My Life In High Heels

There was a time when my heels never touched the ground. They were often perched at least three inches above my toes. I'm not a tall person (just a smidgeon under 5'5") and, like so many women, I longed to be taller and leaner looking. Heels (the higher, the better) were the easiest way to achieve this look. My favorites were Candies (similiar to the ones in the photo). I loved my Candies so much that I even wore them in snowstorms (boots???? I don't need no stinkin' boots!!!). After my ankles begged and pleaded with me to give up my need for more height, I caved in (somewhere around early motherhood) and I've not looked back since. Today, high heels are still very much in style. In fact, the higher the better. It's not uncommon to find high heels as high as 7 or 8 inches in height. A 5 inch heel is considered somewhat middle-of-the road these days. In Japan, there was an epidemic of sprains and broken bones thanks to a craze of 10 inch heel shoes. Before you run out and buy them though, you should know that one can develop chronic orthopedic problems like hammertoes (unsightly and very painful), aches and pains from abnormal stress to the ankles, knees, hips and lower back and, most importantly, early onset of osetoarthritis to the knees. Many of these chronic conditions may eventually have to be remedied with surgery. If you must wear heels, one physician recommends wearing them around the house until you are certain you can walk relatively well in them before venturing outside. This will cut down on the possibility of a sprained or broken ankle. As for me, I've found an alternative with platform shoes which are far more comfortable and a lot less wear and tear on my feet. As for Jessica Simpson....someone please tell that girl her boots aren't made for walkin'!

Jolie And Pitt, Receiving And Giving

You probably already know that Angelina Jolie gave birth to a baby girl on Saturday (Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt), but what you may not know is that she and Brad Pitt (Shiloh's biological father) also gave $300,000 to the nation of Nambia so that other babies could be born safely in this impoverished part of southern Africa. The couple has also donated $15,000 for a school and community center in a local village, Swakopmund. The couple released a statement saying that they wanted to contribute to Namibia because the government and the people of that country had been so gracious to them while waiting for the birth of their baby. I'm not huge fans of either of these mega tabloid stars, but their generous donations makes up for a lot of the obnoxious gossip.

Healthy Aging

The other night I was flipping through channels when I came upon an interview with Dr. Andrew Weil. I've been a fan of Dr. Weil's for quite a few years. He used to be a regular guest on a local talk show many years ago and when I heard him speak about alternative medicine, I was hooked. Although Dr. Weil is a specialist in alternative medicine, he is a traditionally trained doctor, who incorporates traditional medicine with a healthy, balanced lifestyle. His newest book, 'Healthy Aging, A Lifelong Guide To YOur Physical And Spiritual Well-Being', is a no-nonsense approach to doing something we will all hopefully get to do...growing old. Dr. Weil puts the brakes on the notion that we have to cling to our youth. There's really no way anyone can do that. The most important thing is to maintain a healthy lifestyle, both in mind and body. If you are 50 years old today, chances are you will live to at least 80. Unfortunately, today many people over the age of 60 suffer from morbid obesity and depression. What can the quality of life be if one is to live another 20 years after that? This is just one of many topics that Dr. Weil deals with in this book as well as how men and women age differently. For more information on this and other books by Dr. Weil, you can go to www.amazon.com.

Get Kathy Off The D List

Kathy Griffin is the kind of person you either absolutely love or hate. No one who has seen her can remain objective. She is hysterically funny, while pushing every button imaginable. She makes fun of every one, including herself. No one is safe around Kathy, especially if you are an A list celebrity. Kathy has done a number of specials for Bravo called "My Life On The D List" whereby she lambastes anyone who has been fodder for the tabloids, including Angelina and Brad, Tom and Katie, and Ryan Seacrest and Clay Aiken (I don't think they're a couple). Now Kathy wants desperately to get off the D list. She's running a major television campaign and she will do whatever you tell her too......she's that desperate! To vote Kathy off the D list, go to www.offthedlist.com. At the very least you get to tell someone else what to do instead of the other way around!

A Day To Remember

In honor of the spirit of Memorial Day, I won't be posting today. All I ask is that whoever reads this blog, take a minute to remember those who gave their time and some their lives, unselfishly, for our country. God Bless All!

Stretching Your Dollar And Pinching Your Pennies

With the ever-rising cost of gasoline, Americans are looking to stretch their dollar as far as they can. Afterall, as oil prices rise, so does the cost of almost everything else. My goal has always been to help readers find the best deals, especially on beauty prodcts. CVS is coming out ahead as the leader in beauty products sales over any other discount or retail chain across the country. Many of their stories totally revamped their cosmetic and skin care sections and hired beauty consultants to help customers with their choices, offering suggestions and alternatives to higher-priced products. Now, they have come out with their own Beauty News Guide, giving customers and inside look at all they have to offer, including their own brand alternatives to higher-priced products like Oil of Olay's Regenerist line and Strivectin. Here you will find suggested sale items on your favorite products, suggestion for alternative products for, not only Strivectin (CVS brand is called PreVentin and is a fraction of the cost of Strivection), but also for Hylexin (CVS brand is called Persistent Dark Circles). If you can pick up a copy of Beauty News at CVS, you will also receive over $30 in coupons for all of the products they have highlighed ranging in value from $2-$5. Try their own alternative beauty products, and you will also receive an additional $5 with coupon.

Sweet Father's Day Memories

For me, Father's Day is filled with bitter sweet memories, of my own dad, who passed away over thirty years ago, when I was just a very young woman. I clearly remember painstakingly making special handmade gifts in school like pencil holders and paper weights for his desk at work. I also remember perusing the Father's Day Gift sales the PTA used to sponsor (and still probably do) for fundraisers, wondering what I could possibly buy him with the dollar bill my mom gave me. My dad was a smart, savvy, eclectic man with a very keen sense of humour. He had little tolerance for my mood swings, but could always make me laugh with his silly jokes. When he would call my mom from his office during the day (she was a stay-at-home mom), if I answered the phone first, he would always say to me before I passed the phone to my mom, "don't take any wooden nickels kid!". He must have said that to me hundreds of times, but it always made me laugh. I only recently learned that a young woman named Sonora Dodd, of Washington, was first to have the idea for Father's Day. Her own father was a Civil War veteran, who was left to raise six children when his wife died in childbirth. Every year I wish I could have the opportunity to buy fathers day gifts for my own dad, but now I help my kids pick out gifts for their own dad. I hope when they grow up they will have the same sweet memories of him that I have now of my dad!

