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We all know that texting while drunk is a horrible idea (can we say misspelled embarrassment, much?), just as much as drunk dialing.  However, texting while doing other things can prove to be even more dangerous.

Recently there have been incidents throughout the country involving transit workers texting while on the job and then, from lack of attention, having accidents.  The most current example of this happened in Boston, where a trolley operator had been texting his girlfriend and subsequently rear-ended another trolley at a red light.  This event has triggered one of the strictest bans seen on mobile phones since my mom wouldn’t let me have mine at the dinner table.  If it goes through, transit operators in Massachusetts will no longer be able to even have a cell phone on them at work.

This policy of zero-tolerance on texting and calling for transit workers is a great idea.  Who wants to be responsible and call a cab home from the bar if your cab driver is just going to text the entire time and probably cause an accident anyway?  Nobody!  That’s why I think there are a fair few other occupations where this ban would also be helpful: Read More »

2009 is just around the corner. I don’t know what your year was like, but I am looking forward to saying goodbye to some of my ‘08 mishaps and start anew in ‘09. Of course, I say that every year. Some years, I make resolutions, and some years, I know that I’m not going to stick to them, so I don’t bother.

However, there are several things I should consider pledging as the ball drops. Whether you’re stuck on your own resolution, or just need a fresh start with the new year, the following are some resolutions that many of us should consider.

1. I will go to the gym regularly.

When 2008 struck, I was on a regular gym regime, and resolved to keep at it and lose ten more pounds. I did. Then summer hit, and I found that poolside cocktails and outdoor keg parties were taking their toll on my thighs. The fact that this semester has been excruciating contributes to my lack of gym time, and isn’t helping my quest to tone up. Losing weight and getting in shape is one of the most common New Years resolutions, but it’s also one of the hardest to keep. Still, if you have taken to wearing sweats to class every day because you can’t zip up the skinny jeans you bought in August, you may want to give the gym a go next year. Read More »

Sunday morning, and your mouth tastes like cotton dipped in garbage and coated in tar. You immediately regret opening your eyes, because you’re not ready for sunlight just yet. As you slowly regain consciousness, your first thought is, what happened last night?

You check your phone, and see that you dialed your ex at 1:34, your best friend at 1:52 (which is weird, because you went to the bar together), an unknown number at 2:04, and someone called “Tattoo Joe,” a name that wasn’t in your directory yesterday afternoon, at 4:23. You immediately call your BFF, and ask the question aloud: “What happened last night?”

Blacking out probably dates back to the birth of alcohol, but it has long baffled doctors, psychologists, and college students. Why does that one last drink put you over the edge, and erase hours worth of memories? Why is it pretty much impossible to tell when you’re having a conversation with someone who is currently experiencing a blackout? Britain’s Telegraph recently reported that the reason why people forget the embarrassing things they do when they are drunk has been discovered. Read More »

Party poopers have been around since the invention of cake. Even at your seventh birthday party I can bet you had a few of em’. They were the kids that stuck their hands in your cake and popped your balloons. They were the children that took all the piñata candy and whined that you got presents and they didn’t.

These kids have since grown up, but have still not grown out of their party pooping ways. Here are a few classic examples of people to keep off the guest list at your next soiree.

- The Drunk Dialer: Everyone makes drunk dials. They are often regrettable, foolish mistakes that we wish we could take back; but for some people, one or two are not enough. Some people seriously spend an entire party going through their phone book; calling exes, third cousins and coworkers. Not only are they loud and obnoxious on the phone, but they also seem to think everyone shares their enthusiasm for calling their kindergarten best friend and will shout, “OMG guys! You should totally talk to Ed too!” Parties are not the time for forty drunk dials, save it for the walk home.

- The Rule Snubber: Sure, some rules are meant to be broken, but who likes to play games with people that selfishly snub all of them? Ever played quarters with someone that grabs everyone else’s coins when they are losing? How about someone who keeps drawing cards in Kings until they get one they like? Nobody likes someone that cheats in beruit or flip-cup. Cheaters are only funny for about a minute- Play the game right or don’t play at all! Read More »

I do not think I’m an alcoholic. I do, however, feel like I’ve racked myself up some pretty reliable points for drinking frequently, and usually for free, in New York City.

I’m in a band. And all of my friends are in bands. You know what that means? It means shows…which means drinks. And my friends who aren‘t musicians, who work in offices, tend to like to buy me rounds at Happy Hour time–which usually precedes one of those aforementioned shows.

These factors combined with my sometimes modeling and myopenbar.com lead to a steady intake of alcohol on my part. And REALLY, I am okay with this.

However, I woke up today feeling especially hung over. My stomach felt like I imagine it would if it were working diligently to digest batteries. My makeup was caked across my pillowcase and the volume of god knows what kind of dirt under my nails made me afraid to look in the mirror. It was just another, typical night out on the town for me last night. Wine and beer and whiskey and martinis. Lost cash. Expensive cab rides. Shameful drunk snacking back at my apartment and finally the relief of passing out, but ONLY after an embarrassing drunk dial and even more embarrassing emotional drunk IM.

I woke up this morning and I challenged myself out loud to my roommate.

“You know what, dude? I’m gonna take the next week off from drinking.”

She laughed. Read More »

I spent this past weekend reuniting with my college girls in Washington D.C. and it was absolutely fabulous. We spent our days looking through pictures, eating Oreo’s and hanging out and our evenings drinking and dancing at various bars around town. It was just like college, except for one major difference.

One night as I was making my way to the bar to re-stock on some Amstel Light, a tall lad struck up conversation with me. We talked as we waiting in the monstrous line and even after we had procured our drinks of choice. He was cute – tall, dark, good jeans – and I was really enjoying his company. But, even being six drinks in, I knew better than to go home with him when he asked.

I didn’t know who this guy was or what his intentions were. I didn’t know where he lived or what his name was, even!

Therein lies the difference between College Lauren and Post College Lauren.

If I were still in school I would have gone home with that boy in a heartbeat. I wouldn’t have considered the fact that he could be dangerous, he could have STD’s or that anything bad could come from the situation at all. I would have trusted him because he was on my campus – in my little bubble – and why wouldn’t I? Read More »

Having a tough day? Stressed about that impending Calculus midterm? Still freaking out about that horribly embarrassing drunk dial fiasco this past weekend?

Grab a sandwich from the cafeteria and check out the “History of the Drunk Dial”!

You’re not alone!

You stumble out of bed on Sunday morning still a little drunk from last night, when a wave of panic washes over you as you realize you drunk-dialed your boss, grandmother, and everyone you’ve ever slept with.

Sound familiar? Savor the embarrassment, because dealing with the aftermath of drunkenly dialing and telling off your ex will soon be a thing of the past. Cell phone companies are considering following in Virgin Mobile Australia’s footsteps—the cell phone company provides its users with a drunk-dial blocking option. For just 19 cents per misguided attempted call, Virgin will block late-night calls to the numbers that the user had previously chosen to block.

But for those people that prefer to have the freedom to make sober 2 AM calls to ex-lovers, LG Electronics is taking it one step further with their Breathalyzer cell phones, already wildly popular in Korea. Breathe into the built-in breathalyzer, and if your blood-alcohol content is above .08, you won’t be able to dial pre-selected blocked numbers. Now you can save your cell-phone minutes and and your dignity.

If you’ve blocked all possibly-disastrous phone numbers but still have an urge to ramble incoherently, then just call 321-600-1200. This phone number, provided by slackertown.com, will record your drunk musings on the meaning of life and angry diatribe aimed at your ex, and post it on their site for all the world to see, laugh at, and commiserate.