The track record of this reality TV show proves, however, to be rocky. According to New York Post in an online article by Andrea Morabito on Nov. 30, “After all three couples from Season 2 of Married at First Sight decided to get divorced after the cameras stopped rolling, the new season is under pressure to make matches that will last. So the series has moved from the New York metro area to Atlanta, where singles would be geographically compatible — since they all live in the same city — and has expanded the casting search to 2,500 potential singles.”

The show fared better in the first season with two couples remaining married out of the three. Upon watching the show as it premiered, I wondered to myself what elements really go into creation of a successful and happy couple? As a relationship/marriage therapist by trade, I started to examine my experience in the field comparing my own thoughts on healthy relationships to the premise of this reality TV show and the process of matchmaking as seen by these experts on TV.

As I am watching the program, I am learning about the process the experts use to put the matches together. "The experts report that they are able to put together the singles into three couples after analyzing the data they receive (some examples being psychological assessment, personality traits, visiting singles in their homes, sexual, social and spiritual inventories as well) and meeting with the singles for a few weeks. Each of the experts interview each person and appear to meet together to discuss the matches based off their analysis and decide on the final matches."

Now let’s be mindful that this is still a reality TV show and for entertainment. But, I find it interesting that this genre puts the idea of marriage on a pedestal with the assumption "a legal binding agreement" will produce more successful unions based on the importance of the institution. Can this type of process create relationships? I think for the most part no, and why? Relationships are more art than science. Matchmaking might be successful with a bit of science, but art and magic are necessary.

"Love is not a perfect science," Dr. Joseph Cilona is found quoting as the show begins.

I could not agree more.

My own work in marriage and couples counseling has always proven to me over and over that love and relationships just might be more art than science, and predicting or matching singles based off clinical research instead of art might be the error of this program. While I believe that there is a science behind what makes a couple healthy and able to stay together over time — similar characteristics can create a glue that binds a relationship, backgrounds and shared values/goals — what is also important is the unspoken chemistry that occurs between attraction and developmental process of a relationship from beginning to middle to marriage.

I think one error of the show is that the theory does not allow for the progression of relationship in the development process to occur as it speeds up the couple from stranger to married — the process part of development is lost and only found after the couple marries and lives together. Eliminating the courtship process seems counterproductive as this would allow for the getting to know each other stage, which allows for relationship development.

Instead, the TV show erases courtship and moves to legal marriage. I believe most of the magic of love comes from being able to move through a development process in creating a relationship before commitment.

Married at First Sight takes a list/research and creates supposed compatibility and tells us that being legally bound in marriage will increase the success of the union due to the seriousness of the commitment, thus eliminating the unspoken variables that might just create love: magic, differences, timing and process.

I find that this show might not have the secret to matchmaking, but upon reading some research on stable couples from the Gottman Institute, "Dr. John Gottman could predict whether or not their stable couples would be happy or unhappy using measures of positive affect during conflict, which Jim Coan and Dr. John Gottman discovered was used not randomly but to physiologically soothe the partner. Dr. John Gottman also discovered that men accepting influence from women was predictive of happy and stable marriages. Bob Levenson also discovered that humor was physiologically soothing, that empathy had a physiological substrate (with Anna Ruef) using the rating dial."

What does this tell us about relationships? Well, from the above research about couple stability, it sheds light into the matchmaking process. If you read closely, humor, empathy, balance and ability to resolve conflict in healthy ways produce happy couples over time. This makes me believe that the partner-seeking process tells us to seek out these qualities in people comparative to psychological assessments and tests to attempt to match singles by other qualities assuming these are more important.

Love is something that couples with differences can overcome if the important elements are present — connection develops through much more than lists and tests. This teaches us that love might not be so easy to create and matchmaking is quite a challenging field, where even so-called experts might forget about the magic, chemistry and an unspoken process of love and relationship that cannot be measured.

1. Research ahead of time

If you have some time before your move, take a crash course in your new city. Use Google Maps to familiarize yourself with the area around your office building. Before choosing an apartment, research neighborhoods that fit your budget and style. Take into consideration the noise, location and demographics of the community. Read about the culture and popular activities the locals enjoy, including any famous restaurants, bars, sports, or landmarks. Before you pack, look at weather patterns so you know what type of clothing you’ll need throughout the year. Along with some intensive Internet research, download a few essential apps that make moving easier so you are prepared once you arrive in your new city.

2. Become the queen of organization

Organization is key for a successful move and transition to a new city. Before you move, make a thorough to-do list of everything you’re packing and bringing with you and what you need to accomplish once you arrive, such as turning on your utilities and updating your address for credit cards and mail. As there’s nothing worse than a million cardboard boxes piled to the ceiling in your new place, make unpacking easier by color coding and numbering boxes. For example, mark each box for the kitchen with blue or number your clothing boxes based on item, type or season.

3. Set up your home essentials

It’s intimidating starting a new job in an unfamiliar city. For the first few months, your home will be your security blanket. When you arrive at your new place, research your local Internet providers to determine your options and establish any other services you want, such as cable or streaming services. Decorate your new place with a few treasured items from home, including pictures, blankets and other mementos.

4. Embrace the tourist cap

Just because you now live in a new city doesn’t mean you immediately become a local. Put on your tourist cap and explore the city as if you were a visitor. Take a guided city tour, try out different public-transportation options and visit the tourist attractions. Spending a few weeks as a tourist helps you grasp the lay of the land and learn about the unique qualities of your new hometown.

5. Ask questions

Teachers always tell you that the only way to find out the answer is to ask. The same is true when you’re adjusting to a new city. Don’t be afraid to ask your co-workers, neighbors or even your mailman for recommendations, tips and advice. They can direct you to the best coffee shops, the fastest bus routes, and the cheapest lunch spots you may not have found on your own. If they are transplants, they can share their insights on how they adjusted to the city. Sometimes a simple swap of embarrassing or horrifying moving stories can remind you that you’re not the only one who feels like fish out of water in a new city.

6. Build a new network

You may never replace your friends from home, but you still need to build a support system in your new city. Once we’re out of college, it can be difficult finding new friends. The best places to start searching are at work and in organizations. Use Meetup and other online services to find people and groups that share your interests, whether you enjoy knitting over a glass of wine or training for a marathon. As you build a new network, you’ll feel more at home in your new city.

Relocating for a job is an amazing opportunity, whether you stay for one year or make your new city your forever home. You’ll grow, learn new things about yourself, and treasure your experiences years down the road. With these six tips and a dash of confidence, you are ready to take on a new job and a new city!

My mom began this tradition because my brother Matt would often ask her to make these lovely bread delicacies for special occasions. I don't remember ever having eaten homemade English muffins as a child, but my mom informs me that she would often make them on butchering day to feed the hungry laborers/workers/pig-slayers... I'm not sure what the correct job title for that particular task should be, but I think you get the point.

Hungry men require the need for lots of yummy carbs.

When reminiscing about my brother a few weeks ago, I decided that I needed to learn how to make English muffins. I used the logic that if my mom could do it, then I certainly could as well. My logic often fails, especially when smacked with a healthy dose of reality. My mom can practically make bread in her sleep and is gifted with the talent of being a yeast whisperer. I, on the other hand, do not possess that skill set. I tend to be yeast's worst enemy and can kill it by just glancing in its general direction.

Despite my fear and uneasiness, I chose to forge ahead and bake English muffins. After asking my mom for a recipe, I soon realized that I would be on my own in this endeavor. Her recipe consists of smooshing two recipes together, while following neither one, and God forbid she actually writes any of the directions down for future use. Basically, she bakes bread exactly how I cook.

