Scar (noun): A mark left on the skin or within body tissue where a wound, burn, or sore has not healed completely and the fibrous connective tissue has developed. (Oxford English Dictionary) It seems like such a simple definition for such …
I suppose I should preface all of this by saying that I’m a huge geek. I love comic conventions and cosplaying at said conventions. If you’re not familiar with the term “cosplay” it just means dressing up as comic/movie/book/anime character. …
I have been thinking a lot recently about what makes a belly dancer beautiful. Far too often I feel like we get sucked into the black hole of comparing ourselves to others. We look at the lithe legs, flawless bellies, …
Editor’s note: I don’t usually post trigger warnings before posts, but I felt that this post merited one. Please read with care, or skip, if you are triggered by talk of sexual assault. I’ve been wrestling with whether or not …
Dragging the two big shopping bags filled with costume items, water, gifts for my students and video equipment to the car was a bi-annual event for me. Teaching weekly classes, I had the opportunity for a short student recital every …
I did promise readers that I would never promote dieting advice or weight loss promotion of any kind, and I’ve stayed true to that promise. However, what I want to talk about today does involve weight loss. I’ve recently lost …
When I nervously walked into my first belly dance class last Spring I didn’t realize I had started a journey that would be life changing for me. There is no question that choosing to become involved in belly dance is …
I was recently diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). It’s an endocrine disorder that primarily affects reproductive hormones, but can also affect other hormones like insulin. It affects about 8-10% of women and has many side effects. For me, my …
The body love movement is on the rise, and we’re seeing more and more people embrace diversity, body positivity, and other affirming messages. If you’re hanging out with the right people, and reading the right blogs (like this one, obviously), …
In 2013 a routine mammogram picked up DCIS, which is cancer cells in the milk duct, and after two lumpectomies, my surgeon informed me that it was very extensive in the left breast and that a mastectomy would be my …