Cleos VS. Cougars

Check out this great blog post for the Huffington Post by LCO client Donna Estes Antebi:

My previous Cleo vs. Cougar blog touched off a firestorm of debate. Who knew? Magazines picked it up and bloggers ran with it. I heard from self-professed cougars who love the moniker and embrace the lifestyle (and all the testosterone-fueled, hard bodies that go with it). I heard from just as many women who hate being called a cougar and were thrilled with “Cleo” as it more accurately represents their relationship dynamic.

Cleo is a word I coined in my upcoming book, The Real Secrets Women Only Whisper. Skip the hieroglyphic records and think movie icon — Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra, whose immense power and legendary beauty made her irresistible. A Cleo is a smart, fabulous woman who dominates in her relationships due to a combination of power, accomplishment, beauty, money or age.

Modern day Cleos are everywhere: Oprah Winfrey, Gayle King, Ellen DeGeneres, Cheryl Tiegs, Sandra Bullock, Arianna Huffington, Halle Berry and Barbara Walters are all Cleos. A Cleo can bring home the bacon and share it with anyone she pleases. A Cleo doesn’t have to prowl for younger men. A Cleo is always desired — at any age. The name Cleo is not intended as a replacement for cougar. In fact, Cleos and cougars are more akin to siblings with different personalities. I even heard from a third faction that protested against both terms, citing that such sexist labels are never applied to men. And I don’t disagree. But since one word can serve as shorthand for an entire phenomenon, it looks like cougars and Cleos are both here to stay — and it’s time we give them the respect they deserve.

Since so much of this controversy is rooted in semantics, it’s important to understand that the word “cougar” came to America pre-loaded with a bad reputation. Cougar is actually a product of Canada. Over a decade ago in Vancouver, being called a cougar was considered the ultimate insult. It referred to a pathetic, lonely (often inebriated) older woman who preyed upon younger men after last call, hoping for a merciful sexual liaison. It’s no wonder that, despite Courteney Cox’s best efforts in her show, Cougar Town, many women still have a visceral reaction at the mention of a cougar.

A decade later, author Valerie Gibson sought to redefine the word in her book Cougar, A Guide for Older Women Dating Younger Men. Valerie said a cougar “knows exactly what she wants. What she wants in her life is younger men and lots of great sex. What she doesn’t want is children, cohabitation or commitment.” This new-and-improved definition resonated with a nation full of independent women. Then along came hot and hunky cub Ashton Kutcher who turned ageless miracle of nature Demi Moore (who really is a Cleo) into the patron saint of cougars and a new revolution was born.

As I was thinking about Cleos, cougars, and all things in between, I had a serious “aha” moment and I realized it’s time we give these sexy ladies some well deserved props and shift away from the negative stigma that rightfully belongs to “Weeds” (desperate women who sleep with other women’s husbands).

Cougars and Cleos are two different kinds of strong, independent women with one very important thing in common — they are generally not email waving Weeds standing in a Tiger Woods lineup. Cougars are just out for a bit of fun, and if that fun is between two single consenting adults (even if they’re 20 years apart), then why not? Cleos have no desire to be entangled in a compromising tryst with someone else’s baggage-laden husband.

The era of cougars and Cleos isn’t over. In fact, it may have only just begun. So let’s praise the liberated independence of cougars and Cleos. Let them enjoy their steamy sex with hot men, and the new Cougar culture that caters to them, complete with cruises, conventions and websites like TheRealCougarWoman.com, and a whole host of matchmaking sites like CougarLife.com, DateACougar.com, and the cleverly titled DateMrsRobinson.com.

We should celebrate the fact that cougars and Cleos are enjoying their own great lives and aren’t interested in destroying someone else’s marriage and family — which is a good enough reason for the 60 million wives in America to give them the respect they deserve. Cougars and Cleos don’t want your husband. They may want your son, but that’s a blog I’ll share another time.

Follow Donna Estes Antebi on Twitter: www.twitter.com/donnaantebi

Quick Time Management Tips

We recently received an email from six-time New York Times bestseller Neil Strauss containing some very valuable lessons. Since we found his email extremely helpful, we thought it would be beneficial to share some of these time management tips with all of you as well. Enjoy!

