Telomere Savers

As if you didn't have enough to think about this holiday season, did you happen to catch Dr. Elissa Eppel on the Today Show this morning, explaining how stress is prematurely shrinking our telomeres? Ok, so maybe it's not shrinking your telomeres yet, but it could. Mine? I'm pretty sure they're completely hosed at this point. But thanks to the Web, and mostly thanks to people's weblogs, I have stumbled on some holiday shopping tips that might just help banish some stress and save a telomere or two.

• iPods at Amazon. If you're thinking of buying some lucky soul an iPod any time soon, Amazon seems like a good way to go. Unlike many of the Apple stores, Amazon seems to have everything in stock, including the new 60 gig iPod Photo for $569.00 with an additional $30.00 off if you sign up for an Amazon Visa. That's $60.00 off the $599.00 Apple price right there, and if you're not shipping to Washington state (update: or Kansas, or North Dakota) you'll also save the sales tax — generally considerable on a big ticket item like this.


• Give a Clue. I've already given everyone on my list I thought would be remotely interested/edified copies of The Cluetrain Manifesto and Gonzo Marketing. If you haven't, do. They're milestones. They promote Peace on Earth, and are strong supporters of long, happy telomeres.


• For the new parent in your life. New parents or parents-to-be on your gift list will be eternally grateful for the Hippychick Hipseat (good for parents of six-month olds - toddlers) or the Over the Shoulder Baby Holder (good for parents of newborns). I could make a long list here of things that have been invaluable to us, but those are key. Clue them in to the Dr. Sears Web site as well.


• Let someone else mail your holiday cards. Once you let an outfit like Shutterfly manage your holiday card mailing, you will never go back to licking stamps again. "You can even import addresses from Outlook or your Palm." My telomeres get all a-tingly over this one.


• Book, music picks. Seems like each year I get on a theme as far as The Book and The Music I give during the holidays. This year, it's My California (with many great stories, including one by Derek Powazek), and the Morning Becomes Ecclectic cds (Sounds Ecclectic; Sounds Ecclectic Too) from local NPR station KCRW.

Long may your telomeres wave!