Vaid’s Verdict: Sound advice for toning your trouble spots, eating well and dressing for your body type – if you’re still living in the 1980’s, don’t own a computer, and aren’t big on ‘self-esteem.’

Sometimes we all need a lesson in common sense. For instance, just because low rise jeans were in fashion didn’t mean that your butt crack was ever trendy. Are you one of the many women who still sport Uggs? Wear hot pants regardless of orange peel and dimples? Do most of us even know how to cover up unsightly arm wobble, sagging cleavages, stocky ankles or the cursed Buddha belly? Your Perfect Fit is here to do just that – advice on how to tone your body, eat right and give you more neuroses about your body than you ever thought possible.

I understand that this is a self-help book for people who want to ‘look their best.’ And there are certainly tips and tricks in here that help you to do just that…but at what cost? Chapter by chapter, the authors Paige Adams-Geller and Ashley Borden take apart the female body and suggest ways to improve what each appendage looks like. But is that healthy? To look at your body in terms of arms and ankles, buttocks and belly buttons? The authors, both of whom have struggled with serious eating disorders, claim the book is to make you feel comfortable in your jeans and (*groan*) in your ‘genes.’ First you figure out your body type and then find out what you should wear to compliment your assets. Except that when you dissect the human body into just parts, you don’t appreciate the whole. Apparently if I have thick thighs I shouldn’t wear skinny jeans…but if I have skinny ankles, I should wear skinny jeans tucked into boots. What happens if I have thick thighs AND skinny ankles? Time for the Moo Moo.

With each chapter comes a new appendage or offending muscle mass that you can learn to tone/strengthen so each will be worthy of seeing daylight. Finally there’s the SOS Food Plan to trim that tummy fat away – but is this ground breaking advice? Eat small meals often, drink lots of liquids, avoid greasy food and wear clothes that actually fit? Okay, I’m not suggesting any of us actually follow that but surely we all know it by now?

But here’s what really gets my goat (and I love my goats dearly so getting them makes me quite cross). Who thought that print media was the best format for this information? The workout routines look like they’ve been taken from Jane Fonda’s book back in the 1980’s…except Fonda actually sprung for real photographs. In today’s age of instant gratification and reverence to visual expression (think YouTube) why would you put all this information in the form of a book with tedious sketches and charts? Imagine if these workouts were available online in step by step video format, along with visual examples of different body types? The site could recommend shirts and jeans and skirts etc that suit you best, maybe even tell you which retailers carry sizes and styles that are most suited for your body type. Imagine the marketing potential people! Now *that* would be useful. Turn the SOS Food Plan into a community-styled blog where people can support each other through the no-cookie-days. Put the charts and other materials in a format that is reusable, i.e. digital (no pencils and erasers needed every week to keep track of your progress). The entire concept of a workout book seems dated and out of place in today’s world.

The final point I’ll make about Your Perfect Fit is that it doesn’t do much for your self-esteem. Even when the authors are trying to encourage you to ‘flaunt’ your assets, there’s a tone of self depreciating negativity that takes away from any body image pride you might have. I happen to be quite proud of my derrière but I certainly didn’t feel warm and fuzzy when the advice was:

If you think you have a well rounded booty do wear:

A-line or bell skirts: The looser fit of these skirts look great on your bootylicious bottom and you can downplay the junk in your trunk…

I said I *liked* my bottom…not that I’m self conscious of it and would like to cover it up. Would you refer to a part of your body that you liked as “junk in the trunk”? In today’s world of misleading and often fake images of beauty (you think Oprah looks that good without airbrushing?), the last thing women need is more neurotic self-esteem issues. Eat well, find an exercise that’s actually fun to do and wear what makes you happy. Anything else is just a waste of your time.

NB: In the General Fashion Advice section is listed “Please wear underwear when you wear short skirts. One false move, and you’re showing off more than your style.” Is there an epidemic of Britney Spears-copy-cat-commando-crazies that I don’t know about?

About the Authors:

Paige-Adams Geller, dubbed “the Queen of Jeans” by People, was a fit model for major designers before launching her own high end denim company, Paige Premium Denim. Ashley Borden is a NIKE Elite Trainer, L.I.S.T. Master Trainer and internationally renowned fitness and lifestyle consultant. She has worked with celebrity clients Christina Aguilera, Mandy Moore, Tori Spelling and Chaka Khan and many top professional athletes. Zibby Right is a contributor to Self, Shape, Modern Bride and other magazines.

It should therefore come as no surprise that you can even publish your own bookstore-quality softcover! With $12.95, you can build a truly jaw-dropping coffee table book that will make your party guests do a double take when they can’t believe they see your name printed on its cover. We’re talking about stylized, well layed out, customizable works of art here people. That’s what you can do on Blurb.com. A couple of friends sent me this link (thanks Marina & Angela!) and it just blew me away. Imagine surprising your mother with a breathtaking art book of her paintings…or building a slick and glossy photo book of your two-year old tyrants that will knock their grandparents’ teeth out…or the ultimate wedding book that would put Martha Stewart’s scrapbooks to shame. Think business books, portfolios, children’s books…oh, the possibilities.

