How do I tell if I have bad breath? The Kiss-o-meter!!

This is totally more convenient than carrying a small toothbrush/toothpaste with me, a bottle of mouthwash, or uh, some breath mints. And at $24, I'm sure that eventually, after a few years, it'd be even cheaper than carrying some of those are you, too. I think...maybe....

Nonetheless, it's kind of a cool idea and might be cute as a gag gift. Or as a wedding gift for the newly weds who haven't quite grown to except morning breath yet. Or hey, Valentine's Day is really right around the corner, so this might be a funny gift...or gentle nudge, heh.

(Oh, and as a side note, when I was reading the description:

Instead, breathe into the Kiss-o-Meter, a compact "bad breath detector" with heart-shaped indicators to let you know if you're pleasant enough for smooching. Five different outcomes are possible: Kiss me, Possible, Maybe, Risky, and Never. Imported. Wipe clean.

I skimmed across and read "imported" as one of the possible outcomes and all sorts of thoughts ran through my head....)

LippiSelk-Bag, the wearable sleeping bag - More Snuggie variations?

As I was writing my last post, @khorre linked me to these awesomely fashionable sleeping bags. The Lippi Selk'Bags and MususBags are a new wave of sleeping bags that let you "roll with your Selk'Bag, not in it" and "stand without any trouble, walk, cross your legs and arms, thanks to reversible zippers."

Surprisingly enough, they come in a few different seasonal models, depending on if you're going to be cross country camping or just snuggling with a good book on the couch. There are several colors and sizes, too (including for kids), so it's actually a pretty cool idea, especially if you do a lot of camping. I'm sure most of us have experienced getting tangled in our sleeping bags while we roll around and try to stay warm or dread climbing out of it in the morning because it's oh-so-cold.

And to think, originally I was just going to make fun of it, lol.

Acu-Life Therapod Review

Yep, one more review this week. It's been a while, so I figured you guys wouldn't mind two in a row. This one's really cool, too (literally, hehe). Warning: This is going to be really long because it has some awesome features that I have a feeling I'll end up rambling about. Skip to the bottom if you're short on time and want the condensed version first. 

I don't know if you guys use ice packs and heating pads very often, but I do. Ice packs fix all the bumps and bruises the kids seem to get, and I use the heating pads for my back and legs more often than I'd like to admit due to some old injuries.

Previously, my two favorite heating pads were actually more like heating "bags." They were filled with little "bead" type things. One reminded me of a bean bag and the other was an aromatherapy one that actually had dried herbs and such inside so that when it was heated, it filled the room with an amazing smell.

Unfortunately, the latter eventually drew some moisture and I discovered it started to mold (eww!!). The first I still use, but after years of use (I always defaulted back to this one after trying new pads/bags), it has two small holes in it that I have to continuously fix. Um, so it currently has one of these clips holding one of the holes closed because I'm tired of restitching it where the material is starting to wear loose and not really hold thread that well. It's been my favorite bag, ok? I do what I have to. :P



Well, at least until now. I know, I know, this sounds like an infomercial already, but come on, why would a company send out their products (here's the disclosure saying that they sent this to me for free) for honest reviews if they weren't really all that great? They generally only do this if they're pretty certain they're going to get good reviews and this is no exception. This thing is freakin' awesome, ok?

So, I've used heating pads/ice packs with straps that hold them onto your body before, and frankly, they tend to suck. Oh sure, they're okay the first few times you strap them on, if the straps are long/short enough for the specific spot you want anyway. But then after a while, their velcro gets filled with the material from the main ice pack cover cloth and they just don't want to stick that well any more. Then it's quite impossible to stretch the straps to their fullest potential anyway and I resort to using them the same way I use my bag-type ones: I lay down on them for my back or place one over whatever spot I need it for, which pretty much immobilizes me, so I only ever use them at night. Oh, or when I'm at my computer and can sit up perfectly straight to hold one in place between my back and chair.

Too much info, huh?

Anyway, let's get to the bragging about the Therapod. First of all, the issue I just complained about? Not an issue here (at least not yet). The strap is plenty long so that even to wrap it around my midsection, I didn't have to stretch it that much (I'm fairly small so that won't be the case for everyone, of course). The material doesn't seem to fray like a lot of the cloth bags I've had before, so I'm not having an issue with the velcro becoming less effective yet either. The bag is flexible enough that for smaller areas, it can just be wrapped around and around hold it in place fine, too. I tried it on my wrist the other day after too much typing and was surprisingly impressed.

