Your Annual Gift Guide Guide!

Tis the season for trees on the street & shopping!

Every year my favorite bloggers scour the web for the chicest, most thoughtful and unique gifts for everyone on your list. Every year instead of doing the same, I collect their lists and share a list of my own... Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you the Seek to Be Merry Gift Guide Guide, a guide to some of the greatest gift idea lists on the web. So whether your looking for Mom, Sis, husband, girlfriend, co-worker or kiddos, there's inspiration here for you. Happy shopping!

* For the Ladies (Mom, Sis, Friends, etc)

List 1

List 2

List 3 (for a cozy, Nordic loving gal)

List 4 (for the organic lover in your life)

List 5 and List 5.5 (both for your jetsetter)

List 6

List 7

List 8

List 9

List 10 (for a gadget loving gal)

List 11 (all under $100, mostly under $30!)

List 12

List 13

* For the Gentlemen (Dad, Hubby, buddy)

List 1

List 2

List 3

List 4

List 5

List 6

* For the Kiddos

List 1

List 2

List 3 (for babies and mamas!)

* For Co-Workers

List 1

List 2 (for when you want to be thoughtful without spending too much)

* For your Holiday Hostess

List 1

* For Everybody Else...

Pinterest has a great curated list of every sort of person and every sort of gift they'd enjoy. Check it out HERE.

Sorry.

Do you say "I'm sorry" a lot? I never thought of myself as an overly apologetic person, but when I watched the commercial above it made me realize that I am TOTALLY guilty of saying "sorry" way too often. (sorry!?) I say sorry when what I really should be saying is "excuse me", when I share an idea or thought that I (inexplicably) lack confidence in and even when I'm asking others to do something that is their job to do! I don't know why I feel guilty or apologetic so often, but saying sorry for things I have no reason to be sorry for is definitely something I (and I've noticed many other females in my life) do on a daily basis.

Now I'm not sure how I feel about marketers and brands using female empowerment messages to hawk their products (another FABULOUS example from Always HERE), but this commercial really made me think and it has already impacted my behavior... Though I'm not planning to adopt "sorry, not sorry" as my new mantra, I am making a concerted effort to only apologize when I have something to be sorry about (and for what it's worth, I'm definitely now slightly more inclined to purchase a Pantene product if all other factors are the same - marketing WIN.)  What say you ladies? (and it better not be "sorry"!)

VPL.

"panty lines" hehe.

Ladies, this post is for you, because I've got to know... how much do you care about panty lines!? Visible panty lines, known in many circles as "VPL" (there's a Facebook group!) are something I've personally always taken quite seriously, because as someone with a rather large booty, the last thing I need is to be drawing lines around and through it for all the world to see. And for those who prefer not to take the easy out and just wear thongs (or for when even a thong is visible) countless brands make "no panty lines" a selling point, from everyday wear companies like Jockey to higher end lines like Hanky Panky... avoiding the dreaded VPL is apparently a priority for a great many women.

But there is a small camp of women (or maybe it isn't small? are you out there ladies!?) who say to hell with caring about their panty lines and aspire for comfort above all else. A few weeks back, when I was woefully behind on laundry, I thought I too could be a woman who said "F it, I'm wearing panties and who cares what you can see!" until I walked past a mirror and noticed the clear definition of my butt... and an overflow of "side butt" in my reflection. It was not pretty... In that moment, I decided that I am officially a woman who cares (a lot!) about panty lines, so whether it's butt floss, designer skivvies or good old commando, this chick is not interested in anything that even vaguely resembles THIS. What about you!?

Peace out purse!

Bag lady be gone!!

Ladies... Do you ever go out without your purse? Yesterday I went to the gym with nothing but a "reduced wallet" (ID, cash, 1 credit card and a Metrocard), my cell and keys (because that's all I needed for the short outing) and a few hours later, when I was leaving for a basketball game with Sis, I decided there was no need for anything more and boldly stepped out the door with nothing but the essential supplies in my coat pockets. Well let me tell you something... It was freaking GREAT! How liberating to walk down the street without a bag in my hand or on my shoulder, to sit down at the arena and not have to worry about my purse on the floor or cumbersomely sitting in my lap the entire time. Going purse-free was pretty much the best thing since the invention of cellphone cameras as mirrors to check yourself out!!!

Now sure I overlooked "almost essentials" like my travel sized Purell and lip gloss, and I was woefully unprepared for "just in case" moments like when you need a band-aid (though I did shove a sleeve of gum and my small moisturizer into my pocket as well!), but you know what? I survived!!! I was a two-hands available, non-shoulder aching liberated woman and it was awesome. Especially in these winter months when we're all wearing big coats with big pockets, I strongly urge all you ladies to leave the luggage at home and like centuries of men before us, stroll down the street with nothing but fully stocked pockets and a smile on your face.

ps - I know that ladies of the Mommy persuasion are carrying an arsenal of additional items that make traveling sans purse almost impossible, but if ya can swing it on your next kid free trip out, I promise you won't regret it!

Feeling the heat...

Thick thigh beauty

Maybe the intense heat wave we're having in NYC has officially roasted my brains, but for today's post I'm really gonna "go there". Ladies, let's talk about Chub-Rub. Chub-Rub is a term coined by my sister and I many years ago to describe the horrible between-the-legs rubbing that occurs on any woman with more than 1% body fat (this is an approximation, but if your thighs don't touch when you walk, I assume you are a super model). Turns out chub-rub is a pretty common thing, in both name and general bane-of-female-existence-ness. There's nothing worse than wearing a skirt or dress on a hot day and having the friction sneak up on you. Not every outfit can accommodate bike shorts underneath (though when it can, that's a GREAT solution) and no woman wants to be caught doing the chub-rub waddle.

