Thanks awm03, I was worried about rocking the boat being a newbie, but I KNOW from experience it's true. I used to teach a body sculpting class and worked out almost everyday at our local gym. But b/c of new managment I quit, but didn't quit my eating habits. When I worked out I could eat everything I wanted to. But after I quit I gained about 10-15 pounds. I started working out again b/f X-mas and eating clean but not dieting and lost 6# in 2 weeks. The article is interesting, but we know the real culprit.

If I'm not mistaken, many women are now being diagnosed with cancer in old age. If every discovered non-benign cell is called Cancer, and all are treated, we can't answer a lot of questions: Are these all life-threatening cancers? Are all fast-growing? Would the person's immune system eliminate some of them? Would the person die of natural causes before the cancer caused serious damage? How much damage is done by the false positives and treatments for the 'positives'? What happened to all the women who did NOT have a cancer discovered (or treated) 'before mammography'? It's an unscientific leap to assume they all died before their time of undiscovered atypical cells in their breasts. I understand the desire to 'get it' before it becomes life limiting, but we don't know which we are seeing or what the outcome would be if it were unseen. Just because we can LOOK! LOOK! shouldn't mean we always need to CUT! CUT! I'm reminded of the adage of not consulting a surgeon if you don't want surgery. It's what they DO! Re: Pap testing. What is the rationale for this test for a woman who is not sexually active or who has only one longtime (trustworthy) partner?

I always wonder how they can get themselves in so deep, that they can't see it coming and try to stop themselves. I know it's easy to get used to something, so that you don't even see it anymore. Like that laundry basket that's sitting in the corner (with Roxie sleeping in it). My empty flower pots that are behind the chair next to the window. Pens, Marie? I LOVE pens! and paper....

I once saw a cute tattoo that briefly intrigued me. However it was on a very young girl with the perfect figure of youthful good health. I thought about aging skin (even well-cared-for aging skin) and decided No. Both of my 20-something daughters got a couple of tattoos each, though my son, a more conservative soul, did not. Multiple piercings, too. The older daughter had one tattoo she grew to regret, and she has spent a lot of money and endured a fair amount of pain to remove it. They both like their remaining tattoos. While I was disturbed when they got them (as teenagers without my permission), I now see no problem with them. They have become adults and it is their decision now. I suspect that tattoos became popular in this generation because their parents (us) broke so many other taboos that there simply wasn't much left to pick from. They had to find some way to offend us! I do wonder how their children will manage to upset them. However, I am confident that they will find a way. Rosefolly