How do you feel about Friends with Benefits?

by Brittany Geragotelis

I went to the movies this weekend, to take a little girl time out to see a chick-flick called Friends With Benefits with my BFF Tammy. Starring smooth-dancer and pop crooner Justin Timberlake and the sassy, sexy Mila Kunis, FWB was super fun and super funny. Perfect for a Sunday afternoon with the girls.






The premise isn't exactly groundbreaking: Girl (Mila Kunis) is dumped by boy (Andy Sandberg) for being too clingy. Guy (JT) is dumped by girl (Emma Stone) for not being clingy enough. Girl and Guy meet, become friends, decide that instead of dating they're just going to sleep with each other—no strings attached. And neither of them thinks they'll get hurt in the end.



Uh, huh. Yeah.



Besides the obvious plot points, I really liked the movie. I enjoyed the playful and sarcastic banter between Mila and JT's characters. I also loved that by taking out the romance at the beginning of their relationship, they were much more capable of being honest with each other. Neither is trying to impress the other, so they can say and act exactly how they want, being more themselves than with anyone else.

Now, I was already a fan of Justin Timberlake (what can I say, I grew up listening to N*Sync and loved him in the Disney movie Model Behavior back in 2000) and Mila Kunis has officially become one of my top girl crushes (ever since I saw her in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, I've thought she was so freaking cool), but the movie really was worth paying the $12.50 for admission. There are a bunch of throw-backs to 90s music and some pretty fun dancing scenes. Oh, and did I mention that JT and Mila are naked almost the entire movie (I don't think anyone in the theater was complaining)?

So, yes, a bit unoriginal, but better than the other similar movies that are out there. So, grab your girls and go see it. You won't be sorry!

5x5,
B.

A day of Pampering....

by Brittany Geragotelis

For months, I've been teasingly trying to get my boyfriend to go with me on a spa day. Now, I'm not usually the kind of girl who gets regular mani & pedi's—In fact, I rarely pamper myself in this way....partly because it's a luxury that I can't really afford (and would rather spend on a good meal or a good movie)—but the idea of bringing Matt along with me to have my nails done sounded like a good chance to relax while spending some couple time together.

I always brought up the spa thing in a joking manner...Matt being such a manly guy, I never thought he'd actually go. But for my birthday, he surprised me with gift certificates for a couples spa day which included a mani/pedi, a 10-minute leg/foot massage and a 10-minute back massage. I was so psyched that 1) I was going to get a day of pampering; and 2) Matt was going with me to enjoy it!

Though it took Matt about 10 minutes or so to loosen up (a guy was doing his nails and massage and I think he'd been hoping for a girl to be the one touching his troll feet), eventually he relaxed and started to enjoy his metrosexual experience.

Of course I was in HEAVEN. I rarely get a chance to sit back and let someone massage my stress away and paint my nails, so the day was a treat. Did I mention that the chairs that we were sitting in were AMAZING?!?!?! They were massage chairs and once we turned them on to the "automatic A" setting, these invisible massagers popped out of the inside of the chair like little alien fingers. It felt so good and relaxing, that at some point I closed my eyes and thought I could fall asleep.

I picked a glittery polish for my toes (Matt chose clear) and a shimmery gold shade for my fingers (again, Matt chose clear; I tried to convince him to put on some color and I had the female technician on my side too, but he wasn't having it) and relished in my day of beauty.

By the end of the day, I'd decided that a bit of pampering every once in a while wouldn't be a bad thing. Maybe not once a week like some people can afford, but I think that once a month would be doable. And the best part? Matt thinks so too!

5x5,
B.

How well do you really know your boyfriend?

by Brittany Geragotelis

Something peculiar happens when you've been dating someone for a considerable amount of time. You get to know them. Or at least that's the point. After nearly three years of dating, Matt knows exactly how I take my coffee. I know that he doesn't like it when you talk to him during "The Daily Show." But, this past week, there were two different instances in particular where I was reminded of just how well Matt has grown to know me.

The first situation happened when I got a little case of the panic attacks one night earlier this week. Well, as soon as I told Matt I was feeling funny, he could tell I was anxious, and you know what he did? He turned on "America's Funniest Home Videos" and cuddled with me until I felt better. Why the silly home video show? He knows that when I'm feeling like that, I have to watch something that's either comforting ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer") or funny ("AFHV" or "Friends") to get my mind off...well, my mind. It was the perfect response given the situation.

The second example came up Monday night, when Matt knew as soon as he got home that I was sick with the flu. Yeah, yeah, I know, real romantic, right? But he didn't mention me looking sick in a, "you look like crap" kind of way. He explained that my "sick eyes" are different than my "tired eyes." Now, you know that someone really knows you when they can differentiate your eye "looks."

So, how well do you know your significant other? Are you still in the early phase of loverdom or do you practically finish each other's sentences? Take the quiz below to find out.

1. Your boyfriend is in a bad mood. You:
A) Leave him alone until he's ready to talk about it.
B) Force him to tell you what's wrong and then try to fix it.
C) Try to figure out what you did to make him mad at you.

2. If you and your man were to go on a gameshow it would be:
A) The Newlywed Game
B) Family Feud
C) The Amazing Race

3. It's his birthday and you want to get him the perfect gift. You:
A) Buy him that Nintendo Wii he's been coveting but would never get himself.
B) Plan a weekend away...somewhere you've been wanting to visit. Hey, I'm sure he'll have fun too.
C) Give him a gift certificate to Amazon so he can get something he really wants.

