MORE ENERGY IN THE MORNING

***FOUR WAYS TO HAVE MORE ENERGY ON LESS SLEEP***

It seems like we're all sleep deprived these days. But when you don't get a full eight hours, the next day can be a lot harder. So here are four ways to give yourself more energy when you haven't gotten enough shut-eye . . .

#1) DRINK LESS COFFEE . . . BUT MORE OFTEN. You probably think chugging a HUGE cup of coffee is the best way to get you through the day. But Harvard researchers found that it's much better to have SMALL doses of caffeine . . . more often.

#2) EAT GOOD CARBS. Snacking on candy might give you an energy burst, but it won't solve the real problem, and you'll be tired again soon. The whole grains in brown rice and whole-wheat bread give you LONGER-LASTING energy.

#3) LAUGH. Stick around for that funny story at the water cooler, or take 5 minutes to watch a funny video online. Researchers have found that a good laugh now and then will boost your respiratory system, get you more oxygen, and make you feel less tired.

#4) GET SOME EXERCISE. A low-intensity workout, like a quick jog or a short bike ride, can boost your energy level by 20 percent. Plus, when you exercise regularly, the little sleep you DO get will be BETTER sleep, and you'll wake up feeling more rested. (Yahoo.com)

NEW WORLD RECORDS

ARE YOU WONDERING WHY SO MANY NEW WORLD RECORDS HAVE BEEN SET BY SWIMMERS AT THE OLYMPICS???

Hey It's Nazzy,

If your like me, you have been glues to the summer Olympics! More specific the swimming competitions! Have you noticed how many new world records were set this year? So far, there have been 21 new world records set by swimmers at this year's Olympics. SEVEN have been set by MICHAEL PHELPS alone . . . (which is just ONE shy of the total world records set at the Athens Games in 2004.)

(--Check out a full list of all swimming world records here. The records that were set in Beijing . . . in the "location" column . . . have been set at this year's Games . . .)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_records_in_swimming#Long_course_.2850_metres.29--

Well, I might have figured out why so many records have been broken . . . --The pool in Beijing is about 10-feet deep . . . which is about THREE feet deeper than most pools. A deeper pool means there's less turbulence in the water . . . and that helps swimmers move faster.

The other thing I discovered, Michael Phelps is part fish! LOL! GO USA!!! -- Nazzy

(New Scientist)

HOW NOT TO SAVE MONEY

***5 THINGS YOU SHOULDN'T DO TO TRY TO SAVE MONEY***

Money's tight and people everywhere are looking for ways to spend a little less. But here are FIVE corners you SHOULDN'T cut . . .

#1) DON'T CASH IN YOUR 401K PLAN. It can be tempting, but if you cash in your 401K early, you'll be hit with at least a 10% penalty, and a tax rate that can be as high as 40%. Cashing in your 401k should only be considered a last resort.

#2) DON'T CANCEL YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE. It'd be nice to rid yourself of that monthly health insurance bill, but then you run the risk of a MINOR injury putting you in MAJOR debt. Half of all bankruptcies are due to overwhelming medical bills.

#3) DON'T BOUNCE CHECKS. If you need something but the cash isn't there, don't be tempted to write a check. You'll start hurting from bounced check fees, and writing a check when you KNOW it won't clear is illegal.

#4) DON'T PAY CREDIT CARD BILLS LATE. Sometimes when you're in a tight spot it's unavoidable, but missing credit card payments means late fees and bad credit. ONE-THIRD of your credit score is based on how often you pay on time.

#5) DON'T SWITCH CELL PHONE PLANS MID-CONTRACT. Switching to another carrier for a free phone and a discounted plan might sound good, but cancelling when your contract is still in effect can cost you a bundle. --First, check how much longer you have on your contract. If it's just a few months, you should probably wait. (MarieClaire.com)

Ashley @ Night's TOP 5 Favorite Beach Activities

SO I'm having fun with this Top 5 list for JYY... Maybe I'm just watching too much High Fidelity? Who cares! However, in celebration of this BEAUTIFUL weather, I'm suggesting that everyone take a beach day this Friday! It's supposed to be 85 and gorgeous! To make your beach day even more enjoyable, I thought I would share my all time favorite beach activities...

