Real decisions real circumstamces
342904
Fated Love by Bree McKennedy

Spectacular book!!!!!!!  The detailed descriptions on the pages paints what I would consider a real life scenario of two teenaged children in the music industry.  The first few chapters I questioned whether I would like the book or not.  The reason for the questioning is the characters are young. Addison Jade is a 14 winner of a talent show who was sent to boarding school at 8 years old; has a recording contract and her parents didn't appear to pay her any attention. Then there is Tabor a 17 drummer who also wins a talent contest and his parental figure was a drug addict that died from an overdose.

The book is divided into three parts that are turning points in the story.  Part 1 we are just meeting the characters for the first time; one that is sweet, innocent, nave, lonely and famous; the other already on a destructive path with drugs and drinking.  We get to see the relationship start when Addison and Tabor end up together in Uganda on a mission trip for sharing music with the local kids.  Their relationship takes off and Addison is desperate for the love.  Tabor on the other hand doesnt know how to love at all. This just spells disaster right?

The other 2 parts of the book go through the progression of their career.  Addison convinces the record label to sign Tabors band.  They formed a new band called Figure Eight where Addison is the lead singer.  The group is a hit and they start to tour.  We get a glimpse into what the life on the road is like..sex, drugs and rocking roll.  Sweet and innocent leave this book as we move through the road to success and the downhill spiral to rock bottom..Then what?  Good question but you are going to have to read to find out .

I felt the full range of emotions while reading this book and it was truly amazing.  Most of us can relate on all levels with the choices that were made. As in real life every action has a reaction and when you pair that with the emotionally broken it makes for good and bad decisions.  With all of the said this book had me needing more and didn't sugar code real outcomes of the decision.

I should mention the ending of this book is unique and I have a love/hate relationship with it.  I loved it because there is a sense of calm, love and happiness but hated it because it left me with wanting more.  In reading Brees notes at the end she states There will be no follow up.  This, to me, is real life.  Their lives will continue in whatever direction they choose.  I want to invoked thought in my readers.

 I highly recommend this book and sit back and enjoy the ride.
3454075
I would highly recommend this book, it really makes you think of your own decisions, you have made in life......excellent read
1794872
I had read this wonderful book and ordered a copy for my brother-in-law.
The book is about how people make decisions.  It's probably the best book on this subject written.
154081
This is an in-depth look at a cosmetic procedure that may benefit individuals who have been on the merry-go-round of weight loss, dieting, and even if they have the weight loss goals end accomplishment to be happy for, they are left with an unsightly and cumbersome pannus or pocket of abdominal girth.  Here the author takes a good look examining two major surgical procedures that may serve to relieve individuals of this bothersome abdominal apron that can make it difficult to look ones best, wear fashionable attire, and in general, maintain a healthy self-image. Having underwent one of the main procedures ( panniculectomy) in late 2014, she provides the reader with invaluable information concerning the ins and outs of the procedures: which one is more suited for your condition, what bodily characteristics will make one a better candidate, and of course, the issues of health insurance. This can be a major stumbling block for some, as many insurance companies are not as willing to foot the bill for any parts of surgical procedures if they fall under the category of cosmetic enhancement but not so much medically necessary.
Also included are what to expect with the whole procedure, such as special instructions, expected recovery times, and possible complications to think about. If you are classified as morbidly obese a panniculectomy is a type of procedure to think about when weighing the pros and cons; even though it is more difficult to qualify as a candidate. The other surgical procedure outlined - an abdominoplasty - is most commonly referred to as a tummy tuck. Similarities and differences between the two are described in detail. This book will guide you in making informed decisions regarding your health and physical appearance. Always remember to do your homework first just as you would when considering any kind of cosmetic surgical procedure.  A recommended read for those who  are tired of losing the battle with the jelly belly and considering the next best step, but want to get the facts straight about what goes into cosmetic surgery. Recommended.
1776308
I love this book. It describes real life situations that you either have been in or knows someone who has.
888396
As a parent of an intact (not circumcised) son, I take great care in researching what doctors know about the foreskin and circumcision. This man has written a book that gives only one side to an issue that parents must be informed on before having a son. He greatly overplays benefits (that the worldwide medical community agrees are not sufficient to justify prophylactic surgery), and downplays risks which include death. To add salt to the wound (pun intended), he tells parents that they should not be concerned with the fact that circumcision reduces sexual pleasure in adult men when deciding to circumcise their infants. Obviously he does not understand that babies grow up and become men, many of whom are furious about what was done to them without their consent. The icing on the cake comes in the chapter on baby care. Rule number 1 of raising an intact boy is "When intact, don't retract."  Not even a little. Dr. Cohen concedes that the foreskin is not retractable but in the same sentence instructs parents to retract "gently" to remove smegma. This is not only unnecessary, as the foreskin is self-cleaning, but can cause damage which can lead to adhesions, phimosis, infection, and potentially the need for later circumcision. I would recommend parents skip this book and head over to Drmomma.org for advice on pregnancy, parenting, and circumcision.
2929257
"The Sorcerer's Apprentice: Why can't the United States Stop Circumcising Boys?" is a book every expectant parent should read.

Dr. Robert Darby's guiding metaphor, that of the Sorcerer's Apprentice, who, having cast a spell was not able to undo it, is a near-perfect explanation for the puzzling persistence of circumcision in the United States. Doctors invented the `medicalized' version in the 19th century, because they believed that touching the genitalia caused all manner of disease, a pre-germ theory called `reflex neurosis.' If your child got TB in 1870, it was because he had touched himself when you were not looking. The solution was simplicity itself: amputate any sensitive genital tissue so the child was no longer tempted, and save him (or her; girls were included) from disease.

