Hey, have you heard the news yet?

As part of their Life Should Be Legendary campaign, AOL is running a contest* to let us sexy, sensational single women that we are all pioneers in our own right. They’re doing their part to motivate smart, innovative and bold women – people like you and me – to live the inspired and legendary lives we dream of. Here’s how it all works…

In order to enter the Life Should Be Legendary contest, and to be eligible to win the weekly sweepstakes for a $50 gift card or better yet the grand prize of a $4500 gift card, all you need to do is click the banner to the right, and answer the question “What inspires me?” by creating your very own inspiration board on the AOL Jeep site. It’s that simple. Honest…

When I sat down to create my own inspiration board earlier today, I started by listing all the things that inspired me and the first thought that came up was EVERYTHING…almost anyway.

For me, there are times when an early morning walk through a park or the opening bars of one of my favourite songs stirs something so deep within me I’m moved to tears – of gratitude. Then there are occasions when reading a beautiful passage of prose or sitting down at my desk to pour the thoughts in my head out onto a blank screen fills me with overwhelming happiness. Also, on a daily basis, satiating my curiosity and desire to learn about people, places, politics and everything between (usually by asking a ton of questions), simply thrills me.

But as my list grew ever longer, I realized the one thing I’m most inspired by (and I apologise in advance for the corniness, but it’s true) is the fact that I am still here – alive and kicking – to relish every emotionally charged, adventure filled, challenging, complex, and unpredictable moment of this thing called life. And that’s what I tried to convey when I created my own inspiration board, on the Life Should Be Legendary site. It only took me about 30 minutes to design my masterpiece and doing so was one of the highlights of my day. Really.

So, dear readers, I suggest you all take the time to create your own inspiration board. You’re bound to have fun, you’ll likely learn a bit about yourself, and if the stars align in your favour you just might be the lucky winner of the $4500 gift card. Now, that’s my kind of inspiration.

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*This is a sponsored post.

If you’re at all like me, you probably have a ton of online dating stories: ones that range from slightly amusing to downright hilarious. But despite the “laugh so hard you snort” inducing effect many of your dating stories may have, I’m sure you would agree that for those of us the dating scene sifting through what seems like a trillion profiles on a dating site to find just one “somewhat suitable” candidate, or having to endure the back and forth of inane email/IM conversations in hopes of getting laid having even one face to face meeting, can be FRUSTRATING – at times.

But what’s a girl to do when trolling various online dating sites, for what seems like forever and a day, doesn’t lead to like, lust or love?  (Please select all that apply from the list below):

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a. Spend many a lonely night at home, cuddled up with the cat and some popcorn in front of a yet another chick flick?

b. Pick up some more batteries from the convenience store so she can make use her most “stimulating” sex toy more frequently?

c. Concede defeat, take down her dating profile and give up on her dreams of meeting her very own Prince Charming?

d. Try her luck on a dating site that puts “the date [and F-U-N] back into dating” by connecting people interested in meeting like minded individuals who want to share an exciting, playful, quirky, adventurous, and even romantic experience?

e. None of the above.

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If you chose “d” give yourself a pat on the back. And if you selected both “b” and “d” you’re a woman after my own heart – so two snaps and a hip bump for you. Either way, after you’ve finished congratulating yourself for being the brilliant woman that you are, check out HowAboutWe, a hip new dating site with an even hipper approach.

HowAboutWe’s unique slant to online dating puts the focus on the dates, NOT the profiles of individual users, so you get:

• Better insight into what the people behind each profile are really like, as they’ve written (in their own words) what is it they actually want to do.
• Greater ability to find people with whom you share common life passions.
• A chance to do something you really want to do. Because you’re matched based on date ideas even if the connection is a fail, at the very least your date will result in you: seeing the great art exhibit/film/play everyone’s been talking about; dancing the night away at that free concert/night club/salsa class you wanted to attend; finally trying your hand at rock climbing/pottery/snowboarding; or just getting your errands done.
• And best of all, no more waiting and hoping that the guy will grow some balls take the lead by deciding just what it is the two of you will be doing when you meet – you’ll know from the get go. BONUS.

And you know what else folks? Just in time for Valentine’s Day the good folks about HowAboutWe are offering 33% OFF their service to all our readers who use the promo code VDAYFUN when they sign up.

A cool new approach to the dating game, a great discount, and access to matches who want to do the things you like to do – minus the 1001 emails to figure out where you’re going to meet and what you’re going to do.

Hmmm…Sounds like no brainer to me.

