22-year-old Celka has set the Internet on fire with her hysterically accurate celebrity impressions.

Celka, known as CellCow on the Internet, is kind of a big deal. She has put every blasé selfie we’ve ever taken of ourselves to shame by creating hilarious ones of herself doing celebrity impressions. Like seriously, they’re off the hook.

She started out how every Internet sensation starts out: by posting goofy celebrity impressions on Instagram to make her friends laugh. “I wanted to be weird, hoping maybe to get a laugh out of them instead of posting the classic ‘look at me I’m pretty’ selfie,” Celka wrote on BoredPanda. “Basically, I was trying to upset the selfie standard.”

But here’s why she really rocks: “I have too many friends who are afraid of posting themselves looking ugly at the expense of a cheap laugh,” she wrote. “I personally think that’s silly, considering a photo should be just a photo and not define who you are as a human being.”

Unfortunately, I’m one of the many women who’s been way over-analytical about her snapshots over the years, to the point where if I saw a picture of myself in one of my friend’s albums and even one hair was out of place, I’d untag myself instead of focusing on what the photo album represented: a total blast with my besties.

So thank you Celka, for reminding us of what’s really important. Grumpy Cat’s been on the throne long enough, amiright?

Here are just some of her killer celebrity impressions:

1. Beyoncé

2. Kim K

3. James Van Der Beek

4. Austin Powers

5. California Raisin

6. George Clooney

7. Bill Hader

8. Donald Trump

9. Jaden Smith

10. Tobey Maguire

Check out her full collection and you know, make sure to have a change of pants handy.

Which celebrity impressions do you love most?

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Images: CellCow / Imgur

The post This Girl’s Celebrity Impressions Will Totally Blow Your Mind appeared first on EcoSalon.

The top couple selfies that just make you want to vom.

Just to be clear, this isn’t an article about how couple selfies are evil. Couple selfies in moderation can be pretty effing adorable. I mean, you want your friends to be happy, right? (Right?) I’m talking about the couple selfies that are posted every 35 seconds – by the same couple.

You know the ones: They’re essentially the Kim and Kanye of your newsfeed, attention mongers so obsessed about being in a relationship there’s no time for an actual relationship. But who needs a real relationship as long as it looks like you have one? (No. Just no.)

Here are 9 types of couple selfies that used to be cute but are now the worst:

1. The makeout selfie

“It’s just so amazing how they captured that kiss so candidly,” said no one ever. She probably kissed his cheek so many times to get the lighting “just right” that her face hurts.

2. The look-at-how-cute-we-are selfie

The couples costumes at Halloween. The matching workout gear. The sharing that one spaghetti noodle. The emoticons. The lolz. The mushy gushy comments back and forth like the rest of the universe doesn’t exist. We do exist, and we’re gagging.

3. The overshare selfie

“This is me in the produce section of the grocery store.”

“This is me picking out apples.”

“Ohhh, this apple looks like a heart.”

And that one over there looks like I’m about to throw it at you.

4. The bling selfie

Only this time, the couple selfies are of her and her engagement ring, which cost more than her implants.

5. The adventure selfie

They go skiing, they kayak, they bike, they take classes together, which reminds us that we’re sitting at home in our Wednesday track pants dipping into our Thursday wine. Thanks for that.

6. The date night selfie

We get it, you’re #blessed. Now excuse me while I take a bath… with my toaster.

7. The milestone selfie

“It’s our one month anniversary!” is something that’s only allowed in high school when being with a guy for one month feels like eternity. We don’t need to know that it’s the one week anniversary of your first colonoscopy together, nor will we need to know that you’re on the way to your first marriage counselling sesh.

8. The oh-look-we-just-woke-up-this-way selfie

Bitch please.

9. The after-sex selfie

Not only do we not care like at all, but the second her sex drive hits a rough patch (and trust me, it will), the entire universe is going to know you’re not getting any – and immediately dance a jig of glee.

Which couple selfies do you find especially cringeworthy?

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Image: Pasko Tomic

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Love ’em or hate ’em, selfies are here to stay. Here’s how to take a selfie that doesn’t make your followers want to… well, vomit.

