Sensibly Sassy's Two Cents

Lululemon Align Ultra Mat

2011-10-01T21:31:00.000-07:00

I am becoming quite the yoga enthusiast these days. After finding out that my first ever yoga mat was made with carcinogens I decided I needed to upgrade to a user/earth friendly mat. I decided on the Lululemon Align Ultra Mat. It was nice and lightweight and came in pretty colors so i decided to buy it.

The honeymoon phase with this mat did not last long at all. Midway through my first class with the mat it began to twist and bunch beneath my feet while I was in the warrior poses. Talk about frustrating! I decided to stick it out anyway and continue to use the align mat. Well after about two months of sticking it out I noticed that the textured "bumps" on the mat were flaking off leaving me with lime green (the color of my mat) bumps all over my yoga pants at the end of class.

The flaking got so bad that eventually I wore a hole in the mat where my feet go during downward dog! And this was after not even a year of use-more like 8 months!! So I must give the Lululemon Align Mat a big fat negative review. I do not recommend it, not even a little.

Photo Cred

EasyCanvasPrints.com

2011-06-16T09:05:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I was contacted by EasyCanvasPrints.com to review the process of ordering a canvas print. I was pretty giddy because I have always wanted to try to put one of my pictures on a canvas.

I was pleasantly surprised at the ease at which I could naviagate their site. It sounds like a simple thing to appreciate but I cannot tell you how many times I go on a site to order something and the site is so complicated that I end up not ordering anything. So like I said, that was not the case with EasyCanvasPrints.com . Since I already had a print in mind I was in and out of the website in less than ten minutes! I could hardly believe it.

But if you are unsure of which picture you want to use they have a great section on their website called The Idea Gallery which shows you previous customer's orders and how they look in different places in the home. And the most important part? The prices are really reasonable AND EasyCanvasPrints.com is offering free shipping and 25% off all canvas!! I know it is awesome.

I am really happy with my canvas and I can't wait to hang it in our new home...wherever that may be.

OPI Topcoat

2010-11-25T09:39:00.000-08:00

I hear a lot of people say that they don't like to paint their nails because the polish chips too quickly. Well I have found the solution to this problem once and for all! As you may have noticed I am a fan of OPI colors. So when I was in my local beauty supply store buying a new color I spied a sign that said if I bought two regular colors I could get the topcoat for free. So I decided to give the topcoat a try. It was free after all.

As soon as I got home I painted my nails and put the topcoat over the polish. Well after 7 days there was not a chip off of my manicure! Isn't that wonderful?! Seven days, no chips! Needless, to say I suggest OPI for all of your topcoat needs!

The Secretariat

2010-10-08T20:13:00.000-07:00

I could really begin and end this review with "do you want to see a feel good movie that will have you smiling when you leave the theatre? yes? Ok, go see this movie!" But that would be lazy and I really like to share my opinions more than that.

The wonderful people at Disney and Blogher gave me tickets to the advanced screening of The Secretariat. I was excited to go being a huge fan of Disney movies in the past and also, a huge fan of animals in general. I wasn't quite sure what to expect of the movie but I knew how it ended thanks to a neuroscience teacher in undergrad that was obsessed with horses. That is neither here nor there. The movie is heartwarming in one of the best ways possible, in that honors the power of hope and persistence. Not to get on a soap box, ok maybe I do, but these days you don't see that too often. A lot of times bad behavior is honored more than things that would restore our faith in each other. This is probably the reason why most people know more about Lindsay Lohan than the latest Nobel Peace Prize winner. I have a feeling I may be getting carried away.

In a world where sensationalism and shocking behavior reigns supreme it was refreshing and heart warming to see a movie that you could bring the whole family to, or in my case, enjoy with your boyfriend on an impromptu date night. The Secretariat was charmingly funny and uplifting. And here's a warning, it is easy to get caught up in the excitement of the races, meaning you just might find yourself cheering and clapping as though your cheers help the horse run faster...not that I am naming any names...(ok ok I totally did this)

The Giveaway of All Giveaways!