Let's get it started!

5) Italian Ice: I realize this is not an activity, but when your soakin up the sun, nothing is nicer than a chilly Italian Ice. My favorite is lemon... YUM!

4) Flying a Kite: I have never been skilled enough to get my kite off the ground, but I love watching children of all ages make the attempt. Even if there is no breeze to be found, little kids running with their kite flailing behind them greatly amuses me. Let's go fly a kite!!

3) Tanning: Nothing says "I went to the beach today" like a killer tan. HOWEVER you must always protect yourself from the UV Rays... so make sure you have some sunscreen protection. There is a fine line between 'Sexy Tan' and 'Burnt Lobster'... don't be the latter.

2) Beach Football: Maybe it's because I grew up in a family full of boys, but I love bringing a football to the beach and tossing it around. In the sand or in the water, it's fun for the whole family!

AND MY #1 FAVORITE BEACH ACTIVITY..........

1) SANDCASTLES!!: My dad is a master at creating the coolest sand castles or sand sculptures on the PLANET! He has shared his tricks with me and, although I'm not even close to as good as him, I LOVE attempting to build funky things out of the sand. So if you ever trying to find me at the beach, I'll be the one covered from head to toe in sand.

Enjoy the sunshine while it lasts!! I know school starts soon so why not enjoy one last beach day?! Don't forget to bring your sunscreen and you shovel and pail.

See you in the sunshine!!

Ashley @ Night

LAST MINUTE VACATION'S

***HOW TO PLAN A LAST-MINUTE SUMMER VACATION***

Summer officially ends September 22nd, so it's not too late to join in the fun. Here are four tips on how to plan a last-minute vacation you can afford . . .

STEP #1) PICK A DESTINATION NEARBY. Buying a plane ticket at the last minute doesn't make sense financially. So choose somewhere within driving distance. The closer you stay to home, the less time you'll waste traveling. (There are a ton of things to do right here in New Hampshire!!!)

STEP #2) SEARCH FOR DEALS. A lot of people are staying home this year, so vacation hot-spots are offering AMAZING deals. And the fact you're booking last minute can actually work to your advantage.

STEP #3) DON'T PACK AT THE LAST-MINUTE. Just because you're traveling last-minute doesn't mean you should leave the PLANNING to the last-minute. Make sure you pack all the essentials. --Forgetting something important normally means your vacation is delayed. When you're traveling last-minute, it means no vacation at all.

STEP #4) PACK PLENTY OF DRINKS AND SNACKS. Your time is more valuable than usual when you're taking a last-minute trip, so make sure you pack your own food and drinks for the road. --It's cheaper, and you'll save time getting to your destination, where you can FINALLY relax. (eHow.com)

Top 5 Favorite Boston Movies with Ashley@Night

Hello All

I realize that we have had a LOT of rain lately... I have been getting a little bored with staying inside all the time because of the massive amounts of H2O falling from the sky. When I'm bored, I LOVE to curl up to a good movie. My favorite movies all tend to be based around the city of Boston. In spirit of this, I decided to share my top 5 all time favorite Boston movies.

Here we go!

5) Fever Pitch: Celebrating the Redsox and the love/hate relationship we all have with them... along with Jimmy Fallon and Drew Barrymore.

4) Gone Baby Gone: HIGHLY UNDERRATED!! If you haven't seen this flick, you must go to your local video store and rent it immediately. It didn't make a big splash in the box office, but I promise you it will not disappoint. Casey Affleck shines in this movie directed by his big bro Ben. LOVE IT!!

