ARE YOU STRESSED??

***FIVE SYMBOLS IN DREAMS THAT MEAN YOU'RE STRESSED OUT***

A little stress in your everyday life is normal. But if it becomes too constant it can influence your dreams and causes you to lose valuable sleep. Here are five common symbols in dreams that usually mean you're TOO stressed out . . .

#1.) NUDITY. Maybe you're at work or sitting in your classroom . . . the setting doesn't really matter. What does matter is . . . YOU'RE NAKED. A lot of people have the naked dream, and it usually means you're feeling unprepared or inferior in some way.

#2.) STORMS. If you're dreaming of tornados, hurricanes, avalanches, or even just rain storms, then you're probably dealing with an INTERNAL storm in your life. The good news is, if you can let the storm pass before you wake up, you won't feel as stressed out.

#3.) CRASHES. Whether it's in an airplane, a car, or a train, crashes represent deep anxiety and fear. People often think these dreams are premonitions, but crashes usually mean you're either pushing yourself too hard or you're worried about a looming disaster.

#4.) BUGS. Ants, spiders, moths or flies could mean a number of things. Some experts think that seeing bugs in your dreams means your life is about to get more complicated. Still, others think there's a more literal meaning . . . like, something's BUGGING you.

#5.) LOSING TEETH. Some experts say it means you feel powerless. Others say it's a sign your life's in a transitional phase. Whatever the reason is, if you're waking up in a panic and double-checking how many molars you have, it's probably time for a vacation.(DivineCaroline.com)

EDIBLE HOLIDAY CARD

A DESIGN COMPANY IN THE UK HAS CREATED AN EDIBLE HOLIDAY CARD:

This may seem like a strange question . . . but have you ever felt the urge to EAT the holiday greeting cards you get in the mail? No? Well, me neither. In fact, the only reason I'm even asking is because this year, a design company in the UK called Oxygen Creative will be sending their customers holiday cards . . . that are 100% edible.

According to a company spokesman, "Our card is printed on paper made from potato starch, the ink we use is edible, and we have even signed the cards in edible ink with a special pen . . . Anyone who doesn't want to keep the card can simply eat it!" (Daily Mail)

(--Check out pictures of these cards and the geeks who invented them here . . .)
(--You can learn more about Oxygen Creative here . . .)http://oxygencreative.co.uk/oxygen_web.html

HOLIDAY SAFTY TIPS

HERE ARE TEN TIPS TO MAKE SURE YOU DON'T BURN DOWN YOUR HOUSE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON:

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, there are 11,600 fires every December 24th, 25th and 26th . . . and they're responsible for causing $80 MILLION in damage, 250 injuries and 40 DEATHS.

With that in mind, here are TEN TIPS to follow . . . so you don't burn your house down this holiday season.

#1.) Check your tree for dryness before you buy it by shaking it. If too many needles fall off . . . find a fresher one.

#2.) Avoid trees with artificial green tint on the branches and trunk. The tree may have been spray-painted to improve its appearance . . . and the paint could be combustible.

#3.) Saw off an inch or two from the trunk to help it stay fresher longer.

#4.) Don't leave a dried-out tree inside your home, garage or against the house.

#5.) Use decorations that are made of flame-resistant or flame-retardant materials.

#6.) If you decorate your tree with lights, make sure they're stamped with "UL" . . . which stands for Underwriters Laboratories. This mark means an independent, not-for-profit lab has tested the product . . . and it's met all necessary safety requirements.

#7.) Inspect light strands for any frayed pieces and replace damaged or missing bulbs.

#8.) Don't overload extension cords, power strips or electrical outlets . . . and make sure your lights can be used outdoors before you put them up on your house.

#9.) Turn your Christmas lights off when you're asleep or away from home.

#10.) Keep lit candles away from things that might catch on fire. Place them somewhere they won't get knocked over . . . and NEVER leave them unattended. (Newsday)

OH, I HEAR YA BROTHER

MAKE SURE YOU TURN YOUR SOUND DOWN BEFORE YOU WATCH THIS VIDEO

At a post-game press conference Saturday night, Syracuse basketball coach Jim Boeheim showed the podium microphone who's boss after it gave him too much feedback. I can tell you honestly, this has happened to me many times & I have wanted to give the mic a good smack, but didn't.. Enjoy!!

