REAL Food for Dinner?: Easier Than You Think.

A Just A Sec Exclusive!



You work all day. You come home, you're hungry for dinner.

How many of us still have the energy to do anything more than pluck a cardboard box from the freezer and toss its contents into the microwave?

You made that new year's resolution to eat healthier. And sure, if you had a personal chef, you too could enjoy a restaurant-quality meal at home every night. Maybe a nice filet of salmon and a compliment of fresh-from-the-farmstand veggies. But who has time to deal with "real" foods during the work week?

You do! Haven't you ever thought about steaming?

Kim hates to cook, especially after a busy day. And in an effort to eat "better", she found herself relying on low-fat frozen meals. The problem was, they left her dissatisfied. "They taste like the box they came in," she said. "And the portions leave me starving."

We challenged Kim to prepare a healthy dinner employing fresh, whole foods -- and with minimal effort. To help her out, we gave her a Nesco 5 Quart Steamer with Rice Bowl.

So what did Kim whip up for dinner?

"A swordfish steak, zuccini and rice," she told us. Sounds intimidating!



So what kind of work was involved? Here are Kim's steps to preparing her meal:

1. "I stuck the reservoir under the tap and filled it with water." (OK. So far, we can handle this. But surely it gets more complicated.)

2. "I unwrapped a filet of fish from the supermarket and put it inside the steamer tray with slices of zuccini." (Unwrapping and putting. Still with you, Kim.)

3. "I poured some water and rice into the rice bowl." (Poured...OK, still in the game...)

4. "I put the rice bowl into the second steamer tray, and then stacked the trays on top of each other and put on the lid."

5. "I plugged in the steamer, turned the timer dial. Later I took the food out of the steamer and ate it."

You're kidding. That's it?

Well, OK, but how was the food?

"Perfect!" Kim raved. "I wasn't sure how steamed swordfish was going to turn out. I don't know, I just had this prejudice in my head that if it was steamed, it was going to turn out soggy and gross. But it was delicious. It was flaky and tender. The rice was perfect. The vegetables were a little softer than I like them, but next time I'll know to set the timer for less time so they're a little crisp. Then if I'm cooking them with something else that needs more time, I can just re-set the timer to continue cooking the other thing. Or, add the zuccini in later."

We were impressed that the Nesco steamer was able to cook a complete meal all together.

So how was clean-up?

"Very easy. The product manual says the plastic trays are dishwasher-safe, but I don't have a dishwasher. So I tossed them in the sink with some warm soapy water while I ate, and half an hour later I was able to rinse them clean right under the tap. The food doesn't really stick to the plastic surface that much. The inside of the water reservoir wiped clean with a soapy sponge, then I just rinsed it out with a slosh of water."

Will Kim use the steamer on a regular basis?

"No doubt! I didn't know you could get something like this. I'm going to buy a lot more fresh food from now on. This is awesome!"

The Nesco steamer works with a wide variety of foods including grains, vegetables, fruits, eggs, seafood, meat and poultry. It comes with a 60 minute timer and is equipped with an automatic shut-off when it's out of water.

And this beautifully simple little appliance costs only $29.95.

For more information, visit www.nesco.com.

Open Your Ears @ Work to Domestic Violence

Domestic violence will follow anyone into the workplace.

It could be affecting that seemingly happy-go-lucky secretary in the next boss. Or your strictly-business boss. Maybe even you.

It's important that you open your ears for these victims, or tell a trusted co-worker about your own situation.

Employers themselves have been hesitant to accommodate domestic violence issues. But Safe Horizon is working to change that. Read more.

Surprising Recession Trend: Secretaries Hiring Secretaries

An unexpected trend has emerged from the ashes of thousands of lay-offs: overburdened secretaries hiring their own secretaries, with their own money.

With the trimming down of so many office staffs, secretaries and administrative assistants are finding themselves saddled with extra work as the duties of the departed are now being heaped on them.

To keep from losing their minds, certain clever secretaries are pooling their financial resources and paying out-of-work secretaries to help with both personal and work-related tasks, thereby relieving the pressure. And these hired "virtual assistants" are able to bring in some much-needed cash in an otherwise bleak job market.

A secretary we'll call Angela and two of her co-workers asked to remain anonymous, because they're concerned that their employer would not approve of them sharing work with an outsider.

"There's the confidentiality issue," Angela says. "I'm pretty sure my firm doesn't want anyone on the outside seeing our internal work product. I don't give anything sensitive to our secretary. And she doesn't care what she's looking at, she just needs to get paid like we all do. Of course, we don't want to get fired over this. But (our assistant) is a friend of mine, and I know I can trust her."

Despite the risks, Angela sees the "secret secretary-to-the-secretaries" solution as being resourceful. She's taking action where her employer can't or won't.

"My firm has a dumb rule about having no part-timers. If we had just one part-time secretary in our office it would make a huge difference to a lot of secretaries. I know (the firm) is trying to cut costs, but if the three of us (secretaries who are sharing a virtual assistant) can get enough money together from our salaries to pay for help, the firm should be able to do the same. But they won't."

"It doesn't make sense that they're willing to pay us extra for overtime, when that same money could probably pay for a part-time person," she added.

"We're not going to suffer just on principle," one of Angela's co-workers said. "It's true the firm should be able to get us a little extra help. But if they won't do it, why shouldn't we take matters into our own hands? I'd rather pay to keep from going out of my mind and be able to see my kids at night instead of being here 'til all hours of the night. If I said, 'I'm not paying out my own money for help on principle, because the firm should do it', I'd still be miserable and overworked. So let's just take control, pay up and be happier."

