Top 3 of the Week: Places You're Not Supposed to Meet A Partner

1) At a Bar
You're not supposed to meet your future husband or wife at a bar, right? After all, the intention of many guys isn't to find love when they're out on the town, but most likely to find a way to get into a ladies pants that night. And the girls intention? Why, of course, to get some free drinks out of the deal! (just kidding...maybe.) But if you're single, isn't the point of going out to meet someone perhaps? If you just so happen to find a keeper at the bar and exchange numbers, the stigma of meeting each other there won't go away.


2) On the Internet
Ok so if you meet the "players" or the "sluts" at the bar, then its the "perverts" and the "creeps" you need to watch out for online. The internet is the up-and-coming way to meet people, that is if you play it safe. A lot of people still have a hard time embracing the new-age concept, doubting that you can really trust people online. But when you hear success stories left and right, you got to think there's something to this easy-way-to-find-out-in-a-matter-of-seconds just-by-reading-a-profile, if someone is right for you.


3) At Work
So, ok, so meeting someone on the internet is a more modern search, but finding love at work has always been considered taboo. Have people done it in the past? Sure, whether it's overcoming the office gossip or hiding it all together. But the real issue isn't when you're dating that person. It's the aftermath of seeing them on a daily basis if it doesn't work out!

So what the hell is left? Unless its meeting friends of friends (and of course awkwardness could ensue if THAT doesn't work out), or having the man of your dreams save you from being hit by a bus, there's no IDEAL way to meet someone!

What I Crave is...Apparently Raw Fish!

I can't help but crave a spicy tuna roll or a dragon roll or a california roll when I'm in the mood for food.

But I never would have guessed that between hot fudge sundaes, cheeseburgers, pizza or any other type of satisfying food, I crave that of RAW FISH.

But c'mon, who doesn't love the fun in eating sushi!

Just keep in mind that it is essentially what you see below!

College-Best Four Years of Your Life? I HOPE NOT!

'College is the best four years of your life.'

Whoever originated that phrase must have been drunk.

Don’t get me wrong, I loved college, and remember it fondly (I did only graduate last year). But best four years of your life? How depressing is that to know you’ve already experienced the best time in your life by the ripe old age of 22.

Now for me, and maybe it’s just me, the best four years of my life are going to be:

1) the year I meet and fall in love with my future husband

2) the year I actually marry my husband

3) the year my first child is born

4) the year we move into a house and build our life and family together

The best four years of my life are not:

1) the year I gained my freshman 15

2) the year I first chalked my ID

3) the year I ate chicken salad 20 times per week because it was the only thing I enjoyed at the Dining Hall

4) the year I was scared out of my mind when I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life

Again, I loved college, met some great friends, accomplished a lot, but if it’s the best four years of my life, I ask (in the most dramatic voice possible)

what’s the point of livingggggg?!

Top 3 of the Week: Shows to Watch This Summer

1) So You Think You Can Dance
If you like American Idol, its not because you just love to hear the sound of different peoples voices. It’s because you like the show format, the competition, and the presentation. If that’s the case, So You Think You Can Dance is no different. Last year, I watched it for my former Commack-native Courtney Galiano who made it all the way to the finals. This year, I’m watching it because it’s a good show, period.



2) Kathy Griffin, My Life on the D-List
If you've ever seen her do stand-up, you're probably not impressed like I am. But if you haven't watched her show, then you're missing out. Griffin is at her comedic best when she's joking with her assistants or during her camera interviews. With Last Comic Standing not returning this summer, My Life on the D-List is probably the funniest show on television, that is if you enjoy more than just people falling in a puddle of mud in Wipeout.



3) Real Housewives of New Jersey
By far, one of my favorite series on television, and for what reason? I couldn't even tell you. I've grown to love this rotating series about the rich and spoiled, ditzy and sleazy housewives who take part in it. For New Jersey, emphasis on the word "sleazy" as it further proves to me you don't have to be smart to have it all, you just have to marry someone who does.

Stomachs: A Mind of Their Own

Do you ever get the feeling that sometimes, your stomach has a mind of its own?

Think about it.

How many times does it get moody and growl at you?

We can’t really control it. We have no idea when it’s going to act up, flip out, or weigh us down. And when it does, it's usually at the most inopportune time. You know, like during a test, on a job interview, or at a funeral.

It’s like a cat, when it’s hungry, it let’s you know, and once you feed it, it goes back to doing its own thing.

I’m telling you, sometimes, I really do feel like my stomach has a mind of its own.

Just think about it.

