To Pinch, or Not to Pinch?

While we all laughed as Kevin Federline got all huffy about the possibility of the penny being pulled, the reality is that our little copper friend doesn't get the respect he used to. Somewhere between the disappearance of penny candy and the downfall of the penny carnival, we all have become less inclined to care for common cents. I myself have always been one to "see a penny, pick it up", though the luck has not always necessarily followed. I personally like to believe the "Pennies from Heaven" mythology, where for every time you find a penny on the ground, it means that someone in heaven is thinking of you. For more pensiveness on pennies, read Laura Rowley's Some Thoughts for Your Pennies.

The Friday VicPick Video: 2007 Boston Marathon

Well, it looks like I have to apologize yet again for missing some posts this week, but there is more busy-ness going on for reasons which I may explain later, but in the meantime, as I promised earlier in the week, I have a video from the Boston Marathon as I saw part of it not far from my apartment. In it, you can also catch a glimpse of one of my roommates and my boyfriend. You may also hear my voice and the voice of a boy standing next to us that was very friendly (and probably drunk at 1 in the afternoon) and calling out all the names of the people he could read on their shirts to encourage them. We even got a few hand slaps from excited runners as they passed by! Congratulations to everyone who ran, particularly those from other countries (saw some representing Japan, Korea, and Germany) as well as those very old competitors--you are greater athletes than I could ever be!

Its Marathon Monday!

As you have recently been made aware, I am now located in Boston, and as such, today is a very big day--its Marathon Monday! That's right, today, right now, the running of the 111th Boston Marathon is going on, and though the winners have already been decided, everyone that was behind them will still be crossing the finish line well into the day. I hope to get out and get some pictures, because despite earlier forecasts, the weather has not been a total disaster and the temp. has been somewhat moderate, with limited rain and wind, and a thin cloud layer. I've already seen some Boston College students who live in my neighborhood celebrating the day, as Marathon Monday is also a very big day for co-eds to partake in all-day drinking, as area classes are cancelled.

The Friday VicPick video: MadTV iPhone home

While Apple just sent out the word that their new operating system, OSX Leopard, which was set to be released this spring, will now instead be released in October, as development of the much anticipated iPhone has caused a lag in the Leopard development schedule. You can read more on the announcement here.

In MadTV news, a couple weeks ago they featured this rather clever sketch on Apple's iTechnology. Too funny.

MADtv - iRack (including blooper in the end)

Have you checked out my Steals and Deals yet? The Boston Globe has...

If you haven't checked out my Steals and Deals channel from 80108 Media, then what are you waiting for? While you are at it, check out this great article by the Boston Globe which talks about 80108 Media, and even specifically mentions my channel! You can also now find my pic and bio on their correspondents page.

Gone to Tralfamadore...

Kurt Vonnegut, iconic author of works such as Slaughterhouse-Five died Wednesday at the age of 84. The reclusive intellect suffered injuries to his brain after sustaining a fall at his Manhattan home a number of weeks ago. He was one of the few remaining prominent authors that had served in World War II. He is survived by his wife, photographer Jill Krementz.

The new apartment!

So, as I've let you all know, the reason for my sabbatical from posting was because I moved into this new apartment out of state. I am now (almost) fully settled into a wonderful place in the fabulous city of Boston, with 2 really great girls as roommates. As I've said before, I have long considered myself a great bargain shopper--one of the main reasons why I started this blog--however, this move was a great lesson in resourcefulness, as a move, particularly one out of state, can be quite expensive. To this end, I have a lot of information to pass along on a variety of topics, and because I have so much to share, I'm going to have to spread it out over the next week or so. In order to make it easier on my brain, I'm going to try to keep things somewhat "chronological", meaning I'll start with rental tips, and then the actualy physical moving part, and then things like shopping for stocking the apartment and such. Hopefully I can remember everything because I actually learned quite a lot!

FREE SAMPLE ALERT!

If you haven't bookmarked it already, make sure you click on the link to the Walmart free samples page. They regularly offer free samples on a variety of products, that require nothing more than your mailing address and name in order to receive them. I check them out frequently as the offers change all the time, and its always fun to receive a little trial size something-or-another in the mail when it arrives!

This week they are featuring a variety of items, including contact lenses, lotion, allergy pills, and pore strips.

Long time no see!

