Salski

On Saturday I'm going to the races, the second big race of the Spring Racing Carnival in Melbourne, Australia.

My question is, how offended would seasoned racegoers be if I teamed my respectable dress and hat with a pair of zebra print gumboots?

The problem I have is that its going to be unseasonably freezing, 13 degrees Celsius (55F?) with wind and rain (last year it was 28 degrees), and since its Spring racing the outfit I had planned was heels and a knee length dress with a hat, which fits with Spring racing etiquette. I would be keeping the same outfit, just with added gumboots.

I will be in the general admission area, if that helps, not the stands or members area.

I think its a fun idea, and I will be comfortable, but I don't want to offend anybody, the races in Melbourne are a really big deal. This track is a bit more laid back, but I still want to look classy (somewhat).

If anybody has any opinions, let me know!

On Saturday I'm going to the races, the second big race of the Spring Racing Carnival in Melbourne, Australia.

My question is, how offended would seasoned racegoers be if I teamed my respectable dress and hat with a pair of zebra print gumboots?

The problem I have is that its going to be unseasonably freezing, 13 degrees Celsius (55F?) with wind and rain (last year it was 28 degrees), and since its Spring racing the outfit I had planned was heels and a knee length dress with a hat, which fits with Spring racing etiquette. I would be keeping the same outfit, just with added gumboots.

I will be in the general admission area, which generally consists of a lot of pretty young things getting blind drunk, passing out on the grass for a few hours, then stumbling home while carrying their very high heels, drunk guys, and families.

I think its a fun idea, and I will be comfortable, but I don't want to offend anybody, the races in Melbourne are a really big deal. This track is a bit more laid back, but I still want to look classy (somewhat).

If anybody has any opinions, let me know!

Since Yasmin contains a diuretic, should I start drinking more water? If so, how much more? Is 8 glasses enough, or should I drink more?

I'm clueless about this stuff, I don't drink enough water as it is! I started Yasmin yesterday (switching from Levlen ED because we didn't get along) and feeling a bit off.

I saw a question in the "Etiquette" section, where a girl was asking if it was OK for her to spend time alone with a friend of the opposite sex while she had a bf. The guy also had a gf. Everybody who answered said it was a terrible idea, and men and women shouldn't be alone together if they are seeing other people.

Do you agree with this? Do you believe men and women can never be "just friends"?

Personally, I think it is ridiculous. In my opinion, if you trust your partner, and they trust you, then you should be able to hang out with whoever you please, male or female, single or taken.

Agree or disagree?

An old friend is getting married on the other side of the country, and I just can't afford to go. Would this letter, in a nice card, be a good way to RSVP? I plan on sending another card on the wedding day.

Dear ---

Thank you so much for the beautiful wedding invitation.

M-- and I would love to share this special day with you, J--- and both your families but, regretfully, it is not possible. Money has been a real issue for me this year and I am unable to make the trip.

I truly appreciate the invitation, and thank you for thinking of me. I wish you and J--- all the best as you share your life together. I wish I could be there to see you begin the journey of married life and that every step is filled with happiness and joy. You are in my heart and M--- and I will be thinking of you on the (date)

Congratulations again,

---

Any suggestions, criticisms, etc would be great, I don't have much experience with this!

An old friend is getting married on the other side of the country, and I just can't afford to go. Would this letter, in a nice card, be a good way to RSVP? I plan on sending another card on the wedding day.

Dear ---

Thank you so much for the beautiful wedding invitation.

M-- and I would love to share this special day with you, J--- and both your families but, regretfully, it is not possible. Money has been a real issue for me this year and I am unable to make the trip.

I truly appreciate the invitation, and thank you for thinking of me. I wish you and J--- all the best as you share your life together. I wish I could be there to see you begin the journey of married life and that every step is filled with happiness and joy. You are in my heart and M--- and I will be thinking of you on the (date)

Congratulations again,

---

Any suggestions, criticisms, etc would be great, I don't have much experience with this!

My boyfriend (aged 22) revealed to me the other day that he is dyslexic, and would like to learn how to read and write better. Over the years he has developed strategies for reading and writing so that he is able to function quite well, and he hides his disability very well (until the other day I believed that he was just a poor speller due to disrupted schooling, until he was trying to spell words aloud). He isn't really familiar with the rules of spelling, and often mixes up letters. For example: shue instead of shoe. He is a very hands-on person, and is quite good with numbers. Professionally, he is a qualified chef.

We don't get to spend much time together at the moment (from 9pm at night until 9am the next morning, so most time is spent sleeping!), so I can't really do in depth lessons, and short lessons would probably suit his personality better anyway. Should we focus on reading one week, and spelling another week, or both at once?

I just don't know where to start? I'm studying to be a High School English teacher, and we haven't really covered interventions in depth, as these are usually left to specialist teachers. Would phonics and practicing sounds help, or should I try to teach spelling through reading? I was thinking of reading the newspaper together, and then discussing stories to help with his reading comprehension, but I'm not sure if I need to do more ground work beforehand. He hasn't really expressed what he wants to know, or how much he does know, and I don't want to be talking down to him or treating him like a child, or pitching above his level.

Any advice or resources would be fantastic, I would really like to help him, but I'm at a loss about where to start!

I've been on the pill for 4 years now (since I was 19) and my sex drive is almost non-existent! When I'm on the placebo week my libido comes back again, then it drops off again during the month.

Has anybody successfully brought their sex drive back by switching brands or doses? Or am I doomed to have a low libido forever (unless I switch to a non-hormonal method?)

