Menopause and Sex in the City 2 May 31, 2010

It is true. Sex in the City’s character Miranda is in menopause. Her comments about her condition are snappy and direct. They may get a laugh and are sometimes over the top as is her character, but she is talking about and experiencing many of the side effects of menopause.

Not to be a spoiler to the story, I will only say that Miranda is reading Suzanne Somer’s book about menopause that is real and the other women raise the same questions women in real life raise about the source of knowledge. Not to take anything away from Suzanne, but she does not have a medical degree or a biochemistry degree. And there is a great line in the movie that sums it all up humorously.

Let’s look at the menopause symptoms Miranda identifies in actions or words:

1. Hot Flashes
2. Insomnia
3. Loss of Libido
4. Irritability
5. Mood Swings
6. Vaginal Dryness
7. Forgetfulness, I think. I really can’t remember for sure

I had read and heard that Sex in the City 2 was going to make menopause sexy, and put the men back into menopause. It is all true. I only wish the other women besides Miranda were menopausal also for more menopause humor. Maybe that will be Sex in the City 3?

May 26, 2010

New Blog at Haralee.com.
Charity Walk, Run and Bike Season is Now!

Charity Walk, Run and Bike Season May 25, 2010

Last week-end I participated in my first charity walk of the season. The weather could not have been worse. At race time it had warmed up to 45 degrees and it was raining and windy. Most of the people who registered for the race showed up. They walked or ran and supported this charity, the Clara Jean Foundation. The 10K course bisected a walk/run for the American Heart Association. Throngs of people battled the weather to support their causes for a couple of hours on this Saturday morning. I was proud to be one.

The Clara Jean walk this year offered a $5.00 doggy registration. The dogs got a bandana with the foundations colors and logo. Also strollers were allowed with the dogs on the family fun 5k walk. Because of the bad weather, few walkers had their Logo T-shirts on so it was great to see the dogs showing their solidarity.

In 2009 a friend of mine made a New Year’s resolution to participate in a charity event every Sunday. He ended up walking or biking or paddling in 40 events. He spent a little over $1,200.00, about the same he donates yearly, and has T-shirts for life. He also lost 15 pounds, lowered his cholesterol, made some new friends, and learned a lot about causes, charities and diseases.

These types of charity events are fun, relatively inexpensive and a great way to educate yourself and others. What a nice way to spend a few hours on a week-end morning and get some exercise too!

May 24, 2010

Hey, Ping.fm People!

We’re sending you this email to let you know of the recent updates with
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In the meantime, there’s just too much awesome stuff that we have to share
with you! As part of Seesmic, we’re definitely excited about what we’ve
recently released and we’re working hard to provide you with all the great
stuff that you’ll benefit from.

Seesmic for iPhone
If you haven’t heard, the biggest news this past weekend is the release of
the Seesmic for iPhone integrated with Ping.fm.

You can get the app through the app store, or click here:
http://getap.ps/seesmic

This was no small feat and we’re pretty stoked about it. You can now
seamlessly use Ping.fm on the iPhone.

Here’s a video from Loic to tell you more about it :
SeesmicVideo

You can also check out all of the cool details (multiple accounts,
Facebook, save to Evernote) in the Seesmic Blog. Check it out here:

http://ping.fm/3fwwT

PingIPHONEPingIPHONE2

Google Buzz in Ping.fm

We’ve integrated the latest and greatest Google Buzz service as one of the
networks we post to. Yes, the long awaited day has finally come to where
you can post directly to Google Buzz from Ping.fm. Thanks to the Google
team and the recent API launches at Google I/O. It has all come together
very nicely. As they increase their API’s functionality, we will be adding
additional and more rich features as well. Hop on over to the Google Buzz
page and let us know what you think!

GoogleBuzz

Ping.fm Integrated in Seesmic Web

Last, but not least, we are officially integrated into the
ever-growing-in-popularity Seesmic Web client! We’ve had a swarm of
requests for this since our recent Seesmic acquisition and now the day has
finally come. This is just a small step in the Seesmic integrations, but a
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PingSeesmicWeb

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Title 9 and Those of Us Too Old May 19, 2010

Working with younger women the subject of sports will sometimes come up. The question is “What sports did you play in High School?” My answer, like many women of my age group, is none. I was in High School before Title 9 became a law. Sports for girls were very limited. There was of course ballet and private dance classes, but none of the team sports.

Title 9 really influenced women in the late 1980’s when enough older Title 9 women recipients were able to become coaches. Now of course women sports in High School are plentiful. High School girls can participate on a team and learn first-hand the team player dynamics so much talked about in business. These girls understand all the sports analogies used in the world of business and in conversations. Those of us who did not have the privilege of Title 9 have had to translate these analogies, and learn the team player dynamics on our own.

