The Thinking Woman

So it was writen... X=men: Misfits

2009-11-13T00:30:24Z

I have just finished reading this lovely comic/manga X-Men: Misfits. It's hard to decide what to call this book since it is obviously done in a manga style, in artwork, shoujo writing style and format. Plus to add confusion it's not published by Marvel but by Del Rey's manga line. That all said it is a wonderful read.

The art work is lovely, and the characters look beautiful rendered in a shoujo style, it's interesting that some of the character designs are a radical departure if your expecting a normal x-men comic, for example Beast is literally a giant teddy bear, emphasis on the bear part, while Colossus looks like Mario (of Super Mario fame) and his metal form looks like a pot-bellied robot that would belong in the Astro-boy manga.

The writing is of a decidedly shoujo slant, the story focus around Kitty Pryde being accepted into the Xavier Academy. She is the only female student currently and almost all the guys fall in love with her. Many of the x-men regulars do appear in this version but they have dramatically new personalities in most cases.

All said I highly recommend this book, whether you are a manga fan, or a X-men fan this will be a great and enjoyable read.

X-men 1: Misfits (X-Men (Graphic Novels))

Raina Telgemeier

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Ever So, Oh So, Aggravated

2009-11-12T21:25:42Z

Okay, I should be grateful. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has far more generous benefits than most states for those seeking aid from the outrageous expense of health insurance.

Turns out my household is eligible for assistance, based on our income and employment status. This is a mixed blessing, but what the hell.

I think, though, that the Commonwealth could be a bit smarter about it. For example, we're reimbursed after we pay the entire cost of insurance per month. That's over $1,000.00 per month for us. Now you guys from outside the US, pick up those jaws. Okay. It's a royal pain, but what the hell.

On top of this, a copy of the front and back of a canceled check is required for proof of payment of that outrageous premium. Problem is, my bank no longer provides a copy of the front and back of a canceled check. They haven't done that in years. Most banks here don't, and haven't in years. So, I have to contact the bank, every month, to get a photocopy of the front and back. The originals are destroyed. But, what the hell.

Then, hubby dear barges in on my work day, insists I do all of this right at this very moment, even though I have deadlines and haven't heard peep one about any of this beforehand.

This is where I reach for a bottle of wine. This is where "what the hell" reaches its limits. Thank goodness I have a backup in a long-stemmed glass, or someone would be flying out of a window right now.

I'm sure I'll be fine by tomorrow. Or maybe just later today, after glass two.

Aaargh.

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Daughters Growing Up With Mad Mothers ....

2009-11-12T03:00:31Z

Out of the Shadows

Catherine Camden-pratt

I’ve been reading this book, which I picked up at a recent AASW conference I attended. This post is a bit of a review of the book, but is also liberally peppered with my own experiences and thoughts both as a social worker and as a woman who has grown up with a mother who, I now recognize, had mental health issues.

Firstly, Catherine’s book (and research) is primarily based on the experiences of 11 women who are all 40-ish or so. This places these stories in a particular period of time, generally speaking the 60’s-70’s. The research is Australian and reflects Australian practices around mental health and institutional care of women/mothers who were diagnosed with significant mental health problems. It serves a reflection of the mental health system as seen through the personal narratives of the women who participated in the study.

The book addresses the stigma associated with having a ‘mad mother’ – and the isolation, shame and fear that these women experienced as children, the impact on their everyday lives – and the ongoing effect it has had on their adult lives, relationships etc. As a collection of lived experiences, the book certainly highlights the resilience of children and families. The criteria that the mothers must have been institutionalized was frustrating for me. I would have liked the broader inclusion of women who had experienced growing up with ‘mad moms’ who were not medicated or institutionalized but still left their daughters with a legacy of ‘wtf’.

I grew up with the peripheral understanding that my mother was an alcoholic. I say I have ‘peripheral’ awareness as there are many things, which are not openly addressed in my family and I left home at the age of 15 and have had, all in all, minimal contact with my mother or my extended family. Many of the situations which were a part of my growing up, I attributed to having a very young (she was 16 when I was born) mother who struggled with alcohol addiction. I saw her emotional estrangement and violence in this context and it was not until I was an adult that the story shifted to include a diagnosis of bi-polar depression, which had gone undiagnosed and untreated (as far as I am aware) while I was growing up. As an adult I am aware of my mother’s ongoing relationship with mental health professionals, drug therapies and hospitalizations, which include electroshock therapy. I have been peripherally aware of the fact that her mental health issues have prevented her from working, or using the social work degree she earned in her mid 30’s. I am also deeply aware of how unhappy she has been most of her life, and the impact that has had upon me, my life choices, my relationships and my parenting.

