Wednesday, October 31, 2007

trick or treat?

OK, so I'm just about to get all immersed in the Halloween festivities. Don't forget...I'm posting pics tonight directly after leaving the bar crawl. If you see me, be sure to get in a photo. Please.

Also, just learned about a party tonight at Mellow Mushroom, 6100 Veterans Parkway. It's 11 p.m.-2:30 a.m., and there will be costume contests all night. Drink specials include $2 domestics, $3 draft and devilish shots and $4 mixed drinks.

Have fun!

so bad they're good

This site has what are supposedly the worst Halloween costumes of all time, although I have to admit some of them kind of turned me on. What's not to love about a "Small Wonder" getup? Does anyone else remember that show?

what's scarier than a ghost?

Um, maybe herpes.

Happy Halloween! If you're not scared already, read this article, which concludes that one in 10 men is enjoying multiple sex partners.

Maybe it's time to have the relationship talk instead of going trick or treating.

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

my bad

Sorry for the lack of posts today. I was writing a riveting article about Halloween safety tips that will run on A1 Wednesday. Get excited.

Anyway, here are my best efforts to apologize:

*Read this article about preteen girls wearing slutty Halloween costumes. An excerpt: "Halloween is the one night a year when girls can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it." True or false?

*Here's some romance advice from a porn star: "The worst thing of all is bad breath. That alone is enough to ensure a guy won't get any sex."

*Finally, if all goes as planned, I'll post a track-by-track review of the new Britney Spears disc soon. OK, that may or may not be a good thing.

Monday, October 29, 2007

um...

Just came across this random article, "Thirteen terribly weird facts about women." Although the facts aren't really that weird. Or terrible.

A sampling:

"Women are absolutely indifferent to their genitals; they hardly know each other. Women do not talk to them, they do give funny nicknames to them and they never get angry with them."

Yeah.

eww



For those of you scrambling with last-minute Halloween plans, this site has photos of cool costumes and gross food, including the two party dishes featured above.

I hit the major local costume retailers Saturday, and there were still plenty of getups available. And you can always refer to my recent article about last-minute costume and party plans.

boo, bitches

Hope everyone had a great weekend.

Saturday, however, was just the beginning of the Halloween festivities. Submitted for your approval, here's a list of local parties. The same list will appear in the features section of Tuesday's paper.

*Tuesday, Muldoon's will host a party with costume contests and prizes. The local guys from Mindblender will take the stage at 7 p.m. Warning: Do not plan on getting there at midnight. I did this at Muldoon's last H-ween, and the entire place was empty. This year might be a different story, but I wouldn't take any chances.

And for Wednesday...

*There's a bar crawl downtown. Nine bars, one cover. We never publish the cover because it's usually not decided until the day of the event. Whatever. Anyway, this is where I'll be. Individually, most of the participating bars will have costume contests, including one with a $650 prize at Rumors.

*The Cannon Brewpub will have a party with drink specials and a performance by Whisky Bent, who takes the stage around 8:45 p.m.

*Cigar and martini bar Belloo's will also have Halloween drink specials.

*Beyond the downtown scene, the Shanty Shack will have door prizes and costume contests.

*Finally, Soho Bar & Grill has a huge party planned, featuring costume contests all night, as well as Halloween-themed drinks like The Brain Hemorrhage. All patrons will receive Halloween beads and leis. The M&M Band will perform beginning at 10 p.m.

Friday, October 26, 2007

more costume contests

OK...in addition to the Saturday night party at Soho, I just learned about these weekend costume contests:

*Friday, there's a costume contest at Suite 23, the bar that's an extension of the Mediterranean Cafe. It's at 5300 Sidney Simons Blvd. Call 706-320-9111.

*Saturday, there's a costume contest at Memory Lane, 1812 Midtown Drive. Call 706-569-1165.

