Rant of the Week: Why Are We OK with Driving with People We Don't Know?

Top 3 of the Week: Things Men Can Learn From Watching The Bachelorette

1) Open Up!
Even if you don’t feel it, sometimes you got to listen to Madonna and “express yourself, hey hey hey heyyyy”! My favorite eligible bachelor on the show, Reid, had a hard time telling Jillian his thoughts and feelings about a potential future. The result? He got booted.
Note to all you men out there: speak up or we’ll kick you to the curb for someone who can tell us what they want!


2) Show You Care!
Yes, even if that means flying your parents out to Hawaii (ok, fine, it won’t work in most cases, but Ed got MAJOR points!). Jillian stressed to Ed how much she would have liked to meet his parents after Ed missed the opportunity when he left for “work-related” reasons. Even though he did return, proving yet again how much he cared for Jillian, it was only after he made the decision that work took precedence.
Guys--if your not willing to put love before work, you’re not going to find love!


3) Do Not Pretend To Be Someone You're Not!
Look what happened to Wes, the idiot (who clearly doesn’t understand the concept of bad publicity), laughed off the fact that he made it all the way to the top 4 with a girlfriend whilst holding a beer in his hand. Wes came on the show with the hopes of promoting his country band, when it was stated the only country that Wes will sell records in is Mexico. Eek.
Boys--do not pretend to be someone you are not. It’s only a matter of time before a girl finds out your true colors!

Let's Admit: There is No Ideal Job!

Does anyone really enjoy their job?

We're always bound to complain about something.

The hours are too long. The hours are non-traditional. The pay isn't enough. You're only doing it for the pay. The location sucks. The commute sucks. The coworkers are terrible. The coworkers are the only thing keeping you there. It's not the field you want to be in. It's not the direction you want to go in. You're not home enough. You're home too much. You hate your boss. You hate your department. You're standing on your feet all day. You're stuck behind a desk all day.


We all complain. And to those who we complain to, well, they don't want to hear it. Because they're damn well sure their position is worse than yours. When you talk about your job, if you get a "your job sounds awesome" response, you often follow it by "well it sounds better than it is."

Can we all just come to the conclusion that 99% of us would like to win the lottery and never work again? The other 1% probably grew up rich and works just to keep busy (I HATE YOU).

If you're lucky enough to truly love your job (mine right now is pretty cool), then you're the envy of many. But let's all just admit there is no IDEAL JOB!

PREMIERE OF: The Rant of the Week!

Top 3 of the Week: Songs I Can't Stop Dancing to This Summer

1) "When Love Takes Over" David Guetta featuring Kelly Rowland


Not only is she a co-host of The Fashion Show on Bravo, but a hit single too!? That was WAY more than I expected when her and former Destiny's Child member, Michelle Williams decided to pursue solo careers without the help of ringleader, Beyonce. This is a song you CANNOT help but tap your feet too, unless you lost your feet in a terrible accident, then..well..I'm sorry I brought it up. At any rate, when this song takes over, I wouldn't stop it if I could! Yeahhhhh!

2) "Hush Hush" PussyCat Dolls

Speaking of Destiny's Child, could the Pussycat Dolls follow in their footsteps with lead singer Nicole Scherzinger prepared to start a solo gig? (That's the latest rumor but Hush Hush--you didn't hear it from me!) If so, I'm glad they got this song in before they left. But I ask this: why is it that both Beyonce and Nicole are not only the best singers, but blessed with the best looks in the bunch too? Not fair. Some of their songs have been corny in the past, ("When I Grow Up" sounds like a Toys-R-US anthem), but this one is pretty awesome.


3) "I Know You Want Me" Pitbull


I don't know if you want me, but what I do know is that I can't stop dancing to this song. I've always said that as long as a song has a good beat, I'll listen to it (yes, that even includes country music). So even though the lyrics go something like " Mami got an ass like a donkey, with a monkey," it still gets me moving my donkey ass on the dance floor!

Bathing Suits vs. Underwear – NO DIFFERENCE!

Bathing Suits vs. Underwear

What is the difference?

I’ll tell you.

The fabric.

That’s about it.










Underwear

Bathing Suit

Can’t tell the difference between the two, can you?

What’s stopping me from roaming around a poolside in granny pants and a bra? It’s no different than wearing a bikini now, is it? You’re seeing the same coverage, now, aren’t you?

Not to say I’m comfortable walking around my house or chilling outside in my underwear, but let’s just remember that in theory, we are looking at the same thing!

Top 3 of the Week: Things I Don't Think is Worth the Money

1) Buying Books
So you find a book you really like to buy at the store, bring it home, read it, and then what? Read it again? Um, not likely. There's a thing called the library, and while I mostly utilize mine for its current CDs and DVDs, if there's a book I want to read, I'm going reach into my wallet for my library card and not my $20 bill!


