Friday, April 29, 2011

all about things I like

These are my new favorite cups...
My friend Cara found them at Wal-Mart and I am in LOVE!! They are insulated, cute, and have nice straws. I fill them over and over again. With them, I can easily get all of my daily water in. The cups are AWESOME! I know it sounds silly to love a cup so much, but it can really be hard to find a cup that you love and is comfortable and easy to use. I don't love the cups with the drinkie pop top spout thing... I don't like them with anything I have to squeeze or open every time I want a drink... I like cold drinks, but don't like to get ice in my mouth because I have sensitive teeth. So straws are the best for me. There is really a lot of Science in choosing a good cup. Wal-Mart, $5. Gotta love it!!
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Friday, April 22, 2011

all about things I like

This weeks pick of the week: Bountiful Baskets! I mentioned this last week when talking about my strawberry jam and 9 Grain bread. Since I love my Bountiful Basket food co-op, I thought it should be highlighted on my bliggity-blog. Bountiful Baskets Food Co-op (BBFC) distributes produce baskets, organic produce baskets, artisan bread and sandwich bread every week. BBFC is a group of people who work together for mutual benefit. This is a grassroots, all volunteer, no contracts, no catch co-operative. Since there are no employees at Bountiful Baskets, we as a group pay rock bottom prices on your food. To quote a press release that a local City put out to encourage residents to consider participating, “Bountiful Baskets Food Co-op is a participatory experience. Participants all save a substantial amount of money on healthy food. In exchange there are no employees to guide participants through the experience.” On Monday morning, I get on the Internet at about 9:50 AM. I have to be on the ball, or I miss out. Right at 10:00 AM the site opens for me to participate in the weeks offerings. I sign up, pay and anxiously wait until Saturday afternoon to pick up my basket. I always get lots of fresh fruits and veggies. I never really know what they will be, but I have NEVER been disappointed. We have had mangoes, apples, oranges, bananas, tomatoes, spinach, lettuce, onions, mushrooms, melons, squash and lots of other things. It is kind of hard to explain how it all works, so if you are interested, I suggest checking out their website. The best source of information is in the FAQ section. Photobucket

Friday, April 15, 2011

all about things I like

My pick of the week this week is my latest favorite treat... 9 grain toast with homemade strawberry freezer jam. Oh my yummy!! I am part of a food co-op group called Bountiful Baskets. Every Saturday I get a huge basket full of fresh fruits and veggies. Last Saturday I ordered lots of extra strawberries so I could make my sister-in-law Danette's Birthday cake. She loves strawberry shortcake. I ended up with WAY more strawberries than I needed. I hated to waste them, so I made freezer jam. The best way to eat yummy strawberry jam is on yummy 9 Grain toast! I get my delicious bread from my food co-op group also. It is the best bread in the whole wide world!!!! All three of us love it! I have never been able to get Quayd to eat wheat bread until now. It makes scrumptious BLT's, grilled cheese sandwiches and turkey sandwiches. It is also delicious when dipped in the yolk of a fried egg, over-medium. Yummy yum yum. :) Photobucket

the one about southpaws

The other morning on 2News, they gave this fun and useless random fact, "Right-handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left-handed people." I posted it on FaceBook and got a good laugh about it, but then really got me thinking.... I started doing a little research and decided it was all blog-worthy. We live in a right-handed world. For 89% of the World's population, that is fantastic. But for the other 11%, it is really kind of sad. I am a leftie. I tell people all of the time about the differences and challenges we lefties face. They are usually quite surprised at how many things cater to right-handed people. Things that really are no big deal and generally only noticed by left-handed people.

Here are a few facts... Most of these things come from the Internet.

First of all, Hand orientation is developed in fetuses, most commonly determined by observing which hand is predominantly held close to the mouth. Right-handed tools can be difficult or uncomfortable to use for people who are left-handed. For example, (right-handed) scissors are arranged so that the line being cut along can be seen by a right-handed user, but is obscured to a left-handed user. Furthermore, the handles are often molded in a way that is difficult for a left-hander to hold, and extensive use in such cases can lead to varying levels of discomfort. So-called "ambidextrous" scissors will mold the handles to be the same shape, but will not reverse the position of the blades. Most importantly, the scissoring or shearing action - how the blades work together (how they are attached at the pivot) - operates correctly for a right-hander, but a left-hander will tend to force the blades apart rather than shearing the target substance. Left-handed scissors require inverting both the handles and the blades if the left-handed user is to fully see the progress of the cut. Right-handed scissors place the thumb's blade on the left side, while left-handed scissors have this on the right side. This ensures the left hand's motion draws the blades together while cutting, ensuring a cleaner cut.

