tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80644604082794457642024-02-02T16:11:38.822-06:00Woman's ResourceRich Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07778623367960534017noreply@blogger.comBlogger129125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8064460408279445764.post-14663986984089494732014-03-08T11:41:00.004-06:002014-03-08T11:41:43.987-06:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Need to take a break? Here are a few suggestions. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaO2EeNEEWVJPvEzgakeTto_IKjpWnt6TeEWQn1NeEVn5vWqAtK-g0NBVcy_cJDKaZ9rbUJQIOQyvuou5qF_pcZFv9HZegEjkVYm4mVGED2BIqOwE5LSs2fsKMYo8thrC4tPBu2N15IrY/s1600/1535653_574064309328803_830161612_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaO2EeNEEWVJPvEzgakeTto_IKjpWnt6TeEWQn1NeEVn5vWqAtK-g0NBVcy_cJDKaZ9rbUJQIOQyvuou5qF_pcZFv9HZegEjkVYm4mVGED2BIqOwE5LSs2fsKMYo8thrC4tPBu2N15IrY/s1600/1535653_574064309328803_830161612_n.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br />Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912049736452418388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8064460408279445764.post-51664815538610782932014-02-05T11:00:00.001-06:002014-02-05T11:06:24.773-06:00What Religion Are You, Really?
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What religion are you,
really? Just for fun, why don't we find out?
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<br />
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Seeing as they're
mostly “user-created”, these quizzes shouldn't be taken too
seriously. I have a religion I'm very happy with, which is not the
one some quizzes have assigned to me. I just find it fun to see how
well the answers match the truth. I feel the same way about
horoscopes.</div>
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<br />
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<a href="http://www.beliefnet.com/Entertainment/Quizzes/BeliefOMatic.aspx?QID=c42465e4-fdc9-4302-b3ca-4501c7cea7da">Belief-O-Matic</a></div>
<a href="http://www.beliefnet.com/Entertainment/Quizzes/BeliefOMatic.aspx?QID=c42465e4-fdc9-4302-b3ca-4501c7cea7da"></a><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
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I'll admit to being
biased toward Beliefnet.com because I've been moderating forums for
them for ten years, but they do manage to get some of the smaller
details of the different beliefs right. I like how you can indicate
exactly how important a point is to you, because that can make a <b>huge</b>
difference. Some might find it off-putting that most of the results
represented Christianity, but there are at least two reasons for
that-</div>
<ol>
<li><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Beliefnet is based
in the US, a country where a good 78% (give or take) identify
themselves as Christians of some form. They might not all be
practicing, but this is how they answered the latest Pew* Forum on
Religion and Public Life, and</div>
</li>
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At the time this
quiz was written, Christianity was the largest religion in the
world. I say 'was' because, depending on which websites you read,
Islam has surpassed Christianity's 2.1-billion population.
</div>
</li>
</ol>
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<br />
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They <b>do</b> seem to
be partial to Quakers, which I found a bit odd. There were also a
couple of questions-specifically, what someone has to do to be
'saved' and what happens after death-that were a bit confusing in
that none of the answers really stated what I believed, but there was
not a 'none of the above' option. It's an interesting place to start
looking, though.
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<br />
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<span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Beliefnet
has some good newsletters from different spiritual perspectives, if
they're spiritual at all.</span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Some
other great sites-</span></span></span></div>
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<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="http://www.patheos.com/">http://www.patheos.com/</a></u></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.religioustolerance.org/">http://www.religioustolerance.org</a></div>
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<br />
</div>
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Here's another quiz
that is actually pretty accurate.</div>
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<a href="http://quizfarm.com/quizzes/Religion/Connacht/which-is-the-right-religion-for-you-new-version/">http://quizfarm.com/quizzes/Religion/Connacht/which-is-the-right-religion-for-you-new-version/</a>#</div>
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I like how it was
formatted-a range between “agree” and “disagree” rather than
a solid yes/no. The results are true except for one thing-I'm not
even <b>close</b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> to being a
Satanist! </span>
</div>
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And, well, this site is
just silly.
</div>
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<a href="http://www.quizgalaxy.com/quiz/47/">http://www.quizgalaxy.com/quiz/47/</a></div>
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<br />
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It said I was
“spiritual, not religious”. This isn't true, but I don't see a
site with quizzes like “What will you write on the chalkboard?”
to be all that serious.
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What do you think? Are
any of these quizzes accurate?</div>
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Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912049736452418388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8064460408279445764.post-38880889610407355652014-01-16T20:30:00.000-06:002014-01-16T20:30:03.263-06:00Urban legends debunked-Food
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic1lgIe10N1X_Cu15zIlAec1YC1sJuKXrgnirGLJxsgmxqIIke3xEVPwl_eWTWiX9PsPOP9wO3pghZopJ9JfgaTPemjhyphenhyphenOFpU6bv1Fg6UriFd8xcFJxU8k1UhT5qu3UnZzKWHc42amEjQ/s1600/207_2613023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic1lgIe10N1X_Cu15zIlAec1YC1sJuKXrgnirGLJxsgmxqIIke3xEVPwl_eWTWiX9PsPOP9wO3pghZopJ9JfgaTPemjhyphenhyphenOFpU6bv1Fg6UriFd8xcFJxU8k1UhT5qu3UnZzKWHc42amEjQ/s1600/207_2613023.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Like I said in a previous post, most people I know get a kick out
of reading urban legends. These are essentially rumors that are
generally harmless but seem to get passed back and forth over and
over again despite efforts to disprove them. Sometimes they make
sense-like the one about finding things in Halloween candy-, but
others are just plain silly. Here are a few of the more believable
urban legends I've found and the truth behind them.<br />
<br /><br />
<br />
UL-Coke used to contain cocaine.<br />
This is true to a point. The drink we now call "Coca-Cola"
did have trace amounts of cocaine, but that was because it was
marketed at a time when many medicines (which was Coke's initial
purpose) contained cocaine. This was in 1885, long before any harmful
effects of the drug were discovered. The company changed the syrup's
formula several times before they were able to completely remove the
cocaine, but even the trace amounts that were in there before weren't
strong enough to do any harm.<br />
<br />
<br />
UL-Apple seeds are harmful because they contain cyanide.<br />
Again, this is true to a point. There is a small amount of a
cyanide compound in the pits of some kinds of fruit, but it doesn't
pose any danger. Not only would you have to break through the
extremely-hard shells of the seeds to <i>get</i> to the poison, you
would have to eat a *lot* of them to have any harmful effects. It's
similar to the sugar-in-the-gas-tank rumor-it's *possible* to cause
harm, but you'd have to use completely unrealistic amounts for
anything to happen.
<br />
Peach pits, on the other hand, do contain a potentially-harmful
amount of poison, but it's highly unlikely anyone is going to
accidentally swallow one.<br />
<br /><br />
<br />
UL-When it comes to dietary supplements and weight loss products,
“natural” and "herbal" mean "safe".<br />
Not necessarily. Perhaps they might not be as bad about this as
"artificial" pills, they can still interact negatively with
other medicines you're taking. For example, my husband can't have
anything with grapefruit because of the interaction with his heart
medicine. Grapefruit is natural. Also, some people are sensitive to
caffeine, which is something a lot of supplements have. You would
need to read the back of the bottle and do your homework for an
herbal medicine just as you would an “artificial” one.<br />
Plus, herbal supplements aren't evaluated by the FDA for safety
*or* effectiveness. That alone should give you pause.<br />
<br /><br />
<br />
UL-Coke is so acidic it can eat corrosion off of a car battery,<br />
I've had to do this several times, albeit only on a small amount
of corrosion. Soda can be effective in *loosening* corrosion so you
can knock it off piece by piece, but it does not "eat through
it". The loosening happens because of the *carbonation*,
not the acidic content. Perrier or any other “sparkling”
beverage will do the same thing,
<br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
What sorts of “urban legends” have
you heard? Are they scary, funny or just plain odd?</div>
Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912049736452418388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8064460408279445764.post-27556989923068585562014-01-11T19:05:00.001-06:002014-01-11T19:06:11.156-06:00Who Says Animals Don't Feel For Their Humans?<style type="text/css">P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }A:link { }</style>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu3CFeDPkAyZxpfoypsHJfogy33TJPGh-_9ZoeLJSXcJ43vnOT5ADflDUJsn3kFddS9hIR8usKkYyd1R263zEihrS5DukrW1S9cR1dTnAJWoajSCbBGFpiaf5ztdZ-KrPX2eTE83x5vh8/s1600/285_2773126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu3CFeDPkAyZxpfoypsHJfogy33TJPGh-_9ZoeLJSXcJ43vnOT5ADflDUJsn3kFddS9hIR8usKkYyd1R263zEihrS5DukrW1S9cR1dTnAJWoajSCbBGFpiaf5ztdZ-KrPX2eTE83x5vh8/s1600/285_2773126.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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There's no doubt that animals can hold
a special place in our lives. A lot of people, however don't
understand the profound connection that can form between animals and
“their humans”. They might say they love their pets, but they
don't see how much animals can truly feel for their owners. A
Facebook wall post led me to a website that describes these
connections to a tee.
</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
You cannot look at this and tell me
that animals don't feel the loss of their humans. Some people think
animals aren't intelligent or emotional enough, for this, but I think
this video would prove them wrong.
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://blog.petflow.com/this-dogs-human-passed-away-what-happened-next-is-unbelievable/">http://blog.petflow.com/this-dogs-human-passed-away-what-happened-next-is-unbelievable/</a></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's nothing like this, but I remember
coming home after having spent a month in the hospital and having to
sleep downstairs on a makeshift bed because I couldn't climb the
stairs. Missy, my brown tabby, was at the end of the bed every day
when I woke up, almost as though she were making sure I didn't leave
again. Yes, I'm tearing up as I'm typing this.