2) Manicures
I might be one of the few girls who doesn't enjoy this form of pampering. Unless its a french manicure, I don't find the reason to spend money on my nails when I can easily do it myself. Ok, maybe not, easily, as using my non-dominant left hand to paint my right hand is quite the challenge. But if I can't notice the difference between my nails and those who get manicures, I think I'll use my money elsewhere.

3) Downloading iTunes Music
I have never bought a single song off iTunes, since the majority of music I want to buy are probably the same that are played on the radio. So hmm, just turn on the radio, or buy it for my iPod? OK, fine, songs are only $1, but that adds up! Again my local library comes in handy when it comes to not just books, but taking out the latest CDs. Now if only my library card could get me free manicures...

Stop & Stare: WE ALL DO IT!

The following is a scenario that you most likely have witnessed as a driver, or a passenger.

Driver on highway: What is this traffic ahead! Ugh, you know what, I bet it’s some silly accident that everyyyyyyyyybody has to turnnnnnn their headddddddddd and watch as they drive by.

Driver approaches accident.


Driver (turning head and slowing down car): Oh wow, this traffic over this silly accident! This is what everyone slows down for...unbelievable!

YOU ARE AT FAULT TOO, DRIVERS!

(PLEASE DON’T) Take Me Out to the Ballgame

Anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE baseball. But I find it almost impossible to pay attention to what’s going on at a game when I’m at a stadium watching it.

What inning is it peanuts? You want peanuts? So when was the last time you went to a wait who just hit the home run?! Did you want to stay till the end of the when did they take the starter out?!


The ironic thing about this all is that I, unlike a casual fan who attends games, actually prides myself in my knowledge of the game, the stats, and the current storylines (after all, it’s kind of what I do for a living right now!) But if I really want to watch a game, I plop myself in front of the TV, listen to the analysts and actually see where the actual pitches cross the plate.

Now I do enjoy the atmosphere of being at the stadium on a nice day or night, but the only thing that catches my interest more at a stadium than on TV is seeing the fans fight for each foul ball when it lands.



So next time I get offered tickets from work or through friends, I’m going to probably still go, but it’s certainly not going to be because I want to pay close attention to the actual game. It’s because I want to pay three times the price of a hot dog and beer, of course!

Top 3 of the Week: Reactions to Last Week's Deaths

Everything happens in 3's they say, and that includes not just last week's celebrity deaths, but the top 3 of the week!

1) Ed McMahan
Ok so at 86, I can't really say your death was a tragedy. You lived a long life, and there's nothing to feel sorry for, except for the fact that the last years of your life were spent nearly bankrupt thanks to poorly managing your savings. To me, you won't be remembered as the "Tonight Show" sidekick but rather an intruder onto someone's lawn carrying a massive size check.
Leaves behind: NO ASSETS! The man was practically bankrupt!


2) Farrah Fawcett
Boy, did you pick a bad day to kick the bucket. Your death certainly was "untimely," as only hours later, the King of Pop stole your crown in the spotlight and top story in the news. Your death was tragic, but not unexpected, as your battle with anal cancer (ouch) was highly publicized and left us wondering, like Patrick Swayze, just how many days you had left.
Leaves behind: Eery footage from recent documentary about battle with cancer, and oh yeah, photos like these that might still be up on walls of male fans!


3) Michael Jackson
Now we're talking shocker. Kudos to Jackson for the capability of captivating the attention and remorse from the entire globe (heck for all we know, his alien looking counterparts in this universe might be shedding a tear, too). Hard to say whether or not we can really feel his death, as right now, through the playing of his music, purchase of his cds, and tv specials, Jackson is more alive than ever.
Leaves behind: Countless hits that will live on forever, and that Neverland Ranch that should probably be destroyed!

It Didn't Matter If You Were Black Or White - RIP Michael Jackson

It was an eery afternoon for many on Thursday, July 25th. At about 4:00pm, I had a conversation with my friend on the way to work, discussing the death of Farrah Fawcett. I then proceeded to start this topic.

"I wonder how many entertainment figures would get a huge global response when they pass away," I said.

I thought Elton John or Paul McCartney, perhaps Meryl Streep or Barbra Streisand. What I didn't think of was Michael Jackson, but no later than 2 hours after that discussion did the whole world shutter in disbelief when the King of Pop passed away.

People die all the time (yes, it's scary, but our time will come too), but our responses vary greatly. Ed McMahan and Farrah Fawcett passed away last week too, but it was only Michael Jackson who gave us all a "WAIT WHAT?! No, I refuse to believe it" response.

But when I look back at Michael Jackson, I can't really say it's a human who passed away. After all, his appearance matches that of, well, no one. The guy was truly one of a kind. What's sad, is that my first instinct was to make jokes with my co-workers when Jackson passed away.

