ZESTRA

Hello. I need to talk to you about this...

ZESTRA. Have you guys heard of this? It's a...well, how about I let the creators tell you what it is: (I highlighted all of the important parts).

"Topically applied Zestra is a safe, patented blend of botanical oils and extracts, clinically proven to increase a woman's feelings of desire and arousal. Zestra works effortlessly and within minutes by heightening your sensitivity to touch – for deep, pleasurable sensations, sexual satisfaction and fulfillment."

I'm telling you right now, if it is all-natural and safe--woowee--I'll get some. But really, is it all-natural and safe?

"The botanical ingredients in Zestra include PA-free Borage Seed Oil, Evening Primrose Oil, Angelica Extract, Coleus Forskholii Extract, Theobromine, and the Anti-Oxidants Vitamin C and Vitamin E."

Click here to check it out. I'm a little skeptical about the all-natural bit.

43% of women are supposed to have some kind of sexual dysfunction at some point in their lives, while only 23% of men do and Viagra has been around to help men for what seems like forever (which does NOT help women increase sexual arousal). So, I think it's pretty cool that women are being offered a product for their va-jay-jays.

What chu think?

They do have "free" samples (you have to pay $4.95 for shipping). I think I'm going to do some more research and try the samples and let you know the results :)


Love,

FEN

AVATAR and WANDA SYKES?

Hola all!

It's been quite some time since we have updated our blog, but we're determined to keep posting consistently for 2010!

Happy New Year. I hope it was everything you've ever dreamed of. Truly.

I have so much to tell you and I really just didn't know where to begin, so I just decided to pick the first few things that came to my head:

1. AVATAR: If you have not seen it, you definitely should see it. I mean seriously. I don't want to give anything away, but it's most definitely going to change film forever and to me, that's pretty important--and really really cool! I would add a link in here so that you could watch the trailer, but honestly, if you haven't watched the trailer yet, DON'T before you go. It's one of those dumb ones that gives away most of the movie (which you think would be hard since it's a 3 hour production, yet they still managed to do so).

2. LADY GAGA: Let's talk about her. I know it has nothing to do with this blog, but she really is strange, isn't she? I just watched her new video "Bad Romance"-and I have to say, I am a little freaked out/intrigued. No disrespect. I just want to hear what people think about this video. Click here and watch it. I promise you'll be entertained at the very least. She did give a speech at the National Equality March (Gay rights) back in October which is pretty neato. Here's that speech as well.

Lemme know whatchu think ahhthat!

3. PRECIOUS: Did you see this movie yet? Talk about giving voice to those who don't have one. The lead character (who plays Precious) didn't even act before this gig! Her friends got her to go to an audition and now, well now she knows Oprah and that's some big shit. I know it looks like an intense film, but I felt like it was my duty to see it-out of respect for the message and respect for the reality of the subject matter. Precious is obese, black, a woman, and has been sexually and emotionally abused by her parents and impregnated by her father twice.

Kathryn works for the YWCA as an adult sexual assault counselor and sees these realities every day. Go Oprah for giving voice to the oppressed and for shining light on a very real issue. Check out the trailer here.

Just see it.


4. OH MY GOD: Let's just stick with the video theme--have you seen the preview for the documentary called Oh My God? Let me know if you find it playing around here before I do. (P.S. Let this video load or it won't play without skipping).

5. WANDA SYKES: She has a new show. Here's the promo. I hear it's no good. I can't believe that because she is one of the funniest feminists (which is supposed to be non-existent, especially in the world of stand-up)and I really want to see her succeed. Tell me what you know...

Love. Love. Love.

FEN

Positively Green + Email Subscribe!

Greetings beautiful peoples.

Midterms are kicking my butt. In fact, I should be studying this very instant, but I really just don't want to and I'm sure because of this unwise decision (not studying), I will be cramming later. I just want to talk about something that I care about instead. Study guides are getting old.

So, let me tell you about Positively Green Cards--since we are getting closer to the Holiday season...

Positively Green Cards are greeting cards that are: "printed on 100% post consumer recycled fiber at an EnviroStar printer utilizing green power. The paper is certified by Green Seal and by SmartWood in accordance with the rules of the Forest Stewardship Council which promote environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world's forests."

