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Board shaves Comp Board’s pay increases - New Hampton Tribune: News

Board shaves Comp Board’s pay increases - New Hampton Tribune: News: The Chickasaw County Board of Supervisors handed out raises Wednesday, although they weren’t quite the pay hikes the county’s Compensation Boa…

Tips and tricks to make this the best Halloween

All Hallow’s Eve, or Halloween, is nearly upon us but no, I will not be partaking this year as it seems that a person can become to old to trick-or-treat.

That’s right, some cities have actually set age limits on going door to door and asking for sweets stating “a driver’s license means you can go get your own candy”.

I am not mad however because I can understand, it’s all for the kids and once you hit a certain age (college) the costumes become a bit less cute and a bit more scandalous.

When googling some of the best costumes that may be found on the streets on Oct. 31, I found that the No. 1 most-searched halloween costume on Google is, I am proud to say because I am a huge fan of the movie, a minion from the movie “Despicable Me,” and no, it’s not just kids choosing these little yellow balls of fun but teens and adults too!

In case you are wondering, No. 2 is a character from “Breaking Bad,” No. 3 is Fox from the music video “What Does the Fox Say” (I had to look this one up because I was unfamiliar and I suggest you all do, too), No. 4 is the ever-so-hilarious characters from Duck Dynasty and finally the fifth most popular costume is Miley Cyrus, but not the the sweet innocent Hannah Montana from the Disney Channel but the one that wears virtually no clothes and sticks her tongue out as often as possible.

And now a few tips on making Halloween the best you can for the young ones:

Spend the extra dollar and purchase quality make-up for yourself or the person you are painting on because you don’t want your kid (or your own face) to have that same look weeks later.

Keep in mind how much walking they’ll be doing for their age. You don’t want to have to carry your little ghoul home.

Remind the kids to say thank you, even if they get crappy candy, toothbrushes or the dreaded apple.

If the lights are out at a house the owners are most likely hiding in the back and have no candy to give because they have not looked at a calendar for a month,

Definitely partner up when walking the streets late at night. This was made clear to me when my fellow co-worker Dorothy and I went for a walk about a week ago and came upon a house with a little boy staring right at us from his upstairs window.

Was he real or not was the question in our minds as we stared right back at him, and once he moved, we felt we should hurry past the house on our way.

Even the little things can be disturbing and a little alarming.

Now for advice to homeowners or treat givers:

Don’t terrorize the kids! It’s all about fun and not making them wet their pants.

My worst Halloween memory is going up to a house that was decorated nicely, ringing the doorbell excellently, receiving the appropriate amount of candy and then turning around and seeing all the decorations and scarecrows coming to life (there were real people under that hay and overalls and pumpkin heads!).

I’m going to guess I had a nightmare or two that night.

While apples and healthy snacks are usually discouraged by the kiddos, alternative treats can include pencils, erasers or stickers with a Halloween theme. These are cool enough to show off at school the next day.

And for all of us alike, Halloween candy is magically calorie and fat free on Oct. 31 so feel free to use the “one-for-you, one-for-me” rule with every visitor you have.

Daydreams

Don't you ever wish that just once your most vivid daydream would come true?

I wish prince charming would be waiting for me at my door when I got home ready to dry my tears and make everything better, if only for a night.

But every night after work I am disappointed like the night before... there is no one waiting when I get home except my fish who couldn't care less and probably likes his quiet time more than when I show up at 5:00 p.m.

I wish my boss wouldn't be completely annoying like he is and instead grow up and be the boss that I need, one that I can count on.

Sometimes I think daydreams and that small amount of hope that when I get home there my prince will be there is what gets me through the day because what is the point of everything?

It's been a long week of daydreaming............

New band director has to hit the ground running - New Hampton Tribune: News

New band director has to hit the ground running - New Hampton Tribune: News: The new High School Band Director Justin Adam really had his work cut out for him by not only getting to know his 49 brand new students for th…

Lesson is safety comes first - New Hampton Tribune: News

Lesson is safety comes first - New Hampton Tribune: News

Team Rehab takes next logical step - New Hampton Tribune: News

Team Rehab takes next logical step - New Hampton Tribune: News: It was the next logical step for Team Rehab to open a new location in New Hampton because they already had many patients from New Hampton trav…

Thrifter knows that one person's junk can be another's treasure - New Hampton Tribune: Opinion

Thrifter knows that one person's junk can be another's treasure - New Hampton Tribune: Opinion: I am a thrifter.

