Yesterday we went to a fund-raising bike-a-thon in Ohio, between Columbus and Cincinnati. It was a great event. We got to meet people, they had a live band, ice cream truck, free Vitamin Water, except for the heat it was a perfect day. The heat did keep away a lot of folks especially since heat is not a friend to suffers of MS. AS a result we fell short of our goal to raise money so we are offering our t-shirts online to be able to hopefully reach more people and achieve our goal.

Go to Orange is the new Pink to purchase your t-shirt today.

What is MS?
It’s an unpredictable disease of the central nervous system, multiple sclerosis (MS) can range from relatively benign to somewhat disabling to devastating, as communication between the brain and other parts of the body is disrupted. Many investigators believe MS to be an autoimmune disease — one in which the body, through its immune system, launches a defensive attack against its own tissues. In the case of MS, it is the nerve-insulating myelin that comes under assault. Such assaults may be linked to an unknown environmental trigger, perhaps a virus.
Most people experience their first symptoms of MS between the ages of 20 and 40; the initial symptom of MS is often blurred or double vision, red-green color distortion, or even blindness in one eye. Most MS patients experience muscle weakness in their extremities and difficulty with coordination and balance. These symptoms may be severe enough to impair walking or even standing. In the worst cases, MS can produce partial or complete paralysis. Most people with MS also exhibit paresthesias, transitory abnormal sensory feelings such as numbness, prickling, or “pins and needles” sensations. Some may also experience pain. Speech impediments, tremors, and dizziness are other frequent complaints. Occasionally, people with MS have hearing loss. Approximately half of all people with MS experience cognitive impairments such as difficulties with concentration, attention, memory, and poor judgment, but such symptoms are usually mild and are frequently overlooked. Depression is another common feature of MS.
There aren’t currently any cures but raising awareness is important for funding and working toward a cure. If you want to help spread the word check out out Orange is the new Pink merchandise.

Also here is a blog written by someone with MS and it’s a fun read and informational. Travis.

I don’t cook very often. Just ask my kids. In fact the other night I brought home a rotisserie chicken from the store and excitedly told my kids “hey, look I cooked dinner.” Yes, I admit that was a term used loosely but I meant I wasn’t going through some sort of drive through. However, my 8 year-old son replied “Mom, the store cooked this, not you.” He did quickly follow that comment up with “but it’s still good’” the kids not dumb. But it made me think. About how often we equate food, home cooked food usually, with positive emotions. A friend of mine thinks fondly of his moms corned beef and lasagna. Those are the foods that bring back the warm childhood memories for him. For his brother, corned beef and chicken tetrazzini brings back those fond memories. Interesting how two brothers very close in age can have the same and different triggers for the same memories. Now my mother wasn’t that great of a cook. My fond food memories are of Banquet fried chicken and instant mashed potatoes, Idaho spud of course.

What’s your comfort food?

Laina

I was having an Electric Company flashback today (doesn’t that show how old I am)“>Electric Company

I thought I would help us all have an educational moment with my blog post. So since we all should probably brush up on our Spanish, the way the immigrant issue is, so today’s word is NEGOCIOS which is Spanish for business.

It’s the beginning of the week so we should all take a moment and decide what the plan of action will be for the week to be highly successful in whatever it is we do for a living.

My goals are to finish the Chiczofrenia book, get caught up on a bunch of administrative work and work on a marketing plan.

What are yours?
Laina

Does 1 + 1 = 2?  In math it does but not always in personal relationships. When I went to write this post today I had relationships on the brain. Relationships of any kind are hard. It requires work and communication. It’s not always as simple as a math equation. So why do we do it? Because as humans we like, we need, relationships.  We need that connection with other people.

It makes me think as a child at vacation bible school and the song about Noah’s Ark. Everything was 2 by 2, which in context makes perfect sense. But it’s not easy.

How do you create, and then even more importantly, keep that connection? We are all so busy it can be hard to cultivate relationships like we need to.

