Author Archives: Libby Pelham

About Libby Pelham

I have always loved to write and Families.com gives me the opportunity to share my passion for writing with others. I work full-time as a web developer at UTHSC and most of my other time is spent with my son (born 2004). I love everything pop culture, but also enjoy writing about green living (it has opened my eyes to many things!) and health (got to worry about that as you get older!).

Stop Binge Eating – Part 2

Yesterday, I was talking about something I am often guilty of – binge eating!  How do you stop it? One way to stop bingeing is to take smaller bites, enjoy your meal, and extend the time if you can.  Set a timer if needed.  The longer you draw out your meal, the more chance your stomach has to realize how much food is in it and stop you from eating more.  If you don’t believe this, just think back to the last time you eat a lot of food and felt miserable.  You probably ate quicker than your body could … Continue reading →

Clive Davis Irks Kelly Clarkson

Yesterday, I blogged about Clive Davis coming out of the closet at bisexual at the ripe old age of 80.  He has actually been bisexual for years, just didn’t let the public know until he revealed it in his recent memoir, “The Soundtrack of My Life.” It seems that he revealed something else in the memoir – something incorrect according to client Kelly Clarkson. In the book, Davis said Clarkson has “a decidedly independent streak” (Hello?  Her first single was  “Miss Independent”) and “often speaks in public before she realizes the implications of what she’s saying.” He also said Clarkson … Continue reading →

Stop Binge Eating – Part 1

Do you binge eat?  I know I do.  I’ll promise myself that this is it – I am going to stop eating so much and start exercising.  Next thing I know, I am sitting in my recliner, stuffing a pepperoni pizza in my face and watching television.  Not a good plan! But, how can you stop it?  First, you need to realize that some dieticians frown on diets because they are not teaching you healthy lifestyle changes.  If you are thinking of going on the Atkins Diet and sit there thinking “I can never have another piece of bread, ever … Continue reading →

Clive Davis Comes Out

In the recent past, many celebrities have come out of the closet.  It seems that as each opens the closet door, the fanfare drops further and further.  Just a few weeks ago, Jim Nabors, at age 82, married his longtime partner. Music exec and record producer Clive Davis has worked with such musical greats as Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Alicia Keys, Rod Stewart, Kelly Clarkson, Carlos Santana, Barry Manilow, Jennifer Hudson, and Christina Aguilera.  And this week, he came out as being bisexual at the ripe of age of 80. Davis admitted in his new memoir, “The Soundtrack of My … Continue reading →

Should You Be Raising Chickens?

My best friend’s niece raises chickens in her backyard.  Now, this may not seem too abnormal, but to me it is – she lives in the middle of Memphis.  But, even city folks are starting to appreciate raising their own chickens.  Having your own chickens helps not only feed your belly (and in a fresh way too!), but can reduce your impact on the environment.  Plus, the chicken manure is great for composting. Before you rush out and purchase all you need for chickens, you first need to make sure it is legal.  If you live in the city, there … Continue reading →

Is Your Sofa Safe?

I often worry about the chemicals I use in my house.  I worry about what exactly is in the air freshener I use.  I freak out when my husband buys a Teflon skillet. But, I just read that another real threat in my house may be my sofa. My sofa?  A threat?  Yes. Since 1975, California has required that all furniture with foam such as sofas and baby products such as car seats be treated with flame retardant chemicals.  That standard, maybe because California is so large a state, became the standard for most other states. The problem is while … Continue reading →

Mindy McCready Dead at 37

Sometimes, you see tragedy coming for celebrities and you just know there is not much anyone can do to stop it.  How many people were surprised when Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston died, even though it seemed to be coming for years. The same may be said for country singer Mindy McCready.  The singer’s brother announced that she committed suicide today in Heber Springs, Arkansas.  She was 37. McCready rose to fame at the young age of 21 when her debut album, Ten Thousand Angels, sold two million copies and produced four charts singles.  She became briefly engaged to actor … Continue reading →

Bad News for Reusable Shopping Bags

For a couple of years now, we have been pushed to say goodbye to both plastic and paper bags at the store.  Instead, it has been suggested we use reusable bags.  This means less waste and less plastic in landfills. But now, there is bad news for reusable shopping bag fans and it may have everyone rethinking the whole bag thing again. One thing that appears to be important with the reusable bags that wasn’t with paper or plastic bags is washing.  Yes, your reusable bag may be a haven for germs which can make your family sick. In fact, … Continue reading →

Meteor Hits Russia

This has been a crazy week.  We woke up Thursday to the news that Olympian Oscar Pitorius was arrested for the murder of his model girlfriend.  In case you don’t remember, Pitorius, a South African, was the runner who had both legs removed below the knee in childhood.  He was called the Blade Runner because of special prosthetics that allowed him to compete in both the Olympics and Paralympics.  After his inspiring runs in the last Summer Olympics, he was treated like a hero, but then on Valentine’s Day, he shot his girlfriend dead, claiming she was an intruder. Before … Continue reading →

Toolbox for Education

My son goes to a Memphis City school, but it is a special school in that it is part of the University of Memphis.  It is the teaching school for the university, so while it does get city funding, they also need to do fundraisers to get more money. I cannot tell you how tired of fundraisers that I am!  I became a member of GoodSearch, which donates a penny for every search made and suggest to the PTO president and vice president that everyone join (most of the parents work at the University of Memphis and undoubtedly have access … Continue reading →