Recent Comments:
Try This: Kids and Dating {ParentDish}
Mar 29th 2011 2:02PM Sherryl, plenty of white girls get knocked up, too, and there are plenty of white boys contributing to the numbers.
As to the rest of what you say, hand jobs are never quite as satisfying as the full sexual experience, which means teens likely won't be easily satisfied with them either. Besides, who knows what's on those hands or privates before sex starts, or whether folks are smart or thorough (or paranoid) enough to wash their hands after, before touching anything else (eyes, body, food, etc.). Unprotected oral sex is just as dangerous as unprotected vaginal and anal sex. I read a few weeks ago (can't remember where) that a full 50% of sexually active males are carriers of HPV, which can lead to genital warts, as well as the equivalent in your anus, mouth, and throat. These can become cancerous. They are spread through skin contact, so you don't even need to exchange bodily fluids. When those fluids are added into the mix (males do have fluid dribbling from them, even before the moment of ejaculation, and females certainly do secrete fluids), then you welcome in a whole host of other nasty diseases, all delivered neatly into a moist, warm mouth and throat lined with welcoming mucus and soft tissue.
I agree with you in the simple fact that they need education early. We need to get in their brains BEFORE they reach puberty, I think, because once that arrives, they'll want to hit the ground running! BOTH sexes need education about pregnancy and diseases (effects, transmission, and ALL methods of avoidance - yes, including abstinence, which is still the most effective way), Young people these days are being infected at an alarming rate, because they think oral and anal sex are risk-free and easy, not causing pregnancy. They are still ignorant of disease transmission, and it is our fault for not telling them fully. We have to be realistic. Most of us didn't wait for marriage, and they likely won't either. They are not angels, they are human beings, and often randy ones at that! Developmentally, their understanding of consequences is not fully mature, they have raging, unpredictable hormones, and they want to explore sexuality at ages we find shockingly early (due to our selective amnesia, I'm guessing). Frustratingly, you can't think for someone else, but education and open communication are crucial factors in children making generally smarter decisions amongst all the stupid mistakes they will inevitably make.
Jennifer Aniston's New Bob Haircut {Stylelist (Main)}
Mar 11th 2011 1:02PM Well, I've never been a big fan of Jennifer Aniston, and have never been crazy about her hairstyles from Friends onwards, but this cut seems different. Have to admit she looks quite pretty now. No longer is she peering out through hair curtains (presumably hoping nobody sees her strong jaw). Glad she's come out of hiding.
The Jacksons, Week 12: The Adventures of Cooking for a Choosy Eater {ParentDish}
Jan 3rd 2011 1:39PM Kathy, first, what her son didn't like about spaghetti pie (or what she says in her other blog, the link to which this blog provides), is the lack of meat, because they were unused to not eating meat at every meal at that time. She didn't say he didn't like the Spaghetti pie itself, so we can't quite leap to that assumption.
Secondly, spaghetti pie is good, providing you already like spaghetti. Don't knock it until you try it, or until you at least know what it is. There are no funky flavors, unless you use some artsy spaghetti sauce with unusual ingredients. It's just spaghetti in the shape of a pie. It is NOT done in a regular pie crust (in case that was the thought that turned you off). The spaghetti noodles themselves are pressed into a pie plate and baked until they hold together, and this is what acts as the crust. The "pie" filling is just the spaghetti sauce, and if you care to, you can add veggies and/or meat (or imitation meat), depending upon your preferences. The tastes are all just the same as regular spaghetti.
If you have young children, it is a lot cleaner to eat than regular spaghetti, as you don't get the splashes that come from winding noodles around a fork. A lot of children (even adults) find the unusual shape fun. I don't know quite what makes the noodles stick together, if it's just the baking or other ingredients added, as it was my younger sister's specialty, which she made from a basic kids' cookbook. It was a simple recipe she could make by herself even when she was a pre-teen.
The Jacksons, Week 12: The Adventures of Cooking for a Choosy Eater {ParentDish}
Dec 31st 2010 4:09AM My initial reaction is of the "if you don't give them a choice they'll eat what's put in front of them" variety, but also do realize that some people have genuine health issues that might make them more particular. My older sister hated mushrooms. My mom would sometimes try to hide them in her food, but she always found them. When she grew up and saw a doctor about a few health issues, they ran allergy tests. Turns out she was allergic to mushrooms! They made her feel generally bad all over (not just an upset stomach).
For myself, the smell of mango reminds me of the smell of vomit (for some inexplicable reason). It's fine mixed in with other things, as long as I can't single it out. I would be distinctly unhappy if I were to be forced to eat something that smells of vomit to me. Okra I love the taste of, but it always gets stuck in my throat and gags me. My ex is allergic to apple, orange, and lemon peel, and his throat would close up if he ate any. So maybe the involving kids in the planning, shopping, and preparation will work better, once you have ruled out physical conditions that might provide genuine reasons why your child is rejecting something. Maybe the child is just being a spoiled brat, or maybe there is a real reason. "You must eat healthy, you must have variety, and you must choose x-number of dishes in this cookbook I can make for you" involves them, gives them choice, yet still affirms your position.
