Things that make me smile ..
.. the Far Side cartoons ..
.. and garfield cartoons
.. they always put a smile on my face 
Slinking to my goal ...
Created by MyFitnessPal - Nutrition Facts For Foods
Friday, January 6, 2012
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Day 5 – photo challenge
.. so the subject is .. something you wore ..
Here’s 2 photos
.. one in April (dressed up for our 40th party ..)
.. and one in November .. (going to an after wedding party)
.. and blimmin’ 10kgs difference ..
Grrr!
Day 4–photo challenge
MMMmmmm .. day 4 and I’m already missing photos .. lol
.. ahem
Next subject -– letterbox .
Here’s ours in Aug with the snow dump ..
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Monday, January 2, 2012
Day 2 - Photo challenge
Breakfast ..
This is the usual, boring, quick breakfast ..
Jam toast and coffee
On a good day it’s pancakes .. lol
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Reading my way through the year - 2012
2010: 74 & 1/2
2011: 66
2012: 5/80
January: 5
Drink Deep / Neill, Chloe - e-book
Undead And Unfinished - MaryJanice Davidson - e-book
Dead Reckoning -e-book
Infinity - Sherrilyn Kenyon - reread
Born to be bad / Kenyon, Sherrilyn
Currently Reading:
An echo in the bone : a novel by Gabaldon, Diana
Have to read:
E-Books
Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia by Elizabeth Gilbert
Skykeepers / Andersen, Jessica
Demonkeepers / Andersen, Jessica
Blood Spells / Andersen, Jessica
Storm Kissed / Andersen, Jessica
Library
Alterant / Kenyon, Sherrilyn
Born of Shadows / Kenyon, Sherrilyn
Savor me slowly / Showalter, Gena.
Under wraps / Jayne, Hannah
Reserved:
Shadow Born / Sinclair, Alison
Invincible / Kenyon, Sherrilyn
Bound by blood / Ashley, Amanda
Blood law / Tabke, Tarin
Destined / Cast, P.C.
Changeling Moon / Harper, Dani
Seduce the Darkness / Showalter, Gena
Ecstasy in Darkness / Showalter, Gena
Dark Taste of Rapture / Showalter, Gena
Bad Attitude / Kenyon, Sherrilyn
Phantom in the Night / Kenyon, Sherrilyn
Silent Truth / Kenyon , Sherrilyn
Changleling Dream / Harper, Dani
Changeling dawn / Harper, Dani
Biting Cold / Neill, Chloe
Under Attack / Jayne, Hannah
Undead and undermined / MaryJanice Davidson
Infamous / Kenyon, Sherrilyn
Red Handed / Showalter, Gena
Blacklisted / Showalter, Gena
Books I'd like/have found to read (some new authors)
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
The Eyre Affair (Thursday Next, #1) by Jasper Fforde
Inkheart (Inkheart, #1) by Cornelia Funke
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Laurell K. Hamilton Set – Guilty Pleasures, The Laughing Corpse, Circus of the Damned and The Lunatic Cafe (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #1-4) by Laurell K. Hamilton
The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Fallen (Fallen, #1) by Lauren Kate
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez
The Host by Stephenie Meyer
Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson
Northern Lights (His Dark Materials, #1) by Philip Pullman
His Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #1) by Rick Riordan
Holes by Louis Sachar
Perfume by Patrick Süskind
Vampire Kisses 1: Blood Relatives by Ellen Schreiber
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
We need to talk about Kevin - Lionel Shriver
Endymion Spring by Matthew Skelton
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
City of Lost Souls (The Mortal Instruments, #5) by Cassandra Clare - May 2012
City of Heavenly Fire (The Mortal Instruments, #6 by Cassandra Clare - September 2013
Halo by Alexandra Adornetto
North By Northanger, or The Shades of Pemberley: A Mr. & Mrs. Darcy Mystery by Carrie A. Bebris
War for the Oaks: A Novel by Emma Bull
City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments, #4) by Cassandra Clare
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
And Another Thing... (Hitchhiker's Guide, #6) by Eoin Colfer
Matched by Ally Condie
Nightshade (Nightshade, #1) by Andrea Cremer
Desires of the Dead (Body Finder, #2) by Kimberly Derting
The Lost Saint (The Dark Divine, #2) by Bree Despain
Personal Demons (Personal Demons, #1) by Lisa Desrochers
Crescendo (Hush, Hush, #2) by Becca Fitzpatrick
Snow, Glass, Apples by Neil Gaiman
Beautiful Darkness (Caster Chronicles, #2) by Kami Garcia
The Cookbook Collector by Allegra Goodman
Hourglass (Evernight, #3) by Claudia Gray
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Demonglass (Hex Hall, #2) by Rachel Hawkins
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Mieradome by Kate Hegarty
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls by Steve Hockensmith
Torment (Fallen, #2) by Lauren Kate
Infinity (Chronicles of Nick, #1) by Sherrilyn Kenyon
No Mercy (Dark-Hunter, #20) by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Other (Other, #1) by Karen Kincy
The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova
A Wrinkle in Time (Time, #1) by Madeleine L'Engle
Ash by Malinda Lo
Swoon (Swoon, #1) by Nina Malkin
Perchance to Dream (Théâtre Illuminata, #2) by Lisa Mantchev
On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
Devoured by Amanda Marrone
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Mind Walker by Roy Mcconnell
Rosemary and Rue (October Daye, #1) by Seanan McGuire
Echoes (Fingerprints, #1-3) by Melinda Metz
The Crucible by Arthur Miller
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
Eldest (Inheritance, #2) by Christopher Paolini
Brisingr (Inheritance, #3) by Christopher Paolini
The Sweetgum Knit Lit Society: A Novel by Beth Pattillo
Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart: A Novel by Beth Pattillo
The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson
Thirst No. 1: The Last Vampire, Black Blood, Red Dice by Christopher Pike