So, on my own, I warily came up with my very own unique recipe, and was presently surprised when it not only turned out to be edible, but also left me wanting to shove several very large, very carb-laden, very yummy English muffins into my mouth all at once.

This past year of "firsts" without my brother has definitely been a learning experience. I'm pretty darn thankful it's finally over, but am still aware that just because I've moved on to the "seconds," things won't necessarily get any better. What I do know is that I have learned to embrace whatever life has to give.

In the past year, I've been to Savannah for St. Patrick's Day, while also celebrating what would have been my brother's birthday. I even somehow managed not to break from tradition when faced with traveling to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania for CigarFest, which was always one of my brother's favorite yearly events. While donating hundreds of his cigars to Cigars for Warriors, I broke down in gigantic sobbing tears, somehow finding laughter and happiness through the same tears.

When given the opportunity, B.O.B. Bob and I chose to take our first beach vacation without Matt this summer, when we joined several friends at a beach house in Corolla in lieu of our traditional vacation on Hatteras Island. Later on in the summer, I even seized the opportunity to travel to New York City on my own to audition for a television show. After the one year anniversary of Matt's death — on which we traveled to my childhood home town to visit his grave — B.O.B. Bob and I even found time to take a trip to Cancun, where I was finally allowed to relax and breathe before facing the holidays yet again.

It's true that holidays are hard when faced with the loss and memories of loved ones, but they also serve as reminders of how much those same people meant to us. While Matt can't be here to enjoy these special made-by-little-ol'-me English muffins, it doesn't take away from their enjoyment. I'm filled with joy just thinking about how much he would have loved them, smothered in butter, with a huge spread of apple butter or preserves on top. He would have been delighted that I am carrying along the family baking tradition, as well as forgiving me for the fact that they don't exactly compare to the ones my mom makes.

I even wonder if perhaps he would have liked my muffins more than hers, but knowing him he wouldn't tell me even if he did. That boy would never freely give such a compliment. He knew it would go to my head.

With a new year looming in the near future, I've decided that my New Year's resolution this year will be to make more bread as well as embracing every moment that life has to give me. I foresee several occasions in which I will be in my kitchen, tears running down my face, flour covering the floor, cat prints running through that very same flour and non-risen bread in front of me.

I refuse to let that deter me though. I will press on, because that's what life is about sometimes. Pressing on.

Jumbo English muffins recipe

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1-1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• All-purpose flour
• Yellow cornmeal
• Extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Mix the warm water and yeast together, then set them aside.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, butter, honey, sugar and salt. Whisk everything constantly, just until the butter is fully melted. Remove the pan from heat and allow the mixture to cool until lukewarm.
3. In a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, mix the milk and yeast mixtures together for 1 minute on medium speed.
4. Add 1 cup of flour and mix for 1 minute on medium speed.
5. Add the remaining 2 cups of flour and then mix for 10 more minutes.
6. Use your hands to oil a large glass bowl with olive oil, and use your oiled hands to roll the dough into a ball and place it in the bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp napkin or cloth towel.
7. Allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in size. This will most likely take between 1 and 2 hours.
8. Dust your countertop and hands liberally with flour. Turn the dough out onto the counter and knead for a few minutes. Roll the dough out until it is 3/4-inch thick. Sweep any excess flour off of the counter and then scatter cornmeal on the countertop coating each side of the dough with the cornmeal. Use a 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut out circles of dough and then place them on a Silpat- or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cover and allow to rise again for 1 to 2 hours.
9. Add olive oil to a large skillet over low heat. Fry the English muffins until they are thoroughly cooked. This should take approximately 10 minutes per side. I covered my English muffins with a lid during frying as well.

Tips:

• You will need to use a spatula to push some of the flour down into the mixing bowl during the first few minutes of kneading.
• Make sure to check on your muffins every few minutes to make sure they are not cooking too fast.
• Fry the English muffins in a mixture of olive oil and unsalted butter.
• Serve with small-batch strawberry refrigerator preserves or horseradish candied bacon.

Where do you begin? What do you say? Is there hope?

1. Investigate the source of her feelings

In many instances, the signs of math anxiety and aversion are obvious — your student may procrastinate with completing her math homework or he may outright refuse to start or finish it. He may repeatedly forget only his math textbook, or he may hide graded homework assignments, quizzes and tests. But why does he feel this way about math? This question can be difficult to answer, but it is the first step in alleviating a strong dislike of math. Is she struggling to understand her instructor’s teaching style? Is he in a class that moves too quickly for him? A gentle, non-judgmental conversation with your child should be your first step, but you may also find it beneficial to speak with the instructor.

2. Review your own attitude toward math

Math is a commonly disliked school subject. Consider, for a moment, how often you have heard someone say, “I am just not a math person,” or “When will I ever use math in real life?” Perhaps you have even uttered a similar phrase yourself. Like so much else in life, children emulate their parents’ attitudes toward education, including their preference for or dislike of specific subjects. If you often comment on how difficult math is, and if your student has begun to hate it, consider rephrasing your comments about the subject. Phrases like, “This might be difficult now, but why don’t we practice it together?” can make a world of difference. Remember: practice makes perfect, and everyone can become good at math with hard work and support.

3. Highlight math outside of an academic context

Few individuals find exams and worksheets interesting. If this is your child’s primary experience with math, she may naturally grow to hate it. Luckily, math is a day-to-day aspect of life. Does your student like to play or watch a sport like basketball, football, ice hockey or soccer? Help him become familiar with the statistics on websites for organizations like the NHL or NWHL. (Goalie save percentage, for instance, is essentially a fraction between total saves and total shots on goal.) Math is also present in activities like baking, knitting and music. Follow your child’s interests to the spaces where they intersect with math, and you may find her attitude toward this vital academic subject gradually changing.

For more tips and strategies to help your student succeed in school, visit my business varsitytutors.com.

Why? Well, it's almost 2016 and people still believe that you can determine a woman's virginity status by looking at her hymen. Spoiler alert: Hymens can break for a variety of reasons, or they can even stay intact after sex.

More: How certain foods are linked to health issues 'down there'

This dangerous way of policing women's bodies is still perpetuated in many parts of the world, and even by the media, and the brains behind CollegeHumor and TruTV's Adam Ruins Everything have rightfully had enough. In their latest video, the crew — led by actress and writer Emily Axford — takes down the myths about hymens in a clever, but still super informative, way.

"The hymen as you understand it is a straight up myth. Our bodies don’t come with built-in virginity detectors, and sex isn’t ‘supposed to hurt’ the first time. This horrible idea is everywhere in our culture," Axford says.

More: Why it’s time for a women’s bladder health revolution

She explains that the hymen is less like a "sports banner" that a penis bursts through during intercourse than it is a "balloon arch" that is sensitive and can break during any number of activities, like sports, gaming... anything, really.

Most of all, the video does a good job of explaining that society needs to stop worrying about women do with their bodies, period. "Physically speaking, virginity doesn’t exist," Axford adds, "and it’s just something we made up to be mean to women — like Entourage."

Slow clap. Preach, Emily.

More: 7 Doctor visits every 30-something should make regularly

Having been recently diagnosed with pregnancy-induced hypertension and gestational diabetes during my third trimester of pregnancy, my inner voice had me convinced that Google must be sending these emails all the time and that it was probably just something benign. A few minutes later, another gut-wrenching email arrived. From a point of denial, I had to jump right into survival mode. It was time to take action. Shortly after the clean-up, I continued to receive a few more alarming emails, which I considered to be an aftershock. Such "deep cleaning" on the internet can be a lengthy and arduous process, and I'm here to share with you how I managed to survive the catastrophic digital event despite my medical condition.

