Secret Society of List Addicts: January 2010

My TV Boyfriends, in no particular order

I'm a one-guy kind of gal, but there's something appealing—and safe—about crushing on a TV character. Allow me to present my TV Boyfriends:

Jim Halpert, The Office. He's funny, charming, tall, and has great hair.

Jack Shephard, Lost. The emotionally tortured doctor. He saves lives, and can shed tears in a manly way.

Captain Apollo, Battlestar Galactica. Just when you think he's a Golden Boy, things get complicated.

Doc Rowe, Band of Brothers. Again with the saving lives, AND he speaks Cajun French!

So, who are your TV crushes? Spill the beans!

Stupid Things I Did as a Kid

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A few weeks ago, List Member That Kind of Girl wrote a fantastic post about current youth trends she doesn't understand. Everyone seemed to really get into the discussion of the post, except for one comment from "Anonymous" which said:

"As a seventeen year old who does none of the so called terrible, terrible things mentioned above, I submit to you: Sometime during the 1950s, teenage culture began to emerge as a separate group, a bridge between children and adults. But I'm assuming you don't disapprove of rock music. And I'm also assuming that at least some of you wore acid wash jeans and too much hairspray."

Well crap, Anonymous, you're right! The point of the post wasn't to make you feel bad (seriously, I think all of us were just having a good time venting because our joints were a little creaky that day and we ran out of our Ensure), but you have a valid point. While I, too, am perplexed by many of the youth trends out there, I was a hot mess from age 14 to 18. So, in an effort to show you that I think we are all well aware how ridiculous we were as teens (but also feel as though we've earned the right to be the tsk, tsk-ers), here's a few of the oddities I played at as a kid:

1. In the nineties, when Kurt Cobain and grunge was all the rage, I didn't go a day without wearing a plaid flannel shirt WITH my plaid uniform skirt to school. Sexy.

2. My friends and I decided that not only were traditional Birkenstock sandals hot as hell, they could be made hotter by wearing them with said uniform skirt AND tube socks. For real, even in the winter.

3. I denied, for years, the fact that I had curly hair, and often walked around with "triangle head". Which, again, I thought was THE HOTNESS.

4. In seventh grade, my favorite outfit was navy and teal. Meaning, I wore a teal turtleneck, a navy jumper, navy socks, and navy and teal paisley Keds. I believe I also wore a navy or teal bow in my hair, and I was also sure to wear navy mascara that day as well.

5. I am paler than anything, but in an effort to be "glam", I wore a lipstick called "Rum Raisin", which was a deep, fugly shade of chocolate brown. I wore it all. The. Time.

Alright kids, fess up! What youth trends did you participate in that perplexed our elders? (And of course, Anonymous, we love you...thanks for reading!) :)

Posted by The Naked Redhead

Necessary Items For A Simple, Functional Home Bar

As I age and mellow, weekend nights tend to find me reaching for beer and wine. But sometimes a night in calls for something a tad stronger to fortify the troops. Back in my former life, I was a keen boozehound, and am distilling all my experience for your drunken pleasure with this list of the only five things you need for a killer home bar.

1) Booze. 'cause without it, you're still sober, my friend. A bottle of each of the basics should get 'er done: rum, tequila, vodka, gin, brandy, whiskey. As far as brands, choose what pleases you, but this boozy pauper sternly recommends you pony up a few bucks to get a brand of vodka other than Smirnoff. Standards, guys.

2) Fresh ice. If you have to utter the phrase, "Uh, I think we have ice somewhere," then your ice isn't fresh enough. Ice absorbs all the grody flavors of your fridge, so do yourself a favor and use nothing more than a week old.

3) Fresh citrus fruits. You can hand-squeeze these to make juice to order. Some dudes are crazy about their orange and grapefruit juices, and bully for them, but for my money you can never go wrong with half a dozen each lemons and limes tucked into your fridge. And never use that bottled junk. It's made for cooking, not drinking, and is so bitter it'll flip your eyelids inside-out.