Thirst No. 2: Phantom, Evil Thirst, Creatures of Forever by Christopher Pike
The Daykeeper's Grimoire (Prophecy of Days, #1) by Christy Raedeke
The Alchemyst (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #1) by Michael Scott
The Magician (Nicholas Flamel, #2) by Michael Scott
The Necromancer (Nicholas Flamel, #4) by Michael Scott
The Sorceress (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel #3) by Michael Scott
Freefall by Mindi Scott
Tunnels of Blood (Cirque Du Freak, #3) by Darren Shan
Vampire Mountain (Cirque Du Freak, #4) by Darren Shan
The Vampire's Assistant (Cirque Du Freak, #2) by Darren Shan
Trials of Death (Cirque Du Freak, #5) by Darren Shan
Everlost (Skinjacker, #1) by Neal Shusterman
Unwind by Neal Shusterman
Archangel's Kiss (Guild Hunter, #2) by Nalini Singh
A Kiss Before the Apocalypse (Remy Chandler, #1) by Thomas E. Sniegoski
Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #1) by Maggie Stiefvater
Linger (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #2) by Maggie Stiefvater
100 Cupboards: Book 1 by N.D. Wilson
The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff
Prophecy of the Sisters (Prophecy of the Sisters, #1) by Michelle Zink
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Hitchhiker's Guide, #1-5) by Douglas Adams
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Persuasion by Jane Austen
Emma by Jane Austen
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender
Glimmerglass (Faeriewalker, #1) by Jenna Black
The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton
The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
Going Bovine by Libba Bray
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron
Graceling (The Seven Kingdoms Trilogy, #1) by Kristin Cashore
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
The Body Finder (Body Finder, #1) by Kimberly Derting
The Dark Divine (The Dark Divine, #1) by Bree Despain
Magic Under Glass (Magic Under, #1) by Jaclyn Dolamore
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
Never-ending Story by Michael Ende
Lost in a Good Book (Thursday Next, #2) by Jasper Fforde
The Eyre Affair (Thursday Next, #1) by Jasper Fforde
Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Letters by Brian Froud
Inkheart (Inkheart, #1) by Cornelia Funke
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Beautiful Creatures (Caster Chronicles, #1) by Kami Garcia
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith
Evernight (Evernight, #1) by Claudia Gray
French Women Don't Get Fat: The Secret of Eating for Pleasure by Mireille Guiliano
Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern
Hex Hall (Hex Hall, #1) by Rachel Hawkins
The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer
Gnomes by Wil Huygen
Fallen (Fallen, #1) by Lauren Kate
Silent Truth (B.A.D. Series, #4) by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Love Bytes by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
Complete Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
Faking It by Elisa Lorello
Ordinary World by Elisa Lorello
Wicked Lovely (Wicked Lovely, #1) by Melissa Marr
Ink Exchange (Wicked Lovely, #2) by Melissa Marr
Ripple Effect (Time Thriller Trilogy, Book 1) by Paul McCusker
Georgina Kincaid Series- Richelle Mead
- Succubus Blues, Succubus OnTop, Succubus Dreams, Succubus Heat, Succubus Shadows, Succubs Revealed - 2011
Angel Star by Jennifer Murgia
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
Eragon (Inheritance, #1) by Christopher Paolini
Jane Austen Ruined My Life by Beth Pattillo
Wings (Wings, #1) by Aprilynne Pike
Spells (Wings, #2) by Aprilynne Pike
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
Edgar Allan Poe Complete and Unabridged by Edgar Allan Poe
Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell
His Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman
Northern Lights (His Dark Materials, #1) by Philip Pullman
Lyra's Oxford by Philip Pullman
Once Upon a Time in the North by Philip Pullman
The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe
Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves*
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #1) by Rick Riordan
The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling
The Forest of Hands and Teeth (The Forest of Hands and Teeth, #1) by Carrie Ryan
The Dead-Tossed Waves (The Forest of Hands and Teeth, #2) by Carrie Ryan
Holes by Louis Sachar
Perfume by Patrick Süskind
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea by Charles Seife
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
A Living Nightmare (Cirque Du Freak, #1) by Darren Shan
Endymion Spring by Matthew Skelton
A Series of Unfortunate Events Pack (Books 1-4) (Series of Unfortunate Events, Books 1-4) by Lemony Snicket
Angelology by Danielle Trussoni
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
100 Free Classics on Kobo
1. Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
2. Dracula – Bram Stoker
3. Little Women – Louisa May Alcott
4. A Tale Of Two Cities – Charles Dickens
5. Anna Karenina – Leo Tolstoy
6. War And Peace – Leo Tolstoy
7. Oliver Twist – Charles Dickens
8. The Three Musketeers – Alexandre Dumas [Pere]
9. A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens
10. Madame Bovary – Gustave Flaubert
11. Uncle Tom’s Cabin – Harriet Beecher Stowe
12. White Fang – Jack London
13. Tess Of The D’Urbervilles – Thomas Hardy
14. The Importance Of Being Earnest – Oscar Wilde
15. The Art Of War – Sun Tzu
16. Siddhartha – Hermann Hesse
17. The Romance Of Tristan And Iseult – Joseph Bedier
18. Grimm’s Fairy Tales– The Brothers Grimm
19. Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn – Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)
