Call me jaded or skeptical, but I firmly believe that being poor while young is a rite of passage. It is the seed that pushes us to grow in the future.

You know what else is a rite of passage while young? Wanting to be beautiful.

We don’t want to be beautiful in the way we wanted to in middle school. For example, I no longer believe that I will transform into Angelina Jolie one day. However, as you become older and more embracing of your natural features, you also become more interested in how exactly to highlight them and make what you were given work for you.

So lets talk skin. We all want clear and firm skin. Many of us already know that the answer to this is a regular face mask. However, did you know that you can make your own face masks with ingredients straight out of your kitchen?

That’s right. No wasting time at the drug store trying to figure out exactly what sort of classification of screwed up skin you have. And no wasting money on a mask you could make in a matter of minutes from crap you already have. On top of all of that…in my experience…I have found that these homemade masks actually work better than the ones I buy from the store. Go figure.

So here are some ideas for you: Read More »

Some people skydive. Some turn to religion.

I changed my hair.

This habit started approximately two years ago when I was struggling with the worst of college relationships—the pseudo-boyfriend. You know him: you two keep it “chill,” hang out and hook up without the constraint of a title, and you can’t get jealous with any real justification, because you agreed on the untitled title.

This PBF had a tendency to keep his exes around (those who made the cut to fill the actual girlfriend position) and answer their calls at all hours. Including 4:00 in the morning, while sleeping next to me.

Bear in mind that my hair was long for over twenty years. We’re talking perfectly straight, volumeless blonde hair to my waist that guys beg you to keep. Hair that you can’t get back. Knowing this, I walked into the salon and firmly told my stylist what needed to be done.

“Chop it.”

I think she almost cried.

The PBF pretended not to notice that I had parted with over six inches. After that, I used it as a metaphor for cutting him out of my life.

After living as an almost-adult for a few months, I felt the need to commemorate my transition period. I noticed one day that my roots were coming in, and it hit me. Bye bye, blondie. I needed to go dark. Read More »

You may or may not have become acquainted with Sia Furler, the 29 year Australian singer, through her successful collaborations with the U.K group Zero 7 . (She lulled me under her spell with “Distractions” and “Destiny” on the Zero 7 album Simple Things).

If you don’t know her from there, do you remember the last six minutes of the “Six Feet Under” finale and soundtrack that featured that ambient and sweeping piano and percussion? That was Sia.

Her voice is not one that is easily digested, but once you become accustomed to the newness and the rawness of it, you want more. Two years after releasing Colour the Small One, Sia and her glorious voice are back with Some People Have Real Problems.

According to Sia, the cover art of her album illustrates a running gag during the recording process, as one person is drawn under a spot of rain, holding an umbrella but still sad faced, while next to them is a person without arms or legs and smiling happily. A self reminder to not complain about her ‘rich people problems.’ Read More »

Ask me if I think New Kids On The Block can make a comeback, and I’ll tell you it’s about as likely as those 90’s snap bracelets (which were banned in my elementary school because kids whipped each other bloody with them) showing up in a display case at Barneys.

But of course, like most things in life, my assumption would be wrong.

PEOPLE is reporting that rumors of a New Kid reunion are growing, and the once defunct NKOTB webpage is back up.

“The New Kids are coming back” a “well-placed source,” told the magazine. “New Kids On The Block are indeed getting back together.”

As cool as I thought the band was when I was 10, I can’t say I’ll be as enthusiastic about their sound 14 years later. I mean, when I was 10, I also enjoyed showering myself in glitter and wearing giant t-shirts with the Coca Cola polar bear on them.

Besides, the oldest member of NKOTB is pushing 40. 40. Is a 40-year-old man really going to sing the songs of prepubescent lust and angst, and expect the world to listen?

Laugh is more like it. Laugh and throw snap bracelets.

First day of class. I’m sitting in the front row, binder open and pen at the ready. The teacher is going over the syllabus. “This is the attendance policy in the class. You are allowed…”

“*sniff.*”

“…absences.”

I wrinkled my nose in distaste and glared at the various people in my Criminology class, coughing and sniffling and sneezing for a while, leaning forward and straining to hear my professor. “As for the papers, the due dates have been posted on…”

“*cough*”

Gritting my teeth, I glanced over my shoulder at the girl to the left, covering her mouth and looking miserable. I turn my head back to my teacher and listen to her explain to me why I’m taking a course on crime when a horrendous gurgling grunt comes from the back of my throat, and I am horrified at the way I just cleared my throat and made the same sound my mother’s Camry makes when it starts up. No way in hell on the first day in class was I already sick.