This is what loveliness is on the back of each card! Not to mention, 10% of their profits are donated to organizations that protect our environment and fight global warming :)

AND: each card has a GREEN TIP on the back of it.

AND: the cards are beautiful.

So, this consumer-frenzied holiday season, think about maybe switching to these.

You can purchase them online HERE.

EMAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS are now on this blog! That means every time we write a blog, you get an email! Now isn't that cute? Go click it. Top Right.

Love. Love. Love.

FEN

P.S.

My Positively Green Card Tip is:

"Wash your car at a commercial car wash instead of at home. A modern car wash reuses water and prevents oil and road grime from entering drainage systems."

What do gay-rehab and the United Way have in common?

I must like being outraged. It’s the only explanation I have for spending 30 minutes of my time looking around the right-wing, assbackwards, fundamentalist christian organization which aims to cure people of the homosexual “lifestyle”. They call themselves day seven ministries.

Now these types of homosexual “rehabilitation” counseling programs always give me that weird feeling you get when you know people are spewing judgment and hate disguised as the “love of God”. This bothers me for a number of reasons: One, I feel bad for gay people who are already struggling in a society that does not fully accept them and who are now being conditioned to believe their form of love is wrong. And two, this place gives Christians a bad name.

I could go on and on about the reasons why these kind of places suck, but I think that is pretty self explanatory. The other aspect that I am more conflicted about is why Day Seven Ministries appears in the human services reference guide by the United Way of Lancaster .

You may have heard of the United Way, it funds many progressive organizations nation wide and in Lancaster county. Its aim is to work to resolve pressing community issues. Why is this "gay-rehab" listed as the only “human services” organization addressing issues of homosexuality (as cited by their index).

To clarify, just because they’re listed in their resource guide does not mean they are a United Way funded organization. But I still find it fishy that they are the only place listed. Now people using the guide to look for help are lead into the trappings of conservative evangelicals posing as counselors. This is propaganda posed as counseling. And the American Psychological Association would agree: (http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/aug/09080608.html)

So I researched the United Way. I found that there is another controversy: they fund the Boy Scouts, an organization criticized for firing gay troop leaders and being overall homophobic (http://www.ffrf.org/timely/bsa.php). When confronted with this issue, the National United Way stated that their anti-discrimination policy opposes only illegal acts of discrimination (unfortunately firing someone for being gay is legal in the United States, if you're mad click here: http://www.change.org/actions/view/pass_the_employment_non-discrimination_act.)

Despite their national stance that anything legal (albeit immoral) is peachy, many local United Way organizations have stopped funding the Boy Scouts. The United Way of Lancaster is not one of these chapters and still holds the Boy Scouts as one of their partner organizations.

The United Way funds awesome organizations, such as The Red Cross and The Urban League of Lancaster.

The United Way pledges to “bring our community together and focus resources on the most critical health and human service needs in the county”.

The United Way doesn’t like gay people?

I’m not sure if this is an oversight on their part, or if their reference to anti-gay organizations has anything to do with their indirect support of the Boy Scouts’ discrimination policy. What do you all think: United Way: Friend or Foe?

Hotdogs, HRC, and the Story of Stuff.

I am a bad girl.

Kathryn and I were babysitting my 4 year old brother this week and he wanted hotdogs and mac and cheese. Pretty normal, right?

I must confess that as I was cutting up the hotdog, I ate a couple pieces. I didn't even mean to! It was just this instinctual reaction. I forgot. I forgot I was a vegetarian.

I also accidentally ate a bite (or two) of a ham and cheese sub at work on Saturday. Wow. Well, I have to say I feel better to have that off my back. Phew.

It feels good to confess.

Are any of you 13 little followers vegetarian? Am I the only one who "accidentally" eats hotdogs and meat-filled subs?

Argh.

On a totally different note:

President Obama gave a nice speech to the Human Rights Campaign on Saturday. Got me a little teary eyed. He is only the SECOND president to EVER speak to the HRC. Let me know what'chall think.

