For those of you living for the moment, you are about to lose 60 whole minutes come Sunday when Daylight-saving time strikes once again.

This may throw you off a bit if you are one to maximize every second, minute, and hour you are afforded in this tenuous life. And while I can't offer you any secrets for recapturing this lost time, I can share some thoughts, compliments of professional organizer Linda Richards of Organize and More, on how you might compensate for Sunday's lost hour.

Think about this:

• Go to bed 15 minutes earlier and get up 15 minutes earlier starting a few days before the time change.
• Move any important meetings to later in the week so you body isn't as tired.
• Snack on healthy foods such as fruits and nuts to replenish energy.
• Shorten your to-do list to your top three to five priorities.
• Print out a copy of your calendar and appointments for March and make sure your computer has a patch to handle the earlier time change this year.
  

I just took the Great American Health Challenge -- an on-line quiz offered by the American Cancer Society -- and after just a few minutes of answering a few questions about my age; weight; height; family history; and eating drinking, smoking, and exercise habits, up popped my very own Health Action Plan.

My plan was quite revealing and listed both the good and not-so-good facts about my lifestyle.

I learned that my weight is normal -- whew! -- and that I seem to have an active enough fitness routine. More is always better, though, I was informed. I digested the fact that I don't eat enough whole grains and probably need more low-fat dairy in my diet. I was commended for not smoking and not drinking. And I was encouraged to limit sugars because they are high in calories and low in nutritional content.

My plan came to me ready to print so I can take it to my next medical appointment where my physician can help guide me toward healthier living.

American Cancer Society experts say the Great American Health Challenge can help those who take it to lower their risk of cancer. Get checked, get moving, nourish your body, and quit smoking, they say.

It only takes five minutes to get started. So click here and start now.

There are a few household and personal items I like to refresh now and then. I am a big fan of new kitchen and bathroom rugs. They brighten my surroundings and give my rooms a whole new look without the expense of redecorating. I also like new bedding. In fact, just today I retired my flowery burgundy-colored comforter for two new black and white quilts that sit layered on my bed at this very moment. I can't wait to melt into the new fabrics that have rendered my bedroom crisp and clean and fresh.

I also love purses. And if it weren't for the new one I just purchased, I'd be dashing right over to my local Vera Bradley retailer to pick up my very own breast cancer awareness bag in the latest greatest print -- Pink Elephants.

Since 1994, Vera Bradley has raised more than $4 million for breast cancer research. And 10 percent of net proceeds from the sale of Pink Elephant products -- and last year's Hope Toile products -- will be donated to the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer.

The next time I'm in the market for a little reinvention, and a little fundraising too, I know exactly what I'll be buying -- pink elephants, in the hipster style with a long strap for across-the-body wear. I love everything about this bag -- especially the message inherent in its design.

As Vera Bradley creators say, "with trunks raised for good luck and hope, these whimsical pachyderms symbolize our passionate efforts to find a cure for breast cancer."

It might be celebrity gossip but news is flying around the internet that Nike has offered Jennifer Aniston a record deal for her celebrity endorsement in exchange for donations that will benefit cancer research. It is being reported Aniston will be appearing in both television commercials and print ads for Nike.

According to the buzz, it might be the most Nike has ever offered for a celebrity endorsement. For Jennifer Aniston? Is she that popular? I am not being snarky. Really I am not. I just didn't know she was popular on the level that Nike would offer her the most money they have offered anyone for a celebrity endorsement.

Not long ago, Sheryl Crow publicly thanked her family and friends Jennifer Aniston and Courtney Cox for keeping her spirits up during the first days after breast cancer diagnosis. Maybe there is something to the Nike deal. If the amount of money being reported is true, and it is earmarked for cancer charity -- then it's worthy of a mention at The Cancer Blog. We appreciate any sizable donation to cancer research.

I have a Vera Bradley purse -- a backpack, actually -- that is black with pink ribbons and little multi-colored flowers sprinkled all over the fabric. The print is called New Hope and a portion of the proceeds from the purchase of this bag go toward breast cancer research. Now there is a second print available that also carries hope for a cure. Hope Toile is the name of this bright, cheery, perfect-for-summer, pink bag -- and like the purse I have, part of the sales will benefit the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer. Since 1994, Vera Bradley has raised more than four million dollars for breast cancer research and this pattern -- which also shows up on accessories such as umbrellas, wallets, belts, eyeglass cases, and watches -- symbolizes renewed hope for a cure. And while I don't have this purse yet, it is on my wish list for a time when I need something new and fresh and hopeful.

Every parent knows the pitfalls of Saturday morning cartoons and the commercials plastered between cartoons. As a parent, you can count on your children coming and extolling the latest greatest breakfast cereal or toy and adamant about getting it. With my children, I counter with lessons about Madison Avenue advertising and the massive amounts of money they sink into finding out what will appeal to the consumer and how to appeal to them. For children, advertisers sell fun.

Researchers took a good hard look at the advertisements for oncology drugs appearing in cancer magazines and found them to be a bit misleading. It does make sense if you are trying to sell a product that you would emphasis the benefits and minimize the less attractive aspects of the product when advertising them, but these products are drugs and not toys or breakfast cereals, and the impression can lead the consumer to believing something that simply isn't true. For cancer patients, advertisers sell hope.

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute first noticed that the benefits of the drug appear in large text while the side effects and risks appear in smaller text. According to the researchers conclusion, the ads are designed in such a way that the consumer might not appreciate the dangers of the drug. There was a time when prescription drug makers did not advertise, in the same way lawyers did not advertise. Of course, we are so bombarded each day with prescription drug advertisements that I doubt many of us can remember when advertising directly to the consumer wasn't the norm. I am certain doctors everywhere are seeing patients each and every day come in and request a drug because they saw it advertised by the drug company wanting to sell more of the drug. In this study, the magazines that were analyzed were CURE, Coping with Cancer and MAMM.