Bite me off a piece of that...

A story that captures a seriously large audience, even when its 1913 original was released, has found its way back into pop culture in a variety of multi-medium ways.

Vampires. Myth? Stories? Pure bull? Regardless of your personal perspective, one thing is for certain. There is a mysterious attraction to stories about them.

The movie The Vampire was captured on the big screen almost 100 years ago (really, it was released on October 15, 1913). Over the bulk of my life, I've seen remakes where vampires ruled the big screen. Kate Beckinsale in Underworld. Brad Pitt in Interview with a Vampire. Peta Wilson in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Clearly there are quite a few with a variety of tweaks to who, where and how.

Starting in 2008 the vampire excitement was kicked into hyper-gear with the release of the Twilight movie, the reappearance of the Twilight book series on Amazon's home page and Barnes & Noble's front tables, the premiere of True Blood on HBO and a brand new breed of teenagers and young adults to be wooed by the sci-fi glamour.

I'm drinking the KoolAid on this one. These stories are addictive. What keeps us at the edge of our seats, intrigued and wanton? It could be the knack that casting directors have on finding dashingly pale front men and chemistry filled love scenes. I believe it's the unknown and frightening idea that the story is so old, but still so passionate.

Try one. You may enjoy it. If nothing else, you'll be able to appreciate the creativity behind it.

Romantic Comedies for the Soul

I’ve been renting romantic comedies on iTunes. Don’t stop reading. I have a point. I don’t think I’m alone in this one, but correct me if I’m wrong. I go through these phases where I want nothing to do with romance or the idea of love and sex. I refuse to read the typical chick literature. I won’t dare purchase Cosmo. Maybe it’s the belligerence of not wanting to feel something if it’s a third party emotion.

It’s been a long time since I’ve been in this new phase however. I can’t get enough. I’m reading/drooling over The Twilight Series (Stephanie Meyers has an imagination that most strive to have a fraction of). I talk about love and relationships to friends as if all cynicism has left the room. I rent romantic comedies on iTunes. I’ve been renting new ones; I’ve already seen most of the classics. Now, I’m into the movies that haven’t hit the theater, that aren’t going to solve any life-changing questions, but leave me smiling. Here are a few that are worth a few bucks. Maybe it’ll be similar to osmosis. The more we infuse it into our lives, the more likely it is to happen. If not, then at least you’ll be entertained.

Check out:

Suburban Girl
Broken English
Happy-Go-Lucky
New In Town

If you're wondering what picture at the top of this post is from, it's Romancing the Stone. My favorite movie of all time. Don't judge. Watch it if you haven't seen it.

Motivation Flirtation

It's all in the eyes and the smile. But what if flashing your lashes and pearly's are more difficult than the movies tell you. I believe that it's all in the attitude. Now granted, you need some sort of "attention-getter", but in most situations if you have the attitude the smile and flash of lash is the easy part.

Going out is great. You have a good time with friends, enjoy some drinks and have that evening celebration that cheers for you not being at work. But the nights where you might not be armed with your best friend and her skinny jeans as support or you are not accompanied with that extra jolt of liquid confidence, those are the nights where you'll always see the "great guy potential".

Welcome to Stop and Shopt/IGA/ShopRite (insert grocery store chain) on any weeknight from Monday - Wednesday in suburbia, you will most likely find single guys shopping for whatever they were too busy to pick-up over the weekend. My friend Katie who owns Katies Cakes and finds herself there frequently for last minute bakers goods, agrees.

Coincidentally, you will find me there too.

This past weekday grocery store quick-stop was to pick up a few things for the upcoming Champagne Thursday (post to come). As I stood in front of the yogurt section trying to decide on peach or bluberry, someone with a little bit of gorgeous under the skin contemplated Cracker Barrel or store-brand cheddar. I froze. If it was the game Freeze Frame, I would have won.

He looked my way twice. I saw it out of the corner of my eye. Any normal moment in my life would have included me smiling and making some kind of backhanded comment about buying store-brand. But, on a Monday night where a days worth of phone-calls and emails managed to turn my confidence into nothing but mush, I stood there silent.

After the poor exhibit of how to not behave as a fabulous single gal, I'm making a request/pact/promise to flirt with all of them. The great ones, the mediaocre ones, and even the ones that you know you would easily win over.

Care to take the challenge? Can you flirt with everyone that you find attractive and that appears relatively single? Dare. Double Dare. Physical Challenge.

Consider this your motivation. Smile. Say hello. Look-up. Make the first move.

The Unexpected: A quick preview of how I’ll inspire you

I’m in public relations. The heart, soul, and brain of my profession is to talk with people, insert an opinion, and ask for favors. PR and my personal life has tag-team molded me into a savvy writer, with an opinion on just about everything and the blogging skills to keep you captivated and motivated. You’re welcome.

Here is a little bit of background on me. This will help you better understand where all this brilliance is radiating from.

I’m about two years and a few pennies from hitting the thirty mark. Let me be clear about that comment. Despite what some of the women in my family think, hitting thirty is neither a deadline for marriage or marked moment of clarity. I’m still, however, not looking forward to it. I live in the suburbs and spent my career in NYC. I rent. I’m single. I have a handful of great girlfriends that keep me grounded and an arena-full of friends that help to keep my weekends busy.

I’m constantly looking for something better. In men. In work. In life. I’m an eternal optimist with passionate, peppered-in moments of pessimistic insanity. I give great advice. I’m a writer that is striving to inspire. But as a reader of this piece, above all else, I’m the girl that'll make you at least smile. Read this shit. When you have a break in your day. You won’t be disappointed.