Meet my fish

While a fish wasn’t my first choice of pet, it was my only choice in this circumstance seeing as most apartment buildings don’t allow four-legged creatures to live on their premises.

I had a fish when first moving to town but sadly it only made it a few before it died.

I was absolutely devastated but knew I would survive.

I didn’t think I would even need a new pet or ever want anther fish after accidently acquiring the last one on a lucky shot at a carnival booth in Iowa City but, alas, walking past the empty fish bowl every day made me want the joy of having a living organism to come home to again.

So I went to the best place I know of for buying fish (Walmart) and picked a new one.

Or should I say it picked me when it swam to the edge and looked at me with those big fishy eyes.

Instead of a token goldfish I opted for an indigo colored male betta fish to liven up my quiet apartment.

To my mother’s annoyance, picking the new fish was not an easy task seeing as there were about 50 different betta fish to pick from each having its own unique size and color. They had boys and girls to choose from along with red, purple, blue and white colors.

How is one to decide?

Betta fish are sometimes referred to as a siamese fighting fish and cannot usually be put in a tank with fish of or not of its kind and they require very little space and food to survive and thrive.

I felt good about this description because while I have had fish in the past they are quite easy to neglect because they can’t really call out to you when they are hungry or cold or hot or bored.

These characteristics are also what make a fish a very popular choice for college students and first-time fish owners because it also has a life span of about four years.

Fish are the obvious choice for people unable to house a dog or cat but owning a fish can have its benefits.

Fish are very tranquil and have a calming effect when a person watches the flowing movement of the fish as it glides through the water.

Most fish are fairly easy to take care of because they require little space, food and attention.

My favorite benefit is that fish do not leave behind pet hair that sticks to furniture and clothes and anything else that is laying around. They also do not scratch or slobber or mark its territory on all your possessions which can be an added bonus.

Fish are quiet — with no barking or squawking to wake the neighbors.

And while fish seem boring and uneventful they can learn to “play” with their owners.

My fish and I have already bonded and he has already begun to follow my finger as I move it from side to side!

Because I have had such a hard time naming my new fish I have finally decided (quite wittingly I may add) to name him “He Who Must Not Be Named” because yes I did grow up in the Harry Potter generation and will never let the memories of growing up with him die.

It’s amazing how something so small and insignificant can quickly grab your attention and make a house a home again.

There are ways to fight procrastination but sometimes, it’s actually productive

Q: What is one thing you have learned from this experience?

A: Not to procrastinate!

This is the answer I have heard time and time again while attending the many town celebration weekends this past summer from queen, princess and miss candidates as well as participants in other activities.

I am here to say, no matter how hard you try, you will never stop procrastinating!

I have gone through high school, college, and now a “real-life” job where I procrastinate every single day.

There will always be something — thanks to thinks like the internet, Pinterest, Facebook, television and many other activities — that seems much more fun than what you are doing.

So how does one overcome this problem?

I have found that if you procrastinate with something you are already procrastinating you will actually get something done through procrastination.

In other words, trick yourself into doing your to-do list.

Tribune reporter Jeanne Edson and I encountered just recently when we thought cleaning was a much better idea than beginning to write any more stories.

However, the office desperately did need to be cleaned and after our nice little break work continued.

Not to mention I think Jeanne scored a few points with all of us and who doesn’t want some of those in their pockets?

Just goes to show that sometimes procrastination can be productive as well as useful to us all.

Some tips I have received are to admit you are a procrastinator. Know this about yourself and work with it.

If it is a huge project (like a research paper, for example) do it in steps. Break it up.

Find a few sources one day, read through them the next, and after you believe you have plenty of material you can piece it together. This way even if the piecing it together happens the night before it is due you will be set!

Finally don’t aim for perfection! This is a list set by you and when you get done with it you’re the only one that has to be completely happy with it.

