Have a Happy Monday!

If you, like me, are a fan of the classic movie "Office Space", you groan along with our hapless worker bee when a co-worker cheerily and cheekily says, "Looks like a case of the Mondays." Well, take heart and pluck courage, no longer will anyone accuse you of having a case of the Mondays when you log onto the site http://www.doonenicething.com

No, that bit of code at the top of the post is not random bits of scrambled nonsense. Rather, it is information to paste onto your own blogs and to pass along to others. Do one nice thing is a call to arms and action: let's not gather around the water cooler and have a moan, let's get to work and help others, for a few minutes at least.

From sending postcards to wounded soldier to purchasing new underwear for the homeless, founder Debbie Tenzer and her team keep on top of the best and most expansive ways to help others. Recommending good deed ideas as well as profiling those who do them is one way that Debbie does good for the world, one small act of kindness at a time.

So, dropkick those Monday blues and put on your kindness shoes and log onto http://doonenicething.com now!

Doulas are an investment, too

Doulas are an integral part of the new mothers life, yet many mothers reject the aid, assistance and comfort that having a doula can bring.

Anyone who has experienced the joys of a new baby can also attest to the steep learning curve that comes with the responsibility of the new little one. Pile on the lack of sleep, the getting to know your baby's personality and clues, the struggle to heal after childbirth and to adjust to your new body and new role, and this can be a delicate time for the new mother.

At this time, a doula is equipped to provide immediate relief and to lend a sympathetic ear. Her experience with babies proves invaluable when applied to the situation of the new baby at the home.

It is prudent to be careful with resouces, but weigh carefully being overly cautious against getting a best start to motherhood.

Doula Angelita writes a column for the San Jose Examiner on birth, parenting, nutrition and women's issues.

Please visit my column http://ekahnav.notlong.com, subscribe and comment!

Looking forward to hearing from you! http://ekahnav.notlong.com

Pink Thoughts for Health and Breast Cancer Support

As a trident doula/parenting coach/nutrition guide/women's health advocate, I urge all women to take a moment during this month of Breast Cancer Awareness and do these few things for your health:

1. Check yourself, from top to toe. If you feel ill, run-down or just not right, make an appointment to get to the doctor.

2. Reach out to your female family and friends to do the same thing.

3. Donate pink items to your local pregnancy research shelter. They can always use baby things for the new little ones, and the pink colour will evoke a reminder to be in the pink of health for the new little one!

4. Resolve to drink more water. Start with one full glass in the morning, and one full one at night.

5. Get up, every morning and do 2 minutes of exercise. Touch your toes, walk around the block, stand up and sit down in a chair. Just get the blood moving, to bring pink to your cheeks.

6. Eat some tomatoes, and some cauliflower at least one time this week. Red and white make pink!

7. Now that colder weather is settling in, invest in some good moisturizer to keep your glowing pink skin at its loveliest.

8. Pick up a pink Sharpie. The specially made Sharpie with the pink ribbon will donate a portion of the proceeds to City of Hope.

9. Yogurt is good for you; buying Yoplait's pink lid yogurt will not only be good for your health, it will benefit the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

10. volunteer. Even if it is donating books, holding a hospice patient's hand, or teaching a youngster to read, you will get a pink glow all over at the good will you have generated.