What Are You Afraid Of?

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            We’re all afraid of something and there’s a name for every phobia. Here are some of the more odd celebrity phobias. Pamela Anderson is afraid of mirrors, that’s called eisoptrophobia. Tom Cruise fears going bald, that’s chaetophobia. Nicole Kidman is afraid of butterflies, or lepidopterophobia. Alfred Hitchcock has a fear of eggs, which is ovophobia.

My phobia is more common. I suffer claustrophobia. I had a ridiculous reaction to an enclosed space one time when I was in a double sided elevator moving boxes up to my new apartment. While riding up I realized I had stacked the boxes on the wrong side and wouldn’t be able to get out when the door opened. Worse, I realized that the key to hold the doors open and all of the buttons were behind the boxes. I panicked. I couldn’t see a way out. I thought the doors would open when I got to my floor and then they would close and I would be stuck. So, when I got to my floor and the door opened I started pushing boxes out of the elevator in hopes that one would land in such a way that would stop the door from closing or that I would be able to quickly climb over the boxes to make it out. I didn’t care when I heard the crush of breaking glass; I just needed to get out of the elevator. My pulse had quickened and I was sweating. Once I was out of the elevator I realized my actions were silly, but in the moment I was fighting for my survival. Claustrophobia isn’t just a fear of enclosed spaces; it is the fear that one will not be able to make it out of a small space. So, my phobia extends to caves, mazes, haunted houses, tunnels, etc.

There are a lot of people who say they have a certain phobia, including claustrophobia. Often times they just suffer from a fear and not a phobia. A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder. The sufferer will go to great lengths to avoid the item or situation and the actions are often seen as irrational. The sufferer becomes distressed in situations where the phobia is present. So, just because someone does not like spiders doesn’t mean it is necessarily arachnophobia. I dislike spiders and avoid them, but I wouldn’t characterize that as a phobia in myself. Even if I were to scream and recoil in the presence of a spider, it does not mean the reaction is a disorder.

Dancing With the Stars: Week 6

            Say what? The Cheetah girl ousted before her time yet again on Dancing with the Stars. Despite scoring a perfect 30 Monday night with her a sensual country rumba, scoring a perfect 30 last week with her Cinderella-inspired routine, and being voted on to the all-star cast by the fans themselves, Sabrina Bryan is hanging up her dance shoes. Her elimination is a complete shock to me because her scores have been so high I would assume they would make up for any lack of a fan vote. Obviously I was wrong. Sabrina was really starting to pull away from the pack in the eyes of the judges, consistently being the one to beat. However, the leaderboard will see new names at the top. 

            I thought it was Kelly Monaco’s week to go. She and her partner Val did much better this week, but in comparison with the others their dancing is lack luster. She has the rhythm and gets the movements, however, there is little excitement. She is in my opinion the worst dancer of the celebrities who are left. She may be technically more precise than Kirstie Alley, but Kirstie is making great improvements. I can see how much she has grown as a dancer and how hard she is trying to get everything right. Kirstie even won the two bonus points for the group dance for being the most entertaining. Her efforts are really paying off.

            Sabrina wasn’t the only celebrity to score a perfect 30 on Monday. Apollo Ohno and Karina earned their first perfect 30 of the season with their impassioned Viennese Waltz. This song and routine carried a special message and Apollo and Karina were able to personalize it. Their movements were very purposeful and told the story of the song. I hope a perfect score this week does not mean doom in the next as it did for Sabrina.

            My season favorites Gilles Marini and Shawn Johnson didn’t finish far behind the top two. Gilles pulled off a dance that might be difficult for a normal man to do. He performed the cha cha to Shania Twain’s “I Feel Like a Woman,” and he and Peta did it with glam, spunk, and pizazz. His routine was clean and fun. Shawn and Derek performed a spirited cha cha to “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy.” This routine was big, colorful, and exciting. I wasn’t sure what to expect, knowing about Shawn’s injury, but it didn’t seem like they had to tone down the choreography much. The exception is Shawn’s solo. She played it safe and I feel like she could have done more, despite the injury.

Will Sandy Be the November Surprise?

            The presidential election is just around the corner and at this time every four years we sit back and wait for the November surprise. Could Superstorm Sandy be that potential game-changing event in this election. Sandy struck on the night of Monday, October 29^th, but her effects will be felt for weeks to come as water recedes along the east coast and people continue to attempt to clean up their homes and communities. Photos out of the hardest hit areas and of heavily populated areas are astounding. So much water breached into the cities. And we’re just starting to survey the full extent of the damage.

