Exes

So, I recently have been contacted by several people, who suddenly for some reason have decided that I am someone that they seriously want to date - or marry. What? So, they pursue me in this long-term relationship and I am just left confused. I'm not supposed to date anyone else, just supposed to accept it.  This is the most irritating to me personally because I hate dealing with it. I don't want to reject a friend or hurt anyone. I don't like to do it. I don't want to send the guy who just had his heart broken into an unrelenting spiral.

However, I must think to myself as I write this even: Where were you for the last six, twelve, even twenty-four months ago? You never talk to me, write me, text me, even Facebook me or anything. In fact some of them have ignored me purposely when I've mailed them and then suddenly I am this person that they most want in the entire world. Really? You haven't even seen me for over a year and now that you are ready I should be ready and not only that but I should be ready for everything and it should be with you. What?

One guy took me on a date, a single date. I have not seen him for years. He takes me on one date and then he starts talking about our "relationship? Huh? Where was I when this relationship manifested? Do you think you're the only one in the world that I'm dating? You don't think I've dated anyone else since I saw you three years ago? Also, this same guy would not drop me off after the date. That was really hard, but I am nice. It took me a while, but I finally had to be firm and say, "Ok. You're going to drop me off here." Otherwise he'd have hung out at my house all night. And come on. I'm busy. I got lots of stuff to do, had to meet someone to rent my place and everything . . .

And the ex. Okay. I really used to like this guy a lot - and I mean I was really into him. I thought he was amazing back in the days. I did. However, that was short lived and for good reason. At the time I was fresh from my split. I admit I was needy. I needed validation and this guy really stepped up to that, so in that way he was helpful. However, he fought me at every turn as far as meeting me half way and/or even showing up on time. His job is a factor, but still, he could have taken me out more, and maybe done more things for me. He did some things, but didn't really make me a priority.

Anyway, back when I dated him years ago . . Right before Christmas I had to put down my kitty, Precious. I was heartbroken. I was sad. I called him for support. I had my kitty for over 14 years and this guy . . . he wouldn't give me a ride to the vet and help to support me in it. Ok. A major point in my life where I was lonely, alone and sad and he wouldn't even help me, because we were "not serious enough" yet. Really? I dumped him right there over the phone and until now I'd not heard from him.


And now? He found out I'm single again. I have had texts, pics, declarations . . . . Ugh.

"I want to see you. I miss you. Send me pics. Oh, you look great! I can't wait to see you," . . . etc. All from this person that couldn't even bother to take me to the vet when I most needed him.  I thought about it. I did. I've been thinking about it for a while, because I did really have a thing for him at one point - or maybe I didn't and I was just rebounding? I don't know that for sure, but I just can't do it. I can't even see him. I tried, but I just can not get over the pain of what he did to me so long ago. That behavior, although he regrets it, can not be overlooked. It does not reflect the kind of person that I want to be with. So deep in my heart he cut a piece out and I never really got it back. I healed, but that part of my heart is just not accessible to him now. This is exactly the reason why I am no longer in my marriage. Women need support. We need it to be obvious. We need someone who will be there, physically and emotionally. Sometimes we need someone to actually hold our hand. I don't believe this is purely a female thing. Men need this too. They are just more trained to "suck it up" than we are. That is what a relationship is for though. That's what it's supposed to be. You're supposed to be a team and help each other through life. Right?

And why would I settle for less than my ideal anyway? Why would I do that ever again? I have met some wonderful, very kind and thoughtful men, and I'm just not sure I could go back to dating someone that isn't thoughtful.  I would not settle for a neglectful person, no matter how cool they seem on paper.  So, wish me luck in all the rejections I will have to do this week. Ugh. And do not pity me. I'm single and dating, but I don't wish it on anyone. I don't.

If you find something good hold onto it, but always look for more, unless it's your ideal. Don't settle. It's really not worth it and in the end you pay so much more in heartache and time wasted. Don't settle.