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This one is a bit long, but can you
imagine how awesome it would be to be able hug a lion and <i>hold it</i>
<i>like a teddy bear as you slept</i>? That's how it happens for this
wildlife expert who calls himself “the lion whisperer”. The lions
know him by sight and, while they appear to be attacking him, they
are just playing with him the way a German Shepherd would with its
owner. In contrast, my cats have scratched me so much that I still
have scars. To get a good look at this amazing story, here's the
video.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://blog.petflow.com/this-man-walked-right-up-to-a-wild-lion-and-did-the-craziest-thing-ever/">http://blog.petflow.com/this-man-walked-right-up-to-a-wild-lion-and-did-the-craziest-thing-ever/</a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Most of the “cuddly stuff” is in
the beginning, but it's really interesting to see how this man
interacts with these wild and normally-dangerous creatures.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Note: I'm sure I don't have to tell you
this, but do not try anything like this at home! In North Carolina
there was a man a few years ago who kept a tiger as a pet from the
time it was a cub. It was largely tamed, but it ended up attacking
and killing a 10-year-old boy. “Tamed” and “domesticated” are
<b>not</b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> the same thing! </span>
</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Speaking
of which-</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">You
may remember a story a few years ago about Roy Horn of Siegfried and
Roy being attacked by one of their tigers during a show. At first it
wasn't clear whether or not Roy was going to make it, but he's
recovered significantly in the ten years since the inciden</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">t-</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">
a lot more than anyone thought he would. What I find most
interesting is that, while most of us assumed it was an attack, Roy
says it wasn't. Apparently he had passed out on stage and
Mon</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">te</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">core-the
gorgeous white tiger who's been part of their show for years-grabbed
him by the neck </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">and tried</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">
to </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">drag him offstage</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">.
</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">Roy says he was acting on
the feline instinct of grabbing a baby by the scruff of the neck and
carrying it to safety, but, for obvious reasons, this only caused
more damage. The recovery Roy made is nothing short of miraculous;
the fact that he can walk, talk and even </span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">perform
magic again</span></i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> is
inspirational in and of itself! Ten years later, Roy and Montecore
are still the best of friends. For more details, visit
</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.lasvegassun.com/vegasdeluxe/2013/sep/30/siegfried-roy-revelations-10th-anniversary-tiger-i/">http://www.lasvegassun.com/vegasdeluxe/2013/sep/30/siegfried-roy-revelations-10th-anniversary-tiger-i/</a>.</span></div>
Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912049736452418388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8064460408279445764.post-48122447846019474312014-01-02T10:25:00.002-06:002014-01-16T19:43:21.369-06:00Urban Legends Debunked-Animals<style type="text/css">P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }</style>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCjaEh66gUEjAfr7ANfnS8JvCmH5VzIsJR4RS4vE2vl4fj0SmQvN_MwC1fidXiPPgADzRVyL1N2QgivDoHBzHD11Xw5jTrNAZ_qXS1cMgyTp1_blnrHr_tlCfJdxH41Z4Dc_dfO7zKGk8/s1600/380_2876002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCjaEh66gUEjAfr7ANfnS8JvCmH5VzIsJR4RS4vE2vl4fj0SmQvN_MwC1fidXiPPgADzRVyL1N2QgivDoHBzHD11Xw5jTrNAZ_qXS1cMgyTp1_blnrHr_tlCfJdxH41Z4Dc_dfO7zKGk8/s320/380_2876002.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The popularity of sites like Snopes and shows like Mythbusters can
both attest to the fact that people like to hear about urban legends.
These "facts" are usually harmless stories that go around
and are fun to hear, even if they're proven false. In this series,
I'm going to go over a category of urban legends I've heard and the
truth behind them. This particular installment involves our four- or
more-legged friends.<br />
<br />
<br />
UL-Bulls are angered by the color red.<br />
Fact-Bulls, like many other animals, are colorblind. Yes, bulls do
get upset when the matador in a bullfight waves a red cape but it's
the waving motion that bothers them, not the color.<br />
<br />
<br />
UL-Turkeys are so stupid that they watch the rain for so long that
they drown.<br />
Fact-Not true. Sure, they might be as dumb as bricks, but they
don't look up at the rain until they drown. Believe it or not, they
actually *can't* look up like that because they don't have what is
called "binocular vision"-that is, they can't focus both
eyes on the same thing because their eyes are on the sides of their
heads rather than the front. Even if they could focus, they really
could care less if it rains. They'll just run from it, not watch it.<br />
<br />
<br />
UL-A dog's mouth is cleaner than a human's.<br />
Fact-There's no scientific proof for this, so it's up to you
whether or not you want Fido to lick your kids. I didn't like having
my roommate's dog lick me, but that's because he would eat out of the
cat box.
<br />
<br />
<br />
UL-Milk and cream are really good for cats.<br />
Fact- Cats are lactose-intolerant. They may love the taste of your
yogurt and perhaps the occasional nip is fine, but dairy products are
generally not good for cats.<br />
<br />
<br />
UL-Female praying mantises always decapitate the males they mate
with.<br />
Fact: As much fun as it is to watch men wince when they hear this,
it's not entirely true. They do sometimes eat the male for extra
protein (?), but not always. Feel free to keep teasing your
boyfriend, though; it helps keep them in line!<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
UL-Birds don't like the smell of humans
and will reject eggs or baby birds who have it.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Fact- This isn't true. If you see a
small bird on the ground, it's probably there because it is trying to
learn to fly. She's won't starve because her parents are watching and
feeding her. It's best to avoid handling birds unless you find one
that is hurt or sick.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
If a bird were to abandon her nest for
a few days after human contact, it would be because she sees that the
eggs have been moved and is afraid of an intruder, not because of the
smell.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you want to read more urban legends
and “de-bunking”, visit
<a href="http://www.snopes.com/critters/wild/wild.asp">http://www.snopes.com/critters/wild/wild.asp</a>.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912049736452418388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8064460408279445764.post-17010261314433383382013-12-29T20:37:00.000-06:002013-12-29T20:37:35.443-06:00Tips For Choosing A Wedding Dress Part 3
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaAek8p-BdSC5m4-K0wJBg0bhV7_vJN-MG7lcxsQ5UWnN-pWHbCDkRMcB7j53PGMRtzhFWJOXCZiRvc-6R9r0hESCRjqNTAd7xBm_EtwdlRRHR9BcchzJurxLUJzmTqGfUSxzpe87iUs4/s1600/285_2839150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaAek8p-BdSC5m4-K0wJBg0bhV7_vJN-MG7lcxsQ5UWnN-pWHbCDkRMcB7j53PGMRtzhFWJOXCZiRvc-6R9r0hESCRjqNTAd7xBm_EtwdlRRHR9BcchzJurxLUJzmTqGfUSxzpe87iUs4/s320/285_2839150.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
(Continued from Part 2)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
-Look for deals
whenever you can. For instance, I got my dress for a drastically
reduced price because the shop was about to go out of business. Major
designers will often have specials or shows, so research when these
are. Also, you might be able to get a discount from a retailer if you
take advantage of sales or store policies such as having alterations
done on-site or getting your bridesmaid dresses from the same shop.
If you live in a smaller town, you or your family might know someone
who can get you a discount on either your dress or some other aspect
of the wedding. If you're only going for a basic veil, you can often
find them in “regular” stores as opposed to bridal boutiques.
Every little bit of savings helps.</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Also, don't stop at
your dress. Since the dress I wore in my sister's wedding was very
“prom-like”, it really helped to shop when prom dresses went on
sale. Some people might look down on second-hand stores, but don't
immediately rule out a bridal consignment shop because you may be
able to find a great dress (for yourself or a maid) at a good price.
As expensive as some bridesmaid dresses are and as tough times have
been on some of our pocketbooks, the effort will be appreciated.
</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
-Give yourself plenty
of time to pick out a dress, but don't start too early. A good idea
is to wait until the venue and reception are arranged because you
will be better able to “tailor” your dress accordingly. However,
you don't want to wait too much longer than that because you might
find yourself in a pinch for time.<span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span>Also, remember that specially-ordered dresses can take several
months to come in. Even if you buy one off the rack, alterations can
take a while to complete. The same goes for bridesmaid dresses,
especially if you have a large party or some of them live far away.</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
-Don't bring a whole
gaggle of friends with you to pick out your dress. As much fun as it
might be to hear a bunch of people oohing and ahhing over your dress,
you don't want too many opinions at once. Bring one or two people you
can trust to tell you the truth about how you look.
</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
-Don't let yourself be
pressured into buying or wearing a dress you don't love. <span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">If
someone else is footing the bill they definitely have a say, but you
should make what </span></span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">you
</span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">want
known.</span></span></div>
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<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Hopefully
these tips will make picking out a wedding dress to be as fun and
stress-free as possible. Good luck and, again, congratulations!</span></span></div>
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</div>
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<br />
</div>
Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912049736452418388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8064460408279445764.post-69421237230632402772013-12-29T20:32:00.000-06:002013-12-29T20:32:20.155-06:00Tips For Choosing A Wedding Dress, Part 2
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxOwMYpIplwcO0xXubddw50dQgNIuXEz6a-J07ORGbuft9eIxTRrm0VzXQRKgkCAu4BGOZ35bKquxcpaZBsY6cc0VtuWX2rjQEZgtnAuzykH-VK_o9kRm4Ighqz9EyfShul02xMYNyA68/s1600/285_2696253.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxOwMYpIplwcO0xXubddw50dQgNIuXEz6a-J07ORGbuft9eIxTRrm0VzXQRKgkCAu4BGOZ35bKquxcpaZBsY6cc0VtuWX2rjQEZgtnAuzykH-VK_o9kRm4Ighqz9EyfShul02xMYNyA68/s320/285_2696253.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">(Continued from Part 1) </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">-Know
what you want in a dress ahead of time. I don't mean that
you have to have your perfect wedding dress pictured in your head; in
fact, that might make things </span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>more</b></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
difficult because it will be hard to find an exact match. You will,
however, want to have an idea of what you want in a dress. A lot is
going to depend on your figure and what parts of your body you want
to accentuate the most. Do you want the skirt to be straight or
flared? If you choose a flared one, do you want the crinoline built
in? </span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">That
will at least cut out </span></span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">one</span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
extra undergarment. </span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">What
sort of silhouette (A-line, halter, empire waist, etc)? Do you want
one with sleeves, or no? Straps or no? </span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Can
you wear a bra with it? For me, not wearing a bra is not an option,
nor were “pasties” or other things for smaller-breasted women.
