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I still check my ex’s emails

Woman secretively checking emails

Mick was my first love; we met when we were both 19 while taking a year off before attending university.

We were together for two years, he was my first boyfriend and I was his first girlfriend. We shared many firsts throughout those years; first kiss, first sexual encounter, first heartbreak and I was certain we would get married one day.

Our first year together was fast paced and turned quickly into crazy infatuation on my part. I wanted to know everything he did and everyone he talked to. I was young and quite insecure and couldn’t help feeling a horrible pang of jealousy when I saw him chatting to other girls.

After being together for a while Mick needed me to go online and look up an email for him, he gave me his password not knowing that I have a knack for memorising passwords and important information.

This was a huge mistake on his part because, even though I knew it was wrong, I couldn’t help myself from having a snoop at his emails. At that point I didn’t suspect he was doing anything wrong or that I’d find anything I didn’t want to see, but as crazy as it sounds now I was just desperate to know everything about him…

I soon became obsessed with secretly checking his emails daily, this craziness led to me sneaking a look at his mobile phone whenever he left the room. I never found anything, but I had a weird feeling that I couldn’t trust him as he was always out with the boys and never answered his phone, unless he wanted a ride home at 4am.

This doubt and suspicion on my part grew more intensely when he stopped showing me affection and would refuse to have sex with me. At this point we had been together for nearly two years, I tried everything I could to reignite his interest in me but nothing worked, it just made me feel more humiliated. I was devastated and felt helpless to save our relationship.

I was slowly becoming depressed and one day I confronted him about our sexless relationship, I said it wasn’t normal for a couple who are 21 years old not to have sex — ever. His reply was like a slap in the face: “I am just not physically attracted to you anymore,” he said. “You have put on way too much weight and I don’t go for fat girls.”

So there I ended it on the spot, deep down I had known that our relationship had been doomed for a while but I was so obsessed with him that I had still carried hope that things would change.

However, my strange compulsion to check his emails remained. Through my daily updates (unbeknown to him) I discovered that one month later he was dating a girl that I had seen him talking to at a friend’s party…

I was rapt, even though I was so hurt and bitter about our relationship breakdown I couldn’t shake my addiction to his life. A couple of the emails referred to me and I was pained once again to learn all the things that he thought of me were being discussed freely with this new girl.

Two years on and I am with the most gorgeous man who I trust and never feel the urge to check his personal email or mobile.

Though shamefully every few days I do still check Mick’s email just to see whether him and the “mistress” are still going good (which they seem to be), she somehow has him wrapped around her little finger.

I honestly don’t know why I do it. I have a weird fascination with him and I am trying really hard to break my snooping addiction. All I can do is take it one day at a time.

Oh, how do I do this without him finding out? Once I read an email I highlight it and mark it as unread. It’s so easy and so efficient that in four years he has never changed his password.

So, girls and guys, if your instincts are telling you that something is wrong and you are driven towards the path of spying, just listen to them because they are probably right.

Your say: Have you experienced a similar infatuation? Do you have advice for the writer? Share your thoughts below.

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First pictures of Princess Mary’s twins!

Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik with their twin babies

Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik with their twin babies

Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik have released the first images of their newborn twins.

The Danish royal family’s new little prince was born at 10.30pm local time on January 8, weighing 2.7kg and measuring 47cm long. A princess followed 26 minutes later weighing 2.5kg and measuring 46cm long.

Princess Mary went into labour on Saturday evening at around 5.30pm (AEDT) and after four hours welcomed the two new additions to her royal family.

Prince Frederik, who was by his wife’s side throughout the birth, said he was very proud of Princess Mary and described the twins as the “double trouble”.

“They look like typical newborns. They both have dark hair, so there is no doubt who their parents are,” he said.

As per Danish royal tradition the couple will announce the names of the newborns in about three months’ time, at the babies’ christening.

Princess Mary’s father John Donaldson and Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II were among the first to visit the newborns.

“We’re very pleased to have the babies in the family. They are small but very fine,” Queen Margrethe II said.

“My daughter-in-law looks fantastic and we’re so pleased for the crown princess that her father is here.”

Prince Frederik said that for the couple’s two eldest children, Prince Christian, five, and Princess Isabella, three, meeting their new brother and sister was “a little surreal”.

“They had obviously seen their mother’s fabulous belly,” he said with a laugh. “Now our daughter thinks they are small dolls for her to play with.”

The couple will now take the twins back to their new home, Amalienborg Palace.

