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Hot Track: Kelly Clarkson, "Sober"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 15:14:51 PDT

When did Kelly Clarkson get all dark and dreary on us? Though I've been digging her embittered breakup ballad "Never Again," I'm not sure how I feel about the goth-girl cover of her next album, My December, which is coming out June 26 after much hullabaloo. Then, there's her just-released second single, "Sober," which is just downright somber. Just check out these lyrics:

Three months and I’m still sober
Picked all my weeds but kept the flowers
But I know it’s never really over

And I don’t know
I could crash and burn but maybe
At the end of this road I might catch a glimpse of me

I guess it's refreshing that Clarkson, unlike so many young starlets, is sober. But while she shows off some stunningly powerful vocals here, "Sober" is a bit too maudlin to really move me. Listen to it here and tell me what you think.

Song of the Day: Kelly Clarkson, "Never Again"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 10:11:57 PDT

With the angsty anthem "Since U Been Gone," Kelly Clarkson managed to win legions of fans - including folks who probably never expected to care about a song by an "American Idol" champ. Now, she's got a new single called "Never Again," which takes the girl-power bitterness up a notch. Just consider the first couplet: "I hope the ring you gave to her turns her finger green / I hope when you're in bed with her, you think of me."

Rock guitars and deep synth strings just enhance the mood, and as with "Since U Been Gone," the chorus full of pumping crescendos. I'm not sure it matches the energy of her bit hit, though; listen to it here and tell me what you think.

Are Your Birth Control Pills Safe?

Shape — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 04:06:17 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar.

Last year during my annual exam, when I complained to my doctor about my terrible PMS, she was quick to pull out her pad and give me a prescription for the birth control pill Yaz. "You're going to love this," she said. "All of my patients that are on it think it's the best. It's even helped some of them lose weight!"

Less PMS and not having to worry about my weight? I was sold, even though I'd only intended to talk to her about lifestyle and/or diet modifications since my birth control needs were already taken care of. Before I stopped into the pharmacy, however, I looked up the pill online (Paging Dr. Google!). The results were anything but the lovefest I'd been promised. In fact, the information I found scared me so badly that I never filled that prescription.

Am I Normal? Your Top Six Sex Questions Answered

It quickly became evident that I wasn't the only woman concerned when Yaz and it's sister pill Yazmin, two of the most popular pills on the market, came up for review by the FDA after reports that the manufacturer may have hid and minimized critical health risks. But is the hysteria warranted?

Find out how safe birth control pills are after the break!

"My Ex Gave His First Born a Name I Picked Out"

Tres Community — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 03:05:00 PST

This question is from a Group Therapy post in our TrèsSugar Community. Add your advice in the comments!

My ex and I dated for two years, during which we had two miscarriages. Since I'm a typical woman, I did have a few names in mind that I really liked, which I shared with him, as we had already come close to having a baby. I want to emphasize that I was the one that picked out the baby names, he simply agreed to them.

We broke up March of 2011, and it was really hard on me. In April and May, I continued to casually see him in hopes that we would get back together, but since it never happened, I decided to instead take a summer-long vacation across the country to give myself some space. Throughout June, he was calling me like crazy wanting to get back together. It seemed like whenever one of us wanted to get back together, the other one didn't. We ended up staying out of touch in July and August for this reason.

In September, he came back into the picture and we casually started seeing each other again. We saw each other maybe once or twice a week, nothing extreme. Once December rolled around, he started to contact me with a lot more frequency. He passed by my job frequently, posted Facebook statuses about missing me, invited me to outings with his family, cooked me dinner, sent me e-mails several times a day and wanted to talk on the phone a lot. I honestly was very confused.

This past Friday, through Facebook, I find out that he had a baby. I was very hurt, especially considering that he got this girl pregnant approximately a month after we originally broke up. I feel used and stupid because he deceived me and hid this from me for the past nine months, during which he tried to get back together several times and we still remained intimate.

I'm entirely confused as to why he would give his new daughter a name (both first and middle) that I had picked out for our future kids. Isn't this an insult to both me and his baby's mother? Why would he do that? I wouldn't have been bothered with it if we hadn't had any pregnancies in our relationship, but we did. And we referred to the two separate pregnancies by the unique names that I had chosen. I'm not upset, I'm simply in shock. I feel like this is a huge no-no, and I can't help but think that he's always going to think of me when he hears his daughter's name. Please help clarify this situation for me.

Have a dilemma of your own? Post it anonymously to Group Therapy for advice, and check out what else is happening in the TrèsSugar Community.

Tour the Greystone Mansion's Maison de Luxe Showhouse and Shop the Look With One Kings Lane!

