Today's Obsessions

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• 9 Mistakes for Middle Aged Women …
• 7 Ways to Bring Out the Best in Your Partner …
• 8 Most Adorable Animal Movies …
• 8 Ways To Cool The Drama Outbreaks …
• 7 Facts on Replica Items …
• 8 Ways to Tell If Your Boyfriend’s a Hermit …
• 7 Ways to Let Someone Know You Don’t Want a 2nd Date …
• 7 Chores I Loathe …
• 7 Great Gift Cards for Kids …
• 7 Creative, Crazy Present Ideas for the Ones That Have Everything …
• Top 7 Peeves with Online Dating …
• 7 Wonderful Movie OSTs …
• 8 Reasons I Love Animals …
• 7 Tips for Men on Sparking Up a Conversation …
• 8 Things To Try …Even If You’re Not Very Good …

9 Mistakes for Middle Aged Women … Posted: 13 Jan 2011 11:33 AM PST Age really is just a number. My mother, who is my BFF unequivocally, and my mother-in-law to-be, whom I dearly love, got me to thinking about this – plus, although I am not middle-aged yet, every year makes me think a little more. Women are giving, loving, selfless people, by and large – sometimes to their detriment. So here are some things to remember, because you don’t have to lose yourself or your womanhood no matter how old you are. 1. Not Buying Things for Themselves My mom rarely ever buys anything for herself. She gets things for everyone else and only buys herself the necessities – if that. And that’s just not necessary. Don’t be afraid to splurge or pamper yourself. It doesn’t even have to be about clothes or shoes. Don’t feel bad about buying yourself the perfume you really like, or the foods, or even the oil you prefer to have in your car. 2. Underestimating the Need for Change Everyone needs change in their lives, or else you run the risk of stagnating. Sometimes change is scary, no matter what your age, but it’s still important. Whether you’re 14, 24, 34, or 44, you can change up your routine and try something new. 3. Comparing Themselves to their Younger Selves First up, I don’t mean this the way it sounds. I don’t think there are a lot of Miss Havisham’s out there, with the clocks in their houses stopped. What I do mean is, so what if your measurements are different than they were at 20? So what if you have a few more laugh lines? The past is the past for a reason, and I can guarantee that everyone who loves you finds you more beautiful now.

7 Ways to Bring Out the Best in Your Partner … Posted: 13 Jan 2011 10:48 AM PST If you live with a Negative Nancy, it can be extremely difficult to get this person to be all he/she can be. No matter how much of a pessimist your partner seems to be, you can still help to draw out the best qualities and abilities this person is capable of. Here is a list with 7 ways to bring out the best in your partner. I hope you are able to make a few work successfully for you. 7. Help True Potential Be Realized Some people don't realize just how much potential they actually have stored up inside. Reassure your partner that the capability to do anything is there, it just needs to be tapped. If you can't do this on your own, then enlist some close friends to help you out. Expect a lot of your partner – within reason – and your partner will have a much better chance at succeeding in releasing the potential inside. 6. Have Fun! Laughter tends to make relationships stronger. Being able to laugh and have fun together is a great way to relax as well. You can bring out the best in your partner by easing the tension. Humor helps many people to be able to focus more on the important things and let the mundane ones slide right off their back. 5. Offer As Much Support As You Can Being a supportive partner is more helpful than you can possibly imagine. Even if things don't always work out, as long as you are supportive of your partner the desire to try again won't be squelched. I can think of many times that I've failed at something in life. My husband has always been there to off moral support and let me know that I still have the ability to try again when there might be a greater chance of success.

8 Most Adorable Animal Movies … Posted: 13 Jan 2011 10:46 AM PST I like movies with animals in them, whether they are animated or live action. The following movies are just some of the better ones I can recall seeing over the years. I remember thinking how cool it would be to have animals that talked to you in human-speak, but after seeing movies made with animals speaking their mind, it's probably for the best that I don't understand every word they say! Here are the 8 most adorable animal movies I can think off. Feel free to add more to the list! 8. Fly Away Home Image source: st.kinopoisk.ru The 'based on a true story' animal movies are often the most touching. I remember hearing the story that this movie was based on before the movie was ever talked about. The film came out in 1996, which was around 3 years after Bill Lishman was able to get a flock of Canada geese to follow his ultralight aircraft from Ontario to northern Virginia. Of course alterations were made to the storyline to make it more entertaining, but the just of the event was right on. 7. Stuart Little Image source: st.kinopoisk.ru I've always like Michael J. Fox, ever since I saw him on Family ties when I was a kid. He has the perfect voice for Stuart Little! I was skeptical about seeing this movie when it came to theaters. I was worried that I wouldn't like the film, since the mouse was animated and everyone else wasn't, but it turned out to be a very cute movie. 6. Snow Dogs Image source: st.kinopoisk.ru This was definitely one of the more comical movies revolving around dog sledding. There was still a bit of drama in it, but plenty of humor. Loosely based on a book by Gary Paulsen, Snow Dogs was a fantastic movie for the entire family. The dogs were precious and the animated expressions were a cute addition. Huskies are one of my favorite breeds of dog, so I wanted to see this movie as soon as it came out. I wasn't disappointed at all!

