Women

kirtsy-Popular Stories
Hilarious Banner Ad for Pringles

saraolive

6 Nov 2009 | 7:53 pm

Bet you can't stop clicking!30 Vote(s)
10 Things Indie Musicians Do That Make People Hate Indie

yugosakimi

6 Nov 2009 | 7:53 pm

Indie rock is one of the most loved, and most hated, music genres out there. The conundrum is that even though there are plenty of good indie bands, there are also people who have good taste in music, but still hate indie. Here are 10 possible reaso24 Vote(s)
such a delightful project, it makes my head spin. {that's a good. a very good.}

kareym

6 Nov 2009 | 5:50 pm

because there are so many variations of this one. and it's timely. and recyclish. and i found it via design crush. i don't know why that's relevant, but it makes it sound even cooler, doesn't it? of course it does. enjoy. and xoxo.37 Vote(s)
Have you met these fabulous, gorgeous Truffle Girls?! The Sweeterie is perfection.

barchbo

6 Nov 2009 | 3:55 pm

The Sweeterie totally perfect. Go look. Now. Seriously. Love.34 Vote(s)
This is A Seriously Fantastic Idea...

joslyn

6 Nov 2009 | 3:01 pm

and I fully plan to steal it. You should too!66 Vote(s)

iVillage Today
3 Holiday Tables, 23 New Ideas

You don't have to spend a lot to set a beautiful holiday table. Weave fun, inexpensive accessories into your tabletop to create a unique display for each occasion from Thanksgiving through New Years. Here are three seasonal table ideas and 23 products to inspire you.
5 Steps to Fight Chronic Fatigue

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) can leave you feeling unmotivated and devoid of energy. However, there are several steps you can take in everyday life to combat your fatigue and regain your energy.
Decorating Like a Mad Man

Classic'60s style is making a comeback, thanks in part to the popularity of the Mad Men television series. If you're falling for Don Draper's sofa or bedroom set, there are some easy ways you can get the same look in your own home, says decorating expert and blogger Susanna Salk.
Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius Answers iVillage Questions

Last week, we received hundreds of questions on health-care reform. Now, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius responds to the issues you raised, such as insurance company reform, maternity leave and prescription coverage.
Not in My Bag: 7 Worst Halloween Treats

Got strong opinions on your Halloween candy consumption? Folks from the iVillage community (and one well-known celeb chef) weighed in on the Halloween treats that made them cringe as kids.

Strong Girls
The Power of Words!

Dr. Janet Rose

28 Oct 2009 | 7:45 pm

I was reviewing student achievement literature the other day and was reminded of an astonishing piece of information. Did you know that one of the main differences in children being ready to learn in kindergarten is the number of words that they know when they start? Children who fair the best at school enter kindergarten knowing around 20,000 words. Those who do not do so well enter school with a vocabulary of only about 5,000 words.What does that tell us as parents? It tells us that how we speak to our children greatly influences their future success in school. By engaging our children in…
High-Achieving Women Discuss Resisting the Pressure to Be Perfect

Dr. Janet Rose

20 Oct 2009 | 6:53 pm

I received an email today about an amazing event that took place on October 13th in the Big Apple!Girls Incorporated,a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold, hosted a panel discussion on girls, women, and stress in New York City. This event brought together women leaders in the areas of business, media, and health and wellness to discuss how this issue is a factor in their lives, their stress management strategies, and helping the next generation of women leaders navigate these pressures.This was a great gathering of amazing women. Please take…
Hear The Seven Secrets on WomenSpeak.com

Dr. Janet Rose

19 Oct 2009 | 7:48 am

I had the great opportunity to speak with Dr. Nancy O'Reilly from WomenSpeak.com for inclusion on Webtalkradio.net. We spoke about the messages sent our girls about being female, the effect of media messages on our girls , my research and the Seven Secrets of Parenting Girls. We had a stimulating discussion and I would love to share it with you. You can tune in right now and listen to that broadcast on WebTalk Radio! Just go to WomenSpeak.com and scroll down to Timeless Women Raise Strong Girls. The broadcast is archived so you can pass it on to your friends and family!Give it a listen and…
A Chance Meeting With a Strong Girl!

Dr. Janet Rose

18 Oct 2009 | 4:04 pm

I stopped at a diner in a rural area of Ohio today while spending the day enjoying the leaves and the covered bridges in that area. When ordering my lunch I was fortunate to meet, Macie, my waitress. She was a young girl, pregnant and very friendly. I asked her about the area and what there was to do there. She quickly replied "Not a thing". This response prompted me to ask her if she had plans to leave the area. She said she did but she had to finish high school first. She said she was seventeen and a senior, currently finishing her last year through home schooling. I asked her if she was…
Strong Girls Needed in Congress!!!

Dr. Janet Rose

15 Oct 2009 | 5:35 pm

I read an interesting article the other day about gender bias in insurance coverage. Findings by the National Women's Law Center revealed some troubling facts. Did you know that in eight states, plus the District of Columbia, it's legal for insurance companies to deny health coverage to women victimized by domestic violence?Did you also know that women who buy insurance in the private market pay as much as 50 percent more than men! These insurance companies ague that women should pay more because they cost more, especially during childbearing years! It seems to me that men have a little…

A.R. and Proud
Work It Out (At Home)

missburrows (Lia Hollander)

3 Nov 2009 | 3:00 pm

While I have found some classes at the gym that I like (kickboxing, Zumba), they don't tend to run when I want to exercise (6:45 am), and getting to the gym, getting changed, etc. wastes 30 minutes. So I like to exercise at home. The trick to exercising at home is variety. (Actually, that's the trick to exercising in general.)So, for you, dear readers. 5 Fabulous Exercise DVD Resources:1. Collage VideoHands down, the best workout video resource I have ever seen. They have reviews, they have clips, they have everything. If the DVD you want isn't on their list, it's not worth doing.2.
I.D. Yourself

missburrows (Lia Hollander)

29 Oct 2009 | 4:55 pm

You are out there hiking, biking, rowing, walking. Feeling the sun, rain, wind, snow in your face. But what happens if (god forbid) something happened to you? Would anyone know who you were? Or about your medical condition?Well, then you need a RoadID. It's a stainless steel ID that is engraved with your contact info and then attached to a bracelet or shoe tag. Pictures here.(Gosh, this sounds like a commercial.) I've had mine for over 7 years now, and I love it. It's inexpensive, it makes me feel safer, and it lets me leave my driver's license at home.Please consider getting one for…
Do the Math

missburrows (Lia Hollander)

26 Oct 2009 | 3:57 pm

So, I've been exercising and eating consciously for 5 months. Yes, it's nice that I am now a size 12, yes it's nice to fit in my wedding dress again, yes, it's nice to day dream about buying a bikini. But none of that is really important. What is? The fact that I am actually healthier.Because I am a Type 1 Diabetic, there are stringent cholesterol numbers I am supposed to aim for.So, in the past 5 months, my total cholesterol has dropped 37 points, my HDL has gone up 6 (this is a good thing), and my LDL has gone down 19 points. My numbers are now all below (or in the case of HDL) higher than…
Tell the Truth

missburrows (Lia Hollander)

19 Oct 2009 | 10:42 am

From time to time, I get requests from companies to try their products and then blog about it. I usually pass, because I wouldn't normally use the item they are hawking, and I don't want to be beholden to anyone (but myself). So when Katie Lewis of Rocket XL contacted me about Vaseline's new Sheer Infusion with Stratys 3 body lotion, I was going to say, "No Thank You." But then I realized that I was almost out of the current lotion I bought at Costco 6 years ago (I'm not even kidding). Katie assured me that Vaseline was only interested in brutally honest reviews of their product. So I said…
Pass On Your Prose

missburrows (Lia Hollander)

15 Oct 2009 | 10:06 am

When I packed books for our honeymoon in Europe, I vastly underestimated how many I would need. After plowing through all of them in the first week, I was craving books, and craving English.When we got to Hotel Reutemann in Lindau, Germany, we asked the concierge if they had a book exchange area. He pointed to a wooden chest behind us. And in it I found Margaret Atwood's, The Handmaid's Tale, IN ENGLISH! I snacked that book up so quickly!It was the only book in English I had for the next two weeks. The other hotel's book exchanges were empty.So when we went to the Czech Republic 5 years ago,…

Okay, Fine, Dammit
Your last post (A love letter, on your birthday)

maggie, dammit

29 Oct 2009 | 7:01 am

I don’t know exactly when I stopped writing about you. It feels like it’s been a long time, though it’s not like I ever made it official… it was just an instinct I followed, a dog with my nose hovering a half inch above the ground. I could probably go back through these archives and pinpoint just when, but I never do that and I don’t feel like doing that today. I’d rather sit right here at the kitchen table, steeping in the sweet wake you left when you gushed out of here this morning, a blur of freckles and elbows and anticipation. On your tenth birthday. I know that I used to…
TSA took my baby, @mybottlesup, and the trigger happy Internet

maggie, dammit

17 Oct 2009 | 9:30 am

I was away from Twitter yesterday, or I probably would have re-tweeted it, too; Nic from My Bottle’s Up and her terrifying account of TSA agents separating her from her baby in the name of security. I logged on this morning, read Nic’s post, and expressed my sympathy for what she had endured. I believed her; partly because I’ve come to think of her as an Internet friend, and partly because I’ve been through something similar at the airport with my own children. Within seconds of my supportive tweet I received several DM’s alerting me to the rest of the…
Here it comes.

maggie, dammit

6 Oct 2009 | 6:25 pm

My computer cursor pounds, a telltale Hitchcock heartbeat, an unavoidable thudding, a steady command. I think about what I could be getting away with, and yet I can’t make myself peck it out. It’s never been this hard for me before, this weird, this arrhythmic. This jagged of a fucked up atrial beat, the writing, the words, the weather, the turn. I know this place. This is that awful purgatory, one leg straddling each side, that space in time when I know where I have to go but these feet won’t listen. I stop stuck and there’s this tiny smidgen inside that still…
Forgive me, blogosphere, for I have sinned

maggie, dammit

6 Oct 2009 | 7:42 am

It has been sixteen days since my last post. I’ve let emails pile up and left all kinds of messages unanswered. I’ve only glanced at my feed reader on occasion from my phone, in between interviews here or on the way to a wedding there. Basically, I’m out of the loop–but normally, this would not be breaking news. I’ve always told myself there’s nothing that can’t wait, that the world will not disappear if I look away from it for a while, but the truth is there are people doing amazing things out there every day–and I feel like this time…
Class Reunion

maggie, dammit

20 Sep 2009 | 3:09 pm

I am wearing a girdle. We are in the truck and I can barely move, each bump of the struts forcing my internal organs to spoon. It’s ridiculous, really, that I would wedge myself into this modern version of that old sadistic contraption, my hip and belly fat now resting uncomfortably near my neck. It’s ridiculous because I see so many of these people, these gentle people, pretty regularly on a day-to-day basis. It’s not like I traveled far beyond my bittersweet sticky hometown in the first place. It’s not like they don’t know what I look like now, how much older, thicker, quieter…

DivineCaroline Home Page
Are Chiropractors Safe? The Bare Bones

Molly Mann

6 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm

"Snap! Crackle! Pop!" No, it's not your morning cere...
The Best Running Surfaces: Why What's Underfoot Matters

Allison Ford

6 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm

Most people consider running a pretty easy sport to get into. You lace...
Beyond Brushing: Fifteen Creative Uses for Toothpaste

Zana Faulkner

6 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm

Toothpaste: it whitens, brightens, deodorizes, removes stains, and res...
You Are the Center of the Universe

Danielle LaPorte

6 Nov 2009 | 3:18 pm

Part Two of a two part exercise that began with considering that &ldqu...
Choices

Sharon DeLoach

6 Nov 2009 | 3:03 pm

I have choices, but I choose to love and care. I have choices, so I&rs...

Photostream from Daylife

iambossy.com
Dear Bossy’s Son, Bossy Can Finally Tell You About This Close Call. Heck, Let’s Make It A Giveaway

BOSSY

6 Nov 2009 | 6:02 am

Meet Bossy’s new cat! Almost. It all began innocently enough one day a few weeks ago, when Bossy spied a white cat outside her dining room window. Fast forward a few days when this very cat found its way up on Bossy’s front porch. The first thing Bossy did was notice its little tag on its little collar, so she phoned the little number. And when she says she phoned the number she means she made her husband do it. And guess what? The number was disconnected, and there was no other information on the cat’s collar, except a name: Snow Flake. The next thing Bossy did was fall in…
Bossy’s Favorite Things

BOSSY

6 Nov 2009 | 4:54 am

Bossy has made a fuss before — right here in these very pages that aren’t pages at all and gah just how unsettling is that — about how lucky Bossy’s daughter is to have all of these cool Aunts who aren’t really Aunts but rather Bossy’s best grrrlfriends. Well here is just another example: one night last week, as Bossy’s brother and Bossy’s husband and the rest of their rock band rehearsed in the Bossy pergatory basement for a few upcoming shows, Bossy and her mother and her friend Martha were upstairs drinking Cabernet while Bossy’s…
Yet Another Little Known Fact

BOSSY

6 Nov 2009 | 4:52 am

A few weeks ago, when Bossy was tackling her New Year’s resolution in time to break new ones, Bossy came across this Mother’s Day card from her daughter. It must be four years old at least since Bossy is described as an Interior Decorator, but some things never change. And about that, do you think the other nine-year-olds described their mothers as wine drinkers? And Bossy inadvertently cut off her favorite line, the last. Because apparently Bossy is a Go practice violin articulator.
Bossy’s Ear Worm

BOSSY

5 Nov 2009 | 3:11 pm

Welcome to Bossy’s Ear Worm, which features songs currently in Bossy’s headphones. Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. Air, Cherry Blossom Girl. Sometimes Bossy can’t even believe when a song so perfectly suited to her taste manages to elude her. Such is the case with this tune off of French duo Air’s 2004 record, Talkie Walkie. It’s reminiscent of the airy moody stuff by artists such as Zero 7 and Esthero and even Frou Frou — and why all the sudden does Bossy feel as though she’s typing with marbles in her mouth? In…
Bossy’s Favorite Thing

BOSSY

5 Nov 2009 | 4:47 am

Watching Bossy’s sports teams in a big pile of friends and family. It was a good run, Phillies, thanks.

The Personal News Network
Question of the Day - Cereal

6 Nov 2009 | 6:48 am

(Today's Question was a special request from dgenemore - she was very curious as to all of your answers.)My mom is one of the few people I know who enjoys soggy cereal. Her usual routine is to mix a little granola with whatever cereal she is having, pour the milk and then walk away from the bowl for awhile.My dad likes to mix as many cereals as humanly possible. He says this is to use up that last little bit that is in each box. My mom calls him a martyr.Question of the Day: What is your favorite cereal?I opened up a box of cereal and a vote for Writergrrl fell out. Funny how these things…
Skinny

5 Nov 2009 | 6:07 pm

Although I don't personally recommend this to anyone -- go have your tonsils removed with red hot pliers, it'd be more fun -- one unintended benefit of a sick-for-nearly-three-weeks family is that I have lost quite a bit of weight. Maybe as much as eight pounds. When you're feeling awful and your kids are feeling awful and there's nothing to eat in the house, it's just more fun to go to bed hungry than to actually fix something to eat. I'm not really sure what my kids ate the last couple of weeks; they all look healthy enough.Anyway, I am now able to fit into a pair of pants…
Scratch Cooking November 4th

4 Nov 2009 | 6:04 pm

Last night I went to the first night of the Second Annual Great Bliss festival featuring the Honorable Lama Marut. It was just what I needed to get some perspective after a mighty stressful day of work. There is nothing like listening to a Buddhist teacher to remind you of what matters and what doesn't.Through my communications company, I am working on a TV show on Planet Green called Wa$ted, getting all their eco-friendly products for them this season. It's fun but tv production time lines are CRAZY! So yesterday was lots of scrambling around to get stuff for 2 episodes that…
Soy joy!

3 Nov 2009 | 2:13 pm

Less calories than a pumpkin pie, these stylish handmade soy candles come in several "flavors," and I'm enjoying making the transition to fall in my place by using them.Inhale, exhale. Aaaah.http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21031303&ref=cat1_gallery_12What are you doing to embrace the season?
If you were a household appliance ...

3 Nov 2009 | 7:26 am

Are you familiar with the term 'head fake'?A 'head fake' teaches people things they don't realize they're learning until well into the process. If you're a head fake specialist, your hidden objective is to get others to learn something you want them to learn before they're able to get in the way of the learning.The 'head fake' technique is also very valuable when doing inner emotional and/or spiritual work ... it often allows the 'a-ha' realization to surface before the mind has a chance to rationalize, manipulate or block it.I was thinking that our work on Authenticity might be a good place…

wowOwow | The Women on the Web
From Blah to Bold (Photos)

6 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

Create the ultimate smoky eye following these steps by celebrity makeup artist Sue Devitt — and then count the number of heads that turn!Style | Today 12:00 amAu naturel is always charming. But — and there is a but — even on the most beautiful woman, a simply dressed lip often isn’t enough to complement a glamorous outfit. So, the next time you’re attending a gala, dinner party or black-tie event, try this classic, sophisticated and sexy eye look from celebrity makeup artist Sue Devitt. We bet you’ll lose track counting the number of heads that turn when…
Liz Peek: Obama Deaf to Election Warning But May Get Bailed Out

6 Nov 2009 | 9:45 am

As bad as the recent jobs report is, the president is likely to receive some good news over the next several months …Wall Street Weekly | 11/06/2009 11:45 am Bears, Bulls, Chickens and Pigs: wOw’s Wall Street Weekly with Liz Peek (Week of 11/2) Editor’s Note: Liz Peek is a financial columnist. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the unemployment rate rose from 9.8% to 10.2% in October, the highest level since 1983. Job losses were primarily in construction, manufacturing and retail, and were worse than expected. This is not good news; the terrible job market clearly weighs…
Liz Smith: The 25 Faces of Anna Deavere Smith

6 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

And more from Our Gossip Girl: Is Oscar gleaming for Hal Holbrook? And Margaux Hemingway’s tragic life headed for screenThe Liz Smith Column | 11/06/2009 5:00 am"What do I consider is good for gossip? It depends on the year. One year – Mariah Carey was the gift that kept on giving. Another year, it was Lindsay Lohan. Then Britney Spears. One year it was Michael Jackson. If you look at any of the great train wrecks, just before it gets really messy, they are the gift that keeps on giving." So opined the former gossip writer and current novelist Paula Froelich. *** Many of you…
Dining room table? Fur coat? A new house? What was your first 'adult' purchase?

6 Nov 2009 | 12:00 am

Mary Wells, Candice Bergen, Sheila Nevins, Joan Ganz Cooney and Liz Smith share the monetary moment they felt adultQuestion of the Day | 11/06/2009 2:00 amLiz Smith | 11/06/2009 12:00 amLiz Smith's Most Popular Purchase It was in the ’50s. I was living on the Upper West Side with a number of young ladies who were in the same boat with me ...
Liz Smith Addresses Michael Jackson Movie Rumors (Video)

5 Nov 2009 | 10:30 pm

Our Grande Dame of Dish sifts through the whispersLips & Ears | 11/06/2009 12:30 am "This Is It" has spurred so many rumors. From a Michael Jackson body double to astronomical ticket sales, Our Gossip Girl has the scoop. Watch:

It's Different For Girls
Halloween Twitter Story Telling Game

LindaSherman

30 Oct 2009 | 7:21 pm

What are you doing for Halloween? Here’s a twitter story telling event called cthalloween to add to your fun. This collaborative game was created by the great social media story teller: Jay Bushman. Come help create a living Halloween story. My interview of Jay Bushman, captured at Digital Hollywood Oct 21 How To Play Step 1: Follow the Twitter account @cthalloween. Step 2: Pick one of the four character types presented on the game website to portray yourself on Halloween: The Questing Professor, The Tormented Artist, The Suspicious Citizen, or The Gibbering Cultist. If you’re…
Twitter Tips from Twitter Pros

LindaSherman

12 Oct 2009 | 5:44 pm

Learn how to Twitter from pros who use Twitter and other social media tools successfully in their business and their personal lives. This video collection of insights from smart people who have been using Twitter for years will help you get started in the right direction. Their concise, key Twitter tips are useful for beginners but they are also great reminders, and perhaps wake-up calls, to Twitter veterans on how to use Twitter for business or pleasure effectively. Basic Twitter Tips from Leading Twitterati Women. Interview by Linda Sherman, Video by Ray Gordon Filmed at 140 The Twitter…
Building a Local Social Media Network for LA

LindaSherman

9 Sep 2009 | 11:36 am

There are no borders to social media but sometimes it’s important to build a database of key influencers in your city. In the vibrant Los Angeles scene, it may be difficult to decide who the “coolest kids” are but one thing is for sure, we have many of them. This article gives hints on finding them on and off line. I recently shouted out a list of who I hoped would show up at the August 27, Digital LA poolside event. I tweeted a page’s worth of twitter names of outstanding people I’ve met at various tech/entertainment industry related networking events in LA. As…
Take Responsibility for Your Fitness

LindaSherman

23 Aug 2009 | 5:42 pm

Time magazine’s cover story “The Myth About Exercise” made me mad. It looked like an irresponsible marketing ploy to sell newsstand copies. The Time article sends absolutely the wrong message to Americans who should take responsibility to do as much as they can to create and maintain good health. In this case, the magazine’s actions are detrimental both to individuals and our costly American health care system. I was grateful for the LA Times response and accompanying comments from readers. GrandpaG’s was one of my favorites: I just finished reading the Time…
Online Community Leads to Offline Fireworks

LindaSherman

5 Jul 2009 | 2:23 pm

We were talking about online personal branding last night. The beautiful fireworks display had just ended. Everyone had enjoyed the food and drink we brought to share. Fireworks view from Julie Spira’s rooftop terrace in Marina Del Rey Julie Spira and I were explaining the value of a Google profile to a few of the party guests. Someone asked, ‘Why would I want to be more visible on the internet?’ The answer is: because you are already there - whether you like it or not. A profile you create yourself offers a free and easy way to represent yourself more accurately. (For more…

Women Wired In
Women Wired Tweet LiveStream for 2009-10-28

digitalsista

28 Oct 2009 | 12:33 am

RT @swhitley: I just left a comment on Twitter Connect Update & Post Comments to Twitter at Shannon Whitley – http://is.gd/4FmiE # RT @jdcoffman: Quick video of Soleil Moon Frye (@moonfrye formerly known as Punky Brewster) at #140conf today http://bit.ly/4wgceh # u should have been on that panel @christinelu if any1 sees @jeffpulver ask if he's [...]
Women Wired Tweet LiveStream for 2009-10-26

digitalsista

26 Oct 2009 | 12:33 am

loved your take on gaming & #wmn r/t @nattylux Great job at #blogpotomac. Thanks for coming!! # @BlogPotomac Wake audio from many of your tweeps & #soicalmedia friends http://bit.ly/bpWake #bpwake via @nooneyouknow # @sukifuller you were missed at the last #blogpotomac esp. during #bpwake # r/t @theory143 have U seen this? @turnstonetweets feature on #tech /science girl stars [...]
Women Wired Tweet LiveStream for 2009-10-25

digitalsista

25 Oct 2009 | 12:33 am

r/t @IsCool Back on live #PopTech: Watch The Conference Live http://ow.ly/wnM2 # hey gang I will miss you all today it's pouring @jillfoster @jessiex @scottstead @jonnygoldstein #dctweetup # @lauriewrites have you seen the #socialmedia landscape or conversation prism you would really be confused. in reply to lauriewrites # @nakeva that means I should see you for #shesgeekydc right! [...]
Women Wired Tweet LiveStream for 2009-10-24

digitalsista

24 Oct 2009 | 12:33 am

RT @ghbrett: some photos from #BlogPotomac online now at http://bit.ly/Cump6 # will do my #ff and #women2follow tomorrow 2 tired to do anything tonight but thanks to everyone for #FF luv! # RT @GeoffLiving: Thk u 2 every1 who has made #BlogPotomac such a moving, community building event. Go forth & continue 2 do great things # RT [...]
Women Wired Tweet LiveStream for 2009-10-23

digitalsista

23 Oct 2009 | 12:33 am

agree completely @FrankGruber re: must know that the next #socialmedia tool will have a different name but outcomes are the same #twtrcon # RT @tonia_ries: RT @floridagirlindc: What if we could geolocate volunteer opportunities 4 ppl 2 make a difference w/ their downtime #twtrcon # can't wait for launch! RT @WomenWhoTech: Barely got anything accomplished that I [...]

Learned On Women by Andrea Learned
Bridging Gender, Consumer Behavior & Social Responsibility

Andrea

3 Nov 2009 | 7:00 am

A few trends are aligning that have already and individually been making a difference in the world of marketing. They have to do with consumer gender, corporate responsibility and values-based humans (as consumers and employees). While addressing these will be challenging for marketers, I believe it will be worth it. What those trends represent is likely to be the most rewarding business and cultural shift we’ll experience in our lifetimes. The separate trends I see now combining to cause that shift include: 1) A new perspective on gender, and how it influences consumer behavior.
Open Your Feminine Mind To The Power of Sustainability

Andrea

28 Oct 2009 | 8:36 am

What if I told you that one of the most successful converts from traditional manufacturing to sustainable manufacturing had a big clue for you? Would your brand take an interest in more seriously committing to a sustainable business approach? One more question: what if changing your ways had to do with moving your mind toward its more feminine sensibilities? Here’s what that convert, Ray C. Anderson, Founder and Chairman of Interface (and well-known sustainability proponent) writes of male/female, left/right brain thinking in the afterword to his book, Mid-course Correction (in…
Consumer Gender and Corporate Social Responsibility

Andrea

14 Oct 2009 | 8:54 am

Since about 2001, this marketing to women path I’ve been on has been an interesting ride. Where I expected to get more and more focused on the ‘business” end, I have instead gone broader and broader with the “whys” of gendered consumer behavior. If I think about my background and life experiences, it makes sense. I never take the direct route or explore the front and center. As I suggested in my most recent newsletter article* – my “focus” tends to be the out-of-focus, or the peripheral. While it can be easily missed, what’s coming…
Random Notes: Gender/VCs, Parenting Teens, Eco-Invites

Andrea

9 Oct 2009 | 8:04 am

1) Businessweek recently posted an interesting piece by Jeff Bussgang (note: male perspective) on gender and leadership in the VC realm. In it, he offered up several ways to look at sexism in that field – which then launched some engaging discussion in the comments (and yes, I added my two cents). Bussgang closes with this wise observation: I guess when you have a clubby, tightly-woven, self-perpetuating network, it’s hard for women to break in. It’s a stubborn phenomenon, but I hope we can figure out how to correct it. Otherwise, our industry is tragically losing out on 50%…
VPR Commentary: The Rise of the Citizen Consumer

Andrea

6 Oct 2009 | 9:45 am

I was inspired by a recent Time magazine article to consider the new power of the “citizen consumer ” in my October 5th VPR Commentary. I celebrate this new responsibility revolution in my own buying, but I’d also suggest that marketers take heed. The way a person makes purchase decisions is influenced by much more than price these days. A few of the things I say: The key point I took from the survey included in the [Time magazine] article was that consumers are starting to look at provenance: where the products come from and how they get to the marketplace. The consuming…

Strong, Light and Beautiful™
Bicycling Basics - Class at Stanford

SLaB

13 Oct 2009 | 1:05 pm

I have the privilege of helping teach the first of a multi night class at Stanford University for their "Health Improvement Program" aka HIP! If you are wanting to help introduce a super beginner into the bike world... via commuting, fitness, sport or otherwise... this is a great place to start. Classroom on campus - see details at this registration page: http://hip.stanford.edu/ October
Handcycle success!

SLaB

3 Oct 2009 | 4:15 pm

Now my recovery is rejuvinated and sanity is saved.
5 weeks today - post surgery

SLaB

1 Oct 2009 | 10:55 am

Jolly Green Giant FootHey all - I haven't been blogging as I sorta like to stay positive in this blog - and everyday I have a challenging hour or 2 or 3. Have a whole new respect for wheelchair bound folks and lips of cement on a sidewalk. Crutches, casts, and the ability to get something from the kitchen, then bring it to my desk. Either I'm kicking something along the floor... or I switch to a
Davis Byrne in SF - long time bicycle advocate

SLaB

29 Sep 2009 | 1:23 pm

http://www.ecovelo.info/2009/09/29/david-byrne-in-san-francisco-tonight/• Sent from my high tech portable gadget •
Healing and patience and Interbike blues

SLaB

19 Sep 2009 | 1:25 pm

Just past the half way point in my 6 weeks of no weight baring life. Healing from this surgery I knew would be trying... and today I'm tired of needing help for everything. Immobility is a new thing - started early in the year with lots and lots of pain in my left ankle anytime I wanted to walk, jog, hike... press down hard on my left peddle while riding my bike. Physical therapy only mobilized

The WIP: Byline portal + WIP Contibutors
Patent Lies: Who Says Saving the Planet Has To Cost a Fortune

6 Nov 2009 | 12:26 am

by Juliane von Reppert-Bismarck, Spiegel Online, Germany - When the host of a party predicts a flop, it rarely inspires much confidence in a good bash. With just over a month to go before international climate talks start in Copenhagen,
Africa's Diamond Trade Under Scrutiny

6 Nov 2009 | 12:22 am

by Celia Dugger, New York Times, - The viability of an effort endorsed by the United Nations to halt the trading of so-called blood diamonds that have fueled conflicts across Africa is on the line this week, and the test case is Zimbabwe.
Europe's Quiet Leader

6 Nov 2009 | 12:11 am

by Anne Applebaum, The Washington Post, USA - Did you know that there were elections in Germany a month ago? Were you aware that the German Socialists were soundly defeated?
Art Imitating Life: Berlin Through the Eyes of Käthe Kollwitz

6 Nov 2009 | 12:00 am

by Brittany Shoot - Denmark - Kollowitz's sculpture, Pietá. Photograph courtesy of Wikipedia Commons.This year marks the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Celebrations for the historic occasion have been planned for months, and next week, Angela Merkel – Germany’s first and now second-term female chancellor – will lead festivities at the historic Brandenburg Gate. The massive symbolic structure, which was previously located in East Berlin, was the site of Ronald Reagan’s famous speech to Mikhail Gorbachev in 1987, in which he instructed the former Soviet leader to…
Baghdad's Underground Shelters Help Iraqi Women Escape Violence and Abuse

5 Nov 2009 | 12:14 pm

by Anna Badkhen, Utne Reader, USA - On a bullet-scarred side street in Baghdad’s downtown, where U.S. Marines famously helped tear down the statue of Saddam Hussein in April of 2003, an inconspicuous entryway tucked between a steel-shuttered shop and a rickety candy stall leads to a flight of steep concrete stairs. Operated despite recurring death threats and lack of government support by a team of 35 Iraqi activists who call themselves the Organization of Women’s Freedom in Iraq (OWFI), the shelters offer a glint of hope for civil society.