This is not about ‘mommy blame’, as I sometimes felt while I read Catherine’s book. For me, the book lacks a clearly articulated social justice framework, and a gendered analysis which may have allowed for more of a compassionate view of the mothers than that which I found while reading this book. And tho I found the stories of the daughters highly compelling, I would have found the book more balanced if the mothers stories, the social construction of mothering and mental health, and the relationship and responsibility of the wider family and community had been considered in more depth.

I imagine the context of the book was to give each of the women an opportunity to be central in their own story. So often when someone in your family is ill, they become the ’star’ and everyone else becomes a shadow – hence the book title. However, I believe the possibilities for healing would have been greater, again, if the stories of the mothers and the social construction of mothering and mental health, and the relationship and responsibility of the wider family and community had been more fleshed out.

For instance, a daughter may view their mother’s ‘crazy’ behavior in relation to the impact it has on her thoughts, feelings and physical reality – but would that reality change with an appreciation of how the mother was experiencing that same moment? Also, again, would there not be greater capacity to be gentle and generous with our own struggles to maintain relationships and raise children, if we could understand where personal issues begin and end?

It is not the ‘fault’ of the mothers that they had mental health problems. It is not the fault of the mothers that mental health problems carried/s such social stigma. It is not the fault of the mothers that there were/are very poor supports, services or resources for themselves or their families. It is not the mothers fault that the institutional care provided to them was so very often the best of a worst solution. It is not the fault of the mothers that the fathers and wider family and community were not there to offset and support the mothers or their children. Yes the mental health of their mothers created a legacy of issues for each woman, but locating the responsibility of those issues with the mother, who was ill,and also suffering, seems to me, to grotesquely miss the mark.

We don’t talk much about my mother’s mental health problems. Actually, we don’t talk. Estrangement is part of the legacy of the mental health problems in my family, as is the inability of individual family members to locate themselves in those issues. My mother’s mental health problems are one variable in a complex tapestry of family dynamics. What I can say is, I have come to see my mother’s story in a gendered, socially conscious manner – and that allows me compassion – even tho, it does not allow me a relationship.

[Cross posted @ E-Strange]

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The Seven Fun Sex Positions! A must Read Article

2009-11-12T05:37:14Z

Sex should be sweaty, steamy and sticky. It should have elements of passion and intensity. It should be a moment of untamed frenzy coupled with unbridled excitement and intimacy…

Sound like a familiar fantasy? While sex is great when it turns into the kind of unbridled passion usually reserved for movies and daytime soap operas, it’s not always realistic, nor is it always possible, to achieve. There is, however, one element that’s a little more feasible to bring into your lovemaking — fun.

I’m not just talking about a role-playing, ear-nibbling, dirty-talking, laugh-out-loud role in the hay — I’m talking about the kind of sex that gives you a feeling of intimacy with just the right touch of playfulness. Exactly how is this achieved, you ask? The answer is all in the positioning, my friend.

Here are a few sex positions that’ll help you incorporate the fun factor into your sex life. For more tips and love guides we have exciting books for you like Lover’s Weekender Guide, The Adventurous Couple’s Guide to Sex Toys and Tickle His Pickle.

Moreover, we also have fun and sexy lingeries, dress up costumes, sex toys like Lelo Gigi and accessories like Strip Tease Delux Kit that comes with iamante nipple pasties, satin garter, feather boa, Burlesque CD and bills of desire which your loved one can use when he likes what he sees.

revamping the regulars

When fatigue sets in or you’re just not feeling that creative, you tend to resort back to the “easy,” reliable positions. This is when routine and eventual boredom can start to take over your relationship — fun in the bedroom might be the only way to salvage this rut. Try giving the regular routine a facelift with these new positions.

1- The hitch

Description: You are on all fours facing away from your woman, while she lies on her back with her legs in the air.

Benefits for you: The best part of this position is that you have total control of how fast, how slow and how rough it goes. Also, because she gets easy access to your backside, anal stimulation is an easy move to throw into the mix, if you’d like.

Benefits for her: This position mostly looks out for her best interest. She can maximize stimulation of the vaginal walls by constricting the muscles in her vagina, or by opening and closing her thighs. It also facilitates the rubbing of your penis against her clitoris and, as if that weren’t enough, she gets to lay back and enjoy the view!

2- The reverse frog squat

Description: Lie on your back with your legs parted, while she leans back with her legs bent close to her body.

Benefits for you: This position lets you lay back and relax. Try it after a stressful day at the office or a strenuous workout that makes you way too lazy for lovemaking.

Benefits for her: Not only is she in complete control in this position, but the angle of penetration can be incredibly arousing for her. Equally arousing may be the feeling of the man’s hands caressing her back and sides — a move made simple by this position.

3- The Boston brute

Description: Your girl lies on her back with her legs extended in the air. With your back facing her, sit on her thighs, and he carefully bends your penis down toward her vagina.

