The national birth rate in Denmark has swooped down to a 27-year low of only 1.7 births per woman, alarming demographics experts that the country will not be able to sustain it’s population. So, Spies Travel, a company based in Copenhagen has taken it upon itself to help remedy the problem by encouraging Danes to have vacation sex and conceive. The enterprising company has established the Do it for Demark program complete with special discounts to romantic destinations if the couple travels while the female half is ovulating, and it promises that if they conceive on the vacation they will be gifted three years’ worth of baby supplies and a kid-friendly vacation post-birth. By the time I read about it in the July issue of Marie Claire, over 300 couples had enrolled in the program, and Spies claims that even if the mission isn’t successful at least a lot of people will have fun trying.
On Limiting Yourself
Need a Decorating Idea? Try Theme Walls
I don’t have a knack for interior decorating. I try to pick the pictures that best fit the size of the wall in my apartment and leave it at that. But lately I have been taking a kickboxing class, and the studio had a great decorating idea, theme walls.
First, you take an image that inspires you, the center of your theme. Then you surround it by pictures with a similar background color, and the same color frame of various shapes and sizes. For the studio, Bruce Lee is the star of the show, and all around him are quotes from other famous fighters with motivational words. For your wall, you could start with a garden, and surround it with images of flowers, butterflies, and birds. The result is a collage effect that can decorate a whole wall. I plan on trying it out next time I redecorate!
Links
Hi Friends! As you read this, I will be traversing the Northeast for a weekend at the seaside sitting on the beach, eating lobster rolls, and relaxing. I hope you’re all enjoying summer too! Here’s what I’ve been reading this week.
Yes, 1,000x yes. If everyone makes these 10 food choices, we’ll have our global movement.
Tory Burch + Fitbit
I am really into the wearable tech craze. Living in NYC, I have always wondered how much I walk, since I hoof it from place to place all over the boroughs. After reading every article comparing the fitness bands out there, I settled on the fitbit, and have been so so happy with the brand. Their accuracy always matches my phone’s gps readings, and their customer service is unrivaled. I lost my band due to a faulty clasp, and they sent me a new one, with only a few questions asked. The only problem I have?
The wrist band is pretttttty ugly. It looks OK at first, in the rubberized color of your choice, and I get it. They’re not a fashion company, fitness is their game. But the black bracelet is just not cute enough to be my accessory of choice in the summer months when I am all exposed arms and wrists. I have purchased a couple bangles that nicely hide it underneath, but have been hoping someone would come up with a pretty bracelet that the fitbit can snap into, and now they have!
Tory Burch is partnering with fitbit to produce a fashion friendly bracelet, and with her classic style I am sure it will match every outfit!
How to Recover When You Put Your Foot in Your Mouth
We’ve all been there. The second that crappy statement flies out of your mouth, you realize with a cringe that you definitely should not have said what you just said. Maybe you were overtired and cranky, or feeling a bit too uncensored after a couple drinks. Either way, you’re a bit embarrassed, and would take it back if you could, but you can’t.
Sometimes the people you’re with will overlook said faux pas. Other times, someone will call you out on being a jerk. There’s a bunch of ways you could deal with that extra bit of humiliation, but there’s only really one right way to do it. And one of my favorite bloggers over at Adulting has supplied it.
Sometimes recovering your dignity really is that simple.
In Praise of SnapChat
I resisted joining SnapChat for a very very long time. In my mind, no matter how many friends told me differently, it was for creepers to send inappropriate pics. Then a few weeks ago, I finally just decided to try it out. My curiosity got the better of me, and I downloaded it. Now I cannot get enough. It’s so easy to send quick updates on what you’re up to, and little photos of the funny things you encounter throughout your day to friends far and wide. I’m more up to date on my friend’s lives than ever before, and have gotten hilarious videos of them doing funny things, adorable pics of their kids, and hilarious moments that we couldn’t previously share from a distance (like that person doing a really weird dance in front of me at a concert).
Now my only concern? That I wish I had joined a little bit sooner.
Another Reason Not to Slouch
Standing up straight will make you look thinner, taller, and conveys an air of confidence to everyone you meet. And, as your mom always told you, it will keep you from developing a humpback in your older age. But in case you need another, less-appearance based reason to stop slouching already, a feature in the Wall Street Journal (that I read about on New York Mag) says that it might block you from thinking clearly. When you slouch, you put your body in a defensive position, which signals to your body to ramp up cortisol production and decrease testosterone. Both of these reactions can limit your problem solving ability and stunt your creative thinking. So follow your mom’s advice already, and stop slumping over your desk.
Tweak
Everyone has a least favorite chore. For me, I don’t really mind cleaning the toilet. Mopping the floor doesn’t bother me at all. Scraping the crusty stuff off the stove top is just a challenge. I semi-dislike laundry. But if there was a chore I could never have to do for the rest of my life? It definitely be cleaning the drain. Be it bathroom, shower, or the kitchen sink, they are all MEGA gross. I often dry heave while I’m doing it.
Not for much longer! Kickstarter has brought a tiny tool called the Tweak to us all that is designed specifically to keep you from touching the stuff in the drain while you clean it out. You can check it out, and get yours here.
Rompers for Tall Girls
I have wanted a romper for ages. Ever since the trend popped up a few summers ago, I have eyed people looking adorable in the little shorts onesies with envy. I have searched high and low, asked ladies where they got theirs, and tired on hundreds of them, only to find that the shorts are too short, and the waist hits my 5’6″ frame in a very awkward spot.
After a particularly disappointing run at Macy’s recently, I resigned myself to giving up rompers forever. While I think they are adorable, they are just not for me. Then I read this post on Self, and discovered that rompers for tall girls exist! So far the only brand I’ve found is Girls on Film, a London-based company that makes petites and extra long jumpsuits, but theirs are amazing enough to lure me back into the romper world for good!









