Men, Women & Hair

A seemingly silly question this evening, sparked a greater level of curiosity than I ever anticipated.

The question: Are men more intimidated by women with long hair than women with short hair?

The story: A woman (who is also my roommate) has been peer-pressured to alter her look - a shorter hairstyle. Her insistent male friend claimed women with long hair are more intimidating than women with short hair, and that quite possibly, she may acquire more phone numbers from interested males if she was less intimidating. He might have been joking, but the idea caused both of us to narrow our eyes and ponder. Really?

Obviously, this concept intrigued me. Thus, I quickly cruised online and signed onto Facebook to see whether or not my male friends had a similar sentiment. I spoke with four friends (well, actually five, but that's another story) and all seemed to have a few similarities.

1. In general, men tend to be more attracted to women with longer hair - the ability to run their fingers through hair is appealing, perhaps even seductive.

2. If a man was, in fact, intimidated by a woman with longer hair, he has bigger issues to worry about.

3. Certain hairstyles work better with certain people (i.e. shorter women with short hair and taller women with long hair)

4. Men are more likely to be intimidated by women who are taller, more intelligent and funnier, which I already knew.

As each conversation progressed, I became more and more curious and fascinated at the thought of something as simple as hair length affecting a man's interest/appeal. Ergo, I have created a list of my own questions; and for fun, a little poll. See above!

(These questions are for men only, thank you.)

1. What attracts you to a woman?

2. What characteristics or features of a woman do you find intimidating?

3. Hypothetical question: You walk into a bar and glance around the room. Do you tend to notice the blondes or the brunettes first?

4. Is it difficult for you to walk up to a woman in a bar and engage in a conversation?

5. If it is difficult to meet someone at a bar, why go? Hope of finding love? Fun flirtation? Fascinating conversations?

Of course, women generally have their own thoughts of men and hair. Again...all are merely generalizations.

1. Tall, DARK and handsome - ring a bell?

2. Scruffy beards, not Santa Clause.

3. Clean cut. Doesn't mean avoid shaggy hair, just controlled - which tends to be true for men and women.

4. Sure, baseball caps are fun, but let's not make it a daily addition to each outfit.

Keep in mind, all this is light and fun - just looking for some insight from the opposite sex. Cheers!

The Big Apple

It's been a little over a week since I moved to Brooklyn. Every morning I wake up from my eight-hour sleep and it feels as though I am waking up in any other place I've lived in before, if that makes any sense. It's not until I walk down the three flights of stairs, pass through two doors, place my earbuds into my ears, take a deep breath and gaze at Park Slope's scenery that I realize...I am living in New York City.

The quick, two-block route to the metro is plenty of time to listen to at least two great songs or one rather long song, a Beethoven classic for instance. Yes, I do still like the classics. My latest is the Cello Suite No. 1, which is probably most memorable from the poorly-directed film, The Soloist. For me, cellos are like bagpipes. Please don't be to quick to judge yet. I consider both bagpipes and cellos to be particularly difficult to play; thus, it takes incredibly talented musicians to surpass such a challenge. Once surpassed, it's hard for the audience to avoid such a magnificent sound - all the reason why I've listened to Cello Suite No. 1 at least ten times in the last two days. Huh...I may be obsessed.

Anyways...I tend to get overly excited when it comes to instrumental music. Case in point I suppose.

Back to NYC.

Obama's motto for the presidential elections was change. Well, as I wait for the Q or R train to arrive in the metro, I tend to gander from side to side, looking at the real New Yorkers - those who have lived in the city longer than a week. Based off of the 30 seconds it takes me to look at those nearest and farthest from me, some things never change. Black is still New Yorkers' preference of color and fashion sense...well, let's say it never ceases to amaze me.

One aspect I love most about the city is its unpredictability; whether it's the unique passengers aboard the metro trains with dual personalities (ask and I'll explain) or whether it's the latest fashion trend - which hasn't yet hit the wee cities in Michigan.

Undoubtedly, I still have a lot to learn about this culturally diverse city; however, there is one thing I already know...I love it here.

Note to readers: writing more often is on my agenda, so please stay tuned for my future excursions and unexpected events in the Big Apple.

University Graduate - It's Surreal

The conclusion of such a long, intense chapter of one’s life is scarier than the surrealism of it all. For students fortunate enough to finish their undergraduate programs in less than four years, the surrealism of graduating from a university may not have the same magnitude as perhaps the “professional students” – those who spend a vast majority of their young adult lives working on their university degrees.