8 Ways To Cool The Drama Outbreaks … Posted: 13 Jan 2011 10:30 AM PST Have you ever asked yourself why some people make such a big deal over life's little upsets? Or maybe you are the Drama Queen, but wish that you took things with much less personality. Either way, though drama may be amusing at times, it can be a little more than necessary in a few cases. Keep reading to find out how you can cool the drama and move on to a more peaceful, calm life… 1. Your Husband's Relentless Refusal to Pick Up After Himself Please be calm, and instead of picking up his dirty socks and throwing them at him, talk to him. Make a deal with him…say if he will stop leaving his socks in the floor, you will stop throwing them at him! 2. Your Children's Back Talk It may be really frustrating for you when every suggestion you make is thrown back in your face by your 10 year old, and even your 15 year old. Tell you child that you will not tolerate disrespect, and that being rude is not the way to deal with his or her problems. 3. An Interfering Mother In Law If your mother in law call every day complaining that her son needs to call her more often than he does. Next time she calls, instead of blowing your top, calmly let her know that situation needs to be handled by her and her son. Politely let her know it isn't any of your business and she needs to take it up with your husband.

7 Facts on Replica Items … Posted: 13 Jan 2011 09:53 AM PST According to ads and (evidently paid) articles, replica items are the new budget-friendly hit. Why would you give $1000, when you can get the identical thing for just 1/5 of that money? Well, I guess somebody has to work on its definition of "identical" because I doubt fake Chanel and real Chanel could ever be compared. But, here, let me elaborate on that and give you more facts to work with: 1. Replicas VS. Fakes According to some, there is a big difference between these two. Replicas or "inspired" bags usually feature the same style, design or print while fakes represent a mirror image of the real designer product. Now, I'm open to suggestions, corrections and further explanations on this because I really see no difference between these two. Especially these days when everything goes under the name "replica". Cheap PVC bags that look nothing like the real deal are called replicas and are the pricy, supposedly leather ones. 2. You won't save a penny The competitive price is undoubtedly the main reason why people decide to buy replica items. Why would you spend $1000 on the original Louis Vuitton bag, when you can get the one that looks the same for just $200? Well, the first thing you should have in mind is that, with replica items, you're practically buying a "cat in the bag". The most of these can be bought on the Internet only so you can't be 100% sure you'll get the item from the picture. So, are your ready to blow 200-400 dollars knowing that the only thing you can do if you get bad merchandise is spend days writing hate mail? 3. They are illegal What about copyrights and trademarks? Now, I don't know much about the rules abroad but here where I live, fakes are illegal. Now imagine the embarrassment of being arrested for wearing fake designer goods! Plus, the airport personnel has the right to detain you, take your fake goodies and inspect your luggage thoroughly to make sure you're not transporting any others.

8 Ways to Tell If Your Boyfriend’s a Hermit … Posted: 13 Jan 2011 09:52 AM PST First off, in honor of gender equality, let me say that girlfriends can be hermits too. And I am also not poking fun at legitimate agoraphobia or anything like that. But surely some, if not all, of you know how it goes: whether you say hermit, homebody, or "indoor significant other," you know or have dated somebody who never wants to go anywhere or do anything. How do you know? Well, these 8 ways to tell if your boyfriend’s a hermit can probably help. 1. Facebook Fanatic You have date someone like this, or have a friend like this, but you know what it means. Boyfriend spends all his time on Facebook. His idea of a hot Friday night is updating his status or changing his profile picture. All his friends seem to be on Facebook – the friends he never actually goes out to see. And, strangely, your relationship sounds way better in his status updates than it actually is in real life. 2. Video Drone I have nothing against playing video games, nothing. But if all your boyfriend does is talk to his buddies on WoW or Xbox or whatever, rather than going out and hanging out with people he can see, there can be a problem. Spending a couple nights a week like this, that’s cool – maybe I’m lenient, it might not be cool for you, that’s okay. Spending every single night of the week doing this, though, you might have a homebody on your hands. 3. "Once You Get to Know Him" If you find yourself using that phrase to explain your boyfriend to your friends and family members all the time, you might also be dealing with a homebody. "Oh, he’s really nice … once you get to know him." "Oh, he’s super funny … once you get to know him." "Oh, he’s a great guy … once you get to know him." When your boyfriend shows no interest in letting anyone get to know him … red alert, red alert!