The DaVinci Code: The Never-Ending Marketing Of A Pretty Mediocre Movie

Just yesterday, I was driving my son to his friend's house. Driving down the road, he pointed out to me these picket-like signs advertising a meeting at a local church to discuss the latest blockbuster movie, 'The DaVinci Code'. The sign promised an interesting meeting to debate the story's validity (i.e. fact vs. fiction). As we drove further down the road, we finally passed by the moderate sized church, with a mega-sized sign, complete with 'DaVinci Code' graphics hung on the upper-most part of the building, again enticing people to come to discuss the merits of the story. Personally, I didn't think there was anything to really discuss. The author has said, on numerous occasions, this story is completely fictional....a product of his own imagination. If it weren't, it wouldn't be called a novel. Either people still believe that there is some hidden message in this book or, religious organizations and such, are using this controversial topic to draw people in. Personally, I really don't know how much more can be milked from this media frenzy. I'm probably in the minority here, but I honestly couldn't even get through the book, let alone the movie. The only interesting character in the whole story is the albino monk. As far as I'm concerned, he should get a spin off!

Those Pussycats Are No Dolls

It was reported in today's news, that mega toy giant, Hasbro, has decided to shelve the idea of marketing a doll line in the image of each of the Pussycat Dolls. The scantily-clad Barbie-like dolls were to appear on toy shelves all over the country just in time for the Christmas season, but the line drew fierce resistance from parenting groups. The dolls are considered anti-family values all the way. As one group representative said, and I paraphrase "Imagine your six-year old mimicking developmentally inappropriate behavior" based on the role-modeling of these women. Hasbro caved in and the dolls have been shelved for good in a warehouse somewhere! Note to Hasbro: Next time you want to inspire your marketing reps for toy ideas, how about sending them to Disney World for inspiration instead of Vegas!

Where Will The Summer Take You?

Summer is vacation time for most people. As a result, most people have already started making plans to travel this summer to destinations far and wide. Some people travel to a destination, only to fall so in love with the area, that they decide to relocate so they can live there all year round. One such area, is Orlando, Florida. Over the years, I've had more friends, family and neighbors travel to that part of Florida, only to realize that they really wanted to be there more than they wanted to be back home. One Orlando Realtor has found that this hot vacation spot, with its many theme parks, has a rich history of its own dating back 150 years. Once the railroad started stopping in Orlando, it was destined to become one of the most exciting cities in that area of the country. It is still a thriving and growing community to this day. So, if you decide to take a trip to visit Mickey and all his friends, don't be surprised if you find yourself thinking "I could get used to this!"

Not Just Another Post About American Idol

If you don't already know it (and who doesn't) Taylor Hicks is the new American Idol. People have speculated all along that the producers had orchestrated the whole season with the idea that it was time for a man to win (henceforth, all the MALE guest artists, who coached the contestants through each week). There was also speculation that Chris (the bald-headed rocker) was the least liked of all the contestants, and was deliberately kicked off the show (again the proders are implicated in being instrumental in this). We will never know the exact truth of the behind-the-scenes workings of 'American Idol', but I, for one, am not unhappy with the choice America made. Like all of the winners who came before him, he is a southerner. His infectious smile and unique song interpretations are what got him all his votes. I will dare to compare him to another singer from years ago.....Barry Manilow. Yes, I know Clay has been compared to him since his earliest appearances on AI. Even Barry himself makes a joke in his Vegas show about how Clay will look like him in thirty years, but Taylor is similar in his own ways. He is not the typical sex-symbol, yet there is something sexy about him as he loses himself in his song interpretations. He is not a youngster by music industry standards, starting a career in his late twenties. He is different than other young singers in other ways as well and maybe it's that difference that drew him all those votes. Barry was all of things too some thirty years ago and he still has a vibrant career. Here's hoping that Taylor will do as well in his life!

May Is Melanoma Month

May is Melanoma Awareness Month. This is the time of year, right before summer, when we should all be checking our skin for any changes in moles (in terms of color, asymmentry and size). If you have a mole that has undefined borders, has darkened in any way, or has grown beyond the size of a pencil eraser, make sure you have your physician check it out further. Use a sunscreen every day. You don't have to be on the beach or lying poolside to be exposed to the harmful rays of the sun. Cover any exposed areas on your face, neck, ears, arms, legs, ankles and feet. For more information on how you can protect yourself, go to http://www.purposeskincare.com/

Confessions Of Middle-Aged Madonna

In less than two hours, and at a premium price of over $300 a ticket, you can see Barbie, er, I mean Madonna, dressed as an equestrian (horse-back riding has replaced sex), a disco queen, and a heavy-metal rocker! This is no reality show! This is Madonna on her latest tour.....the Confessions Tour. She's doing a lot of stuff on stage, including crucifying herself on a mirrored cross. Eventhough she looks more like a Park Avenue diva getting ready to take her weekly shopping spree over at Saks than Jesus Christ, the Catholic League President issued a strong statement to her to "knock off the Christ-bashing". Of the crucifixtion, league president went on to state "I guess you really can't teach an old pop star new tricks. Poor Madonna keeps trying to shock, but all she succeeds in doing is coming across as a boring bigot". On some level, I think he might be right. How far has she really come as an artist, if she has to keep resorting to tired-old themes that have run through her career since the very beginning more than twenty years ago. She also must have seen Cher's last, never-ending tour as the Cirque du Soleil style portion was first made famous by her, and later at Celine Dion's Vegas show. Those who attended the opening night in Los Angeles had a lot of complaining to do, but not about her performance. The venue was so hot, that everyone was dripping in sweat at the end of the night. According, the Madonna's publicist, Madonna prefers to perform in "hot" conditions. Who does she think she is , Aretha Franklin??? Me thinks that Madonna is not confessing the truth. If she truly dared, she would just come out and say " Hey, I'm having hot flashes. If I'm going to sweat, so must you!"

Terms Of Insurance

One of my favorite movies was 'Terms Of Endearment' and I finally figured out a way to work it into one of my posts. However, movies is not what this post is about. When I lost my job right before Christmas last year, I was fortunate enough to find employment, almost immediately, with a private educational company, teaching computer skills to 3, 4 and 5 year olds. I started in January of this year and my position requires me to travel to various locations to teach my classes. I carry, in the trunk of my car, computer components and software. I rarely remove the items from my trunk. I don't always have the luxury of getting a laptop to use, so the desktop models stay in my trunk until I remove them for my classes. It got me thinking about how much my car insurance will cover if, for any reason, these items are either stolen from my car or my car is stolen with all my computer equipment still in the trunk. With regard to automobile insurance GEICO recently advised California automobile owners to take heed, since California comes in at number six of the top ten auto theft locations in the country. They set forth many valuable points about how to avoid car theft or reprecusions of a theft like not leaving your car registration in your car (like I've always been told to do by my husband) or having your car's vehicle identification number etched on each of your windows. In the meantime, I'll be checking my current policy myself. Like mom always says "better to be safe, than sorry".

Blog Advance's Two For One Special

Today Blog Advance is running a two for one blog surfing incentive between 12PM and 6PM this evening. This is a blog-surf program much like Blog Explosion or Blog Mad. If you haven't already signed up, you can click on the icon in my sidebar and do so in seconds. You will receive bonus credits automatically for doing so.