“There are two little beds and all is ready for them to come home,” the prince said .

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Want a natural glow? Replace fake tan with fruit!

Want a natural glow? Replace fake tan with fruit!

After the sun-kissed look? UK researchers have found that eating large amounts of fruit and vegetables can give you that golden glow you are after, the UK’s Daily Mail reported.

Lead researcher Dr Ian Stephen, from the University of Bristol said those who ate bigger portions of fruit and vegetables a day had more of a golden, yellow skin colour.

“Most people in the West think that the best way to improve your skin colour is to get a suntan,” he said.

“But our research shows that eating lots of fruit and vegetables is actually more effective.”

The scientists, who carried out their research at laboratory at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, used a spectrophotometer to measure how light in different parts of the spectrum is absorbed by the skin.

Those with a healthier glow had a higher presence of carotenoids, which are antioxidants that can be found in yellow and red peppers, spinach, apricots and melons.

The scientists then explored the relationship between skin tone and attractiveness.

Using specialist software the researchers manipulated the colour of 51 faces to appear to have either more or less carotenoids, meaning more or less glow to the face.

Participants were then asked to adjust the skin colour between carotenoids skin colour and suntanned skin colour, to what they considered healthy.

The results showed that when given the choice participants preferred those enhanced through carotenoids skin colour.

“Our study shows that not only do people use colour cues to judge how healthy other individuals are, but they are accurate when they make those judgements,” said the University of St Andrews’ Professor David Perrett.

“This is important because evolution would favour individuals who choose to form alliances or mate with healthier individuals over unhealthy individuals.”

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Pete Evans in the Book Club hot seat

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Australian chef Pete Evans is a busy man. Apart from being co-owner and executive chef of Hugo’s, he has just released a product range in David Jones, has his name associated with a Breville Pizza Maker and is the author of four books. His latest, My Party, shows you how to throw the perfect bash at home.

What was the last book you read?

I just read The Passage by Justin Cronin. I loved that it was a unique and original story. It delivered an amazing twist just as it was getting good, and you had to basically start again, which was quite challenging. He managed to pull it off with a climax that you couldn’t know which way it would end up. And seeing it was the first book in his trilogy and at about 900 pages, I can’t wait for the next two.

Tell us what is great about a book you are reading at the moment and win The AWW Cooking School

If you could be any character in a book who would you be?

I really loved the character of Roland Deschain in Stephen King’s Dark Tower series — he is the “Gunslinger”… It’s basically Lord of the Rings but three times longer. I loved the character of Roland as he is challenged on so many levels, and could give up at any time but keeps on taking them on one at a time and moving ever forward in his quest to fulfil his goals and those of others.

What books can you remember from your childhood?

Dr Seuss was my favourite and I still love the books. I read them to my kids all the time and still get the same excitement from them now as I did as a kid. They really are unique children’s books. I also remember in grade five my teacher read The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien and it was the highlight of my primary school days.

Do you think that books have the power to change people’s lives more than films?

I definitely think books have that power. When I was 19 years old I devoured every book I could get my hands on to do with self-improvement, spirituality, health and fitness, meditation, etc, and these books have helped me shape my life in ways movies haven’t. The one book that really stood out was Anthony Robbins’ Awaken the Giant Within — this is a life-changing book.

If you could take two characters from different books and put them in one book, who would they be and what would they get up to?

I loved the character of Lisbeth Salander from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and Henry Miller, the author who wrote about himself in his books. I think it would be a bizarre meeting of two such eccentric people. I actually wouldn’t like to say what they would get up to, but I am sure it would be dynamic.

What’s your favourite word in the English language?

Yes! I love using it and I love when people use it back to me.

If everyone in the world could stop what they were doing for a week and read one book, what would it be?

I think Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts is one of the most engaging books I have ever read. It is a great story which weaves such a broad range of human emotions. I also think Richard Dawkins’ The God Delusion must be read with an open mind.

Your say: What do you think of Pete’s choices? Who else would you like to see in the Book Club hot seat?

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Will your relationship survive? Take a test

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A test has been designed by US scientists that aims to accurately predict whether a relationship will be a success.

Using a specially designed quiz, researchers correctly predicted whether more than 50 couples would still be together or have thrown in the towel over a 12 month period, the UK’sDaily Telegraphreported.

The test, carried out at the University of Rochester, used a survey and a word-association test with a time limit on 116 people, 19 of whom split from their partners within the year.

Unsurprisingly, those who associated negative words with their partners were seven times more likely to break up with their partners than those who associated positive words.