4) Simple syrup. Boil two cups water on your stove. Dump in two cups granulated white sugar. Stir 'til all the sugar dissolves, then funnel into a container and store indefinitely in the fridge. There's a reason it's not called complicated syrup. Now you can easily sweeten drinks without stirring your wrist off for the crystals to dissolve.

5) Cocktail shaker. Nothing fancy: stainless steel, strainer in the lid, comfortable grip, and big enough to hold however many cocktails you usually shake at a time. The key to shaking a cocktail: use lots of ice, and shake it -- like you're waking it up, not like you're rocking it to sleep -- until the outside is covered with condensation.

No-fail guide to making a delicious drink? Fill cocktail shaker (#5) with lots of fresh ice (#2). Dump in one once citrus juice (#3), one ounce simple syrup (#4), and two ounces of any basic booze (#1). Shake, strain into a chilled glass, and enjoy. Your friends will think you're a genius. You'll think "dude, let's all go dance around naked outside. Woo!"

What key bar staples did I miss? Heckle me in the comments section.

Posted by TKOG of Not That Kind of Girl.

The upside to making $2, or Fun ways to be thrifty

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So my time as a breadwinner is rapidly coming to a close, and the mister will have the household's sole income. But there's something kind of exciting and—dare I say it?—pioneerish about being fabulously unwealthy by choice in these United States.

Foraging for/making your own stylish clothes. Going to Goodwill and finding something awesome for approximately nothing? Yes, please. Reinventing an old button-down to make it look very a la mode J. Crew? I'm for it.

Eating better. I said it, and I meant it. Growing your own veggies and herbs, and making weekly meal plans that rely on purchased items with fewer than one bazillion fake ingredients, can definitely be cheaper and yield way healthier results. Rice and beans aren't expensive, yo.

Inspires the inner crafter/handywoman/carpenter/quilter. It's so much fun to find solid, vintage pieces of furniture on Craigslist and refinish them yourself. It's incredibly rewarding to fix something yourself. And making something from scratch is always a self-esteem booster. Plus it ups the inherent value of your stuff.

Having fun the old fashioned way. For free! Picnics, dancing around the living room, movie night on the couch, games, books, hiking, biking, going to the park. I mean, what's not fun about any of that?

So what are the silver linings to your financial clouds? Do tell!

The List for Dudes. By-A Lady

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A few years ago, I read an article where a fifteen year old teenage boy wrote to the columnist lamenting his sad lack of girlfriend. The columnist replied with something along the lines of, "Kid, forget the girlfriend and hit the gym, read some books and learn the art of conversation for the next five years. I promise when the time comes, you'll be confident enough with who you are that you'll be up to your eyeballs in p*ssy."

Crass advice, sure, but true. The bottom line is, women tend to want a partner who is well-rounded and has a little depth.

Here's a few things I'd add if you, er, want to be up to your eyeballs in...you know:

-"Funny" wins more points than "handsome". You might have gorgeous pecs or a chiseled jaw, but a sense of humor trumps perfect looks any day. I've known many a lady who has been with a man who may not be a Brad Pitt, but he sure can make her giggle.

-"Real, easy confidence" wins more points than "Yo, I can bench press my car". Fluffy or skinny, out of shape or chiseled, have confidence in who you are (and the body you inhabit) and we will think you are the hotness. Seriously.

-"Working on issues" wins more points than, um, "Being a Crazy Pants". We are really sorry you went through all that shit as a kid, and we totally agree that the one girl who tore your heart to pieces and gave you The Clap was a nasty-ass ho, but please, please, get some help before you bring that mess into a relationship. We will listen, comfort and support you as much as we can, but at the end of the day, we cannot (and should not) be your mom/therapist/minister.