Another of Angela's co-workers added that "It's not just about the firm's money issues. Sometimes I think the reason we can't get what we need has more to do with being blocked by one stupid person in middle management who's either too stupid to take action or too afraid. If it was up to the managing partner, maybe we'd get a part-time helper. But we'll never get to him because we have to go through this terrible manager who's just not that smart."

So what kind of work do these secretaries-to-the-secretaries get? In the case of Angela's virtual assistant, it's a mix of the professional and the personal.

"Whatever we can farm out," Angela said. "I scan hand-written stuff and document mark-ups and e-mail them to her for typing. I know (one of my co-workers) gets her to make travel arrangements. She took care of a major pain-in-the-ass problem for me with the cable company the other day."

Similarly, across town, an entire office full of secretaries is handing work off to one recently laid-off co-worker at home in Queens. They, too, are on the down-low because of confidentiality issues.

"We know (our hired secretary) isn't going to do anything with the (company)information," Donna told us. "It makes sense for her to be doing the work anyway. She used to work here. She's seen all this stuff before."

Further uptown, two other secretaries, Nora and Rayna, are helping out a recently laid-off co-worker by paying her to run personal errands.

"We're buried in the work left behind when Leslie was fired," Nora said. "We don't leave the office for lunch anymore, and we're constantly staying late."

Until recently, this overworked lifestyle left them feeling like their lives were being lived on a treadmill.

"By the time the weekend comes, all you have time for is the shit you didn't get to do during the week," Rayna complained. "Laundry, go to the supermarket, all that crap. And if you have to make a phone call and be on hold or something, forget it. I don't have time for that at work, and a lot of people don't have hours on the weekend. It's just ridiculous. It's a stressful way to live."

But then Nora and Rayna got wise and started paying their unemployed friend Leslie to take care of personal errands for them, freeing up their evenings and weekends for just plain enjoying life.

"Oh my god, it's made a world of difference," Nora sighed. "It's absolutely worth the money. We have no regrets."

For Leslie, it means much-needed cash-in-hand, and a powerful weapon against inertia.

"If I didn't have things to take care of, I'd be completely depressed, sitting on my couch and stuffing my face," Leslie said. "(Helping Nora and Rayna) gives me a reason to get up every day and I feel good knowing I'm helping my own friends."

Nora and Rayna don't have the same concerns regarding confidentiality, because they chose to keep their noses clean and keep the work they give Leslie personal in nature. Leslie stays busy making phone calls, processing health insurance claims, sorting mail, doing laundry, grocery shopping, and even doing light cleaning.

They are, however, paying Leslie in cash under-the-table, $10 an hour.

The same seems to be true for everyone doing the secret secretary thing -- cash on the sly. But the arrangements differ from one situation to the next.

Donna and her fellow company secretaries -- all twelve of them -- pay their unemployed former co-worker per task, and each secretary takes individual responsibility for paying for the task he or she assigned. Their assistant gets $15 an hour. For any task that falls under an hour, she still gets the full $15.

Angela and company made an entirely different arrangement. They pay their assistant Valerie a flat hourly rate to remain on-call during certain hours -- $5 -- just for the security of knowing she's available. However, when work arises for Valerie, she gets an additional $10 per hour, or $10 per task if the task takes less than a full hour. The secretaries split the $5 on-call fee equally, but individually pony up the extra cash for any tasks they've personally assigned to Valerie.

If you're interested in getting help on the side, and you want an arrangement that's as risk-free as possible, consider keeping your hired hand's duties in the realm of the personal, and ask him or her to sign an Independent Contractor Agreement. When your assistant is an independent contractor, they are responsible for reporting their income to the IRS, and you need not withhold taxes from their pay. However, treating someone as an independent contractor comes with some rules. Get familiar with them on the IRS web site. They're fairly simple rules to comply with, so don't let them discourage you from putting a fellow secretary back to work.

-- Margaret Haney

Think You're "Middle Class"? Not in NYC.

If you live within the five boroughs of New York City, this article may reveal to you for the first time exactly how much cheaper it is to live outside the city.

Bedtime Gets an Upgrade

A Just A Sec Exclusive!

At Just A Sec, we believe in making weeknight bedtimes as cozy and welcoming as possible.

Drifting off into a heavenly, quality sleep goes a long way towards having a happier workday the next day. When you sleep well, you feel better. Tasks seem closer to effortless. You're nicer to people, so they act nicer to you.

So why aren't you looking forward to your bedtime?

Angeline is a secretary in midtown who, for months, wasn't getting enough sleep, and the quality of sleep she was getting was poor. She volunteered to test our drug-free, three-step formula for giving the end of the day a well-deserved upgrade. Here's her feedback:

Step One: The Happy Company Sleep Mask



First, we advised Angeline to sink into her own private world with The Happy Company's Sleep Mask. Not only would it block out any annoying light from streetlights, a too-full moon, etc., but the soothing lavendar tucked inside the lining would calm her senses, aromatherapy-style.

"I've never worn a sleep mask in my life," said Angeline. "It's not something I ever thought I needed. I always imagined they'd be kind of uncomfortable, anyway. Like why would you want to sleep in one of those?" But Angeline's experience with The Happy Company's sleep mask changed her mind. "This is really nice. I'm hooked now," she admitted. "It's really soft, it smells wonderful, and it wasn't tight like I imagined a sleep mask would be. It fit really comfortably, and the sensation of having the mask on my face turned out to be really comforting. It was very light and soft. It was like someone gently encouraging my eyes to rest."

