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Fashionably Techie: Can’t Live Without It?

Donyae - University of Maryland — Thu, 14 May 2009 20:00:37 +0000

I think I’d die without technology. I’m constantly texting, I check my email six times a day and I use Google for everything. When I’m bored, my DSi is there to entertain me. Everything I do is coupled with some sort of technology, which is probably pretty obvious since I write about it every week.

But, and here’s the catch, everything I find so essential now will be completely outdated in like three years. Think about it – that new phone/game system/computer that you JUST got and are totally obsessed with will be old news very soon. And you will long for the day that you can get an upgrade.

That’s really kind of depressing. And a total waste of money, no?

Being that electronics go bad faster than those rotting apples in your fridge, it doesn’t always make sense to get the hottest, newest thing. There are just some pieces of technology you do not need. So, before you head off to Best Buy to ogle the latest and thinnest TVs for next year’s apartment, let’s discuss the things worth investing in vs. the things you can just play with at your guy friends’ frat house.

The Cell Phone:
Some things are pretty much a no brainier. Sure you probably CAN live without it, but why would you want to? With society’s on-the-go attitude (and our overflowing social calendars) trying to track us down on a land line is nigh impossible. And trying to find a friend at a party? Good luck. What you don’t need, though, is the latest and greatest phone the moment it comes out. Wait just a few short months and the price on that sick new touchscreen phone will drop.

The Blue Tooth:
Does it really take that much energy to lift that precious phone to your ear? And do you realize how ridiculous you look talking to yourself on the way to class? Pass on the blue tooth and save that money for something you really need, like rent. Or shoes. If you are doing something that prevents you from holding the phone, you probably shouldn’t be talking on it anyway.

Flat Screen:
They are pretty. They are cool. They are also very expensive pretty and cool items that you probably don’t need, especially to watch Gossip Girl. Hold onto that regular TV set a little longer, or just watch your shows online. You’ll save money on cable AND a TV purchase. Cha ching.

Blu-Ray:
Blu-Ray players are very cool, but you don’t need to splurge on one. DVDs are just fine and I’m confident they are going to stick around for awhile.

iPod Touch:
This thing is sweet – there is no doubt about it – but it is also really expensive and doesn’t hold nearly as much music as the pods that came before it. Yes, you can switch songs by tapping on a screen, but is that really worth the giant price tag? Probably not. Hold onto the iPod you’ve got until it’s dead. There will probably be 12 new iPods between now and then, so you’ll end up with an even better one in the long run.

Technology is ever changing and very disposable these days, so remember not to pick up anything just because it looks cool. Chances are something new a better is coming along in a few months.

G.W.W.E.: Harry “Hot for Me” Connick, Jr.

CC Staff — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 20:39:21 +0000

(We’re back with another weekly installment of G.W.W.E. [Guys We Wanna Eff]. It’s official: the winter doldrums have set in, and who better to cozy up in bed with than Harry Connick, Jr.?)

Very few stars these days can legitimately claim to be top-notch actors and musicians, but Harry Connick, Jr. is certainly one of them. A stylish crooner with a killer smile to boot, Harry puts the swagger in suave. His dinner-jacket-and-slacks style makes me want to slip into my best little black dress, some Chanel No. 5, recline on a velvet chaise…and eff his brains out.

Originally a professional jazz pianist, Harry got his big break arranging the soundtrack for everyone’s favorite rom-com, When Harry Met Sally. Seriously, hottie Harry’s eff-me-tender tunes made WHMS my number-one rainy-day chick flick, hands down. His work even won him his first Grammy! To date, he’s released several albums of music, from jazz to Christmas classics. Harry’s the kind of guy who will take you by the hand and sing your sweet little soul to the heavens of effable merriment, a true gent if I do say so myself.

Of course, his acting career has truly taken off over the past few years. His guest-starring stint on Will and Grace had me so glued to the television (Sexy Harry? My fave sitcom? Almost better than a good, long eff.) that I totally bought the series on DVD to relive every effable moment at my convenience. Meanwhile, he’s broken out onto the big screen, with starring roles in Hope Floats, P.S. I Love You, and his latest release, New In Town, which opens today.