Benefits for you: Since positioning the erect penis downward isn’t something many men can do, you get the sweet satisfaction of knowing you have an extraordinarily bendable penis. Once you get over that ego-trip, you can enjoy a relaxing lower-back massage during sex.

Benefits for her: The angle of penetration can be stimulating for her, and she also might like the fact that you have the freedom to caress her thighs.

4- The merry mandolin

Description: While she lies on her side, bending both knees to her chest, you position yourself behind her, extending one leg behind her back and the other between her legs.

Benefits for you: The thrusts are shallow, but it allows you a great amount of control. So, go fast, go slow, go crazy! You’ll probably also really enjoy the new angle of penetration.

Benefits for her: She’ll love the fact that you can reach over and manually stimulate her clitoris at the same.

up for the challenge

When you’re both in the mood for something really out of the ordinary, you may want to give these positions a try. They may call for some acrobatic, contortionist moves, but they’re sure to raise the element of fun during sex.

5- Othello’s back groove

Description: Balance yourself on a chair, with your feet at the corner of the base and your arms holding onto the back. Get her to approach the front of the chair and lean forward with her hands on her knees.

Benefits for you: While your position might be a little uncomfortable, you do have complete control of the movement and you get a great visual of the action, which is also very arousing.

Benefits for her: As with all the other rear-entry positions, the angle of penetration may be stimulating for her. Also, if you’ve got the whole balance thing down and you’re feeling brave enough to hold on with one hand, she might enjoy some anal stimulation, if she’s into that sort of thing.

What you need to pull this off: Strong arms and legs and great balance. This move reminds me a little of the trust game, where you fall back and pray that the person behind you has high enough moral standards not to let you plummet to the ground. Similarly, she really needs to trust your level of strength because if your arms or legs give out, not only can you hurt yourself, but the “ouch” factor is severely elevated for her.

Take flight, defy gravity.

6- Superhero’s delight

Description: While she grabs the sides of a high stool, you place your hands under her waist and lift her off the ground. She, then, wraps her legs around your waist for extra support.

Benefits for you: Once again, you get complete control of movement, as well as a great view of her backside.

Benefits for her: She lucks out again with the arousing angle of penetration.

What you need to pull this off: Make sure she’s light enough to hold into the air, or make sure you’re strong enough to support her (whatever her weight may be). We wouldn’t want any accidental droppings — this is supposed to be fun, remember?

7- Zero gravity

Description: She lies with her shoulders on the chair and her head leaning off the side. You stand upright, supporting her hips with your hands, as her legs are extended onto your shoulders.

Benefits for you: You’re the dominant one in this position, so control the movements as you see fit. Also, because her legs are closed, this might make penetration feel a little more snug than usual.

Benefits for her: If you can support her properly with one arm, she’ll love the fact that you can massage her clitoris at the same time.

What you need to pull this off: Make sure she’s not easily nauseated. The bobbing upside-down view can start to make her feel uncomfortable.

Source for further reading

Strovny, David, AskMen.com Nov.12, 2009

Taylor, Llyn Madame Rouge Australia Nov. 12, 2009

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The Seven Fun Sex Positions! A must Read Article

2009-11-12T05:37:10Z

Sex should be sweaty, steamy and sticky. It should have elements of passion and intensity. It should be a moment of untamed frenzy coupled with unbridled excitement and intimacy…

revamping the regulars

1- The hitch

Description: You are on all fours facing away from your woman, while she lies on her back with her legs in the air.

2- The reverse frog squat

Description: Lie on your back with your legs parted, while she leans back with her legs bent close to her body.

Benefits for you: This position lets you lay back and relax. Try it after a stressful day at the office or a strenuous workout that makes you way too lazy for lovemaking.

3- The Boston brute

Description: Your girl lies on her back with her legs extended in the air. With your back facing her, sit on her thighs, and he carefully bends your penis down toward her vagina.

Benefits for her: The angle of penetration can be stimulating for her, and she also might like the fact that you have the freedom to caress her thighs.

4- The merry mandolin

Description: While she lies on her side, bending both knees to her chest, you position yourself behind her, extending one leg behind her back and the other between her legs.

Benefits for you: The thrusts are shallow, but it allows you a great amount of control. So, go fast, go slow, go crazy! You’ll probably also really enjoy the new angle of penetration.

Benefits for her: She’ll love the fact that you can reach over and manually stimulate her clitoris at the same.

up for the challenge

5- Othello’s back groove

Benefits for you: While your position might be a little uncomfortable, you do have complete control of the movement and you get a great visual of the action, which is also very arousing.

Take flight, defy gravity.

6- Superhero’s delight

Description: While she grabs the sides of a high stool, you place your hands under her waist and lift her off the ground. She, then, wraps her legs around your waist for extra support.

Benefits for you: Once again, you get complete control of movement, as well as a great view of her backside.

Benefits for her: She lucks out again with the arousing angle of penetration.