</span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Color-white,
off-white, ivory etc? I wore white because, dammit, I </span></span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">could</span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.
What kind of embellishments do you want, if any? I know it's a lot to
think about, but it really helps to have an idea of what you're
looking for when you walk into the shop, especially if you have an
appointment with a consultant. </span></span>
</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Also,
consider what to wear when you go shopping. If there's a particular
accessory you want to wear-for instance, your mother's veil or
necklace-, bring it with you so you can see how they look with your
dress. If you're prone to crying when you find the perfect dress, I'd
avoid wearing eye makeup that can run and stain. This isn't a
problem for me, but it might be for you. It may also help not to wear
lipstick for similar reasons.</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
-Consider how the dress will look in photographs. Some fabrics can
look great in person but not so much in pictures. Does it flatter
from all angles? If the shop you're visiting allows it (some don't),
bring a camera and have a friend take pictures. This will give you a
better idea of how the dress will look to others than a mirror would.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">-Take
the opinions of your intended and family into consideration, but
don't let them pressure you. Like I said above, I was, um, </span></span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">qualified</span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
to wear a white wedding dress. My family wouldn't have made a big
deal of it had I not been, but some families would. </span></span>
</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">-Look
for fit rather than number size. M</span>any shops will recommend
that you try on dresses about two sizes larger than what you normally
wear because of some of the undergarments (whale-boning for breast
support, crinolines, girdles, etc) that are often worn under the
dress. Even if you don't wear any sort of special underwear, wedding
dresses may be sized differently “regular” clothes. Also, you're
not just going to be standing; you'll be sitting, eating, possibly
dancing, etc. Be sure you can do these things in your dress.
</div>
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<br />
</div>
Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912049736452418388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8064460408279445764.post-56021862389821833022013-12-29T20:27:00.001-06:002013-12-29T20:27:53.641-06:00Tips For Choosing A Wedding Dress Part 1
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicS1hqN9SSdv9cE1xOAmsKAQxgWw5w5tOPlTR6VBat3mftVbUpVAgJ3-G0nVKWyto7bamUsZ8pih37cEWc63YyBs0Avst7ut638CJUWPvUZIzmZYM2AIvARBy2qfK29KhSjuR7bVIqlAQ/s1600/285_2717179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicS1hqN9SSdv9cE1xOAmsKAQxgWw5w5tOPlTR6VBat3mftVbUpVAgJ3-G0nVKWyto7bamUsZ8pih37cEWc63YyBs0Avst7ut638CJUWPvUZIzmZYM2AIvARBy2qfK29KhSjuR7bVIqlAQ/s320/285_2717179.JPG" width="263" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Congratulations, you're
engaged! Now what? Some of us dream about what we want for our
wedding, but we don't always realize how much time and preparation
can go into creating the day we want. I personally didn't have many
ideas about my wedding, but I <i>did</i> know that I wanted to find
the perfect wedding dress. Even though you're only going to be
wearing this dress once, you'll be wearing it on what some consider
to be the biggest and most memorable day of your life. There are a
<i>ton </i>of details that go into picking out a wedding dress, even
if you're going for a simple wedding. I'm no expert, but here are a
few suggestions.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
-Get a dress that fits
you <i>now. </i><span style="font-style: normal;"> I know some people
plan on losing a bunch of weight so they can fit into a smaller
dress, but there's really no reason to get fixated on numbers. Also,
what if you don't lose all the weight, or lose it in the wrong
places? Instead, buy a dress that fits you now; you can always have
it taken in if you need to. But, at the same time-</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">-Take
into account any changes you might go through. I've known people who
started on medication such as birth control and had their breasts
expand in a way that didn't fit with their dresses. I had a similar
problem and, while I was able to wear the dress, the seamstress had
to make a lot of alterations that may not have been possible had I
picked a different style. You might not be able to predict such
things but, if you can, keep them in mind. It's a lot easier to take
a dress in than to let it out. </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
-Have a budget in mind
beforehand. Don't try on dresses you know you can't afford because
you don't want to fall in love with one and not be able to get it.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
-Be sure your dress
doesn't take up your entire attire budget. Remember that it's not
just the dress you'll be wearing-you'll be wearing shoes, jewelry, a
veil. I managed to find a five-way bra I could wear with my
low-backed dress, but it wasn't cheap. Also, it's almost a given that
you'll need alterations. Even if you're not short like I am, most
dresses will require at least some sort of hemming or adjustment. You
want to set aside plenty of money and time for that.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">-If
you go to a bridal shop to try on dresses, it can help to make an
appointment with a sales associate. Shopping for a wedding dress
isn't like shopping for a party or prom dress; </span><span style="font-style: normal;">there
are so many variables I've mentioned in this article that you're
going to want help from someone who knows what they're doing. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">Stores
such as David's Bridal have consultants on staff to help with these
things, but you have to make an appointment in advance. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">If
you do go this route, ask about the cost. Most of the time the
consultants are store employees that make a regular wage plus
commission, but this isn't always the case. If the store allows it,
be prepared to give a tip because this person will be doing a </span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">lot</span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
more for you than you'd need to pick out other types of clothes.</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Continued in part 2. </span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912049736452418388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8064460408279445764.post-47631754815192630212013-12-20T15:04:00.000-06:002014-01-16T15:07:28.122-06:00Christmas Traditions
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUNac2vrcF9u7kQphBaF_HciHW-euVwInk9ThpY0yk3_VnFnNORQmQomJtSe92TTPZJCYnbQZQDYj_aMnTyDtNamPv6-0ET2pKT43zP1hblQY-rjUoZtNaumGdCh2_8FdW8q_YTgbhARw/s1600/400_2913060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUNac2vrcF9u7kQphBaF_HciHW-euVwInk9ThpY0yk3_VnFnNORQmQomJtSe92TTPZJCYnbQZQDYj_aMnTyDtNamPv6-0ET2pKT43zP1hblQY-rjUoZtNaumGdCh2_8FdW8q_YTgbhARw/s1600/400_2913060.JPG" height="320" width="268" /></a></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
What sorts of holiday
traditions do you have? For instance, do you put up a Christmas tree?
Stockings by the chimney and cookies for Santa?
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
As for presents, do you
open them on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
As for services, do you
go to church on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? Is there a special
meal you eat to celebrate? Do you have family and friends over? Or,
are you like a lot of my friends back home who do nothing at all? I
ask because I get a lot of enjoyment out of hearing how other people
live and thought you might too. I don't know much about other
holidays (Hanukkah, etc), so feel free to tell me about those too.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
When we were kids, we
put up the Christmas tree and put our wrapped presents under it. My
dad would put up all kinds of Christmas lights up outside, as would
everyone else in the neighborhood. At least once a week or so we
would drive around to see particular houses that were known to have
elaborate light displays and see if we could find anything new. We
especially got a kick out of going to the country to see these two
houses that had a running “contest” as to who could make the most
outlandish outdoor display. I think one year I counted 16 Santa
faces, 12 Nativity scenes, about 20 reindeer and all sorts of elves
and candy canes. And this was in <i>one yard</i>. It must be nice to
have that much time and money on your hands!</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
We weren't raised as
Christians-at least, we didn't go to church past a certain point-,
but we took part in the traditional American celebration. More than
anything it was a time to get together and give gifts to the people
we love. We did the whole Santa-and-stockings thing well past the
time when a lot of others would have stopped; we didn't believe in
Santa anymore, but it was still fun to go through the motions as
though we did. Plus, my nephew was born when I was 12 and we went all
out for him.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I remember my
brother-in-law telling me that he hated the idea of Santa Claus
because he felt Christmas was supposed to be about Jesus and Jesus
alone. He didn't want my nephews to sit on Santa's lap or do the
other things that then-one-year-olds do because he wanted them to
know what Christmas was “really” about.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
My sister eventually
got him to step back by telling him that she would make sure that the
boys knew that Santa and Jesus had nothing to do with each other and
that the birth of Jesus was the “important” part of the holiday.
Santa was just a silly American celebration while Jesus was the
savior of the world. This is pretty common among my religious friends
and what I plan on doing when and if I have children.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Overall, holidays are
what you make of them. They can be as sacred or profane; fun or
boring; lonely or loving, whatever-it's how you want to observe them,
if you observe them at all. Things have the meaning we give them and
there's nothing anyone else can do to take that away. Ultimately,
it's all up to you.
