For those of us who log into Facebook every five minutes or so because of boredom (hey, it’s better than snacking) or a strange addiction to bumper stickers and flair, the news that all Facebook accounts will be getting vanity URLs is so yesterday.  Mostly I ignore those little gray-paneled announcements at the top of my newsfeed, so during my first 20 logins of the day, my outrage had not registered.

Now?  Outrage has registered.

I know, I know, every time Facebook makes a change, all of us whine like three-year-olds who don’t get dessert (or 22-year-olds…) and then we end up accepting it and even loving it (I. Love. Newsfeed.).  And this change doesn’t even seem like that big a deal. Honestly, how many of us really noticed that our Facebook URL is just a bunch of numbers?  And who really cares? If people want to find me, they can use the handy-dandy search box.

But I guess some people do, because this new change will make it a lot easier to stalk search for people. Only there are two small problems:

1. Names come on a first come, first served basis. That means that once your name of choice is taken, you’re screwed. Do you know how common my name is?? I’m going to have to be one of those geeks who wait around for 12:01 am late Friday night if I want to get a URL anywhere close to my own name instead of a random selection of letters and numbers (much like what I have now…).

2. Names cannot be changed. So, unlike my AOL screen name that changed with me as I grew up, this one is more permanent than that tramp stamp my friends have on their backs.

Ah, changes like these make me think about the good old days when Facebook was only for college students and the world wasn’t alerted when I went through a painful breakup.  Now it’s pretty much the bastard love child of MySpace and Twitter. Like a cheerleader, it’s popular and pretty, but it can be such a bitch sometimes (I can say this because I was a cheerleader, so nyah).

I have an obsession with cupcakes that is so intense, sometimes, I think that it borders on addiction. If someone offers me an adorable little sugary cake of pure bliss, there’s just no way I can refuse. And, whenever I have a craving for one, I won’t be able to stop thinking about it until I satisfy my inner voice screaming, “feed me cupcake!”

Not to mention that once I’ve consumed a few bites of one, it’s all downhill from there and I find myself consuming way more calories than I would have prior. Frosting is my gateway drug and I cannot control myself when I’m near it.

Up until now, I always thought my problem was completely mental and something I just had to force myself to get over. Then, I read an article in the Washington Post on Dr. Kessler, a Harvard-trained doctor, lawyer, medical school dean and former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, who spent months dumpster diving behind chain restaurants such as Chili’s to find out the real amount of fat, salt and sugar used to make dishes like the Southwestern Eggrolls.

What he discovered (and details in his book, The End of Overeating) was surprising and clued me into why this high intake of sugar had such a great effect on me…

“Foods high in fat, salt and sugar alter the brain’s chemistry in ways that compel people to overeat.” So it’s not just me! The sugar is actually f-ing with our brains! Sweet, sweet validation (no pun intended). Read More »

Apparently the impossible is possible.

Britney’s got a new boyfriend.

Should you be wearing SPF lipgloss?

Ashton Kutcher puts his foot in his mouth.

Save money in college. It’s possible!

The most important makeup tool you’ll ever have.

Call me crazy, but I truly believe you can put a season label on most albums. I mean, think about it – certain songs are best for snuggling under lots of blankets during a snowstorm. And some songs are just perfect for sitting in the sun or cruising with the top down (if you happen to be so lucky to own a car in which the top can come down).

Since Memorial Day has passed and we can officially wear white, it’s time we really start listening to summer music. Here are my top choices for music that is especially summery. Which means these albums put me in a fabulous mood… even when I’m lying in my bed rubbing aloe on my ailing limbs. Read More »

Seriously, why do we care who he makes out with?

Is Lindsay Lohan engaged?

10 reasons to ditch the BF for the GFs.

Jamie Lynn Spears parties it up…sans baby.

Paint your dorm room and get away with it!

This girl makes us all look dumb. And she’s 2.

It’s been almost six months since I wrote to you all about my blood clot experience, and, let me tell you, has it been rough. I’ve gone through a lot of snags that I didn’t expect, but then again I didn’t expect to get a clot either.

I’ve spent the first half of 2009 looking like a heroin addict from all the blood tests I’ve gotten and a pill-poppin’ animal (thanks, Lil Wayne) from all the medications I’m taking. I can’t even count how many times I’ve told the story of what happened and answered countless questions. I particularly love the, “Aren’t you young?” question.

Yes, I’m young.
Does it mean I’m invincible? No.