            President Obama has already issued emergency declarations in storm stricken communities. This will speed up federal relief to the areas and start the recovery process for the residents. It also helps his image on the campaign trail because he can show voters that he is there and he is doing something about the catastrophe, and what he is doing is not something Republican candidate Mitt Romney is capable of as a candidate. In addition, the president canceled his campaign trip on Tuesday to Colorado so he could stay home and monitor the situation. Meanwhile, Romney has also been monitoring the situation and sending his thoughts and prayers to those along the east coast. According to CNN, the Romney campaign has stopped fundraising emails into affected states, made a campaign bus available for relief efforts, started taking up collections in campaign offices, and put up a blog with weather related advice.

Superstorm Sandy knocked power out for millions of people and businesses. There is the possibility that electricity will not be restored to all areas by next week’s election.  So now, election officials in all of the affected states are working on contingency plans to ensure residents are able to vote and that those votes will be counted. Even if power is restored, some people may not be able to go vote because they are dealing with more pressing issues introduced by the storm. A superstorm such as this makes the presidential election seem small and unimportant, at least to those who are directly affected by the storm. Sandy may overshadow Election Day attempts to get out the vote in many east coast states. She may prove to be an important factor in this election. 

A view of Sandy from space

 View a slideshow of Sandy

Autumn Haunts

            Have you ever noticed how autumn makes everything look haunted. As Halloween approaches and more and more leaves fall off trees, there is a mysterious vibe to our neighborhoods. Houses that look habitable and cozy in the spring, summer, and winter look dark and deserted. The pumpkin and scarecrow decorations of the season do not help to breathe life into the homes. They look as though there is as much death inside as there is on the outside. The decaying red, orange, and brown leaves litter the ground un-raked and unkempt. You never know what could be hiding under the piles of leaves. It could be more leaves or it could be something sinister. The sight is even worse on a dreary, drizzly day when the cool air chills you to the bone. The cold wetness makes spending time outside so uninviting. The weather puts me in a perfect mood to bake some holiday treats and sit down in front of a fireplace for a scary movie. Happy Halloween!

Flatened Chicken Nuggets, Yum!

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Fast food restaurants are always trying to come up with something new to grab a consumer’s attention. You’ve got the cheeseburger that has onion rings on it. There are chicken sandwich with stacks and stacks of bacon. There’s the chicken sandwich without the bun, just bacon, cheese and sauce in between two breaded and fried slabs of poultry. Now Rally’s has reshaped their chicken nuggets in hopes of drawing in new business. Chicken Dippers, because not everyone can dunk (as in basketball), but everyone can dip. They’re scooped shaped chicken pieces that are crafted to be plunged into a special dipping sauce. 

I have not tried this newest fast food creation and I won’t. The chicken looks like someone took a mallet to the restaurant’s already unappetizing looking chicken nuggets and just started hammering away. I have nothing against Rally’s nuggets in general. I have a grudge against most chicken nuggets because they are made with trimmings and leftovers. Who really knows what is in their chicken nugget? Many restaurants say they only use all white meat, and I guess we’ll just have to take their word for it. The flat shape also means there is less meat inside, so Rally’s is basically increasing the fried breaded portion and decreasing the actual meat. In addition to the savorless form of the dippers, I have trouble with the preparation. I am not a fast food fan. I’ll eat a French fry or two every so often and I’ll chow down on Taco Bell if you’re offering, but I’m opposed to the high salt, fried foods. The reason fast foods taste so good is there’s a high percentage of sodium and fats in them. The combination has been shown to be medically addicting, not just in the way that I say I am addicted to Taco Bell Thursdays (I can give up at any time!). The restaurants load up on what makes the foods so appetizing and they install a revolving door because once they have you hooked you’ll be a customer for life. I’ll have my salad now. Waiter!

