Author Archives: Lin

Get your voting on ya’ll

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Yep, it’s here! Election day is right around the corner and it’s time to vote in another dude for president. And in true form, we find ourselves immersed in all the glory and excitement that the 2012 election process brings. Whoo hoo! The autumn air is crisp and cool and those who love voting and elections are probably prepping for a ticker-tape party the moment their guy wins. What an awesome time to celebrate with friends and champagne!
On the flip side, we also need to be truthful with ourselves and acknowledge all the ridiculous waste a presidential elections can bring. And, there is a lot of it.
While people across the country continue to struggle financially, both candidates unapologetically waste millions of dollars annoying the very people they hope to get on their side. They produce a slew of pathetic (and expensive) TV ads, featuring old school back-biting, belittling, and lots of other un-gentlemanly messaging aimed at swaying us to vote for them.
They must think we are dummies. They raise obscene amounts of money at various events and plug it in to the very ads we despise. If they took half the money they raised and fed some hungry people or helped job-up the jobless, we’d actually see fundraising put to excellent use. Five million dollars can go a long way in the streets of Los Angeles.  Realizing the incredible success they have in fundraising (they secure millions within one event) why not parlay that into a CAMPAIGN PROMISE where they fundraise like hell once a year and throw the money at something that matters – like college kids who can’t afford another semester or homeless families living in their vehicles. There is no shortage of situations, and this would be needed change.

Our ‘hopefuls’ also love to drag us through debates where it seems both sides cannot resist overpowering and bullying each other like little boys on the playground, and for what? You’re a liar, no, YOU’RE a liar. Who knows who’s a liar, and who cares? We can sniff out a lie all on our own, thank you.
I suppose it can get very confusing today for the candidates, keeping up with all the “new” types of voters out there these days. Independent, undecided, swing, NPR Republicans, Reagan Democrats, America First Democrats, Gay Libertarians, Tea Party, Undocumented, and now the “Facebook generation”.  Makes my head spin – and I also question if my party’s name is cool enough!

Meanwhile, 2013 is almost here and this January someone will be in power over the United States of America. So…if we want to have a say-so, we MUST get out there and vote. And in the end, after we wipe away the tears, we will try to respect the new choice, knowing this one guy CANNOT get everything done and please all of the hard-to-please in four short years. He can ramp up his presidential legacy, form a life-long impression for himself, but it’s impossible to turn around all that ails us in such a short timeframe. Nonetheless… we should support our leader as much as humanly possible, as our personal integrity allows – and know that it’s okay to support him, even if not our choice. I for one, hope to give the winning guy a break, and try to keep my uninvited opinions on the down-low. We are a wild bunch of crazy and impatient individuals and difficult to please. But deep down we are sincere and civilized, loving and decent, and live in the best place on the planet, so let’s take advantage of the moment and show everyone who we are, and how it’s done when you are a resident of the US of A…the best country on earth! Godspeed.

Click here to see what the candidates spend.

How better is your phone?

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Well, it’s happened. I force-lumped myself into a heap of people who love to brag and compare their cell phones. A little obnoxious, I know, but lately, it seems everyone else’s phone is better than everyone else’s, and I’ve let it get the best of me.
Truth is, it’s their “choice” of phone that is the awesome part and real key point. None of us actually built the iPhone, Galaxy or Droid, it’s our selection of said equipment that we protect like a mama bear. So, if we didn’t ‘make‘ them, then why are we such authorities on them and unable to shut up about how good they are vs. all the other phones? (Self included.)


Case in point, recently I caught myself doing an impromptu blathering about my phone for no reason other than wanting it known that mine was better, for which I do not know as factual – I’ve never done a comparison or even dialed a number on the other phones. But for one moment, I swore (in my mind) I knew every single feature of the iPhone as though I wrote the blueprints – back when they were inked on a napkin at a juice bar in the 90s up in Silicon Valley next to a guy named Steve. How could anything trump the iPhone I ask? It’s Apple, geez.

Honestly, I don’t know the inner workings of any cell phone. I do get by, that’s for sure. I have trained Siri well and I sometimes show her off, or hide her, depending on how she performs.  It’s egotistical, yes – but I’ve done it.