Neil Strauss

The books from which I picked up the following tips include “Getting Things Done” by David Allen; “First Things First” by Stephen Covey; and “No B.S. Time Management For Entrepreneurs” by Dan Kennedy.

1. Know what your time is worth. There’s an easy formula to calculate this: Take your earnings for the year. Divide that number by 1760. The resulting number is roughly what you make hourly in a work week. However, considering that statistically most people work for an average of one-third of a work hour, multiply that number by three. Now you know what your time is really worth. Treat it that way.

2. Make lists. For those of you who don’t keep running lists of the things you need to do, it’s time to start. Get to-do items off your mind and down on paper. Then prioritize them. One way to do so is to mark them as “A” tasks, which must get done right away; B tasks, which must get done that week; and less urgent C tasks, which simply need to get done sometime in the next six months.

3. Link what you do with your time to your longterm goals. With the Internet available as a constant distraction, most of us are constantly busy but not constantly productive. So always ask yourself: “Is what I’m doing right now bringing me any closer to my goals?”

4. Beware of people who suck up your time. Wean them off their dependence on you and teach them to respect your schedule. If they continue to call, text, or distract you, put them in their place politely. Explain, “I’m really busy, so I’m only dealing with things that are urgent do-or-die priorities. If what you need to talk to me about isn’t an emergency, let’s deal with it later in the week.” Handle your priorities first, not theirs. If your door is always open, people will always be walking through it.

5. Turn off the phone while you’re working and do not check your email, so that you aren’t constantly distracted. Most things can wait. Unless your work requires being available by phone and email all day, set yourself one or two specific windows of time during the day when you deal with emails, phone messages, texts, Facebook, and all the rest of the technological innovations that consume your time and energy.

6. Try to do something active and physical every day. Though it takes time, it improves focus, so you can use the time you do have more productively and feel better about yourself. In general, as we discussed in one of the first emails I sent you, the secret to happiness is living a balanced life.

7. In addition, a simple rule that most people have trouble following: Do the most important thing first, not the easiest thing to get it out of the way. There’s a book I haven’t read, but the title illustrates this point nicely: Never Check Email in the Morning.

You only live once and you never know when it’s going to end, so by making sure you get the most out of your time, you’ll also be making sure you get the most out of your life.

KCAL 9 Gets the Scoop on Maybelline

Sharrie Williams

 

LCO Client Sharrie Williams, heiress to the Maybelline dynasty, visited KCAL 9 yesterday October 29, 2010 to discuss her new book.

“The Maybelline Story” reveals private and scandalous details about the family’s quest for power, wealth and physical perfection.

Keep an eye out for the clip of the interview! For more information about the book, visit the Maybelline Book website and follow Sharrie Williams on Twitter @sharriewilliams

 

Come Meet the Modern Day Anne Frank

BOOK SIGNING with BEST-SELLING AUTHOR OF OUT OF THE TRANSYLVANIA NIGHT

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23 @ 2:00 PM

BARNES & NOBLE, THE GROVE LOS ANGELES

WHO: Best-selling author Aura Imbarus releasing her new book Out of the Transylvania Night.

WHAT: Book signing with critically acclaimed Romanian author and educator Aura Imbarus (www.AuraImbarus.com). Come meet the modern day Anne Frank – a woman who managed to escape one of the most violent draconian regimes in the Soviet bloc through love and the indomitable human spirit. Out of the Transylvania Night is an emotional journey through both free and closed societies, revealing how freedom is also found in the self and not only the destination.

WHERE: Barnes & Noble at the Grove, Los Angeles, 189 The Grove Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90036, 323-525-0270.

WHEN: Saturday, October 23, 2010 at 2:00 p.m.

Repairing Broken Business

LCO founder, Michael Levine, is the author of Broken Windows, Broken Business, a book offering practical advice and  tips for repairing the broken aspects of a business. The book, which has been noted as “inspired, impactful, and important” can aid anyone who values a strong business foundation, or who just needs help fixing some of its cracks.