(--Note: He smacks it at :44.)

BAD BABY NAMES

THE WORST CELEBRITY BABY NAMES OF 2008:

BabyNames.com recently conducted a survey to determine the WORST celebrity baby names of the year. Here are the results:

The Bottom BOYS Names . . . along with the parents who dreamed them up:

--BRONX MOWGLI WENTZ . . . (--Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz and Ashlee Simpson.)

--BARNABY BORSTEIN DOUGLAS . . . (--Former "MadTV" star Alex Borstein . . . who is also the voice of Lois on "Family Guy" . . . and Jackson Douglas.)

--MAJOR HARRIS . . . (--Rapper T.I.)

--VINCENZO KAINALU HAMMETT . . . (--Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett and Lani Hammett.)

The Bottom GIRLS Names . . . along with the parents who dreamed them up:

--JAGGER JOSEPH BLUE GOLDBERG . . . (--Former "Punky Brewster" superstar Soleil Moon Frye and Jason Goldberg.)

--LUISA DANBI GRIER-KIM . . . (--Comedian David Alan Grier and Christine Kim.)

--EGYPT BENNETT . . . (--Season Five "American Idol" finalist Paris Bennett.)

--MABEL RAY MULRONEY . . . (--Actor Dermot Mulroney and Tharita Catulle.)

(--If you're interested, you can see the year's celebrity baby names . . . plus the celebrity TWIN baby names . . . ranked best-to-worst, at the following link . . .)
http://www.babynames.com/Names/Celebrities/celebrity_babies_2008.php

SCENT OF A BURGER

BURGER KING HAS COME OUT WITH A NEW BODY SPRAY THAT SMELLS LIKE FLAME-BROILED MEAT:

Guys . . . check this out.. There's a new scent called "Flame", which is a new body spray from Burger King . . . yes, Burger King . . . that's supposed to smell like flame-broiled meat. (Boston Herald)

(--You can pick up a bottle of Flame for $4 here . . .)
http://www.firemeetsdesire.com/

YOU CAN BUY SNOOP'S SHED

SNOOP DOGG IS SELLING HIS OLD SHED ON EBAY:

If you were thinking about purchasing a new shed . . . and honestly, who ISN'T . . . you should know that SNOOP DOGG is auctioning off his old shed on eBay. Snoop tells E! News, "I've had this shed since tha turn of tha century. I've beaten over 1,000 people in 'Madden' in it, watched football game tape, seen the [Los Angeles] Lakers win championships, and, most of all, written hits in it."

Yes, this IS an actual shed . . . like the kind the average person would store tools in. But for Snoop, it was like his own little rec room . . . his DOGG HOUSE, if you will. He recently replaced it, which is why he's getting rid of it.

You can see the old shed one last time on this Sunday's episode of "Snoop Dogg's Father Hood", which airs at 10:30 P.M. on E! The opening bid was set at $1,000 . . . and as of last night, a minor BIDDING WAR between two bidders had the price up to $1,125.

(--You can check out pictures of the shed . . . or place your own bid . . . here . . .) http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280295001961--The auction runs through next Monday afternoon . . . and proceeds from the sale will benefit Snoop's Youth Football League.

For more information, here's the league's homepage . . .) http://www.snoopyouthfootballleague.com/

FALL OUT BOY SINGS ACAPPELLA

FALL OUT BOY WERE FORCED TO PERFORM A CAPPELLA . . . AFTER FAILING TO GET A PERMIT TO PLAY IN NEW YORK CITY:

To hype their new album, "Folie a Deux" . . . (--which drops TODAY) . . . FALL OUT BOY planned on performing a spontaneous show yesterday in New York City's Washington Square Park. But the cops in New York weren't feeling it. The band failed to obtain the necessary permit to perform in the park . . . and the police told them that they'd be taken to JAIL if they picked up their instruments. So they decided to appease the fans that had gathered there . . . with a SING-A-LONG.