Yesterday, my neighbor friend was showing off her brand new oversized Galaxy phone. She pulled it out to brag about her gadget to anyone that would listen. It was starting to bug me! She was running up and down the street with it. It’s just a phone for God’s sake – and know that the people are gullible!
I held back saying “they all do the same thing” because she was too excited to hear my nonsense. Meanwhile, the GIANT Galaxy was getting ooohs and ahhhs from the other neighbors. Me and my iPhone put our heads down and walked home – screw it, I can’t watch people naively go nuts over a johnny-come-lately that is so large it doesn’t even have its own case yet.

I don’t want to be a sad cell phone user, or a jealous one either. But I am caught up in the hoopla of the most awesome-est cell phones now that the new iPhone is coming out and everyone is dissing and hissing over our cell phone choices. Can’t I just be happy with the one I have and have fun with Siri without needing more? I dunno… jus’ hope there is hope for me yet. : )

Crying and the sweet sound of music

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After a quick airplane ride to Hawaii recently, I observed just how quickly we have jumped from the plight of the overly-endowed passenger (i.e., spillage of their bodies into our seat space) to the trials and tribulations of defensive moms and dads who often need to take little ones along a flight.  From the instant these poor parents board the plane they realize their vulnerability to stares, head-shaking, sneers, or even being subject to complaints to the captain (the guy driving the plane)! The problem? Their sweet babies are not very fond of flying and love to verbalize it!

But…”WE HAVE NO WHERE TO GO” – no place to rock the baby!  Hard to believe, but that’s what parents say bugs them the most. True, we haven’t built a special on-board annex for screaming children yet, but moms,  give it time – the airlines have been put on notice by agitated passengers to DO SOMETHING, please!  I don’t know…maybe ‘adding on’ is the answer to the mile-high baby crisis.

I must admit though, I am NO fan of getting my seat kicked – over and over while dad sits there with X’s for eyes ignoring Junior’s romp into doing what ever the heck Junior wants.
My problem is I’ve turned into one of those onboard crankers who wants peace and tranquillity when cruising the skies! I know, it’s bad!  I just think nothing says serenity like a pair of oversized kid shoes beating the back of my seat ’til coffee splashes up in my face. Somehow it doesn’t seem as cute as it once was. Maybe it’s me.

I’m also bugged by the joyous sounds of screaming and crying at 35,000 feet. Try drifting into a relaxing slumber after a long business trip only to wake to the sound of a high-pitched toe-curling screech pumped into your ears. Did someone pinch the baby? What the hell, rows 10-22 are wide awake now!

The thing is… flying sucks, but, all in all the solutions are actually quite simple. Dear airlines: put the moms/dads/kids in a certain section of the airplane! That’s a duh. Let the little ones hang over the seats to see, touch, and giggle with the other little ones, let babies entertain each other while non-baby passengers enjoy the ride.  When the darlings’ lungs kick into high gear, get your phone or iPod out and drown it out with your favorite playlist. That also seems like a no-brainer to me!

Next – the trouble with airports: Why are they freezing cold? Is it to sell more coffee and blankets? Why aren’t there enough elec. plugs for our junk? Why aren’t there places to sleep? People are gonna sleep, so make a place for them so they don’t use up 3 chairs.

Is there an animal person in there?

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Yes, they’re fun, cool, and purrrry. They’re also hairy and aloof. Independent also comes to mind and damn if they don’t leave a pile of fur in their wake. No its not our significant others, I am talkin’ cats. There is so much to say about these little lions, but as we all know speaking out loud about cats is guaranteed to raise an eyebrow…

“Oh…she has a cat, she must be a cat lady.”

Notice nobody says bird lady or dog lady, or “cat man”! Nope, only women w/ cats take the hit. What has happened? When did cats officially suck? Jared, your lab and his awesome swimming techniques makes for killer cocktail party chatter, but can you talk about your smart, green-eyed beauty who gently purrs in your ear ’til you fall asleep? I don’t think sooooo!
Jared on the other hand, chews shoes and rolls of toilet paper, barks all night and poops a pile on the lawn, but somehow he makes you look super-cool, because he’s a d-o-g.