7 Ways to Let Someone Know You Don’t Want a 2nd Date … Posted: 13 Jan 2011 09:49 AM PST I am going to give you 7 ways to let someone know you don't want a 2nd date. I know that sometimes, it is hard to let someone down and I hope I will help you out. 7. Your Schedule is Tight When they ask you on a date, tell them that your schedule is tight. Let them know that your schedule is going to be tight for some time now. Tell them that you will call them if the schedule eases up any. Of course, you're not going to call him back. You're just letting him down gently. 6. Reject Him with a Compliment This may be a good one. Reject him by telling him that he is such a great guy and you are sure he will find a great girl one day. I have done this one before and it worked. If it doesn't work, then move forward to number 3. 5. Tell him You're Not Ready for a Relationship Of course, you could always just be open with him. If you really do not want to go on a second date with him, then just tell him that you are no ready for a relationship. Let him know that you just want to be friends. Surely, he is going to understand.

7 Chores I Loathe … Posted: 13 Jan 2011 08:44 AM PST Because I'm a freelancer, and I work from home, people assume I have so much time for household chores, and that I can just do them while I'm working. That's not really true, but I do what I can — throw in a load of laundry, unload the dishwasher, anything I can between work projects. I can get a lot of chores done during the day if I'm careful, but on the weekends, I'm stuck with everything I put off all week, and those are the chores I loathe, like these: 1. Vacuuming I love the marks on the carpet when I'm done vacuuming, and the fact that the carpet is clean, but I really hate all the noise. My daughter and my cat hate the noise, too, so even though it can make a room look finished and tidy, this is one of my least favorite chores. 2. Bathroom The bathroom is just gross, with little bits of hair, toothpaste, and soap scum everywhere, not to mention the nasty "oops" around the toilet from my boyfriend and his sons. I always put off cleaning the bathroom. Once I'm done, it's nice to have it spotless, until the next day, when it's messy and disgusting again. 3. Litter box We have a cat. Actually, my boyfriend has a cat, and I clean up after it. I loathe cleaning the catbox, but this is a chore that needs to be done, and often. Nothing smells worse than a dirty catbox.

7 Great Gift Cards for Kids … Posted: 13 Jan 2011 08:23 AM PST Gift cards make great gifts for your friends and family who live far away, or for the ones who already have everything they want and need. That includes children, of course, who can be so hard to buy for! But many of the gift cards you'd buy for an adult aren't really right for kids, so what to do? No worries! After conferring with my own hard-to-buy-for relatives, including my daughters, here is a list of 7 great gift cards for kids. 1. Target LEGO Dog Gift Card Price: $25 to $1,000 at target.com I've never met a kid, or an adult, for that matter, who didn't love building things with LEGO blocks. Apparently, the designer of this gift card knows that, so they've included a mini LEGO set to build the cute white Target dog complete with the little red circle around his eye. I want one! I mean, my little girl wants one! 2. Target Elfin Around Voice Changer Gift Card Price: $25 to $1,000 at target.com Another brilliant idea by the gift card designers at Target: a gift card with a voice changer. Kids love hearing how weird their voices sound when they play with this — and they love the spending money at Target, too. 3. Target Winter Fishing Hole Gift Card Price: $25 to $1,000 at target.com This is a gift card and board game in one, with cut-out game pieces, a board, and spinner built in. Of course, there's a gift card included, too, so the board game lover on your list can choose any game they'd like… or anything else from Target, for that matter…