And of course, Harry wouldn’t be a great eff if he didn’t have a heart. He’s been a huge supporter of disaster relief programs in his native New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Yes, I know he’s married with children, but I’ve gotta say, if you ever need some (effable) relief of your own, Harry, you know who to call.

Battle of the Teen Queens: Miley and Taylor

CC Staff — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 19:10:48 +0000

It’s time for some teen talk. There’s a whole new generation of teenybopper superstars, and it’s time for us college ladies to get aquainted with them. Miley Cyrus seems to be at the crest of the fame wave, but can Taylor Swift be far behind?

While Hannah Montana star Miley Cyrus has been on the radar of the ‘tween set for quite some time, she really became a mega-uber-superstar in the course of the last year. It’s been a good twelve months since I first started hearing her single, “See You Again,” blasting from every room on my hall. She made headlines when famed photographer Annie Lebowitz shot questionably tasteful photos of her for Vanity Fair. With a fiercely devoted fan base, bestselling albums and a movie and memoir in the works, you’d think Miley was the certified Queen of the Teenyboppers, pink tiara and all.

But not so fast, Hannah Montana. There’s another gal in town who’s ready to knock the spurs off your rockstar cowboy boots. Taylor Swift has been garnering press left and right about her sophisticated music and style. She’s been called the “most remarkable country music breakthrough artist of the decade,” and has upheld the honor by promising not to end up in rehab like some of her musician peers. And while she’s determined to stay out of the tabloids, she hasn’t always been successful–her tumultuous breakup with Joe Jonas has been providing intense gossip fodder this week.

So who is really on top of the tween rock scene? Billy Ray’s daughter steals the spotlight with her fun and kitschy persona, but Ms. Swift commands attention with her sweet and sincere lyrics. Who’s more likely to be rocking out on your iPod earbuds?

Vladmir Putin Will Teach You Judo

CC Staff — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 22:51:47 +0000

Since it’s a holiday weekend, you don’t have to spend your Sunday catching up on homework. Why not use the extra time to do something for fun? Bake some brownies, go for a run, or…learn judo!


Russian Prime Minister Vladmir Putin has released a DVD tutorial called "Let's Learn Judo with Vladmir Putin." And as you can see (and hear...if you speak Russian), Putin can definitely lay the smack-down.
No word on when the English translation will be available.



Hot New Music and DVD Releases for 10/7/2008
CC Staff — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 19:40:24 +0000
Hello CC readers! It is that time of the week yet again, where new DVDs and new CDs hit store shelves and you can nab em up for a fun night in, or a pre-party dance party!
I hope you all got your paycheck because the list this week is enticing. Ignore the recession and that “budget” you set (where all funds go to Coors and clothes); go ahead and splurge this week for a new CD or DVD, espesh my pick of the week:
The Happening (!!!)
I have loved M. Night Shyamalan films since The Sixth Sense, so obvi his latest DVD is a must-have.
Not a fan of M. Night’s crazy flicks? Don’t worry; here are a few other DVD releases to pick up this week:
 You Don’t Mess With the Zohan (Adam Sandler as an Israeli fighting hair stylist? How could that not be awesome?
30 Rock: Season 2 (The perfect fix until the new season starts!)
Now for some serious tune-age. While I wish I could put every new release from every genre, there isn’t enough time or space. Here are some of the highlights:
No Molestar- Marco Antonio Solis
Tell Tale Signs: The Bootleg Series Vol 8 – Bob Dylan
 Break Up the Concrete- The Pretenders
Dig Out Your Soul- Oasis
Closer- The Best of Sarah McLachlan
 Live at Shea Stadium- The Clash
Greatest Hits- Tim McGraw
Forever More- Tesla
Well there you have it; if I missed a few, sorry. Which releases will you be takin’ home?