After over five years of higher education, the surrealism of graduating from Central Michigan University was overwhelming. I was consumed with thoughts of forgetting to register for a course, not passing a course (e.g. Geology), or the fear of the university adding yet another degree requirement to my Bachelor of Arts degree. Fortunately, at just over 11a.m. on Friday, Dec 10, the fat lady began singing! I had finished my final university exam; better yet, I finished my last geology exam. A sigh of relief came upon me once I flipped my exam over on top of several already completed exams. As I walked down the three flights of stairs in Brooks Hall it dawned on me: I definitely passed that exam; I definitely passed that course; holy crap, I am definitely graduating!! I was psyched, so psyched in fact that I said all of it aloud.

The less than half a mile walk back to my house in Mount Pleasant was so blissful. I could have slipped on the ice beneath my flats and still would have been more than ecstatic. And all of this is merely the result of ending such a long journey. On dirait, c’etait incroyable.

Two weeks later – after packing up my entire room in less than a day, after attending the graduation ceremony, and after flying to Florida for some RnR– I still find myself smothered with this surrealism of finally attaining a B.A. from CMU. It’s not that I took longer than any other student, or that I wasn’t a good student – far from it in fact. It all depends on the degree. Our parents and grandparents tend to forget when they graduated from college, academic requirements and options weren’t nearly as in depth as they are today. Study abroad, for instance, has grown tremendously in the last few years – a cultural opportunity for curious, adventurous students. More and more students crave it, and more and more employers demand it. Sure, it may add a few months or even a year to one’s academic career, but the possibilities it may bring to one’s career in the real world are endless. Or so they say. I’ll remain a believer even if it takes me longer than a year to find my place in the workforce.

Thinking back on my undergraduate experience, I would take NOTHING back – not the people I met, not the experiences I had, nor the time it took me to complete it.

What’s next? Well, I have a flight to catch on Jan. 7 to New York City. Hopefully, the knowledge I’ve gained from over five years of studying at a university and my experiences abroad will help me land a job in the big city. Please keep me in your thoughts – it’s a rough market out there. Happy New Year! 2010…whoa.

Cellular Phones

Five years ago, a certain pattern existed with our technological advancements. Our gadgets (i.e. cell phones, laptops, desktop computers, MP3 players and iPods) decreased dramatically in size. Remember when the Motorola Razor first launched? It was incredible - so small and lightweight. The perfect practical phone, of course, until its owner dropped the slim, fragile Razor on the floor, thus shattering it into several pieces. (I have seen this, it is true.) There is also the iPod shuffle - the size of an eraser. So small!!

Today, I glanced around a lecture room in Moore Hall at fellow students and I noticed a world obsessed with technology: two-handed texting; web surfing on an iTouch, i Phone, Blackberry, T- Mobile, etc; and 17" Dell and 15" Mac laptops resting on laps.

Two revelations became of this rather short gander around the classroom. First, our world has become intertwined with the world of technology. How many times per day does the average person check his or her email, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc? For students: In class, is your cell phone on a classroom desk visible to the professor? How many times do you check your phone in class? Thinking back to my high school days, I do not remember feeling a loss of self without a cell phone. When did such a gadget become so vital to our lives? Is it more important than sight? A couple of classmates I have met over the years would forget their glasses or contacts, but remember their phones. Huh? Furthermore, those who text tend to completely ignore road safety laws. Exhibit A: I was walking behind a college student who was listening to music (with earbuds) and texting. Sounds relatively normal, right? Well, this "educated"college student continued to text, without lifting his head to check for a clear crosswalk, and almost got hit by a car. Niiiiice.

As the Aussies like to say, well done mate.

Admittedly, I too, am a victim of this obsession. Fortunately, I do have some self control. My cellphone is not attached to my hip and I can go a few days without checking my email or Facebook (except during school, because it would be inexcusably unintelligent to ignore my uni's email account).

The second revelation was the incredible size of cell phones nowadays. Wow. Our wee gadgets are not so small anymore. Think about it, an iTouch (a device I love oh so dearly

) is equivalent to a 3x5 index card. Since texting has become more popular than talking on the phone, Samsung Rogue, equipped with a keyboard (accessible only by sliding the top half of the phone), has a width of 1-1.5 inches. The pockets of most skinny jeans would not be able to contain such a device. Just massive.

Undoubtedly, I think I will stick to the simple phones - my iTouch and MacBook Pro balance out my tech-savy-o-meter so it works out just fine. Flip phones have a special place in my heart , an unbreakable bond.

