To make things easier, I use seasoning packets from the grocery store: Mexican, Italian, dip spices, slow cooker, etc. If you're in the mood for a certain flavor like Beef Stroganoff or spaghetti sauce, why not have it? Beans, green salads, and some bland veggies will take the spice without overpowering the flavor…

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True. I eat very little processed sugar. When I do have a piece of commercially prepared pie or something, it tastes and feels terrible. Processed sugar has a gritty feel in your mouth - like sand. It doesn't have a subtle variety of flavors - just an overwhelming punch in the taste buds.

Thanks for the reply. I was pretty angry. The Cipro was the 3rd and last straw for this particular medical group. Is it possible for that "medicate and get out" mantra to affect an entire office? I just imagine them chuckling in the hallways about stupid know-nothing patients, and that disdain affects their decision…

Thanks for this. I've noticed lately that my vision is really bad at the end of the day. So, I moved the monitors down this morning and we'll see how it works. I'm short, so my eyes aren't quite level with the top, but the monitor is as low as it can go. ;)

To answer your question about tact, I didn't use any. I just didn't invite them. They didn't know about the wedding.

Yes. You just have to deal with the consequences. You will see those relatives at future events - it's unavoidable - and they will be angry and hurt. I did it, and it was worth it. I had a very small wedding, so the rude and demeaning behavior of a few of my very close relatives would have cast a very long shadow over…

If the crowd you hang out with consistently makes plans that cost more than you can afford, then it's time to reevaluate the place these friends have in your life.

Yes! I loved the Sponge. So convenient. The diaphragm is good, too. I tried the pill but couldn't take the hormones. I had fibroids and heavy bleeding - so didn't want to even try an IUD.

Don't feel shamed! We aren't hard core gym people. We're there and back in the time it takes to watch an hour's worth of TV.

I didn't even think about that. Parts of Arizona are probably dangerously hot for runners in the summer.

I live in a very cold region and I agree. It is really hard to get consistent cardio exercise without a gym when you live in the snow belt. And if you're trying to heal a joint injury, or have some other issue, the pool is your best option. It's almost a public health issue. I don't live in Alaska or anything, but…

Swimming laps (for those with ankle and knee issues)? I can only make it to the gym 3-4 times per week though, so it probably won't add years... maybe a few months? ;) Doesn't matter - it makes me feel good now.

There is no overarching statewide or nationwide "nanny state" backing them up. This was a local law that was meant to be enforced on a case-by-case basis so they could prosecute in a hardcore neglect case. But the new way of thinking for the majority of American parents (which probably includes the officer writing the…

It's parent driven, not state driven. Today's parents have such an overinflated sense of risk that they won't let their children play without an adult present. A child walking to the park alone is only noticeable because when are no other children outside.

Thank you! Maybe the parks and streets will be full of kids again, playing the old games: Duck Duck Goose, Red Light Green Light, Kick the Can. All unsupervised games that are great for social development. And there is safety in numbers. The presence of other children makes it safer to send your kids outside to play. …

I'm ordering that - thanks for the tip. I've been using Goody stretch headbands like this: http://www.goody.com/Products/Hair_… They work better than the standard eye mask, but they push against the eyes.

I think it's in the amount. My bedroom is mostly blue and white (sort of this color #8AB9F1), but there are dashes of orange in the room and it just looks right: a solid orange throw pillow, touches of orange in the floral pillow shams, an orange Russian nesting doll on the bookshelf.

I wonder if "pouty" man understands intimacy in general. I mean, he created a spreadsheet. There's a lot of ways to get each other revved up throughout the evening - flirty comments, suggestive looks. It's that kind of intimate play that makes you look forward to sex. If you're just saying "How about it?" at 7pm out…

I think most realtors will show you at least a few houses out of your preferred price range - even if they're not pushy about it. It's a sales technique that works - they know it will be a temptation. It takes a lot of will power to step back from the features of the more expensive house and back into a house that…