The Oregon Women's Report - Women's News from Oregon

Youth Salad Recipe Below
By Heidi von Tagen
Gorgeous Bits Blog, Portland

The hubs went with his man-pals to the Blazer game last night, leaving me to forage for dinner on my own.  When the kids are not with us during the week, and he is out for the evening, I’ve been known to eat the worst, malnutritious, embarrassing kind of dinner. Like a huge bag of peanut M&M’s, Red Vines, popcorn, or nacho Doritos. Yes. It’s true and I hate to admit it, but for as much as I preach about eating healthy non-processed foods, I have my secret guilty pleasures. When no one is looking, I can pig out like nobody’s business.  And it’s not pretty.

But when I tossed the Twizzler’s into my cart last night at the grocery store, I did an unusual thing.

By Erin Flesh and Karen Vitt,
pdxneatsheet.com
Portland style, shopping, trends.

What has eight arms, three hearts and no bones? Why, the latest trend in fashion, of course. No, it’s not some freak “living coat” hybrid, specially engineered to keep Anna Wintour warm at night. The trend we’re referring to is… the OCTOPUS! We’ve recently been spotting this mysterious sea creature’s lovely visage on everything from T-shirts to tights to jewelry and home decor, and what can we say – we’re happy to hop aboard.

“Octopi have universal appeal,” said Chris Stevens, owner of Northwest Shirts, which makes a local line of Octopus inspired Kraken motif T-shirts and scarves. “They’re really otherworldly and exotic, and they have a bit of sinisterness to them – but they’re not. If you’ve ever seen an octopus or looked into its eyes, it feels like they have an ancient wisdom to them. They’re beautiful and smart creatures.”

By Erika Weisensee,
Milwaukie mother and daughter

Mother’s Day—Sunday, May 9th—is right around the corner.  This will be my fourth Mother’s Day. At three-years-old, my son still doesn’t quite grasp the concept of Mother’s Day, but that won’t stop him from hugging me all day long. That, in and of itself, will make my day special. Of course, I wouldn’t mind sleeping in, breakfast-in-bed, and an hour-long massage.

While I’m on the topic, there are lots of ways to make moms feel loved and appreciated on Mother’s Day. Here are gift ideas sure to make mom smile:

By JulieChats
JulieChats Blog
Oregon’s Scrapbook Expert

“How do you make time for creative projects?”  Life certainly gets in the way of all the fun things we wish we were doing.  Laundry, dishes, work, kids, email, yard work, bills, so many things take up the hours of our days.  Like so many others, I wish there were a few more hours in each day for doing all the things I enjoy.  I am a stay at home mom, who also works part time for my local scrapbook store, Whimzee’s Scrapbook Studio.  I do my work for the store both at home and in the store.  Since my job requires me to be creative at the drop of a hat, I often get questions about how I make time to be creative.

Chantelle K. Dockter,
MA Licensed Professional Counselor
CCCOW,

Question: My thirteen-year-old daughter has been hounding me to allow her to have a Facebook profile. She tells me that all her friends have one, and that she feels like an outcast because she has not been allowed to create one. Should I give in and let her?

Answer: Let me premise my answer with this: not all of you are going to like or agree with my response, which is okay. However, as a therapist who works largely with teenagers, I stand behind the following advice. Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter are alluring to teens and adults alike. There is something intriguing about being able to connect with others via computer, including looking at pictures and chatting.

One in Five Parents Would Spank in Certain Settings

HealthDay News — Spanking may be losing its popularity among American parents, but new research suggests it might still be used in certain settings. Results of a national poll conducted for C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital at the University of Michigan, show that one in five parents believe they would spank their child in some scenarios, said poll director Dr. Matthew Davis. The survey queried more than 1,500 parents about what disciplinary methods they would employ in a variety of scenarios.

Yard Sales: Be Content with one Find!
by Sandy, Southern Oregon
Reluctant Entertainer

I hate wasting time. And having a long list of yard sales to go to is just that for me. A big waste of time.

