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Sometimes Good Enough is Just Right
Ana Veciana-Suarez
I've often joked that children are the most stressful factor in a marriage, especially for those of us who juggle work and family. Rushed, conflicted and usually overwhelmed, mothers who toil outside the home feel there aren't enough hours in the day to keep up with parenting obligations, job duties and household chores. Life turns into a never-ending to-do list, a blaring alarm that's can't be quieted
If You Have a Friend, You Have It All
Ana Veciana-Suarez
After a few months' hiatus, I spoke to my best friend from childhood. Though we live hundreds of miles apart, we can tell each other anything, picking up the strands of various subplots -- children, siblings, work, health -- right where we left off. We vent, we rage, we analyze, we pick apart. We laugh. A lot. Mostly, though, we just let it all hang out. And my, my, my, that feels so dang good.
Grandparent: It's Grand to Be a Grandparent
Ana Veciana-Suarez
Without fanfare or warning, I've become the kind of woman who divides the world into those who know all about Dora and Swiper and Boots and those who don't. On a regular basis and with missionary zeal, I scour entertainment ads for "Backyardigans" shows and check newspaper listings for toy recalls. That's what happens to you when you become a grandparent
Websites for Traveling Women
Ed Perkins On Travel
Although most of the travel industry still thinks of travelers as traditional couples, an increasing number of women are traveling alone or with other women. Here's a brief overview of web sites tailored toward women travellers ...
Work-Life 'Balance' Laid Bare
Ana Veciana-Suarez
Can you both tend the home fires and stoke a high-powered career? Is it possible to juggle the third-grade play with the 11th-hour executive-board meeting? If you take a few years off to raise Suzy and Jose, can you still reach the office mountaintop? These are questions that have been on women's minds for decades, but over the years the so-called work-life balance has become the accepted formula for women who want to 'have it all.' Now comments by former General Electric CEO Jack Welch have reignited the old debate ...
Recession Tip For Wives: Lay off Your Laid-off Husband
By Lindsay Lyon
Male breadwinners have lost their jobs at a greater clip than women during this recession. Roughly 74 percent of the approximate 6 million jobs lost since December 2007 have been men's, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And more than a few therapists say they're seeing an uptick in relationship problems as a result. It's not so much that husbands are resentful of their breadwinning wives. Resentment, they're noting, often flows from the other side.
Time is Ripe for Enjoying Simple Things
By Ana Veciana-Suarez
Confusing times call for simple pleasures. It's the safest way to indulge with minimal payout. So now friends share frugal tips over store-brand coffee. Staycations have replaced the Riviera. A few have abandoned cars and opted for public transit. It's all about doing more with less, about being happy with enough.
Maybe Those Airline Seats are Too Small
By Ana Veciana-Suarez
The debate over United's new passenger policy focuses the spotlight on an ongoing debate over the implications of obesity: Is it a disability or a personal failing? Who should bear the costs, health, travel and otherwise, of seriously overweight people? Do certain policies perpetuate the negative stigma of the obese?
High School Party Season: Dangerous Time for Kids
By Ana Veciana-Suarez
Alcohol -- beer usually, but straight shots, too -- is our high schoolers' drug of choice. Chugging until you stagger is especially commonplace as the academic year winds down and the freedom of summer beckons.
This is scary, and frustrating, and a painful reminder of parental impotency. Even if your child doesn't drink, he / she may be unlucky enough -- heck, foolish enough -- to be in the same car, the same room, the same road as someone else's drunk kid.
Recession's Impact on Women's Health
By Deborah Kotz
Sure, we're worried about the economy, but just how much of an impact is it having on women's health? Actually, quite a lot
JUKARI Fit to Fly Workout
Reebok & Cirque du Soleil Partnership Creates Innovative Gym Workout
In 1989, Reebok revolutionized women's fitness with the creation of Step Reebok.
Today, the company revealed its new launch of an innovative gym workout - JUKARI Fit to Fly.
JUKARI Fit to Fly makes fitness fun again by introducing a new way to move in a gym workout and is accessible to all women, regardless of fitness levels.
12 Ways To Prevent Vaginal Discharge
Many factors can play a role in the occurrence of vaginal infections and discharge. What can you do to reduce your risk of vaginal infections? Practicing these simple tips significantly reduces your risk of getting a vaginal infection. 12 Ways To Prevent Vaginal Discharge originally appeared on About.com Women's Health on Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at 19:07:14.
Chlamydia - The Silent Epidemic
Chlamydia is the most prevalent sexually transmitted disease diagnosed in the US. Approximately four million new cases of this disease occur each year and up to forty percent of women infected with this disease may be unaware of its existence. Learn the facts about chlamydia. Chlamydia - The Silent Epidemic originally appeared on About.com Women's Health on Friday, November 13th, 2009 at 11:59:14.
Things You Need To Know About Vaginitis
Vaginitis is a condition that occurs in the vagina causing vaginal discharge, inflammation, and irritation, as well as vulvar or vaginal itching. You might be surprised to learn that vaginitis is frequently caused by one of the three most common vaginal infections women experience. Things You Need To Know About Vaginitis originally appeared on About.com Women's Health on Monday, November 9th, 2009 at 13:21:49.
Does DHEA Improve Sexual Problems?