I would like to conclude this post with a few words of wisdom for which all states and countries should take to heart:

As a future New Yorker, texting, better yet cell phones altogether, should be prohibited while driving. Pull over the car if it is an emergency - as simple as pie.

As my sister (a New Yorker), Kathrine, says: "Follow the words of the wise my little grasshoppers."

My Last, First Day of Classes

It is noon and the delicious, mouth-watering aroma of a grande carmel cafe is beside my beautiful MacBook Pro and it just hit me - MY LAST, FIRST DAY OF CLASSES!

I remember last spring when 80 percent of my household was so joyful at the thought of nearing the end of undergraduate school. Aside from mere jealousy, it was a small reminder that I still had another semester before I could join this wee celebration. Alas, my time has come! It's almost surreal, but I think the surreality will fade quickly and utter excitement will take its place. Who would not be enthusiastic about finishing a five and a half year degree?

It is quite funny the first day of class remains the same from semester to semester: professors do a quick (or slow) run-through of their syllabus, underclassmen appear a bit too dolled-up for class (It is my understanding that we are not enrolled at New York's Fashion Institute), campus bookstores are chaotic and upperclassmen sit impatiently on uncomfortable classroom chairs wondering why on earth they were required to register for Geology 101: Prehistoric Life - blogger's current thought.

For upperclassmen, the first week is not just redundant - buy books, go through syllabi, pay tuition, etc - but it is an opportunity for them to be leaders.

Last weekend, for example, I was walking home from work and a fellow student stopped me and asked, "Do you know where the Towers are located?" Why of course, just walk south on Washington Street and they are on the right. After the brief encounter, I continued on my path to my house with a high sense of seniority. Additionally, on Monday, I was headed to Kaya, a coffee shop, for French Conversation Hour and a woman leaned out of the window of her Jeep Cherokee and yelled, "Do you know where AnspaCH is?!" Unfortunately I did not have time to take out my headphones and respond, but the 'ch' pronunciation was clear as day and it just killed me. For those of you who are not in-the-know, the 'ch' is silent. Oh newbees...

Selective Eating

I love food. Plain and simple. Growing up, food was solely a necessity. There wasn't that passion to explore the various cuisines in the world. Basically, if I wanted to still be alive the following week, it was a good idea to chow down on my mom's goulash. Although, has anyone ever had goulash? I'd be lying if I said it was my favorite and the name kind of throws me as well. Goulash just doesn't seem to have that "mmmm" ring to it. Overall, my mom's culinary skills are more than adequate; I just happened to remember one of my least favorite meals she made once a month. When it comes to cooking, mothers do have it rough. They not only try to please their own taste buds, but those of their husbands, their sons and their daughters. Just imagine fulfilling the needs of six people. Ah?! So a wee toast to mothers!

As I think back to my childhood, I recall being quite selective of most foods. At local restaurants, for example, I always ordered the greasy chicken fingers and salty French fries. You know the type, right? For the most part, my mom stuck to the basics: no peas, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, bizarre fish concoctions, split-pea soup and surely I am forgetting others.

Oddly enough, after puberty, I was no longer a vexatious eater. In fact, aside from the repulsing fungi known as mushrooms, I will eat or at least try everything. If any of you are curious about my utter disgust for mushrooms, I provide you with a wee example: my mom would sauté mushrooms in a separate pan so they wouldn't mix with the spaghetti sauce. Do keep in mind that all of my family members thoroughly enjoy mushrooms. Pretty terrific mom, eh?

Pssh, this blogger is full of it! She won't try everything.

Isn't that what all of you are thinking?

Well, such a statement might not have been true two years ago when I was in France. My friend, Brandon Moblo, will back me up on this one for it was his host parents who invited me over for dinner one evening. What was on the menu? Cow tongue my friends, cow tongue. Both Brandon and I remember my slight burst of laughter along with a respectful decline. To be fair, there were several other foreign cuisines I did try while in France. It just so happened live prawns (with heads and all) and cow tongue didn't make the cut. Tant pis (too bad).

