TresSugar

Baby Is Pear-plexed!

GiggleSugar — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 02:00:00 -0800

Does baby like or not like? That is the question. This poor fella can't make sense of this pear concoction. Mom seems to think it's worth his while, but his taste buds are tingling, screaming, and wanting nothing to do with it. So he muscles through all the gagging and tries his darndest to enjoy the tang, but sheesh! Lemons and pears cannot be trusted.

I Went From a "Hot Tamale" to a Pear Shape

DearSugar — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 14:20:22 -0700

Dear Sugar
I am a pretty thin, young woman (105 lbs.) and during my "blossoming" years my butt and hips seemed to be the only parts of my body that grew.

Recently, I've noticed light but visible stretch marks on my butt and hips. I never thought that I'd have this problem since I've always been thin.

What can I do to make them less noticeable? The worst part is that whenever I wear my bikini bottoms, you can see the stretch marks. It makes me so depressed because the rest of my body looks rockin'. Pear Shaped Pari

Dear Pear Shaped Pari
I am not sure what age you are, but it sounds like you've been relying on your metabolism to balance your weight for you.

As we grow older and become less active by lifestyles (working as opposed to running around in school), your body composition shifts a little bit.

It's important that you are regularly exercising and eating foods low in fat.

If you are looking for topical solutions or skin repair options, you can refer to this in-depth post about Treatments For Terrible Stretch Marks .

How to Keep your Teeth Pearly White

DearSugar — Wed, 30 May 2007 09:30:00 -0700

America Ferrera just insured her beautiful smile, teeth included, for $10 million. While not everyone was blessed with a winning smile like hers, there are ways to make the best out of what we were given, so click here to read more

Brushing your teeth, the right way is crucial to keeping your teeth healthy and clean. You should be brushing for a full 2 minutes at least twice daily
Use short gentle strokes and concentrate on one area at a time. Many dentists recommend using a circular motion but you should always pay extra attention to the hard to reach back teeth and most importantly your gum line
With so many toothbrush choices out there, it is hard to pick the right one. Dentists tend to recommend softer bristles so you don't wear down the enamel on your teeth or irritate your gums. Smaller headed brushes can clean individual teeth better and reach the in between spaces
Another main reason we brush our teeth is to prevent bad breath, so don't forget to brush your tongue. Constant bad breath is a tell tale sign of gum disease or gingivitis
Flossing is one of the most important things you can do to promote healthy teeth and gums and fresh breath. For some reason people have a hard time remembering, so keep floss at your desk at work or next to your alarm clock. Keeping your gums healthy will prevent gum disease, gingivitis, and tooth decay
If you don't have a history of weak teeth or gums, be sure to see your dentist twice yearly for cleanings. If you have more sensitive teeth, it is recommended to up your visits to the dentist to every three to four months to stay proactive
Some people's teeth are more susceptible to cavities so if you are one of those people, be sure to get x-rays taken in case you have small cavities in between the teeth
Smoking, drinking tea, coffee, and wine will stain your teeth, so try to brush after you drink or smoke. If brushing isn't an option, be sure to drink a lot of water to help remove some of the surface stains
Over the counter teeth whitening strips are quite effective to brighten up your smile as well as professionally whitening by your dentist or a boutique teeth whitening company. But be careful, bleaching your teeth can make them quite sensitive

I hope these tips will make you want to smile more and to show off your healthy pearly whites!

Source

Paul Rudd Dances For Jon Stewart

GiggleSugar — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 11:10:00 -0700

I'm not sure how I missed this, but better late than never! Even dressed like a putz and dancing like a goof, Paul Rudd is ridiculously charming and sexy. And Jon Stewart seems to have a total bromantic crush on him. (I guess sometimes opposites don't attract). Later in the interview, Jon says they're both "pear-shaped." Hahaha!

Ugly Fruit and Veggies No Longer Banned in Europe

LibertySugar — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 10:30:00 -0800

In Brussels (the Belgian city, not the sprouts), EU officials have decided to lift the ban on crooked, bent, or twisted perfectly-edible fruit and vegetables. For the past 20 years, 100 pages of regulations have required that produce be uniform in appearance, and sold without any odd curves.

