I spent part of last weekend helping my baby sister shop for bridesmaid dresses and a wedding dress.  Super fun, right?  Except for the fact that this is the Midwest, where we’re just now starting to see days that break the 65 degree mark.  Long hours of work and cold weather don’t make for the most pleasant apparel-shopping experience, ya know?  Not that I have much room to complain, but a little firming wouldn’t hurt.

Since I love to turn every shopping experience into a post here, I figured I’d gather my list of workout DVD finalists here for everyone else to enjoy and comment on…

Bellydance Fitness for Beginners - Arms, Abs, Hips, Buns& Thighs
Price: $13.19

For some unknown reason, bellydancing workout DVDs have always had a certain appeal to me.  Actually, I shouldn’t say unknown - I like that bellydancing doesn’t seem even a little bit like a workout, despite the fact that I know it’s actually pretty strenuous.  And of course, men love it.

The Lotte Berk Method for Beginners - Hip Hugger Abs (DVD)
Price: $10.53

Lotte Berk was a dancer until a car accident left her badly injured.  She bounced back and developed an awesome figure that most of us always-able-bodied ladies would kill for.  If these methods work for someone’s who’s been incapacitated by an accident, they might actually stand a chance of working on a desk worker like myself.

Body and Soul Fitness - Daily Exercise Routine (DVD)
Price: $7.91
I’m not sure that I believe this DVD’s claim of just 15 minutes a day, but I like the sound of it.  Of course, I’d be happy if I could just bend myself like the girl on the cover.

Express Workout Belly, Butt and Thighs DVD
Price: $15.0

I know it’s not cool to like pink anymore, but I can’t help myself.  I’m drawn to this one for the bright colors.

Ultimate Fat Burning Cardio DVD
Price: $15.0

It’s not just any fat burning cardio DVD, it’s THE ULTIMATE FAT BURNING CARDIO DVD.  Isn’t that enough?

Dancers Body Workout DVD
Price: $20.0

Honestly, have you ever met a woman who DIDN’T want a dancer’s body?  If someone tells you otherwise, she’s probably lying.

Pilates BodyBand and DVD Set
Price: $30.0

This one comes with props.  I love anything that comes with bonus stuff.  Pilates is a lot harder than it looks, though.

Paula Abdul’s Get Up and Dance! (DVD)
Price: $9.92
Back in the day when exercise DVDs came on VHS, Ms. Paula Abdul made an exercise tape that would stand the test of time.  If you’re looking for an 80s flashback with your workout, this is definitely the DVD to get.  I remember doing this tape in my pajamas at slumber parties, but alas, I don’t have my own copy…yet.

If you want to draw men to your place for something other than a roll in the hay, there’s little comparison to having a good dartboard. Personally, I prefer an electronic model like the Arachnid Dartronic 300 Electronic Dart Board, because if you’re playing darts, someone’s going to be drinking. It’s best to let the computer keep score. This one also has a “heckler feature” to make fun of anyone whose game isn’t quite worthy.

Of course, if you want something a little more authentic, you’ll have to spend a little more. This Las Vegas Cabinet Set Dart Board is around $140 and lets you play with real dart. The fact that it’s in a cabinet also means you’re less likely to kill your walls as the night wears on and your accuracy goes through the floor.

The only real downside to having a dartboard around is that it may be tough to get rid of people once you’re ready to single out one particular fella. Even still, you’ll have a better chance of getting rid of them than if you had a pool table.

Clocks that project the time onto your wall are ceiling are definitely cool, but it’s kind of hard to justify the upgrade if that’s all you’re going to get out of it.  I was excited to see that Homedics has come up with a projection clock that also plays a variety of nature sounds to help you sleep (or wake up).

You can get the HoMedics SoundSpa Clock Radio With Time Projection for a mere $30, which really isn’t that bad at all.  If you don’t think the projection feature is anything special, consider this scenario - It’s the middle of the night and you just woke up from a sound sleep.

Previously, you would have had to sit up to check the time.  Since it’s now projected onto the ceiling, you can just crack open an eyeball and it’s right in front of your face.  Noting the fact that your alarm won’t go off for another 3 hours, you can simply close the eye and fall back asleep, never having moved enough to disrupt your tired state.

