe that had some pizazz, added a couple of my own tweaks, and here's where I landed. This one makes use of fresh ginger, which has become a staple in the Doorknob Kitchen. At 25 cents a piece at the Farmer's Market, you really can't go wrong.

Asian Fusion Guacamole

The Supplies:

• 2 large avocados
• Juice from one lime ( or ~1/4 cup if you are using the plastic lime bottle thingy)
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger root (I grate mine with the smaller side of a cheese grater)
• 1 teaspoon wasabi paste, give or take, depending on your tolerance (I upped this a bit)
• 1 onion, minced
• 1-2 jalapeno peppers
• A couple of mint or cilantro leaves, chopped (I used cilantro)
• 1 tomato, chopped
• Salt and black pepper,  to taste

Mash up everything except the tomato until it's your desired consistency. I like big chunks of avocado but you're the boss in your kitchen. At the end, fold in the tomato pieces.

Ahhh, sweet redemption.

Doorknob Friends - Tina Madsen Hair Design

I love getting together with friends who are self-starters - it's fun and energizing to exchange ideas.  Here and there I plan to feature some of those friends who are are doin' their own thing and loving it. This time around, I'm giving a nod to my friend Tina Madsen. Tina has been specializing in all things hair since 1996 and has owned her own salon business since 2005. She's running a ridiculously great sale right now that I had to share.

I've been a loyal client of Tina's since 2007 when I first came to her for hair extension services. Hair extensions are how celebrities go from bob cuts to perfectly full back-length hair in what seems like a few weeks. I first became familiar with them while living in Dallas, TX  (now I know where the big hair comes from) and had them put in as a treat for my wedding. I enjoyed them so much that I've allowed myself the occasional splurge since then. Yes, they are indeed a splurge..one that gives me the case of the mumbles when my husband asks how much they were, but I digress. Every girl has that thing, and for me it's the thrill of insta-supermodel hair.

Anyway, Tina is offering an unprecedented 50% off of extensions for the entire month of August - If you've ever contemplated them, and you're in or near the Madison, WI area, now is the time.

You can reach Tina for a consultation at (608) 212-6177 or tinamadsenhair@gmail.com.  (By the way, she has uber-convenient late hours for those of you working traditional office hours).

For those interested in the process and other FAQs, read on below.

Before

After  - 21 " of bliss : )

Q: What type of extensions do you recommend?
A: There are two basic types of extensions. Wefts are what looks more like layers or sheets of hair attached to a braid that is braided into your own hair. for many hair types, wefts can look unnatural. Individual extensions are tiny groups of individual hair strands bonded together at the top. They're approximately the size of a shoe string. Tina uses individual extensions. In the picture above I have ~225 individual extensions attached all around my head from about eye level down to the bottom of my neck. This is how the hair looks so blended. (Have you ever looked at a Barbie's hair - it's applied nearly the same way - small groups of strands placed evenly across the head).

Q: So, how do you "install" extensions?
A: Each extension has a bond at one end. Using heat, it's bonded around a small group of your own hair strands. The heat part sounds scary, but it's not.sticky It's NOT like glue and will not stick to it when ready to be removed.

Q: How do I know the hair will match?
A: Prior to getting them in, Tina will see you for  a consultation where your hair will be matched against oodles of available colors - in the picture above, I'm wearing 3 different colors that are blended to match my natural highlights and color varations in my own hair. A custom combination of colors will be ordered for you. I usually go natural, but she has pink, red and a ton of other funky color if you're looking to add a wild streak without the commitment or damage involved with dying your hair a bright color. (Shipping takes about a week, so plan for that when booking your appointments).

Q: How long does it take?
A: If you are going for a "full head" putting them in takes about 4-5 hours, depending the length and thickness of your own hair and the desired length when you're finished (and how much chatting and wine drinking may be involved). If you're looking to add just a splash of color to your natural hair, application doesn't take longer than an hour.

Q: How much do they cost?
A: I plead the 5th… and don't tell your husband. Prices vary depending on how much hair you'll be adding.

Q: Is it human hair? Horse hair? Synthetic?
A: Sorry Mr. Ed. Tina uses 100% human hair (most often it's from India or Northern Europe). It's like a hair translplant, but not really. It's not gross, I swear. All hair is professionally processed prior to shipping.

Q: Can you swim with extensions? What about heat, curlers, etc.
A: Yep, you can live life as usual including swimming*, washing, flat-ironing, brushing, wearing pony tails, etc.  You CAN color hair extensions although getting highlights is not recommended as the hair has already been processed. I usually get my hair colored just before putting them in, if I'm going to do it, and have the hair matched to that.
* I've learned that saltwater tends to cause more tangles and I recommend putting hair up in a bun to prevent knotting. Not a problem if you live in Wisconsin.

Q: Will my real hair break?
A: No, not any more than usual if you take good care of them (or unless your natural hair is over-processed and weak, in which case Tina will probably recommend you come back later). When you comb/brush your natural hair, strands come loose on the comb. The same thing happens when you wear extensions. It's normal for a few (2-3) to fall out while you're wearing them. Occasionally, a bond won't be as strong as the others.

Q: How long do they last?
A: They last up to 6 months depending on your hair type. I have very fine hair that tends to tangle, so I usually leave them in for about 4 months, as they are more prone to tangles the longer they grow out.

Q: How do they come out ? Do I have to cut my hair?
A: No, silly. No cutting involved, although you'll likley want a trim if your hair has been growing for 4-6 months. The bonds are broken using a special formula sprayed on the hair. This releases them from your own hair and they slide off.