Blog Posts by The_Stir

Holidays

There are several kinds of holiday gatherings most people have to negotiate this time of year, from classroom cupcakes to family dinners and more, more, more. Let's see if we can help you get through the next few weeks of mandatory cheer without killing anyone, dying of embarrassment, or losing your mind.

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1. The Office Party. Work parties can be great, especially if you work in a pressured environment, because all it takes is one person lighting a tray of shots on fire to make everything unravel into chaos. Chaos can be very entertaining, but you're more likely to keep your job if you're watching the mayhem from a safe distance. Ultimately, the success of an office party depends on how much you either like your coworkers or don't care at all what they think of you.

Budgets are tight these days but alcohol may still be involved in the typical after-work holiday party. If you're a drinker, do yourself a favor and stop at

MaggotsFellow eaters, we saw some mightily gross food this year. Pretty dang disgusting. We ran the gamut from merely disturbing to vomitous through the past 12 months, and I hope you're not eating right now. Why, you ask? Because I'm about to launch into the 20 Most Disgusting Foods of 2011! Are you ready for this? Take a deep breath, because we are plunging into the ultimate pool of putrescence!

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Gross things people found in their food

1. First there was the frog a woman found in her lettuce.

2. Then there was the frog a man found in his wrap, also hiding in lettuce.

3. And let us not forget the woman who found a condom in her milk.

Foods made with unusual ingredients

4. You can make frozen yogurt out of semen.

5. Or you could just drink straight horse semen shots.

6. It was a happy day when we all learned you can make ice cream out of breast milk.

7. And who knew maggots made

It's that time of year when Santa Claus, mistletoe, family, wrapping, and a million other things are deeply on our minds. It's a busy time of year for sure and it can be very easy to forget your spouse in the mess of baking, wrapping, shopping, and eating.

It doesn't have to be that way. Lest we forget, it's also the only time each year when we can get away with sexy Santa suits (oh yes, I am serious). Think Mariah Carey in "All I Want for Christmas" videos. Now don't you want to play, too?

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This can be a time of year for flirtation and sex, if only you let it (now there's REALLY the most wonderful time of the year). Here are a few naughty and nice Santa outfits that will have him wishing it was Christmas all year:

Christmas Belle With Sequined Mini Dress and Santa Hat; $40.13

Can you imagine wearing this to the party? The one-shoulder detail is super cute and you can either wear (or

ThermometerMoms, we're doing it wrong! According to a new survey -- let's bring the dads into this conversation, too -- we parents are treating our kids' fevers the wrong way. There's a big disconnect between how we think we should be treating a fever and what pediatricians actually recommend.

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The makers of Advil® sponsored a survey that talked with 1,026 parents of children ages 12 years and younger and over 250 pediatricians nationwide. They found out that half of us (52 percent) feel anxious, fearful, and helpless when our kids get a fever. And almost all (94 percent) pediatricians think we need to be better educated about how to handle those panic-inducing fevers. Wouldn't it be great if you knew EXACTLY what to do about your child's next fever? Read on to see if you're treating your kids' fevers right.

• Half of us (54 percent) wake up our kids in the middle of the night to give them more meds. Pediatricians

Your man almost definitely looks at porn. Some of us already know this, accept it, and move on, but others will say "maybe your man, but not mine" and insist that their man would never look at porn because "he isn't that kind of guy." Well, sister. You are wrong. Just about every man looks at porn, and if he says he doesn't, then he is lying. And now a new product lets women catch their men in that lie.

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Find His Porn purports to sweep his hard drive in a secretive way and deliver all the information on his porn straight to the person who ordered the sweep. While it may seem like a great idea, it's actually a relationship killer.

If you have to search for his porn and it bothers you so much that he is doing what 99 percent of all men do, then you are already in trouble. Further, the lack of trust that makes a person do something like this is staggering.

A few years ago, a woman I know was beside herself with

Etsy; $28Oh it's a jolly season alright, full of holiday parties, concerts, dinners, events, and more. And for each one of these gatherings, you want to look merry, bright, and festive. But new duds for each one could break the bank. So what's a frugal fashionista to do?

Why, accessorize of course. 'Tis the season to sparkle, and there's no easier or less-expensive way to transform what you already have hanging in your closet into special and festive frocks. Here are five great ways to turn your everyday items into ones worthy to deck the halls and so much more.

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Shoe Clips Bling out a basic pair of pumps with a fancy shoe clip. Etsy is a great place to find a variety of unique and vintage clips. I think the peacock version featured above is fantastic.

Nordstrom; $35.90Faux Fur Wrap A little fur will keep you warm and add some fun to basic sweaters or dresses. This one from Nordstrom can be worn on or off the shoulders and

Pregnant womanHere in the US, while rates of homebirth are constantly rising, there's still a large stigma attached that suggests that it's unsafe, even for normal, low-risk pregnancies. Heck, there are some people who have said (very wrongly) that elective c-sections are safer than home births. Eek!

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So I'm crushing a little on the University of Oxford Dr. Peter Brocklehurst. He said, "Birth isn't an abnormal process, it's a physiological process. And if your pregnancy and labor is not complicated, then you don't need a high level of specific expertise."

His study showed that 50 percent of women were in no more danger when having a home birth than if they gave birth at a hospital.

Yes, this study was in Britain, but since we're all human, American moms -- this means you too. However, they do point out that in their maternity system, most births (60 percent) are attended by midwives, and birthing centers

bedside tableWith a zillion and one sex toys out there, finding the right one for you can seem like a daunting task. Everywhere you go, there's new online retailers that offer about a million different styles, products, and sizes of sex toys.

So how do you know which one is right for you? Let me help you out.

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Let me start my handy-dandy primer with this: quality matters. Take it from me, who once bought the absolute cheapest vibrator possible only to have it nearly explode while I was using it. Not, as you might guess, something I want to happen to you. Or anyone. Ever. Buying quality doesn't mean you have to spend a zillion dollars, just try and go with the middle of the road toy, price-wise. And what's even better is that most online retailers have a space for customer reviews, so you can easily tell what you're getting is a favorite ... or not.

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