It’s not that I don’t LOVE dogs, because I DO, I’m just wondering what kind of person I am. I love dogs, I love cats…I love twirling cat whiskers and I love a cuddly striped kitty who has not one negative bone in his furry body as he lay next to me as if to guard me with his life. I like to play with them and entertain them and watch them act like they are big game hunters.

But still, it’s confusing… AND it’s also hard to believe a teacup poodle (still a dog) is superior over my blue-eyed, fluffy master of opening sliding glass doors with his powerful hook-nail, my faithful kitty cat, “Mister”.

Somewhere along the line we got all wrapped up in our egos over our animals, dogs trump felines, boy dogs trump girl animals and, well, you get the gist.

I’m an animal person, I like them all, big ones, little ones, the ones that bite and even the fat beggar ones that come to my patio door hungry, flashing ugly long nails and raccoon eyes. I guess I’m a raccoon lady too.. and proud to be!

It’s OK to cheat!

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Permission to cheat of the sexual/relationship kind, nah. I’m actually talking about the secret land of online Facebook board gaming (bwwaaahaha)…more specifically, Scrabble. Yeah – the old fashioned board game the family used to play has lit the internet on fire. They say it’s one of 2012′s most notable addictions, next to prescription meds and medical marijuana. Ha, ha, little exaggeration true – but no doubt it belongs to a higher ranking of current non-sensical things in America gone out of control.
And true to form, while getting a pedicure recently, I ‘friended’ a total stranger who sat next to me solely for the purposes of satisfying her Scrabble addiction. She sniffed me out seeing the iPhone in my hand, stared down my game and asked if I would play with her by “friending” her on Facebook. “YES”, Miss Who-ever-you-are, of course I’ll make you my friend if it means a new game! I’m like you! A sucker and a slave for Scrabble as long as it doesn’t mean sitting down with a flat board, an egg timer and hot chocolate. I’m a girl on the go!
Most of my real friends “don’t have time” for Scrabble it seems, so I’ll take willing strangers if need be in the name of the competitive juices I love (lol). I’ve turned from wide-eyed innocent, to a crazed monster who often makes plays at a red light intersection.

If its one thing I’ve learned though my Scrabble plays on my iPhone, is that people who play the game cheat. And I have now transitioned my thinking from “that’s bad” to “it’s OK.” Once insulted by a relative who accused me of cheating, I am now appreciative of any tool that helps me win. And I am NOT alone.
It takes a whole lot more than knowing high-earning point words like QI, ZA, XI, even if you are a word aficionado, and I am.  But when you are really truly stuck, tapping into a Scrabble-cheat website, isn’t such a big deal. I don’t care if my opponent cheats, it doesn’t matter because the goal is to score points using strategy, which is far more important than a string of words that we have never heard of. I remember them and use them from that point on. So go on, cheat a little, it’s a game for goodness sakes.

 

Four things you should never do in an interview.

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Hello…why are some people so horrible at job interviews? Really, would a hour of planning and preparing really kill? Is it because you are so awesome that you think it’ll just flow naturally? Well, sadly, it doesn’t really work that way and if you truly want to avoid screwing up an opportunity, read on to learn some of the things some people are doing to “not” get the job.

With lots of love to all the young people – you are the WORST offenders!  Which is weird because your separation time from college is less, so you should be fresher and smarter, but instead you behave otherwise.  I know, I know, not all of you, but enough to warrant a mention. Meanwhile…here are some things you should NEVER DO when responding to, interviewing for, or following up on an important interview:

1. Acting unprofessional. Even if the posting comes from Craigslist, don’t think you can let your hair down by showing your coolness. Do not respond with stupid words like “I’m interested!” or “Sounds great!”, and then hope someone calls. If you are responding to a graphic designer position for example, you don’t need to convince them how hip you are. Know your audience – if the company is a professional agency or organization, show your most conservative designs, not monster truck ads.
2. Don’t sound depressed if someone calls you to talk about the open position. Step up your positive attitude and let the best of you shine!
3. Never ignore important facts or “must haves” about the position. Don’t make people spend all their time searching your resume/cover letter for a matching skillset. Front and center, your cover letter should SPEAK to the important parts of the JOB listing. If you identify yourself with the needed expertise, you will get a positive reaction, and then a positive call as well from the recruiter! Duh!
4. Ignoring a “follow up” call or email. Whatever way you do it, thanking the interviewer personally with just a few words makes a difference. Send a card, drop an email, either way will be appreciated (always make it short and sweet!)