And it’s simple to boot! You just download the FREE Blurb BookSmart bookmaking software (works on both Mac and PC), follow the instructions to add photos, artwork, and text…and when you’re satisfied with your creative output, just place the order for the book online. You even have the option of putting your book in the Blurb Bookstore for sale to anyone willing to pay your assigned price (yes, you keep 100% of the markup and no, if you don’t make your book public, no one will have access to it or its contents – your book is copyrighted and that copyright belongs to you).

Click here to watch a step-by-step guide to creating your book.

I know what you’re thinking: “This is too good a deal to be true” right? I hear ya. Well, according to Angela (yes I’m Angela too – it gets confusing so henceforth she shall be “Angie”), the layout program is “ok.” BookSmart is relatively user friendly but she does get stuck once in a while. You are unfortunately constrained to the templates that you select and you can’t move your elements outside of their designated boundaries.

The most important component that you’ll need is high resolution images. If you need to stretch out your picture, it’s much too small and your project will “error” like mad. You also have to accept the text size that’s predetermined, which could be an annoyance.

But think about it folks. Where else are you gonna be able to publish your very own book, soft- or hard-covered, small or large, in full print shop colours, on bookstore quality paper, and with your name on it! For all that, you have to be willing to let go of some anal details. This is perfect for someone who doesn’t quite have the eye for layouts and prefers to follow directions, yet is still able to retain that spark of originality. Those designers out there looking for a very specific look (or font size) might be out of luck but for the rest of us, this is as good as it gets.

Here are some ideas to inspire you:

Vaid’s Verdict: An entertaining and remarkably accurate way of figuring out what you should be when you ‘grow up’…and yes, it works on us so called ‘adults’ who think we have it all figured out too.

What did I want to be when I grew up? A cartoonist. A writer. A travel show host. An environmentalist even! (Quell the guffaws please) My generation has had too many choices. Being a ‘Smith’ didn’t mean we’d have to work with metal, being female didn’t mean we’d have to be human incubators, and even being ethnic didn’t involve a future in taxis and convenience stores. Gender, race, religion, oddly-shaped legs – nothing can come between us and our dream careers. Except, when you can do *anything*, chances are as humans, we’ll do *nothing*. Which is why we invest in a plethora of self-help books, career counselors and my personal favorite, ‘trial and error’ to guide us to the right career choice. But what if a 10 min quiz could dispense of the counseling interviews and experimental crêpe spinning to reveal what you should be doing for the rest of your life?

Career Match boasts a ten minute quiz that will “change your life” in just such a way. Admittedly, quizzes make me positively tingle, so I was just happy to check boxes and tally up scores. But what this quiz reveals is a lot better than your kissing style or which Sex & the City character you are. This one is actually useful. Shoya Zichy, author of Career Match separates the human race into four personality types – Reds, Blues, Greens and Golds. Armed with your personality type you can learn what jobs best suit you, what work environment is most conducive to you actually doing any work, and how to deal with the boss you hate.

This isn’t new age hocus pocus – From Aristotle’s four ‘humors’ in 400 B.C. to Jung’s four ‘functions’ in 1920, personality typing has had many years to be perfected. And in the 1950’s a man named David Keirsey overlaid the four ‘humors’ onto the Jungian/Myers-Briggs models (MBTI is the world’s most recognized personality typing system) to create the Color Q system. So all the Reds who cringe at self-help books, just remember that the reason Color Q is so successful is that it’s backed by hundreds of years of research and millions of people tested that prove their theories correct. (Yes, my secondary color is Red)

I wouldn’t say that this book can change your life, unless you have absolutely no clue what you want to do in life. If that’s the case then yes, it can. It’ll list 50 different careers that could potentially be the right path for you and it’ll even tell you which career fields are growing, which have the highest salary average and tips on researching your dream job. Based on your color type, these predictions should be fairly accurate. Now, if you already know that you’d rather be an acrobat than an accountant, this book will confirm your suspicions about yourself. Yes, you come across as passive aggressive. And no, you’re not fooling anyone with that hand sanitizer, we’ve all seen crumbs in your keyboard.

Just to be sure, I tested the Color Q system on the most anti-quiz/self-help person I know. And even with him, let’s call him Growly, the test was spot on. His current career was reflected in the list of suggested jobs for his personality type, along with the position he’d like in 10 years time. Certainly makes sense if you know him but for a ten minute quiz to reveal it is impressive.

