Wearing a red dress in the cemetary

And not just any red dress....-the- red dress. The one you always wanted to wear, but never had a reason to. The one you just didn't have any reason to actually buy, or any place to wear it to. Get it! Wear it! Who cares if it's to the grocery store? Who cares if it's not "sensible"? Just do it.

That's exactly what The Bloggess did several months ago. If you pay attention to what I post on Facebook, you've already seen this from me, but it's worth revisiting. I was going to post a couple quotes to entice you to go see the post, but it's just all too good to choose from. Go. Read it. Look at the pictures. Click through for more.

She looks absolutely stunning and oh so happy. What's your forbidden red dress? Maybe this'll help you along...

So today, think about what it is you need and were too embarrassed to ask for.  And then go fucking** do it. Wear a ball gown to the grocery store.  Invite the neighbors to have a picnic on the front lawn.  Get that novel out of your sock drawer and publish it yourself.  Stand on a bus stop bench and belt out a song for the waiting strangers.  Find a playground swing and remember how it felt to fly.  Find your red dress. And wear the hell out of it.

**Yeah, yeah, PG blog, no bad words here, blah, blah, blah. You know it wouldn't be the same if I censored those out. :P

 

It's all in the title - Play it safe or eat a bacon sandwich?

It's pretty obvious that I stumble across a lot of weird, funky, messed up....quirky?...stuff. Everything you see me post here, doesn't even add up to 1% of what I see. Along the way, there's a lot of stuff I surely miss, too, because it just doesn't grab my attention immediately, even if what's inside that next link, video, or site could be fabulous.

I'll admit, a lot of times I judge a book/site/picture/video intro/whatever by its cover or I require something attention-grabbing in order to waste even 20 seconds of my time. Other times, though, I find things when I'm least expecting them.

In this case, I followed a link to Flowing Data, and while there's plenty of interesting stuff on the site and it's worthy of being followed, it's also an insanely boring layout. Standard white theme with boxes of content and thumbnail images. I glanced over it, saw nothing that jumped out, and moved on. After all, it was just tons of text with most of the images being graphs of some sort (just the sort of thing I'd expect from Flowing Data really).



(Image Source - Cheesy bacon oatmeal from Live Well 360)

But at the last split second as the page shifted to another site, my eye caught a glimpse of "safe or bacon" among the "data visualization," heat maps, and engineers' guides.

Of course, the real title actually said "Understanding risk - play it safe or eat a bacon sandwich?" I went back to read the full title immediately and then clicked the link because, come on, why wouldn't I? Who makes a comparison like that??

David Spiegelhalter does, that's who. And in the video at the link, he explains "we have a risky side (the part of you that says it's okay to eat a pound of bacon every day) and a cautious side (the part that says to eat some oatmeal in place of bacon)." The video itself isn't anything insanely weird and is actually quite logical, but the examples he uses are great and his sense of humor shines through at some unexpected times.

Thanks Professor Risk!

"Wheel-Skates" take the best of bikes and skates

I don't know. I'm not a skater or biker, so I can't really say much but the Wheel-skates from Chariot Skates look rather ridiculous and I don't know how much they'd really be an improvement over either.

I 'can' see the benefit of being able to go off-road a bit without having to be on a bike, but then again, these don't even come with brakes, so...?  Maybe I'm just missing something. Here's a brief description that explains it better than I could:

"....radical roller skates that seem to breach the gap and take skating closer to skiing and cycling. Finished in about 5.5 pounds (each skate) of carbon fiber, the skates roll smoother and provide better maneuverability, as if you’re skiing, in comparison to their conventional or even contemporary counterparts. Strapping your foot just below the axle of the (knee-high) main wheel, the Chariot skate also integrates a smaller wheel near your heel for extra support on rough terrains or grassy slopes."

20 things that happen in a minute - Birth, death, natural disasters, Oprah earns money

You'll need to click through to see the full image and be able to read it all.

It's just a bunch of quirky facts about things that occur in a minute. Some are interesting tidbits like "Lightning strikes the earth 360 times and there are 5 earthquakes."

