Michele

I'd like to increase my cardio work outs & I know this would do it. Is this really possible?

I've been working out consistently now for 2 weeks and am in constant pain. As soon as it starts to go away over the weekend, Monday morning comes & it starts all over again. When will it stop hurting so much?

I fell on a driveway wearing my white jeans. Now there is a nasty stain on the knee. I've tried Oxi-clean spray with no luck. The tag inside the jeans says no bleach. Help!!!

because I am turning 40 in May this year. I want to be fit & healthy. I have already lost about 10 lbs since August cutting out sugar, eating more vegetables & making the switch to organic, unprocessed foods.. However I know I need to actually exercise. I am 5'4", 135 ish ( I say that since my scale is unreliable) which is at the top of my BMI. I hate running because it hurts my breasts. Any suggestions?

Or something equally as hideous as, "You should not have spent so much money."

I find this to be embarrassing, insulting and just plain rude. What happened to "Thank you"?

We're headed to a wedding in MA next weekend and the attire for a lobster bake rehearsal dinner says "Cape Cod Cocktail." I have no idea what this means.

Please help!

Saw something nasty posted online about some friends by the person who watches their children...most of it is about one of their kids. If it was just gossip about them I think I would chalk it up to "consider the source" and leave it be...but I'm feeling like this is different. What do you think I should do?

I have a 97 Volvo 850 wagon with 126,000 miles on it. I paid seven grand for the car 4 years ago this month. It's been a great car and I've considered keeping it to give to my oldest son when he starts to drive in 2 more years. Now, I know I have to spend money to keep the car in good working order and that Volvo's are expensive to maintain- I have no problm with these things. I do have a problem when I go to the dealer for a check engine light that has come on only to walk out spending $1200.00 without having repaired whatever is causing the light to come on in the first place (they say there is a leak somewhere that is not obvious so they need to do a "smoke test" for which I am paying a $200 of the aforementioned $1200.) I still need windshield replaced-$400; engine mounting brackets - $600; and a new a/c decompressor, $2500. When is enough enough?

...for my daughter's 10th birthday. Invitations already went out...spent weeks cutting out pics from fashion mags, collaged the front of the invites. We're planning a runway, I've already asked the girls to wear/bring their most fashionable outift...I have a friend who works for Chanel who might do their makeup...any other ideas for fun fashion-y activities?

...start hanging out with people they know have treated you poorly? For instance, when your friend told you they were doing one thing, then you find out that your friend lied to you and was actually spending time with the mean/nasty person? Does this stuff bother you? And if it does, what do you do with your feelings?

I ask because I am experiencing this right now and don't know what to do with myself. I am a grown woman and am so tired of my women friends lying and flaking out.

I have constantly gained and lost female friends throughout my life...and it's not as if it's because of fights or anything specific.

Sometimes things seems great but then they just stop answering my calls then I never hear from them again. I don't understand it at all...I have heard from all of these "friends" how great I am, how much fun I am, how they can always count on me to tell them the truth or be there for them, how I'm so funny or whatever other sunshine they blow up my ****. I just don't get it.

Does anyone else experience this insane behavior?

What is your idea/ ideal of loyalty? Do you come to your spouses defense when people say negatvie things about them? How about when you may disagree with your spouses actions, do you still stand by them through the fall out? Do you select when you are loyal or do you believe in loyalty regardless of the circumstances?

She's mentioned having a "runway" in our upstairs hallway, which might be do-able...but I am bleeding from my brain trying to come up with ideas...Please HELP!!!

Whenever I am asked, "What do you want for your birthday? I get the heeby-jeebies, feeling akward and put on the spot. When I tell people, "I'm happy just spending time with you" they press on, creating an even bigger strain on the situation.

What to do?

My husband and I have three growing children what are struggling to fit in the back of our sedan. I want to buy a hybrid but loathe to squeeze them into the backseat of a sardine can. I know that a few US automakers are making SUV hybrids, but frankly I don't trust buying one from an industry that lobbied so hard against making changes to their product. Any suggestions?

Is it like relish or Brandston pickle?

Does anyone have any ideas that will be fun, age appropriate and cool?

...with your expectations? For instance, I have expectations about how I should be treated by my husband (i.e. valued, defended, given the benefit of the doubt in all situations, validated). How do I know when my expectations are perfectly reasonable or when I just expect too much?

For instance, I group my handful into colors, then eat them by group size, in ascending order. If two colors have the same number in them, I eat them alphabetically.

I know this sounds very odd, but I've been asking people this lately & getting some intersting answers.

...when it comes to interacting with people, do you find that, when problems/disagreements occur, you work things out more readily or do you find that you put up with less malarky & therefore cut out people who bring you down?