10 Lessons learned in surviving a WordPress blog hack

1. Don't panic: find something — or someone — to help you calm down

Don't be afraid to momentarily step away from the situation. If you're all worked up, find something that will help you calm down. Grab a cup of coffee. Call somebody. Pray. No matter what, do your best not to panic. It's counterproductive.

2. Communicate: contact your web host

Communicating with your web host allows you to assess the situation much quicker and to know your options. Inform your web host about the hack, and see if they can help with quarantining the infected files. Check if they can help with assessing how bad it is and if they can help with a complimentary site restore from a clean backup.

3. Be prepared: have a good backup

Sometimes, there's only so much your web host can do, especially if they don't have any clean backups available to them. With that said, consider having a third-party backup provider like VaultPress that would allow you to keep a 30-day or full backup. As with any crisis management scenario, it always helps to be prepared.

4. Be honest: inform and protect your readers

Depending on the damage, consider taking down parts of your site — or all of it. You wouldn't want to infect your readers' computers with whatever may have been maliciously injected into your hacked site. Customize your 404 (File Not Found) page with a message that says your website (or page) will be back shortly.

5. Be on guard: tighten up security

With the increasing number of blogs being born each day, hackers have found the perfect platform to exploit by brute force, spam injection, malware, defacement and more. Typically, blog owners are a part of a shared web hosting service where their blogs "reside" on the same server along with many other blogs. If the hacker is successful at breaching the weakest link on that server, all other blogs become at risk — that's just one scenario. Tighten up your security by switching to a managed WordPress host or signing up with other security-related services like Sucuri Security. If you're on WordPress, even something as little as activating the "Limit Log-in Attempts" plug-in may help. This usually comes with a standard WordPress installation — you will need to check the box.

6. Protect your admin account: check if you're giving away your username

Protect your admin account as you would your checking account. Your author profile link is usually a dead giveaway when it comes to cracking your WordPress username. Now, all the hackers need to figure out is your password, and they have programs to do just that. Shortly before I was notified of the hack, I noticed some suspicious activity on my author profile link. When I looked at the URL, I realized that I had been easily giving away my WordPress username. The solution? I now have at least two admin accounts associated with my blog, and the one that's publicly available on my author profile link has contributor-only access.

7. Limit the information you provide: secure the footer section

Going back to the checking account analogy above, another lesson I learned long ago was to customize my blog's footer, particularly the section that said, "Powered by WordPress." If you don't want certain people to know your bank account number, chances are, you also wouldn't want them to know where you bank. While additional security measures are already in place in both the banking and the blogging worlds, it's just good practice to limit the information you provide anyway. Plus, customizing your blog's footer comes with an added benefit of strengthening your own brand. On that note, if you have a WordPress log-in link on your footer or sidebar, consider removing it, just in case.

8. Maintain good housekeeping: keep your themes and plug-ins updated

Just like having to do your own housekeeping at home to keep things running and functioning smoothly, the same is true when it comes to maintaining and updating your blog's themes and plug-ins. We may not like it, but it has to be done. Good housekeeping means staying on top of updates as soon as they become available. Hackers are on top of things too, so make sure you always vet what you download. Even the most popular themes and plug-ins are not exempt from security breaches, so it's best to keep only the ones you absolutely need in order to reduce your blog's security vulnerabilities.

9. Change your locks — and keep changing them

Change your password from time to time and use strong passwords, if you aren't doing so already. Just as you would with your financial accounts, don't use the same username and password across the board. Have a different password for your admin and contributor accounts as well as for the email address associated with your blog.

10. Don't let the hackers get your spirits down: revamp and revive your blog.

One of the best things I experienced following the blog hack was the opportunity to revamp and revive my blog. The hackers kept on coming back — without any success, thankfully — and they were targeting a specific section of my blog: the one that received the most traffic. This made me think even more strategically and I started to diversify a little better. I also started joining more groups and networks and found other ways to meet like-minded bloggers and drive new traffic to my blog since my Google rankings plummeted after the hack.

Despite the challenges, I have grown a lot as a blogger in 2015. I've met new friends, gained new skills and sharpened my creativity. My blog will be celebrating its first birthday in 2016, and I can't wait to do another year-in review when that time comes.

Researchers from the University of Toronto's Department of Psychology understand that struggle, so they researched exactly how many pounds have to go away before people notice.

According to the research, "Women and men of average height need to gain or lose about ... eight and nine pounds, respectively, for anyone to see it in their face," study author Nicholas Rule said.

More: How working out in winter actually makes it easier to lose weight

To determine the amount, Rule and postdoctoral fellow Daniel Re looked at facial adiposity -- the perception of weight in the face -- because it can be an accurate way to calculate a person's BMI. They asked participants to look at photos of men and women between 20 and 40 with neutral expressions and hair pulled back. Rule and Re then altered each picture to reflect different weights on an increasing scale. The participants then had to look at randomly drawn pairs of faces and choose the heavier photos.

Eventually, they noticed it took a change of about 1.33 on the BMI scale to make it noticeable. But that's where the interesting part ends. According to Rule, people "need to lose about twice as much for anyone to find them more attractive."

More: 8 Benefits of a high-fat diet that are worth a victory dance

Attractive according to who? Pretty sure that beauty is all relative and not everyone has the same tastes, so...

The only good part? "The difference between the groups suggests women's facial attractiveness may be more sensitive to changes in weight," said Rule. "This just means women attempting to lose weight need to shed slightly fewer pounds than men for people to find them more attractive."

"When it comes to incentives for weight loss, some people are more motivated to look attractive than to improve their health," said Re.

While that's true, the first goal of weight loss should be to make yourself happy and healthy. Forget the rest.

More: Research shows taking 10,000 steps a day could help us live longer

If you told me pot roast was for dinner anytime in the year after March and before October, I'd tell you to go away. But come those colder months and that craving for hearty comfort food, I'm all ears. Pot roast is perfect for the slow cooker because the longer you cook it, the more tender it gets. After 5 hours, this was literally falling apart as I tried to pick it up with tongs to remove it from the slow cooker.

Having cooked in a nice little bath of tart cherry juice and surrounded by dried tart cherries (which plump up perfectly in that cooking liquid), the meat has a deliciously sweet flavor balanced perfectly with fresh herbs and savory onions. It's so good I'd even consider doubling the recipe to have leftovers.

Slow cooker pot roast with cherries recipe

Serve this pot roast over cooked pasta or rice for a heartier meal.

Serves 4 – 6

Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 5 hours 10 minutes | Total time: 5 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 3 pounds chuck roast
• 4 – 5 leaves fresh sage, chopped
• 1 – 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
• 1 cup tart cherry juice
• 1/3 cup dried tart cherries
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon water

Directions:

1. Into a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, pour the olive oil.
2. Season the chuck roast liberally with salt and pepper on all sides.
3. Once the oil is hot, place the beef in the pot, and brown on all sides, about 2 – 3 minutes per side.
4. Transfer the meat to the slow cooker.
5. Add the herbs, onion, cherry juice and dried cherries to the slow cooker, cover, and cook on high for 5 hours.
6. Remove the meat from the slow cooker (it should be tender and falling apart), and set it aside on a cutting board.
7. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch in the water until dissolved, and add it to the slow cooker (still on low cook). Stir, cover, and let thicken while the meat cools, about 5 – 10 minutes.
8. Using 2 forks, shred the meat a bit, then return it to the slow cooker, and stir together with the cherry sauce.
9. Serve over cooked pasta or rice.

