Olivia C

I had been getting terrible itchy welts for a while before I spotted a bug and realized that what I had were bedbugs. I have vacuumed, washed bedding & curtains, sprinkled around diatomaceous earth (a natural substance which kills insects by drying them out) and I just purchased some neem oil. I also bought new pillows and sealed the pillows and the mattress in vinyl zippered covers. I also have an insect spray, and have been spraying that in cracks. If possible, I'd like to avoid using very harsh chemicals. I'd love to hear from someone who has had bedbugs and has ideas on how to get rid of them or what worked for you. I am at my wits end! Also, room is carpeted and I have vacuumed, but I live in an apartment so getting rid of the carpet is not an option. I just want to get rid of the damned things!

I'm not sure if this is more a decor or an art question, but I thought I'd ask here first. I have recently purchased some Murano glass art vases. Some have original stickers indicating they were made in Murano or Italy, or giving the maker's name. Do I take these off or keep them on? For resale I know it's better to have these on to prove that they are actually Murano glass and made in Italy. But for display purposes, wouldn't it be odd to keep them on? Does removing the stickers detract from the value of the pieces significantly? These are vintage or used pieces already, all of which are in good condition and considered collectible. Any thoughts would be helpful. Also, any suggestions on how to display them or what textures and other decor complement art glass? Thanks!

I have a year-old pug. He used to live with my mom, but has lived with my boyfriend and me for 4 months. He has had no accidents up until now. Yesterday when I woke up and went into the living room, I discovered that he had pooped on the floor. I repremanded him but we assumed that this was one accident and not too much too worry about; there was no stain. But then this morning, he vomited in our bed. To top that off, this evening he started peeing in the hall closet. This is a rental - this is not acceptable behavior in any way and if he continues we will not be able to keep him.

What would make him do this? Could this be him acting out of boredom or trying to rebel? His life is probably less exciting than it used to be. My mom was able to take him for long hikes daily and she had other dogs he could play with. I don't have the time or resources for that. But he has seemed fairly happy up until now. I don't know what is wrong with him. But I need him to stop this NOW!

What can I do? I need to make him stop. I really do not want to give him up, but I need to know what I can do.

Hey guys!

Well veg*ns frequently get asked on here, "What do you eat?" and to me it seems obvious since I have eaten veg*n foods for a long time and know how to plan my meals. But to me, the raw foodist is a bit mysterious in the same way veg*ns must be to meat eaters. So my question to you guys is the same - what do you eat everyday? Could you give me a sample of what you eat for a day (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks?).

By the way, I have tons of respect for raw foodists and I'm trying to eat as many raw foods as I can, but I don't know if I can go all the way (I went vegan very recently after being vegetarian for a long time). Maybe if your daily meals sound good I'll give it a try!

I recently made the switch to vegan after being a vegetarian for a long time. Now I'm wondering what chocolates I can eat? I've heard there are vegan ones - are they made by specific brands or is there something else I should look for? Brands and stores that carry them would be especially helpful!

(I live in Southern California with access to lots of different stores including Vons, Trader Joe's, Gelson's, Pavilion's, Whole Foods, etc.)

Hey everyone, I thought this would be an interesting question. What do you think constitutes beauty? What is your ideal of beauty? Do you think that an average looking girl with a phenomenal body and good hair and makeup is beautiful? Or do you think it is more important to have a truly beautiful face? And what do you think the difference is between "pretty" and "beautiful."

I guess it seems to me like many people who don't have really beautiful faces are considered beautiful due to great bodies. When I think of beauty I think of a beautiful face. True beauty to me is something elusive and hard to define, not merely a perfect bilateral symmetry but also something deeper, a certain quality. I think of a beautiful face, but also grace of movement and the character of the person. What are your views?

I'm getting my headshots taken tomorrow and I haven't quite decided how I'm going to do my hair. Lately I have been wearing it wavy and air-dried, as it naturally is. It is shoulder-length, and when left wavy has a good deal of volume and is more surfer-tousled than precise ringlets. I'm wondering whether this would be appropriate for headshots? Or should I straighten it to look sleeker and potentially more modern? I'm slim and have a rather narrow face with strong features (large eyes, cupid's bow mouth, small straight nose, high cheekbones, arched eyebrows). What do you think would be better? Have you noticed more responses to headshots with straight or wavy hair? Opinions?

Or should I wear it wavy to the headshots and bring the straightener along in case?

I've been a vegetarian for a long time and now I think I'd like to take it a step further and become a vegan. Dairy has been a fairly large part of my diet, but I don't think I'll have too much trouble eliminating it - I like soy milk, and cheese I can skip. The thing I'm worried about is breads - where do you get bread that hasn't been made with milk or eggs? I don't really have the time to make my own. I don't eat bread that often, but it's something that I'd like to continue to have as an option for sandwiches, anyway. What do you eat? Are there vegan packaged breads?