(Wow! that was a whole lot of boring nonsense about scissors! Sorry about that!)

The vast majority of firearms are designed for right-handed shooters, with the operating handle, magazine release, and/or safety mechanisms set up for manipulation by the right hand, and fired cartridge cases ejected to the right.

(Firearms and dexterity do not really a pose huge problem for me, fortunately.)

Power tools, machinery and other potentially dangerous equipment is typically manufactured with the right-handed user in mind. Common problems faced by left-handed operators include the inability to keep materials steady, and difficulty reaching the on/off switch, especially in emergency situations. Handheld circular saws are made almost exclusively for right-handers, with the motor and grip on the right side. If held in the left hand, it is impossible for the operator to see what they are cutting.

(Again, not a huge stresser for me!)

Here are a few that really apply to me... Regular old handwriting is difficult for a leftie because as you write, you drag your hand right through whatever you just wrote. I seldom use a pencil because it gets lead all over my hand and makes a big mess. I also have to check pens for quick drying ink. Fountain pens are a no-no because they are designed to only allow the ink to flow when dragged across the paper from left to right, not pushed across, like what would happen with a left-handed writer. Also concerning handwriting, many lefties hold their pencil all weird, like this guy. Not me. I hold mine normal, like this.

School desks are designed for a right-hander. Think about that... See. Backwards for me! Here is a typical school desk that would be comfortable for 89% of you.

Alot of research says that left-handedness is hereditary. However, nobody in my family is left-handed. Just me. There is a lot to be said about the whole "Left-brained people are right-handed, Right-brained people are left-handed" theory. Well the characteristics could not be more accurate when it comes to Brett, Quayd and I. They are both VERY left-brained and both right-handed. I, on the other hand, am VERY right-brained! Anybody that knows me would surely agree. By the way, I am completely and totally left-handed. I have NO dexterity in my right hand.

Knives... the blade is backward. see... You know how people peel potatoes with a knife, using their thumb for leverage? Well, I can't do that because the blade is backward. If I tried it, I could end up like this. (HaHaHa!! Funny picture, huh?!?!)

Advertisers should really pay attention to this one... When a right-handed person holds a pen or pencil with a logo or other message on it, you can clearly see what it says. Like this. However, when a leftie holds it... It appears upside down. Really, try it!

Other items which could prove to be inconvenient for left-handers include cameras, can openers, potato peelers, corkscrews, rulers, computer mice and keyboards, watches, checkbooks, spiral notebooks, fishing reels, boomerangs, measuring cups and pencil sharpeners. Also, I have noticed that at banks or stores when a pen is attached to a tablet, it is generally on the wrong side for me. Like the ATM/Debit things at grocery stores. They are usually tilted to be more comfortable for righties, and the cord connecting the pen is sometimes to short because it is placed on the right side. (I really notice this at Smith's Pharmacy!)

The Vanishing-twin theory used to be what researchers believed was the reason for a person to be left-handed. This theory postulates that left-handed individuals were originally part of an identical twin pair, with the right-handed twin fetus failing to develop early in development. The theory has however been debunked by researchers.

Now seriously, I am really not to worried about the whole "righties live longer than lefties" thing. When it is my time, I will go. If its so happens to be 9 years earlier than most people my age... Oh well! And I really don't get to upset about any of these things. I just think it is kind of interesting. And it sure felt good to share with 89% of my readers all of the things that only me and the other 11% knew. I actually love being left-handed. It is kind of quirky and different and I totally wouldn't change if I had the choice.