More pot roast recipes

Merlot and apricot pot roast
Perfect herb pot roast
Slow cooker pot roast sliders

The fact that wives tend to take on more of the stress of the season can lead to a big sense of inequality in the marriage. It’s also a time when travel, in-laws, step-children, children, ageing parents and all sorts of other issues that already add pressure to your marriage come to the forefront.

But the holidays don’t have to put a dent in your marital relationship. Here are five tips to help your marriage survive and thrive during the holidays:

1. Don’t get sucked into the hype

There’s no question about it. The holidays are heavily marketed as a time when our families come together in perfect harmony. Typically, women are shown at the center of this idealized vision of the holidays. We are shown as being capable of keeping a beautiful home, baking delicious treats and projecting an image of a perfect family to the world. This vision is clearly false — most women are not pulling off anything close to the perfect holiday package. Your marriage and your family are not a Hallmark card. You are unique, and the fulfillment you seek individually and together as a married couple is different from what the TV commercials try to pass off as normal.

2. Plan a budget

There’s nothing like money to drive a wedge between an otherwise happily married couple, and there is a lot of pressure to spend money during the holidays. Many couples increase their spending during the holidays by as much as double. No matter how much money you make, doubling your expenses will make an impact! Plan a budget together, and agree on the amount you have available for gifts, travel, decorations, food and any other holiday expenses.

3. Speak up

In seeking the “perfect” holiday, many wives swallow their true feelings rather than talk about them. This is a dangerous habit that can wreak havoc on your marriage. Given the fact that you are likely putting a lot of effort into holiday planning, it’s important to find ways to let your husband in and share the burden. That doesn’t mean that you have to pass over the responsibility of baking cookies, but it does mean that you should at least let him know that you’re increasing your workload during the holidays. Many men are blown away when they realize what their wives do; they often have no idea how hard we are working because we just don’t tell them. As a couple, it is healthy to find ways to share your work with each other, especially when your workload increases.

4. Make a parenting pact

Having kids makes the holidays fun, but they also add to the stress of the season. From having two weeks off from school to wanting a boat-load of exciting and expensive presents, the burden of children during the holiday season can put a lot of pressure on your marriage. Discuss how you can share the parenting duties during the holidays, and don’t assume that you need to do it all. As a couple, you should be able to find areas to take individually, areas that you can share and things that you can just let go of. Remember, the greatest gift you can give your children this holiday season is a happy, healthy marriage.

5. Give thanks

Thanksgiving might be over, but the holiday season is an opportunity to constantly be thankful for what you have. By noticing what is good in your life and in your marriage, you will strengthen your spirit rather than deplete it. Consider taking the month of December to work with your husband and your family to be grateful for whatever you have. It’s a small action that can have a huge impact on your happiness today and in the future.

Of course, it’s hard to get through the holidays without feeling some stress, but I hope that you and your husband can go through it together, stronger than ever.

1. For the technology lover: HTC Re camera

This super cool, easy to use camera lets the user focus on being in the moment rather than looking at a screen while capturing a moment. The camera shoots wide-angle pics and streams everything to the user’s smartphone! Guaranteed to be the life of the party!  (HTC, $259)

2. For the health nut: Fitbit Flex

Fun and fashionable, this Fitbit is a device that can be worn on a daily basis and tracks the wearer’s activities — including steps taken, calories burned and active minutes. It can sync wirelessly to other devices and is waterproof. Available in multiple colors, the Fitbit is sure to make any teen smile! (Fitbit, $119)

3. For the book worm: an Indigo gift card

There is certainly something to be said for opening a tangible gift; however, it is also nice to be given an option! There are so many amazing books out there for teens, young and old. Books tend to be a very personal gift, so give them the gift of choice this season! You can buy gift cards in-store at any Indigo location or online. (Indigo, prices vary)

4. For the avid smartphone user: touchscreen gloves

There’s nothing more frustrating than having to take off your gloves every time you need to return a text — especially for teens who are seemingly glued to their phones. These warm and stylish gloves allow you to use the screen on your smartphone without ever removing your gloves! No more frostbite! (Glove.ly, $19.99 - $95.00)

5. For the lounger: Cacoon hanging lounger

This “nest” is the ultimate lounging station: the Cacoon is a hammock, a chair, a bed — whatever you want it to be! Not only is this the perfect place to chill, but it offers a safe, private space for your teen to relax in. Available in different colors, the Cacoon is sure to make any teen very, very happy. (Cacoon, $424)

Next: More gifts for your teen

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6. For the music lover: Beats by Dr. Dre headphones

We all know how important music is to teenagers; it is an outlet that many use to deal with stress, anger or simply to feel happy. Give them the ability to listen to their favorite music in style (and in amazing quality) with Beats by Dr. Dre headphones. There are also many styles available, so you're guaranteed to find the perfect pair for your teen. (Beats by Dr. Dre, $329)

7. For the animal lover (and also for you): no-clean aquarium

This amazing, self-cleaning aquarium has no plugs, batteries or filters to change. Give the gift of a pet this year — without having to worry about taking care of it yourself! You can check out the different kinds of aquariums. (No Clean Aquariums, $120)

8. For the one with wanderlust: the Scratch Map

These affordable (and beautiful) maps allow your teen to scratch off places they’ve visited around the world. It’s not only a great way to keep track of where they’ve visited, but it will also act as inspiration and motivation!  (Scratch Map, $28)

9. For everyone: the iSkeltor lap desk

This multi-functional, comfortable lap desk allows you to work on your laptop from anywhere. iSkelter offers different versions to suit different needs; check out the different versions and chose the one best suited for your teen! (iSkelter, $70)

10. For the creative soul: Lumi Inkodye fabric printing kits

This incredible, innovative kit lets you print your own images on things like T-shirts or bags using the power of the sun. Truly revolutionary, this easy-to-use kit is sure to be a hit with your creative, artistic teen! $46.71

So, why wouldn’t you apply the same standard to yourself? A woman’s risk of having ovarian cancer sometime during her life is about 1 in 75, and unlike breast cancer (which is seven times more common), ovarian cancer has yet to attract a significant campaign around survival, treatment and care.

The truth is that treating ovarian cancer in the most effective way requires work from patients. It takes research, a clear understanding of what’s going on in your body and a greater commitment to finding the right kind of treatment.

What are the odds?

Because up to 1 million women each year have pelvic masses and as many as 300,000 undergo surgery for them, finding the nearly 22,000 annual cases of ovarian cancer is like locating a needle in a haystack. One place to start is by considering your risk factors.

You’re more likely to be at risk of ovarian cancer if: 

• Your mother, sister, daughter or other first-degree relative has had ovarian cancer
• You have had breast cancer before age 40
• You have had breast cancer before age 50 and one or more relatives have had breast or ovarian cancer
• Two or more of your close relatives have had breast cancer before age 50 or ovarian cancer at any age
• You have Ashkenazi Jewish heritage and a history of breast cancer before age 50
• You have Ashkenazi Jewish heritage and have a close relative with breast cancer before age 50 or ovarian cancer at any age

You’re probably wondering, “What do I do if I have one or more of these risk factors? What if I’m one of the 1 million women each year with a pelvic mass?”

Before you turn to WebMD or start barking up your family tree, remember one simple, powerful decision you can make: choosing the right surgeon.

Determining your best course of treatment

If you come to need surgery, you should know that women with ovarian cancer who put their care in the hands of doctors with expertise in gynecologic cancer have better survival rates than women who do not. While your trusted OB-GYN might be qualified to perform ovarian cyst surgery, she might not have the surgical training in minimally invasive technology or gynecologic oncology that’s required for the best odds.