EmpowHer - Women's Health Online
Rihanna’s own words: "Don't react out of love." The singer speaks out about Chris Brown, domestic abuse and healing

Diane Porter

5 Nov 2009 | 6:01 am

It was pretty hard to miss the Rihanna-Chris Brown story right from the start. Both stars were scheduled to appear at the Grammy Awards last February, and then both were no-shows. The news came out that they’d had a fight, he had allegedly hit her, and he’d been arrested. The picture released later of Rihanna showed a bruised and swollen face. And nearly overnight, she became the new “it” girl of domestic abuse: Will she press charges? Will she go back to him? Is he really sorry? Will he do it again? Will this affect her music? read more
H1N1 and being overweight: You are more at risk for swine flu complications, hospitalization

Diane Porter

4 Nov 2009 | 5:18 am

We’re learning as we go with this new flu. We already know how it attacks young children and pregnant women. But a study released today of the first 16 weeks of the H1N1 swine flu now shows a new, highly vulnerable population: People who are very overweight. read more
Pregnancy and H1N1: A primer on swine flu FAQs, the vaccine, your body and your baby

Diane Porter

3 Nov 2009 | 6:00 am

Here’s how worried the Centers for Disease Control is about the H1N1 flu in pregnant women: It is the very first thing you see on their home page, above all other diseases and conditions. Clicking on the words “H1N1 and pregnancy” takes you to a page filled with information. Prominently displayed in bold type is this caution: read more
H1N1: Swine flu deaths rise, as does the worry. When should you or your sick child go to an ER?

Diane Porter

2 Nov 2009 | 6:10 am

Buckle up. This is getting to be a really bumpy ride. As the H1N1 flu, also known as the swine flu, continues to spread through our schools and workplaces, conflicting information can almost paralyze us. We worry about the safety of the vaccine, especially for our children; but we worry more about the shortage of it. We listen to a sick child’s labored breathing, and wonder if she is better off at home or in the emergency room, surrounded by other sick people. The CDC announces a rise in H1N1 deaths, and all we can do is wash our hands some more. Here’s a roundup of the situation as it…
Gang-rape Victim Was Honors Student; 6th Arrest Made; A Friend Speaks Out; How You Can Help

Diane Porter

30 Oct 2009 | 6:38 am

She is a 15-year-old honors English student, attends church three times a week, and has a long-distance boyfriend. She chose a sparkly purple gown and silver shoes to wear to her homecoming dance, which she had looked forward to for weeks. She and close friend Kami Baker, 16, walked into the dance together, no doubt expecting a fun night filled with music and friends. read more

Totally Her, Totally Real - TotallyHer.com
Why Do We Eat Too Much?

Lores

6 Nov 2009 | 6:01 am

If you think that the only reason you eat too much is that the food is simply too delicious to stop or that you just don't have self control, think again. Did you know that there are actual triggers to eating more than we should? Recognizing the triggers can help us gain some of our control and waist line!
The Prince & Me 3: Holiday Honeymoon | TV Movie Review

Sarah Eve

6 Nov 2009 | 6:00 am

Get into the holiday spirit early and watch The Prince & Me: Holiday Honeymoon on ABC Family throughout November. This is the 3rd installment of The Prince & Me movie series and keeps the fantasy of alive following Paige and Prince Edward now married celebrating their honeymoon vacation.
Making up Little Girls

Tzan

5 Nov 2009 | 6:01 am

With all the teen and preteen shows that are on television, in movies, and merchandised in stores, the market for more realistic makeup and beauty items has greatly increased. Store shelves are full of themed cosmetic items for such shows as Hannah Montana and High School Musical.
No Way: Froot Loops Labeled ‘Smart Choice’

Lores

5 Nov 2009 | 6:00 am

Have you noticed the new "Smart Choice" labels on some breakfast foods in the grocery store? Did you take note that Froot Loops bears that label? What nutritional value does sugar have?! The federal government is cracking down on some of these labels. The question is: shouldn't we consumers be able to simply figure it out on our own?
How to Avoid “Raccoon Eyes” When Applying Mascara

Denise

4 Nov 2009 | 5:01 am

Even the best beauty mavens have to deal with smudged mascara from time to time. These simple tricks can help you prevent the dreaded "racoon eye" look when you're trying to look your best.

Prospere Magazine
Culture Clashes with Parents and the Media

Admin

5 Nov 2009 | 11:00 pm

Movies have been dealing with culture clashes between immigrant parents and their new country raised children. The first talking picture, The Jazz Singer dealt with this very topic – a son of a Jewish cantor who wished to perform jazz. Several decades later, we got Bend it like Beckham and My Big Fat Greek Wedding. The parents are always portrayed as being old fashioned, while the child is innovative and worldly. But how real is that? Answer? It depends. Many people expect families of immigrants to be very regimental, strict, etc. You know, kids are restricted to certain…
Nepali: Women Helping Women

Admin

4 Nov 2009 | 11:00 pm

Inspired by Nepalese weavers and colourful fabrics, Michelle Baldwin and Michelle Taylor-Spearman of TDM Design Inc. launched their Nepali line in 2007. Featuring gorgeous hand-made scarves in exquisite colours, Nepali is the perfect accessory for any woman looking to make a statement. In addition, the scarves provide a sustainable income for marginalized women living in Nepal, helping them break the cycle of poverty. The weavers get above-market compensation, as well as access to healthcare and education for them and their families. Nepali scarves are made from natural…
Majken Polsen: Personal Trainer and Model

Admin

3 Nov 2009 | 11:00 pm

Born and raised in Denmark, Majken Polsen, a model and personal trainer, arrived in California as a 19 year old after graduating from business college. She did not intend to stay – it was meant to be a vacation/learning experience where she could “find herself.” Sixteen years later, Majken is still here. Majken has always been interested in sports. As a child, she was involved in gymnastics, where she toured across Europe. At the age of 10, she started running, at first, for only 10-15 minutes daily. As an adult, Majken started taking weight training seriously. …
Christmas in October? It’s TOO EARLY!

Admin

2 Nov 2009 | 11:00 pm

Last week, Prospere Magazine asked readers what they thought of the Christmas/holiday-related decorations stores put up BEFORE Halloween. Half of Prospere Magazine’s readers who participated (at exactly 50%), believe that any time before November 1 is much too early. 30% believe that earlier is okay – as long as it’s not too early (e.g. August). 10% of readers believed that having December-related holiday decorations up in October was NOT a good thing – our society, especially kids, are already bombarded with commercialism, so why do more? Another 10% were not…
Intimate Dinner or Clubbing?

Admin

2 Nov 2009 | 7:00 pm

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

jennster :o)
do you see what i see?

6 Nov 2009 | 11:46 am

great.. now i have that xmas song in my head..now you probably do too. halisten, i need to ask you something. so if you're in a feedreader, do me a favor and click on over! i've redecorated for fall. so can you see the falling leaves in the post? are they fucking up your computer, or is all well?just asking because while i love the falling leaves and think they are super fun... if they're messing with people's browsers or whatnot, then i'll take them off.can't have an unfunctioning blog!!!! dur.that's kind of all i have to say. i'm super interesting. heethere is a bunch of stuff i'd like to…
and so it begins...

5 Nov 2009 | 9:46 am

again.new mooni am so freaking excited! i think it looks better than twilight, and we all know how craptastic i thought that one was. i.can't.wait. CAN'T WAIT! i'm going to read the book again before the movie so i can remember everything. i remember that i hauled ass through new moon because it hurt so bad. i couldn't take the pain of edward being gone, so i knew if i got to the end of the book, he'd be back eventually. i couldn't drag that shit out.. i couldn't take it. HA.can we please just acknowledge the fact that even though in the books i am totally team edward, jacob is looking…
apparently we're white trash

2 Nov 2009 | 11:29 am

blake came home yesterday and he was pissed off. he had just gotten into a verbal argument with one of his friends. i think they tend to do this more and more the older they get.. i don't know, it just seems to happen a lot lately.so he was telling us what happened and then he goes "he called me white trash. what is white trash? what does that even mean???" and i went through a gamet of emotions. all at once i was so sad for my little boy (who is so not little) because he was called a name he didn't understand. and then i was so happy that he had never heard that term before and wasn't…
the post where i realize wearing nothing but panties and a bra will totally get me free drinks. right?

30 Oct 2009 | 10:26 am

i fucking love halloween!!! i am so excited that it's tomorrow! i just wish i felt better. yeah, i am feeling kinda sickly. all the signs of a fever, minus the fever. weird right? my body is super achy and i don't have a lot of energy. i feel run down. and old. just kidding. i never feel old. anyway, who wants to come be my nursemaid? you have to dress up.speaking of dressing up. you know the costumes that they sell for us chicks? the ones that everyone likes to call "slutty." (in all honesty, i've probably called them slutty before)the thing is, i remember trying one on either last year or…
i am always so shocked

28 Oct 2009 | 3:34 pm

and surprised when i discover new blogs!i mean, i run in circles where i feel like i kind of know who everyone is... or at least i've heard of them before... say you are a mom blogger- you kind of feel like you have some sort of handle on who the mom blog crowd is, right?but then i'll happen upon a blog and they'll have like 80 freaking comments in each post and so i'll look to see if we have mutual readers and every single commenter will be someone i've never heard of before.so then i'll visit all these "new to me" people and i realize just how many circles there are out there. and how it's…

Mostly Lisa: Canada's Sexy Geek Blog
HEY EVERYBODY

Pasquale

2 Nov 2009 | 9:27 pm
Looking for inspiration

Mostly Lisa

25 Oct 2009 | 12:46 am

5DMKII + 85mm f/1.8 I feel like my creativity died with the summer sun. Dull days, rain & all that other work I do to make money have kept me from shooting. I’m mad at myself for letting my photography slowly slip away in the last while. Other than having to pay the rent and buy food, the main reason that I haven’t been taking photos is that I feel such a pressure to produce “perfect” images. I’ve set a high bar for myself and when I don’t reach it technically or emotionally, I feel let down and oddly self-conscious about my work. This photo, for…
Speaking at Photoshop Live in Washington, DC Nov 2/3

Mostly Lisa

19 Oct 2009 | 12:33 am

5DMKII, 85mm f/1.8, 1/500 at f/5.0, ISO 100. I am speaking at my first Photoshop conference in Washington, DC on November 2/3. I’m a self-taught photographer, so I think this will be a great opportunity for me to share my workflow & processing style with fellow photographers and learn a few tips from them! My two sessions are: How to Make Your Portraits Stand Out (Nov 2nd) In this session, I want to focus on some Photoshop processes that will make your portraits really pop. I will cover basic retouching techniques, as well as giving you several different processing actions that will…
Photojojo Giveaway

Pasquale

12 Oct 2009 | 6:19 pm

It’s Thanksgiving up here in the frozen North, so I thought I’d do a little Photojojo book giveaway to say thank you to all my followers. I have 3 awesome Photojojo books to give away. This is a great book for inspiration, DIY projects & tips. Here’s how to win Simply ReTweet the following phrase & follow me (@mostlylisa) on twitter: “Win a copy of @photojojo’s New DIY Photography Book from @mostlylisa. (Details via http://shak.in/1m )”
How to protect your Twitter account from being hacked!

Mostly Lisa

6 Oct 2009 | 11:41 pm

“Caprica” 5DMKII, Sigma 15mm f/2.8, HDR, cross-processed. My Twitter page has been restored finally! Turns out someone hacked into my account and deleted it. They then locked me out of my account by creating a fake email in my name and linking it to my account, so I couldn’t reset my password. Awesome! *writes a list of people who may hate me* At any rate, I have learnt some valuable lessons in protecting my social media from being hacked: Set a Very Strong Twitter password.One that isn’t your favourite sports team, colour, a sequence of numbers like 123456, the word…

Women's Voices For Change
Veterans Day Poetry Friday: Maxine Hong Kingston

This coming Monday, with “Veterans Day Sales” all over the newspapers, most Americans observe Veterans Day with flags and parades, honoring men and women who have gone to war for the [...] [This is only the intro. Click the headline to visit Womens Voices for Change for the full post, links, other content, and more!]
Ten Myths About “Bio-identical” Hormones

Bioidentical is not a scientific term. It is a term made up by savvy market research gurus to describe certain plant-derived hormones distributed by compounding pharmacies. The use of the word” [...] [This is only the intro. Click the headline to visit Womens Voices for Change for the full post, links, other content, and more!]
Melodia Combines Poet Laureate’s Words, Women’s Vocal Power

Thirty years ago, as the 1970s were coming to a close, a young pianist named Cynthia Powell had an impulse not so common among accompanists. “I started to look into [...] [This is only the intro. Click the headline to visit Womens Voices for Change for the full post, links, other content, and more!]
Gail Collins, Part 2: for women who have “waited” long enough

Gail Collins, author of When Everything Changed: The Amazing Story of American Women From 1960 to the Present, was on a book tour last week mostly to share her amazement [...] [This is only the intro. Click the headline to visit Womens Voices for Change for the full post, links, other content, and more!]
Breast Cancer: Motherhood, apple pie and the “positive attitude”

I felt I was attacking that pie in my speech on the perils of a positive attitude, but I’m tired of people telling me how to feel. I gave a [...] [This is only the intro. Click the headline to visit Womens Voices for Change for the full post, links, other content, and more!]

Diva Marketing (Blog)
Social Media Marketing Plan _1

Toby

2 Nov 2009 | 10:57 pm

A thought inspired by too much Halloween candy. From social media networks to blogs, widgets, tweets and hot mobile apps marketers are faced with more choices than we ever could have imagined. It seems every day brings a new shiny toy to try .. and to confuse. Add a few traditional tactics .. PR, email, advertising and search and the job becomes overwhelming. Overlay that with an internal structure where functions are silo-ed by departments and you have a frightening disjointed marketing program. One of the benefits that social media brings to the enterprise is a critical need to ensure cross…
Friday Fun: Top 13 Reasons to Halloween "Toilet Paper" A Social Media Strategy

Toby

30 Oct 2009 | 1:55 pm

Friday Fun is Diva Marketing's virtual happy hour from cosmos to Jack to lemonade. A waiting for the weekend 'playground' time to be sophisticated-silly. Or sometimes just plain silly. In the spirit of David Letterman's Top Ten ... 13. A zillion landing page blogs are pretending to be social media .. take off the mask and you find a search strategy built on a blog platform 12. A comment that lists a company name instead of a person is likely looking for link treats not a relationship. 11. Facebook "fan" pages with posts lifted from corporate brochures and press releases is just…
Atlanta Women In Social Media Marketing - 6

Toby

23 Oct 2009 | 11:50 am

This is a continuing series highlighting some of the fabulous women in the metro Atlanta area who are working in social media marketing. These divas include women from both the client and the agency side. From a personal (and I must admit selfish) view it's been a fun opportunity to meet and answer the question .. Who are the Atlanta Women In Social Media? Today's post takes a slightly different direction. Toss of a pink boa to Karen Russell, an amazing prof at UGA, who suggested that I include a special post on educators. I'm very excited to introduce you to professors who are opening the…
Halloween Fun With Augumented Reality

Toby

19 Oct 2009 | 12:49 pm

Augmented Reality. Even the name sounds scary and a bit creepy. Seems it's the latest shiny object to hit the social media world. From a non tech perspective, augmented reality adds a 3-D touch to websites, blogs and mobile. David Berkowitz says, "Augmented reality provides a layer of digital content over real-world experiences." Marshall Kilpatrick says that Yelp was the first iPhone app to add augmented reality. John Mayer, singer-songwriter says it's a "digital hologram" and he's incorporated the technology into his video for Heart Break Warfare. Meijer, a retail store…
Social Media In The Moment Marketing

Toby

14 Oct 2009 | 8:50 am

Max and I were taking a walk yesterday. A big yellow and white cat came over to Max and he stopped to play with her. Yes, Max likes cats. His little tail wagged so quickly. His concentration on his kitty friend was total and complete. He was in the moment. When he was done he walked happily away to his next important thing to do. Max is a very busy pooch. I thought .. social media is an in the moment way to conduct marketing. Then I thought .. the idea of responding to an external influence at the time the incident occurs is foreign to traditional marketing. Marketing is based on strategy…

Menstrual Poetry
The Good, The Bad and The Burning

Warning: This post is mostly about “lady parts” and “lady problems.” If the words vagina, menstruation, bleeding, tampon, pad, and/or urinary tract infection or any variation of the previous words offend you, it would be wise on your part to cease reading the following post. I had always loved that Renee over at Womanist Musings posted [...]
Friends Don’t Let Friends Fat Talk

Considering my last post, I probably could not have found out about Fat Talk Free Week at a better time! Check out this awesome video from Tri Delta’s Fat Talk Free Week: Fat Talk Free Week is an international body activism campaign spanning over five days (October 19th-23rd) that draws attention to the damaging impact of the [...]
Fat: Masculinity & Sexist Put-Downs

I probably should have prefaced this post with an earlier one containing a more detailed explanation of where this post originated, but just bear with me for a bit here. Over the past few days I have been marinating on a series of complicated, highly-stressful, mind-boggling, eye-roll-inducing, leave-you-utterly-exacerbated events. I have been compelled more-so now [...]
Oklahoma Will Soon Start Publicly Shaming Women Who Have an Abortion

On November 1st, a new Oklahoma law will go into effect that will collect personal details about every abortion performed in the state and post the information collected on a public website for every person with an internet connection to access. The information that will be asked of women who have an abortion includes: 1. [...]
Late Memo: When a 43 Year Old Man Drugs and Rapes a 13 Year Old Girl, That’s Called ‘Rape-Rape’

In March of 1977, Roman Polanski, who was 43 at the time, invited a 13 year old girl to pose for pictures in a magazine he was guest-editing. He gave this 13 year old girl champagne and a Quaalude. He knew that she was 13 years old and even called her mother to tell her [...]

DailyCandy All Cities
Monster Stash

DailyCandy

6 Nov 2009 | 10:00 am

Sweets la Petite Decorated Sugar Cookies From the Desk of Cookie MonsterDear Sirs:I am delighted to accept your invitation to perform at Confection Theater — but I do have a few dressing room requirements.I’m tired of the same old, same old chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin. Please stock my lounge with something more colorful, like decorated butter cookies from Hayward’s Sweets la Petite Bakeshop.Owner Stephanie Bushnell adds a touch of lemon and steers clear of preservatives, so they’re fresh as can be. And because she has an arsenal of cutters, she can make just about any shape,…
Zit Takes a Village

DailyCandy

6 Nov 2009 | 9:30 am

Aesthetician April Walden According to you, that blemish wasn’t so red. In fact, barely noticeable. And it was never going to erupt.Yeah, neither was Mount Vesuvius.You pore thing. When it comes to acne, aging, and the finickiest skin conditions, facialist April Walden will tell it to you straight.Her approach is simple: Do whatever it takes. Count on budget-friendly custom treatments that start with a thorough cleansing and skin analysis, followed by any number of personalized peels and rehydrating masques applied all over or swabbed on just so, gentle extractions, relaxing massage, and…
Music to Your Ears

DailyCandy

6 Nov 2009 | 7:30 am

Big Star Taqueria and Bar Opens You’ve heard the Big Star commotion. The boys (Paul Kahan, Donnie Madia, Terry Alexander, Eduard Seitan, Peter Garfield) are at it again, this time with a honky-tonk taqueria in the old Pontiac space opening Monday.You’ve gotten a taste: pork-on-a-spit tacos and dulce de leche milk shakes, courtesy of chef Justin Large (Blackbird, The Publican, Avec).And a buzz: 50 rare whiskeys; 40 small-batch tequilas; one vodka, gin, and rum; and dollar Schlitz, courtesy of Michael Rubel (Violet Hour).You’ve heard. But you haven’t really listened. So we asked Big…
All in the Family

DailyCandy

6 Nov 2009 | 6:45 am

The Crangi Family Project Don’t know about yours, but our relatives are best appreciated at a safe distance.But it’s a family affair at The Crangi Family Project, a new Meatpacking District jewelry boutique.Philip Crangi (in all his lumberjack-chic glory) designed and built the jewel box of a shop. Black pressed-tin ceilings, dark velvet walls, and ribbon trim were done by hand. Custom shelving displays his namesake line — designed with sister and biz partner Courtney — and Giles & Brother costume collection. Dad’s an artist who will showcase sculptures. Sister-in-law Sheri…
Doodle Bug

DailyCandy

6 Nov 2009 | 6:15 am

Lisa Marie Norton's Pet Doodles When you doodle, it’s usually something shameful like your name with boy-of-moment’s last name. You know, just to see how it will look when you fetch the mail after you two are married with kids.Lisa Marie Norton’s doodles have real-life inspiration.The Michigan-based graphic designer creates noncutesy five-by-seven portraits of your dog, cat, bird, bunny, iguana, turtle, or snake. You supply her with photos; she takes pen to paper and then colors it in digitally. The depictions are modern, cartoony, and a little Japanesey.At just $50, they’re…

if you want kin, you must plant kin ...
One day soon …

girlgriot

6 Nov 2009 | 12:45 am

… I’ll stop posting pictures from my trip. But that day isn’t today. No plants today. Today is all for the birds. I felt so lucky to catch that doctor bird at the house, but I was having so much trouble getting photos of any other kind of bird. Along ‘my’ beach — the one closest [...]
Achin’ for Acres

girlgriot

5 Nov 2009 | 7:01 am

No more elders passin’ without my kids askin’ – “Papa, whose tombstones are those in the yard?” Family gotta stay close, all us gotta stay close … – Arrested Development, Achin’ for Acres The first time I heard this Arrested Development song, I thought: tombstones in the yard? Really? I don’t think so! But the more I’ve thought about it, the [...]
One year later: (My Head Is) Spinning

girlgriot

4 Nov 2009 | 7:13 am

On the radio the other day, a newscaster said, “President Obama has been in office for a year now …” Excuse me, what? She was leading into another point she wanted to make about how little movement there has been in certain areas in this first year of the Obama presidency. And, while I can agree [...]
Dick and Jane go to Jamaica

girlgriot

3 Nov 2009 | 11:36 am

Well, maybe not really, but it’s always what I think when I see these ‘children crossing’ signs. I took this picture from the car on my way to the airport in Montego Bay. I’ve been meaning to take a picture of this sign for years. I want it to be accompanied with text: “Caution, cute [...]
A little less prickly.

girlgriot

2 Nov 2009 | 3:08 am

It’s not all about the cactus, you know. So I thought I’d ease off the spiky photos and show you a little something else. This lovely plant grows in pots around the front verandah of the house where I stayed, both inside and out. I love the soft red-brown flowers. They’re such a lovely color. I [...]

Stirrup Queens
162nd Friday Blog Roundup

Lollipopgoldstein

6 Nov 2009 | 5:07 am

Picture a swank hotel inhabited by the most gorgeous guests in the world. A tattooed model-like man lounges shirtless in the hallway to get better cell phone reception. Every woman is dressed in identical knee-high black boots with three-inch heels. Even the man at the front desk is metrosexualed within an inch of his life, [...]
The Golden Haiku

Lollipopgoldstein

5 Nov 2009 | 1:17 pm

Before we start, please read through this whole long post because there are some small details you need to follow in order to have this run smoothly. Those in the adoption/loss/infertility community know that I’ve created the Creme de la Creme list for the past four years, a compilation of a single post from every participating [...]
The 77th Circle Time: The Show and Tell Weekly Thread

Lollipopgoldstein

4 Nov 2009 | 4:16 pm

Show and Tell is wasted on elementary schoolers. Join several dozen bloggers weekly to show off an item, tell a story, and get the attention of the class. In other words, this is Show and Tell 2.0. Everyone is welcome to join, even if you have never posted before and just [...]
3 Nov 2009 | 10:25 am

Lollipopgoldstein

3 Nov 2009 | 10:25 am

The Creme de la Creme is a project solely for the adoption/loss/infertility (ALI) community. The list is currently open. The Golden Haiku is an all-encompassing blogosphere project and anyone who wants to can participate. Click over to both projects to read more.
Time to Start Cranking Out the Creme de la Creme

Lollipopgoldstein

2 Nov 2009 | 6:01 pm

For the fourth year running, it is November and time to kick off the Creme de la Creme list for 2009. If you’re unfamiliar with the project, read on to understand. If you’ve participated in years past, you know how much fun the list is when its revealed on January 1st. So, I hereby declare [...]

Feminist Daily News
FDA Approves Single-Dose Plan B Emergency Contraceptive

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a single-pill version of the Plan B emergency contraceptive, which is currently available as a two-pill dose. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd announced yesterday (see
Obama Appoints Regina Benjamin as Surgeon General

President Obama announced yesterday his appointment of Regina Benjamin, MD to the position of surgeon general. The President commented that Dr. Benjamin, who has lost relatives to diabetes, high blood pressure, and blood cancer, has a deep understanding of the health needs facing the United States. ...
Sotomayor Hearings Commence

Judge Sonia Sotomayor's confirmation hearings for the United States Supreme Court began yesterday. Though the first day of hearings was dominated by the Senate Judiciary Committee's opening statements, Sotomayor made a brief introductory statement at the close of the proceedings. In her opening ...
Law Protecting Clinic Buffer Zone Upheld

The US 1st Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a Massachusetts law on Friday, allowing a 35-foot safety buffer zone between protestors and abortion clinic entrances. The law, established in 2007, protects clinic patients and staff from harassment. Five anti-choice protesters
Appeals Court Rules Pharmacists Can't Refuse Plan B

The US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last week that pharmacists in Washington State must dispense Emergency Contraception (EC), also known as Plan B, even if they have personal religious objections to the medication. The ruling overturned a temporary injunction from the US District Court in Sea...

Joy Unexpected
And the Rockets Red Glad...

5 Nov 2009 | 3:01 pm

About 2 weeks ago my daughter asked me to teach her The America Song, (aka The Star-Spangled Banner.) When your kid wants to learn The America Song, you freaking teach them The America Song. So, for 2 weeks straight, I have been singing it to her. Every morning. Every evening. Every car ride to school. Every car ride from school. She finally started to get the hang out of and asked me to "please not sing it with her anymore!" because "SHE KNOWS IT NOW SO STOP SINGING IT, MOM." And while I am very proud that my 5 year old (sort of. Almost. Kind of) knows The Star-Spangled Banner, I am maybe…
Bokeh Wednesday- Love edition

4 Nov 2009 | 9:53 am

"I love you, mama." she said as we walked hand in hand. "I love you too, baby girl." "And I love daddy. And my brothers. And I love myself." I love myself, she said. There was no conceit behind that statement. No ego involved. Simply her truth. She loves others as she loves her self. As a woman who grew up feeling shame about most every part of who I am, it was comforting to hear my daughter say those words. Those words were music to my ears, my heart, my soul. Because it is my hope that by loving who she is, caring for herself and living to her full potential, she will always be able to…
Bokeh Wednesday- Things In My Backyard, Edition

28 Oct 2009 | 12:08 pm
What We Made Last Night - Oma's Snickerdoodles.

27 Oct 2009 | 1:49 pm

(If you want to make them yourself, you would just bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. Easy AND delicious.)
Hair- A Love Story

23 Oct 2009 | 12:46 pm

I love to braid hair. I can't tell you how many other peoples children whose hair I've braided for dance recitals or school photos. "You need to have a girl of your own!" The moms would say. When I thought that I was finished having children after my sons were born, I would wonder what it would be like to have a daughter, if only to braid her beautiful, long hair. As The Rhythm Method would have it, I found myself unexpectedly pregnant 7 years after having what I deemed "My Last Child!" A girl. A daughter. And as nervous as I was about mothering a daughter (due to the complicated relationship…

Shakesville
The Virtual Pub Is Open

Melissa McEwan

6 Nov 2009 | 9:59 pm

TFIF, Shakers!Belly up to the bar,and name your poison.
Cheering news for a Saturday

quixote

6 Nov 2009 | 9:18 pm

You think you got problems? Hah.Japanese Fishing Trawler Sunk By Giant JellyfishThe trawler, the Diasan Shinsho-maru, capsized off Chiba`as its three-man crew was trying to haul in a net containing dozens of huge Nomura's jellyfish. ...The crew of the fishing boat was thrown into the sea when the vessel capsized, but the three men were rescued by another trawler, according to the Mainichi newspaper. The local Coast Guard office reported that the weather was clear and the sea was calm at the time of the accident.One of the largest jellyfish in the world, the species can grow up to 2 meters in…
More Polanski Fail

Guest Blogger

6 Nov 2009 | 3:32 pm

by Shaker Faywray.Hi Shakers, this is faywray. Liss has offered to let me turn a rambling I'm-about-to-explode e-mail I sent her into a guest post.[Trigger warnings apply, especially for the external links.]I found this article by Bernard-Henri Lévy (the creator of the original "Free Polanski" petition) on a French site the other day, and I wanted to translate some of it for you. Turns out the HuffPo has already taken care of that. It sickens me that the man gets a platform for the bile he is spewing.In this new pile of utter bullshit, Mr. Lévy once more tries to educate the…
Daily Kitteh

Melissa McEwan

6 Nov 2009 | 2:12 pm

MatildaOliviaWee Sophie
This, too, is a real thing in the world.

Melissa McEwan

6 Nov 2009 | 1:28 pm

Robert Pattertoningson eats corn.Part of Vanity Fair's "Robert Pattinson: The Bruce Weber Portraits," from the December 2009 issue.Another example of something that just made me LOL for its sheer absurdity. The vaguely nauseated look. The corn, dangling, not even being eaten in a cheekily phallic way. (Is it post-blowjob corn?) The lobster bib. The Rolling Rock bottle. The vague sense I'm meant to find it sexy, for some inexplicable reason.When I showed it to Kenny Blogginz yesterday, he captioned it: "The dainty lord doth deign to masticate 'pon some maize with his precious porcelains."…

ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES
On Sgt. Kimberley Munley

echidne

6 Nov 2009 | 9:09 pm

Based on current information, she is the officer who took Nidal Malik Hasan down:The police officer who brought down a gunman after he went on a shooting rampage at the Fort Hood Army base was on the way to have her car repaired when she heard a report over a police radio that someone was shooting people in a center where soldiers are processed before they are deployed abroad, authorities said on Friday.As she pulled up to the center, the officer, Kimberly Munley, spotted the gunman, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, brandishing a pistol and chasing a wounded soldier outside the building, said Chuck…
Love letters (by Suzie)

Suzie

6 Nov 2009 | 3:17 pm

I learned to love love from a mother who romanticized romance.The following is stolen from an email I wrote some years ago to a man who thought I was intense. I'm out of town today, but I wonder how others have struggled with Heterosexual Love in the Time of Patriarchy. TMI warning. Academically, everything I  touched turned to gold. But I was so afraid that I wasn't attractive that, when I started to have sex, I learned as quickly as I could how to please  men. I thought I could be the best at love and/or sex, as if it were an  intellectual pursuit. And yes, a lot of men have found me…
Friday flower blogging (by Suzie)

Suzie

6 Nov 2009 | 8:49 am
The Stoopid. It Burns

echidne

5 Nov 2009 | 10:36 pm

So I read about yet another list of Great Books:The trade publication Publishers Weekly likely wanted to provoke discussion with its annual list of the year's best books, but not like this. In its issue of Nov. 2, Publishers Weekly compiled its PW Top 10, a decidedly subjective ranking of the best fiction and non-fiction published in 2009, including the biography "Cheever: A Life" by Blake Bailey; the novel "Await Your Reply" by Dan Chaon; and the graphic novel "Stitches" by David Small. But as The Guardian reports, the ranking has drawn protests from a women's literary group, which notes…
An Alien Post

echidne

5 Nov 2009 | 5:50 pm

How would an ethical alien from outer space see the way we analyze violence? Some types of violence are analyzed to the bones (no pun intended), with all sorts of experts chipping in. Other types of violence (trigger warning for the links which follow) are analyzed very little, and this is usually the case with stories where the victims are mostly women. It is as if the sex of the victim is explanation enough.We simply assume that these things unfortunately sometimes happen to women and spend very little time in trying to understand the killer's/killers' motives. In other cases we do spend…

Girl Power: Female CEOs
The Best and Worst of Female Bosses

30 Oct 2009 | 11:40 am

I don’t know what kind of boss I am at VerticalResponse—you’d have to ask my staff about that. I think they’d say I’m fair, fun, I like to cut to the chase, and will use fewer words than most to try to get my point across. They’d probably say that as long as they’re getting their jobs done, I don’t interfere too much, and I’d like to think I try to remove obstacles for them. I hope that they’d say I believe in growth from within a company. I like to think I learned this from a few bosses in my past that just happened to be women. Cut back to the early 90’s and my second…
How Training Employees Can Boost Sales

16 Oct 2009 | 2:00 pm

When I started VerticalResponse we had just four employees. With such a tight knit group there wasn’t really a need for company or product training. We all knew everything that was happening, who our customers were, how our product worked, and how to sell it. But what happens when a company starts to grow and the tight knit group starts to unravel? Inevitably you hire people you don’t know and people that might not know your product or market as well as you. I can tell you that we waited way too long to start formally training our new employees, and for a while it showed. We didn’t take…
Inc. 500 Conference: Stay Small or Go Big?