2010-08-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my blogoversary give away!! I won't keep you waiting, here are the wonderful prizes you can win!!

The first, not one, but two, items are from the Etsy shop "Pinned Up"

I love these hair pins because they are a simple way to add a personal touch to any simple outfit. I actually own this next one and I think it is super cute!

This next item is the Goa Pendant Necklace from Stella & Dot.

You all know how I love me some Stella & Dot!

This next item comes from the good folks at Nintendo (it pays to read a blogger that is a Nintendo brand ambassidor doesn't it?) It is the Pic Cross 3D game for the Nintendo DS! This game is quite fun if I do say so myself.

What's that you say? You don't own a Nintendo DS? Oh that is rather unfortunate. I'm sorry. You will probably have to give the game away to someone that has a Nintendo DS.

I wouldn't do that to you.

I am giving you a Nintendo DS XL.

Yes, really.

Seriously.

Just look!

This isn't your mama's DS, it is the XL which means the screen is 93% bigger than a regular DS!

So how can you enter?

*You can leave a comment at Sensibly-Sassy.com

I REPEAT DO NOT COMMENT HERE GO TO SENSIBLY-SASSY.COM

IF YOU COMMENT HERE IT WILL NOT COUNT!

*ahem*

*You can tweet about this giveaway and leave a link to said tweet on sensibly-sassy.com

*You can blog about this giveaway and then comment me with the link.

*You can refer a friend and when your friend enters by leaving a comment they have to say you referred them-this will get you each an extra entry.

The giveaway will end on Friday, August 27th.

Stella And Dot Jewelry

2010-08-05T17:19:00.000-07:00

I love me some jewelry, really though, when in doubt jewelry is the perfect gift for me. I love the way it sparkles and shows parts of your personality that your clothing just can't. So when my friend Elizabeth said that she became a Stella and Dot Stylist it was like the heavens opened up and angels sang on my behalf-at that moment I had found my jewelry dealer. She had the good stuff at good prices and unlike drugs, a jewelry addiction is socially acceptable! WIN WIN FOLKS!

I went to a trunk show at her house and I couldn't stop touching the stuff. It was pretty and so well made! However, said trunk show was a couple months ago when I wasn't really making much money-so jewelry had to wait. Stupid bills. So that meant I had to walk away from the show sans jewelry.

Sad Sassy.

Well, Elizabeth contacted me recently and said that she would be willing to give me a piece of jewelry of my choosing to review. Holla at your jewelry lover! I seriously ordered the necklace um, maybe 2 days ago and it arrived in my mail box today!

And look at the packaging!

I instantly put the cute necklace on and just knew it had found a forever home with me. It is such good quality. Ya know how some catalogue jewelry looks like it came from a gumball machine? Not Stella & Dot Jewelry, no siree bob. This is the good stuff!

(Please ignore my scraggly hair and just keep your eyes on the necklace. Thank You.)

If you are interested in checking out some great jewelry at equally as great prices go here. Go here now. And if you are located in California, the Bay Area more specifically and want Elizabeth to host a trunk show for you contact her here!

100% Pure

2010-08-05T10:45:00.000-07:00

I picked up this awesome lotion, 100% Pure, in Truckee on our way home from Tahoe. The lavender scent makes me super excited to put it on everyday. But what is more exciting that this lotion really is 100% Pure. For instance, this is a completely vegan lotion, meaning no animal products and no animal testing whatsoever!

I bet you didn't know that 60% of things absorbed through the skin (like lotions) end up in your blood stream. I didn't know that before perusing the 100% Pure website. That fact really scares me-think of all the chemicals that end up in your bloodstream! Well I don't have to worry about that with 100% Pure-no chemicals AT ALL! Best thing is I can read and know what ALL of the ingredients are!

I love supporting companies like 100% Pure because it is about time we start putting all natural products in the forefront of our consumer consciousness; it is best for the environment and our bodies!

