Dusting off the ole blog

2015 has been a great year for me as far as reading is concerned. As of today, I am reading my 56th book. I’m really surprised that I have been able to read that much honestly. And what I enjoy the most about it is that they are books that I am choosing for myself.

Previously on this blog, most of the books I reviewed were ones I had been given or that I chose to review in exchange for a free copy. It’s a fun idea in theory, but 9 times out of 10 I found myself bored to tears with the books. It is much more interesting and engrossing to read something you have picked off the shelf based on your own interest.

I have found myself going back and reading books that are a bit older that I never got a change to read during their ‘time’, if you will.  Examples of this would be Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Satran Foer, Wild by Cheryl Strayed, Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Aron Ralston (aka 127 Hours), Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot,  and Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.

Into Thin Air freaked me out but I could not stop reading it. The fact that people know what a trip up Everest is going to do to their body yet they still do it just blows my mind.

I read several biographies too including those by Tina Fey, Russell Brand, Brian Wilson and Darryl Hammond. Generally, I don’t care for biographies but when someone has a truly intriguing story it makes it more like reading a novel and I can definitely get into those. I had a few weeks there of being obsessed with Brian Wilson. We saw the movie Love and Mercy at the Belcourt, I started reading the book and then we were able to see Brian perform at the Woods Amphitheater. It was a pretty cool month of delving in to one man’s story in varying mediums.

I am not a purist when it comes to reading. You will find me reading a book or reading on my Kindle, it just kind of depends on where or how I found the current book I am reading. Kindle has started a new service called Kindle Unlimited where they have a rather large library of books that are ‘free’ when you sign up for this service. It is $11 a month and I have found many good books this way and even a few new to me authors. You are able to keep 10 Kindle Unlimited books on your Kindle at a time, so I find myself going through that library and selecting 10 I think look interested. I will then read about half of them, ‘return’ them, and then fill my Kindle back up.

Reading for me is a great way to relax and escape the real world. I am hoping I can make it to 100 books this year, but with it now being the beginning of October I am not sure I will be able to achieve that.

But the fact that I’ve read more books this year than some people read in their entire life makes me happy with what I have achieved so far.

 

Album Review: Emmy Rossum ‘Sentimental Journey’

Emmy Rossum is not just a gorgeous actress known for roles in movies such as The Day After Tomorrow and The Phantom of the Opera.

She also has a silky smooth voice that takes you back to the golden era of music. On her latest release, Sentimental Journey, Rossum takes us back with covers of classic songs ranging from the 1920’s to the 60s.

In a recent interview, Rossum said that each song on this album represents one month in a year. My favorite would have to be the song that represents June, Summer Wind which was made famous by one Frank Sinatra.

 

The first time I gave this album a listen, I was mesmerized. As a fan of black and white movies, I felt like I was right in the middle of the soundtrack with Rossum channeling Doris Day, soothing me through my work day. Each track is just as good as the next, with songs I can sing along to and also new ones that I will surely listen to again and again.

This is a great album to listen to as you’re working, or even better as you are lounging on the couch with a good read and a cup of coffee on a lazy Sunday.

Rossum can currently be seen on Showtime’s ‘Shameless’ alongside William H. Macy. Her next feature film, Beautiful Creatures, also starring Emma Thompson and Viola Davis opens February 13th.

Be sure to catch Emmy on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on February 6th.  Sentimental Journey is available now at Amazon and I suggest you give it a listen.

 

I participated in this campaign for One2One Network.  I received a free copy of the CD to facilitate my review. By posting, I am eligible for incentives. All opinions stated are my own.

 

Chicken Posole Recipe

Ahhh, today is a good day. It is Sunday, I’m off work, the NHL Lockout has ended, and my house smells like Chicken Posole. This meal is one of my faves to make, simply because it is easy, awesome, and has plenty of leftovers. I think I stumbled upon this dish when a friend posted about it, and found the original recipe on a cooking site but has since modified it. Someone was asking today how to make it and so I thought I would share.

