This is me exactly ... :tongue_smilie:

Don't panic. I think that it will pass. I didn't lose hair after pregnancy, but many do, and it seems to be temporary. Lots of useful tips on hair loss in this thread.

:iagree: :iagree: :iagree: Both from a religious point-of-view and a non-religious one. One could say that a person who refuses to say, get a massage or go to a same-s@x spa, etc. - one who can't even be naked around other people of the same gender, I guess one could say, that they might have a hang up. Although the hang up may often be due to body image, etc. (like the German article mentioned earlier, which I found very interesting and which negates the point of view that n@dism has nothing to do with body image, and, which points out that as German waistlines are growing, n@dism is on the decline). But to say that one frowns on n@dism under what are otherwise normal circumstances, that, to me, is not a hang up. N@dism to me, is beyond the norm. It's outside of acceptable behavior. You mentioned some very good points from an evolutionary and learned point of view - hygiene, bugs, protection, etc. To me, it's just common sense.

Agreeing w/you about the former. No decent library here. About the latter, The Geography of Bliss - a lovely read has a very insightful chapter on Switzerland. I LOVE that book and have read it 3 times. I love, love, love Swiss Chocolates. :D I agree that they don't smile enough. They also stare far too much for my liking. :tongue_smilie:

Daisy, sorry you went through all that ... in case you or anyone is interested, here are my tips/rules for drinking water. Aim to drink half your weight in ounces of water per day - more on hot days and more if you workout intensely. Here's what I do: * Start the day with a glass of water. * Drink 1 glass after each trip to the bathroom. Remember that ideally, your urine should be clear. It might be yellow, due to vitamins and supplements, but it’s good to aim for clear as opposed to cloudy. * Drink 1 glass 15 minutes before each meal. I have read repeatedly that it's not good to drink DURING meals. It affects digestion. WW says otherwise, but I disagree. Every single naturopath and homeopath, etc. friend and book – says to try to avoid drinking during meals. I can’t always do this, but I do try. Drinking with meals impedes digestion. Drinking immediately after does the same thing. Ideally, wait 15 minutes after a meal before drinking water. http://www.rawfoodexplained.com/the-harmfulness-of-beverages/harmful-drinking-practices.html * Drinking 1 glass of water after working out. I rarely drink IMMEDIATELY before my workout. If I have drunk enough throughout the day, I don't need to drink a full glass right before working out. Drinking water right before working out, or even worse, during working out, makes me feel horribly bloated and I can't workout comfortably. I do try to drink water an hour or half hour before working out. * I stop drinking water about an hour before leaving the house, particularly if I don't want to use the bathrooms where I may be headed, or if there's minimal bathroom access! Public bathrooms here in this part of the world are not good. * I stop drinking water about 3 hours before bedtime. Who wants to be up all night long? * I usually drink water as soon as I come home after being out of the house for a while. * I drink water after a nap. * I never, ever thought that I would – but I have gotten used to the taste of room-temperature water. Love it. Much, much easier on my system. Now and again, I like ice cold water, but on the whole, give me room temperature any day. * Eat enough fruits and veggies – most are high in water – think salads, cucumbers, watermelons, etc. Agreeing with another poster here who mentioned coconut water. Love it. :D

:iagree: :smilielol5:

Joanne, I haven't yet had time to read all your posts and all the replies here. I'm so sorry that you and your dh have been going through all these things. :grouphug: So happy to hear that you now have insurance. That's a definite positive. I always enjoy your posts. I agree w/you about thyroid issues and read this. I feel much better when I take Iodoral. It works for many. Might not work for all, obviously. Nothing works the same for every single person. But Iodoral has helped many who are misdiagnosed, inaccurately tested, etc. Here's what I read: Most conventional doctors never test for iodine deficiency. They figure there's no need to test iodine levels when they can just test your thyroid function instead. The problem with this is that the most widely used thyroid test, the TSH, is wildly inaccurate. Reason: While the TSH measures thyroid hormone, it can't tell the difference between active thyroid hormone with iodine and de-activated thyroid hormone with bromine or chlorine or fluorine. So the test shows you have plenty of thyroid hormone. But most of the thyroid hormone isn't doing its job!

This book helps me a lot. There's no magic bullet, but that book certainly does help. I just read this today, "There is no key to happiness. The door is always open."

Your new avatar is the absolute best. My ds would love it. He LOVES Hermione. :D

I love reading all your wonderful responses. :D Pamela, yes, I'm wondering the same thing. Guess it can't hurt to try. :) What you describe, seems to me, to be possibly because you have lots to do and/or are under some stress, etc. At least that's how it is for me. When I'm distracted, stressed, etc. - my short-term memory is very much like yours. Not so, when things are under control (seldom ;)). My long-term memory, however, is very good. My dad used to get a new car every 2 years during my childhood. I remember the license plate of each one since 1976. I remember phone numbers from the early '70s. But I also remember conversations, clothes, people, faces, etc. I'm not perfect by any means, however. There are many who have far better memories than me. :lol: Yes. Also, I'm not organized in every single aspect of my life. I could be a much better housekeeper. I'm not very good with housekeeping. I don't always do well with FlyLady and stuff like that. I dislike cooking. In fact, I loathe cooking. And I'd much rather be here or read than do housework. It gets done, but I dislike it very much. I'm lazy in many areas. :tongue_smilie: I wish, wish, wish I was like this. I would pay $$$ to be like this. I despise losing things and in the past few years, it's happened a bit too often for my liking. :glare: Peela, love your new avatar. Your hair is gorgeous. :D My eyesight was never good and once I reached 40, it got even worse. This is very much me. Names also take me longer. I'm also OCD only in certain areas of life. Not in every area.