Whether you think selfies are a symptom of narcissism or a powerful form of self-expression, you have to admit – they’re becoming a total snore. I mean, how many extended arm shots can you stand of yourself, never mind other people?

Before you take a selfie in front of the mirror (for the 17,432nd time), check out these seven selfie masters – they’ll either shame you into never taking a selfie again, or inspire you to do great things with your camera:

Image: imgur

1. The family portrait selfie

If you’re going to take a selfie of you and the fam, why not take the most hilarious selfies of all time? (Click on the photo credit above for the rest. You might have to change your pants afterward.) Too. Cute. For. Words.

2. The mirror selfie

I dare you to take a mirror selfie after checking out doodle master Helene Meldahl’s Instagram feed. Make that a double dare.

Image: Twitter

3. The humblebrag selfie

If you’re going to post a humblebrag selfie, then post one that’s so amazing nobody can hold it against you – I mean, the guy’s in SPACE.

Image: Huffington Post

4. The WTF selfie

If you want people to ignore the fact that you’re taking selfies, then take selfies that leave them speechless. Like this dude.

Image: reddit

5. The artsy fartsy selfie

Photoshop ain’t got nothing on this kid! If you’re going to take a selfie, you may as well go big or go home.

6. The cute couple selfie

This guy is on a date… with himself! A single Keisuke Jinushi was so fed up with being surrounded by couples taking cutesy selfies that he decided to make (a totally hilarious) statement.

Image: reddit

7. The celebrity photobomb

Okay, so this one you can’t really plan, but LOOK IT’S MARK WAHLBERG! Can we try to take a selfie like this anyway? Without getting arrested? Anyone?

What creative ways to take a selfie would you add to this list?

Image: Andrew Fysh

The post 7 Ways to Take a Selfie that Doesn’t Suck appeared first on EcoSalon.

The term narcissist is thrown around liberally these days. I know I’m guilty of slinging the insult at those that put one too many selfies on their Instagram feed. But narcissistic personality disorder is a real thing–a condition characterized by vanity, grandiosity, entitlement and a lack of empathy.

People with narcissistic personality disorder think they’re extra special individuals who should be admired and respected by others. The term actually comes from the mythical Greek character Narcissus who fell in love with his reflection in the water.

In its extremes, narcissism is a real clinical disorder that’s been widely studied. It’s also linked to bad behavior including defensiveness and self protection. Narcissists have difficulty establishing relationships because of a lack of empathy for others.

Not sure if a friend or family member is a narcissist? One new study in particular identified the easiest way to find out if an individual was one of the 5 percent of definable narcissists–all you have to do is ask.

Narcissists Don’t Think It’s a Bad Thing At All

New research published in the journal PLOS ONE, found that narcissists aren’t afraid to tell you that they’re narcissists because they don’t see it as a bad thing. The study followed 2,250 participants answering questionnaires. One question in particular asks directly and then instructs participants to rate it on a seven point scale:

To what extent do you agree with this statement: ‘I am a narcissist?’ (Note: The word ‘narcissist’ means egotistical, self-focused, and vain.)

The results of this Single Item Narcissism Scale (SINS) were in line with much longer testing devices. It found that 5 percent of the population is narcissistic just as longer studies have found. And those that said they were narcissistic actually were when other metrics were used.

What do you think? Are you a narcissist? And if you were would you tell others openly?

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Image: Michael Dadino

The post To Find Out If Someone Has Narcissistic Personality Disorder… All You Have to Do is Ask appeared first on EcoSalon.

Who doesn’t love a selfie? Whatever your mood, you can express yourself all at an arm’s length. And now you can win a $1000 photo contest just by showing off your selfie. Yes, that’s considered a word now.

Selfies have single handedly changed our culture–showing all aspects of social interaction, humor, body language, self-awareness, and privacy–it’s the self portrait of our age. Only you don’t have to pay a small fortune to get it done. All you need is a smartphone and a good angle.

And what better way to celebrate the selfie than with a photo contest? Attitude is everything–all the more reason to enter exacly.me’s #ExpressYourSelfie photo contest with the opportunity to win $1000 to purchase whatever you want. Maybe you crave a new iPad Air or that perfect pair of Cri de Coeur shoes or a Fujifilm digital camera.

