Phat Or Fat?

Is this FAT?

By now I'm sure you've all heard the buzz...The celebrity gossip rags are in a tizzy over these recent photos of Jessica Simpson. Some are kinder than others, dubbing her "curvier", with more than a few calling her just plain "fat". Poor Jessica, lately the girl just can't seem to catch a break. Horrified over the media scrutiny of her recent weight gain, it has been reported that Jessica is on the verge of a meltdown and the breakdown watch is officially on.

But can you look at these photos and say for sure that she is FAT? She most certainly looks more voluptuous than she has in the past. This may be true, but FAT?? If fat be the case, then what is considered fat? And are we talking fat in real life or fat in Hollywood? Fat in Hollywood just isn't tolerated and it's standards for beautiful women are at times unattainable and unrealistic. Our society has been paying the price for that for years.

So what is the real nature of the crime here? Jessica gained a few extra pounds? Shame on her, she should have know better. Famous for being beautiful and having a great voice, it's as if she reneged on the beautiful part of the contract and now they're calling her on it. We watched her break out onto the scene with her new husband, Nick Lachey, and giggled over her "innocence" when it came to matters of logic. They became America's sweethearts, a perfect role model for the young and in love. Then it ended without warning. For whatever the reason, the newlyweds didn't make it as a couple and we watched that soap opera play out it the magazines and pop charts. Then Jessica did the unthinkable. She started dating in Hollywood which made her an easy target for the media.

Whether you love her or you hate her, the question here is who really cares? Maybe Jessica is happy for the first time in a long time. Certainly, we shouldn't hold a few extra pounds against her for feeling good about being young and in love. Yet the media continues on with the "fat" debate, with more than a few celebrities "weighing in" on the controversy. (no pun intended) God forbid a beautiful woman "let's herself go", which is certainly not the case here.
When I look at those photos, my first thought is that her stylist should be fired, IMMEDIATELY. Not the most flattering look for sure, but FAT??? I'm sorry. I just don't see it.
To continue on with a media campaign of denouncing Jessica for a slight weight gain is as damaging to our collective morale as it is to Jessica's.

Shut up already and who really cares?? Nobody buys her shoes anyway.

*take my poll on the side bar. I'm curious what you think.

An Urban Essential

Once in a while you come across something on the web that truly enhances your quality of life and makes you comfortable enough to feel like you could not only still be in the game but possibly ahead of the game. Living with two teens, I have recently experienced those rare moments, while they are hanging out with their friends, when I actually catch bits of their conversations and I am, more often than not, left wondering what it is they are talking about. It's like they are speaking a foreign language.

Lucky for me, I have found the greatest web invention, geared specifically to help "geezers" like me keep it real and give the young "hipsters" a place to catalog their slang terms. The Urban Dictionary. My daughter "hooked me up" with the site a few months ago. It's the sh*t! I don't know how I ever lived without it. This site most certianly warrants a book mark on both my computer and my iphone. At Urban Dictionary.com, there is a new "word of the day", every day, to keep you up to speed with the new words all the cool kids are using.

Today's word is "canniversary" which is defined as:

"A year from the date on which you were fired from a job. "
"Next week is my canniversary from Enron!"

I love this! Especially considering I will have a "canniversary" in the coming year. The words are supplied by, what I'm assuming are young people, and you can vote on the words with a thumbs up, thumbs down voting system and leave comments on a word.

I have heartily laughed out loud over more than few entries and must admit to learning more than a thing or two while trolling around the site. As a writer, a site like this proves to be invaluable when the writing needs a "grammatically correct" word to reflect it's urban content. There are also those rare, but occasional moments when someone leaves you a comment or sends you a text that left you wondering, "what the hell does that mean?" Fear not, the Urban Dictionary is there when you need it. Take for example:

GTFO
An internet acronym short for "get the fuck out".

or

AFK
Away From Keyboard.
* joe is afk

Thanks to the Urban Dictionary I will never again be left feeling like I am out on a deserted island alone! Recently, while I was reading the Tucker Max book, the Urban Dictionary came to my rescue.

He was talking about a "Cleveland Steam Roller" and "tossing his salad". While I am admitting to having no idea what these phrases meant, after quick definition check on the Urban Dictionary, I was happy to learn that I had no need for either of those terms to be defined before that moment, ever grateful for that small envelope in which I reside.

