Today's Obsessions

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• 7 Worst Reality Show Stars …
• 7 Reasons to Keep a Journal …
• 8 Essential Roles Your Friends Play in Your Life …
• 8 Things Not to do at a Dinner Party …
• 7 Work Out Products – Do They Work? …
• 8 Ways to Help Out Your Local Animal Shelter …
• 7 DIY Christmas Gift Ideas …
• 7 Electives to Take in College …
• 8 Pretty Lamps for Your Living Room …
• 7 Foods to Make with Eggnog …
• 5 Interesting Things You Might Want to Know…
• 9 Tips on Choosing Sunglasses …
• 9 Top Male Turn Offs …
• 7 Awesome Christmas Songs …

7 Worst Reality Show Stars … Posted: 17 Dec 2010 10:55 AM PST I love, and I loathe, reality TV. It's a train-wreck, at times so very bad it's a lot of fun to watch. Even with the high entertainment value, though, some reality "stars" are so trashy, annoying, and idiotic, I can't even bear to watch. Here are the 7 worst reality show stars, in no particular order. 1. Snooki from "Jersey Shore" If I had to choose one word to describe Snooki, I'd be torn between "skank" and "trashy." It's a toss-up… is she more trashy, or more skanky? Or equal parts of both? Does it matter? Could she and her friends (and frenemies) please just go away? Please? 2. Amber from "Teen Mom" It's hard to say why Amber from "Teen Mom" is such a disaster, not because I don't know, but because I have such limited space. Let's start with her complete lack of parenting skills. Add her laziness, her loser of a boyfriend, her violent temper, her poor eating habits, and her lack of any redeeming personality traits, and that might sum it up. I feel so bad for that poor sweet little girl of hers. She doesn't stand a chance. And oh, heaven help me, is she pregnant again? 3. Kate from "Jon and Kate Plus 8" I know the show isn't really on anymore. I know it was supposed to be about this adorable family and their adorable day-to-day life and especially their adorable kids… but as much as I adored the kids, and even kind of liked watching Jon try to man up once in a while, Kate was so annoying, so shallow and self-centered, I stopped watching. And now she won't go away. Ugh. Whenever I feel especially irritated with her, all I have to do it look at photos of her from BEFORE she was "famous," when she was just disgustingly unattractive, and I feel better.

7 Reasons to Keep a Journal … Posted: 17 Dec 2010 09:40 AM PST I've recently discovered that most of my friends keep a journal, either as a personal blog online or in an actual paper diary. It's such a good idea! I keep a blog, and it's very cathartic and fun… I love looking back to see how I was feeling during a particular stretch of time. If you've never tried it, I highly recommend you give it a go… here are 7 reasons to keep a journal, even if you're busy… 1. It can help you de-stress Photo Credit: Jen Chan If something (or someone) is getting under your skin, writing it down can help. The simple act of writing about how you feel, and why, will help diffuse the stress and will ease away the pain and anger. I found this to be true especially during my nasty divorce a couple of years ago. 2. It helps you remember According to decades of scientific research, writing things down helps you remember them. This isn't just the case for phone numbers, French verbs, or historical dates — anything you write, you'll be more likely to remember. 3. It helps you look back When did little Susie have that play at school? Which of your friends had that great party last summer? If you keep a journal, you'll always be able to look back and see what happened, when, and with whom.

8 Essential Roles Your Friends Play in Your Life … Posted: 17 Dec 2010 09:38 AM PST True friendship is one of the most beautiful things on this earth. It transcends time, gender, races, and culture. It has the power to change your life. Your friends play indispensable roles in your life because they satisfy your needs, as we in turn satisfy needs they have in their own lives. Here are the eight essential roles your friends play in your life. 1. Confidants Photo Credit: juliejigsaw These friends act as your personal therapist in whom you can confide your deepest, darkest secrets. You go to them for advice and for perspective on things. Confidants are usually your closest friends. 2. Defenders Photo Credit: Kristy D These friends stick by you no matter what. They defend you when you are not around to defend yourself. They believe in your goodness and do not listen to the bad things people say about you. 3. Motivators Photo Credit: industar Motivators are your personal cheering squad. They believe in your ability to accomplish your goals. They cheer you on when you feel weary and unmotivated. They push you to succeed.