*You can also head to Belloo's Saturday night, for both a costume contest and Halloween drink specials. The cigar and martini bar is at 900 Front Ave. Call 706-494-1584.

what's going on this weekend?

Don't forget that Soho Bar & Grill has its first Halloween shindig Saturday night. The Atlanta-based rockers from Blacksmithz and Tayl will perform and cover is $5.

Soho hosts its second Halloween party Wednesday.

Another suggestion? Check out The Asylum Haunted House, hosted by Columbus State University's Campus Nerds. It's 6 p.m.-midnight at Davidson Student Center at CSU, and admission is $5. There's one haunted house for kids and one for adults. Both are open Friday and Saturday.

The best part? All proceeds go to the next NerdaCon!

holla-ween, part 2

So I have to make a final decision on the Halloween costume by Saturday morning...kinda stressful, but I think I'll be OK.

Some words on Monday's trip to Night Moves...I found some costumes, but the place is already pretty picked through. Looking for a medium-size French maid or schoolgirl getup? You'll be fine. But if you want something out of the ordinary, shop soon or go somewhere else, because your opportunities are narrowing.

I really don't know what I'm going to be. Remember, my only requirement is fishnets, so I'm pretty flexible. I'll post pictures of the final decision Monday.

Also...I've been getting a lot of e-mails about local places to party on Halloween. We'll publish a complete nightclub list in Tuesday's paper, and I'll have that list on this blog Tuesday as well.

Here's what I know so far: Pretty much every bar is doing something for the holiday, and the most popular option will probably be the downtown bar crawl. Most bars are also having costume contests, the most talked-about of which is likely the $650 best-costume prize at Rumors.

Stay tuned to this blog, your No. 1 party planning site, for more details.

dirty & digital

Nearly one-quarter of American adults say the Internet could serve as a replacement for a significant other, according to the results of this survey.

Which, of course, makes for the inevitable deluge of lists outlining why computers are better than men. A sampling:

*You can visit a computer any time you like and it'll be up and ready for you.

*The average computer session lasts four hours.

*A computer doesn't compare you to its past users.

*A computer is big in all the right places.

*A computer won't get mad if you're slow to respond.

Read the full list here, or add your own reasons in the comments section.

free tacos!

No, that's not a euphemism. Get your mind out of the gutter.

From 2 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Taco Bell will give every customer one free crunchy beef taco. It's because somebody stole a base during the World Series.

Get all the details here.

Mark your calendar and I'll see you there!

Thursday, October 25, 2007

man tears

Crying men are taken more seriously than crying women, according to this article.

While that belief isn't surprising, it did get me thinking about man tears.

Ladies, to what extent -- if any -- do you tolerate/appreciate a man who's not afraid to cry? Does a guy who cries during movies bother you? What about a guy who cries while expressing strong feelings for you?

Discuss.

stiff competition


Durex is looking for condom testers, according to this article.

Interested? You just have to submit an essay explaining why you are best suited for the job.

Condom testers are expected to offer their input on a dozen condoms, some lube and a "vibrating ring," this article notes. One-thousand people will be selected for the job, and the application period closes Nov. 4.

Testers don't get paid, although one participant will get a $1,000 cash prize.

Some 4,000 people from the U.S. and Canada have already applied, and the company expects the number of applications to reach six figures.

Get your application here.

how it unfolded

So Thursday marked my first attempt to play in a poker tournament.

I told everyone I would play in the ladies-only tournament at Rumors and it was basically one of those things you say while in the back of your mind you're hoping everyone will forget about it, the event will be canceled or you'll become deathly ill.

Too bad none of those things happened.

So I walked into the bar INSANELY nervous, largely because my prior poker experience consisted of an hour-long tutorial in Las Vegas and one hour of online playing.

I'll cut to the chase now -- I didn't win. These are the reasons why:

1. One of the things I forgot to study? The values of each colored chip. So half of the time I didn't raise the bets because I didn't know how much I'd be raising. Oops.