Check out these testimonials from actual Urban Dictionary users and get over to the Urban Dictionary today! You'll be so glad you did.

Sometimes Just The Right Smiling Face Can Promote A Random Act Of Kindness

So my friend and I went shopping at Walmart the other day.


It was a bitterly cold and windy day, so we decided to go and get our shop on at the world's largest retailer.


From the moment we entered the store, we were greeted with a smile and a friendly hello from the official store greeter.


We began browsing the aisles, chatting and laughing as we shopped.


The happy feel good vibe seemed to be contagious.
It was almost as if everyone else in the store was feeling it too because as we looked around, the other shoppers were grinning and smiling at us and it felt like some were even laughing with us as we walked away.
I guess the idea of two good friends having a good time has that effect on other people.



With the all bargians and low prices at Walmart, it was hard not to be completely giddy about the savings we got that day.



We continued on shopping but noticed were attracting more and more people, giggling and smiling so we decided to return the favor, giggling and smiling right back. We said hearty hello's and good afternoon's to everyone we encountered. The idea that a simple smile could spread so much kindness was intoxicating and it made our shopping trip a most enjoyable one.



Maybe it was the sunny yellow dress I was sporting that afternoon because they say that wearing a happy color can influence your mood and the mood of those around you. If this is the case, then I wish I could bottle the positive effect my yellow dress had on everyone. I'd be rolling in the dough.


I can't really say for sure what it was about that day, but the good karma gods were certianly smiling right along with us and it was great!
We wanted to remember the feeling and our magical shopping trip so my friend snapped this picture of me in my happy yellow dress as we were checking out so we would be able to look back and re-live that moment in time. Look closely and feel the power of a happy ending!

Remember, a smile is just a frown turned upside down!

Make someone smile today! Happy Friday!! :)

Manny Being Manny Just Isn’t What It Used To Be

Sorry ladies, today I’m talking baseball.

Specifically, I’m talking Manny. Now I know I’m not going to get a lot of hits on this, but I’m talking Manny anyway.

Few modern day baseball players have commanded the hitting game like Manny Ramirez and after last season, a season that began in Boston and ended in Los Angeles, he’s betting on it. Two weeks away from spring training and Mr. Free Agent Manny has no deal. But because Manny is Manny, it doesn’t seem to bother him. His agent, Scott Boras was quoted by ESPN.com as saying in regards to Ramirez’s current team limbo, “I don't really think about a timetable. Anything can be done any day. You just don't know."

NEWSFLASH: Boras and Manny are bluffing. Only this time it just may be their last stand at the table. Late Monday night, Manny rejected a one-year, $25 million dollar contract from the LA Dodgers because as Boras put it, “other suitors are preparing to offer more”. Game speak translation: “If you can’t give us what we want, take a hike, we’ll go elsewhere.” Sorry guys, it’s just not going to be that simple this time.

While it is true that after a seven-year tenure with the Boston Red Sox, where Ramirez’s slugging production was a big part of the two World Series championships he won there, things have changed but Manny has not. He’s still the self-centered child/man who refuses to produce whenever it suits him because he puts himself above everything else. It’s of no surprise to me that Manny and Boras don’t realize that in today’s economic climate the history making mega-deal is, for now, a thing of the past. It got lost somewhere amid the bailouts and the foreclosures and the dwindling stock market in the real world.

But Manny and Boras live on a different planet than we do, and greed is their mentor. Back in November ‘08, the Dodgers offered Manny a two-year, $45 million dollar contract with and option for a third year, bringing the total to a possible $60 million for three years. That would pay Manny a guaranteed $15 million for ‘09 and $22.5 million for ’10 with the option for $22.5 million in ’11. But Manny was and still is, reportedly seeking a four year deal worth $25 million a year, regardless of who signs his checks. Not only did Ramirez and Boras ignore the Dodgers offer in November, they let the deal expire and the offer was then withdrawn. No worries, Manny just goes down into the basement of one of his many spacious homes and prints hundred dollar bills anyway. He can afford to be selective.

The Dodgers are smart and the PR spin on the Ramirez contract negotiations is one of confidence that they can get the job done before spring training. No one is closing that door just yet. After seven years of following the Manny Chronicles, I say good luck to you with that. We’re talking about Manny here.