</div>
Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912049736452418388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8064460408279445764.post-43377179858508118332013-11-25T19:44:00.000-06:002013-11-25T20:10:02.059-06:00Do-It-Yourself Oatmeal Face And Body Scrub<style type="text/css">P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }</style>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFzQyVC5SSJhi9lkLJ7ApAXd9mStKiFJ7y-yN2aRFsI3axCGRRhFEjzP_tDgO56gogounjAZFyVrmbcGmW_WfGA3XN2Hkat9OB-R5vKy65tWGKklGGqB1RAphUIdhpE1EAq5aS6Hp4avs/s1600/437_3031938.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFzQyVC5SSJhi9lkLJ7ApAXd9mStKiFJ7y-yN2aRFsI3axCGRRhFEjzP_tDgO56gogounjAZFyVrmbcGmW_WfGA3XN2Hkat9OB-R5vKy65tWGKklGGqB1RAphUIdhpE1EAq5aS6Hp4avs/s320/437_3031938.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Do you love natural exfoliators, but
don't love the prices you pay at the store? Is there someone on your
list that loves bath products, but is allergic to some of the
ingredients in commercial blends? Here's one you can make from things
you may already have in your cabinet.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u>Lavender, Oatmeal and Tea Tree Oil
Face and Body Scrub</u></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="text-decoration: none;">¼
cup coarsely-ground oatmeal. Quick oats or slightly-cracked whole
oats work best.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="text-decoration: none;">2
teaspoons honey or agave nectar</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="text-decoration: none;">5
drops each of lavender and tea tree essential oils (or 10 drops of a
blend, which can usually be found in drug stores).</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In a small glass jar, combine the agave
or honey with the oats and stir until well mixed. Once the oats have
absorbed the liquid, stir in the oil.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This can be given as a gift or kept as
a treat for yourself.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The best thing about scrubs like this
is that they kill germs that can cause breakouts, but they don't
irritate your skin the way alcohol-based antiseptics do. The only
thing I see that could irritate sensitive skin is lavender, in which
case you can use another essential oil. It's best to make small
batches of food-related beauty products, but the ingredients are
generally not very expensive. The agave is also rather good in hot
tea. Enjoy!</div>
Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912049736452418388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8064460408279445764.post-57372374890180848312013-11-21T20:34:00.001-06:002013-11-21T20:34:50.583-06:00Quotes About Female Friendship
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA7qgnwsW5nflQkGHTVrlwMd-CPM003IOfBkIxYePcg2FRiXo1IIkS3IagTFMaXNa-I7v5lJrEUG8_wQX1jfruAFs0asG89XtauceTKbksbVkn4IviVaLFn_l4i4wD4AdzkLKdfplRwGE/s1600/114_2550473.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA7qgnwsW5nflQkGHTVrlwMd-CPM003IOfBkIxYePcg2FRiXo1IIkS3IagTFMaXNa-I7v5lJrEUG8_wQX1jfruAFs0asG89XtauceTKbksbVkn4IviVaLFn_l4i4wD4AdzkLKdfplRwGE/s200/114_2550473.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
As happy as we may be in our romantic
lives, there's just something about having a good friend that adds
dimension to your life. Here are some quotes about this very thing.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
True friends are those who really know
you but love you anyway.-Edna Buchanan, author</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's the ones you can call up at 4 am
that matter.-Marlene Dietrich, actress and singer</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Friends are the family we choose for
ourselves.-Edna Buchanan, author</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Lots of people want to ride with you in
the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you
when the limo breaks down.-Oprah Winfrey, author and television host</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
A friend is one who walks in when
others walk out.-Walter Winchell, journalist and commentator</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Besties before testes.-”Jane
Bingham”, <i>Drop Dead Diva</i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Don't walk in front
of me; I may not follow. Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Just
walk beside me and be my friend.-Albert Camus, French author and
journalist</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Walking with a
friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light.-Helen
Keller, author and political activist</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It is one of the
blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with
them.-Ralph Waldo Emerson, author</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Friendship is a
single soul dwelling in two bodies.-Aristotle</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
A true friend never
gets in your way unless you happen to be going down.-Arnold Glasow,
author</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There is nothing
better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate.-Linda
Grayson, author</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There is nothing
like puking with somebody to make you into old friends.-Sylvia Plath,
author</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
True friends are
like diamonds-bright, beautiful, valuable and always in style.-Nicole
Richie, reality TV train wreck</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I never had any
friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. -<i>Stand By
Me</i></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Friends should be
like books-few, but hand-selected.-C.J. Langerhoven, author</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Never explain-your
friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you
anyway.-Elbert Hubbard, author and philosopher</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
So long as the
memory of certain beloved friends lives in my heart, I shall say that
life is good.-Helen Keller, author and political activist</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Be who you are and
say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who
matter don't mind.-Dr. Seuss</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Friendship between
women can take different forms. It can run like a river, quietly and
sustainingly through life; it can be an intermittent, sometime thing;
or it can explode like a meteor, altering the atmosphere so that
nothing ever feels or looks the same again.-Mary Haskell, author and
actress</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Friendship is the
sweetest form of love.-Annie Gottlieb, author</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912049736452418388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8064460408279445764.post-52105543053001517372013-11-07T13:18:00.000-06:002013-11-07T13:18:05.084-06:00Charity Emails-Help Or Hoax?<style type="text/css">P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; direction: ltr; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); }P.western { font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; }P.cjk { font-family: "Arial Unicode MS",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; }P.ctl { font-family: "Arial Unicode MS",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; }A:link { }</style>
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<br />
“X organization will
donate 10 cents to Y charity for every time this email is forwarded.”
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Click a button on X
website and help fund a mammogram for women in need.”
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Play a word game to
help people in need. For every right answer, Z sponsors will donate
to A charity.”</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“'Like' this page to
help a little boy in China with cancer.”</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
We've all seen them. It
seems that a day can't go by without at least one “plea for help”
appearing in our inboxes. Donate to save kids with cancer. Repost
this picture or status message to show your support for animals in
need/women in war-torn countries/veterans/ etc, with or without
promises to help a particular charity. As much as we all want to feel
that we're doing something good in the world, how much will these
messages <b>really</b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> help? Wh</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">at,
if anything, happens when we forward/click/play? </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Any time you see an
email that claims to donate money to a cause for every time it is
forwarded, ignore it. At this time, there is no such thing as an
“email tracking program”. Even if there were, there's nothing
saying that the cause is real or, if it is, whether it is still going
on. As for causes such as “this kid is sick/missing” or a
particular fundraising drive, the objective has often been met long
before the emails stop going out. Don't get me wrong-sometimes these
emails raise awareness about a real problem and inspire others to
action. The person who is sending you these messages means well and
probably wouldn't have passed it on if they didn't think it would do
<i>some</i> good. It's just that message tracking programs are yet to
be invented, so any benefit that comes from them will be indirect.
That, and sometimes the stories are inspirational.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
As for whether or not
“liking” a page will donate to someone's care-it's true that
Facebook has the technology to track the number of “likes” a page
gets, but that doesn't mean that anything will be done to help
whatever cause is being promoted. It's most likely a ruse to get
people to like someone's Facebook page and nothing more. The same
thing goes with 'shares'. That doesn't necessarily mean that your
support has gone unnoticed or that someone <i>else</i> won't be
inspired to help. Also, sometimes the plea is real. Something good
can come of it, but don't feel pressured to pass something on. The
implications that someone who doesn't “pass it on” doesn't
care/believe in God/whatever that are often tacked onto the end of
such pleas don't mean anything. There's a difference between being
ashamed (often said about the ones involving Jesus) and not wanting
to participate in a chain letter.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
As for the messages
about clicking a button or playing a game at a particular website
benefitting charity, there are some truth to these claims. The Hunger
Site foundation and its many related sites operate on the idea that,
for every person who visits their site and clicks a button, the
sponsors that advertise on that site will donate something (exactly
what varies by site) toward whatever cause is being promoted. The
games on the Freerice.com website (set up by the UN World Food
Programme) are similar in that sponsors have pledged to donate for
every correct answer to quizzes in a number of different subjects.
This is vastly different from the 'email forwarding' messages for the
same causes because, while it is not yet possible to track how many
times a particular message has been sent, it <b>is</b><span style="font-weight: normal;">
possible to track how many people have visited your website. To help
even more, most of these sites have an online store that offers a
portion of the proceeds (exactly how much varies by site) to</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">ward
the cause being promoted</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">.
</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">I've bought from these
stores and I can tell you that, even if the portion is very small,
the goods are of a very high quality and are usually something you
can't get anywhere else. If nothing else, you'll come out with a
great sushi set!</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">If
you want to “vet” a story you've heard or want to give the person
who sent it to you a “heads-up”, visit Snopes.com and
Hoax-slayer.com. If you're unsure about a charity mentioned in a
message or on a website, visit http://www.charitynavigator.org/</span></div>
Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912049736452418388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8064460408279445764.post-56194603052819895832013-11-04T15:26:00.001-06:002013-11-04T15:26:39.023-06:00Bachelorette Parties That Don't Involve Strippers<style type="text/css">P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }</style>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy4NHDLidGoDmFHxyMJQUMuRo-ge_q6syIj1-uVf1TY32jL3wf_ajoaCnuTLUepKJ_2En66-hJVLmzLIHPrudLumHBuuvnG6hcbZMoShz-Up82PqnPVxUNdpUQDs7EwYXOUTJTu7Go_ps/s1600/1430035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy4NHDLidGoDmFHxyMJQUMuRo-ge_q6syIj1-uVf1TY32jL3wf_ajoaCnuTLUepKJ_2En66-hJVLmzLIHPrudLumHBuuvnG6hcbZMoShz-Up82PqnPVxUNdpUQDs7EwYXOUTJTu7Go_ps/s320/1430035.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I know what you're
thinking. “No strippers? But that's the best part!” This very
well may be true but, for some of us, it's also the most expensive.
Also, a bride who is shy and conservative might get a bit anxious in
a sea of dancing hotties, as well as feeling odd if she didn't want
her future husband to have strippers at his party. I won't comment on
that, but I <i>will</i> say that there are plenty of other ways to
make that “last night out” memorable. Here are a few ways to
celebrate your friend's upcoming nuptials with “just the girls”.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>-Have an
old-fashioned slumber party.</b> Rent movies, eat pizza and ice cream
and talk about boys. If you <i>must</i> have strippers, rent <i>Magic
Mike</i>. Seeing Matt Bomer shirtless just adds to the fun.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>-Improv night.</b><span style="font-weight: normal;">
If you're not familiar with “improv comedy”, it's a type of
sketch comedy that involves the audience in a show that is completely
made up on the spot. Think “Whose Line Is It Anyway?”, the
British </span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">and</span></i><span style="font-weight: normal;">
American versions. Tell someone on the staff what you're doing so
they can be sure to drag the bride-to-be on stage and have her “help”
with the show. </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">If the club
allows it, take pictures and/or videos for laughs and/or blackmail
later!</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>-Karaoke night. </b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Go
to a local bar or club that has karaoke and sing your hearts out in
front of everyone-complete strangers included. You can go up in a
group or sing on your own. You don't have to be a good singer; in
fact, it's probably even more fun if you can't carry a tune in a
bucket! If you don't want to go out, you can rent a machine or use a
computer program to do the same thing to bring the silliness to your
home. </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>-Spa day! </b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Get
pedicures, massages, facials, the works. This can be expensive too,
but a lot of spas offer specials and discounts. </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>-Dance class</b>.
