Calling All Single Woman Bloggers!
As single women who are also writers, we often blog about the misconceptions and unfair treatment of single and unmarried people. What would happen if all of us wrote about this same issue on the same day?
The Communication League for Unmarried Equality (CLUE) is trying to get all single bloggers together to do just that. On April 15, a day when singles pay more than their fair share, CLUE wants to have as many bloggers/writers as possible write about this issue using their own experiences and own voice.
A report by Onely.org, recently published in The Atlantic magazine states:
- The U.S. government regularly and routinely discriminates against fifty percent of our population: single people.
- Our federal code alone contains over 1,000 laws where marital status is a factor, and in most cases single people lose out.
- Some of the most egregious examples of Marital Status Discrimination occur in Income Tax, IRAs, and Social Security laws, which all largely favor married people.
- A single person earning $80,000/year could easily spend a million dollars more than his or her married peer over the course of a lifetime, based on only a few of the most discriminatory laws.
Interested in letting your voice be heard? In making a difference by joining thousands of single bloggers? If so, email CLUE at contact.clue@gmail.com.
The Communication League for Unmarried Equality (CLUE) is make up of :
- Bella DePaulo, author of Singled Out and the “Living Single” blog at Psychology Today
- Christina Campbell and Lisa A. of Onely.org, (pronounced wun-lee), a blog that challenges stereotypes about singles
- Eleanore Wells, blogger and author of The Spinsterlicious Life
- Cindy Butler of Unmarried Equality
SingleMindedWomen.com Resources
More SingleMindedWomen.com Articles
Does Being Single Hurt or Enable Professional Growth?
Why You Want to Be Singled Out
Finding the Positive in Being a Single Mom
February Awareness Month
So often you see “Such-n-such Awareness Month” or “Something I Can’t Pronounce Month.” Some seem obvious (American Heart Month) and others (On-Hold Month) not so much. California Dried Plum Digestive Health Month (no, I’m not making this up) falls in the You’ve-got-to-be-kidding category.
The president can proclaim a national awareness month. For example…
I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim January 2013 as National Stalking Awareness Month.
And it seems almost anyone else can proclaim an awareness month, too. Here are some examples:
- Humorists Are Artists Month
- Frozen Food Month
- Umbrella Month
- Straw Hat Month
- Skyscraper Month
But, there are some awareness months we can really get behind. Here is a list of February Monthly Observances we love.
International Boost Self-Esteem Month
International Expect Success Month
National African American History Month
National Care About Your Indoor Air Month
National Children’s Dental Health Month
National Mend A Broken Heart Month
National Parent Leadership Month
National Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month
National Time Management Month
Plant the Seeds of Greatness Month
So, find something to celebrate this month. Happy February!
Click here to find awareness months for the entire year.
Atlantic City Food & Wine Festival Recap
We’ve been following the foodie masses to Atlantic City for the Food Network’s Food & Wine Festival since 2007. And it gets better and better every year. This year, our on-the-scene correspondent Margaret Mieles talked best/worst with Andrew Zimmern, baby food with Tyler Florence, bitchin’ kitchen with Nadia G and desserts with the Cake Boss.
“Our first event on Friday evening was “Define Cheese Steak ” with Bizarre Food’s Andrew Zimmern. There were countless amounts of cheese steak – every style you could imagine. Andrew’s choice of cheese steak was a calves tongue sandwich topped with tuna sauce. Yes, I was scared. Maybe Andrew was, too. He was very standoffish at the start and would not allow anyone near him but as the hours passed and the calves tongue disappeared, he became warmer and I even got to chat with him for a few. We asked him what his worst meal was and he said his mother in laws roast pork last Christmas. Ha.
Saturday morning began with what we hoped would be an interview with Tyler Florence and then Anne Burrell. Tyler Florence talked about his baby food line called “Sprout.” He wants to change the way people eat by starting when they are infants. What a great idea! It is all organic and is one of his main focuses right now. He is also busy making wine with Mondavi. The name of his wines are easy to remember: “Tyler Florence.” When asked to name his favorite places to eat the world, he chose Baltazar in N.Y.C for their steak tartare. Chez Louie in Paris is his favorite French Bistro, River Cafe in London, and Casa Two because it is SEXY !! He then spoke about DiFara Pizza in Brooklyn.
He defines a great pleasure in the flavor and snap in the crust …When he was asked if his children liked his cooking , he replied, “they think my wife is a better cook.” My favorite moment was he said he spent $170.00 on a N.Y limo to get to Difara for two slices as he had a great interest in meeting Domenico De Marco , the one and only pizza chef there ! : )” (PS: Margaret’s dad is Domenico DeMarco!)
Paula’s Brisket
“Saturday afternoon we attended the The Blues Brews and BBQ which included Paula Deen and Tyler Florence. All I can say about that is that Dinosaur Barbeque in Harlem was the BEST … offering their brisket sandwich with their wango tango sauce and a jalapeno relish !! It was amazing . Paulas Deen’s sliced braised brisket was also nice in comparison to all the other attendee’s …
The Sweet & Stylish event, which is my favorite, was hosted by Cake Boss Buddy Valastro and Nadia G !! Nadia G offered a chocolate covered bacon that I would not mind eating everyday if I had access to it ! The salty and sweet combination was truly satisfying to say the least . Anne Burrell showed up but her only interest was partying and she did not pay too much attention to the fans who tried to get close. Too bad! We love Anne and wish she was more into being there. After several photos, she visibly seemed annoyed that people wanted to interrupt her during her partying (which was constant,) she got up and walked out !! Booo!