In China, however, everything made the cut: cow tongue, sashimi, whole fish (that is an entire fish plopped on a plate), fish eggs, shrimp (with the heads and all), weird ice cream, lamb, sweet milk tea with jelly, fried beef with mayo (interesting), pumpkin pancakes, the spiciest beef in Beijing, Tsing Dao (beer), Bai Jiu (white alcohol, delicacy), fried noodles, fried bananas, egg tart, banana pancake, slightly raw beef and chicken, octopus, Beijing duck, etc. Hungry? Everything I listed was delicious, with maybe one or two exceptions. In my opinion, there is no harm in trying something once. In some cultures, it is considered rude to refuse any food from a host, friends, you name it. With that in mind, it seems simpler to just try it, enjoy it or suffer through it, and then just laugh about it with friends and family later. At the same time, if food poisoning does arise from adventurous tastings, permission is granted to those who wish to seek justice. Um...that traditional Mexican flan dessert you had me try the other night...yeah, I was bloated the rest of the night. Do I get some sort of compensation for the pain you subjected me to? At the same time, this kind of method is merely a one-timer. You might loose friends and loved ones if this becomes a repeated episode of justice seeking.

In short, I hope this post has encouraged selective eaters worldwide to try something new. It doesn't have to be cow tongue or octopus, but something that was once feared and left on the back-burner. Oh, and just to be clear...I will NEVER enjoy mushrooms. Many have tried to make me get over my distaste for such a fungi and all have failed. Admittedly, there are certain vegetables, fruits, grains and dairies people can just live without. Although at least I've tried mushrooms. Have you tried something you dislike? Think about it.

The image above is fried dumplings - a shanghainese delicacy. The trick with these is to take a small bite and sip the soup out from the inside of the dumpling and then dip the dumpling in a spicy sauce or eat it plain. Delicious, inexpensive and filling - excellent combination.

Obesity in America

According to the American Obesity Association, obesity is a disease that has affected nearly one-third of the adult US-population. Furthermore, roughly 64.5 percent of adults in America are classified as overweight or obese. Quite alarming figures, n'est pas?

Traveling to multiple countries has a tremendous impact on the lives of curious explorers - for which most world travelers can vouch. In addition to discovering unique cultures, this hobby can occasionally generate a sense of patriotism to even the most unmotivated American. Before living in France, my involvement in politics (or American patriotism) was rather limited, with the exception of my electoral vote in the '04 Presidential Election. As a democrat, a liberal and an anti-Bush Jr. activist, it was easy as pie to criticize the American Government while in France. Yet, at the same time, I felt an overwhelming sense of duty to persuade my foreign friends that America, in fact, isn't such as bad place. Not all Americans have a personality equivalent to that of Mr. Bush; additionally, not all Americans are overweight. For the most part, it's all fun and games. Traveling buddies from time to time will inquire about the eating habits of most Americans: How much fast food do Americans consume per week? Do they really eat French fries everyday? My personal favorite is a confused stare that is quickly followed by "You are so thin. How is this possible?" Hmmm...yes, every American is obese. I just happened to forget that wee fact while traveling. Obesity is a problem in America; this is fact, not fiction. At the same time, there exists millions of Americans who not only exercise, but scan the grocery aisles for 100 percent organic vegetables, fruits and grains.

Really, it's not their fault - considering the American restaurants available worldwide are Burger King, Dominos, McDonald's and Pizza Hut (to name a few). In addition to those unhealthy options, ice cream conglomerates such as Coldstone, Häagen-Dazs and Ben & Jerry's are easily accessible for the sweet toothers. Contrarily, the Subway addition to the list does tip the scale from excessively unhealthy to very unhealthy. Yey! Why is it only the most addictive, unhealthy restaurants survive abroad? Do these businesses get a special discount? Ten years from now, I hope America no longer has this ridiculous stereotype, but in order for this to be achieved, Americans need to change certain habits.

First, a bag of Cheetos does not equal a side salad appetizer. Furthermore, a side salad appetizer does nothing if accompanied with a cup of ranch or thousand island dressing. Second, after having read an article from TIME magazine - The Myth About Exercise - perpetual exercise does nothing without a balanced, healthy diet. It may seem as though the moist blueberry muffin from the local market is much-deserved after an hour on a StairMaster, yet the 77 minutes of cycling needed to burn off its 360 calories might tempt you otherwise. Portion control isn't a new philosophy; and for the most part, most Americans are aware restaurant chains, pop and candy bars are not acceptable substitutes for organic, nutritious, low calorie meals. So I ask you, if most Americans know this and have the means of balancing their diets, how is the percentage of obesity in America at 64.5 percent? Are Americans lazy? Are we apathetic? What can the American Government do to help control obesity in this nation?

Answers??

America isn't the only country with an obesity problem - check out China! The Chinese have been developing quite the sweet tooth lately. See below.

http://shanghaiist.com/2008/07/15/france24_obesity_chinas_growing_epi.php