20. Doctor Faustus – Christopher Marlowe
21. The Odyssey Of Homer – Homer, Translated By Alexander Pope
22. Treasure Island – Robert Louis Stevenson
23. Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte
24. The Last Of The Mohicans – James Fenimore Cooper
25. The Hound Of The Baskervilles – Arthur Conan Doyle
6. Confessions Of An English Opium-Eater – Thomas De Quincey
27. Prufrock And Other Observations – T. S. Eliot
28. The Turn Of The Screw – Henry James
29. The Moonstone – Wilkie Collins
30. Crime And Punishment – Fyodor Dostoevsky
31. On The Origin Of Species – Charles Darwin
32. The Count Of Monte Cristo – Alexandre Dumas, Pere
33. Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland – Lewis Carroll
34. The Secret Agent – Joseph Conrad
35. Frankenstein – Mary Shelley
36. The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes – Arthur Conan Doyle
37. Cyrano De Bergerac – Edmond Rostand
38. Japanese Fairy Tales – Yei Theodora Ozaki
39. Ulysses – James Joyce
40. The Mayor Of Casterbridge – Thomas Hardy
41. The Iliad – Homer
42. Anne Of Green Gables – Lucy Maud Montgomery
43. The Works Of Edgar Allan Poe – Edgar Allan Poe
44. Aesop’s Fables – Aesop
45. The Castle Of Otranto – Horace Walpole
46. Don Quixote – Miguel De Cervantes Saavedra
47. Sense And Sensibility – Jane Austen
48. Emma – Jane Austen
49. The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow – Washington Irving
50. Irish Fairy Tales – James Stephens
51. English Fairy Tales – Joseph Jacobs (Coll. & Ed.)
52. The Arabian Nights Entertainments – Andrew Lang
53. The Communist Manifesto – Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels
54. The Scarlet Letter – Nathaniel Hawthorne
55. Moby-Dick – Herman Melville
56. The Phantom Of The Opera – Gaston Leroux
57. Paradise Lost – John Milton
58. The Return Of Sherlock Holmes – Arthur Conan Doyle
59. Beowulf
60. Pamela, Or Virtue Rewarded – Samuel Richardson
61. The Picture Of Dorian Gray – Oscar Wilde
62. Peter Pan – James M. Barrie
63. Mansfield Park – Jane Austen
64. The Lost World – Arthur Conan Doyle
65. Persuasion – Jane Austen
66. Great Expectations – Charles Dickens
67. The Prince – Nicolo Machiavelli
68. Around The World In 80 Days – Jules Verne
69. Beyond Good And Evil – Friedrich Nietzsche
70. The History Of The Decline And Fall Of The Roman Empire – Edward Gibbon
71. Book Of Nonsense – Edward Lear
72. Dorothy And The Wizard In Oz – L. Frank Baum
73. Northanger Abbey – Jane Austen
74. The Island Of Doctor Moreau – H. G. Wells
75. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea – Jules Verne
76. Through The Looking-Glass – Lewis Carroll
77. Myth, Ritual, And Religion, Vol.1 – Andrew Lang
78. The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde – Robert Louis Stevenson
79. The Secret Adversary – Agatha Christie
80. The Canterbury Tales And Other Poems – Geoffrey Chaucer
81. The Man Who Knew Too Much – G.K. Chesterton
82. The Lady Of The Lake – Sir Walter Scott
83. The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer – Mark Twain
84. The Metamorphosis – Franz Kafka
85. The Princess And The Goblin – George MacDonald
86. On The Duty Of Civil Disobedience – Henry David Thoreau
87. The Call Of The Wild – Jack London
88. The Sea Wolf – Jack London
89. The Souls Of Black Folk – W. E. B. Du Bois
90. Tales From Shakespeare – Charles And Mary Lamb
91. Memoirs Of Sherlock Holmes – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
92. The Jungle Book – Rudyard Kipling
93. The Republic – Plato
94. Of Human Bondage – W. Somerset Maugham
95. Middlemarch – George Eliot
96. Twenty Years After – Alexandre Dumas, Pere
97. The Prince And The Pauper – Mark Twain
98. Four Arthurian Romances – Chretien de Troyes
99. Dubliners – James Joyce
100. The Idiot – Fyodor Dostoyevsky
2012 - a new year :-)
A new year and a new challenge ..lol
The Fat Mum Slim Photo a Day Challenge
Here is Day 1:
Me
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Fat Mum Slim Photo a Day challenge ..
On her webpage Fat Mum Slim has started a photo a day challenge .. and I thought it was a good way to get my blogging going again .. so here is the low-down ..
How to play..
Use the list above as a guide, and as inspiration, and take a photo each day. You can take it with your point-and-shoot camera, your big, fancy-pants DSLR, your iPhone {or equivalent} or whatever photo-taking-device you own.
You can upload you photos to Instagram, Twitter, Flickr, Path, Facebook, your blog or just keep them on your desktop {and not share at all}. Whatever you want to do is totally fine. You can take the list above literally and stick to it, or take inspiration and go crazy.
You can upload you photos to Instagram, Twitter, Flickr, Path, Facebook, your blog or just keep them on your desktop {and not share at all}. Whatever you want to do is totally fine. You can take the list above literally and stick to it, or take inspiration and go crazy.
