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I have always had bulky, muscular legs. I swam and skied in high school and have taken dance class my whole life. Now I'm in my mid to late twenties and my thighs, in particular, are still bulky and not as toned as I would like them to be. I'm not a runner, so that's not an option, but I do get cardio exercise in by walking a few times a week, on top of the toning I do at my three weekly ballet classes. Are there any good videos or books or methods out there that can give me more streamlined legs? I'm not asking for miracles, I'd just like to tone and shrink my big legs. Thanks!

I take 4 ballet classes each week. I need a new bra for class. I'm like a 34-36 C, so the shelf in my leotards doesn't cut it alone. I wear this one I got a long time ago pretty often, that's wireless with skinny straps and has one hook and eye in the back. I'm looking for something that isn't bulky or padded and but will still hold me up and in so I have more control in class. It would be nice if it came in black and had thin straps so I could wear it under camisole leotards. Any suggestions out there? Had luck with any in the past with any particular maker? Please send links if possible. 10 points to best answer!!!

my older sister is a pain. she is a very frustrating person to live with. she says whatever she wants, not caring how it will affect the people around her, and when she's confronted, always plays the martyr. she's an extrme type a personality. she wants everything her way. sometimes, I feel like she's a monster. we get along a lot better now that we are older (she's 30, I'm 26) but she still tries to pick fights with me... especially about our mom, whom she says gangs up with me against her. she just basically needs to learn how to grow up, lighten up, and treat others the way she wants to be treated. she needs to learn to vent her emotions in a more positive way.

any books I could slip under her door, so I don't actually have to tell her these things?

Can anyone recommend a good beginner book for learning American Sign Language? What worked the best for you?

I had the flu last month, and had a fever and sweat a lot at night, etc. Since then, my sleep has not returned to normal. I'm waking up drenched in sweat most mornings, and sometimes several times through the night. When I have to get up for work in the morning, I feel exhausted, not refreshed, as I had before I had the flu. I'm 26. I'm not menopausal. I should have more energy than this. What could this be? Sleep apnea? Any suggestions?

I'm just curious. I take ballet classes now at age 26 at a school that is very focused on classical ballet. When I was growing up, I danced at a more recreational dance studio that did not offer very traditional/ classical ballet training... but I did do pointe for a few years as a teenager. I know I would never be a professional, for many reasons, including the fact that my feet are far from ideal. I tried three different styles of shoes and none ever agreed with my feet; (I tried Capezio's Pavlova and Contempora and Gamba's 97), I'm dancing again now, and I don't think I would ever try to attempt to go on pointe at this point in my life, BUT, I'm curious- (granted, if I had been getting better instruction) what pointe shoes should I have been wearing? Which would be a good fit for me? My feet are big and somewhat wide (size 9), I'm 5'5". My second toes are longer than my first toes, and in general all of my toes are very long, except for my tiny baby toes. My arches are not high, but not nonexistent. I've seen girls who majored in dance with similar feet.

what should I have worn back then? Opinions welcome!

I've always wanted a pet. Since I am allergic to furry creatures, I think getting a turtle would be fun and pretty low maintenance. My mother is a nurse and always likes to point out that they carry salmonella or e coli or something. Could you give me some pros and cons of turtle adoption? I'm just talking like the little cute kind that live in a terrarium.

Thanks!!!!

I sit next to, quite possibly, the rudest human being ever born. She's loud. She belches out loud. She complains about things we all have to do. She loudly announces when she has to go to the ladies room and complains loudly when she is tired or not feeling well (and often describes what's wrong to anyone whom she thinks is listening). She's even rude to clients on the phone. She gets out of meetings all the time and is regularly late, but speaks as if she is the high authority on all things having to do with our job (she's been with the company a long time, but only doing her job, same as mine, for 4-5 years). I could take all that in stride... if she would stop making slurpy sounds all day!!!!! She slurps every sip of her coffee all day. She sucks on her teeth after lunch as if she has something in her teeth. I sometimes imagine giving her dental floss, but I don't think she would get the point. How do you tell someone that their bad manners offend you and ask them to stop? ...without them blowing up at you?

I fell asleep before the end of the episode with John the destructive diabetic. I didn't get to see how the intervention turned out or if he got treatment. Could someone fill me in? Thanks!

I don't know if anything has been reported in the press lately about who James McAvoy is dating.

I think he's a hottie.

We are having a big party at my work on Inauguration day and I want to look festive and patriotic. Any suggestions on how to look festive and patriotic without looking cheesey?

And NO Obama haters!!!! I voted for him and I'm super happy that he's going to be our president!!!

...other than going to NYC. Is there any way to order them online?

whenever I'm not dancing regularly, I dream about dancing a lot. I started calling it the red shoes dream, b/c in the dream I dance everywhere (in the street, at home, in the studio) but I can't get satisfied.

I dream about dancing while I am dancing regularly but it isn't the same. My dreams are more calm when I'm going to class regularly.

Has anyone else out there had similar experiences?

please explain why you feel the way you do.

Please forgive my ignorance. I don't have any tattoos but I have always wanted at least one. The problem is that my skin is very light and I'm worried about getting black/dark blue ink put on it b/c the contrast might be a little shocking. I've thought about getting a snowflake but in light blue. Is it possible to get a tattoo in color without a dark border? Just curious.

I have a few friends with tattoos that look great, but their skin is very dark so the color contrast isn't as shocking as it might be with my pretty-much colorless skin.

What is it that saps you of all of your energy and strength?

mine is lack of love. and seeing my ex with his new gf. it makes me feel super weak and awful, like when Superman was exposed to kryptonite. I think only hugs and "I love you"s from my friends and family are my anti-kryptonite.

I'd like to move to a big city (in the US). From your perfoming arts experience, what cities have the best improv comedy scene? ie- best groups, variety of opportunities, community recognition.

I know Chicago and NYC have strong improve communities, but I'd love your take on this subject...

It's becoming more and more trendy to dress like a sassy pinup girl from the 1940s and 50s. The look often looks a little goth and/ or vampy as well. Some people pull it off super well. Others don't. What do you think of this look?

I haven't been sleeping well lately. I wake up a lot. I have stressful dreams and often wake up sweaty/ stressed. I feel like I'm going to bed earlier and earlier but I can't make it through a whole work day without turning into a zombie at the end of the day. I know that my schedule kinda messes me up, as I only work 4 days a week, but work 10 hour days. Also, I just switched anti-depressants, and I'm new to the whole anti-depressant thing, I tried one from september- november, I've been on this new one for a few weeks now. I was drinking a lot of coffee to make it through the day but the caffiene made it hard to settle down to go to sleep after my long day (I take a dance class after work 3 days a week). I'm just wondering if anyone has had similar experiences.

My ex boyfriend and I were best friends, until he broke my heart. Now (a short time later) he is already seeing someone else. I had put up a ton of pictures of him and us up Facebook, including a whole album from a day trip we took. What's the protocol there? Should I delete them all? Or do I leave them up to show that we were, at one time, together? I'm so confused. What's your policy?

ps- the guy I dated before him still has 2 pictures of me on Facebook and myspace, we broke up over a year ago and he's now engaged. So, go figure, I don't know how this works.