Saturday, February 6, 2010

A Wintery Mix of the Light and the Heavy

Welcome new follower Veronica! Thanks to readers Susan & Kathleen for the encouraging comments - one here on the site, and one via facebook. As of yesterday, I had about 70 followers on Twitter! Welcome to the "Follies" Tweeters!

To readers in the mid-Atlantic states, I hope you are all safe indoors, as warm as you can be, and that you have the necessary supplies to ride-out the monster blizzard in relative comfort. It's very frustrating to be without electricity and all of its accompanying necessities/comforts, and a readily available supply of food and water. Me and mine have endured weeks of primitive living brought to us by hurricanes, but at least the temperature was warm outside.
This morning's news reports informed that more than 30 inches of snow has fallen in a Baltimore suburb, with a record two-and-a- half feet predicted for our nation's capital. As of early today, 1o inches were reported near the White House. A father & son were reported killed in Virginia while stopping to help another motorist (Rest in peace).
This morning's news indicates that upward of 80,000 homes in the D.C. area are without power thus far. According to the National Weather Service, Washington, D.C. has only been covered with more than a foot of snow 13 times in the last 140 years. Blizzard warnings have been issued for parts of Delaware and New Jersey. God Bless and keep all those who are in the storm's wake and in its path.

On the Women's Heart Health front: Did you know? Heart disease is largely preventable! Eighty percent of cardiovascular events in women may be prevented if women make the right choices for their hearts involving diet, exercise, and abstinence from smoking. (American Heart Association).
BUT, according to the AHA, 90 % of women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease, and more women die of cardiovascular disease than of the next five causes of death combined, including all forms of cancer.

On to the lighter side of life!
With Valentine's Day approaching, I was happy to read an article on MSN Lifestyle from Women's Health touting the merits of using pet names and a secret lover's language with one's partner!
I am the queen of nick names and "baby/secret talk!" For example, uttering to my honey in a crowded room "It's getting warm in here. I need some air," instead of "Let's blow this nightclub and go make sweet love!"
You get the picture.
I tend to delve more deeply into the realm of endearing names and sweet, silly talk than others might, putting on goofy, sugary-sweet voices as an added feature.
On any given day, not only my partner, but my children and our cats, as well, can boast multiple monikers bestowed on them by loving, nutty me!
At times, I take a bit of good-humored ribbing in exchange for my clever terms, tender tags and wacky voices. So naturally, discovering that experts believe that my tendency to employ a fantasy language and nick names is fertile fodder for relationships, charged me with an invigorating sense of vindication and satisfaction!
According to the article, "The Secret Language of Close Couples," by Leslie Goldman,
"Pet names and code phrases pave the way to a playful, resilient and satisfying relationship."
As a lover's bonus, sweet, secret talk sends a message to the world at large that the couple engaged in "cutesy conversation," is deeply committed to each other.
The quantity of the sweet talk is more important than its quality, with the suggestion that a five to one ratio of positive to negative comments between a couple is the easiest way to keep a relationship strong.
Verbally sweetening a disagreement will also serve to strengthen your relationship, says psychology professor Lorne Campbell, Ph.D.
"Tossing in an inside joke during a would-be brawl not only relieves tension but brings you back to the present," Campbell theorizes in Women's Health.
Words, it seems, may after all speak just as loudly as actions.
So to all you lovers out there, instead of saying "it" with flowers, candy, jewelry and the like, put your money where your mouth is in your precious relationship and say "it" with the intimate words that only you and your sweetheart will understand!

No comments:

Post a Comment