Roughly 11 hours ago I crossed the finish line at the St. Louis, MO half-marathon. I ran with my sister, father, two cousins and an uncle. It was the kind of exhausting but exhilarating experience you are looking forward to until you’re in the middle of it. At that point the only thoughts that runs through your brain are “Am I insane?” “When is this over?”

I’ve conquered this insanity once before, running the full marathon in Chicago last October. And while it does include sore muscles, a sun-burnt face and tiredness, I can honestly tell you I think it’s an experience everyone should try at least once.

Marathon training and the subsequent run is not just about crossing the finish line. The battle to lace up the running shoes week after week and the test of personal endurance is one that teaches a lot of life lessons.

1. You have no idea how much the… click here to read whole article and make comments

In the US most teens and young adults are breathlessly waiting for the return of Glee. The TV show, which is in its first season, has struck a cord with people across the country with its catchy songs and fun dance routines. It’s this winning combination that blinds so many people from the subtle but horrible messages being sent through the plot. Haven’t heard of the show? Don't know what it's about? Let me fill you in…

High School Spanish teacher Will Schuester has started the school’s Glee Club, a place for the outsiders to fit in. Club members include: Quinn, a pregnant teen who belongs to the purity club and was kicked off the cheerleading team because she is getting fat. Finn, the football quarterback and Quinn’s boyfriend who believes they some how created a baby without ever having intercourse. Puck, another football player and Finn’s best friend, who… click here to read whole article and make comments

I realized something this weekend… many people do not know what is appropriate attire for various types of occasions. For example, I attended the Easter vigil service Saturday night and was shocked to see a number of people in tattered jeans, some girls in what can only be defined as club-attire, and several guys in gym shorts and running shoes. Then on Sunday I went to a car show in the park and there were women walking through the wet grass in 6-inch heels and mini-dresses.

When picking an outfit a number of factors need to be considered:

Practicality – Is this outfit going to work with the place I am going and the activities I am going to be doing? Wearing high heels to the park when it rained the night before is silly and just makes the person tip-toeing through the blades look silly.

Appropriateness – Does this outfit fit in with… click here to read whole article and make comments

This Saturday the Apple iPad will hit stores and some customers who pre-ordered the new device already have the anticipation of knowing theirs is in the mail about to arrive on their doorstep. While it is still too early to predict if this glorified e-reader is a game changer, one thing is certain… it’s creating buzz.

Apple predicts it will sell up to 10 million iPads worldwide in 2010 but the price tag and similarity to other notebooks and netbooks have consumer wary about purchasing the new device.

The NPD Group, a market research company, just released a report on consumer interest in the iPad. Its findings are worth noting. Current Apple owners are the most aware of the iPad’s existence, 82%; while 80% of consumers who make more than $100,000 a year are watching the product with interest.

But interest does not always translate into sales. According to the report, “Only 18 percent of… click here to read whole article and make comments

In the city I live in, one of the local private all-girls high schools has decided to pass a new rule about earrings. Students are only allowed to have two ear piercings, per ear. These piercings cannot include a cartilage piercing.

In general I'm not opposed to schools restricting the dress code of their students. To a certain extent the school is responsible for displaying a positive visual image of their student body. The girls should, obviously, look clean cut, refined, dignified, feminine. It's this desire that has private schools dress girls in uniforms and require their hair color be a natural shade, etc...

However, what I do find interesting about this rule is the fact that a cartilage piercing is now out-lawed. A girl with one piercing per ear in the normal place and then a cartilage piercing will be required to remove that third earring, because of its location.

My dad's generation is of the belief… click here to read whole article and make comments

InStyle Magazine in the United States has an interesting article in its April edition. The fashion publication identifies the various trends found around the world and surprisingly the results varied from place to place.

Here are some of the more interesting trends:

Lipstick shades:

• Hungary – Orange Reds 
• Germany – Dark Reds
  
• Australia – Bright Reds
  
• Brazil – Vibrant Pinks
  
• China – Beiges
  
• Romania – Light Pinks

Denim colors:

• Turkey – Light Blues
  
• South Korea – Whites
  
• Spain – Grays
  
• Poland – Black

Nail polish: 

• Greece – Burgundies
  
• Russia – Green
  
• Poland – Red
  
• Turkey – Powder Pink
  
• Thailand – Magentas 

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Google is no longer a verb in China, or at least as of this week it can’t be. The world’s leading search engine has pulled out of the world’s largest country. The problem: Censorship.

In keeping with its American, free-speech roots, Google executives refused to cave when the communist Chinese government demanded the company work with censors to block certain information from reaching the general public. In January, Google ceased collaborating with the censors and now three months later the company has closed down its operations there and has begun redirecting traffic to the Hong Kong site, which does not have strict censorship regulations.

After a little digging, I discovered YouTube and Blogger are among the restricted destinations; the people of China are unable to access these sites at all. While both Blogger and YouTube contain a large amount of people who ramble on about nothing… I find it interesting that these two sites are completely blocked.… click here to read whole article and make comments

As the seasons begin to change and we are forced to pull out a whole new set of clothing, that’s the time most people to a cleaning and purging routine. While you’re selecting which clothing items to keep and which to give away don’t forget your makeup needs to be updated as well.

The makeup and the supplies you use to apply it aren't eternal. They do have a limited lifespan and whether the bottles, tins and tubes are empty or not you need to consider pitching the older stuff. This will help avoid infections as well as keep you looking fresh and beautiful.

How long will it last?

Foundation/Concealer - 1 year. After that it will start to lose its vibrancy and can begin to look blotchy when applied to your face. If you use liquid foundation, throw it out when it begins to thicken.

Blush -… click here to read whole article and make comments

Do you go straight to Wikipedia when you need basic information about some topic? While the site is not completely trust-worthy for all the details, it does offer a great overview or starting point for research.

Seeing the success of that venture, Madeline Veenstra, the managing director at Lola PR in Australia, has launched WikiFashion. The site works like any wiki, allowing contributors to create pages and edit the writing of others. Page types include blogs, designers, style icons, models, collections, items, brands and shops. WikiFashion is looking for contributors. Registration is easy and after a little tinkering creating pages becomes easy.

The site is in its infancy but growing daily. No doubt in the months ahead you’ll be able to read about your local fashion blogger and a world-renown designer with the click of the mouse. Plus it offers links to the person’s website, pictures and… click here to read whole article and make comments

I've worked in the retail world on and off for years now, and have found the one thing that has remained constant over the years is the difficulty men have when shopping for a woman. Whether it's a holiday gift, birthday present, or a just-because purchase men struggle with knowing what to buy and where to go. Next time you're shopping try these basic tips to ease the stress. 

Note the colors she wears. You may love red, but she may look horrible in it, or maybe her old Aunt Bertha wore it too much. Stick with the colors she wears most often. Those are the shades and hues she is comfortable in and most likely looks the best in.

Know her style. Not every woman dresses the same. Some like more flare in their wardrobe, others stick to simple classic pieces. Some… click here to read whole article and make comments