Today's Obsessions

---

• 8 Wonderful Colin Firth Movies …
• 8 Fashions I Wore That Make Me Cringe …
• 7 “Fashion Statements” I Don’t Quite Understand …
• 7 Work Etiquette Tips …
• 8 Things You Can Do to Brighten a Stranger’s Day …
• 7 Beach Bags Under $50…
• 9 Fab Miss Sixty Items on Sale …
• 8 Things You Shouldn’t Compromise On …
• 7 Interesting Things To Do In A Traffic Jam …
• 7 Gifts that Look Expensive but Aren’t …
• 10 Amazing Health Benefits of Sleep …
• 7 Programs To Use For Video Editing …
• 7 TV Products to Stay Away From …
• Lose Weight with Slim9! …
• Happy Birthday, Ladies!
• 5 Strangely Fascinating Things to Check Out …
• 10 Tricks to Look Younger Instantly …

8 Wonderful Colin Firth Movies … Posted: 28 Mar 2011 11:33 AM PDT I'm writing this three days before Oscar night, so right now, I have no idea who will win the award for Best Lead Actor, but I sure hope it's Colin Firth. He's been nominated for his role in "The King's Speech," which I think should win handily (we'll see!). I've been a fan of Firth's for years… he seems to have a knack for choosing extraordinary movies… whether he wins or not this year, spend some time with these Colin Firth films, and see if you agree — he's one of the best actors of his generation! 1. The King's Speech Price: $19.99 on pre-order at amazon.com Based on a the true story of England's King George VI, a man who, unlike this father and brother, wanted nothing less than to be king, for he suffered from a life-long speech impediment, a stutter. But after his brother abdicates the throne to marry a commoner (and an American, at that), the young man becomes King anyway. Firth plays the King, supported by a brilliant cast, from Guy Pearce as his brother to Helena Bonham Carter as his wife and the magnificent Geoffrey Rush as his savior, the wily, unorthodox therapist that helps him as he prepares for the singular most important speech he'll give, on the eve of World War II. The movie is stellar, as is Firth's performance. He's truly as regal, and as vulnerable, as you'd imagine such a King to be. 2. Mamma Mia Price: $13.99 at amazon.com From King to (drag) queen in just one glittery leap! I adored Colin Firth in this movie, especially his performance at the end — who knew he could sing? He's charming, sweet, clever, and as handsome as ever. It may not seem like the right role for Firth, until you see him in it. And the music is so much fun! Does it matter whether or not he's Sophie's father? Nope!

8 Fashions I Wore That Make Me Cringe … Posted: 28 Mar 2011 11:30 AM PDT Older readers will identify with me only to well when I say this: sometimes when I remember the outfits I used to wear, I wonder 'What WAS I thinking??!' Younger readers need not be smug though, as however fashionable you think you are now, the same thing will surely happen to you. It's inevitable. Here are some of the 'fashions' I wore (at least, some of them were 'in' at the time) that make me cringe now I'm older and wiser … 1. Legwarmers Dear God, the Eighties could be cruel. The decade was responsible for some of the most appalling fashion crimes. At least those of us who were embarasssed at wearing them first time round can laugh that today's youngsters think they're being innovative in wearing them now, and don't realise it's all been done before. 2. Poodle Perm Aren't women perverse? If we have curly hair, we straighten it. If it's already straight, we wish it was curly. I've long since embraced my straight hair, but back in the mists of time I resorted to the hair hell that is The Perm. Any photos of me from this time are under lock and key (I merely keep them to remind myself to appreciate what nature gave me). 3. Oversized Another aspect of my appearance that I've now accepted is the fact that I'm very much on the slim side. Back in my teens and early 20s, however, it was quite a different matter, and I attempted to make myself look more substantial by wearing baggy clothes that were much too big for me. I must have looked like I was auditioning for a role as a Charlie Chaplin impersonator.