So here goes … photos for the next 30 days ..lol
(there may or may not be a bit of chat with them depending on how I feel ..:-)
Friday, December 30, 2011
The 34 Signs of Menopause
Here is the list of: "The 34 Signs of Menopause:"
x 1. Hot flashes, flushes, night sweats and/or cold flashes, clammy feeling (related to increased activity in the autonomic / sympathetic nervous system). Without becoming too, technical, messages are sent to the hypothalmus because of declining estrogen production via neurons which result in vasodilation -- widening of the lumen of blood vessels (lumen being the cavity of a tubular organ, i.e., the lumen of a blood vessel,) which, in turn, causes flushing or hot flashes. Tips for treating/minimizing (and even avoiding) hot flashes: Power Surge's Menopause Survival Tips. Also, read the Power Surges (hot flashes) Forum
x 2. Bouts of rapid heartbeat (related to increased activity in the autonomic / sympathetic nervous system) Note: Along with rapid heartbeat (palpitations), women can experience skipped heartbeats, irregular heartbeats. These are generally normal vasomotor responses experienced during menopause - usually due to fluctuating hormone levels. However, if these problems continue, it's always a good idea to be checked by your health care practitioner. An echocardiogram is a common procedure to tell the doctor what he needs to know about your heart. If your health care practitioner doesn't suggest it, ASK FOR IT! Read the Palpitations, Heart Issues, Hypertension Forum
x 3. Irritability. Note: Along with irritability, a host of "anger" problems can develop during menopause. Just as a perimenopausal woman can find herself suddenly crying for no apparent reason or provocation, so can she find herself reacting to given situations in an angrier manner than she normally does. This anger can sometimes feel like "rage." Again, this is hormone-induced, but for some women, the anger can become inappropriate and a woman can feel like she's out of control. There's nothing wrong with seeking counselling to discuss these issues with a mental health professional. This is a challenging time of life and some objective outside help can be tremendously useful in helping a woman cope with all the emotions she's feeling. Remember, menopause isn't simply physical changes, but emotional and spiritual changes as well. There's an excellent forum on the Power Surge Message Board that deals with the issues of Anger / Mood Swings / Rage.
x 4. Mood swings, sudden tears. Note: Mood swings can include anything from mood shifts (happy one moment, deprssed the next) to sudden bouts of crying when nothing overt has occurred to cause the crying. Mood swings can and have been misdiagnosed as bipolar disorder because one can feel such extremes of emotions due to hormone imbalance. Anxiety, depression, panic attacks and even feelings of agoraphobia aren't uncommon during menopause. The panic attacks often can develop with the onset of hot flashes. For some women, hot flashes can be severe and quite frightening.
x 5. Trouble sleeping through the night (with or without night sweats). Note: This can develop into insomnia or just waking at 2 in the morning for an hour. Relaxation and breathing exercises can be useful at this time -- many women may log onto the Power Surge message boards and are surprised to find so many other women there in the middle of the night. More help on the Insomnia, Sleep Disorders Forum
x 6. Irregular periods: shorter, lighter or heavier periods, flooding, and phantom periods. Note: A phantom period is when you experience all the symptoms you're accustomed to having before you menstruate -- but... no period comes. This is a common experience during perimenopause before a woman's period actually stops.
x 7. Loss of libido (sex drive). Note: Not every woman loses her libido entirely during perimenopause, although some may temporarily. Many women simply have a decreased interest in sex - often it's simply because they generally don't feel well and sex is the last thing on their mind! Also, bear in mind that there are many medications that can affect one's libido, including the anti-depressants some women take to cope with the depression and anxiety associated with menopause to anti-hypertensives.
x 8. Dry vagina (results in painful intercourse) Note: Click here for an excellent article about vaginal dryness, sexuality and midlife relationships. Recommended: Sexual Issues/Libido Forum
x 9. Crashing fatigue. Note: I've never been able to determine if the "fatigue" associated with perimenopause is a symptom in and of itself, or if it's a side effect of the cumulative symptoms and general exhaustion (from them) many women experience. Take all the symptoms and "dump" them on one person -- is it any wonder perimenopausal women are so fatigued? If you can, try to find time to grab a nap. One of the things that helped my fatigue, and it's all chronicled in my personal odyssey to find remedies, is the use of considerable amounts of soy isoflavones and protein, which I found in Revival Soy. I can't say that it specifically targetted and relieved the crashing fatigue, but it helped so many other symptoms and gave me a burst of energy, that I feel comfortable in attributing the fatigue relief to Revival. There are various vitamins, such as those in the "B" family, that can help with fatigue as well. Also, increased amounts of vitamin C. The Recommendations page lists numerous vita-nutrients that can be useful in treating fatigue and other symptoms associated with perimenopause.
10. Anxiety, feeling ill at ease.Note: One of the biggest complaints during menopause. Read the Anxiety/Stress Forum
11. Feelings of dread, apprehension, and doom (includes thoughts of death, picturing one's own death). Note: It's possible that this can be a manifestation of depression associated with menopause, or possibly feelings that come from going through daily discomfort through a difficult menopause transition that can last anywhere from 3-12 years. A woman living under these circumstances can feel totally overwhelmed and frightened by the physical, psychological and spiritual changes. When there seems to be no reprieve from the suffering, for some it can leave them feeling drained wondering when and IF they'll ever feel well again. It isn't unusual for women at this time of life to have thoughts about dying. One phase of their life is coming to a close (not soon enough for many). There may be apprehension and fear about moving on to the next phase of life and wondering whether things will get better or worse. Helpful: The Panic Attacks / Disorder / Fear / Apprehension Forum
x 12. Difficulty concentrating, disorientation, & mental confusion. Note: Forgetfulness during perimenopause is often referred to lightly and humorously as "brain fog" but it's not always funny. Note: An excellent article, Menopause And The Mind. Also, visit the Memory Loss, Foggy Thinking, Forgetfulness, Verbal Slips Forum
13. Disturbing memory lapses. Note: See #12,
14. Incontinence -- especially upon sneezing, laughing: urge incontinence (reflects a general loss of smooth muscle tone).