Here tis:

Obama HRC Speech

Also, just cause...here is another REALLY NEATO video about all the shit we collect called The Story of Stuff

You guys are nice. Sorry for the delay in posts--18 credits are kickin' my butt.

LOVE,

FEN

Today Lancaster moves to the left

A couple of cool things are happening in lancaster today that make me think this place may be becoming a little more progressive. (insert jumps for joy)

First of all, tonight at 7pm in Rochester Performing Art Center, Franklin and Marshal College will be hosting a talk called “Intergenerational Feminism: A Dialogue”, it is a discussion about how far-and how not far- women’s rights have progressed in the last fifty years. The two speakers are renowned poet, novelist and journalist Robin Morgan and Ariel Levy writer for The New Yorker and author. If the topic and the bios of these awesome women are any indication, I think this should be a worthwhile event. And it’s free!
http://encore.fandm.edu/detail.php?id=217

Douhle Kudos to Franklin and Marshall, they are also hosting a speech tonight by Chris Matthews. Chris Matthews is a news anchor and political commentator; you might know him from hardball. He has also been a long-time supporter of the democratic party. Tickets are available (for free!) in the Rochester center at f & m until 6pm today.
Tonight Matthews will address health care reform, the economy and President Obama’s ratings. If it’s not too late to get tickets, you should go! It starts at 8:30, so you can conveniently make both events.
http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/242961

But there’s more! Millersville, not to be excluded from the awesomeness today, is doing “Walk a mile in her shoes” event, where men and women get together, throw on some high heels, and walk a mile to stop rape, sexual assault and gender violence. I don’t know if its just me, but this sounds fun (if you don’t believe me, look at the pictures). http://www.walkamileinhershoes.org/calendar.html


Good job Lancaster for hosting three important events tonight. I don’t know if this is a sign that things are changing around here, but either way I’m happy.

If anyone gets the chance to participate in any of these, let us know what you thought!

Being Veggie 101

Hey!

Sorry I've been missing recently from quarterlifechange. I was nursing a headache, sinusey, blogey cold for the past couple of days so I have been slacking in most areas of my life. -if anyone has any cure all cold remedies, please share!

As you know, Fen and I are living the veggie life, meaning that we have not been eating meat. Hopefully some of you are trying the "30 day challange with us (come on it's really not that long!), our goal is that after 30 days we will be more apt to limit our meat eating to fewer times a week.

If for no other reason, I just found that according to The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization, the meat industry generates nearly a fifth of the human-made greenhouse gas emmisions, which is more than transportation negatively effects our climate! insane.

That being said I wanted to address one of the most common questions to get thrown at vegetarians:

"How do you get your protein?????"

This is an important question, so i wanted to give all the new veggies some information, so that we can respond to the negative naysayers and also stay healthy and energized.

So here are my tenets of protein:
1. Most experts say that we need about .4 grams of protein per pund of body weight. Therefore a woman weighing 130lbs needs around 52 grams per day. If you are very active you need more, the average adult who execises regularly needs about 70g.
2. You need to get all your essential amino acids every day, we will call this complete proteins.
3. Animal Products contain complete proteins (all essential amino acids), therefore if you are not vegan, you can eat cheese, milk, yogurt, eggs etc. for complete proteins.
4. You can also get your complete proteins from vegetables and plant products by being more creative and mixing together a variety of nuts, corns, vegetables, and grains. Some examples of complete food combinations:
-rice and beans
-peanut butter sandwhich
-tofu and rice
-hummus and pita
5. You don't have to get your complete proteins in one meal, you can eat a variety of foods throghout the day and still be healthy. For example: bean soup for lunch and rice with dinner.
6. Basically variety is key. if you eat lots of differnet kinds of non-meat foods, instead of just potato chips and bagels all day, you should be ok.

ok that's my tutorial on protein, here's some websites for more info:

http://www.hsus.org/web-files/PDF/farm/animal-agriculture-and-climate.pdf

http://www.vegetariantimes.com/

So, what are the chances I can convince Fen to be vegan next month???

If cher, i mean alicia silverstone can do it, then why can't we? anyone in?

-Kathryn