I am on a pretty tight grocery budget. I also like to eat varied vegetables and it's hard to buy many different types of veggies without having them go bad by the end of the week. Thus I've started buying different frozen veggies and using them in stir fries and as side dishes to supplement my diet. Is it bad for my diet if most of the vegetables I eat are frozen? I'm also wondering about canned fruits/vegetables? It just makes more economical sense to buy like this.

I just stumbled over a website advertising mail order brides and then when I typed it into google so many websites came up! I guess I was just surprised how frank they are in advertising themselves. So I was wondering - do you know anyone who is married to a mail order bride? Are you married to one? Were you a mail order bride?

Some of the websites I mean:

http://www.army-of-brides.com/

http://www.goodwife.com/

I have been feeling very tired lately and wonder whether I might have an iron-deficiency (anemia). I am a vegetarian, and I know most good sources of iron come from meat. I'd like to start eating some more iron and see if this helps me feel more energized. Can anyone recommend good food sources of iron that are vegetarian?

Any other dietary possibilities you can think of for why I might be feeling tired and lazy after plenty of sleep? I know I'm eating enough protein. Advice would be very much appreciated.

Petite (under 5'5" and small-boned)

Average build (medium height, not thin or fat)

Tall and slim (5'7" or taller)

BBW (big beautiful women/plus size)

Something else?

And why?

PS I'm not insecure, this is just a poll.

This question is aimed mostly at women/girls, but men are welcome to answer as well. Do you dislike those (of your sex) who are more attractive than you? Why? Explanations would be appreciated.

This is question mostly for women, because I think this reaction is more common among women, but men feel free to answer. Do you dislike people who weigh less or appear slimmer than you do? Do you dislike "skinny bitches"? If you are trying to lose weight, do you resent people who don't have to watch their weight? Why? Explanations appreciated.

I've been tweezing or waxing my eyebrows since I was 12 (I'm now 18), and I'm finally letting them grow out. It's been so long since I had them natural, I forgot what their original shape is. It turns out, I like it. I'm letting them grow in and then I might go to a salon and ask an aesthetician to clean them up a bit, but I think I'm going to go for as natural a brow look as I can. How bout you guys? Do you tweeze? Wax? Leave them be? Just wondering what your thoughts are.

I'm surprised by how much better I think I look with fuller eyebrows. They haven't been that thin lately, but I've had them thin at different occasions and thick at different occasions, but always shaped. My natural shape is refreshing.

I know that I need a theatrical and commercial one. I am wondering if I really only need those two, or whether it would be better to have more? I am 18 and petite, so I think most of my roles would either be "sexy girl" types or "teen/college" types. I was thinking I could have one theatrical shot that has a slightly sexier feel and another that's more casual/young looking, plus a more vanilla commercial shot. Thoughts?

Just wanted to get an idea, I know there's some variation by artist and all that. Assuming I go to a good artist who's been in the business a long time, about how long do you think it would take to tattoo this, at about 3 inches in diameter, between the shoulder blades? Plain black ink, just the outline.

http://stockholm.usembassy.gov/images/eagle.gif

Hi,

I like the portfolio of Jo Lui at joluiphotography.com, but I was wondering if anyone on here has been there or knows someone who has? Recently moved to LA and I'm looking for a good headshot photographer under $700. The price is right and the photos look good, but it'd be helpful to know if anyone has experience here. If you have experience with other photographers, I'd also love to hear what you think of them.

Hey,

Recently moved to LA to pursue acting (mostly interested in film). Can anyone recommend a good place to get headshots? There are so many options, it's kind of overwhelming. Also, if you've taken film acting classes in LA, is there anyplace you recommend? I'm not a total novice, I've had a year of acting training and I've done the audition circuit and student films in SF, but I don't know where to start in LA. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

Details: I don't have loads of cash for classes and headshots, but I do want to get good quality photos - just maybe not way over $500 for the initial headshot package. If you know someone stellar, I might be willing to pay more. Same goes for classes - I'm not looking for Jessica Alba's coach, but not beginning acting 101 either. Interested in scene study, improv, audition coaching, etc. I am located in East LA (Silverlake), with easy access to anywhere near Hollywood/Beverly Hills, and don't mind driving for the good stuff.

No, I'm not going to decide what to get based on answers to this thread. Yes, I know tattoos are permanent. Now...

I've been thinking for a while about getting my first tattoo. This idea just came to me:

http://watch.pair.com/eagle.jpg

Without the etching in the background, the circle around it, or the motto. Just the eagle, olive branch, arrows, and the stars above it.

Reasons this is personal to me:

I really am proud of and love my country, despite being jaded by its politics.

One side of my family has been here since the early 1600s (Mayflower) and my relatives fought in the Revolutionary and Civil wars

I think it's a beautiful design

My name is Olivia so I like the olive branch being involved, and the meaning behind the eagle looking towards the branch - the preference for peace, but willingness to fight when necessary.

I've also been thinking about getting the symbol of a different culture, but then I realized it would make most sense for me to get a symbol of the culture I am part of.

I am thinking of getting this tattoo on my upper back between my shoulder blades, in black ink, about 3 inches in diameter.

I'm just curious about your opinions? Have you ever seen something similar?