A gynecologic oncologist will have specialized in those technical procedures and is, therefore, more likely to make the correct diagnosis. This kind of specialist is crucial to diagnosis and care.

Here’s how it works with a specialist at the helm: During surgery, samples of the mass are collected and sent to a pathologist for analysis to determine whether the patient has ovarian cancer. A gynecologic oncologist will then perform one of the most important steps during the surgery: staging.

Staging — which is a determination of how far the disease has spread — is when the surgeon’s expertise and training comes into play. With an accurate staging assessment comes the best course of action for the patient’s treatment. Staging is often followed by the removal of any tumors that have spread outside the ovaries and an assessment of whether chemotherapy is necessary.

There’s a lot to consider if you’re facing surgery for a pelvic mass. Women of all ages could be grappling with the potential effects of a procedure on childbearing, sexuality, physical and emotional well-being and family dynamics. A gynecologic oncologist can offer continuity over the long haul.

It’s important to treat yourself as you would any family member, so seek the best care by finding the specialist who is right for your needs.

This week, I'm faced with changing all my default payment methods: my daughter's dance school, Amazon and other services we use around the house. I've received email after email: "Error processing payment." That happens when you connect a card to every place you spend money.

After the initial shock wore off — and the paperwork was completed — I was left with two choices: cash or check. Ironically, the use of checks has been highly discouraged due to theft and fraud.

So, there I was, walking around with over $300 cash in my pocket, worried I would drop it, lose it or be mugged in the parking lot with a wallet full of cards that had been inactivated due to fraud. I'm not comfortable carrying cash, but I had little choice last week.

Fun, right?

Wrong.

It took me this long — about 15 years of using cards exclusively, and five replacement cards deep, mind you — to see that we may be, just may be, sharing too much of our personal information in person and online. I've learned a few things through this experience, and I'd like to share them with you — not only to help you safeguard your personal information, but also to save you some money.

Many stores are also only willing to give you a discount if you hold their credit card. Do you know how high those interest rates are? Check your statements. The interest rates typically range from 23-26 percent, which means that even with your "20 percent discount," you're still paying a 3-5 percent premium on the items you purchased if you carry a balance. That means, you're paying more for using their credit card, not less. Greet every invitation to open a store card with a "No, thank you." You'll protect yourself from sharing personal information, and keep your budget in check.

2. Carry cash

Now, I know carrying cash is very hard for most of us. I haven't effectively carried cash in about 15 years. My daughter handed me some coins a few weeks ago, and, I'm embarrassed to say, I couldn't even identify them. Is this a dime? What is this? They must have changed the design! I never touch cash anymore, and I presume you don't, either. A few things happen when you pay with cash.

The first is recognition. You feel and see the money, then hand it ceremoniously to someone else, watching it pass from your hand to another. That makes the purchasing experience much more real.

The second is accountability. When you're sitting at home in your underwear shopping online, everything's so easy, right? You barely have to put down your pint of Häagen-Dazs. Retailers have made it far too easy for us to fork over our cash. You can even plug a card reader into your mobile phone. Scary! One day, I spent over $70 blindly on iTunes music. Have you ever done that? Do you wish to complete this purchase? Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. When I saw my bank statement, I thought, "Whoa, Nelly! Did I do that?"

It's needless to mention all the other things that can go wrong when you hand 12 merchandisers your credit card number. Remember the T.J. Maxx breech? The Target breech? The Ashley Madison scandal? Shall I go on? Giving away our credit card numbers so freely is bad news for all of us.

3. Limit mobile device use

Have you noticed that every action on a digital device has the potential to result in a purchase? I purchased a new phone over the weekend, and, in trying out the preloaded games, I noticed that every single one, at some point, asked me for money. Remember Tetris? Solitaire? Minesweeper? Did any of those games ever ask you to pay to continue playing? It was sickening. How many of us have racked up charges for in-game purchases? I have a simple solution to this problem. Use your phone as a communication device for staying in communication with your family and friends and for work responsibilities. Save the rest for your PC or tablet at home. Let's not hand our phones over to our kids, except to talk to Grandpa. They have no idea whether those "coins" are real money from Mom or Dad's wallet.

4. Start browsing privately

We live in the age of 10 Internet Windows Open at Once. We shop on one, check email on another, work on yet another and keep up with our favorite celebs on the last. You know what happens? They talk. The windows talk to each other. Which is why, when you're looking for a pair of boots over at Macy's to wear on New Year's Eve, ads for those very boots magically appear in your Facebook feed. If you search for frying pans on Google, you'll get ads and coupons for frying pans for the next five days. You can browse more safely. You can browse privately. In Internet Explorer, it's called InPrivate browsing. In Google Chrome, it's called an Incognito Window. Don't let their dialog boxes make you feel like a slimy sneak trolling for porn. It works for browsing and shopping online as well.

While we're at it: Do we need to be logged into Facebook at all times? Both on our PCs and our phone? Isn't that a little extreme? Take a break. Log out sometimes. You'll give them less personal information.

5. Purchase event tickets in person

Have you ever noticed the posted ticket price — for shows, concerts, theater performances and the like — is almost never what you actually pay? I realized this as I tried to purchase tickets last week for my family to see A Christmas Carol at a small, local theater. Patrons were directed to purchase tickets through a third-party website — one that charges a premium for using a card — the only form of payment accepted. I had no card to use, so off I went, during their short box office hours, to bring them a check. I saved $16 by paying in cash, in person. Plus, I didn't have to enter my entire life's history to purchase them. I simply handed them the money and received the tickets. It was freeing.

6. Pay attention

The absolute worst quality of this generation is that no one pays attention. We're constantly rushing around, not paying attention to much of anything. We don't pay attention to prices, try to purchase everything we need in one store just to get finished, see something online we must have and don't comparison shop — or we allow salespeople to "find" us the items we need, only to find out that we could have found it online for half the price. Slow down, people. The only thing we're rushing to do is waste time and money.

Purchase a cell phone lately? Ever hear the old... "This is going to take a few minutes. Why don't you take a look around the store, and come back when you're finished?" Do not walk away. Ask questions. Don't worry about being the pain-in-the-neck informed consumer. They may not enjoy answering all your questions, but you'll leave with what you wanted, not what they wanted to sell you.

Lastly, take nothing for granted at the cash register. Items ring up wrong all the time. Discount signs on your rack might not apply to the item you picked from that rack. You might be double charged for something. The advertised price for something may not be that price at all. And pay attention when you get to the register. Instead of just trying to be finished shopping, or out of the way of the lady huffing and puffing behind you, pay attention to the transaction. Does the purchase require that you give your phone number, home address and weight of your Maltese? If it does, do you really need to shop there? Think about the information you're giving away just to get out of the way. And always ask for a receipt. When we refuse receipts, how can we prove what we've purchased? How can we return it if we need to? What if our credit card company says we spent $200 on something that should have been $20? Keep all receipts for at least two weeks, in all cases. Even gas. You never know if you might need it.

The past few weeks have been difficult — but eye opening. Forced to use cash, I found that not only have I avoided exposing personal and bank account information, but also undisclosed charges associated with using our cards (i.e., service fees). Being left with only cash provided me a unique perspective. Feeling the money in my hands and knowing how much was in my wallet was like a breath of fresh air, and made me wonder why we ever stopped carrying cash in the first place.

It also helped me to realize how much of ourselves we leave out there, both online and in the traditional marketplace.