So if you’re a grown up without a clue, or you’re considering a change of cubicles, pick up Career Match. It’s easy to read, surprisingly accurate and best of all, actually useful. And for the price it’d be a pretty fun party trick too. (Blues and Golds won’t think so but they’re a bit stuffy anyway)

About the Author:

Shoya Zichy, MA Ed. is a New York-City based career coach, seminar leader and adjunct lecturer at New York University. Her work has been featured in Fortune, Newsday, Barron’s, the Chicago Sun-Times, the Washington Post and on CNN. Her clients include ABN AMRO, Deloitte & Touche, Merrill Lynch, Prudential, UBS & the US Treasury. Shoya is also the author of Women and The Leadership Q. For information see www.ColorQProfiles.com.

Here’s a glimpse of the book:

How often do you find yourself driving home in the thick of traffic after an arduous day of work, and turning into the drive-thru of your neighbourhood fast food joint instead of going that extra block for the supermarket? Who can blame you! No one is up for labouring over a stove, especially when Wednesday rolls around – sometimes you just want food, grease ‘n all. But trust me, the effort that goes into preparing a proper home-cooked meal will be nothing compared to the work you’ll need put in to burn off all the calories from an instant meal made up of a long list of hard-to-pronounce ingredients.

The recipes in Everyone Can Cook Midweek Meals are designed for cooks on the run, and that includes quick breakfasts, easy to prepare lunches, and dinner entrées that you’d probably never think you could make. Me? I’m all about the dessert and I’m personally dying to try out the Moist and Delicious One-Pan Chocolate Cake – it has all the key words! I know that cooking at home more regularly can be quite the hurdle, but once you start, not only will you realize that it’s easier than you think, but you just might start enjoying it! If you’re a cooking newbie, you have to get the right book though. When you pick one up, don’t just look at the pictures. If you’ve never heard of the ingredients, step away from the book. Thankfully, not only are Eric Akis’ recipes simple, but cumin is probably as exotic an ingredient as you’re gonna get!

Stay tuned for your chance to win a copy of Everyone Can Cook Midweek Meals!

For the recipe demoed in the video (and the bonus recipe for the Moist and Delicious One-Pan Chocolate Cake), read on!

Shrimp and Vegetable Fajitas

Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: About 5 minutes
Makes: 4 servings (2 fajitas each)

Stuffing your own warm tortillas with shrimp and sizzling-hot vegetables at the table is a fun and relaxing way to dine.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp (30 mL) vegetable oil
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 medium red bell pepper, halved and thinly sliced
1 medium green bell pepper, halved and thinly sliced
1 medium yellow bell pepper, halved and thinly sliced
1 tsp (5 mL) chili powder
1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground cumin
Salt and hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco) to taste
32 cooked, peeled medium shrimp, tails removed
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) grated Monterey Jack cheese
2 cups (500 mL) shredded head or leaf lettuce
1 cup (250 mL) salsa, or to taste
8 10-inch (25 cm) tortillas, warmed

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

2. Add the onion and bell peppers and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

3. Mix in the chili powder, cumin, salt and hot pepper sauce.

4. Toss in the shrimp and cook for 2 – 3 minutes more, or until the shrimp are just heated through.

5. Spoon the mixture into a serving bowl and place on the table.

6. Set out the cheese, lettuce, salsa and tortilla alongside, and invite diners to stuff and roll their own fajitas.

Eric’s Options:

If you like things spicy, add 1 Р2 Tbsp (15 Р30 mL) of chopped fresh or canned jalape̱o peppers to the vegetable mixture when saut̩ing.

Instead of Monterey Jack, use grated cheddar cheese if that’s what you have on hand or prefer.

Moist and Delicious One-Pan Chocolate Cake

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 35 – 40 minutes
Makes: 9 servings

How easy can it get? This is a family-style cake that you mix right in the baking pan!

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups (310 mL) all-purpose flour
1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (60 mL) cornstarch
1/4 cup (60 mL) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda
1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
1 cup (250 mL) milk
1/3 cup (75 mL) vegetable oil
1 Tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice
1 tsp (5 mL) pure vanilla extract
Whipped cream or ice cream (optional)

Directions:

1. Place an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 350ËšF (180ËšC).

2. Place the flour, sugar, cornstarch, cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a nonstick 8-inch-square (2 L) baking pan. Mix with a fork or small whisk until well combined.

3. Add the milk, oil, lemon juice and vanilla and mix until well combined.

4. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the centre comes out clean.

5. Cool on a rack for at least 15 minutes before cutting (it can be served warm or at room temperature).

6. Serve plain or, if desired, top with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Eric’s Options:

For an elegant touch, serve slices of cake on a pool of strawberry sauce (recipe in the book).

