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Latest News
- 05.05.2015 Trade Union 'Buy In' - EAP Service Health Matters – EAP Case Study >>
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- 16.05.2014 Press Release >>
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- 09.01.2014 Occupational Health - Training Event OH Training Day for just £99 per delegate:The sister organisation to Workforce Wellness namely >>
05.05.2015 Trade Union 'Buy In' - EAP Service
Health Matters – EAP Case Study
Brief: TRADE UNION 'BUY IN'
A well-established printing firm based in Liverpool employing around 400 people purchased a full cover Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) through Health Matters in August 2014. Human Resources had identified areas of risk within the business relating to workplace stress, and as part of a wider strategy on tackling stress in the workplace and also as part of their responsibilities under their duty of care they opted to implement an EAP.
To support a proper rollout of the EAP to all employees, the organisation was provided with a comprehensive range of promotional materials including but not limited to information leaflets with pop-out wallet cards carrying access details to the service, relating wall posters, manager handbooks and service guides, media supports, newsletters and Intranet materials. With all materials delivered and all management systems successfully set-up the organisation was ready to go live with its all-new EAP service.
Then they came across an unexpected obstacle namely the Trade Union Representatives. HR had not anticipated the reaction of their Trade Union Reps, and of the TU Reps initial misunderstanding of what the EAP was, the TU Reps felt that somehow the EAP service impinged upon the services that the TU offered to its members. It was felt by the TU Reps that the EAP would conflict with the services offered by the TU, would cause unnecessary confusion on which route members would look to seek advice and support, and overall would detract from people wanting to join the Union.
Health Matters as part of its consultative approach and based on an experience of allaying such concerns subsequently arranged with HR for a seasoned EAP Consultant to open dialogue directly with the TU Reps. HR was slightly unsure of how effective this would be based on their previous in-house talks, and furthermore wanted to avoid the possibility of exacerbating the situation rather than help it.
However Health Matters did convince the organisation to allow this. The first development was for Health Matters to formally present to line-managers, team-leaders & supervisors as an inclusion on an already scheduled workshop on Drug & Alcohol Awareness. A number of the TU Reps were in the audience plus HR extended the workshop to invite the collective TU Reps and other key members of staff. This allowed for the EAP Consultant to engage with all concerned.
The next development was then to set-up a consultative presentation specifically to the TU Reps for a frank and open discussion. This happened one week following the workshop, whereby the EAP Consultant used the time detailing how the EAP was in no way a barrier for the Union, and methods for how the EAP where appropriate can offer initial assistance and then signpost service-users to their Union for the additional help, etc. The end result following both onsite presentations were that the TU Reps not only gave sign-off to the EAP but also now actively promote the EAP to its members and to encourage service participation. They now see the value of what is a paramount and genuine employee benefit.


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In this installment we look at how to identify interesting data and solve difficult information problems in your organization. A taxonomy of knowledge gaps is described and how Knowledge Maps help bridge these gaps and provide real value.
Knowledge Maps - Meaning Versus Structure
In this piece we consider the future of "meaning" based data design versus what has historically been a structural approach. The transition from structure to meaning will impact data management practices for decades to come. To read more click here... http://www.dataversity.net/knowledge-maps-structure-versus-meaning/
Knowledge Maps - A New Model For Metadata
The third article in my series on Knowledge Maps has been posted on Dataversity. This article looks at the traditional relational database approach to metadata repositories and ITIL CMDB's, why they don't work, and how Knowledge Maps built on the property graph model as exemplified by Neo4j is the answer. You can read it here... http://www.dataversity.net/knowledge-maps-new-model-metadata/
Knowledge Maps - Connecting The Dots
Knowledge Maps – What is the Problem We are Trying to Solve?
Part 1 in the series on Knowledge Maps has been published on Dataversity. This article explores the common information (lack of) awareness problem all organizations have and introduces the solution - Knowledge Maps. Please read the full post at http://www.dataversity.net/knowledge-maps-problem-trying-solve/

