Just a few notes on vacation...

1. It is a hilarious thing to trades women's sunglasses at a wine vinyard with some dude named Mario, enjoying lunch on Berringer Mansion porch-side while I am walking with seven bottles of wine in hand in winter boots and a mocha dress (He ended up with my mint green shades from Forever21 ($4.99), and I with his larger-than-life (a la Nicole Richie) zebra-striped square lenses with Rhinestones on the front. GLORIOUS.

2. A Never Lost device in your Hertz Rental Car is life's solution to easy, stress-free travel.

3. ALWAYS upgrade if you're given the chance.

4. Apparently, not all traveler's are aware that when you stay in an "Inn" or "Bed and Breakfast," it is proper ettiquette to refrain from loud sexual activity. I say this mostly to one woman and man who decided to stay at my mom and I's hideaway for the weekend the last night of our stay.

Mom: "What is that? Is that... a puppy? Or a baby crying?"
Sami: "Uhh... pretty sure those people are having sex."

We both sat still and snickered.

Mom: "See... that's why they need to have TVs in all of the rooms!"

We sat down to breakfast with three other couples: An older woman and her gentleman whom I had bumped into in the hallway to get some water and away from the noise, a newly-married lesbian couple and a younger couple in their late twenties/early thirties.

I have a sneaking suspicion everyone of us (aside from the guilty party) was all in on the joke, but too embarassed to comment. With mom having seen the culprit's purse on the bed, we had an in.

Charge couple number three -- a very scraggly Matthew Broderick look-a-like and his wife, a pear-shaped woman with glasses who would not shut-the-f-up about how wonderful everything was. A flash of their naked bodies flashed in my mind and I shivered, coffee in hand.

Seriously... glad you're comfortable - but if you can't cut the moaning down to a 2, don't DO IT!

Career and Birth Order

(from MSN)

Depending on birth position, there are special roles within families, leading to different adaptation patterns and different personalities, says Ben Dattner, a New York City-based organizational psychologist. As a result of a stricter upbringing, for example, firstborn children tend to be more extroverted and confident, while second-born kids are more rebellious and open to new experiences, he says. The youngest child is usually the most creative and can be manipulative to get his or her way.

Clearly, birth order affects personality, but what about career advancement and success? Several studies show that firstborns and only children usually reach higher educational goals, obtain greater prestige and acquire more net worth, while the middle child is likely to struggle a bit more.

"A child's position in the family impacts his personality, his behavior, his learning and ultimately, his earning power," says Michael Grose, author of "Why First Borns Rule the World and Last Borns Want to Change It." "Most people have an intuitive knowledge that birth order somehow has an impact on development, but they underestimate how far-reaching and just how significant that impact is. "

Here's a look at the effect birth order may have on you:

Firstborn:

Personality: Firstborns are ambitious, assertive, dominant and disciplined compared with their younger siblings. They're determined to succeed yet fearful of losing position and rank, and are defensive about errors and mistakes, Dattner says.

Compensation: A recent survey by CareerBuilder.com found that workers who were the firstborn child in their families were more likely to earn $100,000 or more annually compared with their siblings.

Professions: The oldest tend to pursue vocations that require higher education, like medicine, engineering or law. Firstborns from the CareerBuilder.com survey reported working in jobs in government, engineering, pharmacy and science. Ohio State University researchers found firstborn children were more likely to pursue "intellectual" jobs.

Job level: Workers who are firstborn are more likely to report holding a vice president or senior management position, according to the survey.

Famous firstborns: Oprah Winfrey, Hillary Clinton, Winston Churchill, Sylvester Stallone and Bill Clinton.

Middle:

Personality: Middle children are good at negotiation, peacemaking and compromise, Dattner says. They are easygoing and diplomatic and are usually closer to friends than family.

Compensation: More middle children identified themselves as earning $35,000 or less per year than firstborn or youngest children, according to the CareerBuilder.com survey.

Professions: Middles tend to have excellent negotiating and people skills -- anything that employs these skills is a great fit. Middle children from the CareerBuilder.com survey said they work in nursing, law enforcement, firefighting and machine operation.