About the Author:

Eric Akis is in his 12th year as food writer for the Victoria Times Colonist. His twice-weekly food features also appear in a variety of other newspapers across Canada. Prior to becoming a journalist, Akis worked for 15 years as a chef. He is the author of the best-selling cookbooks Everyone Can Cook, Everyone Can Cook Seafood and Everyone Can Cook Appetizers. When not writing, Akis works as a food consultant, providing services such as food styling and recipe and product development. Akis lives in Victoria, BC, with his wife, Cheryl Warwick (also a chef), and a teenage son, Tyler.

Vaid’s Verdict: A hard-nosed, no nonsense guide to writing sci-fi/fantasy novels that gives you a detailed understanding of the market, sub genres, publishing, writing techniques, and pretty much everything you need to know to get your foot in the door.

Science fiction and fantasy novels are an acquired taste. Most of us are content with watching a few episodes of Star Trek or enjoying the Lord of the Rings trilogy on the big screen…but what puts us off these types of novels? For me, it’s always been the hackneyed regurgitations of classic tales – nearly every sci-fi novel is about aliens invading Earth or even worse, in fantasy fiction, there’s the buxom blonde who knows how to ‘kick ass,’ cast spells, ride horses backwards, and do it all in a giant metal bra and spandex shorts. When I picked up this ‘how to,’ I expected the author to train me in the ways of clichés and cookie cutter characters because I thought that’s what the readers wanted. No sir, Crawford Kilian wants just the opposite…for us to boldly go where no man has gone before.

This is one *comprehensive* how to. From grammar to sub genres, Kilian covers a broad range of subjects for the aspiring writer, and he does it in a way that makes you feel like you’re sitting in class with *that* professor. You know the one – always hard on you, knowledgeable, experienced, sarcastic – the person who, at the end of the day, is the one you want approval from most. If I were a sci-fi/fantasy writer, I’d want Kilian reading my manuscript and (hopefully not) ripping it to shreds. And if he did rip it to shreds, I’d listen to his reasoning.

The ‘how to’ doesn’t simply give you writing tips and strategies to manage your time or create good writing habits. It gives you a history of sci-fi and fantasy novels, suggested reading that covers Western and Eastern literature, and a number of different resources where you can get great ideas. Kilian is thorough in his approach and completely direct. There are few sentences that tell you nothing and even less that are repetitive.

What I really enjoyed however, is what he describes as his “admittedly crabby opinions on some standard kinds of SF (science fiction) tales and the cliché hazards they pose.” Thus follows a list of every type of sci-fi story and the traps they usually fall into. Biting humor, sarcasm and great examples make it a very fun read indeed. He tosses away all the conventions, stereotypes and clichés and implores the readers to look at sci-fi and fantasy with new, fresh eyes. And Kilian doesn’t even spare his own body of work – he consistently uses examples from his own novels to demonstrate what *doesn’t* work, which just adds to the humor. Nothing like some good old fashioned self depreciation to make you chuckle. And for any aspiring writer, sci-fi/fantasy or not, the lessons that Kilian is teaching are absolutely necessary to the success of a story.

To top it all off, Kilian gives the readers a tough, realistic view of what’s involved in getting their novels published – time lines, contracts, literary agents and the hardest pill to swallow, how little money you’ll make. Very rarely do you come across a ‘how to’ that can actually teach you something new, or at the very least, crystallize ideas that you already vaguely understood. Kilian’s ‘how to’ does both, and even if it doesn’t inspire you to write sci-fi/fantasy, it’ll make you want to discover the genre for yourself.

About the Author:

If you’re in Vancouver, BC, you might be able to catch Kilian at a writing workshop! He teaches writing and communication at Capilano College in North Vancouver and has conducted numerous writing workshops nationally and internationally. Kilian has published 20 books, including Icequake, Gryphon, Greenmagic and Redmagic. Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy is in its 2nd Edition and comes with a CD filled with worksheets, Ten Steps for Pre Editing, and a number of articles and reviews by Kilian.

The following checklist (taken from the book) is a reminder of some basic copyediting principles:

Vaid’s Verdict: Heartfelt and surprisingly thought provoking, The Art of Racing in the Rain has everything you need for a feel good story – hardships to overcome, strong characters, and best of all, a lovable narrator named Enzo…who just happens to be a dog.

In his third novel, Garth Stein abandons convention and embraces fiction in all its imaginative glory. Sure, you can write fiction with fantastical characters that live in imaginary worlds – but why go that far when you can turn an average story into a revelation simply by changing one perspective? Enzo, a shepherd-poodle mix (who’s convinced he’s actually half terrier) is an intelligent, humble narrator with an obsession for opposable thumbs and car races. Stein uses this unique perspective to show his readers something we rarely see…human beings. To see ourselves in another light, from alien eyes, is refreshing…and personally, it helped that Enzo hates crows as much as I do.