subset: commoncrawl


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So, I'm back at it again, and have been for three weeks now. I'm on my 22nd shot and was doing good until the scale stopped and is now slowly moving in the opposite direction. I've done so many...July 8th, 2019 03:18 PM
The only thing that matters for diagostics is your hunger level in the early evening. It seems to indicate that your dose is low. That is a bit unexpected from your earlier descriptions. The...Leez September 16th, 2019, 08:52 PM
That's awesome! So I'm assuming you would recommend the plan?justgitterdone September 16th, 2019, 07:15 PM
Hello, so I went ahead and skipped a dose today ... all day (morning & afternoon I wasn't hungry ),but by 6pm I was , ate dinner and continued to be hungry , but by 9pm was very hungry.Nikki76 September 16th, 2019, 07:08 PM
I'm planning a 27 day round. Tomorrow is day 20, so hopefully, I can get rid of these last 3 lbs which would put me at my ideal weight. I always find it hard to lose those last few lbs!Mo55 September 16th, 2019, 06:21 PM
Have been experiencing the same with the lack of sleep. I think I missed the window when I felt tired and kept pushing it. I'm menopausal and taking BHRT but had missed my dose so maybe...
The only thing that matters for diagostics is your hunger level in the early evening. It seems to indicate that your dose is low. That is a bit unexpectedLeez September 16th, 2019, 08:52 PM
That's awesome! So I'm assuming you would recommend the plan?justgitterdone September 16th, 2019, 07:15 PM
Hello, so I went ahead and skipped a dose today ... all day (morning & afternoon I wasn't hungry ),but by 6pm I was , ate dinner and continuedNikki76 September 16th, 2019, 07:08 PM
I'm planning a 27 day round. Tomorrow is day 20, so hopefully, I can get rid of these last 3 lbs which would put me at my ideal weight. I always findMo55 September 16th, 2019, 06:21 PM
Have been experiencing the same with the lack of sleep. I think I missed the window when I felt tired and kept pushing it. I'm
Mo, Very frustrating when the scale goes up and down for a week- maybe you are past that plateau now. How many days are you planning? It's good tolizbo September 16th, 2019, 04:08 PM
Hi Gemgirl,
Awesome, love P3 and don't find that phase hard at all. It feels like normal eating to me.
I think I struggle with how
Yes I did, at least following loosely but not sticking to it exactly since I had travel going on through that time.grammy1952 September 16th, 2019, 03:02 PM
Hi Grammy- regarding the 5 lbs you lost, did you lose them doing the Always Hungry plan?justgitterdone September 16th, 2019, 12:46 PM
VCLD19. I had salmon for lunch (6oz) and Top Sirloin (5oz) for dinner.....and I was down 1.5 lbs this morning! Wow. I hope it stays off. Most likely IMo55 September 16th, 2019, 12:15 PM
Oh I will check that out, Leez! Thanks so much for the advice and especially the prayers! I do have some cartilage. My knee has started twisting so I'mgrammy1952 September 16th, 2019, 10:10 AM
Fixed.Leez September 16th, 2019, 09:31 AM
Leeza, I tried to correct something & lost my post again. 😢Gemgirl September 16th, 2019, 09:04 AM
Wow, cool! It's getting "crowded" in here! 😆 Love having all this support!
So this is weigh in day after one week of P3 &
So I was up another .6 this morning, however, a couple of hours later I had a bowel movement and weighed again and I was down the .6. Still up that .2justgitterdone September 16th, 2019, 07:40 AM
Yes, you take the weight from the morning of your first VLCD after the 2 loading days.
In 5 VLC days, you have a a loss of just over 5 pounds.
Thank you so much for answering. On my VLCD 1 my weight was 205. This morning which is Monday VLCD 5 my weight is 199.6. I lowered my dose on Saturday,Tetonrv September 16th, 2019, 02:53 AM
You'll get relief faster if you skip tomorrow.
After the skip day, if your hunger leaves by late afternoon or early evening, continue with
Thank you Leez for responding , I forgot to mention . I have read everywhere to reduce dosage , so this morning ( on 7th day I went all the way down toNikki76 September 15th, 2019, 07:05 PM
That is almost certainly because your dose is too high. This can be fixed and you can recover and have a successful round.
Skip your dose
So sorry to hear about the knee pain. I know how debilitating that can be. And replacement? Yikes. Praying against needing that for sure.
Hello , Ive done 9 days of injections( 7 days of phase 2) . Im on 200iu( Nuimage ) on days 5,6& some of 7 I cheated . Consuming 1000-1500 extraNikki76 September 15th, 2019, 05:42 PM
Hi Grammy! so sorry to hear about your knee. I hope they figure out what's wrong and get you on your way to a recovery (and hopefully not a replacement!).justgitterdone September 15th, 2019, 03:59 PM
Hi, lizbo! Good luck in P2 I've used hhcg once, injections all other rounds. I've never tried the pellets, I'm very interested to see your progress.bluetechseeker September 15th, 2019, 03:44 PM
PrettyGirl, isn't it AMAZING how many inches you lose during a round??? I had the same experience this round - started and looked literally six monthsbluetechseeker September 15th, 2019, 03:43 PM
Hello all,
Back again after, well not sure how many rounds i've done. I've only gained about 2# since my last round but I can't seem to lose
Thanks! It helped me realize that although I still have about 20lbs to go I have come a very long way in a short amount of time and my body is changing!PrettyGirlRock1214 September 15th, 2019, 03:18 PM
Ok great!grammy1952 September 15th, 2019, 01:35 PM
You should not change dose without doing a skip day. The skip day is necessary to determine which way to adjust. The reason is that you can have extremeLeez September 15th, 2019, 01:16 PM
Went to clinic and was started on 200iu hcg sub q. On Tuesday 9/10. 2 days of loading and woke up hungry and stayed hungry through Friday 9/13. I calledTetonrv September 15th, 2019, 11:53 AM
I found the list of abbreviations and it's making more sense.thanksTetonrv September 15th, 2019, 11:19 AM
I'm doing ok. Lost about 5 pounds even with the travel. My biggest challenge right now is that something happened to my left knee and I've been in terriblegrammy1952 September 15th, 2019, 11:09 AM
You might mention what letters you're talking about?grammy1952 September 15th, 2019, 11:04 AM
Thanks Leez. I am trying to.
Sorry to hear the elimination diet was a bust , but at least you tried it and now you know.
I tried to make
I see all these letters but not sure what they mean. Is there a list of vocabulary got HCGers diet?Tetonrv September 15th, 2019, 09:27 AM
Mo55- the beef might help shake things up a bit. I do well on beef. Fingers crossed you will too!
Blue- that's exactly what I'm
Happy Sunday ladies!! Today is day 26 for me and I am down a total of 22lbs I.l am at 142 today, i still have 8 day left and 11 days until P3. I am stillPrettyGirlRock1214 September 15th, 2019, 07:49 AM
Thanks, Mo I traveled quite a bit in previous rounds and found P3 to be pretty easy. In the airports, they have the little bistro type stores wherebluetechseeker September 15th, 2019, 06:47 AM
Blue, great work, awesome way to go into P3. I'm still 10 days away from P3 so I can only just dream! I will be flying to Seattle on my first P3 day andMo55 September 15th, 2019, 06:22 AM
VCLD18. Another 0.2 lb loss this morning for a total of 9.3 lbs. I'm happy that I'm experiencing a downward trend again after a looong week of bouncingMo55 September 15th, 2019, 05:07 AM
Doing fine, really nothing much to report. I'll get my new blood tests at the end of this month, so we'll see how that goes.
Elimination diet
Hi All
My husband is still in hospital , and most likely be there a another six weeks. I have lost more weight, and my clothes fit fine.
I am curious how you did as well @grammy1952 , I have the book Hormone Fix, and was going to try it next, but would like to know if I should get the AlwaysJayk September 14th, 2019, 07:45 PM
Did you ever get a reply, or did you just buy from one of the other sites instead?sdwis September 14th, 2019, 01:49 PM
Gem, thanks! I've done enough rounds that I go into them with an open mind. Just keep my mind focused and whatever happens, happens. Sure takes a lotbluetechseeker September 14th, 2019, 08:26 AM
Blue- I remember when we bought our house many years ago, same thing, I gained a ton of weight because all I focused on was getting all the stuff donejustgitterdone September 14th, 2019, 07:03 AM
P3 is almost more important to do correctly than P2. Getting stable at your new weight is key to keeping your losses. And, it always feels like aLeez September 14th, 2019, 06:06 AM
Thank you for the assistance. I gained another .6lbs over night and will continue with vlc until P3.
This is my second time loosing over 70lbs.
VCLD17. I finally had a drop of 1 lb yesterday and 0.2 lb today. Finally! That makes a whole 1.8 lb loss for week 2, and a total of 9.1 lbs in 17 days.Mo55 September 14th, 2019, 04:40 AM
Wow, I love the way everyone is cruisin' along & doing so well! After I lost that extra lb the 1st day of p3, I've been the same weight for the lastGemgirl September 13th, 2019, 09:08 PM
Stalls of even 10 days are not unusual. If you are not experiencing hunger or weakness, its likely that your HCG is still viable at least up till now.Leez September 13th, 2019, 08:27 PM
Ive never posted, but read so very much in these pages. Im not new to hcg inj/ P&I. I was to inject till day 38 but I stopped today day 30 (LIW)caustinot September 13th, 2019, 04:54 PM
I've never posted, but read so very much in these pages. I'm not new to hcg inj/ P&I. I was to inject till day 38 but I stopped todaycaustinot September 13th, 2019, 04:33 PM
VLCD16 and FML Lovelies!
Up to 146.2 this morning and not sure why. I had chicken, romaine, 6 raspberries and half an apple all day. I wasn't
Hi, justgitterdone! Yes, hhcg is 48 hours after last drops I actually attempted to start a round last November using 2.0. It became obvious extremelybluetechseeker September 13th, 2019, 11:22 AM
Well, I am stuck... I only had a 1.3 loss last week and I have till the 21st to end phase 2. That puts me at a 22.2 lbs loss so far. I am going to doLEXIUS September 13th, 2019, 11:10 AM
Hey ladies happy Fri-Yay! Im still chugging along! I just filled my last 10 syringes today! I am down 21lb to 143 as of this morning. Hoping to get intoPrettyGirlRock1214 September 13th, 2019, 10:34 AM
Lex- you've had great losses this round so your body is probably just playing catch up. I bet you'll have a drop soon. Sometimes stalls lastjustgitterdone September 13th, 2019, 08:56 AM
And...whoosh, dropped 1.8# last night! Hope to keep it, it'll be a great buffer heading into P3. Total loss now at 31.6#, 44 daysbluetechseeker September 13th, 2019, 08:33 AM
Glad that could be sorted for you.
Good luck on your new round.
If you want some buddies, you can check out our two monthly
Yeahhhh! Thank you very much! Now I can see the pictures in every thread[emoji7]Good Motivation for my new round next week[emoji4]
He says it should be fixed now.Leez September 12th, 2019, 07:47 PM
I'll send the webmaster a note. He must not have seen your post yet.Leez September 12th, 2019, 03:54 PM
Thanks, Xexy I cannot complain about my progress at all! Now I'm just counting down to Sunday...tick...tick...tick...bluetechseeker September 12th, 2019, 03:31 PM
Hi, Jessie! Yeah, I agree with you. I've been having between 76 - 96 oz of water daily, taking potassium, using ample salt on my foods, lots of variety,bluetechseeker September 12th, 2019, 11:55 AM
Hey Blue...Good to see you here again. The weakness and insomnia your having is concerning. From personal experience (as well as seeing others) notJessieB September 12th, 2019, 10:20 AM
Leez, for example in your post "Amazing pics of what the same weight can look like", the picture isn't shown in the post and even if I openrosapinkekatze September 12th, 2019, 09:52 AM
Hi, everyone. I'm basically doing my bazillionth round, currently P2D43. I've lost thirty pounds, I'm thrilled with that!! My question is, the injectionsbluetechseeker September 12th, 2019, 08:06 AM
It does sound like your dose is off. Have you tried a skip day?
Also, that salmon may be impacting your losses. It tends to be more fatty than
VCLD15 and still the same weight (=/- 0.1-0.3 lb) for the last week. I know better than to freak out about it. History tells me that the better my lossesMo55 September 12th, 2019, 04:09 AM
The 2% would be ok as well in P3. Heavy cream or half & half are also both ok. You just want to stay away from milk and non-fat items.Leez September 11th, 2019, 07:05 PM
Thank you! I wasnt sure cause Im save 5% 2% etc. but I figured the 5% would be the way to goPrettyGirlRock1214 September 11th, 2019, 06:39 PM
Yes. Fage Total is considered full fat greek yogurt.Leez September 11th, 2019, 02:32 PM
Is fage total 5% the one I can use in P3? ThanksPrettyGirlRock1214 September 11th, 2019, 01:26 PM
Hello! Somehow on my 1st P3 day, I lost a lb! I love that! I'm still eating P2 until tomorrow. Drops should be thru my system by then.
VLCD14 Lovelies!
Back at 148 today so it's whatever... I'm still going in hopes of getting to goal in the final week. I had half an apple
How very frustrating! It's amazing that sleep and water can have a big impact. Hope TESS (The Evil Stupid/S* Scale) shows you some love tomorrow.Kar September 10th, 2019, 09:34 AM