Chivalry Delivery

2010-07-28T11:15:00.000-07:00

*Full disclosure, I am totally biased in this review. Chivalry Delivery is my boyfriend Jon's brainchild. However, I think it is a great idea so I decided to share it with you!

I love getting flowers. I mean that isn't unique, most ladies enjoy getting flowers on anniversaries, birthdays and other such occasions. But you know what I love more than getting flowers on special occasions? I love getting them randomly.

Jon, being the smart guy he is, noticed this and decided to not only randomly surprise me with flowers more often but to start a business that helps others do the same thing. And that is how Chivalry Delivery was born! Basically if a guy (or gal) wants to surprise their significant other with flowers all they have to do is go to Chivalry Delivery, enter their info and just like that the person they love will receive flowers randomly once a month! No headache for the giver, just pure appreciation from the receiver!

The best part is that the flowers can be delivered to your love's office or home. It's really fun for your lady to be able to share her excitement with office mates-and when they ask the reason for your surprise, she will answer with "oh no reason, just 'cause!" Talk about scoring some easy points!

Another great thing about Chivalry Delivery is that you aren't limited to sending flowers to your luvah, but you can also send flowers to your family and friends, like your mom that lives across the country. The perfect way to let them know that even though distance and time are standing between you both, they are never far from your thoughts.

And the best part is that there isn't any obligation, you can pay month to month! Like I said, I am biased because this is my boyfriend Jon's business but I really do think this is a great idea! So go visit Chivalry Delivery today!

CoverGirl Tru Blend

2010-07-28T10:57:00.000-07:00

I really hate doing bad reviews. I would much rather tell you about how excited I am over a product- really that is much more thrilling for me. But I suppose it is more responsible of me to show you guys both sides.

Well that brings me to today's review for CoverGirl Tru Blend powder and liquid makeup. I'll cut right to the chase, the liquid makeup stinks, not figuratively, but literally stinks. A few days after using the makeup I noticed that I randomly smelled a musty, dusty, grossness. I looked around the apartment wondering if something was molding. But then I realized that I smelled this gross smell right after I put on my makeup. It was my face that smelled gross because of my makeup. Nasty. Aside from the smell it just didn't feel good on my face and it didn't spread easily. Two thumbs down.

The powder did work better. It went on easily made me look less greasy, so that is something. But the container is ridiculous. The brush is too wide to put in the container to get the powder. Seriously, it is a lot of work to put on your make up. Ergonomically it is a fail, but the powder does work if you are able to get it out of the bottle.

ahh that felt good to get off my chest. Hope it is helpful.

LuShae Jewelry

2010-02-25T14:43:00.001-08:00

It isn't a big secret that I love a good piece of jewelry, I am a predictable girl in that sense. Needless to say, when Sarah from LuShae Jewelry told me that I was privy to a free piece of jewelry so that I could review the purchasing process from start to finish, I was besides myself with giddiness! Earrings, necklaces, rings, OH MY!

I rapidly perused their site and had a very difficult time deciding which little treat I was going to make mine. For a good solid chunk of time I was set on bringing home a beautiful pair of earrings, seriously they were so cute! But ultimately I decided on this versatile ring. The site was very easy to navigate and even easier to place an order on. I did however have some trouble seeing some of the details of the jewelry because everything was up against a white background, but this could be my wonky eyes. It might be nice to have the jewelry pictured on models so the shopper could get a good feel for how the jewelry looks on. But other than those things, the sight was rock solid.

My ring was delivered to me quickly, which is a good thing, don't make this girl wait for her jewelry. Just don't. My ring also came in a really cute blue box that made it feel like I was giving myself a gift, "oh self you shouldn't have"

The ring is great quality and I feel confident wearing it during the day and when I go out at night. My experience with LuShae Jewelry was nothing but enjoyable!

Winner of the Skin MD Natural Lotion!

2010-02-15T07:41:00.000-08:00

We have a winner!!!