7- Zero gravity

Description: She lies with her shoulders on the chair and her head leaning off the side. You stand upright, supporting her hips with your hands, as her legs are extended onto your shoulders.

Benefits for her: If you can support her properly with one arm, she’ll love the fact that you can massage her clitoris at the same time.

What you need to pull this off: Make sure she’s not easily nauseated. The bobbing upside-down view can start to make her feel uncomfortable.

Source for further reading

Strovny, David, AskMen.com Nov.12, 2009

Taylor, Llyn Madame Rouge Australia Nov. 12, 2009

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Seeing Helga at the Museum

2009-10-16T00:06:40Z

Seeing Helga at the Museum

(for Andrew Wyeth)

In the valley of flickering lights

dancing – fireflies – tumbleweed of the sky

drift among gas nebula – angel-tossed

Cable cars – like horned beast pass by

in the city of lights and fog –

Lusty Lady – All Clothing 100% off –

neon-glows the sign – my son has found

a numerical pattern in the blinks

We are here to see Wyeth's Lady

clothed and unclothed – Helga in her incarnations

The waiter wears Groucho Marx eyebrows and glasses

Hear the sound of over fifty spoons and forks

the chatter of a crowd – my children's voices

We saw Helga floating on crushed velvet –

a black night sea

Little fish of light swam her body tide-pools

Her knees were raw – red from the winter

We saw her in her Austrian cape coat

standing for hours in the snow

We saw her with her braids – the nape of her neck naked

where spine joins brain in – Halleluja –

a white triangle exposed – holy peephole

We saw her smile lines and knew she smiled often

her blue eyes – like a slip of horizon over wild grass

and her hair – you could feel it – the oils – the texture

the softness – the neatness in those braids

We went home in dark and rain

the autumn trees lit our path

every leaf

a flame

in a lantern

Lucy Simpson, Seattle, 10/15/2009

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Heather's Book Blog

2009-10-28T00:36:56Z

Please visit my new blog at

www.RedWineAndVampires.com

all future posts will be located here!

This is a Book Blog focused on Paranormal Romance Novels. I am always look ing for a good book so your suggestions are most welcome.

Thank You -Heather

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ICH today

2009-11-11T22:36:05Z

Click here

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Information Clearing House Newsletter

News You Won't Find On CNN
November 11, 2009
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

" [I]n such a world of conflict, a world of victims and executioners, it is the job of thinking people, not to be on the side of the executioners." - Albert Camus

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"Heroism on command, senseless violence, and all the loathsome nonsense that goes by the name of patriotism -how passionately I hate them!" - Albert Einstein

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"Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all others because you were born in it." George Bernard Shaw:

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"Patriotism ... is a superstition artificially created and maintained through a network of lies and falsehoods; a superstition that robs man of his self-respect and dignity, and increases his arrogance and conceit." Emma Goldman:

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" In the United States, doing good has come to be, like patriotism, a favorite device of persons with something to sell." - H. L. Mencken

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"No matter that patriotism is too often the refuge of scoundrels. Dissent, rebellion, and all-around hell-raising remain the true duty of patriots." Barbara Ehrenreich:

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"A citizen of America will cross the ocean to fight for democracy, but won't cross the street to vote in a national election." Bill Vaughan:

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"The strong do what they can, and the weak do what they must." Thucydides (c. 460 B.C. - c. 395 B.C.)

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QotD: Favorite High School Class

2009-11-11T17:01:35Z

What was your favourite class in high school? (And no, lunch doesn't count.)
History

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your littleanjel

2009-11-10T20:08:48Z

Hi everyone, I'm littleanjel, and wanted to let you know a little bit about myself:

I am a 18yr old Canadian lesbian.

I hate guys, so if your a guy do me a favour and stay away,

I don't want to know you, chat with you, or anything else.

I live alone, and am going to college,
I am learning how to be a Registered Massage Therapist,
When I graduate I will be looking to work at a
Women's Only Spa.

I love girls, especially young girls.

I love to swim, and practice martial arts,
reading, watching tv, movies,
dancing.
sci fi, fantasy, comedy, romance
cosplay, digital designing
kissing, cuddling, fucking, tribbing

some of my favourite shows include:
Doctor Who, Torchwood, FlashForward, V, Good Eats,
Dragon's Den, Shark Tank, Stargate Universe, Holmes Inspections,
Canada's Worst Driver, Canda's Worst Handyman

some of my favourite anime include:
Escaflowne, Nadesico, Kiss x Sis, Rosario + Vampire,
Negima, Negima: Ala Alba, Love Hina,
Crest of the Stars, Tenchi Muyo

some of my favourite musicians/ groups include:
Colin James, Amanda Marshal, Avril Lavinge,
Adam Lambert, Lady Gaga, T.A.T.U.,
the Barenaked Ladies

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