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Becoming Well-Read: Herland
Ashley: Only a few years ago, after the epically named The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2 earned less than the previous movies in the franchise and the second-to-last Divergent film failed entirely, everyone talked about how the dystopian genre was dead. (The young adult branch of it, anyway.) Fantasy like George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones and Patrick Rothfuss's The Name of the Wind and realistic YA like John Green novels were "the next big things." Now, with the rising popularity of older dystopias like George Orwell's 1984 and Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, plus the publication of buzzed-about new installations in the genre, like Omar El Akkad's American War and Lidia Yuknavitch's The Book of Joan, The New Yorker's Jill Lepore instead laments the death of dystopias as an artistically rich, relevant genre.
The Hunger Games is far and away one of my favorite books, and I naturally gravitate toward the pessimism of dystopias, but even I feel weary by the proliferation of mediocrity within the genre. While I disagree with some of Lepore's conclusions (particularly that young adult literature killed dystopian novels), I can get behind her initial lament about the lack of utopian literature to balance out the helplessness of dystopia.
Lepore asserts that "dystopias follow utopias the way thunder follows lightning." While we've been promised many utopian outcomes in the past few decades — social justice for minority groups, more connection and understanding thanks to the internet, better healthcare — all these dreams have been shot down. "Social justice warriors" are derided. The internet has placed us all in feedback loops, unable and unwilling to understand anyone outside our bubbles. Universal healthcare in America didn't instantly solve everything. Hence the rapid publication of even more hopeless dystopian novels.
But where were all the utopian novels before that? If you asked me to tell you novels in the utopian canon, I could only name Utopia by Thomas More (obviously), Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, and The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin. I've only read the Le Guin novel, which is the newest on the list with a publication date in the 1970s. You don't get high-profile articles like this one in Entertainment Weekly about dystopia's overshadowed counterpart. The amount of thunder we've been hearing in the dystopian genre isn't justified given how little utopian lightning has preceded it.
Herland (ebook)
Which is strange, because it's not like a utopia actually implies perfection. It always has a dark heart. In fact, Steven Pinker points out in The Better Angels of Our Nature that utopian thinking can be used to justify genocide, as a perfect society for some always comes at the eradication of those who don't fit the mold of perfection. Utopian fiction grapples with the moral pros and cons of its perfect society.
Though I've had lengthy debates with my boyfriend over what does or does not constitute a dystopia (post-apocalyptic fiction can be dystopian but is not by default! No, the book doesn't need to pretend to be a utopia at first before revealing it's a dystopia!), I can't tell you anything about the tropes of utopias. So this month, I'll finally pick up Herland, which I referenced in my The Handmaid's Tale column and still didn't bother to read after that. It seems appropriate to pick up a feminist utopia now that we've got women dressing up as handmaids in real life, after all.
What I Think It's About: I claimed that "it's a land full of ladies and no dudes" in my first column, and I'll stand by that. The story gets propelled forward when men from elsewhere do arrive and question how this society functions. Outside forces pose a threat to this utopian society. One woman leaves to go become a superhero fighting the Germans in World War I. Wait a minute, that's Wonder Woman…
What It's Actually About: Three men, all whittled down to stereotype (there's the "gender differences are based in science!" mediocre one, the Southern gentleman, and the Bro, to be exact) stumble upon a land of only women, living in the Amazon forest in an area about the size of Holland. Their dude-minds are blown that women have learned how to govern themselves, procreate without men, have seemingly eradicated disease and poverty, and generally live in perfect harmony. The women of Herland are very excited to go back to a two-gender society, though, and try to integrate the men into their world. The relevancy of the stereotypes from a book written in 1915 will make you laugh or possibly cry. Probably a bit of both.
Herland (audiobook)
Why You Should Read It Right Now: Read enough dystopian novels, and you begin to think you could write an amazing one, too. It seems simple enough: Take something you find deeply troubling about today's society, amplify that fear to its most terrifying conclusion, and base your story's society around said horrifying logical end. The phenomenal dystopias tackle many troubling conclusions, but still, the formula mostly holds up. It's easy for us all to buy into The Handmaid's Tale and The Hunger Games amongst all the real-world media coverage of declining birth rates, growing inequality, and the multiple threats posed by climate change.
Utopias have to work much harder to get you to buy their premise, especially in this mass media and instant information day and age. Because the dudes in Herland are so shocked by how a society of women could possibly exist and survive (one refuses to believe it's true long into the book), the story spends a lot of time explaining the country's history and describing its idyllic present. This urge to show how good things could be comes from the same frustrated seed as our current dystopias with Gilman — the author wished motherhood didn't mean having to give up one's own ambitions to take care of another being, so Gilman created a society where only women lived and they all took care of each other as a community. It allows for both individuality and a strong society to flourish.
And honestly, such a hopeful, wish-fulfillment type story is a breath of much-needed fresh air in the otherwise dreary and polluted landscape found in most dystopian fiction.
Because as fun as it is that women in today's society, both real and fictional, often jokingly lament issues like the lack of pockets in women's clothing, I'd rather just have more women's clothing with usable pockets. And apparently this has been something women have been wishing for for at least the past 100 years, as a passage in Herland reads: "I see that I have not remarked that these women had pockets in surprising number and variety. They were in all their garments…" We all want this, so why are pockets on women's garments still the worst?
Reading Herland made me ponder which stories are more helpful to society right now: Ones that tackle hard issues (like climate change, mental illness, bullying, gun violence, etc.) head-on or ones that simple imagine a better future beyond all those issues. A book like The Hunger Games is a mixed bag of both: It's a story about the injustice of massive socio-economic inequality, but one where that inequality is divorced from some of the real-world biases that often lead certain groups to suffer more from the wealth gap (namely gender, in this case).
The answer is, of course, that the world needs both. (This should also be the answer to all YA dystopian love triangles.) You can't start tackling an issue if you don't see the issue. And often big issues like mental illness have a strong stigma of silence about them, making the problem worse, facilitating the need for stories that talk about the problem openly. Yet lately I've been yearning more focus on promising solutions. Culture has pumped me full of depressing dystopian tales, and for the most part, I've, uhhhhh, enjoyed(?) it. But I'm a bit fatigued, and Herland is a nice little break from the formula.
Does Herland portray a perfect society? Gosh, no, not at all. Do upsetting things still happen? Yes, of course. You can feel its datedness immediately, a story told at the tail-end of a bygone era of many Westerners laying down everything to go explore the unknowns of the Amazon. (It was admittedly helpful to have read David Grann's The Lost City of Z recently.) But the things that the book gets right, it gets right really well. For instance, this passage struck me pretty hard and conjured up images of the recent controversial anthem protests: "Patriotism, red hot, is compatible with the existence of a neglect of national interests, a dishonesty, a cold indifference to the suffering of millions. Patriotism is largely pride, and very largely combativeness. Patriotism generally has a chip on its shoulder."
In all likelihood, I'll probably go read at least 10 more dystopian novels before I pick up my next utopian one. But I wouldn't mind if utopias started having a cultural moment, and I think it's important to balance our media diet. Herland is an easy introduction to the utopian subgenre that will deepen your perspective on today's discussions of feminism.
P.S. Oh, you thought I was going to read Gone with the Wind based on my last column? Do you know how long that book is?! Give me this whole holiday season, maybe I'll make it happen...
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10 Questions with the Menopausel Supermodel/
I'd like to introduce you to one of my favorite disabled bloggers and Roll Models, Tamera Wolfe. I asked her about her style in this 10 question interview.
1. What motivated you to start blogging?
I originally had a craft/decor blog--but you NEVER saw a picture of me on it. I closed it in the Fall of 2011 after my Dad passed-I'd been neglecting it for months. I had been lurking around the "style" blogs for some time taking in all of the wonderful fashion on REAL people. I had lost about 30 lbs by the end of 2011 and decided to step outside my box and start my own style blog. The Menopausel Supermodel debuted at the end of December 2011.
2. How would you describe your sense of style?
I am somewhat conservative (work requirements) but I am definitely COLORFUL!! I like bright, easy, casual pieces.
3. Does your disability limit your fashion choices?
I have Fibromyalgia, Chronic Active Epstein-Barr virus (chronic mono) and I'm Diabetic--the trifecta of suck!! The pain associated with the Fibro keeps me from wearing heavy, fussy items--plus I need to be able to get it on easily. Some days it's excruciating just moving my arms and often buttons are just impossible with aching fingers. The Fibro makes my skin super sensitive--airflow can hurt!! So the fabrics need to be soft and loose-I love knits and cottons. As much as I love jackets and blazers--often they are too heavy or constricting so I opt for light cardigans as a layering piece.
I'm also limited in my shoe choices--I would LOVE to rock heels but it's not happening--I'm too unstable and clumsy. Being Diabetic I have to take care of my feet and have always worn comfortable shoes. There are times the Fibro has my foot muscles contracting a lot so I need loose easy shoes. I have a pair of flat boots, Sketcher ballet flats and a pair of dressy thongs for those days when my feet hurt.
4. Are there specific items of clothing you tend to gravitate towards?
CARDIGANS--I just love light cardigans as a layering piece. I think I have about 25+!!
5. Do you have a favorite era for fashion?
Wow--I adore 30's-50's era--so glamorous!! I cut my style teeth on old movies! I also am fond of the cheesy goodness of 70's fashion!
6. Who, if anyone, do you consider to be an inspiration; a style icon for you?
Before I became a Menopausel Supermodel I would drool over Vix of Vintage Vixen, Sheila of Ephemera, Helga Von Trollop, Desiree of Pull Your Socks Up, Curtise of SecondHand Years and Sarah of Misfit Vintage. I love vintage and thrifting and these ladies all are of a "certain age" and rocking their own looks!! I take so much inspiration from them!
7. How much of your personality comes through in your wardrobe choices?
I am a rather colorful, artsy person--and somewhat extroverted at times. I hope I'm expressing that with my style within the constraints of my real life.
8. How has your style evolved over the years?
Before I started style blogging I was bound by all the "rules" I had internalized. All of the fat girl rules; all of the "old lady" rules. Seeing beautiful, vibrant ladies BREAKING all these rules helped me find "me". Now I let my pasty white chicken wings fly in sleeveless dresses and show more of my pasty legs.
I have three style "rules"-
1. I can't disguise it so I might as well decorate it!!
2. If I don't LOVE it-don't keep it!! (wise advice from Vix!!)
3. Will this outfit get me featured on PeopleofWalmart.com??
9. If you could go back in time and give the 20-year-old you a piece of fashion advice what would it be?
The 20 year old 125lb me who thought she was too fat to wear a bikini?? I'd tell her -WEAR IT. Wear it because you love it and it makes you feel good. When you feel good and confident you are beautiful no matter what size you are!!
Oh yeah--and for some folk Spandex is NEVER a good look!!
10. What legacy do you hope to impart to your audience?
You're never too old, too fat or too ANYTHING not to be FABULOUS just the way you are!!