Eight Year Old Dies

Are you glad to be an American? I am! Especially after reading this story today! My girls JUST turned eight years old and to me I can barely handle this news. Even if I didn't have kids I think it would bother me the same. This kind of news is so disturbing.

So, next time you think your life is hard, please reflect on poor Rawan and her very short life and the choices that were never given her.

Ame

Yemen: 8 year old girl dies from internal injuries on wedding night

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• Secular
• Child Bride
• Islam
• Yemen
• Child Abuse

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An eight year old bride in Yemen died from internal injuries on her wedding night, bleeding to death after deep vaginal tearing caused by sex with her 40 year old husband.

The girl, identified only by the name Rawan, died in Hardh in the governorate of Hajjah in northwestern Yemen, according to a report issued by UPI on Sunday, Sept. 8.

Activists in the region want to put an end to the practice of marrying young girls, and have called for police to arrest the girl's husband and family. Nevertheless, the forced marriage of child brides in Yemen remains a socially accepted custom in many rural areas.

Indeed, the practice has deep cultural and religious roots, and is widespread in Yemen. A February 2009 law set the minimum age for marriage at 17, but it was repealed after some conservative lawmakers called it un-Islamic.

In particular, a prominent Islamic cleric, Abdulmajeed al-Zindani, issued a fatwa in support of the practice, declaring supporters of a ban on child brides to beapostates, and ultimately leading a successful campaign against legislation that would prevent adult men from marrying children.

The issue of Yemen's child bride problem made headlines three years ago when an 8-year-old girl went to court, demanding a judge dissolve her marriage to a man in his 30s. The girl eventually won a divorce, and legislators began looking at ways to curb the practice. However, they have so far been unsuccessful. Currently the law states that parents should decide when a daughter marries.

Unfortunately, reports indicate more than a quarter of Yemen’s females marry before age 15.

For more political news, information and humor see Left Coast Lucy on Facebook. For more news, information and humor relevant to atheists, freethinkers, and secular humanists, see Progressive Secular Humanist Examiner on Facebook. On Twitter follow Progressive Examiner.

Cute, Crazy Pups

Oh no. Not John Mayer again. I just can't.













Aaaaa-aaaahh!! Who refilled the pool with COLD water? 






  "Did you just say I could have that?"

"I find these new hats are exceptionally comfortable. I'm sure they will be in great fashion this season. If you have the means I highly suggest picking one up."

I'm so excited! And I just can't hide it! And I know . . I know . . I know . . . I love the newpaper. Oh ya! "Hahahahahahahaha!
 I can't believe you said that!"

"Did you just say you're GLAD I had a bath? If only you knew the torment."

"Get it off! Can't you see it's attacking me?"  "Why won't you help me?"

"I finally got that bacon I've been wanting!"
"Oh ya. They won't notice if there's just ONE missing. He he." 

"Right. These are baseless accusations! I am confident that my good reputation will be restored."

"Oh no. Not this again. Why do they always insist on smelling me everywhere?"

"And then . . . . . she licked me."

  Haha! Oh. Haha!

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Ame's EcoDrink Benefits Opinion - Lose Weight, Gain Energy, Let's Talk . . .

So I was reading information on the web regarding EcoDrink and I came across a very opinionated blog page. Now, I don't have a lot of information about sucralose, so I thought that I should look it up. I wouldn't want to be uneducated. However, upon reading up I found nothing to substantiate her claims. There really is no definitive research results showing that sucralose is bad for you at all. It increases pH in the waste of test rats and that was their biggest side effect. Come on. It's all just hype.

Now I understand that aspartame has certainly hurt people, but there is no aspartame in here. That's not the same compound at all. We are talking about sucralose. It is also known as Splenda. I've read the stories by mass mails about a woman that drank diet soda (with aspartame) and thought she was dying because her body was not working right. Her sister told her to stop drinking diet soda and she was miraculously cured! Hooray!

