Hello Friday: FaN Notes [April 29, 2011]

Friendly Reminder, if you haven’t yet answered the 5 simple questions in the 32 CANDLES Marketing survey, I’d be muy grateful if you got on that now. That all solicited, let’s get into our terrific week at FaN:

1. I thought I had given up most to all of my slightly southern principles upon moving to L.A., but this week’s Dating Ell-A was like reading a straight-up horror story. I don’t need you to open doors for me or stand up when I come back from the bathroom, but what this guy did was just out of line. [Dating Ell-A: Dating While Southern (Belle)]

Do you, like Natalie Hall, think that maybe just maybe hip-hop is becoming more respectful toward women? Click on the pic to weigh in!

2. Though at least she didn’t marry him. I felt much worse for the woman who sent Dr. Miro a question about her husband who blamed his lack of get-up on her weight. Total D-bag. [Ask Dr. Miro: Don’t Call Me a Sausage!]

3. Here’s my advice for a budget-friendly Hawaii: consider doing half of your vacation in a hotel and the other half in a vacation rental (we love vrbo.com) so that you can see different parts of the island. Also, think about getting credit cards that give you rewards points. For example Betty’s IVF “paid” for my trip to Belgium because we a card that gives us frequent flyer miles for every dollar spent. And our current infertility battle will be funding our summer travel. We also put all our business-related stuff on a credit card connected to our favorite hotel. So it feels like we’re saving up for our next vacation anytime we buy something. Got any other budget friendly Hawaii tips? Let Debra Goykhman know! [NewlyNested: Budget Friendly Hawaii?]

4. Speaking of vacations, we once drove to New Mexico, with our then two-month-old to meet up with my MIL who was driving to California to come live with us and also to see some opera at the famous Santa Fe Opera — as you do. All I remember about the driving part of the trip is listening to the last Harry Potter book on audio, breastfeeding our daughter, and changing a ton of her poopy diapers on the backseat, b/c so many restaurants didn’t have changing tables in the bathrooms. This is all to say, that Eric Sims trip to New Mexico was way funnier. [California Seething: Wandering in the Desert]

5. I went to prom, but being a nerd looking to get out of St. Louis, I didn’t take it all that seriously. Still, I loved Zack’s prom blogumn, especially this clip about a mom who spent six years making her daughter a dress out of Starburst wrappers. I love how no one really acknowledges this is a totally insane thing to do; how the pretty daughter just goes along with it, perhaps not realizing that she is being raised by a lunatic; and how embarrassed the boyfriend looks in his matching Starburst vest. All I have to say is that he better have got some that night, because the internet remembers forever, and he will definitely be made fun of by both his future girlfriends, spouse, and perhaps even his children. [Tall Glass of Shame: PROM!]