3) The Departed: Or should I say "The Depaahted"... what an exceptional movie. Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Marky Mark... WOW!! Brings the Whitey Bulger story to life... even though it's "not based on him or his life."

2) Boondock Saints: This underground movie is a MUST SEE!! Very popular with college students, this movie was never released to theaters because of the Columbine shootings (talk about bad timing). However, it is an amazing movie. AND if you love Irish accents, this is the movie for you!

AND MY #1 BOSTON MOVIE IS..........

1) GOOD WILL HUNTING: Matt Damon and Ben Affleck's brainchild that launched their careers into Superstardom. Robin Williams = GENIUS!! I cannot fully express how much I love this movie. All I can say is that this is my FAVORITE movie. EVER!

If you haven't seen one of these movies, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!?! If you have and disagree, let me know. I'll happily hear all opinions... and disagree with you LOL!!

Thanks for listening!

Ashley @ Night

KEEPIN IT NEAT

***FOUR STEPS TO GETTING ORGANIZED***

Clutter can make your life feel more stressful than it is. Sometimes, just organizing the things around you can put EVERYTHING back on track. So, here are FOUR steps to getting yourself . . . and your stuff . . . organized . . .

STEP #1) TAKE INVENTORY. You're not going to get organized unless you start from a clean slate. So whether you're re-organizing your bedroom or cleaning out your desk, get everything out of there so you can start fresh.

STEP #2) GET RID OF THE THINGS YOU DON'T NEED. Ok pack rats , I'm sorry, but not everything you have is worth keeping. A clean slate means you can't hang on to the ratty t-shirts you never wear, or the loner sock that hasn't had a match in 2 years.

STEP #3.) GIVE EVERYTHING A HOME. Don't cram your stuff back in the same corner where you found it. And don't fill a big box with miscellaneous things. Instead, take a minute to figure out where things SHOULD go.

STEP #4.) PUT THINGS BACK IN A LOGICAL WAY. Now you're left with only the stuff you'll NEED, so put things back in a way that makes sense. Do it alphabetically or big-to-small, but do it in a way that will help you find something when you need it. (AskMen.com)

Teenage Bliss with Ashley @ Night

In my past 2 weeks here at JYY, I have developed a greater love for radio. Not only have I been welcomed with open arms, but I have had the privilege of seeing the one group that I spent my entire childhood dreaming about: The Backstreet Boys.

If you didn't get a chance to go to the show at Meadowbrook US Cellular Pavillion this past Sunday (8/16/08), you missed out! I cannot tell you how AMAZED I was... the boys still got it!! They blew me away... completely blew me away!! My love for the Backstreet Boys has been reignited.

For those who didn't get a chance to go, here are some pictures to share the moments. If you'd like to see more, check out my MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/ashleylhoover

Enjoy the eye-candy... Keep Listening

Ashley @ Night

WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM THE BOYS!

Hey it’s Nazzy,

As you may or may not know, I had the opportunity to shave a listeners head bald for front row tickets to see the Backstreet Boys this past weekend at the Meadowbrook US Cellular Pavilion in Gilford, NH.

I was all set to do it; the winner was all set to do it; so it was finally “go time”! At the last possible second, she received a pardon from a very unlikely source. Brian Latrell, of the BSB’s, came running out from backstage just as I was about to cut into the winners locks. He grabbed the clippers out of my hand & told me not to do it!! He said, “No Backstreet Boys fans should have to shave their heads to sit in the front row!”

Who am I to say "no" to a Backstreet Boy! So Brian ripped the barbershop cloth off from around her neck & escorted her backstage for a personal meet & greet with the rest of the band.. (What a class act – I have a new found respect for the boys now)

In the end, she was able to keep her hair & sit in the front row, thanks to a little help from the Backstreet Boys!! Thanks Brian… - (More pictures to be up on the site soon)..

– Nazzy

PS - What a show!! After 15 years, the boys still got it!!