Honestly, I don't believe that story. If you were dying would you really keep drinking "diet" drinks? Like, "I'm dying but I've got to keep my girlish figure." Wouldn't you start eating healthier, trying to keep yourself as healthy as possible? Drink tea with honey and whatnot? Anyway, I digress.

Here's my two cents on EcoDrink and her blog post:

" . . came across EcoDrink Complete Multivitamin at Costco the other day. It cost $19.99 for 30 packets — 15 berry flavor and 15 orange flavor. You mix it with water in the BPA free shaker bottle that is provided, and it gives you enough for two people (or a big dose for one person).

It's got:

• Zero Calories
• Zero Carbs
• Zero Sodium
• Zero Caffeine
• Zero Sugar

What?? Zero sugar. Why is this drink so grossly sweet that we could barely drink it. Oh, of course! It might have zero sugar, but it’s loaded with Sucralose, the artificial sweetener that is shown to overexcite and kill off our brain cells! We should know better by now to REALLY look at the labels and not leave it up to the manufacturers to have the contents CLEARLY stated."

Uh, the contents ARE clearly stated on the side of the box. All of the ingredients are in the same size print. Also, how does less than 1% of sucralose make it "loaded"?

"As an aside, the side panel has blurbs about how this product helps with heart health, a healthy immune system, healthy eyes, joints, and skin, and bone health. Then right below that in little tiny print, it says: “These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration“. Hmm, interesting."

First of all nutritional and vitamin products are never evaluated by the FDA. For this reason green tea can't have a label that says, "Prevents cancer", even though it does. Lycopene can't say, "This product has been shown to prevent prostate cancer", even though studies have proven that it does. Why? The FDA has too many compounds and products to evaluate already. They simply tell us what is OTC and what is prescription. They let the doctors "evaluate" what does and does not treat our ailments.

I will comment on the FDA part, but to be clear are you saying that it's not good for:
1) The immune system: Anti-oxidants like green tea, lycopene, lutein, grape skin extract, acai berry and alpha lipoic acid have all been proven to strengthen the immune system and in many cases prevent cancers. Perhaps you should read up on them.
2) Healthy eyes: Lutein has proven to improve overall eye health.
3) Joints: Hydration is important for your body's muscle and joint functions.
4) Skin: Hydration and good vitamin health have both proven to keep the skin healthy.
5) Bone health: Hydration and vitamins like calcium (in ecoDrink) are important for bone health.

The reviewer implied that EcoDrink would make you fat. Well, the only review I saw on her website regarding fat praised the product stating:

• Patty says:

  July 28, 2011 at 4:55 pm

  
  Tell you what, Kathleen, I have used the Eco-drink for almost 3 months; I have lost 30 lbs.Only 3 lbs more to go for my goal. If the drink is too sweet, dilute it more with water,or whatever you might prefer. I take 1 packet of the Eco-drink and mix it with about 24 oz water or whatever, in my blender with a banana & an orange or a peach or a pear. You need not peel, just wash the skin of the peach or pear and the blender will mix it beautifully. To that I add a couple handfuls of ice cubes. It will be frothy. It makes 2 good sized drinks which last me all day ’til my regular dinner. I eat anything I want for dinner, and if I want something before bed I have a cookie.

Ooooh. Patty forgot to mention that you can freeze ecoDrink in ice cubes and then use those to make smoothies. That's my favorite. I add strawberries and a scoop of yogurt or ice cream. It really keeps you going in the morning.

Anyway, I digress. Here are some more reviews with feedback on using the actual product.

1. • Sandy says:

     July 15, 2011 at 12:27 pm

     I have been drinking half a pack a day for week now. I noticed increased energy. I have also started eating less and DO NOT crave chocolate, which is very weird for me. Nobody told me that is one of the benefits so I am not sure if it is related or not, but this is the only thing that has changed in my routine.

