Should I Buy a Crock Pot: Update

So at Target today I saw that the 3-gallon crock pot is really only like $20! The 5.5 gallon is $50. I don't get that price break, but whatever. For $20, I feel like I can splurge. What does a single gal like me need to make 5 gallons of? Whatever it is, I'd get sick of it after 2 seconds, and I don't have that kind of freezer space. So I think I'm getting the cute red $20 one that matches my kitchen. I am now accepting vegetarian crock pot recipes.

A Balanced Diet

Tonight for dinner I had oatmeal chocolate chip cookie dough. And I washed it down with a beer. And was eying the cheesy bread at the bar. What? I'm trying to convince myself that there is a lot of nutritional value in all that oatmeal. It's hard when my belly feels bloated. I think I need to start getting up early and hitting the gym. Now that I will be finishing my thesis THIS WEEKEND, I will be out of excuses. But at least I passed up the cheese bread. Though that was more because I was feeling cheap. I wouldn't have turned it down if it had been free...

Chakra to Me!

Last week I took this chakra test to see what the dealio is, and apparently all my chakras are open except the root. But today i'm so crabby pants i'm sure i'm closed up all over the place. in 2 weeks when i'm totally done w/ school i'm making a beeline to the library to check out the recommended books so i can get things back in order. i think i need some healing touch. it's a little cheaper than a caribbean vacation, and i will really need to celebrate being done. bring it!

Consumer Reporting: Revlon 1" Ceramic Straightner VERDICT

Ok, I've tested it out. Works pretty well on freshly-cleaned hair and all that. However, i tried to straighten out some pony-tail bumps later in the day and I wasn't terribly impressed. I know there's a straightner on the market that is LITERALLY like $250 which i'm sure does not have that problem, but who here thinks I will spend that kind of money on this device? That's what I thought. Verdict: Buy it.

Another blog

I have been commanded at work to start a work blog, which is mostly empty. WTF am i supposed to write in a work blog that's even remotely interesting?? The other day i cracked and ended up posting about an 80s band for lack of any other interesting thing to say. I'm certainly not going to have my colleagues, bosses, and clients reading about my amazing hair-straightner adventures. i welcome ideas and suggestions for topics.

Survey: Should I Buy a Crock Pot?

Something drastic needs to happen. I just went over last months' grocery bills, and I'm pretty sure I spent double what I've allotted. Dammit! No more fresh flowers in my relationship corner or Ben and Jerry's. That's OK about the B&J's, since I haven't been to the gym in like 2 months and am entering the danger zone.

Anyhoo, I'm also spending too much going out to lunch during the week, so I need to get serious about cooking lots of stuff on the weekend to eat all week. I'm trying to convince myself that this would be worth it. It also matches my kitchen! And how much veg stuff can I cook in it besides stew? But how phat would it be to toss a bunch of stuff in that puppy on Sunday morning after the farmer's market and have lunch for the rest of the week...hmmm...if I could get just 8.5 lunches out of it, it would pay for itself...

Consumer Reporting: Ben and Jerry's Half Baked

Lately I've been feeling like a Cathy cartoon single's cliche. I'm in a Ben and Jerry's phase (or a whole-pan-of-brownies-phase, but I'm not ready to talk about that yet). Anyway, I've been wasting all my money burning through a few of those a week and then not exercising it off. I decided to taste-test my new fave flavor (Half Baked) in its two different forms: Low-Fat yogurt, and regular.

Now, normally I feel like that fro-yo stuff usually tastes way grosser and you're better off eating full-fat and less of it. Like everyone else smart. However, in this instance I must say that I think the light is comperably equally delish, and considerably fewer calories and less fat. And in this instance, I'd eat the same amount no matter what. Verdict: Try the fro-yo.

Consumer Reporting: Revlon 1" Ceramic Straightner

OK, I was introduced to the Wonderful World of Hair Straightners about 1.5 years ago. Before that I was all, "What? I straighten my hair w/ a brush and a dryer, what do i need a straightner for??" Amateur! I can't believe i didn't know that a straightner de-puffs, glossifies, and magicizes your hair. Unfortunately, I decided a 2" straightner would be a good idea for purchase...more surface area, right?? No. It's harder to use, and it can't really do that flip-thing at the ends. Anyway, I have really been breaking the bank lately, but I just got my hair cut shorter and decided that the 1" Revlon straightner would POTENTIALLY change my life. I will keep you posted.

Relatedly, does anyone know where i can get one of those nozzelly attachments for my blowdryer? That concentrates the flow so it's more efficient when blowing out your hair? You know what I'm talking about? I didn't see one at Target...

Asparagus

My horoscope told me to eat more asperagus. Luckily, I had just had the asparagus to end all asperagi at Cafe Maude. Hooooly shiz, was it amazing! It's kind of wacky b/c you order it as a side, but just do it. It's cooked in this pesto-y type stuff, and then they shave these huge shavings of some delicious cheese...parmesan or asiago or something...mmmm. I created a poor man's version for us at home. It requires a Next Grilleration...it cooks them to perfection in about 4 minutes, yo! And you lucky bichiz, it's on sale at amazon! Anyhoo, put a teensy bit of olive oil on it, throw down your asparagus, cook about 3 minutes (furrealz!), then i added s & p and HERBS: try italian seasoning, basil, or herbes de provence. The i sprinkled fresh grated parmesan on it b/c i'm not classy enough to have a huge hunk in my fridge i can just shave bits off of. Health and delish. And good for my moon sign, too. Score.