But every cloud has a silver lining, as they say. I've actually saved myself some money. I've also found that with cash in hand, I'm looking much more closely at what everything I purchase actually costs.

In those few days of clarity before I received my new cards, I was able to see just how vulnerable I've made myself and just how much personal information I was giving away.

That's not exactly something I want to worry about over the holidays.

I'm shopping safer and smarter this season, and hope you will, too.

Walking down the beauty aisle is confusing enough, but what about when you are at a store like Sephora or ULTA? Even I get confused!

If you want to improve your skin, here is some simple advice

1. Take care of it. Okay, this isn't earth shattering news here. Your skin is an organ, so you need to take care of it like you would your heart or lungs. Protect it with moisturizer and a sunblock. Drink water to keep it — and the rest of your body — hydrated. Make healthy food choices and watch your sugar intake.
2. If you are starting to notice a few small lines, add glycolic or salacyclic acid to your skin care routine. Regular exfoliation is a great way to turn over skin cells and produce more collagen.
3. If you are worried about deeper lines, consider using Retin-A (not to be confused with retinol). You will need a prescription for Retin-A, which is considered the gold standard in skin care. Retinol is derived from retinoic acid and takes a bit longer to actually work. However, there are some very good ones on the market and they're easier to obtain since it's available over the counter.
4. Have you ever tried a Clarisonic? I'm not a huge fan, but apparently someone is! They come in every size and color, complete with cute names like Mia and Aria. Basically, the brush rotates to effectively clean your skin. Why am I not a fan? Bacteria can harbor in the brush. If you have acne or a viral infection on your skin, you could potentially reinfect your face every time you use the brush. Follow instructions on how to keep the brush clean and buy replacements — just like a toothbrush.
5. I'm a huge fan of microdermabrasion and the home devices are getting better all the time. A good one can cost about $200, but professional microderms can cost that in one visit! Splurge and purchase one for yourself, but make sure that you use it. It won't help you if it just sits in the box.

I, on the other hand, have a long list of things I never want to do, places I hope to never visit and simple everyday tasks that most women in their 40s have been doing for years that I have proudly avoided. Namely, I don’t know how to drive, and I have never learned to do my own laundry.

That second one may sound entitled and gratuitous, but at my house growing up, everyone had chores. Doing the laundry was considered an enviable task that I never got to do. Laundry was coveted since the other options were cleaning toilets and picking up dog poop from the backyard, which was my main function in the Lawrence household.

In college, we had a laundry service because there were no machines on campus. That situation was fine with me, but it also explains why I never really got the whole white clothing turning pink jokes back then.

After graduation I worked three jobs, forcing me to use my spare time wisely. Do I have a social life or wait all night for laundry? I chose boys and booze and dropped my clothes off at a place for the bargain basement price of 99 cents a pound.

Currently, and due to my track record, my boyfriend Joe, doesn't trust me with his precious wool sweaters or his linen shirts, which he claims don’t even go in the washing machine. I was content with him doing the laundry, and he was content with me never doing it. This was all working out just fine until a job situation arose, potentially taking me to San Francisco for six weeks. My only concern was how this would necessitate my need for clean clothing. At first, I considered just packing 42 pairs of panties and not worrying about it, but Joe insisted on teaching me the ways of the wash.

He pointed to all the machines in our basement, handed me our laundry card and said, “Put in the clothes, put in the laundry detergent with them, put the card into the slot and follow the instructions.”

Then his phone rang and he was off.

So, I put in the clothes, put in the detergent, put in the card and followed the instructions. Unfortunately, I had chosen a dryer instead of a washing machine, which would explain why when the machine began to spin, no water came out. It also explains the brevity of my lesson. Luckily, I didn’t have to go to San Francisco, but even more fortunate, my relationship survived.

Content with the knowledge that I may never again use a Bounce dryer sheet or Tide PODS, I moved on to task number two: driving.

As the clock struck twelve on Dec. 31 last New Year’s Eve, my best friend, Jaimie, insisted we all yell out what one change we would make in 2015. As you can imagine, someone like me who doesn’t have a bucket list also doesn’t have any New Year’s resolutions.

So, Jaimie made one for me: “Cooper, this is the year you will learn to drive!”

Living in a large city with excellent transportation coupled with the lack of desire to go anywhere might explain why I never learned to drive. But I was a good sport and muttered, “sure” under my breath.

I made it all the way to July before Jaimie invited me out to her house in Southampton, Long Island, where nobody uses public transportation. She drove me to a rather desolate area where she stopped the car in the middle of the road, got out of the driver’s side, walked around to the passenger side and ordered me to “Drive!”

I drove around empty streets, slowly and carefully, where I felt safe since there was nothing there to crash into. Jaimie proudly declared that she was a “great teacher” and I would “surely have my license by the end of the summer.” However, by the end of the night she was too drunk to drive us home from a party in East Hampton and threw me the keys.

Now, if you were a police officer, wouldn’t you prefer a sober driver without a license to a drunk driver with one? The answer was no. No, you would not. The problem as far as I saw it was not my lack of driving skills so much as it was East Hampton township’s lack of street lights. In an effort to find our road in the pitch-black night in a town with wooden posts for street markers rather than reflective street signs, I was accused of “driving erratically."

I promptly went back to the city where there are buses and subways and myriad cabs and car services — a place where someone else did my driving and someone else did my laundry.

Pope warns Kenyans against lowering birth rate

Catholicism is said to be spreading rapidly in East Africa, and Pope Francis drew ecstatic crowds during his tour in Kenya — including a stop in one of the world’s largest slums. Addressing the poverty he saw, he called efforts to lower the birthrates in the region, part of the “culture of waste,” a feature of what he called the “new colonialism.” The Catholic Church is steadfastly against contraception. Kenya has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, yet only 39 percent of women use contraception. Although abortion is officially legal in Kenya, unsafe abortions cause a significant number of women’s deaths, in part because the government has created barriers for women to gain access to care.

“The deaths and injuries of these women can be prevented and must be prevented,” said Evelyne Opondo, regional director for Africa at the Center for Reproductive Rights. The center has sued government officials, demanding the barriers be removed.

In neighboring Uganda, women demand change of criminal law

Earlier this fall, an Ugandan organization, called the Center for Health, Human Rights and Development, launched a petition for Parliament to decriminalize abortion. The organizers had 30,000 signatures, but were aiming for 2.5 million. An estimated 26 percent of preventable maternal deaths in Uganda are due to unsafe abortions carried out by unqualified medical practitioners.

Rebecca Tulibasika, Ugandan teen writer, wrote recently how the lack of safe abortion affected her and her peers:

"My friend Rosemary Naigember is from a village called Bugade in Eastern Uganda. We used to go to school together at Townside High School. Rosemary became pregnant during our school Easter holidays. The father of the baby was 35 year old; Rosemary was only 16. She was too scared to tell her parents, so she went to a hospital and asked for an abortion. In Uganda you can pay for an abortion even though it is illegal. We don't have Rosemary at Townside High School anymore as she died in the hospital after the abortion... I went to Rosemary's burial with my friends and the head teacher and local pastor also attended. It was very sad because Rosemary was so young. I want girls to know that unsafe abortions are very risky and can cause so many problems. But even more I want adults to understand how their Colonial-era policies are killing us.”

Congo women bring rape trials to villages

The female survivors of mass rapes and killings in the Congo have banded together to seek justice locally. Raping of women and girls was a fundamental strategy to terrorize the country during the nation’s decades of conflict as well as to impregnate women with the children of their assailants.

With the International Criminal Court, based in The Hague, failing to convict a single rebel commander of orchestrating mass rape, women's groups in the DRC have begun working with judges who travel the country in a system of "mobile justice."

