It’s Veteran’s Day and everybody is finding their own way to honor the men and women who have and are currently serving in the armed forces. This morning, Bon Jovi performed at Rockefeller Center in NYC and invited all local military personnel, their families and civilian volunteers to come be a part of the festivities.

While we aren’t all Bon Jovi and can’t show our support through a rock concert (unless they want to watch me play RockBand), there are plenty of things we can do to show our appreciation for the troops.

1. Have a veteran in your family? Call or sit down with them and ask them about their service. Chances are they’ll have a lot of stories to share, and your interest in their life is probably the greatest gift you could give them on this day.

And then take them for a meal at Applebee’s. Veterans and active duty military eat free today! I’m sure if you ask nicely they will share their Triple Chocolate Meltdown with you. Read More »

With fall here, it’s time to start adding new outerwear to your closet, and while many people argue that everyone needs a boyfriend blazer, I think everyone should be picking up this military jacket from Banana Republic. This sharp, dapper blazer can pull together any combination of a T-shirt and broken-in jeans (you know, the super comfy ones you wear every other day) when a decent outfit takes too much effort, or make you look even smarter when paired with a crisp, collared shirt.

It features pockets at the chest and waist, a standing collar, shoulder epaulets (for that extra touch of cool), a concealed button placket and cinching at the waist that creates the perfect hourglass shape. Roll up the sleeves for a more laid back look or add a necklace or two for some glam. Available in black and gray, it practically goes with everything, so, like your jeans, you can wear it every other day as well.

Planning my next trip to Banana Republic as we speak. See you there?

When I tell people that my boyfriend is in the Army, I usually am met with the same response:

“Oooh really? I don’t know how you do it. I couldn’t be with someone in the military.”

I can understand why they feel that way. Being apart from the one you love for long periods of time gets really tough. Being in a military relationship is an emotional and patriotic combination of sacrifice and reward.

For all the time spent apart, the mind-racing anxieties, the minimal access to communication and the constant countdown to reunion, there are still the corresponding rewards that make it all worthwhile. After spending five months apart, with half the country’s states between us, we now get to finally live together. After worrying what it meant when I didn’t hear his voice for almost 12 days, I’ve learned how to be a stronger, independent individual. I know that in the Army, no news is good news. I have learned the importance of communication and how to maintain a strong connection through hand-written letters. Read More »

Israel has been under attack since its creation in 1948. Due to many people’s hatred of the Jewish community, the religious history of the region, and an argument over who the land should really belong to, the people of Israel have been defending their small plot of land for over 60 years.

Not only have they had to deal with wars and bombs from surrounding countries, but the citizens of Israel live in constant fear of suicide bombers getting on their busses, coming into their schools and destroying their daily lives.

Today, Israel is at war with Hamas. Every day, the Israeli Army sends bombs into the Gaza strip in attempts to stop the terrorist organization from bombing their country.

“The goal of this operation is to stop the launching of rockets upon Israeli civilians and to make sure that the Hamas organization, which is a terrorist organization, will not be able to get any more rockets… And also to make sure that they will not have the will to act against Israeli civilians.”

As with any military operation, there has been severe collateral damage. Innocent people – including U.N. aid workers – have been injured and killed, there is a shortage of food and water, and hundreds of buildings have been destroyed. Yet, Hamas will not stop.

My question is this:

In your opinion, is Israel the monster, or is Hamas – knowing what they can do to stop the war in Gaza – turning its back on the well-being of its very own people? This sitution is not one that has a simple answer, but one that could be resolved with some thought, understanding, and conversation.

Women are making strides, actually not strides, leaps and bounds. It would seem that since women won the right to vote in 1920 there wouldn’t be anything left for us to conquer. I mean, that was almost 90 years ago. By now, women should have done everything and have a presence everywhere.

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Whether she was talking about this nation’s plethora of hot guys, or everyone’s favorite group of drinks, at 9:10PM this evening, Sarah Palin inadvertently gave CC a new descriptive phrase to throw around the office at every possible moment.

We knew something good would come out of tonight’s debate.

Put down the North Face. Seriously.

That overly priced piece of fleece has been cramping styles of college chicks nationwide for way too long. Not only is it boring and blah (and yes getting it in bumble-bee yellow still makes it blah) – but its making you that girl. You know who I’m talking about: The one who walks around campus in her big sunglasses, tight stretch pants, boots and… NORTH FACE FLEECE.

I’m not saying it’s horrible to be one of those girls – in fact I think these girls get a bad rap for being bitchy and spoiled when that isn’t the case (note: I was one of them). What I am saying is that if you’re going to spend the money on a piece of outerwear there are so many, MANY cuter, warmer, more original, not fleecy things to buy!

Trust me, I understand the “I’m hungover and want to wear sweats to class” line of thinking, I really do. But at least fool the outside world that you care…even a little… and switch up your NFF for an actual jacket or coat. This fall there are just so many cute styles that it’s simply a waste to not wear one of them!

Here are some options to consider when trading in your beloved North Face Fleece: Read More »

It’s difficult enough entering into the real world without having to worry about paying back thousands upon thousands of dollars in student loans in the years after we graduate. It’s best to think of that money as an investment more than an evil, insurmountable debt that is going to be attached to our backs for years. But there are some options to lessen that weight in the forms of loan forgiveness.

If you aren’t familiar with the process, loan forgiveness is the cancellation of all or part of your student loans if you decide to go into certain charitable fields for a certain amount of time. Below is a list of some areas that offer loan forgiveness, but it’s not comprehensive. In fact, if you go into some sort of public service upon graduation, it wouldn’t hurt to consult the Human Resources department to see if your job qualifies for the program. Also, the military offers numerous loan repayment programs.

Volunteering

Americorps A year of service gets you up to a $7400 stipend and around $4500 to use against a loan.

Peace Corps Volunteers can get a loan deferment and up to 70% loan cancellation. Read More »

It’s easy to get caught up in the college bubble and forget about everything except the excitement on your campus, but it’s always important to know what’s going on out in the real world, especially with significant events such as the current war.

I’m sure most of you know someone who is either in the military or somehow connected to the military, and a recent report should shock and worry you just as it did me when I read it. According to CNN, “Every day, five U.S. soldiers try to kill themselves. Before the Iraq war began, that figure was less than one suicide attempt a day. The dramatic increase is revealed in new U.S. Army figures, which show 2,100 soldiers tried to commit suicide in 2007.”

I don’t care what side of the political argument you are on, whether you technically consider yourself for or against the war, whether you are a democrat or republican, these are our friends, brothers, sisters, or relatives. The fact that they are attempting or even thinking about suicide after serving in this war is a scary reality that everyone needs to be more aware of.

So, why are the rates increasing so much? People offer up a couple of suggestions…

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That’s right. Sylvester Stallone, who’s like 60 years old or something, has just inked a deal to star in two more films with his Rambo producers.

Strangely enough, Stallone’s two new (yet so old) films “Rocky Balboa” and “Rambo” actually did well at the box office, which means people still want to see this dude kick major ass with either his fist or a giant gun.

While I’m sure Stallone will create more movies based around testosterone and sparse dialogue (say what you want about him, but the guy understands his limitations), I doubt either of them will solve the burning question I’ve had since I was forced to watch the first Rambo movie:

What’s with the bandana?! Read More »