THE TRUTH ABOUT BOTTLED WATER

My friend Erica Rose (The Bachelor, The Bachelor Pad 2, You're Cut Off) was raving about GOBIE™ a little while ago, so I ordered my first bottle and am a total GOBIE™ lover now!

Rusty Allen is the brains behind GOBIE™, and after reading the article that I have attached the link to below, you'll see why I support his dedication to providing clean water and reducing waste in our environment, too. I lived in Manhattan Beach, CA for quite some time, and Rusty hails from Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach's next-door-neighbor. I live in New York now, but it makes me happy that a product I love with a powerful message comes from such a great area!

With my GOBIE™ bottle and replacement filters, I don't have to waste money buying tons of water bottles and can make any tap water taste great! They're so easy to carry around and are good for 3 months, 100 gallons, or, 290 refills! By using a GOBIE™ instead of buying and disposing of bottled water, we can reduce over 1,000 water bottles which makes a huge impact on our environment. If you want to join me in saving money, reducing our impact on the environment, and enjoying pure water, get your GOBIE™ today! http://gobieh2o.com

Here is a more detailed description of the product:

The GOBIEH2O carbon filter is a critical element of the bottle’s innovative design. Sourced from one of the best filtration development companies in the world and designed with a commitment to conservation and reusability, the GOBIEH2O filter features an ingenious design with a strong scientific pedigree.

Active Carbon is an extremely porous organic material that snares a wide range of harsh chemicals and contaminants. One step past that is activated carbon, which has a positive electrical charge added, therefore making it an even better magnet for chemicals and impurities. Active carbon filters have been shown to be the most effective method for filtering water – so that’s what we use.

In keeping with GOBIE’s commitment to sustainable resources, low-impact manufacturing and providing support for eco-conscious businesses, the GOBIEH2O filters are developed using one of Mother Nature’s own natural resources: coconuts! The strong fibers in the coconut shell are heated and infused with pure oxygen to create the carbon granules that will become the filter for your water.

The best part of using coconut shell as the filter material is that while millions of coconuts are grown for use in carbon filters, the growing process is great for the environment – the acres upon acres of lush, green trees put back more beneficial elements into the atmosphere than they take away. It’s a renewable resource that’s good for the world during its entire life cycle!

The GOBIEH2O water filter is an impressive workhorse, too. You’ll be able to filter 100 gallons of regular tap water – turning it into clean, pure, delicious water – before you need to change your filter. 100 gallons! In bottled water terms, that’s 800 plastic water bottles you won’t be using once and then throwing away. Go GOBIE – and go green.

Message in a Bottle

BY: CHARLES FISHMANJuly 1, 2007

Americans spent more money last year on bottled water than on ipods or movie tickets: $15 Billion. A journey into the economics - and psychology - of an unlikely business boom. And what it says about our culture of indulgence.

Read the rest of this very important article here: http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/117/features-message-in-a-bottle.html?page=0%2C0

CRUNCHES

Many people have the wrong idea about crunches and seem to think that its some sort of contest to test how many they can accomplish in one session. It doesn't matter if you do 1,000 sit-ups or 100, what matter sis how effective they are. Most of us are on the quest to achieving a toned, taught tummy, and I can tell you right now that hundreds of sit-ups will bore you more than help you. Though I know what its like to be out of shape, I've still never had issues with belly fat before, because my mother taught me from a young age to always "suck it in tight".


Bodybuilders say "Abs are made in the kitchen", and this is very true. A proper low-carb and more plant-based diet will aid in the fat burning process of cardio and crunches. By avoiding salty, processed foods and consuming the correct fruits and vegetables with great workouts, you can fight that bloat and rock those sexy abs!

This is a behind-the-scenes pic from a shoot, and there is zero photoshop. I don't look exactly like this right now, but I'll be back there soon!

As a Nationally competitive equestrian in the past, I found the importance in core strength to support proper posture and balance. From experience, I've seen many athletes injure themselves because though they were incredibly fit, they simply didn't have the core strength to stay "put together" and would use their upper and lower bodies too much. Our center simply cannot be ignored, not only are tight abs sexy, but they're extremely important!


If you can do at least three reps of 20 correct upper, lower and oblique crunches once or twice a day, you will thank me later. If you are just getting back into working out full-force again, you can break these reps up into sets of 15 to start, then increase as long as you feel the burn and your crunches are legit.

Also, if you aren't familiar with planking (as in work-out planking, not the Facebook craze), you ought to get into it now! This is an excellent way to strengthen your core anywhere, whether you are at home, the gym, the beach, the park, etc. There are a couple of photos below of a regular plank and one-legged plank for you to get a better idea of what the position looks like.