The skill of the test was to elicit these responses automatically without giving the respondents a chance to make a conscious choice.

The tests are a breakthrough because the results proved to be more accurate than the respondents’ own assumptions about the strength of their relationships.

“What really excited me in our results was that our measure seemed to do a better job of predicting outcomes than what the people told us about their relationships,” study author Professor Ronald Rogge said.

Earlier relationship studies had foundered as people aren’t good at reading their own feelings, let alone their partner’s.

“The difficulty with that is that it assumes that they know themselves how happy they are, and that’s not always the case,” Professor Rogge said.

“To make things worse, a lot of people don’t want to tell you if they’re starting to feel less happy in their relationship.”

The test is based on the same techniques used to determine racism, bias or any other feelings that people are unwilling to admit to, theDaily Telegraphreported.

“It really is giving us a unique glimpse into how people were feeling about their partners — giving us information that they were unable or unwilling to report,” Professor Rogge said.

There is no news on when the test will be available to the public.

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Goldie Hawn’s ex sells tell-all memoir

Goldie Hawn and Kate Hudson

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Goldie Hawn’s former husband is looking to cash in on his relationship with the movie star by selling a book about their relationship.

Bill Hudson, father to movie star Kate Hudson, is shopping around a tell-all memoir under the title So You Are a Star, the New York Post has reported.

In pictures: messy celeb divorces

“What if your ex-wife used her public platform to spread rumours about your relationship with your children?” Bill wrote in a proposal sent to publishers. He describes Hawn as “a movie star who enjoyed having ‘open relationships’ and limiting access to their children”.

Bill, a musician who divorced Hawn in 1979 and remained estranged from children Kate and Oliver (also an actor) as they were raised by Hawn and actor Kurt Russell, alleges in the unpublished book that the movie star left him after confessing to infidelity and saying she wanted an open marriage.

“You’re my soul mate … it’s just that I’ve always believed in open marriage,” Bill claimed she told him.

In pictures: expensive Hollywood divorces

“We made love everywhere … airplane bathrooms, rooftops, under the covers in first-class … just any and every place we could find,” he wrote.

He also said that daughter Kate has used their situation in the press to garner sympathy.

“Kate has used the story of her being abandoned by me because she needed tragedy in her life. She grew up privileged in Hollywood with private planes. Nobody was going to sympathise unless she had some tragedy,” Bill wrote.

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Christian Bale bans five-year-old daughter from acting

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UK actor Christian Bale has made sure his five-year-old daughter Emmeline won’t follow in her famous father’s footsteps after he banned her from acting.

The Dark Knight star started his career as an eight-years-old, he was later cast in Steven Spielberg’s Empire of the Sun at just 13. But he isn’t keen on his daughter having an upbringing in the spotlight, Empire magazine reported.

“[I] didn’t like that [being famous as a teen]. That wasn’t for me at all,” he said in an interview with the magazine.

“Some people can deal with it, but I found it to be a complete pain in the arse and embarrassing.

“Also, there was the annoying notion of everyone going, ‘Ah, you should know better’ when I was done for shoplifting. But, no, I shouldn’t have known better. There was no reason I should. I could have done without that side of things.”

The 36-year-old star said he would support his daughter’s dream to be an actress but not professionally.

“It was nice to go travelling and have those experiences [filming movies], but look, if anyone in my family — my nieces or my daughter — wanted to start at that age, I’d absolutely believe in and support their dreams, but I would tell them, ‘No bloody way — not professionally,” he said.

“It’s just too young. You need to be anonymous at that age, you need to go and get into all sorts of trouble and not have anyone know who you are. It’s ruined when everyone knows who you are.”

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Does Kelsey Grammer enjoy wearing women’s clothes?

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He is currently playing a gay owner of a drag club in La Cage Aux Folles on Broadway, but does US actor and comedian Kelsey Grammer enjoying dressing up as a woman in his own time?

In an interview with shock jock Howard Stern, the comedian’s soon to be ex-wife, Camille Grammer, intimated that Kelsey Grammer does enjoy dressing up in woman’s clothes.

“Listen, I don’t think he’s gay,” she said in the interview. “I do think he likes being with women, but there’s something between us that just didn’t click.”

Howard Stern then stated: “But you’re saying you don’t think he’s gay. You said that when he got into La Cage Aux Folles he was in the right play.”

To which she replied: “That’s for another reason.”

Stern then asked if Kelsey dressed up as a woman during their marriage. “I’m not saying it,” she said.