I’ve learned over the years that I need to be wise with my time and my money.
* From your list of sales, pick out 3 to go to
* Be selective, don’t buy anything you don’t need
* Stop at 3 sales – don’t be obsessed with finding a perfect bargain

Control/Alt/Delete:  Three Keys That Can Lead to Change.
By Olivia Rossi,  RN, MSN, ACSM
Your Personal Trainer:

It’s been about a year since I wrote this piece and I thought it would be a good idea to take it out and dust it off.  Maybe you weren’t ready to make that one little change a year ago . . . or maybe you did and it’s time to hit one of the other keys.  I was just out for a walk and passed by a shop with a sign in its window:  Computers Tuned-Up  . . .  Are you ready for a tune-up?

When it comes to computers, I keep it simple.  I don’t text or twitter.  Blackberry remains my favorite jam while Google has become my favorite verb.  My cell phone doesn’t take pictures, my camera doesn’t ring and MySpace is a little wooden desk in a cozy corner of my living room where I do my writing.  If I get in a fix on my computer, I know how to escape—I hit and hold Control/Alt/Delete and hope for the best!

By Erika Weisensee

Welcoming a new baby into one’s home can cost a pretty penny. Baby gear can quickly take over one’s home. Stores market a whole lot of cute, color- coordinated things that we become convinced baby needs. We want our children to get off to a great start, but do we really need all of this stuff? The answer is no. And, two Oregon moms, Joy Hatch and Rebecca Kelley, have written a new book to help parents save money by parenting the green way. The book is called “The Eco-nomical Baby Guide: Down to Earth Ways for Parents to Save Money and the Planet.”

The authors focus on reduce, reuse, and recycle in a writing style that is humorous and straightforward. The safety and happiness of one’s baby top Hatch and Kelley’s agenda as they offer tips on shopping for new and used green goods, blending homemade organic food, and limiting the piles of baby gear that threaten to overtake the living room. 

All tests and no play
By “Miss Nelson”,
Salem Elementary Teacher,

I have heard people complain that schools spend so much time on standardized tests that they don’t have time to teach, and I always thought that it was just another excuse. There are so many students who are not achieving the standards and we’ve all known a teacher or two who didn’t seem to give the profession their all, so it stands to reason that we’d want some accountability!

But today my poor little kiddos took tests all day long, minus a break for library, recess and lunch! They are one terrific class and they did it like good little troopers, but I felt so sorry for them! Every day they come in and ask, “Are we going to have a test?” Because usually we do.

By Kelli Warner,
KMTR-TV Morning News anchor, Springfield

There’s a group of 5th graders in Cottage Grove who are learning first-hand what it takes to put together a morning newscast.  When I heard that, as a morning news anchor myself, I had to check it out.  And I have to say—I was extremely impressed with what I found.

It was a Thursday afternoon and classes at Bohemia Elementary School had ended for the day, but the KBOH news staff was just getting to work.  First, there was Jeramy, the staff weatherman.  He was sitting in front of a laptop, focused on creating his weekend forecast.  He admitted to me that sometimes people give him a bad time when his forecast isn’t completely right.  I told him that even the best weathermen get criticized from time to time.  He looked as if that bit of news somehow made him feel better.

Even 9-Month-Olds Choose ‘Gender-Specific’ Toys

HealthDay News — Parents may want their girls to grow up to be astronauts and their boys to one day do their fair share of child care and housework duties, but a new study suggests certain stereotypical gender preferences take root even before most kids can crawl.  When presented with seven different toys, boys as young as 9 months old went for the car, digger and soccer ball, while ignoring the teddy bears, doll and cooking set.  And the girls? You guessed it. At the same age, they were most interested in the doll, teddy bear and miniature pot, spoon and plastic vegetables.