This is one of those novels that make you go ‘huh.’ That sound of unexpected pleasure. It’s not a heavy read that tries to give you ‘aha’ moments about life, love, relationships and all that other rot. It’s just a good old fashioned story that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside (and not just because the narrator is warm and fuzzy).

Enzo begins his story from his death bed – the story of his master Denny, a race car driver with talent and heart who’s just waiting for a lucky break. Denny is the reluctant hero, the strong silent type who leads his life as though it were all on the track. Not fast and loud and ‘cool’ but with the strength, control and determination to finish the race. There’s a lot in here about racing legends, memorable races and even some racing movies that give you a real appreciation for the sport. In the past, I’ve looked at car racing, like NASCAR, and thought ‘oh wow, how brilliant, driving about in circles for hours,’ but after reading The Art of Racing in the Rain, I’ll actually be marvelling at the driver’s skill.

The novel is set in rainy Seattle (which was another little treat since I live here) and lends to the mood of the story…there are days when it’s sunny, but even better than predictably happy shiny days are the cool misty days that only the North West can provide. Days when the soft drizzle on leaves and the gentle pitter patter on fresh soil make everything okay…even the slow, painful death of man’s best friend.

The Art of Racing in the Rain can be predictable at times and at first, the voice of Enzo is completely unrealistic. It’s not how you would expect a dog to sound (yes, I realize that we have no clue what dogs actually sound like and most of us expect them to think along the lines of “Sausage! Sausages! Sausage! Oohh crotch!”). But after you get past the first few chapters and Stein settles into the flow of his storytelling, it’s a moving, memorable read that gives you a lot more than you’d expect from a dog telling a story.

About the Author:

“Garth Stein has written two other novels. How Evan Broke His Head and Other Secrets (winner of a 2006 Pacific Northwest Booksellers Award) and Raven Stole the Moon. He has worked as a documentary filmmaker, director and producer on several films including The Lunch Date which won an Academy Award for Live Action Short, and When Your Head’s Not a Head, It’s a Nut, which aired on PBS and was awarded a gold medal by the International Epilepsy Foundation. He is an adjunct artist at Tacoma School for the Arts and lives in Seattle.” Taken from the author’s bio in The Art of Racing in the Rain.

On bookshelves mid-May 2008.

Vaid’s Verdict: After River is the perfect gift for someone flying to Timbuktu – a. because they’ll need some light reading for the 18 hour flight and b. the first few chapters work better than a sleeping pill and a travel pillow combined.

After River is author Donna Milner’s first published novel…and I’m not entirely sure why it was published in the first place. Is it the descriptions of scenic British Columbia that the editor felt could carry the novel? Is it the cast of homely and utterly clichéd characters whose dialogue are all exactly alike? Or is it the very ‘risqué’ message of comparing today’s war in Iraq to the Vietnam War? (Ooh la la!) After River tries very hard to be topical, intriguing and liberal. Unfortunately, it tries a little too hard. The novel revolves around a family, the Wards, who own a dairy farm in rural British Columbia and employ River, a young American and ‘conscientious objector’ of the Vietnam War. River runs, flows and winds through the family’s life in a bittersweet path that forever erodes and gushes through the characters’ lives. Oh the cheesy personifications, the blatant symbolism…and if you think that’s painful, read on to the last lines of the first chapter.

After River is a first person narrative told through the eyes of the family’s daughter Natalie, an awkward tomboyish 13 year old who grows up to be a stereotypical ‘distant’ woman with commitment issues. Milner tries to give the readers a different perspective – an excerpt from River’s journal for instance – but unfortunately all the characters sound quite like Natalie. What’s worse is that Milner doesn’t *show* her readers what’s happening or how the characters are coping. She simply tells us, making the difference between narrator and author barely visible. One saving grace is Milner’s ability to bring the readers to the Ward’s dairy farm in Atwood, BC. The mountains, forests, rivers (sorry I couldn’t help myself) and the general feel of what it would be like to live on a farm is done fairly well. There are even nuggets of prose that don’t reek of clichés. It’s not that After River is a terrible read. Once you get through the first 10 or so chapters where Milner hints (like a sledgehammer) that dark and mysterious things are going to change this quaint cow-loving family’s lives’ forever, it actually becomes fairly readable. But that’s about the best I can say about it. It’s readable. If you have nothing better to read, you’re a housewife without children or friends, and you’re trying to waste the minutes of the day away, After River can even be engrossing.

Here are the last few lines of the first chapter:

He smiled at us from the other side of the fence as the border collie licked his hand. Mom smiled back, smoothed her damp apron and started down the porch steps. I hesitated for only a moment before I put down the laundry basket and followed. We met him at the gate.

She was expecting him.

She wasn’t expecting the heartache that would follow like a cold wind.

