Relentlessly compassionate human being and fiercely loyal wife of one and "mom of many" abiding in Texas. Certified Intimacy and Relationship Coach and Adult Sex Educator.
I didn’t actually disappear, folks. I’ve been busy bloggin’ at The Information You Should’ve Had [now entitled Faithful Sex], working full time with my hypnosis and coaching clients, continuing my education, fostering my women’s Facebook group, and basically tryin’ to be a decent wonderwife and mom of many.
Two Important Notes: (1) Since my domain name mickiallen.com was quickly usurped by a European company the very second my original rights to it were up, I had to lamentably bide my time for that place to go out of business in order to get my name back. The moment it was again available, I thought I’d give it a good home — back where it belongs — here. With me. (2) I’ll still be focusing my bloggin’ efforts at FaithfulSex and I encourage you to follow me there if you’re of a mind to; still, I thought it wise to check in and overhaul my original site and blog space while assigning it as the single springboard for my other projects. Besides, lookin’ back at old posts shows me just how far I’ve moved ahead — and in some cases, fallen short — over the years and serves as happy reminders of the friends I’ve met, and in many cases retained lo these many years. It also offers you insight into the woman you may decide to work with, so it’s a win-win!
Hey, Folks! I didn’t fall off the face of the planet. I’ve been busy setting up my life coaching practice and gettin’ lotsa learnin’ about intimacy (yeah, sex) and relationship stuff so I can encourage other women to be happy and healthy in their interpersonal relationships and be more passionate about their sexuality.
I really enjoy my blogosphere family and hope y’all’ll join me on over there at Micki Allen Coaching. Best wishes to you ALL in all of your endeavors. Seriously!
So, big hugs, best wishes, and here’s to great sex ‘n stuff!
Sometimes I wonder if we as adults make it hard for kids to want to be adults. In trying to make them responsible people, we focus on the responsibilities of adulthood, often to the exclusion of an…
What do you do when your partner is having a panic attack or a depressive episode?
It can be really scary and super frustrating watching someone you love go through an episode, especially if you don’t know how to be helpful.
This Meltdown Guide was created to help those of you who are in love with people who struggle with anxiety and depression to feel like you can be helpful when your partner seems to be spiraling.
Borrowed Time, a short film that Pixar animators Lou Hamou-Lhadj and Andrew Coats made as a side project. The piece, which has toured film festivals and is now available on Vimeo for a limited time, is expressly about loss and mourning.
I just turned two score and six years a few weeks back and lemme tell you, I’m not as upset as most Hollywood-types would have had me believe. In fact, I’m not bothered by it at all. Maybe it’s because I was already braced for it, but I think that bein’ closer to the Big Five-Oh is actually pretty freeing. Maybe it’s because turning thirty was surprisingly satisfying and making it to forty was so fabulous, that any new decade is something to look forward to.
But since I am the protagonist of my own Romantic Comedy called Life, I mostly think it’s because of the wonderful “In Praise of the Older Woman” trend brought to the forefront by the dynamic duo of Ryan Murphy and Jessica Lange. What? You got that right. Ryan Murphy adoresJessica Lange as much as I do. I know, hard to believe. And, fortunately he’s in a prime position, as the current King of the Screen, to do something about it. And, Hollywood is taking notice. Women like Ms. Lange (67), Kathy Bates (68), Angela Bassett (58), and Susan Sarandon (70) — all of whom are being celebrated and showcased in all of their incredible acumen and beauty by Mr. Murphy (who’s on the cusp of 51) — have cured any doubts about becoming a woman … of a certain age. These women are beautiful, powerful, and full of fabulous!
I just spent the afternoon watching episodes of the 1970s television series Wonder Woman, starring the radiant Lynda Carter. What an adorable heroine she was. She was a sweet, but sober, visitor to America, whose naiveté made her all the more charming. I noticed that she smiled and laughed. A lot. She was cheerful and happy. It was a joy to watch.
There’s no doubt that 70s camp played its part in the filming of Wonder Woman, but the fact that the actresses didn’t take themselves too seriously made it magical. They were in on the joke. They were having fun, and it was fun to watch.