The Happy Company's sleep mask is made of 100% cotton flannel. features a "lights out" lining, and fluffy-as-a-cloud filling with lots of lavender. It has fouble elastic straps and comes in two color choices: lavendar or cream. Cost: $8.95. Find out how to get yours at www.thehappycompany.com.


Step Two: The Happy Company Body Wrap



Next, we prescribed the sleep mask's perfect companion: The Happy Company's soft flannel Body Wrap. It features a grain-filled insert which can be heated in the microwave for steady, long-lasting heat comfort. And like the sleep mask, it too contains lavendar for sweet, soothing aromatherapy.

When we asked Angeline about her experience with the Body Wrap, she rolled her eyes and sighed. "If I'd known about one of the these, I would've used one a long time ago."

"It seems like in the old days, people went to bed with hot water bottles a lot. But that never struck me as especially soothing," Angeline told us. "(The Happy Company Body Wrap) is another story. It really melted away my tension. I felt like a happy little infant drifting off in her crib! Most of the time I fall asleep with it flat under my shoulder blades, while I'm laying on my back. But occasionally I'll curl up on my side and just hug it to me." "Oh, and it's really nice when you have menstrual cramps," she added. "Is that TMI?"

The Happy Company Body Wrap has a machine washable cover, which comes in your color choice of lavender or cream. Cost: $16.53. Find out how to get yours at www.thehappycompany.com.


Step Three: Sound Oasis Sleep Therapy Pillow with Sound Therapy System




"This was the magic ingredient," Angeline said of the Sound Oasis Sleep Therapy Pillow and Sound Therapy System. "This changed my world."

"I used to stay up late every night watching TV shows I really didn't care that much about. And here's the stupid reason: I felt like by going to bed, I might be missing something. Not on TV, I mean just in general. Like life was passing me by if I went to sleep. Meanwhile, I'd be getting so freakin' tired. I told you, it was stupid. It was completely psychological and made no sense. Total anxiety."

Sound Oasis made its first difference for Angeline by making her look forward to going to bed. "Oh. Oh, you don't know. I value that time so much now. It's my time. Better than a trip to a spa, I'm not kidding."

The Sound Oasis Sleep Therapy Pillow is a standard-size pillow with two slender speakers buried inside. A plug extending from the side of the pillow attaches to the Sound Oasis Sound Therapy System, a small, sleek machine that produces sounds scientifically designed by doctors to relax and/or induce sleep.

When laying one's head on the Sleep Therapy Pillow, the sounds from the Sound Therapy System gently surround you in ambient music or sound effects. There's also a button to optionally launch Sound Oasis's patented Sleep Enhancement technology, which alters your chosen sound to specifically lull you into sleep, rather than just relaxing you.

Angeline reported that since using the Sound Oasis Sleep Therapy Pillow and Sound Therapy System, she's been getting more sleep, and sleeping much better through the night. She's "less grumpy in the morning" and more attentive during the day. She also told us her frequent headaches have disappeared.

The Sound Therapy System uses tiny sound cards, each loaded with 12 amazingly soothing sounds. The system comes with the "Sleep/Relaxation/Wellness" sound card. Others are available, including "Ear Therapy" and "Spa Retreat".

"I'm not sure I can pick a favorite (sound)," said Angeline. "There are a few I use all the time. I like the ocean, thunderstorm, and some of the musical ones."

Angeline described her experience with the product. "This is the most relaxing thing in the world. Every night I lay my head on that fabulous pillow, and I get completely lost in the sound. The speakers are positioned just right, so you really feel surrounded. I find it works best when I lay on my back. You get real stereo that way. But it's still great when I sleep on my side."

"I never feel the speakers," she added. "It's not uncomfortable at all. You would think you'd feel these hard speakers in there, but you don't."

"I find that the SE button really works to put me to sleep." (She means the "Sleep Enhancement" feature.) "On the weekend sometimes I just lay down for a while and chill out, but I don't press the SE button, and I find I'm able to relax, but not drop off into a nap when I don't really want one."

Angeline uses her Sound Therapy System with its timer feature. You can program the machine to play the sound of your choice for 30, 60, or 90 minutes before gently fading away to silence. This way, it doesn't run all night while you sleep.

The Sound Therapy System also works like an alarm clock, allowing you to wake to a buzzer or your favorite sound.

"It's not for couples," Angeline cautioned. "If you're sleeping next to someone, they can hear the sounds too. The speakers don't work like private earphones. So it's best if you sleep alone, or if your partner doesn't mind the sound therapy. Actually, they'd probably enjoy it."

Here are a few other things you should know:

-- Pillow speakers are removeable, and the pillow is washable.
-- Pillow speakers don't just work with the Sound Therapy System -- you can plug them into your MP3 player, CD player, or TV!
-- You can buy the pillow and Sound Therapy System separately
-- The Sound Therapy System comes with an AC adapter for plugging into the wall, but it will also run on batteries for portability
-- Pillow has hypoallergenic polyester fiberfill

The Sleep Therapy Pillow costs $49.99. The Sound Therapy System retails for $99.99. Buy directly from Sound Oasis at www.sound-oasis.com.

