FLASHBACK 1981

kat and i are dieting. we don't NEED to be dieting but, like all teenage girls in the history of ever, we think we do. and we're doing it right. we have dexatrim. and we take 2 about 30 minutes before dad comes in with burger king. we figure he might be a little mad to find out we're taking diet pills so...we eat the whoppers...we eat the fries...and we're sick the rest of the night. that's the last time we take diet pills. we know they work, though, because we never ever want to see whoppers. ever. again.
FLASH FORWARD february 24, 2013
i'm watching the oscar red carpet arrivals on e. guiliana rancic and kelly osborne are hosting. i am struck by how amazing kelly looks. not because of her dress. not because of her makeup. because of the fact that she has curves. oh. she's not fat, by any stretch of the imagination. but she is not emaciated. and, sadly, i know there are people saying she's fat simply because she isn't a stick figure.
FLASH FORWARD today
fact: americans spend over $40 billion on dieting and diet related products each year.
fact: the average american woman is 5'4" and weighs 164 lbs...the average model? 5'11" and 117 lbs (what?).
fact: over 1/2 of teenage girls and 1/3 of teenage boys attempt to lose weight via unhealthy methods. those methods? skipping meals, fasting, laxatives, vomiting.
fact: in the us, 5 to 10 million people have eating disorders compared to 4 million people with alzheimer's.
fact: society's emphasis on appearance and thinness promotes unhealthy dieting and blinds us to people suffering from eating disorders.
fact: eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness.
fact: an active teenager should be consuming AT LEAST 2500~3000 calories per day to maintain their weight. an active adult? 2000.
fact: as adults, we model the behaviors our children learn...this includes eating and exercise habits, as well as how we view our bodies and judge others.

national eating disorder awareness week is february 24~march 2. take this time to arm yourself with the tools that could help you, or someone you love. click here for more information.

other helpful links:

http://www.allianceforeatingdisorders.com/
http://www.something-fishy.org/
and lady gaga's site to help promote self~acceptance

                             

FLASHBACK 1876

"how much is that doggie in the window?"
a group of men meet regularly, in a manhattan bar, and share hunting stories and brag about how amazing their dogs are. they form a club and name it after their favorite hotel bar. the westminster breeding club is born.
FLASH FORWARD may 8, 1877
the first westminster kennel club dog show is held. over 1200 dogs, mostly hunting dogs, are entered causing the event to last four days, instead of the scheduled three. all proceeds from the fourth day are donated to the aspca.
FLASH FORWARD 1948
the westminster dog show is aired on television for the first time. which leads me to:
FLASH FORWARD february 1993
upstate new york is FREEEEEEEZING and covered in snow. nobody...NOBODY...goes outside. i read books. i flip thru magazines. i clean house. i start channel surfing. awwwwwwww...look at the doggies. i want one of those! and i want one of those!! and OH. MY. GOD!!! i want one of THOSE!!!! the boys want one of those! and they want one of those!! an OH. MY. GOD!!! they want one of THOSE!!! i tell their daddy. "NO!! we do NOT need a dog!" yes we do. all little boys should have a dog, especially a gentle giant. a dog that is meant to be loyal and protective. "well. if we were to get a dog, it would be one of THOSE." i'm sure he's saying that because he thinks i'll never find one. i start reading dog fancy magazine. i find all sorts of breeders. i call the closest one...200 miles away. "$1200.00" wait? what?! that's crazy! i keep calling...and calling...and calling. "well...usually my dogs go for $1200, but i have one female left from this last litter. she's 13 weeks old...she's defective...her teeth are crooked. you'll never be ever to show her in this condition. you can have her for $500." number 1~i have no intention of showing her and b~defective? that's harsh, i have to save her. SOLD!!! but she's in ohio? how will i get her? "i can fly her to you...$600 for the dog and her flight." SOLD!!! we are so excited to get her...she's arriving at 7pm. then, a phone call from the airline "all flights out of syracuse have been cancelled due to weather". wait? what?!! goober, you are just going to have to drive down there and get her. "are you nuts?! i am not driving 2½ hours away in an ice storm to get a DOG!!". he drove 2½ hours away in an ice storm.

belle was one of the best dogs anyone could ever have. a great pyrenees. gentle giants, great pyrenees are confident, gentle, and loyal. all of these things i learned from the westminster dog show. what didn't i learn? they shed. i know, i know, all dogs shed. but great pyrenees...well they shed 365 days a year! and not little dog hairs all over your furniture. CLUMPS! clumps of fluffy white hair all over everything!! and they slobber. belle put "beethoven" to shame. seriously. i AM NOT making that up. and they're stubborn making them difficult  to train. belle would go potty outside, like a good girl should, and take her praise...then, she would finish pottying in the living room as soon as i turned my back. i adored belle...and i would not have traded her for anything in the world. but, for future reference..next time i see one of THOSE (!!) dogs on the westminster dog show, i am totally doing my research before i rush out and buy one (better yet, find one to rescue!).
so. you just saw one of THOSE (!!) dogs and you are thinking you simply must have one? here are some things you might need to consider:

