Diet....Do You Try It?

Diet...Do You Try It?

by Vig


I was put on my first diet when I was twelve years old. At that time I remember being just fine with the way I was and when I see pictures now, I think I was kind of cute and looked fairly typical for that age. My mom, however, felt I needed to lose twenty pounds and said she would give me twenty dollars if I did. I was totally motivated by money; twenty dollars in 1971 was a lot of money. I lost the twenty pounds, won the twenty dollars and also won a body image that forever after felt imperfect.

I have spent a good deal of my adult life trying to change my body and to correct what I have had difficulty seeing as being fine just the way it is. Diet after diet has failed and has always led to gaining back the weight plus just a little more for good measure. After doing Weight Watchers, Diet Centre, Adkins. Scarsdale, the cabbage soup diet, Eat to Live, master cleanses, and listening to Richard Simmons, Susan Powter, Oprah, Suzanne Somers and all of their fitness gurus, I have come to the conclusion that I actually know what I need to do for myself, as most people do.

As a vegetarian, I have spent a lot of time researching what I should be eating to be healthy and I have a good idea of what my body needs. And I know for sure I have to do what Rosie has always said: move more, eat less. Just as importantly, I should be looking at the reasons that I eat and how that is informed by how I feel about my body and by what I have experienced. Examine what, when and why I eat what I eat. The triggers! And it has been interesting when I have done that and have examined the major events in my life and the loss that I have suffered (whether it be through death or failed relationships), there is always a considerable weight gain very soon after.

Consumption of comfort food allows for stuffing the feelings way, way down. And I think that women have been taught that this is an acceptable way to deal with things but then are chastised when their bodies change and they don’t fit the ideal of the perfect woman.

Male Owlettes, I think I am probably wrong in assuming that it might just be women who get caught in that trap. And all Owlettes (if it is not too personal) how do you deal with food? Is food just food for you or is it tied into other things or emotions? What is your experience with diets and the pressure that is put into dieting and looking a particular way?

The Place Where We Live

The Place Where We Live

by scirish

I'm not sure where that phrase comes from, It's not grammatically correct, but I'm sure I have heard it before. Maybe a book or movie?

Anyway…I spend way too much time thinking about obscure things…and I was thinking about if where we lived makes us who we are…did I mention obscure?

I've lived all over the place; Dad was a test engineer for Boeing. We moved a lot. The places I remember were MA, CT, FL, UT, PA, CA, DE. When I got married, I lived in DE, MD, VA, TX and Germany. During these travels I got to see a lot of the US and parts of Europe. I would like to see more of both.

It wasn't always that way. When I was a kid, it didn't really bother me to move that much. Until I became a "tween". Then I was an odd man out. Everyone else had grown up with each other. I was a perpetual new kid.

In my late teens, early 20's I lived in DE and MD. People say that isn't in the south, but don't say that to the people that live there. Because of all the moving, I have no accent, but that just means I sound odd anywhere that people do have one.

In MD and DE I sound northern. In MA (after a drink or two) I sound southern. Who knows when I sound German J What I like to think I took away from all the moving is the best of all places. I could list the good and bad parts of the south and the north, but they are just generalizations, and those, although they exist, are bad.

When I went back to college here in the north, I had a class in which we were talking about stereotypes and this women who was my age apologized for thinking all people from the south were stupid because they talked and moved slower that people in the north. I was rather shocked, my then husband had been telling me what a hard time he was having at his job at Sikorski (building aircraft, no less) because of his accent and I just could not picture that happening.

When I lived in the south, the question you got when meeting someone for the first time was: "Who's your family?"You were judged on the past performance of family members.That was intimidating enough, but, if you moved down there in the last 20 or so years, you were an outsider.

I know nothing about how Midwesterners or West coasters (or beyond…turtle?) interact with each other or outsiders. Are there any preconceptions you have faced based on where you live/lived? East Coasters, Northerners? Canadians? Do you have preconceived notions about people from other areas? (it's ok, many people do, until they go there) Commence lively discussion please….I would really like hear about the place where everyone lives.

Name Brands?

Name Brands

by iteach

Right now we are trying to be strict on our budget. We are planning some vacation trips this summer, so we need to watch our money. Therefore, I'm really trying to find ways to save pennies. I think about this often while I'm cruising the aisles at the grocery store.

I keep asking myself do I really need this?

If I decide I need it, then I ask myself will the cheapest version be fine or do I need to spend the extra pennies on the brand name.

When it comes to canned or frozen vegetables I have no problem buying the cheapest brand.

However, when it comes to macaroni and cheese, I have to have Kraft. I have tried the cheapest brands and it is just too disappointing. I have to have my KRAFT Mac & Cheese!!!

How are you at the grocery store?

Can you buy the cheapest brand?

What brand name item at the grocery store will you always spend the extra pennies on?

A Piece of the Puzzle

it is a wonder in life why we
have to question who one really is
why would one want to hide behind
a stone wall and not be who they are

when one does not know the other
who are we to judge and who is anyone
to question

it is not for i to question who one is
i believe in what one tells me until
that one raises questions and or doubts
and than i wonder and question
i then have to try to put the pieces
of the puzzle in order, glue will be needed
as the pieces don't always fit

i know when i hide from something
i question the reason, when i am me and
come forward there are no questions

one must always be who they are
at least one must try

in life one must never underestimate
a soul, as anyone is capable of anything

and when one gets defensive when
they are questioned, my intuition arises
as being defensive is not a answer
it only raises more questions

truth is the only way!