DO go to the book store and pick up the latest job interview books, they will help you come down to earth and guaranteed to teach you new behaviors to help you GET THE JOB! Good luck!! : )

Are you just somebody that I used to know..?

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Wandering the aisles of the book store… sipping ice coffee – and just like that, he pops into your head. For no reason…without a cause – he is there. Yeah, it’s your “ex”… the one that got away, and he has returned, in all his glory, hoping to hang around your brain for the day.

More handsome than you remember… makes you wonder what the heck went so wrong. Conveniently, it’s all a fog now. Think good times… family and friends, chemistry, security, great company, laughs, that cute crooked smile, oh, and the legs, damn the legs!! (I think my icy-cold Starbucks just gave me brain freeze!) Suddenly we question our silly no-can-do list just as the scent of his Calvin Klein cologne wafts sensually through the air. (We can’t help but ask – have we have been too strict with ourselves, are our rules too crazy?)

Whatever, whatever, all I know is that I do not have a single girlfriend who doesn’t dwell on a guy from the past every once in a while – self included. We think about what could have been. That darn game-changer who melted our hearts, twisted our brain inside-out, and made us go cross-eyed at just the thought of him. We routinely, and annonomously check in on him from time to time, see if he’s alive – figure out his “status” on Facebook, LinkedIn, and any other social site that allows peeping without a trail!

Truth is, we fell into love. And with high hopes – we proudly rolled the dice on a promising relationship – but the inherent deal-breakers proved too big, too loud, and too never-ending. Bummer.
Ironically, our fellas are clueless as to the power they possess over our thoughts, our movements, our heart! They leave an imprint on our lives, subsequently popping into our heads – at will – teasing, tantalizing, and terrorizing us! lol
We want to say go away, but our body whispers, come back please.

My close girlfriend recently confided that she doesn’t mind her ex coming and going in her brain, taking up residence in her conscience. “He’s welcome”, she says.  He’s relaxed up there, I enjoy the time together. Ha ha, most of us would rather shoo him away, keeping our head free for more important things in our lives.
Oh well, I guess it’s true what the song says… “now you’re just somebody that I used to know”. Godspeed.

 

Krrrr-razy busy

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Everybody’s saying it. It’s become one of the most commonly used string of words hanging around today, might even be the most annoying too – even my 77-year old father is guilty of letting it slip out on a regular basis. It even trumps our other more current phrases, “does that make sense?” and “I know, right?”

I am talking about the busy words. “I’m so busy” – or – “I’m sooooooo busy” – or – “I have no time for anything” and/or ”I have no time for that”.

Ever ask someone if they’ve seen something on TV, some silly program or news show? Very quickly you will hear, I don’t watch TV, I’m toooooo busy, or “I don’t have time.” It’s the new mantra.

“Are you on Facebook?” “No… I’m too busy for that.”
“Talked to your mother lately?”  ”No… I’m too busy for that.”


When did our culture get so busy? And what is everybody doing? Did the 24-hour thing shrink? Are we sleeping more? I’m kicking back here on a Friday night, feeling crappy knowing everyone else is out there running around doing busy stuff. I’m definitely doing
something wrong, and obviously feeling guilty/selfish with my mac and a cat on me lap, and some Dateline blaring in the background.

True…I often leave work with emails still showing new, uneaten lunches that carry over to the next day, and the message light on my office phone is almost always lit, but selfishly I played tennis the other day, threw down a couple Scrabble games on Facebook, stuck some photos up on Pinterest and drank some wine with a friend at a Mexican restaurant for few hours. Oh poo — I hope no one finds out I wasn’t doing true “busy” stuff, whatever that is.