I don’t know about you, but I’d definitely pay $30 for that convenience.

It’s not that I can’t see this mug as a Tiki Mug, I just don’t think it’s the most appropriate label. To me, it looks a lot more like one of those enchanted trees that comes alive and either befriends you or tries to kill you. You know, like in the children’s movies.

While you can’t see it in the picture, a review on the retailer’s site indicates that the “tiki” mugs are smiling on one side and frowning on the other.   Exactly as I said - these are not tiki mugs at all, they’re good tree/evil tree mugs.

Also, if you decide to buy a set of these, note that they *may* contain lead.  Not all products that say that actually do contain lead, as it often means that they generally weren’t tested enough to be know.   It’s probably best to use these mugs for things like pencil cups or decorations.  If you do drink out of it, don’t make it your every day glass.

This Steiff Hedgehog Key Ring reminds me of the good old days of playing Sonic the Hedgehog on the Sega Genesis back in the early 90s.  I’d have a friend over and we’d load up on junk food and play all night long.

I recently tried to get back into Sonic on the Wii, but it’s just not the same.  Modern day 3-D Sonic is an abomination.

I’ve always been impressed with the Annick Goutal perfume bottles, but until now, I’ve never found one of their scents that justified the price.  They’re all very good, but the Mandragore Eau de Toilette is enough to make me shell out $72 for the light fragrance.  They say it has “a feeling of strength, vitality and mystery,” but I just like it because it smells good.  I think it might be the ginger.

What’s your favorite perfume?  I had a long Creed phase, but now it’s a toss-up between Armani and my tried and true Cynthia Rowley.

Annick Goutal Mandragore Eau de Toilette
Annick Goutal Mandragore

I’m not sure why I’ve never heard of Beat the Intro. Maybe I’m just totally out of touch these days. Or maybe it’s just a hidden gem. Either way, it sounds pretty darn cool.

The game itself sounds kind of like the home version of the old “Name That Tune” game show. Now that we have things like DVDs and CDs, I guess it’s much easier to make games like this reality. There are over 3000 questions, too, so it’s not one of those games you’ll only get to play once or twice before you know everything. Even better, the music in the game spans 4-5 decades, so it’s not like all the young people will be beating the old people, or vice versa. Your only hope for a clean victory is to be extremely well rounded, musically.

For around $20, I’m sold. I’ll definitely be picking up a copy sometime before the next major family event. How else can I keep the aunts quiet about their medical problems while also preventing my mom from asking me why I’m not married?

Beat the Intro-Ultimate Music Trivia Game
Price: $21.12

This mug is making me giggle this morning. The idea is that you have a simple mug showing Adam and Eve, covered by fig leaves so you don’t see the naughty bits. When you add hot coffee, though, the fig leaves fade away to reveal their anatomical correctness.

I suppose I shouldn’t be shocked, since Adam and Eve are said to be the original troublemakers…but I suspect that this mug could get a girl (or guy) in some trouble in a politically correct workplace. If you work with anyone like Angela on The Office, I don’t recommend bringing one of these to work.

I never would have guessed that I’d find something cool in a catalog that my grandma reads, but it has happened. I’m more than a little smitten with these Silver Metal Wall Tiles

They come in singles and sets of 2, and you can buy squares or triangles. They have several colors, but I mostly just like the chrome and black. What do you think?

Given the fact that many of my friends are totally unreasonable when it comes to wedding registries - they don’t register, they only add really expensive stuff, or they don’t add enough stuff - I’ve gotten kind of creative when it comes to picking out wedding gifts. I just hate giving cash/gift cards, as they seem to say, “I didn’t care enough to put any thought into this.” Sometimes I pick the perfect gift and my friend is thrilled. I’ve also struck out a couple of times.

I’m happy to say, thought, that I’ve found the perfect gift. This Personalized Baking Pan shows planning, foresight, and best of all, it gives you a chance to remind her of her brand new married name! What can be better than looking down at a great, functional gift, and getting a reminded of the fact that you now have a partner for life? The lid makes it perfect for baking stuff to take to grown-up, married people kind of events, too.