"It doesnt matter if you're black or white--you're dead!"

"Do you think Michael Jackson sang 'You Are Not Alone' to Farrah Fawcett on their way to heaven?"

"Oh, Michael Jackson was sent to the hospital? Wonder if it was a Children's hospital."


What's sad is that I'm actually upset that we didn't get a chance to see Jackson's progression into old age. You know, like what that face would have looked like, or if his nose would just fall off completely.


But what I find eery about this whole death is the aftermath. This was just one man (again, hard to tell by looking), who had the power to make an impact on the entire world. With facebook statuses updating at a rapid rate, crowds flocking in memoriam, and Jackson's music blasting from cars on the road, we recognize that this man, Michael Jackson, is probably one of the small handful of people who can create such an impact when they die.

Pens: A Disappearing Act

I truly believe this is one of life’s greatest mysteries. No matter what, pens will continue to disappear on us. But what I want to know is where the hell do they go?

Don’t you find yourself constantly buying new packs of pens, only to eventually lose those too? Sure, pens eventually run out of ink, but I think for every 12 pack of pens I buy, I remember tossing out just one because it was no longer functional.

We’ve all borrowed a pen and accidentally kept it, which may also explain why we lose pens too, but then somehow manage to lose that pen we just borrowed!

So I ask you this, pens:

WHERE ARE YOU GOING AND WHY ARE YOU HIDING FROM US!

Top 3 of the Week: Reasons Why I Hate the Beach

1) The Sand

There's nothing I find more gross than finding sand everywhere, not just when you're at the beach, but when you come home (and we all know what I mean by everywhere). I think my hatred towards the sand stems from a traumatizing experience when I was younger, when a bratty little daughter of my mom's friend threw sand all over my head. It was at that moment, I knew, my life on the beach, would never, be the same.

2) The Water

If I have the ocean water go up past my knees, that is an accomplishment. Swimming with seaweed, sand, jelly fish and oh yeah, even the possibility of SHARKS, just doesn't seem like the most enjoyable pastime. Oh, did I mention the delicious tasting saltwater that gets in your mouth? The one satisfaction I get out of the ocean is the waves, and since I've mastered creating waves through the use of floats in pools, I'm content.

3) The People

One of the beauties of tanning and swimming by a pool is privacy. Having to deal with screaming children running across your towel, or having to see that overweight man in his tiny Speedo, are things I like to avoid when I'm enjoying a relaxing day in the sun.

There’s No Fun in Gift Registries

A few weeks ago I went to my cousin’s engagement party. While most family and friends departed at the end, as immediate family members, we had the privilege of staying and watching my cousin and his fiancé open gifts. I like to think of us as VIPs, but I try not to brag.

The happy couple registered at Bed Bath & Beyond. For those of you who don’t know, a gift registry is set up where the happy couple will tour the store and scan the items they wish to receive, essentially guaranteeing them the items they desire. However, in the process, takes all the fun away from opening presents.

Oh, the SmartPower Blender?
Wow! I didn’t expect this!
The Grenache wine set?
I did NOT see that coming!


What I always like, is the awkward looks you give when you open a present that you have no interest in receiving. The fake smile and the “Oh, gee, this is…great…thanks…” is often priceless to watch.

The only element of surprise with gift registries comes from seeing what your family and friends set as a dollar value for you. You picked out every item. You know what they cost.

Only the $25 table clothes?
Gee, thanks Uncle Michael.
The $200 plate set?
Wow, cousin Sue, that was very generous.

I’m sure I’m going to use a gift registry when my day comes, but while I’m going to enjoy the gifts in the end, the fun of opening gifts just won’t be the same.

I Am Officially Part of the Apple Cult

Never in my life have I experienced something like this. An ultimate bond. An undeniable trust. An over-the-top obsession.

Ladies and gentleman, if you have never met an owner of a Mac computer, brace yourself when you do.

Obsession, is an understatement.

If you ever diss an Apple computer in front of a Mac user, it's as if you've insulted their unborn child. If you ever praise it? Well it's like you've become their new best friend. And from what I learned, if you talk to a Mac user and let them know you've bought a Mac, why it's like you've converted to their religion.

Ok, I don't think you need to worry about me going this far.

What I want to know is how Apple is capable of creating such a strong fan base, that it's almost turned into a cult. And what I'd like to see, if I, now a new Apple user, am going to be a part of it. Do you see Dell user's unite in Facebook groups? No. Do you see North Face customers discuss the details of their purchases in their free time? Absolutely not. Only Apple has the capabilities of such.

Time will tell if I'm going to follow the trend and, but all I know is that I've crossed over to the dark side. And by the "dark side," I mean a better functioning, sleeker look, trendier features, and a more socially acceptable side of computers.

COME JOIN ME!