New Year's Resolutions

I made progress with last year's resolutions and will continue to work on them in the upcoming year:
(1) added yoga to my body work. One of my fierce/strong dance buddies suggested I practice yoga to improve my overall physicality and de-stress. I now practice 2Xs per week and recently decided to do more on my own. In the beginning I experienced very intense emotions like fear during the class but I pushed past this. I've always been flexible but now I'm now able to move in new ways and I'm stronger. In the upcoming year I want to develop the discipline to quiet my mind practice own my own;
(2) I was determined in 2007 to begin to invest independent of my employee tax deferred annuity AND independent of the Mrs. I opened a money market account. I've made modest gains and I've proven to myself that I can;
(3)remained conscious of my weight AND refused to hate my body even as it changes.

In 2008 I plan to:
(1) strengthen my back. My lower back holds my body's stress. It's stiffened a bit this past year. I'm not able to ripple it in dance class as I used to. I'm determined to see how fluid and strong it will become with purposeful work. I also want to drop and do 25 GI Jane push-ups without breaking a sweat;
(2) help someone other than myself (that is, go beyond writing checks). It's been two years since the Princess/Big Sister debacle. My calling may not be mentoring young girls but I'm ready to try something again.

Rob Brezsney's has some interesting, wheel-greasing advice http://www.freewillastrology.com/horoscopes/allsigns.html

Addendum: Sociologist's advice on how to honor our resolutions: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17759821

What's on your mind for 2008?

Warning about Hillary from a PFLAG leader: Her position on same-sex parenting is "dangerous"

Democratic candidates were recently asked if they approved of learning material in public schools which depict same-sex parents. Obama and Edwards stated they are for it. Hillary, on the other hand, said she believes its up to parents to decide how to handle such topics. And this is the same position as the conservative group called the Family Research Institute. Greater Boston PFLAG President, Stan Griffith says, "Hillary's GLBT advisers need to help her get it right. And if they don't get her to issue a clarification then they should resign."

Does Hillary ever have any genuine opinions of her own? Sounds like she's just another puppet legislator ruled by the opinions of the highest bidder and not by what she believes is just and true. What do you think, dis-n-dat-ers?

Click HERE for the full story.

Also, click HERE for Edwards' and Obama's Comments on the same topic.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! (I embedded it -- old dog likeses new tricks)

Lesbians' stress levels higher than straight women's during holidays

SUMMARY: A study has found that lesbians experience more stress and depression around the holidays than straight women do [click link to read news story].

Pray tell, what's stressing y'all out so much, sweet daughters of Sappho from the isle of Lesbos? : )

Kicking the Habit: BAD Habits (and how to kick 'em)

Are you a nail-biter (emeesee)? Midnight snacker? Emotional eater? Let the editors of Prevention magazine help you say goodbye to common bad health habits. Click on this link for the full story: Prevention Magazine

10 year old singer

here is a little 10-year old...i can't believe she is 10...

Bomb diggitty golden corn chowder

Ingredients

6 jalapeño peppers
3 cups cubed peeled Yukon gold or red potato (about 1 pound)
2 tablespoons butter or stick margarine
1 cup chopped onion
2/3 cup diced orange or yellow bell pepper
3 tablespoons chopped celery
3 cups fresh corn kernels (about 4 ears)
3 cups 1% low-fat milk
2 cups chopped seeded yellow tomato (about 1 pound)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
6 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Preparation
Preheat broiler.

Place jalapeño peppers on a foil-lined baking sheet; broil 10 minutes or until blackened, turning occasionally. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 15 minutes. Peel peppers; cut in half lengthwise, discarding seeds and membranes. Finely chop jalapeño peppers; set aside.

Place potato in a medium saucepan, and cover with water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until tender. Drain; partially mash potato with a potato masher.

Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery; cook 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add jalapeño peppers, potato, corn, milk, tomato, salt, and white pepper; cook until thick (about 30 minutes), stirring occasionally. Ladle soup into each of 6 bowls, and sprinkle with cheese and cilantro.
Yield

6 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups soup, 1 tablespoon cheese, and 1 teaspoon cilantro)
Nutritional Information

CALORIES 265(26% from fat); FAT 7.8g (sat 4.2g,mono 2.3g,poly 0.8g); PROTEIN 11.4g; CHOLESTEROL 20mg; CALCIUM 230mg; SODIUM 466mg; FIBER 5.4g; IRON 1.8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 41.5g

source: cooking light september 1999

how to post a video

hey there friends...to post a video, when you copy the "link" for a video you may be given the option to copy the "link" or to "embed" the video...so choose the "embed" option instead of the "link" option...

Mary J. Blige Sacks 'Scared' Homophobes

ONE MORE REASON TO LOVE MARY:

Mary J. Blige fires assistants who make homophobic remarks because she insists they can't be counted upon. The R&B diva is a fervent gay rights activist and refuses to tolerate people who have issues with homosexuality. She tells gay magazine The Advocate, "I've heard a couple of guys say foul things, and those guys are not around me anymore.

"When they say things like that, I'm looking at them like, 'What makes you so scared? You don't know who you are?' "I don't dislike them or anything, it just makes me wonder about them period... If you're not sure about that, then you ain't sure about a lotta things."

http://www.topix.net/news/gay/2007/12/mary-j-blige-sacks-scared-homophobes

Best line in "Stomp the Yard"

The film was largely predictable (bad boy meets good girl; bad boy indoctrinated in the ways of the fraternity, blah, blah, blah) Watch it on mute except when they're stepping and crunking. The dance is exceptional and this line made the two hour ride worth all the bad dialogue.

Science is still fun! Gendering in the Discovery store...

Piggy-backing on Reg's posting from The View, here's an interesting story about how the Discovery Channel Store "genderizes" its toys. Check out how the boys' stuff is packaged and marketed vs. the girls' stuff. What do y'all think? Here's the link:


http://shakespearessister.blogspot.com/2007/12/science-is-still-fun.html

Interesting "View"

I hope this works...it is a YouTube video from "The View"...Ms. Sherry Shephard has been raising a few eyebrows with some of her views...curious to know what ya'll think...I have an opinion, but i don't have children (nor a desire to have them) so my opinion is only a theoretical one and could possibly differ if I really had kids that had to navigate a public school environment....

Honk Honk!

Clarence Thomas says his colleagues should "shut up."

http://www.slate.com/id/2178798/nav/tap3/

'nuff said...

You find $1,000 in your recycling bin. What would you do with it?

Here's what I'd do with it:

• $250 to Wesleyan University (This is my alma mater. I would like to participate in giving this experience to another kid. Learn more at: http://www.wesleyan.edu/);
• $250 to the Food Project (sustainable agriculture in the City. This organization rocks. Learn more at: http://www.thefoodproject.org/);
• $50 to Planned Parenthood (even tho my eggs have turned to dust we gotta keep choice legal);
• $50 to ACT Roxbury (support arts, culture and trade in Roxbury. Learn more at: http://act.xbuild.com/);
• $200 to Cyrano's, youngest son, student loans;
• $100 to the rainy day fund (a girl's gotta be prepared);
• $100 would disappear unaccounted for.

P.S. I'm not normally this altruistic -- it's the season for giving so I'm in the mode.