Hitting Puberty Earlier

For years we’ve seen evidence that girls are hitting puberty at earlier ages than previous generations, and now we’re getting that same proof for boys. A new study in the journal Pediatrics shows boys are now hitting puberty six months to two years earlier than in studies that looked at previous decades. The numbers vary by race, with African-American boys hitting puberty at just over nine years old and white and Hispanic boys hitting puberty at a little over ten years old. Researchers do not know why they’re seeing a change from previous studies, but there are all sorts of theories from changes in our environments to higher rates of obesity. I believe the change in both boys and girls may be due to chemicals and hormones in our food and drink. Parents are feeding their children genetically modified foods and milk that has added hormones in it. It is unlikely this altered food has no consequence for those who eat it. In addition, children are also getting BPAs in their foods from storage containers and packaging. Studies have linked BPA to other health complications like obesity in children and cancer in lab animals.

Cancer Covergirl

            There’s a new “fresh face” in town. Covergirl cosmetics has named 13-year-old Talia Castellano an honorary covergirl. Talia is battling cancer and she is bald. She is also beautiful and glowing. She expresses herself through makeup and rose to fame with her online makeup tutorials. In addition to what we see on the outside, Talia is brave and courageous. She is taking on the world without a feature many women link to their beauty. It takes great strength to take life on as a public figure without hair, especially while battling such a scary disease. It is a security blanket Talia no longer has and yet she isn’t willing to hide under a wig. Kudos to her for being such an inspiration to women all over the world.

 Read more about Talia

My Favorite Cheeses

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            To say that I am a fan of cheese is an understatement. I greatly enjoy cheese and the depth it can bring to flavors in cooking. I feel adding cheese to any dish can only make it better. Of course selecting the right type of cheese and using the right amount is very important. I find it interesting to explore the varieties of cheese and different ways to use them in cooking. Still, I have my favorites; actually I have a list of my favorites. Here goes:

1.     Nacho

2.     Pepper Jack

3.     Feta

4.     Mozzarella

5.     Parmesan

Each of these cheeses is on the favorite list for a different reason. I love spicy foods, so I appreciate the heat nacho and pepper jack cheeses bring to foods. Nacho cheese is also a delicious dip and a flavorful garnish. Feta cheese has a complex salty and savory feel that is great in dishes from salads to pizza. Mozzarella is a great cheese for cooking and there are so many ways to use it. Parmesan cheese is more than just something to sprinkle on top of spaghetti. I like to mix it with other cheeses and use in a cooking blend. It is dimensional and slightly salty. I guess you could say I’ve thought a lot about cheese.

Selling Off DVD History

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             Recently I’ve begun to sell of my DVD collection. The dozens of discs and their cases can be very cumbersome when moving and seeing how the technology will soon be obsolete, it makes sense to get rid of them. DVDs are going the way of the VHS. There’s no reason to keep the discs until they’re not valuable anymore. As it is, they’re only worth about a dollar a disk; I’d like to get some sort of return on my investment. It is a little sad to part with my discs, after all I have them because I enjoyed them at one time. However, I so rarely have time to watch them and they’re just sitting there on a shelf. So, then I ask myself if I only want to keep them so I can possess them. They’ll still be among my favorite movies even if I do not own them anymore.

Dancing With the Stars: Week 5

            This week the producers broke Dancing With the Stars into two nights of competition, and thus there is no elimination on week five. Their scores and viewer votes will carry over into next week. There are only eight couples left on the show and there is no room for mediocre dancing. In addition to stepping up the difficulty of the routines, this week each couple had to perform two dances; one was a “guilty pleasure” (to a song that is their guilty pleasure) and a team free-style.

            Even the weakest of the dancers showed great improvement this week, however there were disagreements on the judges’ panel. The judges noticed marked improvements in Kirstie Alley, especially in her lines and how she held her carriage. The judges commented on the sexiness of Apollo Anto Ohno, but Carrie Ann said she just hadn’t seen a standout dance from him yet. The judges said Melissa Rycroft showed a different side of herself, a more gritty personality in her dance.

            My two favorite dancers performed the same style this week, but with a different sort of take. Gilles Marini and Peta performed a sexy and sensual rumba to “I Will Always Love You” on Monday night and Carrie Ann called it the baby maker and was so excited about the dance she fell out of her seat. I was excited about the dance, but not physically moved. Shawn Johnson and Derek performed a flowing and dramatic rumba to “My Heart Will Go On.” During rehearsals Shawn said she has trouble showing emotion and was worried about this dance, however she put her insecurities aside and showed great vulnerability. Their dance showcased great story telling with Derek slipping under a platform at the end to represent Leo slipping below the water at the end of Titanic.