There's been a lot of talk about the hormone dehydroepiandrosterone or DHEA and how it affects our sexuality, as well as our mental and physical health. Does DHEA provide effective relief for sexual problems, mental health issures, or physical health issues? Or is buying DHEA a waste of your money? Learn the facts about DHEA. Does DHEA Improve Sexual Problems? originally appeared on About.com Women's Health on Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at 10:10:33.
How To Prevent Heart Disease
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women in the United States. While it's true that the majority of women still believe that breast cancer is the leading cause of death in women, the truth is that more women die of heart disease each year than die of all types of cancer combined. Find out what you can do now to prevent heart disease later. How To Prevent Heart Disease originally appeared on About.com Women's Health on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 at 10:57:45.
What To Know About Vaginal Douches
A vaginal douche is a process of rinsing or cleaning the vagina by forcing water or another solution into the vaginal cavity to flush away vaginal discharge or other contents. Vaginal douches are available over-the-counter and are made in a variety of fragrances by several manufacturers; they are also available by prescription to treat certain conditions or prepare for certain procedures. Are vaginal douches a good thing? What To Know About Vaginal Douches originally appeared on About.com Women's Health on Tuesday, October 20th, 2009 at 10:01:47.
Less Genital Warts Associated With HPV Vaccine
Australian researchers saw a significant reduction in the number of new cases of genital warts in women under 28 who have received Gardasil, the vaccine that protects against HPV which is the leading cause of cervical cancer. The Australian government began providing free vaccinations with Gardasil in 2007 for girls and women ages 12 to 26. Before the beginning of the free vaccination program, new cases of genital warts rose about 2% each quarter. During 2008, new cases of genital warts declined 25% each quarter in women under 28. The rate of new cases of genital warts in women over 28 did not decline. Gardasil provides protection against HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18. HPV types 6 and 11 are associated with genital warts, while types 16 and 18 are associated with cervical cancer. Source: Health Day News. http://www.womenshealth.gov/news/english/631916.htm. Accessed 10/6/09 Less Genital Warts Associated With HPV Vaccine originally appeared on About.com Women's Health on Friday, October 16th, 2009 at 13:15:07.
When Your Doctor Says "LEEP"
If your doctor has told you that you need to have a LEEP procedure, it's because your annual Pap smear indicated the presence of abnormal cervical cells, or cervical dysplasia. While the loop electrosurgical excision procedure, or LEEP procedure, may make you wonder if your doctor wants you to jump. The LEEP procedure has nothing to do with jumping. The LEEP procedure is one of several procedures your doctor has available to help diagnose and treat abnormal cervical cells. Find out what happens during the LEEP procedure. When Your Doctor Says "LEEP" originally appeared on About.com Women's Health on Tuesday, October 13th, 2009 at 08:51:01.
Mirena IUD Approved For Treatment Of Heavy Menstrual Bleeding
The FDA has approved the use of the Mirena (levonorgestrel intrauterine system) IUD for the treatment of heavy menstrual bleeding in women who have given birth. The Mirena IUD is the only intrauterine device currently approved for this indication. This type of contraceptive is small and flexible, and releases hormones into the uterus that prevent pregnancy. Only a qualified health care professional can insert the device. The Mirena IUD was originally approved for contraceptive use in 2000. Since its' approval, the most serious and rare side effects of the Mirena IUD have included ectopic pregnancy, intrauterine pregnancy (a pregnancy in the uterus with the IUD in place), group A streptococcal sepsis, pelvic inflammatory disese (PID), embedment of the device in the uterine wall, and perforation of the uterine wall or cervix. More common side effects that were reported by patients in the clinical trial using the Mirena IUD to treat heavy menstrual bleeding included irregular spotting or bleeding, headaches, ovarian cysts, vaginitis, painful menstruation, pelvic pain, and breast tenderness. Source: FDA News Release. http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm184747.htm. Accessed 10/07/2009 Mirena IUD Approved For Treatment Of Heavy Menstrual Bleeding originally appeared on About.com Women's Health on Wednesday, October 7th, 2009 at 13:59:20.
10 Ways To Put A Chill On Hot Flashes
Hot flashes and menopause -- it's almost impossible to think of one without the other. Hot flashes are probably the first symptom we think of when we think of menopause or perimenopause (the years before menopause). Whether you already experience hot flashes, or you are still waiting for your turn, here are ten tips that can help reduce the severity of hot flashes when they happen to you. Do you have a favorite remedy for hot flashes? Share hot flash tips with our readers. 10 Ways To Put A Chill On Hot Flashes originally appeared on About.com Women's Health on Monday, October 5th, 2009 at 13:41:26.
