Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

Tech Smart joshua goldman Make VHS tapes vanish "Diming that stack of dusty old VHS tapes into space-saving DVDs will not only eliminate some clutter, but the disks also last longer than videotape and are more convenient for sharing with friends and family. rrs EASIER THAN YOU MIGHT THINK. For example, Honestech’s VHS to DVD 3.0 Deluxe (honestech.com, $79.99), puts most everything you need in one box. The bundled video-capture device lets you Sony's DVDirect VRD-MCG connect a VCR or camcorder directly to a USB port on a computer. Play a tape, and your PC records and con verts the video into a digital file ready to bum to a DVT), or you can add tran sitions or do a little editing first with the included software. IF YOU HAVE TONS OF VIDEOS TO TRANSFER, try Sony’s DVDirect VRD MCS (sonystyle.com, $229.99). Just con nect it to your camcorder or VCR and pop in a disk no computer needed. It also has a multi-format media-card slot for transferring images and videos from a digital camera to DVD. It’s pricey, but its simplicity can’t be beat. PEANUTS OUFS, Inc I i i | Fit By JORGE CRUISE Bring the workout to you El “I don’t like working out in front of other people.” To counter those ex cuses, hire an in-home personal trainer. In-home personal trainers typically cost 10% to 15% more than hiring one at a gym, but you don’t have to pay a gym membership fee. “With so many people skipping out on exercise be cause they feel they don’t have time, having a personal trainer come to your house is definitely worth it,” says Nico las Frade, founder of Home Based Fit ness Services. . To find the right trainer for you, I start by asking friends for a refer ral. “Word of mouth is one of the Parents mart pat olsen Child in the hospital? Here’s how to handle it Kids make up almost 20% of U.S. hos pitalizations. These tips can help if your child ends up in the hospital: ■ If your child seems uncomfort able, try to find out what’s really bother ing him. You may elicit more informa tion than a doctor or nurse. ■ Write down the medical team’s plan, and repeat it back to be sure you understood. Ask the staff to repeat anything that is unclear. ■ Report any changes in your child’s appetite, energy, mood or pain levels. ■ Write down the names and con- Join the gang for American Masters Good Ol f Charles Schulz. Tomorrow night at 9pm ET/PT on PBS. To ask any USA WEEKEND columnist a question, visit usawaakand.com. HELPFUL TIPS FOR YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE DOES THIS sound like you? “I don’t have time to get to the gym.” “I don’t know what exercises to do.” metlife.com Guarantees for the if in life!" best ways. Or try doing i an Internet search,” Frade says. Before working with any trainer, “have a conver sation. A respectable trainer will offer proof of his certifi cation and education and will provide you with client phone numbers for testimonials.” J Whether your goal is to * lose weight, tone up or get back into shape after having a baby or an injury, a per sonal trainer can customize the workout to fit your needs. “The great thing is, when they come to your home, they can design the workout around what ever is in your house,” FVade says. “This could be stairs, your floor or some dumbbells you have. And once tact numbers for the medical team and nurse’s station. 1 • personal trainers erase excuses. you have the workout, you can do it anytime you feel like it” Contact Fit Smart Editor /orge Cruise, author of the upcoming fitnesn book The 12-Second Sequence; at ltnecond.com. Eat Smart jean carper Com is brain food Feasting on a nice stew of com and tomatoes warms you up, and it may boost your brain as you age. In French research, older people with the lowest mental functioning w ere nearly twice as apt to have low blood levels of antioxidants lycopene and zeaxanthin as those with better ~ „ functioning. Lyco- Yellow com pene is in canned as more tomatoes and to- antioxidants mato sauce; com than white, has zeaxanthin. ca Met Life