The girls here think it’s a ruse to hide your true identity. Some think that you are a composite of some billionaires that they know or have met. I run in some fancy rich circles, but I don’t think so. You sound like who you say you are. I’d f**k you.

Consider that a compliment. I am a very picky woman.

Flo (as in I go with)

I finally made partner in this bastion of male ignorance. Now, maybe we will start to earn some real money. You’d think with 7 partners and 31 ivy league law graduates working here we would all be multimillionaires by now. You’ would be wrong. I made my first million last year.

I’m 27 years old. My best years are ahead of me, but I’m in a firm whose partners have seen their better years. I make less than a third of what these old geezers make. But I probably have more cash on hand because the got taken by the recent crash.

If you ever need a lawyer or a f**k mate, I’m your girl. But level with me do you really believe in UFO’S.

Since many people treat news reports as gospel, it’s good to remind ourselves that every single study isn’t necessarily conclusive. Negative ones can be especially discouraging if they’re personally relevant — as was the case recently with my cousin, who suffers from hand osteoarthritis (OA). Everyone with arthritis has to make certain lifestyle adjustments and accommodations, which my cousin has done. For example, she’s hired someone to help with the heavy digging in her garden, and often enlists her husband’s help in chopping vegetables so she won’t put too much strain on any single joint. She called me when she saw a news segment on research saying hand osteoarthritis is especially aggressive in middle-aged and early post-menopausal women. She’s in her early 50s and was worried. I told her I’d do some research of my own.
About one in five people over age 55 have hand OA, with varying amounts of disability. A lucky few suffer little pain or loss of motion, most experience moderate pain and functional loss, while a small percentage have so much pain and stiffness they give up daily activities like working at the computer or playing golf. The study my cousin asked about suggested that hand OA might be accompanied by especially rapid and significant increases in pain and functional limitations for younger women.
I called Randy W. Viola, MD, a specialist in disorders of the hand, wrist and elbow at the Steadman-Hawkins Clinic in Vail, Colorado. His advice was reassuring. In his experience with patients, hand osteoarthritis typically progresses slowly, is rarely more aggressive than hip or knee arthritis, and can be controlled by many non-surgical treatment options, including medications, activity modification, splinting and injections. For severe cases that don’t respond to these measures, surgery can help.
IT’S NOT SO BAD REALLY
Dr. Viola and I discussed this study, specifically. It involved 172 people with hand osteoarthritis and took place at Leiden University in the Netherlands. The participants’ mean age was 60.5 years and more than three quarters were women — correctly reflecting the fact that after age 50 osteoarthritis is more common in women than men. Following this population for just two years, researchers found statistically significant increases in pain and functional limitations. Imaging studies also revealed physical progression of hand osteoarthritis in 20% of participants.
Disagreeing with the overall findings, Dr. Viola speculates that these results were probably due to patient selection. He believes it would be a mistake to extrapolate the findings to the general population of people with hand OA, saying in his experience patients have only moderate pain and loss of range of motion. “The study is important in that it highlights the physical limitations and pain of these people,” he says. “However, the number of patients was relatively small and it is unclear how they were selected — limitations which make it difficult to accept the conclusions and generalize them to all patients with hand OA.” He also said that even when X-rays show significant evidence of hand OA, many people live normal lives with little pain or functional impairment.
HANDS-ON TREATMENT STRATEGIES
As with many conditions, diagnosing hand osteoarthritis early makes it much easier to manage. An important first step is to avoid repetitive forceful motions that aggravate hand OA. For example, those with OA at the base of the thumb (one of the most common sites) can reduce pain noticeably by finding ways to minimize or avoid activities that require gripping and pinching — for instance, starting a car involves significant grip and pinch forces and is therefore often painful for people with OA at the base of the thumb. A better way for them is to hold the car key between the index and middle fingers. Similarly, those with OA may find it painful to open doors fitted with doorknobs. Changing these to door levers can make a big difference. When engaging in repetitive activities such as typing, texting or gripping, it’s a good idea to take frequent breaks.
There are other measures you can take that may also prove helpful. Ask your physician or physical therapist about gentle range-of-motion exercises to help maintain strength and flexibility of the wrist and digits. Since in people with OA, the loss of hand function results from both pain and loss of motion, this kind of gentle exercise program may help preserve finger motion. Hand surgeons or hand therapists may also recommend splinting, which decreases the pain by limiting motion at affected joints. Glucosamine and chondroitin are diet supplements that have been documented to decrease OA symptoms in the knee and may also have benefits for those with hand OA. Other options to control symptoms include steroid injections and/or hyaluronic acid injections, both of which may help.
Last, if all non-operative measures fail, there are numerous surgical options that may bring relief. For example, joint replacement at the base of the thumb has a well-documented long-term success rate. Similarly, arthritic finger joints can now be replaced with implants like those used in total knee replacement surgery. These finger joint replacement procedures are effective in both restoring joint motion and resolving finger OA pain.
Another strategy suggested by Daily Health News contributing medical editor Andrew L. Rubman, ND, is to try a contrast hand bath treatment, which has been used as a remedy for this kind of pain for centuries. Prepare a glass bowl containing boiled water with as much Epsom salts as will dissolve — allow it to cool enough to be safe and tolerable, but still very hot (about 105°F). Next to it, place another bowl with cold water and a few ice cubes. Soak the sore hand in the hot water for five minutes, then immediately move it to the ice water for two minutes. Remove and wait a few minutes. Repeat the process, microwaving the hot water to keep it hot enough to be effective and replacing ice cubes in the cold as needed. Always allow the temperature of your hand to return to normal. Do this as often as you find helpful, even hourly.
I was delighted to be able to call my cousin and tell her I’d spoken to a respected expert here in the US who gave that discouraging tidbit about hand osteoarthritis a thumbs down — and I reminded her not to believe everything she hears, even when it’s on the evening news.