Over the Rainbow

Over the Rainbow

by Zona

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10w_sEcHlGs

Somewhere over the rainbow
Way up high
There's a land that I heard of
Once in a lullaby

Somewhere over the rainbow
Skies are blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream
Really do come true

Someday I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me.
Where troubles melt like lemon drops
Away above the chimney tops
That's where you'll find me

Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly
Birds fly over the rainbow
Why then, oh why can't I?

If happy little bluebirds fly
Beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why can't I?


I can remember, when I was just a little girl sitting in front of the television set every year, waiting to see "The Wizard Of Oz". The love of this movie has been with me all of my life. More than the movie though, the song "Over The Rainbow" has always been special to me. Whenever I was sad or lonely I would think of this beautiful song, and wish beyond all logic, that somehow I could get "beyond the rainbow" to ease my pain.

That is what lies Over the Rainbow for me...a place where you don't hurt anymore. Where there is only kindness, laughter, and understanding.

If you could fly over the rainbow, what would you hope to find? Joy? Peace? Happiness? Maybe Johnny Depp? What is beyond the rainbow for you?

Hmmmmmm

Hmmmmmm

by Lynn D

Wondering about the title? Well I am referring to things that make you go hmmmmmm… You remember those. We all have them in our lives. Some of them are silly, some serious and some make us question our sanity and others too.

Here are some examples:

There is a main road that runs through the next big city from us, the city of Lacy. This road is primarily commercial and you see every business imaginable. One business area in particular would always give us a chuckle. We would be driving along and I would be reading signs, signs for a U-haul business, furniture stores then there would be a mini mall with all kinds of shops and in the long line up pops a sign that reads Adult Entertainment, Live Nudes. Well I for one always would think as opposed to Dead Nudes, Naked Mannequins what?? I am sure you have all had these thoughts.

What made this so comical was the sign underneath that shared sign space. It was Jin’s Exotic Plants. We would laugh our butts off! I then would wonder did Jin just put up a sign with no thought or was he/she so savvy, knowing that selling plants next to a strip joint might be a hard sell? Was he/she a genius or was it just a language barrier? It made me go hmmmmm… I always wished that I had taken a picture and could now kick myself for not doing so as both business are now gone.

Here is another hmmmm I have a tag on my curling iron that reads warning do not use on your eye lashes. Well my curling iron is one of the large barrel ones about 1 inch in diameter. Why in the hell would anyone use it on their eye lashes??? Hmmmmm… As I thought about it I realized that someone somewhere had to use their curling iron on their eye lashes and burned the holy hell out of their eye and eyelid and probably tried to sue the company. Why else would they have to put a specific warning about this use?

One more hmmm…? Ok awhile back a friend of mine called me and asked if I would drive to Tacoma with her as she had just received a call about her grandmother being admitted into the hospital. It was about 9:00 in the evening and she did not want to drive in the dark by herself going or coming back. Her husband was at work and would not be home until 2:00 in the morning. So I said sure. We made the drive and she got to see her grandmother and made sure all was well and found out she would be released the next day. She was much relieved and we gathered our things to go home.

In the elevator on the way down to the lobby of the hospital we both decided that we were hungry. My friend realized that she was short on cash and wanted to stop at a cash machine first. Well there was one right across from us as we got off of the elevator in the lobby. This lobby was deserted as it was now about 11:30 pm. Not a soul in sight. My friend proceeded to get the cash. As we stood in front of the cash machine she started to count her money that it had spit out at her. Halfway through her counting I started to laugh. She stopped and said to me “What are you laughing about?” I looked at her and said “If you were shorted who are you going to complain to?” She looked at me and said “What are you talking about?” I laughed again and said who are you going to complain to? She looked around and finally the light bulb went on and she started laughing! I told her these are the things I think about, you know those hmmmm… moments.

I have had this same question in my brain for a long time. If a cash machine shorts you or gives you the incorrect amount, who do you complain to? Machines are not infallible they have glitches and make mistakes all the time. At a bank you might be able to go inside and make the complaint but what about those freestanding ones in the mall or in isolated areas? Would they even take you seriously if you said you were shorted and you knew you were shorted but the machine says differently? See what I mean, it makes you go hmmmmmm….

I would like to hear from you, what makes you go hmmmm?

April Fools' Day

well it seems the joke is on me today
last nite driving home, my car just died
my 2007 Acura TL called it quits
without any explanation

i had just got done at the supermarket
buying my weekly "weight watchers" meals
and stocking up on some other frozen items

here i am in the middle of the parking lot
with all my frozen foods in the trunk
and a car that would not move

i tried calling home to see if anyone
could pick me up, no answer
tried the cell, no answer, so needless to
say i am on my own

i do not live far from the supermarket
so i took off walking with my frozen foods,
my briefcase and my purse

every finger, forearm, elbow and hand
were taken, if i could have used my toes
i would have, however i had just gotten
a pedicure and did not want to ruin my
very pretty toes

as i walk my cell phone rings, now how
in gods name am i going to answer the phone
so i let it ring...it rings again...and again
i finally try to find it...looking, grasping, panting

and plop i fall, my frozen foods are now all
over the street, with everything else i was holding
my face is staring at concrete, not a pretty site!

i gather myself up, and all my belongings and
walk back to the car all disheveled
and wait for a ride

the ride came and i am fine
i guess it was just one of those days
where everything seems to go kaput!!!

and my Acura its fine as well
it would have been good if i took the
car out of drive, before trying to start it!

Ha, so the joke is on me, but perhaps
i am not alone!

:O)