            If someone were to get eliminated this week I would say it should be Kirstie. She clearly has the least dance ability of any of the celebrities, which is not to say that she has none because she does have talent. The rest of the competitors just have a little more fire in their bellies and bounce in their step. Kirstie has a lot of fan support, so in light of that I think the eliminated dancer would be Kelly Monaco. She landed on the bottom of the leaderboard. She has been struggling with a very tight schedule, but that’s no excuse for slowed improvement.

Stepping It Up

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            I like exercise and staying healthy, and that means getting up off my butt and staying active. According to the American Heart Association, taking 10,000 steps a day is an important aspect of a healthy lifestyle. I have a pedometer to help me track the number of steps I take throughout the day. Monitoring my steps is like a game, and I’m always trying to better the number I had yesterday or my average from last week. It can also be fun to think of new ways to squeeze a few more steps out of the day.

            According to the Yahoo! Shine article “Seven Easy Steps Away to 10,000 Steps a Day” there are certain things you can do through out your day to increase your activity level. One of the tips is to get a pedometer and then monitor progress. I’ve got a handle on that one. Next, if you live close enough, you can walk your kids to school instead of driving them. You can do a drop in on someone while at work. Instead of texting or emailing in the office, take the time to get up to go see your co-workers. You can also skip the elevator and opt for the stairs and the extra steps. You can try parking farther away from your destination. Lastly, when shopping you should browse more; walk up and down the aisles for exercise. I often use these methods of gaining more steps in the day, however I will make a conscious effort to do so more often and attempt to find other ways to roll the numbers on my pedometer. I will report back.

Hazing Punishment

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            The 2011 hazing death of Robert Champion is now infamous in many circles. Champion died after an induction of sorts into the Florida A&M’s Marching 100. The cause of death was multiple blunt force traumas. Now justice has been served for Champion’s family, or has it? Bryan Jones, one of the accused was sentenced this week to community control, probation, and community service. He initially pleaded not guilty but then changed his plea to no contest in order to stay out of prison. The trouble with prosecuting this case is that there are multiple defendants who are all accused of taking part in the hazing ritual, and since Champion died of multiple blunt force traumas it is impossible to know which punch, kick, or assault was actually the deathblow. This sentencing is the first of many in this case, and I believe we can expect the others to duplicate this punishment.

            This is just another terrible example of how hazing has gotten out of hand. Hazing is not something new, especially among bands and athletic teams. However, in a quest to outdo every other initiation that has come before or at least make the new initiation class suffer more than you suffered during your turn, things are being taken to the extreme. In the case of Robert Champion the hazing ritual is called “crossing the bus” and the pledges had to run down the center aisle from the front to the back while being beaten by senior members. The Marching 100 was suspended and faces disciplinary action. Many other similar organizations have since gone under review. These sorts of reviews are important because violent hazing needs to stop. The practice does not foster a safe environment and while not everyone has to participate, peer pressure dictates the actions of many young adults. In Champion’s case, it seems the behavior he agreed to in order to fit in with the cool crowd ended up getting him killed.

            While Jones was not sentenced to prison time, I do not think his sentence was too lenient. He’ll serve six months of community control where his movements will be monitored, two years of supervised probation, and 200 hours of community service. It is not likely that he knew while holding Champion in a bear hug during the beating that he would contribute to a death, but he should have known something like that could happen. By pleading no contest, Jones avoided up to 72 months in a state penitentiary. The state is making an example out of him and the other defendants. This is a very visible case and it is turning into a teachable moment for kids and young adults everywhere. People are learning that they can and will be prosecuted even if they didn’t technically commit murder there will be a price to pay.

Crabbing for Dinner

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            On a recent night out I went to Joe’s Crab Shack for dinner. While the experience was great and the food was excellent it doesn’t beat the feeling of accomplishment of eating a lovely crab dinner that you caught yourself. When I was vacationing in Vancouver, my fellow travelers and I attempted to fish for crab off of a pier one afternoon. Bob purchased a license to go crabbing and we were armed with a flat circular cage to trap the crustaceans. There were plenty of others on the pier attempting to do the same thing we were. Most of them were families, trying to give their children a one of a kind experience. We tried many different methods of crabbing, changing up the bait, altering how we threw the cage, and the alternating location of our cast. We most often caught small crabs that had to be thrown back and we also caught some starfish. However, at the end of the day we were able to take five with us. We stopped off at the grocery store on the way back to pick up the accompaniments for a great meal. Preparing the meal was almost as fun as attempting to catch the crabs. There were mashed potatoes, green beans, melted butter, and dinner rolls. It was quite the feast!