8 Things Not to do at a Dinner Party … Posted: 17 Dec 2010 09:38 AM PST Dinner parties, especially the formal ones, can be a really tricky thing. You have to keep the conversation going, pick your topics carefully, mind your manners and think about the way you eat your food while you're eating it. To make the long story short, manners do matter and, while some things may be an obvious no-no, some things may look completely ok and still be viewed as rude. So here are the things you should avoid: 1. Boring or inappropriate topics Photo Credit: FranUlloa I'm not an easy one to gross out. In fact, I've ate a pizza and watched uncensored liposuction on TV once. However, a lot of people don't prefer talking about gross stuff while eating. Plus, it's not polite or nice, anyways. So, definitely don't mention you've stayed up all night chasing a rat and avoid other potentially sickening topics. Now, one more thing about this rule – don't force topics, talk about anything too much and brag excessively (even if you have darn good reasons to). Some even claims is rude to talk about politics but hey, that's always a popular topic and it sure beats the hell out of nice-weather talks. 2. Being the first one to eat Photo Credit: Food Thinkers Don't dig in until everybody is seated and the dinner host gives the "GO!" sign. This rule is especially important for formal dinners but I like to follow it always. Raiding the dinner table can and probably will be interpreted as rude, plus the host might think free food is the only reason you've decided to come. 3. Making noises while eating Photo Credit: Roadsidepictures Nobody wants to hear the food flipping in your mouth or see it half chewed so keep the noises down and your mouth closed. If somebody asks something, place your hand on your mouth and then use the same hand to gesture "one second". Finish your bite slowly and then answer. No slurping and absolutely no burping.

7 Work Out Products – Do They Work? … Posted: 17 Dec 2010 09:31 AM PST Are you in the market to buy a great workout product? If you are wanting to loose a few pounds, or simply tone up your muscles from the recent weight loss you have already went through, then this article may be of some help. It’s disappointing to buy a product that promises results and then doesn’t work…so what do you do? Read reviews from real people! Here are some that I’ve found. 1. Shake Weight I personally have one of these, and though it’s taken a while, I am seeing some small results. However, most reviewers think that it’s a good beginner tool, but doesn’t do everything it claims. Many consumers think that it is actually too light to do a good workout. 2. P90X Workout “It might kill you, but it’s awesome!” one reviewer says. Several people in my family use this workout and absolutely love it. Both male and female receive awesome results with this product. You have the choice of just toning up, and building up, according to which workout plan you follow. However, as I quoted on person, it is extremely tough – definitely not a workout someone not totally committed to losing weight would want to purchase. 3. TurboFire Workout This is another product put out by Beachbody, which is in affiliation with the P90X workout. If you like dancing and high cardio, this is the workout for you. Like the P90X workout, it receives great reviews all around, and promises wonderful results. Again, it’s not a workout for someone who is inclined to choose the couch over the treadmill.

8 Ways to Help Out Your Local Animal Shelter … Posted: 17 Dec 2010 09:07 AM PST Many animal shelters are small local organisations without many resources, that depend on volunteers and donations to keep going. There are lots of ways of helping them out, even if you don't have much time or money. Here are some ways in which you could help out, all of which would be much appreciated. 1. Promotion Photo Credit: model337 Shelters need publicity, so that people become aware of them and their work, which will raise funds and increase adoptions. So one way to help is by promoting them as much as possible. I leave leaflets at local libraries and anywhere else that people might see them. 2. Fostering Photo Credit: popinjaykev Do you like having pets, but for whatever reason can't commit to having your own? Then fostering is a great way of having a temporary pet, while helping out enormously. Foster homes are much in demand, when the shelter is full, or an animal needs medicating or socialising. Although it's difficult to see them leave for a permanent home, you have the satisfaction of knowing that you've done something really good. 3. Fundraising Photo Credit: Judy B – The Travelling Eye Maybe you like animals, but don't want to be directly involved in their care? Since shelters are always in desperate need of funds, everything helps. Whether it's organising a one-off event, looking at ways of creating a regular income, or taking part in a collection, fund raising is a very important part of running a shelter.

7 DIY Christmas Gift Ideas … Posted: 17 Dec 2010 08:54 AM PST Do you ever get tired of giving so-so christmas gift that seem to get more blah every year? it’s the same year after year, a scarf or a sweater or a book that never gets read. So why not do something totally amazing this year? That’s right, a Do-It-Yourself gift! Here are 7 great ideas to get you started! 1. Coupon Book Photo Credit: matulio OK, I’m not talking about grocery store coupons! How about a book of coupons for a one hour massage, or a day of free babysitting? The most valuable gift is the gift of your time and you can make up these little books and print them off yourself! Some great ideas for coupons would be one day to spend with you doing whatever the gift recipient wishes, a free car wash, or dinner on you! 2. Jean Purse Photo Credit: pinkpaisley You don’t have to be a whiz with a needle and thread to whip up this cute purse! All you need is a basic know how. Take an old pair of jeans you don’t want and cut the legs off of them straight across at the crotch. Turn them inside out and sew them straight across. You can use some pretty ribbon as handles and you can hot glue little gems or use fabric paint to decorate the front! 3. Candy Photo Credit: KimFearheiley Making your own candy isn’t as complicated as you would think! Gather up some candy molds which are available at most craft stores or in the baking section of grocery stores. You can melt white chocolate on the stove top and add food coloring of your choice. Then simply pour the chocolate into molds and wait until it cools! Yummy!