There you go, boys. Anyone else have anything to add to this list?
Posted by The Naked Redhead

Ways My Roomba Attempts to Emotionally Blackmail Me

I ordered a refurbished Roomba hoping to receive a well-behaved and docile little domestic servant. When I turned Wallace on and he immediately lunged for my feet, I realized this wasn't to be the case -- maybe he was mistreated at his original home? -- but I hoped he could be, at least, like a sweet and very dumb dog. Over the months, he has stopped at nothing to torment, aggravate and emotionally traumatize me. I have become, it seems, a mother. Ways that my favorite little dude breaks my heart on a daily basis:

Humping my electrical cords for twenty minutes at a stretch. I know you're lonely, little buddy. So am I. But you don't see me humping anything. (Which, I suppose, might explain the loneliness.)

Going in the bathroom, closing the door behind him, then bashing himself repeatedly against the door. He's a tube of black eyeliner and a Hot Topic bumper sticker away from being a teenager. And is that ... oh god, is that Metallica I hear?!

Eating a 100-yard spool of thread, then coughing up dust all over my fresh laundry. This one's double Lifetime Movie, 'cause not only does the one you love have an eating disorder, but you have to perform delicate and time-consuming open-heart surgery on them to boot!

Knocking over my end table then eating everything on it. Small cross-section of his previous dining selections: phone charger; glove; about six pairs of earrings; three pictures of my ex-boyfriend (jealous much, Wally?).

Refusing to wear the googly eyes I conscientiously glue on him. No matter how much glue I put on, he bashes himself against the wall until he liberates them, then eats them. Come to think of it, maybe the googly eyes are why he's so mad at me in the first place.

Any robots in your life giving you grief lately? Or am I just the worst Roomba mother in the world?! Discuss in the comments section.

Posted by TKOG from Not That Kind of Girl.

Only The Best Is Good Enough

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Most of the time, I like to think of myself as quite frugal, but there are some instances where only the best will do. These are the things I will pay extra for, to get my favourite brand, or simply because I believe it makes a difference.

Coffee - I love coffee, but I absolutely loathe most "cheap" coffee. I can't drink instant anymore, it just doesn't taste as good as the proper stuff, and even cheap, fresh coffee doesn't do it for me!
Foundation - I've never found anything that works as well as my MAC stuff does!
Coats - Every cheap coat I've had has looked terrible after one season, and I like my outerwear to last!
Cheese - Because real creamy, delicious cheese is so much better than cheap processed stuff that tastes of plastic!
Haircuts - It really seems to make a difference, especially when you have uneven shoulders like me, to have one's hair cut somewhere that's as good as you can afford.
Spirits - No Smirnoff or supermarket whisky for me, I like Belvedere and proper single malts!

What do you find it pays to pay premium for?

A list for a lovely lady

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My mother-in-law was diagnosed with breast cancer this week. She's an amazing lady—she teaches 6th grade! need I say more?—and she's beaten cancer before. So this week I though I'd list some things I love about her.

She has the best Christmas tree every year. Seriously, this lady's tree decor can't be beat. Hundreds of ornaments, one on every branch. Sparkling gold curlicues bursting out from every angle. Red poinsettias tucked into shadows. And to top it off, a glowing Snow White.

She can wrangle a classroom full of 11-year-olds. Identity crises? Onset of puberty? Nothing frightens this woman. And what's more, she actually teaches them things.

She LOVES Disney. Not only does her love of all things Disney appeal to my inner child (the one that wanted to be a Disney animator), she has a timeshare that she shares with all of us to spend a little time at The Happiest Place on Earth.

She's travel savvy. This lady knows how to plan a trip. From a Grand Western Tour of the United States to numerous trips to Europe, my mother-in-law not only knows how to get from here to there in style, she can plan it for a huge group of students and their parents to boot.

Do you guys have a mom-in-law or potential mom-in-law? Why not try listing some things you love about her. You just might like it.

Five Ways to be a Stronger Woman TODAY (aka Sorry, Dudes, You'll Get a Post Next Week)

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I think the best compliment anyone can give me is if they describe me as "strong". I'm not always this way (and dammit, if I don't need a lot of assistance along the way), but I do like knowing that if I need to take charge in life, I can. Making my own decisions, doing what's best for me and my relationships (even when it hurts), and hell, even going to a fancy restaurant or a movie by myself is, well, like my crack.