A Thing Of Beauty

Do you know who this woman is? If you don't you've probably been living under a rock...or at least a rock with no cable or access to Maxim or Playboy. This is supposedly the most desirable woman of men between the ages of 14 and 54 (I just made those numbers up though). Her name is Jessica Alba and she is the 'it' girl of this century (well, so far). Her photos can be found all over the place, including 'Playboy' magazine. Jessica was not happy about that. Afterall, they were printed without her permission and the millions of dollars that usually go with that honor. They did offer an apology though, and probably a nice check to go with it. When I was very young, the 'it' girl from my generation was Farrah Fawcett (she was Farrah Fawcett Majors back then). She posed in a one piece bathing suit that left nothing to the imagination. That poster (posters were very popular back in the day before the internet) was one of the biggest selling posters of all time and probably hung in every young man's bedrooms all over the world. I would have to say that Jessica is probably the Farrah Fawcett Majors of her generation, although Eva Longoria would probably strongly disagree with me. This post is dedicated to my good friend Reb. By the way, I have something in common with Jessica. Bet you can't guess what it is!

Here's My Niche Beauty And Blogging Post For The Day

In my attempt to stick to my niche, I am going to try to fight my very short attention span and post on something beauty and blogging related a few times a week. Yesterday I was in the mall with my kids (big surprise!) and I wandered into Sephora (one of my favorite beauty supply shops). My goal was to purchase the new gift set from Philosophy, but since both my kids love the shower, bath and shampoo product, I decided to go for the big 16 oz bottle of that instead. We chose 'Cinnamon Buns', which is nothing short of a trip to the bakery. This amazing product can be used in the bath, which will give you lots of bubbles, in the shower as a body wash, and most amazingly, as a shampoo. It's actually a wonderful shampoo that gently cleanses your scalp and hair, leaving it feeling very soft. It sells for $16 at Sephora, but if you love QVC, you're in luck because most of Philosophy's line can be found there as well. Go to www.sephora.com or www.qvc.com for more information about this product and others. Now, for the blogging information. My friend has a brand new blog she just started and if you are a Barry Manilow fan like I am, you will love her posts. She is a long-standing fan who is sharing some great experiences and blasts from the past. You can visit her at http://scootertalk.blogspot.com/

The Soapranos

For most of what has been touted as 'The Sopranos' last season on HBO, the show has turned into somewhat of an old-fashioned, authentic soap opera. Not that it wasn't before, but instead of dealing with mostly, shall I say, 'family business', the seaon has shown us the personal side of several key characters other than Tony. Those of us who have been avid followers of the show, already know that Tony has been seeing a shrink for the last six or so years due to panic attacks, which began on the very first show. Now, we get to see other characters dealing with personal issues like coming out of the closet (or not, in this case) (Vinny); learning about a secret adoption and then prostate cancer (Paulie); and dealing with serious parenting issues (Tony and Carmella). To keep viewers interested, there is the gratutious violent 'whacking' from time to time because, afterall, they are 'the mob', even with all their human frailities and vulnerabilities. For me, the biggest surprise was learning that this really isn't the last season every of the 'Sopranos'. We will see them again in eight more shows.....next year, but frankly, it made me sorry I missed the season finale of 'Desperate Housewives'.

When Pets Become Fashion Accessories

I'm not sure who first began the trend of making pets fashion accessories. It probably began long before Paris and Tori began showing up at events with their pooches all dressed up in matching outfits. Nevertheless, the current generation has taken it to whole new heights which has generated a whole new industry catering to pampered pets. Just a few weeks ago I was browsing in a local mall and noticed a large retail store just for dogs' accessories. This was no discount store by any means. There were designer duds with matching booties and hats, dog strollers, dog carseats and dog diaper bags. There was actually a woman in the store shopping with her little baby, all dressed up, riding in a stroller. This baby by the way had four legs, a tail and a wet nose. At what point do people stop thinking of their dogs as dogs and begin thinking of them as their spoiled children? You can dress them up and take them out in public, carrying them around in carriers and strollers, but, afterall, they still are dogs. By the way, I included a photo of a chihuahua and a pug because I actually own one of each, although the ones in the photo are not mine. My dogs are just dogs though. They don't wear clothes or ride in carseats or strollers. They run outside in their fenced in yard, chasing birds, squirrels and the occasional stray cat. They eat dog food out of a bowl on the floor. Okay, they do sleep in my bed at night, but that's basically where I make an exception, but other than that they are treated like pets and not like people. I may get a lot of negative comments on this, but ultimately I think deep down inside, dogs just want to be dogs.....and that's all!

About Your Two Favorite Assets - Teeth And Hair

I've decided to stick to my niche today so I'm posting on two things no person should ever be without....teeth and hair! My first comments regarding teeth is for this product you see pictured called 'Breath Palette'. Someone with amazing marketing skills must have come up with this brilliant idea to finally make toothpaste in flavors other than wintergreen and/or peppermint. Please don't tell me about Crest's flavored toothpastes! They still taste the same to me, but now I actually have a choice of flavors and palettes of flavors from which to choose. There is a smoothie palette with yummy ice cream flavored toothpastes as well as a Zen palette if you really love the taste of green tea. If you like spicy, then there's a palette for that too. These toothpastes are all natural in terms of ingredients and will do everything else the leading brands do, but with better taste! There is also a water kit that goes along with the palette with little mouth washes to help complete your clean routine. If you have any problems finding this product, then look no further than www.drugstore.com. They have all the flavor palettes (both toothpaste and mouthwash) for great prices. Now, as for hair I had a question from a reader yesterday regarding the use of lemon juice to lighten hair. You can certainly use fresh lemon juice to lighten your hair, but you must sit in the sun in order to complete the lightening process.......for five hours! Not only is this a bad idea for anyone to sit in the sun for five hours, but the combination of lemon juice and sun exposure will be unbelievably drying to both hair and scalp, not to mention exposure to harmful sun rays. Furthermore, only blondes can really take advantage of this lightening method. Brunettes will find themselves with orange hair afterwards which is never a good look unless you plan on starting a band or opening a tattoo parlor. For sun-kissed hair, ask your favorite hair stylist to help you, or at least give you tips on how to accomplish the look at home. There are some great at-home kits, including a brand new one from the people who make you feel like a natural woman.