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I can't think of a gardener with a better sense of humor than Peter Donegan. Peter not only owns and operates an award-winning landscape design company, he is also the host of the wonderful horticulture podcast The SodShow. Join us as we wax poetic about our mutual love for growing plants and our journey through the world of podcasting. This episode was produced in part by Allan, Clifton, Sebastian, Holly, Katherina, Shane, Amy, Caitlin, Rosanna, Mary Jane, Jennifer, Sarah, Christopher, Sienna & Garth, Troy, Margie, Laura, and Mark.
Click here to listen to The SodShow
Click here to find out more about Donegan Landscaping
Click here to support this podcast


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Experience wine in the winery!
Discover the great wines of the Roero region, a land still fairly unknown to mass tourism, with many aspects still unexplored, including its culinary delights.
In a charming location, built with traditional materials combined with modern sustainable building techniques, you may discover the soul of this extraordinary region through one of its most typical products: wine.
or learn more about the tour ↓
Tour of the winery
The tour of our winery is organized in 4 stages:
Stage # 1
the fermentation area
Here you will discover one of the most delicate phases of wine processing, when the must, obtained from freshly harvested grapes, begins to turn into wine.
We have two types of tanks: the "high tech", controlled-temperature steel tanks, and those made of concrete, legacy of an era when wine was made using other methods.
These are the tanks favoured by Aldo, our winemaker and Paolo's brother, because in these tanks the wine is more "in contact" with seasonal changes and the outside temperature.
Stage # 2
the bottling and labelling area
This is perhaps the most visibly technological part of the winery: you will see how the "vacuum" is made inside the bottle in order to preserve the integrity of the wine.
Finally you will learn about the winery logistics organization: how the product is stored, how it must be labelled according to the destination markets …
Stage # 3
the aging area
This is perhaps the most "romantic" part of the winery, where wines that are suitable for ageing are left to rest in oak barrels.
In this area, the Roero is left to age in oak barrels of different ages, from which the wine absorbs a fair quantity of tannins; this is necessary to support the wine through a long aging period, a support that cannot be obtained from the sandy soils of the Roero region.
Stage # 4
wine tasting
After trudging throughout the winery, here comes the most awaited moment: wine tasting.
For groups of more than twenty people the tasting takes place in the large room upstairs overlooking the winery, otherwise in the smaller room downstairs, on the big oak table.
Together, we will learn about the various wines proposed for tasting and their characteristics, highlighting the differences that reflect the different soils from which they are derived
or learn more about the types of tours ↓
Wine tasting
All tastings are accompanies by appetizers of local products: cold cuts, cheeses, jellies; for sweet wines, such as Moscato, we offer pastries and, of course, the typical hazelnuts.
We offer two types of tasting during which our guests may taste three or five different wines (if you're not sure about which wines to choose, we will help you in the selection).
- Roero Riserva DOCG
- Roero Arneis DOCG
- For You – Roero Arneis DOCG Spumante Extra Brut
- Barolo DOCG
- Barbaresco DOCG
- Nebbiolo d'Alba DOC
- Barbera d'Alba Superiore DOC
- Langhe Dolcetto DOC
- Moscato d'Asti DOCG
- Birbet – Aromatic Sweet Spumante
- Spumante wine Brut
Tasting of 3 wines – 10 €
Tasting of 5 wines – 18 €
or read more about our wines ↓
The wines
We are fortunate to live in an area with an extraordinary terroir, a very wide variety of soils, the composition of which changes from one hill to the other and, even, from one side to the other.
Wine is a product of the earth and should embody the characteristics of the soil. It is our opinion, and especially that of Aldo who works in the winery, that standardizing the taste of wine makes no sense, as we only risk losing the uniqueness of our grape varieties, thereby diminishing the value of our products.
For this reason, our approach to winemaking is quite traditional: we want the flavours of the soil and the characteristics of the grapes that are grown there to stand out in our wines.
Nebbiolo is the most important grape in Piedmont for its unique characteristics and because it is used to produce some of the finest Italian wines: Barolo, Barbaresco and, lately, the Roero.
They are all tannic wines, that are suitable for aging, and are an excellent match with rich dishes; however, they are not always "difficult" to drink as it is commonly believed.
Roero Riserva
It is the quintessence of our winery, the most important DOCG wine, produced with our oldest vines and among the most popular wines for tasting. Our Roero Riserva comes from a very sandy soil where the vines were planted back in '46. This wine ages in strictly used barrels, in which it develops its unique roundness, without however altering its taste and fragrance.
Our Barolo is produced in La Morra where it ages for at least four years, two in large barrels and two in the bottle. It is characterized by tertiary, herbaceous and spicy aromas, reminiscent of licorice, pepper, cocoa, tobacco, a bouquet that gets richer as the wine ages. A wine of great structure to be served with game, braised and long-cooked spicy meats, or well-seasoned blue cheeses.
Softer, rounder and more velvety than Barolo, Barbaresco can be compared to Roero with which it shares the honour of being one of the most award-winning wines of our winery. It is appreciated for its immediacy: after three years of aging, first in large barrels and then in the bottle, it is ready for drinking and can be appreciated when still young, with no need for further aging.
Nebbiolo d'Alba
A very distinctive wine with pronounced tannins, which have earned it the reputation of a "connoisseur's" wine. It is aged in large barrels for one year but, depending on its evolution, part of it may be transferred to barriques to smooth its sharpest notes. Like Barolo, with aging the bouquet intensifies in a crescendo of tertiary aromas.
The other red wines
Birbet – Aromatic Sweet Spumante
Produced with Brachetto grapes, Birbet is a true "rascal" (in Piedmontese dialect, birbet means rascal t.n.): a wine that tickles the palate, allures with its sweetness and surprises for its freshness. Ideally served with sweet dishes, it also pairs well with dark chocolate. Not only, it may be the sole basis for unusual cocktails.
Barbera d'Alba Superiore DOC
Easy to match, it's a table wine par excellence from southern Piedmont. It has a distinctive fruity aroma, a nice color, woody scents and strong acidity, which some may dislike. In accordance with traditional methods, it is aged in large Slavonian barrels between 6 months and one year for the Superior version.
Langhe Dolcetto DOC
An everyday wine, easier to drink and match, that appeals to those who don't like the acidity of Barbera. It is the other famous popular wine of Piedmont, which normally is most appreciated in the Dogliani area.
White wines
Roero Arneis DOCG
Conceived and produced for the summer, to quench your thirst in the hot days of August. A floral wine with low alcohol content, very sharp in the mouth, delicate, harmonious and with a good underlying acidity that adds a note of freshness.
For You – Roero Arneis DOCG Spumante Extra Brut
A wine that springs from the desire to do something different. It is a classic vintage pas dosé method, only produced in the best years, with long fermentation (up to 3 years); it has a very fine bead and dry aroma and the typical almond finish of the Arneis.
Moscato d'Asti DOCG
The most famous sparkling wine of Piedmont, with brightly floral aromas, very pleasant and delicate. Entirely vinified in controlled-temperature stainless steel tanks, our Moscato is sweet but not cloying, with a nice acid note that makes it fresh and quaffable.
or continue discovering the green soul of our winery ↓
A green winery
For farmers, the protection of the environment is very important.
Not only because nature gives us sustenance, but because a healthy earth is also unequivocally reflected in the quality of our end products.
When renovating our winery, the choice to go "green" seemed like the only practicable one and today we can say that our facilities are entirely sustainable.
Electricity comes from solar panels, heating from the biomass power plant and the heat pumps, which help us maintain a constant temperature as the wine ages.
The materials used for construction, such as wood and brick, and some advanced insulation techniques, help us contain the dispersion of heat. These measures have earned us the A + certification, the highest energy certification for buildings.
Finally, a small phyto-purification pond filters the waste water from the winery, through three stages of natural filtration.
Of course, our vision extends further and is also reflected in the way we take care of our vineyards: "green" techniques such as grassing of the vineyards, and few aggressive treatments (only when strictly necessary), enable us to make a sustainable product.
or read our profiles ↓
The staff
I met Paolo in the summer of 2006 when, together with some friends from Bologna, we were invited to a barbecue in the vineyards, under the shade of a magnificent cherry tree. The following year, Paul and I got married and I moved to Vezza.
I have a degree in economics and, after some years working in the marketing division of Adecco, I jumped at the opportunity to join the family business. I am mainly involved in communication, marketing and administrative activities, shipments abroad and winery tours.
Driven by my passion for wine I attended the three levels of the sommelier course, but I see this as a passion rather than a profession. The type of tasting I propose is not technical: I will not tell you what you should taste in wine, but I will try to guide you through the typical characteristics of wine.
My tasks in the company involve dealing with Italian and foreign customers and with suppliers, taking care of participation in trade fairs and, of course, of winery tours.
I attended the course for sommeliers and in the winery I have had the opportunity to gain a lot of experience. I like to conduct the tastings of our wines, which I also personally offer abroad, especially in America; there, presenting the company involves taking the long way: Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Roero, … and Demarie.
I have a diploma in accounting and, before entering the family business, I have worked as telephone salesman for a major winery in the area that is engaged in the mail-order business and as accountant in a construction company . Both of these experiences have been formative and useful for my current job.
I am in charge of the agronomic activities of the company, from taking care of the vineyards to wine-making.
My father taught me everything I know: I learned with him, by trying, failing and trying again. I like to think of wine as if it were my child, someone who needs to be taken care of and pampered.
This is a product that you drink every day so it is very important to respect its genuineness. For this reason I try to keep aggressive treatments to a minimum, preferring green techniques such as grassing of the vineyards.
Our production per hectare is below the limits imposed by regulations and I believe it is important not to increase it in order to preserve the characteristics of the wine.
I also like to experiment and I try to create new products such as the passito wine, the ice-wine, the sparkling Nebbiolo rosé and the Arneis classic method.
or find out what to do before and after the tour ↓
Things to see nearby
Ecomuseo delle Rocche
For lovers of nature and outdoor sports this museum offers numerous hiking trails or bike trails, which are ideal for discovering the distinctive traits of the Roero region: dizzying cliffs, steep slopes and narrow gorges.
Castle of Magliano Alfieri
Summer home of the Alfieri family, the castle still features the original frescoes and plasters. Inside there are two modern museums where you will discover the hilly landscape of the region and the traditional plasterwork.
Shrine of Madonna dei Boschi
Located on top of the hill, the shrine was originally a country chapel (fourteenth century). Over the years it went through several changes, but it still features a valuable Gothic fresco from around 1400 placed on the ceiling of the nave: the Annunciation.
"L Torion" (the tower) and the big bench
Through an easy trail and a short walk, you can reach one of the most picturesque sights of Vezza d'Alba, where beside an old watchtower, you will find one of the Big Bench of American designer Chris Bangle.
Museo Naturalistico del Roero (Natural History Museum of the Roero Region)
After admiring the landscape from above, the small Natural History Museum of the Roero Region will give you the opportunity to learn about the geology of the soil, the plants that cover it, the animals and insects that live there.
Truffle Ground – a learning experience
It is a small forest dedicated to the production of truffles; the environment, which is favourable for truffle growth,offers an opportunity to learn and discover all the secrets of this fungus, including tours with expert guides.
Book your visit
from our Trip Advisor profile
5/5 stars
by andreazanini
What can I say, after spending one day on the bike, with our "Bikersinmoto" group, we stopped by at Paolo and Monica's Hospitality, competence, professionalism and friendliness, everything packed in a long and refined wine tasting! Excellent wines of rare quality !! ! Passion, hard work and self-sacrifice !!! Well done, we had a great time and we will come back .
Andrea -VR-
Tour and tasting highly recommended !!!
5/5 stars
by 818BarbaraR
[…] After being introduced to the winery and its history, we visited the various rooms, where Monica explained the various production processes in a very professional and friendly manner, including bottling, labelling and sparkling wine production methods.
The 5 wine tasting has been nothing short of delicious, accompanied by breadsticks, cold meats and cheeses; we were impressed by their products, […]. Thanks again for the beautiful morning and see you soon!