Camille, who stars in Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, has also made these claims to people connected to the show after the pair split, TMZ reported.

Kelsey’s representative, Stan Rosenfield, told TMZ that the 55-year-old actor will not comment on any remarks made by Camille Grammer on their marriage.

“While it is not clear why Camille Grammer continues making public statements about her marriage to Kelsey,” Rosenfield said, “it is crystal clear that Kelsey will continue not responding, regardless of content.”

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In pictures: Queensland floods

Queensland Floods

An overturned car and debris in central Toowoomba following flash flooding.

Queensland Floods

Rising water levels at South Bank, Brisbane at 12:34pm Wednesday. Some South Bank residents walk through here to cross the bridge leading them into the Brisbane CBD.

Queensland Floods

Debris including a boat and a pontoon are caught flowing down the Brisbane River in the CBD.

Queensland Floods

Water levels are about to reach South Bank’s man-made lagoon and beach.

Queensland Floods

Water levels are about to reach South Bank’s man-made lagoon and beach.

Queensland Floods

Two girls sit at a flooded bus stop beside the Brisbane River as it breaks its banks.

Queensland Floods

Residents living in Brisbane’s West End move their belongings from their homes.

Queensland Floods

Residents make their way through the flood waters in Peel Street, South Brisbane.

Queensland Floods

People walk through the flooded roads in Toombul, north of Brisbane, following flash flooding.

Queensland Floods

Castlemaine Street in Milton, Brisbane is flooded.

Queensland Floods

People watch as a street in the inner city suburb of West End floods.

Queensland Floods

The dining area of a restaurant on Eagle Street Pier in the Brisbane CBD is flooded.

Queensland Floods

Flooded Depot Hill area, south of Rockhampton.

Queensland Floods

Cars piled up in Toowoomba following flash flooding.

Queensland Floods

A man and his son kayak past flooded cars in Bundaberg.

Queensland Floods

A woman and her dog disembark from a rescue boat after being evacuated from her flooded home in Rockhampton.

Queensland Floods

A 4WD braves the flooded roads at Rocklea, west of Brisbane.

Queensland Floods

A flooded suburban street in Toowoomba.

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Latest news: Queensland flood crisis

Queensland flood tragedy

The official death toll from the Queensland flood crisis currently stands at 20, with 12 people still unaccounted for.

On Monday night an instant inland tsunami struck the Brisbane town of Toowoomba washing away cars and closing majour roads.

Follow Ninemsn’s flood coverage here.

At 5am on Thursday the Brisbane River peaked at about 4.46m well below forecasts of 5.5m.

However, authorities are warning that the river is still dangerous, churning and bubbling at rapid speeds.

Much of the Ipswich, the Brisbane CBD and inner-city suburbs are still without power after it was shut off on Tuesday night due to safety concerns.

Key figures:

  • 40,000 people will be affected by flooding by Thursday.

  • 19,700 properties expected to be entirely flooded.

  • 3500 commercial properties face complete flooding.

  • 2300 other properties such as parks and vacant land expected to be affected.

  • 2100 streets will be affected.

See more key figures here.

Last night then Brisbane City Council issued the following list of suburbs expected to be affected by flooding today. These areas include:

  • Toowoomba

  • Lockyer Valley

  • Rocklea

  • Albion

  • Milton

  • Auchenflower

  • Norman Park

  • Pinkenba

  • Oxley

  • New Farm

  • Kangaroo Point

  • Bulimba and Sherwood

  • Yeronga

  • Graceville

  • Newstead

  • Yerongpilly

  • Bowen Hills

  • Indooroopilly, Windsor

  • Wacol

  • Brisbane City

  • Moggill

  • East Brisbane

  • Fortitude Valley

  • Chelmer

  • Hemmant

  • Tennyson

  • Fairfield

  • Fig Tree Pocket

  • Coorparoo

  • South Brisbane

  • Lytton

  • Murrarie

For floodmaps, suburbs affected, sandbag locations and evacuation centre details see www.brisbane.qld.gov.au

The Queensland Government has launched an appeal to help fellow Queenslanders affected by the recent floods.

Many communities have been devastated. Some families have lost everything. You can help make a difference by donating to the Premier’s Flood Relief Appeal.

  • Commonwealth Bank

  • NAB

  • Westpac

  • ANZ

  • Bank of Queensland

  • Suncorp

  • Coles

If you would like to help fill sandbags visit Queensland police service Facebook page

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