I'm going to the gyno soon, I would just like advice/stories from other women that have been there?

Does anybody have any ideas on how to save powder-based make-ups that have gotten wet?

A pipe burst in my bathroom, soaking everything in the drawers. Eye-shadows, blush, mineral foundation, all under water!

Is this stuff salvage-able in any way? I don't really have the money to go and buy all new products :(

10 days ago I had a colposcopy and a cervical biopsy to investigate abnormal cells (thankfully they were only low-grade changes). My dr told me that the bleeding would last for a few days as the area healed. Everything I have read has only said to worry if there is excessive, bright red bleeding with a fever. It's the 10th day now and I am still experiencing dark brown spotting and discharge.

The day before the procedure I had some minor spotting/breakthough bleeding, because I had to skip my period on the pill to keep my appointment (had also skipped the previous period for another reason), which may have something to do with why I am still bleeding/spotting

I know the internet is an unreliable source (sites have told me one day of bleeding, to three, and even five on one site), but I was wondering what other women's experiences were of the healing process.

Please only answer if you have actually had a colposcopy with a biopsy, or know somebody who has, and let me know (approx) how many days you bled for afterwards, and any other details that you think are important.

Thanks ladies :)

Six months ago I had my first pap smear, which I never received the results for. I got something in the mail a few days ago telling me I was due for my scheduled pap smear, which I thought was odd.

Today I went into the doctor to get another smear, and he told me that my previous test had showed abnormal results, and that I needed a colposcopy. Everything I have been reading on the internet says that most people don't get one of these until they have had more than 1 abnormal test. Should I be worried that I need one after only one abnormal test?

And more importantly, does it hurt? Any experiences anybody has had with this would be great to hear.

At the moment I weigh about 75 kgs (170 pounds) and I'm a little over 6 foot. I would like to lose around 15 pounds before Christmas, so that I can look and feel healthier this summer.

My schedule is fairly open at the moment, but I can't afford to join a gym or swim at the pool too often. I have an at home exercise bike (which you can't adjust resistance on). I have a problem with food, the foods I love to eat are full of carbs and salt or sugar (pasta, breads, etc), and my partner is a chef so he loves to cook pizza, pasta, risotto, etc.

What exercises should I be doing, and what should I avoid eating? Any tips would be great, since I can't seem to stick to a plan for long.

I'm going to the races on the weekend, and have this beautiful dress which is light green and ties at the back with ribbon.

The problem is because of the light colour it really draws attention to my stomach, and because the dress is backless I can't wear shape-wear or anything like that (can't even wear a bra)

Any ideas of how I can smooth out my figure? Or should I just wear nude shapewear and have less than an inch showing at the back of my dress (which isn't an attractive look)

I'm on Levlen ED birth control and have been for a year, and last month I took it at exactly the same time everyday. EXCEPT for the 2nd last pill, which I accidently dropped down the sink. My period came 1 day early, which never happens

I had unprotected sex yesterday after my period ended (day before I started taking the active pills again).

Am I being paranoid, or could I be pregnant? (and yes I know, you shouldn't have unprotected sex, etc, etc, but I forgot that I had missed that pill until today).

Do you think communicating with a friend's ex is ok?

My friend dated somebody for about a year, during this time I and our group of friends built a very close bond with the ex, as he lived at her house and came camping with us and we hung out a lot. I would count him among my very close friends.

They parted ways about 6 months ago, and communicate on and off (usually for a month or two, ending in fireworks)

The problem is that I still want to remain friends with this person, as his friendship means a lot to me. My friend refuses to accept this, as we are meant to be her friends and not his. He hurt her, therefore we should want nothing to do with him. Am I in the wrong for wanting to continue talking to her ex, or should I break all communication for the sake of my friend?

I want a tattoo on my upper middle back, so it would sit about halfway between my neck and braline. This is a rough idea of what I want:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12686029@N05/34720579...

The lyric is from the song 'Shimmer' by Fuel.

Obviously the 'A' isn't completely finished, just wondering if anybody had any suggestions for it, or if they think it looks cool? What would you think if you were walking behind somebody with this tattoo?

This year I'm starting an education degree, and I have to do one days placement a week in a high school. I have no professional clothes whatsoever, and need to find some decent looking clothes to wear that are professional without looking frumpy.

Dress pants seem to look horrible on my though, does anybody think I could get away with skirts and plain black jeans? Or would black/dark jeans be too casual even if worn with jackets and blouses?

This year I'm starting an education degree, and I have to do one days placement a week in a high school. I have no professional clothes whatsoever, and need to find some decent looking clothes to wear that are professional without looking frumpy.

Dress pants seem to look horrible on my though, does anybody think I could get away with skirts and plain black jeans? Or would black/dark jeans be too casual even if worn with jackets and blouses?

Ok, so I'm heading to Falls Festival for New Years, and the theme this year is Rio :S

Its a three day music festival at Lorne (coastal Victoria), Australia, with camping and stuff. Its not like you have to dress up, but it would be awesome to get into the spirit, since this is my first Falls. Does anybody have any ideas about what to wear that is practical for camping and festival-going?

At 21, I'm a little bit over six foot tall, and all the dressy shoes this season (in Australia at least) have huuuuuge heels. Example: http://www.zushoe.com.au/catalogue/zu_platform_hee...

Would I look ridiculous if I wore a heel this high? Are people intimidated by super-tall women? Just wondering people's thoughts on tall women wearing high heels :)