Well hello everyone out there! Yes, I'm back, writing about bargains and the like from an all new location--Boston, MA! I've moved in to a great apartment with 2 fabulous roommates and we have all settled in quite nicely. Now that the unpacking and craziness have seemingly settled, I finally have some time to get back to this blog. First thing is first though, I want to let you all know that in addition to my move, I have started writing for a media company that sends insider info and top selections about what’s going on in Boston each week. I’d love for you to check out my stuff and tell me what you think. I write a “channel” called Boston:"Steals and Deals", which is delivered 3 times per week via text message, and covers all the best bargains and sales in the area. You'll also be able to take part in exclusive deals available only to 80108 clients. You can sign up at 80108, or click one of the the buttons below, which are also among the ads on the borders of my blog. The service is FREE, but normal text messaging fees from your wireless carrier apply. 80108 has over 70 other channels about various topics in 15 cities – check out any that interest you and please pass the info on to others.
I know that many of you that are reading this are not in the Boston area, but if any of you have unlimited text message plans, it would really help me out if you sign up for the service. Not only does it make me look better to the company by doing a good job of promoting my channel, but I also receive a bonus if I get 50 people to sign up by April 23rd. If you happen to have any friends or family that may be interested, I would also appreciate if you passed along this info to them letting them know about the service. So check out www.80108.com, and if you have any questions at all, please don't hesitate to ask!<

I miss you too!

I know! I haven't posted in weeks--but believe me, a LOT has been going on! Rest assured however, I will return with a whole bunch of new posts starting on Monday of next week--in the meantime, enjoy your Easter, Passover, or rest of the work week and weekend!

PoP! Goes My Heart - Music and Lyrics

The Friday VicPick video: "You are gold and silvah-ah-ah!"

The above video is from the movie Music and Lyrics with Drew Barrymore and Hugh Grant. The basic storyline is that Hugh is a former 80s pop star who pairs up to write a song for a modern star in order to revive his career. THe fictional 80s band he was in is called "Pop" and is very much inspired by Wham as one singer from Pop went on to be a household name (George Michael) and the other one didn't (the other guy from Wham). Hugh plays the other guy. As you can see, the video is very 80s-like, with a mixture of bad performance elements, and really bad over-acting. Hugh does all of his own singing, impressively enough, and the soundtrack is currently outselling the likes of Fergie, Gwen Stefani, and Justin Timberlake on iTunes. I saw the movie myself, and it was quite hilarious, Hugh's sardonic humor and 80s style singing/dancing performances are reason enough to check it out!

News!

Yes, if you're keeping track, sorry, I missed a post yesterday--but with good reason! I am getting ready to move into a great apartment out of state on the 17th! So, please bare with me as my posts become irregular over the next week or so--but I have a lot going on! Rest assured though, I will have lots of great posts to come about things like shopping at Ikea, using Craigslist for free furniture, tag sales, creative projects to turn junk into useful things for your home, and lots more!

Tips for your Finances

~Keeping Your Cool in a Shaky Market by Ben Stein: How to keep a good head when the financial waters aren't so sound.


~Five Ways to Grow Your Income by 20 Percent by David Bach: Some simple ideas on how to raise your income in a relatively short period of time.


~Why Women Need a Healthy Relationship with Money by Suze Orman: Millionaire and financial whiz Orman speaks specifically on issues women have with how they treat money, and how they can circumvent those problems.

Silly Snails

I couldn't help but laugh when I read this article, and I thought I would just share it with all of you. If you have ever thought that bargains were just for the big folks, then you obviously have never stopped to think about what snails can do to save. Well, according to this article, Snails Save Energy by Re-Using Mucus Trails, carefully re-tracing the paths left by previous snails in order to save on the tremendous amount of energy that they must expend in order to produce the mucus that they use to get around. Sure, to us its not a major concern to conserve on mucus, but I guess the point is that the quality and quantity of what you save is directly proportional to your size!

Celebrity Looks for Less: Oscar-worthy

Just like after the the Golden Globes, commercial fashion designers scrambled to create dresses similar to some of those worn by the lovely ladies at the Oscars last week. Just in time for the upcoming prom-season, these ultra-affordable replicas are definitely red-carpet worthy.



One of my picks for best-dressed at the Academy Awards, Helen Mirren's Christian Lacroix gown was specially designed just for her, and probably cost thousands. You can get edressme New York's version for only $325.


Jessica Biel's fuschia belted number was so popular, it was copied not only by edressme New York and Faviana. Edressme New York's version can be pre-ordered for $320 to be shipped starting April 10.


As seen on Access Hollywood, Faviana also created replicas of Kate Winslet's and Rachel Weisz's dresses, as well as Reese Witherspoon's dress, another one of my picks. Edressme New York also created two replicas of Jennifer Hudson's dress, in both regular and plus-sizes.

No cure for Mondays?