The book-almost a textbook of how to fix the hiccups that occur in the running of a business outlines different steps to creating and repairing a successful business.

 

Note this excerpt from Chapter One of Broken Windows, Broken Business regarding perception vs Reality:

• It is your customer’s perception of your business that will dictate his or her level of loyalty to your business. Make one mistake, and you can damage that perception.
• Little things mean a lot. If you notice that the carpet on your floor at your dentist’s office is a little worn, you might find yourself wondering whether the dental instruments have been replaced lately.
• Broken windows are best repaired before they break.
• It’s the cover-up that gets you-don’t make excuses for broken windows or deny that they’re broken. take your hit, own up to the problem, and fix it.
• Obsession to detail is essential. There is no substitute.

 

The Nature of Public Relations

I’m often asked whether public relations is a science or an art. That’s a valid question. In science, two plus two equals four. It will always equal four whether added by a Republican from Iowa, a shaman from New Guinea, or an alien from Planet X. However, in public relations, two plus two may equal four. It may equal five. It may equal zero today and fifty tomorrow.

Public relations is an art.

Like an art, there are rules of form, proven techniques, and standards of excellence. But, overall, it’s a mercurial enterprise, where instinct is as legitimate as convention.

Public relations was once defined as the ability to provide the answers before the public knows enough to ask the questions. Another P.R. pundit once stated, “We don’t persuade people. We simply offer them reasons to persuade themselves.” I define what I do as gift-wrapping. If you package a bracelet in a Tiffany box, it will have a higher perceived value than if presented in a K Mart box. Same bracelet, different perception.

—Excerpt from Chapter 1 (pg. 10) of the world’s most widely used and seminal introduction to public relations, “Guerrilla P.R. 2.0: Wage an Effective Publicity Campaign without Going Broke” by Michael Levine, America’s premier media expert and best-selling author.

Purchase your own copy of “Guerrilla P.R. 2.0” by clicking HERE

Come Out and Laugh with Carla Collins

Come out and see Carla Collins this Saturday, The fabulously funny comedian and author of Angels, Vampires and Douche Bags will be performing October 16th at The Jon Lovitz Comedy Club:

Jon Lovitz Comedy Club:

1000 Universal Studios Blvd #222

Universal City CA 91608

(www.thejonlovitzcomedyclub.com)

Fighting for the Dream

LCO would like to remind you that Aura Imbarus released her book that we had previously mentioned, “Out Of The Transylvania Night” this past month.  A Little about Aura, she has a very unique story and knows what it means to make her dreams come true. Aura was willing to achieve the “American Dream” at all costs.

Aura grew up in a country that chose to persecute its workers rather than celebrate them. Aura was raised in Transylvania, at a time when no one dared to be themselves, and family members disappeared during the night-as though actual Vampires had taken them. With a communist dictator in control Aura’s homeland was a place of fear and persecution for its citizens.

Despite all, Aura dared “at the cost of her life” to standout, an individualist, an overachiever, a rebel, a scholar, and proud heiress to land and wealth that had been confiscated by the communists, Aura waged small wars every day.

“Everyday has the potential of a lifetime”

Christmas shopping on December 21, 1989, Aura, her parents, and hundreds of shoppers drew sudden sniper fire as Romania descended into the violence of a revolution that challenged one of the most draconian regimes in the Soviet bloc. A grisly execution that rocked the world led to five harrowing days of bloody chaos as Aura and her family struggled to survive.  But, the new regime remained corrupt and controlling.

Though Aura fell in love and carved out a life envied by other Romanians, a fierce sense of independence made her yearn for something more.

What did her success and love mean without freedom?! And, so began Aura’s love/ hate relationship with Los Angeles and herself.

Aura and Michael, her newlywed husband, fled a homeland still in chaos. With only $400, two pieces of luggage, and a powerful dream, they settled in Los Angeles in 1997.

No strangers to sacrifice and willing or hard work, the couple soon bought a home, own BMWs and travel the world—only to find that a life of extravagance strain their marriage more severely than their years of struggle. The stock market crashed, and the couple lost all of their savings. The house fell into foreclosure, and a robbery targeted her precious family heirlooms. Aura’s beloved mother is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Under the strain, the couple divorce.