The Bridezilla Email

             Every now and then we hear of a bridezilla that takes the term control freak to the next level. Recently, an email from one bride to her ten potential bridesmaids became public. This email was filled with ridiculous demands and a misconception that the lucky couple and their bridal events are the center of the universe. The email basically tells the women that if they can't comply with the demands they will be replaced as a bridesmaid and relegated to the role of guest. This email has gone viral and is being called the most ridiculous email a bride has ever sent to her bridesmaids. 

Reasons Why You Cannot Be a Bridesmaid 

Bridezilla's Crazy Email to Bridesmaids Goes Viral. We Respond to Her Demands. 

           The outrageous email has garnered quite a response as people around the world scoff at the ridiculous requirements for being a bridesmaid, including the monetary conditions that must be met in order to participate. A year away from the big day and there are already three major events planned in three different states across the country, which means airfare, hotels, dresses, etc. I think the email takes the typical bossy bride persona to the next level. Your wedding should be an enjoyable experience for everyone involved, not just you because it went exactly as you had planned and dreamed. You are not doing your bridesmaids a favor by selecting them to intensively deal with your craziness in the months leading up to the nuptials. They're doing you a favor by helping with the planning and keeping you calm during the process. Furthermore, I do not think someone should be required to spend buckets of money on events leading up to your wedding. Spending a certain amount of money should be expected, but if it is a requirement that your friends drop several hundred dollars for events leading up to your vows then you should rethink your plans and perhaps just go on tour. 

Banning Cheetos

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            I don’t think anyone would argue that Cheetos are health food. All you have to do is look at the fluorescent residue on your fingers after eating the snack to realize that you’ve just consumed garbage. They’re addictive and I can’t give them up! I’ve been working on making Cheetos a thing of my past for a while. It’s actually cyclical; I’ll give them up for a few months and then in a weak moment I’ll snag the impulse buy and snarf down the entire bag before my guilty conscience starts yelling at me.

According to a Yahoo! News article, “Why Are States Banning Flamin’ Hot Cheetos? Because They’re Seriously Nasty” there’s a movement in school districts in California and New Mexico that would make giving up the snack a big easier. They’re trying to ban the snack because they say each individual bag is a certifiable health hazard. Each bag has 26 grams of fat and 25 percent of the recommended daily intake of salt. There are also dyes and fillers. The worst part is that experts say Cheetos are hyperpalatable, which means they’re extremely addictive. A clinical psychologist at the University of Michigan says our brains find fats and salts rewarding and Cheetos have both elements at such high levels that it triggers an addictive process.

I agree with the healthy movement for schools to ban snacks and sodas from school vending machines and stores. I feel students should be given healthier options to fuel their brains and bodies. Many parents strive to serve their children nutritious foods when they’re at home, however when they’re at school the parents have less control over what their kids are putting in their bodies. These bans would help make sure youth are not able to sneak unhealthy foods against the parents wishes.

The Public Breast Feeding Debate

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            A new commercial for Luvs diapers is bringing the debate over public breast-feeding back into focus. The ad shows a mother breastfeeding a child at her table at a restaurant. There is a blanket covering the feeding child. Then the commercial cuts to a few years later with a new baby and no blanket covering the feeding child. The commercial voiceover says, "By their second kid every mom is an expert." However, according to Yahoo! Shine, many journalists are praising the ad for promoting feeding at the restaurant table.

            It seems every few months there is some story or movement that brings the breast-feeding debate back into the spotlight. There are strong opinions over the issue and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. It seems the breast-feeding controversy is rather one sided, at least only one side of the issue actively participates in the argument. That one side is made up of those who are working to push for acceptance, and they’ve staged feed-ins, and other protests. The critics only respond and react to those attempts, and the media gives very selective attention to the issue. I wonder if the continued campaign for acceptance will eventually wear the critics into complacency and acceptance.

Should Youth Football Be Banned?