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Princeton University: Princeton, NJ: Injoong & Jakub's Engagement Session
If there is a prettier place for Injoong and Jakub to have met and fallen in love, you'd be hard pressed to find it. It was the campus of Princeton University where these two students found one another. They got to know each other slowly and soon discovered just how much they smiled whenever they were in one another's presence. Their friends could see the natural chemistry the two shared, how both Jakub and Injoong never seemed to be more comfortable then when they were side by side.
We got to see that connection first hand as we photographed Injoong and Jakub on the campus that means so much to them. We got to visit some of the very places they would sit and talk, some of the paths they strolled as they got to know one another. The afternoon made us even more excited for their wedding this summer which happens to be taking place in another beautiful city: New Haven. We can't wait to capture what will no doubt be countless smiles this July when Jakub and Injoong become husband and wife.


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Whatever your style, our expansive product portfolio with unlimited resources includes furniture, floor and wall coverings, window treatments, accessories and more!
The size of our showroom and scope of designer resources is only part of the reason why customers choose A & R. The other reason is our staff. Our interior designers are professional designers, not salespeople, and our clients can rely on the knowledge and experience of our design team. Moreover, the relationships we develop with our clients often span decades, demonstrating a trust that we value and uphold.


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When choosing what trees to plant, one can not just choose a tree they think is nice looking and plant it. A tree must be carefully selected. What type of soil will the tree be planted in? Is it full of clay, shale, sand, etc? What is the pH of the soil? Soil tends to vary and change greatly on a plot of land. Most individuals do not consider these issues when trying to decide what trees to plant on their properties. If you build a new home it is important to have your soil tested before choosing what trees to plant. One can not assume that a tree they had planted at one home will also grow well at a new location. Soil is all about CHEMISTRY. Just like our bodies, trees need a nutrient filled environment in order to thrive; therefore, we recommend that you consult a professional before deciding what trees to plant on your property. If you do not want to consult a professional it would be a wonderful practice to at least take soil samples to find out what trees will thrive in your yard.
How does Unangst Tree Farms choose what trees to plant? First, we take annual soil samples. Secondly, we try to determine what types of trees will be in demand when the trees are sold. This can be a little difficult since the trees will be in the soil for 7-10 years. Another important factor in tree planting is needle retention. Spruce trees do not have a very good needle retention (approx 2 weeks); therefore, we choose not to plant many (A few Blue Spruce) of these of trees. The number one selling Christmas tree is the Douglas Fir, but did you know there are at least five sub-species of Douglas Fir trees? Each sub-species has physical traits that are different. The sub-species that are grown in Michigan or Oregon are not the same sub-species grown in Pennsylvania. This is due to different environmental conditions. Fraser Fir is a close second place in popularity and continues to grow in popularity due to its wonderful needle retention and sturdy branches for heavier ornaments. Tree planting isn't just about planting trees in the ground. It's an intricate chemical process.


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Clinton's Islamic Connection
Among the avalanche of accusations about the Clinton's finances, perhaps the most serious are the
Abedin comes from a distinguished Muslim family; her father, of Indian Muslim heritage, after teaching in an American university was set up in Saudi Arabia in a private foundation. It's not clear exactly what its purposes were, but certainly a part was to influence international opinion. His work has been carried on by his widow, a leading member of what could be called the Moslem Brotherhood's women's auxiliary. Abedin and Clinton made visits to meet her in the Middle East, apparently to discuss the chaotic region and American policy. Obama Administration officials have tended to see the Moslem Brotherhood as some sort of Islamic version of the Christian Democratic Parties in Western Europe, ignoring that the current plethora of Islamic terrorist organizations have all sprung from its bowels
The conservative public interest law firm Judicial Watch has filed a request to open Abedin's emails during her four years at the State Department. News reports had claimed that Abedin used the same private email server Clinton set up to handle government business, avoiding the normal procedures of using the official State Dept. network. Granted that that had been done sometimes in the past, new Obama Administration rules had reinforced the regulation that government traffic had to flow on government networks.
That puts Clinton directly in violation of the State Dept. regulations if not the law, and makes the Abedin correspondence, critical, adding a whole new dimension to the rat's nest.
In what must now be seen as an overabundance of political correctness, when Abedin's connection was brought to the attention of the country in June 2012, by Congresswoman Michele Bachmann and other Republican Congressmen, liberals and The Washington Post" joined in a denunciation of the request for more information. They were joined by Sen. John McCain and some other Republican as well as Democratic senators. But Senator Chuck Grassley had raised questions about Abedin's working as a State Department employee as a part-time aide to Clinton while working as a consultant to private clients for the consulting firm Teneo Holdings and the Clinton Foundation as well as member of Clinton's political staff. The State Department's response was that there was no question of her passing government information to her private employers.
Attempts to bring public scrutiny to Abedin's activities have been, characteristically, called "McCarthyism" as Islamophobia. But it is well to remember the historical context of the investigations of Senator Joseph McCarthy and the House UnAmerican Activities Committee. Whatever their excesses, the fact was that some of those accused and questioned had been members of the Communist Party and its conspiracy at a time when the Soviet Union was powerful and potential enemy of the U.S.