Elka Karl — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:11:43 PST

In December, I was thrilled to attend Luxe Interiors + Design's Greystone Mansion Maison de Luxe gala in Beverly Hills, CA. Amazing interior designers were tasked with updating rooms in the mansion, to incredible effect. Now, One Kings Lane has launched its Tastemaker Tag Sale partnership with the designers of Greystone Mansion and Luxe Interiors + Design's: Maison de Luxe.

The sale, which launched today, already has many sold-out items - and it's no wonder, the picks are gorgeous! One Kings Lane members can purchase items that were on display in this renowned showhouse as part of the Maison de Luxe "Get the Look" Tastemaker Tag Sale. Take a peek at images from the gorgeous rooms, and then shop the look with my picks!

Braised White Beans

OnSugar — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 21:15:08 PST

The braised white beans pictured below aren't just legendary; they also happen to be totally vegan. Thanks to Fresh Tart for sharing.

These may look like ordinary white beans but they're actually the cool-girl beans in town, swooned over on Twitter, gossiped about on Facebook, photographed and copied and seriously in demand. I'd love to take credit for the fabulous recipe but no, these are via Chef Adam Vickerman of Cafe Levain, who now has the lady food bloggers in town batting their eyelashes over beans.

The flirtation began last spring, at a California Olive Ranch-sponsored dinner at Levain. As the beans were served, an audible murmur went through the room as the ladies realized that the delicious dish was not only vegetarian but vegan. I myself was inspired and without asking Adam for his recipe, made my own version of braised beans with rosemary and arugula when I wrote about the event.

To locate the recipe, keep reading.

Make Beef Tenderloin: It's the Ultimate Holiday Roast

Susannah Chen — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 13:29:48 PST

There's no better time than the December holidays for a large, important meat roast - and in my humble opinion, there's no better roast than the beef tenderloin. I'm not the only one who believes this.

"Beef tenderloin is a special cut - it's prized because of its tenderness, yet it's incredibly lean. Because it's a solid muscle, it roasts and slices beautifully," Michaele Musel, culinary expert for Washington beef purveyor Double R Ranch, told me.

Since Michaele's prone to making holiday roasts more than once a year, I asked her to weigh in on everything tenderloin, from portion size to presentation. Here are a few things to bear in mind.

First, make sure you've got the serving size right. "A general rule of thumb for the holidays is six ounces of cooked roast per person," Michaele said. That would mean a four- to five-pound roast to feed eight to ten people, or factoring in a slightly larger amount (six to eight pounds) if you're purchasing a rib roast for the same number of guests.
Opt for a center cut beef tenderloin if you're new to the world of holiday roasts. "The center cut allows for even roasting and doneness," she explained - making it more than foolproof for a first-timer.

Keep reading for more thoughts on beef tenderloin.

Savory Sight: Winter Berry Pie

Yum Community — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 03:19:26 PST

Who says strawberry and raspberry pies can't be eaten during December? Coltkels makes a pretty strong case for Winter berry pies.

The pie was a triple threat pie; strawberry, raspberry and blackberry. When I think of berry pies I think of them as a summer dessert. But since it’s my Dad’s favorite desert I didn’t care what time of year I was making it. To all of our surprise this pie was perfect for a cold winter evening. It was berry goodness. Let's just say I’m already booked for next December 15^th.

For the recipes, check out her blog. Been doing a bit of baking yourself? Be sure to share your treats with us in Savory Sights.

What We're Sweet On: A Nongreasy Moisturizing Cream

Annie Tomlin — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 12:35:45 PST

If you've made it this far into December without developing a dried-out complexion, consider yourself lucky. For everyone else, tight and flaky skin is par for the course. Or is it? Too many moisturizing creams feel heavy or greasy as they banish dry skin, but not Lumene Sensitive Touch 5 Minute SOS Cream ($20). Designed for sensitive skin types, this cream is free of parabens, silicones, fragrance, mineral oil, and alcohol. What its ingredient list does have, however, are anti-aging and moisturizing ingredients such as olive oil, shea butter, and linen extract. It's light enough to be worn under makeup, but it treats dryness and redness like a heavy-hitter. Plus, after two weeks of use, it hasn't set off my finicky, acne-prone complexion. Winter might be long this time around, but this time I'm ready.

Savvy Tip: Keep Job Hunting in December

Emily Co — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 00:15:51 PST

People think that hiring slows down during the holidays, but December is actually a busy time for recruiting employees, says Cesar Ulloa, a senior staffing manager at Winter, Wyman, a staffing agency. Industries like retail bring on temporary workers to help with the busy season.

A number of my friends have had quite a number of interviews this month because companies are getting ready to hire for the New Year. Firms that are preparing for the upcoming year will tend to make their hiring decisions before the end of the month. It's also a good time to look for jobs since other people are dropping the ball on job searching because of the mistaken belief that hiring will be slow during December.

Don't drop your job hunting efforts during this month, keep up the effort, and remember to treat it as your full-time job!