1 Oct 2009 | 2:00 pm

Last week I was at the Inc. 500 Conference listening to Doug Tatum, CEO of Tatum LLC, an executive services consulting firm. He’s also the author of No Man’s Land, What to Do When Your Company is Too Big to be Small but Too Small to be Big. I didn’t really know what I was in for, because I haven’t yet read his book, which was the basis of this session. Since there were over 200 people in the room, it seemed there was a lot of interest in what he had to say. Doug defined No Man’s Land as “fatal” for many businesses. Let me see if I can illustrate his graph with words. The left…
Inc. 500 Conference: How to Get Your Message Right

30 Sep 2009 | 2:00 pm

Last week I was at the Inc. 500 Conference and caught a session with Michael Sheehan, CEO of Sheehan Associates. His company helps businesses, people, and government officials craft messaging. At this session he was discussing how hard it has become to get your message right and get it understood by your audience in a world where we all have information overload. Michael stressed that your message isn’t your brand. I’ll admit, at first I was a bit confused by this. But he went on to give a couple of great examples, one of which was Nike. When Nike got bad press for working with overseas…
Inc. 500 Conference: Small Beginnings, Big Dreams

29 Sep 2009 | 4:05 pm

Last week, I heard Jill Blashack Strahan, CEO of Tastefully Simple, speak on the main stage at the Inc. 500 Conference. Today Tastefully Simple is a $140 million company that sells easy to prepare food for busy people. Jill’s story is interesting and inspirational. It actually started with the death of her brother when she was just 26, which was a major wake up call and ultimately what motivated her to start her business. The saying “Life is Short” became very real to her and she decided that it was time to DO something. She has three major points she lives by: Just Start, Know Where…

The-F-Word.org
Save me from baby shower hell!

Rachel

6 Nov 2009 | 12:52 pm

Our family is throwing a baby shower for my brother and sister-in-law on Sunday and my mom keeps calling me with yet another mind-numbingly infantilizing game she’s found with names like “guess that baby food,” “the poopy diaper game” or (god forbid) “pin the binky on the baby.” I haven’t been to many baby showers, [...]
Kirstie Alley to get new weight loss reality show

Rachel

5 Nov 2009 | 7:03 am

Speaking of Jenny Craig spokescelebrities… Oh, Kirstie. Does your masochism know no end? The former Jenny Craig spokescelebrity and once-again fat actress has a new weight loss reality television show coming out next year on A&E. As CNN reports, the yet-unnamed series will follow Kirstie as “she juggles producing a feature film, sticking to a new [...]
What’s wrong with this lineup?

Rachel

5 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

So, there’s a lecture series called Smart Talk Connected Conversations and it’s coming to Cincinnati for the 12th year in January. The celebrity-based spoken word series invites intriguing and influential women to present their stories in an intimate setting in what is supposed to be an uplifting, educational and empowering experience for women. Here’s the [...]
New biz markets fashionable clothes for fat girls

Rachel

4 Nov 2009 | 8:20 am

While still sadly lagging in both range and affordability, plus-size clothing has come a long way from the shapeless elastic pants and sack-like tops usually reserved for fat teens and women (find great plus-size fashion tips and reviews at Pretty Pear or Young, Fat and Fabulous). Yet there still seems to be a relative dearth of similar fashionable options for the 6 million overweight kids in the U.S. who are too large to fit into mainstream youth offerings. According to one report, the girl's plus-size apparel market is a $3.2 billion market that is only 16 percent served! Capitalism, it…
Fabulous fall soups!

Rachel

2 Nov 2009 | 7:30 am

We visited my niece and nephew for Halloween this weekend and my thoughtful sister-in-law made us a simmering pot of vegetarian cheesy potato soup. I find myself craving soup more and more as the last leaves dance to the ground and the temps turn chilly and my sister-in-law’s soup was so delicious that I copied [...]

In Women We Trust
Does Maria Shriver's Women's Nation Lack a Massive Segment?

InWomenWeTrust

23 Oct 2009 | 5:34 am

It's been a long while since I've tapped into my inner women's circle of pals. Work has consumed me and I've had to put this blog in simmer mode. This morning, however, Yvonne DiVita's blog post cranked up the burner. Yvonne is a long-time blog pal and my publisher, she's also been a long-time voice for the everyday gal who's just trying to make a mark in a world that generally ignores her contributions. In her post, she takes on Maria Shriver's Women's Nation Report for two reasons: 1. Her site focuses on Maria's pals who are only women at...
A Mindful Momma is more than "Practically Green"...

InWomenWeTrust

20 Oct 2009 | 8:44 pm

Micaela Preston intro's Practically Green - a book of fun-tips to help your family live lighter and greener.
Sustainable Standards: What are the Consumer's Opinions?

InWomenWeTrust

13 Oct 2009 | 8:13 pm

Women bloggers question why consumers aren't allowed to be at the sustainability index table... at least at an affordable price.
Begging Works!

InWomenWeTrust

22 Sep 2009 | 9:53 am

Dan Zarella nailed it with the Science of Retweeting.
First do no harm... Conserve!

InWomenWeTrust

22 Sep 2009 | 9:44 am

Dedicated to this month's Green Mom Carnival on resource conservation. You'll find it hosted over on Mindful Momma who has a new book coming out soon. A big welcome to the newest members of the carnival! What if we all took the eco-version of the hippocratic oath and then put some action behind it. Eat less, but real food that comes in it's own little skin. Use less energy (and buy cleaner energy). Use less water, but without giving up showers, cooking or gardening. Less wine, but the really good stuff when I do splurge... Conservation doesn't mean doing without,...

The Downtown Women's Club womensDISH blog
Channeling your inner Sue Sylvester

Diane K. Danielson

3 Nov 2009 | 6:11 am

Anderson Cooper's been on a kick about women in business since The Shriver Report, which is nice to see. I actually thought the four women he brought together for this segment "Breaking into the Boys Club" boiled it down to...
As the Wage Gap Widens: Women Need to Ask for More Money by Guest Blogger Liz O'Donnell

Diane K. Danielson

2 Nov 2009 | 4:53 am

This week's guest blogging piece by Liz O'Donnell couldn't be more timely. We've been discussing the Global Gender Gap a bit this past week on the womensDISH. New data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Committee on Pay...
Happy People are Productive People: 3 Tips for Maximizing Workplace Performance

Diane K. Danielson

31 Oct 2009 | 3:01 pm

This month's guest author post is by Cathy L. Greenberg, Ph.D. and Barrett S. Avigdor, JD, co-authors of What Happy Working Mothers Know: How New Findings in Positive Psychology Can Lead to a Healthy and Happy Work/Life Balance (Wiley, September...
Disturbing trends for women in the US and what you can do about them

Diane K. Danielson

30 Oct 2009 | 1:29 pm

A few months ago everyone was trying to explain why women, who have more choices today than ever, are not as happy. I don't know the answer to that, but within the past week there have been a few news...
Break out of that rut

Nancy Loderick

30 Oct 2009 | 12:57 pm

This week I broke out of two ruts. And I didn't even realize that I was in those ruts until I was out of them. 1. Exercise program. My exercise program is my first rut. I love to exercise and...

Prefers Her Fantasy Life
Transvestites, Transgenders and Transitive Verbs

3 Nov 2009 | 4:51 pm

As I mentioned I'm teaching at a two-year college that offers an associates degree in Medical Administrative Assistance. We have a strict dress code where students are required to wear scrubs and white sports shoes. Their hair must be a "natural" color--no bright reds or blues--and they must cover all facial piercings and tattoos.Our security guard gets a bit overzealous in issuing dress code violations to the students. Funny thing is, he's a "by-the-books" security guard by day. But by night, he's a flaming red-haired cross dresser. Yes, he...ur...she's brought me my coffee at Big Boy on…
An Open Letter To My One Finger-Typing Student

27 Oct 2009 | 4:42 pm

I am so sorry I leaned over you and began typing words to your email sign-up questions.I felt it my obligation to get the class over with by Thanksgiving.I also apologize for grabbing the mouse from you. I assumed everyone knew that you had to position it on a field and click in order for it to work.And when you couldn't create your email address because of the common name "Floyd Jones," I thought you knew I was kidding when I told you to try "Pink Floyd Jones."In spite of our getting off on the wrong appendage, I greatly admire you. You have 8 kids and two day jobs, and you're spending your…
Nothing Comes Between Me and My Jeff Tweedy

19 Oct 2009 | 7:10 pm

Not even the fact that soon-to-be-ex took his girlfriend to the concert,or that my date, 6 foot and gorgeous, was my 14-year old daughter.Not the fact we had to sequester ourselves from our mutual friends at dinner so no one felt awkward. And if I sound bitter here, that's because I am, you mutual friends.Or the Noodles and Company restaurant which Daughter picked out of all the great places to eat in Ann Arbor.Or the fact that Noodles and Company doesn't sell alcohol.Or that Hill Auditorium in The Peoples' Republic of Ann Arbor, home of the Hash Bash, does not sell alcohol.Nor the fact that…
Why I Prefer My Fantasy Life #119

13 Oct 2009 | 6:19 pm

Did I mention I hate English teachers?Did I mention I am an English teacher?Last week I was hired as a full-time instructor at a small two-year college. I don't mind the teaching so much. But in my fantasy life I'd have students that didn't come late, leave early, and talk on their cell phones the short amount of time they were in class.In my fantasy life, most of my students would have a high school diploma. And know how to write a simple sentence. And use a computer. And not have kids. Or criminal records.In my fantasy life, I'd be on a campus where they didn't have two security guards, one…
Thinking Outside The Six Pack

6 Oct 2009 | 2:59 pm

My previous post included my persuasive arguments for Teen Son on driving and drinking. Seems now I need to talk to Teen Daughter. I had a few drinks at a party the other night and asked a friend to take me home. Daughter wanted to know why I didn't drive myself home."Because I don't drink and drive," I told her. "Mom," she said, put off. "You don't have to do that. You just put down the drink and then keep both hands on the steering wheel."Why didn't I think of that?posted at Humor-BlogsSubscribe in a reader

Pink Lemonade
An Attitude of Gratitude

Chris

6 Nov 2009 | 5:19 am

It always amazes me that the moment Halloween is over, the Christmas and other December holiday decorations instantly make their way to the store shelves. The Thanksgiving holiday always seems to get smashed in with the other winter holidays (whichever you choose to celebrate). The autumn decorations make way for snowflakes and jolly elves.This focus on the gift centered holidays as opposed to the gratitude focused holiday seems to send a message to children that they are entitled to gifts without an expression of gratitude for the gifts received. How can we cultivate an attitude of gratitude…
The Holiday Season Makes Spirits Brighter for Celebrations with Family and Friends at Disneyland Resort

Pink Lemonade Liz

5 Nov 2009 | 11:23 am

New Entertainment, Cherished Favorites Bring Holidays to LifeWhen it comes to celebrating the magic and sparkle of the holidays with friends and loved ones, there’s no place like the Disneyland Resort where, from Nov. 13 through Jan. 3, 2010, the holidays will shine more brightly than ever.Guests will enjoy the return of the Disneyland Resort’s most popular offerings, including special holiday versions of “it’s a small world” and Haunted Mansion, along with colorful holiday décor and a nightly snowfall on Main Street, U.S.A.Other holiday highlights at Disneyland will include the…
Can Your Friends or Lovers be Holding You Back?

Pink Lemonade Liz

5 Nov 2009 | 4:47 am

I can remember getting what for me was my first big break in my budding media career. I squealed with delight when the producer called from a popular syndicated radio show asking to interview me. My heart pounded, my mouth went dry ~ I had worked so hard and now it seemed things were about to unfold. I was ecstatic.After I enthusiastically accepted the invitation, naturally I couldn’t wait to tell the three people closest to me (okay, and a few strangers along the way, I couldn’t contain myself). The funny thing was, the one person I thought would be the happiest for me was anything but.
Power Foods for Women

Coach Jenn

4 Nov 2009 | 3:41 am

So many of us focus on what we can’t eat when we are on a diet. Take some time to carefully focus on what you CAN and SHOULD be eating. The following foods are considered powerfoods for women in particular. Just a few of the benefits are highlighted.Spinach – wonderful anti-cancer propertiesEggs – low cost, high quality proteinpeanut butter – antioxidants key to heart healthyogurt – excellent source of calcium and probioticsoatmeal – filling and satisfying source of fiberwhole grain pasta – whole grain helps reduce a number of health risk factorstofu – high protein, low fat…
Ecoholic

Pink Lemonade Liz

2 Nov 2009 | 8:48 pm

Environmentalism has reached critical mass. What's missing is what's next. We get it, we're all thinking green - What do we do about it? In a time like this, this book explains how to implement green actions into our everyday lives. Adria Vasil, a best-selling author and journalist, and has written Ecoholic: Your Guide to The Most Environmentally Friendly Information, Products, and Services.Ecoholic is an eye-opening guide to decoding the green from the greenwashed in the maze of product lining our shelves. Unlike other eco guidebooks, Ecoholic names names and gives you the dirt on what not…

Heroine Content
Blood: The Last Vampire (2009)

Skye

2 Nov 2009 | 11:17 am

The live action Blood: The Last Vampire was released on Blu-Ray October 20th. It was never released in theaters in Austin, and I did not manage to see it when I went to Chicago in July, so I felt like I had been waiting a loooong time for that red Netflix envelope to show up in my mailbox. The film is set in Japan during the Vietnamese War. South Korean actor Gianna Jun plays Saya, a vampire-human hybrid whose mission in life is killing the demon who destroyed her father. Onigen, the demon, is played by Koyuki, who is Japanese. Aiding Saya in her pursuit is Alice McKee (played by white actor…
Whip It

Grace

18 Oct 2009 | 4:02 pm

At Adventures of a Young Feminist, Laura writes "I'm not even going to try to pretend I didn't love this movie, because I did." You and me both, Laura. It's been a long time coming, my friends, but the Hollywood woman-hating machine has presented us with something that is both fun and not an insult to our collective intelligence. Whip It is really good. Juno it-girl Ellen Page plays Bliss, a small-town Texas misfit stuck between her own quirkiness and her mother's (the amazing Marcia Gay Harden) insistence that she fulfill her potential as a beauty queen. She's sarcastic, confused, and…
Jennifer's Body

Grace

10 Oct 2009 | 7:01 pm

Jennifer's Body was not on my must-see film list. I saw the previews, was skeptical, and agreed to take it on because I love Heroine Content. Then I started reading other people's reviews--lots of mentions of Heathers, even a few of Buffy-implications that it was self-aware, if a bit thin, farce. I can handle that, I thought. I liked writer Diablo Cody's Juno well enough, and loved director Karyn Kusama's Girlfight (reviewed here). By the time I actually saw Jennifer's Body, I was almost excited about it. That excitement was so very misplaced. This movie is terrible. The Willamette Week…
What's Coming Up in 2010?

Skye

23 Sep 2009 | 8:26 am

I thought I'd take a look ahead at 2010 and see what may be coming down the pike. IMDB's list of action films slated for 2010 is undoubtedly a hazy look into the future, but I did find some items of interest while going through it. Here are some notes, and I'll probably check the list again late this year to see what else has emerged. If you know of anything I missed, let me know! Films with a scheduled release date: The Book of Eli, January 15th: Post-apocalyptic. I think I saw a woman wearing a sword in the trailer, so I'm putting it on the list. Here's the official site with the trailer.
Whiteout

Grace

15 Sep 2009 | 10:24 am

I saw Whiteout by myself, in a nearly empty theater, in the afternoon. My perfect film-viewing experience. I'm likely giving it a more positive review than it's getting in most forums, and that may be why. Whiteout's main character is U.S. Marshall Carrie Stetko, played by Kate Beckinsale. That would make her the heroine (it also makes her the only woman in the film). Her first scene, for absolutely no plot-driven reason, features her stripping out of full cold weather gear and taking a shower. Not exactly an auspicious beginning. It does get better. The beginning shower scene is very much in…

Boudoir Mon Cheri
2009 Holiday Specials – What do YOU Want?

admin

21 Oct 2009 | 6:25 pm

I was working on the Holiday Specials for 2009, and I realized it might be even more fun to get your feedback on what you are looking for! So here is your chance — complete the poll below between now and Monday, October 26, 2009 and we’ll listen to you and build the new round of specials around YOUR wishes! What would you like to see for the 2009 Holiday Boudoir Specials?(poll) I can’t WAIT to hear what you’re looking for!
The White Sheet Sessions!

admin

8 Jun 2009 | 3:12 pm

In the past year of Boudoir sessions, I’ve discovered that some of my absolute favorite photos are the most simple, the most pure – ones that involve nothing more than a white sheet or towel. No outfits. Just beauty. (Makeup in the above photo by Jennifer Aronson.) In honor of this, I’ve decided to add a White Sheet Session to my package lineup! THE WHITE SHEET SESSION 1 hour photo shoot at the studio in the Heights. No outfits photographed – just a white sheet. Your choice of one of the following: 20 page coffee table book, 8×10 or 10×10 in size, in our artistic…
Ms. E’s Maternity Session – Boudoir Inspired Photography, Houston TX

admin

11 Mar 2009 | 7:11 am

I’ve been offering boudoir sessions for eight months now, and in that time I’ve had a lot of sessions that are somehow related to babies — several of my clients have talked about how they are trying to get pregnant. One of my clients was just a few days pregnant when we did her session – she didn’t even know it yet. Ms. E came to me shortly after she found out she was pregnant and asked if she could do a boudoir session because she wanted to capture how she looked before her baby was born. I immediately asked her if she would be willing to pose for me when she…
Laughter is the Most Fun! Boudoir Photography in Houston, Texas

admin

15 Jan 2009 | 5:17 am

I always try to find something that will make us laugh at our boudoir session. I have my arsenal of stupid jokes – I can never remember jokes, so the ones I do remember are all very lame and therefore hysterical. Fortunately, Mrs. L liked to laugh just as much as I did, so we had *so* much fun at her session! She opted to do her session at her house, so we could incorporate things from their everyday life into the shoot. It was a ton of fun! Especially when we started imagining what the neighbors must be thinking if they were looking through the windows. I end up standing on things to…
Good News! Spring Specials! Boudoir Photography in the Heights – Houston, Texas

admin

14 Jan 2009 | 11:45 am

More photos from Mrs. L’s session coming tomorrow! Good news! Good news!!! GOOD NEWS!!!!!!!! (That is me, shouting it from the rooftops!) After what is a rather long, boring story, I’ve made the decision to take over the ENTIRE building where my studio is located at in the Heights! The whole thing! I’ll be working on adding new vignettes for photo shoots, and maybe even props we can use over the next few months – in addition to the ones that are already set up. Wheeeeee! I’m so EXCITED!!! The holiday special packages were SO popular, I’ve decided to…

finslippy
Ladies and gentlemen: we have a book deal.

Alice Bradley

29 Oct 2009 | 1:57 pm

I am more than a little excited to announce the following bit of news: In the fall of 2010 (probably), St. Martin's Press will be publishing LET'S PANIC ABOUT BABIES!: How To Endure and Possibly Triumph over the Adorable Interloper Who Will Ruin Your Body, Destroy Your Life, Melt Your Brain, and Finally Turn You into a Worthwhile Human Being (Actually, that's the entire book. There you go!) The book will, naturally, be written by Eden Marriott Kennedy and myself. If you're wondering, "Hey. Didn't Eden and Alice just launch that website? How did this happen so…
Learning opportunities are everywhere

Alice Bradley

29 Oct 2009 | 12:00 pm

Henry and I got on the subway and sat next to a man who was, it soon became clear, mentally unwell. Specifically, he was railing against people who were not there, and using all manner of bad words. So I suggested that we move, and we got up and moved, and that was that. Henry was chatting with me and anyone who'd look at him about Bionicles and I was sure he didn't notice a thing. A few minutes later he asked, "What was wrong with that man?" So I went on to explain how sometimes people are sick in their heads, and how sad and upsetting is for them. Henry: Why did we move? Me: Well, he seemed…
Elsewhere

Alice Bradley

27 Oct 2009 | 7:16 am

I and many of my fellow parenting Federated Media authors are working with sponsor Microsoft Office to highlight how we use Office in our everyday parenting-type duties. In the Finslippy household, we’ve recently discovered the Joys of PowerPoint for creating storybooks. Kid's Storybook in Powerpoint by FinslippyView more presentations from Alice Bradley. I've written a longer post over on Slideshare about the why and the how of such a project, so I encourage you to check it out. More here as soon as I can. I’m sitting on some news that’s so good it is actually physically impossible…
Has it been that long?

Alice Bradley

19 Oct 2009 | 1:21 pm

Hello I am here! My name is Alice! CAN YOU HEAR ME! Wait, let me try that again. Hello! This is a blog! Wait. That’s not good at all. HELLO WHAT IS YOUR NAME ARE YOU FRIEND?! No, no, I’m coming on too strong. Sorry. Wow. Greetings, I am here writing you for having long-time not written… is strange! Yes is! There you go. Much better. Sorry about that. I’m a little out of practice. It turns out I have to post more frequently, or several terrible things happen: 1) I forget how to come up with ideas; 2) everyone gets mad at me, but secretly, in their heads, so I have to imagine it; 3)…
Seven.

Alice Bradley

7 Oct 2009 | 8:34 am

As in, that's what my kid is. Today. Henry is seven. Seven! I know. A few weeks ago we were in the grocery store and he picked up a "7" candle. "Let's get this for my birthday cake," he said. "No," I said. "I can't buy that. That, you see, is a 7." "But that's what I'll be!" he said. "I'm sorry. I just can't do it. Let's get two 3's and a 1!" I suggested. "Mooooooom," he said. And threw the 7 into the cart. He's seven, after all. He doesn’t put up with my bullshit. It appears that I must face facts: he's turning into a big kid. He calls me "Mom," now. I've caught him rolling his eyes at me.

Petunia Face
I Give Up

Petunia Face

6 Nov 2009 | 6:53 am

If your week was anything like mine then you rully rully need this:If your week just so happens to have been nothing like mine, then, well, I don't know. Here?Narcoleptic meerkats make my tummy feel squidgy, (I choose to ignore the rest).Happy Friday.xo,S
Blogger Down

Petunia Face

5 Nov 2009 | 7:06 am

Not with the H1N1 virus or anything sexy like that, but with work and a child who refuses to take part in Daylight Standard Time, a fridge harboring nothing but baking soda, milk and salsa, plus when I roll up my driver's side window a gap remains so that when I drive on the freeway my car emits a low airy whistle like a perv, or a fart. Wheeeeeh. Everything off track. As I type this my cursor is flickering spasmodically. I can't help but think of that time when the sound of Mary Hart's voice triggered seizures in an epileptic, like maybe my computer is sending me into the throes of…
Hump Day: the Ho Hum Edition

Petunia Face

4 Nov 2009 | 5:56 am

I'm the first to admit I like my world strange, my blogs absurd, my news doubled over. This is how I blog. In fact, c'est moi.I mean, if I had the money? And a hole where my sink should be? I would totally install this bitchin' ammonite number, maybe commission a toilet to match, though let's not get started on what toothpaste would do to the finish, much less something other. And things like this? Make me giggle. Was that intentional, you think? Or simply a joke told by the setting sun? He's a funny one, that fiery orb.These guys. Truth be told I cannot name one Motorhead song. I despise…
No White Shoes After Labor Day, No Horizontal Stripes. If You Lived Through a Fad the First Time Around, Pass Up Any and All Resurrections.

Petunia Face

3 Nov 2009 | 6:14 am

Just curious: what do we think about these?( This coming from a girl who may or may not still own a hair scrunchie depending on semantics and the width in millimeters of the ruching.) I ask because I think these denim stretch pants might be cute with a chunky oatmeal-colored turtleneck sweater on a cold winter day. And as hard as it was for me to type "stretch pants" I need to tell you I would never ever not in a million Ferris Bueller Days Off wear them with patent stiletto heels but with boots. Or something. Yeah. I mean, am I crazy? Am I verging on these? Or better yet, this get-up?
On Second Thought: Why DON'T Kids Use Pillowcases to Trick-or-Treat Anymore?

Petunia Face

2 Nov 2009 | 6:11 am

No doubt the interwebs are abuzz with pics of petite pirates and princesses, balloon boys, bees, their parents a mere blah blah behind them so proud. And I get it: Halloween is over, 2 days gone, store windows already dusted with styrofoam snowflakes, bins of spiders marked 75% off at outlet. But wait! There's more! This pumpkin is not yet doubled over soft, the bottom only sits in a very shallow puddle of liquified goo, I swear. Please don't shaving cream my blog but indulge me these last bits of my favorite holiday of all time and then some: Halloween, when everyone gets to be someone else.

Our Bodies Our Blog
New Blog, Weightless, Critiques Media While Promoting Well-Being

PsychCentral.com has launched a new body image blog called Weightless. From the site description: Weightless is about well-being, not weight; about fostering body image, regardless of your size. It’s about exposing women’s magazines, other mediums and so-called experts, when they’re touting unhealthy tips and promoting restrictive standards. The goal of Weightless is to ... [This is a content summary only. Click the headline to visit Our Bodies, Our Blog for the full post, links, other content and more!]
New CDC Reports on Infant Mortality, Pregnancy Rates, Births

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released three new reports dealing with pregnancy and birth topics. Estimated Pregnancy Rates for the United States, 1990–2005: An Update [PDF] This report provides information on trends in U.S. pregnancy rates from 1976-2005, with an emphasis on the period from 1990 to 2005. Among ... [This is a content summary only. Click the headline to visit Our Bodies, Our Blog for the full post, links, other content and more!]
Listen to Judy Norsigian Thursday on WBAI Radio

Interested in learning more about Our Bodies Ourselves and the beginning of a worldwide movement for women's health? Judy Norsigian, OBOS co-founder and executive director, is going to be on WBAI radio (99.5 FM in New York) this Thursday (Nov. 5) from 10 to 11a.m. EST. You can stream the ... [This is a content summary only. Click the headline to visit Our Bodies, Our Blog for the full post, links, other content and more!]
Questions About Side Effects of Stopping Contraceptive Injections

ABC News has an interesting article up on the withdrawal symptoms some women are reporting after stopping Depo-Provera (medroxyprogesterone acetate), an quarterly injectable progesterone-only contraceptive method. An internet search on Depo withdrawal turns up multiple online postings, suggesting that some women are concerned about or report experiencing a number of symptoms, ... [This is a content summary only. Click the headline to visit Our Bodies, Our Blog for the full post, links, other content and more!]
Achieving Global Reproductive Justice: Recommendations from the Frontlines

[caption id="attachment_9388" align="aligncenter" width="425" caption="Serra Sippel, CHANGE; Aziza Ahmed, Harvard School of Public Health; Grace Sedio, Bomme Isago Association (Botswana); Sergia Galván, Colectiva Mujer y Salud (Dominican Republic); Massachusetts Representative Kay Khan; Dr. Fisseha Mekonnen, Family Guidance Association of Ethiopia"][/caption] by Kimberly Whipkey, Center for Health and Gender Equity "At Colectiva Mujer ... [This is a content summary only. Click the headline to visit Our Bodies, Our Blog for the full post, links, other content and more!]

Feministing
What We Missed

Vanessa

6 Nov 2009 | 4:39 pm

Actress Gabrielle Union blogs in a smart and honest way about the horrific responses to the Richmond rape case, and about her own rape. Via Shakes. More research shows that comprehensive sex education results in increased condom use among teens and lowers their chances of contracting HIV. Gawker argues that the woman who shot Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan to stop his shooting spree is solid proof that we need to allow women in combat. A new UK report finds that institutional racism in England schools prohibits ethnic minorities from being promoted and reaching top posts. 44% of folks reported being…
New campaign for HIV testing excludes women

Ariel

6 Nov 2009 | 1:30 pm

"Status is Everything": These are the words repeated in the new HIV testing campaign to be launched by the Newark, NJ African American Office of Gay Concerns (AAOGC). The website is not functional yet, as the campaign will be revealed on December 1, 2009, and officially launched in January 2010, but their preview photo shoot for the advertising campaign was released on flickr this week. Photos feature young gay African American men with the caption "Status is Everything," and the ad campaign will refer viewers to a hotline and website where they can schedule free HIV testing at local clinics.
Rihanna talks to Diane Sawyer

Vanessa

6 Nov 2009 | 12:35 pm

We'll have more to say on this once the full interview is up, but for now, check out this moving excerpt of Rihanna's interview with Diane Sawyer.
The Wire's gender problem

Rose

6 Nov 2009 | 11:31 am

Stringer Bell is confused. "Whaddaya mean The Wire's not feminist?" The Wire, the HBO series that ran for five seasons, will apparently live on, despite its shelf life, in a class at Harvard. And Professor William Wilson, the self-admitted "huge fan" who will be teaching the class, is high off of The Wire's Kool-Aid: "I do not hesitate to say that it has done more to enhance our understanding of the challenges of urban life and the problems of urban inequality, more than any other media event or scholarly publication," Wilson told the audience before poking fun at himself, "including studies…
Target Women: Beauty Contraptions

Vanessa

6 Nov 2009 | 10:23 am

I just had to put this up, not only because Sarah Haskins is the awesome, because I've been meaning to post about that neckline slimmer for quite a while now. Intense.

blue milk
When ‘being yourself’ is dangerous

blue milk

6 Nov 2009 | 10:33 pm

However innocuously presented (in fact, innocence is fetishised), we pretty much don’t know how to see a girl without objectifying her (even when we are feminist). Watching my pre-schooler I have moments where the thinness of her shoulders or the jut of her hips reminds me of images from fashion magazines – images of adults, or rather images of girls who are supposed to be what adults look like. More specifically, certain portions of her body, certain natural postures of hers are associated for me with the selling of a product; it is the very essence of objectification. It annoys…
So, all good

blue milk

6 Nov 2009 | 4:44 pm

Bad parent: Four year old daughter knows “you are being an arse” and “this is a pain in the arse” are terms used when you are feeling annoyed with someone. Good parent: Four year old daughter somehow mistakenly thinks it is pronounced ‘ask’ and so uses a PG rated version – “stop being a pain in the ask” when she is feeling annoyed. Even better, she emphasizes ask for full effect, and so in public it can sound no more offensive than a child demanding “ask, ask, assssssssssssssssssk!”. And because I am a good parent I have not…
Faster and faster

blue milk

6 Nov 2009 | 12:53 pm

This month I am frequently being swallowed whole in moments of déjà vu. On hands and knees, cleaning up bits of food from underneath the highchair, am I really here, already? And popping him down on the carpet in a video store, to sit with my purse and keys while I choose a DVD – I can recall the first baby and I here exactly, even if we lived somewhere else entirely. Maybe, because he is mostly an easier baby, I am surprised to find us here already. The journey to six months seemed to take all I had the first time. All the while something else is happening too. My memories of him as…
[More] Feminist parents community noticeboard

blue milk

3 Nov 2009 | 8:35 pm

Calling all lab rats, subjects needed for research. Here is an international study on ‘Motherhood’ with an on-line anonymous survey. Easy peasy. Took me about 5-10 minutes and the survey was reasonably well designed. This survey request comes to me via contacts in academia but on further investigation it seems the project is linked to the You Sexy Mother book/website, which may be a little ‘yummy mummy-ish’ for me, but no harm in helping research.
Almost a year later

blue milk

3 Nov 2009 | 3:13 am

About a year ago Lauca took some photographs with my mother’s camera, which you can see here if you missed it (really, how?). And now, some recent photos taken by Lauca. Why yes, that is five seconds of your life you will never get back. Unless you are my family, and then you will be treasuring the glorious melancholy captured by a four year old in these photos taken as her holiday with the much loved Aunty came to an end. I see a photographic future for Lauca creating album covers for Bon Iver.