THAT'S RIGHT, I DO FIGURATIVE DRUGS.

Anyway, without further ado:

1. Stop putting up with shit you wouldn't allow your girlfriend/sister/mom to put up with--That's right, Ms. Making-Excuses-for-Your-Partner-or-Love-Interest's-Bad Behavior. Stop it right now. You deserve better.

2. Try something new--Maybe it's something as small as taking a different route home from work. Break out of the mundane and see what possibilities wait for you in your own neighborhood.

3. Say "No", just this once--You're overbooked as it is, and no one will mind if you miss one meeting/get-together/small obligation for a nap, a solitary glass or wine, or some snuggle time with your kids (both real and fur).

4. Wear it because it makes you feel good--Don't wear it because it's in fashion, you think your mom will like it, or because it's "appropriate". Meh. Be comfy if you like comfy, be crazy if you like crazy, and be just a little bit slutty if you like slutty (I see you, my BCBG heels. You're not really right for work, but you need some love, too.)

5. Control your life, don't let your life control you--See above.

What do you do that makes you feel strong?

Posted by The Naked Redhead

Current Youth Trends That I, As a Withered Old Crone of 23, Am Too Old To Understand

Hello, loves! It's TKOG over from Not That Kind Of Girl, absolutely thrilled to accept a posish as Secret Society of List Addicts' new contributing Wednesday writer! Being all Web 2.0 and twitterific, I occasionally find myself getting puffed up with the technological know-how and hubris of youth -- then I accidentally call a DVD player a VCR and a four-year-old is like, "wtf, n00b?" and, uh, I guess what I'm saying is, without further ado, here are some:

Current Youth Trends That I, As a Withered Old Crone of 23, Am Too Old To Understand

The Jonas Brothers. It's so cute how they taught those embryos to hold guitars!

Sexting. Every time that newfangled "90210" remake uses it as a plot point, a little part of me dies. What happened to the good old days of innocent cybersex in AOL Pool Party Teen Chat 2?!

Tumblr. So it's like a blog, but ... nobody can comment? And you repost other people's entries? And entries are legally required to be 75% song lyrics? Fine, but why do they scroll horizontally instead of vertically?!

Autoerotic Asphyxiation. Okay, technically adults do it too, but this trend is so popular on MySpace that it's about three months away from being the subject of the next Disney Channel Original Movie. Why don't kids these days masturbate like we did back in the day? Furtively and shamefully.

Skinny jeans on dudes. Look, I know you kids are too young to have to start worrying about infertility, but just remember what happened to Chandler and Monica on -- oh dang. You guys don't know what Friends is either, do you?

I give up. Class dismissed. Just stay the heck off my lawn. For extra credit, though, what youth trends confuse and disturb you fellow sticks-in-the-mud? Or are you guys hipper than me and actually like these things? Discuss in the comments.

10 Things to Achieve in 2010

Kate is a A languages student with a voracious appetite for magazines and all things sartorial. She is currently living in France, putting normal life on hold in favour of adventuring around Europe. She blogs about this, and other things, at sparke smile dance.

We find ourselves in a brand new year (and decade) and while those around me have been squirreling away at their lists of New Year’s Resolutions for the past few days, I have managed to resist. It’s not that I’m against the idea of self-improvement per se, more that I feel that this tradition of making vows to completely revamp oneself overnight is rather futile and often leads to them being all but forgotten by lunchtime on the 2nd January. Instead I have made a list of things that I would like to achieve by this time next year; this won’t involve me being my very best self for the next 365 days, but will hopefully allow me to tick some very important things off my ever-increasing to-do list!

1. Do something slightly outrageous every day.
Being away from home and everyone that knows me so well has brought out my more eccentric side; something I can feel disappearing against my will now I’m back on home turf. In an attempt to recapture this slightly more interesting version of myself I’m going to make a concerted effort to step outside my comfort zone at least once a day.