College should be about more than ‘what are you doing Friday night?’ - New Hampton Tribune: Opinion

College should be about more than ‘what are you doing Friday night?’ - New Hampton Tribune: Opinion: As students were getting ready to go back to school, I began to reminise about my college days and how college can be a reminder of how much s…

Downtown New Hampton businesses talk window displays with consultant - New Hampton Tribune: News

Downtown New Hampton businesses talk window displays with consultant - New Hampton Tribune: News: New Hampton recently welcomed Main Street Iowa window display and visual merchandising consultant Anna Buhmeyer into the community Friday, Aug…

They are our moms and we love them!

We  love to label our moms. There are soccer moms, teen moms, hip moms, helicopter moms, stay-at-home moms, working moms, super moms and numerous others.

And now we can add moms who drink wine.

On store shelves wine glasses are being referred to as mommy’s sippy cup and chardonnay playdates have become the new trend.

But is this title a good depiction of moms?

I believe this debate, along with other media sites, is a question of equality.

It never seemed wrong that a man came home from a long day of work and drank beer (many cartoons and TV shows back up this theory) but moms were always home all day or working all day and then still had to cook, then clean, then put the kids to bed, all without having a single rewarding drink.

A study that appeared in the December 2011 issue of Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, which tracked alcohol consumption in those born after World War II, suggested that the move toward gender equality may correlate with higher drinking rates. This suggests that more women have the opportunity, and the pressure, to socialize for work and “drink like men.”

It is common, or at least shown in numerous sitcoms, that people that include “entertaining clients” are usually seen at fancy restaurants or bars kicking back a few adult beverages. But why in this day and age are women the only ones being scrutinized?

Either way, wine companies are taking the concept and running with it. Some market their wine as “the new bubble bath” or way to unwind, one calls themselves “Mommy Juice” and there is a best-selling book called “Naptime Is The New Happy Hour.”

I myself, while single and childless, have begun to buy into the new wine-era and become somewhat of a wino myself.

My wanting wine stems from another obsession hitting the world: Pinterst.

Pinterest is a website that provides the tool for collecting and organizing things you love.

For me it is a craft heaven and one of my mom’s and my favorite thing to craft with are empty wine bottles!

My mother has colored them orange to make them into pumpkins and used chalkboard paint on them to create erasable signs. So while the inside of the bottle is enjoyable, the outside can be just as fun.

Just because moms have babies doesn’t mean they lose their fun carefree side, they are just forced to hide it a little more between their schedules and their kids’ schedules.

With so many moms in the world, how can we not expect them to be the target of some product or another. Do we all remember the mom-jeans?

Students travel to Charleston,SC to help others - New Hampton Tribune: News

Students travel to Charleston,SC to help others - New Hampton Tribune: News: A group of 21 kids and five adult chaperones from Good Shepherd Cluster went on a mission trip through Catholic HEART Workcamp 18 hours and 20…

New Hampton hospital welcomes new surgeon - New Hampton Tribune: News

New Hampton hospital welcomes new surgeon - New Hampton Tribune: News

Call it puppy love - New Hampton Tribune: News

Call it puppy love - New Hampton Tribune: News: Eight adorably irresistible 7-week-old puppies are in search of good homes.

Chamber set to get ridiculous for two days this year - New Hampton Tribune: News

Chamber set to get ridiculous for two days this year - New Hampton Tribune: News: Ridiculous Days is hittin’ the sidewalk this Thursday night and Friday morning with fun for the whole family.

Supervisors look to wrap up Price sale - New Hampton Tribune: News

Supervisors look to wrap up Price sale - New Hampton Tribune: News: The Chickasaw County Supervisors have begun discussion on selling the final 2.62 acres of Price Wildlife Habitat that was unsold in the auctio…

Annual tractor pull returns this weekend - New Hampton Tribune: News

Annual tractor pull returns this weekend - New Hampton Tribune: News: The Annual Kenwood Avenue Grand National Truck and Tractor Pull is set for this Friday, July 12, and Saturday, July 13 at the Kenwood Avenue P…

Local art teacher honored with watercolor exhibit - New Hampton Tribune: News

Local art teacher honored with watercolor exhibit - New Hampton Tribune: News: New Hampton High School art department instructor David Prehm is staying busy during his summer break with multiple paintings in the works and…