Big Fat Blog - The fat acceptance weblog.
Fat Studies on Colbert

withoutscene

13 Oct 2009 | 10:10 am

According to the wonderful Susan Stinson, Amy Farrell, a contributor to the upcoming Fat Studies Reader, is going to be on The Colbert Report on Wednesday at 11:30 pm. She will make arguments against charging higher insurance rates for people with higher BMIs. She also has a book coming out soon called Fat Shame. How exciting! In my letter to Jon Stewart after the fat suit debacle I encouraged him to bring fat activists and scholars on his show. It is great to see Colbert is willing to do this; however, he is known for heckling his guests, keeping true to his satire of conservative talk show…
Dear Weight Watchers, I have two letters for you.

CarrieP

12 Oct 2009 | 9:51 pm

I intended to write about this article by Japanese scientists that says fat people are more likely to live longer than thin people (yay fatties!), but I got sidetracked by how annoyed I was that we are still wasting so much time, energy and cash trying to figure out what size our bodies need to be so we can live the longest, healthiest, happiest life when millions of people in the world are genuinely suffering. Which led me to this: You know what I would like to see? I would like to see Weight Watchers STFU about fighting your body's own signals of hunger and actually do something to FIGHT…
Shining a light on Fat Love

CarrieP

28 Sep 2009 | 8:21 am

Are you or your significant other Fat? Are you in super magical love? Go here and send your story and photo to Lesley for inclusion in The Museum of Fat Love! If, like me, you are perpetually single and every so often wonder if being fat might not just disqualify you from love altogether, check out the gallery. It will restore your faith in the possibility of love for every body. Srsly.
My Completely Unneccessary, Silly Letter to Jon Stewart: What's a Girl So Upset About?*

withoutscene

22 Sep 2009 | 8:41 am

I know this letter is long and that's now how you're supposed to do protest letters, but I'm long-winded, people. Dear Jon Stewart, Your bit with the fat suit on Monday’s show (September 14th, 2009) was distasteful, less than amusing, lazy, and sorely problematic. I know what you were trying to do. People called you all lazy for taking three weeks off; and since fatness is the ultimate symbol of being lazy, you got in a fat suit. And since Jon Oliver had joked on his radio show about eating two whole cheese steaks (or so I hear), you threw that in. Since you have a playful relationship…
The power of visibility

CarrieP

21 Sep 2009 | 5:54 pm

If you have been even idly thinking about adding photos to Here come the Fat Brides! or Athletes at Every Size, stop what you're doing at this very instant and go do it! Your photos, along with everyone else's, stand up and shout to the world that fat people are people first and we will not be put in a box. Every day when I look at the new additions to the gallery it makes me feel a little bit more normal...a little bit less "other". If they have that effect on me that means they could be having that effect on fat people all over the world. Because of you, fat people you don't even know will…

Pam's House Blend - Front Page
"R-71: Effective 12-3-09"

6 Nov 2009 | 8:58 pm

The Washington Secretary of State's final vote count report for the week continues to validate the conclusion that all of Washington state is moving towards equality. Tonight's numbers of 52.6% to 47.4% are not final, as vote counting is still underway. However, even the Secretary of State seems pretty sure about R-71 since their Friday afternoon blog post was titled "R-71: Effective 12-3-09"!King [County]'s approval rate has been running 68 percent, and a number of the ballots remaining to be counted are from that county. ... If the vote holds, Senate Bill 5688 will go into…
Youth Revolution presents...

6 Nov 2009 | 4:36 pm

A new organization called Youth Revolution popped up in Washington recently. I've written a bit about them here. YR's Executive Director is none other than Russell Johnson, Director of Governmental Affairs for the Focus on the Family/Family Research Council affiliate Family Policy of Institute of Washington. This is the local organization that helped funnel over $200,000 of James Dobson's Colorado money into Washington's Referendum 71 campaign. YR, a youth recruiting tool, has posted the following video on their front page. Without comment, I give you "The…
Sarah Palin "Keeping Low Profile" in Wisconsin

6 Nov 2009 | 2:15 pm

Honestly, how "low a profile" is it when CNN is reporting it??? Sigh... roll the film... Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is set to deliver remarks at a Wisconsin Right to Life event Friday evening, one of the few speeches the former Republican presidential nominee will have given since she resigned the governorship last summer. But Palin appears to be doing her best to keep a low profile on this trip: no press will be allowed into the Milwaukee auditorium where she will speak and those who have paid the $30 admittance fee are unable to carry in cell phones, cameras, laptops, or recording…
Reactions to the Approval of R-71 in Washington State

6 Nov 2009 | 10:00 am

Note from Lurleen: Louise has allowed me to make this an all-purpose "reactions" diary. The AP has called the approval of R-71 inevitable, although the Secretary of State has yet to certify the result. More below the fold as they come in, but first let me share two headliners. First from Washington's Governor Chris Gregoire"I am extremely pleased that voters have approved Referendum 71. I signed the original bill and believe it is the right policy for our great state. Washington state has a history of fighting to ensure everyone - mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, brothers,…
Marisa Richmond: Thoughts On Hate Crimes

6 Nov 2009 | 9:30 am

This is a guest post by Marisa Richmond, Ph.D. She is the president of the Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition (TTPC). She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Equality Project & Board of Advisors of National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE). She is a former Board Member of American Educational Information Services (AEGIS), International Foundation for Gender Education (IFGE), National Transgender Advocacy Coalition (NTAC), and Nashville's Rainbow Community Center. She served as Co-Chair of Southern Comfort Convention in 2001, chaired the host committee of the…

Simply Stated By RealSimple.com
Treat Yourself

kateparker

6 Nov 2009 | 3:19 pm

Once in a while a girl has got to pamper herself. What better time than late in the year, as the impending holiday craziness looms near! On my recent trip to Napa, I paid a visit to the Spa Villagio at the Vintage Estate in Yountville, and I can say that it was - hands down - the best spa experience I’ve ever had. Now, most women I know have at least one thing that is their thing - they thing they splurge on once in a while because it does wonderful things for the soul to be pampered every now and then. For some, it’s a fancy new haircut or highlights. For others, it’s regular…
The Art of Racing in the Rain: Chapters 1 - 13

kathleenharris

6 Nov 2009 | 12:25 pm

And we’re off – it was so difficult to put this book down. I was completely riveted and sped through the first few chapters. But before I get ahead of myself, I first want to thank you for sharing your amazing pet stories. I had quite a few good laughs – from farting dogs to over-sized lap dogs. You can’t help but smile reading all of them.Now, let’s talk about Chapter 1. From the first sentence, I got emotional reading this book written from Enzo’s point of view. It just made me think about what my dog Lucy must be thinking all day long and how I wish I could understand her…
Why I Miss the 4:30 Movie.... (AKA McMillan & Wife Makes Me Smile)

corynne_corbett

6 Nov 2009 | 8:01 am

I do quite a bit of my writing at night and often I watch campy old movies to keep me company. I can tell you that "In Like Flint" has come on more than a couple of times in the last year so has "Salt & Pepper". I watch these movies as well as things like "Columbo", "McCloud" and "McMillan & Wife" because they actually remind of when we only had one television in the house. So the whole family watched a whole bunch of campy spy flicks, whodunnits and the like (whether we wanted to or not). The same thing happened at Aunt…
Do You Put Money into an FSA? POLL

kateashford

6 Nov 2009 | 5:37 am

Have you ever bought aspirin? Filled a prescription? Written a check for a co-pay at the doctor’s office? Sure you have. People spend hundreds—if not thousands—of dollars every year on medical expenses. That’s why Flexible Spending Accounts, or FSAs, are so fantastic: If you use them correctly, they can save you serious cash on expenses you’re incurring anyway.If your employer offers an FSA, it means you can put pre-tax money away to pay for many things health-related: doctor’s visits, over-the-counter meds, band-aids, you name it. What’s the big deal, you ask? I’ll tell…
A Secret to Happiness? Pick a Favorite.

gretchenrubin

5 Nov 2009 | 1:35 pm

On our last family trip to visit my parents in my hometown, Kansas City, it occurred to me that one of the reasons we have so much fun there is that we make the rounds of our “favorites” – our favorite hamburger joint, our favorite ice-cream store, our favorite toy store, our favorite book store, our favorite barbeque place (several contenders for this — it’s Kansas City, after all!) For some reason, at home in New York City, we haven’t identified many places this way. Sometimes we go out for brunch on the weekends, and we usually go to the same place, but we don’t say to…

BlogHer
Raising HIV/AIDS Awareness

Catherine Morgan

6 Nov 2009 | 9:38 pm

Did you know that one in four Americans living with HIV are women? It's true. HIV/AIDS is affecting more and more women, specifically African American women. It's actually become the leading cause of death in African American women between the ages of 25-34. Women and HIV/AIDS... The statistics are alarming. But there is good news. Taking some simple steps can protect women from getting HIV — or prevent women from passing it to others, including their children. Also, while there is no cure yet, many women with HIV and AIDS are living longer and stronger lives thanks to a…
One man, one woman. Three legs. Three arms. Big spirit.

Mata H

6 Nov 2009 | 9:12 pm

Ma Li has only one arm. Zhai Xiaowei has one leg. And below is a video of them dancing. They dance into the holes in people's lives. In the wordlessness of their dance, libraries of the soul open and volumes of unutterable wisdom fly off the shelves. A knowing comes forward. We all know this. We recognize the feeling of brokenness. We know what we do not have, will never have. We know that all the pieces in the world are not whole, not complete. We know that we needed, and that we need. In the dance, we see that aching need and see that it can be as beautiful as it is heartbreaking. We are…
Come On, U.S., Give the Kids Their Rights

Britt Bravo

6 Nov 2009 | 4:28 pm

November 20, 2009 is the 20th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). According to UNICEF, "The Convention on the Rights of the Child is the first legally binding international instrument to incorporate the full range of human rightscivil, cultural, economic, political and social rights."Only two United Nations member states have not ratified it: Somalia and the United States. Did you just say, "What?" Yeah, me too. I'm not entirely sure why the U.S. hasn't ratified the Convention. It seems like a no-brainer. According to The Huffington Post article, Obama…
Is Bob McDonnell Bad For Women?

American Princess

6 Nov 2009 | 3:38 pm

Okay, that's an incendiary headline, isn't it? I'm not one to enter the circular firing squad on Republicans (okay, so yes, I am, but not fresh-out-of-the-box governors who are serving as a bellweather for the Democratic agenda's chances in 2010), but there are certain issues on which I feel, as a libertarian feminist, on which I have to seek clarification, the question of whether a certain candidate actively works against the interest of women being one of them. So when I got an email from the National Organization of Women accusing Governor-elect McDonnell of saying this: [The] " dynamic…
Finally Getting "Syked" about Diversity in Late Night TV

debontherocks

6 Nov 2009 | 2:00 pm

Late night network talk shows are about to get the correction of all correction. Fox booted Mad TV and has now signed the Saturday night 11:00 EST slot to The Wanda Sykes Show. Provocative, acerbic, and unabashedly liberal, Wanda promises a show that will focus on ripping up and riffing on the news and pop culture trends of the week with monologues, taped pieces and a panel discussion with guests. Finally, Saturday night may once again showcase television to talk about.The test show offered an incredibly funny and a fast-paced hour. I wouldn't rush home from a party to…

Gizmodiva.com
Michael Kors collaborates with Estee Lauder for the making of the Very Hollywood makeup collection

Shruti

6 Nov 2009 | 10:07 pm

Every woman wants to look glamorous the reason why Michael Kors came up with this new collection. American fashion designer Michael Kors has collaborated with Estee Lauder to come up with a limited edition makeup collection. Very Hollywood will hit the racks in January, 2010. The collection comes in two color stories, Bel-Air Beige and Rodeo Pink , features two lipglosses, two lipsticks, one blush, an eyeshadow duo, an eye pencil, and a corresponding nail lacquer. The price ranges from $18 to $32. [Examiner]
Breastox, Botox for breasts gives your breasts a firm look

Shruti

6 Nov 2009 | 9:55 pm

A lot of women go through a mental trauma when there's a wedding round the corner and you cannot look your best. The 21st century new mothers need not worry any more. Injections of Botox into the breasts tighten sagging cleavage making it look like how it did during pre-pregnancy. This treatment takes about half an hour and gives you amazing results at just $1,660 a session. New mothers need to wait for at least three months after giving birth before signing up for Breastox. The procedure includes the usage of an anaesthetic cream which numbs the pain and the patient is given around 12…
Bread Shoes which are not edible

Shruti

6 Nov 2009 | 9:48 pm

You might have a dozen shoes to wear for different occasions but none could be like the Bread Shoes. I really wonder if you could ever eat these but they look pretty comfortable. These shoes are made from real bread and cost $44 per pair. This could be a cute Christmas gift even though it would not be of too much use. [FoolishGadgets]
Next Room Eavesdropping Device for the aspiring detectives

Shruti

6 Nov 2009 | 5:08 am

There are times when you know there is a plot being hatched right in the room next to you and you desperately need to know. The aspiring detectives now need not worry. The Next Room Eavesdropping Device priced at $62 is just what you need. This device uses an electronic internal sound amplifier to help you identify the noises coming through a wall, door, window and even steel plates. This device includes a set of headphones, built-in rechargeable battery charge via USB and ON/OFF Switch Button with volume Dial. Now no one can stop you from making those wicked plans unsuccessful. [Likecool]
Speaker Onesie by Mini Rotation Infant made for your little one

Shruti

6 Nov 2009 | 4:48 am

You might have seen a million Rompers for your little baby but none could be as cute as the Speaker Onesie. Thought it does not have any volume controls to help you reduce the volume of your little one, but he surely will enjoy the big speakers. The little Onesie comes with a price tag of $26 only. [Swiss-miss]

Breakup Girl
Which Change to Believe In?

Opening the lines of communication on March 9, 1998... Dear Breakup Girl, There's a lot said about not pushing people to change and just accepting differences. Yet, good relationships are supposed to involve lots of communicating, which suggests it is for working out differences. How do you know which issues are important ...
“M-MAYBE HE BECAME ILL AND COULDN’T TRICK OR TREAT!”

Most Lichtensteintastic Halloween makeup EVER. http://www.geekologie.com/2009/10/a_real_comic_book_character_fo.php
Rihanna: I want to help speak for young women

Rihanna speaks out for the first time since that whole business with what's-his-name, in the latest issue of Glamour: "Domestic violence is a big secret. No kid goes around and lets people know their parents fight. Teenage girls can’t tell their parents that their boyfriend beat them up. You don’t dare ...
Dating advice from David Brooks

David Brooks, writing in today's Times, is right: the game has changed. Once upon a time — in what we might think of as the “Happy Days” era — courtship was governed by a set of guardrails. Potential partners generally met within the context of larger social institutions: neighborhoods, schools, workplaces ...
This week at Happen: Should he wait for her?

MSN.com, Match.com, HappenMagazine.com: they’re in a healthy and satisfying 3-way relationship. Meaning that you’ll find MSN/Match.com’s “Ask Lynn” columns –penned by BG’s alter ego — over at Happen now as well. This week Lynn comes to the rescue of Waiting Gamer, who feels a strong connection with a gal that already has ...

Tango Diva Featured Stories
Yellowstone, USA: Elderhostels Good Option for Mature Solos

If you are a physically fit baby-boomer like me, you might be thinking that you are still too young for Elderhostel. Or maybe you’ve never even heard of Elderhostel. Sounds like “youth hostel”—right? The founders purposely chose the name “Elderhostel," because they were inspired by the youth hostel concept—safe, affordable lodgings and opportunities to meet fellow travelers.
Kenya: A Walk on the Wild Side in Loita Hills

On most African safaris, the “Big Five” of African big game—including Lion, Elephant, Cape Buffalo, Leopard and Rhino—is the main attraction.
Divas Love Sam's Sassy Sweatsedos!

Samantha Berman is currently one of two head honchos at Sweatsedo.com, the premier purveyor of the leisure lifestyle and one-of-a-kind loungewear. Before this, she worked for a handful of years in film and commercial production.
Stephanie's So-Must Holiday Haves!

Oprah has her favorite things, and I have my So-Must Holiday Haves, for you or your lesser halves! These hand-picked products run the gamut from family items to adults only, and they just might make those special people on your list smile.
Kauai, USA: Magical Hanalei Bay

Kauai has always held an allure for me. Although I’ve visited the better known Hawaiian Islands, I had yet to visit Kauai, the Garden Island.

Latest entries from leahj.blog-city.com
We Live In Public

Leah Jones

24 Oct 2009 | 11:14 pm

"About two years ago, I looked around and realized that what I had documented back then was a physical metaphor of how people would react to the Internet, which Josh predicted would eventually take over our lives." Ondi Timoner, Director, We Live In Public Let me repeat that..."a physical metaphor of how people would react to the Internet..."Today I went with 7 others (5 Twitter friends, one client introduced via a Twitter connection and a friend of the client) to see the documentary We Live In Public at the Music Box Theater. We Live In Public covers the two final…
Trip Number Five, Chapter Number One

Leah Jones

22 Oct 2009 | 9:28 pm

While I was at The Conversation in Baltimore, I read the few existing chapters from the novel I hope to write. The feed back was very encouraging, so I'm planning on working on it while I'm in Israel. Yep, I'm going back. I have a few webinars and workshops to attend to while I'm in town, but a big part of the trip will be writing. It isn't NaNoWriMo, because I'm not starting from scratch, but I do hope to add serious amounts of text to my draft.Here's chapter one of my as of yet unfinished novel. The Matzah Holiday“Why didn’t you tell me this was the…
"I'm nobody special."

Leah Jones

13 Oct 2009 | 10:46 pm

"Please don't blog about this." I said or he said or we both said to each other. We agreed and then went to our blogs and made obtuse references to what we'd promised each other we wouldn't blog. That was years ago, but as I tweeted to my friend Evelyn today, I blog very little of the deeply personal these days in an effort to keep a private life while I live publicly. I am both flattered and embarrassed when I meet someone that has read my blog or, more likely, follows me on Twitter. It connects immediately to a moment when I was a few years out of High School and…
Guest Post: Lech Lecha d'var Torah by Jill Gardner

Leah Jones

13 Oct 2009 | 10:21 am

My friend Jill Gardner gave this d'var on Lech Lecha in 2006 and offered to let me share it with you here. She's giving a new d'var on the same portion this month and exploring how her life has changed and how this Torah portion now is something completely different. But for now, I'm sharing her 2006 d'var.D’var Torah • Lech LechaSo, here we are again in Genesis. The verses we read tonight offer a story of great drama. Previously we heard about the genesis of the world and then the genesis of humankind, but here we have the genesis of the…
It is past time for the release of Gilad Shalit

Leah Jones

2 Oct 2009 | 11:14 am

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Notes to self
Diving In.

4 Nov 2009 | 9:58 am

While this video of my friend Thomas Hudson was airing all over national television last weekend, Thomas himself was off with his chainsaw, cleaning up tornado debris in a nearby county, wondering what all the fuss was about. THE APATHY OF KIDS TODAY, I TELL YOU. He put out a statement today, in response to both the overwhelming positive accolades and the inevitable analysis by armchair heroes.
Minions

2 Nov 2009 | 6:43 am

When your kids are still imaginary, you dream about all the cute, original, clever costumes they will wear at Hallowe'en, and how cute, original and clever you will seem by association. Then you have real kids, and they have their own ideas. Actually, they have Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, and Disney's ideas. Nothing but that $30 licensed costume (on sale the next day for five bucks) will do.So
Hero

30 Oct 2009 | 7:59 am

"Come out with us," I persuaded an old friend of mine and Patrick's, who stopped by last night as I was getting ready to go out with a girlfriend. He's in the coast guard, and home for a little break. "It'll be fun," I promised. "Drama-free." Three hours later, the three of us were tearing down seventh street in the pouring rain toward a submerged SUV with a mother and her twelve-year-old son
Cracking the Code

19 Oct 2009 | 7:16 am

I ran into someone I hadn't seen in a while, and they asked what I've been up to."I've been writing a book.""Oh, that must be fun!"Yes, if by fun you mean being dropped into an iron soul-compactor formed by two walls of pressure, external and internal, bearing down on you for ten months."It's...ah...been an interesting process."At times, it has been...well, fun is a stretch. It's felt really good
In and out of weeks and through a year.

13 Oct 2009 | 5:29 pm

Nearly there.

Immoral Matriarch
Rented: There Were Two

Maria

26 Oct 2009 | 9:00 pm

This is an anonymous post from a dear blog friend of mine. My daughter was a miracle. I don’t mean that in the religious sense or even in a devoted parent sense. She was a scientific miracle. For a year my husband and I tried to get pregnant with her. We went to many doctors and had more tests than I can enumerate. I was diagnosed with “unexplained infertility”and put on the infertility treadmill. Nothing worked. Then six months later, while we were on vacation and had no medical intervention I got pregnant. If you have any inclination to say anything related to relaxing, shut your…
Oh, you.

Maria

20 Oct 2009 | 9:01 pm

You are the perfect child. Now normally, when it comes to me doling out praise in braggadocios raves to strangers, it’s The Bella that gets most of it and you’re left with a “Oh, she’s just like me.” And you are, but that’s not what makes you perfect. It’s that you embody everything of a child there is to love: in every one that’s ever been adored on television and in movies, in every one that’s been described as ideal in pregnancy and parenting books, every bit the sweet happy child with the balloons floating just off the ground in the…
Divorce is hard. Coparenting is even harder.

Maria

16 Oct 2009 | 10:42 am

I don’t get to take my daughters Trick or Treating this year. That may sound trite to you, but it’s not to me. It’s something I’ve done with them every year, usually just me and them. This year, their father’s one weekend a month includes Halloween. I’m not happy about it. But it is what it is. Instead of looking at it like “it’s not fair, he’s pretty much completely disinterested in their lives but gets to have the fun days? That’s bullshit!“, I’m trying to see it as “well, he only gets them one weekend per month…
Different thoughts on the Polanski debacle.

Maria

11 Oct 2009 | 9:00 pm

So, Roman Polanksi raped someone. Let’s not get into the fact that she was 13. Or that she had a rabid stage mother. Or that she looked older than she was. Or that now she wants him to be left alone. Let’s not bother discussing that he dealt with Nazis and murderous cults in the past. Or that the presiding judge was press hungry, or that Roman Polanksi is an old man now. All of those things are beside the fact, and none of them negate the bottom line that people keep trying to circumvent with minuscule details: Roman Polanksi raped someone. She said no, repeatedly, while he raped…
I wish I could slap your mama.

Maria

6 Oct 2009 | 9:00 pm

In the face. With a frozen bass. You are NINE YEARS OLD. This is disgusting, it’s inappropriate and I cannot think of nar’ bit of justification for it. EDIT: Video has been taken down (thank god). It was video of a little girl from Peru, reenacting Britney Spears’ music video for ‘Toxic’ - frame for completely over the top and way too sexualized frame. A NINE YEAR OLD little girl. In the same outfits. Making the same gesutres and faces. Same lyrics. Ew. Copyright © 2009 Immoral Matriarch: Catechizer. This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you…

Outblush
The Beatles USB Apple

6 Nov 2009 | 1:39 pm

We don't know if the hype around the Beatles will ever fade, and that's a-ok with us...especially if that means we keep seeing awesome items like The Beatles USB Apple...Visit Outblush for the full post.
ABS Sequin Shift Dress

6 Nov 2009 | 12:40 pm

Hmmm, some of you ladies weren't feeling the last sequin dress we posted, but how about this little number? Admittedly, it's still a dress covered entirely by sequins, but this...Visit Outblush for the full post.
Jay Strongwater November Locket Charm

6 Nov 2009 | 12:30 pm

Were you born in November? Do you love your birthstone, topaz? Well then this one's just for you! The Jay Strongwater November Locket Charm ($125) is perfect for all autumn...Visit Outblush for the full post.
Celeb Style: Michelle Obama-Rama

6 Nov 2009 | 12:29 pm

Our final day of the week that is Michelle Obama's wardrobe showcase ends on a positive note, a floral one to be exact! While we love how she pulls off...Visit Outblush for the full post.
Leaf Trail Mirror

6 Nov 2009 | 12:29 pm

Isn't the Leaf Trail Mirror ($20) darling? Foliage graze the edges of this mirror in the palest of pale shade of pink. It may be too sweet, but it may...Visit Outblush for the full post.

Splendicity » Accessories
Sass, Style & Substance

Chloe Findlay-Harder

7 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

For this week’s best of Sass, Style & Substance beauty & fashion news! Eat Smart Age Smart 6 Steps to feel sexy in your body! Beauty Match Change your mind, change your body, change your life! eye4style Cutting Edge or Questionable? You decide. eye4style tells all about a new plastic surgery iPhone application. A Touch of Blusher A Touch of Blusher counts down the best fall 2009 makeup collections. STYLEnosh My readers find the best fashion WHAT WENT WRONG pics! Splendicity Accessories Lace accessories are showing up all over the place – although Lady Gaga shows us how to not…
Colorful Earrings at the MTV Europe Awards

Chloe Findlay-Harder

6 Nov 2009 | 1:41 pm

The 2009 MTV Europe Music Awards took place in Berlin yesterday evening. Like almost any award show, there was a mix of high fashion, trends and some… interesting choices by some of the stars. Singer Joss Stone sported a serious pair of colorful earrings: image: Zuma Press I love the color contrast between her hair and the shades of blue and turquoise that the pave hoop earrings are made with. If you’d like to try out a pair of colorful hoop earrings, but aren’t sure if you want to go quite that big, I’ve got a few fun and stylish picks to choose from. image: Nordstrom…
Hot Handbags Under $200 from Nordies

Star Stevenson

6 Nov 2009 | 9:08 am

If you haven’t checked out the Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale event, you going to miss out on a lot of fabulous handbags at incredible prices! They have loads of styles available for any taste and preference and I picked out a few handbags under $200 that you may just want to snap up. Image: Nordstrom MICHAEL Michael Kors Large Leather Hobo ($149.90) in Cognac or Black. This is your classic, all around versatile bag that will take you from work to weekends. The style is simple but stylish and functional. Image: Nordstrom Elliott Lucca Woven Side Panel Double Handle Hobo ($198.90) – If…
And Jewelry Is On Sale at Nordstrom Too!

Chloe Findlay-Harder

5 Nov 2009 | 12:00 pm

I posted about some of the great deals you could find on shoes during Nordstrom’s half-yearly sale a little earlier… But now it’s time to have some fun with the sparkly stuff! First of all, if you’re a Juicy Couture fan – you’re definitely going to want to check the sale out. They have tons of Juicy charms, necklaces, rings and bracelets on sale. That includes: Juicy Couture’s “Blooming” bracelet, featuring enamel flowers and butterflies on a multi-strand gold-tone bracelet. How about something in sterling silver? These delicate hoop…
Save Big on Shoes at Nordstrom!

Chloe Findlay-Harder

5 Nov 2009 | 9:45 am

It’s time for Nordstrom’s half-yearly sale and they’ve got some great deals on right now! You can find everything from trendy boots, athletic shoes and timeless classics on sale. Of course, like any sale – things are sure to sell out fast, so don’t wait… If you’d like to try out the over-the-knee boot trend, why not do it with this great pair from Enzo Angiolini? The “Zakari” is made from gray suede and adjusts with a drawstring around the cuff. The “Polite” metallic gold leather evening sandal by Jimmy Choo will make a…

ELLE News Blog
Society For Rational Dress Dresses A Secret Self

ELLE.com

6 Nov 2009 | 2:22 pm

Last Saturday, the Santa Monica Museum of Art hosted hundreds of guests, as their first Halla Gala went off without a Halloween hitch. As reported earlier, in addition to co-hosts Leonard and Susan Nimoy, the dress as your secret self event had some pretty big fashion names attached to it as well, one of which was Corinne Grassini, owner and design mind behind the line Society for Rational Dress. “I loved the twist on the traditional costume party, “ Grassini said. “Each person’s look created a conversation, and it was interesting to see all the different ways the concept of…
ELLE News Quiz: 11/6

ELLE.com

6 Nov 2009 | 11:55 am

How well do you know this week's most stylish happenings? 1. What Brit model was just named a Victoria's Secret Angel? 2. What designer teamed with Baileys Irish Cream for a holiday shoe auction? 3. What museum just opened an exhibit featuring photos of rock icons? 4. What shoe designer just rolled out a customized line of Barbies? 5. Leighton Meester wore a floral frock by what designer to the NYPL's Library Lions Gala? 6. What stylish songstress hosted MTV's European Music Awards? —Erin Clements Answers: 1. Rosie Huntington Whitely 2. Patricia…
Rosie Huntington Whitely Now a Victoria's Secret Angel

ELLE.com

6 Nov 2009 | 11:02 am

Rosie Huntington Whitely has just been named a Victoria's Secret Angel, and as it stands right now, she is the only Brit to currently hold the heavenly title. The doll-faced model has been steadily climbing the ladder to supermodel-dom and now that she has the ultimate trophy, her angel wings, the future will only get brighter for the 22 year-old. But for the English rose, who has already been the face of Burberry and holds the 2009 Model of the Year title from the ELLE Style Awards, how much more is there is to conquer? We will just have to wait and see. —Rebecca…
Wardrobe Chic: Shop Amerie's Closet

ELLE.com

6 Nov 2009 | 7:24 am

Amerie is known for her can't-get-em-out-of-your-head songs, though, after spending the day with the R&B star for ELLE.com's Wardrobe Chic shoot, I soon realized her eye for style and thoughtful approach to fashion are just as infectious. The self-proclaimed accessories junkie has amassed an impressive collection of edgy-chic jewelry—from Pamela Love dagger necklaces to Bliss Lau body chains (most of which she buys online). The Grammy-nominated songstress, whose fourth album just hit stores, follows one simple style rule: "Getting dressed everyday should be fun." Here,…
Street Chic: New York

ELLE.com

6 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am

A fur vest adds a luxe touch to an LBD. Photo: Lee Satkowski Think you are Street Chic? E-mail us your photo and you could appear in ELLE.com's Street Chic Daily. Follow ELLE on Twitter. Become our Facebook fan!

