It's definitely long hair that makes you look thinner. When I had short hair my face looked a lot rounder, even though it wasn't - short hair frames your face and draws attention to it. Long hair draws attention down and frames your body, not your face - your face is one of the first things that thins out when you lose weight anyway.
Anyway, good luck, hope your hair looks the way you want it to!
-Siren =)

It sounds like some version of a stomach flu on top of PMS. I have no other explanation, other than bad PMS. If you're not on birth control, you might want to consider it - it helps regulate hormones, and it can help with bad PMS problems. One of my friends had that problem, she used to get such bad cramps that she'd pass out, and once she got started on birth control, her symptoms got a LOT better.
I highly suggest you talk to your mom about it.
Anyway, try sipping on diluted juice, or juice if you can stomach it, if you're worried about survival. When you're body's messed up, you need sugar (juice is easiest). Munch on saltines, and stay away from things that are hard on your system. Eat light things. Drink light things. Stay hydrated.
Long baths are a good idea - heating pads are good, too. Walking is supposed to help relieve cramps (nothing too aggressive, just moving around), too.
Good luck, feel better!
-Siren =)

Shockingly, the salads at McDonalds are actually pretty good for you, as long as you don't pile on the dressing. That goes for most of the salads at all the typical "fast food" places. Mos of the time, the dressing is really flavorful anyway, so a little goes a looong way!
Subway is also good if you lay off the sauces, and get healthy sides. Jimmy John's is the same if you cut the mayo.
Good luck!
-Siren=)

Okay, well, since you took the dive, you might as well stick it out for a week or so. If you still feel miserable after that long, just talk to him.
He's your friend first and foremost, you should be able to be honest with him - WITHOUT crushing him. Let him down gently, and explain to him that it just doesn't FEEL right to you, and you're just not happy.
But keep an open mind right now. It might be okay. Don't do anything you don't want to, though.
Good luck.
-Siren =)

Sounds like an allergic reaction. If you have any Benadryl in your house, take one, or two if one doesn't work in half an hour. If you don't have Benadryl in your house, run to a drug store and buy some - it's a very handy thing to have around in case something like this happens.
Have you eaten or used anything different than usual today? Think your day through before your lip puffed up and got red - if it happened over night, what changed yesterday?
It could be a reaction to a medication, too, if you're on anything. Even if it's something you've been taking for awhile - it happened to my dad once.
Good luck, feel better. I've had that happen to me before, it's no fun. If it doesn't clear up by the end of the day, go see a doctor.
-Siren =)

I'll do my best!

Well, this all really boils down to what you feel, what your instincts are telling you. If you can't picture the two of you as anything more than friends, then don't bother. It'll ruin your friendship.
If you're curious, though, why not give it a shot? It could turn out to be a great relationship, and you'll have fun, and the fact that you had a friendship to start off will only make it better.
But I have to tell you that you CANNOT by any means agree to turn your friendship into anything more if it would only be to make him happy. If that would make you unhappy, then he will be unhappy, and the relationship will be a flop anyway.
If I can make a suggestion, why don't you freewrite about it? Open a blank document on your computer, and just start typing. Don't fix mistakes or typos, just keep going. Either don't stop until you've reached a conclusion, or set your timer for ten minutes to an hour, however long you feel comfortable writing about it.
If you try that and still need help, drop another question in my inbox - I check it every day.
Good luck!
-Siren =)

I've been with my guy for over two YEARS and I haven't spent $50 on him. The most expensive present I gave him was $25, and it was a framed drawing.
The thought counts WAY more than the amount.
For 2.5 months, I'd spend maybe $20-25 tops.

