Please accept my apology -- if I'm mistaken about you.

But I think I'm right about you...

-- You love your home and want to protect your biggest investment.

-- You want to save money on all your home-improvement projects.

-- You enjoy the satisfaction and pride that come with doing it yourself.

If not, please don't read any further. This column will not be of interest to you, unfortunately.

But, like I said, I don't think I'm wrong about you.

I think you are serious about tackling a wide range of home-remodeling, landscaping and automotive jobs.

That's the reason I'm able to extend this exclusive one-time invitation to you.

Not everyone -- or just anyone -- is welcome. But you certainly are!

You're invited to join the very select circle of homeowners who are privileged to enjoy Extreme How-To. This extremely exclusive periodical is everything the discerning homeowner and do-it-yourselfer desires -- all in one complete, dynamic and colorful package.

Every issue of Extreme How-To. brings you the latest information about tools, techniques and home-improvement technology. Plus, you get exceptional feature stories, valuable tips, professional secrets and much more to help you get your home improvements done the right way each and every time.

* Painting techniques to brighten up dull rooms.
* Easy-to-install flooring that freshens up any room.
* Siding solutions that enhance your home's exterior.
* Ways to give old furniture a brand new look.
* How to install drywall, ceramic tile, kitchen countertops,
a toilet, window, skylight,
* Water garden, brick patio and even a home computer network.

And that's only the beginning! With Extreme How-To., you'll always have the right equipment, materials and building strategies you need to plan, execute and finish all your home improvements -- while saving valuable time and money in the process.

Plus, whether you're a contractor or you just remodel like one, you'll appreciate these exclusive features found only in Extreme How-To.:

Ask The Builder -- Expert answers for all your home-improvement questions
Tool School -- Reviews of the essential tools you need for repairs and projects
Do-It-Yourself -- Insider information to make your renovations perfect from start to finish.

Beautify your home – inside and out!

Whether your eye for design is razor-sharp or nothing more than non-existent, you'll love House & Garden magazine. House & Garden is "design at its best." With feature articles, photo spreads and personal interest pieces on designing your house, your garden, and your life, the magazine is art in itself. The colorful layout is more than appealing to the eye. It is an example of superb design that blends functionality and beauty, as the words on the pages teach you to do the same in your home.

House & Garden is the decorating and design magazine from Conde Nast publishing, a company known for its collection-worthy magazine covers, rich editorial content and dedication to the finer things in life. House & Garden is a favorite among high-class homeowners for its impeccable attention to the details that make a home beautiful, stylish and inviting. Every issue of House & Garden is packed with information you can put to use right away:

* Expert advice on architecting and designing an elegant, luxurious home
* Tips that will give you an award-winning garden in every season
* Secrets for furnishing and decorating with style and grace
* Luxuries that will change your life from routine to spectacular
* The latest in sleek home accessories and where-ever-did-you-get-that antiques!
* Columns that teach you to choose the best wine for any occasion
* Pictorials of architectural and design feats, from places of worship to the homes you long for
* Escapes into the world of fine art and advice about how to display it
* Impress your guests this Summer. Let them see that your sense of design, decoration and luxury are comparable to no other -- with ideas and stories from the illustrious House & Garden magazine.

Spring Home & Gardening

In addition to gardening and interior design, there are the other things that make life go: Friends, family, food and good health. Better Homes and Gardens has been serving America's families for 80 years, helping to make the lives of 12 million readers more enjoyable, stylish and special. A recent issue of ~pubname~ featured a wide variety of informative, entertaining and helpful articles along with dozens of beautiful color photographs:

Gardening -- Top 10 Perennials: If you're looking for foolproof foliage and flowers, congratulations, your search ends here. Here are the top 10 flowers that will make your yard beautiful at almost anytime of year.
Building -- Bistro Kitchens: With the warmth of your favorite restaurant, these casual and user-friendly kitchens are all the rage. Open up the space in your home and promote family inter-mingling around great food! Interior Design -- Budget-Wise Bedroom Makeovers: You pick your price and there's fabulous style for your tastes. See why new looks don't need to cost big bucks.
Family Matters -- What to do When Kids Cheat: We'd like nothing but the truth from our kids, but that can't always be the case. Here are some smart tips on how to handle your child's myths and half-truths.
Food -- Busy Lives, Easy Meals: Small appliances save the day when you're running late. Save time and eat well with these great shortcuts.
Plus, ~pubname~ also includes:

* Health and fitness updates for the whole family
* Shopping buyers guides and reviews
* A directory of architects and designers
* Readers' solutions to family problems
* And much, much more!