Vancouver Doula (...and Slow Birth)
Pauline's Words

Jacquie Munro

27 Oct 2009 | 3:59 pm

We had a beautiful nurse for the birth yesterday.Pauline, originally from Togo, is a mother of five, and a grandmother of two. Her last child was born on her own bed, birthed into her own hands. She birthed this baby on her own, with joy.Our time with Pauline was magical. She spoke to us like she was taking us on a spiritual journey. She spoke low and slow, rolling her R's. Her words were like poetry...or a prayer...As she was speaking, I copied her words onto paper...hear her...The woman's body is so uniqueIt is well made.Birththe body knows this storyI don't write this storyThat's how it…
Slowly...While Waiting for Baby...

Jacquie Munro

25 Oct 2009 | 3:32 pm

My daughter just asked me why I haven't been posting to my blog for some time. Well, like my mum, who just can't seem to read an entire book since dad died, I seem to be having trouble writing. Oh, I could write and write about all the amazing encounters that I've had with my father's spirit, especially in France (that time in Shakespeare and Company in Paris was extraordinary!)... But, write about birth? There's been a block...So, I thought that I'd best just sit down and start writing while I'm waiting for another baby to come - a baby girl. Her mum and dad were supposed to be moving today,…
Slow return from madonnas, pilgrims, sunshine, walking...

Jacquie Munro

12 Sep 2009 | 8:55 am

Six weeks in England, Scotland, and France...walking miles to ruined castles, riding bikes through Paris, climbing Munros, hiking through hidden valleys, reading good books, exploring pilgrim's paths and spiral staircases, swimming in the sparkling Mediterranean...then returning to our own cottage to create wonderful thoughtful meals (and eat those French pastries!)...now that was slow travel at its best!The families in France gave us such joy. New fathers with babies in buddha wraps, toddler in hand...laughing. Families standing by the trunk of the car, then pulling out (Mary Poppins style)…
Slow Travel to the Goyt Valley, Schiehallion, Dordogne, Mediterranean, Mont Ventoux, Paris...

Jacquie Munro

28 Jul 2009 | 2:49 pm

On Friday, we're off for six weeks of slow travel in England, Scotland, and France...and I won't be back attending births until mid-September (try calling me on September 14th!)I'm leaving all current clients in the capable hands of my brilliant backup doulas, who will be providing expert chats and doula support while I'm away.For any potential clients looking to hire me while I'm away, I will still answer your email requests...but very slooowwly. We're staying in remote places - a hillside cottage, a farm, a former monastery, a restored convent, and a former weaver's stone cottage...very few…
Slow Birth...Slow Medicine

Jacquie Munro

20 Jul 2009 | 12:35 pm

It's been a long time since I wrote a new post...but so much has happened. The greatest joys and the greatest sorrows.I took this photo while sitting and crying in a bathroom stall at the hospital, while my dad was in Emergency with a subdural hematoma caused by Acute Myeloid Leukemia, just ten days before his death. So much to take in...so little time. The positive graffiti really helped me.We sprung my dad from the hospital after a few days, with the support of his doctors - he really wanted to be home in his artist's studio. With 24/7 nursing care from the Palliative Home Service (angels…

CrazyAuntPurl
Dallas Raines and Ralph, my two favorite men

5 Nov 2009 | 10:33 am

The beginning of the week brought November and summer, it was ninety degrees downtown. Dallas promises that summer will end eventually and I hold onto hope: Doesn't he look like he's delivering the bad news with that stern expression, telling his fans that sad but true we'll have to endure several days of partly cloudy. However will we manage? At least it's not going to be ninety degrees today again. I have the physique of someone better suited to winter wear than summer attire, it would be nice to finally get the accompanying weather. - - - This week I splurged and bought a beautiful orchid…
Procrasticleaning for the masses

2 Nov 2009 | 1:16 pm

I completely missed my calling as a peeping tom. If only peeping tom didn't have such a negative connotation, what with the perversity and sneakiness and dirty-old-man-in-raincoat and so on, because really I do love looking inside people's lives. I like to see their houses and what's on their kitchen tables, and how they managed to make their TV set look always somehow better than mine does in my own living room. I often stare at my TV set and wonder why it never seems to look right in the room, no matter where I put it. Mostly I am speaking of a decorator peeping tom here. Like, more of a…
Shake shake shake your little red handknit Mary Jane booties!

30 Oct 2009 | 11:01 am

We're only now getting around to having the baby shower for the coworker that I made my first-ever sweater for. I already blabbered on and on about the sweater here, but to go with it I also made the cutest knitted shoes EVER! If I do say so myself. I did however neglect to block them, so I stuffed them with tissue paper instead. Ah, it happens. I am IN LOVE with this pattern, it's the Tiny Shoes pattern from Ysolda. When I ordered it the charge to my paypal account was $3.40 (that's the conversion from the British pound) and it is SO worth it! This is another very well-written pattern, easy…
In the city ladies look pretty, guys tell jokes so they can seem witty

29 Oct 2009 | 11:20 am

One of my hidden talents is that I have a freakishly vast knowledge of song lyrics from the 1980s. I can conduct an entire conversation in random song lyrics, which I do sometimes at work accidentally and then I find myself on a conference call saying something like, "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called life ..." Which goes over really well. As you can imagine. Crosswords fascinate me. Not the actual completion or challenge of the crossword puzzle -- the only ones I have a shot of getting right are the crosswords in the back of People magazine. What…
Reader Q&A Day

28 Oct 2009 | 12:36 pm

The immediacy of email still surprises me, mostly because I am not very immediate about it on my end. But just imagine you post some little essay and then you go get coffee, wash your hands repeatedly, flip through an Avon catalog, stare out the window, and fifteen minutes later you check your inbox and you have 149 emails about your forgotten essay's factual inaccuracies. How else would I know when I had neglected to talk up Alaska's tax-free status? I tell this to my friend Work-Jennifer and she says, "Doesn't it bother you that an essay about people pointing out flaws in your fantasies…

Sizzle Says
Outrun Sorrow

Sizzle

5 Nov 2009 | 7:13 am

I don’t know how she did it. How she survived losing the love of her life. Not once but twice. First to the bottle, then to cancer. Maybe three times even- to blindness then booze then illness. The sequence does not matter really but that it all happened. Before the elephant in the room came to live with us, life was happier. We laughed a lot and had family adventures; we ate meals together at the same table and played board games; we did chores and went to the drive in and got ice cream cones. We got tucked in tight and kissed good night. The house was filled with love. My parents made…
Time Out

Sizzle

2 Nov 2009 | 7:04 am

While everyone seems to be signing up for the write-every-single-day NaBloPoMo, I have decided to do the opposite. And I never was much of a rebel. I’ve found myself far too angsty, angry, pent up, depressed, irritable and sad as of late and when I come here, I can’t seem to give voice to it. I feel a pressure to post for everyone BUT me. I feel like I can’t talk about the things that are weighing on me in a public forum. Why yes, I do have boundaries and sometimes I actually do keep my mouth shut. See? Even that sounded bitchy. I can’t seem to escape it. I blame an…
Last Minute Whim

Sizzle

30 Oct 2009 | 7:54 am

So I was going to dress up as an owl but time got the best of me and I wasn’t able to make my costume. Then at work some of us decided WEDNESDAY (two days notice, mind you) that we should all come to work as female singers from the 1980’s. Guess who I picked? Your only hint: Think short hair. Emulating The Real Thing I probably didn’t need to practice her dance moves. But of course I did. Pictures forthcoming. Here you go! We’ve got a Debbie Gibson, a Madonna, a Cyndi Lauper* and an Olivia Newton-John. *Cyndia Lauper totally called in sick. That beyotch.
A Smattering

Sizzle

28 Oct 2009 | 9:40 am

I’ve been inspired by my BlogHer roomies (and good pals!) to share my happy. And to make it into bullets thanks to another friend. Here goes nothing everything: Booking a New Year’s Eve getaway to the Oregon coast with very good friends. Needing new clothes in a smaller size. Quinoa. Telling people what I want and need without apologizing for it. (Sweet liberation!) Boots. (We’ve covered this repeatedly.) These rocking bands. My purple hallway. My nephew in his bat costume. The leaves changing. Rain thundering against my windows. Scarves. Tickets to go see Raphael Saadiq,…
I *Think* I Might Have a Problem

Sizzle

27 Oct 2009 | 6:41 am

But I can’t decide which is the bigger issue. 1) The fact that I keep taking self-portraits in public restrooms. Or 2) The fact that I went from owning zero belts to owning six. Exhibit A Red Belt Exhibit B Exhibit C White Belt Okay so Exhibit B was taken in my own apartment bathroom. What is with me and the hand-on-hip pose? Also, I seem to want to wear heels or boots* all the time. WHO AM I?! Hmm, I think I like her. *I ordered new boots to replace the first ones that did not fit but they are on back order. Do I have bad boot karma or something? If you’d like to read about my…

flutter
Commiserating with the ceiling fan

flutter

20 Oct 2009 | 10:06 pm

As I fail to sleep, for the depth of my nightmares, I watch him. He has impossibly long eyelashes, that catch the beauty of sleep with a devastating beauty. His closed eyes, slightly swollen from the intensity of his rest, undisturbed and perfect. He sleeps. I try not to wake him when I jolt myself awake. Dreams thick with oddly yellow eyes and fat, blunt fingertips bruising my skin. My heart hammers in its clumsy rhythm against my ribs, fragile with the weight of my breasts that shake when I cry. I turn into his back, or his shoulder, or close to his sleeping face and listen to the white…
Just Farking say good luck, a’ight?

flutter

13 Oct 2009 | 10:36 pm

I feel that we are close enough, you and I, that I can admit that I have a problem. *big breath* My name is Christine and I am a Farkleholic. Farkle is a dice game, I play it on Facebook and it is HIDEOUSLY addictive. The first time I played against an actual, live human being they wished me luck in the chat window. I wished them the same and thought it very sportsmanlike conduct. I’ve noticed, however, that not everyone adheres to sportsmanlike conduct. My interactions with many other farkleites, upon receipt of my hearty “good luck!” leave something to be desired. To wit:…
He

flutter

7 Oct 2009 | 6:10 pm

He makes me laugh. This picture, especially, because he could not be less gangsta if he tried. Not even if he was Eminem. He goes to the Botanical Garden with me, without complaint. He does so with my family, without complaint, and when they aren’t looking, he has me take pictures of him- humping a pole. It’s a bit of a theme, really. People travel from all over the world to see the Grand Canyon, the caption on his Facebook album of the Grand Canyon? “The Grand Canyon- yep, it’s definitely a big hole in the ground.” He looks like he is going to kill me as I annoy…
Forgiveness

flutter

30 Sep 2009 | 11:28 pm

Forgiveness does not absolve us of personal responsibility. We may have been forgiven, but the lingering scar of the transgression remains. Because truth be told, forgiveness is for the soul of the wounded and not the soul of one transgressor. It is to let go of the blackness, the hate and the terror that can eat a heart alive. Forgiven, not forgotten. So, after all these years, a 44 year old woman has forgiven the man who raped her when she was 13. She’s forgiven him, so should we, right? No. Partially because the victim was not a 44 year old woman, but a 13 year old girl. A 13 year…
Believe

flutter

23 Sep 2009 | 11:28 pm

Halloween has always been my favorite day of the year. The autumn, still early in its lushness, gives birth to the most delicate balance between summer and winter. The very plants, mimicking the fire that is often required for renewal. When I was little, I remember the overwhelming pull to be a fairy for Halloween. But what a remember, more clearly, is the overwhelming pull to be a fairy. I wanted to flit and flutter among the dying flowers of fall, small and petite. I wanted to sit upon a string of twinkle lights in a stranger’s garden, unnoticed except for the magic I exuded. More…

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Scale Junkie
Healthy You Challenge Check In Week 44, 2009

2 Nov 2009 | 4:12 pm

Hi everyone! Welcome to week 44 HYC check in. First week of November, 2009, hard to believe there are less than 2 months left in 2009.You can tell its getting later in the year, less people are focused on starting a healthy lifestyle because for the first time this year we have no new people to welcome. I plan on using the time left in the year to work on getting back some of what I've lost. What about you? Any end of the year goals or plans?
lately I

2 Nov 2009 | 5:01 am

Lately I've been caught up in lifeLately I've been fighting an illnessLately I haven't been blogging too muchLately I haven't been focused on my healthLately I haven't exercisedLately I've had too many reasons why...I can't even guarantee these words will make sense to any of you but here it goes.So here it is, the last two months of the year and I look back at this past year (and the year before) and I see my weight is pretty much where its been for the past two years. One thing leads to another and here we are and here I am wishing things were different but they aren't. Yes thats my head…
Healthy You Challenge Check In Week 43, 2009

26 Oct 2009 | 5:48 pm

Hi everyone. As some of you know I had "blog issues" last week and unfortunately in my panic to fix the problem I posted a few test posts and when I deleted them I also deleted last weeks HYC check in, sorry! If you happened to stop by and found the 404 error, you can read all about why in my post below but enough of that, lets move on to this week and lets hope its wonderful!WELCOME!A Writer In A Wheelchairhttp://writerinawheelchair.blogspot.com/
www.scalejunkie.com oh for a little www

25 Oct 2009 | 9:41 am

Last week I posted the HYC post and everything was working just fine. Then I go and get sick and don't check on my blog for a few days, check my email to find that scalejunkie.com isn't working. Well I guess that was my birthday present from Google...wiping me from the face of the web!404 PAGE NOT FOUND!!! STRESS STRESS STRESSPANIC PANIC PANICCRY CRY CRYcry some more.....the subdomains for the recipies, reviews and Sadie & Max were working but not my main blog page.After accidentally deleting my last post ... sorry HYC gang, going to blogger help, someone suggested I publish back to…
Finally an affordable higher capacity scale - and you could win one too!

19 Oct 2009 | 8:16 am

For the past week I've been trying out the EatSmart Precision Premium Digital Bathroom Scale. Yes that means I've been jumping off and on the scale more often than usual but hey, it was for the sake of research ;-) Because I earned the name Scale Junkie, the people at EatSmart thought I'd be the perfect person to try this out but they want one of my readers to try one too so they've generously offered to give one away to one of you. Read more...and enter to win by clicking here.

BettyConfidential.com
Daily Dish: Sarah Jessica Parker Loves the Stench of Dirty Diapers

6 Nov 2009 | 9:45 pm
Result: Sex with Your Guy vs. a Night of Girl Talk and Wine with Your BFF

6 Nov 2009 | 9:45 pm
Betty on the News: Children's Make-Believe Slavery Lesson Angers Parents

6 Nov 2009 | 9:45 pm
Betty on the News: Psychics, Tarot Card Readers Are in Demand in Tough Economy

6 Nov 2009 | 9:45 pm
Betty on the News: West Texas Polygamist Sect Member Guilty of Sexual Assault

6 Nov 2009 | 9:45 pm

Twenty Four At Heart
Getting My Life Back?

Twenty Four At Heart

6 Nov 2009 | 12:05 am

** On Monday evening at 10pm EST/7pm Pacific time I'm being interviewed by Karl Erikson on Secondhand Radio (on Talkshoe). There will be a Live Chatroom and/or you can call in with questions or comments. If you are unable to listen to the show live, it will be available on iTunes shortly after being recorded. You can find out more about the show by going hereAll but my newest readers know I've faced some difficult challenges over the last three and a half years. Since my car accident I've gone through six surgeries, breathtaking pain, and forfeited my "normal"…
The Red Cup

Twenty Four At Heart

5 Nov 2009 | 12:05 am

Do you remember last week when I wrote a post titled The Unspoken Coffee Cup War?It was a topic which obviously resonated with a lot of you. Many of you took the time to leave a comment or send me an email regarding your very own War on the Homefront. (By the way, your comments and emails were both enlightening and very amusing!)Briefcase was out of town when I went public with our marital war regarding The Red Cup. When he called home while on his trip he never mentioned my post at all. I assumed he was busy working and never saw it. A few nights later Briefcase was back home…
I'm Talking Rabbit Sex and Not The Good Kind

Twenty Four At Heart

4 Nov 2009 | 12:05 am

I recently got an estimate for installing artificial grass in our backyard.Artificial grass is pretty damn pricey and Briefcase and I are in the process of arguing over discussing the matter.Before you moan and groan and ask, "How can you even consider such a thing?" let me tell you I have several good reasons.First of all, California is in a drought and we are constantly being asked to conserve water. Grass requires water ... lots and lots of water. We have a pretty large grass area surrounding our pool. Therefore, reason #1 is The Green Factor.Reason #2 is The Dog Factor.
Birthday Wrap Up

Twenty Four At Heart

3 Nov 2009 | 12:05 am

I will be back to regular posting (whatever that is!) tomorrow. Today is a hodgepodge post in the wake of my 24th birthday celebration yesterday.First things first ...Thank you to everyone who participated in yesterday's birthday celebration. There were two hundred entries in my contest. I really enjoy giving things away.#1 The contest winners are as follows:$100 Amazon Gift Card = Jan$ 60 Amazon Gift Card = Dogmother$ 40 Amazon Gift Card = Lorna$ 40 Amazon Gift Card = BallerinatoesCongratulations to all four winners! Please email me with the email address you would like your…
24th Birthday Contest & Celebration!

Twenty Four At Heart

2 Nov 2009 | 12:05 am

Yippee!I'm 24 today! (Again!) I love birthdays!I can't tell you how much I enjoy writing Twenty Four At Heart. All of you who take the time to stop by for a few minutes each day make me so happy. There doesn't seem to be a better time to say thank you than on my 24th birthday.To show my appreciation I am giving out $240 worth of Amazon gift cards today. (24 with a zero behind it!) It seems like Amazon has something for everyone, right? And just in time for the holidays too.I've made this as simple as I can. This is how it works:You must leave a comment (any…

Latest entries from leahj.blog-city.com
We Live In Public

Leah Jones

24 Oct 2009 | 11:14 pm

"About two years ago, I looked around and realized that what I had documented back then was a physical metaphor of how people would react to the Internet, which Josh predicted would eventually take over our lives." Ondi Timoner, Director, We Live In Public Let me repeat that..."a physical metaphor of how people would react to the Internet..."Today I went with 7 others (5 Twitter friends, one client introduced via a Twitter connection and a friend of the client) to see the documentary We Live In Public at the Music Box Theater. We Live In Public covers the two final…
Trip Number Five, Chapter Number One

Leah Jones

22 Oct 2009 | 9:28 pm

While I was at The Conversation in Baltimore, I read the few existing chapters from the novel I hope to write. The feed back was very encouraging, so I'm planning on working on it while I'm in Israel. Yep, I'm going back. I have a few webinars and workshops to attend to while I'm in town, but a big part of the trip will be writing. It isn't NaNoWriMo, because I'm not starting from scratch, but I do hope to add serious amounts of text to my draft.Here's chapter one of my as of yet unfinished novel. The Matzah Holiday“Why didn’t you tell me this was the…
"I'm nobody special."

Leah Jones

13 Oct 2009 | 10:46 pm

"Please don't blog about this." I said or he said or we both said to each other. We agreed and then went to our blogs and made obtuse references to what we'd promised each other we wouldn't blog. That was years ago, but as I tweeted to my friend Evelyn today, I blog very little of the deeply personal these days in an effort to keep a private life while I live publicly. I am both flattered and embarrassed when I meet someone that has read my blog or, more likely, follows me on Twitter. It connects immediately to a moment when I was a few years out of High School and…
Guest Post: Lech Lecha d'var Torah by Jill Gardner

Leah Jones

13 Oct 2009 | 10:21 am

My friend Jill Gardner gave this d'var on Lech Lecha in 2006 and offered to let me share it with you here. She's giving a new d'var on the same portion this month and exploring how her life has changed and how this Torah portion now is something completely different. But for now, I'm sharing her 2006 d'var.D’var Torah • Lech LechaSo, here we are again in Genesis. The verses we read tonight offer a story of great drama. Previously we heard about the genesis of the world and then the genesis of humankind, but here we have the genesis of the…
It is past time for the release of Gilad Shalit

Leah Jones

2 Oct 2009 | 11:14 am

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moosh in indy.
time spent with bloggers is always time well spent.

Casey

6 Nov 2009 | 6:45 pm

(Just for clarification-I live in Indiana, I moved to Indiana from Utah, my parents still live in Utah, the moosh and I spent the last three weeks in Utah hanging out with my family and I am now back in Indiana where I own a house but I can’t live in it yet because the plumbing doesn’t work and ZOMG DID YOU SEE WHAT COLORS IT IS PAINTED? Anyway I’m not entirely sure where we’re going to be living for the next month or so but IT’S ALL JUST AN ADVENTURE RIGHT!?) The scene is Tuesday and the moosh and I are trolling around my dad’s ‘hood since I was…
moosh is actually latin for “lady with a camera shoved to her face”

Casey

3 Nov 2009 | 9:09 pm

Copyright © 2009 moosh in indy.. This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact mooshinindy (at) gmail (dot) com so we can take legal action immediately.Plugin by Taragana
win harry connick jr.’s new album.

Casey

29 Oct 2009 | 8:05 pm

swoon! clicky clicky here for the details if you’re interested. Copyright © 2009 moosh in indy.. This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact mooshinindy (at) gmail (dot) com so we can take legal action immediately.Plugin by Taragana
distance sometimes makes the heart even more distant. if you let it.

Casey

28 Oct 2009 | 8:21 pm

I used to pride myself on the fact that I didn’t need my husband for anything on a day to day basis. I relied on myself and the people around me to get whatever I needed done and taken care of. I would leave for months at a time on vacations away from home so he could study. There was a moment when I was in Chicago in July that I realized Cody could be facedown in a ditch somewhere and I wouldn’t even know it. We never talked on the phone and the only time we would email is when one or the other of us needed something. Since I was in Chicago I couldn’t help him with anything…
brandi carlisle’s new album, a giveaway.

Casey

26 Oct 2009 | 1:36 pm

Want to win a copy of singer/songwriter Brandi Carlisle’s (think Indigo Girls meets Rachel Yamagata) new album Give Up the Ghost? Okay! Clicky clicky here. Copyright © 2009 moosh in indy.. This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact mooshinindy (at) gmail (dot) com so we can take legal action immediately.Plugin by Taragana

Blogger For Hire
Stupid Beauty Trends

MomGrind

3 Nov 2009 | 9:00 am

After writing last week about stupid fashion trends, it occurred to me that during recent years, we’ve seen several beauty trends that were/ are just as stupid. Here are five of them: Trout Pout This beauty trend is about filling one’s upper lips to the brim with collagen, or whatever it is they use to augment lips these days. Meg Ryan is one of the celebrities who are most often criticized for her “fish lips.” The photo above provides a perfect example of what seems to be an overzealous “lip work.” Huge, Round, Hard Breast Implants on a Tiny Frame…
Ten Stupid Fashion Trends

MomGrind

27 Oct 2009 | 10:00 am

Despite the stupidity of a few male fashion designers, I love fashion. When it’s not about starving oneself to fit into a size zero or saying that Barbie Doll’s ankles are too fat, fashion is about self expression, creativity and beauty. But over the years, there have been several fashion trends that were, er, stupid. Here are ten of them: Knee Warmers Featured by French designer Vanessa Bruno in her Spring 2010 collection. If fashion these days is about looking long and lean, then this does exactly the opposite – it visually cuts your legs to make them look shorter and…
Women Love Pink

MomGrind

22 Oct 2009 | 10:00 am

I mean, I don’t KNOW that women love pink. I am a woman and I do not love pink at all (I do love purple, though. Is that a feminine enough color?) However, manufacturers of all types of products seem to feel strongly that women do love pink, should love pink, and must love pink, and so any product specifically marketed to women is almost always pink colored. In a previous post, we already explored pink products for women such as a power drill, a laptop, and even ear plugs. Today, allow me to introduce the most feminine product of all: a laxative for women. Its color? Pink. Duh. Â© All…
Outrageous Photoshopping: Why We Should Keep Talking About it

MomGrind

20 Oct 2009 | 10:00 am

Today, I am full of hope. More and more, the media – even mainstream media – is picking up stories about outrageous photoshopping, about fashion images who were so heavily manipulated that they present a disturbingly distorted, unrealistic image of the female body. The more widespread criticism of these images becomes, the easier it will be for me, when my kids become teens (one of them is a pre-teen, and yes, she’s already worried about her weight), to place such images in the right context – not as something to aspire to and emulate, but as something to ridicule and…
A Beautiful Winter Poem, and a Rant on SEO

MomGrind

15 Oct 2009 | 1:33 pm

This morning I read one of my favorite winter poems, “Snow Toward Evening” by Melville Cane. The poem does not mention the word “snow” or “snowing” even once (except for its title) and so would likely not work very well in terms of SEO. But oh, how very lovely this poem is. Suddenly the sky turned gray. The day, Which had been bitter and chill, Grew soft and still. Quietly From some invisible blossoming tree Millions of petals cool and white Drifted and blew, Lifted and flew, Fell with the falling light. SEO is important. It helps people and businesses get…

Contented Me
i want it now: anthropologie edition

5 Nov 2009 | 11:47 am

There's a little game I like to play when I flip through each coveted Anthropologie catalog that hits my mailbox. I slowly look through it page by page and then at the end decide on one (yes, just one!) outfit that I'd want to wear exactly as I see it. Usually, this little game involves lots of dog-earing, flipping back and forth through the catalog and finally narrowing it down to just one.This is hands-down my favorite from the November '09 edition... Full Bouquet ClipWassailing JacketSky-and-Snow BlouseETT TWA Stephanie Boyfriend jeanGolden Discs OxfordsIt's casual and romantic all rolled…
spotlight: loley's & co

4 Nov 2009 | 9:28 am

Another fabulous Etsy find...Vintage Necklace from Loley's & Co.)I was really drawn to this lovely strand of gray, yellow and black vintage beads and baubles. And who can resist that darling owl?
deep thoughts - on a tuesday

3 Nov 2009 | 8:10 am

To say that I have a lot of time to think these days would be an understatement. I'm awake more hours now than I think I ever have been, and there's nothing like a middle of the night feeding session in a dark, quiet nursery to get your mind a-wandering.Anyhoo, my latest from last night's wee hours is that there should really be trick-or-treating for grown ups. Think about it... all of us "big kids" can go out house to house and get little glasses of wine and tasty hors de'ouvres as we go. No costumes necessary.How do we get this ball rolling?
design inspiration: french bedroom

2 Nov 2009 | 7:44 am

So dreamy...I am loving this charming French bedroom inspiration found at Marie Claire Maison. I've always wanted a lovely old armoire for our bedroom, and was reminded again just how much when I spied this photo. Think of all the stuff you could stash in there. It's huge! The muted tones, shuttered windows and exposed beam ceiling make this rustic bedroom truly remarkable (and unforgettable).
i want it now: pampering

16 Oct 2009 | 3:06 pm

To say I could use a little pampering would be an understatement. So it's no wonder that these bath products from Terrain look so delightful. Borderline sinful.Lavender MilkBath SoakLavender SachetsMud Masque and BrushI'm going to go daydream about a quiet bath now...

Viva la Feminista
Book Review: Flow: The Cultural Story of Menstruation by Elissa Stein and Susan Kim

3 Nov 2009 | 6:50 pm

The first real job I had out of college was working for one of the founders for the Society for Menstrual Cycle Research. Which is ironic since I was not the "Woo, I'm woman, let me menstruate!" gal back then. And honestly I'm still not. That said... Flow: The Cultural Story of Menstruation by Elissa Stein and Susan Kim is a riot. My period was a mystery to me until about college when I found women who pointed me in the direction of books and resources. No, I wasn't a lucky gal who grew up coveting her mom's worn copy of Our Bodies Ourselves, oh how I wish! Instead I was like Nancy Drew…
Want diversity? Start with diversity.

3 Nov 2009 | 4:07 pm

Don't ask me to bring diversity to your organization, ask me to join your organization for my skills, my knowledge or because you just love me. Don't think that I'm the pepper to your bland mashed potatoes. I am the garlic to those potatoes - the first thing you put on the skillet after you start to boil the water. Where you dash on pepper, throw in some onion and make me a vital part of the dish....Not the afterthought. *** Media itself is changing rapidly and in Chicago we have a new player in the game, the Chicago News Cooperative. Laura Washington gave them a tongue lashing for the…
Good riddance to Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

29 Oct 2009 | 10:20 pm

I hate it because it is all about the million pieces of junk we can buy that are pink. The pink ribbon is everywhere. Ironically it is on things that just might cause breast cancer! Breast Cancer Action calls these companies "pinkwashers." BMW, for example, gives $1 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure each time you test-drive one of their cars, even though pollutants found in car exhaust are linked to breast cancer. Breast cancer is far too dangerous and serious of an enemy to be defeated by pink cleaning rags. From the earliest record of how a breast cancer patient feels to today's survivors who…
Fundraiser: The Advantage and Disadvantage of Zine, a funding proposal

29 Oct 2009 | 9:34 pm

If you read my blog at my blog, you may have noticed a little box over there >>>> That is a ChipIn widget for fellow Chicagoan, feminist and in her own right, total bad ass, Anne Elizabeth Moore. So it's not me asking for your dollars for me or my own sake, but rather for Ms. Bad Ass. Here's what she's fundraising for: Advantage and Disadvantage of Zine is a long-term, multifaceted collaboration with a group of young women college students in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. I first met these young women when I was offered a residency in their dormitory, where I lived for two months during…
Where to send the girls who do like computer science

29 Oct 2009 | 8:21 pm

Originally posted at AWEARNESS WOW! I can't believe the response my post about girls and computer science on Wednesday received on Twitter. Thanks. Many of the retweets were of "don't forget us too!" variety, so to follow up on the popular post, here is a quick run down of just a handful of the amazing groups working to recruit girls to computer science and keep them interested. Please, please add additional ones in the comments! Anita Borg: This is a powerhouse organization that works to connect tech companies to women. ABI offers workshops, publications and information aimed to develop…

WIMN's Voices: A Group Blog on Women, Media, AND…
Event: WIMN’s Jennifer L. Pozner presents Project Brainwash on women and reality TV at Central Washington University, 10/28

varreola

27 Oct 2009 | 9:16 am

WIMN Executive Director, Jennifer L. Pozner, haven’t been blogging much in recent months as she’s been working on her forthcoming book, Reality Bites Back: The Troubling Truth About Guilty Pleasure TV. Tomorrow night, on behalf of WIMNs multimedia lecture series, she’ll be presenting: Project Brainwash!: Why Reality TV Is Bad for Women (and men, people of [...]
If Ellen Goodman doesn’t need her $250 from Social Security, let her give it to an old lady

mgullette

24 Oct 2009 | 8:08 am

Ellen Goodman is usually thoughtful but in “The $250 donation to elders” (Boston Globe, Oct. 23) she doesn’t understand Social Security. The average woman receives only $896 a month. She would get an additional $22 a month if Congress actually passes Obama’s proposed bill, intended [...]
Where “Wieners” Go, Media Follow

mspencer

11 Oct 2009 | 12:39 pm

Sex scandals in fact and fiction.
WIMN event TONIGHT: “White Male Electile Dyfunction” lecture on media coverage of women in politics, Devil’s Lake, ND

jpozner

8 Oct 2009 | 3:11 am

On behalf of Women In Media & News, I’ll be doing a multimedia lecture presentation tonight on media coverage of women in politics, in Devil’s Lake, ND. WHAT: “White Male Electile Dysfunction: Media Coverage of Women in Election 2008″ With multimedia clips, commentary and humor, this lecture uses media coverage of Hillary Clinton, Sarah Palin and [...]
Sotomayor and Progress

mgarcia

29 Sep 2009 | 2:42 pm

Sotomayor's elevation to the high court should inspire the many she is said to represent –women, Latinas/non-whites-- and the nation that has presumably been enriched by the social advancement that her confirmation heralded, to embrace the challenges that were left in the wake of “progress."

