Blog Posts by The_Stir

orgasm at the gymGoing to the gym can be pretty monotonous. The waiting for the treadmill, the permeating scent of a thick fog of sweat, the stupid guys who insist on growling like wild animals when they weight lift ... not a lot about the experience is glamorous or soothing. But that all might be changing. There's now scientific proof that working out can cause female orgasms. Clearly, you and I have been missing out.

The research suggests that exercise-induced orgasms are most likely to occur when women are doing core workouts, when they're climbing ropes or poles, biking, or weight lifting. So ... see you at the gym? BYO dumbbells?

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In all honesty, though, even though it sounds sort of nice to experience an orgasm kind of for free, like without any work and as a total surprise, it also sounds borderline terrifying. The study went on to reveal that 20 percent of women who have these sudden workout, uh, explosions didn't even

marriage moneyMy fiance and I live in the Northeast, which, if you're an engaged couple, you automatically know is code for Insanely Expensive Wedding Territory. I don't even know why I was that shocked when I was reading a story that offered up the price tag on the average NYC area nuptials ... Can you guess? Hold on while I choke it out ... $50K! FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS. Ay yi yi!! It blows the mind.

On the other hand, I had an eye-opening moment recently when I found myself scoffing at an article in which the bride-to-be was giving the details on how she is somehow doing a wedding for $5K. She lives in Texas, and it just so happens that her dream wedding involves karaoke at a fraternal hall. I thought, A.) We would never be able to do a wedding like that. and B.) We would never WANT a wedding like that!

But then, I realized I was being kind of ridiculous.

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The writer wasn't necessarily saying that every

star earringsI hate when it turns out my mother was right about something all along! Especially when I really, really thought she didn't know what she was talking about. (And let her know as much.)

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For example: Apparently my mother actually did know what she was talking about when she said "cheap" jewelry would make me sick. Like most little girls, I wanted to wear just about anything that glittered, but my mom would only let me get 14 karat gold or sterling silver. Junky earrings would give me ear infections, she said, crappy rings would turn my fingers green. Dollar store necklaces and bracelets would most likely give me cancer.

I rolled my eyes and swore that if I ever had a daughter, I would buy all the $2 pairs of earrings shaped like monkeys or music notes or rainbows her heart desired. Which I did. Because the truth is? Spending an hour combing through all the incredibly affordable junk at

BeyonceSo, have you seen the photos of Beyonce that are currently burning up the Internet? Judging by the images captured of her appearance at a fundraising dinner Monday night, Beyonce has defied the laws of postpartum-dom-nay, the very laws of PHYSICS AS WE KNOW THEM-by looking gorgeous, fit, well-rested, and astoundingly flat-bellied ... two months after giving birth.

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I know there have been a bunch of weird rumors that Beyonce used a surrogate and faked her entire pregnancy, and I'm definitely not hitching my wagon to that particular craziness. Nor am I begrudging her the discipline it took to lose the weight, the professional assistance she likely had, or the industrial-strength shapewear she was probably wearing under that amazing Victoria Beckham dress.

I AM, however, saying that Beyonce's postpartum midsection looks exactly as realistic to me as that $3,500 Lucite crib she reportedly bought. Which is

Katniss Hunger Games reaping Jennifer LawrenceThere's no doubt that teens are super excited about The Hunger Games movie coming out at the end of the week. And so are younger kids -- the novel had a huge following among tweens. But can they handle the violence? After all, this is a movie about a crew of 24 kids who are thrown together for the sole purpose of killing each other! That's kind of a wild premise for a kids' movie.

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Whether or not your kids can handle Hunger Games the movie is up to you and them. But we'd like to help you out a little. Here's what you can expect to see. But I can't do this without revealing a few plot points -- so fair warning, parents. Spoiler alert!

Second warning: SPOILER ALERT. Okay, let's move on.

My general impression is that the film is a lot less graphically violent than it could have been. The first big scene where they attack each other was more evocative than explicit. You don't

With social media bringing everyone back together and a little bit closer than before, it's not uncommon to "run into" (rather: come across) an ex. I don't know how many exes I've found on Facebook, because Facebook seems to like to suggest that I friend people who've un-friended me and ex-boyfriends. It's like Facebook knows how to hit me where it hurts.

Alas, I digress.

So the ex is back in the picture. What now?

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Well, you're certainly not alone in facing what I (and many others, presumably) call "The Ex Factor." Most of us have dealt with the rekindling of some sort of friendship and/or relationship with an ex. The question is, HOW?

Presuming you're dating the person who is now in contact with his ex, speak up. If he has told you that there's been contact with an ex, he's trying to be honest with you. That's good! Honesty is a hell of a lot better than sneaking around.

But then there's the (probably)

online datingWhenever I read articles about online dating or the subject comes up when I'm chatting with a friend who is a singleton (to borrow a term from Bridget Jones' Diary), it seriously blows my mind if there's even a hint of adversion to the idea that one might find their soulmate on the web. Come on, people. It's been a decade or so since everyone started meeting and hooking up thanks to their internet hook-up. So to think it's sketchy these days, sorry, but you're simply behind the times.

That said, even those who are super openminded about online dating have issues I can sympathize with. The number one problem: Finding someone worth your time. Finding The One. Unfortunately, much of the advice out there on how to "win the online dating game" is leading would-be lovers astray!

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For instance, you might read that you need to sell yourself. Like you're a brand that you're trying to entice your dream guy into

Jennifer LawrenceThere's nothing I love more than a celebrity who comes off totally normal and unfazed by fame in interviews. If you missed Late Show With David Letterman last night, then you missed out on the REAL Jennifer Lawrence. Sure sure, we all know she's freakishly awesome and are totes anticipating her crazily hyped performance as Katniss in The Hunger Games, which comes out in theaters on March 23. However, watching her sit-down with Letterman was a breath of fresh air. Shoot girl, I too used to get tormented by my brother growing up! High five!

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I did love one other thing about Jen's appearance on Letterman last night, though: her hair. It is HARD to rock a half-up, half-down hairstyle. Somehow though, J. Lawr (we're on a nickname basis now) looks like an absolute sexpot with her half-back tresses.

I don't know about you, but I couldn't be more jealous.

As a woman with thick hair myself, it's