2. The game moved a lot faster than the hands-on tutorial AND the online game. Imagine that.

3. Finally, my biggest weakness was the fact that I was WAY too cautious in my playing. Which in part goes back to the fact that I had no idea how much each chip was worth.

A very intimidating experience that culminated in a lot of people giving me the concilatory, "As long as you had fun, that's all that matters." And that comment alone is enough to make an event significantly less fun.

That said, I think I'm going to play again. For real.

It's kind of like having a crush on a married guy -- the more difficult it is, the more tempting it is to pursue.

So watch out, ladies. I'll be back. And it's gonna be everything but fun.

picawesome

Just found out Picasso Pizza, 1020 Broadway, is now open for lunch Monday through Friday starting at 11 a.m.

Went there today and got the $5.50 lunch special, which includes a drink, soup or salad and a single-topping slice of pizza.

Naturally, I picked the best topping ever...mushrooms. Mmm.

See you there, bitches!

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

hold 'em

Don't forget about the ladies-only poker tournament tonight, Wednesday, at Rumors. The action starts at 7:30 p.m. and there's no buy-in. Guys can play in a separate tournament upstairs at the same time.

Good luck!

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

not just hot weather


Miami has the hottest people nationally, according to this list.

Sponsored by Travel & Leisure magazine, it lists the 25 cities with the hottest people. I'd say the biggest surprise was Charleston, which ranked No. 3...right behind San Diego.

Obviously, the list includes all the big-name places -- Los Angeles (#6), San Francisco (#7), New York (#9), Chicago (#11) and Boston (#16).

Atlanta, by the way, was No. 19.

Do you think Columbus could crack the top 100?

go ducks!


Happy Tuesday!

I'll update you on my search for the perfect Halloween costume soon, but I wanted to start the day with the exciting news that Joshua Jackson -- aka: Pacey from "Dawson's Creek -- is returning to TV.

He'll play a doctor on "Grey's Anatomy," according to this article.

It's his first TV role since "Dawson's Creek," so you might have forgotten all about good old Joshua Jackson, also popularly recognized as Charlie from "The Mighty Ducks."

So here's some good J.J. trivia, courtesy of Wikipedia:

1. Jake Gyllenhaal was considered for the role he ultimately won in "The Mighty Ducks."

2. J.J. was also considered for a role as Batman in "Batman Begins"

3. He was arrested in 2002 and charged with assaulting a security guard at a hockey game. He posted bail, entered an alcohol education program, paid a fine and did some community service.

4. He's dated actresses like Katie Holmes and Julia Stiles. He's now attached to Diane Kruger.

5. He's 29 years old.

There you go!

Monday, October 22, 2007

monday moan: holla-ween edition

Halloween costumes.

Where do I begin?

Last year I had an awesome outfit that included shoes with some special beads -- not pearls, if you know what I mean -- in the heels. Hot. The worst part, though, was that when I was leaving a party at Scruffy Murphy's I (soberly) surrendered my giant fairy wings to a girl in desperate need of a costume.

And then they were gone. Forever. No good deed goes unpunished, I guess.

Anyway, this evening I'm heading out to stripper supply shop/costume store Night Moves for an upcoming column about adult Halloween costumes. Basically I'm also going to use the assignment as an excuse to start brainstorming my own costume, too.

Really, my only requirement is that it includes fishnets.

That said, here's my question for this week:

What's the coolest female Halloween costume you've ever seen? And what's your advice for partiers who want to escape the deluge of Paris-in-jail getups this year?

Discuss. Now.

bam, kitty!


Just when you vowed to never describe a piece of weaponry as "soooo cute," they make this real-life Hello Kitty assault rifle. Get the full details -- including the $1072.95 price tag -- here.

weekend recap

Happy Monday!

My weekend time on the nightlife scene was limited, seeing as I was celebrating back-to-back birthdays. Still, I made it downtown Saturday, and unexpectedly ended up spending the entire night at Rumors.