Julienne Lusenge, a leading Congolese activist, heads the Female Solidarity for Integrated Peace and Development, a coalition of 40 women's organizations. The group’s members travel to villages where the incidents happened. They bring with them a judge, a magistrate, a clerk, the accuser and witnesses. They also have the funds to pay the court fees.

“And then we invite the community and mobilize them to come and be present at these hearings,” she said. The organization also provides immediate medical care to rape victims and mediates the stigma she bears in her community, including rejection by her family.

Next on the agenda: political power under the new constitution.

French Muslim women wearing veils bear brunt of backlash

As France, home to the largest Muslim populations in Europe, reels after the attacks on Nov. 13, Muslim women are keenly aware they will be increasingly targeted for harassment or worse. Because they wear a veil or other clothing indicating they are Muslim, they are readily identified as possible targets. France also has laws restricting women who wear this traditional clothing, barring veils in schools and full-face coverings in public.

In fact, Zakia Meziani said in an interview that four days after the Paris attacks, a veiled woman was attacked in Marseille, in the south of France. “We can find a lot of acts like these today in the press,” said the president of the Association for the Recognition of the Rights and Liberties of Muslim Women. Meziani added that since the murders in January at the office of a sardonic magazine and a kosher grocery store, the attacks against veiled women have increased. In addition, she said many veiled women experience increased bias on a daily basis. “Female students are not allowed to go to class,” she said. “Sometimes they are denied access to recreational centers, doctors or driving schools.”

Simple, frosted sugar cookies turn into mini ice skating rinks when you adorn them with jellybean penguins, skimming across the tops.

For this tutorial, you can try my favorite sugar cookie and royal icing recipe, or you can use your own.

Ice skating penguin cookies recipes

Yields approximately 36 cookies

Ingredients and supplies:

For the sugar cookies

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 4-1/2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond, lemon or raspberry extract

For the royal icing

• 6 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup softened butter
• Blue food coloring
• Squeeze bottle

For the penguins

• 36 black jellybeans (or Junior Mints, chocolate-covered almonds, black peanut M&M's)
• 108 orange chocolate-covered sunflower seeds
• White candy melts
• Black food coloring marker
• Toothpicks

Directions:

Step 1: Make the sugar cookies

In an electric mixer, cream sugars with butter. Beat in eggs and oil. Combine dry ingredients. Gradually add to wet mixture. Stir in extract. Cover the dough and refrigerate overnight or for at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll dough into 2-inch balls and place on parchment paper. Press the dough balls flat using the bottom of a drinking glass, dipping the glass in sugar each time before pressing. Bake for 12 minutes.

Step 2: Frost the cookies

Make the royal icing. Mix powdered sugar, milk and softened butter together until smooth. Add blue food coloring and tint to desired shade. Pour into empty squeeze bottle. To frost cookies, squeeze icing onto the center of the cookie and rotate outward, stopping well before the edge. Icing will flatten and smooth. Allow to dry and harden.

Step 3: Prep ingredients for penguins

Using a sharp knife, carefully slice the pointy tips off of 36 orange chocolate-covered sunflower seeds to make penguin beaks. Melt approximately 3 ounces of white candy melt in the microwave.

Step 4: Decorate penguins

Using a toothpick, paint ovals of candy melt onto the black jellybeans to make the penguin stomach. Attach the orange beaks to the top of the candy melt oval. Add two more dabs of candy melt for the eyes. Allow to dry and harden. Add black dots to the eyes with a food-coloring marker.

Step 5: Attach penguins to cookies

Put two orange sunflower seeds on each frosted cookie for the penguin's feet. Put a dab of white candy melt on top of the sunflower seeds and attach a finished penguin to the cookie. Allow it to dry and harden.

Step 6: Add skating lines to icing

Using another toothpick, etch "ice skating lines" behind each penguin on the hardened royal icing.

Step 7: Display your ice skating penguins

Watch your penguins take a spin on their personal ice skating rinks!

More wintery food crafts

Olaf the Snowman snacks
Snowy mountain cookies
Santa sippers

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Where are all the good men? That's what you'll be asking yourself this holiday party season as you survey the room looking for suitable prospects. It may appear as if all of the desirable ones are taken, gay or married to their jobs. However, the stars show that you could be meeting someone very interesting on or around the 19th. At first you'll write him off (maybe he's just gotten out of a relationship or he's traveling through town), but give him a chance. Just because things don't click into place right now doesn't mean they can't later.

Next: Taurus horoscope

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There are numerous people that you'd love to give a lump of coal to, but that wouldn't be very Christmassy of you would it? It seems like the list of naughty outpaces the list of nice every year. Nevertheless you're a Taurus and you believe in the sanctity of home. You'll do whatever it takes to keep the peace. So take a deep breath and do your best to suffer through the hormonally driven teens, ungrateful in-laws and freeloader friends and you will awake on Christmas Day to find that Santa slipped an extra special something into your stocking.

Next: Gemini horoscope

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The reason you aren't connecting to any of the guys you're meeting right now is because you don't have a burning desire to be in a relationship. You're comfortable with who you are and with what you're doing in your life. You don't want to start seeing someone who's going to upset all of that. But you can still use this time to get to know men as friends — free of all the romantic baggage and heavy expectations. And who knows? Maybe once you see that not all men are pains-in-the-derriere you might even fall in love with one.

Next: Cancer horoscope

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Some people grow to love each other over time. This may sound like something that you would expect to hear if you were living in an arranged marriage in the 17th century, but there's truth to it. The problem with our current culture of cut and run relationships is that easy outs don't allow people to form lasting bonds, bonds that are often formed by facing hardships together. Right now conflicting planetary energies are urging you to pull up stakes and move on, but a rare Venus/Pluto sextile on Dec. 17 shows that there's still love in your relationship yet.

Next: Leo horoscope

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Are you feeling competitive with your partner? It might explain the deflating remarks you've been making or why you withhold praise when he asks for support. This may be your way of showing him that he needs you and that you aren't to be taken for granted. However, this behavior may prove self-defeating if you aren't careful. For instance the Mercury/Uranus square on Dec. 20 could bring out hidden resentments. The best way to deal with this is to be upfront about what's going on. Instead of pushing away someone who cares, you'll wind up getting a sympathetic audience instead.

Next: Virgo horoscope

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It's pointless trying to make someone stay when he doesn't want to. You aren't going to rekindle that passion or shame him into doing the right thing — not when you have the sun forming a departing square to Jupiter on Dec. 14. This late autumnal planetary configuration marks the time of year when the romance that bloomed in summer withers and goes to seed. If this is what's happening, then you would be wise to let him go. Yet take comfort in the knowledge that seeds are being planted for a future love that will be better than this.

Next: Libra horoscope

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You can expect to be thrown a few curve balls this week. It's inevitable given that Mercury will be conjoining Pluto on Dec. 20 before squaring Uranus, the planet of surprise twists on Dec. 21. Thankfully you're an old hand at fielding potentially explosive family situations. In fact, it will be up to you to reassure your partner who doesn't have your talent for rolling with the punches. The important thing is to bring your focus back to the relationship and to tune out the drama — which is really nothing more than background noise if you think about it.

Next: Scorpio horoscope

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Why is there always some barrier standing between you and the person you yearn to be with? It could be said you like it like that. There's something romantic about falling in love with someone imprisoned inside a loveless marriage, burdened with a dark secret or who's here on a temporary visa. Enjoy your romance while it lasts because it could be over as soon as this weekend. Why? Because that's when you'll awake to find that said barrier has been magically removed and you are now free to be together. This could send you racing in the opposite direction.