Job level: Middle children were more likely to identify with professional and technical staff level positions in the CareerBuilder.com survey. They also reported being the most satisfied with their current positions.

Famous middles: David Letterman, Richard Nixon, Madonna and Princess Diana.

Youngest:

Personality: Youngest children love the limelight and are used to sitting in it. They are charming and creative, have a good sense of humor and manipulate others when they want to get their way.

Compensation: Last borns were the least likely to report earning six figures, according to the CareerBuilder.com survey.

Professions: Youngest children often gravitate toward artistic and outdoor jobs, according to the OSU survey. They're also successful in journalism, advertising, sales and athletics. Those who responded to the CareerBuilder.com survey reported working in art, design, sales and information technology.

Job level: The majority of last borns in the CareerBuilder.com survey held administrative and clerical level positions. They also reported being the least satisfied in their current jobs.

Famous younglings: Jim Carrey, Billy Crystal, Steve Martin, Cameron Diaz and Rosie O'Donnell.

Only children:

Personality: Only children are similar to firstborns in that they are motivated to conform to parental expectations, Dattner says. They are also achievement-oriented and successful in school and have problems delegating work. Research shows they are more confident, articulate and imaginative than other children. They also hate criticism and tend to be perfectionists.

Famous only children: Jack Welch, Tiger Woods, Alan Greenspan and Maria Sharapova.

Twins

Personality: Because of their equal status in terms of their age -- and, if they're identical, their genes -- twins are usually treated the same and turn out similarly. They tend to have different personalities and interests, but are closer to each other than other siblings and tend to have less conflict with each other than other siblings, Dattner says.

Famous twins: Abigail and Esther Friedman ("Dear Abby" and "Ann Landers"); Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen; Joel and Benji Madden; and Jenna and Barbara Bush.

Rachel Zupek is a writer and blogger for Careerbuilder.com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.

Hahaha. Seriously Amused:

Pony Falls Into Pool After Getting Drunk on Fermented Apples


A horse in England wandered into a swimming pool after getting drunk on fermented apples Tuesday, the Daily Mail reports.

The pony, nicknamed "Fat Boy," escaped his stable in Newquay, Cornwall, on Tuesday and became intoxicated after munching on fallen, rotten apples, the paper said. He then fell into Sarah Penhaligon's pool.

"I was terrified, but when I took a closer look, I realized it was a horse," she told the paper.

It took rescuers two hours to build hay steps to help the animal get out of the pool, the Daily Mail said.

Well, This is a Turn-off...

I'm getting e'mails from Obama "himself." His marketing team should really re-consider this campaign*.

*NOTE: I haven't gotten any of these from the McCain/Palin Party, so I have no idea what, if anything, they are sending out:



Dear Samantha,

If your family isn't already supporting Barack, it's time for you to have "The Talk."

With so many rumors and misperceptions out there, it's incredibly important that you sit down with parents or other family members. Tell them who Barack is, what he stands for, and why you're supporting him.

You may be the only person who can convince them.

But it can be difficult to bring up the subject, so here are a few tips:
Send an email. You can scroll down for some talking points, but feel free to add your personal touch.
Breaking the ice can be hard. Start by asking if they saw the debate on Tuesday and what they thought about it.
Have some information handy. We have one-page summaries of Barack's positions on various issues. Look for the issues you know are important to your family.
Share Barack's speech from the Democratic National Convention or Meet Barack, a video about who Barack Obama is, where he comes from, and what his values are.
For more resources, and to share your story about talking to family members, go to:

http://my.barackobama.com/thetalk

Earlier this year, as one national leader after another announced support for Barack, there was a common refrain -- they said their kids persuaded them that Barack was the right candidate to bring about real change.

Family members talking to one another about Barack is one of the ways this movement has grown so large. Even if your parents are already convinced, talk to your grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

There are only 25 days until Election Day. So have The Talk, and do it soon. Then tell us how it went, and what advice you would offer fellow supporters.

Thanks for all that you're doing,

Obama for America


-------- Suggested email ---------

Hi,

I've been thinking a lot about the election and how important it is to our family.

I've decided to support Barack Obama, and wanted to let you know why.