I'm not talking about ballroom dancing, although that might be
interesting too. See if you can find a local class in pole dancing so
your lady friends can learn to dance for their men. If you'd rather
stay home, you might be able to find someone to give private lessons
or get DVDs everyone can use for future reference! Also,
brick-and-mortar erotica stores such as Starship sell portable
“stripper poles”; go in together on one of these poles (they can
be expensive), have a silly dance contest and give the pole to the
bride-to-be as a gift. If nothing else, you'll get a good laugh.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>-Fortune telling</b>.
If you're comfortable with such things, it might be fun to treat your
friends to a night of future predictions. Find a mystic to give
everyone a Tarot card or palm reading. Even if you don't take them
seriously, it can be fun to hear what “lies ahead”.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
As you can see,
half-naked men aren't the only ingredients for a great “last night
out”! Have fun, and invite me!</div>
Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912049736452418388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8064460408279445764.post-58256249034380276292013-10-24T10:25:00.001-05:002013-10-24T10:34:50.304-05:00Italian Tuna MeltsThis delicious recipe is sponsored by <a href="http://bs.serving-sys.com/BurstingPipe/adServer.bs?cn=tf&c=20&mc=click&pli=7789312&PluID=0&ord=[timestamp]" target="_blank">StarKist</a>.<br />
<br />
Of all the recipes that exist on Pinterest and Google, you wouldn’t imagine that it would be so challenging for a girl to find a meal to cook for a dinner date. Keep in mind this is a girl who has eight cookbooks. The collection of eight includes two cookbooks put together by her mom and older sister presented as “gifts” to get more domesticated, and one is a “Campbell’s 1-2-3 Dinner” cookbook held together by duct tape because it caught on fire while sitting on a heated stovetop in college. The remaining five books sit prettily stacked on top of the refrigerator as part of the decor. <br />
<br />
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My cooking skill level is low.<br />
<br />
Oh, Paleo.<br />
<br />
Not only did I put pressure on myself to find a delicious, yet not too challenging, dinner recipe, I also wanted it to be Paleo-friendly. The man friend for whom I was cooking was following that cave man diet - the chicken, bacon, fruit, nuts, and veggies meal plan - the “Oh, c’mon, no cheese<em> at all</em>!?” diet.<br />
<br />
Since I’m a culinary novice who struggles to keep her<a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a> chef’s hat on during cooking-type situations, I resorted to a family favorite: Italian Tuna Melts. The little sammies are healthy, scrumptious and simple to prepare. My special guest can either ditch the bread or ditch his diet for the evening, but at least he’ll be happy to know he’s getting his protein. <br />
<br />
Italian Tuna Melts<br />
<br />
Ingredients are easy to gather. I was thankful to not have to embark on a frustrating grocery store quest of searching for 10 different herbs and spices. It was a quick jaunt as I picked up the following to mix into the tuna salad:<br />
<ol>
<li>Chopped artichoke hearts </li>
<li>Olive oil </li>
<li>Lemon juice and zest </li>
<li>Diced red onion </li>
<li>Chopped celery </li>
<li>Handful of baby spinach </li>
<li>StarKist Tuna Creations; any flavor, Lemon Pepper, Sweet & Spicy or Ranch will do </li>
</ol>
<br />
Make the melts by:<br />
<ol>
<li>Toasting sliced English muffins or any bread that you want to sink your teeth into </li>
<li>Sandwiching a scoop of tuna salad between each slice </li>
<li>Topping with sliced tomato and provolone cheese (cheese optional for the cave man, cheese non-negotiable for the girl) </li>
<li>Heating the sammies under the broiler for the cheese to melt </li>
</ol>
<br />
Serve and bon appetit! bertmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08358215144126432964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8064460408279445764.post-41559164785869261572013-10-22T15:02:00.000-05:002013-10-22T16:06:27.472-05:00Online Dating Safety Tips<style type="text/css">P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }</style>
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<br />
Dating online can be exciting, but also confusing. Here are a few
things you should keep in mind when meeting someone new.
<br />
<br />
<br />
-Make the date something small at first, like coffee or lunch
during the day. Meeting someone on your lunch break gives you an
"out" if you don't care for the person. If you do, you can
always make another date.
<br />
<br />
-Meet in a public place. If possible, "double" with a
friend. This also forces you to drive your own car as opposed to
having to get in theirs or have them in yours. If you can't double,
at least let a friend or roommate know where you're going and when
you plan to be back.<br />
<br />
-Be careful about how you talk to other people in the room as well
as your date. You don't want to be overly flirtatious because, even
if you aren't saying these things (like joking about the waiter's
last name being "Finger" or whatnot) to your date, he could
get the idea that you're the kind of person who would fool around
like that with strangers and take advantage of that. I know this
seems extreme and overly cautious, but better safe than sorry.
<br />
<br />
-Take his number rather than giving out yours. Keep your home
phone number, personal email, address to yourself until you feel more
comfortable. Don't let him pick you up or pick him up, don't let him
take you home or come in until you know him bitter.
<br />
<br />
-This should be obvious, but don't drink too much, leave a drink
unattended or accept a drink you did not see poured. In fact, that's another good reason to get together
during the day because most people don't have alcohol on their lunch
break. It may be "five o'clock somewhere", but not here.<br />
<br />
-Be careful about how much or what information you give. Not
readily giving out your address and phone number is obvious, but
those aren't the only things you should keep under wraps. I'm a very
open person, so there are times when I've given too much information
without realizing it. The story about getting a dragonfly tattoo on
Spring Break after five shots of tequila or might be funny, but it
really isn't something you want to tell someone you don't know very
well. Ditto the one about how you can drink your sisters under the
table when it comes to liquor (true story!) but get a buzz from beer.
Things like this can give a potential date the wrong idea. I probably
don't have to tell you what could happen if the wrong person heard
that last one.
<br />
<br />
-Talk with him on the phone before meeting in person. As well as
hearing his voice, this can give you an idea about whether or not
he's really the person you thought he was. It's not hard for someone
to be a lot more suave/funny/intelligent in writing than in real
life, where they don't have the benefit of poetry books within reach
or a lucky-in-love friend telling them what to say.
<br />
<br />
-Don't let the conversation go too deep. Keep it light at first, no
matter how strong the “chemistry” is. If he starts to talk about
things that make you uncomfortable, end the call and don't talk with
him again.<br />
<br />
-Don't dominate the conversation. The point of dating-online or
otherwise-is to get to know the other person. If you do all the
talking and ramble on about your job or your mother, it will bore him
out of his mind as well as not give him any chance to tell you
anything about himself.
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
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Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912049736452418388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8064460408279445764.post-31609836622065175282013-10-08T14:36:00.000-05:002013-10-08T14:36:13.078-05:00Cute Teen Stars "All Grown Up"
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<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal;">
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<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal;">
When I was growing up,
I remember being slightly envious of “child stars”. I thought
they had the perfect lives-they were attractive, rich and popular,
while I was a nerd in her “awkward stage”. As it turns out, that
sort of thing didn't last. Many of them-Lindsay Lohan, River Phoenix,
Corey Haim-ended up in a bad way because of the way their celebrity
has affected them. Some of the others were really great for a while,
but age wasn't kind and their looks faded as they got older. However,
this isn't the case with everyone. Here are a few examples of men who
started out in show business when they were young and have just
gotten better (and better-looking) with age.
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western">
<b>Justin Timberlake</b>. Some of you might
remember him as the guy with the curly hair in N'SYNC while others
may have seen him as a child on The Mickey Mouse Club. No matter
where you first saw him, though, you can't deny that he's grown into
a gorgeous young man. Even if you're not a fan of his music, you've
got to give him credit for having a great sense of humor about
himself. He's hosted <i>Saturday Night Live</i> five times, each time
making fun of himself by performing ridiculous 90s style R&B
seduction song parodies with Andy Samberg or dancing in front of a
store in a really weird costume. I think my favorite costume was a DD
breast implant advertising a shop called "Plasticville"! </div>
<div class="western">
<b>Patrick Dempsey.</b> Those of us who grew up in
the '80s and early '90s probably saw Patrick with his black hair and
blue eyes in several "teeny-bopper" movies. I think
the funniest (and most appropriately-titled!) movie he was in was
<i>Loverboy</i>, where he played a pizza delivery guy who made, um,
house calls to older women who order "extra anchovies". At
47, he's still got that thick hair, albeit with a little more
gray. These days, he's probably best known for playing Dr Derek
Shepard (aka "McDreamy") on <i>Grey's Anatomy. </i>Rumor
has it that this season will be his last, but a man with his looks
and experience (he's been acting since he was 15!) will have no
problem working as long as he wants to.
</div>
<div class="western">
<b>Neil Patrick Harris</b>. When I was 12, I had a
mad crush on him when he was the main character in <i>Doogie Howser,
M.D</i>. He played a 16-year-old prodigy doctor who was very
well-versed on medicine, but rather awkward when it came to girls and
basically being a teenager. I thought he was cute and smart then, but
he's even better-looking now. He was 16 at the time, but had been
acting in some manner since he was about 10. What I find rather
interesting about him is that, despite his many womanizing (<i>How I
Met Your Mother</i>) and “hormonal” (<i>H</i><i>arold and Kumar
Go To Whitecastle</i>) characters, he's gay and has been “out”
since about 2006. In coming out and being as comfortable with himself
as he is, he's a rather good example of the way that being gay
doesn't have to be seen as something shameful anymore; people are who
they are, and that's all they really need to be.
</div>
<div class="western">
Who are some of the celebrities you think have
gotten better-looking with age?</div>
Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912049736452418388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8064460408279445764.post-73284596895602739182013-09-30T12:52:00.000-05:002013-09-30T12:52:48.488-05:00Interesting Facts About Judaism
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I am a Christian, but I've always been interested in Judaism.