         


This Week’s New Music and DVD Releases (9.30.08)
CC Staff — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 14:11:02 +0000
Hello CC readers!
It’s that time of the week where new music and new DVD releases hit the shelves of your local Best Buy and Target! In the mist of all this financial mess, don’t be afraid to treat yourself to a new movie or CD (or just download them from iTunes).
There are quite of few new DVD releases coming out today, but only the hilarious Forgetting Sarah Marshall and the action packed Iron Man matter.
The new music releases are a different story, depending on what kind of music you like. The list of new albums is as follows:
T.I. – Paper Trail

Amon Amarth – Twilight of the Thunder God

Anberlin – New Surrender

Bayside – Shudder 

Flecktones – Jingle All the Way

Ben Folds – Way To Normal

Jack’s Mannequin – The Glass Passenger

Polysics – We Ate The Machine

Porter Batiste Stoltz – MOODOO

Pete Seeger – At 89

T-Pain – Thr33 Ringz

Connie Talbot – Over the Rainbow

James Taylor – Covers 
Well, there you have it, all the new music and DVD you can handle for the week! Let me know if there is any indie music/movies being released that’s not on the list…
What DVD or CD are you going to purchases this week?

         


Too Broke for the Gym: A CC Guide to Being Cheap AND Fit
Erica - Kent State University — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:30:16 +0000
It’s summer.
Translation: I’m not doing sh*t.
Actually, that’s a huge lie.  Instead of lounging like I would like to be, I’m working my ass off at a menial job making minimum wage.  Hours upon hours of filing, sitting in front of a super-slow, super-irritating computer and returning home to do the same (with the addition of the roommates watching endless Friends re-runs as background noise) has turned me into a bit of a mindless drone.  I have felt myself becoming lazier, smellier, dumber and well, wider.
My gym shoes have collected dust by the front door, right next to at least three garbage bags full of Keystone cans, Bud Light bottles and the occasional box of Carlo.  My once-amazing gym habits  (3x a week, alternating between running and the elliptical) have become practically non-existent.  I even have a sweet new workout mix created on my iPod, but this has still not motivated me to actually go exercise.
But, I figure that there is always a bright side to every situation.  Since I can’t actually find the energy to drag myself halfway across town to the gym, I decided that I can bring the exercise to me.  But, with little cash and little-to-no motivation, what can a girl do to stay in shape?
Workout DVDs: (from easiest to hardest)
[These require little to no “tools” besides comfy workout clothes, a yoga mat (mine is here) and a DVD player.]

GAIAM Yoga for Beginners –If you’ve never done a Downward Dog or Sun Saluation in your life (and you’re reading this like WTF is she talking about?), this DVD is for you.  The instruction is slow, easy and will ensure that you don’t twist an ankle or pull a muscle while you’re learning the moves.  Just make sure you have a DVD remote because you can’t skip around and it can get quite boring. Correction: Really boring.

Carmen Electra’s Aerobic Striptease– What? She’s hot.  And if there is any possibility my body will end up looking at all like hers (or that I’ll magically become coordinated enough to actually perform a striptease) because of this DVD, you better believe I’ll throw down some cash…that is unless Tila Tequila comes out with her own workout vids.

The Yoga Booty Ballet Series – Okay, so the name (and the “instructors” in the video) are a little weird.  Alright, I’m not gonna lie, they actually creeped me out so much the first time I attempted to get my booty in yoga ballet shape, that I was tempted to turn it off.  But, I “kept up” as they instructed me and I felt fabulous.  I started with “Yoga Core” (the beer belly is definitely the first thing that needs to go!).  It can get a little intense if you’ve been a stagnate vegetable for months like me, but overall, I think it’s a good workout.

Wii Fit –I don’t have one (or even know anyone who does), but it sounds pretty damn sweet.  You can do stuff like yoga, aerobics, even strength training from the (comfort?) of this weird little electronic mat thing.
Too broke to buy stuff?  Yeah, me too.  Instead of dishing out the cash for the aforementioned DVDs, check out free online workout videos like these awesome ones on YouTube with model-turned-yoga instructor Tara Stiles.
Outdoors-y stuff you can do fo’ free:

Take a hike.  Literally, According to this little ditty, light hiking can burn about 225 cals.  Take a friend …& some mushrooms for an extra exciting adventure  Just kidding. Kind of.
Take a break from tanning and chillaxing poolside and actually go swimming.  Run ten laps around the pool or engage in a little water aerobics.  Of, if you have the luxury of living near a beach, try body surfing.  This didn’t always work out so well for me, but maybe you’ll have better luck.
Beach/backyard volleyball. Instead of hiding behind your big-ass sunglasses, flipping the pages of the latest Harper’s Bazaar or creepily admiring the toned, tanned bodies of the boys playing beach volleyball, join in.  Put in the effort — you can burn up to 100 calories.
Other random/cheap ways to up your fitness level:

Walk places or park far away from the places you drive to. You’ve heard it before, but seriously. JUST DO IT.

