Since I’m lucky enough to wear jeans and t-shirts to work, I’ve been looking around for some good t-shirts. This Employee of the Month t-shirt is kind of cute. I’m a big fan of brown shirts these days, as they don’t get as grungy looking as black or white shirts, and they don’t make you look like a 12-year-old the way a lot of brightly colored t-shirts do.

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.

I used to have a Snoopy Snow Cone Maker, but as cute as it was, it kind of sucked. You had to work your tail off to get the ice to shred, and by the time you had a decent amount, the stuff at the bottom was half melted. Then, you’d add the syrup and what hadn’t melted before would be melted from the temperature of the syrup.

It was a great lesson in “cute isn’t ALWAYS better”. This Snow Cone Maker, on the other hand, looks like it’s built to work. Just look at that huge pile of glorious shaved ice. It may not be warm yet, but I can eat like it is.

At $39.95, this Snow Cone Maker Kit comes with 24 snow cone cups, a 16 ounce dispenser bottle and two, 2 ounce packages of cherry and blue raspberry flavoring.

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.

The full title of Ellen White’s Simply Irresistible is actually Simply Irresistible: Unleash Your Inner Siren and Mesmerize Any Man, With Help from the Most Famous–and Infamous–women in History. Yes, that’s a mouthful, Ms. White. Even still, I’m intrigued.

Although the Amazon description doesn’t say much, the premise is very promising. And, at around $10 right now, it’s not like it’s a huge gamble. If you’re single, definitely check it out. If you’re committed, even better. Read it, learn to practice the ancient art of male captivation, and help your man appreciate what he has.

In junior high and high school, I was always one of those girls who lost all ability to speak around cute boys. An incredibly hot older guy once asked me to dance (I’m pretty sure he was just being nice since a “friend” told him I had a massive crush on him) and I wasn’t even able to stand up. It was pretty traumatizing at the time.

Had I been gifted a book like this, I may have had much more success. Of course, I could have also ended up like all the “successful” girls from my school - pregnant by 18 and totally washed up by 25 - so maybe we should think of Simply Irresistible as more of a “grown-up” book. Yeah, let’s go with that.

As for the gay men trying to attract men or the lesbians trying to captivate other women, I have no clue if the techniques in Simply Irresistible: Unleash Your Inner Siren and Mesmerize Any Man, With Help from the Most Famous–and Infamous–women in History will work. Can anyone comment on this?

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.

Even though there’s still snow on the ground here in the middle of the country, I’m ready for spring.  I figure, if I dress and decorate for spring, I might have a shot at fooling the bad weather into thinking it’s in the wrong place.  Wishful thinking, I guess.

That said, this Pastel Chevron Stripe hoody is like the apparel embodiment of everything spring.  It’s the perfect shirt to throw over a white t-shirt to provide just a little extra warmth for those days when it doesn’t quite warm up.

Plus, I’m about 99% certain that the jacket is a magnet for things like bunnies, baby ducks, and tulips.  Like attracts alike, ya know?  You’ll just be walking along one day and then BAM - you’re covered in flowers and small woodland creatures.  How awesome would that be?

I’m not quite sure that I “get” the whole Anti-Panti Disposable Underwear thing, but I’m sure someone out there is buying them. If someone handed me one, I’d be more likely to write my name on it and stick on my shirt than use it as underwear. The site says that it’s intended for clothing like low-rise pants, but I’m really having a hard time imagining pants so low that you need to resort to an underwear dot.

Maybe I’m prematurely old, but I could have sworn that disposable panty dots were listed among the signs of the apocalypse. Tell me, is anyone out there actually wearing these?

For those of you who are curious, they have a set of instructions for use that’s going to have me spontaneously giggling all day:

1. Spy your favorite low slung pants hanging in your closet
2. Put them half-on sans underwear of course (no thong, no hipster, no bikini, no nothing)
3. Grab one and peel off the backside
4. Artfully stick it inside your pants (find the perfect spot)
5. Gleefully zip or button up and have an anti-panti day.

Oh, to be the copywriter on this job. Artfully stick it in your pants? Gleefully zip up? No offense to the Anti-Panti folks, but I’m going to “artfully” slip into my normal Victoria’s Secret underpants and “gleefully” zip up for a moderate coverage kind of day.

I’m usually a little intimidated by the clothes I see at KarmaLoop - It’s all a lot cooler than I am, that’s for sure. Today I saw a hat that would leave me giggling every time I saw it, though. This What What Hat for men by Major Threat would have me remembering the filthy Samwell video that showed up in my inbox a few months back.

If you’re easily offended, under 18, or highly religious, you may want to skip this video. Otherwise, watch and know that you’ll never be able to hear the words, “What what” the same again.