Parent Talk Today
Journalism: The Next Generation

Kathy Sena

28 Oct 2009 | 6:56 am

Tyler Green, a sophomore mass-communications major at Towson University in Maryland, got in touch with me recently and asked if he could interview me, about my use of Twitter in my work, for his blog. I was jazzed to answer his excellent questions. But halfway through the process of thinking about my answers, it occurred to me that I've apparently hopped over some sort of invisible fence. It doesn't seem that long ago that I was in journalism school at Arizona State University. Asking people for interviews. Trying to impress my editing professor, Bruce Itule, whose voice I still hear in my…
Wordless Wednesday: It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Halloween!

Kathy Sena

28 Oct 2009 | 6:36 am
Stand By Her — A Breast Cancer Guide for Men

Kathy Sena

26 Oct 2009 | 9:47 pm

Every three minutes in the U.S., a woman learns that she has breast cancer. Fortunately, most women quickly learn about the support systems that can help them deal with what lies ahead: friends, sisters, support groups...But what about the man in that woman's life? How does he deal with his own fears and frustrations? And how can he best help his wife? Sister? Mom?John W. Anderson had four women in his life go through breast cancer: his wife, mom, sister and his mom's best friend. He chose to use what he learned through this difficult journey to help other men who are going through the same…
Giveaway! Join Me For a VIP Experience at Disneyland! (Contest now closed)

Kathy Sena

25 Oct 2009 | 2:54 pm

I'm so excited! And you will be too. Disneyland has invited one lucky Parent Talk Today reader and three guests to join me, along with other selected parenting bloggers and their guests, for a special VIP day at Disneyland on Saturday, November 21. That's right! A family of four. For free. You'll get the VIP treatment while previewing Disneyland's holiday happenings. What a great way to get in the holiday spirit!If you've never been to Disneyland at the holidays, you're in for an amazing experience. Sleeping Beauty's castle and It's a Small World will be decked…
Put Your Kid on the Cover of Mother Jones

Kathy Sena

23 Oct 2009 | 4:23 pm

Concerned about climate change? Want to get your kids involved in the conversation? In December, world leaders will meet in Copenhagen to hash out a climate treaty that will shape our planet for generations to come. The time is now to speak up about your family's concern about climate change.Tomorrow is International Day of Climate Action. Visit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Climate Change Kids' Site for kid-friendly info, games and links.And to help spread the word, Mother Jones magazine has created a fun way to put your child, your pet, even your entire family on the cover of…

Sarah Bellum's Tales of Wit and Charm
That’s What She Said…

Sarah

5 Nov 2009 | 6:00 am

Read this week’s “That’s What She Said” for In Utah. This week’s column contains everything I’ve learned over the past 34 years. Shit. That hurt to type.. probably because my fingers are so damn old now. Aging is bullshit. That’s all. Related Posts:That's What She Said... About Having the Swine FluThat's What She Said... About Punching People in the Facedefining the relationship--column 4.27.07That's What She SaidThat's What She Said... about HollywoodComments (0) ©Sarah Nielson—Tales of Wit and Charm All Rights Reserved...Or Else…
If I die before I wake, blame the delivery guy. For real.

Sarah

4 Nov 2009 | 6:00 am

I’m stalking the UPS delivery truck, and apparently not afraid to admit it. When I couldn’t find footed pajamas that I liked, I broke down and ordered an electric blanket from Amazon. You can judge me all you want, but I won’t hear you through all the warmth and happiness. Saturday I saw the UPS truck delivering a package next door. I ran to the truck and asked the somewhat bewildered driver why he skipped my house. “Oh my god, do you hate me? Do you not want me to be warm at night? How could you just leave me in the cold to die?” He just stared at me. “Seriously this isn’t…
Hell has no fury like a BFF Scorned

Sarah

3 Nov 2009 | 9:07 am

I haven’t talked to RLO in months. August 4th to be exact… not that I’m keeping track. Sometimes I miss the hell out of my best friend, but other times I sorta forget he ever existed. Coping mechanism I suppose, because how could you forget about RLO? Seriously. He’s funny, brilliant and caring. Plus he has a clean bathroom and pretty good hair. Well, he used to be all of those things. The funny part was lost when he entered a relationship. Why does that always happen? Sugar gained a great boyfriend, but Mrs. AK and I lost our BFF. Things were OK for a while. We never saw him, but he…

ConfessionsOfAnITGirl.com
Book Clubbing

Ellen

2 Nov 2009 | 5:35 am

All of a Kind Family I got an email from another parent a few weeks ago alerting me to the fact that our girls and others had been discussing starting a book club. What did I think, and was I willing to help run it, she asked. I was thrilled. I thought it was a great idea. I was so happy that the girls wanted to read more and to talk about what they were reading. I’ve never been in a book club before (shocking I know) nor have I run one. But I read – can there be more qualifications to head a discussion than that? We talked a bit amongst ourselves about what books we…
Disney on Ice Ticket Offer and Giveaway

Ellen

28 Oct 2009 | 5:00 am

Most people who know me know I’m a Disney freak. Inherited from my mom, and now passed down to my kids. Soccer Girl’s favorite place on earth is Walt Disney World and she has written many a school paper on her experiences at the park. IT Boy too is a fan, albeit on a smaller scale. He’s obsessed with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on Disney Channel. It’s become his favorite show, surpassing that old standby, class=”hiddenSpellError” pre=”">Spongebob Squarepants. He loves doing the Hot Dog Dance - I think he’s emulating…
Are you ready for some REAL football, aka soccer?

Ellen

27 Oct 2009 | 4:38 am

Another fall transition this year occured with Soccer Girl starting to play at a club team level. She’s on a team in a new club that was formed by our local AYSO, called ADFH United. The initals are for the three Rivertowns that comprise the club, namely Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry and Hastings. No, I didn’t pick the name. ADFH United is a part of Westchester Youth Soccer League. She’s been having a great season so far, playing with many girls she played with last year on her AYSO travel team. We love the old girls as well as the new girls. Heck, the families are…
Transitions

Ellen

26 Oct 2009 | 4:20 am

*Not his actual bed I freely admit I am no fan of fall. Sure, apple picking, pumpkin carving and stunning foliage are nice, but they hide a bitter reality – winter. I would be perfectly accepting of fall if it didn’t signal the return to dark days, scraping off my car in the morning, and snow and ice. Sure, there are fall junkies out there who suck up the chill in the air just like it was a glass of freshly-pressed apple cider. That’s not me, sorry. But as the seasons change, we have transitions. In our family, IT Boy has been going through the most changes this…
Vaccination = yes. Flu mist = Hell NO

Ellen

19 Oct 2009 | 1:20 pm

Last week, I took IT Boy and Soccer Girl to the doctor for their annual checkup. Despite my making a point to remember what a horrible experience it was to take a physician-phobic 2 year old on a doctor appointment at the same time as his 9 year old sister, I repeated the error of my ways a year later. Sure, hearing the doctor was difficult through his protesting screams. Yes, it was painful being bit while trying to get him to lie still on the table. Whatever. I survived. What was a bit more in question this visit was flu shots. Our doctor always recommends that both kids get the…

Formerly Fun
Picture This

formerly fun

29 Oct 2009 | 4:47 pm

Photographic Evidence Found of First Gay Couple AdoptionMarvin Teslavich and Samuel McSmiley announced the adoption of their fourth child this weekend at the monthly meeting of the town elders held at the local one room schoolhouse.Mr. Teslavich took a moment to remind everyone that "it is love that makes a family and not simply a mother and father."The elders broke early for an impromptu surprise shower for the couple, both longtime residents of Hollow Falls.
My Life in Slow Motion

formerly fun

29 Oct 2009 | 10:51 am

I have been reading nonstop, so thank you for all of your recommendations. I finished Nick Hornby's Juliet Naked, have read several stories in the Stephen King short story collection, Just After Sunset and I have digested the first few chapters of The Outliers. The best part is I have a big stack from which to pick the next.It's been an interesting week so far, it's only Thursday and I've already told an inexplicable whopping lie to a kind Mexican purveyor of produce and I took a funny pill and almost had to spend a little time in the "bad trip" tent. Is your curiosity piqued yet? I'll start…
Read Between the Lines

formerly fun

20 Oct 2009 | 9:58 am

I think I know why I haven't been writing so much. Yes, I have been very busy lately with a new location, closing down the old location, kids acclimating to school, husband at tail end of huge time-sensitive project, Grandma coming to visit in a few days, Halloween, Mom and Stepdad coming to visit Thanksgiving.........................But usually these things don't get in the way of pumping out some prose here and there.I think my problem is I haven't read a book for months. Even my short story anthologies have gone uncracked in the bathroom. Reading fuels my writing. I need to read. Books. No…
Would I Lie to You?

formerly fun

8 Oct 2009 | 6:34 am

I don't dabble in chain mail or chain posts or whatever they are called online or even blog awards for that matter and yet, every once in awhile I will get picked for something that is actually insightful and interesting. The Well Read Hostess(and she is and her dad wrote a book and was on The Daily Show so that makes her kind of famous and she teaches 9th graders so she should be given a bunch of humanity awards and probably a big fat raise, she has very nice toes and runs a virtual book club if you haven't heard of it.) picked me for a "Be Honest" post which either means she thinks I am a…
Big Surprise...Another Rant

formerly fun

5 Oct 2009 | 1:03 pm

I know, I know, I'm not funny anymore, I write like I "want to win some Reader's Digest award", I'm a downer, blah, blah, blah... First of all, yes, I am currently afflicted with some kind of low-grade writer's block and it will pass eventually, just like last night's street taco dinner(I probably just need antibiotics). Second, there's a lot of stuff going on and I am up to my eyeballs in detritus that no one besides me cares about(and sometimes my husband when he gets a free thought moment that isn't clouded with techie engineer crud and paying our mortgage.) Third, fuck you, I am funny and…

Women on Business
3 Websites you already know about

Linda Smith

6 Nov 2009 | 3:34 pm

Or you might not…I don’t want to be presumptuous. I love discovering new-to-me things. When I received my laptop as a Valentine’s Day gift from my husband a few years ago, it virtually opened up the world. My local world is somewhat isolated by current necessities and I felt cutoff and frustrated. I had tried starting one little business after the other, but when you are tied to your home as caregiver for someone it limits what you can do. The laptop changed all that. I discovered new markets, new places to communicate and met many interesting people. In my…
Coaching as an Asset to your Business Development

Monica S Flores

5 Nov 2009 | 6:14 am

How does your business make a difference in the world? In 2006 I began an intensive coaching process with Rob Seidenspinner of Sage Circle Coaching. Rob is a personal and professional coach and I was looking for specific insights into how my personal “story” was influencing my business outcomes. The benefits I’ve seen are as follows. Not all of these are directly attributable to coaching, but I would say that the business-related items are attributable to my own personal goals, which the coaching relationship helped me clarify. 1. Development of a mission statement to help me…
Interview with Prominent Radio Show Host and Entrepreneur, Sharifah Hardie

Kristin Marquet

5 Nov 2009 | 5:12 am

Kristin: Sharifah, why don’t you give us some background information on your entrepreneurial journey? Sharifah: I am a single mother of two and began my online experience as a way to provide for my children. After surviving several crushing disappointments including two failed marriages, being laid off six times, homelessness, the death of a close friend and the struggle to provide childcare for my children while I worked, I was determined to succeed. Kristin: What are some of the projects you are involved with currently? Sharifah: I am currently host of “Ask Sharifah Radio” at…
Vitamin D may be Part of the Key

Sarah Present

3 Nov 2009 | 9:13 pm

In a continuation of the thoughts from last week regarding keeping sickness at bay in the work place, vitamin D can be added to your healthy “to do” list. Numerous studies and articles are focusing in on the positive effects of Vitamin D and its correlating preventative action against colds and flu viruses. One of the studies reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine examined the vitamin D levels of close to 19,000 people and their respiratory infections. They found that the individuals with the lowest vitamin D levels were over 1/3 more likely to state having a recent…
Winning at the New “Mommy Track”: The rise of the “Mompreneur” Part II

Maribeth Kuzmeski

3 Nov 2009 | 8:41 am

Creating Your Current and Future Powerful Connections List Last week I had you ask yourself, How many powerful business relationships do I have? If you haven’t already considered this question, I encourage you to consider it now. Creating a clear list of the people you need to connect with will give you a clear path as to where you should focus your time and energy. This is the critical foundation to the relationships you are beginning to establish and grow. Create your current and future Powerful Connections list. Set a goal to increase your list of important business connections from five…

Blisstree » Parenting
Will Texting Affect Childrens’ Spelling?

Mary Emma Allen

6 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

As more and more people (children and adults) use text messaging as a means of communication via their cell phones, will we find that correct spelling becomes obsolete? Image: sxc.hu Many young people use numbers and letters (4 instead of for, u for you) to speed up the process so they often don’t remember the correct spelling. Adults also have developed this trend, and I find myself (as a teacher, author and English minor) doing the same. However, most adults have learned to correctly spell. Many youngsters have not, so they begin to substitute the text spelling into their work…
A Potty Question: Using the Potty

Eliza Ferree

6 Nov 2009 | 5:20 pm

This category is full of everything from getting kids ready for school to picking out those summer fun activities. So it shouldn’t surprize you that when someone emailed and asked me:IMG: Elizabeth Ferree My son is 3 years old and refusing use his potty chair. Any recommendations? My first question would be to ask if something has happened between said child and the toilet? I remember my 3 year old reacting the same way just after she learned to use her new potty, only it tried eating her. That’s what she said when she came running out of the bathroom holding her butt in her…
Why Laughter Really is the Best Medicine

Jennifer Walker-Journey

6 Nov 2009 | 7:28 am

I swiped this from my sister’s Facebook page. It’s a great feel-good video aptly named “Anti-Depression Video.” I think any parent would dig this. For centuries, people have touted the benefits of laughter. Experts say that a good laugh can reduce stress by relaxing tense muscles and energizing you by sending more oxygen into your bloodstream. It has also been shown to lower blood pressure. Loma Linda University School of Medicine researchers Drs. Lee Berk and Stanley Tan have conducted studies that show laughter lowers serum cortisol levels, increases the amount of activated T…
Children’s Small Treasures Appreciated

Mary Emma Allen

5 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

Do you have “small treasures” made by children and grandchildren that you’ve saved over the years? Do these take on special significance for you? Pincushion Image: sxc.hu I’ve saved a number of these and find the memories joyful. ONe is a pincushion my daughter made by herself and gave me as a surprise Christmas gift when she was about eight years old. Even though she’s grown with a daughter in college, I still use this and treasure it. My daughter has Christmas ornaments her son and daughter made in art class in elementary school. Each year she puts them…
Making Christmas Gifts with Children

Mary Emma Allen

4 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

Making Christmas gifts with your children can be a fun family project and one that creates happy memories, too. Image:sxc.hu It’s not too early to start these projects so you’ll have plenty of time and won’t be rushed in December. When my daughter was small, we were involved in many types of crafts and often made gifts for our holiday giving. (Grandparents, especially, express appreciation for these items…whether they’re really useful or not!) What types of items can you and your youngsters create? This all depends on the age of the children. Woven and…

Mama Manifesto
FRIDAY GIVEAWAYS: tiny soles gift certificate

6 Nov 2009 | 5:33 am

TinySoles is an online shoe store with a huge selection of kids' shoes from some of our favorite brands. TinySoles was started by three mothers on a mission to find quality, developmentally appropriate footwear for infants. With brands like Pediped, Keen, and Robeez, they really are a one-stop shoe source for baby, infant, toddler and kid shoes. With free shipping on orders over $20, it's also a convenient way for busy moms to shop for shoes from home. In addition to shoes, they also carry SmartWool socks, over 100 styles of BabyLegs, the Klean Kanteen line of stainless steel sippy cups, and…
the flu shot heard around the world

5 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am

Last week we asked a "talk back" question regarding flu prevention. It triggered some great dialogue regarding prevention, and we thought it warranted further discussion. You can hardly watch the news without hearing about "swine flu" or H1N1 virus these days. As the vaccine for the H1N1 virus rolls out this month, it seems to be the go-to conversation as mothers wait to pick up their children at schools across the nation. There are debates on the news and talk radio regarding whether or not the masses should get the flu shot. Whether or not to vaccine against the flu is a decision that each…
WFMW: green your kiddos artwork

4 Nov 2009 | 3:54 am

We love this tip that came from MamaBite, a shoot off of Ideal Bite, one of our favorite resources for bringing a little more green into our world. Recycling Our Kiddos' ArtworkKiddos' drawings just hangin' around the house, collecting dust?The Bite:Give 'em a job to do: Show your kids how to reuse their old artwork as wrapping paper, greeting cards, or as part of their next masterpiece. You'll clear up piles of old projects, spark creative ideas, and get spent paper back to the grind.The Benefits: Giving trees some time off. Paper goods suck up at least 35% of the world's yearly commercial…
Talk BACK: The Six O'Clock Scramble

3 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am

We've all been there: it's a quarter to six, and somehow we've managed to completely forget about dinner. We've gotten lost in a book, or a blog, or a great episode of Oprah, and suddenly a young child breaks us from our comatose state and asks,"MOMMY, WHAT'S FOR DINNER?"Well??What's your last-minute dinner solution? What do you typically do when you've failed to plan and need dinner in a hurry? Do you have a cupboard stand-by? Do you pack up the family and head to a restaurant? What is your Plan B when meal-planning goes wrong?
Chicken Raspberry Salad Wrap

2 Nov 2009 | 4:44 am

This recipe is from ilunchbox.com, "healthy recipes for the speed of life". It's a great website devoted to busy moms who are looking to add a little more nutrition to their family meals. Check it out!Note: A meal in a wrap is as easy as it gets. Use multigrain tortillas or flat breads for added flavor and nutrition. Wrap your wrap in parchment paper or aluminum foil to keep it neat, and don't forget to teach your kids how to eat a wrap so they don't loose their lunch. This is a tart and tangy chicken salad that can be served on it’s own, over lettuce or in a wrap or pita pocket. This will…

Corporette
Weekend Open Thread

C

6 Nov 2009 | 11:58 am

Something on your mind? Chat about it here. Pictured: Goto Glass, available at Vivre for $85. Deal of the weekend: Take an extra 40% off sale items at Bloomingdales.com. Share and Enjoy:
Weekly Round-up

C

6 Nov 2009 | 10:34 am

Liking these posts? Follow us on Twitter or fan us on Facebook — this is the edited version of what we’re reading! (We also Tweet if we hear about a good sale.) - We talked business card cases earlier this week — if you’re also in the market for a Rolodex or way to keep the cards you collect, Jeri’s Organizing & Decluttering News collects some interesting address “boxes.” (For our $.02 — we throw most business cards away after we enter the information in our Palm pilot. We keep the cards of close friends, cut them up (about 5 slits along both…
Bargain Friday’s TPS Report: Delia*s Calista Crochet Tunic

C

6 Nov 2009 | 6:40 am

Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. We’ve been ogling the Delia’s catalog lately — they just seem to have a ton of fun weekend-wear. So when we saw the “take $20 off of $50 with code 20Del50″ promotion, we knew we had to feature it for bargain Friday. So: for a casual day at the office, we like this crochet tunic, in black or deep purple — we’d layer it with a slim-fitting turtleneck beneath it, a boyfriend or shawl cardigan on top of it, and simple trousers that fit closely through the waist…
Reader mail: Feeling black and blue…

C

5 Nov 2009 | 12:51 pm

Reader T writes in with this request… Could we please have a discussion about wearing blue/ navy with black? Today I’m wearing a navy sheath dress with grayish/black tights, black shoes, black belt and a gray cardigan. I feel like I’m getting some weird looks. I feel comfortable in this outfit; it’s not boring and I’m sick of wearing this dress with flesh colored pantyhose and navy shoes. I thought that this would be interesting! I just feel like people are “getting” this combo. What are your thoughts? Pictured above: Jessica Shroeder from What I Wore, wearing black…
Thursday’s TPS Report: Charter Club Sweater, Cashmere Ruffled Henley

C

5 Nov 2009 | 6:36 am

Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. Macy’s has a ton of cute cashmere sweaters on sale right now, and we’re liking this cashmere henley with just a few feminine ruffles. We like the small, pretty buttons, the bright pop of color, and the plain edge at the bottom. (In our experience, ruffles never look good at the bottom of a sweater.) This one is on sale for $94.99 (formerly $130), and is available in black, blue, red, purple, and gray in sizes S-XL and petites. Charter Club Sweater, Cashmere Ruffled Henley If…

Thirtysomething Reality
Celebrating Our 4th Anniversary!

3 Nov 2009 | 11:45 am

On October 28th my hubby and I celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary. We went to a bed and breakfast in Stone Mountain, Georgia the weekend before. We stayed at an inn called The Village Inn.The inn was nice and had a Gone With The Wind theme. The innkeeper put us in the Rhett room. I kept hoping to hear a ghostly spirit sometime in the night as the place was rumored to be haunted. No such luck. Only thing I heard was hubby's ghostly snoring in my ear.A cool part about the trip was we got to see the laser show at Stone Mountain. Awesome!! If you get a chance to see it, consider it a must do…
Charlotte True Crime Examiner for Examiner.com

8 Oct 2009 | 11:50 am

Two of my favorite things...true crime and writing! I just got the position of Charlotte True Crime Examiner for Charlotte, North Carolina. I have worked in the legal position for over ten years, my husband is in law enforcement and I have other family members in law enforcement. I am so excited about the opportunity. Granted it only pays by page views, but I figure local and national exposure on the subject is always good. Plus I am still happily working on my first novel, a suspense/crime/paranormal book. Figure this will give some credibility when submitting to an agent whenever that…
Suite101 and Current Projects

2 Oct 2009 | 4:05 am

Photo By Kristian D./Flickr.comThe past three months since I quit my paralegal job to work full-time as a freelancer have been hectic to say the least. One of the interesting things that I started working on is as a writer for Suite101. I actually got accepted as a writer there a few months ago but for some reason did not submit any articles. I finally saw an email from Suite101 reminding me about my account and figured I would go check it out. Writers in some other forums have indicated that they are making a decent income from revenue from Suite101 every month. Granted "decent" is relative…
Football!

16 Aug 2009 | 4:19 pm

My son is going into 9th grade and is on the JV football team. They had their first pre-game scrimmage last night at the high school. It was just the JV team and they showed off what they have been practicing all summer and then had a short scrimmage against each other.It was fun watching them and as I looked around the stadium, I could not help but think that the next four years were going to fly by and I knew I would miss the frantic scrambling to get to the games, making sure Dylan had everything and realizing last minute he had left something out of the bag or at school...I really hope…
Meeting the Neighbors

27 Jul 2009 | 9:00 am

Over the weekend one of the neighbors had a little get together at his house and we were invited. It was a lot of fun meeting the other neighbors who had moved in recently. I felt bad because we have lived here for four years and have only met one or two people.How is it that several years can pass by and you only have time to exchange a quick hello in the driveway or just wave to people going down the street? It seems like when growing up even though our closest neighbors may have been a half mile down the rural road we lived on and the next maybe a mile away, we knew everyone! I lived out…

DuchessOmnium - Island to island
A happy Halloween

Duchess

3 Nov 2009 | 9:55 pm

In the UK they don’t really understand the US version of Halloween, and for a long time politicians, the police and the church all regularly denounced it as a tradition that encouraged a combination of juvenile delinquency and devil worship. At best it was described as an “unwelcome American import”. Nevertheless, it is catching on, bit by bit, and in many neighbourhoods these days children go trick or treating. Sometimes they are met with surprise and occasionally with anger, but usually sweeties are doled out and everyone is happy. It doesn’t always work the way you expect,…
Spent storms

Duchess

27 Aug 2009 | 12:12 pm

Huricane Bill has made his way over the Atlantic, and what is left of him is blowing the trees about in an ineffectual sort of way. Bill’s rain is what the Brits like to call “wetting” rain. I know what they mean: the effort feels half hearted, but it doesn’t half soak you. I knew Bill was coming, so this morning I lugged up the tow path my two toilet cartridges – what the boaters call, “shit suitcases”. I thought I’d do it early because I prefer to stay dry when I sluice my effluent. The cartridges were surprisingly heavy, and their contents were all mine. …
There will always be an England

Duchess

20 Aug 2009 | 1:56 pm

Just as soon as I find out where I have packed my knickers, I promise to describe the last hours at Hedges and my move to Pangolin. Did I say? Pangolin is the name of my boat and Hedges is the name of my house, rented as of yesterday. In the days when my ex husband and I were trying to run a business from home I thought the house - and hence the business - ought to have a more grown up address. I knew there wasn’t a lot I could do about the lines “Buckland, near Faringdon” but I was sure I could at least get a house number. With some difficulty I found out who…
Concrete art, conceptual art, or a big mess?

Duchess

10 Aug 2009 | 3:33 pm

I am thinking of entering my house for the Turner Prize. In just 8 days my tenants move in. Do you think it is time to start panicking?
Not waving, but drowning

Duchess

9 Aug 2009 | 2:42 pm

Please send chocolate.

drowning In kids
parker makes a video response to my last entry

drowninginkids

6 Nov 2009 | 1:50 pm

parker talks about stuff... from jess howard on Vimeo.
make it easy, make it fun

drowninginkids

5 Nov 2009 | 10:37 pm

What bugs me? ~food in my teeth ~food in your teeth ~wayward facial hair ~egg in soup ~mornings ~teachers who silently judge ~10% tips ~fruit in food, i like my fruit by itself thank-you ~leopard print ~lighters out of fluid ~quoting philosophers or self-help books ~bugs flying around my head while i try to sleep ~private school girls things i like ~feline head butts ~watching polaroids develop ~when it gets dark early ~being out in a city at night ~waking up in the country ~loud music ~boys and guitars, at the same time ~filet mignon, medium rare ~kisses and hugs from my kids ~20% tippers ~…
get me to bed

drowninginkids

4 Nov 2009 | 12:55 pm

We really do feel alone. We really do. Over the yummiest soup, looking out at the lake, i wondered how far i could swim before i would drown. It becomes a habit. This holing up. These days of offices in bed. The connection to all the people making you feel cool one moment and like a total failure the next. I have this annoying habit of developing huge crushes on musicians. Something about words and music and feelings. With books and writers it's the words, not them. I have crushes on books, stacking my favourites beside my bed. Giving them loving looks and caresses as i fall asleep. Those…
fighting all alone

drowninginkids

3 Nov 2009 | 12:51 pm

I'm thinking it's probably a good thing i didn't end up being a stay-at-home mom to four school aged children. Although i have had more days with sick kids around than not since school started in september, these days when i am home alone for five hours? I go stir crazy. I think i don't know how to be alone. I know i don't know how to be alone. I have friends that lunch, and yoga, and hike. Sometimes i think i should be doing those things. I should be climbing mountains, drinking wine over raunchy conversation, teetering around in high heels and put together bodies. I should have friends. I…
2 Nov 2009 | 10:27 pm

drowninginkids

2 Nov 2009 | 10:27 pm

Anybody who is friends with me on Facebook knows that my profile pic is, as a rule, of my legs or torso, never my face. It has become a fun little thing for me. Late at night, usually after work, when i don't have the kids i start taking pictures with photo booth. There are many, many pictures. If i'm lucky i get one that i like. (like the one above from last night.) I'm thinking i need to put all of these leg pictures into one place. An evolution of the leggy self-portrait. The silly things i do to entertain myself and keep from feeling alone.

OMG. OMG! OMFG! Digital Meets Analog, by AV Flox
The Web Moves Toward Inclusion

AV Flox

1 Nov 2009 | 3:00 pm

The Associated Press is reporting that the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has approved the use of scripts other than the standard Latin characters for web domains. After years of debate, the decision to make the web more inclusive in this way by the nonprofit board’s 15 voting members received a standing ovation after a week-long series of meetings in Seoul, Korea. This will allow governments to submit requests for specific non-Latin domain names, as soon as mid-November, and we’ll start seeing them used early next year. Non-Latin versions of…
Internet! You’re OLD!