7 “Fashion Statements” I Don’t Quite Understand … Posted: 28 Mar 2011 11:01 AM PDT A bold fashion statement can be a huge FAIL and that pretty much goes for some of the latest trends too. Well I guess we're used to celebs making their own rules and people trying to be creative and redefine "trendy". Right? Unfortunately, there are still some fashion statements I don't quite understand, no matter how hard I try… For example: 1. Meat dress If fashion is a language, Lady Gaga is probably speaking Chinese because I don't understand a thing she's been saying lately! Hairy dress, celestial dress and finally a meat dress! What's next and, moreover, what was she trying to suggest by wearing something that could have been a great dinner for at least 20 of the less fortunate ones?! I totally respect her and she has every right to be different and all but this was definitely too much. 2. McQueen "Shoes" Is it a shoe? A boot? A demonstration of what our own legs would look like if the process of evolution had taken a different turn? I honestly don't know! I like huge platforms and crazy styles but this… this is just too much and I just can't understand what was going through the designer's head while he was "designing" these? 3. One green and one red shoe Helena Bonham Carter definitely speaks the fashion language totally unknown to me! She is an amazing actress and I love her wackiness and uniqueness but, as you can see, this shoe statement was more Greek to me, than the actual language mentioned in this popular phrase. What was she trying to prove? That she has two pairs of the same shoes in different colors? Or that she couldn't find the other red (or green) shoe? Maybe she couldn't decide which ones to wear so she was like, "Oh, what the hell, I'll wear them both!"

7 Work Etiquette Tips … Posted: 28 Mar 2011 10:36 AM PDT No one would dispute that the economy today is not what it used to be. In this recession respect in the workplace has become more important than ever. The importance of respect and courtesy is essential to effective communication in and out of the workplace. Research shows that workplace etiquette is essential to keeping a position within a company. Here are some tips to help you reach your career goals… these are 7 indispensable workplace etiquette tips… 1. Attitude is everything Project a positive attitude no matter what. Whatever is happening in your life you must put it away and walk into work focused and ready to do the best job possible. Don’t bring outside, personal problems to work with you, either. Don’t be negative, be positive! 2. No Gossip Watch your chatter. Gossip can cause irreparable damage to your career not to mention the damage you could do to someone else. Help create a positive work place environment by supporting your fellow employees whether you personally like them or not. And don’t waste time on gossip, do something work-related instead! 3. Above and Beyond Look for ways to do more than just what is required of you. Those who want to achieve much, do much. Show your support to a colleague who may be overloaded and need some help. Be proactive, and don’t wait for someone to tell you what to do… be a go-getter!

8 Things You Can Do to Brighten a Stranger’s Day … Posted: 28 Mar 2011 10:34 AM PDT There are lots of ways you can brighten a stranger’s day. This is actually one of my favorite things to do. Whether you don’t know someone at all, or if you want to make someone you work with but may not know that well smile, there are many ideas that can help you do that. You can get some great ideas by reading through these 8 things you can do to bright a stranger’s day, though! 1. Post-It In the event that there’s someone you don’t know that well at work, it can be difficult to go up and offer some random compliment. What you can do, however, is stick a post-it note to their desk or computer, letting them know that you like their hair, a piece of jewelry, and so on. You can make it anonymous if you want to; either way, it’s sure to brighten the person’s day. 2. Fly By Compliment You don’t have to know a person to compliment. I love to call out a compliment when I’m just walking by someone. One time, I scared a girl in Salem, MA, to death because I told her I liked her hair … as I was walking out of the Broad Street Cemetery, and she was walking by it. But she got a huge smile after she got over the shock! 3. Pay It Backward A number of years ago, there was this little coffee shop deal, whether nearly everyone across the U.S. supposedly paid for the coffee of the person behind them. Cool, right? Even if we can’t get anything like that going again, you could randomly offer to pay for the coffee of the person standing behind you the next time you’re in line. Wouldn’t that be nice?

