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If I haven't mentioned it, menopause is my life's nemesis. After 4 years of battling the nasty effects of going through the change, I relinquished my I-can-get-through-it-myself attitude and began a low-dose hormone just over a week ago. The first few days were amazing! Let's just say that the surge of hormones gave me teenager vibes. Wink wink.  But then...   Oh. My. Gosh! I was a mess - weeping, feeling out of sorts, body changes like those that happened when I got pregnant. Let's just say that one of the possible side effects is that the twin peaks might have a growth spurt 😊. (Tee hee hee). Photo by Joshua Woroniecki on Unsplash The good news is that the volcanic eruption hot flashes that were taking place 20 to 40 times a day have diminished to 6 to 8.  Let me tell you that having a hot flash while dancing my life away had an all new meaning previously. But, I was Zumba-ing away yesterday and didn't have one hot flash! Thank you, Jesus! In the interim, I'
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  I ran through the grocery store after Zumba class today. Well, maybe I didn't run. Rather, I sprinted - I sprinted through the store. Uh... no, I didn't. Speed walk?... again, no. Rush?... oh, ok, ok, I sauntered. I leisurely walked in a slow and relaxed manner. Are you happy now? Geesh. But I was good today. Yippee! I didn't buy any sweets or cheese or chips. I bought vegetables and more vegetables - I do love fresh vegetables - and eggs, of which I picked up three cartons. They weren't the kind I usually buy, though. Oddly, that brand has been out of stock for several weeks. I could understand if they had a rash of egg eating predators darken their chicken house doors, but I doubt a big operation would have that problem, even if they are a pasture-raised organic egg business.  If you ask me how I know about such things, I might share some of my farm stories. I could tell you tales about skunks and snakes and hawks, goats and cows and llamas and chickens, monarch but
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I've been thinking a lot about aging lately. Aging gracefully, and secretly wanting to continue looking like I am in my 30s, was always the plan. But menopause.  Menopause, you nasty wicked thing! It's truly not fair, you know. Women go through the weight gain, body changes, raging hormones, and sleep deprivation during and after childbirth, so is it fair that we also have to experience similar later in life? The meno belly, hot flashes, sleep interruptions, hot flashes, mood swings, and hot flashes (did I mention hot flashes?) are the antithesis of those childbearing years, and yet here we are. It's every guy's dream for his woman to wake him up as she throws off the covers and flings off her nightgown, but what he didn't bargain for was . . . . sweat. Maybe that is his payback for, I don't know, Adam being stupid enough to eat the apple in the Garden of Eden that got him and Eve thrown out and a childbearing curse put on Eve and all women  on earth  for all et

Case Study: The Tide Pod Challenge

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  It started with satire...           The Tide Pod Challenge may have started with a  satirical article  that was posted in The Onion in December of 2015 titled “So Help Me God, I’m Going To Eat One Of Those Multicolored Detergent Pods.” Written from the viewpoint of a toddler that is determined to get what he wants, he points out that the Tide Pods look delicious and he wants to eat one.  The problem, however, is not only with children, but also with many seniors, most battling dementia, that think the pods are candy and act on their impulse to eat one.  The next potential influence towards the initiation of the challenge was a  video  by the internet comedy company, CollegeHumor, that depicts a young working man, who prior to leaving his office for the day, is enticed by the bowl of free Tide Pods sitting on the table. He contemplates eating one, eventually gives in to his craving, and ends up on a gurney being loaded into an ambulance. His final words are, "I don't regret i