Recent Comments:
Tanee Fought Depression and Weight Gain and Lost 170 Pounds {That's Fit}
Jun 11th 2011 1:33PM My husband wrote a beautiful song for me when I was going through a rough bout of post-partum depression. I'd like to share it with anyone else going through this difficult experience.
Go to bandcamp.com, search artist Steve Helvig, song: Instead
Chorus:
"No one can blame you if it isn't the same you,
It shouldn't surprise you to grow.
You can find answers, become a dancer
You still belong in the show.
Since you've been off, baby, I've been lost.
It doesn't make sense in my head
Losin' the toss, you paid a hell of a cost
You deserve to be happy instead."
Additional advice: for me, drugs didn't seem to make a difference (Zoloft & ativan(dangerous & addictive)) but finally getting enough sleep and getting out to excercise (skating & dancing) helped the most.
Video: Lady Gaga Takes a Tumble During Concert {PopEater}
Apr 12th 2011 10:29AM I used to like her when she was just bizarre and wacky (kind of like Cindi Lauper in the 80's). I'm so disappointed she has to go the trashy route now, strutting around half naked. I have lost all respect.
'Manning Up' by Kay Hymowitz: Has the Rise of Women Turned Men Into Boys? {MyDaily}
Mar 19th 2011 6:33PM My theory is that men tend to be more pleasure-seeking because it's actually in their genetic code. Look at any species of animal and it's the male jumping on the female. If this weren't happening, the species most likely would not be perpetuated. So men are programmed by nature to go after what will give them the most immediate pleasure. My husband works pretty hard but also is happy to take any opportunity he can to go play golf (or other sports ... at least it's not video games!). I on the other hand want to keep working, and put a high priority on planning for the future, which may be more natural for women, who give birth to children and tend to make most decisions based on what will be in the best long-term interest of our offspring. So if men aren't working as hard as we would like, maybe it's not just that they're slovenly jerks, but that they're genetically programmed for short term pleasure-seeking. I don't mean to sound like I'm offering excuses but maybe some insight.
Also, there's another whole question about whether many of us have our noses to the grind-stone too much, especially in the US. In other countries they enjoy wine over leisurely lunches, take afternoon siestas, and go on holidays (vacations) that last months. At the age of 43, I see life passing me by and sometimes think I may not have stopped to enjoy it enough, always working so hard for the future. I'm reading an interesting book by a Harvard grad called The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work. It's about making happiness (as opposed to hard work) a priority and the theory is that success will follow from happiness ... naturally this book is written by a man, but who, knows, maybe he's onto something.
Wait, What is that White Light Anyway? The Science Behind Near-Death Experiences {MyDaily}
Feb 4th 2011 5:04PM Reading stories on this board was far more interesting than the article & I'd like to be able to believe them and an afterlife, etc., but I've passed out countless times & am pretty convinced that death will be basically the same as passing out but you don't come back. I haven't seen any white lights or deceased loved ones, just wake up extremely disoriented and upset that I passed out once again.
Male Anorexia: One Boy's Story {ParentDish}
Jan 4th 2011 11:51AM I'm not a certified professional but nearly went down the path of an ED when I was younger. Looking back I can say that my struggles with food stemmed mostly from my confusion about how to get people to like me. I thought if I were thinner, prettier, more perfect, etc. I would have more friends, and I was very in my own head, always concerned about whether I 'looked good enough' and what people were thinking of me based on how I looked. I'm 42 now and have learned some important things over the years:
1. People don't necessarily like you better when you're thinner and prettier (in fact they may resent you, distance themselves, think you're vain, feel bad about themselves in comparision, worry that you'll steal their guy or at least make you look bad in comparison, spread mean rumors about you bc they need to knock you down).
2. The key to getting other people to like you is to get out of your own head and show interest, concern and caring for others. Ask them questions about themselves ... really find out what's going on in their lives, compliment them and make them feel good about themselves. When you make people feel good about themselves and important and special they will want to be around you and they will like you.
3. If you're the compulsive, obsessive, perfectionist sort, put these energies of yours into useful, productive activities ... develop passions for things like sports, hobbies, music, education. Let these things consume your brain space in place of thoughts about food. You will become a more well-rounded person, people will admire you for the things you accomplish and contributions you make, and you'll feel good about yourself. You'll be excited about your life and motivated to take truly good care of yourself instead of punishing yourself with binges and deprivations. ... to be healthy so you can do the activities you are so passionate about doing. Go out and Do! Do! Do! Live! Live! Live! Enjoy Life! One of my big passions is figure skating. I would rather spend my time skating than obsessing about food, and I am movitavted to stay in good shape so I can enjoy skating ... and so many other wonderful, fun things that life has to offer!!
4. I touched on this in #3 ... Eat for health (simply cutting back on sugar will take you a long way with this ... stevia, by the way, can be a helpful natural substitute). To get inspired to eat in a healthy way, consider reading the book, "The Truth About Beauty" by Kat James. This is not an advertisement for the book, and I have nothing whatsoever to gain from recommending it. It's just a book I found many years ago that helped me change my perspectives on food. Kat teaches how to eat healthy food in a way that is truly enjoyable, nourishing and satisfying. She gets you excited about eating healthy foods instead of dreading and struggling with deprivation.
This is advice I'm already beginning to give my daughters (now 9 and 6), and I hope it can help some other people out there too.
My Teenage Daughter Was My Best Friend, and Now She's a Terror! {ParentDish}
Jan 2nd 2011 10:55AM Teenage years can be so tough. Even though you've tried to be her friend, she may be dealing with some hard things that she doesn't feel she can talk to you about. My parents had always seemed open to talk to but when the social nightmare started for me at school I didn't want to tell them bc I didn't want to disappoint them or risk having them get involved and possibly make a bigger deal out of something I desperately just wanted to go away. I don't think I was ever rude to my parents but surely pushed them away bc I was in a world of pain and at the same time didn't want them to know what a loser & social outcast I had become. And I'm sure I wasn't the picture of happiness at that time. All I'm saying is if she seems to be in a bad mood all the time & is shutting you out, she may be dealing with some tough things that you don't know about. What to do with that, I don't know but would try to remain compassionate and remind yourself that highschool and the changes she's going through can be a very difficult.
'Whatever' Crowned Most Annoying Word for Two Years Running {Lemondrop}
Dec 16th 2010 10:50AM I usually love hearing the word "whatever" around my house & have even been encouraging my kids to use it! I get so sick of hearing them fight over stupid little things like who's sitting where on the couch. I tell them, "This is not worth fighting over!! ... just say 'Whatever' and move on". "Whatever" essentially means "I'm not going to fight about it" ... what a relief!!
Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly Play David Bowie and Bing Crosby, Reenact a Christmas Classic {PopEater}
Dec 15th 2010 9:31AM Truly nice voices!
'Skating With the Stars': Johnny Weir Feuds With Bethenny Frankel: 'I Don't Care to Watch You' (VIDEO) {AOL TV}
Dec 14th 2010 10:00AM The judges are looking for basic skating skills and Bethenny's are not as good as the others. But as an adult who's been learning to skate over the past few years, I can tell you it's not easy to develop perfect crossovers, edges, etc. overnight. She clearly is trying and improving and has shown a lot of guts to do the lifts she did ... not to mention she's also a sleep deprived new mom. Johnny did not need to be such a jerk.
'Skating With the Stars' Host, Pairings Announced {AOL TV}
Nov 13th 2010 4:17PM I'm glad to see Tanith will be part of the show as the 'color commentator' .. would rather see her skating though. I'll watch bc I'm a big fan of skating but am disappointed that the "celebrities" aren't any that I've heard of.