x 15. Itchy, crawly skin (feeling of ants crawling under the skin, not just dry, itchy skin Note: the feeling of ants crawling on your skin is called "formication") Visit the Your Skin: Dryness, Itching, Vaginal Dryness, Disorders, Discomfort Forum
x 16. Aching, sore joints, muscles and tendons. (may include such problems as carpal tunnel syndrome). Note: Osteoarthritis can develop during perimenopause - and those with existing arthritic and/or rheumatic pain may find it's exacerbated during the menopausal transition. See the Joints Aches and Pains/Arthrisitis Forum
x 17. Increased tension in muscles.
x 18. Breast tenderness. Note: Breast swelling, soreness, pain.
x 19. Headache change: increase or decrease. Note: Many women develop migraine headaches during perimenopause. However, if one doesn't have a history of migraine headeaches, they're generally a short-lived experience of perimenopause. Also see the Headaches, Migraine Forum
x 20. Gastrointestinal distress, indigestion, flatulence, gas pain, nausea. Note: For nausea, try some ginger or, as I use, boiling hot water with a few teaspoons of lemon or lemon juice concentrate in it. Many women also develop acid reflux (Gerd). For some, it can be an uncomfortable feeling of severe burning sensations in the throat. If it persists, see your health care practitioner.
21. Sudden bouts of bloat. Note: Bloating, water retention are common complaints during perimenopause. Also, Acid reflux and heartburn are very common during perimenopause. Treat them as you would if you weren't going through menopause.
x 22. Depression (has a quality from other depression, the inability to cope is overwhelming, there is a feeling of a loss of self. Natural hormone therapy, ameliorates the depression dramatically). Note: There are various natural methods of treating depression. Read Power Surge's Menopause Survival Tips. Also, many women using progestins or progesterone supplementation experience "depression" as a side effect. Power Surge recommends only naturally compounded, bio-identical hormones. Naturally compounded estrogen and progesterone supplementation doses can be individually adjusted to suit each woman's needs. So, if a woman is experiencing depression from progesterone, the level of progesterone supplementation can be reduced until the compounding pharmacist comes up with the right blend. The combination of estrogen and progesterone is important in achieving the desired results. Other remedies, such as St. John's Wort can be very effective in alleviating the depression associated with menopause.
My personal experience was that my perimenopause-related depression was elliminated when I started using Revival Soy Protein Revival is excellent for mood swings, but I was astonished by the impact it had on the hormone-related "lows" I experienced before using it. Also recommended, The Depression Forum
23. Exacerbation of any existing conditions. Note: Often, conditions women had prior to entering perimenopause become exaggerated (worse) during the menopause transition.
x 24. Increase in allergies. Note: Many women who suffer from allergies develop worse allergies during the menopausal years. Many women who've never had allergy or respiratory problems may develop them for the first time. Many people don't realize that histamine levels are affected by hormone levels. Women can develop wheezing, coughing and a host of respiratory problems. This generally disappears as the hormones level out once a woman becomes menopausal.
x 25. Weight gain. (is often around the waist and thighs, resulting in "the disappearing waistline" and changes in body shape.) A good read, Weight Gain and Fitness Issues
26. Hair loss or thinning, head or whole body, increase in facial hair. Note: There is often a loss of pubic hair during menopause. Many women are more comfortable simply shaving their pubic area instead of having patches of hair.
x 27. Dizziness, light-headedness, episodes of loss of balance. Note: Although common complaints during menopause, I always recommend anyone suffering from dizziness, dysequilibrium have her blood pressure checked just to be on the safe side. However, women can experience these symptoms during perimenopause without having hypertension.
x 28. Changes in body odor. Note: I wouldn't be too concerned about this one. It can happen, but in 13 years of running Power Surge, I've heard of relatively few cases of developing body odor during menopause.
29. Electric shock sensation under the skin & in the head ("take the feeling of a rubber band snapping against the skin, multiply it (exponentially, sometimes) radiate it & put it in the layer of tissues between skin & muscle & sometimes a precursor to a hot flash.") Note: Those buzzing sensations, as though you've put your finger into a live electrical socket, can be frightening. They're all part of the hormones, nerve endings and electrical waves running through our bodies when our hormones are constantly fluctuating. Many women experience this during perimenopause, but it eventually passes.
30. Tingling in the extremities (can also be a symptom of B-12 deficiency, diabetes, or from an alteration in the flexibility of blood vessels in the extremities.)
31. Gum problems, increased bleeding.
32. Burning tongue
33. Osteoporosis (after several years)
34. Brittle fingernails, which peel & break easily.
Some additional signs from Dearest:
Dry skin / skin changes
Internal shaking / tremor-like feelings. Read the Internal Shaking Forum
x Acne and other skin eruptions
x Itching wildly and erratic rashes
x Shoulder pain / joints / arthritis development or flare up in preexisting conditions
"Heart pain" - a feeling of pain in the area of the heart (if persistent, get checked by your health care practitioner)
x Acid reflux / heartburn / difficulty digesting certain foods
21/34 .. lovely .. urgghhh!
