Blog Posts by Michelle

A recent study by Cassandra Dorius at the University of Michigan Institute for Social Sciences revealed that "one out of five" US mothers with multiple babies have children with different biological fathers. Her team investigated and interviewed almost 4000 women over a period of several decades and found the trend to be pervasive amongst groups of women with less education, high

unemployment and low incomes.

At a presentation at the Population Association of America, she concluded that these families are more prone to poverty and lead more stressful family lives. Most of these mothers were aged between 14 and 22.

Given the multiple partners and high stress levels, these families often spent far less time together and never bonded with each other.

Such tendencies are not uncommon in the animal kingdom and there may be more here than just statistics. Could a base pure natural instinct be kicking in that guides these mothers to seek out multiple partners? Perhaps a pure

Need a second income? Who doesn't? US Department of Labor statistics indicate that 8 million Americans work second jobs to make ends meet, pay down debt, make up for lost or stagnant income, pay medical bills or build a backup income in the event of a job loss.

If you find yourself in that position, here are some suggestions to make it a success and less stressful. It helps to do something different - perhaps related to your hobby or take on a new skill-set.

Here are some tips for ideal second job:

1. Find a different line of work. If you work in a cubicle all day, try working in a grocery store or car dealership

2. If your day time job is stressful, find something fun to do like working at a bar or yoga fitness place.

3. Find something closer to home or work place to avoid long commute

4. Your part-time job needs to be decent pay to offset lost time and stress

5. Preferably not too demanding. Make sure your part-time boss is understanding and will

This letter was posted by Anne Thomas on March 14th. It provides a glimpse of life in Japan in areas affected by earthquake. I personally find the calmness and dignity with which the Japanese conduct themselves in this aftermath is both exemplary and uplifting. If you are interested in contributing to the Red Cross in Japan, visit here.

Things here in Sendai have been rather surreal. But I am very blessed to have wonderful friends who are helping me a lot. Since my shack is even more worthy of that name, I am now staying at a friend's home. We share supplies like water, food and a kerosene heater. We sleep lined up in one room, eat by candlelight, share stories. It is warm, friendly, and beautiful. During the day we help each other clean up the mess in our homes. People sit in their cars, looking at news on their navigation screens, or line up to get drinking water when a source is open. If someone has water running in their home, they put out a

Gosh - who does not want a promotion? Here are eight tips:

· Join a Company that provides some "Grow Room"

Large companies provide lot of flexibility and advancement room. This could also be true of certain small prosperous companies. Smaller firms are great for developing multi-faceted skillset which come in handy when joining larger companies.

· Tell the right people about your work accomplishments

Telling the office receptionist might work if they have the boss's ear, but mostly it does not do much for your career. Find the right people and make sure they stay informed.

· Protect your boss from getting blamed

Your boss is in charge - not you. If your boss is getting blamed, it will certainly filter down to the underlings. As my colleague once said: make sure your breath is always minty fresh, you never know when you have to kiss ***.

· Discuss your raise before performance review

If you wait till performance review, it might be too late. Find

Before you get all bent out of shape - realize this - this article is for humor purposes only.
Funny - yet somehow it seems logical.
Time was when individuals believed that getting a higher education was the ticket to nirvana. Does it hold true anymore?

Most over-achievers (A++ students) get higher education and become Doctors, Engineers, Specialists etc

The next group (B+ students) get an MBA and boss over the over-achievers.


The next group (C students) join politics and boss over both groups above.

Ah yes - the last but not the least group (F-students). They become criminals and in sometimes end up bossing over all the above groups.

Humor - it's good for your health.

Of all the skin conditions, Acne is the most common and is typically associated with adolescence. Surprisingly, Adult Acne is prevalent in 25% of men and 50% of women at various stages of adult life. Adults seek acne treatment but rarely investigate the underlying cause for their acne. In the past decade, Adult Acne has been on the rise. Studies indicate that between 40 and 55% of the adult population in the 20-40 age group are diagnosed with a low grade, persistent acne and oily skin. So why is this skin disorder no longer just a teen skin problem?

What is Acne?

Acne is a skin infection caused by bacteria that proliferates on dead skin cells. Excessive sebum secretion traps these bacteria inside pores and eventually causes infection. (short and sweet explanation).

Teen vs Adult Acne

Teen acne is primarily facial and is largely associated with the hormones related to puberty. Adult acne is usually found on the sides of the face, chin and jaw line, extending

(Image from Charlotte Yoga; Urban Bliss)

Prayer and meditation should be our first response in any crisis.

The greatest joy: Giving

The greatest asset: Faith

The most beautiful attire: A smile

The most useless thing to do: Worry

The worst thing to be without: Hope

The deadliest weapon: The tongue

The most powerful force in life: Love

The most important thing in life: God

The two most power-filled words: I can

The most worthless emotion: Self-pity

The most prized possession: Integrity

The greatest loss: Loss of self-respect

The greatest problem to overcome: Fear

The most dangerous pariah: A gossiper

The ugliest personality trait: Selfishness

The most satisfying work: Helping others

The most contagious spirit: Enthusiasm

Most effective sleeping pill: Peace of mind

The most crippling failure disease: Excuses

The simplest way to relax: Yoga breathing

The greatest shot in the arm:

Charlie sheen, right, with his We all know Charlie and his successful TV show "Two and a Half Men" which debut on CBS in 2003. Over the years we secretly envied him and his co-stars as they demanded more money per episode. Ah yes - those off screen episodes of Mercedes Benz rolling off cliffs, wild parties, claims of threatening behavior, all supported his on screen persona. The audience asked for more or so it would seem to Charlie. Charlie was on top of his world and he appeared invincible. Yet in one moment it unraveled like a cheap knit sweater.

Take home lessons:

Off-work actions can derail your career: While Charlie's off screen episodes were in the personal realm, it quickly overshadowed his work and career. Before you send off your comments to Twitter or Facebook, bite your fingers and think twice. At those binge drinking with friends in restaurants and pubs, bite your tongue and think hard before you pass of any off color comment.

Everyone is replaceable: Given the right excuse, anyone can be let go. It