With only a few days left of June, lets start getting ready for the 4th.  It's a week away, time to take stock of your picnic supplies and start planning a menu.  Did you know that July 6th is National Fried Chicken Day?  Celebrate by whipping up a big batch for Independence Day and celebrate both. 

Diane's Fried Chicken

Serves 4-6.

3 1/2- to 4-pound chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 tablespoon salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided

1/2 teaspoon paprika, divided

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, divided

2 cups all purpose flour

4 cups vegetable shortening like Crisco or corn oil

1. Begin the recipe at least 3 hours before you want to serve the fried chicken. Rinse and dry the chicken pieces with paper towels. In a large mixing bowl, combine the buttermilk with 1 teaspoon of the salt, 1/4 teaspoon each of the black pepper and paprika, and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Add the chicken pieces and turn to coat evenly. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight, turning the pieces occasionally.

2. When you are ready to cook the chicken, put the flour in a pie plate along with the remaining salt, pepper, and paprika and cayenne and stir well with a fork.

3. Place three layers of paper towels on a baking sheet and place the baking sheet in a spot close to the stove for easy access. Put the shortening or oil into a 10 inch to 12 inch cast iron frying pan or Dutch oven. Over medium high heat, heat the shortening until it registers 365 F on a deep-fry thermometer or (if you don't have a thermometer) until a small cube of bread dropped into the oil browns in about one minute. You should have between 1 to 1 1/2 inches of oil, depending upon the size of your skillet.

4. Remove the thighs from the marinade first, letting the excess marinade drain off over the bowl for a moment. Dredge in the flour mixture, turning to coat evenly. Shake off excess flour over the pie plate, then put the pieces skin side down in the center of the hot oil. Proceed to coat all the pieces in the same manner, removing any bits of flour clumps that accumulate in the pie plate and placing the other pieces around the thigh.

5. Do not move the chicken until the coating is set and looks firm, about 4-6 minutes. Check the underside by lifting with tongs. Rearrange the pieces when they are a deep golden brown. Fry on the other side until that side is also deep golden brown, rotating pieces as necessary. Remove from the heat when done (about 17-20 minutes for breasts and 20-25 minutes for the other pieces.) If you are not certain if a piece is done, pierce the thickest part of the piece with a sharp knife and the juices should run clear. Place on a prepared baking sheet to drain and serve hot, cold or at room temperature.

There's still time to order your picnic supplies at www.twistop.com and this chicken recipe will make your 4th sizzle.

Are you having a crazy, distracting day? Here is a 15-minute approach to clearing the mind and regaining focus.

Some days just get out of hand. The workload is heavy, and still the emails and calls flood in. The pace can seem frenetic, and the constant interruptions not only disrupt your actions but your thought process as well. You move so fast you feel unproductive and sloppy. By the end of the day, you feel stressed and edgy. Worse, you can't shut down your brain because you feel you might have missed something important.

It doesn't have to escalate to the point at which you head home to snap at your kids and yell at your dog. There are simple ways to gain control during the most hectic and frantic of days. Below is a simple, 15-minute regimen from writing coach Carolyn Roark, Ph.D., who taught college students for years and knows a little about creating calm amid a world of chaos.

The next time the world is spinning you in all directions, go find a quiet place for 15 minutes and use this exercise to recenter yourself in the universe.

5 minutes of physical activity

Even though you may already have your blood pumping from running around the office, Roark suggests that heading outside and running or fast walking around the building will give you a break from the immediate chaos. Separation from the action will help your mind let go of the immediacy of issues. The release of endorphins will lift your mood and begin to break the stress.

4 minutes of gratitude

Now that your body is a little looser, you can start to clear your thoughts. The easiest way to slow down the pace is to remember why you are doing all of this to begin with. Use these minutes to contemplate how grateful you are for the people around you who support you and add value to your life. Be thankful for good health, good opportunities, and the wonders of the world you live in. You can take a broad approach and make a list, or pick one person and write a note. Send it tomorrow; no need for another task right now.
 
Want to read the rest?  Click here to view the original article.  

You can also hear more about this subject on Kevin's radio show. Just click here.

Did you hit the gym today? If so, you probably feel like you deserve a pat on the back. But your efforts may be in vain if you spend the rest of the day sitting down.

It’s hardly breaking news that sitting at work all day is bad for you.. Study after study has shown that sitting all day long put people at risk for developing lower back problems, kidney disease, heart disease and other ills – even if they exercise outside of work. Research is piling in that that shows just the act of sitting most of the day can cut years off your life. Researchers reported that cutting the time that people spend sitting to less than three hours would increase life expectancy in the U.S. by two years. And reducing the time spent watching TV to less than 2 hours daily would increase life expectancy by 1.4 years.

One solution is the new crop of standing desks. The concept itself has been around for centuries. Winston Churchill knew it. Ernest Hemingway knew it. Leonardo da Vinci knew it. Notables such as Thomas Jefferson and Charles Dickens are rumored to have used them. Every trendy office from Silicon Valley to Scandinavia now knows it too: there is virtue in working standing up. And not merely standing. The trendiest offices of all have treadmill desks, which encourage people to walk while working. It sounds like a fad. But it does have a basis in science. 