The Dodgers should sign him because they need him. Last season, in a half season with LA, Ramirez put up a .396 batting average, with 17 home runs and 53 RBI’s. In the post season he batted .520, with 4 HR’s and 10 RBI’s. From the moment he stepped onto the field in LA, attendance increased by the thousands and Ramirez carried the team all the way to the playoffs. Manny is that kind of player, no doubt. *He is one of three players in the history of the game with more than 500 home runs with an average of .310 or better. The other two were Babe Ruth and Ted Williams. But Manny is also a risk in more ways than one, and how many teams out there can afford a risk in today’s weak economy?

Who you ask? According to Suite101.com, since rejecting the Dodgers offer on Monday, three of the four “other suitors preparing to offer more”, the Mets, Washington Nationals and the Yankees have all publicly stated that they are not interested in signing Ramirez. The Yankees would have been the logical choice, considering they can afford him and need him to protect A-Rod in the lineup since Giambi and Abreu were not re-signed. Unfortunately for Manny, the Yankees just prudently spent $423.5 million on their brand new starting pitching line up: $243.5 million tying up CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett and $160 million stealing Mark Teixeria from the Red Sox. The Teixeria deal effectively put the nail in the coffin of any of Ramirez’s Yankee dreams. The gene pool is getting smaller.

That leaves the Giants and the Dodgers with both teams unsure and possibly unable to go any higher than $20 million for a one or two-year deal with the 37 year old slugger. And LA is getting tired of the game. Will the Giants cough up the big dough and step up to the plate?

Hank Aaron hit .372 with 47 HR’s and 118 RBI’s at the age of 37.
Babe Ruth hit .341 with 41 HR’s and 137 RBI’s at the same age.
Ted Williams hit .388 with 38 HR’s and 87 RBI’s at the age of 38.

At 37 can Manny Ramirez continue to produce those numbers? The answer is yes, he absolutely can. But now I think he needs to look at the big picture because being Manny just isn’t worth what it used to be.

*This sentence has been edited post publication to reflect the more complete information Earl called me out on. Thanks dude!

Sometimes Candy Is NOT So Dandy

If the old saying is true, that "its all in a name", then I think might have I gotten gypped. My blog moniker is, in fact, my real name and it's one I never took a shine to until later in life. My given name, bestowed upon me at the time of my birth, has a completely different feel and what I find so interesting is that my name has now become the mirror that has two faces.

Candy, the name I use here, is the one that I have been known as for most of my life. You can tell how long someone has known me by the name they call me. My family and very close friends still refer to me as Candy. For me, Candy will always be the cute little girl in pigtails with her front tooth missing. As a young child of school age, I was bright and full of joy, eager to find my place amongst my peers. The joy almost always came to an abrupt halt the moment they learned my name. It was as if I was asking for it-an easy target for their ridicule. And ridicule me they did. I became used to spending the first few minutes of an introduction going over the specific idiosyncrasies of the name Candy. And believe me when I tell you, I have heard them all-then and now.

"Are you sweet?"

"Do you TASTE good?"

"Hey Candy, can I have some?"

"Candy Cane, can I suck on you?"

The horror of hearing these phrases over and over again from almost every grade school crush and schoolmate played out in the school yard on a daily basis. After a while, I just learned to deal with it and made my mark in other ways. It could have been worse. I could have been ugly--just kidding. All I'm saying is that I took it in stride.

As an adult, when I was dating, any guy that played the name game with my introduction, was out. No questions, no exceptions. It was my own personal litmus test. My mom and dad still call me Candy, as well as my 4 siblings, who also have a shortened version to express their love, a more endearing, simple, Cand. My given name was rarely used, only for official documents, doctors appointments and when I knew I was in BIG trouble. My mom would scream it from the other room, in a phonetically articulate manner, and that's when I knew the jig was up.

It wasn't until I became an adult, somewhere in my 20 somethings, that I stopped introducing myself as Candy and adopted my rarely used given name, Candace. And I liked it.

It had a certain regality to it that Candy just couldn't convey and I was able to successfully separate myself from that little girl in pigtails. There was a point that Candy became uncomfortable, the ridicule of the name taking an ominous turn into the lurid. Hooker jokes, porn stars named Candy, dumb blonde with big boobs jokes, Candace served to protect me from the vulnerability of Candy. With Candace, as a young adult just beginning life's journey, I could, without questions or ridicule, stand alone. It is a name I am proud to call my own.