(Courtesy of Randomnumbergenerator.com)

Random number between 1 and 10

SS said...

i am always on the lookout for the perfect lotion. i have a thyroid disease and so my skin is "winter dry" all year round. sometimes it gets so dry i get scaly little patches in the most inappropriate places (like on my face you sickos) so it's really important for me to have a lotion that moisturizes beneath the top layer of skin.

i always put lotion (or oil) on directly out of the shower and then before bed, and multiple times throughout the day; i put lotion on whenever i notice drying or cracking. my husband is annoyed with the abundance of lotion bottles in the car, on my night stand, in the bathroom, in the living room, etc. but until i find a lotion that can keep up with my needs you will find a bottle everywhere you look in my house.

(ooh, i love that Skin MD is unscented!)

and to carly ^^ my pup is forever licking lotion off of me too. that can't be healthy, eh?

February 9, 2010 10:37 AM

Congratulations SS, send me your mailing info at SensiblySassy@gmail.com!! And thank you all for entering!!

And P.S. Frank, my dog, is ALWAYS licking off my lotion. That's ok right?

Skin MD Natural Lotion

2010-02-09T00:00:00.000-08:00

I was contacted by a rep from Natural Skin Care Products a couple of weeks ago and he wanted to know if I would be interested in testing their Skin MD Natural Lotion. Well it took me about two seconds before I replied with "heck yes I am a lotion junkie!" And that is the honest truth, I am always looking for a new lotion to try. I carry a bottle in my purse, put some on after a shower, after I wash my hands 'cause gah soap is so drying, and I need to apply lotion before I read (seriously) because I can't stand the feel of dry pages on dry hands. Get the picture? I get cranky if my skin feels dry. An odd pet peeve but very real.

My bottle of Skin MD natural lotion arrived and I ripped into the box and pulled out the bottle and instantly slathered some on because oye, that whole box ripping interlude made my hands feel dry. I was instantley taken aback by the fact that the lotion was really thin. I'm not going to lie, I found the thinness of the lotion disconcerting at first. I am accustomed to lotion that leaves me feeling so slathered that I feel as though I could slither my way through a key hole if need be.

But as I used the lotion for the next couple days I began to love the feel of the lotion on my skin, I no longer felt like a buttered turkey, the lotion felt like it was part of my skin and my skin in turn felt silky. I was in love. I then inspected the bottle to see what exactly I was falling in love with and was pleased as punch to see that I could not only pronounce the ingredients, but I was familiar with them, like take for example aloe-yeah friendly little fix all, aloe is in the lotion. Ok ok, I am gushing I will stop, after this one more thing, it doesn't have a scent, which is awesome because I don't have to worry about my lotion and perfume scent clashing.

Sigh, its love.

And guess what? You can win your own bottle of this awesome lotion! Just leave a comment below with your odd lotion applying habits (like how I must apply lotion before reading books etc) or other ways in which you care for your skin that might be out of the ordinary. I will post a winner next Monday February 15th!

Durable Dog Toys

2010-01-16T22:07:00.000-08:00

My bulldog Frank loves a good toy. He is so playful and his jaw is REALLY strong-this can be a dangerous combo to weak toys. See...

Dog toys can range in price, anywhere from 99 cents to $25 yes, really. I don't necessarily think that expensive means better, actually I quite like it when the toys are cheap. That being said, I am willing to pay a little more for toys that last for a while.

This first toy is called the "JW Pet Good Cuz/Bad Cuz Dog Toy". Frank has the biggest yellow one, the "good cuz". This is far and away one of his favorite dog toys ever. It makes a squeaking noise that doesn't make me crazy but still makes him jazzed to play with it. It is made of a tough rubber material that makes it resistant to consistent squeaking and also enables it to bounce pretty high too. Frank has had this toy for 9 months and he cannot get enough and the toy keeps performing without breaking.