My input? That energy that Sandy has is a result of several things. First of all the vitamin B12. That is the "energy B". If you consume 100% of your vitamin B12 (6 micrograms) for the day you will indeed feel better. A tiny amount of B12 will go a long way. You do not need 31,000%, as some products would have you believe. Your body can't even absorb, let alone process that much B12 and if it does you'll feel jittery. All you need is 6-10 micrograms to feel good all day.

The second thing really helping Sandy is that ecoDrink has so many electrolytes. The potassium alone is 400 mg. That is a great dose and will make a leg cramp go away three minutes after you drink it. However, those electrolytes do so many things. Hydration keeps your organs and blood pumping smoothly. That means a few things:

1) Your heart doesn't have to work so hard to pump your thick blood around. (That's more energy for you.)

2) Your organs and muscles will operate to their maximum efficiency because they are well lubricated. (It's like not doing an oil change on your car. You can't expect an engine to run forever on thickened, dirty oil. Right?)

3) Your brain is kept working correctly when your electrolytes are balanced. That's what mood-lifting water drinks have. It's just added electrolytes in your water.

Oh, and before I forget. The packaging on ecoDrink says it "reduces leg cramping" for liability reasons, but I can give you my personal opinion. A half packet of ecoDrink will take away any leg cramp in about 3 minutes. Seriously. Three minutes! This is extremely important to me. If you get charlie horses in the middle of the night you know what I'm talking about. I know because I use it for just that. It's my main reason for buying and using ecoDrink. Leg cramps no longer keep me up all night. I just have a half of a glass of ecoDrink when any cramp comes on and it is gone and I'm back asleep in no time.

1. aimee says:
   

   April 21, 2011 at 10:56 am

   I read all the huff about a tiny bit of sweetener in this vitamin drink, but do any of you eat BBQ sauce, ketchup, granola bars, bread, teriyaki sauce, spaghetti sauce……?
   I honestly found the Eco vitamins about 8 months ago at Costco and I add 1 packet to a large container of water, because is is a sweet and drink it through out the day, I am 42 and have to travel between LA and San Diego for work weekly, I was exhausted, I don’t have the energy I once did as a 20 something.I also am a very healthy eater, no meat, fried food, processed food, lots of who green foods and fish. I noticed a HUGE difference in my energy level not a little change a drastic change, I did not really notice until I ran out of the product and was too busy to get another box, but about a week into not taking one packed a day I really notice a big drop in energy. I have taken all sorts of vitamins through out my life but honestly have not felt the energy level and clarity I do with Eco vitamins. I also do not EVER drink caffeine so i know the difference between natural energy and the jitters or a sugar high. Also my 65 year old mother who refuses to swallow a vitamin and rejected every other vitamin drink i tried will drink it and felt better too!

My advice? Believe the end consumers; Those who use it and actually can review it objectively. Don't believe the hype or exclude something from your diet just because you heard something from someone who is very opinionated.

On a side note: Do you think that peanut butter really causes cancer? Of course it does if you only eat peanut butter and you are injected with it 20 times a day. (I'm not making that up. They really did that to rats.)

Some artificial sweeteners are bad. I get that, but does that mean that we shouldn't even take our vitamins and electrolytes? Is 0.07% sweetener too much for you? . . . Is it so much that you would keep a healthy item out of your diet? Are you going to eat that broccoli, spinach, those blueberries and all the other things you'd have to eat in a day to get this much nutrition? I doubt you can.

Does that mean that people who drink caffeinated soda every day are better off drinking that stuff than drinking ecoDrink? Does it mean we'll gain weight on ecoDrink? Absolutely not.

Don't give ecoDrink a bad rap because other sweeteners like aspartame have been overused and over consumed. Drinking twenty diet sodas a day is not good for anyone. Seriously.

Why are people always looking for a cure all? Everything in moderation people. Don't eat too much sugar and you won't get fat. Don't jaywalk on the freeway if you don't want to get hit by a car.