Better Homes and Gardens, one of America's most beloved magazines, is the legendary source of inspiration for creating a beautiful, comfortable home, enjoying life and staying happy and healthy. Every monthly issue of Better Homes and Gardens offers ideas on building and remodeling, interior design, gardening, travel, home projects, food and nutrition, education and parenting, money management, health, crafts and more! Create the home of your dreams and improve your quality of life with help from Better Homes and Gardens.

Healthy Strategies Article I'd Like to Share

Healthy Strategies for Your Ideal Body

By Grace M. Navarro

Once the dust and cookie crumbs from the holidays were swept clean, many people made some resolutions regarding their health, planning to shed some weight and get into better shape. By now, some are still carrying on with their good intentions, while others got derailed and are looking to get back on track. For both cases, here is some information and encouragement.

You've got lots of company if you are presently dieting or preparing to start. At any point in time, there are nearly 60 million US residents on a weight loss program. Given a population of around 300 million, one out of five of the people you meet today are likely to be in the midst of dieting, whether it's necessary for them or not. Data from previous years indicate that during the course of this year, at least half of the population will go on a diet, meaning that half of the people you meet today are probably going to try to lose weight some time in 2005. Since three out of four women think they need to lose weight, a greater number of those dieters will be female.

As you can see, the weight loss industry has an abundance of potential customers. Many companies and individuals are competing for a piece of that lucrative financial pie - and while there are good products and good advice available, there is also the well-known fact that some diet products don't work, and some actually revent weight loss. Understanding a few nutritional principles would help many people avoid the mistake of starting a diet plan that is destined to fail. Oftentimes, it is the flawed diet plan that fails the dieter, not the other way around. According to numerous studies, the average dieter stands a 97% chance of regaining all the weight they struggled and suffered to lose, plus an extra pound or two. Therefore, the single most important thing to understand if you are contemplating a diet is this: research is conclusive - traditional dieting methods based on restricting calorie intake do not work. Period.

In a nutshell, here's why simply reducing calories will not ever work. Our bodies are programmed in miraculous ways for survival, and the part of our brain that does the work
to keep us alive couldn't care less about fitting into a smaller sized pair of jeans. Faced with a radical reduction of food, the alarms go off and our bodies set to work:
conserving energy, creating more fat, slowing down metabolism, and engaging in a battery of survival mechanisms that keep us from starving. In the process of restricting calories, people inadvertently trigger these "starvation responses," which make weight loss very difficult and which guarantee that when the diet is over,
all the lost weight will be regained.

Why do we fall for diet programs that defy common sense? Partly because there is so much conflicting information, and also because there is powerful marketing competing for
our purchases. Another reason for nonsensical dieting, in truth, is that we want to believe it can be quick, easy, and effective - promises that are made to us by many diet plans and products. However, good research and information is out there if you know where to look, and it shows that simplistic, unnatural concepts like low-calorie, no-fat, high-protein, and low-carb do not, by themselves, have staying power. They are fads, not lifetime ways to eat healthfully and pleasurably.

Well then, what does work? Eating the foods our bodies are designed to eat, in proper proportion and combination. Combining the right foods for weight loss is not tricky, but it doesn't seem to be common knowledge either. There are, however, good books available on the subject of effective food combining. The most clearly written and workable book I've found so far is "Good Calorie Diet" by Dr. Phillip Lipetz. The book was written in 1994, but it is based on sound research. And besides, the principles
regarding what foods we should eat in what combinations are as old as humankind.

The concepts in the book are easy to understand. The basics boil down to a few principles. The main two I'll give here so you can get started on the road to changing your eating habits for permanent and real weight loss. Eat whole food, not processed (that is, avoid foods that come in a package, can, or box). Avoid combining animal protein
with starchy carbohydrates (bread, potatoes, pasta, rice) or fruit. This is aligned with the way our ancestors ate, and it makes sense to eat according to the diet humans have thrived upon for millennia.

Grace M. Navarro is a frequent contributor to EZ eDiet Newsletter the best on-line diet information resource. Grace's archive of articles is found at http://www.ezediets.com/

Try GQ to spark women's desire.

You know it's true: Women aren't impressed with boring clothes, indifferent haircuts and dinner at Taco Bell. Joe Sixpack doesn't get a lot of dates.

So why wouldn't you want to be the best you can -- the clothes, the look, the style, the savoir-faire it takes to be the kind of man women want?

If you don't have all these things already, you can get them effortlessly right now with GQ magazine. Cary Grant had it. Pierce Brosnan has it. Do you? It's an impeccable style -- and GQ will give you all that and more. You get info and advice about clothes, sports, women, travel, entertainment and more for the truly enlightened modern man.

With GQ , you'll never wear the wrong clothes, you'll never wonder if you're really a great lover, you'll never eat at a terrible restaurant and you'll never be totally clueless about what all the other guys are talking about -- ever again.