Shop & walk the mall at least once a week. An easy way to combine your two favorite things. And by favorite, I mean one favorite and one thing that kinda sucks.

Jump rope.  Make one if you can’t find your old one.

Swap workout DVDs with other chicks you know who are trying to get in shape.

Find out if there are free yoga sessions offered in your area. And take advantage when gyms near you offer “Demo” weeks and the like.

Scour your kitchen. Not only does cooking burn calories, you can substitute lifting dumbbells for lifting milk jugs, sacks of potatoes or even canned goods.  Your roommates might make fun of you, but when your underarm no longer jiggles like an old woman’s when you wave (and their’s still do), who’ll be laughing then?
But perhaps the biggest problem here is not WHAT you can do, but HOW the hell you can get yourself to do it.
- Start small.  But make sure to challenge yourself.  If you can only complete ten minutes of a workout DVD one day, that’s okay.  Just be sure to keep increasing your time and the intensity of your workouts as time goes on.  This is also a great confidence builder.
- Reward yourself.  Like, “Hey self, meet your workout goal for the week?  Okay then. You are totally allowed to buy the Sex & the City Movie book.”
- Write stuff down. Sign up for one of those websites that allows you to track your workout progress, download a Food & Workout Diary from Marie Clare here or buy a cute little Moleskine (or one of those 99 cent things from the drugstore), cover it with inspirational quotes and you’re good to go.
- Stop reading this!  All of CC’s intelligent, delicious, gorgeous, fabulous bloggers will still be here when you get back. Pop in a DVD & get your ass in gear.
[Photo courtesy of Corbis.com] 

         


Something Old, Something New: The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh, Semi-Pro
ccandylyndsey — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 18:30:32 +0000
Something Old: The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh (1979)
Something New: Semi-Pro (2008)
The Connection: Both are disco-licious basketball comedies – my favorite genre
I am a cynic by nature. I don’t go to church. I don’t play the lottery. I don’t read books that the general population agrees are good. I don’t watch Extreme Home Makeover. I don’t think Barack Obama can revolutionize America. I don’t believe in procreation. I don’t coo over puppies.
But one of the few things that can consistently penetrate my hard-ass realist exterior is an underdog sports movie. Seriously. I can’t explain it, but ever since Rudy, this cheesiest of movie genres has had the ability to burrow in to my stone-cold heart and leave me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside, and sometimes even a little teary-eyed. It’s embarrassing but true, and I take a special kind of guilty pleasure in indulging this ever-so-sissy aspect of myself.
And while The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh is certainly no Rudy, it does the double-duty of being a satisfying underdog sports film and a campy tribute to the disco age (YESSSS!). Set in, duh, Pittsburgh, the film centers around a pro basketball team called the Pittsburgh Pythons that’s on the brink of extinction due to their horrendous track record. In an attempt to save the team, the young waterboy contacts an astrologer (Stockard Channing) to ask for advice, and she determines that the key to success is to create a team of players born under the sign Pisces – hence, the film’s title.
Featuring a whole host of old school bball players including Julius Erving and Meadowlark Lemon, the movie is really pretty much total crap but in all the right ways. The storyline is so outlandish, the acting so bad (Because when has an athlete ever been a good actor? Besides Shaq in Kazaam!, of course.), the budget so obviously low that the fact the film was even made is kind of an admirable underdog story in and of itself. Plus, for all conventional ways in which the movie blows, it makes up for it with the fancy ball-handling and trick shots from Dr. J and Lemon and the truly fabulous disco soundtrack.
Taking obvious cues from it’s predecessor, Semi-Pro is a lot like The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh, only it’s less an exhibition game with a storyline and more, you know, a movie.  Newly released on DVD, Semi-Pro is Will Ferrell’s most recent comedic endeavor about a failing ABA team called the Flint Tropics. Ferrell is the team’s owner, coach, and power forward who realizes he needs to step up his play when he learns that the NBA will be absorbing the ABA, and only the top four teams will make it in to the more established league. The usual Ferrell barrage of hilarious one-liners (containing considerable more f-bombs than most Ferrell films) and celeb cameos ensues, all set to, of course, a booty-bumpin’ disco soundtrack.
While the film’s major players (Woody Harrelson and Andre Benjamin) drive the storyline, it’s the secondary characters that make it worth watching. Will Arnett and Andrew Daly are perfect as the Tropic’s announcers, and Andy Richter plays his perpetual role as That Awesome Other Dude to a T. Is this the new Anchorman?  Hells no.  But it does deliver what you expect/want from Ferrell, and leaves you feelin’ good like a sports movie should. Make sure to check out the DVD extras – the deleted scenes contain some funny improv, and as a Michigan native, I loved the “Four Days in Flint” footage.
BOTTOM LINE
The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh: Good crappy camp fun. Toss it on your Netflix and watch it on a rainy Sunday.
Semi-Pro: Nothing new, but standard issue Will Ferrell is way better than most of the shit out there.

