Chrissy Teigen fronts People magazine's 'Beautiful' issue

LOS ANGELES — Former model Chrissy Teigen was revealed as the cover star of People magazine’s “Beautiful” annual issue on Wednesday, sharing that she’d long put her calorie counting days behind her.

Teigen, 35, said her definition of beauty has also changed since she became a mother to children Luna, 4, and Miles, 2.

“It’s really, really nice to be able to come to an age where I can appreciate every little scar and see my body as something that’s done incredible, miraculous things. The difference is these two beautiful, wonderful babies, and these scars are the things I’ve been through,” Teigen told People magazine.

Teigen is married to singer-songwriter John Legend, who in 2019 was named People’s sexiest man alive.

A cook book author, Teigen told People she has had “ups and downs” with dieting over the years but was no longer as strict with herself as she had been when she was a swimsuit model.

“At this point, if it’s going to make me happy and make me feel good, then I indulge in it. I’ve spent way too many years counting calories and scheduling way too many workouts and trying to figure out what ‘wellness’ meant to me,” she said.

Teigen last week she announced she was quitting Twitter, where she had been a prolific poster, saying the social media platform “no longer serves me as positively as it serves me negatively.” She kept her Instagram account.

People magazine in 2018 changed the title of its annual special issue from the “Most Beautiful” to simply “Beautiful.” Other men and women to have made the front cover include Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Lopez, Lupita Nyong’o and Leonardo DiCaprio.

The special double issue hits newsstands on Friday.

Reporting by Jill Serjeant; editing by Jane Wardell

-reuters

Gap between real holidays and expectations

There's a gap between what the holidays should be and what they can be and the real holidays we live, a U.S. pediatrician says.

Pediatrician Dr. George Askew said there is a big difference between the holidays people experience and the expectations we carry in our minds.

"If we can't do in our real holidays what we've come to believe we should do, what then? If you have 10 holiday must-dos, and you can't do all 10, shorten the list," Askew said in a statement.

"When you give yourself some room to not get all the things done, you know what? You'll be much happier if you let that kind of thing go. You're going to feel so much better about what you've accomplished in that day."

Askew also advised against just letting everything go, such as eating healthy, being physically active, and getting enough rest -- because they help you get through the holidays, too.

source: upi.com

Mobile Internet forcing computers to evolve

SAN FRANCISCO — The shift to smartphones and tablets became a landslide this year, crushing desire for laptop computers and pressuring manufacturers to adapt to the mobile Internet era.

The trend promised to gain momentum in 2013, with people using handheld gadgets to remain connected to the Web on the go and switching to sophisticated systems in homes or offices.

“Tablets will not kill PCs (personal computers),” Forrester Research analyst Frank Gillett told AFP. “Tablets will force them to evolve.”

Signs that the evolution is underway include Microsoft overhauling Windows to synch the world’s most widely used computer operating system with tablets and smartphones as well as desktops and laptops.

Microsoft is even selling its own Surface tablet based on the Windows 8 software released in October.

“I don’t think the PC is going away,” said analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group in Silicon Valley.

“What is clear is we are going through some turmoil; the market is resetting itself around new products.”

While people opt for tablets instead of laptops for computing on the move, they will yearn for bigger screens and more processing power when they settle down for “real work,” according to analysts.

“Your tablet can do so much that fewer people need laptops, but when you get to your desktop you want something that contrasts significantly from your tablet,” Gillett said.

“I think we will ultimately see the reinvention of PCs.”

Gillett described a future in which people go seamlessly from working on mobile devices to desktop stations where tablets can be docked and augmented with sensors, processors, bigger screens and more.

He refers to the concept as “frames” for computing.

The analyst contends that the limping economy is among factors behind a temporary lull in PC purchases destined to end as people “go through this illusion they will do it all on a tablet and realize they can’t.”

“Tablets will substitute for some, even many, laptops but because a tablet can’t do as much as a laptop it will eventually stimulate PC sales,” Gillett reasoned.

“What ultimately happens here is that the laptop and desktop get rethought and re-invented for a tablet world.”

The market for tablets and smartphones is red-hot, leaving the PC as an afterthought for many. Microsoft, which was the biggest tech firm in 2009 because of its dominant Windows operating system for PCs, has fallen behind Apple and is struggling to remain a major force amid gains by Google and Amazon.

Onetime giants like Hewlett-Packard and Dell are struggling amid sluggish demand as sales of tablet computers and other devices surge.

However, Enderle pointed out, China-based Lenovo is thriving by selling the gamut of computing devices.

“Lenovo is showing success in all categories, supporting the notion that while the market has more products it is all still personal computing,” Enderle said.

“Before we were buying a laptop or desktop computer,” he continued. “Now, we are increasingly carrying many products.”

Research firm IDC projects global PC sales this year of 367 million, up just a fraction of a percent from 2011 and marking the second consecutive year of growth below two percent. ABI Research predicts tablet computers will overtake notebook PCs by 2016.

Roger Kay of Endpoint Technologies Associates said that the PC “still is pretty relevant” but “not the center of the computing universe.”