How do you enter exacly.me’s #ExpressYourSelfie photo contest?

Visit exacly.me via the web or mobile and connect with Facebook to upload a photo from an album that expresses your unique spirit with a one or two word description: “Fashion is me”, “Photography is me”, “Vegan is me”, etc.

What do you win?

The selfie with the most Facebook likes wins $1,000, the second place winner receives $500, and the third place wins $250. That’s some serious cash for a five second selfie.

When’s the deadline?

The party ends on August 15, 2014, so what are you waiting for? Upload your favorite Facebook pic today. You can’t win if you don’t enter. Don’t be shy, #ExpressYourSelfie!

What is exacly.me?

It’s the world’s first opinion app.  Swipe-select through photos, videos and images to get killer recommendations as unique as you.

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The post #ExpressYourSelfie Photo Contest ($1000 Value!) appeared first on EcoSalon.

Column“Privacy matters, privacy is what allows us to determine who we are and who we want to be,”

 — Edward Snowden during his Christmas message on British television

Even if you didn’t pay much attention to the news last year, you probably realize that much of what you say and do is tracked. From your location via GPS, to your email correspondence, to your phone calls, purchases, Google searches and even what you might be drawn to when you walk into a store; it’s all on file. The surveillance state is always lurking in the shadows, even in your seemingly private moments. Whether it’s the government or the corporation, the very meaning of the word “privacy” is being eroded as our rights are stripped away.

So what does Edward Snowden, of the recent NSA revelations, have to do with your life between the sheets? Sorry, this article is not going to be about getting someone to “blow your whistle.” I want to explore whether it’s possible to have real intimacy in a world without privacy. How can we be ourselves with our lovers when we know that private eyes are watching us 24/7?

As we willingly offer ourselves up to the ego-orgy of Selfie culture, choose Facebook and Facetime over what we used to call face time, and generally succumb to the distractions of the digital age, we’re forgetting how to relate in the here and now. We’re missing cross-cultural social cues, ones that have been with us throughout human history. We are growing uncomfortable with looking into people’s eyes – cashiers and wait staff and others that we’re forced to interact with. And for those of us that live with someone, we’re often so caught up in digital distraction that we cuddle up with our iPad instead of our partner. Porn appears to be hurting our sex lives — men increasingly can’t get turned on by their real-life lovers, because they are becoming desensitized by the sometimes outrageous acts witnessed on their laptops.

We may be better at connecting with the crowd, organizing movements and reaching the masses, but we’re getting worse at the most basic one-to-one relating. Like Jonathan Franzen once said in a New York Times op-ed, we’re so concerned with being “liked”, we’re forgetting how to love. Love, sex and intimacy; the cornerstones that define us as human beings — may be headed for an epic fail. When you’re naked in bed with your lover, when you’re supposed to be at your most vulnerable so you can experience maximum pleasure, are you really alone? If most of your hours outside of bed are in the public domain, it’s nearly impossible to be intimate — because being intimate with someone requires knowing yourself. When the panopticon of Big Brother hovers on the sidelines in your daily life, how can you find time to process what that means?

Our private lives are intruded upon more and more everyday; we’re becoming inured to the idea that there is no such thing as privacy. Why fight the trend? Why take the risk? Why bother dealing with living, breathing humans when you can get a digital ego stroke while sitting in your desk chair? Why even look up at the cutie sitting at the next table in the café when Snapchat is at your fingertips? Real human relationships are messy – they can be a drag. We’re getting closer to the time when robots will be stand-ins for lovers – really. “Her”, Spike Jonze eerie take on a man’s infatuation with a computer program, is currently in theaters. That sci-fi reality is almost here, and when it goes viral, many of us will be so accustomed to stroking our iPhones as stand-ins for flesh that we won’t flinch.

So we must ask ourselves (before it’s too late): is this a reality we want to embrace? And furthermore, what can we do about it? So many of us are unconscious and asleep; we’d rather have the convenience then the complication. Our culture’s seamless meshing with social networks is great for Twitter’s IPO and the cultivation of celebrity status, but what does it really do for you? Unplug from your gadgets and focus, just for a moment, on the invasion of your privacy, both as a citizen and a consumer. Is that the world you want to live in?