Aside from being the religion of Jesus, it has so many dimensions the
rest of us never thought of. When I moderated a Jewish debate board,
I learned a lot of interesting and unusual things. I don't know how
"representative" my friends are of the whole, but here are
some of the more memorable things they told me.<br />
<br />
<br />
We could discuss what makes someone a Jew for ages, but a bottom
line is that it isn't simply about belief the way it is for other
religions. A person can certainly convert, but it often involves a
complete lifestyle change (dress, eating etc) and participation on
rituals that can take months or years to complete. For this reason,
one of my professors told me that people who inquire about conversion
are often turned away at first to ensure that the person fully
understands what they're getting into. When you consider how many
people adopt things just because X Celebrity does it, it makes
perfect sense.<br />
<br />
<br />
Jewish heritage is passed down through the mother, not the father.
If your mom is Jewish, so are you. In this sense, belief and action
have nothing to do with it. However, a Jew who has converted to
another religion is seen to have "left the family".
“Family” is probably a more accurate descriptor than “nation”
or “race” because it refers to the way Jews with different
customs or from different parts of the world still feel a sense of
unity.<br />
<br />
<br />
While some believe it begins earlier, Judaism views <i>birth</i>
as being the beginning of life, not conception as many Christians do.
If carrying a pregnancy to term will endanger the mother's life, she
is encouraged (some say required) to terminate the pregnancy. That
might sound callous to some, but it's important to remember that the
fetus is considered a <i>potential</i> life, not a full life as
many Christians teach.<br />
<br />
<br />
I found it interesting to learn that any Jewish person who has not
adopted another religion (see "heritage" comment above) can
emigrate to Israel and immediately be considered a citizen.<br />
<br />
<br />
For purposes of observance, the Jewish calendar views days as
beginning at sundown. The Sabbath, the day of rest, begins Friday
evening and ends Saturday evening.<br />
<br />
<br />
Since their calendar is lunar rather than solar, Jewish holidays
fall on different days each year. Also, holidays technically start on
the night before the day appears on the secular calendar. For
instance, a holiday noted on August 24 on the calendar actually
begins at sundown August 23. For a further explanation of holidays,
visit <a href="http://www.jewfaq.org/holidayg.htm">http://www.jewfaq.org/holidayg.htm</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
“Kosher” or “kashrut” are words used to describe the
dietary and food preparation laws Jews live by. One thing I found
particularly interesting is that consuming blood of any kind is
forbidden for the same reason some groups refuse blood
transfusions-blood is considered to be the “life” or “soul”
of a creature. I won't go into detail about the method, but there are
strict instructions on how an animal is to be slaughtered to ensure
that it suffers no more than it absolutely has to. If you ever have
steak at a kosher steakhouse, you may find that it is not as tender
as non-kosher steaks because non-kosher steaks come from a part of
the animal (mostly toward the back) that contains the sciatic nerve
and blood vessels. If you've ever seen the Hebrew National commercial that says they
use “no ifs, ands or butts”, this is what they're referring to.
While this non-kosher nerve can technically be
removed from the meat, it's a very difficult and expensive process a
lot of kosher butchers don't go through. <br />
<br />
For more information regarding “kosher” or “kashrut”, see
<a href="http://www.jewfaq.org/kashrut.htm">http://www.jewfaq.org/kashrut.htm</a>.
<br />
This is just the tip
of the iceberg, so consult <a href="http://www.jewfaq.org/index.shtml">http://www.jewfaq.org/index.shtml</a>
or
<a href="http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Judaism/index.aspx">http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Judaism/index.aspx</a> for more information.<br />
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Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912049736452418388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8064460408279445764.post-31545721868424017242013-09-27T11:24:00.001-05:002013-09-27T11:24:58.024-05:00Things To Do With "Just Us Girls"
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<br />
As much as we love our families, sometimes we need to cut loose
and do something fun with just "the girls". I remember
going to nightclubs and bars with my girlfriends to dance, play pool
and meet guys. Nothing serious for the guys-just a good time. We're
in our thirties now. Some have kids, some are married and still
others just live a long way away. Needless to say, our nightclubbing
days are over. I don't have many girlfriends nearby anymore, so I
sometimes miss a good “girl's night”. This might not be the case
for you, but it's still good to have things to do with the other
women in your life. This can be your sister, your mom, your daughter;
it doesn't matter. Here are some ideas.<br />
<br />
<br />
Have a "girls' night in." Either send the guys out or
get together at a single friend's house and watch movies, gossip, eat
obscene amounts of ice cream etc. Even better, make it a "slumber
party" theme and watch in your "jammies". The movies
can be anything you want but don't normally get to watch with the
husband and kids around. Bonus points if the movies have a lot of hot
men in them. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1915581/">Magic Mike,</a><i> </i>anyone?
<br />
<br />
<br />
On the same tip as above, have a "viewing party" for a
TV series. It doesn't necessarily have to be a "girly"
show, either; it can be any show your friends like but you don't get
to watch at home. Trashy reality shows or even dramas with
good-looking men are also good choices.<br />
<br />
<br />
If you're into nails, you can get manicures and pedicures. If you
don't want to go to a salon, there are several fun design kits that
can give the same effect.<br />
<br />
<br />
When I lived in North Carolina, my friends and I used to go to the
local mall and just walk around. We would find the bookstore, plop
ourselves down in our favorite section and pass books back and forth.
Sometimes we would take a humor book into the coffee area and laugh
over it while sipping our cappuccino. You can do the same thing with
other types of stores; just go and look around, try things on, laugh
over the obscene prices of shoes and just have fun!<br />
<br />
<br />
Have an adult board game night. This could be with the men or just
with the women; whichever way you want, as long as it is a "grown-up"
game. You've played enough games of Candyland!<br />
<br />
<br />
Make cocktails or "mocktails" to go along with
everything else. Sure, you can do this anytime, but drinks make
everything *that* much more festive!<br />
<br />
<br />
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Now you have ideas for what to do on
your next “girl's day”. It doesn't really matter what you do or
who you do it with; just as long as you do something just for
yourself. You deserve it!</div>
Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912049736452418388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8064460408279445764.post-80749655839969251422013-09-15T16:13:00.001-05:002013-09-15T16:13:43.761-05:00"What's Your Sign?" And Other Lame Pickup Lines
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<br />
"What's your sign?"<br />
<br />
<br />
This has to be one of the dumbest pickup lines ever created.
Between the one about rearranging the alphabet and God being short
one angel, men (and some women!) have been saying cheesy things to
attract the opposite sex since the advent of language in general. I
suppose thats better than being clubbed over the head and dragged by
your hair into someone's cave, but not much.
<br />
<br />
<br />
I majored in communication in college. One of my final projects in
video production class was a commercial for Planet Smoothie I'd
written for another class. In it, I had a couple of guys yell out
some of the lamest pickup lines they could think of as though they
were hitting on random women at a bar. I won't repeat them <i>all</i>
because some of them could get me into trouble, but here are some of
the, um, cleaner ones. :)
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="page-break-before: auto;">
"You must be tired, because
you've been running through my mind all day."</div>
"If you were words on a page, you'd be called the fine
print."<br />
“Do you have a map? I keep getting lost in your eyes.”<br />
"Nice outfit...it'll look great crumpled up on my floor in
the morning."<br />
“Are you okay? I ask because it's a long fall from heaven.”<br />
“If I told you you had a beautiful body, would you hold it
against me?”<br />
“Hi, I'm Mr. Right. I heard you were looking for me?”<br />
“Do you believe in love at first sight? 'Cause I could walk by
again.”<br />
“I'm like a Snickers bar: I'm packed with nuts and really
satisfy.”<br />
“I'm not drunk; I'm just intoxicated by you.”<br />
“Do you have any <insert ethnicity here> in you? Want
some?”<br />
"Somebody'd better call the fire department, 'cause you're
<i>smokin'</i>!"<br />
"Are you a traffic ticket? 'Cause you've got 'fine' written
all over you."<br />
“You know what would <b>really</b><span style="font-weight: normal;">
look good on you? Me!”</span><br />
"If you were a booger, I'd pick you first."<br />
“I hope you know CPR, 'cause you just took my breath away.”<br />
“Hi, my name is ____; remember it, 'cause you'll be screaming it
all night long.”<br />
“I lost my phone number, can I have yours?”<br />
“So, do you have some fries to go with that shake?”<br />
“Can I borrow a quarter? 'Cause I promised my mom I'd call her
when I met the girl of my dreams.”<br />
“Here's $30. Drink until I'm good looking and then come talk to
me.”
<br />
"Well, here I am. What are your other two wishes?"<br />
<br /><br />
<br />
Bad pickup lines aren't just for men! In college, I went up to a
guy wearing a fraternity 'rush' T-shirt playing pool and asked which
frat he pledged-I Tappa Keg or I Felta Thigh. In my defense, I was on
Spring Break with some friends and did it as a dare. He knew I was
joking and wanted my number! I guess pickup lines are a good way to
get a feel for someone's sense of humor; I can't imagine anyone
thinking they work for anything else!<br />
<br /><br />
<br />
What are the dumbest pickup lines you've heard?