About Women's Health
Women's Health
Mammogram Recommendations and Health Care Reform - Question (But Don't Shoot) the Messenger
Asking a cancer survivor if you should listen to the new mammogram recommendations is like asking a mega-million dollar Powerball winner if you should buy a lottery ticket. You're going to get a very biased answer. I should know. I'm a cancer survivor -- an ovarian cancer survivor -- diagnosed at age 33 when I was a stay-at-home mom with two little girls 9 months old and 3 years old. If my cancer hadn't been caught early, I wouldn't be writing this today. Statistically speaking, I wouldn't have survived five years. This year, thanks to early treatment, I celebrated my 15th year of cancer survivorship. That's why when the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) came up with new guidelines that contradicted everything women have been told up until now, I waited a long time to respond. Why? The USPSTF consists of medical professionals who see this in clinical terms. I'm just another woman surviving cancer who sees this in personal terms. 'Clinical terms' means doctors and medical professionals can look at available data and figure out cost effectiveness, efficacy of early diagnosis and treatment, and measure the few it helps against the many it does little for. One prominent physician not on that task force -- noted breast cancer expert Dr. Susan Love -- came out early to strongly support the new recommendations, while I -- a not-so-prominent survivor also not on that task force -- waited to share my thoughts. * 'Personal terms' aren't so easily assessed and are significantly less important to clinicians, task forces, health care panels, and policy makers. But that doesn't mean they don't matter. As we've seen, those who see the issue through 'personal terms' have come out in full force. A massive groundswell of angry opposition to the recommendations has the Obama administration backing away from it and pushing Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius forward to say that the findings aren't part of government policy. 'Personal terms' differ with the person telling the story. My personal terms are simple and have a numeric value attached; they are the 15 years I've lived since my early cancer diagnosis. They have been years deeply appreciated...well-lived with meaning and purpose. I've seen both my daughters grow from sticky-faced toddlers to beautiful, funny, effervescent young women. I've cared for my mother in my home during her final weeks of life. I've picked up the pieces after my father's death, clearing out both his room in the nursing home and the house he shared with my mother for many years. I've brought significant women's issues to the table, first through radio and television shows I've produced and hosted, and now here on this site. And I've shared it all with a husband who has been with me through the good and the bad of 21 years of marriage. I don't want to try and attach a monetary value to the productiveness of those 15 years of my life, but I'm sure I've contributed more to the U.S. economy than I've consumed in terms of medical care and treatment. So, yes, I had a strong and instinctive reaction to the new recommendations announced Monday, and even after sitting on it for more than three days, my initial response hasn't changed, even after reading the opinions of phyicians, clinicians, pundits, politicans, and other survivors like me. But I'm mindful that this an American perspective. In Europe, routine mammograms are not recommended for women under the age of 50. And other American journalists who report on health care and know this topic well say the new recommendations are extremely valid. The irony that all this is happening during health care reform hasn't escaped me. I have enjoyed my 15 years because I had access to medical care and availed myself of the best diagnostic services and treatment options. But during those same 15 years, millions of other women haven't been so lucky. They haven't had health insurance and haven't been able to pay for a doctor's visit, a mammogram, or other service that might have led to an early diagnosis. They lack the access I (and many others) take for granted -- access to essential medical care. So even as Republicans warn of the perils of "rationed care" and point to the new breast cancer screening guidelines as proof, as a women's issues advocate I'm mindful that while gender inequity hurts, health care inequity kills. Do I support the new breast cancer guidelines? No. But I also don't support not having universal health care in the United States. In the end, women who have health care coverage still can exercise their free will. They don't have to listen to government panels that say do this or don't do that as long as their health insurance covers their care. I'll echo what Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius advised women: "Go on doing what you've always done." But as a country, we simply cannot afford to go on doing what we've always done. We need health care reform for all women, so that every woman can access the necessary treatment and care that will give her the same 15 years -- or more -- of life that I've enjoyed. Even with those crazy recommendations, we still have a choice. Millions of other women won't...unless we push panels, politicians, and policy to expand health care coverage to include anyone who wants it. * Ironically, both Dr. Susan Love and I are listed in the National Cancer Survivor's Day Speakers Bureau Directory. In fact, her entry is directly above mine. She earns between $30,000 and $50,000 for each speaking engagement; I'd be happy to receive 1% of that and call it a day. She's been educated and trained in the field of oncology and has practiced and written books about cancer care. Me? I just lived through it. Related articles: Mammogram Recommendations and Health Care Reform - Question (But Don't Shoot) the Messenger originally appeared on About.com Women's Issues on Friday, November 20th, 2009 at 14:01:57.
Newsweek's Sarah Palin Cover - "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Sexism?"