But not all fruit is exempt from standards of beauty - appearance regulations for apples, strawberries, citrus fruit, kiwi, lettuce, pears, peaches, nectarines, sweet peppers, table grapes, and tomatoes will still be on the books, although each country can decide whether they want to enforce them.

Produce sellers in a few countries, like Italy and France, worry that after the ban is gone, consumers will purchase less fruit and vegetables because they will be scared away by deformities. Even if you discriminate against ugly, yet edible, food, should the law be able to?

Source

GiggleSugar Best of the Week

GiggleSugar — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 03:55:00 -0800

This little carrot-noshing hedgehog sure can put it away!
Oh, yeah, hedgehog? This cat eats her fruits and veggies, too! Psyche.
Check it: Dumb spam. Is there any other kind?
Baby not sure he wants anymore pear puree.
Ronaldo-san McDonald sez: "Fast food is good for you!"
Another so-bad-it's-good TV commercial.
One word: Horseballs.
Valentine's Day striptease.

GiggleSugar Reader Spotlight: Kiddylnd

GiggleSugar — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 15:16:30 -0700

You can always spot our reader of the week, Kiddylnd, by the cute pit bull avatar that represents her. She's funny, kind (she fosters pit bulls and tells a moving story about an old friend, Pride), and reminds me how much I love to get to know my readers! Make sure you check out her pictures and leave a comment!

GS: What's your motto?
KL: "Move over bacon!" No, that's not it. "Help control the pet population, have..." No, that's not it either. Motto, eh? Well, I'm a big fan of "Do unto others, unless they bug the sh*t out of you, then screw 'em!"

GS: Where are you from?
KL: Seattle, Washington. I live 3 1/2 blocks from the house I grew up in. Sheltered, I know. I'd rather be sheltered in a city. I'm not a country girl AT ALL. Plus, living in the land of coffee is the best thing ever. We seriously have a corner with a Tully's across from a Starbucks, across from a soon to be Peet's, with a local coffee shop two doors down, a tea store next to that, and another Starbucks inside the Safeway next to the Tully's.

GS: What do you do?
KL: I work at an animal shelter selling pet licenses and taking all you guys' money! It's both the most fulfilling and saddest thing ever. On the plus side, when I'm having a bad day, all I need to do is snuggle up with a pup!

GS: How would you describe your sense of humor?
KL: Sarcasm, with a hint of third grade potty talk. I'm quick with the wit, but only out of necessity-I gotta keep up with my friends!

GS: What's your favorite GiggleSugar post?
KL: Are you serious? I have to pick just one?! I'm gonna go with any of the douchebag posts, particularly Portrait of a Douchebag since, sadly, I remember a time when I would have thought this dude was all that. Sad, so very sad.

GS: Who's the cutest funny man and funny woman?
KL: Hmmm...I don't think of funny people as being cute. Is that wrong?

GS: Who are your favorite male and female comedians?
KL: Kevin Smith is the smartest, funniest out there. He should do stand-up. His movies are too under appreciated. Margaret Cho is another fave. You can't miss with her! Others would be Ellen, Paula Poundstone, Stephen Colbert. I do enjoy some Carlos Mencia, but not all the time. I mostly like the "beaner" jokes since I'm a "beaner..."

GS: What's your favorite comedy of all time?
KL: Cry Baby. If you have not seen this, it's a must. Johnny Depp in a 21 Jump Street era, Ricki Lake, and a trying-to-break-free from the porn business Tracy Lords.

GS: If your life were a comedy, what would it be?
KL: The Jerk. Kidding! I haven't ever really thought of that. In my late teens, Party Girl (minus the getting arrested). I don't know now. Sad. I'll have to think on that one.

GS: Do you look like someone famous?
KL: No. I only look like me.

KL free-for-all: I love the randomness of life! I like to run, but in Seattle in fall that can be a challenge because I'm such a girl I can't get my hair wet! I was always teased by my friends for being the "mom" of the group. (I blame them for me becoming one so early on.) I have a nine-year-old son who is the light of my life. I let him watch things he shouldn't, like Jay and Silent Bob. He's got a great sense of humor, and we laugh all the time. All of my friends are lesbians. I'm still not sure how that happened. Probably because I get to know people first, then find out later. I mean my best friend I've known since we were eight years old, so I obviously didn't know then! It's fun though, because I can gross them out with stories of my sexploits. I don't drink much (anymore!), but I love a nice Riesling, and I LOVE me some Asian Pear Sake. I love animals, and have some VERY strong opinions about animal care and sheltering. Don't breed or buy, while shelter pets die! Oh, and Hello Kitty rocks.