From Bureau of Land Management,

Historic Clothing Class at National Historic Oregon Trail Center Baker City, Oregon: The National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center is presentinprogram by noted clothing historian Kay Demlow on Saturday, April 17th in the Leo AdlTheater. “Clothing or Costume” is a combination lecture and fashion show covering the historic styles of the western frontier period 1840-1890. The program focuses on fashions that would have been typical for the overland pioneers and mining communities of early day eastern Oregon. Scheduled for 10:00-noon, the program includes a question and answer time.

By Randall W. Haveman, DVM, MS
Sunnyside Veterinary Hospital, PC
Happy Valley, Oregon

A editorial in the February issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal, entitled “Pets in Airplane Cabins: An Unnecessary Allergic Hazard” criticized the decision of Air Canada to allow small pets such as cats, dogs and birds to travel in aircraft cabins.

. The article cites research that suggests one in ten people suffer an allergy to animals, the doctors behind the article believe that new legislation to protect passengers with severe peanut allergies should be extended by the Canadian Transport Agency to passengers with allergies to pets.

We likely will see this argument for American and perhaps International flights in the future.

In Oregon, we have Seeing Eye dogs, dogs that sense seizures in their owners, and Hearing Ear Dogs for deaf owners.  We are facing loosely defined “service animals”, too.  People with anxiety and social stress are demanding that dogs and a variety of animals that help them cope be allowed with them in public.  Some want to take their reptiles, , exotic birds, and monkeys on buses and in stores.

By Jessica Rosales
Portland Import Transmission Repair Shop
Serving Oregon Since 1955.

Is your car in need of transmission repair? Where do you start when you need to find an auto mechanic? The thought of going to a transmission shop may seem intimidating to a woman, but it shouldn’t be. Here are some tips and advice that will help make your auto mechanic experience a little smoother.

First, start with finding an auto repair technician. Ask family, friends, neighbors and co-workers for recommendations on auto mechanics they have used. Trust me, they will enjoy giving you friendly advice. They might also share a bad experience and encourage you to steer clear of a repair shop! The internet is an excellent resource as well, as it gives you the option to search for specialties and read customer reviews. If you are looking for a Portland area transmission shop, consider an internet search such as, “Portland Transmission Shop” or “Portland Auto Mechanic.”

By Erika Weisensee
Milwaukie writing mom

I have taught college writing and communication classes for six years now. Another semester is about to end, which means I will soon say goodbye to another group of students. Before I started teaching, I thought of teaching as a challenging yet rewarding career. It is both of those things. What has surprised me most about my work is the attachment I can feel for a particular class and the sadness I sometimes feel when a course ends. But that is the nature of teaching—you teach them and you set them free.

Every class is different, yet I have come to know this generation of college students fairly well. Guess what? I really, really like them. Society has dubbed them¬—them being my students and some 50 million other Americans between the ages of 18 and 29—the “Millennial” generation, also know as Gen Y.

By Heidi von Tagen
Gorgeous Bits Blog
Portland

Before marrying my subtly amazing husband, I found myself briefly enamored with a local winemaker.

Long ago, even before dating said winemaker, not only had I not dated in over 18 years, I had no education or clue about how exquisite really good wine could be. In my practical suburban existence, as a young stay-at-home mother and housewife, I didn’t have the patience, interest or time to unearth and research the treasure of wine. When I did imbibe, it was because I remembered to grab a bottle or two of Charles Shaw at Trader Joe’s, (lovingly referred to as Two Buck Chuck) 

Oregon W omen’s Report reader survey,

As Tiger’s first game since his scandal, it has raised the question on whether it si too soon for him to playing.  We posed this question to our web readers; “After 45 days in rehab over his affairs with 12 women, Tiger Woods has announced he is returning to a golf tournament next month. Do you feel Tiger is ready?”.  Here is their answer.

Comments below:

Casual Sex Increasing in U.S.

HealthDay News — People in nonromantic sexual relationships today are likely to have multiple partners, researchers have found, and that behavior could promote the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, they note.

“The United States has seen a major shift toward nonromantic sexual partnerships — people becoming sexually involved when they are just casually dating or not dating at all,” study author Anthony Paik, a sociologist at the University of Iowa College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, said in a university news release.