Reality TV - Thanks, But No Thanks

OK, so when my life gets to be too awesome and a TV producer offers to film my relationships on a reality TV show, remind me to say thanks, but no thanks. Because I think we realize, with fame and fortune, comes drama and divorce.

Jon & Kate Plus 8 is the latest saga to hit the pages of US Weekly, proving yet again, that the intrusion of cameras just doesn’t lead to happily ever after. Jessica Simpson, Hulk Hogan, Carmen Electra and Travis Barker, are just some examples of the marriage casualties endured from reality TV.

So is it worth it? Why would people want to give it a go still, knowing this type of damage can happen? Maybe people just can’t turn down a lucrative contract, the fame, and the publicity.

Just remind me to turn it down when I get the offer, ok?

Top 3: Fascinating Things I Still Can't Wrap My Head Around

1) Airplanes
Am I the only one who still feels like a little kid when my plane lifts off the ground and I point down at the ant-like people? Conceptually speaking, its pretty fascinating to know that we humans can sit in a man-made machinery and ride above the clouds. I still look forward to riding airplanes, almost so much so that it becomes my actual vacation. Ride it one way, and turn around home when I'm at the next airport. (I keed, I keed :)


2) Pregnancy
Now I know when I have my own child, it's going to feel like a miracle, but I can't help but think how FREAKY it is to have a living thing growing inside your body. Granted, that living thing is your child that you will love unconditionally and take care of the rest of your life, but damnn...to go to bed at night with stomach pains, only to realize its the creature inside you kicking, that's got to be a bit freaky, no? (ok fine...your child is NOT a "creature")



3) Telephones
This isn't a new invention like the airplane, but still is mindboggling to me. As advanced as we are technologically speaking, I'm still in awe as to how we can communicate via the basic telephone from various locations around the world. I was in the middle of the desert in Israel talking to my mom on the phone from our house in Long Island. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE!?

How Can People Have No Personality?!

We've all met these kind of people. You ask a question, they give one word answers. They tell you a story that is about as dry as the desert. It could be your coworker who strictly comes into work, does their job without saying boo to you, and leaving at the end of the day. It could be the guy or girl you went on a date with last week. Or it could be your waiter or waitress at the last restaurant you went to or your neighbor you always dreaded bumping into.

How is it that people can have no personality?

But maybe the better question is: if they have no personality, do they even know it? And if so, why aren't they doing anything to change it!

What I think is that people with no personalities, ultimately are satisfied with marrying others with no personalities, and thus, continue to breed that of the same kind.

And what are we left with? More bland people in our society who a) do not know how to laugh at a joke, b) do not know how to start a conversation and c) ultimately, do not bring anything to the table!

Times Square: I Can Never Fully Appreciate You

It was at about 1:00am last night when I had my ritual walk to the train through Times Square on my way home from work (no, I'm not a stripper at a gentleman's club, but a production assistant at SportsNet NY), did I realize something.

I work on 51st and 6th, a mere one avenue away from the heart of Times Square. As you can imagine, unlike most places at 1:00am, I'm not the only one on the streets in New York City. Joining me are the saxophone playing beggers, the homeless and their cardboard signs, and yes, the tourists snapping photos.

It was at that moment that I realized, I'm never going to see Times Square the way the tourists do, or in fact, the way it should be seen. As a New Yorker, Times Square is like the swine flu. Our fast-paced lifestyle cannot handle the slow sightseers, the constant street vendors shouting at us, or the ticket offers thrown our way.

But what I find sad is that I can't be a tourist in my own city. Heck, I've wanted to see the Conan O'Brien show for a long time, but not once did I actively pursue it while he was here. I go to LA for a week and BAM, I see The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

So now that I realize this, the next time I pass through Times Square, I want to at least try to remind myself that it's one of the coolest attractions in the world. And maybe, through my haste to get from place to place, I'll find it in my heart to stop and ask that tourist snapping a photo if they want me to take it with them and their family in it.

Top 3 of the Week: My Favorite Board Games Growing Up

1) Dream Phone
You’reeeee righttttt. I reallyyyy like youu.
You boys out there wouldn’t appreciate the true joy us girls got out of guessing who was the right catch for us. Nothing was more painful than hearing “I know who it is, but I’m not telling, HA HA.” Each clue brought us closer to our dream boy, and if we held the phone as tight as we could to our ear, we would actually be able to hear it. But once we did finally make it to the end, if it was a hottie like Steve or Dale, well, it was that much sweeter.