In August of this year, Runner's World magazine published an interview (conducted in June) with then-Alaska governor Sarah Palin. A warm-and-fuzzy feature somewhat light on politics, the exchange between interviewer and interviewee felt candid and real. It was a comfortable moment for the former GOP VP candidate who hasn't always fared so well with the media. Flash forward to this week's Newsweek. There's Palin on the cover -- an image taken during the Runner's World photo shoot in June. She's wearing black shorts and a tomato-red running jacket that shows her curves. With hands on hips and one tanned leg bent at the knee, Palin's elbow rests on a chair draped with the American flag. The headline reads, "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Sarah?" Two articles within discuss her political influence and Republican concerns over her future plans, and her populist appeal and whether or not she can deliver. But if you were to judge a book by its cover -- or a magazine, for that matter -- there's nothing 'substantive' in Palin's pose. It makes her look like the standard pin-up girl -- a piece of conservative political cheesecake. All fine and good for Newsweek since the cover accomplishes what the magazine intended; it makes Palin look like a bimbo. Problem is, the pose is taken out of context. Shot for a running magazine, it was in keeping with the original article's content -- a puff piece on Palin as a runner. And Newsweek's decision to use it is flat out sexist -- a behavior they refuse to acknowledge. Palin noted the sexism on her Facebook page and complained about it in an interview with Barbara Walters, but Jon Meacham, Newsweek's editor, is denying gender bias. He says it was selected because it was the most "interesting" photo they could find to "illustrate" the theme. From Meacham's official statement: "We apply the same test to photographs of any public figure, male or female: does the image convey what we are saying? That is a gender-neutral standard." Meacham obviously doesn't care for Palin or her politics, but his magazine's actions don't occur in a vaccuum. As Jehmu Green, President of the Women's Media Center, points out: What Mr. Meacham and his colleagues fail to realize is that, by portraying Sarah Palin in this light, they have added an additional barrier for all women and girls who aspire to political leadership. It is no coincidence that women make up only 17 percent of Congress while comprising 51 percent of the nation's population. Green is infinitely kinder to Meacham than I would be were I to get his attention with a written statement...or meet him face to face. Because here's what I'd say: "Be honest, Jon. You did it to sell magazines. You did it because Palin's book, Going Rogue: An American Life, came out this week and you wanted to catch a little of that mighty wind in your own sails. We've all seen Palin's attractive face grace the covers of so many magazines that the standard portrait wouldn't do. You wanted to kick it up a notch, and that's why you did what you did. I can understand it. I don't condone it, but I can understand your impulse." I'm sad that I understand his impulse, and sadder still that these types of impulses aren't being controlled -- they're being indulged. (Take a look at CNBC's Donnie Deutsch's initial comments on Sarah Palin last year and you'll see what I mean.) What we didn't learn from the 2008 campaign we are doomed to repeat in 2012, and we're getting an early preview of it right now with the Going Rogue book tour. What's happening to Sarah Palin as she rears her head and re-enters the airspace of the lower 48 is becoming downright ugly. The attitude of some media outlets comes dangerously close to a specific response that's triggered when a rape occurs and the victim is very attractive, sexually appealing, dressed to impress, extroverted and flirtatious. There is recognition of a crime having been perpetrated and some sympathy, but there's also an underlying buzz that blames the victim for what happened. We've all heard those words. "She asked for it." Sarah Palin did not ask to be turned into a pin-up girl on the cover of Newsweek. It's a classic case of bait and switch. She wouldn't have agreed to pose that way for Runner's World if she knew it would be taken out of context and used in this way. And even if you believe she did "ask for it," it's not a valid excuse to go after her solely on the basis of gender. When have we ever seen a beefcake shot of a male political figure in a comparable pose on the cover of a national newsmagazine? Never, because men's bodies don't sell in the same way that women's bodies sell. Sarah Palin was pulled from relative obscurity and thrust into a position that she may or may not have been qualified for. She approached it with energy and crafted a recognizable brand with her "pitbull with lipstick" comment. She didn't possess the standard resume that most VP candidates bring to the job. But as she's fond of saying, she didn't blink. Sarah Palin is Sarah Palin. We all know who she is by now, and what she represents. Her book may be at the top of the bestseller lists, but we're reading it because we either absolutely adore and admire her, or we think she's a train wreck and we have to see the blood, the mangled metal, and get a body count. (A lot of those bodies appear to have been members of Team McCain.) She did a non-confrontational 'first interview' with Oprah and looked great but said little. She followed up with Barbara Walters in an interview that had more substance but still showed us Palin's strength is not in foreign policy. Nobody is going to change their minds in this latest Palin-go-round of public appearances and media madness. It's back to middle America and rock-star treatment on her book tour. Her fans in Grand Rapids, Michigan, slept out overnight for a chance to meet her at a Barnes & Noble bookstore. An 18-year-old spent much of her birthday standing in line to see Palin and have her copy of Going Rogue signed. Over the past week we've heard the oft-repeated factoid that 60% of the country doesn't think Sarah Palin is qualified to be president. That number will only be relevant if she runs in 2012. And as I've written before, Sarah Palin's fortunes seem to turn on a dime. But let her run or not run on her own merits. Don't play the gender card in covering her, not now or in the future. If she's unqualified, let her hang herself with her own rope. If she tells untruths or misrepresents herself, fact-check her statements and call her on that. If she is mobbed by gushing, starry-eyed crowds, accept that there will alway be those who like her because she is unlike any other candidate before her. Don't say or do anything that feeds into her scorn for the "liberal media elite" by going after her just because she's a woman. McCain picked her in part to appeal to those disenfranchised, dissatisfied former Hillary Clinton supporters. Don't add more fuel to that fire by making independent, moderate Republican or liberal women angry enough at the media gender bias to start feeling sorry for her and seeing her in a different light. Because if you continue this sort of sexist coverage, Sarah Palin won't be the only one "going rogue" in America. Related articles: Newsweek's Sarah Palin Cover - "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Sexism?" originally appeared on About.com Women's Issues on Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 at 22:46:13.
Missed Sarah Palin on Oprah? Here's What Happened
A compilation of links to all the live blogging I did on the Oprah show with Sarah Palin, just broadcast minutes ago. In seven parts, with highlights below: Missed Sarah Palin on Oprah? Here's What Happened originally appeared on About.com Women's Issues on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 17:26:23.