Anyway, I’m thinking’ too busy means you aren’t managing your time right. Too busy to eat breakfast? Get up 10 minutes early and throw down an egg for God’s sakes. You just don’t have time to call your mother? Shave 10 minutes off your lunch hour and do the deed. It’s not that hard!

I’m thinkin’ our problem is that we just love love to complain. Idleness, on the other hand, that’s hard. Hanging out without a plan, now that’s something to get busy with. Spontaneous daydreaming, weekend get-aways, long baths, wine tasting, falling in love, hanging with your son, playing with the cat’s whiskers, that’s what I want to be busy with. I like busy idleness. That’s what I call a paradigm shift! Can we do it? Maybe, but I don’t expect anyone to behave or think like I do, I’m probably a bad influence anyway!
Please, please, go do some idleness stuff today and if you aren’t too busy, make sure to thank me when you’re done! lol

 

 

The big daddy of blogging.

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I heard one lady whisper to another lady… “what’s a blog?”

Hearing that, I knew I had to listen to every word of the discussion. I slid my hair behind my ear, looked busy, and kept quiet. I love, love hearing people mess up words and conversations over things they don’t know. Yes, I know, it’s mean…but still, I get a kick. With confidence and poise, the lady stated that blogs were online diaries where someone writes about their husband and kids and then sticks it up on a website. The other lady smiled and nodded, letting out an agreeing “oooooooh”.

While the ladies had it half-right, It did make me pause and wonder how long we have been inventorying this crazy life around us – meticulously documenting and blogging our personal rantings for total strangers, all-the-while allowing, and inviting, a diverse assortment of opinions and comments regarding our work (ouch!).
Then I started thinking about where it all started – the daddy of all bloggers, yes…the caveman!
Back in the day the caveman had it good…out all day then home to scribe the business of the day on the cave walls. And content he had! In the name of supper, he was busy fighting off swooping birds who pecked at his head and hairy beasts who stormed after him. He courageously climbed trees and ran for his life for ten hours straight. Now, his evening winds down with a deserved fire crackling in the background and a little time to let off a little caveman steam with a long, sharp stone, and a healthy dose of creative blogging artistry. He’s not concerned about the amount of comments he gets, or SEO ranking, he knows that one day somebody out there will value all he has written on his “wall”. He needs no more than that.

Caveman to do list:

  • Hunt for food – check!
  • Blog before bed – check!

Blogging is a popular method to express your know-how or your thoughts on current topics, or just to provide some crazy talk to readers in the hopes that they will actually read your blog… just like the caveman hoped.  If you think you can motivate, entertain, convince, influence, teach, or make people laugh, then put your fingers to your keyboard and start talking! You probably won’t get rich, but you’ll have a great outlet for creative fun.

How guilty are thy pleasures….

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Oh Lordy… guilty pleasures...such sinful words. But yet a perfect description for some of our most secret likes! There is a sense of guilt around pleasures you know, hence the name. Maybe it’s the word itself, perhaps it screams too “private” or too embarrassing or too sexy. Maybe we have completely misunderstood the true simplicity.
But here, anything goes!  Guilty pleasures ain’t nothin’ to be embarrassed about and are always worthy of being shared! lol