Parenting Classes at Work

Here's a new idea: some companies are offering parenting classes to their employees at lunchtime. Read more.

Unwind After Work: Secretaries Get Help Relaxing

A Just A Sec Exclusive!

When you get home in the evening, it's important to leave the work day completely behind you. You'll be back in the office soon enough!

But maybe you're the type of person who gets so keyed up, there's hardly enough time in the evening to get unwound, before you have to wake up and do it all over again.

You need to invest in your personal relaxation! Here at Just A Sec, we asked our team of volunteer reviewers (all real New York secretaries, like you) to recommend three items that helped them chill out after work. (Sure, booze made the top of the list -- but that would've been too obvious.) Maybe you'll treat yourself to one or more of our secretaries' picks featured below. You deserve it!

Cuddle Up With The Slanket



"Oh my god, as soon as I put this thing on, I fall asleep right on the couch," Heather said. "It's the best thing ever!"

Heather is raving about the Slanket -- a big, cozy fleece blanket with sleeves. How many times have you put your feet up on the ottoman and draped a throw over your legs, only to feel left out in the cold (literally) from the waist up? You don't want to completely cover your arms -- you need them free to peel a clementine, surf the web, or hold the remote.

But the Slanket lets you curl up on the couch, get snuggly warm, and still keep your arms free. You slip your arms into the sleeves from the front and pull the Slanket up over your shoulders. It's stays loose but warm around your neck -- nothing tight or binding. The sleeves are big and loose, too. There are no fasteners, no buttons or snaps. The Slanket hangs comfortably loose over the rest of your body, yet it hangs securely enough on the body to let you get up, walk to the kitchen and back without the Slanket falling off.

And it's generously sized, too -- 60" x 95". So if you get annoyed by blankets and afghans that leave your feet out in the chill, you won't be disappointed by the Slanket. It covers you completely.

The Slanket is incredibly soft, made of 100% polyester microfibers. We put it through the washing machine and dryer twice and it held up beautifully, didn't shrink or develop ratty looking pills. It stayed like new.

The Slanket comes in a wide array of pretty colors and costs $44.95. It's nice for gift-giving too, and comes in a tidy plastic zipper pouch which can be used to store your Slanket. Buy yours at www.theslanket.com.


Soothing Neck Wrap by The Happy Company: The Spa in Your Living Room



It seems simple enough, and you may have seen similar products before -- but have you actually tried one? If not, get it right the first time and get a Soothing Neck Wrap from The Happy Company. They make the best wrap of its kind that we've ever tried.

What is it? Imagine a roughly C-shaped pillow covered in the most heavenly soft fabric you can imagine. It's worn around your neck, like a puffy collar. It's not as lightweight as a bed pillow might be; it's a bit firmer and weightier. And this is a good thing -- because when it rests on your neck and shoulders, it provides just enough pressure to soothe away built-up tensions, like a massage therapist applying gentle pressure.

And the Soothing Neck Wrap is deliciously WARM. The neck wrap pops into the microwave for ONE MINUTE. This is just enough time to warm up the flax seed/plush stuffing. This unique combination of internal ingredients holds and releases heat gently and gradually, melting away pain and tightness.

The Happy Company has also placed a removeable scent sachet inside its Soothing Neck Wrap, containing a subtle fragrant mix of chamomile, lavender and clove -- three scents known for their relaxing qualities. The microwave heat helps activate and release these scents. But if you'd prefer a scent-free experience, just zip open the wrap and remove the sachet.

The outer cover is machine washable and comes in three cozy colors. Best of all, this relaxation super-tool costs less than $20! Get your lovin' care at The Happy Company.


Happy's Head Trip: An Orgasm for Your Scalp



The Happy Company makes us happy again with it's handy Head Trip gadget. And ohhhh, what a gadget it is. The package it comes in says, "It's hard to believe something so simple can feel so good", and wow, nothing could be truer.

Although you can use the Head Trip on yourself, it feels better when you get someone else to use it on you -- so call in those favors from your kids or your partner. It's easy for them to use, and it's nearly impossible for them to get it wrong. Even your four-year-old can use the Head Trip on you in a way that will turn you into a puddle of melted butter.

It's the most unusual -- but most incredible -- head massager we've ever tried. It's got a wooden handle and a bunch of bendable copper "fingers" that you pull apart to form a vague helmet shape. Each finger has a small nob on the end. The Head Trip is lowered onto your head, cradling your cranium, its fingers tickling your scalp.

"I swear, this thing releases some kind of chemical in your body," Angela said after trying the Head Trip. "There's something about the way it touches your head that makes you shiver, in a good way, and then you just go limp. What are those brain chemicals they call the 'feel-good' chemicals? I don't remember, but I'm telling you, it releases those. Lots of them. And it makes you fall asleep."

The effect of the Head Trip is not easy to describe, but Angela did a pretty good job. We encourage you to just take a leap and try it. You won't be disappointed. And for well under $20, it costs just a little for so much pleasure. Happy's Head Trip folds up flat and comes with a handy storage pouch, too. Get one at The Happy Company and be amazed!

Have Happier Mornings!: Our Fave AM Gadgets

A Just A Sec Exclusive!

The first hour after you wake could set the tone for your entire day. So why not make your mornings as cheerful as possible? Here are our favorite gadgets for starting the day off right and putting smiles on our faces.

You Rule: The "Good Morning, Madam" Alarm Clock



It looks charming enough, but wait 'til you hear it. This alarm clock will make you feel like a million bucks from the very second you wake.