“I think people are going to choose a pantheon of devices, and all of these are connected through the cloud… so the user is now the center of the tech universe.”

More than 32 million tablets were shipped worldwide in the third quarter of 2012, a 75 percent increase from the same period a year earlier, according to Futuresource Consulting.

Futuresource projected that global tablet shipments this year would hit 137 million units and nearly triple during the coming five years.

“We’re seeing significant industry growth across all key world territories, with the majority of tablet market activity still originating from consumer purchases,” said Simon Bryant of Futuresource.

Part of the success of tablets was attributed to the average price dropping below $400, due in large part to competition between device makers using free Android operating software from Google.

“Tablets continue to captivate consumers,” said Tom Mainelli, research director for tablets at IDC.

source: interaksyon.com

No instant successes

The world lost a great man when famous motivational speaker and author Zig Ziglar passed away last week at the age of 86. As an ode to such a great person, let me share with you his notable thoughts on “overnight success.”

“Many times an unknown person does something spectacular and suddenly becomes a ‘hero,’ a public figure, an ‘overnight success,’ the object of much envy.” Let’s explore this ‘overnight success’ syndrome.

“Several years ago, Gary Spiess from White Lake, Minnesota, did an incredible thing. He sailed his 10-foot boat across the Atlantic Ocean in just 54 days. Most of us can only imagine what he endured to complete his 54-day ordeal, but suddenly the whole world knew who he was.

“What is the real story? Did he just have a good idea, implement it and “luck” into celebrity status? The reality is that, Gary had worked, planned, sacrificed and studied for three years to build his boat. He committed not only his money but 100 percent of his spare time for three solid years. He had to chart his course and plan every detail, down to the minutia – including maximum use of his space and the proper food, clothing and water to carry. Once the trip began, so did the danger. The most dangerous and difficult part was fighting the violent seas of the Atlantic Ocean. The seas often combined with a driving, bitterly-cold rain, which chilled him to the bone. By the time he reached England, he was so brutally battered by the cruel sea that his entire body was black and blue. Yes, it’s true he had his day in the sun, but it’s safe to say that he had sacrificed and worked in order to receive his rewards.

“Most of us are not interested in doing anything of that nature, but it is safe to say that if we’re going to accomplish anything of significance, and particularly if we’re going to maintain that significance, long hours of planning and even more of hard work are required. But it’s also safe to say it’s worth it because the effort is temporary but the satisfaction and rewards can be long-lasting.”

There is no such thing as instant success. Champions aren’t made on the day of the game. That’s simply the day when the world recognizes all the preparations that took place before that day arrived.


Adoring crowds and television cameras aren’t usually around when Champions are being made. They’re made in the early morning hours when the rest of the world is sleeping just a little bit longer; in the late evening hours when fatigue has overtaken the average person and sent him to bed. Champions are made in the thousands of little ways that they discipline themselves to do the things that everyone could do, but most people won’t.

It has taken me many years to learn that none of the “big” things I’ve done have helped me to succeed. Instead, it’s all of the little things that I did over and over. For example, the discipline to plan each day’s work the night before, no matter how tired I was, has had more to do with my success than any “big” thing I’ve ever done. Not a “big” thing, but a necessary thing in getting ready to win.

Former heavyweight boxing champion of the world Muhammad Ali said, “The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses – behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights.”

Same thing in the Christian life. It’s not those big moments that make you saintly. It’s those tedious, mundane things that you constantly and consistently do well that prepare you for big successes in the coming days.

Be faithful in the little things, then you can be handed the bigger things. Prepare. Work hard and be diligent. And always remember that it wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark.

source: philstar.com

Alternative Uses for Everything in Your Bathroom

As a kid, I used to love using other people's bathrooms — there was always a new, exotic array of creams, cleaners, and conditioners to stare at, wondering “What's this for?” (And, in some cases, “Why does this [insert: soap, lotion, powder] smell so flipping awful?”)

These days, I still get a little excited about the products we keep in our bathrooms — but now, it's because I like discovering alternative uses for everyday things (OK, I still like to know what other people's lotions smell like, too). I've collected tips from around Wise Bread and the web to help you make the most of your bathroom products. So whether you want to get more life out of the stuff you own or are out of something and need to find a substitute, read on for great ways to get more out of everything in your bathroom. (See also: How Baking Soda Took My Bathroom From "Yuck" to Yes!)

Bar Soap

Yeah, you can use a bar of soap to make things smell nice and clean, but it can also help you keep things smelling nice in another way — if you hang it up outside, bar soap can help deter skunks. Prefer liquid soap to bar soap? You can follow this tutorial for turning bar soap into liquid. There are plenty more alternative uses for bar soap, too — like these nine.

Bobby Pins

From pulling zippers to holding hems, check out Myscha's piece on 25 uses for bobby pins.

Comb

I fondly remember making a comb into a musical instrument as a kid. Real Simple has seven more uses for combs — including using a (clean) comb to create some awesome cake-frosting texture.