7 Creative, Crazy Present Ideas for the Ones That Have Everything … Posted: 13 Jan 2011 06:47 AM PST Picking out a nice present for our loved ones always turn out into a mind game. What do get? How to turn it into a nice surprise? What if somebody else buys that too? Yup, the questions keep piling and, in case your loved one is a person that just has every little trinket and gadget out there…well… the list of questions and things to stress about becomes even longer. Now, I've been giving this a lot of thought lately, so here are some gift suggestions that are creative, unusual and bound to get even the ones that have everything smiling. 1. A box full of nothing Take a big box, fill it up with colorful shredded papers, place a smaller box inside, fill it up with the same papers and keep doing that until you manage to squeeze in at least 4-5 boxes of different sizes. The last and the smallest box should be the hardest one to get to and should contain… well… NOTHING! The person receiving the gift will first be surprised, then slightly confused, embarrassed and maybe even a little bit mad… but if couple this with a small token of love and a line, "I've tried, I've really tried but my love for you just won't fit in the box!", all those feelings will soon be replaced with a happy grin. 2. "Me time" coupons My fiancé enjoys massages but I'm often too tired for that. I'm not very strong and I need to squeeze and press very hard for him to feel anything, which, of course, means that my hands start hurting and I get tired after 5 minutes. My sister, in the other hand, can make some really mean hairstyles but she's never around or always too busy whenever I need a hairstyle. Sounds familiar? If your loved ones have more than enough of material things, give them something you know they want but never get enough of – time spent with you. Make a set of coupons they could just whip out whenever they want and be prepared to do what they want you to do – give them a massage, a back scratch, a makeover or just your undivided attention and company.

Top 7 Peeves with Online Dating … Posted: 13 Jan 2011 05:40 AM PST This blog on top 7 peeves with online dating is something I have had on my list for awhile now. There are so many things with online dating that bothers me. Let me give you my top 7 things that bother me the most … 7. Pictures Don't Match When a man or a woman looks into online dating, they don't want to hear "that picture is of me a couple of years ago. I have not updated my picture since then." They want to see a picture of you that is recent. 6. Lying About Age There are some people who lie about their age. This so happens to be a big pet peeve of many. Please don't go lying about your age – at one point, someone is going to find out your real age and you will seem like a dummy for lying about it. Besides, remember, age doesn't matter – with online dating, it's your personality and your picture. 5. Grammar Errors I remember looking at dating ads when I was younger – you know, before I was married. Not that I needed a boyfriend, it was just that I was curious. Anyhow, even back then, I had a pet peeve for grammar errors. I do not like when there are so many grammar errors in personal ads. Does this bother any of you?

7 Wonderful Movie OSTs … Posted: 13 Jan 2011 02:19 AM PST A good OST will evoke scenes from a movie. A good OST will make you imagine what it feels like to go through what the film’s characters went through. A good OST will make you want to have an OST for your own life, too. Here are collections from films that I consider fantastic. Take note: most of these movies are rom-coms and are quite old. Because yes, I am a sap. And old. 1. I Am Sam Price: $13.56 at amazon.com What could be better than songs by the Beatles sang by modern-day artists? Some of you may want to shoot me for saying this but I actually prefer this over the original Beatles versions. I can imagine some of you giving me the eye of death through your computer or laptop monitors right about now. But seriously, you have to give this album a listen. My favorite is “Blackbird” by Sarah McLachlan. She has such a hauntingly beautiful voice. 2. Notting Hill Price: $11.84 at amazon.com The story of a down to earth but funny Notting Hill lad and how he met and fell in love with a big shot Hollywood actress. Don’t we all wish we can have a similar love story? Or that we can have a house with a blue door in Notting Hill? Minus the strange roommate, of course. The music of this film was wonderful, too. My favorite is “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers. It was a perfect accompaniment for when Will was missing Anna. 3. Something’s Gotta Give Price: $8.61 at amazon.com I think I listened to this soundtrack over and over again the very moment I bought the CD. Then a friend borrowed it and then he listened to it over and over and over and over again. I am not joking. The film was heartwarming and funny but the OST is a treasure in a league of its own. If you love jazz, you’ll love this selection of songs 4. City of Angels Price: $7.72 at amazon.com I think this may be the first movie OST that I genuinely loved and enjoyed. This came out more than a decade ago and believe you me, this soundtrack was my perfect “studying for an exam” companion in college. Yes, I am old. But back to the soundtrack…My favorites include Goo Goo Dolls’ “Iris”, Alanis Morisette’s “Uninvited”, Sarah McLachlan’s “Angel” and the instrumental pieces of Gabriel Yared. 5. Across the Universe Price: $14.35 at amazon.com Hmmm it sounds like I am a Beatles songs fan but not a Beatles fan. I suggest you don’t try to understand that previous sentence and just go and get yourself a copy of this OST. The songs are wonderful. While you’re at it, you might want to get a DVD of the film, too. Jim Sturgess is a sweetheart! 6. Bridget Jones’s Diary Price: $11.56 at amazon.com The first song that will probably come to mind when you think of this movie is “It’s Raining Men.” As a matter of fact, that is my favorite from this OST. A good number of people (including those who loved the movie) did not like this collection but I think it’s great fun. Dear old Bridget would approve. 7. Serendipity Price: $9.87 at amazon.com When I hear “Moonlight Kiss” I think of this movie. You have 21 tracks that are nothing but perfect for a sappy love story. If you’re a fan of the movie or if you like feel-good, romantic songs in general, this is a good buy. When I finally roundup a good number of songs to be part of the soundtrack of my life, I’ll steal tracks from these albums. What did you think of these OSTs?