While everyone knows that Mondays can be a pain, it is also universally accepted that afternoons, any day of the week can be a struggle as well. It usually comes right after lunch, when your body is digesting food, it tends to make you sleepy, and not apt to move around. Little did we know, however, that the cure for these "afternoon slumps" is in what you eat. It seems just by adding a few specific items to your lunch or snack, you can help to fight off that tiredness, and stay the naturally perky and sweet self we all know you are!

Beyonce feat Shakira - Beautiful Liar

Friday VicPick video: Shakira, Shakira, Beyonce, Beyonce

Marking her second collaborative effort where the other person she is singing with opens the song by repeating her name, Shakira is being featured in a new duet with Beyonce. The song is called "Beautiful Liar" and the video for it was just released this week, after receiving a lot of preliminary buzz. The song is originally from Beyonce's album, B Day, and the re-recorded duet version with Shakira will be on the re-released version, as initial sales for the record were sluggish. The video marks a rarity in that not only are there two women singing the duet, but their characters actually team up as opposed to fight over a man. I also believe it is the first time there has been so much booty shaking crammed into 3 and a half minutes. I'm a big Shakira fan, so I think adding her to this song and the video are great, and kudos to Beyonce for coming up with the idea for the two to pair up. I had always thought that they shared things in common, both in dancing style as well as looks. For me, Beyonce had always particularly evoked Shakira in the "Baby Boy" music video with Sean Paul. The "Beautiful Liar" video purposely plays on these similarities, as you will find it is often hard to tell the two apart!

Celebrity Looks for Less: Madonna's Hair

This past weekend, we saw a lot of fabulous dresses, hair, and make-up for the Academy Awards, and likewise at the after parties. Madonna for one, looked stunning at the popular Vanity Fair party, and vamped it up old-style in a floor length clingy black Versace, and softly curled hair reminiscent of the Golden era of Hollywood. Now, I can't say for certain how she got her hair to look like that--odds are it took a team of people, with lots of special tools and products, or it might have even been specially grown in a magical land that only celebrities know about. In any case, I can tell you how to get your hair to look very similar to her's, and it won't cost you nearly as much as having a Hollywood hair stylist do it for you.

Me doing pin-curls on a friend (They're not as painful as they look.)

Pin curls are an old-fashioned way of curling your hair, and was a technique used often back in the day before we had curling irons and hot rollers. In order to do them, all you need is a bunch of bobby pins (approximately 2 per curl, the total number will vary greatly according to how many curls you want and how think your hair is). After washing and towel-drying your hair, carefully comb through it and simply take small, 1 inch sections of hair between your two fingers and wind them (not too tightly) around your fingers starting at the bottom and winding up towards your scalp. Use the two bobby pins to form an X as you pin them in place against your head. Repeat this all over your head until you have all your hair pinned up, then tie a scarf or wear a knit cap to hold everything in place. The best bet to do this style is to do it the night before you want your hair curled, or if you have all day to get ready, shower in the morning then spend the rest of the day with your hair pinned.

The picture to the right shows myself at a college ball where I used pin curls to curl my hair.

The point is that the pins should be left for several hours, allowing your hair to dry completely. When you are ready, take all the pins out and use your fingers to pull apart the curls and comb through them with your fingers. Turn your head upside to lightly spray the curls, but believe me when I say that they will stay very well on their own without any product. Just make sure you have your hair parted and arranged the way you want before you do spray them with anything.

In rich people news...

When you are wealthy enough to not have to worry about saving your money, and searching for bargains is more of a "fun activity" than an actual way of life, you are what us regular people would call, "rich". When you are "rich", I have been told one of the things you can do with your gobs and gobs of cash is to go to auctions and spend money on frivolous items like class American movie memorabilia, or baseball cards. Apparently there are a lot more of these "rich" people than I thought (and not all of them are celebrities), as a bunch of them did just that this week! It seems that a rare Honus Wagner baseball card that had been previously owned by Wayne Gretsky, was auctioned off for $2.3 million. For that much, you would have thought that there was a more famous baeball player on the card, because I have never heard of this guy. Apparently the reason why the card is so rare is because the cards were originally sold with tobacco, and Honus Wagner was against tobacco usage, even way back in the day.

That's pretty respectable, gotta say.


The other auction that made news this week featured Audrey Hepburn's infamous black gown from the opening of the classic movie Breakfast at Tiffany's. About $800,000 from the proceeds of the auction are being donated to help build schools in India.

That's pretty respectable too, gotta say.

FREE SAMPLE ALERT!

Go here and fill out a simple form to get your free sample of Dove Pro-Age in the mail. You can choose 1 sample among 3 different choices of rich night cream, deodorant, or hand & body lotion and body wash.