Here’s a few of my guilties:
Gambling at a casino: I am in love with the sights and sounds of slot machines and endless Black Jack and roulette tables. It’s worth throwing away a hundred bucks for the intensity of playing a couple of hours of Black Jack. I know, that’s why it’s a guilty pleasure! If I am up a few – even better, I plug my winnings into the dollar slot machines, drop in the max, and hope for the mother lode.
Social media time waster:
So guilty!! Nothing says lazy Sunday mornings like coffee, Facebook and my MacBook Air. I catch up, I read what the family is up to, type “cute” all over my friends’ grandkid photos and play some Scrabble. It’s fun and it’s awesomely pleasurable! Yeah, I’m super hooked. (Ha ha)
Television: Yes, I like it and I watch it… especially Charlie Sheen in 2 1/2 Men. Charlie with his call girls, maid, and goofy jingles leave me completely content. Even in reruns, “Men” is very funny and makes me laugh out loud. American Idol — my once-a-year musical escape! I pick my early favs, feverishly root for them and watch them develop. In the end, it’s a musical variety extravaganza. I love it. The Bachelorette Show. I like what I like, and I love, love this two hours of crazy-ass antics set  in far-away places. A plethora of love-fueled drama at it’s best!
Buttered popcorn at the movies: Nothing is more fabulous than watching a pimply-face youngster fill up a cardboard bucket with fresh, hot, fake-buttery popcorn. The sounds, the scents, the anticipation…I feel like I am seven years old, clinging to my brother and sister about to take in big screen Disney. Awesome stuff.

Shopping for new make-up, new lingerie, and new high heels: Uh, acquiring this particular trio is the ultimate of all shopping trips. Hormones are flowin’ for days knowing these items are in my grasp. The more expensive, the higher the adrenaline. New dark MAC eyeliner and shadow, sexy summer white, lacy lingerie and the steamiest summer high heels is all it takes to elevate a girl’s mood.
Giving out a few bucks to a homeless person: There is no tax advantage and no one to pat you on the back. But who cares. I am guilty to giving out a few bucks or buying fast food for a sign-holding homeless person, without judgment or questions. Just load them up with a full-fledged super-sized Jack in the Box burger deal, hand it over, and the smile on their face will turn your entire body into jello. The few minutes it takes to do this, lasts the rest of your day, and then some. It’s is the best feeling of all.

Guilty pleasures come in all forms, but one thing is for sure, they definitely breathe energy into our lives. So what are your favorite pleasures? You have them – and you should talk and share about them, and you can do it here!

Greens and veggies, what the heck.

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Wow, it’s such a great time to eat. We have discovered so many healthy foods to shine up our hair and skin and make our arteries squeaky clean. Good for us…it’s easier than ever to become fresh-faced and gorgeous all over again, reversing the years with a new colorful bounty of organic veggies. We can just sit back and watch DVR’d episodes of Dr. Oz, learning and lunching guilt-free!
But wait. While this may be awesome news for normal people, it’s only so-so news for the rest of the world that struggles with monster-sized appetites for, well… that other kind of food, you know, the overly-delish stuff which can be found just about EVERYWHERE. And the temptations for such un-healthiness have proven nearly impossible to resist!

Sadly, there are tons of us hungry and snacky-types around. We lurk, we lie, we do everything we can do not to let on that we have a bottomless pit that wants and needs a hit of food most hours of our day (and it ain’t peas and carrots).

Of course we love the veggies, we learn about the veggies and we try the veggies, but endless salads and juicing can only suffice for so long before we slink into the darkness and eat our hearts out with Cheetos. Sad, but true. We love to play games with our addiction, telling ourselves that calories do not count on birthdays, on Tuesdays, and on that oddball leap year day. We – them – or any one else who relates to this – is no more than a good ‘ol American compulsive overeater with no resolve in sight…living in the shadows of our healthy-minded cousins who eat veggies 4x a day with ease. For the rest of us, a bad day at the office, a break-up, or even a couple glasses of wine can cause a whirlwind date with a super-duper-sized bowl of bad carbs . We want to sip on greenish drinks and munch on quinoa, but we have a little bug inside of us that won’t let us do it, leaving us to go rogue, all the while whispering in our ear that we can go back to eating clean first thing in the morning. We’d like to kill the bug, but we don’t know how. And God forbid we tell anyone about our problem or that pesky little bug we have. We just aren’t ready to ‘out’ ourselves to the world yet, ha ha.

So, what about you? Do you have this sucky problem? Do you have that little nasty bug in your body, creeping around telling you what to do and how to do it? Do you have expensive juicers on your counter kicking back on hiatus? Are you in love with Cheetos? Do you convince yourself that low-fat frozen yogurt piled with a half a pound of nuts and crunched up Reese’s peanut butter cups are healthy? (Ha ha, I’ve done that!) If so, you have company. So, please share your story! Tell the others that they we NOT alone. lol

– Make overeating stop for good!
– Tips to stop a binge
– The “be positive blog” regarding food 

 

Not for the kiddies!