Got a question for Stefanie? Email stefanie at ecosalon dot com and she’ll answer it in the next Sexual Healing column.

Keep in touch with Stefanie on Twitter: @ecosexuality

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The post Edward Snowden,Your Sex Life and Intimacy in a World Without Privacy: Sexual Healing appeared first on EcoSalon.

The bathroom mirror shot. The silhouette. The beach shot. The one where you try to make it look like someone else took it. How many Facebook ‘selfie’ photos do you post? And what do they say about your personality?

It’s closing in on a decade since Facebook changed our modern culture. We were swept up into the nonstop world of  updates, profile pages, and deciding whether or not to air our relationship status for the whole world to see. And of course, arguably the most important aspect of Facebook: which pictures of ourselves we flaunt.

Our enthusiasm was warranted, initially. After all, in just a decade we went from a time when a phone was just that—a device to make phone calls with—to it becoming a tool that allows us to read books, make videos and find the closest Hooters location, as well as the occasional, but now less necessary, phone call. And its most seemingly vital function: the Facebook tether.

That’s progress all right, and it’s made us all a little giddy. It is nice to skim through pics of old classmates and family members you haven’t seen in years. But has Facebook (and other social networks) made us all narcissists? Or is our obsession with the selfie photo just a passing phase as we adjust to living out loud via social media?

The long-range effects of social media are still yet to be determined. But one thing’s for sure, it’s going to be quite a ride. In the meantime, though, what exactly does the selfie pic say about you? Any of these ring true?

1. You’re kind of a loser: According to a recent study out of the U.K., “oversharing” of Facebook selfies could actually damage your relationships in the real-world, the Huffington Post reports. “[B]oth excessive photo sharing and sharing photos of a certain type makes almost everyone like you less.”
2. Most people don’t relate to you:  The researchers found that aside from your very close friends and relatives, excessive photo sharing, particularly of your own face, isn’t relatable for most people. “Increased frequency of sharing photographs of the self, regardless of the type of target sharing the photographs, is related to a decrease in intimacy,” the researchers noted in the study. The excessive amount of photos of yourself make it awkward for people who don’t actually know you all that well—and most Facebook users have a significant amount of “friends” who are, more or less, not really friends.
3. You’re desperately insecure: Building a reputation (with strangers and the closest of friends) is what most people taking the selfie photos are after—the (perceived) intimacy, the cloying compliments, the appearance of themselves they want to put forth in the world—drive the need to be seen. But it also makes it obvious to everyone else just how needy you are.
4. You’re a narcissist: The insecurities, body image issues and the increasingly more detrimental condition of Facebook jealousy, makes us look at someone else’s selfie and assume they have a better life than we do. But since that reality’s too difficult for most people to accept, they instead focus on how awesome they are and the narcissist spiral sucks them in. They begin to find every little thing they do valuable to their online community, oversharing updates and pics.
5. You’re lonely: Loneliness will make us do weird things, and the obsession with Facebook selfies is a bit like adjusting your outfit or hair half a dozen times while you sit alone at a bar trying not to look lonely. Subtly or not, people pick up on the vibe and it can be a turn off as the line between loneliness and desperation is incredibly thin.
6. You’re drunk: Drunk people do stupid things in the real world and often even far dumber moves on Facebook. Then, one of the other more common justifications sink in the next day…the narcissism, the loneliness, etc, and folks justify keeping the drunken images up, or opt for new ones altogether.
7. You’re neurotic: Some people obsessively post the Facebook selfie pics simply because they’re neurotic. Is this pic better? What about this pic? I haven’t changed my pics in a while, is that bad? There’s a reason Woody Allen makes movies and stays out of the public eye the rest of the time. Neuroses are annoying, even when you can simply scroll right past them.

So, what’s a healthy balance?

Of course we should share fun times and great photos whenever we feel like it. Not every selfie image is going to mean something is wrong with you. But try to recognize when you’re ‘oversharing’ versus legitimately changing your profile pic or sharing a photo of you with President Obama. Be judicious. And most of all, be present in the real world. Sometimes, an experience is most rewarding when you’re just fully immersed in it, not trying to capture it for someone else to see.

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Image: Grace ODA

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