7 Beach Bags Under $50… Posted: 28 Mar 2011 10:31 AM PDT The perfect beach bag can be hard to find. The beach is a place for fun, so this should be reflected in your attire. I tend to go for simple totes in big, bold patterns. Below are just a few bags that would make a great addition to any beach outing. 1. Forever21 Nerdy Panda Tote Price: $1.50 at Forever21.com This nerdy panda character would be the best beach accompaniment. The illustration is kitsch and quirky, and the colours are eye-poppingly bright. This tote features illustrations on both sides, twin handles, and an easy access design. When not at the beach, this reusable bag can also be used as a day-to-day shopper. 2. Totes McGotes in Funny Bunny Price: $16.99 at modcloth.com I absolutely adore the bunny rabbit pattern on this bag. It's made from polyester so you don't have to worry too much about sand sticking to it. Simply wipe it clean after you've been to the beach! It's also stylish enough to make the transition from beach-wear to city-wear easily. 3. Borders & Frontiers Karl Organic Cotton Canvas Shopper Price: $17.93 at asos.com Take street-style to the beach with this "Fake Karl" canvas tote. It's cheeky and makes quite a fashion statement. It's a decent sized bag that will fit all your beach essentials. You can't put a foot wrong when you've got one of the top faces in fashion right by your side!

9 Fab Miss Sixty Items on Sale … Posted: 28 Mar 2011 10:22 AM PDT I don't know how many of you Miss Sixty fans are out there. But I'm sure most of you would find an interesting thing or two because this is a very popular, trendy brand, indeed. So, this is going to be one of those lucky days when I decide to save you the big speeches and cut straight to the chase. So, let me share my interesting items that, oh what luck, are on sale too! 1. Miss Sixty Manuil Bag Price: $46.62 at asos.com Lovely metallic hot-pink bag you'll love this summer. This isn't a new model, though, but I don't think it really matters. I mean, a cool bag is a cool bag, this year or the next one. Anyways, if you have matching sandals, you're definitely considering it right now, but if you don't, you're probably wondering what to wear it with. Well… Anything! White jumpsuits, black dresses or even casual single-colored outfits that could use some updating. 2. Miss Sixty Sequin Shoulder Pad Black Dress Price: $53.79 at asos.com My favorite style! The trendy Star Track shoulder pads and sparkles will definitely make you're the start of the evening. Plus, we have these strategically placed ruches to keep that "junk in the trunk" looking fab or cover the lack of it. Smart move! 3. Miss Sixty Sheer Panel Corset Mini Dress Price: $89.75 at asos.com Whoohoo! Now isn't this one sexy dress? I tell you, there isn't a man on this earth that wouldn't turn around to check out the girl wearing it! Although, I'm not really sure how it would look on a girl with considerably less "action" going on in the chest department? Lil' flat me, to be precise…

8 Things You Shouldn’t Compromise On … Posted: 28 Mar 2011 10:20 AM PDT Our lives are full of compromises. We compromise to sustain our romantic relationships, to advance our careers, to provide for our children and to achieve our life goals. And, yet there are some values that we should never compromise on to remain true to ourselves. Let's look at what are these things you shouldn't compromise on. 1. Don't compromise on self respect Respect is one of the most important foundations of any relationship, even in the relationship with yourself. If you do not respect yourself, you will never be able to respect anybody or anything else. That is why self respect is one of the most important things you shouldn't compromise on. 2. Don't compromise on integrity It is crucial to maintain integrity in your role in life to maintain self respect. Whatever roles you play in your life, whether as a spouse, a parent, an employee or a friend, it is important that you keep your integrity in that role. 3. Don't compromise on loyalty Loyalty is one of the most important values to have. Whether it is your family, your organization, your circle of friends or your country, it is important that you remain loyal to it and not betray its interests.

