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Things That Make Me Feel Old: The Rent Remake

BuzzSugar — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 08:30:00 PDT

When I was an angsty, misunderstood teenager, I wanted few things more than to see Rent on Broadway. It was, after all, a musical for "our generation." I was a sucker for the story, which seemed then like edgy political commentary, and of course I loved the semi-racy, semi-rockin' soundtrack.

Well, apparently I'm no longer hip, and neither are my fellow 20- and 30-somethings who fell hard for Rent the first time around. See, Rent is being remade for British theater - and the producers are calling their show a "contemporary" take on the musical.

Ouch.

This version is "digital production for a digital world - more a pop opera than a rock opera," the director told Variety. He also said that the "grunge-style electric guitar" is all but gone from the soundtrack. Gone the way of flannel, old-school Smashing Pumpkins and the stereotypical Generation X slacker, I suppose.

Granted, Rent is itself a remake of La Boheme, and its story is pegged to a very particular time and place. Parts of the story were feeling dated already when the movie version came out two years ago. But saying Rent needs to be retooled for a younger, cooler generation makes me long for the days when "Seasons of Love" felt deeply meaningful - and maybe even revolutionary.

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Things That Make Me Feel Old: The Nirvana Baby Turns 16

BuzzSugar — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 08:30:00 PDT

Happy 16th birthday, floating Nirvana baby! Otherwise known as Spencer Elden, this boy will forever be known to many as the underwater baby on the cover of Nirvana's album Nevermind.

According to an interview Elden did with NME in 2006, he's a fan of Nirvana, saying "Most bands around today can't even get near to what Nirvana did on that album, and I'll always be happy to be a part of it." It's a good thing this kid grew up to like Nirvana. Imagine if he didn't?

I wasn't all that old when Nevermind came out, but it's still jarring to see the teenage version of a baby I thought would forever be floating nakedly toward that dollar bill, and possibly drowning a little. In honor of this momentous occasion, I'm going to go listen to "Lithium" and see if I can't dredge up some leftover angst.

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The Vampire Diaries "Bringing Out the Dead": The Good, The Bad, and The Bloody

Marisa Tom — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 07:46:39 PST

After a week's worth of TVD reprieve, it's about time we got some answers - specifically, ones that have everything to do with our favorite Original vamp Elijah and then some. From the tragic twisted fate of Bill Forbes to the shocking discovery Elena makes at home, we're still trying to wrap our heads around everything that goes down. Meanwhile, Bonnie and her estranged mother Abby are tasked with opening the mysteriously sealed fifth coffin, and Damon and Stefan head to Klaus's sweet new pad for the ultimate dinner party showdown.

Like all things based in Mystic Falls, nothing is as it seems and nothing ever goes according to plan. Ready to review the good, the bad, and the bloody? Just keep reading.

How Often Do You Compare Yourself Financially to Others?

valeriekw — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 18:55:45 PST

Ever find yourself comparing your finances to other people? OnSugar blogger Beauty and the Budget talks about this dangerous habit.

In a society where everyone wants to keep up with the Kardashians, it's hard not to covet a fancy lifestyle - success, money, material possessions. When you find yourself in a financial rut, it's easy to compare yourself to others. Even if you don't give a hoot about the Kardashians, you might be comparing yourself to other people you know, and that could be a dangerous habit.

Because I've dealt with financial hardships for the majority of my life, I've practically based my entire life around this entire ideology that just about everyone has more than me. In high school, all of my friends had nice cars, and I didn't even have a car - I shared an old beater with my mom. While my friends' parents took them on shopping sprees, I had to work for anything I wanted. But through it all, I gained integrity and learned the value of hard work. That's not saying that my high-school friends aren't hardworking - they really are! It's just that I had to work a little bit harder to get what I wanted.

Even now, as I struggle to find the perfect job that will kick-start my fashion-career aspirations, I face financial hardships through student-loan debt. And let me tell you, making a few dollars over minimum wage at my current job it isn't easy!

When you get down about your finances or feel like you don't have enough, you have to remember that it could be worse. As a self-proclaimed "glass half empty" pessimist, I can assure you that the idea that things could actually get any worse doesn't seem possible. But in all honesty, we have it pretty good as Americans. Just look around you. Not only do we have food on the table, we also have cell phones and iPods, and if you're reading this article, you've got a laptop and an Internet connection, too. When I reflect on those tumultuous times growing up, and even now, I realize that I never actually needed for anything. Aside from financial difficulties, all of my needs are met daily. I just sometimes can't get the things I want, which leads me to comparing myself to others.

What about you - how often do you compare yourself to others?

Want to see more? Start following OnSugar blog Beauty and the Budget or start your own OnSugar blog for a chance to be featured on the PopSugar network.

6 Tips to Start Your New Job Right

Kiplinger — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:08:12 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Kiplinger story here on Savvy!

I learned some valuable lessons about how to succeed in the "real world" while starting out at my first full-time job, and you can, too.

I never expected my social circle, at age 22, to use the phrase "I feel so old" so much. We know we still have our whole lives ahead of us, but making the transition from college to career can really make you feel like you've aged 20 years. For example, unlike in my college years, convincing myself to go out on a Friday night these days takes almost as much work as getting out of bed on a Monday morning. And I never thought I would be spending my beloved lazy Sundays running whatever errands I didn't get done during the week. Even four internships, including one with my current full-time employer, the Kiplinger Washington Editors, hadn't fully prepared me for this whole professional-life thing.

