Makeover revealed: Nefertiti

Updated technology has detected "a slightly different face at the core layer of the Egyptian queen’s famous 3,300-year-old bust than the finely chiseled planes of the statue’s surface—one with a bumpy nose, less striking eye and cheekbone structure, and wrinkles around the mouth." (read WSJ full article here) I found this article more humorous than archeologically compelling. Our modern times buzz with millions of hush-hush ways to attain beauty. Victoria's Secret, "Maybe your born with it, Maybe it's Maybelline", and Preparation H for undereye bags (yes, it works) are proof that society thrives on masking flaws. As i perused throught the numerous images of ancient Egyptians, it was virtually impossible not to find a face, both women and men, that wasn't painted heavy with kohl. Not only was it decorative and ornamental, the practice also served medicinal, magical and spiritual practices. An unadorned and thus unprotected eye was believed vulnerable to the Evil Eye. I deeply relate to this necessary, almost spiritual application of makeup growing up in Texas. My mother literally believed it was the 11th commandment, "thou shalt not leave the house without lipstick on". I still feel a teeny bit ashamed when I forget to line my lips and guiltily reach for the Carmex stashed in my glovebox. Perhaps that's why my lipstick to blush ratio is 100:1; all those unplanned trips to Walgreens beauty aisle due to being unprepared. So even though archeologists think they uncovered a truly garrish lie, wakeup and smell the Botox!! Beauty secrets ain't going anywhere. Kudos to the original beauty queen, Nefertiti. She had a good run at fooling us all on her natural state.

Bruce marries with Demi in tow

In a private ceremony at his residence in Parot Bay, Turks and Caicos, Bruce Willis, 54, married model, Emma Heming, 30 along with Demi Moore, their 3 daughters, and her husband Ashton Kutcher.

This is the second marriage for Bruce Willis after being a playboy among Hollywood young starlets. Ironically, the age difference between Willis and his young bride mirrors the decades between Demi and Ashton. But the media circus gabbing about the age discrepancy with Willis/Heming is minimal, if not non-existant compared to the uproar when Moore/Kutcher wed.

As we look at the phenomenon, many slang terms exist to describe these pairings. "Cougars" are women pursuing men at least 8 years their junior. The name implies these women are merely predators rather than females that are attracted to younger men. Don't we all have our preferences when it comes to dating? Some like tall, some like short, some like quiet, others outgoing--thank God for Baskin Robbins' 31 flavors! On the flip side, a "cradle robber" refers to the older male involved with a younger woman.

These are recognized for spousal age differences, but what about the men and women that are dating/married to other people of "interest"? Loud dinner guests? Selfish narcissists? Brainless pretty boys? Gabbing airheads? Texas Cheerleader Moms? and the worst, Obnoxious know-it-alls? You know the ones. I'm sure you have an actual name tied to every one of these descriptions and your cringing about the next time you have to be around them and their unfortunate spouse.

Without knowing, I just coined a new term, "unfortunate spouse". This covers all the poor souls that (electively) stay with those that are deemed "unacceptable" to us. But, our perception is not a reality for all: We may intentionally not invite Demure Annie and Loudmouth Billy to our annual neighborhood BBQ soiree, but they may be dining with Brad and Angelina at Le Cirque that weekend anyhow. What's acceptable to one is not universal for all.

Google even now has application for "labels" for Gmail. Thank God my "labels" aren't universal...there would be no order in the New World! My quirky "labels" work fine with me, but who am I to impose them on you? They're working for me.

Congrats Bruce and Emma! Hope this "Hollywood marriage" lasts longer than most. Oh, darn---that's a label.

Is KFC coming to Dallas streets?

What a genius branding campaign: KFC has sent a letter to the nation's mayors offering to patch potholes for free leaving a stenciled impression, "Re-freshed by KFC".

"In honor of our Frest Tastes Best campaing, we want to come and Re-'Fresh' your roads!" KFC president Robert Eaton says in the letter.

US roads are plagued with 350 million potholes which equates to every one man, woman, and child in America.

I'm constantly annoyed when I find myself in one of the mini-canyons that seem inevitable around my quiet Dallas neighborhood. One would thing in a neighborhood flanked with speed-bumps, the lows wouldn't be as drastic as the highs. My tires and shocks get a beating, not to mention whoever is sitting shotgun to witness my outburst of "road" rage.

KFC is choosing 4 lucky cities to "Re-Fresh" their roads, and I am passionate about Texas being a grateful recipient.