I like this bar. They've obviously gone through a transition since being formerly known as Savana's...it's been kind of a progression from rock bands and martinis to Bud Lights and Soulja Boy. Not necessarily a bad thing, though.

That said...somebody approached me Saturday and told me Rumors has been having a hard time because so many people mistake it for a gay bar. Um, I guess I can see that. Still...

Overall, I had a great time there, except for the fact that as I was closing out my tab, some random guy felt compelled to obsessively start touching my hair. This is very common, and I really don't know why. Personally, I think my hair is just frizzy and disgusting. Even so, on one of my first weeks here, some guy came up to me and said, "I really like your hair. I can imagine holding on to it while having sex with you."

The saddest part is that I've heard that same line twice since then. Gross.

Anyway, long story short about the hair-touching guy at Rumors, one of the bar workers noticed and quickly put an end to it...even though I wasn't in any kind of harm. Cheers to that.

Want to learn more about Rumors? Wednesday, it's the ladies-only poker tournament. First prize is $200. It starts at 7:30 p.m. and guys play upstairs at the same time. I'll be there, too, if that's any incentive. Read more here.

Friday, October 19, 2007

what's going on this weekend?

OK, party people...get ready for a busy weekend!

Tonight, it's the Uptown Concert Series on the 1100 block of Broadway. The free show is 7-10 p.m. and features Peggy Jenkins and the Rhythm Roosters, Precious Bryant and Kyle Shiver.

Want to shy away from the downtown scene Friday? Hit up Soho Bar and Grill. One of the bands playing is called Swampdawamp. Read about them here, or simply delight in saying their name over and over.

As far as Saturday goes...

Blame it on my immersion in "Star Wars." Or not. Either way, I'm actually going to encourage you guys to attend the local Sci-Fi Con at the Coca-Cola Space Science Center. Three words: Buffy, lasers, roleplaying. And a fashion show. Count me in! Get the details here.

Something else exciting...

This weekend also marks the fourth annual local pirate fest. Pirates of the Chattahoochee is Saturday and Sunday at the National Civil War Naval Museum. For $6.50 -- $5 if you're dressed as a pirate -- you can get your buried-treasure booty on. See the weekend's schedule here.

And finally, for all you alcoholics...

There's an Oktoberfest bar crawl downtown Saturday night. You know the drill...one cover for nine bars. That is, assuming the bars included on the posters decide to participate. Not that I'm bitter or anything.

Anyway, this is probably going to be one of the most random bar crawls yet. Just imagine celebrating a German holiday at Irish pub Scruffy Murphy's or better yet, at Knockin' Boots, which recently became an all-country bar. The doors at Knockin' Boots now open at 8 p.m. and shows start at 9:30 p.m.

Have a great weekend and be safe!

where's my stuff?

Happy Friday!

A New York guy is suing his ex-fiance because she won't return a $48,000 engagement ring, according to this article.

So here's a question for you to ponder as you're counting down the hours until the weekend:

What stuff, if anything, are you obligated to return when a relationship ends? Does who ends the relationship have any bearing on your answer?

Discuss. Now.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

what's going on tonight?

So the Thursday night music list contains all of one item. Blacklist Analog, a local band with 65 MySpace friends, is playing at Soho Bar & Grill. That alone might not wet your appetite, but you might get your but off the couch after learning some fun facts about them. Such as:

1. Their lead vocalist likes to be called Tokyo.

2. The band was officially formed over a scrambled dog and chili cheese fries at Dinglewood Pharmacy.

3. Listen to their stuff here.

Still reluctant to party it up with Tokyo? Consider these options:

*Open mic night starts for a fall season at Rhino's, 1239 Broadway. It's 11 p.m.-1 a.m. every Thursday. Open to guests 21 and older, the event is designed for poets, artists and musicians. Interested acts should sign up at the bar at 9 p.m. Call 706-322-0084.