7 Interesting Things To Do In A Traffic Jam … Posted: 28 Mar 2011 10:16 AM PDT Traffic jams are a part of our lives. Every day more cars are added to our already busy streets and every so often an accident or road deviation causes us to get stuck in a massive build up of cars. It can be an extremely frustrating time especially if you need to get somewhere fast or had a long day and want to get home. To pass the time, here are 7 interesting things you can do. 1. Catch up on phone call Use the time to catch up on some phone calls. Usually, most people are forced to ignore a number of calls during the day thanks to meetings or busy office work. This is an excellent opportunity to call your mother back, congratulate your friend on her engagement, catch up with your partner or even make some work related calls. 2. Turn on the radio The radio can really get time to pass by quickly. Radio jockeys know how to keep us entertained and can introduce a variety of programs, contests and events to enthrall us while we sit in the dreaded traffic jam. The music as well can immediately improve your mood, so choose a station you like and sit back and relax. 3. Read a book If you are an avid reader, then carry your current novel with you to work. You never know when you might get the chance to get some quality reading time. A traffic jam is the perfect opportunity. You know you're not going anywhere for at least 15 minutes so take out your bookmark and disappear into your book.

7 Gifts that Look Expensive but Aren’t … Posted: 28 Mar 2011 10:05 AM PDT Buying gifts can be a total nightmare! Finding the balance between allure and economy is often difficult: you want to get your friends something really fab, but you don't want to bankrupt yourself in the process. In order to help you girls out, I've put together a list of 7 gifts that look expensive but aren't. Read on, ladies; your friends will thank you and so will your wallet! 1. Wines Wine is great gift, as long as the one you're giving is a good one. It's generally accepted that a cheap present is costs you less than $30 and, unfortunately, a great bottle will often set you back more than that. The secret here is clever shopping: either browse the internet for wine sales or visit a wine auction and pick up a case for peanuts! 2. Faux Antiques While genuine antique jewellery will hit your wallet pretty hard, you can buy some beautiful replica pieces today and they're invariably very reasonable. You might need to look around before you find the piece that exactly matches your budget and your expectations, but you'll definitely be surprised by how cost-effective this kind of thing is. 3. Vintage Anything The next time you're gift shopping, don't forget to hit the vintage shops. You'll often find you can pick up real gems in the designer handbag line, and while buying clothes for other people can be tricky, you can hardly say no to a Dior dress that costs as much as a bag of groceries.

10 Amazing Health Benefits of Sleep … Posted: 28 Mar 2011 09:46 AM PDT Have you always been pulled up for being a sleepy head? Did people laugh at you because they caught you snoozing during class or at work? Well, the joke is on them now because here are 10 amazing health benefits of sleep! 1. Better Memory According to leading minds in the medical profession, if you are picking up a new skill, such as a sport or a language, your mind will be able to consolidate it better when you are sleeping. You might think nothing goes on in your head while sleeping but in fact, your mind is actually practicing the skills you have learned while you were awake. So, if you wish to perform better, don't ignore your sleep 2. Longer & Better Life According to a study conducted in 2010 on women between 50-79 years, it was noticed that more deaths occurred among women who slept less than five hours a day. Adequate sleep also goes a long way in bettering the quality of your life. You do wish to live longer, don't you? Then, don't play hanky-panky with your sleep. 3. Reduced Inflammation Research shows that people with inadequate sleep have higher levels of inflammatory proteins in the blood, which in turn are linked to stroke, diabetes, heart disease, premature aging, and arthritis. You know where this is going, so don't ignore your sleep routine, for heaven's sake!