There are many rumors floating around out there, so here's some information about Barack's positions on things I know are important to you:

-- Economy: http://my.barackobama.com/EconomyFlyer

-- Health Care: http://my.barackobama.com/HealthcareFlyer

-- Education: http://my.barackobama.com/EducationFlyer

This is probably going to be the most important election in my lifetime, and it's something I strongly believe in. So let's talk about it. Ask me anything.

Thanks.


(donate button goes here)

Paid for by Obama for America

Eyore

I've been talking to some amazing people with amazing lives this past week. I think i've mentioned this before, but I'm enamored by those who not only have great stories, but deliver them with the passion and expression only someone who's really living to the utmost can.

The more I listen, the more I feel like my life is empty. It feels as if I've gotten too comfortable in a pattern that despite my many attempts at adding new and exciting hobbies/people/situations into it... i still feel lacking. About four weeks of this and I'm wondering, "what the hell am I doing with my life?"

Call it a 26-year-old crisis or whatever... but I've been contemplating selling all of my things and just taking off for awhile. Responsibilites, shesponsibilities.

I need something... some kind of flame, flare, inspiration or drive to bring me back to life. In fact, I need that yesterday.

Call me a Romantic, but...

But I thot these were interesting... and somewhat humerous:

25 Fascinating Love Facts

1. Men who kiss their wives in the morning live five years longer than those who don't.

2. People are more likely to tilt their heads to the right when kissing instead of the left (65 percent of people go to the right!)

3. When it comes to doing the deed early in the relationship, 78 percent of women would decline an intimate rendezvous if they had not shaved their legs or underarms.

4. Feminist women are more likely than other females to be in a romantic relationship.

5. Two-thirds of people report that they fall in love with someone they've known for some time vs. someone that they just met.

6. There's a reason why office romances occur: The single biggest predictor of love is proximity.

7. Falling in love can induce a calming effect on the body and mind and raises levels of nerve growth factor for about a year, which helps to restore the nervous system and improves the lover's memory.

8. Love can also exert the same stress on your body as deep fear. You see the same physiological responses — pupil dilation, sweaty palms, and increased heart rate.

9. Brain scans show that people who view photos of a beloved experience an activation of the caudate — the part of the brain involving cravings.

10. The women of the Tiwi tribe in the South Pacific are married at birth.

11. The "Love Detector" service from Korean cell phone operator KTF uses technology that is supposed to analyze voice patterns to see if a lover is speaking honestly and with affection. Users later receive an analysis of the conversation delivered through text message that breaks down the amount of affection, surprise, concentration and honesty of the other speaker.

12. Eleven percent of women have gone online and done research on a person they were dating or were about to meet, versus seven percent of men.

13. Couples' personalities converge over time to make partners more and more similar.

14. The oldest known love song was written 4,000 years ago and comes from an area between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.

15. The tradition of the diamond engagement ring comes from Archduke Maximillian of Austria who, in the 15th century, gave a diamond ring to his fiancée, Mary of Burgundy.

16. Forty-three percent of women prefer their partners never sign "love" to a card unless they are ready for commitment.

17. People who are newly in love produce decreased levels of the hormone serotonin — as low as levels seen in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Perhaps that's why it's so easy to feel obsessed when you're smitten.

18. Philadelphia International Airport finished as the No. 1 best airport for making a love connection, according to an online survey.

19. According to mathematical theory, we should date a dozen people before choosing a long-term partner; that provides the best chance that you'll make a love match.

20. A man's beard grows fastest when he anticipates sex.

21. Every Valentine's Day, Verona, the Italian city where Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet took place, receives around 1,000 letters addressed to Juliet.

21. When we get dumped, for a period of time we love the person who rejected us even more, says Dr. Helen Fisher of Rutgers University and author of Why We Love. The brain regions that lit up when we were in a happy union continue to be active.

22. People telling the story of how they fell in love overwhelmingly believe the process is out of their control.

23. Familiarity breeds comfort and closeness … and romance.

24. One in five long-term love relationships began with one or both partners being involved with others.

25. OK, this one may not surprise you, but we had to share it: Having a romantic relationship makes both genders happier. The stronger the commitment, the greater the happiness!