Self-Soothing

He could hear the funeral tones of Mozart's Requiem

coming from the parlor.

If Miranda was playing that, he knew the trip hadn't gone well.

He found her curled up in a chair in front of the fire, bundled into 

her favored gray cashmere robe, sipping tea from their grandmother's

best china.

All of her comfort tools, he noted, neatly in place.

Homeport

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By Aman.the.dark - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, 
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=49293460

It might not be a concept we’re familiar with nor might we know what
sorts of things might soothe us, but at times when we feel particularly anxious
or distressed, self-soothing can be a useful part of our mental health toolkit.

blurt

“Does This Make Me Look Fat?”

"Well. Wow."

"Andrew, you're such a poet. Do I look fat in this?"

"There's never a correct answer to that question. Or if there is, 

no man has ever found it. Therefore..." He raised his glass in toast. 

"I abstain."

"Coward."

Homeport

______________

By Billie Grace Ward from New York, USA - Woman in a Red Dress, CC BY 2.0,

 https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=74145300

“Does This Make Me Look Fat?” The Best Way to Respond

Picture this.  You are shopping with a girlfriend.  She comes out of the dressing room, turns to you and says, "Does this dress make me look fat?"

Your first impulse might be to immediately say, "No,"  You cringe and feel backed into a corner.  It's a no-win situation.  Before you answer, think about this advice.  Consider what she is really asking.  Don't take this question literally.

Psychology Today

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“I don’t go shopping, tagging along

to haul bags or getting asked if some dress makes your ass look fat.”

“Take my word as gospel on this point. You’re the last person I’d want 

as a shopping

buddy. And my ass isn’t going to look fat in any dress. 

Write that down, etch it in your

memory.”

“I got it.”

The Perfect Hope

Health and Beauty benefits of oats

He looked down at the bowl she put in front of him. "Oatmeal?"

"It'll stick to you, coat your stomach."

"Mrs. Patch used to make me eat oatmeal," he said, thinking of the sharp stick of a woman who'd cooked for them when he was a boy.

"Every day before school, fall, winter, and spring."

"Mrs. Patch knew what was good for you."

"She used to put a little maple syrup in it."

Feeling her lips twitch, Annie reached into a cupboard.

Homeport

_______________

By Slick - Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=20185810

This whole-grain food known scientifically as Avena sativa has become very popular and is known for its high fiber and healthy cholesterol-lowering properties.

Having oats in your breakfast is one of the healthiest ways you can possibly start your day. While they are generally disliked by children, this shouldn’t be much of a problem if you are an adult.

EveWoman

Too hot for oatmeal? Try overnight oats

_______________

"Then I'll have the oatmeal."

"You eat oatmeal?" She wrinkled her sexily crooked nose. 

"Without somebody holding a knife to

your throat?"

"It sticks with you."

"Yeah, for weeks."

Northern Lights