Conditioner

Personally, I'm a soap-and-water shaver. But one thing I remember from my days of reading teen magazines was the suggestion of swapping in conditioner for shave cream when you're in a pinch. Since conditioner is, at heart, a moisturizer, it can also be used as a stand-in for lotion, or even to grease up stuck things like zippers or rings trapped on fingers (because, come on, do you really want to cover your wedding ring in butter?).

Cotton Balls

Stylelist has a great list of alternative uses for cotton balls; my favorite detials how you can use cotton balls to make daffodils last longer.

Deodorant

The Coupon High recommends a few uses for deodorant, including drying pimples.

Floss

Our own Linsey Knerl has already listed 14 great uses for floss, including hanging photos, precision cake cutting, and even baby delivery (um, don't try that at home?).

Hairbrush

Over at Yahoo! Voices, Angela Vee lists a few different ways to use old hairbrushes. Most of them are for (big surprise) brushing other things, but I especially like her suggestion of using an old brush to work dirt out of messy kids' clothes (or adult clothes, because sometimes, you just have to jump in a mud puddle no matter what your age is).

Hairdryer

I've always liked using my hair dryer as a way to dry clothes in a pinch, but that's a pretty obvious use. For more creative options, take a look at this Instructables guide on ways to use a hair dryer.

Liquid Soap

If your liquid soap is Castile soap (like Dr. Bronner's), you can dilute it and use it as a household cleaner, add a ¼ cup to your laundry in place of regular detergent, or even use it as a toothpaste.

Lotion

When I'm having a particularly frizzy hair day (such as every day that I'm on the East Coast), I'll often use a little bit of lotion to help tame the curly beast. Like the aforementioned conditioner, it can also be used when you need to moisturize other things (like hair) or get stuck things unstuck.


Mouthwash

Our Nora Dunn compiled a list of 19 uses for mouthwash, from treating bruises to cleaning glass. Mouthwash also factors into Paul's secret lawn tonic recipe, which uses other common ingredients that you (hopefully) don't keep in your bathroom, like beer.

Nail Polish

I was first introduced to the magic of nail polish when my 3rd grade teacher took a bottle out of her desk to help stop a run in her stockings; all you need to do is paint a little clear polish around the hole. Mikey compiled 14 other uses for nail polish — as someone who has done a lot of sewing, using nail polish to help thread a needle is one of my favorite tips.

Razors

Even though it's probably not great for the blade, I'll sometimes use my bathroom razor to cut loose threads off of clothing. But if you're a straight-razor user, you have several more options available to you.

Shampoo

If you've spilled grease or oil on your clothing, try pouring a bit of shampoo on, rubbing it in, and rinsing. This works best immediately after the spill. Readers Digest also recommends a bit of shampoo for shining up leather shoes and purses (just rub a little on it with a clean cloth) and washing things other than hair, like delicates or hair brushes.

Shaving Cream

Well, I know that performers will often use shaving cream as an inexpensive alternative for whipped cream when they want to hit someone in the face with a pie. That might not be the most practical use, but Apartment Therapy has another great suggestion — mixing shaving cream with bleach to help keep the cleaner in place when removing mildew from grout.

Toilet Paper

Of course, toilet paper can be used for tissues (and vice versa). But if you really want to get fancy...check out this toilet paper wedding dress.

Toothbrush

Just because a toothbrush isn't great for cleaning your teeth anymore doesn't mean it's kaput. Used toothbrushes are great for scrubbing hard-to-reach areas around the house, like between tiles or behind the faucet. Or if you're looking for a fun project to do with your kids, try this toothbrush robot.

Toothpaste

From removing stains to relieving itchy bug bites, Nora Dunn has gathered 20 great alternative uses for toothpaste.

Witch Hazel

You might know the stuff primarily as an astringent, but Paul has detailed 14 other great uses for witch hazel.

source: wisebread.com

Facebook not so fun with a click from boss or mom

LONDON — Posting pictures of yourself plastered at a party and talking trash online with your Facebook friends may be more stress than it’s worth now that your boss and mom want to see it all.

A survey from Edinburgh Business School released on Monday showed Facebook users are anxious that all those self-published sins may be coming home to roost with more than half of employers claiming to have used Facebook to weed out job candidates.

“Facebook used to be like a great party for all your friends where you can dance, drink and flirt,” said Ben Marder, author of the report and fellow in marketing at the Business School.

“But now with your Mom, Dad and boss there, the party becomes an anxious event full of potential social landmines.”

On average, people are Facebook friends with seven different social circles, the report found, with real friends known to the user offline the most common.

More than four-fifths of users add extended family on Facebook, a similar number add siblings. Less than 70 percent are connected to friends of friends while more than 60 percent added their colleagues online, despite the anxiety this may cause.

Facebook has settings to control the information seen by different types of friends, but only one third use them, the report said.

“I’m not worried at all because all the really messy pics – me, drunken or worse – I detag straight away,” said Chris from London, aged 30.

People were more commonly friends with former boyfriends or girlfriends than with current ones, the report also found.

source: interaksyon.com