ELIZABETH ROSE

No pressure, no diamonds. – Thomas Carlyle

A lot of time and effort is laid out by women, young and old alike to put pressure on the men in their lives to cough up Diamonds…Pressure which comes in many forms.

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I have heard the hints.

As I explained in my post Ho Ho OOOHHHH!, this month is all about our favourite things – things that get our pulses racing, nether regions throbbing and mouths watering. Why? Well, we’re hoping that in addition to entertaining you, we may just help you get some extra hot fires burning this holiday season: which of course brings me to the point of today’s post. Pay attention fellas, this one is for you.

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Christmas is a time for giving, and if you happen to be a man who is romantically involved with a woman who’s big on receiving gifts – especially from her supaman luva, boo, pappy, lover boy, “stucky” and/or main squeeze – you need  to get the whole gift giving thing right… the first time. You see boys, rightly or wrongly, if your lady is like most women, she will look at the any and all gifts she receives from you as a sign of how much you love/adore/appreciate her. Take it from me guys, if your woman thinks this way, you’ve got absolutely NO room for error on this.

So gentlemen, consider this post my PSA for all of you out there struggling to figure out what to get for the woman in your life who says…

“Oh honey, you don’t have to get me anything this year.”

“Just knowing you love me is more than enough for me.”

Or some other equally glib comment uttered with such feigned breeziness that your tingling spidey senses tells you she really means:

“You had better pick out something totally amazing for me – all on your own – or your ass is mine Mr. Man.”

For the record boys, as a general rule electronic gadgets that you want more than she ever would (i.e. the extra large flat screen TV to catch the big game on, newest play-station or X-box, etc.) are absolute no-no’s. As are gift certificates for personal training, Jenny Craig or anything else that may lead her to believe you think she’s fat (a very bad move unless you’re looking to be in the no sex zone from now ’til…ETERNITY!). And you can just forget about ‘practical’ gifts like home appliances (i.e. microwaves, blenders and vacuum cleaners), slippers and anything akin to a ‘Cooking for Dummies’ book. Finally, as thoughtful as they may seem, perishables like chocolates, flowers and/or other produce, even if it’s wrapped up in a dazzling gift basket, should also be avoided (unless they are being used as items to supplement your main gift to her).

Now you’re busy asking yourself what’s left to get her aren’t you? Well, my answer to that is this…

Plenty.

You see gentlemen, the truth is that most women love (and by love I mean completely adore and totally yearn for) pretty, shiny and delicately crafted bits of metal, especially if the aforementioned bits of metal are encrusted, inlaid or adorned with gems. And although it may seem that many women are only keen on the very large colourless gems that are often mounted on rounded bits of gold or platinum hued metal (you know the ones they say should cost you three months salary?), let me assure you that colourful gems attached to various metals in all sorts of shapes and sizes make appropriate Christmas gifts as well.

By now I hope you all realize that I’m talking about bling, ice, jewelry. Please note that I’m referring to the insanely beautiful, gasp inducing and Oh-my-God-you-shouldn’t-have-but-I-love-you-so-much-because-you-did shouting kind of bling. And isn’t that the reaction you want when she opens the gift you took pains to find, purchase and gift wrap for her this Christmas? After all, anything that makes her feel that good is bound to put her in the mood to make you feel good. As in really, really, REALLY GREAT (nudge, nudge, wink). That’s right friends, getting her jewelry for Christmas = a win-win-win. That’s one for her, one for you and one more for your man parts.

So, now that you’re clear on what to buy for your SO to make this Christmas a winning one for both you and your junk, allow me to give you just one more tip on how to make shopping for your “99.99% guaranteed ass getting” Christmas gift easier this year.

Don’t bother trudging all the way out to the mall in search of a perfect piece of jewelry. You know you’re just going to be faced with impossibly busy parking lots, overcrowded shops, and the very limited selection at your local jeweler or (worse yet) a department store. Why go through all that when you can easily find a truly inspired piece of jewelry for your SO by simply booting up your laptop and checking out Ice.com?

Ice.com, the internet’s first online jewelry store, features a vast collection of gorgeous jewelry, and to celebrate the holidays from now until December 31, 2010, they’re offering customers a Friends and Family gift of…

$20 to spend on virtually anything in the store + FREE shipping (in the US and Canada)!

To take advantage of their generous offer, after you’ve picked out a spectacular gift or two for your girl, just enter the coupon code FRNDS at the checkout or click here.

Boys, could it be any simpler? At Ice.com you can purchase an eye-catching gift for the woman in your life at a great price, from the convenience and comfort of your own living room. Score you…

And that ever ready “dude” in your pants.