Articles written by Donna LaHale

What is Helium

About me - Donna LaHale

Who in their right mind asks, or allows, a woman to describe herself? I'm either a 6' blonde size 4 beauty, or a 5'3" sassy auburn haired mom of two. I'll let your imagination decide which you'd prefer to believe. I've spent a lifetime (or so it seems) moving

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Society & Lifestyle > Social Values & Norms What it means to be a woman over 40 in the new millennium: 4 of 133
When you were 12, remember how you thought 20 was OLD! And, at 20, it became 30. At 30, it became 50. Then, at 40, it became FORTY! That lasted only about a month for me. The milestone got the better of me each time I went out to dinner, and watched my 20-something waitress seemingly wiggle her waif little figure to our table... More..
Food & Drink > Cooking (Other) Fund-raising bake sale ideas: 1 of 21
Bake sales are one of the oldest forms of fund raisers, and just look at their success. Arguably, the original bake sale has turned into a multi-million dollar business for the Girl Scouts!From humble beginnings, to grandiose catalogs and door-to-door sales, treats are a great way to get people to support your organization. B... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Racism Is racism taught or learned?: 6 of 80
As a baby, we learn that the smiling face that cuddles us and feeds us is comforting. We learn that if we push ourselves upright and walk, we can explore those nooks and crannies we long for more quickly. We learn that moving our lips a certain way and pushing air across our tongues makes sounds, and thus we can communicate w... More..
Politics, News & Issues > US Immigration Views on illegal immigration in the US: 23 of 212
Few topics can incite such passion and aggression as illegal immigration in the United States. The Iraq war, 9-11, abortion rights. It ranks right up there with these big three. As I watched the Democratic debates this week, I heard that there is no such thing as an illegal immigrant, because they "are people, and there are n... More..
Food & Drink > Coffee How to make great coffee in a drip coffee maker: 5 of 39
Three out of four of us plod, dreary eyed and grumbly, toward our kitchens each and every morning. We ignore the whimper of the dog that needs to go outside, and narrowly avoid an NFL worthy punt of the cat that ran between our legs, seemingly intent on delaying that morning gratification we so desperately seek....hot, aromat... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Baby Accessories Top 10 must-have baby products: 5 of 39
Ask any new parent. From the moment they heard that first cry of life, they knew nothing would capture their heart more than their bundle of joy. But, long before baby comes home, long before sleepless nights and piles of tiny laundry that seem to generate themselves, new parents need to make their list, and check it twice.1.... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Political & Economic Theory Presidential Inauguration: Are subdued festivities in order?: 1 of 7
It seems incomprehensible that our Nation faces the largest unemployment rates in decades, tens of millions of Americans living on a prayer with no health insurance, many more millions homeless in this great land of opportunity (by the way, Washington, D.C. ranks among the top five cities in the country for homeless populatio... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > After School History of the Girl Scouts of America: 1 of 6
Sadly, the title of this topic tells us that we still know so little about the Girl Scouts, and that they continue to live in the shadow of their young male counterparts.There is not an organization called the Girl Scouts of America. In 1912, Juliette Gordon Low, having returned from abroad and being inspired by the Girl Guid... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Parenting (Other) Are "nanny cams" a violation of babysitters' rights?: 13 of 75
Families that employ nannies are not unlike any employer, and they have the right to know what is going on within their place of employment. Just as illicit drug use or gambling in a bathroom would not be allowed in a corporate office, neglect or abuse should not be allowed in a childcare setting. Anyway to discourage these b... More..
Creative Writing > Humor Humor: Shoveling the driveway: 5 of 24
Perhaps it is because I'm a triple bypass survivor. Maybe that has put me on a mission to prove I can do it. I am, after all, only in my early forties. But, I am not at all certain that is what drives me, compels me into the driveway every time I see a flake headed for the pristine blacktop pavement below my dining room windo... More..