Excitement!

The (seemingly) long-awaited 2 hour premiere of cycle 8 of America's Next Top Model airs tonight at 8 on the CW network. As is my custom, I've studied the pics of the new contestants, and picked out my favorite girls, and they are as follows in descending order: Brittany, Samantha, and Jael. As a long -time fan of Top Model, I've watched since the very first cycle, getting numerous friends addicted to it along the way, though I have to admit that I have gotten worse at predicting finalists and the eventual winner as they have gone on. I also have become more of a fan of Tyra Banks, though many have seemed to dislike her more now that she is more than just a pretty face. In any case, I know I will be glued to my screen tonight, and I'm sure millions more fans like me will be doing the same!

*******SPOILER ALERT*************

A big heads up--this year, the girls will going to Australia for their international destination. Let's see if they can handle being fierce in the land down under!

Someone was bound to get him sooner or later

Over-famed blogger Perez Hilton is known for his cutting comments on celebrities of all sorts, coupled with pictures that sport paintworks style special effects, often making it appear as if celebrities have urine running down their leg, or coke dripping from their nose. Other, more subtle posts feature pictures with words scribbled over them, outing closeted celebrities, or just plain calling them names. He often makes it clear who his favorites are, as you will never find a disparaging post on his namesake, Paris Hilton, or “saint” Angelina Jolie, as he likewise makes up unflattering names for those not on his good side. Now one such celebrity is suing him for posting topless photos on his site. It seems that Universal City Studios Productions LLLP, on behalf of Jennifer Aniston, or as referred to on the site, “Maniston”, announced last week that they are suing Mario Lavandeira, otherwise known as Perez Hilton, for posting the photos taken from scenes that were edited out from the final version of the movie The Breakup. Read the full story here.

Hmm, that can't be good

Well now, I am no stock market expert, I don't own any stocks in anything, and I would have to say that my collective knowledge of the stock market would probably be equal to the average person's awareness of the cultural mores of Djibouti--yeah, that's about zero. In any case, its been widely reported today that the Dow plunged by more than 500 points in one day, though it did regain some ground before the bell, closing down at 3.29 percent, signaling the worst day for the market since September 11th. All that stuff I just said might make it seem like I know what I am talking about, but again, I don't, so your best bet would be to read the article on Yahoo through the above link.

By the way, if you were interested, I do know that Djibouti is a country located on the northeastern coast of Africa, right above Ethiopia. They are one of 35 countries where scouting exists, and they have a number of fish that have appeared on their postage stamps.

See that, I just gave you a new wrinkle in your brain.

You are welcome.

Flashback

Penelope Cruz landed herself on many best dressed lists at the Oscars this year in a beautiful and elegant blush colored Atelier Versace dress with a fitted bodice and oversized mermaid train with ruffles. While I thought the dress, and the actress in it, looked amazing, I couldn't help but be reminded of a dress Sarah Jessica Parker wore in the series finale of Sex and the City in 2004, which was also Versace couture.

Penelope's 2007 Oscar gown

Is Versace becoming too predictable?

Carrie Bradshaw's 2004 farewell

Some more Oscar fashions for you...

Not all of the best dressed peeps were Oscar winners, or presenters, or even guests at the actual event. Post-Oscar parties are a big deal in Hollywood, and going means that you might not necessarily have the goods to win the coveted award, but you're hot enough to trot into the biggest parties of the year. Below are my VicPicks for best Oscar party dresses.

Madonna in Dolce and Gabbana at the Vanity Fair party

Ellen Pompeo in Alexander McQueen at the Vanity Fair party


Victoria Beckham in Azzedine Alaïaat the Elton John AIDS Foundation party

Oscar Fashion Report

The 79th Annual Academy Awards were last night, and though on the whole it was rather eventless, as no one streaked or made brash political statements, no one showed up wearing anything unbearable to look at, and the host, first-timer Ellen DeGeneres was funny yet classy and unassuming, the biggest thing was how long the show actually went on for. Coming in at roughly 3 hours and 50 minutes, perhaps its a good thing that there were no major fashion disasters, as having to look at one for that long might permanently burn bad fashion into our brain.

