renaissance2010 Turning to photography as a creative outlet during a valiant fight with breast cancer at age 34, renaissance10 survived and set up a photo contest to help raise funds for the Lavender Trust, a nonprofit that provides information and support to younger women with breast cancer. In the first two years, the competition brought in over £65,000 (that's $107,260.73 U.S.!), with entries from 130 countries last year. Renaissance10 recently joined LiveJournal to meet other passionate photographers and find supportive friends.
curiouscupcakes Holy buttercream frosting! If you have a sweet tooth for sugary goodness or a wandering eye for whimsical confection, this is pure ecstasy iced in deliciousness. Hailing the beloved cupcake as the artisinal canvas of choice, you'll enjoy recipes, photos, and bountiful tips to bake up a batch, whether your taste leans toward French classics or funky and flavorful.
mission101 With New Years in the offing, it's an ideal time to reflect on past accomplishments, make peace with disappointments, and refocus the lens on future goals. This community welcomes you to create a bucket list of 101 things you plan to accomplish in the next 1,001 days. Offering support, guidance, and inspiration, this is a great way to jumpstart those pesky resolutions.
Just wanted to wish everyone a bright and happy New Year. I have mostly read the posts over the last 14 months and I cannot tell you how much it has meant to me, all of you. I made a decision to recover from my sexual abuse - not just accept it last October and also pursue my MBA ( three more classes to go ) and I am taking a very slow approach so as not to stir up more than I can process. I have accepted that this will be a life long process. I am purchasing the literature and will begin the step process in January. I am sure this will require a great deal more involvement in the group, so I look forward to my recovery with you women. God Bless and have a safe and happy New Year ! Shine On, FM
i_hope_that For many of us, the holidays can be kind of rough. If you're searching for a network of understanding friends, this ultra-nurturing community encourages you to express your heartfelt wishes and offer other members encouragement and acceptance. Not for the terminally snarky or emotionally-challenged, this is a good-spirited place to lend comfort and support.
diygifts Feeling crafty? If you've got a few last folks on your holiday gift list, this is a great place to seed your creativity and generosity. You'll also discover wonderful DIY tips to decorate your home and entertain guests. Offering a no-frills-no-skills attitude that welcomes the cash-challenged and arts-phobic, you're sure to get ideas and make friends in the process.
cooking_club A fun and friendly community dedicated to those who love to cook, whether you're a meat-and-potatoes type, an aspiring gourmand, and/or a vegan. In search of a brilliant dish to use up those weekly leftovers? Post your ingredients and you'll be whipping up a feast by dinner. You can also share favorite recipes. For Type A chefs, you can spice up your culinary repertoire with exciting cooking challenges.
Hi everyone, I haven't posted in almost a year. But I am happy to say that I have continued in my healing process. My thesis is complete. I have come out of hiding and shared my experience with so many people. It helped me so much to feel like I am no longer hiding. I have worked through a lot with my mother and father. I have started doing reiki (an energy healing technique) and it has helped me so much, along with an amazing therapist who is also a survivor. I have finally found love for myself!!! At this point I am trying to really love my body the way it is. I want so badly to be ready for a relationship and my therapist is nudging me to go for it. But I think I am still scared to let someone love me. I am not sure exactly why. I was dating a man this summer and when he started to show signs of love toward me I began to have flashbacks in his arms where he became my abuser. This had never happened to me before. Because I never let anyone get that close before. I think maybe I haven't dealt with the feelings of love that I felt toward my abuser and that he probably felt toward me, however twisted it was.
I have joined an online dating site but every time I start to talk to someone and they want to meet I become terrified. I loose all interest in men and just want to be alone. I am still not attracted to nice men. I guess this is what I need to be digging at. It has been so nice not having the abuse in my face the last month or so. Maybe I needed a break. But I am so much stronger now. I know I can deal with this, I'm just not sure how to go about it. I can't afford to see my therapist for a while. I have pushed so many men away over the years. Now I'm hiding behind being extremely picky and still not liking nice men. I've come so far, I feel like being in a meaningful relationship is the last step for me. It is just taking longer than I had hoped. I know I can love someone, but the idea of them loving me terrifies me.
stepstomarrow When granddaughter, Jada, was born with leukemia, a donor-match was located and Jada made a miraculous recovery. In honor of her grandaughter's health, Jeanna has decided to walk across the country (in the dead of winter) to raise awareness and build support for the bone marrow registry (all that's required is a cheek swab). Follow Jeanna's remarkable journey as she travels the United States by foot.
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