Others are a bit saddening or put things into perspective such as "120,673 pounds of edible food is thrown away in the United States" and "18 people die of starvation."

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!

Bike folds up and makes health/environment choices easier

We all know it's a great idea to ride a bike, but most of us find it impractical, too. I love that this bike, although not exactly stylish, banishes some of those excuses.

It's not exactly the easiest to store a huge bike in your little cubicle at work, but tucking this away into its compact form 'is' easy. And while you might be encouraged to ride bike to work, just how practical is that for a lot of you? Instead, tuck this into your trunk and maybe ride to lunch instead. This compact foldable bike is the best of both worlds.....better for your health and the environment without going off the deep-end of inconvenience.

Then again, it's probably too cold to be riding much this winter no matter how convenient this bike makes it.

Eco-friendly bathroom setup (that won't make you squirm!)

Okay, so I had a few of you squirming with the quirk about turning your fresh urine into fresh drinking water.

Well I'm back with a bit more pee talk, but this one is less disgusting and more practical. Unlike a lot of the "go green" craziness that sends some people to the extreme, this is bathroom setup is classy, economical, and just a great thing to consider if you plan on remodeling your bathroom in the future.

I'd love to see more designs like this created to implement environment-friendly items in everyday life without going to ridiculous lengths that most people won't go.

Like the first urine-to-fresh-water post, I found this concept over at thedesignblog. They describe it like this (find more info and pictures on their site)...

“Eco Bath System” is a new concept that combines the functions of a sink and toilet bowl. Drawing inspiration from the natural flow of water on earth, the Eco Bath System accumulates the water used to wash your hands which further can be reused to clean the toilet.

Turn fresh urine into...free drinking water

Um. Yeah.

At first glance, it can seem a little crazy, but if you read into it, the idea is interesting. The idea is to have an emergency device like this in drought-stricken areas, etc.

Basically, it converts urine (human or animal pee either one) into drinkable water when the users pee on "activated carbon" inside. That then removes the color and flavor.

(Uh, what about all the stuff inside the pee that the body expelled in the first place? It's not just about color and flavor...is it?)

Either way, you can see more labeled pictures and diagrams of the inner workings on thedesignblog. I wonder if we'll ever see things like this that actually work and are used...

~Edit May 23, 2009~ The first astronaut drank recycled urine! Check it out at the link.

Swine flu protection doesn't have to be boring

Nope, it can be cool and quirky! I'm sure we're all sick of hearing about the swine flu now, but go ahead and click over to Gizmodo to see dozens of varieties of masks to keep yourself protected in style. ;-)

And for you Twitter users:

You are what you eat....so wash your hands!

I love creative advertising. Anything short of interesting and it's not even going to catch my attention, much less hold it long enough to know what the ad is trying to sell me.

For these, the idea is that you "are what you eat." So if you touch the hamster, you're eating all those germs, too (so use Lifebuoy soap, of course! hehe). There's another fish-related picture and more talk about Lifebuoy here.

We have our winners! Fiber One Pkg Giveaway

Alright guys, we have our winners for the Fiber One gift packages including a Fit & Healthy food journal, a water bottle, a food scale, a
heart-shaped pedometer, and a coupon redeemable for a free Fiber One
yogurt.

I'm especially excited about 'who' won them, too! I wanted you all the win, of course, but the first two people are bloggers I've known for a while. The very first number that was generated by Random.org was 45.

Looks like it paid off for you to go blog about it and come back with the link, Sadie!

The next two numbers were 81 and 62.

That's Erika Jean for following me on Twitter and Judy Brittle (nice to meet you!) for wanting to try the vanilla, hehe.

Shoot me an email with your shipping address and I'll start the shipping process ASAP. :D

It takes more than medication. Be brave.

This was posted over at daysgoby and had her commentators crying, so you might want to wait until you're alone if that's a possibility for you. It really is quite touching....about being brave when confronted with major illness.

The heart of the message? "To be truly healthy, it takes more than medication."