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I wake in the night from a violent dream in which I witness a man shoot a woman in close range. I am kneeling behind a tall white fence and when I see this and when I hear the shot reverberate in the dark night, I gasp, duck down, and try to make myself as small as I possibly can.
As dream logic would dictate, then I am carrying my son home from a carnival where we have stayed out too late riding the carousel and the bumper boats and throwing darts at water balloons. His cheeks and hands are sticky with the remnants of blue cotton candy and when I turn my face to his, which is resting on my shoulder, I can smell the sugar on his breath from his open mouth.
Things that delight - the sweet breath of sleeping children. The soft whirring of the ceiling fan above my bed. Beach roses. Long summer evenings when the heat streaks the sky with pink. Embracing someone you have not seen in a long time and so the embrace lingers long enough for you to feel for a moment like you are floating.
When you wake with a cry from an unsettling dream and someone you love holds you close and covers your face with kisses.
In the dream, the man slips away from the scene through an open gate. He is tall and his hands are large. I awaken, sit up in bed and try to remember his face. It is wide and pale. His hair is dark, his eyes impassive as he lifts the gun to the woman's head. I will need to remember this, I think, to describe him to the police.
Did I mention that he was tall and that his hands were large? Did I mention that he had the familiar look of someone I had met before in a dream?
Things that are better at night - A dress of iridescent silk. The scent of jasmine in the garden. The soft voice of a lover whispering in your ear, his warm breath.
The anticipation of pleasure and then the memory of it.
In the fifth month of the year, certain events are set into motion that in the seventh month come to pass. A man travels to see his parents who are ill. A woman visits with a childhood friend, who reveals many secrets. A promise made is broken. Someone you had trusted leaves you wary. Someone from whom you had kept considerable distance becomes a confidant.
Phases of the moon - new moon, crescent moon, waxing and waning. Gibbous moon, waxing and waning. Full moon. Blue moon. First and last quarter moon.
Things that are far away, but seem near - A childhood friend, who moves far away but with whom you exchange letters often. A much anticipated event, like a birthday celebration or a trip somewhere you have never been that is still many months from now but you think of it all the time.
A sailboat in the ocean when you are looking at it from the shore.
The constellations in the night sky. The full moon.
Things that are near, but seem far - The crest of a hill on a warm day when you are walking toward it and you are weary and there are no trees to offer shade. The last long minutes just before a much anticipated event.
When you argue with your lover and he turns away from you. He stands up and begins pacing gloomily. You remain in your chair, stare out the open window. You are near enough that if you reached for him, you could touch him, could pull him back toward you, but it is as if instead you are separated by a thousand miles.


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Goldman Sachs chief European economist Huw Pill was setting monetary policy at the European Central Bank as recently as last summer, which gives him a unique perspective on the crisis.
In an interview with Bloomberg TV, Pill weighed in on the euro crisis and where it goes next.
Regarding the ECB's OMT bond market intervention program - unveiled in August but yet to be implemented - Pill said it really only buys time for the central bank:
There will remain risks. I think those risks - or perhaps the extreme tail risks - have been contained by the ECB's actions, but I think there are certainly threats of greater volatility or some disturbances.
I think this phase will continue probably for another year. Likely longer - almost certainly for 18 months, and it will only be at that sort of horizon that we can really begin to even think about coming through the crisis.
Pill also had some bad news for those waiting for the ECB to make a big splash in peripheral bond markets:
We don't think the ECB is going to be ambitious in terms of driving down short-dated yields in Spain much below where they are now. We think the ECB is relatively content with the current level in Spain.
By the same token, we don't think the ECB will go out and make large, systematic, almost pre-announced block purchases of Spanish debt. They'll rather anchor the short end of the yield curve through sort of "guerrilla tactics."
These comments echo research that Pill published before the ECB officially unveiled OMT in August. For a more detailed look at what Pill expects from the ECB, see here.
Watch the full interview with Pill below:
ALSO: WEIMAR: Here's what we know about the hyperinflation horror story that still haunts Europe today >


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Outside MGH
Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)The Association of American Medical Colleges is a nonprofit association of medical schools, teaching hospitals, and academic societies. The AAMC seeks to improve the nation's health by enhancing the effectiveness of academic medicine.
The AAMC offers a variery of workshops geared towards professional development. For example:
- Physician Workforce Research Conference
- Careers in Medicine Professional Development Conference
- Executive Development Seminar for Associate Deans/Department Chairs
For full listing of all of the programs, go to: https://www.aamc.org/meetings/.
Harvard's Center for Workplace Development (CWD)
Professional Development and Training for Faculty and Staff given by the Workforce Development and Training staff at HMS. These programs help HMS/HSDM faculty and employees enhance their management, communications, and leadership skills.
Harvard Macy Institute
Professional Development Programs for Academic Leaders in Health Care
HSPH Executive and Continuing Professional Education
Executive and Continuing Professional Education offers innovative courses for leaders in public health, health care, and environmental health and safety. Our courses are designed to provide participants with effective solutions to issues critical to their success and the success of their organization.
Massachusetts General Hospital


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Dear Ones,
I'll be taking in-person sessions in Seattle beginning June 1st. Coaching is available via Skype now as well.
Love & Blessings!
31 May 2016 Leave a comment
in Uncategorized Tags: isis phoenix seattle, naked yoga seattle, sacred sexuality seattle, seattle sensual massage, seattle tantra
Dear Ones,
I'll be taking in-person sessions in Seattle beginning June 1st. Coaching is available via Skype now as well.
Love & Blessings!
02 Mar 2016 Leave a comment
in Uncategorized Tags: first-times, isis phoenix, my dream vision, sacred sexual initiations, Sacred Sexuality, sensual consciousness, Sensual Shaman, sexual priestess, Tantra
We all remember our first kiss, who we first made love to, the first time we discovered self-pleasuring, perhaps the first time we were sexually harassed or even sexually assaulted… When we have a first time experience a new neural pathway is made in the brain and body. Unconsciously, this becomes the default. Consciously, it is a reference point we can return to to either re-create or to re-pattern. Reviewing my firsts in life, I began to desire something more, more ceremony, more invitation of the sacred, more consciousness. I began to wonder of ceremonies that could be created, meaningful beautiful rituals for our first times… what would these ceremonies look like to honor a first kiss, or the first time we shared a lovers touch? And how would we create ceremonies to heal from negative first time experiences?
In the world I want to live in, I envision beautiful, healing, empowering ceremonies where women taught their daughters to love and pleasure their bodies and embrace their beauty and that their sexuality was a precious gift… where men taught their sons about integrating their sexual energy with a heart-based connection.
When I let myself dream and vision my perfect time, it would begin by consciously visiting the town's sexual priestess who would initiate me in the feminine mysteries of the pleasure my body was capable of and later a second ceremony that would introduce me to the pleasure and delights of sharing this experience with a first time beloved of my choosing. In each ceremony, I imagine a sexual priestess holding space and guiding the initiation of pleasure and teaching me the art of love beginning with my own body and then sharing and exploring a lovers. I would want this ceremony for myself around the age of 16, after the initial shock of puberty was over and I was grounded in my new woman's body. I would love my imaginary parents to be totally on board with this ceremony like a sweet sixteen only it's where a young woman comes to know her body and pleasure and how to pleasure and honor another.
That would be my perfect first time… What's the vision of your perfect first time?
01 Feb 2016 Leave a comment
in Uncategorized Tags: body acceptance, Divine Feminine, evelynn maurine, holy body, isis phoenix, midwinter naturist festival, naked yoga, nude partner yoga, pelvic heart integration, PHI, sacred haven, Sacred Sexuality, self love, sensual consciousness, Sensual Shaman, Tantra
Private Sessions at Sacred Haven, Orlando, FL. Feb 2-10, Feb 16-28.
MidWinter Naturist Festival @ Sunsport Gardens. Loxahatchee, FL Feb 11-14 – workshops ~ Pelvic Heart Integration, Nude Partner Yoga, Naked Church.
Pelvic Heart Integration Workshop @ Sacred Haven, Orlando, FL Feb 25 7-10pm.
Email Isis: email@example.com or call 646-460-9397.
26 Dec 2015 Leave a comment
in Uncategorized Tags: Attunement, Channelled Meditation, Divine Feminine, Heart, Intuition, isis phoenix, Mother Mary, Womb
~ A Gift from the Divine Mother ~
My dearest friends and community ~
I have a very special gift for you today. While living in Massachusetts and since my Madonna Ministry Ordination and attunement from Bishop EveLynn Maurine my relationship with the Divine Mother has continued to grow exponentially over the past two years.
In the middle of this month, I received a channeled meditation and attunement from Mother Mary. She instructed me to offer this meditation and Womb, Heart, Soul Attunement for women. It is a channeled meditation that I recorded. It is specifically for women though I will share it openly with all who desire it.
If you would like to receive an audio recording of this meditation please email me at firstname.lastname@example.com and I will send you the audio file.
In Her Name and with Her Blessings.
Wishing Everyone a very Merry Christmas.
Isis Phoenix
11 Sep 2015 1 Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: deborah anapol, glenn meader, gwenn cody, holistic sexuality, jack painter, pelvic heart integration, Tantra
It is with sadness and confusion that I honor the life of my teacher and mentor Dr. Deborah Taj Anapol who passed shortly after an immersive training I attended with her in Ireland in August. Deborah, who preferred being called by her spiritual name, Taj, was the center holder for Pelvic Heart Integration, a whole body system of healing originally founded by Dr. Jack Painter. She and I co-led New York's first Pelvic Heart Integration Retreat this past July. It was Taj's deep and sincere wish for PHI to become a globally known healing model and she was in the midst of passing the work on.
There are 19 people, including myself, who have been in training to take this work more fully out into the world and we have committed to continuing our training and honoring her passion through offering PHI Activations and private work throughout the globe. We had just completed module 2 of a 4 module year long training system to become teachers. Taj taught and believed that in order to create harmony among men and women in relationships and on the earth there must be a harmony with the inner man and woman within the individual often referred to in PHI as 'the inner marriage.' The cumulative effects of Pelvic Heart Integration has gone deeper for me than any other system of Tantra and has been instrumental in bringing about profound healing and making available deeper more authentic ways of relating.
Deborah and I were published together in the book Ecosexuality: When Nature Inspires the Art of Love just after her passing and my interview with her in Sensheant Magazine on masculine and feminine energies in Pelvic Heart Integration was also released a few days after her death.
In memory of Taj, in support of my fellow teachers and in my belief in this work, I will be stepping into support and co-facilitate Pelvic Heart Integration Activation Level 1 in Sebastapol, CA with Gwenn Cody and Glenn Meader and assist Pelvic Heart Integration Activation Level 2 in Portland, Oregon with Gwenn Cody. I welcome you to come share in and receive this powerful healing work.
16 Dec 2014 Leave a comment
in Uncategorized Tags: asking for help, body acceptance, Boundaries, Divine Feminine, female ejaculation, female sexuality, painful intercourse
08 Dec 2014 Leave a comment
by Isis Phoenix REBLOGGED via Young Naturists America
"Why are you taking the women away from us?!" exclaimed one of my most devoted male yoga students. He was a man in his late sixties and a longtime naturist who for most of his life was deeply committed to a nudist lifestyle. This was in 2008 when I was newly teaching naked yoga classes in New York and had a small but devoted following that filled up my twelve-person yoga studio several times a week. The comment came as a reaction to putting a women's naked yoga class on the otherwise mixed-gendered weekly yoga schedule. The comment was almost childlike when it exited his mouth. "Why are you taking the women away from us?! That is a horrible idea!" he said, sounding more like an eight year old…
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Nea Zoi recently held a community awareness evening to share information about the issue of trafficking in Greece. Many participated and shared of the grievous injustices that are taking place around the corner. It was a night of stories and facts, and hopefully many eyes were opened to the plight of girls being trafficked into Greece.
A dance group shared through drama a possible scenario of trafficked women, and many were moved to tears by their expressive performance.
A monologue of complied victims stories was read both in English and Greek through a screen to perhaps bring the details into more perspective for the listeners.
As the event closed the Nea Zoi gang gathered for a photo. Good job gals!