2. Have something I’ve written published by somebody other than myself.
As satisfying as it is to press that magical button on my blog and put my musings out there for the world to read, it would be all the more exciting if someone else was doing it for me.

3. Spend at least as much time reading (decent) books as magazines, if not more.

My magazine habit is verging on the out-of-control side of ridiculous: I have been known to spend more of my weekly budget on glossy reading material than anything else. As fulfilling as I may find these activities, I cannot help but feel that my life (and potentially bank balance) would be improved by spending some of this reading time on more ‘worthy’ material.

4. Limit my pasta intake to one (or maybe two) meals a week

This is definitely a case of won’t cook rather than can’t; if I have willing guinea pigs, I will happily cook up a storm, but when it comes to cooking for myself I’m insanely lazy and will all too often shove some pasta in a pan and smother it in pesto. This habit makes for an incredibly boring diet and is not particularly healthy – may 2010 be a year of self-discovery in the kitchen!

5. Learn to get out of bed in the morning without snoozing the alarm several hundred times
What always begins with good intentions, as I set my alarm for a sensible, productivity-facilitating time nearly always ends in tears as I repeatedly hit the snooze button, buying myself hours longer in bed – ten minutes at a time.

6. Start wearing bright lipstick in the daytime without feeling over-dressed or ridiculous
I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve carefully applied lipstick only to wipe it off seconds before leaving the house because it somehow doesn’t feel appropriate. I will happily wear lipstick of any shade in the evening, but for some reason I can’t quite bring myself to do the same during the day.

7. Read at least one of the ‘Twilight’ series
have so far refused to have anything to do with this phenomenon, partly because I’m far too loyal to Buffy and Angel to even contemplate acceptance of a modern version of this tale; however, my real objection comes on moral grounds – I have endured far too many fourteen year old girls ‘Eeeeeh TWILIIIIIGHT!’ over the past few months and just cannot bear to associate myself with anything that elicits such an irritating response! Having said this, it’s rather unfair to be so judgemental without giving this phenomenon adequate opportunity to win me over – who knows, I might even enjoy it?!

8. Learn to enjoy buying food as much as I do any other form of shopping
Put me in almost any shop – clothes, shoes, books, home wares, anything – and I’ll be in my element, happily browsing and making hypothetical purchases, but put me in a supermarket and I’ll instantly become uncharacteristically desperate to make an exit. I’m not quite sure what it is about food shopping that I object to so much, but if I’m to achieve number four on my list, I may well have to make my peace with the food stores.

9. Go on the university ski trip before it’s too late!
Quite simply something I’ve been meaning to do this from the moment I first arrived on campus as a fresher; since my student days are strictly number, it seems that this year could well be the one for a heavily subsidised skiing trip with my very best friends – what’s not to love?

10. Go Blonde
Considering how dark my natural colour is, I know that it will be difficult to achieve, maintain and probably do serious damage to my hair but the fact is, I really, really want to and have for as long as I can remember. I’m rapidly running out of reasons not to and am seriously beginning to feel that 2010 may be the year to fulfil my longest running (if most superficial and frivolous) ambition!

What are you going to achieve in 2010?

Risks I took that yielded much Awesome

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I'm thrilled to be a new contributor, so I thought I'd crack the proverbial champagne bottle with a list of crazy things I've done that changed my life for the way-better.

1. Flew solo at the lunch table in 7th grade. Yes, that's right. I realized that the "friends" I had weren't friends at all and turned myself into a temporary outcast by choice. However I soon befriended much better, kinder schoolmates, and I'm positive that this ballsy move inspired self-confidence and a sense of personal ethics that have served me well ever since.

2. Went to a small college in Nashville, Tennessee, where I knew basically nobody. Yeah, this decision was touch and go for the first year what with me being a city girl transplanted in the land of Country, but I was determined to step out and give it a real shot (see item #1). I ended up with some wonderful friendships, incredible professors and, best of all, I met my husband there.

3. Moving to North Carolina with said husband after college. My family was still in Chicago at the time, and I'm incredibly close with them, but I had a feeling that N.C. (his home state) was the best choice for us. Four years later, we own our own home, can get by on way less moolah than in a bigger city, and my fam just moved here to boot!

