Blog Posts by GALTime.com

By Amy Lowry for GalTime.com

Thank You CardsThe wedding was wonderful, you're back from your honeymoon and you and your new hubby have unwrapped a mountain of wedding gifts. Now it's time to put pen to paper and express your thanks to your guests. You feel panic... stress... and the desire to procrastinate!

I've got good news-- writing out your wedding thank you notes doesn't have to be a bland, dull task to be put off indefinitely. It can actually be a lot of fun and a wonderful way to remember your wedding day and stay in touch with the people who are most important to you.

1. Get Organized: In the weeks after the wedding, put your thank you notes in a package that can fit in your purse, and pack a pen too. Whenever you've got some time to fill, you're thank you notes are ready for you to work on. They can be completed virtually anywhere-- on the plane as you come home from honeymoon, at the doctor's office or any time you have an opportunity to work on them.

Related: 6 Ways to

By Dianne Venetta, GalTime Garden Guru

Spring GardeningTime to address those delightfully colored seed packets clenched tightly in your hand--yes, I know you're excited, as well you should be--it's planting time! One of the best times in the garden, second only to harvest.

Sowing seeds is a wonderful step in the process because it's filled with the thrill of anticipation, a dash into un-chartered territory, the belief that all things are possible. It's this enthusiasm that will ensure your seeds get a good start on life. Forget they do this kind of thing on their own, all day long, in nature everyday...

YOU are the master of your garden (not to be confused with master gardener). You control what grows where and when (all important factors). You are ultimately responsible for the success or failure of the plants in your garden (make sure you know where the hose is prior to sowing). Sure Mother Nature does this all the time, but now it's your turn. Ready?

Related: Get Your Garden Growing!

By GalTime Nerd Chick Andrea Eldridge

Google+By now, you've probably at least heard of Google+ and you may be wondering what all the fuss is about? Is it really the new Facebook? The answer is a bit "yes, no, maybe so" While Google+ isn't Facebook, it has definitely built some attractive features that may tempt Facebook users to transfer some of their online social interactions.

The first big thing Google+ has going for it is its integration with other Google applications. Google + connects with gmail, Google Calendar and Google Docs, and it uses Google Search to inform its "Sparks" feature. Does your daily dose of updates from your favorite TV show start your morning off right? Instead of fan pages and like buttons, use "Sparks" to track just about anything from Harry Potter to Starbucks. News that posts anywhere on the Internet about your "Spark" will show up in your Stream (Google+'s version of Facebook's News Feed). The buzz is that Facebook is moving in a similar direction

By Marianne Beach, GalTime.com

'Like'Dating in a Facebook world? "It's complicated!" to say the least. And a netiquette no-no can put serious strain on a new relationship-or end it all together.

We decided to bring in the expert to help us navigate the shark-infested waters of dating in a social media world. Julie Spira is an online dating, relationship and netiquette expert. She writes about looking for love in a web 2.0 world on CyberDatingExpert.com and is working on her second book, The Rules of Netiquette: How to Mind Your Manners on the Web.

No "Friending" on the First Date

It may be terribly tempting to friend request the guy you met at the bar last night-especially if his Facebook page is locked up tight. After all, how else can you spy on those old photos of him and his ex that he hasn't gotten around to taking down yet?

But Spira says: think before you friend. Chances are, you're not on the same digital page yet. And a virtual friendship could ruin your

By GalTime's Consumer Watchdog Mary Schwager

Does your doctor have 'chronic lateness'? How many times have you rushed to the doctor's office to be on time for an appointment, and then ended up waiting so long you have enough time to catch up with every email in your blackberry AND read two of the bad magazines in the waiting area? Then, when you finally once get some face time with your doctor, you feel like you're hurried through everything.

A new poll by consumer review organization Angie's List found nearly 40 percent of patients admit to feeling rushed through appointments and don't feel they have time to communicate problems with their doctor.

We polled Galtime readers who echo those concerns. Kristine Schriber says, "The best part is you wait. And wait. And wait. Then you get in the room. And wait. And wait." PJ Schott recalls, "Walking out of a doctor's office... and telling the receptionist to reschedule me before I started billing the doctor for my time!" Gloria Bauer attributes it to our health care

By Jessica Conway, GalTime.com

Workout in style! When it comes to working out, my main concern is staying fit, but looking cute while burning calories is a close second!

Put away those baggy tees and oversized exercise pants! From fitted track jackets to trendy board shorts, there are plenty of figure-flattering ways to show off the body you've worked so hard for!

Fitness expert Nicole Glor gives GalTime the 411 on workout wear that will have you looking (and feeling) good!

Fitted zipper jackets, like the Lululemon Define Jacket ($99), will help slim your arms and flattern your tummy. These styles are also great for keeping you warm during outdoor workouts or yoga sessions. Glor always wears fitted zipper jackets during her on-air fitness segments!

Lululemon

Longer tanks will also help minimize the stomach, and some can even camouflage that dreaded muffin top! Tanks like the Lululemon Practice Freely Tank ($58) give you room to breathe, while hiding a larger midsection.Their loose, flowy

By Danielle Miller, GalTime.com

Moving with Kids Life is full of changes. Often times these changes affect children more dramatically than adults. A child's perception of change and the way he or she handles change will differ depending on the child.
This is certainly true when a child is faced with one of life's most significant and complicated changes: moving from one home to another.

"Transition is hard for anybody at any age. Children are no exception. In fact, the emotional effects of change often influence children more intensely than even their parents may realize," advises licensed marriage and family therapist Arlene Licata-Miller.

While some children tend to struggle with change, there are several tools parents can utilize to ease the seemingly larger than life transition from one home to the next. Licata-Miller advocates being proactive and talking to your children as directly as possible while remaining loving and open to any opinions or feelings they may have to share.

By Nan O'Brien for GalTime.com

Joy can be shared! TODAY'S DAY STARTER

Much of the pleasure of life is reduced by the innate tendency to compete with others, whether in terms of possessions (house, car, electronic gadgets), opinions (political, religious, parenting), and/or experiences (places visited, people you know or have met).

Life is not about having a contest, it is about being authentic and truthful, and embracing experiences for the experience's sake.

It's okay to disagree. It's respectful to share an opinion but not try to 'one-up' the other person. And if someone tries to engage you in this kind of competitiveness, the only response to keep the pissing contest from expanding is to agree with the other person.

Related: Three Things You MUST do to Feel Joyful

Theirs is bigger - so what? Theirs cost more - that's nice! Their opinion is right - hey, it's great to have convictions, whatever they may be!

This kind of response ends the discussion. Why, then, is it