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I received my new fiber blending board last week and finally had some time yesterday to experiment with it. For those of you who may not know a blending board is a piece of carding cloth with many, many "teeth" and it's used to blend different colours and fibres to make rolags which can then be spun into yarn.
I took my inspiration for my colour palette from a wonderful print that I recently purchased from Danny Phillips on Etsy...this picture just makes me smile!
So I went through my stash of fibre and came up with some wool roving, silk throwsters, and a novelty yarn that would match.
Below are a few pictures of how the blending board works and the yarn I'm spinning from the rolags.


text: Have you ever planned a wedding and had to change EVERYTHING last minute because of a hurricane?! Well, that's exactly what happened to Lindsay & Jason. We all spent the week closely watching the weather and planning for every possible outcome. The wedding was planned for Friday and on Thursday, we received a call from their planner asking if we could be there in 90 mins, because the wedding was happening a day early! Even with a surprise venue change due to the storm, these two were amazing throughout the day. We are so happy we were able to be there for their special day!


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In the News:
- Missed Live from the Newsroom at Widener? Here's a taste – Delaware County Daily Times (1/29 – Video clip from the filming of 'Live from the Newsroom' in Freedom Hall with Associate Professor Wes Leckrone and Widener students)
- Hey, Hey, NCAA. Unionize College Sports Today! – Slate (1/29 – Column post by Law Professor John Culhane)
- Strine confirmed as next chief justice of Delaware Supreme Court – News Journal (1/29 – Mention of event at the School of Law Delaware Campus*)
- Free tax return preparation offered for those with low to moderate incomes – The Patriot-News (1/28 – Widener University School of Law was listed)
Events on the Harrisburg Campus today:
- School of Law Study Abroad Programs Open House; 12–3 p.m. and 4–6:30 p.m.; Classroom Building, The Pit
Events on the Delaware Campus today:
- School of Law Study Abroad Programs Open House; 4:30–5:45 p.m.; Main Law Building, Room L126
Widener Magazine Blog:
Athletic Update:
- Women's Basketball: Lebanon Valley 70, Widener 59
- Mens's Basketball: Lebanon Valley 83, Widener 74


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Liz Kaplow: Founder & CEO of Kaplow Communications/
My NativeAdVice:
Liz Kaplow is the founder and CEO of Kaplow Communications, a leading public relations and communications agency that connects brands and products with consumers and influencers through the art of storytelling. She founded the agency in 1991 and has built it into one of the top mid-sized PR agencies in the country. Today, Kaplow is recognized not only for its strong media and influencer relations capabilities, but also its innovation in social, digital and content creation. The combination has earned the agency many awards and honors, including the coveted Holmes Report "Consumer Agency of the Year" and a Gold Sabre Award for Branded Journalism.
Liz Kaplow is also Past President of New York Women in Communications, a member of the Board of Governors of Cosmetic Executive Women, and an advocate for the advancement of women into leadership roles.
How did you get into the PR industry?
What drew me to the industry was the idea that every brand has a unique story to tell and that story -- properly told -- can really resonate with the consumer. Public relations is, at its core, all about storytelling.
My fascination with authentic storytelling began when I was working on my senior project at Vassar on the poet William Carlos Williams. I found the plain, authentic language he used in writing about the people of Paterson NJ to be compelling.
After graduation, I spent a year at FIT in their Marketing/Communications program. In the branding/PR class, the professor broke us up into PR Practitioners and Media and had us role-play. I fell immediately in love with PR and never turned back. After spending many years at an agency, I launched Kaplow Communications 25 years ago.
Tell us about Kaplow Communications. What inspired the idea and what is your vision for the company?
The idea was simple: I wanted to create a place where brands could come to have their unique stories told. That vision continues to propel us forward.
I specifically chose the name Kaplow Communications (not Kaplow PR) because I liked the idea of going beyond the strict definition of Public Relations to include all of the tools of communications. Today, we are using social media, digital marketing, content development, influencer engagement and more to tell our clients' stories.
We continue to embrace whatever lies ahead in this ever-evolving industry.
What industry trends are you noticing and how do you capitalize on them?
The communications industry has changed dramatically in recent years – and continues to evolve. It's exciting to be able to reach the consumer at so many different touch points. We remain open to leveraging any and all new forms of communication, because – at the end of the day – it's about finding the best ways to tell our clients' stories.
Life Motto?
It's one my mother, who is an artist, taught me: Approach every situation like a blank canvas. It is a chance to create something new.
Kaplow Motto?
One brand story, one brand message, told many ways.
Your advice to an aspiring entrepreneur?
Live and learn in a 360-degree way. It's important to understand what's happening in the world outside your area of focus. You never know where you find inspiration.
Don't be afraid to say "yes" to something you haven't done before -- even if it's not your core area. It's an opportunity to learn.
Finally, work with integrity. Always try to do the right thing and you'll be able to sleep at night.
Describe the ideal experience using Kaplow.
Every experience is different. What each client will find, though, is a team that is passionate about uncovering that authentic brand story and then finding new and creative ways to tell it. I always liken the experience to the acronym TREE: Trust, Respect, Energy and Enthusiasm. It is something that makes Kaplow a learning environment and encourages creativity and risk taking.
How do you motivate your employees?
We've tried to create a culture based on trust and mutual respect – one that encourages creativity and innovation. We hire smart, talented and resourceful people, and then empower them. It's important to know when to step in and when to step aside.
One food and drink left on earth, what would you choose?
My real wish would be chocolate chip cookies and milk. I have learned to love kale, but in truth it is vile and everyone knows it.
What literature is on your bed stand?
A real mix. I love poetry from Maya Angelou to Richard Blanco. I just finished Elizabeth Gilbert's historical novel The Signature of all Things. I enjoy being transported to another place in time yet seeing modern themes that are relevant today.
Role model - business and personal?
I'm a big fan of Meg Whitman, the CEO of Hewlett Packard. I've learned so much from watching her leadership style. She has an incredible ability to communicate the big idea and then rally the team to make it happen.
My parents are my greatest role models. My dad, a textile executive, taught me good old-fashioned problem solving and my mother, a talented artist, taught me to look for creative answers. I try to follow their lead every single day in all aspects of my life.
Current passion?
Playing the guitar. I recently purchased a beautifully restored Yamaha guitar, which has taken me back to my college days when I played guitar in coffeehouses.
Favorite travel destination?
Italy! I love the people, the fashion, the food and the wine – especially the Franciacorta wine region, which recently became a Kaplow client.
What's next for Kaplow?
I'm not going to predict the future because I know the communications industry will continue to evolve. But, I'm excited about the white space ahead and eager to see what new vehicles for story telling emerge. Whatever lies ahead, one thing that is certain…we will embrace it.