As far as in the card, you could just give him a little note telling him how glad you are to have him around this time of year, wish him a merry christmas, and plan to have many more with him. Something along those lines. Just write what you feel.
-Siren =)

I'm assuming you're a guy, and I'm gonna take a wild guess that you're somewhere between 13 and 17, since most people on here are - it does help to know your gender and age when asking love-related questions, though. In the future, please let me know.
Anyway.
I hate to say it, but there isn't much you can do to change the way people feel. The only thing you can do is be a friend to her, show her what a good guy you are, and then maybe she'll come around. Otherwise...read the Art of Seduction.
Good luck!
-Siren =)

Take Ygsgirl's advice. She's a good columnist.
If you haven't spoken to him about this, you need to. Guys cannot read our minds, no matter how well they know us. My guy has technically been with me for two years, and has no idea what my deal is unless I tell him, and he's one of the most intelligent guys I've ever met.
Explain to him how this makes you feel, that he never calls/texts you. He may not realize he's doing it. Let him know you feel ignored and taken for granted, and help him understand what he needs to do in order for you to not feel that way.
Good luck.
-Siren =)

The Nutcracker is a ballet. Generrally, people dress up to go see old-fashioned art forms like ballets, orchestra concerts, and operas. It's a type of respect to the performers, in a way.
So I'd wear something semiformal, cute, slightly conservative (since you're meeting his family), that's appropriate for the weather.
Use your best judgment.
Good luck!
-Siren =)

"Jumping someone's bones" is an idiom synonymous with having sex with someone, or, more frankly, fucking someone.
So "bonejumper" would suggest that you're someone who has sex with people.
I don't consider that perverted, but I'm 20, and you're 13. I'd try to get your friends to change your nickname if I were you. You don't want to be known as "bonejumper" in middle school. (Rumors suck, trust me.)
Good luck
-Siren =)

Pushups are NOT easy. I've been working out for years and I can only do like, 25 in a row.
One great trick is to do pushups at different angles. Instead of doing them against the floor so you're parallel, try starting with twenty pushups against the wall. Make sure you keep your back straight, and your arms go at 90 degree angles. Once those are ridiculously easy, tilt your body more.
You could also try the "girly" pushups, on your knees instead of your toes. They're easier, but they still work your body, and help you work up to being able to do real pushups.
Good luck
-Siren =)

Basically, the standard is don't eat half an hour before any strenuous exercise.
Yoga/pilates I don't think is very strenuous at all, so half an hour would probably be the maximum time you need to wait.
I run, and I'll go for like three miles half an hour after a decent sized meal.
Two hours is a little excessive, because (to boost metabolism, anyway) you're supposed to eat every 3-4 hours. If you eat, then wait two hours, then work out, you'll have already started to burn a lot of the calories you had before.
It takes the stomach 20 minutes to digest, provided you didn't overeat, so half an hour should be sufficient wait time for basically anything.
Good luck
-Siren =)

Okay.
For starters, anorexia is more of a psychological disorder than a physical one. If you thought you were fat at 5'7" and 105 pounds, THEN we could call you anorexic. If anything, you are very underweight. At your height a healthy weight would be about 135. You could gain weight (muscle weight is ideal) and still be fine.
But no, you are definitely not eating enough. I'm guessing that amounts altogether to under a thousand calories a day. Normally, people eat around 2000, people who are active get about 2500. You are a dancer, so you need to be getting AT LEAST 2000.
Don't try to jump up there right away though, your body won't be able to handle it. Work your way up slowly by maybe eating a little more often. Try to eat every three hours, even if it's just one thing.
Do yourself and me a favor, and keep a calorie log one day before you try to change anything. You can look up the calories in fruit on line if you don't know already, and if it amounts to under 1000, make some changes right now before you permanently damage your body.
Dancers need to be strong, and 1000 calories or under - dude, I'm NOT a dancer and I burn at least that every day. I work out, though, and I'm very health conscious because I used to actually be anorexic. (You learn a lot when you're trying to conquer eating disorders, lemme tell ya.)
You need water, water is good. Vitamin water is fine, juices are good. Protein is good. You can find ways to up your calorie intake once you find a way to eat more.
I really hope you turn this around. Good luck, and feel free to drop one in my inbox if you have any other questions.
-Siren =)