*Poker has been on my mind since Vegas, especially since I'm (kinda unwillingly) gearing up to play in the ladies-only tournament at Rumors next Wednesday. Want to get some practice in before then? Head over to Memory Lane (1812 Midtown Drive), which hosts free games at 7 and 10 p.m. tonight. Call 706-569-1165.

For more on poker and the ladies-only tournament, read my column here.

domo arigato


Humans might be able to marry and have sex with robots by 2050, according to this article.

And if that excites you, consider this -- theoretically, the hookups could start a lot earlier.

Last year, the founder of the European Robotics Research Network predicted that people could start having sex with robots within the next five years, and artificial intelligence researcher David Levy thinks that's still likely.

There are companies that already sell realistic sex dolls, "and it's just a matter of adding some electronics to them to add some vibration," he said, or endowing the robots with a few audio responses. "That's fairly primitive in terms of robotics, but the technology is already there."

I get R2-D2 in my bed first!

(And thanks to my friend Michael Timm, who gave me the link for this post.)

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

you might be in the south when...



You actually think these shoes are kind of cute.

size matters?

This girl was recently attacked by a man for having big breasts. How big were they? 30JJ.

If you want to see a true exercise in human insensitivity, read the reader comments that follow the online article. An example? "I bet she didn't land flat on her face!"

And no, there aren't pictures.

yes! yes! yes!

Yesterday marked the start of National Orgasm Week, according to this article.

You know what to do. Questions? Visit the new Pleasure World, which opened recently across the street from Crazy Cecil's, where Veterans Parkway meets River Road.

Enjoy the good vibrations.

i'm back!

I've finally escaped the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas. For now.

In summary, it was pretty much the best vacation of my entire life. Aside from a bad run-in with Bacardi 151, everything went incredibly smoothly and I came home unable to appreciate even the classiest aspects of Columbus, ie: my neighbors.

But for better or worse, I'm back now, and prepared to resurrect my role as the queen of the blogosphere. Get ready for a brand new feature to be introduced on this blog within the next two weeks.

Keep reading.

Friday, October 12, 2007

checking in

Friday afternoon in Las Vegas. Drinking half a yard of something called "moonshine." With luck, it will give me enough courage to make my first appearance at a poker table a little later on.

Hope all is well in C-town.

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

vegas, baby


Beginning early Wednesday morning, this blog and I will be in beautiful Las Vegas for a week. Get jealous.

I'll try my best to update live during the vacation -- with photos -- but the availability of an Internet connection remains questionable.

That said, if anyone has any gambling tips/suggestions, please send them my way ASAP. I've never played a game of poker in my entire life.

We'll miss you...keep the party hopping in Columbus!

digital love

Some 64 percent of Americans say they spend more time with their computer than with their significant other, according to this article.

This blog is more than happy to be your new spouse.

don't do this

The researchers over at Johns Hopkins University have just released a list of what a study revealed to be the "Terrible 10" rude behaviors. Here they are:

1. Discrimination in an employment situation

2. Erratic/aggressive driving that endangers others

3. Taking credit for someone else's work

4. Treating service providers as inferiors

5. Jokes or remarks that mock another

6. Children who behave aggressively or bully others

7. Littering or spitting

8. Misuse of handicapped privileges

9. Smoking in non-smoking places or smoking in front of non-smokers without asking

10. Using cell phones or text messaging mid-conversation or during an appointment or meeting.

What do you think? Any additions?

Monday, October 8, 2007

the monday moan

This blog cites a biological study that concludes men actually sleep more soundly than women when they share a bed with a partner. Women, however, have a more difficult time.

So here's this week's question:

If a partner was interrupting your sleep, what -- if anything -- would it take to get you to kick him or her out of bed?