(Queue the dramatic music please)

And here’s an excerpt that makes After River readable:

My carefully memorized Act of Contrition, ‘Oh, my God I am heartily sorry for having offended thee and I detest my sins…’ dissolved the moment I knelt in the shadows and heard the rough slide of the wooden slat. With the appearance of the priest’s silhouette behind the screen, I blurted out ‘I didn’t eat my peas!’ and burst into tears.

At six, the concept of sin was too abstract.

Vaid‘s Verdict: A practical guide for writing prenuptial and cohabitation agreements that takes you from ‘high school sweetheart’ to ‘full blown grown-up’ in about 70 pages.

So you and the mister are in a happily-ever-after relationship. You’ve bought a condo together, you share all expenses, you’re even thinking about investing in your very own love fern. But what happens if things don’t go as planned? Do you lose the money you put towards the condo’s mortgage just because it’s in his name? What about the fact that you’ve been supporting him while he completed his MFA in Creative Writing? As unromantic as it seems, every couple should be prepared for the end of their relationship – not because it’s inevitable but because it’s entirely possible. And unlike days past when only divorce could demand alimony and child support payments, these days a lot of the same rules apply to couples who live together. So what does that mean? If you’ve been supporting Starving Artist Boyfriend for the three years you’ve been together, you could be financially responsible for his well-being even after you’ve broken up. Yes, that’s right. Even after you’ve sworn never to read any more of his crappy poetry, you might still be responsible for supporting him until he can get a ‘real’ job…Scared? Read on for the solution.

If You Love Me, Put It In Writing is a no-nonsense practical guide on writing cohabitation agreements and prenuptial agreements. Written by Alison Sawyer, a Canadian lawyer who also penned Contracts for Couples, Complete Canadian Wills Kit, Divorce Guide for Canada and the Living Together Contract – this lady is here to make sure you don’t get screwed. No amusing anecdotes or heart wrenching stories, Sawyer gets down to the nitty gritty of cohabitation and what it could mean for you legally. The guide covers issues of child support from a previous marriage, to what extent you’re responsible for a child who’s not biologically yours, how to handle inheritances, property acquisition and much more.

First off, I had no idea that living together could hold any water in the legal system. Sure, there are common-law partnerships but I didn’t know they could be held liable in the same way an ex husband is for his ex wife. Each province however has different regulations as to what constitutes ‘common law,’ whether same sex couples are given the same rights etc. British Columbia, for instance, requires a couple to only be together for two years to deem them ‘common law’ and therefore covered in part by the ‘family law legislation.’

What’s interesting is that even in a world where we have an alarmingly high rate of divorce, we date a dozen different people before ‘settling down,’ we marry two and three times in one lifetime – we’re still not practical enough to accept that our relationships might come to an end. So we don’t plan for it. Prenuptials aren’t sexy, they’re not romantic – we’re taught to believe that any discussion of ‘yours’ and ‘mine’ is wrong in a relationship. It’s all supposed to be “ours.” Well, I call phooey. Women and men today are getting married at a much later age than their parents did. That means they’ve had the time to buy a car or two, put a down payment on a studio apartment, maybe even invest in a fledgling business. There’s some hard work that goes into all that – keeping your credit score high, paying off your CCs every month…and then what? Suddenly, everything you worked hard for goes from ‘mine’ to ‘ours’? I don’t think so. Sawyer explains how couples avoid legal contracts for exactly these reasons. They’re scared they’ll be seen as greedy or selfish but the truth is, it’s probably the most mature thing you can do as a couple.

What’s scarier than admitting how much debt you have? Pulling out every credit card, student loan, car insurance payment…and just laying it at the feet of the person whose opinion matters most to you? Only when you know what your own financial state is, and the state of your partner, can you really say that you’re two adults ready to spend the rest of your lives together (whether or not you intend to go through with an actual marriage). If You Love Me, Put it In Writing is a great way to start the discussion. It has about 25 pages of sample agreements, a CD of templates, a comprehensive checklist to cover most cohabitation situations and best of all, it’s short and easy to read. I’d still recommend getting a lawyer to draft up the actual agreement so there aren’t any loopholes, but in general I think every couple should look into a legal agreement of this sort. If nothing else, it’s a test of whether your relationship can handle this level of disclosure.

PS: If you’re like me and have no kids, no property and no investments, you might want to wait before writing anything out. Apparently mint condition comics don’t really impress the judge.

Here’s a peek at what you can find in Alison Sawyer’s book: A table listing each province and their requirements for considering ‘common law’ partnerships, whether they acknowledge same sex partnerships or not, how long you have to cohabit to qualify etc…

I can instantly tell when a Canadian TV show comes on. Not because of the content or the actors, but because of the production quality. And I always know the latest up and coming Canadian artists because their songs are played to death on the radio as a result of our amazing Canadian content laws (a good idea in theory, not so much in practice). And I know every actor that’s Canadian. Why is this such a novelty for interviewers? It seems as though it’s brought up every single time said actor opens his or her mouth.