4. Supporting the mister's career change. Three years ago my wildly academic husband—he studied Greek and Hebrew in college—went from being a youth minister to a police officer in just a few short months. Sure there's danger, and we've been privy to our fair share of tragedies, but he's helping people and growing into his own skin in ways we couldn't have anticipated. The uniform is an added bonus.

5. Quitting my day job. About that...I found gainful employement (in my field!) pretty much right away after moving to N.C., but I just resigned to stay home with my baby boy who's about to turn two, focus on getting my master's degree, and chase a longtime creative dream. The proof isn't in the pudding yet, but I can feel that this choice is gonna lead to all kinds of awesome.

How about you? Done anything nutty that turned out great?

Heavy Metal Bands Even Super-Intelligent-Non-Metalheads Will Enjoy

Steff writes writes the totally rockin blog SteffMetal, which is a great place to read about metal fashion, lifestyle and kvlture.

If you've been blessed (or cursed) to have known a metalhead in your life, they've probably invested serious time and energy trying to convert you to the dark side.

I am no different. Here are some metal bands I promise you will love:

1. Nightwish
Nightwish play extremely melodic, gothic-style heavy metal, with violins and keyboard melodies and, until recently, a trained female opera singer on lead vocals. Nightwish are what Evanescence WISH they could be, and if you'd love to hear epic retellings of Scandinavian myths and laments of lost love, you should check them out: Best Nightwish Songs: Over the Hills and Far Away, the Poet and the Pendulum, Wishmaster, Phantom of the Opera, Amaranth, Sleeping Sun.

2. Blind Guardian
Are you a fan of Lord of the Rings? Blind Guardian brings Tolkien's stories to life. If you thought there was no magic left in the world, you NEED to listen to these guys. Most Magical Songs: Valhalla (live), the Bard Song, Time Stood Still (at the Iron Hill), Skalds and Shadows, Fly, Imaginations from the Other Side, )

3. Amon Amarth
These Finnish boys play death metal, but - no, don't turn away in disgust, you're going to love this! Trust me! Amon Amarth play death metal about Vikings. Their songs make you want to charge into battle, swords drawn and calling down death and destruction ... in the nicest possible way, of course. They are the only band I know who incorporate double-bass drumming into a ballad. Most Brutal Tunes: Guardians of Asgard, With Odin on Our Side, Fate of Norns, Valhalla Awaits Me, Runestone to My Memory.

4. Manowar
Manowar, my favorite band of all time, sing cheesy classic heavy metal (clean vocals, crisp melody, no growling) about slaying the enemies of false metal and riding motorcycles into the sunset. Their lyrics make me giggle. Favorite Tunes of True Metal: The Gods Made Heavy Metal, Hail and Kill, Kings of Metal, Warriors of the World, All Men Play on Ten.

5. Svartsot
Danish Svartsot sound like Trolls having a party. For real. It's Death Metal with a tin-whistle. Best Trollish Jigs: Jotunheimsfærden, Gravøllet, Tvende Ravne, Bersærkergang.

What musicians do you think we should hear?

What I'd Do if Money Were No Object

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I was reading a Q and A with an author the other day where she explained that the gorgeous apartment depicted in the story she'd written was the one she'd build if money were no object. Her statement got me to thinking a bit...what would I do if I didn't have to think about the money at all? Here are a few things I came up with:

Go to a Beautiful Beach for an Indefinite Amount of Time--Renee Zellweger, in response to questions about how she lost her Bridget Jones weight so fast, basically said that, "I know I'm lucky...not everyone has the luxury of going to the beach for two weeks and doing nothing but run and eat fish and fruit all day." And, while that was just her weight loss plan, I thought it sounded like the most wonderful way to live EVER. I think it'd be awesome to wake up every morning to the sound of waves and the smell of fresh fruit and salt air and then take a long run with the dog in the sand. Siggghhh...I might just stay forever.