Among the trends, navy was a common color, as Maggie Gyllenhal in Proenza Schouler, Reese Witherspoon in Nina Ricci, Jody Foster in Vera Wang, Emily Bunt in Calvin Klein, and Ellen's girlfriend, Portia De Rossi in Zac Posen, all wore it. There were a lot of strapless dresses with mermaid trains, as well as the Grecian-inspired one shoulder look. American Idol loser/Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson was disappointing in a brown Oscar de la Renta with pockets (which, in my opinion, have no business doing anything on an evening gown). Nicole Kidman struck an always impressively statuesque pose in bright red Balenciaga, but her demure facial expressions are becoming more awkward with the more Botox she uses, and it makes me sad. Anne Hathaway, who recently compared herself to Lindsay Lohan , seemed to learn little from her experiences shooting The Devil Wears Prada, and wore an ill-fitting white brocade strapless Valentino dress with an obnoxiously oversized bow on the bodice. Cameron Diaz could have done better in her white off-the-shoulder Valentino number, but Kirsten Dunst looked dreadful in a confusing silver short-sleeved Chanel Couture dress with feathered bottom.

For my top picks, I actually am going to be on the uneventful side as well, as I enjoyed Nicole's daring red dress, and as blue is my favorite color, I have to say that I liked Reese's and Emily's dresses as well. While some had her on their worst dressed list, I actually liked Gwyneth Paltrow's brick colored short sleeve Zac Posen number, with side-swept stick-straight hair (similar to Nicole Kidman's). Additionally, I thought Kate Winslet's seafoam green Valentino number and Isla Fisher (aka, Borat's girlfriend) looked wonderful as a red-head in an emerald dress by Monique Lhuillier. Cate Blanchette, in a silver one-shouldered Armani Privé dress, kept to her word, and played dress up yet again in an elegant and tasteful way.

I'd like to also give special props to the, ahem, older women at the event, as I felt that both Diane Keaton, a presenter for Best Picture, and Helen Mirren in Christian Lacroix, a winner for Best Actress, looked stunningly beautiful--a coup for women in Hollywood who refuse to do anything but age gracefully! Bravo!


Addendum: When you can't find it out yourself, you just have to find the right People to ask. As per the question posted here, I put in a question at People.com and they answered:

I have been searching everywhere for this! I thought that Diane Keaton looked absolutely beautiful presenting Best Picture, particularly in light of her past fashion faux-pas on the red carpet, but what designer was she wearing this year? – Victoria, CT

Keaton, who copresented the award for Best Picture with Jack Nicholson, wore a belted, long-sleeved Ralph Lauren gown. She dressed up the basic black dress with a sparkly large pendant by Neil Lane Jewelry.

FREE SAMPLE ALERT!

In case you were one of the two people in the world who didn't watch the Oscars last night, during one of the commercial breaks, the winner of the Dove Cream Oil commercial contest was announced. I entered the contest and didn't win (obviously), so because I'm a little bitter, I don't have the name of the girl who won or her comercial here for you. What I do have is a link to get a free sample of the product the commercial was for. Enjoy.

Britney Spears interview 1999

Remembering Britney, as Baby Tries Rehab, One More Time...

I am not now nor have I ever been much of a fan or the former Mousketeer. While you will find some of her songs on my iTunes, that's only because I happened to have a lot of the Now CD compilations. No matter what your like or dislike for Britney, however, it is terribly sad to have to witness the unraveling of a fellow human being in front of everyone's eyes. In tribute, this Friday's VicPick video is of Britney circa 1999, on the Rosie O'Donnell Show, when Brit was about 17. Its hard to believe she was ever that young and innocent--but not that much. Rosie even remarks at one point, "You're a levelheaded young girl and I hope you stay that way and I think you will." At this point, it seems that the most anyone can hope for is for her to get the help she needs and clean herself up so that she can take care of her babies.

Rewards programs

Retail rewards programs are great for frequent shoppers of stores, particularly if you can join these programs for free. Rewards programs are based on the basic premise that you can earn points for spending money at a certain store. These points are able to be "cashed in" for rewards of certain amounts, that can be redeemed very much like gift certificates. Even if you aren't a frequent shopper at certain stores, sometimes you can earn rewards just by signing up or providing certain information. These bonuses are fun to use, particularly if you're itching for a little spending, but don't have that much cash to blow! Below are some rewards programs that I have used.

~ Famous Footwear rewards program I actually just found out about this program yesterday. It looks like you can earn $5 just for joining.


~Best Buy Rewards I joined this program a month ago. You get a card and you earn a point for every dollar spent.


~Staples Rewards I've been a member of this awhile, and it can be hard to earn rewards as the minimum points limit is kind of high, but it can be useful if you know you have big purchases coming up.


~Best of Bob's Rewards A great program that gives you ten rewards bucks just for signing up!

If you can use these rewards programs wisely, they can be very useful, and may actually provide you with some actual rewards. This week alone, I spent my ten dollars in bonus bucks at Bob's, and got a rewards check from Staples in the mail.