4. Your boyfriend's biggest fear is:
A) Do you mean this week or last?
B) Are you kidding? He's not afraid of anything.
C) Clowns. It's the nose. Or the makeup. Or maybe the creepy laugh...

5. His favorite weekend activity is:
A) Going out to dinner, watching a movie or heading out for some Pinkberry. As long as you're together, it doesn't matter what you're doing.
B) Letting you make the plans.
C) Hitting the latest party

6. You're the only one who knows:
A) What makes him cry
B) His favorite movie
C) His middle name

7. When it comes to his family, you:
A) Spend every holiday with them and go home for birthdays
B) Still call his parents Mr. and Mrs....mostly because you don't know their first names.
C) Can't help but be nervous around them

Okay, now figure out which letter you got the most of and find out just how well you know your luvah!

MOSTLY A's: Congratulations! You and your man are like PB&J—you were meant to go together. But even with good chemistry, a couple has to put the time and attention in to attain a solid connection. And you've had your eyes and ears open. You know everything there is to know about him: his favorite color, what he's like when he's cranky, even the last book he read. Keep bonding and you'll be on your way to Couple of the Year.

MOSTLY B's: You're so caught up in the awesomeness of your relationship that you can't quite see what's right in front of you. Or who. Instead of taking the time to get to know your honey, you're dead-set on fast-forwarding to the good parts. Don't rush things. Slow down and you may just find that you're closer than you think.

MOSTLY C's: You've got a great man who loves being around you and everything's going swimmingly...so, why are you worried all the time? You're so busy trying to make him happy and comfortable in the relationship that you're not allowing yourself to actually enjoy the time you spend together. You've got to trust that he's with you for a reason and start saving that brain of yours for counting the ways you're perfect for each other.

5x5,
B.

Words of Wisdom from Miss Paula Abdul

by Brittany Geragotelis

More great news on the blog front! Deborah Gregory (the WILD woman behind The Cheetah Girls and Catwalk series) and the talented and lovely Jessica Bendinger (Writer of Bring It On, writer and director of Stick It and author of The Seven Rays) have both agreed to answer a few questions for this blog (and all of you!!) Both women are beyond awesome and I can't wait to bring you their answers! I promise it'll be worth it!

So, when I got into work this morning and finally got a chance to sit down at my computer (so much drama-rama I can't even begin to tell you), I turned iTunes to random and you know what the first song was to come blaring through the mini speakers? Paula Abdul's "Opposites Attract." Now, being that I've met Paula before (I mean, actually hung out with her on two separate occasions—jealous yet? No? Well, check out the photo with my homegirl, Paula, above) I already know first-hand that she's got a big heart and thick skin (She'd have to, to put up with Simon's crap!). This is how I know that there's got to be a bit of wisdom behind her songs.



So, I began to really think about the meaning behind the song, "Opposites Attract," and sure enough, Paula knew what she was talking about.

"I take two steps forward
I take two steps back
We come together, 'cuz opposites attract
And you know, it ain't fiction
Just a natural fact
We come together, 'cuz opposites attract.

Baby ain't it somethin'
How we lasted this long
You and me, provin' everyone wrong
Don't think we'll ever
Get our differences patched
Don't really matter, 'cuz we're perfectly matched."

See, on paper, my boyfriend, Matt, and I don't really match up. He's CNN, I'm The CW. He knows a lot about politics (I don't), and I know a ridiculous amount of pop culture (he really doesn't care about celebs). We have totally different beliefs when it comes to spirituality. He doesn't believe in ghosts and I like to go on ghost hunts. So, on the surface, it would seem like we probably wouldn't make a good couple...but we do.

It's funny, because I often think to myself, "how did we ever get together?" And the truth is: it's because we just fit. Together, we make a great pair. Our relationship is a strong and healthy one, despite our differences (or possibly because of them). But how, when on the outside it seems that we wouldn't get along, have we made it work? Here are a few things I've learned about being in a relationship with my total opposite:

1. It's important to bond over the things you DO have in common. It could be your love for peanut butter and potato chip sandwiches or the Harry Potter books, but finding things you both enjoy will help to keep you bonding as a couple. For Matt and I, we both love the movies (though our tastes in genre differ, we love watching nearly anything), certain TV shows (we watch "Dexter", "House", "Glee" and "Big Love" together!) and we're both very creative in our personal lives (Matt makes films and I write books).

2. Agree to disagree...and then leave it alone. Matt and I learned very early on that if we were going to have differing opinions about certain big topics and actually remain in this relationship, we'd have to figure out a way to be okay with it. So, we decided that neither of us would push our beliefs on the other. We respect the other's thoughts and feelings, while retaining our own. I don't force him to sit through situations that make him uncomfortable and he doesn't lecture me about my views. For us, this works.

3. View your differences as opportunities to grow. Because our personalities are so different, Matt and I both bring different things to the table that I believe have helped us grow individually. For instance, Matt pays a lot of attention to politics and the news--because of this, I was forced to watch several history-making speeches that I never would have seen if it had been up to me (the election, the vote for health care, etc). And because of all my "Hannah Montana" watching, Matt's been able to contribute to conversations with people at his job who are working on a tween website. See? Win-win. (Well, in my opinion, he did a little more winning in this particular situation, but what can you do?)

4. If it aint broke, don't try and fix it. In the end, if you and your honey make a good couple, it doesn't really matter that you're puzzled as to why you're a good couple. Who cares why it works? The point is, it does. Love is rare...so just go with it, already.

Now, because Matt and I haven't made our own music video yet, here's a look at the one Paula made with her foxy guy. It pretty much sums us up anyway. Enjoy.

5x5,
B.