So why is it that I chose Candy for the title of my blog world? It would seem that even I can't escape the gimmick of the name. Candy works for my purposes here. It's catchy and has an ease to it and it's easy to remember. In the bloggersphere, it just sort of pops off the page and represents the light, ironic content I share here daily and if you were to meet me, I'd still be Candy. It is me. Like it or not, I am stuck with it.

But dare I say it, I'm beginning to like it.

Reacquainting myself with Candy has been therapeutic, working to exile the demons of my past. If it's true about it being all in a name, Candy has given me back a unique quality I may have buried somewhere deep. Silly as it sounds, it makes me approachable. I no longer grimace when a stranger calls me Candy, having picked it up from someone close to me. I have warmed to what is rightfully mine. I will probably always introduce myself as Candace, as I have honed that persona to perfection as well. Candace is the capable adult, and Candy is free to be the crazy one.

Wow. If I read that last sentence again, I think I just learned that maybe Candy really is dandy!

C The Centennial Celebration

The Roman numeral, C stands for centum, the Latin word for 100. Today’s post marks my 100th Daily Dandy, a momentous occasion. When I think about reaching 100, my thoughts range from TV shows celebrating their 100th episode, to companies celebrating 100 years of business and human beings celebrating 100 years of living. Although I may not have reached these lofty heights with my centennial, I do, however feel as if there is cause for celebration.

The question that keeps popping into my mind is, “what have I accomplished” with 100 posts? I guess my answer would be that I have put my words, my thoughts and ideas out into the world. However small that contribution is, none the less it is my daily offering and I am grateful for the opportunity. If I did a Google or Yahoo search for Candy’s Daily Dandy, by golly, my blog URL appears, with more than one entry. Not bad for a few months of aimless ramblings. Before August 2008, there was not a single reason for searching anything even closely related to me personally, besides my phone number and address.

Since I have joined the bloggersphere I have laughed till I cried, learned, been challenged and commented with much enjoyment. I have discussed sports, kids, death, marriage, divorce, insanity, sex, movies, food, morality and so much more. I have connected with some great people and I have asked for your help to which you whole heartedly responded. I have, at times, bared my soul without being ridiculed or judged-some of you even shared similar experiences to let me know I was not alone. You have shared in my joys, laughed at my jokes, offered your support, participated in my contests, given me awards, and responded more often than not with a wink and a smile. Without you, I don’t think there would be a 100 to celebrate. It’s a big part of the reason why I got to 100 and hope to continue for 100 more.

Where will I be in 100 posts from now? I can’t say for sure. It took me 159 days to get here, and on May 14, 2009 it will be 100 days from today. I hope to continue to be going to my computer to every morning to write about something, knowing someone will read it and share in my discussion. On my first day as a blogger, I had no idea that 100 posts later I would have a large body of work to show to possibly present to a prospective employer, with a little more than a few sprinkled in that I’m quite proud of.

If I had $100.00 for every post I have written, I would have $10,000.00 to show for my efforts. A lucrative undertaking to say the least, but if I’ve said it once I’ve said it 100 times, I don’t do it for the money. Blogging has enriched my life in 100 other ways. I could never put a price tag on it.

So for that, to all of you, I say 100 Thank Yous from the bottom of my heart.

A Super Sunday!

EDIT: Monday, Feb 2, 2008: I'm taking today to (hopefully) put together something

special for tomorrow's post, which I just realized will be my 100th post! Looks like the pressure's on!

The Other World Wide Leader In Sports

My blogger buddy Joe has bestowed upon me the great honor of being a guest blogger (for the first time) over at his esteemed sports blog, The Other World Wide Leader In Sports. I never asked him, but I assume that is my boy Joe in the picture going for the shot. The dude got serious game! Joe and I have been buddies pretty much since I started blogging back in August and he is one of my blogger "peeps" held in high esteem.

He asked me to provide a "Do's and Dont's" list for the ladies watching today's big game today, to which I gladly accepted. The best part is that Joe added his comic takes after my points. You can check it out here and as always, leave a comment. Joe and I would be ever so grateful to know you stopped bye.

Also, check out Scope's party-we will be live blooging during game time.

Peace out Super Bowlers!