Live Blogging Oprah Palin Interview - Part VII
Oprah: "One final question. Should I be worried because I heard you're going to get your own talk show." Palin: "Oprah, you're the queen of talk shows. There's nothing to worry about. And you are. And you can't shut off my mic. The inspiration that you have provided in the 90s - those were the days...I was a stay at home mom, inspired by the challenges you were facing, being a normal American woman facing challenges... I appreciated that." Oprah: "Anything else you want to say? It's all in the book." Palin: "I get through it with God and Todd." Audience applause. Show ends with Oprah promoting Sarah Palin's book due out tomorrow and saying, "Thanks, Governor Palin." revised 7:23 pm Live Blogging Oprah Palin Interview - Part VII originally appeared on About.com Women's Issues on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 17:00:29.
Live Blogging Oprah Palin Interview - Part VI
Oprah: "You say you were silenced on Election Night...You look sad." Palin: "You don't run a race to lose....not so much disappointed I wasn't allowed to speak, but the explanation was that VPs don't give speeches" and she says she knew that to be false. But she wanted to tell the audience that we should move forward; she had hoped to share the message, "United we stand." Oprah: Asked Palin about being so close to the presidency. As the parent of five children, and as a woman so close to the office, what would Palin do in a situation of crisis? "I know we don't ask this of men...but how would you handle the responsibility?" Palin: "I would handle this the way men would handle this." Oprah: "But they have wives." Palin: "But I have Todd - there's so much equality.... My mom had warned me 'Don't think you can't have it all as an American woman, but some things have to be put on the back burner' .... I'm a believer in making choices at the right time.... I have a great support system, all the aunties and the uncles....I wouldn't be preaching this to all women because I have this." Oprah: "After finishing the book, Track [Palin's oldest son] called to say, 'Mom, no dishonorable discharge.'" Palin: Indicated that she knew Track was afraid others would think she was a quitter. She knew that she wouldn't run for a second term -- "There were so many opposition researchers" many of them "sent by the Obama administration" that she wouldn't be able to talk about what she wanted. Oprah: "But why quit?" Oprah didn't understand why Palin felt she'd be better able to fight ' as an ordinary citizen.' Palin: Wanted to be able to speak without worrying about a lawsuit. "My dad says, 'She's not retreating, she's reloading." Oprah: "Are you thinking of 2012?" Palin: "I'm thinking of 2010." Oprah: "Would you tell me if you were?" Palin: "No I wouldn't." Palin wants to prove that you don't have to have a title to speak out and make a difference -- that ordinary citizens can do that. Oprah: "They sure can. We'll take a break." revised 7:20 pm Live Blogging Oprah Palin Interview - Part VI originally appeared on About.com Women's Issues on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 16:56:10.
Live Blogging Oprah Palin Interview - Part V
This segment opens with a short visit to the Palin's at home in Wasilla, Alaska, captured on video. External shot of Palin home.Inside the home, Sarah is diapering Trig on the floor. She's wearing a T-shirt and running shorts. Piper and Palin then head to The Edge Gym and Sarah is shown in an aerobics class. We see her driving around with the kids, while in a voiceover Palin contrasts this with where they were a year ago - "It's nice to not be handled - to go where I want to go." Scenes show the family at Halloween, making caramel apples along with Palin's sister and parents. Trig is dressed as a chicken in a fuzzy costume. As we see Piper trick-or-treating, Palin says, "I promised Piper to keep my distance and not disrupt the fun she has with her friends... She's so acommodating...They all put up with a lot." Back in the studio, the interview continues. Oprah: "What's this been like for Todd and your marriage?" Palin: "We've had an unconventional marriage with him working on the North Slope - we're apart for months. We met when he was 16 and I was 17....it's a great partnership...a lot of equality in the marriage." Oprah: "Back in a moment." revised 7:11 pm Live Blogging Oprah Palin Interview - Part V originally appeared on About.com Women's Issues on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 16:46:03.
Live Blogging Oprah Palin Interview Part IV
Oprah: "Everybody's waiting on the Levi question." Levi Johnston, the father of Palin's grandson Trig, has said "a lot of unflattering things about the Palin family" in interviews in print and on television. Palin: "Because so much of the discussion has to do with Tripp, I don't think a national television show is the place" to discuss the baby's father. However, Palin takes a shot at Johnston, saying, "I hear he goes by the name 'Ricky Hollywood'" because he's making the rounds to promote himself. She alludes to a Playgirl photo spread he's doing, saying, "I call it porn." She adds that he doesn't see the baby much because of his media tours. "I pray for Levi." Oprah: "For someone who's been in the inner circle and then goes out to the media and says things, that makes you feel...what?" Palin: "I felt ... they were handling him and then sending him onto these stages" and that he's not telling the truth. She states he never lived with Bristol, and that is proof that the rest of his statements are lies. Oprah: "He's saying that you didn't really raise the kids." Palin: "He's a teenager" and doesn't realize how he's being handled. She moves onto her daughter, noting that "Bristol is the most amazing mom" and she's there to remind other teenagers that there are consequences in having teenage sex. Oprah: "Will he be invited to Thanksgiving dinner?" Palin: Yes. Because he's Tripp's dad, he'll always be part of the family -- "he needs that 'do over' .... we're not really into the drama." Oprah: "So is he invited or not?" Palin: Indicates there's an open invitation to come over. updated 6:50 pm Live Blogging Oprah Palin Interview Part IV originally appeared on About.com Women's Issues on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 16:39:03.