And yet, it's quirky. It's different. It's a message you don't usually see on TV and it's done in a way that you're not really expecting the ending.
lkaj;dfj

Fiber One Package Giveaway! (Yogurt, food scale, journal, pedometer, water bottle, weee!)

(Skip to the bottom of the post if you only want to know how to win your own gift package!)

Yep, I've been given the chance to giveaway three of these Fiber One gift packages! I got mine in the mail a couple days ago and it's all just awesome!

Included is a Fit & Healthy food journal, a water bottle, a food scale, a heart-shaped pedometer, and a coupon redeemable for a free Fiber One yogurt (wouldn't want them actually shipping you the yogurt, of course, hehe).

Now I'm not one to think about my fiber intake, much less actually watch how many grams I'm getting throughout the day. Many other people do, though, and this package is great regardless.

I also had a bit of fun with the Fiber Friend Face-Off where I played a little game of picking the correct foods to reach 25g of fiber. It was followed by a quiz which showed me that I pretty much know nothing about the daily requirements of fiber or how much people generally get, lol. Even if you don't want to play the game, check out the link to enter the Fiber One sweepstakes and print off a coupon. :)

Regardless, I had a bit of fun creating my Face-Off Friend avatar:

Come on, it's not called Quirky Jessi for me to pass up a perfectly good clown nose! :P

I really don't think Kim knew what she had coming to her when she faced my mad fiber picking skills. She looked really tough, but it was no match for my quirkiness. ;-)

Alright, alright, let's get to the contest rules. If you've read this far, you must be one of my regular readers and either get a kick out of me playing a fiber game.....or enjoy pigtails and clown nose combos.

When I enter other people's contests, it's much more inviting when they have several ways to enter instead of just one or two ways. Keep in mind that although Fiber One is the sponsor for this, there's much more to the package than just fiber....who couldn't get some use out of a pedometer, food scale, journal, or a water bottle?

Contest Rules

Required entry: Comment below. (How else would I get in touch with you, after all? Comments are open and you can comment anonymously, but I need a valid email address or I won't be able to contact you if you're a winner.)

Ways to get more entries:
(For each entry, please leave a separate comment below letting me know what you did. If you're already a subscriber, just leave a comment saying so. If you follow me on Twitter or tweet about the contest, tell me your username in a new comment.)

-- Subscribe to Quirky Jessi (lots of ways....using RSS, through Blogger, or even by email)

-- Follow me on Twitter (Quirky Jessi)

-- Tweet about the contest -- can be done up to 2 times for 2 entries

-- Blog about the contest (link back to this post and leave the URL in comments below)

-- Answer one or more of these questions -- each worth a separate entry, so put them in separate comments:

-- What is your favorite Fiber One product?
-- If you've tried Fiber One yogurt, what did you like about it or what's your favorite flavor? If you haven't tried it, what flavor will you try if you win? (flavors can be found here)
-- Do you know how much fiber you're getting?

-- Play the Friend Face-Off game and tell me how much fiber you got

-- Talk about this giveaway somewhere else -- up to 2 separate entries (post on a forum? use Facebook? another site you love? just be sure to leave the link in the comments)

Remember to put each entry in a separate comment so they'll all be counted. :)

~Contest ends at midnight EST, March 27th~

Stevia, Fructevia, Truvia, Freaktevia, Meektevia, Sneaktevia...

Okay, so maybe I got carried away with the -evias? hehe

Yep, another review, although this one won't be nearly as long as the last one. ~Edit~ I think I may have underestimated how much I wanted to say about it, oops! ~~

Stevia is a product that I was already well aware of actually. Many years ago when my grandpa was diagnosed with diabetes right before Thanksgiving, I headed off to my health food store....privately owned by a couple who I swear knew practically everything about every herb, spice, tree, plant, vitamin, mineral, nutrition, body issue, whatever out there (and if they didn't, they'd consult every resource they had), and who refused to carry anything in the store that they didn't support or wouldn't use themselves.

Moving on past the really long, run-on sentences to make the story a bit shorter, one of the things I was introduced to was Stevia. It's an all-natural, insanely sweet sugar substitute. Stevia in its raw forms comes herbs and shrubs in the sunflower family and has up to 300 times the sweetness of common table sugar that you probably use.

