September 2011 News, updates, &
pronouncements from Pat Ballard,
the Queen of Rubenesque Romances
Nobody can make you feel inferior
without your consent. Eleanor Roosevelt
Something to think
about....
There is a place in you where there is
perfect peace.
There is a place in you where nothing is impossible.
There is a place in you where the strength of God abides. A Course In Miracles
This past Saturday was a beautiful day, so I took time to sit in my
swing in my screened-in patio and do one of my favorite things: Think. Not
about anything in particular; just let my mind wander.
The end of summer was in the air. Hummingbirds fought over the nectar in
the feeder as they try to fatten themselves up for their long journey to a
warmer climate. Bumblebees gorged themselves on fading summer flowers,
becoming so big they can barely fly.
The early blooming flowers have long been gone, but some of the birds are
enjoying the seed pods they left behind. There are still some of the
later-bloomers hanging on, although they're looking tired.
As I sat and took all of this in and let my mind wander in many different
directions—my childhood, raising our only son, Eric, my
grandchildren, and on and on—a feeling of sweet inner peace settled over
me so totally that I felt the sting of tears in my eyes, and I wished that
I could share this feeling with the world.
In fact, I wish I could keep this feeling with me at all times; but as we
all know, the "cares of the world and life" will always creep in and crowd
out that inner peace.
I encourage all of us to take more time and find a quiet place where we
can shut out those other clamoring voices that fill our heads and hearts
with worry and just let ourselves be filled with the peace that can come
when we think about the good things in our lives.
Until you make peace with who you are,
you'll never be content with what you have. Doris Mortman
Hi everyone!
Three years and
nine months ago our miniature poodle, Rowdy, was just too
old and sick to go on, so we had to say goodbye to him. He was a
little over a month away from being thirteen years old. We got
Rowdy when he was two months old.
In the meantime my husband, Joe, and I had casually
talked about getting another puppy, but hadn't made any moves
other than talk until Saturday two weeks ago. For some reason
Joe decided that this was the day to find the puppy. He'd
actually been on several different websites earlier in the week
looking at poodle mixes and other breeds, but Saturday he wanted
to go look at some.
Now, supposedly this dog was/is for me, but Joe was making more
aggressive sounds about getting one than I was, although I did
want a puppy for many different reasons— one of which was so I
would be forced to get up from my computer more often and get a
little more exercise.
So before the day was over we came home with a three-month-old
chocolate toy poodle. Did I say I wanted more exercise? Can you
say, "Two pound furball on speed?" I honestly believe this
little guy has ADHD!
Be careful what you wish for.
His mom was named Cocoa and his dad Hershey, so
after spending a few days with him and not being able to find a
name that suits his personality—Tasmanian Devil? Taz
for short? Spaz? Short for Spastic?—we just went
with KoKo for the time being.
He's actually very precious. Especially when he's asleep! No,
especially when he's just waking up from sleep. He has these
tiny grunts and whines, and acts like a newborn baby.
He already walks on a leash and pees and poops outside on or off
the leash. Likewise inside, when the mood strikes him. But that
is happening less and less often.
What I finally realized was, yes, we'd had Rowdy for almost
thirteen years, and he'd been gone for almost four years, so it
has been almost seventeen years since we've had a puppy. An
adult/old dog is a lot different that a puppy, as we all
know—but sometimes forget.
Today, two weeks and two days since we got KoKo, the arthritis
has flared up in both of my knees and this morning I'm basically
down in my back from all the stooping and bending, etc., but
hey, I'm so much more healthy because now I'm getting some
exercise! (Insert maniacal laughter here.)
Otherwise, Joe and I and the rest of family are doing fine.
Everyone have a wonderful September!
Love,
Pat
Something
To Think About: Reflections on Life, Family, Body Image &
Other Weighty Matters by the Queen of Rubenesque Romances
Click on the Bookbuzzr graphic (if visible on your computer screen) to browse an excerpt from Pat's
newest book.
Dangerous Love
by Pat Ballard
Now available in PDF, Mobipocket & Kindle ebook
format as well as original trade paperback!
Ava Manning has allowed her heart to be broken once. Once is
enough. She never intends to let anyone get close enough to hurt her
again. She just wants to do her job as a lab technician at Cloneall
Drugs, Inc, without any complications in her life.
But after Ava saw some research she
wasn't supposed to, someone wants her dead. And now she has to deal with
the Southern talking, g-dropping, charming LAPD detective Ricky Don
McKinzie.
Her life is just beginning to get
complicated.
More info at the
Pearlsong Press
website.
(All copies of Dangerous Love purchased from the Pearlsong Press website are autographed by Pat.)
Everyone once in a while some sanity comes along in this "obesity"
craziness.
Overweight and Obese Children Eat Less Than Their Healthy Weight Peers
by Brian Hoyle
May 11, 2010 (Vancouver, British Columbia)— A study on
caloric intake in a large, nationwide population of children and
adolescents has revealed the surprising finding that those who are
clinically overweight and obese consume fewer calories than their healthy
weight counterparts, beginning at around 7 years of age.
The study, which was presented here at the Pediatric Academic Societies
(PAS) 2010 Annual Meeting, was undertaken to clarify the
inconsistencies in previous research on caloric intake and weight in
children. Researchers have assumed that variation in caloric intake at
different ages was the basis of the variation in weight, but this had not
been explored.
"Our study provides the surprising finding that older overweight children
report consuming fewer calories than their healthy weight peers. The
finding indicates that intervention strategies solely targeting energy
intake in older children may face difficulties," study presenter
Asheley C. Skinner, PhD, assistant professor of pediatrics, Department of
General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine at the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, told Medscape
Pediatrics.
Dietary reports of 12,316 children and adolescents from 1 to 17 years of
age that had been complied as part of the National Health and Nutrition
Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2001 to 2006 were examined. The diet
records were gathered using the Automated Multiple Pass Method (AMPM),
a validated system of self-reported recall of the foods consumed in the
previous 24 hours, and "the best available tool for reporting on a
population basis," according to Dr. Skinner.
Editor's Note:
Post a review of one of Pat's books
at an online bookstore, magazine, or public website,
email us at proclamation @ pearlsong.com to let us know, and we'll
consider your review for inclusion in The QP.
"I read your
Something to Think About.
Just like all your other writings, it is not only beautifully written
but profound.
Listen to the mp3 recording of Pat, her fearless publisher, and
several other Pearlsong Press authors in a Pearlsong
Conversationabout
creating fat friendly fiction and fat
positive characters.
Listen to a Feb. 11, 2009 Conversation with Pat Ballard
(blog post with link to 50-min mp3 recording of Pat talking about her
journey to
self- and body-acceptance and -love, her writing process,
and why a truly Happy Valentine's Day and satisfying sex life
starts with loving
your body,
no matter what it looks like.
Calendar of Events
Now available from Pearlsong Press—Pat's
newest book, Dangerous Love.
Pat is now co-hosting Radio Free Nashville's
Health At Every Size show, which airs every Monday morning.
The show is streamed live
over the Internet 10-11 a.m. CST Mondays. You can
also subscribe to the podcast of the show. Go to
http://www.healthateverysize.info for more info, including archived
recordings, or to subscribe.
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Something
To Think About: Reflections on Life, Family, Body Image &
Other Weighty Matters by the Queen of Rubenesque Romances