The first few months were very difficult for me because I was still adjusting to the medication and trying to process the fact that I almost died. Coumadin, or Warfarin, is a blood thinner. I quickly found out that being on blood thinners makes you cold. Almost all the time. So walking to class was hard because I was freezing my little butt off. And don’t even try me on going to parties at night. Since my clot was bigger, it took a long time for it to disappear, which made it hard for me to breathe a lot of the time. Long walks across campus got me winded, and I couldn’t exercise. Pretty much, my whole love for being fit and athletic went out the window.

Along with my lack of exercise, my love for healthy foods like salad, broccoli, asparagus, basically anything green (yeah, kiwi too), was gone. Since foods that are green are rich in vitamin K, a blood thickening agent, I couldn’t eat them unless I did it consistently. I decided it was better not to eat them at all because my blood level was so hard to regulate in the first place. Read More »

[We all live busy lives: we go to school or work (or sometimes both), we try to keep our lives in order and, on top of everything else, we try to maintain a social life.

It can all be a bit overwhelming at times, especially when you’re running here, there and everywhere, and in the process of it all, still trying to look cute.  On a weekly basis, I will be posting a guide for an outfit that looks super cute and casual during the day, but you can easily rock out at night with a few accessory additions and/or a change of shoes.  And maybe, just maybe, it’ll help ease the stress of life a little bit because, hey, when we look good, we feel good, right?]

It’s easy to bring out your wild side this season with the offerings of ikat and other tribal prints available in darling dresses, skirts and tops.  And a bonus is that with the right style, this print can easily look fabulous no matter what time of day you’re rockin’ it.

Read More »

“It’s about living the life you want to live, not the life others push onto you. It’s about being the person you want to be, not the person other people want you to be, and it’s about enjoying the time you have.” Where did these wise words of wisdom come from? None other than the infamous Tucker Max.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with this rather controversial creature, Tucker Max is the author of the book “I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell,” a series of unfortunately true stories about Tucker Max’s “adventures” of how he likes to “disregard social norms, indulge every whim, ignore the consequences of my actions, mock idiots and posers, sleep with more women than is safe or reasonable, and just generally act like a raging dickhead.” Wow, seems like the type of guy you are just dying to bring home to your parents, huh?

As if reading about the crude, offensive, vomit-inducing stories isn’t enough, you can soon experience a visual effect. Yes, that is correct. Tucker Max’s movie based on his best-selling novel will open in theaters this fall. I think it’s safe to say that this movie can’t possibly reenact the majority of Tucker’s experiences, because even an NC-17 rating wouldn’t cut it. But you never know these days. Read More »

Ah, pie crust. I could practically eat it raw . . .

Well, okay, that’s pretty disgusting, so I take it back (sorta). But baked pie crust is an entirely different story. It’s so versatile—you can use it for tarts, dessert pizza, and (obviously) pies. And you can fill those pies with anything—lemon curd, banana cream, fresh strawberries . . .

Now that we’re getting into some serious summer weather, fresh fruit (yes, the kind that you don’t take out of the freezer and probably haven’t had since you were home for Christmas) is soon going to be abundant in grocery stores and farmers’ markets all over the country. You’ll be able to pick your own berries for cheaper than the cost of a vanilla latte, and everyone knows that berries taste best in pie!

It’s easy to haul down to the store and pick up a ready-made pie crust, but who needs that? People (cute people, obviously) will be sooooo much more impressed if you can make your own. Not to mention the feeling of accomplishment that comes from putting a homemade pie on the table!

Here’s how you do it.

Stuff You Need
To make one double pie crust (bottom and top), get together:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter or vegetable shortening
- 1 teaspoon salt
- A bowl of ice water
- A rolling pin Read More »

Alright it’s just another internship. I’m not stressed. But I actually need this internship to lead to something. I must make a good impression. Now I’m stressed. Is that my subway line? Is it safe? Am I the only girl on here? Is this going to be the first scene in my lifetime movie of a internship gone horribly wrong?

Okay, okay the subway ride wasn’t so bad and I’m only an hour early. Too early. Could I look more overeager? I’ll go sit in the Dunkin Donut’s for awhile and get a coffee. Okay drinking that coffee took five minutes. No one is responding to my texts. Maybe I have no cell service in Brooklyn. Yeah that’s it. Alright 9:41, that’s a good time, I look professionally early. I hope my hair is still straight.

Yeah I’ll smile for my  ID badge but that camera seems to be at quite the awkward angle.  Oh my god this is my ID for the whole summer? I look horrible and my hair is curling. Hand flatten my hair, hand flatten, oh my god that’s my boss remove hand from hair casually. Read More »