7 Electives to Take in College … Posted: 17 Dec 2010 08:49 AM PST Once you've taken all of your core classes to fulfill your degree requirements, you'll have a whole semester or two of electives, courses you take because they interest you or will round out your schedule. But there are so many to choose from! How will you know whether you ought to take another math class, or opt for something more… fun? Or more artsy? Of course, you should consult a counselor at your college or university, but if you've gotten the go-ahead to take whatever you like, I can make some suggestions! Here are 7 electives to take in college… 1. Foreign language Photo Credit: sebastien.b Simply put, taking a foreign language in college will make you a much better, well-rounded candidate for everything from study abroad programs to graduate school to your dream job. It's also helpful when traveling, of course. Even many community colleges offer several choices for a foreign language; the community college I attend offers Arabic, German, Japanese, Spanish, Italian, and French… 2. Anthropology Photo Credit: Tous les noms sont déjà pris… pfff… Regardless of how you feel about science and religion, the study of anthropology will prove to be fascinating. It's one of the more difficult electives I've taken, but it's so interesting, and so helpful! 3. Speech Photo Credit: govcedric No matter what sort of field you choose to go into, chances are, somewhere in your academic and professional career, you'll be called on to present something to your clients or peers. That's why having a speech or public speaking course will come in handy — you'll learn how to present without feeling nervous.

8 Pretty Lamps for Your Living Room … Posted: 17 Dec 2010 04:32 AM PST You can do a lot with your décor just by choosing the right lamps, and many of them are highly versatile because you can choose different shades when you want to change the look of your living room. I browsed what Target has to offer for these ideas, because I think they have some of the greatest lamps, and they don’t cost an arm and a leg. Here are my favorites among many beautiful styles! 1. A Paper Lantern Lamp Price: $29.99 at target.com Paper lanterns are beautiful, but rarely practical for living room lightning. This gives you that ethereal, Asian inspired touch, though, and you can actually, you know, see. It’s sturdier than a lot of rice paper lamps because the shade itself doesn’t go all the way down to the base, and the base itself is steadier. 2. Red, Black, and Boxy Price: $59.99 at target.com This lamp is just so decadent, with the ebony wood base and the red shade. I love a red and black color scheme so much, although you can get this in different colors as well. As is, it makes a great accent piece in a neutral room. 3. Pretty in Pink Price: $34.99 at target.com Again, this lamp is offered with the shades in different colors. I just happen to think the pink shades are adorable. By no means will this work with every living room, but if you favor pastels, neutral shades of beige, white, tan, and so on, or a starker black, white, and grey motif, then this could make a precious accent piece.

7 Foods to Make with Eggnog … Posted: 17 Dec 2010 04:14 AM PST I love eggnog so much. As soon as it starts appearing on the shelves, I start buying it – and ultimately get tired of it, and wind up with a surplus of eggnog. I hate the thought of wasting it, so I found some surprising foods that can use eggnog as an ingredient. I can’t wait to start looking up recipes as well! 1. Muffins Photo Credit: Sunshine Hanan Can you imagine eggnog muffins? From what I can see, they are incredibly moist, not to mention festive, and they have that distinctive taste without being overwhelming. I can only imagine how many muffin or cupcake flavors the eggnog will enhance. 2. Pancakes Photo Credit: Kevin Logan Photography This one isn’t so surprising, but it is delicious. You have to be careful with the balance when you’re making your pancake mix, but it’s not really that difficult. These kinds of pancakes are ideal for holiday breakfasts and brunches. Of course, they aren’t the best choice if you’re trying to start a diet or anything. 3. French Toast Photo Credit: mooshee85 This is another delicious eggnog based breakfast food. Eggnog French Toast is absolutely scrumptious. You have to add a lot of ‘nog if you’re looking for that signature taste, though. The batter is thicker as well, so keep that in mind when you are soaking your bread.