The absolute *best* part about the TheraPod is what its name alludes to. The heating bag part is actually split into four "pods," so that unlike other bags, all the little inside "bead/bean" things can't all slide to one side. Unfortunately, the picture on the box doesn't show that, and I'm not sure why. :( That's the greatest benefit of this thing, and they seemed to smooth it over for the box. :(  Not to worry, though, because I took some pictures to show you what I mean. At worst, the filling can settle to the bottom half of each "pod," and the ice side is the same way. Ever put an icepack back in the freezer after it's "melted"/become soft, and didn't lay it flat? It gets all lumpy or all the gel gets squished to one side and when it freezes, it's not the most comfortable the next time you use it.



I didn't take a picture of the backside, but there's a pocket enclosure on the backside of the green section that the ice pack slips into. Depending on whether you need hot or cold, freeze the gel pack or heat the green side for a minute and a half or so.

Alright, this is getting even longer than I expected, so there's just a couple more things I feel like you should know. One of the bigger things they seem to be proud of is that the heating side uses "moist heat." I don't know exactly how it works, but it's true. When I first microwaved mine and put it on, it felt slightly wet...but uh, wasn't. I took it off, touched it with my fingers and wiped my hand across my back to feel for actual wetness, but there was nothing. It felt awesome, but I can't offer up much explanation for what's inside or how it works.

Now a product can't be perfect, so I do actually have one negative note to add. The only thing I found to be even slightly negative, could also be a positive, depending on what you like. Most heating pads get rather hot and cool down rather quickly...or they never really get "hot hot" and are merely warm for a long while. They all come with warnings, of course, but I wasn't expecting this one to be as hot as it was. I actually had to be careful of strapping it on too tight for the first few minutes because the material is relatively thin and gets super hot. You're supposed to let it rest for a minute before removing it from the microwave and using it, but how many people read the instructions?  I don't think it'd leave burns unless you heated it longer than you should, but for those who are used to crappy mediocre heating bags, be warned...this one gets hot, you really should let it rest before using, and test for hot spots before strapping it on.

Phew, that was long. Did I mention that it's listed for only $13, although I don't know where/how to actually purchase it because the information site doesn't seem to lead to a product purchase page

Here's the condensed version for the lazy ones:

The TheraPod easily replaces my favorite heating bags/ice packs. The "pod" sections keep the contents from shifting all to one end. The strap is plenty long to use effectively and the pads are flexible enough to wrap around smaller body parts and still use the strap to hold it secure. The heating side gets really hot, which is awesome compared to other mediocre bags, but be careful to let it rest before using so you don't burn yourself. Thank you so much, Acu-life!

General Mills let me try free cereal! (And it's healthier now, too)

That's a pretty good disclosure, right? With all the changes to the blog world and making sure you tell everyone that you were given something free, it seems like everyone is stressing it beyond belief. I see it in bold all over sites. "They gave this to me, don't sue me!!"

Um, yeah, I'm pretty sure a simple line somewhere in your post, just like most morally-sane bloggers have been doing all along, is perfectly fine.

But anyway....that's not what this post is about.

This post is about how awesome General Mills was to send me coupons to try out their cereals. Around here, with 6 people total and 4 of them being kids who seem to be in constant growth spurts, a breakfast of cereal takes an entire box usually (or close, heh). Considering I make most things at home, cereal hasn't exactly gotten cheaper, and I pass on pre-sweetened things usually, I don't buy cereal all that often. The kids get to have it at school quite often anyway, so it's not like I'm depriving them of anything.

When I got the email from MyBlogSpark to receive coupons, though, and do a review, I was stoked. I was even more excited when I actually got them because "Ahhh!! There's four of them!! And they cover enough that I can get the big boxes!!" Yeah, so I might go a little crazy over getting freebies, oops, hehe.

I don't even go down the cereal aisle at Kroger's and tend to buy offbrand cereals at another store when I do actually buy cereal. Suddenly, I could taste all my old favorites and I was a bit giddy anyway from hearing that they'd decreased their sugar and increased their nutrients. Well, before I get too far ahead of myself, look at these stats and such:

General Mills announced a commitment to further reduce sugar in cereals advertised to kids under 12 to single digit grams of sugar per serving. The company has already been reducing sugar in cereals while increasing key nutrients, such as calcium and vitamin D, and providing whole grain.