JW Pet Good Cuz/Bad Cuz Dog Toy

$4.99-$9.99
While browsing at our local Petsmart Frank spotted this next toy. It is called the Jolly Ball and it is the combination of a tug rope and a large hard (very hard) rubber ball. It is like the best of both worlds for your playful pup. Frank loves to play with this toy with his friends at the dog park but he also loves to bat it around/chew on it by himself. He did chew the rope in half after a month but he still really enjoys playing with the ball on its own.

Jolly Pets Romp-n-Roll

$19.99
Are there any toys that your dog can't get enough of?

Dove "Go Fresh Therapy" Shampoo and Conditioner

2010-01-16T13:15:00.000-08:00

My hair and I don't get along all that well. You see I would appreciate a little cooperation from my hair; a little softy, silky, Anne Hathaway from my hair. Instead I get hard to manage, poofy as all get out, Halloween store wig. I have tried many different shampoos, leave in conditioners, and still I get the same result. So after a while I just stopped trying, I chopped my hair to the shortest length I have ever had it and just bought any ole shampoo and conditioner; I had given in to the idea that my hair was a lost cause.

While shopping at my local Target I perused the shampoo aisle and chose the one that smelled the best-it happened to be Dove's "Go Fresh Therapy". I decided to buy it because Dove products have never let me down in the past and they are all about spreading the word about positive body image to young girls-win win!

Well I tried the shampoo/conditioner duo and was pleasantly surprised that my hair actually started to look, wait for it... shiny and pretty!! I thought it was a fluke so I kept using the shampoo and conditioner. But time and time again it kept performing, so much so that I actually started to grow my hair longer. It has been about three months that I have been using Dove, "Go Fresh Therapy" and I am still pleased as punch. You guys, I have PRINCESS HAIR!!

I cannot sing the praises of Dove enough!!

The only thing that would make me want to skip on down to city hall with my shampoo and conditioner and marry it would be if it got rid of my dandruff. While the Dove shampoo doesn't aggravate my dandruff or make it worse, it just kinda makes it a little less offensive. So all that means is that I have to keep on top of my hair washing and wash it as soon as I see the first signs of dandruff (the dirtier my hair is the less shy my dandruff is).

I absolutely recommend this product! Upon searching for images of the bottles I also found out that there is a whole line of body sprays and deodorant to go with the shampoo and conditioner. Seeing as I am SO PLEASED with the shampoo and conditioner I will totally try the other ones out too!

*Photo credit here

Men's gift guide

2009-11-23T14:00:00.000-08:00

I hope that the ladies gift guide was helpful to some of you because now it is the men's turn for gifting suggestions. Again, all gifts are painfully close to $50 so that we can give a great gift without breaking the bank. (I am having some trouble with the formatting of photos, so sorry, click the link to see the full photo...sorry)

The first gift for the guys honors those brainiac boys in our life. So he can't throw a football 50 yards or maybe not even 10 yards. But he is a pro at helping the kids learn long division and can tally the total of the grocery list in his head so let's honor that!

This cute shirt is available here for $14.95

We all know the first rule about Fight Club is that we never speak of it, but I just have to share this soap with you. If you know a guy that is a fan of Fight Club he will definitely get a kick out of receiving his own piece of the movie.

You can get it here and purchase it for $4.50

If your guy loves to quench his thirst with some beer, soda, or heck, even juice he will love doing so in these pint glasses. You can pick out the perfect design for your guy. (My personal favorite is the mustache).

You can buy it here for $15.00

This gift is over $50, but it is the only one to do so. If you have a gamer in your household they have more likely than not been pining away for the release of Call of Duty, Modern Warfare 2. It the highly anticipated follow up to Call of Duty 4, Modern Warfare. If you know a guy with either an XBox 360 or Playstation 3, they are sure to enjoy finding this under the tree.

Price: $59.99 and can be found here.

If you are lucky enough to have a handy guy in your life he will LOVE the the Leatherman Skeletool. It is light weight so he can carry it with him at all times and the number of things that this baby can do is amazing. Check it out here (it is on sale for $56.00!)

