Blog Posts by Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen

Even a ten year old child can be the victim of identity theft - and her parents may not know about it for years! By then, some serious damage has been done. To protect your name and identity, here are eleven tips from financial expert Ethan Ewing, president of Bills.com.

First, a quip from Jack London about identity theft: "I don't need to worry about identity theft because no one wants to be me." Funny, and perhaps with a hint of truth? That is, famous people may be less likely to be victims of identity theft because they may guard their personal information more rigorously than us normal folk.

"Your personal information is even more valuable than the cash in your wallet because it can be used to steal part of your life," Ewing said. "Guard it carefully to protect your future."

"Identity theft can destroy your credit and cost thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours to correct," said Ethan Ewing, president of free online consumer portal Bills.com. "A thief might use your

In large doses, Botox is a toxin that can cause botulism, according to Dr Nieca Goldberg in her book, Dr Nieca Goldberg's Complete Guide to Women's Health. Here, she describes several benefits and drawbacks of different types of plastic surgery for women. Dr Goldberg also describes a surgery she had done (a rhinoplasty - and she tells how it was botched!).

Plastic surgery isn't for everyone. Listen to award winning actress Kate Winslet's thoughts on cosmetic surgery:

"Plastic surgery and breast implants are fine for people who want that, if it makes them feel better about who they are," she says. "But, it makes these people, actors especially, fantasy figures for a fantasy world."

Movie stars definitely aren't real people - especially when they don't age! Here are the most common ways to look younger for some people...but not everyone.

8 Common Types of Plastic Surgery for Women

Should you have plastic surgery? "It's good to have options and as long as we make

Here are ten tips for increasing your body confidence, based on quips and quotations from women who have accepted their bodies, minds, and selves. They have regrets and flaws - and they're honest and vulnerable about their bodies.

"Let the world know you as you are, not as you think you should be, because sooner or later, if you are posing, you will forget the pose, and then where are you?" - Fanny Brice.

If you're struggling with self-esteem and self-acceptance, these quips and tips from healthy will increase your body confidence. They're from This is Who I Am: Our Beauty in All Shapes and Sizes by Roseanne Olson.

Dating expert Ian Coburn offers five successful dating tips, and explains how this advice will improve your love life and help you achieve your relationship goals!

And, Mark Twain's quip fits right into Coburn's dating advice:

"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect," said Twain.

These successful dating tips involve standing out from the crowd - not blending into the majority of people. The following is an excerpt from Coburn's free ebook, The New Way to Date - 5 Simple Steps to Dating Bliss. He also wrote God is a Woman: Dating Disasters; to learn more, click on the book cover - and read on for Coburn's successful dating tips…

Breakup songs can help heal broken hearts! Getting over a betrayal, letting go of someone you love, screaming your anger out, and surviving heartbreak are what these songs are all about. The best songs for broken hearts are ones that meet you where you're at - whether you're furious, defeated, crushed, or simply sad.

"Divorce is like amputation," says Margaret Atwood. "You survive, but there is less of you."

Surviving heartbreak isn't just about moving "onwards and upwards." Letting go of someone you love can involve kickboxing classes to express your anger, counseling to help you get over betrayal, or soothing aromatherapy to lift your spirits.

Or, getting over a broken heart can be about listening to breakup songs - especially if they resonate with your soul. Here are the best CDs for broken hearts...click on the links in blue to get more information about the songs that help you survive heartbreak…

Breakup Songs: Music to Heal Broken Hearts

What stage of

Here, Dr Rebecca Booth, author of The Venus Week, describes the benefits of getting your period - and shares how your menstrual cycle affects your libido and mood.

First, a quip from Gloria Steinem on men and menstruation:

"If men could menstruate … clearly, menstruation would become an enviable, boast-worthy, masculine event: Men would brag about how long and how much…. Sanitary supplies would be federally funded and free," says Steinem. "Of course, some men would still pay for the prestige of such commercial brands as Paul Newman Tampons, Muhammed Ali's Rope-a-Dope Pads, John Wayne Maxi Pads, and Joe Namath Jock Shields- 'For Those Light Bachelor Days.'"

Okay, enough feminist talk. Dr. Rebecca Booth, author of The Venus Week: Discover the Powerful Secret of your Cycle…at Any Age, encourages women to think in positive terms about their hormonal power. Here's how your period affects your libido, hormones, and mood…