To help you make the adjustment and overcome common obstacles you might face when you're just starting out, here are some lessons I learned in the first few months of my first job. I hope these tips will help you feel as young as you are. SEE ALSO: Our Quiz on Navigating the First Weeks at Your New Job

Read on for tips.

Jonathan Adler Transforms Taboo Topics Into Groovy Style Statements

CasaSugar — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:16:48 PST

Interior designer, potter, and color-enthusiast Jonathan Adler takes happy chic to uncharted territory this month with the launch of his new toilet paper roll covers for Cottonelle's Spring collection. The three limited-edition roll cover designs are available online, and at just $2 per cover, practically everyone can afford to stash their spare rolls in Adler's signature style.

We caught up with Adler to chat about his Cottonelle collaboration and so much more! Keep reading to get the skinny on his bathroom must haves, bucket-list mantra, squeaky-clean lifestyle, and why he'll never use the male form in his designs.

Listen to Jay-Z Honor His Baby Girl Blue Ivy Carter in "Glory" - and Read the Sweet Lyrics!

Allie Merriam — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 11:10:33 PST

Jay-Z wrote a song to honor his newborn daughter, Blue Ivy Carter! In record time, Jay got together the lyrics and music for "Glory," which even features some audio from the little one.

In the track, Jay refers to Blue as "God's gift" and "the most beautifulest thing in the world." The new dad rapped, "Words can't describe what I'm feeling, for real." He goes on to say "my greatest creation was you." He also writes about Blue's conception in Paris, and alludes to him and wife Beyoncé Knowles having experienced a miscarriage in the past - take a listen below, and check out the full lyrics after the jump.

See the sweet lyrics when you read more.

Group Therapy: My Friend Is in Abusive Relationship

Tres Community — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 03:05:08 PST

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

I'm very concerned for the physical safety and mental health of my friend. She started seeing this guy about five months ago. Two months into their relationship, he cheated on her. She accepted this and justified this because she had moved away for school (only an hour away) and he was convinced she was cheating on him. Shortly after discovering his infidelity, she learned he had been in prison for five years for aggravated assault. He won't tell the exact details but on her own she has uncovered some very unsettling things. He raped a 58-year-old woman and put someone in a coma and yet, these things don't seem to scare her the way they scare me and my friends. Recently I was at her house and she was changing in front of me and I saw a big, mottled green bruise that looked suspiciously like fingerprints. When I asked her about it, she said she fell down the stairs. I'm not stupid, but I didn't pry. Yesterday, she was changing again and I saw bruising all down her arms and back. She finally admitted that he had started beating her. She said she asked him why he did it and he laughed and said, "Because you deserve it. You are worthless." I've known for some time he is verbally abusive; he calls her things like "dumb c**t" and "stupid b***h".

I've only met him three times and find him highly antisocial. He refuses to make eye contact or converse with anyone. On top of that, he has told my friend he hates me because the first time we met we were at a bar and I had been drinking. If she so much as has a sip of an alcoholic beverage, he freaks out on her and tells her she has no control.

She has talked about this situation in depth with myself and a few friends. We have all been frank and told her we're worried for her safety and that this relationship is abusive. She is aware of the perils she is putting herself in by staying with him but refuses to take any steps that might help her leave him. She says she is scared of being alone but she doesn't feel happy with him. We've pleaded with her to leave him but she won't. Today we finally told her we couldn't listen to this anymore because she knows how wrong this is and justifies his behavior and further instills his mantra of her worthlessness by staying with him. I feel like that was the wrong thing but I am so worried about her. I really feel like he is dangerous and honestly, I don't even feel safe with him in my life. Is there anything I can do?

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.

How 74-Year-Old Jane Fonda Inspires

Leta Shy — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:58:18 PST

Happy birthday, Jane Fonda! Everyone's favorite '80s aerobic girl turns 74 today. There's no disputing it - she looks amazing and not just for her age.

Of course, she works hard to keep up her healthy lifestyle (while sharing it with us on her blog). In need of some inspiration? Learn from the best with these tips from Jane herself.

Holiday help: Last year Jane told us her simple philosophy for staying healthy during the holidays. "I just try not to drink too much or eat too much and I try to stick with an exercise regimen," she said. "The thing about the holiday is that the food's so good and you tend to eat too much, so either you [should] eat less or you work out more."

Read on for more inspiration.

Group Therapy: My Boyfriend Doesn't Call Me Nice Things

Tres Community — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 03:05:00 PST

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

I've been going out with my boyfriend for four and a half years and we're in our late twenties. The first year we were going out he used to call me babe, sexy, pretty and gorgeous, and then he stopped calling me all these things in March this year. The thing that really hurts is that he's got a friend since college which is a girl and he calls her gorgeous but not me, so it makes me feel unattractive. He won't even put pictures on Facebook of me, but he does with other girls with his arm around them. I know nothing's gonna happen between any of them because they're either not his type or too old. And I know they're all just friends, but it hurts because he won't do that with me. He won't even put that we're in a relationship. I have spoke to him about it, and nothing has changed. Please help!

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.