Source(s): ??Randy W. Viola, MD, Steadman-Hawkins Clinic, Vail, Colorado. Dr. Viola is a diplomate of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, and specializes in disorders of the hand, wrist and elbow. He also works as an upper extremity consultant to the United States Ski Team, Colorado Rockies and Denver Broncos… and is a member of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand.

A woman I once knew constantly peppered me with questions about how I achieved what she called my “enviable” health. No sooner would I respond with something about, say, exercising regularly then she would reply, “Oh, I couldn’t possibly do that — my day is too long because of my commute.” It didn’t matter what tidbit of information I offered her, she always had a reason why she couldn’t follow suit. She capped this behavior with frequent comments to mutual acquaintances about how “lucky” I was to be so healthy.
According to life coach Lauren Zander, this woman’s behavior is a classic example of how people rationalize their lives to themselves when what they’re really doing is lying. Lies are generally considered an intentional statement meant to deceive, whereas the lies like this woman’s exercise excuses are coming from a much deeper place. Lauren says that not only do these lies help people justify their behaviors or choices, but people are so naturally crafty that their excuses can actually make them think they’re being smart about the choices they make. For example, people will say they would like to exercise in the morning “but my metabolism is wrong for it,” or that “it’s healthy to drink red wine” so they have three to four glasses per day. Other common lies center on people’s perceived inability to manage time… schedules… money… or get up early in the morning. Some people are convinced that no one ever helps them out, or that it would be crazy to leave their job even though they hate it, or that… you get the picture. Just listen to the people around you as they tell their stories and you will hear a bevy of excuses, a.k.a. lies, that people hold dear.
AN INTERNAL PHILOSOPHY
Lauren explains that in order to buttress the belief that their lies are true, people gather evidence from that point of view… for example, my friend’s busy schedule or the latest news about a tight job market. Furthermore, the lies are firmly entrenched since most have gone on for a very long time, not unlike the little voice that reminds you to brush your teeth. Lauren explains that the reason for this mental blindness is that people can’t believe they would intentionally play a role in ongoing behavior that is destructive — why, it would be preposterous to think they would willingly be the source of their own pain. Consequently, they refuse to see that they have built an arsenal of excuses to protect themselves from seeing what is actually going on. In short, they hide behind their lies.
Stripping away the lies forces people to see that of course they can step up to the plate, take responsibility and make changes. These are pretty obvious scenarios — what’s so hard about leaving early enough to become a punctual person, asks Lauren, or not putting donuts in your mouth? But the fundamental truth behind all the lies, she says, is that most people don’t want to make changes. Once you acknowledge that you have a say-so in your behavior, you now have to admit that you are not using that power and are instead being a victim. “It is simply easier to have a pity party and believe that it is impossible for you to change than to actually make a change,” says Lauren.
LIES IN RELATIONSHIPS
Not only do lies prevent people from creating better lives for themselves, they also intrude on relationships — often, again, based on the false presumption of doing something good. One way they do this is as part of a trade-off dynamic. Example: I won’t comment on your drinking if you don’t say anything about my extra 30 pounds. Obviously couples have a wide variety of lies they overlook in such a pattern as they work to preserve the peace, but the result is always the same… individuals don’t get true happiness or fulfillment in their lives. When you don’t call each other on behaviors that upset you, you don’t feel you can make a difference. Having the conversation that reveals the issues can be difficult, says Lauren, but it will make you feel so much better. You’ll be dealing honestly with each other and taking power to make changes that will benefit both of you and your relationship.
OVERCOMING THE LIES
Interestingly, the first step in overcoming lies and freeing yourself of their boundaries may be one of the hardest — seeing what your lies are. These beliefs can be so deep and entrenched for such a long time that they elude easy recognition. Try to listen to the words you use to explain your behavior ?– or lack of it — and some of your lies will surface. But there is an even more efficient way of revealing your lies, although it requires a certain amount of bravery, say Lauren. Her advice: Make a list of the places where you feel stuck in your life, and then look at why. Often, you will see the lies behind the “why” that result in behaviors that hold you back in some way. Then you can ask several people you trust and who know you well to identify your blind spots concerning your behaviors. As a guide, these are things you frequently complain about — be it things you can’t have, things you can’t do, or things as they relate to those you love — and they involve behaviors that are negative and hurt you. Key: They are also areas you have long believed are not under your control.
Even though you may not be able to see your lies, Lauren says they are generally obvious to others. Allowing your friends/family to point them out without getting mad at them for their honesty is often a more effective way of seeing where you’re holding yourself back. Once identified, getting rid of the lies most likely will involve action, a “to do” list of behaviors. Listen to your lies, laugh at them as you realize the silliness of some of your excuses, and learn from them — let them teach you where you need to make changes. You still may have a hard time changing. For my friend with a long commute to work, it will be a definite challenge to fit exercise into her day. However, making the changes will improve your life — and her life — and at the same time give back your power to create the life you want. Once you say no to the excuses that hold you back, you will be amazed at how good it feels.

Source(s): ??Lauren Zander, life coach and chairman, The Handel Group,