Love this, Stacia. Thank you. :) I also like this part. Dh says it's why I cry so often. These days, I seem to cry all the time. individuals who frequently read fiction seem to be better able to understand other people, empathize with them and see the world from their perspective. This relationship persisted even after the researchers accounted for the possibility that more empathetic individuals might prefer reading novels. A 2010 study by Dr. Mar found a similar result in preschool-age children: the more stories they had read to them, the keener their theory of mind — an effect that was also produced by watching movies but, curiously, not by watching television. (Dr. Mar has conjectured that because children often watch TV alone, but go to the movies with their parents, they may experience more “parent-children conversations about mental states” when it comes to films.) Fiction and movies.

This one. Love, love, love it. Will get it soon, I hope. This one is pure nostalgia - grad school, living in NYC, getting engaged and all.

I don't know the ones you mentioned. The one I have and refer to all the time is Juicing for Life. Off to look at the ones you suggested.

ABSOLUTE AND ALL-TIME FAVORITES Harry Potter books A Thousand Splendid Suns - this one, by far, is amongst one of the best books I have ever read The Help The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende and anything else by her, but this is her best. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Allende :D The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy .. but the first book is quite boring and confusing in the first 60-70 pages. Hang in there. It does get better! Yes, they are graphic. But I tend to look beyond that and just focus on the story The Geography of Bliss – non-fiction, very insightful Mindset – non-fiction, a book that one should read at least once – really gets you thinking Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea OTHER BOOKS THAT I HAVE LOVED (not in any particular order) The Five People You Meet in Heaven - if you're in the mood for a very, sweet and easy read - as are all of his books - Tuesdays with Morrie - and pretty much any other Mitch Albom book – we even got the DVDs of three of his books and really liked them Can't Wait to Get to Heaven by Fannie Flagg and most of her books - very sweet and light - and quite funny Funny in Farsi - if you need a nice laugh as well as her other book Laughing without an Accent Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett The Secret Life of Bees The Book Thief Books by Maeve Binchy – light, fluffy, but also very accurate about human interactions and relationships Outliers … and all Malcolm Gladwell books Confessions of a Prairie B*tch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated – some painful stuff, very engaging, entertaining, lots of humor – loved this book - but more enjoyable if you liked the TV series Middlesex – Jeffrey Eugenides The Poisonwood Bible – Barbara Kingsolver The Housekeeper and the Professor

I used to bleach my arm hairs for years and years. Now, I have them waxed about every 3 months. Neither caused stubble. I would never dream of shaving them. Stubble on the arms is not a pleasant thought.

Kristen, my hair is exactly like yours, it seems. When I read your post, I smiled. :grouphug: I used to get a harsher treatment once a year in the U.S. - about $400 or so. Lasted about 4-6 months and my hair was amazing. Loved it. Dead straight. Here, I get a milder treatment (Paul Mitchell) with far fewer health risks. It cuts down on the frizz but unfortunately, is not nearly as effective. My hair is not straight or anything. Wish it were or at least have much less frizz. It helps, but it's not the magic bullet by any means. I use my CHI straightening iron for special occasions. I dislike using such high heat on my hair on a daily basis. I'm not a perfectionist by any means and when I do use the CHI, I don't spend more than 5-10 minutes on it maximum. I use sulfate free shampoos, etc. - stuff that I get from the salon. Yes, the treatment I used to get in the U.S. was with formaldehyde, I'm quite sure. As far as I know, the Brazilian blow out has formaldehyde and is not very safe.

:iagree: My favorite female author ever. :D I've read and loved all of her books, but her best by far, and the one to start with is House of Spirits. Yes. :) Love her also. :D Others that I have loved: Can't Wait to Get to Heaven by Fannie Flagg and most of her books - very sweet and light - and quite funny Funny in Farsi by Firoozeh Dumas if you need a nice laugh as well as her other book Laughing without an Accent

Thanks again, everyone. :D

Yes, and my dd is the same way also. She says that the Kindle lacks a soul :lol:. We're both book smellers and love to feel them - especially the deckle-edged ones or the ones with covers that you can feel, etc. Yes, I always love book smellers. That's how I met one of my best friends - in a bookstore and she noticed me smelling books. :lol:

Jeanette Jenkins: Core & Stretch It Out

Leslie Sansone: Burn Body Fat & Sculpt Your Arms

Denise Austin: Stretch and Flex (from way back in the '80s :lol:)

Cardio Callanetics

Flights are expensive. Hotels are horribly expensive also. We can't get anything yet for the summer. Greed, plain and simple. :glare:

:grouphug: I remember that time very well. :grouphug: Rebounding Quick Callanetics: Hips & Behind

You are all so incredibly helpful. Thank you. :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: Picmonkey is great. :D :) :D

Are there any user-friendly and easy photo resizing sites? Thank you.

Yes, that could be it. ;) :lol: For me, I think it was also timing and stress. When I'm going through stress, etc. - I find it very hard to focus on and enjoy a book. Also, above as Rosie mentioned (not as interesting of a person as I was hoping she'd be), as well as possible French Revolution burnout - Scarlet Pimpernel, Tale of Two Cities, etc. - although I haven't read either in about 8 years ... But they certainly made an impact.

Cardio Callanetics - 2 parts to this DVD - I liked the 2nd part more.

Same here. :glare:

:iagree: This has been the one I've worn the most from the time dh and I were dating and for our wedding, etc. Pure nostalgia. :) Yesterday, because of this thread, I did on an online search for my favorite perfume of all time. I almost cried with joy because after over 10 years, it's finally back. They had stopped making it altogether. Dh and I even went into their store in NYC and begged them to bring it back. They refused. That was about 10 years ago. Now, it's back. :D Expensive, but boy do we love it. Can't wait to get it. Others that I like a lot: Crabtree and Evelyn Rose Eternity Michael by Michael Kors Marc Jacobs Beauty by Kate Spade - but I haven't seen this one in years J’Adore Hot Couture DKNY Be Delicious

Last night I finished Madame Tussaud. It took me longer than usual to finish and as I mentioned earlier in this thread, it was beginning to drag on. But then I ended up liking it and am grateful to have read her story. I learned a lot and it gave me lots to think about. As far as French Revolution stuff goes, I prefer the Scarlet Pimpernel series and also Tale of Two Cities, but this was also enjoyable. I'd rate it 3 out of 5 stars.

:iagree: Jen, I really liked this one a lot. My dd is reading the 2nd one in this series and really likes it. She loves the covers. She says that she never wants a Kindle :lol:. I like my Kindle a lot, but I much prefer holding, feeling and, most importantly smelling a book. :D

Aerobics

Glad you're putting images again. :D Stacia, no need to be sorry. I think it's either my timing - far too much stress lately and/or the fact that I've read and loved other stuff about the French Revolution and am possibly French Revolution-ed out :lol:. I'm at the point where I just wish she would hurry up and get herself out of France already. :lol: ;) Looks good. :) :lol: I hear you. Wouldn't mind going again, but not my favorite place on earth by any means. ;) Read this a few years ago and liked it. Didn't LOVE it, but liked it well enough.