Last night Stephen Colbert interviewed an Astrophysicist. I would have remembered the scientist's name except I found his 'findings' quite boring. He said that the universe is comprised of mainly nothing.





Nothing? I can't believe an astrophysicist who actually gets an opportunity to share on national television what he has learned throughout his life-long career has this to say: there's really nothing out there & P.S.: Pluto is no longer considered a planet.

There is one scientific conclusion I hold near & dear to my heart: We human beings only use about 10% of our brain capacity. That premise keeps our discoveries humble, which in turn keeps our research indefinitely minimal. If I were to be so bold as to pursue a career in astrophysics, I would ask the same questions my 'shroomed brain did when I was in college.

Namely:
-If our Sun is a star, how many stars are actually suns (complete with solar systems)?

-Given that we know atoms exist, is it possible that our solar system, from another vantage point, is actually the size of an atom?

-Either there is someting or there is nothing - so how is it possible that there's 'nothing' out there when there's obviously so much we experience everyday that is clearly not 'nothing'?

Opposites enhance each other. The happier you are the more sadness you actually allow yourself to feel, the more pain you acknowledge the more meaningful joy becomes. In conclusion, the opposite of nothing is most certainly not just something - it's everything.

For all you taker-outers out there, there's hope. Her name is Rachael Ray and she brings it home.








If you're interested in saving a buck, there's always cooking on the homefront. And take it from me, I can't cook - even if something extemely valuable is at stake. I'm serious. You think any moron can make Ramen Noodles? Guess again. I'm no moron, but I served up the worst bowl of Ramen you've ever seen - tastebuds couldn't even salvage this wreck.

Basically, I need The Joy of Cooking to boil water.

In the past few months, I've learned a valuable lesson about cooking. Don't give up. Just find a trusty source of secrets, and you'll surprise even yourself. My secret? (I guess it's not much of a secret anymore) is Rachael Ray. I had Chili-Garlic Roasted Broccoli for lunch yesterday, and I'm never ordering out again.

Does History really repeat itself?
Are we really destined to become our parents?








At this stage in the game, my parents were married & they owned a house in Maine that they paid $20,000 for. (Or was that their combined annual income?) I'm pretty sure it was both. Give or take few pennies, that's not a bad ratio.

I didn't get married at the same age as my parents.
But I did get married in the same month.

I don't have children now, but at this point in her life, my mother had her first born - me. The same year I was born, my parents bought their very own business - which they still own and operate today.

Talk about feeling like a failure... I'm still addicted to car payments and kids just scare the hell out of me. Don't get me wrong, I love kids - but that's an 18-year commitment I'm just not ready to start right now. I have my own projects I've only just begun. Then you have another kid... it's like signing another 18-year contract.

But biologically, I'm ticking... it's just too much pressure. I don't want to have kids right now, but I don't want to be 70-year old mother with a 10-year old either. (I know it's not exactly possible - but with medical advancements, you never know.)
Does this mean I don't want to have children?

If there's anything more amazing than actually finding the love of your life in a world full of shmucks (ladies, I know you understand) it would be having children with this person - they would be the most incredible kids - not to mention good looking.

And at the rate weeks and months are going by these days, I'm afraid I'm going to end up fired from the position of motherhood before I even get a chance to apply.

When I describe myself as being asexual in college, no one gets the joke.

a·sex·u·al
adj.

The conclusion wasn't challenging. At the time, I didn't want to be rude and say I wasn't attracted to anyone. Most of my 'friends' were boys; they weren't stupid, and looks really don't mean anything to me. Either I like you as a person, or I don't.

I have to admit I did set 3 limits:
-Don't date anyone you live with
-Don't date anyone you're in a band with
-Don't date anyone you work with

These rules eliminated 90% of the guys I met. But to prove my own point to myself, I dated one guy from each category. I considered it "the control group" - science applied to philosophy.

The 'live with' guy was the last in a long line of guys I lived with, and of course it turned out to be dramatic and stupid because we lived together, and we had other roommates.

The 'band width' guy was fun and the the whole 'dating' experience was extremely short and unspoken about. Of course the band fell apart.

I decided I never wanted to get married. And then I met the exception to my own rule. This guy is smart, he keeps me on my toes, and he's funny. To top it all off, I've never been so attracted to anyone ever in my entire life. I had no other choice but to marry this man. He possesses the optimum qualities I hope to be a major influence throughout the duration of my life.

I've been with him 3 years, and we've been married for 2, but I know he's the person I never want to part with. I can tell because I've always hated cooking, but I've recently taken an interest because I'd like to do something for him everyday that he'll like.

Call me domestic, call me what you want. Just know that I don't know what's come over me. I think the closest anyone has ever come to describing it is: "You just know."

I always hated that vague description, but I'm well-traveled in the continental United States and this is the closest I've ever gotten to being able to convey this feeling to others. For variety's sake, everyone is looking for something different, that's why it's impossible to elaborate.