So Much For Niche Blogging

As a relatively new blogger (I began my blogging journey in December of 2005), I've considered this to be a journey to be a constant learning experience. One of the many things I've learned along the way was to find a niche for your blog. The theory among those who are considered blog gurus, is that once your niche is established, you will automatically begin drawing readers. More readers means more clicks to your ad bank (if that's what you're looking for) or, if you're a budding writer, then you will draw a readership. Although I began my blog with a niche in mind (mainly discussing anything to do with beauty, cosmetics and fitness), I soon found it increasingly difficult to find things to discuss on a daily basis that fit into my defined niche. Oh, and there's one other thing, I have the attention span of a flea. Soon after I realized that sticking to my niche would be damn near impossible (what with my very short attention span), I began broadening my horizens into other territory, which included blogging tips. What the hell! I was getting alot of information from those who came before me, who had already found a niche, so I figured I would begin passing information along to my readers. I could have started another blog on the topic. Afterall, there are people out there who have 10, 12, 15, 22 blogs. They claim to be making their mortgage payments on the money they make blogging. In theory, it would have been a great idea, but I don't have 18 hours a day to sit in front of my computer. As a result, I combined the two niche's into this one blog. I thought this would be satisfactory, but again, since I have a short attention span, this didn't last too long. Soon, I was just spouting off about anything.....movies, music, gossip...you name it! So much for niche blogging! At this point, I don't care anymore, but just to try to remain consistent with my revised theme, here are two items that fall into the 'beauty and blogging' theme: First the beauty - Ulta has a major sale beginning Sunday, May 21st which will run through Saturday, June 10th. For starters, you will receive a beautiful shell bracelet (a $30 value) with any $9 purchase of nail products. They will have lots of 'buy 1, get 1 free' offers from L'Oreal, Revlon, Ulta brand cosmetics and NYC New York and 'buy 2, get 1 free' on hair products from Matrix, Abba and Nioxin. For more information, you can go to www.ulta.com. Now, for the blogging part - As many of you know, Blog Explosion has been under new management for the last month or so and lots of great new features are being added as I write. One of the newest features to be added is Blog Explosion Radio Interactive. You will be able to make music requests, market your blog, chat and more. Their first broadcast will take place on Saturday, May 20th at 8PM EST. If you are not already a member of Blog Explosion, you can join for free by clicking on the Blog Explosion icon in my sidebar. I've met some great people from this website and I always win credit whenever I surf, so join now, if you haven't already done so! Okay, I've completed the niche part of my blogging, now back to my regularly scheduled chaos!

An American Idol Has Left The Building

I am not going to lament the loss of Elliott last night from the American Idol finale next week. Elliott has nothing to worry about regarding his impending musical career. He will, no doubt, be fielding offers very soon, if he hasn't already. My post is more about the shroud of secrecy over the results of the poll, or lack thereof. Apparently, there is a service that has pierced that shroud and the producers have only recently found out about it and are, shall we say, flipping out over it. How is it possible that they were able to find out how everyone voted before they did? Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later and although most viewers were still in the dark up until the last moment, a growing number of people can just do a google search and find the information first on the internet. Actually, it was very shrewd on the part of Zaba Search to start doing this. You can actually send e-mail to any of the contestants, the producers and the judges as well through their website. Zaba Search is on of those services where you can dig up the dirt on just about anyone in the world....for a price, of course. To now have this information also available on their website, they not only get many more hits, but possible new customers every single day. As I am reminded of, almost every day: There's no such thing as private information anymore.....not with the internet anyway.

More Sadness For Paul McCartney

It was announced only this morning that former Beatle, Paul McCartney and his wife of four years, Heather Mills, will split. Paul cited the difficulties of the pressure from the media as the primary reason for the failure of their marriage, but there may be more than that beneath the sound bite. Afterall, there is a vast age difference between Heather (who is still in her 30s) and Paul, who is finally sixty-four. The couple had one child together, Beatrice and early reports indicate that they will share custody of her. Paul is worth over one billion dollars, and there was no pre-nuptial agreement.

In Her Big, Wonderful Shoes

Just by looking at the photo, I bet you think I'm going to review the movie version of 'In Her Shoes'.......well, I'm not smarty pants! Although this movie was a wonderful adaptation of the book, and I would certainly recommend it to anyone who hasn't seen it yet (it's out on DVD now), I just had to write about this book and it's author, Jennifer Weiner. The book itself, is listed as one of my all-time favorites in my profile. Just for the heck of it, I clicked on the book title in my profile, and I was surprised to find how many (most women) also listed this book as one of their favorites. Lots and lots of women actually (alot of air sign people like me - acquarians, geminiis and libras......we love to laugh!) Since this book chronicles the lives of two vastly different sisters, I wonder if this isn't the common thread that drew readers to this book, which is sometimes as painful as it is funny. The story of these girls who lost their mother so young is carefully dotted with details of how one sister got by on her looks, while covering up her secret (I'm not spilling it here! You'll just have to read the book), while the other excelled at everything else because she wasn't the pretty one. Of course there is a pot pourri of relatives that almost anyone can relate too, including a wicked stepmother, but most touching is the sisters reunion with their long-lost grandmother. Any author that can make me experience such a wide range of emotion from one page to another has me hooked! I've read almost everything Jennifer has written, including her short stories. Her first novel, 'Good In Bed' is just too delicious and, recently Jennifer appeared on Tony Danza's talk show touting her latest book, now out in paperback, 'Goodnight Nobody', which is the author's first murder mystery. If you are a mom, you will love 'Little Earthquakes', which chronicles the lives of a few vastly different women, all drawn to each other by the births of their first children. This book brought me back to my early days as a new parent so much, that it prompted me to write Jennifer an e-mail. She was very sweet inasmuch as she answered me back and adding me to her newletter list, which advises me of any new book releases and appearances. It would never had mattered to me if no one else liked 'In Her Shoes', but because so many of you do, I dedicate this post to you!

The Rules Of Chocolate

I have something else I wanted to post about today, but someone sent me this yesterday and I just wanted to share this with you. Is there anyone out there who doesn't love chocolate: If you've got melted chocolate all over your hands, you're eating it too slowly. - Chocolate covered raisins, cherries, orange slices & strawberries all count as fruit, so eat as many as you want. - The problem: How to get 2 pounds of chocolate home from the store in a hot car. The solution: Eat it in the parking lot. - Diet tip: Eat a chocolate bar before each meal. It'll take the edge off your appetite, and you'll eat less. - If calories are an issue, store your chocolate on top of the fridge. Calories are afraid of heights, and they will jump out of the chocolate to protect themselves. - If I eat equal amounts of dark chocolate and white chocolate, is that a balanced diet? Don't they actually counteract each other?- Money talks. Chocolate sings. Beautifully. - Chocolate has many preservatives. Preservatives make you look younger. Therefore, you need to eat more chocolate. - Put "eat chocolate" at the top of your list of things to do today. That way, at least you'll get one thing done. - A nice box of chocolates can provide your total daily intake of calories in one place. Now, isn't that handy? - If you can't eat all your chocolate, it will keep in the freezer. But if you can't eat all your chocolate, what's wrong with you? - If not for chocolate, there would be no need for control top pantyhose. An entire garment industry would be devastated. You can't let that happen, can you?