Cloris Leachman (Queen Hippolyta) and Fannie Flagg (Amazon Doctor)Lyle Waggoner looking serious and rugged from a hospital bed.“They steal money and I have to fill out forms? What a country this is!”Where did she park her plane?
In today’s stories our female heroes are so much darker and more serious. They may be edgier, if not stronger, but certainly not more likable. Are they? I get the feeling that watching today’s crime fighters saps the watcher’s emotional energy more than it once did. And, no we haven’t come a long way, Baby. Our heroines are still practically naked. What’s up with that?
Yay! It’s the Oneth of September and I’m happier than the average bear. September is the month that brings us the beautiful Autumnal Equinox which falls officially on September 22nd, my birthday. Is it any wonder that I love Autumn? I was born for it.
Autumn signifies order and routine as the kidlens head off to school. Autumn leaves blow in the cool breeze, bringing sighs of relief from the summer’s icky heat. Rain tap-tap-tapping on the window panes always encourages me to slow down and take the time to cuddle up with a favorite book. Autumn brings thunderstorms that wash away the Old. And best of all, Halloween is almost here.
What are your favorite things about Autumn?
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Today kicks off the Taboo Word Challenge created by Eric, author of the All In A Dad’s Work blog. Click the link for details and to participate!
Took two of my teens to see the new thriller Don’t Breathe today and lemme just tell y’all, it was not what I expected. Even though I tried to go into the movie with zero expectations (all I knew was what I’d seen in the original trailer; I read no reviews and none of my immediate circle had seen it yet), I knew that Sam Raimi was a producer and I didn’t expect him to sign off on a piece of crap. So, while I knew the initial premise — three young adults decide to rob a blind guy in his own home — I went in expecting an average suspense. And then, I got the wind knocked outta me.
Close quarters make for some very powerful dread.
Formula First
Roughly five minutes of set-up was all it took to make Rocky (very deftly portrayed by the cherub-faced girl-next-door, Jane Levy) the criminal you’re rootin’ for, due to the stock set-up. We’re not lookin’ at deep character development here, Friends, but that’s okay because Levy was aptly supported by her co-star Dylan Minnette who played her platonic, moon-eyed friend Alex. Daniel Zovatto, who played Money, gave us enough spot-on machismo to quickly decipher the fact that “ah, here’s the asshole boyfriend everyone wants to see get it.”
Minnette and Levy give their most thrilling performances when they don’t have to rely on dialogue.
Going in, I couldn’t quite imagine a hunk like Stephen Lang being too thoroughly icky as The Blind Man. Menacing? Yes. Scary as hell? Yes. But gross? I was surprised what blinding Lang’s baby blues and slathering him with grime and sweat, and costuming him in a blood-stained wife-beater could do. In such close quarters, the viewers could almost smell his grime and rage. Nods to the costuming and lighting departments for the former, but all of the menace and rage should be squarely placed on the shoulders of Lang’s years of theater performances.
It gets truly intense when Lang’s Blind Man levels the playing field.
Brace Yourself
After 10 Cloverfield Lane, I was a bit skeptical that writer/director Fede Alvarez was going to be able to keep us glued to our seats, but he did it. This gripping twist on the current Home Invasion trend delivers all the nerve-wracking anxiety, claustrophobia, and suspense a thrill seeker could hope for.
As I said, this isn’t a deep character study. This is an action-packed thriller with lots of long silent (and terrifying) silences. The momentum depends almost exclusively on the character’s action — or inaction, if you will. With so few principle characters and the limited space of a single family dwelling, it’s easy to wonder how the action and angst can be sustained. Don’t worry. This home-owner may be blind, but he knows his own home like the back of his hand. It’s believable when he appears everywhere and nowhere at any given moment. And, when he cuts the lights, those poor kids don’t stand a chance. There’s nothin’ as gratifying as a fair fight. Is there?
Before the crew of hopeful home invaders decide to execute their plan, Alex wonders whether or not robbing a blind man might be a skeevy move. Well, in hindsight I would advise, “Hey, you prolly shouldn’t disturb this guy. He’s disturbed enough.”
