Okay, I'll admit I had an ulterior motive behind talking with HGTV's John Gidding. Well, beyond the fact that he's drop dead GORGEOUS. (AND he had a great handshake. You can always tell a lot about a guy from his handshake.)

I digress. We discussed a few tips for boosting the appeal of your house, inside and out. Then John gave me a GREAT suggestion for the bathroom in the house I just bought that has no exhaust fan. (I heart long, HOT showers. It's peeling the paint off the walls.)

I've never worried about my weight my entire life. I lucked out. For whatever reason, I'm naturally predisposed to habits that help me maintain a healthy weight. I'm not the healthiest person on the earth, but a lot of my habits match weight-related advice I read about. I made a list of some really simple things you can do to really knock out the calories.

The Black Eyed Peas have a new iPhone app called Riddim Ribbon. (My guess is Will.I.Am came up with that name.) It's like a game with a soundtrack. It has a spinning ball on a twisting riboon in a digital sky. While you play, you hear remixed versions of Boom Boom Pow, I Gotta Feeling, and Meet Me Halfway.

Interestingly, the very foods most of us turn to for solace when we're depressed could be making things worse. Here's what I found.

• Telemarketers can now call your cell phone for solicitation. You'll be charged for the calls like a regular call. Block your number here: www.donotcall.gov