If being left handed is wrong, I don't want to be right!!!
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Monday, April 11, 2011

the one about my iPod

Back to the challenge.... Put your iPod on shuffle and what are the first ten songs. FUN! First, let me tell you about my iPod. I have been giddy with excitement the last few days because I have a new iPod. An iPhone 4, actually. I love it so so so so so so much! I love to play with it all day and all night. It has actually lead to some serious sleeping problems for me. OH WELL! It's worth it. The only crappy thing is that the phone part won't actually be activated until mid-May. But I can play with it until then. And speaking of PLAY, I am in LOVE with and addicted to the game Angry Birds. It is so fun! Brett loves his too! Quayd even scored because I gave him my old iPod touch. I even have a super cute case for my iPhone. I will be so happy when I can finally ditch my crappy dinosaur CrapBerry. OK, so now on to the challenge.... One moment while I put my AwEsOmE iPhone 4 on shuffle. Ok. Now... Song # 1: Bruno Mars "Marry You" (so good!!! love that song. that was a good number 1) Song # 2: Dixie Chicks "The Long Way Around" Song # 3: Alanis Morissette "You Learn" Song # 4: Katy Perry "Hot & Cold" Song # 5: Matt Costa "Cold December" Song # 6: Kenny Rogers "Lady" Song # 7: Barenaked Ladies "The King of Bedside Manor" Song # 8: Coldplay "Viva la Vida" Song # 9: Mika "Rain" Song #10: Death Cab for Cutie "I Will Possess Your Heart" Wow, that was a good line up of songs! I guess I better back my shuffle up and go listen. (while I play Angry Birds in bed, of course!) Photobucket

Thursday, April 7, 2011

all about things I like

I absolutely HATE doing laundry. It is BY FAR my least favorite chore. However, I LOVE the following products.

I ALWAYS use Tide. I have tried other detergents in the past, but I just don't like them as well. I prefer liquid original scent. I ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS use Downy. It is just not even worth doing laundry if I can't use Downy. My washer is an old piece of crap-ola, so I have to use a downy ball. Then I use one or two bounce sheets in my dinosaur dryer.

This is what my laundry room looks like.
OK, not really, but I was too embarrassed to take a picture of my REAL laundry room and this one is shockingly close to what mine looks like. Wouldn't it be awesome though if it looked like this?


I felt like this was a TERRIBLE blog post since it talks about the worst chore on the whole planet, so I included some handy tips and alternate uses for Bounce dryer sheets.

Clean baked-on food from a cooking pan - Put a sheet in the pan, fill with water, let sit overnight, and sponge clean. The antistatic agents apparently weaken the bond between the food and the pan while the fabric softening agents soften the baked-on food.
Repel mosquitoes - Tie a sheet of Bounce through a belt loop when outdoors during mosquito season.
Freshen the air in your home - Place an individual sheet of Bounce in a drawer or hang one in the closet.
Prevent thread from tangling - Run a threaded needle through a sheet of Bounce to eliminate the static cling on the thread before sewing.
Freshen the air in your car - Place a sheet of Bounce under the front seat.
Wipe up sawdust from drilling or sand papering - A used sheet of Bounce will collect sawdust like a tack cloth.
Eliminate odors in dirty laundry - Place an individual sheet of Bounce at the bottom of a laundry bag or hamper.
Deodorize shoes or sneakers. Place a sheet of Bounce in your shoes or sneakers overnight so they smell great in the morning.
Having a bad hair day - or - alot of static. Rub a sheet on your hair. Works great and smells nice.
Eliminate static electricity from your television screen -Since Bounce is designed to help eliminate static cling, wipe your television screen with a used sheet of Bounce to keep dust from resettling.
Prevent musty suitcases - Place an individual sheet of Bounce inside empty luggage before storing.
Keep the shock away - Place a sheet in your coat pocket to avoid the shock you get getting in and out of the car in the winter.
Eliminate odors in wastebaskets - Place a sheet of Bounce at the bottom of the wastebasket.
Dissolve soap scum from shower doors - Clean with a used sheet of Bounce.
Collect cat hair - Rubbing the area with a sheet of Bounce will magnetically attract all the loose hairs.
Eliminate static electricity from venetian blinds -Wipe the blinds with a sheet of Bounce to prevent dust from resettling.
Eliminate static cling from pantyhose - Rub a damp,used sheet of Bounce over the hose.
Keep flies out of your house by tacking a sheet above the most used doors (on the outside). Works like a charm.


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Friday, April 1, 2011

all about things I like

My second pick of the week has to be this...
The Dyson ball.
I posted about this a few weeks ago, but I really want to emphasise how much I LOVE it!!! I can't believe how well it cleans. It really does have the "proper about of suction." And isn't it cute!?! Purple is my favorite color! :)

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