Give me some material to compose a pleading "call to action" to our Texas mayors.

Flying High

Do bigger promises give room for hope or disappointment?

When I first heard the news that Southwest Airlines was launching wireless Internet access during flights, I yawned and quickly scanned the long list of boring Gizmodo.com techy news. I surfed over to PerezHilton.com and re-charged with the titillating content surrounding Britney Spears' Circus tour.

Looking back, in the expansive time of the Industrial Revolution, people were fascinated by the key enabling technology: the steam engine. Come on! If there was ever a time to open another web browser, it would be now...but Perez can wait.

Studies show that it took centuries to perfect the device until it became a power producer. But people were hopeful and remained loyal to the fact the someday it could (and would) change the world.

Fast forward to today. We have so many vast promises from techies pumping out programming code, that our appetite has become insatiable. I recently overheard a recent business traveler complaining that their "firewall wasn't fireproof". Because of the glitch, they lost one loyal passenger that had been satisfied with his backward ride to Memphis once a week.

We may be saying, "Gimme more" along with Britney, but are we ready for more? I say NO! Let's concentrate on perfecting what we have before we roll out the next blunder!

Lions, and logos and teeth, oh my!

Looks like losing NFL teams just need to tweak their logo, and POOF: re-emerge as a winner.

I laughed out loud when I read the Detroit Lions (may) have revamped their image of a lion with "detailed eyes and teeth". After a losing streak of 0-16, they might as well drink the magic potion the Cowardly Lion did to cover all of his fears of inadequacy.

Shallow healing has become so predominant in today's society that all walks of life are hoping for the power of false preconception to take them to the finish line. Just think if we put as much effort on our moral compass as we did in the topical masquerade? I say it's time to admit we're all cowards and get down to the basics of trying to attain greatness; not fake it.

Brain Matters

Do you remember reading T. Boone Pickens donating $5 million dollars to the UT Dallas Center of BrainHealth recently? If not, you may be needing a "brain health physical".

Memory games and Sudoku are present day time fillers replacing tic tac toes and cross-word puzzles of yester year. The Alzheimer's rate is roughly 10% higher in US than 5 years ago, and the number of Canadians with Alzheimer's is expected to double by 2030 according to the Alzhiemer's Society of Cananda.

Dr. Sandra Chapman, director of the Center for Brain Health, explains that your mind needs a regular workout by testing "higher mental functions" as they do in their state of the art facility off Mockingbird in Dallas. I'm having a hard time visualizing this "brain gym", so I'm hoping for a visitors pass before I join.

We are aware that the injection of overprocessed carbohydrates and junk food on every corner is causing our obesity. But what's the culprit here? What is the blood sucking memory tic of today's fast paced world?

The information highway we are forced to drive day after day with no diet in sight. There's simply too much STUFF coming our way in every direction, every second, of every day. "Multi-tasking" has become a perceived necessity to survive: as a superstar in the boardroom or Super Mommy. But, it's time we slow down and stop.

We weren't designed to do 2 or more things simultaneously...it's unnatural and sooner or later, your brain is going to rebel.

(click HERE to read "How NOT to Multitask - Work Simpler and Saner" at ZenHabits.net)

Spring Bouquet

Spring has sprung! And no worries, you don't have to have a green thumb or green in your wallet to add some floral color.

Lookie here....dozen roses purchased 5 days ago from Tom Thumb only $9.99. This picture does not do them justice, but these mammoth buds are ridiculously gorgeous and guaranteed to brighten a lackluster kitchen, entry, or bedroom.

For this price, you can afford to add some decadence in your life. And no reason to tell, fake the splurge and let him wonder about your secret admirer.....wink.

Chris and Rihanna--who's to blame?

The media scrutiny around the violent attack of pop singer Rihanna has left many wondering, who's to blame? Personally, the answer is blaringly apparent: Chris Brown deserves retribution like any other criminal committing this heinous crime. However, surveys and polls are proving surprisingly overwhelminging support for Mr. Brown. 46% of Boston teenagers say that Rihanna is responsible to what happened to her. This had me scratching my head, so I began to look back at historical events that would shape our disappointing moral compass. It didn't take me long to reflect on a tragic Shakespeare play I read at the tender age of 14. Was true love the reason for Othella murdering his wife?
Wrong.