Laina

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For my new book, CHICZOFRENIA – crazy is an art form, I am in need of two things. From all you guys out there I would like to know your favorite thing about women. Please nothing sexual, this is more about the inside not boobs and butts. Then from everyone I would love to know your favorite line from a song.

Thanks for your help!

Laina

CHICZOFRENIC.com

Today started out as a great day until I walked out of an appointment and back to my car to find a parking ticket waiting for me. Now normally that might not be a big deal but as it was I had 3 minutes left on the meter. So did the cop assume I wouldn’t be back in time and took the chance of giving me a ticket hoping I would never know? Does it really matter what he thought as he gave me a ticket that was completely unjust. The police station happened to be across the street and so I went over there to let them know the situation and was pretty much told too bad. You can’t prove it. Now I admire our law enforcement. I sure know I wouldn’t want their job and I know in many instances they don’t get the respect they deserve. However, when something happens like it did today, it makes me really lose faith in those that are put in positions to make us a lawful society. Does the county really need my $10 so bad they are reduced to giving out tickets on false grounds?

Very disappointing Noblesville.

Laina

When you look at the fashion magazines it can be easy to feel inferior to the gorgeous, skinny models and it can be frustrating to see that most designer items shown are not always in a normal gals budget. In the last issue of In Style magazine, they had an article about a company called Rent the Runway (renttherunway.com) where you can rent designer duds much like a movie from Blockbuster. You go online, check out the fashions, decide what you want, and voila it appears at your door step. It even comes with a pre-paid envelope to ship it back when you’re done. It’s very affordable and a great way to put high fashion in your budget.

Another great site for accessories is Shoe Dazzle (shoedazzle.com) which was started by Kim Kardashian and besides having an affordable monthly fee for shoes, handbags, or jewelry there are stylists tips so you are assured to be the most fashionable.
Now for those of you that don’t really like the idea of wearing clothing that many others may have worn before you there are many other online sites that have designer clothes and accessories at reduced prices.

Check back tomorrow for the run down on some of those places.

Laina

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We are in the process of putting Stilettos & Scoundrels in audio form and have been doing research on audible vs. iTunes vs. all the other mediums out there when someone mentioned cassette tapes. That maybe we could be totally retro and record the book on cassette. 8 track was even mentioned but I think that’s going a little far. Besides I still have a boom box somewhere and would have no idea how to go about getting a 8 track player.

Why do I have a boom box (sorry but I love the phrase) because I have to have something to play my old Poison, Ratt, Kiss, and Cinderella tapes. Not to mention Cinderfella by Dana Dane which incidentally is over 25 years old. Check it out here – Cinderfella.

What are your thoughts on cassettes?

How I wish I had thought of that title.  I went to the bookstore today (as I do almost everyday) and came across this hilariously named book. It’s about a woman, Crazy Aunt Purl, who comes home from work one day, has dinner with her husband, and then he informs her he is moving out and their marriage is over. As expected she is devastated and at a loss. To try and lift her spirits one of her friends suggests a knitting class, the New Yoga she calls it. Skeptical at first, Crazy Aunt Purl gets started knitting and can’t stop. She loves it. Now it of course doesn’t replace a husband but this funny true story shows you just have to pick yourself up and move forward. You can’t wallow forever.

Crazy Aunt Purl, hats off to you. All of us divorcing women appreciate it!!!

Check out her site at Crazy Aunt Purl!!

Now ladies, we all know that ponytails are great for when we DON’T want to do our hair. Not that ponytails can’t be sheik and dressy but when I’m lazy, almost every day, I use a ponytail to get my rat’s nest out of my face. However, I have been jealous of women who have cool ponytails with the bumpy thing on the back of the top of the head (did that make sense). Without buying a bump-it (As Seen on TV and available at Wal-Greens) I thought I would do some research and see how to get that little bump. I came across the followng video and while it didn’t create a bumb it did make one heck of a pomytail. But then I began to think…why all the effort for a ponytail.

here take a look. How to create the perfect ponytail.

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