When Mothers' Day Is An Impossible Mission

Have you ever tried going to the movies on Mothers' Day? It's not like going to the movies on Christmas day or Thanksgiving, when most people are gathered with their loved ones. On a dreary, unusually cold Sunday, you could find almost every mother, almost mother, mothers with kids in tow, divorced moms with cute boyfriends and mothers-in-law waiting on long lines to see Tom Cruise jump off some more buildings for ten bucks. Unlike other mothers, Tom Cruise is not my ideal fantasy man, so I passed on his latest movie, which was a good thing, because it was sold out at theatres all over the place. I also had no desire to see yet another disaster movie about a sunken ship. Nothing could top 'Titanic'! My kids are too sophisticated (or so they think) for any animated films and a movie about taking a trip in a motor home does nothing for me, unless it's produced by National Lampoon. Instead of all the box office blockbusters, I chose a little-known movie about a young boy named Benjamin, who would soon become a bar mitzvah in 'Keeping Up With The Steins'. Benjamin's parents (aptly played by Jamie Gertz and Jeremy Piven) insist on having their only son's Bar Mitzvah be the most memorable, over-the-top event that ever hit Brentwood, California. They plot and plan to take over Dodger Stadium for the big day, but Benjamin soon develops an alternative plan to bring his dad and estranged grandfather closer together by bringing the party closer to home. In turn, Benjamin soon finds out what it really is to become a man (and no this has nothing to do with sex) by uniting his family for a heart-warming ending. The co-stars in this movie include Garry Marshall as Benjamin's grandfather, Doris Roberts from 'Everybody Loves Raymond' as his grandmother, Richard Benjamin as his rabbi, Larry Miller as his dad's ex-partner/agent and beautiful Daryl Hannah as his grandfather's new, younger girlfriend. This movie is packed with laughs and no, you don't have to be Jewish to get it although it couldn't hurt! For the movie critic who thought his own thirteen year-old wouldn't like this movie, get over yourself! There were lots of kids in the theatre and they could all relate to Benjamin and his friends. This was a lovely family movie with a lot of laughs and a lot of heart!

Happy Mother's Day

Since I was going to write a post about Mother's Day anyway, I thought I would post an e-mail that was sent to me by my cousin. It says about all I would want to say about being a mother and like my daughter always likes to say, "It's funny 'cause it's true!". This is for the mothers who have sat up all night with sick toddlers in their arms, wiping up barf laced with Oscar Mayer wieners and cherryKool-Aid saying, "It's okay honey, Mommy's here." Who have sat inrocking chairs for hours on end soothing crying babies who can't be comforted.This is for all the mothers who show up at work with spit-up in theirhair and milk stains on their blouses and diapers in their purse. Forall the mothers who run carpools and make cookies and sew Halloween costumes. And all the mothers who DON'T.This is for the mothers who gave birth to babies they'll never see. Andthe mothers who took those babies and gave them homes.This is for the mothers whose priceless art collections are hanging on their refrigerator doors. And for all the mothers who froze their bunson metal bleachers at football or soccer games instead of watching fromthe warmth of their cars, so that when their kids asked, "Did you see me, Mom?" they could say, "Of course, I wouldn't have missed it for theworld," and mean it.This is for all the mothers who yell at their kids in the grocery storeand swat them in despair when they stomp their feet and scream for ice cream before dinner. And for all the mothers who count to ten instead,but realize how child abuse happens.This is for all the mothers who sat down with their children and explained all about making babies. And for all the (grand) mothers who wanted to, but just couldn't find the words.This is for all the mothers who go hungry, so their children can eat.For all the mothers who read "Goodnight, Moon" twice a night for a year. And then read it again. "Just one more time."This is for all the mothers who taught their children to tie their shoelaces before they started school. And for all the mothers who opted for Velcro instead.This is for all the mothers who teach their sons to cook and theirdaughters to sink a jump shot.This is for every mother whose head turns automatically when a little voice calls "Mom?" in a crowd, even though they know their own offspringare at home -- or even away at college.This is for all the mothers who sent their kids to school with stomach aches assuring them they'd be just FINE once they got there, only to get calls from the school nurse an hour later asking them to please pick them up. Right away.This is for mothers whose children have gone astray, who can't find the words to reach them.This is for all the step-mothers who raised another woman's child orchildren, and gave their time, attention, and love... sometimes totally unappreciated!For all the mothers who bite their lips until they bleed when their14-year-olds dye their hair green.For all the mothers of the victims of recent school shootings, and the mothers of those who did the shooting. For the mothers of the survivors, and the mothers who sat in front oftheir TVs in horror, hugging their child who just came home from school,safely.This is for all the mothers who taught their children to be peaceful, and now pray they come home safely from a war.What makes a good Mother anyway? Is it patience? Compassion? Broad hips?The ability to nurse a baby, cook dinner, and sew a button on a shirt, all at the same time? Or is it in her heart? Is it the ache you feelwhen you watch your son or daughter disappear down the street, walking to school alone for the very first time? The jolt that takes you from sleep to dread, from bed to crib at 2 A.M. to put your hand on the back of a sleeping baby? The panic, years later, that comes again at 2 A.M. when you just want to hear their key in the door and know they are safe again in your home? Or the need to flee from wherever you are and hug your child when you hear news of afire, a car accident, a child dying?The emotions of motherhood are universal and so our thoughts are for young mothers stumbling through diaper changes and sleep deprivation...And mature mothers learning to let go.For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers.Single mothers and married mothers.Mothers with money, mothers without. This is for you all.For all of us.Hang in there.In the end we can only do the best we can.Tell them every day that we love them.And pray.

Keeping It Close To The Vest

Since I will be away most of the day tomorrow visiting yet another college and then taking my son to get his first tattoo (I'm sure I'll be writing about this next week), I wanted to post my Saturday post today. Flipping through some of the latest magazines, a trend that is making its way back to the forefront of fashion are menswear vests for women. The newest fashion trend is far from manish though. They are chic, delicate and feminine, trimmed with lace, ruffles and pearl buttons. They are great to wear with peasant skirts, which are still very much a big part of fashion as well as t-shirts and jeans. I wanted very much to download a photo for you all, but unfortunately the only images I could come up with were leather motorcylce vests for women or fleece vests and these are far from appropriate. The newer version of the menswear vests for women are not cheap to come by, but if you wait a bit, you will see knock offs of the designer versions making their way to discount stores (if they haven't done so already).

Google's New Features

Google has been adding new features to their already amazing services. The first is Google Trends. When you go to Google's home page at www.google.com, you will see the link for Google Trends. Here you can follow the trends of a particular search by typing in keywords and clicking. You will find the search broken down into categories as well as what parts of the country search more than others for the very same thing. Even if you are not searching for anything in particular, this is something that's fun to do when you are at a loss for entertainment. Personally, I never have any down time, but if I did, this would be considered entertainment for me. Also, Google has added Google Gadgets to their desktop feature. If you click on Google Desktop, you will see the new feature, ready for immediate download.