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Well hello… if you a woman in your 50s, single and looking for Mr. Right, you might be interested in this very touchy topic that affects lots and lots of new romances. I’m no expert here, but I am good at jumping in to provocative chats with my lady friends – so here goes, you might have to plug your ears! lol
Seems by now we know there are certain things required to build a great relationship, right? And, as women we are pretty honed in to what these things are. We also believe the gentlemen should know them too. Problem is, they don’t.

Nonetheless, I am a believer that no person should ever go without these “certain things”, or settle for less – especially if they contribute to our wellbeing, happiness, or survival. So, in the case of two people who enter into the “dating ritual”, it is crucial that both be ready, and I mean very ready – for all those things that add to a healthy, budding friendship and/or love relationship. Just be dressed and prepared for the dance. If you have areas within yourself that are “inadequate” get them fixed immediately, or simply get out of the dating arena until you do. Yeah, really.

See, we girls know that the guys have their own special requirements – things they’re looking for. They’re pretty open about their desire for thin and toned, they’d like us to look nice and blend perfectly into their lives. This we know. But, as many of my lady friends seem quick to observe, “men don’t seem to be overly concerned about how they look, or if their gear is working correctly.” And they’re not talking about a broken tooth or an aching back! The reference is more about our fellas’ working parts. And the ladies have a point!
What’s bothersome is that while we sweat to muscle-up our bods, they seem to have little concern over their own “muscle” and its unfortunate inability to step up to the occasion. I wish we knew why certain areas of the body seem to cave in and go on the fritz. Perhaps it comes down to stress, money problems, too many meds, illness, depression, or a little karma (lol). I don’t know, but for goodness sake, sirs, you cannot drive a car without a motor, or cook a great dinner if your oven don’t work! Just like the real estate guy who doesn’t reveal bad pipes or a basement full of bees, so goes the single gentleman untrained for awkward conversations about, well, his secret problem with his junk.

No one has to tell him there’s an “out of order” sign swinging on his you know what – he knows inevitably it’s going to be an issue, a major talking point – but for the life of him, he cannot find a PC way to disclose this little detail to his new lady. Much easier to stall, blame it on the wine – or hope she grows warm and fuzzies for him, forgiving his little land of broken dreams.

So, what’s up with this condition? And is it ok to run from someone who can’t “do it”? Is this one of those super-duper deal breakers? Well, my ladies say YES, it’s a valid reason to walk away when discovered early on in the relationship. But the doctors say it can be healed! Yay! It’s a matter of learning all the steps to overcome everything associated with the issue. Gentlemen, get it taken care of before the dating game begins! Don’t get caught with your pants down knowing your equipment is on hiatus. Do the necessary homework if you would like to make your lady love happy.

Learn about sexual disfunction here and here.

So many reasons to fall in love…

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Far be it from me to cause a stir, but sometimes the truth has to be spoken, and it should be out loud without fear of repercussion. After all, we live in America, no one should shake in their boots afraid to speak out, right? I’m talking about a very serious and controversial topic….our personal computer choices. To be more specific, PC versus Mac and the sensitivities over which one is better, which company makes the baddest unit, the fastest, coolest, etc. This isn’t a commercial, or a dog/versus cat person thing, it’s just that we all use them, and in all honesty there is truly a clear winner and it cannot be denied. Mac, the only real front runner is leaps ahead of anything we have out there…far more magnificent, quieter, sleeker, more chic and simply flat out better than any other computer technology we have going.
Maybe it’s the hip design or super stunning interface or maybe because it’s easy to use with all those cool icons and sensible organization (Delete A-B-C-D-drive mindset). Perhaps its the way the keyboard gives you all those wild little shortcuts and making you say “I get it”. The emotional effect cannot be denied either. Run your fingers across the keyboard and you will see how good it makes you feel!  It’s an Apple, and somehow Apple gets you to feel proud to own one of their crazy-ass incredible products, even the opening of the product boxes have been reported to deliver a rush! Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, the PC overpowers all, there’s more of them around, it lets you play more games, make more spreadsheets, wah, wah, way, who cares. And Macs are for drawing pictures and PCs are for important business, like running the world. Muwaaaah. Oh how fun it is not to believe any of that nonsense!