"True love must embody compassion, empathy, and a determination to do what is best for the beloved. It must also embody trust. Othello’s love for Desdemona is full of fiery passion, but he does not trust her, does not feel compassion for her, and certainly the fact that he murders her indicates he does not have her best interest in mind. He only wants to satisfy what he experiences as a broken heart and possess her forever, for if she is dead, certainly no one else can ever have her."
source unknown

We've heard the mantra, "love doesn't hurt", but do we really buy into this? Has JEALOUSY always been an accepted excuse for causing harm to the ones we love?

WATCH THIS CLIP and share with your kids and loved ones. It's a strong but powerful message.

I challenge you NOT to forward....

BLOGGING gives BACK!!!

Oprah would be proud. A way to finally turn this cyber chat fest into a charitable gift annuity with every stroke.

With all the "blogging" going on these days, one has to wonder, "what is the purpose of a blog?" Of course, depending on which blogger is giving you his/her definition, you have an array of opinions.

OUR blog, not mine, is to serve as a "town hall" centered around conversation spurred topics that cultivate ideas, growth, and possibilities. I firmly believe that you must have an assortment of content, both light and heavy, to be threaded interactively in order to maximize a sense of community.

But what good is a community if it doesn't push towards a positive net change? What if your well thought out opinion was truly a donation to society? How much time would you invest in your contributing thought before you let your voice be heard? (or your fingers punch the keyboard?)

Now it's time>>>>I am putting a dollar ($1.00) match to every opinion you have!! Here's how it works:

1.) FOLLOW / SIGN IN texaholic.blogspot.com
2.) Every Monday I will post a CHALLENGE QUESTION
3.) Reply with your answer as a COMMENT to the post
4.) every complete answer = $1 dollar match to charitable organization
5.) 1 week later, a winning contributor is chosen based on his/her COMMENT
6.) I will write a personal check in the amount of total COMMENTS posted to *winner's choice of charity up to $100.00
7.) The contest starts over every Monday when new CHALLENGE QUESTION is posted.

A penny for your thoughts? Nah, too cheap....make it a buck, and pay it forward!

Introducing......SXSW

Two of the hottest afterhours parties during SXSW will take place at the former Safeway location next to CVS on the I-35 frontage road and East 12th Street. The Thursday night bash will be hosted by Playboy magazine and C3 Presents. Then, on Saturday at around midnight, gossip-monger Perez Hilton takes over. Lady Sovereign, Little Boots and Jeppe are confirmed acts we could find for that one.
http://www.myspace.com/jeppe

THOUGHTS????

Divorce may not be so easy...

http://www.nbcdfw.com/topics/?topic=Warren+Chisum

Divorce has never been easy for the innocent children caught in the middle. In fact, I think it's fair to say more times than not, their feelings are disregarded for adult driven motives. Growing up, I was an anomoly amongst friends affected by the unaviodable curse of the divorce rate. Now spiraling upward past 50%, it is unevitable that the crippling epidimic will affect every one of us. So, just as persons contemplating adoption must comply with adoption laws, doesn't it make sense that persons contemplating divorce must comply with standards that help ease the pain for children caught in the fire? Don't we owe at least this last ditch effort to our children?
A bill has been proposed which requires spouses filing divorce to complete workshops in "conflict management, communication skills and forgiveness skills". So, not only may this spare the kid's anxiety and emotional stress from parent's separation, it may also save the marraige upon completion. Sounds like a win-win, no?

Opponents see two problems: a hardship for the poor and disaster for domestic violence victims.

No matter what economic state we are in as a nation or a family unit, I believe a child's emotional health is invaluable and definitely worth the bargain price of $150 mandatory workshop if filing for divorce. Besides, if divorce is no longer a "get out of jail FREE pass", maybe we will look before leaping into a serious, life changing decision. Plus, the bill excludes anyone with "evidence" of domestic violence (police reports, doctor's notes) so that easy refuge can be sought.

Maybe, just maybe, this could not only mean fewer divorces, but fewer marraiges resulting in fewer innocent children caught in the fury of regret.

Love makes you better?

I just realized that being loved by the right person, your soulmate, makes you a good person.

What do I mean? Opposed to the cliche, "He/she makes me want to be a better person", when loved by the most amazing person in your universe, you've been elevated to that "better person" status.

This also represents a kind of love that is intangible to most...unconditional love. It's an eternal love that doesn't judge when your flaws surface. Your flaws are like pimples: you cover them up while out in public, but you gotta wash your face on a daily basis. Guess who gets to stare at your imperfect face?