A True American Idol

There is a nice Jewish boy from Richmond, Virginia, Ephriam Yamin, who needs all of our help. Most people know him as Elliott Yamin (maybe you recognize that name). This help comes in the form of a phone call on Tuesday nights. Elliott is among the four finalists on the television show, American Idol. I personally know his family, and they have asked for my help to get the word out. You will need to watch the show on Fox, from 8 to 9 p.m. (eastern standard time) to find out the phone number to call. You vote by calling from 9 to 11 p.m.. You can vote more than once. If you have watched the show, I am sure that you have noticed that Elliott is different from all of the other candidates. His humbleness and sweetness is evident, even through the lenses of the camera. Every time he throws a kiss to the audience, or winks, it is to his mother, who was deathly ill just a few months ago. Elliott has beaten all odds to make it this far. He is deaf in one ear, has battled diabetes since childhood, and was raised by a single parent with very little financial means. Elliott has already made sure that his good fortune will be shared by many, as he has agreed to be the spokesperson for the American Diabetes Association for children with this disease. Please share this e-mail with your communities. A small time from every household will make a difference in this boy's life. Jordan Shenker Executive Director Weinstein JCC 5403 Monument Avenue Richmond, VA 23226 (804) 545-8643 Fax (804) 545-8666. The preceding message was e-mailed to me today by a good friend of mine. Since I was going to write a post anyway about what happened last night, I decided to post this message instead. Although I think it was erroneous for America to keep Katherine and boot off Chris, it would appear that the true winner is really Elliott anyway........whether he wins this contest or not.

Is Star Fading?

This is a hot, new rumour regarding Star Jones and Rosie O'Donnell. Apparently, Rosie, who is about to take over for Meredith Viera, who is leaving 'The View' to take over for Katie Couric on the 'Today' show, has stipulated, in her contract, that Star Jones must leave before she takes over as one of the show hosts. Apparently, Barbara Walters, the creator and one of the producers of 'The View' has agreed to this stipulation, and Star will be packing up all of her falsh eyelashes and wigs in the very near future to make room for Oprah's best friend, Gayle King, who will replace her spot. It appears that Star has made one too many demands regarding her relationship with several big-name corporations that she is affiliated with as spokesperson and Rosie's request for her to leave was all they needed to boot Star out. While I'm writing this, I find it very hard to believe, but nevertheless, it wouldn't surprise me. Even if it is true, I don't have any doubt that Star will pop up elsewhere in some other capacity.

Sephora's Summer Splash

Sephora just came out with their fabulous catalog for this summer and they have some great brand new items. One of the very best foundation primers just got better. Photo Finish from Smashbox now contains an SPF15 and Dermaxyl, a wrinkle fighting peptide and sells for $42 for .98 Fl. Oz. You can wear this alone or under foundation for a flawless look I love it when manufacturers can make their products multi-task like this and another one from Bliss is Ray of Hope. This sunscreen with an SPF 20 not only will protect you from the harmful rays of the sun when you spend a day at the beach, but it will fight fat while doing it. That's right! This product is packed with solar-activated ingredients that will help reduce the appearance of cellulite. An 8.5 oz bottle sells for $36. Sephora has some great multi-tasking products of their own including Sephora's Super Shield Skin Saver with an SPF 30. This oil-free, ultra-light moisturizer not only saves your face from the ravaging rays of the sun, but also contains skin-strengthening collagen, antioxidant vitamins and soothing botanicals to help stave off wrinkles. This is a real bargain at $18 for 4 oz. Since I'm loving the Philosophy products I received recently from QVC, I was happy to see three new kits exclusive to Sephora from the same company. Philosophy brings you their Pool House collection in Lemonade fragrance, their Guest House Collection in Sugar Cookie Fragrance and their Party House collection in Daiquiri flavor. What you will receive are three full size pieces of lip shine, body souffle and Shampoo, Bath and Shower Gel. All kits sell for $35. For more information about other products you can go over to www.sephora.com. When ordering, don't forget to ask for their free samples (one of four are being offered right now). Just enter the promo code of SPLASH14 during checkout and you can choose either Michael Kors Leg Shine, Dr. Brandt's Daily UV Protection SPF30, Lorac Waterproof Lashes or Dior Addict Ultra Lip Gloss. Like I always say, happy shopping!

Yahoo's Brand New Tech Idea!

Yahoo also brings a new feature to their website called Yahoo!Tech. This site was developed to assist consumers in making the best decisions with regard to anything technological such as televisions, camcorders, music players, computers and anything else that either needs to be plugged in or needs batteries. The site is designed so that it's easy for anyone to read and integrates information from publications such as 'Consumer Reports' and Wiley Publishing, which brought us the "For Dummies...." series of books. Since advertising is a huge part of this site, companies like Panasonic, Hewlett Packard and Verizon Wireless have signed up. The site has included topics such as "How to choose a high definition television" and "How to hook up a laptop computer to a televsion". You can access this site at http://tech.yahoo.com/

Google Goes 3D

Google is introducing a brand new programm called Google Sketch Up. With this new program, users interested in re-modeling their home, can recreate a facsimile, like a new kitchen for instance, and be able to see how the finished product will look in three dimensions. Unlike other 3D programs, this one is relatively easy to use with less than a dozen commands to complete your drawing. All you need is your basic mouse to click and drag lines to make all kinds of shapes. Other tools can help you see things from different angles, including from below. Other options can be added such as curves, lines and textures and the software comes with stock images of people, benches, trees and more. For more information about how to download the free version of this software, go to http://sketchup.google.com/

Mother's Day Gifts With A Twist

Just in case you didn't already know this, Mother's Day is less than a week away. If you're still in a quandry about what to get mom for her special day and don't want something out of the ordinary, here are a few gift ideas for mom that will make her smile. There's one website that will never let you down when it comes to wonderful, unique gifts for any occasion and that's www.redenvelope.com. For hip moms, you can find a great pink cotton tank top with the word 'mom' spelled out in Chinese characters, with the English translation in the back for $25.00. There's a little girl's version as well for only $20, with the word 'daughter' in both Chinese and English. If your mom's not into tank tops, there's a beautiful silk scarf which cleverly displays the word 'mom' all over it for only $38, also found at redenvelope.com. From www.sleepyheads.com you can get a great bathrobe, also in pink decorated with colorful flowers and with the word 'mom' on the back. This cotton blend robe sells for $85. Does your mom love jewelry, but you don't want to spend a fortune? WWW.Carolee.com brings you a gold-toned bacelet with the word 'mother' spelled out in different languages for only $95. There's a silver-toned version as well for grandmothers. The adorable teddy bear to the left can be purchased from www.vtbear.com for $79.95. If you don't have a lot of money to spend, you can always pick up a great gift for mom from www.1800flowers.com. There you will find some great gifts like the sweet treats (chocolates and cookies) from Cheryl & Co. for under $30.

