Lisa's 12 Week Summer Jump Start

I am starting a 12 week Summer Weight Jump Start. I am out of school for the summer, so I can go from maintenance to losing.

My Start weight is 243 lbs.

My measurements from 5/30/10 are:

arm: 15.25 in
chest: 47.0 in
hips: 51.5 in
waist: 41.5 in
wrist 6.25 in
Right thigh 29.0 inch

The goal is to lose 22 lbs by Sept. 1st.

The habits I am focusing on for the week of 5/30/10 to 6/5/10 are:

1. Only eat the 30 points a day WW has assigned me, plus my weekly flex.
2. Get 15 Activity points. I already have 5 of 15.

Pregnant at 47: Can I do that?

Elizabeth Cohen, CNN Senior Medical Correspondent reports on pregancy in later life.

The key to this phenomena is
1. Money, about $16,000
2. Donor eggs
3. Healthy uterus

Celebs who fit in this category are:

• Actress Geena Davis had a baby at age 46,
• Actress Beverly D'Angelo at 49
• Actress Marcia Cross at 44
• Supermodel Iman at 45.
• Actress Holly Hunter had twins at 47.

If you are a regular person these are the facts:

1. Spontaneous pregnancy [rates for] someone 47 is VERY low . Your chances of conceiving naturally at that age are less than 5 percent each month, and the miscarriage rate in the first trimester is 70 to 80 percent.

2. Success with IVF at this age with patient's own eggs is practically unheard of.

3. 70 percent to 75 percent success rate when women in their mid- to late 40s use donor eggs.

4. It costs $20,000 to $30,000 per attempt to get pregnant with donor eggs at the New York University Fertility Center,.

Being Nice not Nice for Everybody

There's an excellent article and comments section on Jezebel.com you can read HERE discussing the Kendra Wilkerson "Sex Tape." It's NSFW because there's a screen cap from the "film" and it discusses what is on the tape--essentially, what is on the tape is coerced sex and a great deal of bullying and not respecting Kendra's boundaries (like when she requests that he not tape her, repeatedly, and when he insists she open her legs, etc.). The author discusses it better than I can and really hits the nail on the head--this isn't rape, but it isn't a positive sexual encounter and young men need to learn to LISTEN to young women for sex to be mutual. Young women also need to learn to stand up for themselves and not try to be a man-pleaser all the time. Being "nice" can also make you feel like crap--which is apparent in this tape. Read it, read the comments--comment here and let me know your thoughts.

p.s. This was not a professional porn video where she was playing a "role" which was playing at protestation, this was a real, sad and unsatisfying sexual encounter with a douchebag that is now being exploited by said douchebag for profit (and I hope he never gets laid again as a result... that would at least be karmically appropriate!!!).

How Biggest Loser's SunShine Hampton Dropped 115 Pounds!

SunShine Hampton dropped 99 pounds on The Biggest Loser -- and then lost 16 more at home after being voted off in March.

In the new issue of Us Weekly, on stands today, the 5-foot-6 aspiring nurse, 24 -- who has never went on a date or had a boyfriend -- explains how she went from a size 24 to a size 8 in eight months.

I am happy for her, but I want the media to drop the portrayal of fat girl can't get a man. If we we ever watch Maury Show. We see tons of overweight women dealing with man drama.

British Tabloids Have No Shame, But then Nor Does the Tabacco Industry

There is quite a bit of pablum on the interwebs this week about a Sumatran toddler taped by a British tabloid reporter smoking a cigarette like an extra from Mad Men. Also, notably, he's chubby. Apparently he had his first cigarette at 18 months (given to him by his father in a country where 60% of adult men smoke) and he's been addicted ever since. Salon has a good break down HERE.

Salon tries to divert the attention from the Sun commentors' vitrol at the parents toward the tobacco industry--and giving us important factoids about the tobacco industry's free reign in many developing countries where they sponsor events, advertise freely, have girls dressed in skimpy clothing giving out free samples and most notably breaking public health laws that aren't enforced due to poverty and corruption. A doctor has apparently talked to the parents before and after the airing of the video about the fact that their son will probably not live to adulthood due to the smoking and his weight, so some efforts have been made to help educate the parents, but these particular parents aren't really the issue. I am 100% sure that a British couple has at some point encouraged (as a joke) their toddler to smoke, but we don't hold that against an entire culture/country (as I'm 100% sure an American couple/parent has done so).