When the alarm rings, first you'll hear a subtle, delightful fade-in of birds chirping, followed by the voice of your personal butler. Each morning he'll wake you with a different message (the clock holds about 150!). We enjoyed hearing that Vogue magazine wanted our advice because of our remarkable style; that Victoria Beckham was at the front door, begging us to make a fifteen-minute appearance at her party, for which she'd give us a sportscar. This is a clock that'll make any gal feel like Beyonce, J-Lo, Madonna or Queen Elizabeth.

It also has a lovely night time feature, too. Just before bed, if you press the tiny rosette button on the front of the clock, your butler will lull you to sleep by reciting a relaxation meditation. And no kidding -- it really does chill you out, big time.

The "Good Morning, Madam" clock is made of wood with a handsome black lacquer finish, and the face is protected behind glass. At night, press a single button and a tiny light helps you see the time. It works reliably, runs on 3 AA batteries, and costs about $89. You can also purchase a "Good Morning, Sir" clock for your favorite prince.

For more information, visit Voco.


Breakfast Gets Cute: The Pop Art Toaster



Why settle for boring toast when you can have toast that smiles at you? Or smirks and says "Bite Me"?

We really got a kick out of the Pop Art Toaster. It makes fun designs on your toast using metal stencil plates that slip easily into the toast openings. The Lusso Chrome version comes with four designs: a smiling sun, hearts, a birthday cake, and "BITE ME".

It works easily enough -- the design plates slide right in and out. On the practical side, the toaster works reliably and has nice features. It allows you to adjust your bread's toasty-ness to one of 7 levels with a simple dial. It even has a "Frozen" button to defrost items straight out of the freezer (yum! think frozen toaster pastries!) and a "Reheat" feature that quickly re-warms your bread. There's also a slide-out crumb tray for easy clean-up. And we love the toaster's plump, curvy retro appearance.

The one wish we have for the Pop Art Toaster is this: if only there was a way to store the design stencils with the toaster. Maybe in the next version, you guys can include a pocket or a slide-out compartment where we can keep the plates close, but out of the way.

Still, we love the Pop Art toaster -- a stellar little kitchen goody we think every toast-lover should have. And at $39.98, it makes an affordable gift, even to yourself. To find out where you can get your own, go to www.poparttoaster.com.


Start Chill, Stay Chill: The Digital Zen Alarm Clock



Does it seem like you're constantly aggravated? Have you been told you need to chill out? That rude buzzing of your alarm clock is jarring -- what a way to launch a tense day! Instead, why not wake to tranquility and a sense of peace? The Digital Zen Alarm Clock by Now & Zen will make you feel serene and grounded right from the start.

This pretty little wooden box opens to a digital clock and houses a slim metal rod. When the alarm goes off, the rod emits a Tibetan bell-style chime that gives a gentle urge to wake. About 4 minutes after the first chime, another is heard. The chimes increase in frequency over the course of ten minutes.

The Digital Zen Alarm Clock was tested by two volunteer secretaries, who both agreed on the soothing quality of the chimes. "It wakes you, but it's so nice," Lisa said. Jeanne agreed, "I felt like I was waking up with the same kind of relaxation I feel when I fall asleep during a massage. I was alert, but it was like being whispered to, not yelled out or shaken to get out of bed."

Besides its alarm function, this clock has some other really nice features. You can program it to chime once on the hour, which the brochure suggests is a "mindfulness chime". If you meditate, you'll especially appreciate the countdown timer mode, which allows you to set the chime to go off after a certain period of time. The same progressive chimes that wake you in the morning will pleasantly nudge you out of a meditation.

The Digital Zen Alarm Clock runs on electricity and comes with a typical power supply to plug into your wall outlet. Its housing is available in three wood tones and sells for $109.95 -- a small price to pay for serenity.

To see the entire range of Now & Zen products, visit their web site.


Yummy in Your Tummy: Amy's Hot Cereal Bowls



When you wake up to a chilly morning, you might be tempted to pass on those healthy cereals in their cold, cold bowls of milk and just grab a cup of hot coffee. But then you'd be cheating yourself of nutrition and the delight of a yummy breakfast. Don't do it! Have one of Amy's new Hot Cereal Bowls instead!

Mmmmm, we love these! We were already fans of Amy's delicious, organic, no-prep frozen meals and soups, but we were really excited to try these. We sampled Amy's Multi-Grain and Rolled Oats Hot Cereal Bowls, and we had a hard time picking a favorite. What struck us most was how perfectly done these cereals turned out. Straight out of the microwave, they exemplified the ideal blend of textures -- hearty and creamy, not watery and bland. No guesswork! They were also more flavorful than instant oatmeal from the packet. We were delightfully surprised by the obvious difference. Amy's tasted less chemical and phony. They were rich, satisfying, seemed like home-made. One of our testers, Monica, said "This tastes like the kind of oatmeal you'd get in a gourmet bed and breakfast." Bingo!

So don't skimp in the morning. Make your tummy warm, happy and healthy. It's quick and easy, and inexpensive -- bowls are only about $2.29 each! What would you spend at that vendor truck, hmmmmm? Amy's Hot Cereal Bowls give you plenty to smile about, especially on their nutrition labels. Read them at www.amys.com!

Are you Cheating on Him with...your Computer?

According to a new survey, the average woman spends nearly triple the amount of time daily with her computer than she spends with her significant other.