Chicken Posole Stew

2 Chicken Breasts

2 15oz cans white hominy (rinsed and drained) (I sometimes use one white, one yellow, or whatever I have)

3 cups chicken stock

2 14.5oz cans diced tomatoes (again, depending on what I have I may use Rotel)

3 scallions sliced

3 carrots sliced/peeled (I tend to use canned ones)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbs Cumin

1/4 tsp Cayenne (I sometimes leave this out)

2 tsp Chili Powder

1 1/2 tsp Mexican Oregano (I’ve never been able to find ‘Mexican’ specifically and therefore just use regular).

Place chicken breasts in the bottom of your crock pot. Put remaining ingredients in and stir just the top to mix in the spices. Cover and cook on low 5-6 hours. Remove your chicken and shred it. Return the chicken to the crock pot and stir.

The best part for me is the ‘optional toppings’. The list they suggest is:

Chopped Cilantro

Mexican Cheese

Shredded Radishes

Avocado

Sour Cream

Tortilla Chips

We normally do crushed tortilla chips, shredded cheese (whatever kind we happen to have, it’s good with the kind that has taco seasoning in it), sour cream and Texas Pete.

Hopefully you guys like this as much as me. It’s so good that it’s bad. Ya heard?

 

60 Printable Christmas Games from Python Printable Games

If your family is anything like mine, games of any kind are a big part of your gatherings. Trivia, board games, anything we can find to make a competition and have a little fun we are definitely game for (pun intended). So when I was given the chance to review some printable holiday-themed games for Python Printable games, I jumped at the chance.

The 60 Printable Christmas Games from Python are easy to purchase and even easier to use. This particular pack is $19.95 and includes games perfect for all age groups, from kids to teens to family themed to the adults in the room. The games range from anything like trivia (from your favorite Christmas movies like A Christmas Story, to Bible trivia and more), scavenger hunts, Christmas-themed Mad Libs, coloring pages, and more.

Here is an example of what the games look like:

Once you purchase your pack, you will receive a link via email to then download your games in PDF form and then print them all or decide which ones you want to play right now.  There is no subscription, and you don’t have a time limit for when you must use your games. Once you buy, they are yours to keep for years of fun.

Check out Python Printable Games for New Year’s Eve as well! These games are sure to add a great element of fun to any holiday gathering!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

 

Book Review: “Redefining Success: Still Making Mistakes” by W. Brett Wilson

As a Nashville Predators fan, I follow everyone I can that is associated with the team on Twitter. W. Brett Wilson is no exception. He owns 12% of the team and is a pretty avid Twitter user. So when he tweeted about the need for people to review his book, I jumped at the chance.

You should have seen my face when I opened the package when I received it in the mail…2 hardback copies of the book, both signed…but one was inscribed to me!

So. After I geeked out a little, I began to read the book. And boy does he have a story to tell.

Wilson is the co-star of a Canadian television show called ‘Dragon’s Den’ where entrepreneurs come on and pitch their ideas to venture capitalists in order to obtain financial backing. He is also the host of the Canadian reality show ‘Risky Business’. Wilson is one of Canada’s top investment bankers, and he got to that position because of being driven, willing to take risks and taking opportunity when others might now have seen it. But everything was not always rainbows and butterflies. Wilson had his share of hardships, namely those of priorities and putting them in the wrong order. Working seven days a week for long hours eventually took a toll on his marriage, he wasn’t there to see his kids grow up, and he even let his health go. A diagnosis of prostate cancer at the age of 43 started to put these things in perspective.

Redefining Success takes us on Wilson’s path of redefining his life. Taking care of his health and working on those key relationships in his life helped him to see that things as simple as this can be the foundation for real, true success. This is not just a book for entrepreneurs or business people, but for anyone wishing to achieve success and happiness in their own everyday lives.