            There’s a proposal in one community to ban high school football. In Dover, New Hampshire there’s concern over the repeated number of head traumas sustained by the players. According to CNN.com, Dr. Paul Butler, a retired surgeon and a Dover school board member, said football is the only game in his opinion that uses the head as a battering ram repeatedly during games and practice. Additionally, he cited studies on the long-term effects of concussions.

            It is a fact that football players sustain head injuries. Often times the concussions are undetected and happen repeatedly. However, is banning the sport at the high school level the right way to go? A law like that is likely to upset many parents and students. It is hard to believe that we have exhausted all safety options for youth football equipment. Officials could also look into new rules that are meant to discourage practices that often lead to head injuries. Furthermore, if high school football is banned, teens will not stop playing. New club teams will pop up in the place of the high school team. The club teams could even end up having fewer regulations that once protected the children. I am not in favor of a ban on high school football. It seems like an extreme attempt to quell the number of concussions among teens; there are many alternatives that should be explored first.

Bullied Teen's Pre-Death Video

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            October is Bullying Prevention Awareness month and one mother is hoping the video her bullied daughter made before she committed suicide will bring more light to the negative effects of bullying. In the video, the Canadian teen, Amanda Todd, explains her torment by bullies by holding up cue cards that tell her story. Her trouble started when she flashed an online chat room and one boy decided to use the pictures against her. The story ends with her saying “I have nobody. I need someone.” Only a few hundred people saw the video while the teen was alive, but hundreds of thousands have watched it since her death. Her problems were caused by constant taunting and repeated cyber attacks. I hope some good does come out of this video's new popularity. From the publicity surrounding this video and its reaction, I hope bullied teens see that they're not alone and that there are people who care and think similar situations are heinous.

CNN story: Bullied Canadian teen leaves behind chilling YouTube video

Dacing With the Stars: Week 4

America finally decided that Bristol Palin’s time on Dancing With the Stars is over. Bristol and Mark’s Rock n’ Roll dance highlighted her artistic transformation. Bristol was really developing into a dancer and it was fun to see her improvement. Her footwork this week was cleaner than the past, but she still was miles behind the other celebrity competitors. Also, her enthusiasm was lacking when compared to Mark’s, and at times she looked bored during the routine. It was evident by watching the reel cut from the practices that Bristol didn’t want to push the envelope; she was perfectly content just completing the assignment whereas the rest of the celebrities on the all-star cast consistently try to out-do their previous dances and everything that’s been done before them.

Kirstie Alley and Maks landed on the bottom of the leader board once again, and they were in the so-called bottom three this week. However, their Charleston was fun and you could tell that Kirstie and Maks were trying to add new and more complicated elements to their performance. Their efforts attempted to push Kirstie’s dance abilities to the next level. I feel they did well, and this was the first week that I didn’t feel like Kirstie’s feet were desperately trying to catch up with her body. I believe America also saw the saw growth and potential in Kirstie, and that’s why they voted to keep her.

This week I was able to narrow my list of favorites down to just two, and they’ve been long time favorites. Shawn Johnson and Derek had a high energy, fun mambo routine. Their lifts were more than just standard lifts. There were added twists and turns, and often one lift contained multiple elements. Gilles and Peta landed on my favorite list again with their creative nod to Bollywood. This dance was like nothing ever seen on Dancing with the Stars. There were fun tricks, including Gilles leaping over Peta’s leg during a kick. Gilles had some great facial expressions to really deliver the experience; as a viewer I really felt like I was transported to Bollywood.

There are a couple other dancers that are worth mentioning this week. I thoroughly enjoyed Emmitt Smith and Cheryl’s Bolero. It was smooth, sensual, and clean. The dance was simple and didn’t have many frills, but it was so well done and emotional that it didn’t need the smoke and mirrors. In addition, Sabrina Bryant and Louie bettered their efforts of last week by taking more risks. Last week, Carrie Anne criticized them for delivering a routine that was like others Sabrina had performed in the past. The duo changed it up and gave the judges what they asked for.

Hoosier Values in an Election Season

             As this campaign season progresses I feel more and more alienated by local politics. In all the places I have lived I never noticed people going so far out of their way to create an identity and a characteristic for all voters within a certain district. I am bombarded with phrases like hardworking Hoosiers, Hoosier common sense, Hoosier values, etc. Am I supposed to believe that those who live in other states are not hardworking or as hardworking as Hoosiers? Am I supposed to believe that I have less common sense than most Hoosiers? I understand what the politicians are trying to do. They’re trying to make voters feel good about themselves and their choices while letting them know if they are real Hoosiers they will identify with candidate X or candidate Y.