Recently I read Sarah Palin’s book, ‘Going Rogue’. In it, she categorizes herself as a ‘jock’. She is a product of Title 9. In comparing Sarah to Secretary of State Clinton, Oprah, or the millions of us who never had the opportunity to even think of ourselves as a jock, I wonder.

I wonder what our lives would be if we had the opportunity to huddle with our peers and put our right hands together and chant “Be the Best You Can Be”?

 I know there are traumas that haunt people from high school sports 40 years later of the missed shot, the strike-out, or the fumble. I know there are the traumas of people hating sports but forced to play because that was expected.  All I am musing is, I wonder?

How to be a Friend to a Friend who has Breast Cancer May 10, 2010

Many people want to help out when a friend is diagnosed with breast cancer or any cancer. The initial response of flowers, plants and cards is fine but the following is a list of other ideas:

Chemotherapy can last 3-5 hours. Some people sleep, others need distraction. Eating and drinking is totally acceptable.  Ask to accompany the friend to chemotherapy if you are a positive upbeat, but not a Polly-Anna person.

 Check with the person about tastes. Often a metal taste happens with Chemo, or some people crave sour or sweet, only cold or only hot beverages. Even if your friend does not want you to come to chemo with them, you can buy or make them some chemo essentials:

Small Thermos for coffee or hot/cold beverage

Small fleece blanket

Portable Scrabble

Check-out line magazines

Nuts, and nut mixes

Hard candy

Chocolates

Ice Cream

DVDS for a portable DVD player

Playing cards

Lap table

CD of music they like

Pill bottle labels

Cozy socks

Fleece hat

Neck pillow

Mittens or gloves

Cloth napkins

Have Lunch delivered

Bring in Coffee and pastries

Bring dinner for the family on chemo night. Leave it at their home in a cooler

Follow up with a phone call or an email

Some Don’ts:

Take pictures unless requested

Insist you accompany them

Expect them to be truly interested in your problems

Lavish them with lotions, oils and bath products

Continually ask what you can do for them and do nothing when the person doesn’t come up with an answer

Tell stories about other cancer patients who bounced back in ‘No Time’

Try to convert them to your religion or spiritual persuasion

Leave half way through the infusion

Exclude them while   talking with other patients or people or on your phone

Make them stay awake if they want to sleep

Make them drive and pick you up for the chemo appointment

Ask only about how their spouse or kids are handling it and not them

 The chemo experience is a tough time and friends can be very helpful. The above are ideas to become the helpful friend.

A Few Bites for the Menopausal Woman May 3, 2010

I have been thinking about Vampires lately. With all the movies, TV shows and books, who hasn’t? Like Vampires, I don’t want to be exposed to lots of sunlight. Like Vampires, I have to be mindful of my dental hygiene. Like Vampires, I am nocturnal because I do not sleep well. Even with all these similarities, I have come to the conclusion that menopausal women do not become vampires.  I would not want to live forever having night sweats and hot flashes!

Vampire stories have always been popular. In 1994 the movie, from Anne Rice’s book, ‘Interview with the Vampire’ came out starring Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Christian Slater and a child Kirsten Dunst. That movie was sexy and a bit creepy.

Fast forward 10 years and the ‘Twilight’ books by Stephanie Meyer are all the rage. Her third movie is about to be released. I tried to read the Twilight books and just could not relate to all that teenage angst. http://twilight-eclipse.movie-trailer.com/

I tried to read the Sookie Stackhouse books by Charlain Harris, but we just didn’t click. I rented a DVD to watch Sookie, but it wasn’t for me. http://www.charlaineharris.com/

 One of my favorite funny authors, Christopher Moore has joined the band wagon with ‘You Suck’ and ‘Bite Me’. I enjoy and laugh at just about anything he writes and loved his take on the vampire allure.  http://blog.chrismoore.com/

I just read another Vampire Book, ‘Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter’ by Seth Grahame-Smith. This book I think has set the bar higher in Vampire Books with a fictional historical account. I loved it! I now think of other historical figures and conclude they too could be Vampires, or Vampire Slayers. Seth brings back the mild creepiness to Vampires with less angst. I am hoping for another Vampire story from Seth, maybe starring Gold Meyer, or Eleanor Roosevelt, Bette Davis or some other post menopausal woman! A vampire who feels the menopausal woman’s angst, now that would be literature!

A couple of bites to enjoy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X58RPS665V0

http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/132032/Interview-With-the-Vampire/trailers