And the significant others are noticing, too. Read more.

Are You Terrible with Money?

Do you overspend?
Underspend, because you're afraid of someday being broke?
Are you a serial borrower?
Do you spend, and then lie about it to your partner?

You're not alone. Psychologists are dealing with "money disorders" more than ever before. Even country star Winona Judd had to have financial therapy.

There was hope (and help) for Winona, and there is for you, too. Read more in The New York Times.

The Easiest, Healthiest Home-Cooked Meals EVER.

Loyal readers of Just A Sec know we don't hand out our "SEC-Tacular Seal" to just any product. But this time, Birds Eye has earned it.

Just A Sec hereby certifies
Bird Eye Steamfresh Meals for Two
SEC-Tacular!





If you hate to cook, or just don't have the time (especially during the work week), but you want to eat healthy, and at the same time, you want dinners yummy enough to look forward to, Birds Eye totally has you covered.

God, how we love this product. Here's what happens.

1. Take a bag of Birds Eye Steamfresh Meals for Two out of the freezer.

2. Throw the frozen bag into the microwave. No, you don't have to cut it open, poke holes in it or empty it into a bowl. Nothing. Just toss the bag in and shut the door.

3. Run your microwave for about 11 minutes.

4. Remove bag from microwave.

5. Tear bag open at the pre-cut notch.

6. Dump perfectly-cooked meal out of bag and into dishes.

Dinner for two is ready.

No kidding.

And are they tasty? Oh yeah. We've put them to the test. Our favorites were the exotic Sweet & Spicy Chicken (roasted chicken breast with tomatoes, olives, raisins, onions and rigatoni pasta in a sweet and spicy sauce) and Asian Style Chicken Vegetable Medley (marinated grilled chicken breast with lo mein noodles and premium vegetables in an Asian inspired sauce). But there are six varieties in all, including Shrimp Pasta Primavera, Grilled Chicken Marinara and Shrimp Alfredo.

We tried every variety, and in every case the meals turned out PERFECT. The pasta was cooked to an al dente ideal, the meat was tender and juicy, and the vegetables were flawlessly steamed. We were amazed, because often these combination frozen meals can turn out unevenly cooked. Not so here. The entire meal steams right inside the bag.

But there are two more reasons to love Birds Eye Steamfresh Meals for Two. Ready? They're good for your body and your budget.

Each package has a suggested retail price of $7.49. That's dinner for two people at well under ten bucks!

These meals contain NO chemicals or artificial preservatives. And a quick look at the Nutrition Facts on the bag will make you smile. Most varieties contain between only 6-12 grams of fat per serving, and on average, they hover around the 50mg mark for cholesterol. Sweet!

Birds Eye Steamfresh Meals for Two are in supermarkets now!

Thanks, Birds Eye, for providing us with a labor-free, healthy, delicious and inexpensive option for dinner! You're SEC-tacular!

Organize Your Life!: Goodies for a Fresh Fall Start

A Just-A-Sec Exclusive!

Summer's over, the kids are back to school, and change is in the air. Don't you feel inspired to pull yourself together, better than you ever have before?

This year, Wonder Woman, you've got a little help from two stellar products just waiting to be your new sidekicks.

The Weekly Fridge Grid Pad by BusyBodyBook



We love this calendar! The Weekly Fridge Grid Pad by BusyBodyBook is a pad of 52 blank calendar pages you fill in and personalize. The pad has a big, hefty magnet on the back for sticking to the fridge (where the whole family can see it), and it's three-hole-punched, so you can file away the pages in a binder for future reference. The paper is a yummy, hearty quality and yes, that magnet really does do the job -- the calendar stays in place beautifully, even when you're scribbling on it.

What's cool about the design of the Fridge Grid Pad is that it allows you to cross-reference several categories across a single day.



We gave a stack of Fridge Grid Pad pages to three secretaries to play with. They came up with a variety of different ways to use the system, and here they are:

1. A column for each family member. Jean decided to devote a separate column at the top of the page to each member of the family. That way, she could easily read across each day and see if there were scheduling conflicts. Is Mom available to pick up Amy from soccer practice? Can Dad do it? Is everybody free for a family pizza night on Thursday?

2. A column for each area of your life. Dana doesn't have kids, so she made each column represent a different area of her life, "to create balance," she said. She marked her columns "Physical", "Financial", "Fun", "People", "Personal" and "Work". So for example, in her "Physical" column, she made sure she penciled in exercise at least three days a week. She could see if she was being antisocial when she didn't devote enough days to being with others in her "People" column; and she made sure she was taking care of bills and budgeting by setting aside at least one night a week for the "Financial" part of her life. We like this approach!

3. Columns for different categories of food. Madelyn's summer was one long junk food parade, so she made a resolution to eat better when the kids went back to school. Her columns were marked with foods like "Fruit", "Veggies" and "Whole Grains". She was able to work in more of these foods during the week by planning ahead to fit certain fruit and veggie snacks into each workday, and seeing that she ate a whole grain at least three days a week.

How will you use your Weekly Fridge Grid Pad? Order a year's worth of organization for just $11.95 at www.busybodybook.com.


The Corky Wall Organizer by KangaRooM



All right, so you know what you have to do -- but what about all the stuff you have to do it with?

Be better prepared with a Corky Wall Organizer by KangaRooM! The Corky comes with hardware to either hang it on a wall, or over a door. And it's not only adorable, but it's smartly designed for real life, too.