Other cereal benefits:

* Ready-to-eat cereals, including presweetened cereals, account for only 5% of sugar in children´s diets.
* Ready-to-eat cereal is the No. 1 source of whole grains in a child´s diet today.
* More frequent cereal eaters tend to have healthier body weights and lower Body Mass Index measures.

I wanted to get some cereals that I wouldn't normally buy and that generally make me think "really sugary" (like Lucky Charms). After all, if they were decreasing the amounts of sugar, I wanted to see if they made them disgusting, right? Well, and I had to get some Kix because I hadn't had those since I was a kid and they were favorite. Kid-tested, mother-approved! Yummy. <3

Turns out, everything we tried tasted as good as ever, and the stats really aren't that bad. Lucky Charms at this point still had 11g of sugar per serving, which isn't quite a single digit yet, but it's close, and as an occasional cereal to eat, I don't see that as bad at all. It's especially great for weekend mornings when they're starving and I'm tired. And really...how bad is a few extra grams of sugar when a lot of people would be chowing down breakfast sandwiches, sausage/bacon, pancakes covered in syrup, etc?



If it's been a while since you've looked at presweetened cereals, it might not be a horrible idea to check them out again. General Mills seems to be doing their part with increasing the "good stuff" and decreasing some of the "bad stuff," so why not give them a shot? (Yes, they gave me free stuff, but since when do I lie to you guys or encourage you to do something I wouldn't? Exactly....I don't. I was kinda hoping I'd be able to give a less-than-positive review, but their Kix got to me. :( Oh well).

Peekaroo - Baby Snuggies meets tradiontal baby carriers, wraps, slings (and other snuggie rip-off products)

What happens when this,



And this,



Meets this?



You get the Peekaroo! You know, peek-a-boo...and kangroo baby pouches....haha??



Gah, why am I still posting these? There's the one for your dogs and horses, too, in case you hadn't been so fortunate as to see them:



Ok, so the second one isn't really a Snuggie, but there's a horse site marketing it as such. ;)

And here's one that sends you back to the sewers so you can dress up like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Hot Topic carries the Donatello, Raphael, and Leonardo "Funky Cozies" or knock-off Snuggies. Talk about cult-like...

~Edit~ Oh god, I wrote this a couple weeks ago, long before this happened:



Gah, I was joking about the horse snuggies, people!! And especially not a minx snuggie on a celebrity derby horse for the late night Conan O'Brien show. Double gah!!

How to take a joke, flow chart style

Because sometimes, people just don't get it.

Toilet paper tube faces

Now if only I had been saving my toilet paper tubes all this time. :(

Things our grandkids will never understand

And today's kids are already wondering why we're even mentioning these at all.

Go play in the street...no really, go!

While this is a really interesting concept, I don't think it's the most practical. At first, it reminds me of all the movies and shows where it shows kids jumping rope and playing hopscotch in the alleys or empty streets.

And then I get a flash forward scene where a kid goes splat. I know kids play in the streets in a lot of areas, especially when all the residential cars are away at work. Kids also run out into traffic, don't pay attention, and shouldn't necessarily be 'encouraged' to be playing in the streets. It's too bad, though. It's a really great way to double up on usable space.

National Bloggy World Delurker Day - The one where everyone's supposed to comment

So apparently a month ago when I was writing several sets of posts to be scheduled here, nobody thought to tell me that a month later, it'd be Delurker Day.

It happens every year and I never pay it much attention. In the blog world, it's a day where tons of bloggers post about the day and insist that all their "lurkers," or people who read them but never comment, come clean and comment just this once. I try to comment on a few, but I follow so many blogs that it's impossible to comment on all of them anyway, much less all on one day while trying to remember who I've commented on before...and who I've just be secretly stalking lurking around.

I've never made my own post about it either. And considering it's the night of the 14th, I had no intentions of doing it this year either. I saw others turn it into "Delurking Week," but meh, matters not.

Then I saw the logo above and just had to share it. In order to share it, I had to tell you about the day, right? For all you readers (see how I'm pretending I have lots of lurkers? ;) ) in the non-bloggy world who might not know. It's all about the quirky logo that was circulating this year. Isn't it perfect!?

Quirky snow creations - Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

And then, let it snow some more because if you want to make your own snow man like the one above, you'll need your fair share!