Trying to improve literacy in America

Honestly, I am not trying to create fillers here, but I am coming across a ton of articles on finances, taxes, and savings, and all of it seems like it can be very useful, so I'm posting links and summaries of them all here!

Tricks to Soften the Pain of Saving--Its not always easy to save your money, a discussion on how to go about it.

The 8 Qualities of a Wealthy Woman--The amazing Suze Orman talks about qualities that she herself possesses.

How To: File Taxes for Free--An important tip for the upcoming tax season.

Lazy Day

Due to some new freelance work and some other projects that I need to get done, I'm going to be a little lazy with the site this week. Hopefully, you all will bear with me as when I do have more free time again, I have a bunch of great things to post about! In the meantime, here are some interesting articles on finances.

Fear Can Cost You Money--Famous financial analyst and writer Robert Kiyosaki discusses points on why he believes the rich keep getting richer in America.


To Get Rich, Just Follow the Instructions--Former host of Win Ben Stein's Money, Ben Stein, talks about the common sense ways you can keep your financial house stable and in the green.

Some more useful reading

Smart Tax Strategies for Younger Workers--Everyone dreads tax season, as the stress can be overwhelming when it comes to making sure you get all the appropriate paperwork done. However, for young people new to the workforce, there is an added frustration that comes along with the new experiences. This article has some great tips just in time for tax season.

Protecting Yourself When You're Self-Employed--As more and more workers are venturing into self-employment, its important to know the risks and to prepare yourself with as many resources and good, reliable information you can get your hands on. This article, by finance wiz Suze Orman, is a good starting point.

How I got my brains

Some may credit genetics, others, a deeply intellectual academic upbringing, still others may call it the luck of the draw. I now know that my intelligence comes from the caocao bean. That's right, chocolate has made me smart, and I now have the science to prove it! A recent study (funded by candy maker Mars) shows that an ingredient in coacoa can help boost blood flow to the brain for hours. Like another recent study that found a diet that included regular amounts of dark chocolate can help boost good cholesterol, thereby boosting heart health, it seems that science is finally proving the stuff that I've known for quite some time.

CHOCOLATE IS GOOD STUFF!!!

Celebrity Looks for Less: Special Edition Britney Spears' new haircut

While she might not be done figuring out how much her divorce is going to cost her, and she might not know how to keep her bar tab low, but it seems America's former favorite pop princess has figured out a great way to save on haircuts, expensive shampoos and styling products, hairstylists, and extensions. Witness, Britney's own personal tribute to Sinead O'Connor, in all of its hairless glory. It seems Miss Spears was spotted this weekend at a tattoo parlor in the San Fernando Valley with her head completely shaved, where she spent over an hour getting two small tattoos on her wrist. You can read about how she lost her locks here.

MMMM, yummy, reading

Five Ways to Watch TV on Your PC--They're either cheap or free, try it!

Warren Buffett heads list of top 2006 donors--When you don't have to worry about saving your money any more, this is what some people do with it.

Why Women Have Fewer Babies--Some of the reasons may surprise you, and some of them have to do with finances.

Rethinking Retirement Savings (or Not)--Do Americans save too much for retirement?

SNL -- Weekend Update iPhone Special

The Friday VicPick video: oooooo, iPhone...

As I mentioned here a few weeks ago, Apple has debuted a new iPod, that boasts of all the features you can find in a cellular phone and mp3 player, in one fancy-ass phone. In honor of that, SNL had the following skit in the same week. Enjoy!

Where NOT to go on dates if you want to keep it cheap

Forbes just released their list of 25 Most Expensive Cities for a First Date. They used the average cost of a men's haircut, a movie ticket, pizza, a bottle of wine, gas, and dry cleaning as their siginificators for this evaluation of cities 200 U.S. cities with a minimum population of 100, 000 people. The top ten list is as follows:

1. Stamford, CT
2. Newark, NJ
3. New York, NY
4. San Fransisco, CA
5. San Jose, CA
6. Oakland, CA
7. New Haven, CT
8. Hartford, CT
9. Seattle, WA
10. Portland, OR

I'd just like to point out that 6 of the top ten cities are in Connecticut and California. Must be something with the "C" states. Of course, for some great ideas on how to keep your dates on the less expensive side no matter where you are, try some of my tried and true tips and ideas for "First Date Ideas on a Budget".

"I love Archie, and the whole gang!"

While he not be one of the most popular strips in the Sundays, and his comic books are not nearly as popular as they used to be, Archie is still around, and sadly, he lost a friend on February 8th. At the age of 85, Joe Edwards, "an artist who worked on the 1942 debut issue of Archie comics and later created the character Li'l Jinx, has died." You can read more about his passing here.