Find More in Mother Earth News

No matter what your background, you, too can take advantage of what nature has to offer to get a better life! All these ideas, and hundreds more, come from the legendary Mother Earth News magazine. Live healthier, be happier, eliminate rat-race stress and save money right now with Mother Earth News.

Mother Earth News understands that living a better life means getting nature to work with you. We all want to live more respectfully of the environment, but wonder how we can do that and live our hectic lives. Mother Earth News shows you how -- from saving money on the electric bill to eliminating harmful chemicals from your diet to getting bigger results from your vegetable garden.

Build an easy chair. Find money-saving "green" building materials for that addition. Furnish a country cottage for efficiency, comfort and looks. You'll also appreciate the recipes, gardening ideas and lifestyle articles in Mother Earth News magazine. There's simply no other publication like it.

Fine Gardening Secrets Revealed

I hope you don't think I'm a bad person for admitting this to you. I was feeling a little bit jealous of my sister. Let me explain...

Every year, I visit my sister Joan in Houston -- and every year, her garden just keeps getting even more beautiful. On my last visit, she had a dazzling display of fabulous cutting flowers that absolutely took my breath away.

When she saw how impressed I was -- and how inquisitive I was about how she had created such a magnificent garden -- Joan finally let me in on her secret. It's a secret that just a small number of avid gardeners had kept to themselves for years.

But the secret isn't a secret anymore.

It's Fine Gardening magazine!

Fine Gardening is the magazine dedicated to gardening enthusiasts like you and me who want to surround ourselves with beauty, but need some guidance to achieve our dream gardens! With the inspiration and information found only in Fine Gardening, your garden will thrive like never before with colorful, abundant spreads of your favorite flowers!

I want to share the secret and also tell you about Fine Gardening because it's the perfect companion for every gardener -- no matter where you live, no matter if your available gardening space is a window box or an acre of fertile ground! Here's why: The expert advice and techniques you get exclusively in Fine Gardening are brought to you by botanists, entomologists, nursery specialists, commercial growers, curators, landscape architects and groundskeepers, so you can be assured that you're getting accurate, tested, reliable information that you can use to cultivate everything from the simple to the spectacular.

As you can see, Fine Gardening knows what's important to gardeners like you and me!

With well wishes for your own fabulous flowers,

Happy Cinco De Mayo

It's Cinco de Mayo -- not, as commonly thought, Mexican Independence Day, but the commemoration of an 1862 battle in which the Mexican army thwarted Napoleon's French troops and empire-building aspirations.

But on this day our thoughts go to Mexican food and fiestas. So why not Celebrate with Chile Pepper Magazine. Chile Pepper Magazine is for those who like it hot! Chile Pepper Magazine takes you on a zesty tour around the world, in search of the ultimate hot sauces, salsas, chilis, peppers, main dishes, desserts and cookoffs. Chile PepperMagazine brings you delicious drinks perfectly paired with the festive foods you love.

Every issue Chile Pepper Magazine focuses on a spicy food theme, then backs it up with recipes, stories and glorious photographs of food you're just going to have to try!

So kick up your Cinco De Mayo festivities with Chile Pepper Magazine.

Is sugar making you fat?

This notorious carb has been blamed for everything from packing on pounds to making you tired. But what do you do if you're ruled by a sweet tooth? A lifetime of shopping in plus stores? No way! According to Weight Watchers expert writer, Jodie Shielf, R.D. certain sugars can actually curb your appetite. The world just got a little sweeter....

Every issue of Weight Watchers is packed with advice you need to stay slim and live a full, happy deprivation-free life in the process:

So, here's our list of favorite magazines...from our house to yours.

* Burn more calories with less pain (the no-fail, no-pain, fat busting workout)
* Get a great rear view in minutes a day
* Find joy and order in a high-stress world
* Focus on your priorities and watch pounds melt away

Weight Watchers magazine is made for people committed to change and seeking a healthy lifestyle. Each issue of Weight Watchers brings you advice about nutrition, dieting, cooking, health and fitness that will help you beneficially shape your self-image. Weight Watchers takes a new attitude toward weight loss that will empower you and help you feel great about the way you look!

"You'll find out everything your financial planner, your mechanic, your salesperson, your contractor, your travel agent won't tell you

If you want to make shopping much, much easier -- whether you're looking for the best mutual fund, car insurance, cell phone, television or toaster...If you want to know the pros and cons about products and services -- before you shell out your hard-earned money...If you want to know the healthiest, most nutritious foods for you and your family...

When you put Consumer Reports to work for you, you get more than 100 car experts, engineers, chemists, statisticians, nutritionists, money advisors and safety gurus you can count on!