AV Flox

30 Oct 2009 | 9:05 am

The question of when the internet was born is a matter of some debate, but if you go by PC World’s version of things, then the web turned 40 yesterday: On October 29, 1969, the Internet came in not with a bang, but with a “lo.” Letter by letter, UCLA computer science professor Leonard Kleinrock sent a message from his school’s host computer to another computer at Stanford Research Institute. Kleinrock was trying to write “login,” starting up a remote time-sharing system, but the system crashed after two letters, and lo! The Internet was born with the first…
When Digital And Analog Don’t Coincide

AV Flox

25 Oct 2009 | 3:43 pm

Ali: Are you usually this friendly with strangers? She: Always. Ali: Any particular reason? She: A stranger is a safe place. You can tell a stranger anything. Ali: Suppose I put it in my book. She: You write fiction. Ali: So? She: So you won’t tie me to the facts. Ali: But I might tell the truth. She: Facts never tell the truth. Even the simplest facts are misleading. Ali: Like the times of the trains. She: And how many lovers you’ve had. Jeanette Winterson, The Powerbook If there is any phrase that summarizes what enabled us to advance as far as we have, it’s…
Life After Print: Journalists Crawl to Digital

AV Flox

25 Oct 2009 | 4:38 am

The Media Management Center recently released a study of journalists’ attitudes in regard to digital media. The verdict? Journalists in a cross-section of 79 newsrooms across the nation feel the transition from print to digital is too slow. Many of the nearly 3,800 responders said the shift was taking too long, with only 20 percent longing for the good old days of print. The breakdown looks like this: 12 percent are “digitals”, meaning they spend most of their time online. They are the youngest group, with an average age of 38. 11 percent want a more major shift, and could…
Asking A Lot: Diary of a Trust Fund

AV Flox

19 Oct 2009 | 7:07 pm

I remember the first time I ran for office. I was in junior high and I wanted to be vice president of the student council (Why vice and not outright president? Because while I will lead if I have to, I am a much happier right-hand woman to someone who shares my vision). That campaign highlighted the importance of being conservative with how often you ask people to support you. THE BALLOON BOY INCIDENT On October 15, 2009, news broke that six-year-old Falcon Heene had floated away in a balloon made by his father in Fort Collins, Colorado. The media and public were stirred into a panicked…

Heather Goodman's Blog -
What She Said

hgoodman

28 Oct 2009 | 7:24 am

Last night, before watching the latest episode of Flash Forward, Chris said, "Remind me how the last one ended." My reply: "The guy from Coupling who was in the girl from Lost's flash forward got a call from Charlie from Lost saying something about them being responsible, and the Shakespeare guy told his coworker to call the hacker." Oddly enough, he understood me.
Tips for a Trip to Israel

hgoodman

26 Oct 2009 | 8:15 am

After returning from Israel (and having some sense of coherence return to my life--although not much), I thought I'd compile a list of tips for those of you out there desiring to make a trip to the Holy Lands. Or for those of you armchair travelers who prefer seeing the world through the travel channel. You still may need these tips before the Israel episode. Travel with cynical writers. I worried the trip would be made up of constant emotional breakdowns and holy moments. Israel's a great place for them. But as Keith, one of my fellow travelers, said, "All of creation is holy…
Tales from the Crypt

hgoodman

19 Oct 2009 | 11:34 am

Are you thinking what I'm thinking?
Dancing on the Sea of Galilee

hgoodman

17 Oct 2009 | 10:22 am

Jesus said we'd do greater things than he. He walked on water. Today, we danced on it. This morning, our group went out on the Sea of Galilee in a replica of a first-century boat. A couple in our group used this opportunity to renew our wedding vows. Which evolved into traditional Jewish wedding music. Which evolved (devolved, perhaps) into ABBA. And Cotton-Eyed Joe. And Israeli techno music. And we danced. Someone noted today that the trip isn't as spiritual as she expected. But here's how I see it: the people of the Bible may have lived in a different culture, but they were human with human…
Raw Thoughts #1

hgoodman

16 Oct 2009 | 10:45 am

We missed out on Cana. Drove through, but didn't get to stop at the church that's built over the traditional site of the wedding. Too bad. I was looking forward to a good glass of wine. In Caesarea, there are ruins underwater from this pier Herod built (it was destroyed by tsunami) as well as wrecks from ships. I asked if it's open to the public for diving. It is. Someday I'd like to return and see the ruins down there. I ran out of room on the camera within an hour. So I went back and deleted some of the pics I took, switched it to snapshot, and took much fewer pictures than I would've liked…

JPD Mom
A Review of a Peek

Jamie R Lentzner

28 Oct 2009 | 10:22 pm

October 29, 2009 So.....I am not big on reviews of products, I am not one to get free products and then claimlie that I loved it. I already made it pretty clear how I would NOT be doing many more (if any) reviews with bloggers. I was actually thrilled to hear that there would be some crack down on the reviews and the blogger would need to fess up and explain that the review was just an advertisement. Any hoo, I did myself a little review...and I will disclose what I got and how it became to be. Flattery Will Get You Everywhere Yes, like everyone else I love me some compliments.....I…
The Whole Dr. Phil Truth, the whole Truth and Nothing But the Truth

Jamie R Lentzner

15 Oct 2009 | 10:18 pm

October 15, 2009. It has been almost 24 hours since I saw myself on the Dr. Phil Show last night. In Northern California it airs at night, but I had already heard from friends across the country what was said, and how I looked. I can't even begin to explain how surreal (and very uncomfortable, even after a glass of wine) it is to watch yourself on TV, hear your voice and to know the show was edited. Behind the Scenes at Dr. Phil After the make-up artist, the hair person, the handlers and the producers all got us guests gussied up and wound into a total heart-beat…
My Claim To Fame - Dr. Phil Show October 14, 2009

Jamie R Lentzner

11 Oct 2009 | 2:48 pm

October 11, 2009 So if you have nothing going on this Wednesday or you are totally into the Mommy Wars you may want to catch the episode of Dr. Phil. It is titled Stay at Home Moms vs. Working Moms (dun dun dun dun) that was me doing scary ominous music. And yes, I am a guest on the show, and I am hopefully not making an ass of myself...tune in for yourself to see. I know what happened, I know what I said, I know what was said....and I know that editing can change reality. I am going into this with both eyes wide open, and all fingers and toes crossed. If you miss the first 10 or…
Here We Go Again......really?

Jamie R Lentzner

14 Sep 2009 | 9:28 pm

September 14, 2009. In just two short months I will have been in business for 7 years, 7 painful , no I mean wonderful years. I can notbelieve it has been that long - I don't mean that in a bad way. Some days I actually do little air pump, laugh and giggle and thank my lucky stars I get to do this job....other days, you know tears, stomping and banging my head against the wall and I shake my fist in the sky and scream, "whhhhyyyyy?" Been Around the Block What I find so amazing, or shocking I guess is even though things change, laws come into affect, the industry changes,…
He's the One They Call Dr. Pheeel

Jamie R Lentzner

22 Aug 2009 | 12:50 pm

August 22, 2009. So, I have had some time to digest the events of the last week, I took notes for once. If you read Dooce, or you follow her on Twitter you may have known she was a guest on a show filmed earlier this week. This story has a point - though it may be long and filled with angst, trust me read on: Heather was on the show, she tweeted during the show. I. was. on. the. show. too. Now I don't mean I was just in the audience (well I was sitting there, but wait, all the guests were) I was literally a guest on the show. How Did I Get Here? The short answer of…

5 Resolutions
"The Baby Weight Obsession: Lose it Quickly and You're Selfish. Keep it On and You're a Failure"

2 Nov 2009 | 12:32 pm

We're quoted in this Daily Mail article about the baby weight obsession. The piece is written by Sarah Hughes, a mom who worked to overcome her own body image issues.
Does This Pregnancy Make Me Look Fat? NYC Reading and Panel Discussion Tonight!

29 Oct 2009 | 8:32 am

If you're in the NYC area, Claire will be reading from Does This Pregnancy Make Me Look Fat? tonight and moderating a panel discussion about body image, pregnancy, and motherhood. The event is hosted by Momasphere and Bump. All the details are right here. Date: Thursday, October 29, 2009Time: 7-9pmPlace: The Old Stone House, 336 3rd St (bet. 4th & 5th Ave), Brooklyn, NY 11215Price: Tickets are $10 online & $15 at the door A portion of the proceeds will benefit Girls Incorporated, a national nonprofit youth organization dedicated to inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold.
Kendra Loves Her Pregnant Body. Now Begins the Countdown to her 'Postbaby Body' Reveal.

27 Oct 2009 | 7:49 am

Former "Girl Next Door" Kendra Wilkinson is on the cover of the new issue of InTouch Weekly dishing about how much she loves her pregnant body. Now we love a celebration of the curves, but forgive our cynicism when we predict that along with that little bundle of joy, there is another cover in the making that will appear in a few months--one with bullets outlining how Kendra shed the baby weight.Let's also pause for a retouching reality check. Forget stretch marks and cellulite, there's not even the tiniest blemish to be found on this photo! In other words, the body that Kendra feels…
News, Reviews, Readings, and Book Giveaways

15 Oct 2009 | 2:32 pm

We've been mighty busy with the book launch over here! In case you missed any of the action, here's a quick roundup:Win a copy of Does This Pregnancy Make Me Look Fat?There are two book giveaways running right now. Go throw your name in the hat!1. Singlemommyhood says: "Every woman deserves to feel good about herself — and to pass along healthy attitudes about weight and body image to her children." Contest ends October 20th.2. Workoutmommy (one of our new favorite expecting moms!) says: "This book helps to remind me that NOW is the time to be grateful, not hateful, of my body." Contest…
Definition of the Day: Body Confidence

12 Oct 2009 | 8:01 am

Body confidence: The belief that you are your most beautiful when you are healthy--both in body and mind. A feeling that results when you give up the mission to mold and shape yourself and make a commitment to take care of yourself. Body confidence breeds positive body image--it enables us to see ourselves through a meaningful lens, not a superficial one.From Does This Pregnancy Make Me Look Fat? The Essential Guide to Loving Your Body Before and After Baby.Related: The Healthy Beauty Pledge for Mothers and Mothers-to-Be

Women For Hire
From California to the Streets of New York: Tory Johnson Sees Everything is Possible

2 Nov 2009 | 11:18 am

From LA… What impressed me the most last week at Maria Shriver’s California Women’s Conference was not the star power—CBS anchor Katie Couric, White House advisor Valerie Jarrett and former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, among others—but the positive and upbeat mood among the thousands of women who attended this estrogen expo. These smart women are clearly looking forward—not back—and seem anything but depressed, despite their state’s hard hit economy. I could feel it in the room as I spoke to them about my own fired to hired story and then afterward in their…
What do YOU really want at work?

19 Oct 2009 | 9:05 am

In several recent interviews about his new book, What Americans Really Want…Really, renowned pollster Frank Luntz spells out what his research has uncovered. Luntz says in general Americans want more money, more time, more choices, less hassles and no worries. From our employers, he says we want more respect.
Health Insurance Coverage Cuts to Come?

19 Oct 2009 | 8:56 am

This week The Wall Street Journal reports that since the start of the recession, “thousands of employers have cut pay, increased workers' share of health-care costs or reduced the employer contribution to retirement plans.” While many workers may have believed this to be a temporary move, consulting firm Watson Wyatt found that two-thirds of big companies that cut health-care benefits don't plan to restore them to pre-recession levels, according to the paper.
SHOUT OUT on healthcare

14 Oct 2009 | 9:29 am

Not only is healthcare the hot topic in Congress, it’s also the big discussion in workplaces everywhere. That’s because it’s open enrollment time when businesses select insurance policies for the year ahead. The decisions are harder than ever because premiums are skyrocketing--rising an average of more than ten percent from this year.
Love Your Job But Hate the Boss? Read This

7 Oct 2009 | 8:50 am

Katherine Crowley and Kathi Elster are the authors of Working for You Isn’t Working for Me – The Ultimate Guide to Managing Your Boss. (Portfolio). Their company, K Squared Enterprises, provides consulting and public speaking on workplace relationships. Women For Hire asked them Five Questions. 1) In this economy many people are probably working in jobs they like but for bosses they loathe. Yet they can't afford to quit. If you had one single bit of advice for them, what would it be? Kathi E – In this tough economy we can’t afford to take our boss’s bad behavior personally. The…

Woman Tribune
Katy Perry Opens the MTV Europe Music Awards with a Cabaret Mashup

Holly

5 Nov 2009 | 9:11 pm

Katy Perry opened the MTV Europe Music Awards Thursday night with a Cabaret-inspired mashup of Kings of Leon’s Use Somebody, Lady GaGa’s Poker Face and Beyonce’s Halo. Sure, when thinking of a Cabaret mashup of these songs you can think that it sounds like it would not work very well, but it is actually pretty awesome–check it out below! You may also enjoy:Kelly Clarkson Covers Alanis Morissette and Kings of LeonRammstein’s New Box Set Includes Six Very Special GiftsLady GaGa’s ‘The Fame Monster’ Tracklist UnveiledThe Ultimate Music Player for…
Simple CAPTCHA to the Rescue!

Holly

4 Nov 2009 | 5:24 pm

Throughout the past week, Woman Tribune has been littered with hundreds, perhaps even verging on the thousands of spam comments that had outwitted my anti-spam plugin, Defensio. An absolute incredible amount of comments that did not consist of your usual spammy content, but of random words put together by no logical thought whatsoever. To say the least, it was very annoying having to go through pages of comments to mark the random-language comments as spam only to finish, go back to my dashboard and see yet another slew of spam comments appear that span over two to three pages. It was a…
Tips for Buying and Using Gift Cards

Holly

4 Nov 2009 | 12:22 pm

This is a guest post by Bill Hardekopf, CEO of LowCards.com. We are entering the holiday gift card season. While new studies show gift cards are the most popular presents to give and receive, the hidden costs may outweigh the convenience of the gift. It is important for consumers to give and use their cards correctly. “Gift cards are easy to give, but they are also easy to forget. If the card has a monthly fee or expiration date, these can become costly little pieces of plastic,” says Bill Hardekopf, CEO of LowCards.com and author of The Credit Card Guidebook. “Even though…
Celebrating 23

Holly

3 Nov 2009 | 7:38 pm

You may have noticed that Woman Tribune and all its bloggy-goddes-goodness has been pretty nonexistent these past few days. Usually when I go without updating about whatever is affecting the Woman Wide World around us all, chances are that I am hard at work on some aspect of this site or an expansion to our network. However, this week is an exception to the ever-in-place rule that Woman Tribune is the one-stop-blog for all important news and entertaining tidbits, because this week I have been celebrating. Celebrating what, you ask? Celebrating me! Yes, I am fully aware of how arrogant that…
Sex and the City 2 Hits Morocco

Holly

1 Nov 2009 | 3:10 am

The set of Sex and the City 2 recently hit Morocco for filming. Sarah Jessica Parker was seen on location wearing a Dior t-shirt and a purple and grey skirt and I don’t know about you, but I want that skirt! You may also enjoy:Sarah Jessica Parker and Chris Noth on the Set of Sex and the City 2Mary-Kate Olsen, The HippieLindsay Lohan Shows Off Her Spring 2010 Leggings LineMischa Barton and Her Many RufflesCelebrities Get in the Halloween Spirit

Carrie and Danielle
Unbelievable Designer Cell Phones

BB

6 Nov 2009 | 8:44 pm

While a flashy car is still a great way to pick up chicks in high school, the luxury cell phone now reigns supreme as the king of bling. Conspicuous consumers are no longer satisfied by buying the most expensive cell phones you can get straight from AT&T or Verizon – instead, they escalate to the sinfully indulgent world of high fashion to get the flashiest phones that money can buy. Read on to find out what the richest of the rich demand from their phones – though you may need to pinch yourself midway through. 24K Yellow Gold White Snakeskin Apple 3GS iPhone Apple’s quintessential…
The Flashiest Luxury Cell Phones You’ll Never Own

BB

6 Nov 2009 | 8:19 pm

We’ve all read the blogs about how expensive the iPhone cell phone plans are over time and how parading around the coffee shop with your $299+ smartphone is just so much geeky conspicuous consumption. But wait until you get a load of these jaw dropping luxury cell phones. While most of us spend our time hunting for cell phone plans that let us talk more for less, these sky high class cell phones are designed to make a simple, yet effective, statement: I have lots and lots of money. Bargain aficionados beware – the price tags on these luxury cell phone may induce fainting. Read on at your…
Kids are people, too. – PITCH TO SIMPLE MOM

Danielle LaPorte

6 Nov 2009 | 6:23 pm

When I approach a child, he inspires in me two sentiments; tenderness for what he is, and respect for what he may become. - Louis Pasteur How would you feel if, when you first met someone new, they said to you, “Are you going to play shy?” or “Looks like someone’s in a bad mood.” What would you think if, when you needed a good boo-hoo, your friend said, “You’re fine. Don’t cry.” And if someone had an issue with you and they let you know about it in front of everyone in the room, how would that go down with you? Grown ups say the darnedest things to kids – things we’d…
Love those butterflies.

Danielle LaPorte

6 Nov 2009 | 6:23 pm

I remember being nervous and terrified and stricken and energized, and it was the first time I realized that, okay, I had to find a way to take this adrenaline and this fear and these butterflies and turn them into a performance. It was a feeling that stuck with me for life, because if I don’t have some of those feelings before a show, the juice is not flowing. - Anthony Kiedis, lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers Whether it’s hosting a party, presenting at a meeting, or speaking to thousands, anxiety may be par for the course. Embrace the jitters. Butterflies are a sign that…
Thinking Simply Now: The Tina Su Interview

Danielle LaPorte

6 Nov 2009 | 6:22 pm

Tina recently left her corporate job to focus on her passions fulltime. (link to TODO). She spends her time learning and teaching topics surrounding personal happiness. Tina writes weekly at Think Simple Now on personal happiness and wellbeing. (link to http://thinksimplenow.com) Help her out and subscribe today for free. See a more casual side of her everyday life and goals at SimplyTina (link to http://thinksimplenow.com/simplytina) Which books, movies, or CDs have been most helpful or inspiring to you? Books can be incredible teachers, packed with wisdom, value and inspiration. When you…

Blogging Matilda
I sorta kept my promise....

Blogging*Matilda

21 Oct 2009 | 11:31 pm

I came back... I wrote a super fabulous post catching you all up on my life. And then it got eaten. I was so angry, and then, I decided to go on strike. What can I say, I'm stubborn. So here I go again. Bloggy Land, I have missed you. I have. First, I want to thank everyone who emailed, checked in on me, looked for a pulse, and made sure I didn't die :) I was touched. I got a job! Not the job of my dreams, and not a job that pays the bills, but a job to get some experience under my belt. I accepted a position at a small firm near school. Right now I am only working about 11 hours per…
tomorrow.

Blogging*Matilda

15 Oct 2009 | 3:50 pm

i swear.
A million little reasons...

Blogging*Matilda

4 Oct 2009 | 6:49 pm

I'm back. Where have I been and why haven't I posted? I guess the title answers that. Bear with me for a few and I will try and catch you up on it all..... Thanks for all the emails and inquiries looking for lil' old me :)
Techno-babble

Blogging*Matilda

8 Sep 2009 | 9:16 am

I am the first to admit that I am not a computer guru... so bear with me. It has recently come to my attention that when you fine folks leave a comment, and I respond, you are in no way notified. Therefore, unless you manually return to a post and check for updates, you are SOL. I checked with my hosting company, and the verdict is this. If you are an "unregistered commenter" = no dice. You must register with my blog to get updates like that. I'm pretty sure that it is not a scary process, probably less painful than the upper lip wax I'm about to get. So what are you waiting for?
Could these kids be any cuter?

Blogging*Matilda

6 Sep 2009 | 8:48 pm

I didn't think so. I have the cutest neices and nephews ever. The best part is that I can love 'em and squeeze 'em and then hand them back to their respective owners when things start to get messy. :)

My Inspiration Lounge
A top womens resource for investing and personal finance tips: DailyWorth

Misty Gibbs

6 Nov 2009 | 7:53 am

Subscribe to the free daily personal finance email for women! DailyWorth is a free daily personal finance email for women. We deliver practical tips, empowering ideas and the occasional kick in the pants. Helping women take control of their finances and gain financial independence is one mission of mine. I know money is an area where women aren't used to taking charge and in most cases, rely on their partner or husband to manage it. I want to empower women with the best personal finance info on the web so this will change. Why? Because I've heard one too many stories where the women are…
Homemade body scrub, a fun DIY gift idea

Misty Gibbs

4 Nov 2009 | 7:21 pm

There's no doubt that if you give someone homemade sugar body scrub - the kind that smells so good you might wanna eat it - they will love you forever! I have yet to come across a gal who doesn't have a weakness for liking lots of lotions, potions, scrubs, whatever claims to leave you soft and silky! When I saw this homemade body scrub, I thought this is a cool DIY gift idea for any special occasion where you want to give a small gift with big heart. The bonus - you have fun and get to keep a stash for you!! Plus, homemade body scrub is inexpensive, completely useful, functional, luscious, a…
15 ideas for dates, a date with YOU that is!

Misty Gibbs

2 Nov 2009 | 1:18 pm

Taking a stroll through the park. If you asked women one of the things they cherish most, I think they would answer "my alone time." I couldn't agree more. Even though I'm a very social person - my space and alone time is very important to me. I love how Carolyn (with idea #14) put it, "I like me and that helps!" So I asked my fans on Facebook for ideas or things to do on a solo date. A solo date is where you have a date with YOU! Ever have one of those?! They are dreamy and cure most problems you might be having. Here's what the ladies had to share... 15 ideas for dates, a date with YOU that…
Holiday gift guide

Misty Gibbs

29 Oct 2009 | 7:11 am

Due to the huge success of last year's holiday gift guide with eco-friendly gift ideas from MyInspirationLounge.com - I'm excited to offer it again for 2009. I'm thinking of creating two this year - one for eco-friendly gift ideas and another for well, the non-green. You can see last year's guide by clicking the link below. I'm opening it up to 30 advertisers only to ensure maximum exposure. The holiday guide will go up after Thanksgiving and be promoted through my InspireMail newsletter, blog, MyInspirationLounge.com, Twitter and Facebook. Even after the holidays, last year's holiday guide…
Check out this tag cloud based on my twitter followers

Misty Gibbs

28 Oct 2009 | 7:34 pm

Check out this word cloud generated from the bios of my followers! It appears I have some happy, life-loving, entrepreneurs, authors, speakers and moms following me on Twitter! Love it! Here's the random story on how I came across TwitterSheep. I was listening to Mariel Hemingway on the Self-Love Studio (you have to sign-up, it rocks) and she mentioned her new website and blog. So of course I have to visit because I'm a web gemologist so my job is to find inspiring websites. Hehe! While browsing Mariel's blog, I find her tag cloud from Twitter Sheep. I went from listening to the candid,…

Girlfriend Celebrations
Girltalk November/December 2009: Guilt-Free Holidays!

Dawn

2 Nov 2009 | 8:51 am

Hey, Girlfriends! With a nod to the busy-ness of the months ahead, we’re scheduling only one GIrltalk…Taking it Deeper™ topic for November and December combined. Christine Arylo’s discussion guide for this month appears below. If you are hosting a Girltalk group, you may want to download this month’s printable guide here. Want to know what Girltalk is all about? Read this. If you have any questions about Girltalk…Taking it Deeper™ or suggestions about how we can improve your experience, please leave a comment or email us. Guiltless Girls Have More Fun! Be Real. While…
Just For Fun: Your Favorite Girls Night Activities

Dawn

30 Oct 2009 | 7:36 am

Usually, we tell you what to do on your girls night, but we thought it was time to turn the tables! A few months ago, we ran a contest in which we asked you to enter by telling us your favorite thing to do with girlfriends. We really loved hearing about all the fun ways you enjoy your female friendships! So, just for fun, we compiled this list of responses. We’d love to hear more of your answers in the comments! Some of your fave things to do with girlfriends are (and we quote): Just hang out, have a few drinks and talk about how wonderful men can be -Laura Go out to dinner with my…
Girltalk…Taking it Deeper™—the Test Drive

Dawn

29 Oct 2009 | 11:55 am

Well, girlfriends, about a month ago we introduced Girltalk…Taking it Deeper™ to you, and launched the first monthly topic in October. We promised that we would experience Girltalk right along with you, so this week we had our very own Girltalk gathering. Here’s how our girls night went: Small Group We invited about 10 women to our inaurgural Girltalk gathering and only four were able to make it. Truthfully, when sending out the invitations, we purposely kept the invite list small because we were more comfortable “test driving” with a small group. We also knew that…
Get Crafty At Your November Girls Night

Dawn

25 Oct 2009 | 2:27 pm

If you’re anything like us, you have an unfinished craft project lying around your house. Perhaps an abandoned needlepoint? A half-knitted scarf? via flickr A boxful of scrapbooking supplies purchased with good intentions, but never used? Candle-making materials you bought on clearance and never found the time to open? Dawn has enough pretty paper, rubber stamps, and ink to make holiday cards for an entire village. What was she thinking when she purchased it all? Well, she was following the time-honored desire of many women to “craft”—to make something with their hands—a…
Plan a Wine Tasting For Your Next Girls Night

Dawn

21 Oct 2009 | 9:50 am

Hey, girlfriends! Drizzly fall nights go better with a fireplace and a nice glass of wine. Why not host a wine-tasting party for your girlfriends? It’s easier than you think. We recently had the opportunity to tour the beautiful Lynfred Winery in Roselle, Illinois. Check out our short video: We really had a great time tasting the world-class wine at Lynfred and touring their lovely facility. We even got to see the bottling line in operation. Wine shops near you are certain to host fun events where girlfriends can learn about wine and have a great time, but it’s just as fun—and…

My Inspiration Lounge
A top womens resource for investing and personal finance tips: DailyWorth

Misty Gibbs

6 Nov 2009 | 7:53 am

Subscribe to the free daily personal finance email for women! DailyWorth is a free daily personal finance email for women. We deliver practical tips, empowering ideas and the occasional kick in the pants. Helping women take control of their finances and gain financial independence is one mission of mine. I know money is an area where women aren't used to taking charge and in most cases, rely on their partner or husband to manage it. I want to empower women with the best personal finance info on the web so this will change. Why? Because I've heard one too many stories where the women are…
Homemade body scrub, a fun DIY gift idea

Misty Gibbs

4 Nov 2009 | 7:21 pm

There's no doubt that if you give someone homemade sugar body scrub - the kind that smells so good you might wanna eat it - they will love you forever! I have yet to come across a gal who doesn't have a weakness for liking lots of lotions, potions, scrubs, whatever claims to leave you soft and silky! When I saw this homemade body scrub, I thought this is a cool DIY gift idea for any special occasion where you want to give a small gift with big heart. The bonus - you have fun and get to keep a stash for you!! Plus, homemade body scrub is inexpensive, completely useful, functional, luscious, a…
15 ideas for dates, a date with YOU that is!

Misty Gibbs

2 Nov 2009 | 1:18 pm

Taking a stroll through the park. If you asked women one of the things they cherish most, I think they would answer "my alone time." I couldn't agree more. Even though I'm a very social person - my space and alone time is very important to me. I love how Carolyn (with idea #14) put it, "I like me and that helps!" So I asked my fans on Facebook for ideas or things to do on a solo date. A solo date is where you have a date with YOU! Ever have one of those?! They are dreamy and cure most problems you might be having. Here's what the ladies had to share... 15 ideas for dates, a date with YOU that…
Holiday gift guide

Misty Gibbs

29 Oct 2009 | 7:11 am

Due to the huge success of last year's holiday gift guide with eco-friendly gift ideas from MyInspirationLounge.com - I'm excited to offer it again for 2009. I'm thinking of creating two this year - one for eco-friendly gift ideas and another for well, the non-green. You can see last year's guide by clicking the link below. I'm opening it up to 30 advertisers only to ensure maximum exposure. The holiday guide will go up after Thanksgiving and be promoted through my InspireMail newsletter, blog, MyInspirationLounge.com, Twitter and Facebook. Even after the holidays, last year's holiday guide…
Check out this tag cloud based on my twitter followers

Misty Gibbs

28 Oct 2009 | 7:34 pm

Check out this word cloud generated from the bios of my followers! It appears I have some happy, life-loving, entrepreneurs, authors, speakers and moms following me on Twitter! Love it! Here's the random story on how I came across TwitterSheep. I was listening to Mariel Hemingway on the Self-Love Studio (you have to sign-up, it rocks) and she mentioned her new website and blog. So of course I have to visit because I'm a web gemologist so my job is to find inspiring websites. Hehe! While browsing Mariel's blog, I find her tag cloud from Twitter Sheep. I went from listening to the candid,…

Women in the News: News On Women
Ann Sperling Made COO for Americas Region at Jones Lang Lasalle

Alice Krause

6 Nov 2009 | 7:34 am

Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated (NYSE: JLL), the professional services firm specializing in real estate, appointed Ann Sperling Chief Operating Officer for the Americas Region. Anne, who holds an MBA from Harvard, had previously been Managing Director at Catellus Development Group. Read more in the prnewswire press release.
Vanna Krantz Moderates FWA Panel November 16 in New York

Alice Krause

6 Nov 2009 | 6:13 am

Vanna Krantz, Chief Financial Officer for the Media Division of Thomson Reuters, is moderating the Financial Women's Association Economic Forum to be held November 16, 2009 at the Thomson Reuters World Headquarters in New York. The forum will cover core issues in today's financial environment. Panelists include Gina Martin Adams, Equity Strategist, Wells Fargo Securities and Beth Ann Bovino, Senior Economist at Standard & Poor's. Read more about the other panelists and the topics to be discussed on fwa.org.
Lisa Erspamer Made Chief Creative Officer of Oprah Winfrey Network

Alice Krause

5 Nov 2009 | 11:40 am

The Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) appointed Lisa Erspamer Chief Creative Officer. Lisa had been Co-Executive Producer of "The Oprah Winfrey Show". Read more in the prnewswire press release.
Women Appointed to Corporate Boards First Week of November

Alice Krause

5 Nov 2009 | 9:16 am

AOL appointed Susan Lyne to its Board of Directors. Susan is Chief Executive Officer of the online luxury retailer Gilt Groupe, Inc. Read more in the Business Wire press release. Amicus Therapeutics (Nasdaq: FOLD), headquartered in New Jersey, appointed Margaret G. McGlynn (pictured) to its Board of Directors. Margaret, who holds an MBA in Marketing from the State University of New York at Buffalo, most recently served as President of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases for Merck & Co., Inc. Read more in the prnewswire press release. Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE: DRI), headquartered…
24 Women Join Boards in October09 - An Upward Trend?

Alice Krause

5 Nov 2009 | 7:30 am

Twenty four women were appointed to Boards in October09 as reported on NewsonWomen.com, handily beating the disastrous October08 and continuing the upward trend started in September09. The heavy hitters were out in full force with Anne Mulcahy (pictured) joining the Board of Johnson & Johnson, Sallie Krawcheck joining the Board of Blackrock, and Doreen Toben joining the Board of Liz Claiborne to name a few. And let's not forget Ellen Kullman who was elected Chairman of the Board at DuPont! Other major companies appointing women to boards in October included Hormel Foods,…

Rise of the Innerpreneur
The Toronto Meetup Is Exactly What I Need

Tara Joyce

5 Nov 2009 | 5:31 am

This past Monday It was a rainy night in a slightly pretentious Italian restaurant in downtown Toronto where mid-level suits go to wine and dine. I’m standing at the bar, expecting two confirmed attendees and wondering what I was thinking when I picked the place. The first person to arrive is Nathalie Lussier, the Raw Food Witch. We stand, waiting and start chat about where we live and what our passions are. She’s a black belt and a computer geek. She’s f’ing cool to me. It’s a natural connection. One of these things just doesn’t belong It’s too loud.
The Truth About Compromise

Tara Joyce

2 Nov 2009 | 7:52 am

I’ve noticed that people often use the word “compromise” not in relation to a mutual concession or a trade, but to describe the betrayal of their principles, the surrender of their belief to the groundless claim of another. A “compromise” in this instance could be a wife’s surrender to her husband’s irrational demands for social conformity or pretended religious observance. Or a writer creating books to please “the public”, against their own judgment and standards. Let’s make a deal A compromise, by definition, is an agreement or a…
My Utopia Exists. You’re Surfing It Right Now.

Tara Joyce

30 Oct 2009 | 2:54 pm

Does this sound like your ideal community? It’s pretty damn close to mine. 1. Constantly growing organically The web consists of millions of pages, and it grows by the moment. A page can be added by anyone, anywhere. Hyperlinks are what connects these millions of pages and they can be created by anyone, anywhere. The web is constantly growing and interconnecting as the many small pieces (pages) are joining together (via hyperlinks) as they see fit. 2. Decentralized No one is in charge of the web. There is no one to fix it and no one to thank for it. 3. Commitment-free You have complete…
Thinking You Need to Accept It? That’s So Conventional.