If you're a big fan, like me, or Archie and the gang, you can check out a really fun website featuring comics, free desktops, and contests, here.

Because its important to have chocolate

If you are, like many in the northeast, snowed in on this Valentine's Day, then why don't you try your hand at some of the absoluely mouth-watering chocolate desserts here. Whether its a Raspberry and Chocolate Dessert Martini, an Upside-Down Black Forest Pie, or a Bittersweet Chocolate Lava Cake (my personal favorite), any of these are just as good (if not better) than being able to go out to eat at a fancy restaurant. Enjoy!

Now that is a real love story

Recently in Rome, archeologists unearthed the skeletal remains of a couple that are believed to be about 6,000 years old. Even more remarkable than the state of their remains, is that the couple is quite visibly holding each other in their arms. While it has not yet been definitely determined that the individual skeletons are that of a male and female, DNA testing will be able to tell that within the next few months, You can read the whole story here.

The Politics of Blogging

Just an interesting story for bloggers in general, it seems that a second blogger has had to quit any and all afiliations with John Edwards presidential campaign due to comments made in their personal blog. You can read the newstory here.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Some Valentine's Day Resources:

~Choosing the perfect chocolate gift can set the stage for your romance

~The most searched for flowers and what they mean

~Date Night Movie Guide


~Valentine's Dinner Date Etiquette

What NOT to give on Valentine's Day

The following are all taken from REAL ads in flyers and on the radio.

-"Give a gift she'll really love this Valentine's Day, give the gift of laser hair removal..."

Umm, no she won't, and don't.


-"Give the gift of fitness and health..." (a women's gym membership)

Give this gift, and you can sign the card, "Yes, it does make you look fat." because that is pretty much what you're saying with that one.

If you're really stuck trying to find a last minute gift idea for Valentine's Day, check out my previous post. If worse comes to absolute worse, go with the old stand-bys--flowers, chocolates, and jewelry. Here's a little money saving tip when it comes to buying roses. If you buy a color other than the traditional red, such as pink or white, they'll cost a little less. More than anything, just remember that sometimes the most sincere expressions of love are also the simplest.

Did somebody say Chinese McDonald's?

Did you know that KFC's biggest market is China? With over 1.3 billion people, its not difficult to see that being able to tap into even a small section of the Chinses fast food industry could lead to big pay-offs. But what are the implications of taking sometimes iconic business models and products, and adapting them to a foreign culture? I saw this story on Sunday's NBC Nightly News and found correspondent Mark Mullen's blog entry on the topic to be very interesting. You can check it out here.

The Grammys fashion report

Last night was the 40th Annual Grammy Awards, honoring the best and brightest in people who put stuff on CDs or iTunes. I of course, tuned in, and was very excited to see performances by Christina Aguilera, John Mayer, Corinne Bailey Rae, and Shakira, among others, as well as yet another great Grammy opening performance which featured a reunion by The Police. The stage itself was amazing in terms of modern set design. As for the fashions, according to Yahoo, Subdued styles dominated Grammy fashion, but if they mean that everyone for the most part looked pretty decent, then I agree. There was a lot black, or black with metallic silver or gold, and halter necklines and strapless dresses.


I was slightly embarrassed for Vanessa Minillo and Petra Nemcova, who almost wore the same exact dress.

My favorite was actually Kimberly Caldwell, who wore a beautiful floor length black lace over white dress, that had an elegant mermaid tail that started just above her knees. Her hair was a little funky for the dress, but she's young, and it was the Grammy Awards.

The politically undertoned show featured a prominent shout out to Barack Obama during an improvised lyric in Wyclef Jean and Shakira's performance of "Hips Don't Lie." Additionally, the formerly shunned Dixie Chicks, whose fall-out for a derogatory comment made about the president four years ago inspired their current album, Shut Up and Sing, found sufficient retribution in winning awards in all 5 of the categories they were nominated in.

I was also very proud of Connecticut homeboy John Mayer, who besides winning two awards, classed it up by wearing a black jacket and pants for his performance on stage with John Legend and Corinne Bailey Rae, then switching to a stunning black tux in the audience--now if he would only cut his hair and stop making those weird faces when he performs.