According to MTV News, they only sang one song, (the 2003 track) "Grand Theft Autumn / Where Is Your Boy". Then, they apologized to the crowd and hit the road.

REALLY COOL VIDEO

This boat finds itself in the path of an enormous school of dolphins that are moving really fast.

(--Note: The most-impressive part of the video starts at :33.)

DESPERATE TO BE A GRANDMOTHER

A WOMAN PLACED AN AD TO FIND A WIFE FOR HER 37-YEAR-OLD SON:

In 2003, a guy named Jason from Tampa, Florida, got divorced from his wife . . . and that upset his mother, Claudia. So with Jason's blessing, Claudia has shelled out 500 bucks for an ad in the "Tampa Tribune" that reads, "All I want for Christmas is a wife for my son. I'm sad that he's alone, a 37-year-old handsome Tampa professional . . . Help me find him a wife!"

Jason says his mom has received three responses so far, but one of them was from another mother who wants the names of the women that Jason doesn't end up dating . . . for HER son. (Tampa Tribune)

So you know, Jason is a software marketing manager who loves the outdoors and volunteers with kids who have Down syndrome. But he's bald . . . and clearly a bit of a mama's boy.

Either way, Jason says he'll meet everyone who responds to the ad. So if you think you'd like to date Jason, you can send a letter and a picture of yourself to: Christmas Mother-in Law, P.O. Box 11802, Blacksburg, Virginia, 24062.)

(--Take a look at Jason . .)

DIDN'T THINK THAT ONE THROUGH

A WOMAN IN NORTH DAKOTA HAD MS. PAC-MAN TATTOOED ON HER HEAD:

People . . . before you run out and get another tattoo, I want you to ask yourself just one question: How is it going to look when I'm 60 years old . . . if I have a character from a video game tattooed on the side of my HEAD?

Unfortunately, a tattoo artist from Bismarck, North Dakota named Aileen Fritz failed to ask herself that question . . . before getting Ms. Pac-Man tattooed on her head. (BodyMod.org)

(--Take a look at Aileen's Ms. Pac-Man tattoo . . .)

BOSTON'S "SANTA SPEEDO RUN"

THE NINTH ANNUAL "SANTA SPEEDO RUN" TOOK PLACE IN BOSTON ON SATURDAY:

On Saturday, the high temperature in Boston, Mass, was only 32 degrees. But that didn't stop a bunch of crazy people from stripping down . . . for the city's ninth-annual "Santa Speedo Run" for charity. (Boston Globe)

(--You can learn more about the Santa Speedo Run here . . .)http://www.santaspeedorun.com/index.php

RESUME HELP

***FOUR WAYS TO MAKE YOUR RESUME STAND OUT . . . WITHOUT LYING***

If you're desperate for a job, you might be tempted to make your resume look a little better than it really is. Hey, EVERYONE lies on their resume, right? Well, not quite. In fact, 38% of workers say they exaggerate on their resume, but only 18% admit to actually lying.

But, does lying work? NO. In fact, most companies disqualify job candidates as soon as they find out they're being lied to. So, if you're desperate for work, don't be dishonest. Here are four ways to make your resume stand out WITHOUT lying . . .

#1.) BE FIRST IN LINE. One in five employers says they're receiving more resumes this year than last. And a good way to make yours stand out is to be the first one in line. Sign up for email alerts, and check the job postings every day. Don't let someone else steal YOUR job.

#2.) USE KEYWORDS. Some large companies use computers to review resumes. They scan them for keywords and then rank them based on the words they find. Some of the most popular keywords include "problem-solving", "customer service", "team building" and "bilingual".

#3.) BE DIFFERENT. 43% of hiring managers spend a minute or less looking at each resume. So, don't use the same tired old lines and clichéd phrases that everyone else uses. In fact, an energetic and unique resume can get your foot in the door even if you lack experience.

#4.) FILL THE PAGE, BUT BE HONEST. If you have a gap in employment, don't make up a job that didn't exist . . . but don't leave it blank either. Be sure to mention any volunteer work you did or classes you took during that time.

--Most people forget to include volunteer work and part-time jobs in a resume even if it better qualifies them for the job they're applying for. (CareerBuilder.com)