2) Life
Not sure what I enjoyed most about this one—the chance to be a doctor and make a steady income, or becoming a proud parent of a pink or blue peg. Either way, you couldn’t go wrong with the game of Life. That is, unless you never bought life or fire insurance, then you were doomed.



3) Scattergories
One of the few games I still enjoy and have the patience for, Scattergories was an easy “end it at any round” game that tested your skills on, well every letter of the alphabet. Not always a fan of the categories (Brooke Blvd can be a street name!) or that dice (Qu? Um…let’s roll again…), but it’s still a classic favorite.

Find a Penny--LEAVE IT?

Do you remember the saying, "find a penny, pick it up?" Maybe you're more familiar with the phrase, "pick a penny up on heads for good luck." Well nowadays, I bet you even some homeless people can't be bothered with what has become an almost meaningless currency: pennies.

How is it that pennies, which mind you, do ACTUALLY add up to what some of you might consider REAL MONEY, is so insignificant to us? I'll tell ya, if Abe Lincoln didn't show his face on the $5 bill, he'd be pretty pissed about this treatment.

But the ironic part about this, is that as lazy as we are about picking up a penny or finding the effort to reach into our bag or pocket for it, we're still kicking ourselves when we're at the checkout line and are one penny short.

The result? Well some cashiers say "don't worry about it" which again, proves how pointless the penny really is to our economy.

But sometimes the cashier isn't that nice.

And what do we get for it?

Well handing her that nickel ensures us four more of these insignificant pennies in return!

Joke of the Week!

Did you hear who won American Idol?

Top 3 of The Week: American Idol Finale Thoughts

1) And the winner is...Kris Allen?
Hey, it could happen. And if so, America has a lot of explaining to do. Sure, I enjoy Allen's performances, but the winner of American Idol? C'mon. Kris' charming smile and apparent sex appeal has surprisingly catapulted him into the top-2, knocking out finale favorite, Danny Gokey in the process. I'm not a huge Adam Lambert fan (his theatrics are indulging and his high-pitched notes shatter all my windows), but if he doesn't win, it just ain't right. The guy is a rockstar.


2) Team Dioguardi
Now most people I talk to are not a fan of the rookie judge, but I actually like her contributions, and almost find myself agreeing with her more than Simon. If anything, her following Randy proves just how useless his critiques are (This is a singing competition and YOU CAN SINGGG!!! --seriously, enough.) Now what I didn't like about Kara throughout the season is that she's uber sensitive and can't take a joke, especially when it's coming from Simon (who mind you, has a pretty big in with the producers of the show). So don't be surprised if like the many Idol contestants, Dioguardi's 15 minutes of American Idol fame might be over after this season.


3) Looking back at my Predictions
I'd like to think I was pretty spot on with my American Idol predictions. Interestingly enough, I left off Kris Allen, because after all, I didn't even think he'd make the top-13, let alone the top 2! (Sorry, but without air time in the early rounds, how can America relate to the guy?) I still think Adam will succeed win or lose, and well, seeing Jorge Nunez win it all would have been just plain adorable!

NASCAR—Really, America? Really?

Really, America? You really enjoy watching cars go in circles, over and over and over again? And somehow, I’m in the minority for not enjoying it? NASCAR gets higher ratings across the country than most sports, including hockey.

Granted, I’m a New Yorker, and well, you can probably guess NASCAR and its country music-loving fans are not prevalent here, but I still don’t see the fascination with this “sport” that involves so much repetition it will make you dizzy just watching!

Top 3 of The Week: Awkward First Date Moments

1) When The Bill Comes
This is where the "Are you a gentleman?" test comes into play. Ladies--you're right to offer to pay your way. Gentleman--if you accept, you are not a gentleman at all. If you can't treat a lady and attempt to make a good first impression on the first date, when can you?



2) When You Say Goodbye
Ok, let the awkwardness begin. If you're traditional and don't kiss on the first date, you can delay this move until it ever reaches a 2nd. But at some point, one of you is going to awkwardly go for a hug/kiss on the cheek while the other is diving headfirst with your tongue hanging out. If you're on the same page? Well then that's dating chemistry!



3) When You Realize Your Not Interested
Ok, sometimes all it takes is one minute to realize the person is not for you. So do you purposely show that your not interested or do you carry on as normal, potentially leading them on? We're all guilty of the next step: fading someone out. As easy as it is to say "sorry you're not my type" after dating them, it's not easy for us at all. Our preferred method? Gradually fading them out until they get the idea your just not into them. It's cruel, and we hate when it's done to us, but we all do it anyway!