Waste Not, Want Not!

I was going to write a post about Mother's Day today. Afterall, it is only one week from today, and if your own mother hasn't guilted you about it yet, then I feel it's my duty to do it for her. However, upon reading my mail, I noticed an interesting story on the internet about a young family who was barred from eating at an all-you-can eat Chinese buffet for leaving too much left-over food on their plates. They were promptly told by the management that because they failed to consume most of the food they retreived from the buffet, that they were wasting food and were no longer welcome back. This is one of those restaurants where you first pay the bill, get your plate and then begin grazing the buffet. First off, let me just say that I usually shy away from these all-you-can-eat buffet restaurants. The choices are usually the most unhealthy, ladened with excess fat, sugar and/or salt, but I digress. This was a young family with two young boys who frequented this restaurant. Like all children whose eyes are bigger than their stomachs, the children took one too many eggrolls and were admonished for not finishing every last bite. I was astonished to learn that a law professor from a nearby law school stated that this family had no recourse because there was no discrimination involved like racism or sexism. However, being a mother I could clearly see the discrimination as being against the children who gleefully collected the goodies, only to realize that they were full after three bites. These people paid their bill for four just like any other patrons, and there were no signs cautioning them against being too greedy, so how is the restaurant valid in banning this family and causing them embarrassment in front of other customers? It's hard taking young children out to eat and not every family has the means to afford a babysitter for a night out sans children. It's also nice to go to a restaurant where you don't have to read the menu off the wall. I remember taking my son out to dinner when he was about two. My husband and I had a craving for Mexican food and we went to a popular restaurant in the next town only to find that they had no high chairs. Needless to say, we left. I clearly felt I was not welcome in the restaurant with my son and this woman probably had the same feeling when she was told not to come back with her kids because they took too much food. Someone please explain to me how this is not discrimination?

The Little White T-Shirt

When I was thinking about writing this post about what you absolutely have to have for this summer, in terms of your wardrobe, the first thing that popped into my head was a crisp, white t-shirt. This one item has been a staple in womens' wardrobes for years. Ever since Sharon Stone showed up at the Oscars one year in a black taffeta skirt and Gap t-shirt, the little, white t-shirt has become a must-have for all women from sixteen to sixty. By the way, don't think that your little, white t-shirt from last year will do. No amount of bleach will bring back that vivid, whiteness that your t-shirt once possessed. You have to go out and buy at least one new one every year. You don't have to spend a fortune either, but don't think stealing your husband's or boyfriend's is a good substitute. You must have one made just for you. The Gap t-shirts are great and sell for just under $20, but you can get better bargains on t-shirts at Old Navy, Kohl's or even Walmart Actually, Walmart sells very nice plain, tagless t-shirts from Faded Glory, for around $7. Your brand new, crisp white t-shirt will go with everything else in your wardrobe from a business suit, to your favorite jeans, capris and shorts. It's a no brainer when you don't know what else to wear and you can dress it up with great jewelry or throw it on to walk the dog. This is one item that never goes out of style and it can actually take years off you just by wearing it. So, if you've been thinking about how you can spruce up your wardrobe without spending a fortune, start with one little white t-shirt and the rest will fall into place!

Paris and Nicole - The Simple Life Lives On

Remember when Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie were best friends and Nicole weighed more than a Big Mac? Well, those days are long gone! They've gone through more fiances than most people go through the drive-thru at Wendy's, and, rumour has it that they hate each other's guts, but that won't stop them from brining back 'The Simple Life' on the 'E' Entertainment Network in the very near future. If you are a fan of this show, which my daughter is, then you will be thrilled beyond comprehension knowing that you won't have to be watching anymore of their re-runs from the first two seasons. Apparently, Paris and Nicole only shot two episodes together; the first, in which they only gestured to each other, and the last, which may or may not have them talking to each other, but it will keep viewers watching! Although, rumours run rampant as to their split (Paris hates Nicole because she's skinnier than she is and Nicole hates Paris so much that she had a viewing party for Paris' sex video), I'm thinking that this is one big publicity stunt to get viewers back to watching a show that can only be described as a car crash in slow motion........you just can't look away!

What's New For Bloggers

If you are a blogger like me and strive to keep your blog a success, then finding new blogging tools for increasing traffic is a priority. There's a brand new service from Blogburst (www.blogburst.com) that aims to bring your blog the quality traffic you have been searching for. They will appropriately categorize your blog by content and send it out of various, high profile news feeds that will feature your posts and get your blog the traffic it deserves. You must request an invitation and wait for approval and your blog must be updated as frequently as possible (daily is most desirable). They are looking for high-quality writers so make sure you check your spelling and grammar as they will be reviewing your blogs before approval.

Best Beauty Deals On QVC

Since this is, for the most part, a beauty blog, I thought it was about time to share another product review with you. I recently purchased Philosophy's brand new, all-start six piece try-me kit for under $30. You can't purchase this kit anywhere else and you get generous, try-me sizes of some of Philosophy's best sellers like the facial peel pads, 'When Hope Is Not Enough' serum, 'Grace' hair and body shampoo as well as 'Grace' firming body lotion, 'Hope In A Jar' with an SPF15 for day time moisturizing and 'Purity' face wash. Try this for yourself or get a kit for your mom for Mother's Day. The only drawback is that there is a limit of one per customer, but don't wait on this one because supplies won't last long. Also, check out QVC's Today's Special from Bare Escentuals. I don't even have to try these products to know they are good because I swear by Bare Escentuals. In this brand new kit, you will receive their Faux Tan, Cocoa Beach lip gloss (with an SPF of 15), their brush-on, all over face tan and two of their best brushes for under $60. You can get more information by going to www.qvc.com.

Best Beauty Deals On QVC

Since this is, for the most part, a beauty blog, I thought it was about time to share another product review with you. I recently purchased Philosophy's brand new, all-start six piece try-me kit for under $30. You can't purchase this kit anywhere else and you get generous, try-me sizes of some of Philosophy's best sellers like the facial peel pads, 'When Hope Is Not Enough' serum, 'Grace' hair and body shampoo as well as 'Grace' firming body lotion, 'Hope In A Jar' with an SPF15 for day time moisturizing and 'Purity' face wash. Try this for yourself or get a kit for your mom for Mother's Day. The only drawback is that there is a limit of one per customer, but don't wait on this one because supplies won't last long. Also, check out QVC's Today's Special from Bare Escentuals. I don't even have to try these products to know they are good because I swear by Bare Escentuals. In this brand new kit, you will receive their Faux Tan, Cocoa Beach lip gloss (with an SPF of 15), their brush-on, all over face tan and two of their best brushes for under $60. You can get more information by going to www.qvc.com.