Tara Joyce

29 Oct 2009 | 9:33 am

Door A: “Either” accept the world as it is This is conventional thinking. It’s a self-reinforcing lesson that life is about accepting unattractive and unpleasant trade-offs. e.g., Either you are an artist and know little about business or you are an economist and have no understanding of creativity, art, culture and growth. Door B: “Or” accept the world as it is This is conventional thinking. It’s seeing all aspects of life as an “either/or” exchange. Life is full of dichotomies, and you just need to pick the lesser of two evils. e.g., You are a…
One Week ‘Till We Meetup in Tdot

Tara Joyce

26 Oct 2009 | 1:47 pm

There are still 2 empty chairs at dinner with me and 8 other Innerpreneurs in Toronto next Monday. If your in Toronto, why not stop by and have some delicious Southern Italian food and great conversation. I’m confident you’ll get value from the night. Toronto Meet-up Monday, November 2, 2009, 7:30 PM EST at Terroni restaurant 57 Adelaide St. E. RSVP here Can you help me? I don’t know a damn thing about leading a group meetup. What’s a great way to break the ice? I was thinking we’d each introduce our self and our business… and go from there. Do I need more…

Bloomacious Digs
Dispatch from France: Eric Jourdan’s Hampton’s Chair

Carrie

6 Nov 2009 | 6:59 am

Bear with me for a moment as I try to explain a bit about this chair. Most of the information about it is in French, but I think I get the gist of it. It’s a new release from French designer Eric Jourdan – who, among other things, has a big collection coming out in January that he created with Ligne Roset. Eric works with the firm Domeau & Pérès which gets a lot of commissions to design for the aviation and aeronautics industries – which was a big inspiration for this interesting creation. This being named The Hampton’s Chair by Jourdan – you clearly…
Simple, Satisfying Baked Custard

Carrie

5 Nov 2009 | 5:48 pm

This is a little delight perfect for a Fall weekend that you should try. It’s almost ridiculously easy and takes just a few ingredients. If you want to jazz it up you can add a bit of Vanilla or Almond extract to the egg mixture. Carrie’s Uber Easy Baked Custard Ingredients: 2 cups of organic milk 2 large cage free eggs 1/3 cup sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt Dash ground cinnamon Dash ground nutmeg Method: Place milk, eggs, sugar and salt in a medium bowl and whisk until frothy (about a minute). Pour into four medium sized custard cups; sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg. Place cups…
Let’s Get Pale & Interesting For The Holidays

Carrie

5 Nov 2009 | 7:11 am

Maybe we should consider Thanksgiving “pre-Christmas” this year as retailers are really going all out with early shopping suggestions. They always do but this year it feels like everyone is very intent on making up for lost ground. The catalogs are coming in droves and the emails are pretty overwhelming already. Because I get so much of it I unfortunately have to dump-truck most of it without really looking in order to maintain some level of sanity. But this morning I got an email from British based Pale & Interesting that stopped my finger from hitting the delete button…
Welcome To Digs!

Carrie

4 Nov 2009 | 9:17 am

This is the first official merge day of the old bloomacious.com and the new Bloomacious Digs. As such we’ve moved off our old platform at Typepad and have come over here to Wordpress.org which offers an ever expanding universe of design and function options. In the move I had to disassemble the domain mapping for the old site, in order to forward to this new spot, which of course broke a lot of links. If you’ve followed one and wound up here – note that I’ll be working to move some of the more popular posts from the old site over to this one. But my apologies…
Embroidery & Lace

Carrie

3 Nov 2009 | 10:33 am

I’ve been to plenty of antique shops over the years – and have come across enough of those hand crocheted doilies to know that they were once really chic. While in many ways they may represent grandmotherly charm more than style, lately designers have been incorporating the vintage look into their work in an entirely fresh way. Above, Pure Designs has reinvigorated embroidery to embody a whole new, completely contemporary look. Here on the Hazel Setee set against a deep blue fabric it has that wonderful vintage meets post modern feel. Below, RazorTooth has a wide array of…

Change.org's Women's Rights Blog
Friday Femme Fatale: Social Media, Book Lists & Beth Ditto

Jen Nedeau

6 Nov 2009 | 11:22 am

This weekend I am taking a reprieve from the bright lights of New York City and heading to Washington, DC for a few days to do some speaking at the Pledge2Protect conference and visit old friends. Additionally, for those who wonder what I do over at my full-time gig, Air America Media, I just published this column today in SmartBrief titled: Can social media save the radio star? I hope you all are gearing up for some rest and relaxation this weekend as well, but before you unplug completely check out the stories you may have missed in the world of women's rights: Social Media Salary Report:…
Female Bloggers Noticeably Absent From Technorati Survey

Jen Nedeau

5 Nov 2009 | 1:49 pm

Earlier this fall, Technorati published a survey called the "2009 State of the Blogosphere." Some of the findings are interesting such as the idea that "Despite being perceived by some as enemies of the traditional media, bloggers actually carry a journalistic pedigree." I was trained as a journalist and pursued that passion until I realized that there weren't many jobs left in print reporting. Now I'm a blogger and a new media director. Not surprising that I ended up in the communications field, but what is surprising about this survey are the statistics about gender: Two-thirds are male 60%…
The Movement To End Genocide

Jen Nedeau

5 Nov 2009 | 11:57 am

For those interested in global women's rights, the Pledge2Protect conference in Washington, DC should be on your agenda this weekend. From November 6 - 9, Genocide Intervention Network's (GI-NET) student-led division, STAND, is bringing together a powerful network of 1,000 students and community leaders and activists from across the country to Capitol Hill for Pledge2Protect: a conference designed to educate, empower, and highlight the work of activists who are driving the movement to prevent and stop genocide and mass atrocities. In collaboration with core partners Save Darfur Coalition and…
2009 Election: Winning Female Candidates & Democrat Losses

Jen Nedeau

4 Nov 2009 | 8:50 am

Yesterday's election was fraught with disappointment for Democrats. Instead of continuing the wave of "change" from just one year ago when Barack Obama was elected President, the 2009 elections delivered several big victories for the GOP: New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the victory by Republican challenger Chris Christie for the governorship in New Jersey and then Republican candidate Bob McDonnell who won the Virginia gubernatorial race. Interestingly, despite these losses, Beau Friedlander at Air America says that this shouldn't be considered a referendum on Obama, but rather an…
Desperate Times Calls for Desperate Catholics

Jen Nedeau

3 Nov 2009 | 7:34 pm

As someone who was raised Catholic, went to 15 years of Catholic school and is still asked to rise at eight o'clock in the morning when I visit my parents to go to church, the following news is quite the shocking revelation: the Catholic Church is now accepting applications from Anglicans. For those who are not well-versed Christianity, here's a quick definition of an Anglican: those who historically protest the Catholic Church and have been traditionally more liberal on their stances on the ordination of women bishops, gay priests and gay marriage. But it looks like desperate times in the…

Secret Women's Business Network
It’s Our Birthday! A Year of the Secret Women’s Business Network

Lisa

5 Nov 2009 | 2:25 pm

It’s hard to believe that a year ago today (5th November 2008) the Secret Women’s Business Network blog was born. The SWBN itself was born from a germ of an idea a couple of months earlier, but the blog became our official public face and we’ve shared some interesting developments and events over that year; from competitions to crazies (you know who you are), fun stuff to special reports, Cool Tools to interviews with some great business people, and a lot more in between. To mark our blog birthday we’ve decided to share some of our highlights of the past year with…
Due Diligence

Allison

24 Oct 2009 | 4:14 am

The sad thing about this post is that it won’t be read by those that need it most. The newcomer to the internet who is looking for the goose that will lay the golden egg for them. We were all there once, shiny new in our ignorance, afraid and excited at the same time. Reminds me of the first day I opened the doors on my first business. Even though it was a well established existing business in a prime position that couldn’t help but make money, I was freaking out that I would do something wrong and mess the whole thing up. Along the way I did make mistakes (never hire family as a…
Social Media: The Realm of Naughty Children and Their Mischievous Games

Lisa

19 Oct 2009 | 7:21 am

Last Friday, thanks to Twitter, it came to my attention that a particularly nasty article had been written in the Daily Mail by Jan Moir about the death of singer Stephen Gately. I avoid reading newspapers for this very reason – slanted, biased and (as in the case of the Daily Mail which was our family’s newspaper during my formative years) often bigoted writing. I won’t go into great detail about the article originally entitled (and then changed after the complaints started to reach the Daily Mail) “Why there was nothing ‘natural’ about Stephen…
What About GOOD Customer Service?

Lisa

16 Oct 2009 | 4:48 am

We’re always quick to shout about bad customer service, so here’s some GOOD for a change. In the UK we have been experiencing a bunch of postal strikes, and many businesses (including Amazon) have sought out new ways to get mail delivered. LoveFilm is probably the UK’s biggest internet-based DVD rental company and rely on Royal Mail to deliver their DVDs to customers. I have been a HUGE fan of LoveFilm since the beginning and have always had great customer service from them. This latest offering to their customers is really the icing on the cake, and what makes a good…
Making Our Little Dent

Allison

15 Oct 2009 | 2:43 am

I just watched Chris Brogan’s second vidcast on being An Overnight Success and felt the excitement of being able to say “Yes we ARE doing something about spreading what we have learned with people who need help”. In fact we are sending out emails shortly to those who are joining us, to put what we know and what they can do, into ACTION. I challenge every one of our readers to go out and help one person this week using what you already know. Have a chat to your kid’s teacher, or the local petrol station owner, or the mailman. If you are reading this blog then you have…

Get Organized Wizard
Goal Setting 101: How To Use SMART Goals to Change a Habit

Michele Connolly

6 Nov 2009 | 12:36 am

[Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hikingartist/ / CC BY 2.0] You might find it easy to apply SMART goal principles to your life goals or other personal goals, like losing weight or getting better grades. But what about changing habits – can SMART goal setting apply there, too? In today’s class *puts on teacherly glasses* we’re going to turn a desired habit change into a SMART goal. Speaking Up In Meetings Let’s say Sally has plenty of good ideas but she keeps these to herself in meetings, and it’s holding her back, career-wise. We’ll make a SMART goal of ‘speaking up…
Don’t Let Self-Help Turn Into Shelf-Help

Michele Connolly

2 Nov 2009 | 12:25 am

Does self-help become shelf-help for you? Here’s a trick to better use what you read: As you read, have a notebook & pen beside you. When you find something to do or remember, make a note. Transfer actions to your schedule with a due date. Share ideas to remember – email or call a friend, write a summary for clients, blog it, tweet it or present it. Donate the book to a friend or library. I post Today’s Tips like this one on my Facebook Professional Page. Please come and be a fan! Related posts:Organize Your Facebook Settings For Privacy★Simplify Life Tips★ (Twitter Tweet…
Announcing the Design Your Life e-Program

Michele Connolly

29 Oct 2009 | 6:04 am

Design Your Life is Here! For some time I’ve been busy preparing the Design Your Life program for you. I’m very excited that it’s now open! This comprehensive, 12-month self-improvement e-program delivers ongoing structure, motivation and accountability for taking action on the things you want in life. It’s based on the popular Life & Goal Organizer DIY system, but I’ve now created a complete action-based e-program with weekly e-classes, interactive workbooks and action planners, videos, e-books, and access to exclusive accountability and community forums. Quite simply, it’s…
Organize Your Bathroom [Mission #22]

Michele Connolly

25 Oct 2009 | 3:08 am

[Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/urbanelife/ / CC BY-SA 2.0] This week we turn to the bathroom. Follow these 3 simple steps and you’ll have your own little spa in your home. Remember: you only need 30 minutes for the basic mission. Extended Options are below. If you’re new, you might like to start here: 52 Organizing Missions. Get Organized Mission #22: Organize Your Bathroom Step 1: Take everything out (5 minutes) Take everything out of the cabinets and drawers, and off the shelves, sills and ledges. Place it all on a bathmat in the centre of the room, or just outside if there’s no…
Family Management Tools

Michele Connolly

23 Oct 2009 | 10:56 pm

Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/whiteafrican/ / CC BY 2.0] Family organization is made easier with the right tools. The blog Wise Bread has put together some helpful resources for organizing the family, covering: Money Management for Kids and Their Parents – With a family budget spreadsheet Remembering What Foods Your Kids Have Tried and Liked – With a new foods chart Organizing Events – With an event to-do spreadsheet Homework – With a homework chart Depending on the age of your kids and your current challenges, you might find something really helpful here. PS If…

Champagne Living
Slim Travel - guest post by Lori Allen

Zippy

6 Nov 2009 | 7:44 am

If you travel a lot by car or by sea between the U.S. and the Caribbean, Bermuda, Mexico, or Canada, now you might be able to leave your passport at home. Because you can apply to the U.S. Department of State for a wallet-sized Passport Card. The Department of State started issuing the smaller cards in July. You can’t use them for air travel or for travel to any countries outside the above list…
The Popcorn Factory & College Care Packages

Zippy

5 Nov 2009 | 6:26 pm

I just received word that the wonderful people at The Popcorn Factory are going to be sending out CARE PACKAGES to College Students (just like I send to "B")! What a thoughtful thing to do for our kids.My son lives 1500 miles away and this is one of the few ways that I get to show him how I'm thinking of him and how much I love him. The Popcorn Factory is offering to send a free care package to
Gifts & Guilty Pleasures - my popcorn habit

Zippy

5 Nov 2009 | 1:05 pm

I've been bringing you the best ways to help stay on your F2F program along with me - and as you know, treating myself to small pleasures is one of the ways that I've been staying the course. I know I'm not alone when I say that I LOVE popcorn. Not only is it a TREAT, but it's high in fiber and fills you up quickly. So, when The Popcorn Factory offered to send me a tin of my three favorite
F2F: Staying on the diet & treating yourself

Zippy

4 Nov 2009 | 6:04 pm

Today I went to the Dr. for a check-up. One of my friends was shocked to find that I have a standing appointment every 3 months, but I have high cholesterol and I like the fact that my Dr. wants to be sure that the meds aren't "messing" with my liver and to make sure that my meds they're doing their job.This was the first time that ALL of my numbers were EXCELLENT. My cholesterol dropped over 25
Coach Sale - you heard me....I said a Coach Sale

Zippy

4 Nov 2009 | 1:18 pm

I know just how difficult it is to find Coach handbags and Wallets on sale. Because of that I LOVE shopping at the Coach Outlets. Over the years I've purchased (or received as gifts)3 Leather Coach Wallets1 Fabric Coach Bag3 Leather Coach BagsSo, I guess that means I must LOVE Coach! My mom always said that a good handbag NEVER goes out of style and one of the bags that carry is a Coach Handbag

Empowered and Fit
Meatless Monday - A Pair of Italian Inspired Vegetable Dishes

Fred Krazeise

I love Italian cuisine. Most people probably think of pasta when they think of Italy and Italian cooking. In the Tuscany region of Italy, vegetables have always been important. They are the principle ingredients of molds, omelets, soups and sauces, as well as some meat and fish recipes. In Tuscany, the Tuscan bean is always a part of the menu. Today, I offer you a version of Tuscan beans, cooked with tomatoes, or all'uccelletto. This is the most popular vegetable dish in Sienna and it's enjoyed all over Tuscany. In Sienna, this dish is always served with pork liver. Another of my favorite…
Some Facts About Gluten Intolerance

Fred Krazeise

It is a condition that was once believed to be very rare, but is now thought to affect 1 in every 133 Americans, and the National Institutes of Health believe that 97 percent of cases go undiagnosed. Celiac disease, also known as gluten intolerance is an auto-immune disorder that affects portions of the small intestine. People affected by the disorder are intolerant to certain proteins found in wheat, barley, rye and oats. These proteins can damage the small, finger-like projections called villi that assist in digestion. When damaged and inflamed, the villi are unable to absorb water and…
Finding Time to Make Time for Yourself

Fred Krazeise

Most of my clients report feeling a sense of guilt when they take time for themselves. Actually, it's selfish not to spend time with yourself. Best-selling author of "The Artist's Way," Julia Cameron says, "Every time you commit to some self-nurturing project, there¹s the voice of your conditioning that raises its head and says, Oh dear, aren¹t you being selfish. We lose ourselves because we are afraid of being selfish, but when we turn around and take care of ourselves, we actually become much happier and more generous." As I say to my clients all the time, "You spend all of your time…
3 Simple (And Affordable) Steps to Reduce Stress and Anxiety

Fred Krazeise

It's been a rough year for most people. With unemployment hovering around 10 percent, people are genuinely fearful about the economy and their future. Each week, I see more and more clients who suffer from chronic stress. Symptoms are wide ranging, but they include everything from hypertension to back / neck pain to loss of sleep and appetite. What makes it worse is that in our society, we wear stress like a badge of honor. We work long hours, don't eat properly, don't get enough exercise, don't take time for ourselves, don't take vacation, and even when we do we remain tethered to our office…
Meatless Monday - White Beans Breton

Fred Krazeise

Today is a sad day in the culinary and food world. Conde Naste announced this morning that it was closing Gourmet Magazine after nearly seventy years of operation. With that sad news in mind, I have decided to pull out a classic from my own culinary repertoire, White Beans Breton for my Meatless Monday offering to you. This is a classic accompaniment to roast leg of lamb. I know that is not in the meatless Monday tradition, but magazines such as Gourmet don't close every day. It's a sad and unfortunate day in the culinary world. I will truly miss pouring over pages and pages of wonderful…

Fabulously 40
?Winter Brats? - It Now All Makes Sense!

yana

3 Nov 2009 | 10:32 am

Is it me? Or is there something fundamentally wrong with this study? ? " Children born in the winter months already have a few strikes against them. Study after study has shown that they test poorly, don't get as far in school, earn less, are less healthy, and don't live as long as children born at other times of year. Researchers have spent years documenting the effect and trying to understand it. ?" Now all of you Capricorns, Aquarius?s and Pisces have just been labeled. ? Economists Daniel Hungerman and Kasey Buckles from the University of Notre Dame examined birth…
Do You Have A Question?

yana

28 Oct 2009 | 12:45 pm

Hi Ladies, A few weeks ago I posted a blog ?about an exciting business opportunity that could potentially generate a generous income for our members. Today, October 28, at 8 EST and 5 PST I will be interviewing Patricia Makhulo, author of The Little Black Book Of Home Party Marketing and Allie Vayner, creative director for Mia Rose. Conference Dial-in Number: (269) 320-8200 Participant Access Code: 468409# I?m hoping to open the lines for Q & A, but it would probably be more effective if you post your questions below and I can ask all of the posted questions first, and then proceed to the…
Business Opportunity Call Tomorrow At 5 p.m. PST

yana

27 Oct 2009 | 10:30 am

A few weeks ago I posted a blog ?about an exciting business opportunity that could potentially generate a generous income for our members. This Wednesday October 28, at 8 EST and 5 PST I will be interviewing Patricia Makhulo, author of The Little Black Book Of Home Party Marketing. Conference Dial-in Number: (269) 320-8200 Participant Access Code: 468409# After many years of being an expert in her field, Patricia figured out the formula of what works and what doesn?t and what you can do to jumpstart your business. Join us on the call and find out the details about this great opportunity and…
Another Reason To Upgrade To Premium

yana

21 Oct 2009 | 1:25 pm

Want to increase sales and attain new clients? ? Promote your business to thousands of women worldwide on Fabulously40? ? Increase sales and attain new clients Promote throughout the Fabulously40 community ? Banner Placement showcasing your business ? Site link, providing increased Google page ranking ? Enjoy the viral effect of social bookmarking ? Click Here To See Available Packages ? Holidays are right around the corner, let?s start promoting your business, your products and branding yourself. To your success. Yana
Faith

yana

19 Oct 2009 | 8:56 am

I think all of us need a reminder from time to time that believing in ourselves and others is what makes this world a better place. This is an incredible story of love, faith and determination. This dog was born on Christmas Eve in the year 2002. He was born with ?2 ?legs - He of course could not walk when he was born. Even his mother did not want him. ? His first owner also did not think that he could survive and he was thinking of ?putting him to sleep?. ? But then, his present owner, Jude Stringfellow, met him and wanted ?to take care of him. She became determined to teach and train this…

Karin Manske's Weblog
Live Everything - Rainer Maria Rilke

Karin

5 Nov 2009 | 7:04 pm

… I beg you … to have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in every foreign language. Don’t search right now for the answers, which could not be given you, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without ever noticing it, live your way into the answers.” –Rainer Maria Rilke If you are curious about finding some of your own life answers,…
‘What Lights You Up’ - Life Coaching Show

Karin

4 Nov 2009 | 8:30 am

Join me and David Rodriguez in this new episode of Coach TV LA, filmed in Santa Monica on October 31, 2009. Are you curious to find out what lights YOU up? Answer our ‘What Lights You Up Questionnaire’ or join us for “Translate Your Passion Into Business”, a one-day workshop in Santa Monica on November 21, 2009. Tweet This Post Facebook
Mistakes Men Make in Relationships with Women

Karin

29 Oct 2009 | 5:23 pm

#5 Not Telling a Woman How Much You Appreciate Her We know that men have a hard time talking about feelings and that they show their affection through action. However, women love to hear how much you appreciate us. You probably did so when we first met. Keep it up, it does NOT get old. Here are a few good phrases you can use: * Darling, you are looking great! * Thank you so much for making dinner (breakfast, lunch, etc.) for me. * I am so happy to be with you. * You look beautiful in that new dress. * I love it when you smile like that. If it is hard for you to express your adoration in…
Mistakes Men Make in Relationships With Women

Karin

23 Oct 2009 | 10:28 am

#4 Ignoring Women’s Wisdom Women are wise, men are brilliant. While men are masters at planning, solving problems, creating innovative systems, and developing strategies, women are wise in a whole different way: We have the ability to ‘read’ our environment. Not only do we pick up on people’s thoughts and their intentions, we can also detect the mood of a room or the outcome of a meeting. While this sensitivity is developed to different degrees in each woman, we all have the ability to pick up on subtle clues in our surroundings. If a woman is skilled at this, she will…
Mistakes Men Make in Relationships With Women

Karin

15 Oct 2009 | 2:32 pm

Mistake #3: Intimidation Finding the balance in a relationship can be hard. While some men try do please their woman to a fault, others like to show who’s in charge by physical and emotional intimidation. If this is something you learned in a family where bullying women was modeled and accepted, you will have to dig deep and really look at your understanding of the other sex. By learning to appreciate the nurturing quality of women and by accepting their power, you can create an intimacy beyond anything you ever experienced. Often, however, intimidation happens on a more subtle level…

Renaissance Trophy Wife
Women: Nobel Prize and longer life included!

RenaissanceTrophyWife

12 Oct 2009 | 10:53 pm

Today, Elinor Ostrom became the first woman to win a Nobel Prize in economics. Ostrom said it was an honor to be the first woman to win a Nobel Prize in economics — and promised that she won’t be the last. She said people discouraged her from seeking a Ph.D. when she applied for graduate school but she loved studying economics. Cheers to that! And speaking of educated women, a Swedish study found that men with educated wives had a lower risk of dying. Talk about a modern-day dowry. Women can bring home the bacon, AND help their partners live longer? Sure beats the old herd of…
Putting it in Perspective

RenaissanceTrophyWife

10 Oct 2009 | 8:15 pm

After months of networking, scouring job boards, and exploring every avenue that could possibly lead me to a nonprofit job, I was exasperated and convinced that the job I wanted was not going to show up in a timely fashion. So I took a break. And in taking that break, clearing my head, allowing myself to really think about what I wanted, it came to me. I already had financial stability in my private sector job, so if the big thing missing in my life was the passion for my job, then I could find that. There was no need to search for financial stability AND passion all in one new job, in the…
Emerging from Ennui

RenaissanceTrophyWife

29 Aug 2009 | 2:40 pm

Ennui: A gripping listlessness or melancholia caused by boredom; depression. I like the word ennui. It’s just so… Gatsby. While I’m exercising my melodramatic license in using it to describe my last few months (and extended blogging hiatus), it’s not something new to me. Or, for that matter, to those who’ve known me for the last quarter-century or so. Let me contextualize this discussion by saying that I fully understand how fortunate I am to have my health, a job, and a fantastic family and group of friends. By no means am I depressed about my life, I…
I’m Back!

RenaissanceTrophyWife

8 Aug 2009 | 7:35 pm

Hola readers– Sorry I’ve been absent for so long. A long string of complicated client deals at work, plus some interesting job opportunities (that I didn’t end up taking– more later), new extracurriculars, and the jam-packed summer wedding circuit have made it really difficult for me to sit down and blog about everything in a timely fashion. Thanks to those of you who still stop by, and welcome to the new peeps! I appreciate the comments and will be slowly getting back up to speed in the blogosphere as life sorts itself out. I’ve got lots to share and…
The End: Getting to “Rich” (Part I)

RenaissanceTrophyWife

25 May 2009 | 11:32 pm

This post is part of a miniseries on my quarterlife (re)invention process. I left off discussing my strategy of beginning at the end, and the next few posts will provide more detail on the various goals I’m working towards. If you’re evaluating your life in a similar manner, maybe some of this will strike a chord… and if you’ve got things figured out, please feel free to chime in with advice! Without further ado: My first goal is to be rich. Not rich in the sense of Warren Buffett/Donald Trump– although that would be nice– but rich in the context of…

Authentic Change Coach
I have moved!

Iyabo Asani

22 Oct 2009 | 4:20 pm

Hello there, if you get the feed of my blog at Authentic Change Coach, I want you to know that I have moved. Please join me at http://www.CoachIyabo.com I decided to change my domains because I have developed the Inner Genius Method as the main thrust of my coaching practice. So, as the Inner Genius Coach, I decided to move to http://www.CoachIyabo.com Please join me over there. We are having a great time. Also, please join me on my Facebook Fan page by clicking here. Thank you for being a loyal subscriber and for finding me. I do appreciate you. Hug, Love and Miracles. Iyabo
Rags to Riches Niche Story!

Iyabo Asani

21 Aug 2009 | 1:51 pm

On August 5th, TV Land premiered “How’d You Get So Rich?” hosted by the legendary comedian, Joan Rivers. I finally caught up with the show. You have to watch this show! She goes around asking wealthy people how they made their money. Now, be warned, it is Joan Rivers and there is a lot of bling and flash. I did not care for going through wealthy people’s homes but the concept of the show is amazing. The first person on the show is a lady. She is in her fifties, and she is divorced. Her husband left her to marry a 19 year old. When she got divorced from a fabulous Bel-Air…
Like Minded People – World Internet Summit

Iyabo Asani

20 Aug 2009 | 7:43 pm

Today, I attended day one of The World Internet Summit here in Atlanta. Matt Bacak is one of the organizers and I took action and attended the event. Guess what? It was free! Four days filled with Internet Marketing. Tomorrow, I get to meet Carrie Wilkerson, the Barefoot Executive whom I have known online since last year but have never met her in person. Some of the other names that I am familiar with that I get to meet in person are Perry Belcher, Howie Schwartz, and Dave Lakhani Guys, keep your ear to the ground. It is so important that you realize that opportunities about all around you…
Experience Heart-Swell

Iyabo Asani

16 Aug 2009 | 6:57 pm

I have been asked by several clients and others that have heard of my explanation of “heart-swell” to write a blog post about it. The distance between what you want and what you have is merely a feeling. The more you feel that what you have is here already, the quicker it actually manifests. Let us look at some information that I recently came across. Your feelings reside in your heart and it is all about pure love. So entering into an absolute space of love about what you want is how you draw it to you. In addition, your emotions are what you experience emotionally in your lower three…
Are you clear about who you are?

Iyabo Asani

16 Aug 2009 | 7:59 am

This is the newsletter that went out to my subscribers the week of August 10, 2009. Enjoy! The Inner Genius Zone Newsletter! Are you clear about who you are? Please forgive me for not getting this newsletter out earlier in the week. I had a busy week with those that took me up on my offer for a complimentary strategy coaching session. Make sure you do not miss out on your opportunity: http://www.budurl.com/accw This week in the Inner Genius Zone we are talking about clarity. The last couple of weeks, I focused on a couple of client profiles. This week I would like to talk about myself just so…

Everyday Baby Steps
L'Oreal Products You'll Want To Try

marybabysteps

4 Nov 2009 | 5:48 pm

L'Oreal is a trusted brand in cosmetics. They've been around forever. I've been a fan of their eye shadow for some time, but I've never really tried many of their other products. In fact, I never knew L'Oreal had such a wide range of products until they sent me a box of goodies to try after I put out a query to HARO about fall makeup. I was introduced to a wide range of products. They have hair care and color, skincare, cosmetics, even men's and kid's products. Here are my absolute favorites! Collagen Filler Day/Night Cream I have to be honest and tell you that I didn't think I'd be swayed by…
Give Yourself a New Perspective for Free

marybabysteps

2 Nov 2009 | 11:46 am

I've been feeling pretty stressed out lately. The kids have been sick with the flu, and any mother worries when her babies are ill.. The baby has hit the "18 month old I don't wanna sleep at night phase", and if Brady ain't sleepin', ain't NOBODY sleepin'. So needless to say, I've been super tired these days. All of this has led to the pile up of both a mess in my house and of blog posts in my brain. So this weekend, I decided to try to do something to get my life in order. Baby steps is my philosophy, right? What I decided to do was to rearrange the furniture in our main living space. Sure,…
Give Women a Cup of Confidence!

marybabysteps

28 Oct 2009 | 10:38 am

Coffee-Mate and Dress for Success are working together to help women who are seeking work find inspiration and the resources they need to make it happen. Coffee-Mate has pledged to donate $50,000 to Dress For Success, but with our help, they're willing to give more! For every Cup of Confidence note we send, another fifty cents will be donated to the cause. Coffee-Mate will donate up to $150,000 to support women through Dress For Success. At this time, they're up to $68.704! You can send a personal note of up to 125 characters to women job seekers by going to the Cup of Confidence website.
Awesome Plus Size Accessories

marybabysteps

22 Oct 2009 | 6:33 pm

Yes, plus size accessories. I hadn't given it much thought until beginning my research for this series on plus size fashion, but there really is a lot to consider in buying accessories when you're full figured. I've had trouble in the past finding boots that fit my calves, and some necklaces are a bit too short on me. These are just a few of the issues that come up for plus size shoppers. Here are some solutions I hope you'll find helpful. A. Jaron Fine Jewelry A. Jaron Fine Jewelery offers a tremendous selection of jewelry in all price points. The designer, Amanda Jaron, makes high-end…
Gorgeous Plus Size Dresses

marybabysteps

21 Oct 2009 | 6:47 pm

This is the third installment in my series on plus size fashion for fall. I've covered stylish pants and beautiful tops. Now let's talk about dresses. I love wearing dresses, if they're comfortable and flattering. As we know, that's a combination that can be hard to find, especially for us curvy women. I hate when dresses ride up or won't stay in place. Drives me crazy, so I often just find it easier to wear pants. But the right dress can make a woman feel so beautiful and really make a statement. Here are some dresses I've come across that I think will meet the needs of plus size women. XCVI…

Workaday Superstar
WORKADAY TIP #152: Another Use For Rubberbands

Joy Taylor

1 Nov 2009 | 3:55 pm

So the way to avoid this is to put a rubberband around the shower head below the shower caddy hanger. It will keep it in place and keep you from cursing - well at least not until you head out for your morning commute!
WORKADAY TIP #151: Cut Ends Off Tubes

Joy Taylor

21 Oct 2009 | 9:41 pm

When you can no longer get any more out of a tube, cut the other side off. You'll be amazed at how many more uses you can get.
WORKADAY TIP #151: 100 Calorie Packs

Joy Taylor

7 Oct 2009 | 9:57 am

I picked up breakfast bars, cherrios, turkey jerky, popcorn and almonds. I then proceeded to put them in my own 100 calorie ziplock packs.
WORKADAY TIP #150: Whiten Yellow Nails

Joy Taylor

27 Sep 2009 | 9:46 pm

Or, soak your tips in a commercial denture cleaner for about five minutes. For a super-speedy fix, use a nail-whitening pencil (available at drugstores) under your tips for a brighter look."
WORKADAY TIP #149: Baby Crib Trick

Joy Taylor

11 Sep 2009 | 4:40 pm

Layer a mattress pad and sheet on top of another mattress pad and sheet in your baby's crib. This way, when your baby has "blow out" (her description not mine!) in the middle of the night you can just remove the top sheet and mattress pad and the second sheet and mattress pad will already be on the bed!

Everyday Baby Steps
L'Oreal Products You'll Want To Try

marybabysteps

4 Nov 2009 | 5:48 pm

L'Oreal is a trusted brand in cosmetics. They've been around forever. I've been a fan of their eye shadow for some time, but I've never really tried many of their other products. In fact, I never knew L'Oreal had such a wide range of products until they sent me a box of goodies to try after I put out a query to HARO about fall makeup. I was introduced to a wide range of products. They have hair care and color,