At the bottom of the organizer, there are pockets dedicated to specific items (which are embroidered right on the pocket), like eyeglasses, cell phone, MP3 player, keys and pencils. The things you need when you're flying out the door in the morning are right where you can find them -- and when you come home in the evening, it's just as easy to drop everything right into its designated pocket.



In the center of the organizer, there's a bulletin board for free-form note posting, tacking business cards, reminders, and fun things. We were impressed that the cork board on this lightweight canvas organizer actually is thick enough to use real push pins. We were expecting something more flimsy, that wouldn't really hold our stuff -- but the Corky's bulletin board is full-service all the way.



Above the bulletin board are three see-through pockets, perfect for dumping miscellaneous things and being able to see them in a split second. You can also showcase your favorite photos in them. Here's an idea: tuck a stack of your favorite pictures in one pocket, and every now and then, slip the top picture to the back, and have a rotating photo gallery!

At the very top of the organizer there's a deep pocket with a rounded bottom, perfect for bills and letters. The rounded design makes it almost impossible to lose anything in the bottom of the pocket, and yet it's deep enough to hold those larger items. Genius!

The entire Corky measures 24" wide x 30" high, and offers a choice of green, navy or pink piping.

You know you want one. And at $29.99, it's easy to have. Buy one today at www.kangaroomstorage.com.

Apartments YOU Can Afford? They're Getting Scarce.

Apartments in the New York City area that the average secretary can afford are getting harder and harder to find. What's the deal? Learn more in this New York Times article.

Office Coffee Makers: Ever Wish You Could Take One Home?

A JUST-A-SEC EXCLUSIVE!


Ever wish you could bring that fancy one-cup coffee maker home from the office – the Keurig machine with its handy little “K-cups”, the Flavia with its array of mix-and-match packets?

Turns out, you can!

We set out to review the home versions of two popular office coffee machines, as well as two cup-at-a-time coffee pod brewers, and here are the results.

The Flavia Fusion Drinks Station


We’ve worked in offices that had Flavia machines, and we loved the way you could combine different Flavia Filterpacks to create unique beverages. Like “Creamy Topping” or “Milky Way Swirl” added to your favorite Flavia coffee variety.

So we were really looking forward to reviewing the Flavia Fusion, the at-home version of the office brewing machines we’ve so enjoyed.

Unfortunately, we weren’t able to give the Flavia Fusion a fair review. We had a defective unit that wouldn’t work properly and we had to send it back.

The Flavia Fusion retails for $99.95.


Keurig Platinum B70 Single-Cup Home-Brewing System


Wow. We love this machine.

Some of us have Keurig machines in our workplaces, so we were already familiar with how they work. The home version – specifically, the Platinum B70– was no disappointment.

Keurig brews beverages from what it calls “K-Cups” – little white cups that look like diner-style creamers. They hold coffee, tea and hot cocoa. You pop one into the Keurig machine, the machine punctures the cup and brews a perfect beverage quickly and easily.

The one big drawback to machines that only use their own beverages is, obviously, you can’t buy other brands of coffee and tea. However, Keurig makes something called “My K-Cup” (which we did not try); a reusable filter that you can fill with your favorite ground coffee, creating personalized K-Cups. Keurig also offers a huge variety of K-Cups – far too many to list them all here – that includes beverages from Newman’s Own, Timothy’s, Emeril’s, Celestial Seasonings, Twinings, Ghirardelli, Bigelow, and many, many more. We were genuinely impressed with the available variety – and taste quality – of the K-Cups.

The B70 home brewer is just as reliable and easy-to-use as the at-work machines. And it was loaded with features we fell in love with.

A backlit LCD screen on the unit displays the time, and allows for programmable options. You can tell the B70 what time you like your coffee in the morning and it will be ready to brew when you are. You can choose the temperature of your brew. It will tell you when it’s time to descale the machine. When the water tank is running low, a blue light from under the tank begins to flash.

We were thrilled with the beverage-size flexibility the B70 offers: choose from 5.25, 7.25, 9.25 and 11.25 ounces.

And there’s plenty of room for any size cup -- even tall mugs.

The water tank holds 60 ounces – great for when you have company.

The Keurig Platinum B70 worked flawlessly right out of the box. We couldn’t find anything to complain about.

It’s not for everyone, of course – it’s expensive, and if space is an issue, you’d probably do better with a more compact machine.

But if you really, truly love that Keurig at the office, and you’re due for a treat, the Platinum B70 is an indulgence that will serve you well.

The Keurig Platinum B70 retails for about $199.95.
K-Cups cost $13.95 for a pack of about 25 (or you can get 5-packs for $2.95).


The Senseo Deluxe Coffeemaker


We had high hopes for the Senseo Deluxe, but found it was all style and no substance.

Certainly a cute-looking machine for your counter top, but the Senseo dispensed absurdly puny cups of coffee. We just had to show you. Look at this:



We even stuck a ruler into a freshly-brewed cup and discovered there was less than an inch of coffee in the cup! We brewed several cups and the result was consistent.

The Senseo offers less flexibility than the Melitta One:One (reviewed below) as far as beverage size. Two different buttons allow you to choose between a small or large cup of coffee. But even the larger size didn’t even give us half a mug of coffee.