<br />
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Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912049736452418388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8064460408279445764.post-59482782559676782692013-08-29T19:14:00.000-05:002013-09-01T19:15:05.678-05:00Awesome Quotes By Women, For Women<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;">Need some inspiration? Here are some of the best 'woman-power' quotes from around the world. You've probably heard some of them before, but they can still lift your spirits.</span><br />
<i><span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;"><i>Something which we think is impossible now is not impossible for another decade</i>.-Constance Baker Motley, the first black woman to become a Federal Judge. </span><br />
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;">(I'd say she was right, wouldn't you?)</span><br />
<i><span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;"><i>A woman must not depend upon the protection of a man, but must be taught to protect herself</i>. -Susan B. Anthony, American activist</span><br />
<i><span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;"><i>If you ever want a man to do anything, you have to make him think it was his idea.</i> -My mother</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;"><i>The only things we really regret in life are the risks we don't take</i>.-Ariel (Ann-Margaret in <i>Grumpy Old Men</i>)</span><br />
<i><span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;"><i>Never lose sight of the fact that the most important yardstick of your success will be how you treat other people-your family, friends and coworkers and even strangers you meet along the way</i>.-Barbara Bush, former First Lady</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;"><i>The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched, they must be felt with the heart</i>.-Helen Keller</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;"><i>For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, only speak words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone</i>.-Audrey Hepburn</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;"><i>Sometimes questions are more important than answers</i>.-Nancy Willard, American poet</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;"><i>Well-behaved women seldom make history</i>.-Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, author (often attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;"><i>If you have love in your life, it can make up for a great many things that are missing. If you don't have love in your life, it doesn't matter what else there is; it's not enough.</i>-Ann Landers </span><br />
<br />
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;"><i>A career is wonderful, but you can't curl up with it on a cold night</i>.-Marilyn Monroe</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;"><i>Feminism, to me, isn't about bucking tradition so much as being about *choices*. You can choose to be an astronaut or you can choose to be a housewife. It doesn't matter; as long as it was *your* choice.</i> - That one's mine. Like it? </span>Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912049736452418388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8064460408279445764.post-51786962350180734592013-08-29T16:22:00.001-05:002013-08-29T16:22:30.870-05:00Cute Facts About Cats
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOl0rnuWwYKAd5kU2asviJu_kBMVUogm8cf8WvTN2Xp-NIi7nVrDvIUHLd-1qZ47LdPkpcM1kyFka7oZSyvcVoLtwGlL0Lv7CaHjKgeuQ-OUHqWFsBQuyG39gm5KsWY_3H_1CtkVacoz0/s1600/604_4093277.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOl0rnuWwYKAd5kU2asviJu_kBMVUogm8cf8WvTN2Xp-NIi7nVrDvIUHLd-1qZ47LdPkpcM1kyFka7oZSyvcVoLtwGlL0Lv7CaHjKgeuQ-OUHqWFsBQuyG39gm5KsWY_3H_1CtkVacoz0/s320/604_4093277.JPG" width="229" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tortiseshell Maine Coon kitten</td></tr>
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As I've probably mentioned, I have five
cats. Some people think that they're stupid and dull, but they are
really anything but. Since I love both cats and random facts, here
are some random facts about cats.
</div>
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<br />
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Unlike dogs, cats cannot taste sweet
things.
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<br />
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Also unlike dogs, you don't have to
'house-train' a cat because they essentially house-train themselves.
Their instinct is to use sand, so all you have to do is give them a
litter box and the mother will 'train' her own kittens. </div>
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The largest domestic breed of cat is
the Maine Coon, who can weigh up to 25 pounds. The smallest is the
Singapura, who can weigh only 4-6 pounds.</div>
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<br />
</div>
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The stories about cats being worshipped
in ancient Egypt are true. They were often mummified along with their
owners, with embalmed mice given as food 'for the next world'.
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<br />
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Cats sleep up to 16-18 hours a day.
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<br />
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Cats hunt by mimicking the calls of its
prey. If your cat makes a 'chirping' noise while looking out the
window, she's probably craving that bird on the deck.
</div>
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<br />
</div>
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Declawing your cat is not simply
cutting their nails. Instead being made of dead tissue that grows
back the way human nails do, the claws are extensions of their
fingers. For a human, this would be like amputating the fingers after
the last knuckle. It's one thing to remove a cat's claws because
they're diseased or cause other problems; for instance, my friends
had to declaw their cat on the back feet because he had a gaping
wound on his neck that couldn't heal because of his scratching.
However, many people will have a cat declawed because they don't like
the way she's scratching things.
</div>
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Instead of declawing a cat because
she's wrecking your furniture, file the claws or use 'claw caps' that
are glued onto the tips to make the claws too blunt to do any damage.
Use deterrent sprays on the furniture and give them other things to
scratch on.
</div>
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<br />
</div>
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Cats with calico and tortiseshell
('torties') coats are nearly always female. The patterns are
sex-linked traits, which means that it's very rare to find a male
calico and, if you do, he's sterile.
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<br />
</div>
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Cats use a different vocal 'signal' for
humans than they do for each other.
</div>
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<br />
</div>
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Abraham Lincoln loved cats. In
contrast, Adolph Hitler hated them and Napoleon was afraid of them.
</div>
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<br />
</div>
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Grown cats can no longer digest milk
because their bodies stop making lactase, which is the enzyme used to
digest a mother's milk.</div>
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<br />
</div>
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Cats actually <i>can</i> be
manipulative. Having over 100 different sounds in their repertoire,
they know which ones humans respond to and alter their 'speech'
accordingly, usually to get food or attention.
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<br />
</div>
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Cats generally have five 'toes' on
their front paws, but only four on the back. Polydactyly, or the
presence of extra digits, is very common.</div>
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<br />
</div>
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Neutering a male cat can extend his
life by two or three years.
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<br />
</div>
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Cats can get almost any disease humans
can. The cat we had growing up had Parkinson's Disease.
</div>
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<br />
</div>
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Cats do not have sweat glands all over
their bodies. Aside from grooming, licking itself helps a cat stay
cool because the evaporation of the moisture on its fur causes a
'cooling' effect.</div>
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<br />
</div>
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On the same tip as above, cats can have
allergies. My Russian Blue is allergic to rice, dairy, soy and egg,
as well as grasses and pollen.
</div>
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<br />
</div>
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Cats have 'dominant' sides just like
humans do. Female cats tend to be 'right-pawed' while males are more
often 'left-pawed'.
</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
For more cute kitty facts, visit
<a href="http://facts.randomhistory.com/interesting-facts-about-cats.html">http://facts.randomhistory.com/interesting-facts-about-cats.html</a>.
Meow!</div>
Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912049736452418388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8064460408279445764.post-86325774173404280942013-07-22T18:37:00.000-05:002013-07-22T18:37:05.629-05:00Part 1: Misconceptions About Rape/Sexual Assault<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCffy9D_Hyjzckz3gI8JwVQUGPyrJzkOHZuLgpneaNoFER8-8OJ0ZJQcYuzCQeALqTy6khYzCSTxGVCvEBfl4fuJJxxy1LN3Si5l7usAqo0-lLmxHwGk_LZirijkxEY2zebYBJlyF1ZKv5/s1600/511_3473811.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCffy9D_Hyjzckz3gI8JwVQUGPyrJzkOHZuLgpneaNoFER8-8OJ0ZJQcYuzCQeALqTy6khYzCSTxGVCvEBfl4fuJJxxy1LN3Si5l7usAqo0-lLmxHwGk_LZirijkxEY2zebYBJlyF1ZKv5/s320/511_3473811.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Warning: this post may be triggering to some readers.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, it's said that 1 in 6 women in the US have or will
experience a rape or attempt at rape in their lifetime. Judging from
people I know and other things I've read, this statistic is nowhere
*near* the actual number because rapes and other forms of sexual
assault often go unreported for one reason or another. I wanted to
write this post because I know of several women who have been raped
or sexually assaulted but didn't see it for what it was because they
thought rape only 'looked one way'.<br />
<br />
<br />
<u>It has to be intercourse.</u><br />
Answer-Not always. Different states have different rules, but most
give some sort of 'label' to other sexual acts. For instance,
some will extend the definition of 'rape' to include oral sex or
penetration by a foreign object.. Sexual assault includes conduct
that stops short of rape but that is still unwanted-for instance,
fondling or other sexual touching. That was the case with me; for
ages I felt as though I didn't 'have a case' because it wasn't
intercourse, but the truth is that it doesn't have to be. Some states
use the two terms interchangeably, which can get confusing. Whatever
it's called, it's wrong. I'm not only talking about the legal
definition anyway; 'fitting' or not, it's still a traumatic
experience. I know this might sound strange, but knowing that there
is a *name* for what happened to you can go a long way in helping you
recover.
<br />
<br />
<u>It only happens to women, by men.</u><br />
<div style="text-decoration: none;">
Answer-Rape and sexual assault
involve unwanted sexual contact, period. This applies to men, women,
children, heterosexuals, homosexuals...anyone. I'm using the male
pronouns because the majority of rapes are women-by-men, but it
doesn't have to be.
</div>
<br />
<u>He's my boyfriend/husband, we're supposed to have sex.</u><br />
Answer-It doesn't matter what the relationship is. Even if it
doesn't go to the level of sex, it's still wrong for him to push you
to do things you don't want to do. It doesn't have to be physically
forced, either; it can also be emotional or psychological coercion.
That was the case with me-he never forced himself on me physically,
but he made me feel like I 'had to' by lying and taking advantage of
my reluctance to hurt someone's feelings. Going along with it because
you're being coerced ('if you won't have sex with me, I'll rape you',
'You must not really love me then." "X Other Woman would,
maybe I should drop you and go out with her instead') still 'counts'.<br />
<br />
<u>There's a 'threshold' that cannot be crossed for something to
be considered rape.</u>
<br />
I can't really think of a good label for this, but it doesn't
matter what 'stage' your encounter is in. You can be making out, have
your clothes off, already having sex...'No' and 'Stop' still apply. I
know a lot of men will tell you that you 'can't back up the truck' or
something similar, but you have every right to stop if you aren't
comfortable. If you say 'stop' and he doesn't, it's rape. Period.<br />
<br />
<u>Rape is about sex</u>.<br />
Answer-Not entirely. More often than not, sex is being used
as a weapon to dominate or otherwise assert power over another
person. Some people may push sex on you because that's what they want
to do and they don't have enough respect for you (or women in
general) to take no for an answer, but it's still the element of
force and disrespect that is at play here. However powerful a man's
sex drive might be, decent men won't resort to this sort of behavior.