Vaseline Renewal Challenge Sweepstakes

If you would like to enter a contest for a complete make-over (and I mean the works!), then enter the Vaseline Renewal Challenge. This is a new skin care line launched by Vaseline and they really, really want you to try their new products. For more information, go to www.daretorenew.com

American Idol: Who Are These People?

Here is a photo of the current contestants from 'American Idol'. If you're a fan of the show, you now know that there are only four contestants left, as Paris was shown the door last night, but my post isn't about that (although it did start out to be). I began searching images of American Idol contestants and had to go through pages of images before I came to the photo you see here. It's hard to believe that so many contestants have gone before, but most of the people I saw photos of, have disappeared into thin air. With the exception of those two beauties from the second season who now host their own shown about the show, on some channel I don't even get, most of the other contestants have left the radar. I used to think that this show gave everyone a break, but maybe I was wrong in my thinking since most of these people probably hit a brick wall after a while. So how valid is this show in terms of making careers happen? Now I'm beginning to believe maybe not so much. With the exception of Kelly Clarkson and Clay Aiken (who is having his own troubles right now because of mixed messages regarding his image), I can't really think of anyone else I've seen stay in the public view. Nevertheless, this show remains extremely popular as evidenced by the ratings, the voting (which out numbers presidential elections) and the audience members, which often holds movie and television stars, looking to be seen. Where as other reality shows may come and go (with the exception of 'Survivor' and 'Amazing Race'), it looks like AI is here to stay!

MAC's Trying To Get Your Attention!

This past weekend, my family and I went away for the weekend. We spent a good part of Saturday doing what my kids enjoy most: spending our money. We walked around a very nice mall that had, for the most part, all the nice stores you see in malls all over this country. One of those stores was MAC, the cosmetic manufacturer of upscale make-up for women. The operative word her is 'women'. Generally speaking, MAC never has to use any kind of ploy to get customers into their stores. There are more message boards dedicated to this line of cosmetics than there are to Barry Manilow. Their eye shadows and lip glosses are said to hold the same kind of powerful tendancy toward addiction, much like heroin. You're probably wondering why then do I have a photo of this hunky guy. Knowing how popular this line is with most women under the age of 40, I was kind of surprised to see two bare-chested men (much like my friend here to the left) being first made-up from the neck down, with MAC's newest lip gloss colors. The two boy-toys then walked around outside the store and attempted to entice women (mostly middle-aged on a Saturday afternoon) to come in and try the new color line. It was the type of scene that made me cringe inwardly and also made me wonder why MAC felt that they needed to stoop to this level of marketing in order to entice women to come into the store. It also makes me wonder if there was a man behind this device. Any self-respecting woman would never stoop to this level in order to lure in customers. Just plaster the word "sale" all aover the store windows, and we'll be there in a flash!

High School Musical

I was going to write another post about diet, but I think I'll save that for tomorrow. In the meantime, have you seen 'High School Musical' yet? It's about the hottest thing to hit television and, although it was released months ago by Disney, exclusively for their channel, the popularity of this movie just keeps soaring. The soundtrack from the movie, together with Barry Manilow's 'Greatest Hits Of The Fifties' topped the charts for weeks and both CDs are still selling very well, months after their release. So why the popularity? In an age where movies, video games and music tends to lean towards more violence and profanity, how did these products rise to the top? There have been tons of articles over the last few months about the enormous popularity, especially with 'High School Musical', that has an incredibly wide appeal, from five to fifty year olds. I doubt that Disney had any inkling that it would do so well, otherwise they would have released it to movie theatres first instead of straight to television. No doubt there's a sequal in the works because, judging from the sales of the soundtrack together with the sales of Barry's new CD, which has now gone platinum, people are hungry for some good, clean fun! We are overloaded on bad news and we all need a break. What better way? If you haven't seen this movie yet, don't fret, it's on periodically on Disney and, no doubt, the release of the movie on DVD is imminent. I wouldn't be surprised if a version of 'High School Musical' made it to the Broadway stage, right next door to 'Happy Days, The Musical'!

Totally Free Stuff

Every once in a while I like to post a website offering free samples, etc. Here's another one I found that looks really good and they seem to be updating their freebies on a very regularbasis. Go to http://www.totallyfreestuff.com/ to find out more information on how you can get some great free stuff!

Pick A Prom Dress

It's hard to believe that prom season is here, but that can only mean one thing: picking the perfect outfit for your special night! There's one brave girl from Levittown, Long Island (she goes to the same school as American Idol Contestant, Kevin Covais), who is allowing Newsday readers to choose her prom dress, but you don't have to be a reader to vote on one of five dresses. Just go to http://www.newsday.com:/entertainment/ny-etprom0501,0,4069009.story?vote23175295=1 and see the five dresses in the running and choose the one that you think looks best on Bianca. If you or someone you love is shopping for the prom, here are some tips from Seventeen Magazine on picking the right dress: Buy a dress that you will feel comfortable in. If you have to struggle to get it on and need a roll of double-stick tape to keep it from falling off, then forget it! Make sure you can sit and move around in the dress comfortably and bring a pair of heels to try on with your dress. Emphasize your assets without being vulgar. It's okay to wear a strapless dress, but nothing low cut. You can wear a short dress, but nothing micro sized. Trendy is okay as long as you are comfortable and if a dress needs too many alterations, then go with something else. Fixing a hem or straps is not a big deal, but if the dress has to be taken apart and put together again, chances are it won't look as good!

The Man In Jessica Simpson's Life

Do you recognize the man pictured with Jessica? If not, then you never watched her reality TV show with soon-to-be ex-husband Nick Lachey. Other than her dad and Nick, this was the only other man that Jessica was ever seen with. His name is Ken Paves and he is responsible for Jessica's voluptuous.......hair! While Nick is dishing the dirt to anyone who will listen about his marital woes, (of course, he has a CD coming out in June and the single from said CD, is already a huge hit), Jessica has been crying on Ken's shoulders and is said to be devastated that Nick would betray their confidence. She's so mad and, apparently so sad (she's been seen wearing her diamond encrusted wedding band around her neck on a chain), that she and Ken are now scheming to start their own line of hair care products so every girl can have a chance to look just like her. Normally, I wouldn't find this so ridiculous, except that Ken Paves already has his own line of hair care products already, which can be found at most drug and discount stores (their very good too!). It's not bad enough that Jessica's Dessert line of cosmetics nearly tanked and that she has to give her shoes away (they can be seen on the feet of whatever women are left on American Idol) in order to sell them, but now she's going to be messin' with your head, which begs the question, "Can a girl just spread herself too thin"? Frankly, Jessica, I think Nick has a better publicist than you!