Make your own Valentine's Day

As I said in a previous post, Valentine's Day doesn't necessesarily, and shouldn't have to be about expensive gifts like diamonds or iPods. At its most basic (though admittedly, some might say juvenile), Valentine's Day is about simple but pure expressions of like, which is why I have always been fond of the art of making Valentines. During the Victorian era, Valentine making was very popular, as friends and lovers would make ornate cards of paper, ribbon, and lace, to be given and received on this February holiday. To encourage the tradition of homemade Valentine's, here are some tips and ideas for this Wednesday.

-Courtesy of craft-guru Martha Stewart, here you can check out How to make a Valentine's Day heart garland.

-Create a very romantic evening by having an indoor picnic. Clear out the living room, and spread out a nice blanquet. Light some candles, or the fireplace if you have one, and make sure you have a vase of flowers nearby. The menu can be anything that is simple to eat , like fried chicken, buttermilk biscuits, and cole slaw. Other foods that you might have on your menu are assorted sandwiches, fruit, cheese and crackers, spring rolls, pasta salad, fruit salad, and cookies.

-Cheesy, but useful, and can be endearing if you word them right--make your own love coupons good for things like kisses and hugs, back rubs or massages, errands, chores, home-cooked dinners, or if you have any special talents, like playing a musical instrument.

-Even when I was in college, I enjoyed making Valentine's and exchanging them with friends, because I have always thought that Valentine's Day is about any kind of love, and friends should celebrate that regardless of whether or not they have boyfriends or girlfriends as well. While we didn't have desks to hang envelopes from for our Valentines like in elementary school, in the dorm, we made Valentine holders from brown paper lunch bags to hang on our doors. We would put our names clearly somewhere on the front, and then decorate them using whatever we had at our disposal--magazine clippings, markers, stickers, or even paint from my art courses.

-And of course, I highly suggest you try to make some of your own Valentines for the special people in your life. Use glitter, paper doilies, markers, stickers, and construction paper to make them. You can also cut pictures out of magazines or flyers, lace, beads, even wallpaper sample books, or, if you are very artistic, try your hand at some drawing or simple sketches or romantic images like cupids, roses, or other flowers, using colored pencils. Creativity is good for the soul, and is underused by many people which is a shame as it has been proven that you cannot achieve your greatest intellectual state unless both the analytical and the creative hemispheres of the brain are maximized. And you thought that Valentine's Day was all about your heart!

FREE SAMPLE ALERT!

What better way to start off a Monday than to get yourself a couple of free goodies! The first one is for women only (sorry guys, but I bet your aren't).

If you click the link and fill out your info, you can get a sample of the New Always Clean maxi pad.

The second sample, in keeping with "clean" commercial naming trend, is forAquafresh Extreme Clean toothepaste. If you click the link and find the button on the top of the page that says "Savings and Special Offers", you will find an option to request your free sample. You can then chooseto either have your free sample sent in the mail, where you will then be asked for your address, or you can print out a coupon to redeem for your free sample at your local store.

KT Tunstall - Suddenly I See

Friday VicPick video: KT Tunstall--"Suddenly I See"

Since the Grammy Awards are this Sunday night, I thought I would post the latest video from Grammy nominated artist KT Tunstall. Her first single "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" off the album Eye to the Telescope, was nominated in the Best Female Pop Vocal category. I saw this amazing woman perform in December and let me just say, anyone who can perform all her own songs entirely by herself deserves proper appreciation and respect. Think of all the money she saves on a back-up band! Seriously, go out and get her album, its interesting both from a musical and lyrical standpoint, and well worth the purchase. Your bargain today--in this video, you get two KT's for the price of one, for FREE!

Shocker

You know, the one day I'm not at the computer most of the time, and I have to hear about Anna Nicole's death from some woman freaking out and talking way too loud on her cell phone in the home furnishings aisle of Target. Yeesh, you know, there are just some things that no bargain is worth. Anyways, unless you were under a rock and far away from your local Target, then you know that Anna Nicole Smith was found dead in her Florida hotel room at the age of 39. In the end, I feel that it was the cumulative result of her tumultuous life that resulted in her untimely death. This is why they tell you stay away from drugs, kids.



I have no doubt that her daughter, Danielynn Hope, will be well taken care of, as there are 2 men fighting over the opportunity to be her father. Who is going to take care of Sugar Pie?

I see CHEAP travel in your future...

Just a little article I found on Yahoo by Rolf Potts on how to travel cheaply by following some basic tips and advice. Potts is the author of the book Vagabonding, a sort of guidebook for people interested in travelling overseas for an extended period of time. Among his suggestions for extending your travel and reducing your costs, Potts writes, "No matter how intricately you've planned and budgeted your travels back home, what you learn from your first two weeks is far more valuable in the long run. Thus, be prepared to adjust your itinerary and reconsider your budget as you make new discoveries."