If you know a man that takes pride in his grooming he will totally appreciate this shaving brush and soap kit. And as a plus, the nice wood handle and soap container will look charming on the bathroom counter. You can buy it here

Many guys at one point in there life have a love affair with working out. This kettle bell makes it so that your guy can pump some iron from home. It may seem like a simple little thing but the kettle bell can really result in a really exhausting work out! It can be bought here

Midas Touch Beer is has got the beer connoisseur's name written all over it. The recipe for this beer is that of the actual oldest known fermented drink! I have actually tried this beer and it has a nice fruity, robust, unique flavor. This definitely enhances the experience of drinking beer. I mean how cool is it to say that you have had beer that was also made thousands of years ago!?

It can be bought here for $14.71

It's no secret that Theodore Roosevelt was one of the toughest Presidents that ever was. In "The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt" it chronicles this bad ass President's rise to greatness. It's a history book that reads like a novel.

It can be purchased here for $14.36

I might be a little biased on this next item on the list because my boyfriend has this aftershave. Every time he kisses me goodbye in the morning I get a great whiff of his aftershave and it starts my day off with a smile. It has a wonderful, non overbearing smell-I hate when guys have waaay to much aftershave on. And better yet, my boyfriend says it really works! A win win situation!

You can buy it here for $6.99

Holiday Gift Guide For The Ladies

2009-11-23T00:00:00.000-08:00

It is the time of year again where we look for that special something for those special someones in our life. But the landscape of gift giving looks a little different since we are all operating with a little less money. (And if you aren't having that problem, good on you! You can still look at this list...just buy multiples of the items haha!)

These items are for the ladies and I have tried to stay under or veeery close to $50!

The first item on the list is the only one to go over $50 but I just had to include these jeans. I was given the jeans at a Born To Fit Party and ever since I have been literally attached at the hip with the Always Skinny cut. They are comfortable and flattering to any woman. I know it sounds too good to be true but I have seen many different shapes and sizes in these jeans and they all looked great! If a lady you know is in need of new denim treat her to these!

Price: $69.50 They can be found here.

I was browsing etsy the other day and stumbled upon these adorable soaps! Yes, the picture below features real soap. The seller has so many other awesome, realistic looking, vegan, soaps. Check out their shop here.

Price: $10 for this whole s'mores set!

My wristlet is one of my most favorite purchases that I have made for myself. The wristlet is so perfect for evenings out when a whole purse will prove to be too cumbesome. I am able to fit my phone, cash and i.d. in it. And at $48 this snazzy coach wristlet is hard to resist! You can find it here!

The next item is Nars blush in Orgasm (giggle giggle). I reviewed this blush way back in the day. I loved it then and I still love it today, in fact I still use it to this day. Nars blush in orgasm is a color that really compliments maaaany different skin tones during many different seasons. Whether this is a gift for someone like myself that doesn't know much about make up or a seasoned pro, any girl would benefit from having this shade of blush in her make up bag.

Price: $25 and can be found here

The Pioneer Woman Cooks is a cook book by Ree Drummond, most widely known for her website, thepioneerwoman.com. Each recipe includes step by step instructions with photos which makes it very easy to make creative meals for the whole family. The Pioneer Woman Cooks includes a peek into what life is like for a family on a cattle ranch too. If a long time cook needs a little oomph in her kitchen routine or a novice cook needs some really easy meal ideas this is the book for either of them!

Price: $16.50 and can be found here

The Help is one of the best books I have read in a very long time and for an avid reader like myself, that is a title you don't just throw around. The Help follows the story of women living amidst the turmoil of strained race relations of the 1960's. It is a page turner that leaves you wondering what happens next after each chapter. I absolutley recommend this book for any book lover.

Price: $16.21 and can be found here

Jewelry is one of my favorite gifts to give and receive. Rachel Eva's jewelry line is a wonderful collection of simply stunning accessories with affordable price tags. The earrings below are a personal favorite of mine and they are available for only $28! Rachel Eva has an Etsy shop and a website where you can pick out the perfect piece of jewelry.