View 10 Photos ›

(Kiddylnd, her cute son and his puppy, a pit she loved named Pride, Ellen DeGeneres, Stephen Colbert, Kevin Smith, Margaret Cho, Paula Poundstone, Carlos Mencia)

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Dental Anxiety: You're Not Alone

DearSugar — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 16:00:00 -0700

Who likes going to the dentist? I don't like going whatsoever, and I even asked my dentist if she likes to go and she admitted that it's not always fun, but it is necessary. So we force ourselves to go, but many of us may not like it one bit.

Some people on the other hand have such severe fears and anxieties about going to the dentist, that they won't even go. Here are some common reasons people won't go to the dentist:

Fear of pain.

Fear of needles.
Fear of the Novocaine and going numb.
Fear of NOT going numb - what if the Novocaine doesn't work?
They're worried about what may or may not happen - fear of the unknown.
Fear of the drill and things near their mouth and brain.
The scraping and drilling sound.
Bad past experiences.
They're worried about receiving bad news.
They're embarrassed or ashamed of their teeth and worried the dentist will make fun of them.
Fear of gagging, choking, or throwing up.
Fear of panicking or crying.
The cost. Even with dental insurance, the bill can be excruciatingly high.

If these sound familiar, you're not alone. Many people suffer from dental phobia or dental anxiety so much that they refuse to step foot in an office. This can be detrimental to a person's pearly whites. Want to know how to get over your fears? Then read more

If you are paralyzed by the mere thought of going to the dentist, there are a number of things you can do.

Identify what your specific fears are and try not to dwell on them. Then you and your dentist can figure out ways to deal with them.
Find a caring and compassionate dentist that makes you feel comfortable. Explain all your fears and map out what your perfect dental visit would be like. Get recommendations from friends or co-workers for dentists they like.
Some dentists may recommend that you take anti-anxiety medicine (like Xanax) the night and or a few hours before your visit. It will help you to feel calm and relaxed.
Your dentist may also recommend Nitrous Oxide. It's a gas you inhale that puts you in a state of ultimate relaxation and contentment. Just like with the anti-anxiety meds, this method won't do anything for pain, so if you need to be drilled, you'll still need to get a shot of Novocaine, but you may feel less anxious about it.
Another option is IV Sedation. You basically get anti-anxiety drugs administered into the bloodstream. You'll remain conscious and be able to understand and respond to requests from your dentist, but you may not remember much of what happened while you were in the chair. Time will feel like it passes quickly, almost like you were asleep.
If you are literally crippled by the anxiety, you may be a candidate for General Anesthesia.

Being fearful of dental visits is not at all uncommon, but at some point you will need to face your fears. You can't go through your life not seeing a dentist, and the longer you put it off, the more problems you can have. I hope these ideas help.

Source

Come Story Telling with me!!! The Completed Story

DearSugar — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 14:56:51 -0700

I hope you all enjoyed this new feature as much as I did! Your wild imaginations made for a great story line! To read the completed tale you all helped create, read more

"I am going to bring the salad so will you bring the dessert?" Do we really have to go to this thing? "Yes, we do," I replied. "And," I said pointedly, "we even have to pretend to enjoy ourselves." Mel sighed loudly on the other end of the line, paused, and then said, "Alright fine, I'll pick you up at 6." "Make it 5:30," I said firmly, knowing full well that my little sister Melanie was never, ever on time. Melanie looked at the wall, ignoring my every word, like usual. It was impossible to win any sort of argument with Mel, I thought to myself, as I studied her avoidance. Then I snapped out of my day dream as I realized that I could not see Mel's face since I was talking to her over the phone. I smiled because I knew exactly the look she would have on her face just from the tone of her voice.