<br />
<br />
<br />
<u>What you wear/your past/how you act makes it 'okay'.</u><br />
Answer-No. While men can definitely get the wrong idea from these
things, it is never permissible for them to assume consent and
'proceed' if you do not want them to. You should make your feelings
very clear *anytime*, but especially when he could get the wrong
idea.<br />
<br />
For 'prevention and escape strategies', see the next post. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08386976018010666733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8064460408279445764.post-11054337024164547872013-07-22T18:27:00.001-05:002013-07-22T18:27:21.921-05:00Part 2: Rape/Sexual Assault Prevention
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWk1eOfpbI84p4MVQjp7r79aycVnWpjoL9uei-ET9A5Ou_BU-2UEf-iOLSr9Sg79rDel3tpAiI9MNJITsZA1rncEVWNPQNSkR6_Po42T0NGNOaZVg_kiPaR8l8z1hwU0w4sl-oyGOPwIDo/s1600/379_2900072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWk1eOfpbI84p4MVQjp7r79aycVnWpjoL9uei-ET9A5Ou_BU-2UEf-iOLSr9Sg79rDel3tpAiI9MNJITsZA1rncEVWNPQNSkR6_Po42T0NGNOaZVg_kiPaR8l8z1hwU0w4sl-oyGOPwIDo/s320/379_2900072.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
While rape is *never* the victim's fault, here are a few things
you can do to avoid a bad situation.<br />
<br />
<br />
-Never get yourself in a position (drunk, high etc) where you are
not in control of your actions. To prevent being drugged by someone
else, keep an eye on your drinks and don't accept drinks from men you
don't know or trust. If someone wants to buy you a drink, go up to
the bar with him so you can see it being poured and carry it
yourself. If you're at a party, avoid drinking from 'common
containers' like the punchbowl. Frankly, I find that disgusting anyway. <br />
<br />
-When you go out to a bar or club, go with a group and stay
together. A good 'Girls Night' is something we all need anyway!<br />
<br />
-Trust your instincts. Take a self-defense class if it will make
you feel more confident.<br />
<br />
-Have your cell phone and cash with you at all times.
<br />
<br />
-If you take public transportation, stay in lighted stations and
follow a schedule to avoid standing around waiting.<br />
<br />
-Keep your car doors locked and your gas tank at least half full.
<br />
<br />
-Even though a large percentage of attacks involve someone the
victim knows, you should never be alone with anyone you don't know
well. You should stay within 'yelling distance' of other people. It's
odd, but one thing I've heard is not to yell, 'rape' in a hallway.
Yell 'fire' instead. A lot of people won't intervene in the first
scenario because they don't want to get involved, but 'fire' is a
guarantee that people will come out. That will give you an
opportunity to get away.<br />
<br />
<br />
And, for what is probably the most important...<br />
-Always, always, always be aware of your surroundings! Don't walk
alone at night, stay in lighted areas and always watch where you're
going. Being distracted by your phone or Blackberry lets down your
guard and thus makes you more vulnerable to surprise attacks. Ditto
being weighed down with a bunch of shopping bags or looking through
your purse. Have your keys ready!<br />
<br /><br />
<br />
The vast majority of men out there are good, decent people. Even
so, we need to be aware of the ones that aren't. Stay safe, ladies.<br />
<br /><br />
<br />
For more information, visit http://www.rainn.org/.<br />
<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08386976018010666733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8064460408279445764.post-48742535138557103712013-07-16T20:47:00.000-05:002013-07-16T20:47:06.142-05:00Credit Counseling/Debt Settlement Scams To Steer Clear Of
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT9NaQKqVXJV_lPWJQHGIsw1p3HhIGNZ70Nc5DioQfBEtBqjLoruFdNze_67aO5qgRSfBVKSlJK47R6wx2-KTT_Z5jJnxbjyW_ch67kkErcrL29BhyfAxHOaeVREfxviVrUfBBfTPq6Ig/s1600/112_2545708.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT9NaQKqVXJV_lPWJQHGIsw1p3HhIGNZ70Nc5DioQfBEtBqjLoruFdNze_67aO5qgRSfBVKSlJK47R6wx2-KTT_Z5jJnxbjyW_ch67kkErcrL29BhyfAxHOaeVREfxviVrUfBBfTPq6Ig/s320/112_2545708.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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About ten years ago, I
found myself in severe credit card debt. I was young and didn't have
a proper understanding on how to use credit responsibly, but a big
part of the problem came when I lost my job in 2002 and had to live
off of my cards for several months. I took a commission sales job
because I could not find anything else and was not reimbursed for any
of my expenses. By the time I got a decently-paying job, I'd already
gotten to the point where my accounts were frozen and collection
agencies had me on speed dial. I turned to a debt settlement agency
that promised to be able to negotiate with my creditors so that I
would end up paying less than what I really owed. By the time I
realized that my fees were going nowhere and that I'd been 'taken for
a ride', I had no other option but Chapter 7 bankruptcy. While
bankruptcy turned out to be much better than I thought it would be,
here are some agency warning signs I wish I'd known about.
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-This may seem obvious,
but steer clear of an agency that is reluctant to give you a business
name and address. 'Scammish' companies usually don't give these so
they can avoid being detected by law enforcement and other 'watchdog'
agencies.
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-If an agency claims to
be able to get you out of debt 'quickly and easily', think twice.
There is nothing 'quick' or 'easy' about getting out of debt; it
takes significant changes to your spending habits as well as strict
budgets and proper understanding of credit. If you're promised a
'quick fix' to your credit problems, steer clear.</div>
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-If a company claims to
be able to remove bankruptcies or negative information from your
credit report, walk away. It's one thing if the information is false
or the result of identity theft, but things that are true and
legitimate cannot be removed from a credit report. There may be an
'expiration date' (10 years for Chapter 7, 7 for Chapter 13) for
certain information, but there is no <i>legal</i> way to remove it.
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-Consider the fees an
agency charges, if any. If they are too high for you or are called
'voluntary contributions', steer clear. Also, some states do not
allow agencies to charge for their services <i>at all; </i><span style="font-style: normal;">North
Carolina (where I lived at the time) is one of those states. Check
the laws in your state. </span>
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-If they claim they can
lower your balance or payments by a significant margin, be wary. This
is rarely, if ever, true.
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-Reputable agencies
will never insist on an immediate decision or claim to be able to
give you advice over the phone. Instead, they will sit down with you
to discuss <i>your particular situation</i> and give you tailored
advice. They will also give you time to think about your needs and
check out other companies. You don't want to wait <i>too</i> long
because issues like these are time-sensitive, but you should never
feel as though you have to decide right away.
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These are tough times
we live in; the bleak outlook many of us have regarding our finances
can make us 'easy prey' for scammers. Most credit counseling agencies
are 'kosher' and are really there to help people get out of debt.
However, it helps to know what to look for when it comes to those
that aren't. </div>
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For more information, visit http://www.bbb.org/us/article/tips-on-choosing-a-credit-counseling-agency-6104 </div>
Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912049736452418388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8064460408279445764.post-13270331710971216042013-07-05T20:45:00.001-05:002013-07-05T20:45:32.893-05:00Songs For Your Long-Distance Love
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As you've probably guessed, I love music. There's just something
about hearing what you're thinking put to a tune that makes you feel
'understood'. In addition to the romantic and mother-child love songs
I've mentioned before, I thought I'd share some of my favorite
'long-distance love songs'.
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What's a 'long distance love song'? I'm defining it as a song that
you can dedicate/send to your partner when s/he is far away. Also, a
'long-distance love song' can help you feel better during those
nights when you notice their absence the most. I'm sure we can all
relate.
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I first heard this Blue October song in the grocery store, of all
places! It's such an upbeat song that it can make you smile and tear
up at the same time. Here's the lead up and chorus:<br />
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Expect me to be calling you to see/if you're okay when I'm not
around<br />
Asking if you love me/I love the way you make it sound<br />
...<br />
And I will keep calling you to see<br />
If you're sleeping, are you dreaming/if you're dreaming, are you
dreaming of me<br />
I can't believe/you actually picked me<br />
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You can read and hear the rest here:
<a href="http://www.lyrics.com/calling-you-lyrics-blue-october.html#">http://www.lyrics.com/calling-you-lyrics-blue-october.html#</a><br />
The video makes it look like it's from a father to a child, but I
think it works or romantic love as well. One lady said her boyfriend
sent her this song while he was in Iraq. Very sweet!<br />
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When my husband and I started dating, he lived over 400 miles
away. During the times I drove to see him, this song from Three Doors
Down helped me a lot.<br />
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I'm here without you, baby/but you're still on my lonely mind<br />
I think about you, baby/and I dream about you all the time<br />
I'm here without you, baby/but you're still with me in my dreams<br />
And tonight, it's only you and me<br />
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I think it's pretty obvious why I liked it. :) You can read and
hear the rest here:
<a href="http://www.lyrics.com/here-without-you-lyrics-3-doors-down.html#">http://www.lyrics.com/here-without-you-lyrics-3-doors-down.html#</a><br />
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Anyone who listened to 'hair metal'
<a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HairMetal" target="_blank">'Hair Metal'</a> in the 80s (wow, dating myself here!) can agree that Mötley Crüe
isn't exactly known for their love ballads. That's part of what makes
their song, 'Home Sweet Home' stand out-
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I know I'm a dreamer/ but my heart's of gold<br />
I've had to run away high/so I wouldn't come home low<br />
'Just when things went right'/doesn't mean they're always wrong<br />
Just take this song and you'll never feel left all alone<br />
Take me to your heart/Baby in your bones<br />
Just one more night and I'm comin' off this long winding road<br />
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You can hear and read the rest here:
<a href="http://www.lyrics.com/home-sweet-home-lyrics-mtley-cre.html">http://www.lyrics.com/home-sweet-home-lyrics-mtley-cre.html</a>#<br />
Even if you're not a fan of the group, it's worth a listen.
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To put another twist on the 'I miss you' tip, here's an R&B
song by Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown. I like this one because it's a
duet, so it speaks from both sides. This one doesn't appear to be
about a long-distance relationship so much as a breakup that was
brought on because one person had to go away, but I could be wrong. Here's part of the
chorus:<br />
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Tell me how I'm supposed to breathe with no air<br />
Can't live, can't breathe with no air<br />
It's how I feel whenever you ain't there<br />
It's no air, no air<br />
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You can hear and read the rest here:<br />
<a href="http://www.lyrics.com/no-air-lyrics-jordin-sparks.html#">http://www.lyrics.com/no-air-lyrics-jordin-sparks.html#</a><br />
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Are there any songs that are particularly meaningful to you?
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Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912049736452418388noreply@blogger.com0