I remember arriving late to a local competition one year and asking a friend afterward how her skate went. She replied, "I cleaned the ice." Perplexed for a moment, I didn't know what to say, but she explained that she fell so many times there was essentially no need for a Zamboni. Ouch. Maybe the rink was cursed for the ladies skating in Kitchener, Ontario because in the Free Skate, they cleaned the ice.As a skater, that's the last thing you want to do in your program. You train hard all yea... Read Full Story

Emerging from my ennui to recap the runway. So, we finally made it to the Project Runway finale, and it's a sad indication that the moment of highest drama, on or off the runway, was Carol Hannah puking in the bathroom.   Although, I might amend that to say that the moment of highest drama amongst me and my viewing companions was when Heidi came out on the runway wearing another horrendous ensemble. She really saved the "best" for last, in a hot pink, shiny "suit", featuring too-tig... Read Full Story

Think local. That's what you often hear when you try to adopt a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle. And it's true. Shop at your farmer's market, support local farming, buy from your neighborhood artisans, and you will help take a step toward changing the business-as-usual, made-as-cheaply-as-possible, un-eco and inhumane aspects of capitalist-lifestyle-as-is today. But making a lifestyle change isn't all that easy -- especially on the quick. So -- My suggestion's this. Many Bloghers, I k... Read Full Story

Kindness rocks. In all its forms be it big or small, random or planned, from strangers or loved ones. As I paddle through life right now it's more on the kayaking through choppy water side than canoeing on a placid lake. Interesting, challenging, character building, and at times a bit rough. But rather than vent about that, I want to take a moment to appreciate the kindness I've received and witnessed lately. A few days ago I was working with people on something new before I had been through... Read Full Story

Funerals were held this weekend for four of the 11 women whose bodies were found in a Cleveland, Ohio row house earlier this month, apparent victims of convicted sex offender Anthony Sowell. Sowell, 50, has been charged with multiple counts of rape and murder as investigators continue to dig around his former residence. Meanwhile, the gruesome discovery has sparked questions and soul-searching in some corners - and protests over excessive media coverage in others.But for a few hundred people ... Read Full Story

Pennsylvania's Lincoln University has instituted a requirement that first-year students who arrive on campus with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher must either lower their BMI below 30 or take a one-unit course called "Fitness for Life" in order to graduate.The Chronicle of Higher Education provides some details on the university's reasoning:The point is to keep students healthy, says James L. DeBoy, chair of Lincoln's department of health, physical education, and recreation. All Lincol... Read Full Story

It was hard to write this post without singing The Twelve Days of Christmas (Five Golden Rings!) but I did have a good time putting it together. Herewith, my Twelve Days Of Giving which can certainly be edited down to eight or two or even five, depending on what holidays you celebrate.First:             One Gorgeous Necklace.Sing it with me! On the first day of whatever, my true love gave to me...one gorgeous necklace...(see! th... Read Full Story

When I say the words "teens" and "mean girls" I know that many of you shudder a little. We all know some. Some of us have been their target. Some of us have been mean girls ourselves. Some of have been on both sides. We see them reflected in movies, tv show and fiction. But are they really as bad and as prevalent as we make them out to be? Have they become an easy and empty archtype? Mean girls have been around in fiction for, well, I imagine as long as there has been women's fiction. Miss B... Read Full Story

I've been a fan of the Twilight books since long before there was Twilight mania. But the Twilight movie, ugh. I never wanted to see another Twilight related movie again. It was so bad that it was even hard to heckle. And if I can't heckle something... Did I say ugh? What was I thinking when I agreed to take RJ, her sister and her only slightly hesitant brother to see New Moon - at 7pm on Friday night? I'd like to blame menopause but I think I'll blame Honeybeast instead. It was HER idea. The... Read Full Story

Last year, Sandy from the food blog "Eat Real" noticed that November was the invisible month tucked between October's Halloween and December's Christmas. She resolved to change that. "Last week I was shopping in Target, when I was struck by the odd juxtaposition of aisles hung with Halloween costumes and home decorations next to aisles twinkling with displays of Christmas lights. Christmas . . . already? I thought. It wasn't even Halloween yet, and I was already in a position to worry about ... Read Full Story