            Despite my not being a real Hoosier, I will not abstain from voting in local contests. However, I have not heard anything in any of the campaign advertisements that sets the candidates apart from one another. In the campaign messages there hasn't been much information on policy plans or political goals. They’re all telling me the same thing, that hardworking Hoosiers have enough common sense to vote to put someone in office that cares about the people in this state. Now how will a message like that educate the electorate? I expect the lack of substance in the campaign commercials to only get worse as the election nears. Any and all candidates are afraid of making too many waves right now. Their goal is to steer down the center and avoid any surprises. Like many others, I will be happy when the election is over. Only three weeks left!

Another Perspective on Instagram

       On September 29th I wrote a blog called "The Instagram Joke." This is not a retraction, as I still feel the same way about the ridiculous social media photo app. However, I am writing this now to present a different perspective on the affect Instagram has had on society, especially on the art and craft of photography. CNN Opinion has an article and video feature called "Photographers, Embrace Instagram." The author, Richard Koci Hernandez, talks about how Instagram is just another tool, a means to an end, in the photographic process. Furthermore, he feels this new technology ushers in a change that is not unlike changes of the past, those in favor of newer and easier methods of photography and/or developing film. I enjoyed watching the author talk about his views on photography and how he views Instagram in the changing landscape of photography. 

Nip Here, Tuck There

            When I was in my twenties I vowed that I would treat myself to Botox on my 30^th birthday. I figured by that time the wrinkles would be very noticeable. Time has treated me better than I thought and I delayed my cosmetic fix on that age milestone. Years later, I am now trying to figure out which treatment would be more suitable to my visage. There are plenty of products out there, so the selection I make really will depend on what I want the treatment to do for me.

            I am leaning toward getting filler injected into my laugh lines as I feel Botox wouldn’t eliminate those sneaky creases. I have looked into Restylane, which is an injectable gel. I have joked with a friend about a spa day in which she would get a chemical peel and I would get my own business taken care of. However, I’m not sold on carrying through with a cosmetic procedure. As I said, time has not been bad to me and I may just continue with my current skin care regimen of day lotion, makeup removers, wrinkle serum, night cream and the occasional microdermabrasion. In truth, I don’t mind the laugh lines. They give me character and are a tell tale sign that I am a generally happy person.

To My 15-Year-Old Self

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             What advice would I have to give to my 15-year-old self? Recently, CNN spoke to numerous influential women and asked them that same question. There’s advice from Oprah, Melinda Gates, Maria Shriver, and Maria Sharapova to name a few. The responses deal with a lesson each woman had to learn while growing older that they wished they would have known when they were younger. Most of them involve some sort of direction to never give up on your dreams. My advice to my 15-year-old self would be a version of that. The lesson comes from the wise Eleanor Roosevelt; no one can make you feel inferior without your consent. Throughout life, many people will try to discourage you from accomplishing your goals. That is often because they have different expectations for you. Do not let these people stop you from reaching your dream and do not think less of yourself just because they do. The limitations they set on you are not your barriers. Believe in yourself and prove the naysayers wrong.

The Next Big Exercise Thing

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            It seems there’s always a new trend in aerobics. The Zumba craze has infiltrated the lives of most workout conscious people in the United States. It may have reached the point of saturation where everyone who will try it has, and people are now looking for the new, latest thing. That latest thing could be Airobics, a high flying calorie burn. According to WebMD, this workout has people springing into the air on a trampoline. It is a cardio class that burns fat, but is gentler on the joints. However, if that is a little too much bounce for you, there’s jumping shoes. This low-impact cardio is gentle on the body. WebMD says it is kind of like grownup moon shoes. You can jog or do aerobics in them, however if you have a medical condition or have trouble with balance you may not want to try them.

            I am generally not one to jump on new exercise trends. I like the tried and true cardio machines that work for my schedule and my health goals. I like to multitask and I often feel guilty while exercising if I am not also doing another productive activity, like reading. It is fun to take classes, and this is something that I would not be opposed to in the future since I will have a better and more flexible schedule than I have in the past. Still, I do not know that I will try any of these high-flying exercise methods, unless someone pays me!