I am just a really proud and happy Mac user. Mac, Mac, Mac, oh, and iPod, and iPhone, and iPad. Yes, I have drunk the cool-aid, I am now high and certainly cannot help myself!
And today I celebrate a major milestone. I just got the treat of my life, my own kid bought me a new MacBook Air, seriously contributing to this Mac drug-fest addiction thing I’ve got. He may have skipped me a Mother’s Day card, but he walked into the Apple Store all on his own, bought a case and a bag to put everything in, and got it all rung up right there on the clerk’s iPhone. I have had a lot of computers over the years, but THIS is the sweetest, coolest gift, AND piece of machinery I have ever laid my eyes on.
Sadly, I cannot say the same about my awkward PC desktop that takes up tons of space under my desk where my legs and high heels go. I know that there are sleek little PCs out there, pleeze, I get it, but they continue to be stuck in yesteryear, and a little boring, and a little tinny and a bit old school.

If you are not of the Apple Store browsing ilk, if you have not dipped your toe into the delicious waters of seamless technology perfection, and if you have not experienced falling in love with a machine, then I urge you to go there. And why shouldn’t we love the way our devices look and feel? I think we’re owed this as picky-butt consumers – so go ahead, touch it, feel it, breathe in its scent, and sense a touch of nirvana.
>> PC users… lower your guard, wash away the nonsense, and be prepared to be amazed!  : )

Don’t pop your gum…it bugs my new disease

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OMG. We have a fancy new medical condition and it’s all the rage! And I do mean rage since this is the reaction of those who’ve contracted it. It’s called Misophonia. And I lied, it’s not that fancy, it sucks if you have it. Nonetheless, some people can’t help but go nuts when they hear certain noises like the pop/smack of gum chewing, the slurping of a cup of coffee, the err-err sound of throat clearing, even nose blowing or simple breathing can be huge triggers. It sucks to know we may have another disorder to add to the list doesn’t it?
But it’s true, and now you might be wondering… do I have it? So, read on, and decide. Bottom line, Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain bodily sounds that come from certain people that we may be close to (mother, husband,etc.). And the disease attacks victims young, even kids eight years old! A lot of adults have it pretty bad, even Kelly Ripa has it, she says she wants to scream and go crazy when the triggers show up, and most of them are derived from her very own hubby.  Example: Husband is innocently enjoying a meal, but suddenly, and inadvertently, begins tapping his spoon lightly, and repeatedly against his soup bowl, happily slurping down the soupy juices.
But Kelly can’t help but react, and not in a happy way. She has, however, learned to control it by getting far, far away from the sounds, and far from the intense irritation it causes. The noises are so amplified for Misophonia people, even shallow  breathing can cause a full fledged outburst attack. Crazy right? It is, but for me — I now have a name to such an annoying condition that I have unknowingly dealt with over the years. Turns out I am super sensitive to these kinds of noises. I have known myself to plug my ears in work meetings just to make the chalkboard-scratching sounds stop! The coffee slurping and hard swallows literally vibrate endlessly through my body, blocking out other sounds and voices. I know of many a work meeting where a former boss swallowed her decaf deep and hard. The painfully long, slow slurps echoed through the room placing what seemed to be a stranglehold on my nerves, carrying on long after the coffee went cold. Innocent (but loud) gum-chewers are big time triggers too and can definitely stress out a Misophonia sufferer without them even realizing the depths of the irritation they cause.
Clearly it’s a bummer especially when there is no real treatment for it besides grin and bear. But now you know and now you’ve got a name. So yeah, you’re NOT crazy, just know that you should never get on a plane without ear plugs or an iPod with lots of music (major triggers, lol) especially if you think you have it or are slowly getting it.