A Canadian magazine on the other hand, doesn’t stand out on the shelf with a blinking light over it, but it does offer a lot that its American counterparts do not. For one thing, it presents information and articles that are relevant to me, using Canadian experts from cities and hospitals and research facilities that I recognize. Make it health related and directed at women and in today’s day and age, you have a recipe for success. Put the name Reader’s Digest behind it and you’ve got instant credibility, so when I received Best Health in the mail, I was pretty excited to sit down and pore through its pages.

For a one year subscription, you get six maxed-out issues for about $25. The magazine is bigger than its competitors’ both in page size and in thickness, probably to compensate for not being a monthly mag. Unlike fashion periodicals, its table of contents is actually easy to find and the many quality articles are thankfully not lost in the quicksand of adverts. Best Health is intuitively split into four sections: Look Great, Get Healthy, Eat Well and Embrace Life. The bright images are a draw, and articles like “Canada’s Healthiest Cities” (Van City’s on top!) and “Stripping Off the Pounds: My First Turn at the Pole” will keep any reader engaged.

One of my favourite things in this whole magazine was a small little sidebar item on one of the pages. It was a little bitty health tip that suggested using milk instead of cream when getting your Timmy’s Iced Cap fix. Seriously, can you get any more Canadian than that? They weren’t screaming it from the rooftops, but they were giving me information I can use that is strictly Canadian. And let’s be honest, those Iced Caps add up by the end of a long, hot summer!

I loved the fact that they used predominantly Canadian experts for their articles but still made reference to American or other international studies or experts. Props to the designers as well, for the great use of imagery and space. A good publisher appreciates the fact that a good layout, even the font size and style, can make a difference in the number of eyeballs per page. Thank you new mag, for not making me flip through half the magazine to get to the end of an article (show of comments, who else finds that annoying?). The only complaint I have about this magazine is that it wasn’t directed at my age group. The very first study focused on women aged 30-59 and that theme continued throughout.

So, the verdict is in. I would absolutely highly recommend this magazine to anyone I know who is at all interested in health and is above the age of 30. Reader’s Digest has really done it again. And who better? It’s like an institution in this country. As if Best Health needs any more cred. The articles were great, the visuals phenomenal, and the price? Just right.

For this trying-to-be-healthy twenty-something, you can bet that I’ll be asking for this subscription for my thirtieth birthday.

Here’s the Table of Contents to give you an idea of what else to expect from Best Health:

Premiere Issue |Spring 2008

1 Look Great
Feed Your Skin From grape serums to mushroom moisturizers to white tea eye treatments, the latest skin care recipes put the spotlight on food.
Younger, Stronger, Sexier What’s one of the best things you can do to improve your looks and your health? Start light weightlifting.
“I Reached Nirvana in 2.5 Seconds” A 35-year-old spa virgin tells all.
Beauty Bar Our roundup of makeup, hair and skin care products.
Hair Rx Make it thicker and shinier – with every wash (really!).
White Fever Can today’s amazing array of teeth whiteners deliver a dazzling smile?
Spring Beauty Boosts The season’s trends are decidedly pretty, fresh and simple to adapt.
Secrets of Scent It’s invisible, yet sensual and powerful – and we’ve put together a guide to help you find the perfume that suits you best.
The Truth About Makeup Expiry Dates When do you really need to toss your cosmetics?

2 Get Healthy
Walk Off 10 Pounds Do it in eight weeks with our exclusive plan.
*Toxic Truths How much should you worry about some common household products?
Canada’s Healthiest Cities We rated them from east to west.
Diagnosis: Breast Cancer There’s new thinking about the disease that every woman fears.
Pillow Talk From a Sleep Doc A medical expert reveals the three things that help her deal with her own insomnia.
Healthy Humour Our reporter’s take on the pole-dancing craze.
Male Call How to get your favourite guy to visit the doctor.
It Worked For Me! One woman tells how she finally quit smoking
Pain, Pain, Go Away The best over-the-counter pills for your ache
Quiz: Rate Your Health Take stock of your habits, and then find out how to improve your life through diet and exercise.

3 Eat Well
Zest for Spring Fresh new ideas for squeezing more nutrient-packed citrus fruits into your diet.
Let’s Ban Trans Fats Why they should beoutlawed in Canada.
Quick Fixes Healthy suppers you can make in about 30 min.
Tired of Dieting? Then try these seven get-slim strategies.
Meet Canada’s Fresh-Food Celebrity Paul Finkelstein has created some unique take-with-you lunch recipes.
Oh-mega! Why you can’t do without omega-3 fatty acids.
Test Your Supermarket Smarts Take the quiz to find out how much you know (and learn seven smart nutrition tips).
Healthy Picks Three new good-for-you choices for your shopping cart.