The fact is, we have 1. bad parents and 2. A POWERFUL TOBACCO INDUSTRY that has more influence in popular culture than any single industry, particularly one pushing cancer causing agents, should have. Like in the West, the developing world will have to go through a generation or two hacking to death before tougher regulation is implemented--although these lessons have already been learned before. Or, could we have international treaties that deal specifically with tobacco that learns from the mistakes of the developed world's past? Why not.

Rand Paul: Libertarian Juvenile Who Flunked History

I currently live in Kentucky and if your a bit of a political wonk, you might know that there was a highly contested primary election here between a Tea Party Candidate (Libertarian Rand Paul) and the establishment Republican candidate (Trey Grayson). Paul beat Grayson by a wide margin although Grayson was endorsed by Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (notorious closeted right-wing, self-loathing douchebag of the universe). Anyway, Palin endorsed Paul and his father's fame, Ron Paul who was the single-voice in the Republican Presidential primary to oppose the war in Iraq, helped propel him to the forefront.

Well, today I saw some good news, after Paul's week of saying truly stupid things on every major network and media outlet, his poll numbers have dropped to 44 Paul/40 Conway (Oh, I should mentioned that Conway was the most progressive candidate in the Democratic side and I was pleased to pieces that he got the nod--and if I'm still here in the Fall I will be volunteering for his campaign).

One of the incredibly stupid things Paul said was that he opposes the Public Accommodations portions of the 1964 Civil Rights Act because he believes that a business owner's rights triumphs all other rights--really, property owners triumph human rights, environmental rights and the needs of community. He is a Libertarian--a philosophy devoted to bolstering property owners and the establishment wealth systems (and notice it grew as a movement once Civil Rights and Women's Rights started to question heirarchy). Most Libertarian, 14-year old boys or grown men suspended at the intellectual and moral age of 14, claim that their political philosophy is all about freedom--but that's complete and utter bullshit.

Its about maintaining white-male dominance through gaming the system to make sure that wealth and power are consolidated (as they have since the foundations of this nation). You see, regulations, fair business and labor practices and anti-discrimination legislation helps people of color and women to build wealth. Libertarians can't have that and even though they might lobby for a Black man or white woman to come to their political camp for picture opps and soundbites (as long as they support pull yourself up from your boot-straps language), their policies are specifically designed to maintain a system and promote a system of oppression and inequality.

Paul's admission that he opposes Public Accommodation, yet he claims he would have marched with King, is laughable at best. Everyone likes to think that they'd march with King or fight the Nazi's "if they were alive then." The truth is, Paul's philosophy would have had him beating down protesters and there are plenty in his party today that did just that. I'm a Unitarian and I've heard that almost 1 in 2 UU ministers were actually at the March on Washington in 1963 and we had many young people going down south to help with the bus boycotts and protests (and the first white people killed by dirty cops during the Civil Rights Movement were UU's). So, if I were alive and I were consistent in my philosophy, I hope I would have marched with King, but I certainly can't say I'd definitely would have because context is too rich to speculate. But I do know that statistically Libertarian/Conservatives like Paul rarely participated in Civil Rights work, but that Liberal/Unitarians did. Regardless of what these theoretical people (mid-century Paul and mid-century Thealogian) would have done, members who belonged to our respective movements HAD VERY DIFFERENT KINDS AND LEVELS OF ENGAGEMENT. To try to re-write history and claim that you hold this philosophy dear and you would have then, BUT you would have been the one Conservative to actually be a Liberal, is bullshit. I know for example, if I were to put myself into the Unitarian movement in the 1900's, I probably would have been for Prohibition, which was a monumental failure and really is responsible for the modern mob--oops, sorry for that! In the 1860's, I would have been an Abolitionists, because my tradition was. These are statistical probabilities and speculative. The truth is, Paul and Thealogian weren't around, but we can learn from history. Free markets didn't integrate this country--people with courage and conviction did. Acts of Congress did!

SHOCKING PIC: 50 Cent Drops 54 Pounds!

Inspired by a pal who died of cancer, 50 Cent penned and stars in Things Fall Apart, a flick about a football player stricken with the disease.

“I lost 54 pounds for it,” the 6-foot rapper, 34 --- who dropped from 214 pounds to an astonishing 160 with a liquid diet and three-hour-a-day treadmill walks for nine weeks -- tells the new Us Weekly (on newsstands now). "I was starving."

I am proud of 50 Cent for going above and beyond for an acting role. Many Hollywood types put down Rapper turned actors for not studying the craft. He is showing he will do what it takes to get the character.