Livin' the High Life!

...and not with the King of Beers. I had to get internet for work, so I whole-hogged it and got the triple-play. You know it! I got cable! Not very smugal, i know! But I feel like i'm an adult...I might as well just go with it. so not only am i writing and posting this from un-pirated internet, I'm also sharpening my brain on Rock of Love 2 (America's Best Dance Crew has already been found). Of course, in the event of another layoff, the cable will be the first thing to go...

Thank you, Jesus!

Heaven answered my prayers! America's Next Dance Crew episodes are online! OMG! This is awesome since a)its new new fave show, b)i don't have cable and c) my "friends" refuse to tivo it for me!! can you believe it? This is truly the most amazing, awesome, mind-boggling show. I will now plug in my computer and spend the next 7 hours watching the archives.

Bacteria: Update

Ok, look. I don't know why I thought I would remember to eat a yogurt every single day for 2 weeks. So I have no idea if I won the bacteria challenge. But the yogurt is creamy and delicious enough that it's worth taking the risk that it's doing something good in my guts. Anyone else remembering to eat it every day and have anything interesting to report?

Consumer Reporting: McSkillet Burrito

Sorry this is late, gang. Obviously, I had this w/o the sausage. But this was actually pretty good. surprisingly. However, the "salsa" was a tad spicy for those of us who have northern palates. Additionally, i didn't really care for the american cheese...i wish they would make the leap to an actual cheese instead of a cheese "product," but anyway, this was good. I think i recommend it.

An Absurd Invention

What. in the hell. is "fat-free" half and half? Can someone please explain to me how that works? Last time I checked, fat had a little something to do with half and half. I'm pretty sure the ingredients on half and half look a little something like this: milk. "Fat-free" half and half is skim milk with corn syrup and a bunch of junk in it. Is it really, really worth it? If you're only going to use a tablespoon or so, don't you DESERVE the 2g of fat? I mean, come on. Let's prioritize.

Consumer Reporting: Sally Hershberger Wavy Primer UPDATE

Ladies and Gents:
I still love this product, but a little warning...the instructions say to put it in, let it set for 2 mintues, and THEN add your other product. MALE SURE YOU DO! I accidentally forgot to wait the 2 minutes and it was a disaster. My waves were embarrassing and the textures was gross. I had to wear a hat for the rest of the day.

Consumer Reporting: Sally Hershberger Wavy Primer

Well, the proof is in the pudding. My coworker complimented my waves this morning and didn't even know I'm experimenting! Verdict: worth it. I can't wait to use up some of my other products so I can get more from the Sally Hershberger line! Oh, crumb, I guess her only other wavy products are the shampoo/conditioner and Walgreens just had a 2-4-1, so I now have 2 bottles of Marc Anthony to get through.

Another exciting feature of Sally Hershberger is that is smells very Aveda-esque...delicious! Unfortunately I didn't walk around smelling it all day, but when I put it in in the morning it was ecstasy.

Consumer Reporting: Sally Hershberger Wavy Primer and Marc Anthony Lotion

Well, I need some more hair goo for "wavy days," and I was excited to try a Marc Anthony product. Now, while I love the smell of the shampoo (coconutty), the "lotion" smells like limes. So the combo smells like some kind of Caribbean daquiri. Now, I'm all for the Caribbean! But i don't want someone to poke a straw in my head.

Tomorrow I am going to add something else to the mix: Sally Hershberger Primer Supposedly, this makes any of your wavy products work better. I'll be the judge of that! At $13/a pop, she'd better not disappoint.

Consumer Reporting: Special K Protein Bar

Since I am at the library if I'm not at work or sleeping, I needed to find some fillings snack to put in my school bag. I stumbled upon these Special K protein bars that have 10g protein. And a veg like me can use all the protein she can get.

Now, the packaging looks promising, because the pic on the front looks exactly like a whatchamucallit bar (remember those?!? mmm!)However, in reality, it tastes more like sawdust with a chocolately shell. I will probably finish the box, but I don't recommend you buy them. Unless it's an emergency. Or you like sawdust.

PS It also tastes like liquor...but not in a good way.

A Pleasure to My Ears

Well, here I am at the library, as usual, but tonight is special. I have the distinct pleasure of listening to the guy 3 feet away from me snore. He's at the next carol, and he has his tossed back and he features an interesting combo between a wet, uvula*-vibrating gargle, occasionally marred by little chokes and soft purrs. I am temped to lob something at him to wake him up, but it would be clear who the culprit is. I will experiment with different methods of awakening him.

First comes the carol jolt.
Result: Unsuccessful. It's too heavy.

Next: loud noise.
Result: Success.

*Not vulva, you dirty pig. That thing that hangs in the back of your throat.

Now maybe i can get some work done.

Bacteria

I have decided to take the Activia challenge. My digestive system can use all the help it can get. But I wasn't terribly impressed with the yogurt. A-#1, it has blubbery fruit in it. Gross. I could barely manage it. So today I decided to try the Yoplait version...de-licious! Creamy and rich, yet low-fat! And 3 grams of fiber. I'll keep you updated.