In the News

The Wells Fargo study found that one quarter of middle class Americans say they will “need to work until at least 80” to pay their bills (looks like 80 is the new 65) (when Oprah said 50 was the new 40, she meant at 50, you still have 40 years to work!)

An interesting new study found older kids do better in school when there's a bigger age gap between siblings. (This means the oldest Duggar is a genius!)

A report released yesterday predicts the U.S. economy will continue its slow growth next year and joblessness will remain high. (Merry Christmas, everyone!)

Life

How to Become a Morning Person

Need to start getting up before the sun rises? It's a tough adjustment if you're a night owl, but it is possible. The NY Times passes along these tips:

Move your wake-up time UP by 20 minutes a day.
After you wake up, don't linger in bed
Hit yourself with light
Don't stay up late or sleep in on the weekends, it sends mixed messages to your brain

The Only Two Words That Work

There are two ways to motivate someone -- gently and not-so-gently.

Gently works early on, when someone is learning something for the first time.

But if they're experienced, or considered an expert, it's time to become a jerk. Only harsh criticism, like saying "You stink!" will bring about positive change. (Wow, my wife must think I'm an expert at being married!)

The WORST Exercise Machine EVER

AskMen.com says there's one machine that deserves to be soaked in napalm and hurled into an active volcano. Why? Because it's a back destroyer. They say you should never, ever use -- the 45-degree leg press.

Learn how to do squats. Read about it here

Money

How to Keep Your Black Friday Spending In Check

Baylor marketing professor James Roberts wrote a book about our urge to over spend. In "Shiny Objects: Why We Spend Money We Don't Have in Search of Happiness We Can't Buy," he offers some tips on cooling the urge to splurge over the holidays.

Sign up for a Christmas account and divide the cost of the holidays by 12 months (with interest!)...of course, for most of us, this advice is a little too late for this year
Sleep on it! The vast majority of salespeople know that people who leave the showroom will not come back. So give yourself 24 hours to think about the purchase
Avoid Black Friday, if possible. Our brains get fired up with dopamine and serotonin when we get excited over the deals, which leads to bad decisions. You'd be better off shopping online than heading to Walmart.

source

Primetime, Baby!

CW: 90210 (NEW), Hart of Dixie
CBS: NCIS (NEW), NCIS: Los Angeles (NEW), Unforgettable (NEW)
NBC: The Biggest Loser (NEW), Parenthood (NEW)
ABC: Last Man Standing (NEW), Man Up! (NEW), Dancing With the Stars (FINALE)
FOX: The X Factor (LIVE)

Joke of the Day

Three older ladies were discussing the challenges of getting aging. One said: "Sometimes I catch myself with a jar of mayonnaise in my hand in front of the refrigerator and can't remember whether I need to put it away or start making a sandwich."

The second lady chimed in: "Yes, sometimes I find myself on the landing of the stairs and can't remember whether I was on my way up or on my way down."

The third one responded: "Well, I'm glad I don't have that problem -- knock on wood," as she rapped her knuckles on the table, she then added, "That must be the door, I'll get it."

Surf This!

Want proof that Santa was right in your living room? Show them PICTURES! I try and stay away from sites that ask for money, but this is SO cool for parents, that it may be worth the $10. Check out here .