x 1. Hot flashes, flushes, night sweats and/or cold flashes, clammy feeling (related to increased activity in the autonomic / sympathetic nervous system). Without becoming too, technical, messages are sent to the hypothalmus because of declining estrogen production via neurons which result in vasodilation -- widening of the lumen of blood vessels (lumen being the cavity of a tubular organ, i.e., the lumen of a blood vessel,) which, in turn, causes flushing or hot flashes. Tips for treating/minimizing (and even avoiding) hot flashes: Power Surge's Menopause Survival Tips. Also, read the Power Surges (hot flashes) Forum
x 2. Bouts of rapid heartbeat (related to increased activity in the autonomic / sympathetic nervous system) Note: Along with rapid heartbeat (palpitations), women can experience skipped heartbeats, irregular heartbeats. These are generally normal vasomotor responses experienced during menopause - usually due to fluctuating hormone levels. However, if these problems continue, it's always a good idea to be checked by your health care practitioner. An echocardiogram is a common procedure to tell the doctor what he needs to know about your heart. If your health care practitioner doesn't suggest it, ASK FOR IT! Read the Palpitations, Heart Issues, Hypertension Forum
x 3. Irritability. Note: Along with irritability, a host of "anger" problems can develop during menopause. Just as a perimenopausal woman can find herself suddenly crying for no apparent reason or provocation, so can she find herself reacting to given situations in an angrier manner than she normally does. This anger can sometimes feel like "rage." Again, this is hormone-induced, but for some women, the anger can become inappropriate and a woman can feel like she's out of control. There's nothing wrong with seeking counselling to discuss these issues with a mental health professional. This is a challenging time of life and some objective outside help can be tremendously useful in helping a woman cope with all the emotions she's feeling. Remember, menopause isn't simply physical changes, but emotional and spiritual changes as well. There's an excellent forum on the Power Surge Message Board that deals with the issues of Anger / Mood Swings / Rage.
x 4. Mood swings, sudden tears. Note: Mood swings can include anything from mood shifts (happy one moment, deprssed the next) to sudden bouts of crying when nothing overt has occurred to cause the crying. Mood swings can and have been misdiagnosed as bipolar disorder because one can feel such extremes of emotions due to hormone imbalance. Anxiety, depression, panic attacks and even feelings of agoraphobia aren't uncommon during menopause. The panic attacks often can develop with the onset of hot flashes. For some women, hot flashes can be severe and quite frightening.
x 5. Trouble sleeping through the night (with or without night sweats). Note: This can develop into insomnia or just waking at 2 in the morning for an hour. Relaxation and breathing exercises can be useful at this time -- many women may log onto the Power Surge message boards and are surprised to find so many other women there in the middle of the night. More help on the Insomnia, Sleep Disorders Forum
x 6. Irregular periods: shorter, lighter or heavier periods, flooding, and phantom periods. Note: A phantom period is when you experience all the symptoms you're accustomed to having before you menstruate -- but... no period comes. This is a common experience during perimenopause before a woman's period actually stops.
x 7. Loss of libido (sex drive). Note: Not every woman loses her libido entirely during perimenopause, although some may temporarily. Many women simply have a decreased interest in sex - often it's simply because they generally don't feel well and sex is the last thing on their mind! Also, bear in mind that there are many medications that can affect one's libido, including the anti-depressants some women take to cope with the depression and anxiety associated with menopause to anti-hypertensives.
x 8. Dry vagina (results in painful intercourse) Note: Click here for an excellent article about vaginal dryness, sexuality and midlife relationships. Recommended: Sexual Issues/Libido Forum
x 9. Crashing fatigue. Note: I've never been able to determine if the "fatigue" associated with perimenopause is a symptom in and of itself, or if it's a side effect of the cumulative symptoms and general exhaustion (from them) many women experience. Take all the symptoms and "dump" them on one person -- is it any wonder perimenopausal women are so fatigued? If you can, try to find time to grab a nap. One of the things that helped my fatigue, and it's all chronicled in my personal odyssey to find remedies, is the use of considerable amounts of soy isoflavones and protein, which I found in Revival Soy. I can't say that it specifically targetted and relieved the crashing fatigue, but it helped so many other symptoms and gave me a burst of energy, that I feel comfortable in attributing the fatigue relief to Revival. There are various vitamins, such as those in the "B" family, that can help with fatigue as well. Also, increased amounts of vitamin C. The Recommendations page lists numerous vita-nutrients that can be useful in treating fatigue and other symptoms associated with perimenopause.
10. Anxiety, feeling ill at ease.Note: One of the biggest complaints during menopause. Read the Anxiety/Stress Forum
11. Feelings of dread, apprehension, and doom (includes thoughts of death, picturing one's own death). Note: It's possible that this can be a manifestation of depression associated with menopause, or possibly feelings that come from going through daily discomfort through a difficult menopause transition that can last anywhere from 3-12 years. A woman living under these circumstances can feel totally overwhelmed and frightened by the physical, psychological and spiritual changes. When there seems to be no reprieve from the suffering, for some it can leave them feeling drained wondering when and IF they'll ever feel well again. It isn't unusual for women at this time of life to have thoughts about dying. One phase of their life is coming to a close (not soon enough for many). There may be apprehension and fear about moving on to the next phase of life and wondering whether things will get better or worse. Helpful: The Panic Attacks / Disorder / Fear / Apprehension Forum
x 12. Difficulty concentrating, disorientation, & mental confusion. Note: Forgetfulness during perimenopause is often referred to lightly and humorously as "brain fog" but it's not always funny. Note: An excellent article, Menopause And The Mind. Also, visit the Memory Loss, Foggy Thinking, Forgetfulness, Verbal Slips Forum
13. Disturbing memory lapses. Note: See #12,
14. Incontinence -- especially upon sneezing, laughing: urge incontinence (reflects a general loss of smooth muscle tone).