On the other hand, the current trend seems to be to downsize, so maybe this one is more appropriate:



Or this one:



Awww, the squirrel has a pint-size companion!

Faucet vase - Perfect place for Spring flowers

Because it 'is' Spring now, right? :D

This faucet vase would be the perfect way to brighten up any bathroom. And if you're not into "flowery" things, I'm sure you could add some rocks or something. I'm going to assume that there's a double wall in there and the water that's pouring out isn't actually touching the flower or whatever you're putting in there, too, so nothing to worry about on the clean-side of things.

Hundreds gather to protest global warming

Boy do these guys look angry, especially the one in the lower right!

I wonder how long it took to make all these little snowmen. What's even cooler is that if you really look, you'll notice that many of them have different facial expressions. Yay global warming protest led by snow midgets!

Owl tattoos galore

Owl tattoos is a site of just that. Who knew there were so many people with tattoos...of just owls? To give you an idea, there've been right at 350 posts over the last couple years, and most posts feature more than one tattoo each, so yikes!

Quirky Fashion - Creative bindis for the fashion-oriented

Strangely enough, I actually first found these on a blog who had illegally scraped (stole) the content from another site. When I went to blog about them myself, I was greeted with a message about the site being shut down, so I went searching on my own to find the original source. It wasn't easy, but I finally came across the FaceProject which actually has more than just bindis and it was well worth the effort to show you guys these.

I'm going to post a few pictures from the site (hey, I'm not stealing the pictures....I'm giving you a teaser and encouraging you to view more on your own....fair use policy, so shush it). I've never seen anything as fun and unique as these when it comes to wearing a bindi. There are tons more that can be found on FaceProject. Just click "next" at the bottom to be shown three more at a time, or go back to the main site and browse through the bindi cases to see several at once, but not on faces.

(On a side note, Michelle would be so proud of me for posting about something fashion-related on my own site.)

I really like the peace sign bindi.


Part of what makes this one really stand out is his look. Just like any other accessory, it has to suit the personality.





There are some that stretch even further and risk being called "strange" or questioned about "wtf is that?" like this one:

Opposite of the FailBlog....the SucceedBlog

No offense to all of you who love the Failblog and all the pictures that float around the web, pointing out people's failures with big white letters screaming "Fail" or the occasional witty comment. Some of them are good, sure, but I got really sick of them about 2 weeks after they hit it big, heh.

This site is based on the same idea, except, well, the opposite. This one has tons of pictures of really cool things that people have successfully done. The videos there are really the best part, but some of the pictures are awesome, too, so clear some time in your schedule and thumb through the posts.

Even if you don't, though, check out the video above regardless. It's a huge Mona Lisa compiled by hand with various colored Dominoes. The intro shows the full thing and it getting all knocked down, but after that, it shows a sped up version of him placing them all. There are several times where he misplaces dominoes or accidentally bumps one and knocks several day, so then he has to redo them. The video is only 4.5 minutes long, so it's 'really' sped up and looks amazing. Such dedication!

Baby it's cold outside - Warm up your trees, poles, statues

I simply must go - Baby, it's cold outside
The answer is no - Ooh baby, it's cold outside
This welcome has been - I'm lucky that you dropped in
So nice and warm -- Look out the window at that storm
("Baby, it's cold outside" lyrics)




We bundle up in coats and scarves, so why shouldn't the outside lovelies have the same privilege? And they're knitted, at that!

Pictures that look altered, but aren't - Faux photoshop

Nope, that picture hasn't been altered. Could've fooled me. WebUrbanist explains exactly how the picture was taken, though:

What looks like two photographs put together is actually a single,
untouched shot taken by Emily, the blonde on the left. The left side
shows a mirror, reflecting Emily’s image back to the camera, and at
right is her friend Alisha, seen through clear glass. The ghostly hand
and arm in the photo are part of Emily’s barely visible reflection on
the glass.

Think that's cool? There are 14 more images over there to look at. The photography skills are awesome. And if that's still not enough, here's another 15 examples of fauxtoshop.

Why do you do what you do? wdydwyd?

This site is exactly what the title says it is. It's a site where people submit stories, photos, tweets (#wdydwyd, and videos that tell why they do what they do). If you have some time, there are some amazing stories there, both in the form of short snippets (like the photo above) and some really interesting videos. So really, why do you do what 'you' do?

(For those of you doing New Year's Resolutions, looking forward to the new year, or reminiscing on the past year, this could be a great start to focus in on things.)