That is my biggest issue with it too. The cult like aspect. Everything is about Crossfit. I dated a guy for a bit who got into Crossfit while we were dating. Within a few weeks our intellectually stimulating conversations had all turned to diet, protein, food, shakes, Crossfit, Crossfit friends, Crossfit bodies, and…

Yeah. I got married in 2013 and I definitely don't consider my marriage to be a joke. It makes no sense that just because more and more people are getting the right to be married too suddenly everyone else's marriage is null and void.

I am not a beard person, especially the lumberjack hipster beards that seem to be the trend. That said, my husband, when clean shaven, has a complete and total baby face when shaved and he hates it, so we have come to something mutually acceptable. He jokes about growing a viking beard and it is his beard so he could,…

I have a relative who is known for her "creative" homemade gifts. Most are okay: homemade lotion or soap, some are misfires (a knitted purse that began its life as a hat), and small jewelry boxes (repurposed Altoids boxes). This year she gave my husband a "steampunk" wastebasket. It's basically random objects from the…

I have a friend who really wanted to raise their child gender-neutral, at least for her first five years. Sadly, despite their best efforts their daughter turned out to be a girly-girl. She would paint her fingernails with markers (since nailpolish was a no no. Too girly). She hated the cars and trucks they gave her…

I too used to play dress up with dolls, particularly paper dolls from different time periods. I was also the kind of child who enjoyed having her hair done up with pretty ribbons. Was this wrong of me or my parents to let me play dress up with my dolls or to want to look pretty? (in my world, colored ribbons were…

People always know how to pronounce and spell my name....problem is, they always think I am saying something else. Venus. Denise? No, Venus. Xena? No, Venus. Ervina? Dena? Sabrina? Eunice? Oh come on, Eunice...now you're not even trying.

What is recent? Because I got Venus 32 years ago, but perhaps I am still considered rather young?

Then again, I truly love being the only person (or one of the few) with my name (Venus, btw) and although it wasn't the most awesome name as a child (oh why did children have to learn to rhyme), I wouldn't trade it for anything now. There is nothing like hearing someone calling your name and knowing that there is no…

I got married 9 months ago and changed my surname. My husband/fiancee never mentioned it and we never discussed whether I would or wouldn't. I wanted to. Firstly because I have three brothers and never felt the need or desire to "carry on the family name". Secondly, my last name never went well with my first, I was…