With growing research about the health dangers of sitting at work, the commercial market for standing desks is picking up steam. Businessweek reports office furniture sales of stand-up desks are growing at four times the rate of “normal” desks. 

Thinking about taking a stand at your office? Twist OP has a full line of  stand-up desks by HON and Lorell as well as risers that can convert any traditional desk into a standing desk.  Interested? Call your Twist OP sales rep to discuss what would work best for your office.

This article has been reposted from an original post on the HON Blog June 5, 2014https://honcompany.wordpress.com/2014/06/05/dogs-office-work-wellness-animals/
By Liz Schulte

A few years ago I came across an Inc article that sang praises for the benefits of bringing your dog to work. According to a Virginia Commonwealth University study, workers who brought their dogs with them to work “experienced lower stress levels throughout the work day, reported higher levels of job satisfaction, and had a more positive perception of their employer.” How can you argue with that?!

Below are a few examples of some of our favorite 4-legged friends busy at work in the HON Corporate offices.  Who else has canines as co-workers? We would love to see your pics!

How to Avoid "Text Neck" and "Vulture Neck" and Other Mobile Device Hazards

For centuries people have worn out their bodies on equipment designed to make life easier or work more productive. Over the years the prolonged and repetitive motion of sewing machines, looms, typewriters, assembly lines and other "modern" devices have brought long-term circulation and back problems to millions.

Now that we've replaced mechanical equipment with electronic, we face similar health issues especially with our increasing use of mobile devices. Tablets and smart phones force us to unnaturally crane our neck to read tiny screens and tap on tiny keys. It's no wonder many of us suffer from tired eyes, sore shoulders and aching backs. But there's good news. You can avoid "vulture neck" and other hazards by adopting a few simple habits when using your mobile device.

Tablet Tips

Buy right. Don't buy a larger screen than you need if a smaller, lighter model will do. Be sure to test the brightness of the display, especially if you'll be using indoors and out.

Straighten up. The problem is how these devices are held. Your non-dominant hand holds the tablet, while the dominant finger touches the screen, clenching the other fingers so they don't accidentally touch the screen. Although tablets are usually very light, even one weighing a few ounces can cause strain when used for long periods. Practice the same good posture you use for your computer: feet on the floor, shoulders and neck relaxed, arms to your side and back supported by a chair.

Adjust your seat. Part of the "vulture neck" comes from placing your tablet below your field of vision when seated. Adjust your seat so the screen is at or just below your field of vision when holding your head and neck comfortably.

Raise it. Keep your tablet raised to eye level by placing it on a table instead of holding it in your lap. Keep it propped up with a stand that allows it to stay upright. If you must hold it in your lap, or are reading while lying down, use a pillow to raise it up and bring the screen closer.

Consider a keyboard. Tablets are made for convenience and portability, not for creating big documents or inputting large amounts of data as they don't promote good posture or comfort. For that type of work use a laptop or desktop. If a tablet is your only option, adding a keyboard and mouse will decrease strain.

Keep moving. They call these mobile devices so you should move around, stretch, change positions and take frequent breaks to keep your muscles from cramping up and to keep your circulation flowing.

Smart Phone Tips

Smart phones are used more for texting, emailing and browsing than talking. The small keyboard and screen, the unnatural position of your arm, shoulder, back, hands and fingers encourage poor posture and can cause long-term muscle injury. Reduce the stress and strain by:

-Holding your neck and back upright. Avoid lowering your head or rounding your shoulders.

-Using the phone in its vertical position. This reduces the amount of space your thumbs and fingers will have to reach.

-Keeping your wrist straight.

-Creating shorter messages. Reduce the keystrokes, and you'll reduce hand and thumb movements.

-Using word or voice recognition. Although it can sometimes cause embarrassing communication gaffes, auto complete cuts down on keystrokes while voice recognition eliminates it.

-Trying a stylus. Select one with a comfortable grip where you don't need to hold it too tightly.

For additional ideas on how to make your mobile device more ergonomic, consult with your Twist OP representative who can provide all the help you need to make sure you're comfortable and pain-free wherever you go.

This article was brought to you by our friends at 

June has arrived and it's packed with loads of fun and facts. 

.   The first is that the month is named after the Roman goddess Juno, wife of Jupiter and equivalent to the Greek goddess Hera; the second is that the name comes from the Latin word iuniores, meaning “younger ones,” as opposed to maiores (“elders”) for which the preceding month May may be named.

.   June is the month with the longest daylight hours of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the shortest daylight hours of the year in the Southern Hemisphere.

.   June is known for the large number of marriages that occur over the course of the month.

.  June is filled with graduations, from middle school to college.

.  We've got Flag Day on the 14th followed by Father's Day on the 15th.

.   The solstice called the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere and the winter solstice in the southern hemisphere occurs on dates varying from 20 June to 21 June.

Whatever you are celebrating in June, we have you covered from gifts to cups to invitations.  Check us out at www.twistop.com