Live healthier, wealthier and wiser with the facts you find only in Consumer Reports:

* How to lose weight without feeling hungry
* What the car salesman doesn't want you to know
* Ways to save $700 on your annual cell phone bill
* What the guy in the stereo store won't tell you
* Strategies to protect your nest egg against a volatile stock market
* What your car mechanic might not tell you
* The scary reality about chicken safety and salmonella poisoning
* What your travel agent won't tell you
* The top-rated 27-inch television
* Ways to slash your car insurance costs
* What the appliance store salesman won't tell you
* The expensive secret about premium gasoline
* The only airline consistently rated high for good service and low prices
* The truth the diet gurus refuse to tell you
* Best picks for this year's new cars
* And much, much more!

Consumer Reports compares features, sorts through the choices, analyzes the options and reports back to you. You benefit from the clear advice. Useful recommendations. Wise insights. Simple, easy-to-understand information.

You'll discover new products. New technology. New ideas. New ways to make your life better, safer, easier and more enjoyable, too. You'll know powerful facts. You'll avoid problems. Spot scams. Get the best value for your money.

Consumer Reports is the only magazine of its kind!

Consumer Reports is 100% nonprofit. And Consumer Reports doesn't have to worry about big car companies, big manufacturers, big financial institutions or big airlines pulling their advertising dollars. That's because Consumer Reports doesn't carry any advertising. Consumer Reports is paid by you only and works for you only! Consumer Reports tells you the truth -- in plain English -- straight from the experts at the world's largest consumer product testing center.

Renew Your New Year's Resolutions

With summer just around the corner it seems like everyone is renewing their weight loss resolutions to get ready for the dreaded swim suits and shorts season!

To help, here's a list of Top New Year's Resolutions -- and the leading magazines that help you keep them...

1. Melt away those unwanted pounds and feel fabulous.
Fitness, Men's Fitness, Weight Watchers

2. Protect yourself against illness and disease.
Natural Health , Herbs for Health , Alternative Medicine

3. Simplify your daily life and get rid of unnecessary stress.
Body & Soul, Yoga Journal, Budget Living

4. Serve easy, healthy and delicious meals that your family will love every day.
The Magazine of La Cucina Italiana, Vegetarian Times, Cooking Light

5. Tackle that home renovation you've been putting off.
Smart HomeOwner, do!, The Family Handyman

I have a confession to make to you -- I'm addicted.

Let me explain...

For a long time, I have been hiding it successfully from co-workers, friends and acquaintances. My family definitely knows I'm hooked, but even they have no idea how much I've really been caught up in it lately.

And let me tell you something else privately. I have absolutely no intention of stopping!

I'm addicted to reality TV!

*Survivor
*The Apprentice
*American Idol
*The Bachelor
*Amazing Race
*Extreme Makeover Home Edition
*Super Nanny
*Nanny 911
*Real World

To keep up to date on all my favorite reality TV shows and new shows coming soon I turn to the Entertainment Magazines; Us Weekly, TV Guide, In Touch, and Satellite Direct to keep me informed about the ins and outs of my favorite reality TV programs.

Quick, delicious dinners for frenzied work nights

Tuscan Pot Pie...Chicken Pesto Pizza...Maple-Cranberry Pork Chops.

If you think you need to choose between hours in the kitchen or tasteless takeout, Easy Home Cooking has some great news for you! Easy Home Cooking shows you how to make tasty home-cooked meals your whole family will love -- in just minutes and for only a fraction of the cost of pre-prepared food!

Every issue of Easy Home Cooking brings you:

* Back-to-School Dinners: Quick, easy meals kids love -- and busy moms have time to cook
* Chicken Tonight: Traditional, satisfying favorites that will become family classics
* Good Cook: Essential tools, tips and recipes for great, everyday cooking
* Snack Time: Small, munchable treats
* And so much more!

You care about your family and you know it's important that they eat right. But if you don't have tons of extra time on your hands, Easy Home Cooking is your answer! Your hard earned money won't go to the pizza guy -- and your family will be eat homemade meals they love!

Avoid the take-out trap

Quick Cooking, brought to you by the same folks who bring you Taste of Home, shows you how to create "rapid recipes with homemade taste." Let's face it, these days time is a very precious commodity, but that doesn't mean we need to feed our families take-out or pre-packaged junk.

America's #1 recipe magazine for busy cooks, Quick Cooking shows you how it's done.

By the way, each of these delectable dishes can be prepared in less than 30 minutes -- many ever faster:

Hawaiian Ham Steaks
Cranberry Turkey Cutlets
Tomato Artichoke Chicken
Chili-Cheese Mashed Potatoes
Five-Minute Trifle
Cheddar-Salsa Biscuit Strips

With more than 100 rapid recipes in every issue, you'll shave hours off your cooking time, so you have more time to spend with your family. Make everyone happy at mealtime, including the cook, with Quick Cooking!