The psychological disorder you're describing is body dysmorphia, where you have a distorted view of what's really there. I've been struggling with that my whole life, and I went through the same anorexic stage you did, except I have another disease that didn't actually let me lose the weight, which just made me more depressed, and...yeah. Anyway.
Body dysmorphia really sucks, but a vast majority of the female population has it.
Hope this answered your question.
-Siren =)

Heh, I knew I'd get a question like this.
The secret is a long and complicated documentary about getting what you want, basically. It explains the power of positive thinking and living, and optimism, and it EXPLAINS the mind-over-matter mentality. It also has a lot to do with the law of attraction.
Example:
You're driving around and you're worried you won't find anywhere to park. Just as you thought, every parking space is filled and you have to park somewhere like, four miles away.
What happened there was that you were concentrating so hard on there NOT being a spot available to you that it attracted just that - no spot was available to you.
Example of using the secret:
As you head towards your destination, you picture a parking place right in front of the entrance you want. As you enter the parking lot, a car pulls out of just that spot and it's yours.
That's how the secret works, kind of. It involves controlling your life and your own destiny a lot, and you've gotta be pretty self-aware to use it.
Step 1 is you have to know what you want.
Step 2 is you have to ask for what you want.
Step 3 is aligning yourself with what you want so the universe can respond to give it to you.
A big mistake some people make in using the secret is that they don't do anything to help the process. Someone wants to be a rockstar, and they just expect the universe to be like *snap* hey, you're a rockstar. Sweet. Go make money.
Doesn't work like that. You've gotta do the work - record demos, get discovered, but it's the universe pushing you towards that. You're giving it a push, in a way. Mind over matter.
There's a lot more to it, but it's too hard to go into in a question response. Try googling it, you might get more information. I just gave you the basics.
Hope this answered your question.
-Siren =)

Provided I know what you're talking about - I think I do - I'm convinced it does work. If that stuff's working for you, keep it up. It's sweet =D
I've heard a few other people talking about it working, too, so yes, I believe it does.

None of us will be able to tell you whether you should have sex or not. Only you can decide that.
We can, however, tell you about our experiences and let you know what we think, so here's my two cents:
I lost my virginity to my boyfriend when I was sixteen. We had been together for over six months, and thought we were in love. It was an act of (what we thought was) love at that point, and neither of us regretted it, as far as I can tell. I have though, since then, met someone else and actually fallen in love. BUT, if I hadn't taken that first step with that guy then my life would be very different.
In my opinion, if you have any doubt or nervousness in your mind, don't you dare.
You said yourself you think you're too young (and I agree with you), and it's also too early.
If you're aware of those facts, then why would you want to cave to his wants?
Be a little selfish every now and then. Do what you feel is best for YOU, even if maybe it isn't the best thing for your relationship.
If he really cares about you, he will wait until you are ready, and he will be fine with the idea that you may not be ready when you're with him. If that isn't the case with him, then you should probably find a new guy...'cause one that tries to pressure you into something as big as this at the age you are doesn't deserve you and obviously isn't mature enough to think with anything but the thing hanging between his legs. Lol.
Anyway, it sounds to me like you want us to tell you that you shouldn't. Reading your question, I don't see that you think anything positive about the idea of having sex with this guy.
Since that appears to be the case, I wouldn't.
Good luck!
-Siren =)