Discuss. Now.

h 2 oh no

Today I had lunch at Sumo A-Go-Go for the second time. It's a welcome addition to the downtown lunch scene, particularly because sometimes I'm just not in the mood for a $10 sandwich. I love the rice bowls at the Sumo place...they're affordable and healthy. (At least that's what I tell myself.)

That said, my intense affection for the place was hampered when I asked for a glass of water with my rice bowl.

Tap water, apparently, costs 25 cents.

My reaction was nothing short of awe. I mean, I had just paid $6 for lunch. I can't think of any other lunch place downtown that charges you for water, assuming you buy food there. In fact, once I met some sources for an interview at Locos Amigos Cantina, where I ordered NO food and still got a free glass of water.

So right now I'm really torn. I love the food at Sumo, and the staff seems nice enough, but the whole water situation just rubs me the wrong way. The (very friendly) owner made some small talk with me on my way out, and I contemplated just point-blank asking him why they charge for H2O.

What would you do? Is it weird that this bothers me? (Remember, I'm operating on a journalist's salary, in which 25 cents equals roughly two hours of work.)

read and reap

Happy Monday!

Sorry for the delayed post...hopefully I can make up for it with this excerpt from "The Demon You Know" by Christine Warren, a book about a woman who falls in love with -- you guessed it -- a demon. Don't let that undermine the quality of this little exchange between the two main characters, though:

"I'm sorry," she muttered, looking at his shirt instead of him. "I meant it when I said I wasn't good at this."

"You were wrong. You happen to be very good at 'the sex thing,'" he said, stroking his hands down her back. "You simply need to work on the bits where you start talking."

He may be a demon, but he certainly has a human male's mind...

Friday, October 5, 2007

what's going on this weekend?

TGIF.

I can't wait until the end of the day, even though I'm going to be working Saturday. More on that later.

Anyway, there's way too much fun stuff going on tonight for anybody to be cooped up inside. The Uptown Concert Series kicks off on Broadway with performances by Whisky Bent and the Neal Lucas Trio. It's 7-10 p.m.

After that, hit up the First Friday Bar Crawl downtown. One cover gets you into nine bars. Or, waive the cover charge by bringing one new item for the toy drive.

Another Friday night option...it seems kind of tame, but don't dismiss the coolness of the screening of "To Kill a Mockingbird" at the Columbus Public Library, 3000 Macon Road. Actress Mary Badham, who plays Scout in the film, will be there to answer questions from the audience.

Saturday, I have to cover the Tuskegee-Morehouse events. You should come and say hi to me. I'm contemplating hitting up the tailgate scene at 7 a.m. We'll see how that works out.

At any rate, the parade is at 9 a.m. It starts at 13th Street and Broad in Phenix City and ends at Broadway and Ninth in Columbus. Then I'll probably go back to the tailgate scene at the Columbus Civic Center, lots F and G.

See you there!

gettin' busy


This quiz includes 12 photos -- five people who just had sex, and seven who just went on a jog. See if you can label them correctly. It's harder than it looks.

While we're on the topic, check out this week's column about the infamous workout date.

buckle up


The Internet is buzzing about this weird fetish photo collection of girls wearing seat belts. You can check it out here.

And you thought they were only good for saving lives!

the weaker sex?

Happy Friday!

I just found this excerpt from a 1943 article about how to handle female employees. It gives 11 tips, including the following:

No. 3: General experience indicates that "husky" girls - those who are just a little on the heavy side - are more even-tempered and efficient than their underweight sisters.

No. 8: Give every girl an adequate number of rest periods during the day. You have to make some allowances for feminine psychology.

No. 10: Be reasonably considerate about using strong language around women. Even though a girl's husband or father may swear vociferously, she will grow to dislike a place of business where she hears too much of this.

Crazy, huh? Although I wouldn't mind some mandatory rest periods during the day...

Thursday, October 4, 2007

brush your teeth, guys!

Just came across this article called "Be Her Perfect Date." The title is actually kind of misleading, since it's really just a collection of a bunch of statistics about women's deal-breakers.

