Rocky Comfort Living

If you’ve got a special loved one in your life, there’s no skimping out of a special treat on Valentine’s Day. But what do you do exactly? Flowers? Chocolates? Teddy bears? Dinner? If you think Valentine’s Day is kind of silly or a bit of a non-event – or if you’re stumped on what to do, here are 5 tips to make sure you come out on top in the eyes of your favorite girl. 1. Don’t Ignore It Whatever you do, don’t ignore Valentine’s Day by pretending it doesn’t exist. Even if you’re busy at work, a total lack of phone calls or emails or sweet one-liners will get you nowhere. And what’s worse, your girl will probably sit around for most of the day wondering when she’s going to hear from you. You may not be the sensitive type, but if you simply ignore the fact that it’s Valentine’s Day, you’ll probably be coming home to some icy-cold stares. 2. Don’t Spend It With Your Mates This is probably the worst thing you can do and is somewhat on par with forgetting her birthday or your an...

Do you stop exercising outside and hibernate on your couch when the weather turns cold? Well, even if you’ve stashed your summer workout gear, you have no excuse for becoming a couch potato during the winter. When the leaves have fallen, commit to a regular walking or hiking program that lets you enjoy the outdoors while staying active and healthy. Whether you do long weekend hikes, go for evening walks or take lunchtime jaunts, you can avoid developing the habits and physique of a bear this winter.  Reap the health benefits Regular exercise, defined as 2.5 hours of low-impact walking or hiking each week, can produce great health benefits without straining your hip, knee and ankle joints. Make sure you put on proper footwear, and you can enjoy all of these benefits:  Stress relief: Going for a walk frees your mind of anxiety and allows you to decompress and reflect. Physical movement burns off adrenaline and releases mood-elevating endorphins. Increased overall fitness...

In 1974 inspired by teachings and philosophy of R Buckminster Fuller and aided by the GI Bill and the Illinois State Veterans Scholarship , Ed, a Vietnam veteran, enrolled in the Design Department at Southern Illinois University Carbondale . His studies in design, architecture, and “appropriate technology” (solar, wind, biomass, etc.) of that era evolved into a career of contracting, with a focus on environmentally friendly materials and energy conservation. Ed settled near Panther’s Den , a truly beautiful place here in southern Illinois. In the late '80’s the poorly drafted Shawnee National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) , that would affect the management of the Shawnee National Forest for years prompted him to join the Sierra Club in their efforts in to overturn some of the most egregious parts of the management plan. The Sierra Club and other environmental organizations were able to lobby congress, with the support of then Congressman Glen...