Yes, those are his teeth. He's always smiling. And he's a living, breathing reminder everyday that the decisions I've made in my life led me to him. Which illustrates perfectly my theory about any kind of emotion that involves going back in the past and wondering what would have, could have, should have happened. Guilt, shame, anger, regret. These emotions are real, but at the same time they are not out of our control. They can be replaced with other more positive thoughts when a different perception is applied.

For instance, you could spend a great deal of mind space wondering how life would be different if something in the past did or didn't happen. The truth? It's over. Take what you can learn from it and move on. Does that sound cold-hearted?

Feel your feelings. It's important to give them room to move and express themselves, because they are in fact real. In the same token, if you ignore your feelings or surpress them, they don't magically go away. The only way to discard pent up negative emotions is to feel them.

So whatever you have going on right now, or whatever you continue to feel badly about, give yourself the opportunity to feel every part of who you really are. Even if it's not smiling and picture perfect.

When the negative feelings are felt and acknowledged, underneath all the surpressed stuff that you 'haven't had time to deal with' is an endless amount of positive energy that wants to move too. Have you ever cried so much that you started laughing? If you have, you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't then that's exactly what you need to do.

Get lost in a sea of pronoia and focus on what you have and what you really value in life. This choice is available for you to make everyday.

Maybe someday I'll write The Cliff Notes to Beauty & Fashion. Until then, I just get so excited when I apply a new beauty approach I've learned that actually works - I want to share.

The theme of my approach is cheap. That's not to say I've found the cheapest products in CVS and they work. I tried that, and that's not what I'm here to tell you about today. The product prices are mid to high range in CVS. But it ain't too shabby compared with the price for a moisturizer in Macy's.

I'm on a budget - I'm saving up to buy a house in New York 70 years from now.
I read something in a girlie magazine a couple of years ago that was an interview with an up n' up chik who said, "At the very least, if you wake up late for work in the morning, you have to brush your teeth, curl your eyelashes and put on lipstick."

This was good news to me - everyday I wake up late for work and I only have to add one more thing to my a.m. regimen of beauty efforts - I have to brush my teeth. But I'm learning the importance of nurturing your youth. (And by 'youth' I mean anyone under 87 years old.)

My sister tells all her friends the story of the time she asked me why I use anti-wrinkle cream on my eyes when I'm only 22? My reply, "Exactly." When she told her future huzby that story, he starting using eye cream. Just pick any small containered eye cream from TJMaxx that has the word 'mineral' in it.

It being said that the least of your a.m. beauty routine involves curling your eyelashes, applying lipstick, and brushing your teeth: I suggest any ol' eyelash curler, but curl the lashes 3x - at the bottom, middle & tip. Lipstick has been the primary subject of my research. First, in order to keep your lips supple, always have lip moisturizer on hand. Anything but Blistex. I have Milk & Honey flavored Labello, that my sister got for me in a regular drug store in Germany. C'est magnifique, but Chapstick will do just as well.

As for the color part, I recomend Revlon's Glide lipcolor. There are loads of colors, and one click gives you enough color for both lips and it doesn't feel like you painted you lips with nail polish.

Toothpaste is very important. Don't brush your teeth with sugar, which is most of the toothpastes out there. I'm not going to elaborate on why you shouldn't be brushing your teeth with suger. It should be obvious.

I read in Body Reflexology by Mildred Carter (copyright 1983) that she brushed her teeth a.m. & p.m. with sea salt and baking soda. In the book, it says that "A dentist I went to years ago for a mouth infection told me that I had perfect teeth and gums and asked what I used for toothpaste. I told him that I had used salt and soda all my life. He said that was the reason I had hard healthy gums and teeth. The glycerin used in toothpastes, he said, tended to soften the gums.... Now we are told by Dr. Paul Keyes, clinical investigator at the National Institute of Dental Research, that gum disease can be prevented simply by brushing with salt."

I don't have evidence otherwise, so I'm going with whatever Mildred Carter says. Even Tom's of Maine has glycerin - it's the second ingredient.

Also, don't pick a toothpaste that has floride. Kevin Trudeauadvocates that the floride benefits ain't all they're cracked up to be.

What happens if you actually wake up when the alarm goes off?

Take a hot shower & finished with a cold rinse to close pores. Wash with soap. And use Samy Salon shampoo and conditioner for a great smelling wake-me-up that treats your hair right. If you're in the need to style, I recommend CatWalk and got2b hair styling products.

The importance of a first impression has been illustrated in history. Your face plays a big role, and I've been evaluating facial products for years. Only recently have I found the products I'm ready to recommend. Proactiv. It's such a great price for the whole system: exfoliant, toner, and moisturizer. I receive a new shipment every six months, and I have plenty left over. It works really well.

But in addition to Proactiv, I use Neutrogena's Visably Even face wash and moistuizer (spf 15). It's a little more expensive than its' shelf neighbors, but it works tremendously.

At night, I use Oil of Olay's face wipes for sensitive skin. Easy. Painless. Gets the job done well.