Live Blogging Oprah Palin Interview - Part III
Questions about the Katie Couric interview open this segment. Oprah: "Were you prepped?" Palin: "It was supposed to be a lighthearted working mom interview - if the first went well, we'd do the second...The first did not go well." Oprah: "Why did you do the second?" Palin: Well, they were scheduled, she says. "I don't blame people for thinking I was ill-qualified." Oprah: "You say...that you thought Couric had a partisan agenda." Palin: "Her agenda was not to show me in the best light" and to not let her gaffes go without comment. Oprah: "Was it a seminal defining moment for you?" Palin: "No it was not" - although she knew it was a bad interview. Oprah: The books and magazines question [clip shown] during the Couric interview -- "Now obviously you read books and magazines. Why didn't you just name some?" Palin: Of course I read, "but I was already so annoyed ... it was unprofessional to show my annoyance on my sleeve" but she rolled her eyes and was annoyed with the questions Couric kept asking, which implied that she wasn't a reader or well-versed in what was going on. Palin calls it "the problem with the state of journalism today. No matter what I say, it will be twisted." Oprah: "We've all beeen in situations where we wished we had done something different.... Didn't you wish you had said what books and magazines you had read?" Palin: "We'd just come back from an amazing rally... I was so pumped up... and there's the perky one with the microphone" Oprah: "You mean Katie" Palin: Yes..."She asked me twelve different times about abortion and the morning after pill" -- Couric didn't seem to respect the culture of women as Palin saw it.... "I can certainly understand why a woman would do away with that" referring to abortion. "Understanding that that thought would go through a woman's mind, yes, there are less than ideal circumstances....but we'll plow through and get through them." Oprah: "When you had to telll your husband the baby had Down's Syndrome, was that hard?" Palin: Admitted it was hard, told Todd the baby was a boy, then said the baby had an extra chromosome and admitted, "I was frightened when I first heard the news." In contrast, Todd knew that it was going to be okay. Palin asked the question, "Why us God?" but Todd didn't have that reaction. He responsed that "it's going to be all right." updated 6:38 pm Live Blogging Oprah Palin Interview - Part III originally appeared on About.com Women's Issues on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 16:31:16.
Live Blogging Oprah Palin Interview - Part II
Oprah tells how Palin was told what to wear, what to say, what to eat...and there's a brief discussion of how staffers talked about the Atkins Diet with Palin. Palin: "We shouldn't have been focusing on what I eat" with all the other weighty issues in the air. Oprah: "We were at another convention [Democratic National Convention] when we saw the McCain announcement [clip played] and there you were. Quite frankly, I thought, 'whoah, where did she come from?" Palin: She thought McCain was a maverick and was representing the working man in choosing Palin. At the Republican National Convention, the wardrobe was selected for her. Palin says she thought, "Oh, good. I didn't like to shop.... I didn't think that it [the wardrobe budget] would be controversial. That was a double standard I discuss in the book." Oprah: "You asked, 'Why was the Palin family being made over for the convention. Is this the Palin family on an episode of What Not to Wear?" Palin: "How easy it is for a male candidate...wearing the same thing over and over again. I had an appreciate for Hillary Clinton and what she had to go through." Oprah: Asks Palin about debate preparation and the stacks of cards she was given. The front of the cards had questions, and the backs of cards were filled with what Palin saw as 'non-answers.' "Were you surprised at how they wanted to control you and force you to say things?" Oprah follows up with a question about staying on-script. Palin: "I'm the candidate. At the end of the day they [McCain staffers] were doing what they were supposed to do. My handlers ... we never could find that script." She followed up with a discussion of the Michigan incident, when Palin was "told 'you went rogue on us.' I didn't know we had pulled out of Michigan." Oprah: "If you'd been allowed to be more of yourself and less scripted, would you have won?" Palin: Expressed her belief that it didn't matter because of the shift in the economy. Because of the turn of events, Republicans weren't going to win because "unfortunately we represented the status quo" to voters. Palin says she doesn't feel she was responsible for losing the race. updated 6:30 pm Live Blogging Oprah Palin Interview - Part II originally appeared on About.com Women's Issues on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 16:20:11.