Throughout this book, which is a mixture of self-help and business, Wilson gives his stories of trial and tribulation along with his path to righting those wrongs and becoming truly successful with what is important in life. You will read about his business journey and the various paths he did (and did not) choose to take.  He also tells much about his struggle with cancer and the things he learned along the way.

There are chunks of wisdom throughout this book that will make you want to re-evaluate things in your own life and if you’re like me, help you get back on the path to your dreams.

 

Product Review: Kiss Ever PRO Lash Starter Kit

False lashes are not a product that I have ever used, really because I don’t need them. I have super long lashes on my own and am a fan of eye liner, so I am able to normally create the illusion of really full lashes on my own. This Kiss Ever PRO Last Starter Kit was part of my Influenster BeautyBlogger voxbox. I received this item for free in exchange for my review. I was not told what to write nor was I paid for writing.

The kit comes with a set of lashes, the adhesive, and the applicator to help get them right there on your lash line. I found the process of applying these to be much easier than I had anticipated. First I took one set of lashes and put them up to my eye to see if i needed to trim them (they were fine for me). Then you take the adhesive and put it along your lash line, letting it set for 30-60 seconds. Then take the included applicator and put them along your lash line. Make sure you hold them there to allow the adhesive to dry.

For me, it made the base of my lashes (along where I wear eyeliner) to look really dark and thick, but did not do much for the rest of my lashes. I think this is just due to the fact that mine are long anyway.

When you are ready to remove them, just peel starting from the outside and then use eye makeup remover to get rid of any of the adhesive that might be left.

Oh and also? I forgot to take pictures while I had them on. Of course. But, they are reusable so hopefully I can find a reason to wear them and I will post some pictures.

 

 

Product Review: Boots No7 Beautiful Skin

Another part of my VoxBox from Influenster were two sample sizes of Boots No7 facial products. One is Beautiful Skin Cleansing Lotion, the other Beautiful Skin Night Cream. I received these items for free in exchange for writing a review. I was not paid nor was I told what to write.

I wash my face at night, with the main focus being getting the make-up off that’s left from the day. The Cleansing Lotion was a little different from what I am used to. I like foaming, deep cleaning products. The ones where you can ‘feel it’ working (much like foaming toothpaste). The lotion is just that….lotion. You sweep it over your skin (with a cotton ball or your fingers) and then you wipe it off. It’s…weird. But it works. The first time I used it I wasn’t convinced so I then wet a cloth and put a tiny bit of my normal cleanser on it and ran it over my face…with no make-up residue on the rag. For me it just doesn’t FEEL like it’s working…and that’s a big thing for me.

But, I do wear a lot of make-up…and it did take it all off.

The next part of this is the Beautiful Skin Night Cream, which you put on after you have washed your face. I like it a lot. It feels great. I’ve been using it at night and in the morning as a moisturizer before I put on make-up. I’m a fan of this for sure.

I don’t know that I would buy the cleansing lotion just as a personal preference. But the night cream is great.

You can check out all of the Boots No7 products available here.

 

Product Review: Rent a Timeshare for Family Vacation

Through Tomoson.com I was given the chance to review RedWeek, a company that offers deals on time share rentals. When time share owners are unable to use their weeks at their property, they can rent them out to people looking to save on a ‘luxury’ vacation. If you’ve never stayed in a time share, it’s definitely a different experience than staying in even a ‘nice’ hotel. You are often presented with bedrooms, a living room, kitchen, balcony and or patio. They are great when you have lots of people travelling with you, and are really good options for family destination Christmas celebrations.

RedWeek is a site where time share owners can posts the weeks that their properties will not be used and gives those that are not owners the chance to rent them for a nightly or weekly fee that is often times as much as 50% less than a hotel. And just think about how much you will be saving on meals if you’re utilizing the kitchen!

The first thing you will see on RedWeek’s homepage is a listing of top destinations, showing the most popular rentals and their average nightly prices. There are also several ways to find what you’re looking for, either by destination or by features (such as ‘kid friendly’, ‘beaches’, ‘theme parks’, etc).