Unfortunately, when germ theory arrived in 1879, the spell had already been cast, and could not be undone. Frightened parents believed the earlier medical theories about insanity, blindness, hip problems, unusual hair growth, tuberculosis, and other terrible consequences of touching `down there.' The fact that these notions are now locker room jokes is a tribute to their folkloric power seven generations later. Imagine how powerful they were in the heads of uneducated parents 140 years ago!

As an attorney I have taken depositions of physicians, under oath, who, when pressed, always testify that, "I discourage parents from circumcision, but they insist" which blames the parents for a spell that American doctors created and cannot seem to undo. No wizard, like the National Health System in the UK in 1949, has appeared to help American doctors undo the spell their 19th-century colleagues released.

It helps, of course, that there is money involved --two-billion dollars' worth each year in the U.S. -- and no physician wants to disappoint a parent only to have the parent take his or her child elsewhere.

Dr. Darby has the spell aspect right on the money.  Readers will find his analysis a fascinating tale of medical superstition, intransigence, and a singular failure to consider that every little boy will some day be a man --one who might want all the erogenous tissue he was born with, especially as he ages.

John V. Geisheker, J.D., LL.M.
General Counsel
Doctors Opposing Circumcision
Seattle
2793840
It was an interesting read. It really makes rethink the choices you may make
1233555
In The Kind Mama, Silverstone writes about her many of her naturally-minded parenting choices, touching on the circumcision decision.
I was raised Jewish, so the second my parents found out that they had a male grandchild, they wanted to know when we'd be having a bris (the Jewish circumcision ceremony traditionally performed 8 days after a baby is born), she writes. When I said we weren't having one, my dad got a bit worked up. But my thinking was: If little boys were supposed to have their penises fixed, did that mean we were saying that God made the body imperfect?
4948796
At 19 pages, this is a bit short for the money. However, I got it with free with kindle unlimited. The premise of the book is that people can change things, but need to know how to go about it. Real change is going to take time, and plan regarding the long term effects. The author gives some great examples of this. We live in a "need it now" immediate society. Gone are the days of waiting for a newspaper or the 11pm news... everything is instant. We need to change out thinking to wrap our heads around deciding if the instant thing should take priority over a larger and more important long term thing.  Not a bad read.
3961323
I  love this book is very interesting and helpful to make good decisions in life.
4195604
The most important thing I read in this book was, "If you don't know what you want, or you don't care what happens, there's no decision making needed. Flip a coin..." (Chapter 4) I realize that many times I haven't made decisions, but formed vague notions about what I could live with. Now I know that I don't have to settle for whatever I happen to stumble upon. Instead, I can be proactive in building my reality. DECIDE! 6 Steps to Great Decisions will help me change that. Using these 6 steps I can determine what I desire in life and begin to work towards those things.
2048404
Knowing about an injection makes it feel like more of an informed decision than just saying give him the needle. Most injections make sense once you understand them. Peace of mind more than anything is the value of this book.
1168772
The book is extremely well written and is a must read for ALL (circumcised males who might not realize what they are experiencing is not just their problem but is fairly common for cut guys, and ESPECIALLY for "parents to be that already know they are having a son", or any intact male who is considering getting circumcised).  I plan on purchasing at least two more copies for my children, so hopefully the practice of circumcision (which I consider child abuse & sexual mutilation) will end in my family with me. My paperback copy arrived on the estimated date of delivery. Again, this is a MUST read.
1326766
The "scratch & sniff" feature is an added bonus!  You feel like you're really there!  One of the bigger vaginas smells kind of familiar to me.  I wonder if these pictures are based on true vaginas, or if they were manufactured.
203673
Chip and Dan Heath hit a home run with their book Decisive:  How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work.

Asking the right questions and looking at a broad array of solutions where everyone wins is the heart of the WRAP model that Chip and Dan Heath have developed to help you formulate and make smart decisions.  The WRAP model is as follows:

W:  widen your options
R:  reality check your options
A:  attain distance before deciding
P:  prepare to be wrong

In explaining the model, Chip and Dan Heath did not stray from their proven model of laying out a principle and following it with real life stories that illustrate those principles.  Some stories end in success, some end in failure, but they all tie back neatly to the central point they are trying to communicate.

The ending of the book is especially helpful.  The clinic session presents 3 real cases where the reader can apply the WRAP model and come up with solutions.  The scenarios are challenging and the authors don't give you a right or wrong answer.  They are there to simply make you think.
Decisive is a great read for a critical doer.  Decisions are the seeds of action, and this book gives you an effective method of developing options and preparing yourself mentally to make the choice and deal with the results.  Read the book and apply the lessons to your professional and personal lives to achieve fulfillment.  To learn more, follow my blog at criticaldoer.com
3222688
The true stories of actual people. Landlords don't want city fines for having "nuisance." buildings. One family called 911 for a son with an asthma attack, putting them on the edge of eviction. A child pulls the fire alarm, evicted. The number of evictions is on a public record, making it hard to rent another one.

Becoming desperate they will accept ramshackle rooms without a stove and leaking pipes. And still the rent will consume most of their money; leaving little for food, soap etc.
No sugar-coating of either side, we see the families making bad decisions that compound this already impossible cycle.
A must read!!