5 Interesting Things You Might Want to Know… Posted: 17 Dec 2010 03:22 AM PST 1. On Christmas Trees Did you know that the first Christmas tree was lit in 1510? Wow! Look how far this tradition has come! Check out the link to know more about these holiday trees. 2. On Mommy “Me” Time According to this new book, “everybody has 10 minutes a day to do something for themselves.” To the mommies out there, when was the last time you gave yourself 10 minutes to take a break? 3. On Surviving College Here are 5 things that you should buy or ask Santa to get for you. Next semester will be a breeze if you have these with you at all times (or in your dorm room). 4. On Scene Kids Ever see those kids with thick eyeliner and strange ‘dos? Well, you may be looking at what society calls scene kids. Check out the link to know their identifiers. 5. On Holiday Stress Let’s face it, the holidays can take its toll on us. If you need help, here are tips on staying positive this season. We’re sure you’ve read some interesting things online lately. Please share them with us! Top Photo Credit: heritagefutures

9 Tips on Choosing Sunglasses … Posted: 17 Dec 2010 02:37 AM PST There is such a variety to chose from when it comes to selecting the right pair of sunglasses for you, sometimes it can be confusing and you do not know where to start. Here are 9 tips on choosing sunglasses. 9. Consider why you need to wear sunglasses Photo Credit: xelia. You will need to wear sunglasses when the sun is out in order to protect your eyes but you also need to consider where you will be going with your sunglasses. For example, if you are going sailing on the ocean you are likely to want to buy a pair of wraparound sports sunglasses because these are quite sturdy. 8. Sunglasses are not just for summer time Photo Credit: Pink Sherbet Photography Often people will go out and choose a bright pair of sunglasses as they believe they are only to wear during the summer time when the sun is out the most. This is not the case though; sunglasses should be worn whenever there is sun shining so you may want to bear this in mind when selecting a pair of jazzy glasses. 7. Prevent ninety nine per cent of UV radiation Photo Credit: Apryl Wiese There are probably not many of us who can say that when they are selecting a pair of sunglasses that they check what percentage of UV radiation is blocked out. This is something that we should all do though because the whole point of wearing sunglasses is to protect our eyes. Ideally we need to look for sunglasses that prevent ninety nine to one hundred per cent of UV radiation.

9 Top Male Turn Offs … Posted: 17 Dec 2010 01:23 AM PST Men may seem relatively easy but believe it or not, there are certain things that turn them off.  What are these things and why do they not work? Read on and find out… 9. Lack or Little Communication Photo Credit: mollybob Even if this is usually a woman issue, a man hates it when the person near him does not open her soul. It is good for both of them to express their true feelings, be sincere and open from the start to avoid later problems in the relationship. If you say one thing and think about another, then you are on your way to failing. 8. Hygiene Photo Credit: Erin Lea Usually this issue is caused by women who don't take the time to shave their intimate zones, wash their mouth, don't use sweat protection or other things that could make a man mad or avoid that person. 7. Don't Try to Change a Man Photo Credit: flightlessXbird Yes, everybody has a few annoying habits that they would be better off without but that’s not the kind of change I am talking about here. I am talking about fundamental qualities that make a person who they are. Remember that we are all unique with our flaws et all and it is but obvious that no one likes to be changed in any way, especially not your man.

7 Awesome Christmas Songs … Posted: 17 Dec 2010 12:41 AM PST There have been numerous new Christmas songs written over the past few decades of my life, but I'm a sucker for the traditional ones. Something about the tunes just seems to get me in the Christmas spirit within the first few notes. This could be because I clearly remember my grandmother playing her favorite Christmas records on the living room stereo. The 7 awesome Christmas songs listed below have always been played in my home for as long as I can remember. See if some of these are ones you enjoy as well! 7. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer Photo Credit: oh miss aimee What kid didn't grow up singing this for the school Christmas program? It's hard to find someone who doesn't at least know the tune to this song. It definitely brings back childhood memories of singing along with classmates all dressed as red nosed reindeers. The joys of being a kid! Those were the days when dancing around while wearing foam antlers and a blinking red nose received a nod and a smile instead of a strange look. 6. Winter Wonderland Photo Credit: melissabain This song always made me so happy to hear. I grew up wishing for snow and sometimes got my wish, but not for long. The snow would appear over night and disappear by 10 in the morning. I always envisioned tons of snow and happy people playing outside in it when I would hear this song being played on the record player. As an adult, I moved to a location where snow was prevalent and I finally got my wish of snow during Christmas, as well as most of the year. 5. What Child is This Photo Credit: Madison Avenue I had a musical dancing doll that my grandmother gave to me when I was a little girl. It was a small china doll dressed in a dark green velvet dress and bonnet that were both miniature replicas of clothing worn during the Victorian era. This little doll would sway back and forth, dancing around in a circular fashion to the song Greensleeves, which is composed of the same tune that goes along with this Christmas song.

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