Overall, the event was really a lot of fun and a lot of food ! Can not wait for 2013 !!!”
Buddy’s Cannoli
- Margaret Mieles & Fabiana Santana
Romney’s Losing Bet
It’s no secret to women that men can have some pretty annoying traits. And to be perfectly honest, it’s really no secret to men either, although it’s tough to get us to take ownership of them.
When Mitt Romney, in the December 10th Republican debate, shoved out his hand toward Rick Perry and with that icy smile of his said, “I’ll bet you ten thousand dollars,” he did his version of the cock of the walk, and in so doing, I believe, shot himself in the foot.
While Romney would never admit to it now, his body language and his tone was that of a bully. And in bad economic times a bully of the worst kind, one who uses his great personal wealth to bully others. One day later he was papering over his petulant taunt by saying, “It’s like when two buddies bet each other a million bucks, it’s not meant seriously.” Anyone watching Romney during that debate knows that cover up is a lie.
For the average American to make $10,000 takes approximately three months. Not a dollar amount a sane member of the “99 percent” is going to wager. The very act of betting that amount casts Romney as out-of-touch with the average voter. People can overlook a candidate having much greater wealth, but they don’t like to have that fact shoved in their face or the face of an opponent.
Men, are particularly uncomfortable with a rich male throwing down the money card. From a gut standpoint they would have been more comfortable if Romney had taken off his jacket, rolled up his sleeves, and threatened to punch Rick Perry in that square jaw of his. (That might have helped Romney’s poll numbers get beyond 25%.)
But the average guy is always looking for a level playing field and when Romney throws around money by wagering “ten thousand bucks,” it emasculates the 99% of men out there who don’t have anywhere near that kind of money to wave in another man’s face.
So in male speak, Romney becomes the worst kind of man to other men; one who is willing to use his great wealth (estimated at well over $200 million) to taunt other men. It’s the fiscal equivalent of a man with 22-inch biceps telling another man, “How would you like me to pick you up and shake you like a rag doll?”
But interestingly enough, the wealth bully is even more intimidating to men because it reminds them that they are not as successful as they had hoped and now their under the thumb of men who are far richer than they could ever hope to be.
As for women, they find this behavior equally obnoxious but in a different way. Women, as a general rule, are turned off by men playing the cock of the walk. Boys bullying boys, pushing, shoving, grunting, is something women have witnessed their whole lives and it leaves them feeling no empathy with the bully.
Small acts make a big difference in campaigns. In 1992, President Bush senior in a debate with Bill Clinton famously looked at his watch, something that said to the average voter, “I have more important things to do than come before you and defend my performance as president.” Rick Lazio in his 2000 New York Senate race against Hillary Clinton walked over and put his arm over Hillary during their debate in a manner that appeared to be physically intimidating. It was the beginning of the end of his campaign.
I’m guessing that Mitt’s wager will be replayed a thousand and one times. Rick Perry has already used the clip in an ad to attack him and the Jon Huntsman campaign bought the web address 10Kbet.com, before Saturday’s debate had ended. Given the money that Romney has poured into his campaign, that $10,000 bet might end up costing him millions.
Martin Brown is the Heath Channel Editor for SingleMindedWomen.com, and co-author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Finding Mr. Right.
His latest book is Fit in 50 Days.
More SMW Dieting Tips
Are You a Nibbler? Curbing Empty Calories
Dieting With the Support of Online Girlfriends
Staying Motivated with Buddy Workouts
Win a Year’s Worth of Groceries for Your Recipe!
Four lucky home cooks will win a year’s worth of groceries by submitting an original recipe using a Hungry Jack product in any of the following categories: Brunch, Comfort Foods, Appetizers, and Sweet Treats. The makers of Hungry Jack® Pancake Mix, Syrup and Potatoes have teamed up with Kelsey Nixon, star of Cooking Channel’s “Kelsey’s Essentials,” in the third annual Hungry Jack Use Up the Box Recipe Contest.
For inspiration, Chef Kelsey has used Hungry Jack staples to create the following delicious dishes:
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake Bites –Hungry Jack Pancake Mix is the secret behind these moist, sweet treats featuring the irresistible combination of chocolate and peanut butter.
- BBQ Meatballs – Add a kick to hearty meatballs made with Hungry Jack Instant Mashed Potatoes with a tangy homemade BBQ sauce.
- Flaky Fried Fish Tacos – These crispy, zesty tacos can be made at home with Hungry Jack Potatoes.
Complete recipes can be seen here.
The Hungry Jack Use Up the Box Recipe Contest ends November 2, 2011. One recipe in each of the four categories will be named a Grand Prize Winner and will receive a year’s worth of groceries (awarded as a check for $6,000). For complete details and official rules visit www.useupthebox.com.