I was certainly skeptical when I first tried it. I was raised to be dead set against sugar substitues like Sweet 'N' Low and Equal that so many dieters use and considering both my Mom and I found we were sensitive to some of the funky chemicals they use in place of sugar nowadays, it was all the more reason to not ever want to use them. Stevia was another story, though, and when I baked with it the first time, I was shocked that it didn't have any negative effect on how the food turned out. Seeing as how my grandpa is very old-fashioned and would roll his eyes at my grandma's use of Sweet 'N' Low, he too was shocked when my "sugar-free" items served that Thanksgiving, didn't taste sugar-free at all!

Since then, I've moved many times (far away from my beloved health food store) and long ago lost the need for spending money on stevia to sweeten foods for someone else's dietary needs. I was happy to see that the FDA finally approved Stevia a few years ago (it's been used since at least the 1800s), but even more excited to see that the "dietary supplement" I was sent to try out, was actually 3 different forms of stevia!

What you'll see on store shelves now is generally going to be Truvia and Fructevia. Fructevia is a natural blend of fructose, FOS (extracted from artichokes), stevia, and magnesium carbonate (a natural mineral used to keep it from caking) and is about 2x as sweet as sugar, so when I tried it out, I was able to use half as much in my recipes without losing any sweetness. It's available in both large bags for cooking, and also little packets that are great for sweetening drinks on the go.

Fructose doesn't affect blood sugar levels like refined sugar does, so Fructevia is safe for both diabetes I and II sufferers, along with low-carb and low-glycemic dieters, and those suffering from hypoglycemia. Steviva (the brand of stevia I tried) guarantees that it'll taste just like the sugar you're used to, too!

Don't tell anyone, but as soon as I opened the bag, I licked a finger and stuck it in. If I was going to be reviewing it, then it better taste like sugar, ya know!?  Shockingly, it tasted just like powdered sugar (the granules are a bit smaller than table sugar).

My next biggest concern was that when it came to baking, if I was only using half as much, then wasn't it going to throw off the consistency and texture? I baked a loaf of bread with it, though, and it turned out just like it always does, though, so happily, no effect there!

I also used it a couple times in various drinks and they tasted great. Price-wise, it's definitely more expensive than sugar and I have no intentions of switching over to just using it because I'd go broke! lol On that same note, though, if you're someone who uses artificial sweeteners, buying this is probably going to cut your bill down instead. The tiny 1.3 oz (8 oz. by volume) bottle of Steviva stevia powder (no fillers) they sent me contains 370 servings. Holy cow, lol.

They are running some *huge* sales right now, though, so if you're even slightly interested (or already use it), be sure to check out the main site. There are some "super duper" specials where you can get a couple different products for a pretty hefty discount and then have it shipped for free even! You can get more information about the various products and blends they offer, and about stevia itself, along with a section of recipes to try out.

Anywho, I think I've said more than my fair share.....I already approve of stevia products and Steviva's blends seem to be really good. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them and I'll do my best to answer. I have quite a bit of the product samples left (did I mention 370 servings in a tiny bottle?? lol), so I'll keep trying it in different recipes and update this if I have anything more to say. I'm still kind of nervous about trying it in a batch of something like cookies that seem to rely more on the texture of sugar, but they're on my list to try!

What's the remedy for giant microbes?

I really thought I'd already blogged about these as I've seen them many times over the last couple years. So what's the remedy? Buy lots of them and have them gang up on each other instead of you! :P Best way to cure the common cold yet...and way more fun, too, hehe.

Have a boil on your butt?

Neither do I. But last year at camp, some guy who all the girls swooned over, ended up with a boil on his butt that got bad enough he ended up going to the hospital. And one night, the stress of camp (or maybe it was the intoxication) got to him and he proceeded to show a large group of people his lovely boil.

Now before you become disturbed, there really is a point. He should've used tomato paste to fix it! The acids would've soothed the pain and brought the boil to a head. How do I know? Well, I don't. But someone over at International Home Remedies has apparently tried it with success.