But Aura soon realizes that even in the darkest days of her experiences in Transylvania, she had come through it; she had found her way to the light. And so their love story did live on. Their memories of living in a country at war and of the darkest days of their horrendous circumstances would reunite them, this time with a better understanding of themselves—and of the personal freedoms they would, or wouldn’t, give up in exchange for their love.

To learn more about Aura and her book, “Out of The Transylvania Night“, please visit her website here.

5 Tips for Youthful Hands

LCO Client and Beauty Expert, Nina Sutton is always sharing the best tips when it comes to a woman’s outer appearance. Recently as the beauty expert for www.sheknows.com, Nina provided 5 helpful tips on making sure you keep your hands looking youthful. No one will know how old you are after applying some of these tricks and your hands alone will portray a younger age than you actually are.

1. Exfoliate Your Hands

Just as you exfoliate the skin on your face, you need to remove the top layer of skin on your hands to reveal the fresh skin underneath. At home, you can use microdermabrasion crystals or even 1 teaspoon of sugar combined with coconut oil. While these treatments will not remove brown spots, they will leave your skin looking smoother and softer. The key is to exfoliate on a regular basis.

2. Moisturize

If you find a moisturizer with an SPF that you love, use it all the time. This way you are replacing moisture and protecting your hands.  Sun exposure damages collagen- which is the building block of our skin.

3. Pamper Your Hands

Whenever you do the dishes, or expose your hands to a lot of water, be sure to wear gloves. Try using a thick cream like Aquaphor or any oil like olive oil or coconut oil under your gloves for a moisture treatment. Also, if you use anti-oxidant serums on your face, you can use those on your hands as well. Apply these serums at night before moisturizer and during the day before your SPF. You can even use the same hydrating masks on your hands that you use on your face.

4. Try Lasers for Brown Spots and Loose Skin

Age spots or brown spots are a tell-tale sign of aging. To remove brown spots, the best treatments are lasers.  Skin-tightening treatments help to stimulate collagen production, resulting in thicker skin.

5. Banish Veins

As your skin thins, veins in your hands can appear to “bulge” out. In scelortherapy, a mild irritant is injected into your veins and blocks the blood supply.  Although this treatment does not have a lot of downtime, it can take a few weeks to see the full results. This treatment is best for small, superficial veins. For larger veins, a better treatment is to plump the skin around the vein by injecting fat into the hand, thereby creating an even illusion. To plump the skin, doctors use either your own fat (extracted from your thigh or buttocks) or Restylane.

 

Get Ready for the Red Carpet with JJ Virgin

Health and Nutrition expert JJ Virgin is the premiere voice of scientific reason in the world of nutrition and wellness. JJ is also a spokesperson for Emergen-C and Subway and spent two seasons as a health expert on “The Dr. Phil Show.” She is the co-star of the TLC reality series, Freaky Eaters. JJ is the go-to person for some of Hollywood’s top celebrities for nutrition and health and getting them ready to look their best for the red carpet. LCO Client, JJ Virgin recently spoke with the Fit Talk Show about some of the tips and tricks that she gives the celebrities as well as her new book, “Six Weeks to Sleeveless and Sexy”. She has worked with performance athletes, CEO’s, and A-list celebrities from around the world, including KISS front man, Gene Simmons, Ben Stiller, Jeanne Tripplehorn, and Janeane Garofalo, to name a few. Here are some of her most useful tips to looking fabulous when getting ready for a big event.

Cut out dairy and gluten which cause a lot of people to hold on to false fat and inflammation.

Increase fiber intake as it helps with satiety. Increase water intake between meals, not with meals. Water dilutes stomach acid and can slow down digestion and impair protein synthesis.

Drink lots of green tea. Green tea helps boost metabolism, reduces stress hormones, and burns more fat.

Get a good nights sleep.

Eat vegetables that are natural diuretics such as asparagus and cucumbers.

Drink apple cider vinegar to help with acid alkaline balance.

To read the full article, click here. For more information on JJ Virgin and her new book “Six Weeks to Sleeveless and Sexy” please visit www.jjvirgin.com.