Either way, here goes:

*90 percent of women say tarnished teeth will sink your bid for a first kiss.

*73 percent of women say gnarly nails guarantee a hands-off evening.

*60 percent of women say crummy kicks (shoes) will mar your chances for mating.

*97 percent of women say winging the evening isn't romantic.

*90 percent of women say a single vein-popping outburst can be a serious speed bump.

Thoughts?

make yourself useful

Happy Thursday!

OK, so the week's moving kind of slowly and you want something -- anything -- to help you pull through. Perhaps the pleasure that comes with seeing a really frustrated co-worker.

Perfect. Fortunately, I just found this list of 248 ways to annoy people. Actually, there are 257 items listed, with two blanks, so maybe an additional way to annoy people is by lying about how many ways there are to annoy people.

Anyway, here's a sampling:

No. 9: Make beeping noises when a large person backs up.

No. 10: Do not add any inflection to the end of your sentences, producing awkward silences with the impression that you'll be saying more any moment.

No. 49: In the memo field of all your checks, write "for sensual massage."

No. 189: Ask people to prove everything they say. (e.g. "I'm Bob, nice to meet you..." "PROVE IT!")

Have fun, and feel free to give me any additional suggestions.

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

hot dog!

Sure, the Greater Columbus Fair was fun, but it pales in comparison to the Iowa State Fair, where there's apparently an erotic corn dog-eating contest.

Yep, you read that correctly.

But the contest, organized by a radio station, is at risk of being banned by the Fair Board, according to this article. It's tasteless, some board members say.

I don't know how they got that idea, especially given this excerpt from the article:

Condiments are available if the women want to get creative, he (one of the contest's inventors) said. “We had ketchup and mustard, but the big hit was mayonnaise.”

Hope it can survive.

i couldn't help but wonder


If you hate spoilers about the "Sex and the City" movie, don't click here.

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

dater haters

Here are the five biggest things that can kill a first date, according to this article:

1. Your romantic past

2. Talking about kids

3. Using pet names

4. Lusty story-telling

5. Talking about pets

Any additions? What about talking about politics and/or religion?

FWB

Breaking news...a friends with benefits setup isn't necessarily the epitome of a healthy relationship.

Perhaps guided by a news tip from Captain Obvious, the New York Times devotes an entire article to that idea today.

Can you believe that people actually conducted scientific research to arrive at this conclusion?

"We found that people got into these relationships because they didn't want commitment."

Is there ever anything good about FWB? Aside from the commitment-free hookups?

life after idol

Looks like Ruben Studdard implanted half of his stomach in Clay Aiken's face. Looking good!

(Photo via FilmMagic, available here.)

Monday, October 1, 2007

we need to talk

Tired of decoding acceptable responses to no-win questions? Check out this Girlspeak to English Dictionary. Here's a sampling:

"I'm not upset" means "Of course I'm upset, you moron."

"I'll be ready in a minute" means "Kick off your shoes and find a good game on T.V."

"Do what you want" means "You'll pay for this later."

And...

"We need to talk" means "I need to complain."

the monday moan

This week's question is inspired by the interviews I've been doing for an upcoming piece about whether Columbus is a singles-friendly place to live.

Is "The Talk" always required for establishing an exclusive relationship? When, if ever, can a couple assume they're exclusive if they haven't yet had "The Talk"?

Discuss. Now.

food for thought

One of my biggest pet peeves is when somebody gets a salad, douses it in ranch dressing and fried chicken...and then claims they're being healthy.

Finally, there's some research to back up my frustration.

Many people who eat at Subway grossly underestimate the number of calories they're consuming, according to this article. This leads people not only to eat without guilt, but also to eat more food later in the day because they think they're entitled to it.

An example? A McDonald's Big Mac had about 600 calories at the time of the study, while a fully-loaded 12-in Italian sub from Subway had 900.

I'm lovin' it!