• can't stand dog hair all over your new sofa? try a yorkshire terrier, a dachshund (in particular smooth or wire haired), shih tzu, miniature schnauzer, boston terrier, maltese, bichon frise, west highland terrier, or havanese. also, poodles and poodle mixes. this doesn't mean they don't need grooming, just that they shed very little or not at all. 
• can't stand slobber? avoid st bernards, great pyrenees, bull dogs, english setters, coonhounds. generally, if their jowls droop, they slobber. there are exceptions to every rule but....
• need a dog that's great with kids? bulldogs, golden retrievers, labrador retrievers, beagles, collies just to name a few. i researched breeds that are considered not great with kids. that list overwhelmingly included: chihuahuas, pitt bulls, rottweillers, chows, and dalamations. but i have known people that had (or have) these breeds and they have been great with kids. i personally believe ANY dog can be great with kids if raised, and treated, properly. 
• you have no patience for a stubborn dog? border collies, labs, golden retrievers, dobermans, and german sheperds all have reputations for being easy to train. 
• consider rescue, as opposed to purchasing from a breeder. there is a rescue group for nearly every breed known to man. why? because people DO NOT do their research and purchase a breed they can't handle, or buy a dog on impulse that they don't have time for.

good luck not getting puppy fever while enjoying the westminster kennel club dog show! and don't forget to do your research!!

                          

LIVE TELEVISION COVERAGE:
Monday, February 11, 8pm-11pm ET, Live on CNBC
Tuesday, February 12, 8pm-11pm ET, Live on USA Network

^because it's cute and hilarious^

FLASHBACK 5th century

"this song It's meant to keep you from doin' what you're supposed to..wakin' up too early...maybe we could sleep in...i'll make you banana pancakes...pretend like it's the weekend now"
the first known references of pancakes are attributed to greek poets cratinus and magnes. of course, they don't call them PANCAKES...they refer to them as tagenites. ummmm...that doesn't sound appetizing AT ALL.
FLASH FORWARD february 5, 2013
after a long day of travel...and seeing the bk off for even MORE traveling...i sit down to channel surf. of course, i'm not hungry at all...UNTIL...until i see an ihop commercial. now i'm craving pancakes!! worse than that...i'm craving pancakes on national pancake day. and i've missed it!! boo!! but i've said i'm committed to getting healthy and eating right, you say? ummmm...yeah...but pancakes don't have to be considered unhealthy. fact: a serving of pancakes (2~4" plain) is only 94 calories and 2.17 grams of fat. it's how you chose to top it that can make them, truly, fattening. 

do i have tips for making your pancakes more figure friendly? of course!

1. don't use butter or whipped topping.
2. go for sugar~free or low~cal syrups and...AND...only use the suggested serving size.
3. want bacon? try turkey bacon...it's really good. or. cut your bacon in half. if you have 4 pieces you are actually only having 2 full slices! fool your brain...it works. cross my heart.
4. want eggs, too? try an egg white omelet or use egg substitute.

NOW. you're wanting a cheat day? you don't want to count calories...or fat...and just want to taste the ultimate deliciousness of the pancake? try this amazing recipe i had at a savannah, georgia bed and breakfast. it was like dessert for breakfast!!

APPLE PANCAKE BAKE

ingredients:

2 apples...peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

1/4 c. brown sugar, packed

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

3/4 c. all~purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

3 large eggs

3/4 c. milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 tbs butter, melted

vanilla bean ice cream

preheat oven to 425. heat 10" iron  in oven for 7~8 minutes.  toss apples in brown sugar and cinnamon to coat. mix flour and salt. whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, and 1 tbs butter and add to flour, mixing until smooth. swirl 2 tbs butter to coat bottom of skillet. arrange apples in skillet and pour batter over apples. bake 25~30 minutes until golden brown. serve with nice sized scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. serves 4~6. *note: it's the ice cream that makes this fattening...try a slow~churned ice cream which will cut the fat in half...or try no topping. it's delicious alone...no ice cream, syrup, or powdered sugar needed.

*every february 5, since 2006, ihop offers customers a free short stack of pancakes. guests are asked to consider making a donation to children's miracle network, or other local charities. to date, ihop has raised more than $10 million!