Vintage Beauties: Sophia Loren

Breakfast the Other Day

Okay, so I can't remember when I ate this, but I'm trying to do a bit more food blogging. It was delicious, I highly recommend learning how to pouch eggs. Having the eggs over collard greens or spinach is particularly delicious. Here is one Farmer's Market Free-Range egg with one egg white over collards.
Then I had some French-Press Pot 1/4 caf & 3/4 decaf coffee with vanilla soy milk and a touch of agave.

Blendin' In the Office

So, I really enjoy smoothies for breakfast, but since I leave for the office at 6:20 a.m., if I blend at home and then drink in the car, I'm: 1. hungry early in the day; 2. late for work because there's no way! So, alas, since I started this earlier schedule, I haven't had a smoothie--and you'll remember I bought a big tub of Amazing Meal Original Flavor chaulk full of super-food greens and rice/hemp proteins after they sent me free samples. Well, the other day I came across this smaller blender with the top portion coming off as a cup. Its from Hamilton Beach and it was $15.

It blends really well--frozen berries, bananas and of course GREENS are as well blended in this little guy as they are in a big mama blender. Its not super easy bringing all of the ingredients to work (I have a mini-fridge, so storage isn't a problem). In the above image, I use vanilla yogurt and some vanilla milk from Organic Horizons. Currently, I have vanilla soy milk in my fridge which keeps longer. I don't have a smoothie every morning, sometimes its Greek Yogurt & Granola and sometimes its Oatmeal, but I will tomorrow! One thing I'm out of that I love in smoothies: Chia Seeds! Lots of Omega-3's, fiber and the right kind of "grit" I like in my smoothies (along with the berry seeds). Oh, I've also recently started adding Maca Powder--it doesn't really do anything to the taste, but it does give it a slightly strange smell, but its supposed to be great for the endocrine system, so I'll stick with it (unless until I'm done with the bag).

Real Housewife -- Unreal Post Baby Body

Sixteen days after giving birth to her daughter on May 8th, "Real Housewives of NYC" star Bethenny Frankel showed off her non-existent baby weight in Manhattan on Monday.

Don't try this at home. Being this thin after baby takes many things:

1. Expensive underwear

2. Breast feeding

3. Not gain more then 20lbs for the pregnancy

4. Being at goal weight before baby

Feminist Rapper II

Feminist Rapper Episode 2: Real Ladies Fight Back - watch more funny videos

So funny!

Homage to Lost

By the time this post reaches you, my favorite TV show, Lost, will have aired its final episode. Above you will find an excellent rap-tribute video. Enjoy.

p.s. If you haven't watched the show from the beginning, you will not get it! Seriously, check out the DVD's and enjoy--best show evaaahr!

Jason Alexander New Face of Jenny Craig

Comedian Jason Alexander unveils his new slimmed-down figure with classic self-deprecating hilarity in a new Jenny Craig commercial, airing today. “Take a look, drink it in,” he sings while clad in a skin-tight outfit. “I was fat, now I’m thin!” The actor, who signed on as a spokesman for the weight loss program in January, has since shaved off 30 lbs. from his starting weight of 195 lbs.

Click above for a peak at the TV ad. Talking about Jenny Craig spokespeople is one of "my things". So here I go.

1. I am glad to see a man exploited.
2. I am also glad to see a man in skimpy outfits for no apparent reason. If Valerie and Kristie got to be in a Swimsuit. I want to see Jason in one also.
3. Out of all of the diet plans, I give Jenny Craig 10 out of 10 for advertising.

The Education of Shelby Knox--Looks Like A Really Interesting Documentary

This young woman looks so brave! Its a documentary following a high school student who opposes the abstinence only education model offered at her school/church.

Glee Inspired Flash-Mob in Seattle--Love IT!!!

Vintage Beauties: Rosemary Clooney

The Case for a Harem of Husbands

Abigail Haworth writes about Nadine Al-Bedair, host of Equality on TV network Alhurra. She recent put her life on the line by writing a musing about how much fun she'd have picking out her husbands if polygamy were legal for women.

This article was denied publication in many Muslim and Islamic countries. She has even received death threats for raising the question.

I think it is very said that in 2010 freedom of speech has not reached every corner of the global. I am just glad that technology has give no traditional outlets for people to get there stories out.

The Smile Takes the Win

American Allyson Felix, centre, smiles as she wins the Women's 200m competition during the Great City Games in central Manchester, England, Sunday, May 16, 2010. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Should You Put Your Man Before Your Career?

