I hope I was clear in my post- I'm talking about voluntary unemployment, not involuntary.

I was raised with the idea that working and being productive were some of the most important qualities you could have. Almost any negative traits that a person had could be erased if you could say "S/He's a hard worker." Basically, it was the Protestant work ethic upscaled to the Nth degree. I'm trying to retain…

I can't imagine buying breast milk from a complete stranger. Don't you assume at this point that if people can ruin or contaminate something, they will?

Sometimes I really wonder at the differences between Canada and the US, considering the similar backgrounds. I don't know why everything seems just somehow nuttier down south. I grew up in an evangelical (about as serious as it can get up here) denomination, and our halloween tradition was a party at church where…

I don't have any kids, but I've got a lot of professional friends and coworkers who were all itching to come back to work after mat leave. You're definitely not alone! I know that the thought of being housebound with an infant for months on end is extremely unappealing to me. My one friend is still jobless after 16…

I think just making sure you've got free time in the next while so you can call her a lot will be good. She may need to vent and get some reassurance.

I've done this too many times. Try one of these? They've certainly helped me.

I have no answer for you (I've wondered the same thing), but I can't stop watching that gif. What is the cat doing??

I've been doing that too. It's scary, but I don't want to leave myself the option of sliding :)

It's about 40 lbs so far. No real secret- I used myfitnesspal and learned how much I actually needed to eat each day. I also started swimming a couple times a week. As for personal shoppers- I don't think they're available where I live, and my issue was always that there wasn't a lot that I liked available in my…

I went shopping for the first time in ages today. Over the last year and a bit, I've really been trying to get in shape. As of 2 months ago, I slid into the "not obese" category, and my doctor told me my weight was not a concern in his eyes. As of today, I officially fit into regular sizes at any of the mall stores…

That's exactly it. I don't need for everyone I know to hear/see what I say to my husband, but that seems to be a minority opinion.

My husband and I are happily joined in our love of making fun of couples who automatically 'like' and comment on everything the other person does on Facebook. You live together! Just say it to her/his face!

Grave of the Fireflies. It's about two children in WW2 Japan. I can't even look at the cover without tearing up.

I've been using the oil cleansing system for a couple years now, and I agree it's made my skin much healthier. Right now, I use a combination of castor, grapeseed, and a little argon oil. My skin isn't really dry or anything, I just have consistently red cheeks that I wouldn't mind reducing.

E-cigs are fine- there's no smoke from those. I live in Canada, where there are already pretty tight anti-smoking laws, but people still crowd outside malls and office buildings, and everyone else has to walk through them. Same with public parks. Just because it's outside doesn't mean that clouds of smoke don't…

As an asthmatic who has gotten sick many times after walking through clouds of smoke, I don't think there is enough stigma against it. If you want to smoke, fine. But no one should be allowed to smoke in any public place, inside or out.

What's the most expensive skin care product you use? I've been using samples of Lancome Visionnaire for a couple months now (thanks to Sephora sales associates who don't recognize me), and think I like it, but don't know if I'm willing to drop $100 for a bottle. What I like is that it seems to reduce the redness in…

So all these things happen when you get pregnant? Man- all the world's problems would be solved by getting everyone prego!

I think it's safe. I've heard this is how some people send private messages. Once you dismiss a comment, everything underneath it is secret.