4 Embrace Life
Taste for Life How one woman swapped burnout for a delicious new career leading culinary tours in Turkey.
Nine No-Fail Stress Busters Relax with these research-based tips.
Force of Nature Find out why experts are saying “horticultural therapy” is helpful in treating anxiety and depression.
Just a Quirk? All of us have our idiosyncrasies. But when do you need to fret about your funny little habits?
Better Sex Now Three things to tell him – and three things to ask.
Pedal Power This group of Vancouver women know how to live it up!
Wine and Your Health To drink, or not to drink? Finally the answer.
Win At Work Leave your psychological baggage at the office door.
My Healthy Life A Halifax yoga instructor shares her wellness secrets.

*A couple of pages from the magazine for you to check out:

What we’re working on…

Immunity 101! Next week, Stasia‘s got The Goods on the new Astro BioBest Maximmunité, a probiotic drink containing unique cultures that purportedly target cells of the immune system to help fortify your natural defenses.

Got a great new product that you think could make it on Stasia’s shopping list?
Email us and tell us about it!

Vaid’s Verdict: Want to give your money away and be treated like a mental invalid? This is the self-help book for you. The Secret Beyond the Law of Attraction is as ridiculous as it sounds and it’s not even fun to read.

Poppycock. That’s the politest word I can use for this self-help book. It’s based on the best-selling book and film “The Secret” which is originally based on “The Law of Attraction.” The premise is that you attract what you think about most. The Secret Beyond The Law of Attraction, which I’ll refer to as SBLA since the title is so ridiculous, goes a step further and says that it isn’t JUST thinking positive, it’s FEELING positive. WOW. Genius. I might even have developed Tourette’s because every time I think about Dõv Baron, the author, I get the urge to curse. It’s not that I have anything against self-help books…okay, I’ve never read any before (snobs don’t need help, we need therapy), but that’s beside the point. SBLA isn’t about helping YOU, the reader, it’s about Dr. Baron being able to pat you on the head condescendingly with one hand and take money from you with the other hand.

What really bothers me is that Dõv Baron is lining his pockets by preying on people who genuinely want to better themselves. Using principles from Hinduism and other subjects, he does a convincing job of portraying common sense life lessons as his brilliant observations about the universe. Yes, I do believe that thinking and feeling positively about life can change things for the better. I do believe that you ‘reap what you sow.’ Wow Dõv, we’re totally on the same wavelength! But don’t go by my cynical perspective alone, let Dõv dear tell you why you should trust him:

“Every man and his dog is trying to sell you something on the web, right? The difference here is that we are beginning to build a relationship and as you read this eBook you get a sense of my personality and the work I do. That’s why I’m creating a foundation to assist the underprivileged. A portion of all proceeds from this e-book have already been pledged to the foundation.

You now have proof that you can trust me.”

Huh. Well that’s all good then. I don’t need the name of the foundation or the percentage of the proceeds Dõv, I’m your mentally challenged prey. I trust you completely. Now give me some sage advice:

“For instance using my EFM Audio Technology will greatly facilitate your dreams, but, at the same time, you will have to get your butt in gear. Simply put: Don’t sit around waiting for miracles to show up in the outer world without being active in creating the miracles you have envisioned in your inner world. As you read on I’ll explain why efforts alone will never get you what you want, however, neither will no effort.”

Amazing, so working hard alone isn’t the key to success? I’m glad someone straightened that out for me. I was planning on mindlessly flipping burgers around the clock to achieve millionaire status. And what is this EFM Audio Technology you ask? It, and I quote, can “transform your mind into a LAZER beam” by listening to a CD. Yes, that’s LAZER, in full caps. Not ridiculous enough for you? How about the fact that he’ll charge you $249 to listen to it?

At the very least, if you’re going to pretend to be a self-help book, don’t throw in a sales pitch to get more money. Interspersed throughout the 88 pages of poppycock are affirmations from people who have attended his SBLA Live Event. These people must have been on the brink of suicide to believe this drivel. Here’s his sales pitch:

“As my gift to you, you have the opportunity to attend this program for just the administration fee of $49. That’s right…that’s a $500 savings! Only $49, because you have shown commitment by buying this book.

What’s the catch?

Well, this opportunity does not guarantee that you will get one of these seats. First, you have to qualify. These seats are only available to those who act quickly and are committed to attending the event.”

And if you act now he’ll pay for shipping and handling too!

Poppycock.

NB: If you’re going to publish an eBook, at least do it in a format that isn’t painful to look at. Apparently, even after spending an estimated $20-$30k a year on educating himself, Dr. Baron only remembers that day in 3rd grade where he learned how to make paper look ‘old’ by soaking it in tea and burning the edges. Woah it’s an ancient eBook!