Get into push-up position, then go down to your elbows while keeping your body completely still. Focus on using your core to hold yourself in that position for exactly a minute. If your arms tire right away, that means you aren't using enough of your core, so tighten that baby up! For one-legged plank, get into the same potion and take turns holding one leg up at a time, this will tone your booty and hamstrings while tightening your core.

I'll have to take photos of other proper sit-up positions that are very effective at some point so that you can have more of a visual reference.

WALK LIKE AN EGYPTIAN

I've been borderline-obsessed with Ancient Egypt since childhood, when I would go to museums and beg my family to see the mummy exhibits with me. My parents probably thought that I was seriously disturbed, since reading Stephen King and looking at mummies by age eight isn't exactly normal. I took an anthropology course in college and was absolutely fascinated by all that I learned, so I hope to visit Egypt to see the ruins someday. 


There are many methods that were developed by the Ancient Egyptians and are still used today, such as condoms, high heels, paper, pens, surgery, hospitals, makeup, skin care, calendars and sailing. I performed a monologue in High School as Cleopatra from 'Antony and Cleopatra', and I can still remember most of it by heart...

Give me my robe, put on my crown; I have
Immortal longings in me. Now no more
The juice of Egypt's grape shall moist this lip.


Yare, yare, good Iras; quick. Methinks I hear
Antony call; I see him rouse himself
To praise my noble act; I hear him mock
The luck of Caesar, which the gods give men
To excuse their after wrath. 


Husband, I come;
Now to that name my courage prove my title!
I am fire and air; my other elements
I give to baser life. So; have you done?
Come then, and take the last warmth of my lips.

Farewell, kind Charmian; Iras, long farewell.Have I the aspic in my lips? Dost fall?
If thou and nature can so gently part,
The stroke of death is as a lover's pinch,
Which hurts, and is desired. 


Dost thou lie still?
If thus thou vanishest, thou tell'st the world
It is not worth leave-taking.

Want!

MIND AND BODY

"Protect the purity of your mind and body — they are the vehicle of your spirit. When you continually strengthen your body and sharpen your mind, your spirit will have the power to take you wherever you wish to go." -Taro Gold

A cheesy workout photo for your enjoyment.

FEED YOUR BRAIN

"All good books are alike in that they are truer than if they had really happened and after you are finished reading one you will feel that all that happened to you and afterwards it all belongs to you: the good and the bad, the ecstasy, the remorse and sorrow, the people and the places and how the weather was." -Ernest Hemingway

I'm the one with the Halloween candy, and I'm surrounded by children who all want a piece. They wear masks and pretend to be genuine, but once they get the candy, they're off to the next house. When one trips me, they all just step over me and keep going without helping me up.

SNACKING ON CANDY IS NOT CUTE

People seem to eat so much goddamn candy while working! It seems that they'd rather have cavities from sugar highs than a few almonds. The occasional treat is fine, but its best to keep your snacks sugar-free as much as possible. Being "fat-skinny" is not healthy!

(Notice how yellow her teeth are)

INCOHERENT HOOK-UPS ARE NOT CUTE

Intellectual conversation is far more stimulating than slurred speech and whiskey breath, drunkies! I've been a "babysitter" for years, and I'm just over taking care of people who don't appreciate me for it. I've had my own moments in the past where I needed help, and people weren't there for me because they didn't want to leave their party to make sure that I was okay. That is extremely selfish and immature behavior that simply cannot be tolerated.

No one is perfect and we've all had our "sloppy moments", but those should to be rare, and they're always the drinker's fault. Everyone ought to be aware that there is such a thing as being allergic to alcohol, too, so those symptoms simply cannot be ignored. If you think that you have a problem, please get the help that you need before you let the bottle control you. I don't mean to be harsh, but I get very frustrated every time people get "angry" with me because I won't drink as much as they do and would rather go home and get my beauty sleep. 

Though most heavy drinkers can't remember half of the things that they say or do, please remember that all forms of self-inflicted abuse aren't just hurting you, they're hurting your loved ones as well. You are all loved, so don't throw that away for the sake of partying, because you are amazing just as you are.

The guilt trip that I would get when I burned a ton of calories in spin class and then ruined it by eating crap at four in the morning when I'm lactose-intolerant made my hangovers even worse the next day. Our bodies tell us when we've had enough, and though it makes you feel skinny and sober afterwards, throwing-up is disgusting. If you consume a high-protein meal before going out and don't mix your liquor, you will be far less likely to "drunk eat" or throw-up. Avoiding creepy men who try to get you drunk is also a top priority when going out, that's for sure!