"Fine, see you then." she said and I heard her hang up the phone. I sighed as I closed my cell phone. What was I going to do with that girl? Lately, she just hasn't been interested in the things that we have always done together. She doesn't enjoy shopping, she doesn't want to go to the dinner parties, and even working together isn't as fun as it used to be. The hardest part was that I couldn't figure out why. I mean, I know that she's been feeling really self-conscious about her body since her operation, but the doctors assured her that the scars would fully heal. Besides, I couldn't see why she wanted to have her nose shrunk. We both have the cutest button noses and she thought she looked like Toucan Sam. In the back of my mind I think she regrets the whole thing since changing her nose has made her look like a completely different person. She'd never admit to it out loud, though. I could almost swear that even the portrait of mom in my study had to take a second glance to be sure it was Melanie when she came over the other night.

Before the operation, I asked her why and her reply was, "I'm not happy with the way I look. I feel like when I enter a room, my nose is the first thing people see. I work in the fashion industry where EVERYONE is perfect and I want to feel confident."

I knew that a girl named Eva, Mel's frenemy from high school had just landed a job at the same magazine Mel worked for, and had been flirting up a storm with Mel's crush, a drop dead gorgeous Gabriel Aubry look-alike. This is it, I thought, really want my sister to be happy, and I'm not going to let this girl steal her man. Now all I needed was a plan to bring Mel and her crush together without Eva being able to interfere Well, that is for another time.

Right now I have to make a salad. It then occurred to me that I had no idea of what kind of salad to make. Salad nicoise? Potato salad? Caesar salad? Getting up and walking to the fridge, I looked inside of it and debated my choices.

I logged on to YumSugar to find a spectacular salad recipe to take to the dinner party our friends were throwing after but then decided, screw it. I'll order one up from the catering place a few blocks over and just pass it off as my own. Those upper crust socialites won't know the difference because they do the same thing. A knock on the back door jilted me from my food debate.

"Who is it?"
"It's John. I need a cup of sugar neighbor."

I knew full well what he meant by a "cup of sugar" Unfortunately, he meant a cup of sugar and that's it. I'd been lusting after John since he moved in last month, but he seemed more interested in Melanie. "So, how's your sister doing?" he said as I opened up the door. "She has a telephone, and a number; both work surprisingly well what with technology and all," I said. "Bad day or what Kim? Please, if it's hard to be neighborly, keep the cup of sugar and the comments," John said.
"No, no, I just, yes, bad day, long day. Whatever you want to call it," a little sigh escaping my mouth. "Please just take the sugar and accept my apology."

He took the sugar from me and as he started looking away I spoke without thinking as I always do, "What's the sugar for, SUGAR?". What was I thinking I just called a grown man SUGAR! I leaned againts the wall trying to recover, arms crossed. With that, John flashed his 1000-watt smile and took the cup.

"Thanks for the sugar, sugar" he laughed, walking out the door. I couldn’t help but smile; I abhor cutesy pet name but I’d be his sugar anytime. “SALAD, Kim” I reminded myself. I decided to call Café Dulce up the street.

“Yes, I’d like to order a fruit and walnut salad” I started, “ohh, and a dozen mini Lindsor Tortes” I continued. Mel might forget to bring dessert, but those trust fund babies weren’t going to be looking down their sculpted noses at the DeMaui sisters. Yikes, I’ll have to wean myself off the nose job humor, I thought, thinking of Mel. Just then the phone rang, I couldn’t believe it - it was John, he said, "thanks again for the sugar, but I'm gay so please stop hitting on me - it's pathetic." I was so shocked by the phone call that I simply said "Get over yourself" and dropped the receiver.

I was too busy to deal with such rudeness. I had just enough time to get to the store and back before 5:30 so I grabbed my car keys and headed out. On the way I ran into Mario. And I have to tell you that after that phone call, Mario was looking like the fresh drink of water that I needed. So I asked him if he might like to join me for dinner? What was I thinking dinner? After totally embarrassing myself with John, and here I am asking this tall drink of water to dinner. Oh my God please tell me I didn't just ask him! Please God, Please God! Mario had been a student in the ESL class I taught, and I had a crush on him that had been hard to hide. I'd seen him out for a walk several times since but chickened out and gone the other way before we got to speaking distance. And no wonder, I sounded like a total idiot; Mario quirked an eyebrow, and I could tell he was trying to hide a smile because his adorable dimple creased his cheek. "Bella Mia do you realize yourself? You are speaking strange things out aloud. I do not understand your drink of water. You are...it is....giornata stressante, no?" He shook his head. stressful day. That was putting it gently. "And your shoes --" he gestured. I looked down -- one sandal and one sneaker. Both left footed. Now I looked like a total idiot. "I just..." I broke off helplessly, flinging up my hands up in a gesture of humiliated resignation. I could feel a blush rise to my cheeks.