I was determined to not be taking off days to roll around miserably in my dorm so early in the semester, and sure enough, a few days and a few tissues later, I’m back to my normal and almost entirely healthy self – without the help of anything from the “Cold/Flu” aisle in Rite Aid. How?

Sit back and learn, ladies. Read More »

I’ll never forget that fateful day in art class, senior year of high school. This (pardon me if I seem rash in this titling) bitch named Ashlee was in my class. She was cool in the sense of…not cool at all, with a god awful short haircut and horrible highlights and delusions that her Nike sneakers with Mudd flares threw her into some high fashion club.

She was also dating a guy–the quarterback (of course)–who had secretly had a crush on me (a fact I didn’t find out until college).

The quarterback and my sporadic and subtle flirting, combined with the fact that she hated me for not kissing her ass, lead to Ashlee on a mission to make me cry. And one day; it almost worked.

There was a spider in our classroom. Ashlee flipped out in the typical “popular” girl fashion (“oh my gawd, oh my gawd! Do something!“), and I told her to chill and went to pick it up to put it out the window. I squated down to let the spider walk onto a piece of paper and suddenly, there was her ugly grass stained Nike sneaker…smashing it on my hands. I wanted to cry but instead I stood up and said,

“God, you’re such a bitch.” Read More »

A bachelor’s degree is a funny thing. Depending on your major, it’s either the equivalent of an extremely pricey receipt with a huge FINAL SALE stamp on it, sending you off to continue your studies, or it sends you to work. In either situation, the joys of the undergraduate lifestyle are mourned on almost a daily basis.

No more are the nights of frat parties and pregaming at seven A.M. for football games. The real world isn’t all bad, don’t get me wrong, but before you make that giant leap to becoming a legitimate person, take the time to consider what lies ahead.

1.) The phrase “I need” has likely lost its charm with your parents. Unless it’s food or some sort of medical emergency, they know damn well you’ll spend any extra money to supplement your happy hour four work nights a week. They also know you’re making money, and therefore, shouldn’t spend it if you don’t have it. This is never not depressing. You can only fake having to go to the doctor so many times before they realize you’re on your own insurance, and sadly, cute little dresses no longer qualify as “emergency” spending. Read More »

It’s about 8 AM on a Sunday and you’re half-awake, rolling over in bed to get comfortable again.

“Uhh, where am I? Sh*t, who is this guy? Where is my underwear?”

Another blacked-out night on the town. No shame, I’ve had my fair share, but from time to time I wonder if I had equal chances of waking up in a ditch in Jersey. As a former bartender (and current bar-hopper) I’ve gotten to know a lot of people and their drinking habits. As a result I picked up a lot of ways to keep the boozin’ under control.

There is obviously the option to watch the clock and literally make sure you don’t exceed your alotted dph (drinks per hour). 12 oz. of beer, 4 oz. of wine, and 1 oz. of 80 proof liquor all take about an hour for your body to metabolize, so you can go ahead and do the math on that versus how long you plan on drinking and how good you want to feel.

This won’t work at a party, but if you’re at a bar, do not open a tab. It’s a fabulous way to drink too much and blow more money than you intended. This is my personal downfall. I recommend using cash. You can bring a limited amount, forcing you to stop when it’s gone. Although, if you make the bartenders run your card every single time you buy a round, they might stop serving you anyway. Read More »

Sure, you’ve had a rough day. You failed a quiz, got in a fight with your mom and your roommate’s boyfriend has become a constant presence in front of your t.v. You go to The Cheesecake Factory and decide for a much needed indulgence, you’ll soothe yourself with Chris’ Outrageous Chocolate Cake.

But did you know the treat contains more than half the calories you need for the day? This cake clocks in at 1,380 calories and a whopping 33 grams of saturated fat.

Shocked? Soon, if you live in New York City, there will be no more snack surprises. The city’s Board of Health unanimously approved a new law requiring chain restaurants to display the calorie content of their foods. Hopefully this new transparency with menus will spread across the nation, along with New York’s 2006 ban of trans fat.

For ladies who work hard to stay slim and eat healthy, this is welcome news. It’s not tough to get duped when eating out. Remember how those fast food salads can be just as dangerous to eat as Whoppers once you figure in the high-fat salad dressings?

With this new law, it will be easy to go out and have fun with friends without freaking out about our diets or accidentally taking in too many calories. Get those forks ready and nix the freak out!

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