Heavenly

Heavenly Cheesecake

1	cup vanilla wafer, chocolate wafer, graham cracker or gingersnap cookie crumbs
2	tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
3	packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1/2	cup sugar
3	eggs
1	teaspoon vanilla
1	bag (12 ounces) white baking chips, (2 cups), melted
1/2	cup half-and-half
	Cut-up fresh strawberries, if desired
	Fresh mint leaf, if desired

1. 1Heat oven to 325°F. Mix cookie crumbs and butter in small bowl. Press evenly in bottom of springform pan, 10x3 or 9x3 inches. Refrigerate while preparing filling.
2. 2Beat cream cheese in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in vanilla, melted baking chips and half-and-half until blended. Pour over crust; smooth top.

1. 3

1. Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until center is set; cool 15 minutes. Run metal spatula around side of cheesecake to loosen. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours, but no longer than 48 hours. Remove side of pan. Top cheesecake with strawberries. Garnish with mint leaves. Store covered in refrigerator.

Lemon Tart Tested Recipe	Printer Friendly Page

This beautiful Lemon Tart consists of a buttery shortbread crust, a creamy smooth lemon filling made with fresh lemon juice, sugar, and cream cheese, all covered with lovely swirls of whipped cream. Now, if you serve this tart the day it is made the tart's crust will be nice and crisp and you will taste the full tanginess of the lemon filling. Absolutely lovely. But if you store the tart in the refrigerator overnight, the shortbread crust will soften a little and the flavor of the lemon filling will mellow slightly, so all the textures and flavors of the tart seem to blend together. Again, absolutely lovely.

Related Recipes You May Like Lemon Curd Tart Lemon Bars Lemon Sherbet Lemon Cupcakes Lemon Sponge Pudding Lemon Curd

Crust: Grease with butter, or spray with a nonstick vegetable cooking spray, an 8 - 9 inch (20 - 23 cm) tart pan with a removable bottom. In your food processor, place the flour, sugar, and salt and process to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the pastry starts to come together and form clumps. Place the pastry in the prepared tart pan and, using your fingertips, evenly press the pastry onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan. (Can use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface of the pastry.) Pierce the bottom of the crust with the tines of a fork. (This will prevent the pastry crust from puffing up while it bakes.) Cover and place the pastry crust in the freezer for 15 minutes to chill. (This will help prevent the crust from shrinking while it bakes.) Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. When the pastry is completely chilled, place the tart pan on a larger baking pan and bake until the crust is golden brown, about 13 - 15 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool while you make the filling. Reduce the over temp to 350 degrees (177 degrees C). Filling: In a food processor or electric mixer, place the cream cheese and process until smooth. Add sugar and process until incorporated. Add eggs, one at a time, and process until thoroughly combined. Add remaining ingredients and process until well blended and smooth. Pour filling into pre baked tart shell and bake for approximately 25 - 30 minutesor until filling is set. Transfer tart to a wire rack to cool and then cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least an hour. Topping: Put mixing bowl and whisk in the freezer for 15 minutes. Beat the whipping cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Transfer the whipped cream to a pastry bag fitted with star tip (#4B), and pipestars over the entire surface of the tart. Refrigerate until serving time. Serves 6 - 8 people. Sources: Bon Appetit Magazine Davidson, Alan. The Oxford Companion to Food. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999. Root, Waverley, Food. New York: A Fireside Book, 1980. Visser, Margaret, Much Depends on Dinner. New York: Grove Press, 1986. Whiteman, Kate, The New Guide to Fruit. New York: Lorenz Books, 1999. Crust: 1 cup (130 grams) all purpose flour 1/3 cup (35 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup (113 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces Lemon Filling: 5 ounces (140 grams) cream cheese, room temperature. 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated white sugar 1/2 cup (120 ml) fresh lemon juice(approximately two large lemons) 2 large eggs 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (outer lemon skin) Topping: 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy whipping cream(contains 35-40% butterfat) 1 tablespoon (10 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar TIPS: Always remove the zest first before halving and squeezing the lemon. Use a fine strainer to remove the seeds and pulp from the juice

Aawwwww