Next: Sagittarius horoscope

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You must be feeling supremely confident with Jupiter — the largest of all the planets in our solar system — traveling across the midheaven of your horoscope. This is bound to boost your popularity, pump up the volume on your charisma and make you a sought after catch. Yet the biggest test won't be in finding a partner; it will be in maintaining your identity when you are in a relationship and not giving away your power. Let this be your guiding principle over the next few weeks and you will surely find someone who loves you for who you are.

Next: Capricorn horoscope

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If passion burns itself out and romance fades, then what holds two people together? That's the question that this week's sun and Jupiter square asks on Dec. 14. How about values? Jupiter is the planet of spiritual values in astrology. Jupiter provides the moral compass that points you in the direction of living a higher purpose-driven life. If you know that the person you're with is a good person and that he (or she) makes you a better you, then you know that this is the one that you will want to spend the rest of your life with.

Next: Aquarius horoscope

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You will be looking to rub shoulders with movers and shakers this week and with Venus forming a spectacular sextile to Pluto on Dec. 17, you can expect them to rub back. Admittedly this planetary configuration makes you more interested in money than in love, but what's wrong with that? Besides, you've done the down-on-his-luck trying to find himself creative guy thing and you're ready for something more uptown. There's something undeniably sexy about someone who packs a six-figure salary. He may not have the six pack abs to go with it, but then you can't have everything.

Next: Pisces horoscope

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Most women don't have a problem with "dating up," but you do. Economic imbalance in a relationship makes you nervous. You don't want to feel like your paramour owns you or like he has the upper hand. That said, you may need to change your thinking while Jupiter is in Virgo. Jupiter here means that good fortune and prosperity will come to you through the men you date. In other words, you have to start getting used to the idea of being on the receiving end of good things rather than having to give of yourself all the time.

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More horoscopes

Your weekly horoscope

 1. It will be a three-hour special

The upcoming TV special will boast multiple song and dance performances (hopefully including that iconic lift). That being said, ABC has confirmed that it's not related to the musical adaptation, Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story On Stage. Also, it won't be live like Fox’s upcoming staging of Grease.

2. Abigail Breslin will play Baby

Breslin will take over the role originated by Jennifer Grey. For those who aren't aware (in which case you need to watch the original right now), Baby is a young woman in the early 1960s who vacations with her affluent family in the Catskill Mountains and ends up falling for the resort’s working-class dance instructor.

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3. The original Dirty Dancing writer will be involved

Eleanor Bergstein, who wrote the screenplay for the original movie, will serve as an executive producer on the remake alongside Allison Shearmur (The Hunger Games).

4. The music will be provided by a Glee vet

ABC's new version of Dirty Dancing will feature music from Adam Anders and Peer Åström, both of whom worked extensively on music for Glee and other TV shows. They have also separately produced music for well-known artists like Celine Dion and Madonna.

More: 5 Reasons to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Dirty Dancing

5. It has a strong creative team

Jessica Sharzer, whose worked on Ryan Murphy faves like Scream Queens and American Horror Story, has signed on as writer for the project. Meanwhile, Sapphire director Wayne Blair will helm the special.

6. This won't be the first time Dirty Dancing has been on TV

Dirty Dancing was previously adapted into a short-lived TV series in 1988, which failed to impress audiences. But that isn't the first time that an attempt at remaking the beloved movie has failed. There was also the infamous 2004 sequel/reimagining, Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights, which moved the story to Cuba in 1958.

More: Renée Zellweger pulls a Jennifer Grey, Twitter reacts

7. Casting is still underway

There's still no word on who will play Johnny, the dance instructor originally played by Patrick Swayze, in the upcoming remake. We'll have to stay tuned to learn who nabs the iconic role.

ABC's Dirty Dancing remake does not have a premiere date yet.

Empaths fall along an awareness continuum. Some have psychic ability — others, a strong sense of knowing. We may feel another's physical pain or illness, and we know when someone is lying. Crowded areas are overwhelming and chaotic. We don't always know where our own energy begins and another's ends. Complete strangers spontaneously tell us their entire life story. We have a habit of telling the truth, which others find terribly annoying.

An endless list of traits does not, however, explain how we can successfully navigate our lives. Empaths spend their lives looking for answers. Support wanes as friends and family grow weary of riding our emotional roller coaster, never realizing that some of the emotions we feel belong to them.

The multidimensional self

Empaths are aware of their multidimensional nature. We know we don't begin in physical form. We may not always have the words to articulate that awareness, but we know it all the same. For whatever reason, we keep our non-physical awareness alive in our physical presence. There's a feeling of otherness about us, as if we're always on the outside looking in. In a sense, we are.

As extensions of Source Energy, we're a vibrant and creative force, eager to experience life in all its aspects. It's only in the drama of physical form where things seem to devolve. Empaths are attracted to drama like a moth to a flame. Without controlling that attraction, many of us succumb emotionally. An empath feels in to another's emotional energy to connect and become informed. So, is it any wonder that we're awash in emotion?

Staying aligned

Living a peaceful life requires staying in our own emotional resonance — in our own lane, if you will. The Abraham collective, channeled by Esther Hicks, explains how to do this better than anyone else with its explanation of the Law of Attraction. Awareness for me happens in an expansive way, all at once. Thinking overcomplicates the situation because so many probabilities exist. Feeling someone's resonance gives me a truer picture.

Empaths are encouraged to shield from invasive energy to stay centered. Visualizing a white light around us, or a tunnel through a large crowd of people can help. Sometimes, we have no choice but to leave a situation if we can't stay in control. Chaotic energy can be that overwhelming. I've discovered shielding becomes less necessary when I stay in my own resonance or alignment.

We believe we're here to deal with each other, as if life is a competition somehow. The Law of Attraction suggests the more we deal with one another, the more we bring unwanted experiences our way. This becomes especially important when energy becomes vampiric, which is extremely uncomfortable to experience. Empaths visualize all sorts of energy shields to protect themselves from vampiric energy. But how much of that focus actually brings those experiences to us? If I remain aligned in my own resonance, I notice the energy, but I don't feel in. If I don't feel in, I'm better at staying in control.

Create your own experience

Although the world around us appears integrative, it really isn't. It's our individual focus of the world that we see and experience. Let our interactions with others be what they are, without feeling in or judging the situation in any way. As empaths, we'll still feel our way through life, for that's our nature, but our focus needs to change to one of nonresistance. We're not here to fix anything or judge anyone. We're here to create and be happy.

So let go. Relax into being and feel your way. A beautiful life awaits.

She's not frying it up and devouring it with a knife and a fork, but rather had the placenta freeze-dried and turned into pills she can pop.

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She's certainly not the first mom to try this; in fact, placentophagy (the technical term for eating one's own placenta) is almost a fad it's so popular. Many women (including Kim's sister, Kourtney) claim it helped them recover after delivery and stave off depression and post-baby blues.

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Kim said she's "really not this holistic person," but she's trying it because "what do I have to lose?" And she says the pills are working. She feels "a surge of energy" every time she takes one, and she highly recommends placenta-eating to other women.

Sounds great… only then there's science, which says the benefits of eating your placenta are just a hoax — or at least overblown. A recent study found no health benefits for women who eat their placentas. There's also some concern that there could be a potential risk in eating a placenta that may contain toxins and pollutants.

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So if you are considering eating your placenta, talk to your doctor. Discuss the potential pros and cons, and — like anything else — don't do it just because it's a fad or some reality television star says you should.