7 Programs To Use For Video Editing … Posted: 28 Mar 2011 09:38 AM PDT If you are in the market for some new editing software for videos you want to pull off of other forms of media or for movies you create all on your own, then the following list might come in handy. Here is a list of 7 programs to use for video editing. I've thrown in a selection that includes software for Windows, Mac, and some even work on both. 7. Corel Video Studio Pro X3 One of the most commented on pros of this editing software is that the program runs extremely fast. Also, the important tools required for editing are easy to find and use. The downfall to this software is that it takes quite some time to learn how to use it properly. An editing effect called the RotoSketch enables live-action film to be traced over and changed into an animated clip that is realistic. This sounded like a fun effect that people who are big into animation would greatly enjoy. Auto Stroke is another tool that does this same animated effect to photos as well. 6. CyberLink PowerDirector This is a fast rendering editing software that most amateur film producers would enjoy using. Full HD movies can be created with this software, as well as the option to choose from 100 video and audio tracks, which is way more tracks than most people require. With this version of CyberLink, movies can be burned to DVDs, but with the Deluxe version, movies can also be made into Blu-ray discs. Even for a beginner's software, it is rather difficult to learn all the tools needed to use CyberLink effectively at the start. 5. Camtasia There is a version of this editing software for Windows and one for Mac. The Windows version is called Camtasia Studio 7.1. Camtasia for Mac 1.2 is the other version on the market. People who are into doing video tutorials might like Camtasia. Producing videos with lots of helpful screenshots in them is another way people use Camtasia. Even recording a live presentation or lecture has never been made easier. You can show hours of work in just a few minutes time. As long as you aren't trying to make movies out of video game footage, you might like using Camtasia. The videos aren't very smooth when footage from video games is used, since this software isn't optimized for games.

7 TV Products to Stay Away From … Posted: 28 Mar 2011 09:27 AM PDT TV products are funny. Infomercials are too. Do you know how many times I see either an Infomercial or an As-Seen-on-TV product, fall in love, and think that I need it more than anything ever in the world? In spite of my first instincts, however, I’m learning how to tell the crap from the cool stuff – and it turns out there’s not a lot of cool stuff! Thank goodness I’ve done my research, so I know which 7 TV products to stay away from … no matter how much I want them. 1. Emery Cat Price: $16.32 at amazon.com In theory, this seems like a really good idea, right? Like, the Better Half has two cats that I have to thus claim as well, and they aren’t declawed. I would never, ever do that to a cat, because it has to be so painful – besides, then the poor darlings wouldn’t be able to have any fun clawing at my furniture. So, perfect solution! Blunt their claws with an emery board just for them! Not so much. Half the reviews I’ve seen mention that the cat goes to step on this thing, and it flies up in the manner of a rake in a cartoon, nearly smacking kitty between the eyes. Our cats are vindictive enough without incurring their wrath over something like that. 2. Pasta Boat Price: $6.97 at amazon.com I love to cook and I love making pasta. You’d think Pasta Boat would be a great match, right? Not so much. From what I hear and read, you’re lucky if you don’t burn the heck out of yourself and/or dump all your pasta right on the ground. That horrifies me even more, because then my dogs would burn their tongues trying to lap up steaming pasta. 3. Booty Pop Price: $20.00 at amazon.com Ah, Booty Pop. We all want a nice rear end, I know that. Wearing something that makes it look like you’ve stuffed chicken cutlets down the back of your pants isn’t really the way to go, though. There are other ways to get a bubble butt. Heck, it would be cheaper to stuff some chicken cutlets down there anyway. Reviews are generally favorable, but I think the overall effect just looks unnatural.