Wee! See that! Point well made, hehe. But yeah, the site is full of remedies used all over the world and if you have a quirky cure that has worked for you before, go ahead and add it! You never know what might just work for someone else's boils...

And while you're at it, check out Forgotten Medical Cures.

The Best Things in Life

After yesterday's downer, let's finally get to the good stuff! Today is a two-for-one, too, because they're not necessarily quirky by default, but they certainly can be.

Here's a list of some best things in life. Examples?

1. Falling in love.
   
2. Laughing so hard your face hurts.
   
3. A hot shower.
   
4. No lines at the Super Wal-Mart.
   
5. A special glance.
   
6. Getting mail.
   
7. Taking a drive on a pretty road.
   
8. Hearing your favorite song on the radio.
   
9. Lying in bed listening to the rain outside.
   
10. Hot towels out of the dryer.

The list goes to 57 and if you want to add to it, just email James Huggins (it's listed on the page).

And for part two? Your top 10. Over on Gather, for a while, the "meme" of sorts was circulating....list the top 10 things in your life that make you happy right now or that you appreciate, etc.

For example, this was Diana's list:

10. I have a great job

9. I have a nice home

8. I have plenty to eat (too much maybe :)

7. I have a car that runs

6. I have a hobby (love to sew)

5. I'm close to my family

4. I can go to the beach whenever I want

3. I'm in great health

2. I have two wonderful kids

1. I have a loving husband!

So what's on your list? It doesn't have to be analyzed, planned, or well-thought out. No need to rank them in order or worry about forgetting something. Just what's making you happy right now? When everything is going wrong, what is it that you still have to look forward to? What do you have that not everyone may be able to appreciate?

Planet Hazard --Worst Places of Pollution

Planet Hazard
has a lovely little list of the top polluters, sorted on the national
level and by state, county, and even city. It also sorts those lovely
pollutants and industries. They're all mapped out on lovely Google maps
at that. A real downer, I know, but it's interesting to look through
the facts.

There are lots of numbers and emission records that
might not make a whole lot of sense to you, but the bottom
line....there's a lot of crap in the air and you're breathing it. :P
Have a great day!

Stop smoking right now

Switch gears away from food and let's go to health-mode, okay?

Stop smoking right now and here's the effects on your body:



Clicky the link to see it full-size and be able to read it.

Am I going to try to convince you to quit smoking? Nope. Care for a lecture on all the horrible things it does? Nope. I don't plan on giving one. It's not my choice whether or not you or anyone else out there smokes. I like the break-down of what happens within minutes, hours, weeks, and years, though. Even if you don't smoke, check it out.

January--Donate Blood Month

Yep, January is National Blood Donation Month, and while you could/should be donating blood at any other time of the year, here's the perfect excuse to finally do it for those of you who hesitate or forget. I don't know about other countries, but for the US, here are the guidelines to see if you're eligible:

To give blood for transfusion to another person, you must be healthy, be at least 17 years old or 16 years old if allowed by state law, weigh at least 110 pounds, and not have donated blood in the last 8 weeks (56 days). "Healthy" means that you feel well and can perform normal activities. If you have a chronic condition such as diabetes or high blood pressure, "healthy" also means that you are being treated and the condition is under control.
Other aspects of each potential donor's health history are discussed as part of the donation process before any blood is collected. Each donor receives a brief examination during which temperature, pulse, blood pressure and blood count (hemoglobin or hematocrit) are measured.

It really doesn't take that much time, especially considering the benefits reaped from it. Don't care about saving other people's lives? That's okay....they're usually giving away free food and juice afterward to keep people's blood sugar and such at a decent level. Not hungry? Hit on the nurses and volunteer's there.....you all will get a good laugh before they take your blood. ;-)

Seriously, there's no good reason 'not' to if you're eligible.

(And as a disclaimer, this is my way of getting a hand in there. Red Cross will no longer take my blood because my tests came back inconclusive a few years ago. I was retested and everything was fine, but my name is put on a black list 'just to be safe'. So make up for my loss by donating some of yours!)