         


“Geisha Guys” Are Huge In Japan
CC Staff — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 18:30:15 +0000

Successful Japanese female executives are shelling out thousands for the companionship of male hosts, affectionately dubbed “geisha guys.”
No sex, not even kissing, just a night full of wine, good food, thoughtful conversation and lots and lots of compliments.
This gender role reversal is big business. Nightclubs catering to women and their geisha guys are popping up all around Tokyo.  With more disposable income than ever before, women are willing to spend anywhere from $1,000 to $50,000 for a night of male companionship. Not only are women getting what they want, but the male hosts are raking in the bucks. The host pictured earned over $200,000 last year!
One customer said, “This is a gift for myself. It’s the same as spending money on a trip or buying something.”
I will probably never have that much money to spend on boys, (especially ones who aren’t even making out with me), but if I did I can’t say I’d be interested. There are just too many fun ways to spend $1000. New clothes, stock portfolios, top-shelf liquor, a DVD shopping spree, a gorgeous handbag…
The whole thing is kind of like leasing an apartment when you could just buy a house. Instead of sinking thousands of dollars into one night chat-fests, sink it into good therapy, a new dress and an online dating service. Like owning a home, it’s a lot more work to keep up a relationship, but the investment is usually worth it.
…unless he’s a fixer-upper.

         


“Sex and the City: The Movie” – Yeah, I’ll Pass
CC Staff — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 16:30:06 +0000
I think I’m the only chick who rides the ‘I don’t care about the “Sex and the City” movie’ train.
One of my friends lives and dies for this show. I remember one Christmas she got the boxed set of SATC DVD’s and handled them like a newborn as she showed everything to me. Like I half-expected her to put on rubber gloves to handle the box and its contents. She talked about the characters like they were real and they were her friends. And then I looked to her boyfriend. Whose eyes were glazed over because he clearly had been forced to watch — Every. Single. Episode.
She cannot be more set on making a girl’s night out of going to see the movie and then going out for drinks afterward. Cosmos, I’m sure. But there will be no random hook-ups because she thinks that she’s Charlotte and Charlotte wouldn’t ever have fun.
I don’t have the heart to tell her that I don’t share her love for that show and that I thought that it was time to get over it like six years ago.
Because I do think that it’s time to get over “SATC.” I have seen a few episodes and I was definitely entertained by it. But it’s a show and it ended. You never lived that life. Just because the movie’s coming out now doesn’t mean that you now might have regained the potential to live that life – because yours isn’t scripted.
Please give up the fantasy that your life relates to any of the show’s situations and stop living in the Land of Delusions that you are anywhere close to (either in the past, present or future) having your life be a living non-stop episode, because it’s kinda crazy.
You don’t want to be Carrie because she was neurotic and did dumb things; you don’t want to be Charlotte because she was annoyingly romantic while doing dumb things; you don’t want to be Miranda because, even though she was cool, she wasn’t considered to be really hot; and you don’t want to be Samantha because apparently I’m Samantha.
And stop with the cosmos; they don’t even taste good.
I have no desire to watch these old bags run around the city in their age inappropriate clothes. And haven’t they already banged every guy in the city? Did they import new ones from other cities in order to keep it fresh?
I mean, I don’t hate it. I just don’t get it.
So I’m losing steam. Is there anyone else out there who’s boarding at this station?