Originally written for the Huffington Post We celebrated her 80th birthday last November, but she does not look 80, nor does she act 80. Her vibrant red hair, strong sense of self, and the smell of lipstick follow her wherever she goes. She travels the world with friends and family - riding elephants and trekking through long dark water tunnels, square dances with spunk and spirit, plays a mean game of Mahjong like it’s nobody’s business, and maintains an eventful social li

Originally posted on the Huffington Post Last spring, the UK Fashion Retailer New Look was blasted for promoting dieting messages to some of its youngest shoppers. The shop offered a set of pajamas with a pizza slice pattern and the words “cheat day” emblazoned across the chest. This culturally driven, heavily loaded piece of clothing was found in the children’s section, where sizes are dedicated to 7-to-12-year-olds. I’m sure whoever came up with this idea, as well as the pe

Originally posted on the Huffington Post This one won’t be as easy as your first — not that the first was easy (and if it was, you are a mythical creature and I covet your genetic good fortune). The first time around, all you had to think about was yourself, and your misery. You wallowed in the despair of the relentless and cruel life of morning sickness. You hauled your tired self to work, armed with snacks and constantly on the lookout for a place to throw up. You slept whe