x 15. Itchy, crawly skin (feeling of ants crawling under the skin, not just dry, itchy skin Note: the feeling of ants crawling on your skin is called "formication") Visit the Your Skin: Dryness, Itching, Vaginal Dryness, Disorders, Discomfort Forum
x 16. Aching, sore joints, muscles and tendons. (may include such problems as carpal tunnel syndrome). Note: Osteoarthritis can develop during perimenopause - and those with existing arthritic and/or rheumatic pain may find it's exacerbated during the menopausal transition. See the Joints Aches and Pains/Arthrisitis Forum
x 17. Increased tension in muscles.
x 18. Breast tenderness. Note: Breast swelling, soreness, pain.
x 19. Headache change: increase or decrease. Note: Many women develop migraine headaches during perimenopause. However, if one doesn't have a history of migraine headeaches, they're generally a short-lived experience of perimenopause. Also see the Headaches, Migraine Forum
x 20. Gastrointestinal distress, indigestion, flatulence, gas pain, nausea. Note: For nausea, try some ginger or, as I use, boiling hot water with a few teaspoons of lemon or lemon juice concentrate in it. Many women also develop acid reflux (Gerd). For some, it can be an uncomfortable feeling of severe burning sensations in the throat. If it persists, see your health care practitioner.
21. Sudden bouts of bloat. Note: Bloating, water retention are common complaints during perimenopause. Also, Acid reflux and heartburn are very common during perimenopause. Treat them as you would if you weren't going through menopause.
x 22. Depression (has a quality from other depression, the inability to cope is overwhelming, there is a feeling of a loss of self. Natural hormone therapy, ameliorates the depression dramatically). Note: There are various natural methods of treating depression. Read Power Surge's Menopause Survival Tips. Also, many women using progestins or progesterone supplementation experience "depression" as a side effect. Power Surge recommends only naturally compounded, bio-identical hormones. Naturally compounded estrogen and progesterone supplementation doses can be individually adjusted to suit each woman's needs. So, if a woman is experiencing depression from progesterone, the level of progesterone supplementation can be reduced until the compounding pharmacist comes up with the right blend. The combination of estrogen and progesterone is important in achieving the desired results. Other remedies, such as St. John's Wort can be very effective in alleviating the depression associated with menopause.
My personal experience was that my perimenopause-related depression was elliminated when I started using Revival Soy Protein Revival is excellent for mood swings, but I was astonished by the impact it had on the hormone-related "lows" I experienced before using it. Also recommended, The Depression Forum
23. Exacerbation of any existing conditions. Note: Often, conditions women had prior to entering perimenopause become exaggerated (worse) during the menopause transition.
x 24. Increase in allergies. Note: Many women who suffer from allergies develop worse allergies during the menopausal years. Many women who've never had allergy or respiratory problems may develop them for the first time. Many people don't realize that histamine levels are affected by hormone levels. Women can develop wheezing, coughing and a host of respiratory problems. This generally disappears as the hormones level out once a woman becomes menopausal.
x 25. Weight gain. (is often around the waist and thighs, resulting in "the disappearing waistline" and changes in body shape.) A good read, Weight Gain and Fitness Issues
26. Hair loss or thinning, head or whole body, increase in facial hair. Note: There is often a loss of pubic hair during menopause. Many women are more comfortable simply shaving their pubic area instead of having patches of hair.
x 27. Dizziness, light-headedness, episodes of loss of balance. Note: Although common complaints during menopause, I always recommend anyone suffering from dizziness, dysequilibrium have her blood pressure checked just to be on the safe side. However, women can experience these symptoms during perimenopause without having hypertension.
x 28. Changes in body odor. Note: I wouldn't be too concerned about this one. It can happen, but in 13 years of running Power Surge, I've heard of relatively few cases of developing body odor during menopause.
29. Electric shock sensation under the skin & in the head ("take the feeling of a rubber band snapping against the skin, multiply it (exponentially, sometimes) radiate it & put it in the layer of tissues between skin & muscle & sometimes a precursor to a hot flash.") Note: Those buzzing sensations, as though you've put your finger into a live electrical socket, can be frightening. They're all part of the hormones, nerve endings and electrical waves running through our bodies when our hormones are constantly fluctuating. Many women experience this during perimenopause, but it eventually passes.
30. Tingling in the extremities (can also be a symptom of B-12 deficiency, diabetes, or from an alteration in the flexibility of blood vessels in the extremities.)
31. Gum problems, increased bleeding.
32. Burning tongue
33. Osteoporosis (after several years)
34. Brittle fingernails, which peel & break easily.
Some additional signs from Dearest:
Dry skin / skin changes
Internal shaking / tremor-like feelings. Read the Internal Shaking Forum
x Acne and other skin eruptions
x Itching wildly and erratic rashes
x Shoulder pain / joints / arthritis development or flare up in preexisting conditions
"Heart pain" - a feeling of pain in the area of the heart (if persistent, get checked by your health care practitioner)
x Acid reflux / heartburn / difficulty digesting certain foods
21/34 .. lovely .. urgghhh!
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
A Jib Jab Christmas tune ..lol
Cameron has watched it goodness knows how many times ..
http://aka.zero.jibjab.com/client/zero/ClientZero_EmbedViewer.swf?external_make_id=7jm3AwerotIvZlMx&service=sendables.jibjab.com&partnerID=holidays
Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!