Buy Ridiculously Expensive Shoes--I am a bargain shopper at heart (we all kinda are here in the Midwest), but boy if I wouldn't have a RIDICULOUS shoe collection if money were no object. I mean...RIDICULOUS. I probably wouldn't buy a new car, but I'd buy five inch Louboutins like it was my job.

Host an Extravagant Party--It can be for charity or for whatever...I don't care. I would love to just entertain people for one evening with over-the-top food, drinks, music and giveaways. And hell, why not, they can even bring newspapers to donate to the local dog shelter as their "cover charge".

Quit My Job and Participate in Artsy Stuff that doesn't Pay Crap--Suddenly I wouldn't have to choose between a paycheck and something I loved because I was too tired or too busy or whatever.

Travel--No explanation needed, really.

What would YOU do if money were no object?

Posted by The Naked Redhead

A Little Housekeeping (List Style, Naturally)

It seems from the comments that some of you have questions about subscribing to the site or becoming an official Secret Society of List Addicts member. I hope the other founding members don't mind too much if I step in here with a little info, so, without further ado...

1. To subscribe, scroll down a bit and you'll see a link to subscribe in the right hand sidebar. (It's below the "Top Secret Missives" box). We post at least twice a week here at List Addicts, so you'll want to keep up-to-date with all the awesomeness that is list making. Oh! And if you're on Facebook, you can keep up with us there, too.

2. To join this little secret society (see also: "support group") simply e-mail listaddicts (at) gmail (dot) com. Once your information comes through, you'll be able to see your blog as a link under "List Addict Members" in the right hand side-bar.

3. If you have an idea for a list post, feel free to e-mail the listaddicts (at) gmail (dot) com address or post it on our Facebook page. Guest posts are also welcome here on List Addicts (um, partly because we like new friends, and partly because we get to add you to yet another list. What can I say, we Virgos really dig this shit) so e-mail if you'd like to show your skillz.

I hope this helps! Any other questions? Comments? Suggestions? We'd love to hear from you!

Things I Learned from Working With Men

Brittany is a college student with a fanatical love of cardigans. She writes about this and many other things at her blog Invasion of Personal Space.

This past summer I have worked at Shattalon Tire and Automotive with 8 men... not a single female. All the jobs I have had have mainly been with all women (typically worked with children which equals working with women). But working with men gave me a front row viewing of the inner workings of men.

1. Steak Biscuits from Bojangles for Breakfast is Entirely Healthy and Necessary.
Seriously about every day the assistant manager would go to Bojangles and get steak biscuits for whoever wanted it. I sometimes did join in but everyday? Really?

2. Men are Easily Entertained.
The ultimate form of entertainment- knocking someone's pen out of their breast pocket. The highlight of their day is when they can come up and hit the pen out of someone else's pocket. They crack up! Another source of entertainment for them is taking the paper clips and then trying to throw them into the paper clip holder. I'm not gonna lie, throwing paper clips= tons of fun.

3. Men get over things quickly.
One minute they can be cussing about how stupid and incompetent their coworkers are and the next they are laughing with each other and going to grab a bite to eat. Men fuss and then they're done. I have to say I am amazed and jealous. Why can't women be more like that?

4. Men Can Be Shallow.
We have a TV upfront so customers can watch while they wait. And I noticed that we always watched Regis and Kelly. It turns out they base their viewing selection on what show has the hottest host. Typical men.

5. Putting the Toilet Seat Down is Not a Top Priority.
For the first couple of weeks I almost fell into the toilet more than once. Luckily I became accustomed to checking before sitting.

6. Men Can Be Surprisingly Thoughtful and Sweet.
A couple of weeks ago one of the mechanics came up to me and told me not to pack lunch that he was going to bring me something. Well, the next day I was greeted with a fresh salad, Chicken Cacciatore, and bread. It was amazingly good and very sweet of him. And on my last day they gave me a card that they all signed with some money that they noted should be for “something fun."

Have you ever worked in a male-only work enviroment? What did you learn from them?