Sally Lauckner interviews the authors of Boys Before Business . The authors suggest that women put themselves first, their relationship second, and their career last. That’s the key to having a lasting relationship. It’s not a matter of being traditional; it’s about figuring out what you want in life. And the same goes for your boyfriend or husband: He should also put you before his career.

Well this book works like The Secret. They believe if you make time and space for current and/or future romantic relationships you will find happiness.

I say to each there own. If you have a crappy job, then I say bet the farm on love. But if you have a kick ass career on the rise, I say go with the bird in the hand.

Preniva: The Drug You Take Because You're Scared

Feminist Rapper

Feminist Rapper Episode 1: A Lady Made That - watch more funny videos

Today, May 17th is the first day of my first Women & Gender Studies Course that I actually get to teach! I've taught in the English department for years, but getting a WGS course is gonna be great. To celebrate, I thought I'd share Funny of Die's "Feminist Rapper" which is actually quite earnest and badass. Enjoy!

Attack of the Bridesmaidzillas

Megan Angelo writes about out of control, mean, and disrespectful bridesmaids for Marie Clarie. The reason for the bad behaviour:

1. Cliques in the bridal party.
2. Miscommunication threw technology.
3. Resentment toward the bride.
4. Cost of being a bridesmaid


Bad behaviour is inexcusable. Yet, much can be avoided if the bride would be more thoughtful in her bridesmaids selection. Here are my tips for brides:

1. For example, if you best friend doesn't have $300 for a bridesmaid dress. Why not ask her to be an usher or read a selection at the wedding.

2. The bride should have a solid estimate of time and money you are asking your bridesmaid to commit to you at the time of asking.

3. You should never put someone on the site. Give them a week to make a decision. Give the time to look at there vacation schedule and budget.

Note to Readers

Just a quick note to loyal readers, LisaD and I (Thealogian) have both been sick the past week/week-&-1/2. So, please forgive the paucity of posts. Its hard to think about healthy living when you are throwing up (LisaD) or have a miserable cold (Thealogian). I'll make sure to have several posts next week to make-up!

Vintage Beauties: Rita Hayworth

Vintage Beauties: Tisha Campbell

Tisha Campbell was one of the "IT" girls in the 90's. She was the girl in the movies that the guys always wanted to date seriously. She was the girl to be with in the "House Party" Movies and the "Martin Lawrence Show".

In the 00's, she went from girl friend to wife on the show "My Wife and Kids"

On Happiness

Go read this excellent article by Rebecca Traister at Salon regarding women and happiness. Its called "Screw Happiness" and subtitled "Bombarded by studies about who is content and why, we forget one thing: Dissatisfaction has its own rewards." Do this, don't do that, but do do that, but don't do this...all the contradictory advice forgets that we are individuals and that happiness is A. not meant to be a constant state of being and B. relative.

Michael Lohan

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Vintage Beauties: Raquel Welch

Beyonce Channels Vintage Beauty

"Why Don't You Love Me" - Beyoncé from Beyoncé on Vimeo.

Wow, here's Beyonce channeling some vintage beauty (this Betty Paige tribute married to her co-production of Gaga's Telephone are very interesting artistic choices. I've always liked Beyonce, but I'm lovin' her lately).

We're Number 1...wait, number 28???

According to a Save the Children study, the USA came in 28th (four places behind indebted, bankrupted Greece) in terms of "Best Countries to be a Mother." Check out the wire piece HERE.

Why do we fair so poorly? Well, we have the highest maternal mortality rate in the developed world (thanks Pro-Life, Tea-Bagger reactionaries--opposing universal healthcare really is working out for the baaabeeez) and we have the least generous, non-paid maternity leave in the developed world (actually, our policy indicating 6 wks of non-paid leave is worse than many "second world" countries).

If you're not embarrassed by this, you aren't paying attention. Even if you never anticipate having biological or adopted children, it is a social good for those who do to have a reasonable chance at doing so in optimal conditions. Of course, I blame the Patriachy. We need men and woman advocating for universal healthcare (actual universal healthcare) and family leave policies that support families, rather than reinforcing the view that workers are commodities. Check out Mom's Rising for more information about how you can help out with these efforts.