Live Blogging Oprah Palin Interview - Part I
I'm live blogging Oprah with Sarah Palin and will post during the commercial breaks. Please forgive occasional typos. Here goes: "The world exclusive!" the opening voiceover intones. We're seeing clips of upcoming questions that make it seem as if Oprah will be tough on Palin. The intro is brief: Oprah: "You've been waiting. Ive been waiting. She is finally here!" Sarah comes out in a green blazer with wide lapels. Oprah and Palin hug. Oprah's geting the snubbing thing out of the way. Oprah: "Did you feel snubbed?" Palin says she didn't feel snubbed because she had her head in other places. Palin: "No offense to you, but it wasn't the center of my universe." When she heard she would not be invited on the Oprah show, Palin says she thought to herself, "It's her show, it's her baby." Oprah makes it clear that for the record, Palin never asked to be on the show, and since it was the first time Oprah supported a candidate, she would have none on the show. Everybody expresses that they're happy that Palin is on today. Oprah: "Let's go back to the day you get the phone call at the state fair," describing how Palin officially heard that she was McCain's VP choice. Palin: "When I got the call, not such a shocking call" she says because she heard she was being vetted. "I didn't blink. I felt quite confident about my executive abilities. Happy to get in there, happy to contribute." Oprah: "You get there, there's the vetting process...'These guys know things about me' " that Palin had forgotten. "They were the ones that told Schmidt [advisor to McCain] that Bristol was pregnant. You thought, 'Good - they know what they're getting.' " Palin: "I thought after all that - I better confess it now, the one skeleton in my closet - I got a D in a college class. " She says she thought that would be the big dark secret, and expresses that she was surprised they knew about Bristol and wishes they had approached it differently. Oprah: "So the McCain camp sends out a press release saying that the family was happy and supportive." Palin: Explains that she wasn't happy with the message -- she didn't approve the message that went out. She saw it scrolling across the screen in her room on TV. "Here's our opportunity, let's tackle the issue of teen pregnancy in America." Palin's inability to spek her values indicated there might be a possibility of future problems. Bristol had seen it on the news "and was quite embarrassed...quite devastated. Now the whole world knows...I hope my children would be excluded from the controversy." Oprah: "Did you not think the pregnancy would not be an issue in the campaign?... Weren't you worried about what it would do to Bristol?" Palin: "McCain warned that this [campaign] would be tough on the family....not knowing how the haters would delve into our family." Oprah: "Were you naive?" Palin: "I was naive" thinking the media would leave her family alone. She says that Obama said his family was hands-off, and she believed the same thing would apply to her. When pressed by Oprah, Palin states that she respects that Obama said her kids were off-limits, and wished the media treated her family that way. updated 6:20 pm Live Blogging Oprah Palin Interview - Part I originally appeared on About.com Women's Issues on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 16:12:11.
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Women Write About Thanksgiving
Women Write About Thanksgiving originally appeared on About.com Women's History on Friday, November 20th, 2009 at 08:33:08.
I know from reading the statistics for this site over the years that most of you will not be reading this next Thursday, which is Thanksgiving in the U.S. So I'm offering these Thanksgiving treats by famous women early so you have time to enjoy them and your holiday -- you can even show off that you know all the verses to the winter song, originally known as "A Boy's Thanksgiving," often now known as "Over the River and Through the Wood":
Queen Victoria Bibliography
Queen Victoria Bibliography originally appeared on About.com Women's History on Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at 07:04:17.
I've compiled a list of books about Queen Victoria, plus some biographies of her famous children and grandchildren. Queen Victoria is one of the most-studied, most-written-about women of history -- for good reason. She was one of the most powerful women in history.
Wordless Wednesday - Another Rosie
More Wordless Wednesday:
Wordless Wednesday - Another Rosie originally appeared on About.com Women's History on Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 at 02:47:55.
Courtesy Library of Congress - Farm Security Administration, Office of War Information Collection
Related articles:
Margaret Fuller, Feminist
Margaret Fuller, Feminist originally appeared on About.com Women's History on Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 at 08:15:30.
Usually included as one of the earliest feminists -- though the term wasn't yet in use -- Margaret Fuller was influenced by, and helped influence, the American Transcendentalist movement. She was editor of The Dial magazine, the chief publication of that movement, and developed her book and feminist classic, Woman of the Nineteenth Century, from essays she'd published there. 
Image courtesy ArtToday.com, used with permission.
Controversial Feminist Voices
Three feisty voices in the feminist movement of the late 20th century were Germaine Greer (of The Female Eunuch among other writings), Jill Johnston (Lesbian Nation), and Andrea Dworkin, who took on pornography as inherently anti-woman. Their voices and perspectives are examples of the diversity within the large feminist circle. Here are some quotes from these three women, illustrating the positions they took that were often controversial, inside and outside of the feminist movement: Controversial Feminist Voices originally appeared on About.com Women's History on Saturday, November 14th, 2009 at 15:36:58.
Women's Suffrage Time Line
The struggle for women's vote in America took many decades. This timeline puts into perspective the major events along the journey to finally winning the vote: Women's Suffrage Time Line originally appeared on About.com Women's History on Thursday, November 12th, 2009 at 09:17:50.
Wordless Wednesday - Who Is She?
Click on the image to check your guess and to find out more about this mystery woman. More Wordless Wednesday:
Wordless Wednesday - Who Is She? originally appeared on About.com Women's History on Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 at 02:25:26.
Courtesy Wikimedia Commons
Queen Lili'uokalani
Queen Lili'uokalani originally appeared on About.com Women's History on Tuesday, November 10th, 2009 at 08:36:47.
On November 11, 1915, Queen Lili'uokalani, the last Native Hawaiian ruler of Hawaii, died. Read more about this interesting figure in Hawaiian history, her role in the transition from Native Hawaiian leadership to annexation by the United States and her role in helping bring knowledge of Native Hawaiian culture to a wider audience.
Over the River and Through the Wood
Over the River and Through the Wood originally appeared on About.com Women's History on Sunday, November 8th, 2009 at 06:38:25.
The author of the 1844 poem, "A Boy's Thanksgiving," is not well known today, but in her time, Lydia Maria Child was a well-known writer of novels, advice books, and anti-slavery tracts. Read more about this 19th century activist and writer:
Frances Ellen Watkins Harper
Frances Ellen Watkins Harper originally appeared on About.com Women's History on Saturday, November 7th, 2009 at 12:29:16.