..and here’s the one the kids sent back ..lol
http://aka.zero.jibjab.com/client/zero/ClientZero_EmbedViewer.swf?external_make_id=YtaBPIUqKN06c2fm&service=sendables.jibjab.com&partnerID=holidays
Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Movies to watch – Fatso
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Movies to see in 2012
The vow
Underworld – Awakening
What to Expect when you’re expecting
The Lucky One
New Years Eve
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Movies to see with the kids :-)
..or on my own without telling the kids ..lol
November: Arthur Christmas
December: Alvin and the Chipmunks – Chipwrecked
December: the Muppets
March 2012 - Dr. Seuss' The Lorax
Summer 2012 - Brave
Summer 2012 – Madagascar 3
August 2012 – ParaNorman
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Reading my way through the year - 2011
Total this year: 66 of 80
December: 6
Night keepers / Andersen, Jessica
Dawn keepers / Andersen, Jessica
1/2 Undead And Unfinished - MaryJanice Davidson
Friday Night Bites / Neill, Chloe
Twice Bitten / Neill, Chloe
Hard Bitten / Neill, Chloe
Have to read:
Currently Reading:
An echo in the bone : a novel by Gabaldon, Diana
Have to read:
E-Books
Drink Deep / Neill, Chloe
Undead And Unfinished - MaryJanice Davidson
Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia by Elizabeth Gilbert
Skykeepers / Andersen, Jessica
Demonkeepers / Andersen, Jessica
Blood Spells / Andersen, Jessica
Storm Kissed / Andersen, Jessica
Library
Shadow Born / Sinclair, Alison
Reserved:
Alterant / Kenyon, Sherrilyn
Born of Shadows / Kenyon, Sherrilyn
Born to be bad / Kenyon, Sherrilyn
Invincible / Kenyon, Sherrilyn
Infinity / Kenyon, Sherrilyn
Bound by blood / Ashley, Amanda
Blood law / Tabke, Tarin
Destined / Cast, P.C.
Under wraps / Jayne, Hannah
Changeling Moon / Harper, Dani
Savor me slowly / Showalter, Gena.
Seduce the Darkness / Showalter, Gena
Ecstasy in Darkness / Showalter, Gena
Dark Taste of Rapture / Showalter, Gena
Bad Attitude / Kenyon, Sherrilyn
Phantom in the Night / Kenyon, Sherrilyn
Silent Truth / Kenyon , Sherrilyn
Changleling Dream / Harper, Dani
Changeling dawn / Harper, Dani
Biting Cold / Neill, Chloe
Under Attack / Jayne, Hannah
Undead and undermined / MaryJanice Davidson
Infamous / Kenyon, Sherrilyn
Red Handed / Showalter, Gena
Blacklisted / Showalter, Gena
November : 4
Gypsy boy / Walsh, Mikey
Some girls bite / Neill, Chloe
Enslave me sweetly / Showalter, Gena
Retribution / Kenyon, Sherrilyn
Oct: 6
Black and white / Kessler, Jackie
Shades of night / Kessler, Jackie
Smokin' seventeen : a Stephanie Plum novel / Evanovich, Janet.
Dark predator : a Carpathian novel / Feehan, Christine.
Crack down / McDermid, Val
Awaken me darkly / Showalter, Gena.
September: 3
Wicked appetite / Evanovich, Janet.
Crack down / McDermid, Val,
Blood trinity / Kenyon, Sherrilyn,
August: 3
Postsecret : confessions on life, death, and God / Warren, Frank
Living with the dead / Armstrong, Kelley.
Bite club / Caine, Rachel.
July: 5
No humans involved / Armstrong, Kelley.
Industrial magic / Armstrong, Kelley
The gathering / Armstrong, Kelley.
Personal demon / Armstrong, Kelley.
Living with the dead / Armstrong, Kelley.
June: 3
Tales of the otherworld / Armstrong, Kelley.
Men of the otherworld / Armstrong, Kelley.
The Nutters Club : helping nutters from the inside out / King, Mike,
May: 6
Dime store magic - Kelley Armstrong
Born of Ice - Sherrilyn Kenyon
City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments, #4) by Cassandra Clare
City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments, #3) by Cassandra Clare - re-read
Broken - Kelley Armstrong
Haunted - Kelley Armstrong
April : 9
All Blacks Don't Cry - John Kirwan
The awakening - Kelley Armstrong
The reckoning - Kelley Armstrong
The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
Night's kiss - Amanda Ashley
Lover Unleashed - J R Ward
Kiss Of Death (The Morganville Vampires, #8) by Rachel Caine
Ghost Town (The Morganville Vampires, #8) by Rachel Caine
No Mercy (Dark-Hunter, #20) by Sherrilyn Kenyon
March : 8
The summoning - Kelley Armstrong
Night's master - Amanda Ashley
Night's pleasure - Amanda Ashley
Night's touch - Amanda Ashley
Stolen - Kelley Armstrong
Bitten - Kelley Armstrong
61 hours : a Reacher novel - Lee Child
Sins of the night - Sherrilyn Kenyon
February : 5
Carpe Corpus (The Morganville Vampires, #6) by Rachel Caine
Fade Out (The Morganville Vampires, #7) by Rachel Caine
Crave (Fallen Angels, #2) by J.R. Ward
Taken by Midnight (Midnight Breed, #8) by Lara Adrian
Awakened (House of Night, #9) by P.C. Cast
January : 8 & 1/2
1/2 Dark Peril (Carpathians, #21) by Christine Feehan
Seize the night - Sherrilyn Kenyon
Kiss of the night - Sherrilyn Kenyon
Night play - Sherrilyn Kenyon
Born of the night - Sherrilyn Kenyon
Sizzling Sixteen - Janet Evanovich
Midnight Alley (The Morganville Vampires, #3) by Rachel Caine
Feast of Fools (The Morganville Vampires, #4) by Rachel Caine
Lord of Misrule (The Morganville Vampires, #5) by Rachel Caine
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