8 Reasons I Love Animals … Posted: 13 Jan 2011 01:33 AM PST I never get tired of having animals around. I even miss my pets when I go on vacation. I'm more excited to come home and see them than I am my friends! There's just something so sweet about how innocent they are. A couple of my pets have their ornery moments, but for the most part they are all very well-behaved and loving. Here are 8 reasons I love animals, especially as pets. Feel free to add your own reasons in the comment section! 8. They know how to forgive I've known people to hold grudges for years, but animals always seem more than willing to forgive their humans. I have one cat that will pout for a while when he gets in trouble. He will usually come around and forgive me for yelling at him for what he did. You'd think that he would quit attacking the bread after the first couple of times he got in trouble for it. Thankfully, I've finally found a place where he can't reach the loaves of bread; a metal bread box. 7. Animals are great at cheering you up My dog comes over and nudges my hand or leg when she senses I'm sad. The cats are always fighting for who will sit in my lap first when I've been crying or am feeling a little blue. I even have one little kitten who pats my face with her paws as if to let me know that everything will work itself out and that I should cheer up. Usually the antics these pets perform are a great source of enjoyment all on their own. 6. They are always up for a nap I've never had a better nap buddy. Once the dog settles down and relaxes, she's a pretty good nap partner, but the cats are by far better. The purring is soothing and always puts me right to sleep. There have been numerous times where I've walked past the bed and spied a snoozing kitten that I couldn't resist joining. A napping kitty is almost a magnet to me. I can't help by snuggle up next to the sleepy little fur ball and fall asleep myself.

7 Tips for Men on Sparking Up a Conversation … Posted: 13 Jan 2011 12:10 AM PST If you are a guy and you have trouble sparking up a conversation with girls, then I am going to try my best to give you some tips that should help you. In the blog posting below, you are going to find 7 tips for men on sparking up a conversation … 7. First Impressions Mean a Lot When you approach a girl that you like, introduce yourself. The girl will more than likely introduce herself as well. If she doesn't, then ask her for her name. Remember, the first impression means a lot. 6. Don't Think They're Out of Your League Guys, when you are trying to strike up that conversation, you shouldn't go thinking they are out of your league. That girl is only out of your league if you think she is. So, avoid having this thought in your head. Remember, you are as good as you think you are. 5. Give Your Undivided Attention When you are finally speaking with her, you should give her your undivided attention and nothing less. By doing this, you will be showing her that you are interested in her. Girls love it when a guy gives her his undivided attention.

8 Things To Try …Even If You’re Not Very Good … Posted: 12 Jan 2011 12:20 PM PST I've always wanted to try painting, but when I was at school only those who showed particular talent were given attention. So I wonder how many people have been deterred from trying something out for fear of being 'no good at it'. Well, it's time to let go of that fear – it doesn't matter if you're not that good! Here are some things to try, regardless of ability. 1. Singing You don't need to have professional aspirations to enjoy singing. Instead, just sing to yourself around the house (not just in the shower), and enjoy the pleasure of letting your voice loose. Sing along to the radio, or by yourself, and don't worry what you sound like. It's just for fun! 2. Art As mentioned above, I was put off art at school, but I'm still really interested in trying it out and seeing what I can do. So I'm looking into art classes next term. So what if my efforts aren't impressive? I can always paint over the picture and start again – or just enjoy expressing myself. 3. Skating Whether it's on the ice, or inline skating, putting on those wheels or blades is bound to be a lot of fun. It may involve a lot of falling over as well, but that's part of the fun! If you don't take yourself too seriously, and don't care if you look silly, then grab some skates.

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