Boo-Hoo, Crisis Pregnancy Centers Upset About Not Being Allowed to Misrepresent Themselves

So, Baltimore, Maryland has passed a new law (along with Austen, TX) that so called "crisis pregnancy centers" must clearly state on the outside of their store-fronts that they do not offer medical services, including birth-control or abortions. The white, male, fundies who run these centers are upset that they won't be allowed to continue to misrepresent themselves as providers of medical services. Boo-hoo to you. If you have a specific ministry that seeks to dissuade women from getting abortions, fine--its your right. But pretending to be a medical clinic so that you can kidnap and detain women who are in vulnerable positions, lie to them about your services and in many cases, pretend to schedule abortions for them and delay them until they are into their second trimester so that they may not be able to get/afford abortions is WRONG. Its immoral. Its a lie. If you know that your ministry is unsustainable without misrepresenting what you do and who you are, then you are EVIL. Just because you claim Jesus is your bestie, doesn't make lying, cheating, defrauding and terrorizing others right.

Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life

Yesterday I came home to find a shabby little Amazon.com box on the porch (it was battered by the mail-system due to a postal mix-up on the home front). In that shabby little box was a bright happy jewel: "Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life" a text I hope to review in the coming weeks regarding mindful eating and mindful living. I've been wanting to start a meditation practice that helps me deal with food anxiety (as well as general anxiety), so hopefully the tools offered in this text will help me with this enterprise. The authors, Thich Nhat Hanh, Buddhist monk, Nobel Prize winner and peace activist and Lilian Cheung, director of Harvard University's Health Promotion and Communication program in the Department of Public Health, are well known and respected in their fields, so this won't be some flim-flam cliche-strewn book, hopefully. I'll let you know in the coming weeks!

Gabourey Sidibe made the People's 100 Most Beautiful List

Gabourey Sidibe made People's 100 Most Beautiful list. Mediatakeout.com had some complaints about the list. I am happy for her and I think this is the start of beauty comes in more then one shape and color. I think she deserves to be on the list. I do agree more people could have been added to the list, but we remember part of being on the list is showing up for the photo shoot. So some of the choices could have been working and therefore not chosen. So I am going to give People Magazine some concession on the list.

Wendell Berry: The Mad Liberation Farmer Front

Wendell Berry is a Kentucky writer, poet, farmer and activist dedicated to remember and re-membering family farms and stewardship of the land. I've never profiled him before, I particularly enjoy his essays, I own Art of the Commonplace: Agrarian Essays of Wendell Berry and highly recommend it! I'm going to showcase one of his famous poems, "The Mad Liberation Farmer Front" which distills much of his sentiments about the alienation of post-industrial life, unanchored from nature and community. Of course, this is not to privilege rural life over urban--which is often the case in lauds to nature. I offer this poem to celebrate the Spring and to send my hopes to those readers who can to A. start or join a community garden if you are so inclined; B. go to a farmers market if you can; or C. take a moment to really taste your food today and remember that it comes from the land and the labors many.

The Mad Farmer Liberation Front

by Wendell Berry

Love the quick profit, the annual raise,
vacation with pay. Want more
of everything ready-made. Be afraid
to know your neighbors and to die.
And you will have a window in your head.
Not even your future will be a mystery
any more. Your mind will be punched in a card
and shut away in a little drawer.
When they want you to buy something
they will call you. When they want you
to die for profit they will let you know.

So, friends, every day do something
that won't compute. Love the Lord.
Love the world. Work for nothing.
Take all that you have and be poor.
Love someone who does not deserve it.
Denounce the government and embrace
the flag. Hope to live in that free
republic for which it stands.
Give your approval to all you cannot
understand. Praise ignorance, for what man
has not encountered he has not destroyed.

Ask the questions that have no answers.
Invest in the millenium. Plant sequoias.
Say that your main crop is the forest
that you did not plant,
that you will not live to harvest.
Say that the leaves are harvested
when they have rotted into the mold.
Call that profit. Prophesy such returns.

Put your faith in the two inches of humus
that will build under the trees
every thousand years.
Listen to carrion - put your ear
close, and hear the faint chattering
of the songs that are to come.
Expect the end of the world. Laugh.
Laughter is immeasurable. Be joyful
though you have considered all the facts.
So long as women do not go cheap
for power, please women more than men.
Ask yourself: Will this satisfy
a woman satisfied to bear a child?
Will this disturb the sleep
of a woman near to giving birth?

Go with your love to the fields.
Lie down in the shade. Rest your head
in her lap. Swear allegiance
to what is nighest your thoughts.
As soon as the generals and the politicos
can predict the motions of your mind,
lose it. Leave it as a sign
to mark the false trail, the way
you didn't go. Be like the fox
who makes more tracks than necessary,
some in the wrong direction.
Practice resurrection.

Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front" from The Country of Marriage, copyright © 1973 by Wendell Berry.