Thankfully for us all, toiletry companies are in on the Chub-Rub dilemma and have developed a multitude of products to assist us thick-thigh'ed ladies in our times of greatest need. Thankfully for YOU, I've taken 3 of these products for a test drive and have an official Merry Meri Chub-Rub Relief Report.

The Products.

Body Glide Anti-Chafing Stick

This product was my first ever in the anti-chafing category, discovered at a sporting goods store during the summer I trained for the Marine Corps Marathon. The deodorant-like stick is easy and mess free during application and there isn't an overly slick or greasy feeling where you apply it. The relief lasts for hours at a time making this product perfect for a workout or for a hot day (though if I'm going all day, I do need to re-apply once or twice).

Merry Meri Verdict: Awesome product, especially for exercising, but bulky packaging for day-to-day use; definitely going to check out the "for her" product when my current stick runs out.

New-Skin Anti-Chafing Spray
I purchased this product last week when a day of running errands on bike and foot led to a desperate moment in the Duane Reade first aid aisle. I love New-Skin's blister products and was drawn to the mess-free spray application and purse friendly size packaging. The promise of cooling relief was accurate, but the non-greasy claim was not. Well it wasn't exactly greasy... but slick isn't a good thing either. This product provides relief, but leaves you feeling a bit too lubed up (hehe) and I also had to re-apply more than once.

Merry Meri Verdict: Good in a pinch, but unlikely to become a staple in my medicine cabinet

Soothing Care Chafing Relief Powder-Gel

Girls, get over the fact that it's made by "Monistat", this product is the real deal. My favorite anti-chafing product for day-to-day use, after application this gel dries completely into what truly feels like fresh powder right where you need it. Available in a small, purse friendly tube, other than a small deduction for the fact that you have to apply by hand, this is my top choice for Chub-Rub combat. 

Merry Meri Verdict: Winner!! Great for all day (same as Body Glide, all day = re-apply once or twice) and according to the product reviews, also apparently an amazing makeup primer!?

Note that all of these anti-chafing products can be used anywhere on your body that you're getting an uncomfortable rub (underarms, underboob...!) and for a few other product suggestions, click HERE. (And a nifty little "fake your thigh gap" photo trick HERE!)

Book Club for Cool Kids

Reading is cool!

When I tell people I’m in a book club, I’m almost always met with skeptical faces. It’s like I’m being challenged to prove that book clubs aren’t just for dorks. I assure you, they aren’t, and while I’ve always thought that reading is cool, here are 5 ways to ensure your book club is a most awesome good time: 

(1) Rotate who hosts and who picks the books. One of my favorite things about my book club is that each month someone different hosts and the host gets to select the book we read. This ensures that no one has to travel to an inconvenient location all the time and that different tastes determine our monthly read.

(2) Bring thematic food (and drink!). Any time you add snacks and a glass of wine, conversation is sure to pick up a notch, but a thematic meal takes the fun even further. Try selecting a theme which matches the book somehow, whether it be culturally, seasonally or related to a character, and fill your plates potluck style - with each member committing in advance to bring something different. Doing this, I’ve enjoyed everything from Middle Eastern cuisine to “circus treats”.

(3) Try to mix genres. Maybe your book club wants to read exclusively science fiction. If so, awesome, but for many clubs, variety is going to be key.  Not only does my club rotate “book-selector”, but we’ve read everything from the classics to diatribes by comedians. We intentionally mix it up to suit moods, workloads and the time of year (a 500-page historical novel might not be the best pick for July!)

(4) Talk about the book, but not too much. Most people don’t want to feel like they’re doing homework when preparing for book club. Though you want to discuss the book you’ve read (thanks to Google, finding book club discussion questions has never been easier) make sure you aren’t so fixated on the book that people don’t have a chance to catch up and enjoy one another’s company.

(5) Pick the right people. Putting together a cool book club requires cool people, whatever your definition of “cool” may be. Throwing together people with nothing in common may make it tough to enjoy your monthly meetings or it may make discussion vibrant and interesting. Whoever you choose, make sure they fit the vibe of the book club you’re trying to create and can be counted on to attend with some regularity. Just like most other things in life, reading is always better if you can do it with friends.

Sit the F down.

Have a seat. Make yourself comfortable!

Ladies! It is time for a change. After decades (centuries!?) of helicopter hovering above the toilet seats of the world, here and now I am declaring an end to the potty-squat. It's about time that we all sit the F down!! While giving my quads a workout at a gas station commode somewhere in the heart of Alabama this past weekend (so much wrong with that sentence), I realized the absolute absurdity of the fact that we women feel the need to avoid putting our precious tushies on foreign toilets. You know WHY public toilets are so nasty? Because we're all squatting and missing and spraying all over the damn place!!! It's gross, but you KNOW it's true. Even girls with the best aim and upper leg strength are guilty of missing the mark and leaving a bigger mess than what she came into at least once or twice. If we all agreed to sit down, there would be way less mess and those still feeling a bit icky could build a nice TP foundation (or use those handy seat covers) as an added layer of protection. Everybody wins.

I concede one obstacle in my war on squatting, the tornado toilet (whose flush has such velocity that it sends a grotesque spray of the toilet's contents all over the freaking place), but other than that, this is a completely attainable restroom revolution. It is time to take a seat ladies... who's with me?!