Middle-Aged Women and Short Hair -- What Gives? {Lemondrop}
Nov 1st 2010 2:53PM Longer hair on an older woman is fine, as long as it is well-maintained, and tidily-styled. Older hair simply doesn't have the gentle, easy flow younger hair does, and thus has to be worn, cared-for, and styled differently than it was in youth, whatever the length. Also remember, just because you dye your greys, it doesn't mean it ceases to exist. It is still wiry grey hair, even if it's Brown #3 With Golden Highlights. You'll have to deal with the frizzies, which can be tamed with an anti-frizz and/or hair shine product. My hair sine is a key tool in keeping my wavy grey tresses in order (every hair has different needs so take the time to find the right one for your own hair).
I keep my hair shoulder-length or shorter because it happens to suit me. Still, longer hair on older women does not have to look ridiculous, as many claim it does. And NO it does not mean you're less interested in sex. That's just written by men who are afraid of women doing what they want instead of clamouring for male approval. Plenty of men don't mind, or even really like, shorter hair on a woman, and the confidence it denotes.
Older woman will look silly with long hair only if they truly believe it makes people think they are still 25. It is their behaviour and attitude that make them look silly, not the hair. You don't need to flip and toss your hair when you're older; you should have developed a personality by your middle years, and shouldn't need to rely on such jeuvenile tools (except on rare, strategically-optimal occasions).
Dignity is key. When you use your hair to cover the wrinkles and lines, you're not fooling anybody. You really aren't. When you have the bangs down to mid-eye, the "face framing" fringe that comes in to almost the nose from the sides, hides the outer corners of your mouth, and meets in the middle over your throat, it does not make you look young. It makes you look like you're peering out from your hiding place inamongst all your hair, and that makes you look SO OLD! It doesn't work for Suzanne Sommers, and it definitely won't work for you.
Regardless of one's age, hair should be an accessory to your life, it shouldn't BE your life.
'America's Next Top Model': Shockingly Skinny Model Stars in Video Clip - Is This a Sick Joke? {Stylelist (Main)}
Aug 12th 2010 12:51PM Larry, it was the male judge who suggested the female judge might have to turn to watercress and tictacs to be that skinny (as a joke, so please don't think he was being serious). The model did NOT say she has that for her diet. Look at the girl's arms. They are slim, but her muscle tone is good, neither waisted nor bulging. She also looks like she's wearing a corset top. It is very possibly the garment that is cinching her waist in like that. Maybe as a very thin girl, she feels the need to create curves with restrictive clothing. It really is sick the double standard we have. No objection to glorifying bad nutrition and unhealthy lack of exercise, but also no problem with making naturally skinny girls hate themselves and feel less than womanly because of the way they are born. Really sad.
Thinking About Blonde Hair? Three Reasons to Say Hello to Yellow {Stylelist (Main)}
Jun 28th 2010 1:19PM I was born blonde, and my hair darked to darkest brown quite early in my life. Then my first grey (pure white, actually) poked out of my scalp when I was 13. Now I thoroughly enjoy my silvery salt-and-pepper look. I did, however, go platinum blonde for about a year in the not-too-distant past. I did it at home. Thoe only reason it went badly is that I had used a "temporary" shade of brown a year before that and there were still remnants (did you know it doesn't fade completely away? I didn't), so those bits turned to light orange islands inamongst the sea of platinum. Yuck. Those bits had to be corrected professionally, and because of that I ended up losing half my hair to breakage. So it's just as well you get the appearance of more hair! Fortunately I naturally have twice as much hair as the average person, so I ended up with only the normal amount of hair.
The reason the hair looks more-ish when you bleach it is because the hair shaft expands. It is also dried out and brittle when you do as much processing as I had to do to get it how I wanted it ~ I've known some ladies who've bleached (even to platinum from dark brown) for decades, and it looks utterly natural and healthy. Sigh. Mine didn't. Bye-bye natural shine (had to apply a shine cream daily), and body=stiff hair I'd arrange and spray the heck out of, because it wouldn't cascade, it would just sit there like a drugged-out sheep passed out on my head. It also didn't help that I had to do my roots every two weeks, because my hair grows FAST.
I'm glad to have my distinguished, prematurely greying tresses back. My hair all came back, it's healthy, and it bounces again. Still, if I could have the platinum look back without the damage, without having to slather on four layers of conditioner, and without the two-hour maintenance session every two weeks, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Or maybe I should just wait until my hair turns all-white. Then I'll be a natural blonde again.
From Noob to 'Natural' -- The New Rules for Picking Up Women {Asylum}
May 20th 2010 12:53PM I like this. It's just basically saying "be assertive, not aggressive". If someone approached me with that "The Game" crap, all they would get from me would be the rolling of my eyes and a gutteral sound of disgust before I turn away. This "just be yourself" advice may sound simple, but who really does that? Isn't it refreshing?
'Kick-Ass' Star, 19, Engaged to Artist, 43 {PopEater}
Apr 26th 2010 12:17PM I see nothing wrong with this. They're happy. They've been together a year. That's longer than a lot of show-biz relationships! My husband is 28 years my senior. I was 19 when we met, and he was 47. 20 years later, we're still together. The only problem will be about 20 years later, when she's ready to settle down into retirement, he'll be on top of his game. If they can find a way around that, they'll be fine.
Katy Perry Gets Slimed at the 'Kids' Choice Awards' (VIDEO) {Inside TV Blog}
Mar 29th 2010 12:44PM I'm sure this was pre-arranged. First, she was wearing a vinyl dress. Second, you don't just slime a star without obtaining permission. Those clothes they wear are expensive. Maybe the method was a surprise to her, but I'm sure she must've known she was going to be slimed.