Lastly, don't eat anything after 6 p.m. It's a tip I learned from Kevin Trudeau and my skinny European neighbor. I've only been doing it for one week and I lost 10 lbs.
Note: If you're a night crawler, avoid eating 4 hours before you go to bed.

Next, I'm doing reseach on my exercise blog, so stay tuned.
Right now I'm thinking Tai Bo.

My sister gave me a gift certificate to Origins last year. I love lipstick. It's my weakness. But when I went into the store I found something that demanded I buy it.



It was a mirror that literally reads 'I LOVE ME' on the bottom. How could I resist?

I'm a blogger, not a Friendster. I don't care if you're my friend. I get more satisfaction out of being able to design my own personal website full of thoughts and links about me.

Does that make me self-absorbed? I guess so. But who isn't? And if you're not - try it. Ultimately, aren't you your only friend? Who's going to be there when you die? You will. So why not spoil yourself and get caught up in yourself a little bit while you're preparing to die?

I don't mean to sound so morbid. I just think that death should be thought of in the same light that birth is. Who's not to say that our birth in this world isn't the direct result of death in another dimention?

I'll never forget learning the financial philosophy of my most frugal friend.

She asked me why I don't have any money saved. Looking back, I realize she was really asking me the question she knew I never asked myself. The answer wasn't important to her - she had savings.

My financial philosophy? What if the world ends tomorrow? I want to experience things that cost money - in other words, I want to buy a brand new pick-up truck.

Her response: What if the world doesn't end tomorrow? Or in the next five years? I'd like to be prepared for anything between now and then.

We've all got 'em. Friends that are 'broke' for 10 months and then they can 'miraculously' afford to do something they'd really like to do... eg. travel, invest or upgrade.

I guess I like to think I'm not envious. I like to think I'm taking a different approach. My husband is a glutton for instant gratification... and as much as I know our interests would be much better served if I took a stand and enforced 'not spending,' I want the payoff for my hard work just like anyone else. I've been working since I was 14 - I'm 30 now... when do I get to buy a new truck?

And I have no intention of leaving New York - so if I don't triple my salary pretty soon, I'm going to have the 5-year plan for 'tenants.' It's great. I can plan on still paying someone else's mortgage five years from now.

I don't care - I've recently discovered off-roading and it's incredible. I'm not a city-chik, I'm a city-hick. Born and bred in the sticks, all grown up and livin' in the NYC 'burbs.

Life is a mullet - business in the front, party in the back.

This is what I read yesterday:
The primary meaning of the word healing is "to cure what's diseased or broken." Medical practitioners focus on sick people. Psychotherapists wrestle with their clients' traumas and neuroses. Philanthropists donate their money, and social workers contribute their time to helping the underprivileged. I am in awe of them all. The level of one's spiritual enlightenment, I believe, is more accurately measured by helping people in need than by meditation skills or mastery of religious doctrine. But I also believe in a second kind of healing which is largely unrecognized: to supercharge what is already healthy; to lift up what's merely sufficient to a state of sublime blessing. I'm driven with ambition to promote this work, even as I aspire to do my share of fixing what's hurt. What would the world look like if there were doctors who specialized in fostering robust health in their patients? What if the textbooks that psychotherapists used to evaluate their clients were crammed not just with descriptions of pathological states, but also with a catalogue of every variety of bliss, integrity, magnanimity, eros, and wisdom? Imagine how odd and wonderful it would be if universities began turning out professionals in a brand new field, the science of happiness. -Rob Brezsny


I majored in the field because I like people - they facinate me. It certainly didn't have anything to do with what kind of disorder a child has if s/he isn't getting A+s in school.

As a young sprite, it was much easier to maintain a very high standard of questioning what I was told. Now I'm starting to feel naustalgic about those thoughts and I'm wondering if that is what's behind someone saying "...those were the good ol' days..." or "...that was when I was young and stupid."

It's late, I quenched my thirst and I hear an infomercial in the background. TIME has come out with a collection of 8 cd's that are dedicated to the 1970's. The pitch is that no one remembers the names of all the great bands that were 'hot' at that time and it would even be difficult to find this music on the internet.

I thought about what approach I would use trying to get this music into my ipod without spending a penny. It would involve transferring vinal to cd and I've never seen it done, I know it's out there, but I have no idea what it involves. I guess one approach would be recording the vinal onto a tape - but poo poo on quality.

Then I wondered how I would acquire all those albums - and it hit me. My parents have a huge chest of albums. When I was little I listened to them, but I liked the ones that I listened to so much I just kept listening to them over & over - I probably never even heard 75% of the stuff they had.

And who are those people? The owners of those albums - before they were my parents. In their sixties, how often do they think of those people?

Who was that person before I was married? Where did I go?

Earth. The label is so motionless.
I think it should be called Morph.
Life. Ever-changing, but again the label is stagnant.
I think it should be called Fluidity.

I'm so excited about being 30 - and few people feel the same way. I have a family, a job that pays me on payday, and I live in a basement apartment that doesn't flood. Life is good.

I have begun to manifest the science of happiness.

The universe is spinning in my direction.