My good friend, Barb, bakes four loaves of bread for her family every weekend because she doesn’t trust the additives and chemicals in store bought bread. Even though she’s a nurse and works in the health industry, she doesn’t take her daughters to the doctor unless she absolutely has to because her pediatrician always tries to pressure her to get her girls vaccinated against HPV (Human Papilloma Virus).

She makes her own soap because she doesn’t like the detergents and chemicals found in the bars you buy at the grocery store. In other words, Barb is an independent, do-it-yourself kind of woman who is mistrustful of many things most people think are okay.

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Popularity: 6% [?]

I seriously have DVR on the brain. I was recently talking to a friend of mine about the shows he records, and as I listened to him talk a thought occurred to me. What he chose to record was actually very reflective of his personality. Even the shows that surprised me, really did match up with him. Of course, my media studies student I try to keep buried came out in full force.

As I listened to him talk, I began to critically think about his TV watching habits, and how his viewing choices created this image in my mind. Eventually it made me think about my DVRing habits…

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Popularity: 6% [?]

Recently my parents had a house fire. Everyone was okay. The only living things in the house at the time were Rachel and Ross (don't judge...my mom did not name them…their previous owners did) the parakeets, and they were rescued before the smoke got to them. Basically, the church groundskeeper (my mom is a minister) set a beam in the garage on fire. The Fire spread up the beam and then tore through the attic. The fire stayed in the attic for the most part, and they ad nothing up there, so most of the damage really is from the smoke and soot.

My family was very lucky. The fire department was able to move and protect several large antiques get the truck our of the garage and really it could have been much worse. When you look at the house, you would think that most everything inside was destroyed, but luckily that wasn’t the case.

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Popularity: 7% [?]

One of the things that makes it hard for me to support any politician is that despite what they say on the campaign trail, none of them can truly deliver what they promise.  The reasons are vast and someday I will blog more about that.  What I want to do right now is talk about the change that I believe would be good for America.

The first and probably the most important one is our current tax code. Our tax system has been written in a way that makes it confusing and I believe that it is done deliberately.  No one likes to pay taxes and we all wish that they were lower, however, there are some government programs that are essential and without tax revenue it would be impossible to fund those programs.

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You’re lucky to be reading this. I almost never got this article written. You see, I’ve been worthless the past few days. My house is a pit. I haven’t done hardly any writing. I’m neglecting my husband and kids. I’m barely eating or sleeping, and I can’t be bothered with checking e-mail. Why am I doing this? Do I have an illness? No. My daughter got me addicted to the Twilight series of books and I can’t stop reading until I’m through the entire series.

I realize I’m coming late to a party that, seemingly, everyone has been to. Some of you already know the powerful allure Stephenie Meyer’s vampire romance/thrillers hold over unsuspecting readers. I was aware that the books were out there, I mean, I’d seen the endcap displays at Barnes and Noble and heard the hyperbolic comparisons to other successful series and dismissed them. Anymore, every publisher who prints a sci-fi/fantasy book shouts out blurbs from unheard of critics who claim, “Best thing since Harry Potter.”

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Popularity: 7% [?]

You know I‘m usually one of those people who firmly stands by my “well I don’t really need that,” principles. However, in the last year I’ve really opened the flood gates. Yes I broke down and bought a nice laptop, a blackberry, a new car (which just btw my old computer and car were in late stages of dying) moved into a nicer apartment, moved to wireless internet and upgraded to U-Verse and with it came my DVR.

Of course I was a little excited about my DVR. I don’t really have a lot of shows I watch regularly, but the few I do I watch I would often miss. I work three jobs and I’m pretty much always on the go. Then there is the annoying point where two of y shows somehow end up in the same time slot. Yes I can flip back and forth, but I always end up missing something. My DVR would make life easier, but it wasn’t the end all beat all everyone was claiming it would be.

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Popularity: 7% [?]

Dear Nix,

My husband told me he only liked basketball (the Mavericks) when we started
dating. Then the Cowboys started winning again, and suddenly he's a football
fan too. I did NOT sign up to be in a sports family. I have zero interest in
sports. But football? I don't even approve of it as a sport! A bunch of
grown men behaving like animals and crushing their poor little brains into
one another carelessly risking all sorts of brain damage. Who thinks this is
a good idea?!?!

Anyway, my husband is suddenly a diehard Cowboys fan, and he has to watch
every single game. We already don't spend enough time together because of
his commute and our kids and everything else that life throws at us. How am
I supposed to be okay with him wasting at least 3 hours a week on brain
smashing while I'm taking care of the kids or just missing that chance to
spend time with him?

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Popularity: 7% [?]

So first it was Hurricane Gustav and then it was Hurricane Ike. I must admit, I'm literally a weather fanatic and almost semi-addicted to weather; particularly when it's severe. It seems, to me, that we've had some major weather in the last few months and it seems to be only getting worse and worse. I'm 31 years old and growing up, I seem to recall hurricanes only hitting Florida or the east coast. Doesn't it seem, lately, that hurricanes always make a direct target of the Gulf Coast. I wonder why that is?

Hurricane Ike, albiet it wasn't as dangerous as it was forecasted for Dallas, turned out to be quite a monster for the Texas coast. What is it with my fascination about weather? Maybe it's because I grew up in Oklahoma for most of my life and we had at least four to five tornado warnings per Spring season. Maybe it's the simplicity of knowing that humans have absolutely no control over the weather... or do we? Continue Reading

Popularity: 7% [?]

As I'm paying the bills, it always aggravates me to deal with the one or two companies with freakishly long account numbers. I'm supposed to write this ridiculous number in the subject line of my personal check? Seriously? And to think that I might be held responsible for lost or no payment if they can't figure out how to assign payment from my check to my account infuriates me.

Seriously, this is one of those little details that should be considered. If your customers can't write their full account number in the subject line, you risk loss of funds, wasted time, dissatisfied customers, and potential online reputation management issues.

So there you have it. Complaint #1.

Popularity: 6% [?]

Are you tired of politics already? Are you sick of hearing how each man is going to save us with their plans that will only work in Imaginationland? Would you like to have some fun at political expense? Would you like to know what your name would be if Sarah Palin was your mom?

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Popularity: 7% [?]

After a deep conversation with Daniel D, we came to the conclusion that the Feast is in dire need for an answers and advice column. Considering that I have been known to offer up all sorts of advice, regardless of whether I was asked for it or not, it just makes sense that I’d be the one to field YOUR questions. So this is your opportunity to ask me anything. I will answer it, no matter how odd or uncomfortable it might be.

I promise that I’ll take all of your questions seriously and your anonymity will be maintained at all times.
Have you ever wondered why guys scratch themselves so often? I’ll answer that. Why does your boyfriend ask you to do that thing he likes? I’ll answer that. Why didn’t he call you? I’ll answer that.

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Popularity: 9% [?]