Greg Hardesty’s daughter racked up 14,528 text messages – in one month, the dad reports in the Orange County Register . Extreme teen behaviour? I thought so until I found this little nugget of information in the coverage of this story:
A 2008 Nielsen study estimated average text messages sent in a month by cell phone users aged 13-17 at 1,742.
1,742 messages a month.
Mums of teens aren’t that surprised though; apparently no one talks anymore. It’s all text. All the time. Wow. I guess it makes sense – I think I probably spent at least as much effort on passing notes around ninth-grade classrooms and calling up people after school – by dialing, and I mean rotary phones. But I can’t help but wonder if the 140-character textbyte is limiting our kids’ interactions and perhaps even thoughts. What do you think?
And do your teens answer your texts?
One of the most debated topics between beauty watchdogs and beauty junkies is whether or not you need an eye cream. I tend to use my moisturizer all over my face, as well as under my eyes, and then pull out the specialty creams when needed.
Dermaglow’s new Retinol-Px Intense Eye Therapy, ($50), is certainly doing its best to convince me to use an eye cream every day. It contains some of my favourite anti-aging ingredients – antioxidants like Vitamin C and E, both peptides and retinol for increasing collagen production, and promises to help reduce puffiness and dark circles too.
As I’ve mentioned before, Retinol is a proven ingredient - capable of penetrating the top layer of skin and increasing collagen growth. An over the counter strength (this contains 1%), is a good place to start if you’re new to retinol, as higher percentages (ie, via a prescription) often irritate and cause skin to flake or redden as it adjusts.
You definitely don’t need a prescription strength cream to see a difference to your eye area, but you do need a little patience – give this a good few weeks before expecting to see results.
www.dermaglow.ca
This YouTube video by Kelly Corrigan celebrating women and strength has been going around – Linda (Lewis) brought it to my attention, and then I saw it over at 11d. Each of them said something like “I don’t always pass this kind of thing on but…” and did. And I’m glad! So go watch it!
Well, it wasn’t a great night for actresses over 40 at the Golden Globes: Emma Thompson, the twice-nominated Meryl Streep, and Sally Field all passed over for awards.
It was left to two Lauras to carry the standards, taking home top honours for television roles: Laura Linney won for her role in John Adams and Laura Dern for Recount. And although Tina Fey’s not quite over 40, I think we can count her a sister for her wit, can’t we?
I did notice that all the nominees in the “Best Performance by an Actress In A Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television” category were over 40. So that’s a plus.
Here’s the complete list of winners for you.
(Shameless plug: Emma Thompson graces the cover of More in the upcoming February/March issue, and Elizabeth Renzetti’s interview with her is something you won’t want to miss, so look for it on newsstands if you’re not a subscriber. Next week More.ca is also reviewing Last Chance Harvey, the film for which she was nominated.)
I can’t wait for the Oscar nominees to be announced. Who would you like to see on the list? I’m still rooting for Emma Thompson, myself.
Eight years ago, a Long Island, NY, man donated a kidney to his wife – a gesture meant to save her life and their marriage.
The wife filed for divorce in 2005, and now – you guessed it – he wants his kidney back. Or at least to be compensated.
This just goes to show, some divorces can get really crazy.
I’m a sucker for anything sleep-related, regardless of the claims. Got a magic stick that promises to clear the air of “wake up” vibes? I’m buying. Have some special pixie-dust with sleep enhancing microscopic particles that you sprinkle in the bath? I’m all over it.
So, you can imagine my reaction when I discovered a line of bedding that comes with a built-in anti-aging component; I didn’t sleep for a week from the excitement.
Skinglow is a bedding collection from London Luxury that comes infused with copper ions bonded within the fibers of the pillows and duvets, (which then gets activated by moisture released from the body during sleep.) Apparently, these pillows have been clinically proven to smooth and reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.
I’ve heard (many times) that you shouldn’t sleep on your side because it makes wrinkles form, and also that you should sleep on silk pillows (gentler on the skin) – but this takes sleep and anti-aging to a whole new level.
Prices range from $20- 250 US, and the products are available in Canada at Bed, Bath and Beyond in Richmond Hill, Ontario. www.bedbathandbeyond.com
Despite being the reigning Queen of New Year’s resolution making, I just can’t seem to muster the gumption to do any goal setting for 2009. Even targets as simple as “Eat more vegetables” or “Floss daily” don’t get me excited. I believe my apathy stems from too many years of failed resolutions.
Despite years of believing in The Secret, S.M.A.R.T. goal setting techniques and daily affirmations, I’m still a middle-aged woman who shops too much, carries five extra pounds and can’t seem to give up her red wine habit. So this year, I’ve decided to take an anti-resolution stance. I’ve got all kinds of ideas – from launching a new website, www.TheSecretIsBS.com, (cue the fire and brimstone) to bellying up to the donut shop counter and telling the pimply-faced boy on the other side to “Forget the Tim Bit. Give me a double-double and a honey cruller.”
Check back with me in a year. My hope is that I’ll be better off for it – a healthy, vital middle age woman no worse for the lack of big goals. My biggest fear? That the 40 lbs. Oprah’s famously gained will have found their way to me.
[Jenn's note: Don't miss Karen's piece Shift Happens about the reinventions that don't - quite - get off the ground the way their principals hope!]
One of the things I love most about the web: Beautiful shots of space. (I’ve finally gotten over my maiden name being Mars…which led to a lot of space cadet jokes!) Check out:
The Hubble Gallery
Astronomy Picture of the Day from NASA
National Geographic’s Top Ten Space photos of 2008
I do make resolutions, but I never make them for January 1. I made that resolution in 1999, after reading in the Journal of Clinical Psychology that only 19 per cent of people keep their New Year’s resolutions two years later – oddly enough, the same percentage of people who are successful at dieting. And, I’ve kept it, which might be a little ironic.
However, here’s some information that’s tempting me to change my mind:
Do you make resolutions? Why or why not? What are yours?