Lose Weight with Slim9! … Posted: 28 Mar 2011 08:39 AM PDT I for one am extremely wary when it comes to weight loss pills. Ingredients that usually mean nothing to you and I, the possible side effects and whether or not it will actually do what it says, it’s all a big risk that I wasn’t willing to take…until I came across Slim9. For starters with ingredients like green tea (leaf), dandelion (root), cayenne (fruit), acai (which has the most antioxidants of all fruits), panax ginseng (root), guarana (fruit, seed), ginger (root), theobromine, green coffee (bean) and caffeine, Slim9 are 100% natural weight loss pills. Yay! No more strange sounding ingredients whose existence you aren’t even sure of. What Slim9 essentially and very simply does is improves your digestive and circulatory system thereby helping you lose weight. Slim9 works on a three tier system: controlling calorie intake, reducing body fat and lastly, conditioning your body for weight loss. It’s simple really, if the calories you intake are more than the calories you burn, all those extra calories are not going anywhere! The green tea in Slim9 helps make blood sugar levels normal and reduces food cravings which in turn help reduce calorie intake. You’re not going to eat if you’re not hungry, right? For those of us who tend to reach out to food every time we’re stressed (I know I’m one of those), the ginseng in Slim9 helps reduce stress itself thereby reducing stress related weight gain. So all that is great but what if it happens to be my birthday and I eat that extra large piece of chocolate cake for being a good girl? Am I going to get fat? Is it too late for the weight loss pill to work its magic? Not at all! The geniuses at Slim9 know that we are human at the end of the day which is why they added Psyllium Seed and Hoodia Gordonii to their formula. What these do is bond with dietary fats to create a compound that is too large for your body to absorb and so it passes right through your system without any consequences. Also, Slim9 makes you feel more energetic than you ever have felt before. More energy = more physical activity= more weight loss! Lastly, Slim9 tackles the most important problem a lot of us face: keeping the lost weight off for good. Remember I said that Slim9 helps improve your digestive system? By digesting food faster, Slim9 gives the digestive system less time to absorb fat. It also boosts your metabolism which as you know is a very important aspect of weight loss. This is where the green tea, cayenne and delicious ginger some in. The best part about Slim9 is that it not only helps you lose weight but improves your overall health by boosting immunity. Can’t say that for other weight loss pills can you? I know that buying a weight loss pill can be a rather stressful process because you never know who to trust and side effects are always a concern but because it is au naturel, it has zero side effects. So, what are waiting for? Let’s get slimmer and healthier at www.slim9.com! Top Photo Credit: builderonlinesolutions

Happy Birthday, Ladies! Posted: 28 Mar 2011 07:43 AM PDT Did you know that Lady Gaga, Julia Stiles and Kate Gosselin share a birthday today? Happy birthday, ladies! Musician and uber-performer Lady Gaga turns 25. Actress Julia Stiles is the big three-oh (30), and Kate Gosselin, who may possibly be the most annoying woman on earth (on my opinion), is 36. Happy, happy birthday ladies! I hope it’s a blast!

5 Strangely Fascinating Things to Check Out … Posted: 28 Mar 2011 04:28 AM PDT 1. New Words Pick up a new dictionary and you will find new words that you probably did not imagine would be included in ANY edition. Examples: LOL, OMG, muffin top. 2. New Network? Charlie Sheen was on Jimmy Kimmel and almost made out with the host. He also gave Jimmy a mug with foxes. What kind of show would he do on Fox, in your opinion? 3. Alien Invasion Let’s say we’re on a brink of an alien invasion… Are you prepared? Do you have what it takes to survive a possible attack on the human race? 4. Dior Family History You have probably heard by now that John Galliano was fired from Dior because of his anti-Semitic sentiments. Interestingly, a member of the Dior family was actually part of The Resistance. 5. Weird Garden If you are looking to have great conversational pieces in your garden, these weird plants got you covered. How do you feel about the misshapen penis plant? How about the corpse plant? If you’ve read something online today that you consider weird but fun, we’d love to hear about it! Top Photo Credit: See-ming Lee 李思明 SML

10 Tricks to Look Younger Instantly … Posted: 27 Mar 2011 12:10 PM PDT As teenagers, we are obsessed with trying to look older, however there comes a time when things change, and the only thing we can think about is looking young again. If you want to turn back the clock, here are 10 tricks to look younger instantly. 1. Cosmetic Surgery Photo Credit:  skinbeautyreview.com Botox can instantly reduce lines and wrinkles that age your face. Most cosmetic surgeons offer Botox treatments at very reasonable prices. 2. Drink More Water Photo Credit: 5magazine.wordpress.com When you are trying to look younger you want to drink lots of water. The water will help clear your complexion and give your face that youthful glow you are longing for. 3. Develop a Skin Care Routine Photo Credit: blog.timesunion.com The older you are, the more important it is to make sure that you are diligent about using face creams and lotions. The better you are about these rituals, the smoother and younger your skin will appear.

You are subscribed to email updates from All Women Stalk To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610