Born to free parents in Maryland in 1825, Frances Ellen Watkins Harper became a writer and poet, the most famous African American woman poet after Phillis Wheatley. When she moved to the North in 1850, she also became an abolitionist. After the Civil War, she worked for racial equality and the rights of women, while continuing as a lecturer and writer. Learn more:
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New Happenings this Week
Are you happy with your butt? Most of us aren't. They're too small, too big, too saggy, too flabby...this list goes on. A nicely shaped and toned buttock is something many want but just don't know how to achieve. To learn more check out this week's article on Top 10 to Conditioned buttocks - to prevent knee and back injuries.
Hot Fitness Tip of the Week
Another way to fit weightlifting into your busy schedule is to choose exercises that work several major muscle groups at the same time. Squats or the Leg Press works the quadriceps, hamstrings, buttocks, and calves. Essentially, you will be training four muscle groups at the same time with these exercises.
Words of Inspiration
Road to Success: The road to success is filled with people who fail . ""How could that be?"" you ask. The answer is: People who eventually become successful are those who are not afraid to try. They are people who know that failure is always a possibility in any endeavor. They don't like failure, but at the same time they are not afraid of it. All successful men and women are not permanent failures, that's for sure, but innovators, experimenters, challengers, people who realize they must pick themselves up and try again every time they fail. They know that as long as they get up one time more than they fall that they haven't failed. Go ahead to face the odds and take your very best swing. Convert failures into achievements by reminding yourself that every failure moves you one step closer to victory.
Suceess Quote
All men and women are born, live suffer and die; what distinguishes us one from another is our dreams, whether they be dreams about worldly or unworldly things, and what we do to make them come about... We do not choose to be born. We do not choose our parents. We do not choose our historical epoch, the country of our birth, or the immediate circumstances of our upbringing. We do not, most of us, choose to die; nor do we choose the time and conditions of our death. But within this realm of choicelessness, we do choose how we live. -Joseph Epstein
Healthy Recipe
Stuffed Tomatoes with Feta and Pine Nuts: Ingredients: 3/4 cup instant brown rice, 1 Tbsp. pine nuts, 4 large, ripe tomatoes, 1 green bell pepper, seeded and minced, 1/2 cup yellow squash, finely chopped, 4 Tbsp. feta cheese, crumbled, 1 tsp. minced dried onion (or onion flakes), 1 tsp. dried oregano, 1 tsp. dried basil, Salt to taste, 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, Direction: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat shallow baking pan with cooking spray. In small saucepan, bring 1 cup of water to boil. Add rice, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 10 minutes, until liquid is absorbed. Meanwhile, in small skillet, toast pine nuts over medium heat for 2 minutes until golden brown, shaking pan frequently. Set aside. Slice off stem end (top) of tomatoes. Using a spoon, gently scoop out pulp. Finely chop pulp and place 1/3 cup of pulp in large bowl (discard any remaining pulp). Add rice to pulp along with toasted pine nuts, bell pepper, yellow squash, 2 tablespoons of feta, minced onion, oregano, basil, salt and black pepper. Mix well. Stuff rice mixture into tomato shells. Transfer tomatoes to pan and top with remaining feta cheese. Bake 20 minutes, until top is golden. Serve hot or at room temperature. Nutritional Information: (per serving) 149 calories, 4 g total fat (2 g saturated fat), 24 g carbohydrates, 5 g protein, 4 g fiber, 126 mg sodium. Courtesy: AICR (American Institute for Cancer Research)
Article of the Week: Top 10 to Conditioned buttocks - to prevent knee and back injuries
Top 10 to Conditioned buttocks - to prevent knee and back injuries: Side step squat: This exercise works all the gluteals and the muscles at the sides of the hips and thighs. As this move is challenging but effective, take time to perfect it. Use a chair the first time you do it to help you find the correct working position. Take about two seconds to step out and two seconds to step in. Stand with good posture, knees soft, feet together, left foot lifted and prepared. Breathe easily throughout. Step left leg wide to the side. Drop the hips down and back behind the heels while swinging the arms forwards for balance. Keep knees in line with feet and the chest lifted. Step the right leg into start position, squeezing your buttocks and abs as you stand up. Start with 8, work up to 20. INCREASE THE EFFORT: Maximize the effort you put into your lower body workout to see results quickly. Work as slowly and precisely as possible to perfect a move, then alternate the speed to keep challenging the muscles. Plie with arms: Think of strength, poise and fluidity when you do this movement. The plie has no pause, momentum or drop and, like many dance movements, it takes a lot of effort to perfect. Practice the leg movements first, then add arms when you are ready to do so. Repeat 10 times. Position feet slightly wider than hip-width apart with legs gently turned out, arms relaxed at your sides and pelvis in neutral. Keep chest lifted and ribs in line with hips as you bend the knees and take the arms out to the sides. Keep your heels down and your knees in line with your toes. Squeeze buttocks and quads hard as you straighten the legs and lift the arms up. Keep the knees soft, abs tight, shoulders down. Bend knees deeply, smoothly bringing the arms down and out to the sides. Then straighten the legs, squeeze the buttocks and quads bring the arms to start position.
Women Fitness E-Mag Vol No. 430
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