He caught one of my hands and stepped in close before I could pull away. "Yes, I would like dinner with you, anywhere, anytime." he murmured. "Tonight?" "Yes," I squeaked in spite of myself as his warm fingers traced my knuckles and trailed down to trace my fingertips. I could feel my pulse fluttering like a caught sparrow. If he did anything else I would melt right here on the sidewalk. How was I going to manage having dinner with him? Oh my god, I had invited him to my dinner party tonight. The one I was hosting for my ex-best friend and my ex-fiance.

My thoughts veered away from old memories, as I realized how close Mario was standing to me, his breath warm on my face. "Tonight, when?" he prompted gently. "6:00. My place and I'll drive you over." My mouth said, smiling, as my brain frantically screamed: zip your lips, girl, shut your mouth, call it off, call it off, get a rain check, you can't handle this tonight, you'll wreck any chances with him if you drag him into this, call it off, wow, he smells good and his hands are so warm....ohhhh....

"Not at your house, then?" he sounded faintly disappointed, then his dimple quirked again. "I will drive. It is a new Ferrari 612 Scaglietti - you will love it." He leaned in close, brushed a straying lock of hair off my face and kissed each cheek -- a European farewell. I could still feel the softness and warmth of his mouth long after he turned the corner and disappeared down Tobein avenue.

I floated home, despite the two left shoes, trying to figure out what to do next. What did I have that looked good that didn't ride up indecently in a Ferrari? How could I stand to be in the same room with ex-best-friend Beth or ex-fiance Sean again? Frack me, I had forgotten the salad, I realized as I changed for the tenth time. So long as I didn't put on two left shoes again, the rest would fix itself, I told myself determinedly, digging through my closet and changing again. I wasn't going to let anything screw up tonight with Mario. Especially given the circumstances of this dinner party I had to endure. I put on my sexiest red dress and did my makeup just right before finally deciding to delve into the salad once and for all. Finally my day is now over.

I had the salad, my outfit was way too sexy for Mario, and I knew I could face the rest. As I was thinking of changing the bed sheets for maybe a little surprise for Mario, I heard the door open and Mel say "hey Tracy, I'm here with the desert," I flung the duvet over my rumpled unmade bed, grabbed the salad out of the fridge, and checked my makeup one last time in the upstairs hall mirror. As hurried down the stairs to the front door entry, I heard a cacophony of noise -- car doors slamming, raised voices, running footsteps, and startled exclamations. I slipped on the steps and almost fell -- all the noise and chaos made the tiny foyer into Grand Central Station. I could see Mel holding the cake platter overhead with two hands, shrieking, trying to stay out of the way of a tangle of arguing men. I heard fragments of conversation "--only kissed her hello--" "--NOT gay!" "--stop fighting, my cake--" "--friend Eva was lying--" "--not GAY, I want her--" "--how they say hello in where I come from--" My neighbor John spurted free of the fracas and careened into me, grabbing my arm for balance the salad bowl spun out of my grasp. I fell with John still in his death grip and yelling in my ear

"--said I was gay to get you to leave me alone, you thick-skulled twit!" And we landed with in a heap, knocking into the crowd on the floor. A confetti of field greens and pear tomatoes rained down us. Wedged between John's shoulder and Mario's knee, I had a perfect view of Mel tilted against Gabe's chest (her crush!), the upraised cake wobbling precariously. I pinched my eyes shut, wincing. All I needed was Eva's frenemy Eva to show up to make this a total disaster. I felt salad dressing drip on my cheek and a tomato bounce into my cleavage.
Mario reached down and hauled me to my feet, and his laughing voice in my ear made me shiver. "Cara Mia, you invite disasters, my Armani is ruined, and yet I have I crave nothing but to taste your tomatoes."

A News Flash! (Literally)

GiggleSugar — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 12:00:00 -0700

When this reporter made a surprise visit to the home of a man facing assault charges, he had no problem flashing a little more than his pearly whites for the camera. Assaulting the eyes of others on national television is not the best way of proving one's innocence, but to each his own. (Most of the nudity is blocked out, but you'll see enough to get the full picture. Consider yourselves warned!)