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Princeton University Press is excited to announce the availability of new e-books through Shelfie, an e-book bundling service that allows you purchase a significantly discounted e-book if you already own the print edition. How does it work? First, download the app on any iOS or Android device. Next, create an account, then take a photo of your personal bookshelf or a specific book you're interested in, and the app will instantly search through the Shelfie e-book catalog for the ebook book. All e-books will be available at a discounted price, if you already own the physical copy of the book. The only thing needed to access Shelfie is a phone, so now it's easy to keep your bookshelf intact and still bring reading material with you while traveling.
Through the app, it's easy to connect with other readers, share your bookshelves, check out a variety of titles, and explore the Princeton University Press catalog of e-books available on Shelfie. If you aren't certain of where you should start with your collection, view the top five Princeton books available now.


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As of 2015, there is currently inadequate evidence to suggest that coconut oil is effective for treating Alzheimer's, according to WebMD. However, a 2014 report claimed success in treating Alzheimer's with lifestyle changes and a variety of supplements, including coconut oil, but more research is needed. There is no conclusive evidence that any foods or other supplements are beneficial in treating the disease, explains Mayo Clinic.
Currently, two major types of medications can protect against the cognitive and memory problems caused by Alzheimer's disease, states Mayo Clinic. Memantine works by slowing the progression of the disease for people with moderate to severe Alzheimer's, while cholinesterase inhibitors, such as donepezil, galantamine and rivastigmine, work by boosting the levels of a chemical responsible for communication from cell to cell. However, fewer than 50 percent of people who take cholinesterase inhibitors see improvement.
Alzheimer's disease causes brain cells to deteriorate and die, damaging a person's memory and other vital cognitive functions, according to Mayo Clinic. This damage hinders a person's ability to perform normal daily activities. Alzheimer's disease is more common than any other form of dementia. Treatment includes medication and management of these symptoms, and there is no known cure for Alzheimer's.


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This past Thursday, the Greek government represented by Alexis Tsipras handed over the final proposal to the Troika.
In return for a bailout of 50 billion euros for the next three years and a short-term financial bridge, Tsipras agreed to major cuts, raises in VAT which will affect negatively most Greeks, and slashing of pensions which were already cut by 50 percent since the first bailout.
Just 6 days ago, this past Sunday, 61 percent of the Greek public voted for its dignity and against capitulation to the Troika, despite the fact that they were placed under economic siege and financial blackmail.
The majority of the Greek people voted against a proposal which would cut 8 billion euros of public funds.
Now Tsipras offered the Eurogroup 13 billion euros in a new proposal.
It remains to be seen whether the German Bundestag will accept this capitulation.
As far as Tsipras is concerned, however, the decision has been made.Many people on the international Left are naturally sympathetic to Syriza and to Alexis Tsipras. They understand the immense pressure he was placed under, and respect the fact that he managed to take a tough negotiating position with the Troika entirely on his own.
Yet, what they fail to understand is that Tsipras is not Greece, and Tsipras is not Syriza.
The last proposal cannot be defined as anything else but capitulation. This is due to the simple fact that it would involve major cuts in pensions and a rise in VAT while Greece would cut 13 billion euros from its budget, which is far more than the original 8 billion that the Greek public voted against. This is not just a capitulation, but a trampling upon the results of the Greek referendum and the will of the people. Germany said it will consider some kind of debt relief, but recent months have made it increasingly clear that the neoliberal austerity intentions of Germany regarding the Southern countries of Europe have not only not gone away but have intensified.Tsipras' new proposal has the potential to split the party in the near future.
Energy Minister Panagiotis Lafazanis, who advocated for an Exit as soon a possible, may resign if the proposal proceeds unchanged. MPs Costas Lapavitsas and Thanasis Petrakos and other figures such as member of the Syriza Central Committee Sophie Papadogiannis, wrote a letter to Tsipras in which they state that "an exit from the eurozone under the current circumstances is a difficult but a realistic process that will allow the country to follow a different path, away from that of the unacceptable programs that will emulate the Juncker proposal." They call for reforming the banks, ending austerity, exiting the Euro and defaulting on the debt. Rather than heeding their call and using the impressive momentum gained by the defiance of the Troika on Sunday's referendum, Tsipras had a Blairite response. "Between a bad and a catastrophic choice, we are forced to choose the first," he said. "It is not easy but we have to." Tsipras said Syriza voters must approve the proposal.One may argue that it is unfair to expect Tsipras to exit the Euro. This is due to the immense pressure he faced and since he could not force the Greek public to leave the Euro against their wishes. Indeed, most Greeks oppose austerity while are supportive of remaining in the Euro perhaps due to sentimental reasons and the prestige they believe it offers. Here lies the error of those who justify Tsipras in this area, however. The goal of a genuine leader is to express new potential prospects and to educate the public about new horizons with the goal of inspiring them and gaining their support. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez pursued this policy of being transparent and clear with the public as to what is at stake. The goal of a genuine leader is not to allow the public to lead from below while keeping them in the dark on what his or her plans would mean.
It is clear, however, that as long as Greece remains in the Euro, it will never manage to pay the debt and its economy will never recover. Leadership is not to accept such a tragic and declining trajectory at face value and offer no resistance in its path.Tsipras' trajectory therefore sends a double message. First, that despite the popular 'No' vote in the referendum and the strong stance taken during negotiations, the bottom line is that there must be a capitulation. This sends the unmistakable message that resistance is futile. Precisely since Tsipras arguably tried and failed, his capitulation not only discourages other Greeks from pursuing a path out of austerity but also demoralizes parties across the continent such as Podemos who may have more courageous ambitions. Secondly, by not educating the public about the potential of an Exit, or at the very least by not being straightforward about the fact that the economy can never recover under austerity, Tsipras has betrayed the public trust placed in him. He was supposed to lead, not to be dragged by circumstances.
The recent turnaround by Tsipras did not catch me entirely by surprise. On April 1, 2015, I interviewed Dimitris Kazakis, an opposition leader and socialist economist. He predicted that Tsipras will sign a new memorandum by July, even if he needs to make a break with the Left platform of Syria. He did not rule out a coalition between Syriza and New Democracy and even Golden Dawn, arguing that they would claim that this is a "special situation."
In his view, Tsipras and others "do not have the guts" to break from the Euro.
There are those who believe that we must wait and see what Tsipras has in mind. It is true that perhaps Tsipras has a complicated strategy in mind such as defaulting later on in surprise or radicalizing the public by forcing it to taste of the Troika's bitter medicine. However, ever since Tsipras was elected, and also later when he agreed to 70 percent of the memorandum, accepted a capitulation on February 20, and finally trampled on the public referendum most recently, those voices that called for a "wait and see" approach remained unchanged, while the fruits of such an approach remain to be discovered. What they did succeed in, however, is to granting legitimacy to a left-wing party while it adopts de facto austerity and neoliberal reform. Understandably, people may view Tsipras with admiration, yet when he pursues policies which are likely to impoverish further the elderly and the youth, personality worship serves to distract from the real and pressing issues we face and from the suffering encountered by the Greek people.
The possibility of Tsipras splitting Syriza and forming a coalition with New Democracy, Pasok, To Potami or even Golden Dawn is very realistic. In such pressing times, one need not engage in a demonization of Tsipras due to the disappointment caused by misplaced hope, but one must also mature beyond childish expectations and realize that Tsipras faced immense pressures and that the goal now must be to help the Greek people, not defend Tsipras' harmful mistakes, whether they are intentional or not.As things stand now, Greece will be subject to continued neoliberal austerity as its assets are privatized rapidly and it is pillaged of all that remains, while its citizens sink deeper and deeper into poverty. It has lost its sovereignty and its independence and is de facto occupied by the troika. In light of this gloomy yet sadly realistic state of circumstances, the most obvious action that should be taken by the Greek government would be to default on its debt, reintroduce the drachma, protect it from speculation by not placing it in the international exchange, and receive heavy investment from the BRICS in reviving the economy and investing in new infrastructure. Such a process will not be simple but it provides a significant glimmer of hope and is the way out from the current impasse according to Lapavitsas and others. Indeed, even Varoufakis opposes the last proposal made by Tsipras and may also be why he resigned unexpectedly.
The Greek people have suffered a tremendous amount over the past 5 years. This past week they reacted in courage and defiance by voting No to austerity. They deserve a leadership which will recognize their potential, will believe in them, and will be strong enough to take actions in defiance of the Troika, not only speak a tough language. They deserve an honest and transparent leadership.One day ago, I asked a friend who was a member of the Hellenic Debt Truth committee what he believe must be the response now. He told me he is busy lecturing in various locations to the public. Now is finally the time to create a truly anti-Capitalist Left alliance, he said.