Hooking-up with random people while blacked-out is just plain trashy! I don't know about you, but I don't see any fun in being too wasted to remember if I had fun or not. I don't understand what is so great about one-night-stands that causes some people to experience them so often. Its easy to be physically attracted to someone without having an emotional connection, so wouldn't you rather have fun with a friend that respects you than a random drunk at a bar? This article obviously doesn't apply to serious relationships, so please be safe and don't let partying lower your standards!

Jezebel (http://jezebel.com) never fails to make me literally LOL!

Failed Hookups And The Drunken Stages Of Grief

Sarah Hall — Sometimes you just want to find a warm body at the bottom of that $10 pitcher. And if that's the name of your game during a night out, there's a chance that at least once in your life (unless you are Wilt Chamberlain), you will find yourself in a post-midnight tailspin due to the perceived inability to find that special someone. At the bar. Silly! Nevertheless, of the many kinds of alcohol-induced meltdowns out there, this is the one that most closely adheres to the Kübler-Ross grief cycle.

1. Denial

Sure, you've had a few cocktails — but it's not like you are drunk or anything! In fact, you feel amazing — you are the best version of yourself.  Everything you say is hilarious, everyone in the bar wants to have sex with you, and your hair is just so incredibly shiny.  Some might say that because you are gushing to a complete stranger while continuously touching them somewhere near their elbow, you are intoxicated.  You laugh in their faces.  This isn't called "alcohol."  This is called "confidence," people. Get with it.

2. Anger

You've been throwing quite a few back tonight, and you've grown belligerent and paranoid.  EVERYTHING IS SO ANNOYING. When did this bar get packed with stupid people? Why isn't that guy coming back over here to buy you another drink? And when did this damn bathroom line get so long? What the hell are women doing in there? Are they having in-depth conversations with their vaginas about how they're so drunk? Why did your friend tell everyone about that fight you had with your boss? Is she secretly trying to sabotage you? Maybe you should just go storming out of the bathroom and tell her how you really feel.

3. Bargaining

Okay, yes, you should probably wrap things up. Just one more drink before you head home. You don't want to suddenly sober up while taking public transportation. And hey, one more drink might actually make this place fun again. Frankly, your dance moves are heating up and all they need is a little liquid fuel to propel you towards lift off.  Do you really need to leave? Sure you haven't met anyone you like. Yet.  It could still happen.  There are still men in this place who aren't leftover desperate creepers.  If you just hang out by the bar making sexy faces for another 20 minutes, the person of your dreams will probably come buy you a martini.

4. Depression

You will never get laid. You should have just stayed home. It would have been cheaper and you could have caught up on your Netflix. Work tomorrow will be a complete disaster because you will have a post-bender stroke, which will prevent you from being coherent when it matters. You can barely afford the round of shots you bought, because you're a loser who doesn't have a good job because you're a drunk.

5. Acceptance

Okay, so you didn't wind up mattress-wrestling with someone tonight, and you're probably going to vomit in a shopping bag in a stairwell at the office tomorrow, but we've all been there. At least you had fun with your friends. You successfully executed the worm on the dance floor without giving yourself a traumatic brain injury. There's a pizza place around the corner and a DVR full of unwatched reality shows waiting for you at home. And the icing on your let-it-be cake: You didn't even lose your phone.

http://jezebel.com/5823868/

MEN: TURN YOUR BEER GUTS INTO CALORIE CUTS!

Almost every time I go out, I witness men partying with their friends and spending loads of money on eating and drinking while expecting women to flock to them and rub their beer bellies. I'm usually easy-going, but if I find myself with obnoxious people, I make a beeline for the opposite side of the venue to chat with friends who don't have their insecurities on display. 


Power is sexy, but being healthy and looking good is even sexier! Money won't buy true love, and the type of women that these men expect to have would probably end up leaving them for a man who took better care of himself (unless she was a mail-order bride).


When a man is rich with love, health and self-confidence (not cockiness) is far more attractive than a lonely, fat guy who spends his life trying to buy affection and jerks-off to photos of women that he could have if he just put down the super-sized burger.


A man who can afford a personal trainer ought to realize how lucky he is to have the opportunity to get his ass whipped into shape! We don't expect washboard abs and bulging biceps, but a little muscle tone and a lower BMI sure would be nice to see. Men who work out know that they're not just "manlier", everyone who exercises regularly has more energy, so physical and/or romantic relationships are far more enjoyable, too! If men expect women to look hot, then they ought to put forth some effort, too!

This photo screams ass-grabbing, not love!