I'm seeing a running trend on this site...
Starving yourself and making yourself puke are borderline (if not full fledged) eating disorders called anorexia and bulimia respectively.
Everyone's gonna tell you to work out, 'cause that's how you slim down, along with eating the right stuff. I can see that you're desperate, but you're going about it totally the wrong way right now.
I would really like to know how old you are, how much you weigh, and how tall you are - if you're one of the many teenage girls who just think they're fat and are perfectly healthy, don't even try to lose weight.
You CAN search google and check your Body Mass Index (BMI calculator is what you should put into the search bar), but if you've ever worked out it won't mean much.
Anyway.
To lose weight/inches:
*Aim for AT LEAST 1200 calories a day, not higher than 2000.
*Eat lots of lean protein (fish, lean meats, nonfat dairy, etc)
*Eat lots of fruits and veggies (anytime you crave chips, eat veggies and dip instead. Anytime you crave sweets, replace them with fruits, or try sugar free hard candies. Gum's a good trick, too. Sugar free, though.)
*Eat SOME complex carbohydrates, but try to make it wheat, or whole grain. (Starches, like pasta, bread, and potatoes (anything with flour in it, too)) Also, try to eat them earlier in the day so you can burn them off by the end of it.
***DON'T CUT OUT ANY FOOD GROUPS. You need all of them, except refined sugar.
*Working out:
Cardiovascular stuff is key. Biking is a lot of fun, and helps tone your legs too. If you get bored, try biking with a friend, or bike to places around your city and make it worth your while. Buy a bottle of water at the local supermarket, or buy an apple when you get there so you can recharge. Or if you don't have a bike or don't like biking, walk with a friend. Jog with a friend. Working out with someone is always a lot more fun than doing it alone.
You can also add other stuff into your workout, like a few crunches to help tone your abs, or some curls to help tone your arms - all you have to do to avoid getting big muscles is make sure your sets consist of more than ten repetitions, and use light weights if you're using weights.
Trust me, that was one of my fears (bulking up instead of leaning out).
I have done all of the above, and it works. Please try this stuff before you force yourself into an eating disorder. Food is not your enemy, it's your fuel, so use it.
I have a feeling you're young...Somewhere around 13 or 15 (Sorry if I'm wrong, but without the actual information what can I do but guess?) You have time before your body won't respond easily to changes in diet.
Don't expect to lose weight in a day. It takes some time and patience. Love your body and it will love you.
Good luck!
-Siren =)

When a guy broke my hymen I bled a couple hours after, and it was only once. This going on for a few days, starting and stopping sounds like your period. I imagine you're a teenager - this also means that your period probably hasn't regulated itself yet, and when it does it won't always be heavy or light. Sex can also force changes in your period. I mean, once I thought my period was over and I had sex. After that I went to the bathroom and found blood.
I highly doubt it's anything to worry about - either way at least you know you aren't pregnant! =D
Now, I hate to preach, but...Next time, do use some kind of protection. It's better for your peace of mind and his. Judging by the fact that you said it was your first time, I'm gonna guess neither of you is ready for a kid anytime soon, nor do you really want to be worried about it.
Try ultra thin condoms if you don't like the way they feel...they're better than nothing. OR, go on the pill.
Also, next time please leave your age. I can usually guess the gender of my advice-seekers, but age is a little harder.
Somehow your question wound up in my inbox twice with different titles - I'm rejecting the second one. Just so you know.
Good luck!
-Siren =)

I'm a laid-back 26 year old with a Psychology BA, starting my MA program, and working my way into the field as quickly as I can. It took me an extra Bachelor's degree (in vocal performance and creative writing) to figure it out, but I was put on this Earth to help, to heal, and to love.

I have made the decision to dedicate my life and career to helping others. I am here to do just that.

I've been a member since 2004, and since I signed up, I've gone through quite a lot and learned quite a lot from it. I'm here to give guidance where I had none; no one should have to go through the difficulties I went through alone.

Feel free to visit my website/blog, if you want to read my experience with domestic violence and my thoughts on it.

***While I do tend to answer mental health and other health-related or medicine-related questions, I am by NO MEANS a licensed physician or practitioner of any sort. Any and all advice I give for these questions is from my own experience or studies.***

If you need to get a hold of me quickly, my screen name on AIM is SirenCytherea. Just let me know you found me here.

I'm a strong believer in the idea that there are no stupid questions except the ones left unasked, so, please, keep an open mind, heart, and mouth.

Siren

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