On top of the amenities I mentioned above, another thing that is great about time share resorts are their multiple pools (some with water park features), restaurants and bars on property, social gatherings (like BBQ’s and ice cream socials) and often times they have transportation to the sites and attractions that are near by, saving you even more money by not having to drive your car.

In this day and age, everyone is looking for ways to save money while still having fun and being able to get away from the ‘Monday through Friday blues’. RedWeek can help you save money on your family vacation and maybe even let you have a more luxurious experience than you thought you could afford.

Viewing the resorts and their availability is FREE.  In order to contact owners, read resort reviews, and view want ads a yearly membership of $14.99 is required. Thanks to RedWeek, I am able to give away a FREE 2-year membership to one lucky winner.  Here are the steps you need to take in order to be the grand prize winner:

Like RedWeek and Time Share Ambassador on Facebook

OR

Follow @redweektravel and @timeshareambass on Twitter

AND

Check out their site and then leave me a comment on this blog telling me your favorite thing you learned from the site.

I will pick my favorite comment and we will have a winner.

Get going!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

 

Product Review: NYC IndividualEyes Custom Compact (Eyeshadow)

I was pretty excited to see some eye shadow in my Beauty Blogger VoxBox from Influenster. (Again, the company who gives me complimentary items in exchange for product reviews).

NYC (http://newyorkcolor.com/) is a brand of make-up that I have used in the past when I need simple ‘staple’ items like eye liner. I have not really used their eye shadow and other products, but I probably will after using this eye compact. As you can tell by the photo…I have been using it. Since I got the box from Influenster I have been wearing this every day.

There are instructions on the back of the compact to aid you in the ‘smoky’ eye look…something I will admit I have not ever really been able to do. But with this…it’s actually quite simple and gives a great dramatic look!

First I take the base (the tan color) and put it all over my eye lids with my finger. Then, it’s the grey lighter grey color (next to the white) which goes all over your lid. Then comes the next grey color in the scale, which goes in the crease. I sweep it from about mid-eye all the way out to the corner. Next I take the white and put it from the darker grey all the way up to my eyebrows. And lastly, the black. I do that a few ways, just depending on how I feel at the moment. I will take it and smudge it on my lash line in lieu of eyeliner. Or I will take it and kind of make a > at the corners of my eyes, sometimes sweeping it out a little further so as to make a wing effect.

Oh, one thing I have not used is the white creme color, next to the tan base. This it says is a ‘highlighter’ that you can sweep over darker colors to make them lighter. I will probably experiment with this sometime just to see what it creates.

I put my make-up on at about 715 every morning and take it off at about 9 at night. This eye shadow looks the same when I’m finished as it did when I began. Next I think I will experiment with blending the colors together for an even more dramatic look.

 

Product Review: Bath and Body Works Nutmeg and Spice Candle

I told you guys about Influenster, the site where you fill out some surveys and answer some questions and can get selected for a ‘voxbox’ full of goodies to review. I get these items for free in exchange for reviews.

This product is from my Beauty Blogger Voxbox and when I saw it, I literally squealed. If you know anything about me then you know that I’m kind of obsessed with ole Bath and Body works. So seeing a mini-version of one of their holiday candles made me giggle.

The White Barn candles are so great. I have had several over the years and they are always very scent-ful. Is that a word? If not, I’m making it one.

You can almost just sit these candles out sans plastic lid and sans lighting and still smell them.

This particular candle, Nutmeg and Spice, reminds me of being at home for the holidays in a house full of family and a kitchen full of baked goods. The scent is great and it’s long-lasting as well.

I would recommend lighting up one of these bad boys while you’re decorating for the holidays or unwrapping presents with your family.

As a super sweet bonus, I was also given a coupon to get one of the larger, 3-wick versions of these candles for $10! That’s half off!!! I went with the Fresh Balsam scent, which kind of smells like the point in the ride Soarin’ at Disney World where you are floating over the evergreen trees in California. (Nerdy, I know).