On the flipside, don't expect bonus points for doing extra credit. I am the consummate reminder to my husband of my honorable actions throughout the day: "By the way, I organized your closet today" or "Darlin, did you notice your full tank of gas this morning?" I found myself actually pouting when I wasn't applauded. But, today it hit me like a ton of bricks when he shrugged off a moody tantrum without a nasty reply. He simply smiled and said, "How 'bout I take you to dinner?"

It was then I realized: no matter how many good deeds I do this week, it just doesn't compare to how much he already loves me. I just don't deserve it.....no, wait---I do!! I must, because he loves me!!

Sunshine Cleans!

I'll be watching THIS over the weekend!!

Although this could be the most FAB movie of the year, I doubt that it will be nominated for an Oscar. The sad truth is, when a movie comes out this early in the year the Academy overlooks the movie & the actors performances. Not because the actors or the movie aren't good, just that it's so early and the award contenders usually get released in October, November, & December. Plus the award nominations are in February 2010. But Amy Adams might be nominated for another movie that comes out towards the end of the year.
I like the fact that Amy and Emily care about their fans' sanity of much needed quality entertainment. So many A listers are too concerned with ripe timing that qualifies them for Oscar nods.

Now support your fellow selfless actors and go see this movie!

Forgive and learn

This story first touched my heart when I read the article in People titled "She Sent the Wrong Man to Prison" in this March's issue.

Watch and read to this true, inspirational story of hope, faith, and FORGIVENESS.

Magill's

Am i clairvoyant or what? As I mentioned in the previous post, this "other" spitfire couple is already making waves....airwaves that is. Check out the talented duo and their spirit filled music. And who said Love was not alive?

www.themagills.org
Move over June and Johnny.

3 of my FAV things...

"coffee, beer, and swine", say what? that's what Nathan Camp says.

"food is the common denominator of humanity....we don't just eat to live, we live to eat." This is the motto that packages their series in a tidy, cute package. But don't let the ho hum "been there; done that" make you log off quite yet.


There's plenty of other reasons to tune in and salivate:


1.) How can 2 beautiful people be so darn loveable?

It's just not fair....a dark brooding model, a masculine husband that loves his wife, an equally beautiful wife, and a quirky love that makes the whole exhibition totally believable. The likability factor between these 2 is magnetic and a recipe for success.


2.) I can relate.

No, I'm not a model nor do I live in Manhattan. But, the universal, down home charm warms the heart of every foodie and desperate housewife (natch!). From female to male, and confused genders between, this may just be the crossover show that boosts the Food Network to Primetime ratings. I'll watch for sure.

3.) Their friends are just as beautiful AND likable.

You couldn't have casted a better team; but they didn't. Their friends are the best collaboration since, you guessed it, Friends. Not only are they a perfect mix of hungry critics and entertaining guests, they also beg more exploration of telling their story. Matt and Megan (in the latest Thanksgiving episode) are cute to boot!! This Texan and Oklahoma couple are not only a talented, musical duo, get this: they have a Gerber baby in tow, little Maggie! I smell a spin off reality in the works...

To sum it up, Nate narrates in the pilot, what defines his life? God, wife, family, and friends. Oops, Nate, that 4 things not 3! That's OK, we'll match you with 4 stars instead of 3. I recommend you judge for yourself.

Do yourself a favor, and check it out. If you're as hungry as I am for good, ole fashioned casserole, this one will be worth the bite. Enjoy!

www.nathanlivestoeat.com

Idol is B I G G E R than ever!

With the world at an economic low point, it's hard to keep our chin up, and downright impossible to be "happy". In fact, with friends and family losing jobs left and right, it's almost unsympathetic verging on bragadocious to wear a smile these days. Enter our sadistic need to get our s&g's alone, in our safe haven of couch potato TV land.

Case and point: American Idol had it's largest number of voters last night, even AFTER the "big" return of AI Season I alum Kelly Clarkson. Giving a new meaning to "everything is bigger and better" hailing from our lone star state, her stage presence lacked the confidance her voice deserved which proved my initial theory: she's a lot more comfortable on the couch with her bag of chips.

Furthermore, the judges look as if they've all been sharing Paula's grab bag of meds. Is it just me or do they all look a little bleary eyed? Or perhaps it's just the front row view of the circus they've created that have their minds spinning...."is THIS really the hightest rating show?" No, Dawg, it's the only hoot and holler we can privately watch with glee...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meAsGBHnGuM
Click above if ya'll missed it last night....whacha think???