There are wherever I've been, maybe because of dogs being allowed on the beach ... I don't know, but I have seen them in beaches. Hence why, I would never, ever sit on a towel on the beach again. Has to be a beach chair. No dry sand and towels for moi.

Thank you. :) Wish they sold it here. Will add it to my wish list.

This describes us to a "t". :D I have to say that I MUCH prefer clothes shopping (for me and dd) in the U.K. But we hardly ever get there ... I really dislike clothes shopping in the U.S. for the most part. I find it much, much easier in the U.K. Some British things are pure nostalgia for me also, but that would be a whole 'nuther thread. ;) The more places I've lived, the more I miss them when we move to a new place. Nowhere is perfect and everywhere has its pros and cons ...

I'm not an American, but I've lived there long enough to feel like one most of the time. Dc and dh are Americans. Target Friendly Customer Service Costco Hanging out at Barnes & Noble until closing time Friendship Off to read all the replies and I'm sure I'll agree with many other posts. We usually visit the U.S. once a year, so we get a good fix. :)

I agree. I wouldn't want to announce it to the entire world. :lol:

:iagree: I have to always think about the whole kg business, still stuck on pounds ... I also agree about turning into a screaming banshee, although I'm more likely to do that in extreme cold :lol:. I despise the cold. My dh starts shouting obscenities if it's below 55 degrees. :lol:

I like this. Our tendency is to only use Google Calendar for our travel itineraries, but this is a good reminder to use it all the time. :smilielol5: :smilielol5: :smilielol5: Unfortunately, I'm the same way. :glare: Great tips, fabulous thread. :)

as in outstanding memory? I recently saw a 60 Minutes episode on this. Don't know if anyone else did. Although my memory is not like some of the subjects on the show. Nowhere near. These are people who remember every. single. day of their adult lives. Wow! Not that I want to remember every single day. But dh thinks (and I somewhat agree) that I have a milder variation of it. I remember many, many things and many details - what people were wearing, what was said, etc - all the way back from the time I was very young. They pointed out that those with phenomenal memories also tend to have a tendency to be OCD and super-organized. I am a bit of the former and extremely of the latter. When they showed Marilu Henner (from "Taxi") who has it, it was as if they were interviewing me to some degree. I have lists for everything - clothes, shoes, etc. My hangers have to face the same direction and they have to all be white. Our laundry is done according to a list. Every. single. thing in my life is according to a list, otherwise I start to go a bit :ack2: batty to say the least. http://www.organizingla.com/organizingla_blog/2011/07/marilu-henner-can-remember-the-date-she-bought-every-item-in-her-organized-closet.html So, if you have an outstanding memory, I'm curious to know if you're also the super-organized type? I wonder if there is a correlation. http://www.sure-start.com/marilu-henners-amazing-memory/3672804/

Don't feel guilty. :grouphug: I wish I had shouted at some folks back when others said the same thing to me. :tongue_smilie: Don't feel bad about your weight. :grouphug: If you want to lose and if you keep trying, you will. :grouphug: But do remember, that clothes (like the loose blouse you wore) are a major factor also. I'm no longer obese or extremely overweight (I could still afford to lose several pounds), but if I wear loose clothes, I know I'll look bigger and bulkier. Clothes do a lot. If you can watching shows like "What Not to Wear" and "Tim Gunn's Guide to Style" or the fabulous book, "How to Never Look Fat Again" ... these will all help you. When it comes to clothes, think "form-fitting" etc. I know you'll think it's hot. I live in the tropics, so I know. But not all form-fitting clothes are hot. Don't let any of this get to you. :grouphug:

:iagree: Not for me ... although I'm not sure what you mean by "willingly" :lol:, but I'll just agree anyway. I agree. I really dislike piercings. Again, not for me. :iagree: It's funny, because on many counts, I consider myself to be quite liberal (political stuff, social needs of a society, universal health care, etc.), but on others, I know that I'm be considered to be quite conservative and prudish (n*dism thread and this one).

:iagree: You must be so excited! :D

:lol: Very well said. :lol: I agree about ease and body self-confidence. I have confidence to go to a gym or spa and be naked around other women in the locker room while changing, etc. I don't have a problem with nudity in art, etc. However, I honestly think that for most men, seeing nudity is different than it is for us women. Interesting to me how not one single male (at least as far as I can see) has posted here. I would love to hear their perspective. A few here have posted that their husbands would love it. Again, men generally, I think, see nudity in a different way than most women do. :iagree: :iagree: :iagree: But I also believe that neither extreme is healthy. I see n*dism as an extreme. I guess I'm a bit prudish. :tongue_smilie: Most in the Caribbean are. Going topless isn't allowed here. Or at least it isn't allowed most of the time. Depending on the beach security guard. I know. Really :lol:. Although I fully agree w/you, I don't see that ever happening. Men are extremely visual. Women are visual also, but sadly, horribly competitive. Most cultures that I have come across are shallow and looks-ist. I think it's always been this way. Now, more than ever. I don't see the shallowness and looksism going anywhere fast. It just gets worst and worst.

Other than the hygiene factor that many have pointed out, :iagree: Very interesting. I happen to believe that there is a certain amount of judgment involved. Let's face it. We weren't born yesterday. Many will judge. And some may have that slightly perverted side also. Let's say it like it is. Sorry one of my pet peeves is when people deny what's quite obviously true.

:iagree: I would definitely tell the library. Stacia, hadn't thought of that :D. I thought it had to read. Very good to know. Thank you. :)

I only have 2 - well one actually, since the other one was a freebie that came w/my first juicer. I love "Juicing for Life". Thanks for the reminder for me to juice more often ;). Haven't juiced since returning from vacation.