Also, the Senseo does not adjust for different size cups. Look what happened when we tried to put our favorite tall mug under the spout:



There was something weird about the water tank. It didn’t feel secure when it was in the machine. It just kind of…sat there. It didn’t “snap in” or anything. Realistically, if a person elbowed the machine at just the right angle, the water tank would knock right over and spill water all over the counter. Also, there was a strange gap between the machine and the tank, right at the top, can you see it?:



In our opinion, this is just sloppy design. Why couldn’t the lip of the water tank come flush to the machine? And doesn’t this leave your water open to possible contamination, with dust, or anything else flying around the room – air freshener particles? Bug spray? The gap bothered us.

We did like one feature of the Senseo’s water tank that we wish the Melitta One:One would incorporate: raised “grip” bumps in the plastic that made it easier to carry to and from the sink.

The Senseo brews coffee from round pods, just like the Melitta One:One. Although Senseo makes its own brand of coffee pods (Senseo Douwe Egberts), we found that using other brands of round pods in the Senseo machine produced the same results as Senseo’s own pods: all very frothy, all very tiny cups of coffee.

The Senseo Deluxe retails for $99.99.
Coffee pod prices vary depending on brand; Senseo’s cost about $6.96 for a box of 16 pods.


The Melitta One:One Java Pod Brewing System


For an affordable machine that provides office-style, cup-at-a-time brewing, we loved the Melitta One:One Java Pod Brewing System!

This machine worked like a charm right out of the box, and offered several thoughtful features we really appreciated.

We liked that the One:One offered four beverage size options: 5, 8, 14 and 20 ounces, each dispensed with a single touch of a button. Unlike other machines that dispense ridiculously small cups of coffee, the Melitta brewed generous cups for real coffee drinkers. We weren’t disappointed.

The One:One also allows for brewing two cups at a time. The clever spout dispenses coffee from two holes spaced about an inch apart, so if you want a single cup of coffee, just center your cup directly under the spout and collect all the coffee into one mug. If you want to brew for two, place two cups under the spout, and each cup will collect coffee from one of the two dispensing holes. And Melitta makes it easy not to put your cup in the wrong place, because the drip tray is contoured for one or two cups, so your cup is actually guided into place by the circular ridges, right where it should sit under the spout.

Another thing we liked about this simple but ingenious spout was the fact that it adjusted for different size coffee cups. Just push or pull the spout to raise or lower it over your cup – so it allows for taller cups. Not every coffee machine does this. And we like our big mugs!

One of our secretary testers noted that she liked the compact shape and size of the removable water tank, because it allowed her to get the tank under her faucet even when her sink was full of dishes! Other coffee makers had clunkier tanks that required more sink space to fill. (And still, the Melitta One:One’s water tank holds a hefty 40 ounces.)

The Melitta One:One also has an automatic shut-off feature when the machine has been idle for 30 minutes.

It was also very easy to clean and had minimal parts, which we loved. Simplicity.

It brews coffee from round single-serve pods, which Melitta manufactures. (The One:One came with a nice sample variety of coffee pods in a charming wire basket.) But the good news is, you don’t have to buy Melitta’s pods. This is a limitation of some other machines; you can only brew their coffee. We tried other brands of coffee pods in the Melitta One:One and they worked just fine. This was especially good news for us because we did not like Melitta’s coffee. They make a wonderful machine, but their coffee leaves much room for improvement.

We highly recommend this machine, but do offer Melitta a couple of design suggestions for improving on the One:One.

We would’ve liked the water tank to have a carrying handle molded into it. While the tank was more maneuverable under the faucet than others, it felt a little insecure in our hands as we carried it.

Also, how ‘bout designing the pod holders so they attach to the side of the machine? The One:One comes with two pod holders of different sizes, for brewing one or two pods at a time. At any given time, there’s at least one pod holder on the loose. For those of us who lose things easily (or are just too lazy to go hunting in a drawer), why not create a pod holder-holder on the side of the machine? Even a simple molded plastic pocket would be helpful.

The Melitta One:One retails for $49.99 (in our opinion, a huge bargain)
Coffee pods vary depending on brand; Melitta’s cost $4.99 for a box of 18 pods.

New Moms: Deciding to Go Back to Work

Once your baby is born, how do you decide between going back to work and staying at home? This article from WebMD may go a long way in helping you make up your mind.

Have Much Time to Yourself?

In a survey of 12,000 women interviewed in May and June of this year, 34 percent said they have less than an hour a day to themselves, according to Working America’s 6th annual “Ask a Working Woman” survey. Read more here.

Women Working More Hours Due to Economy

Working women are spending more and more time on the job with less time for themselves and their families. But the nation’s souring economy is such a major concern, most say they would use any extra time to work a second job.

The more than 12,000 women who took the sixth Ask a Working Woman survey online—released today by Working America and the AFL-CIO—also said the top item that would make their lives easier is a 10 percent raise. Find out what other issues were major concerns for working women, and what worries them the most, here. How does it compare to your concerns? Are you willing to take on a second job? Let us know what you think.

Men Would Be Mr. Mom, If They Could.

73 Percent of Working Dads would be a Stay-At-Home Parent if Money Were Not an Issue -- so says a new survey released by Monster. Read more at Business Wire.

Your Wedding: Which Co-Workers to Invite?

Forbes.com has an interesting article today about how who you invite to your wedding from your workplace can affect you, the invited, and the uninvited.

Stay-at-Home Moms Worth $117,000 Per Year

If a stay-at-home mom could be compensated in dollars rather than personal satisfaction and unconditional love, she'd rake in a nifty sum of nearly US$117,000 a year. Read more in The Canadian Press.