I love Nail Lacquer by OPI, check out my review here. I have quite a few of their shades but this one in Big Apple Red is a classic must have and it's seasonal to boot! Great stocking stuffer indeed.

Price: $8.50 and can be purchased here

Fragonard solid perfumes are another item on the list that I personally own (You can read my review of them here). These scents are great to throw your purse so you can refresh as often as you need without worrying about a bottle breaking in your bag. The scents of all six solid perfumes are classic and a great tester to see if you want to sample them before buying a larger spray perfume.

Price: $40 and you can find them here

These undies are the best! They are called Hanky Panky Panties and they are so comfortable. I guarantee a thong loving lady will be over the moon for these lacey wonders. A very exciting stocking stuffer for your lady friend!

Price $18 and can be purchased here with free shipping!

Hope this list inspired the little gift elf in you! Stay tuned for my gift guide for men!

P.S. And what kind of granddaughter would I be if I didn't mention my nani's (grandma's) etsy shop. She is selling her home made slippers and will do custom orders if you like :) Check it out here

Olay Thermal Pedicure

2009-11-05T14:17:00.000-08:00

I have dancer's feet, tried and true. If you don't know what dancers feet are just picture toes bent over from being crammed in tiny little pointe shoes and calluses trying to defend the formerly soft skin of the foot. Scary picture huh? Well sadly my feet are dancer's feet and within the last couple months I have developed (deep breath) cracks in my heels. Noooooo!

I decided to poke around in my drawer of numerous products. I came across Olay Thermal Pedicure that my mom had put in my stocking for Christmas last year. Well I was so distraught from my new development of cracked heels that I whipped the cap off of the container.

Olay Thermal Pedicure claims to get rid of rough icky skin while a heated sensation makes your feet feel downright delicious (so maybe those aren't the words printed on the package). But guess what you guys? IT WORKS! I rubbed the lotion on my feet and was caught off guard by how well the heating agent works. It feels so good I could drool! And what is even better is that it got rid of my heel cracks!

Now I keep this secret weapon in my shower and use it any time my feet feel like a little spruce up is in order. I totally recommend this product!

-This Is NOT a paid review

Photo Credit Here

Trident Layers Gum

2009-11-03T16:14:00.000-08:00

When Trident contacted me and asked me to review their new Trident Layers gum I said "well why not?!", especially since they were going to be sending me free gum!

Who doesn't love free gum?

Well I eagerly awaited the arrival of my free gum and when it finally reached my mouth I was more than pleased.

Here are the top five reasons this gum tickled my taste buds:

1. You can chew it for a long while and it doesn't get hard or putty like.

2. The flavor is unique because of the creative flavor blends of orange and strawberry and pineapple and green apple. And you guys, "unique" is not code for gross, this stuff is gooood!

3. I feel like with gum you have to choose fresh breath or good flavor-you get both with Trident Layers!

4. The package has 14 pieces of gum...don't you feel like you never get enough of the yummy gum and too many of the junky, chemical tasting gums?

5. You can blow some pretty snappy bubbles with this sassy little gum.

Photo Credit HERE

Lush Solid Shampoo and Conditioner

2009-09-06T13:10:00.000-07:00

I have mentioned a couple times how I have been looking for a shampoo that would take care of my dandruff once and for all! Well, I think I might have found it...

Squeaky Green Solid Shampoo

I have never tried solid shampoo before so I was pretty skeptical. However, I had heard that some good things about some other products from Lush so I decided to give it a go. This solid shampoo is lathers amazingly with very few swipes on my scalp and smells so refreshing and earthy. It also happens to have lasted me for about a month and a half so far...and it is still not finished yet! I was very impressed by this solid shampoo in the shower and what do ya know? Out of the shower it worked just as well....it got rid of my dandruff!! Woot woot! At $7.95, how can you not pick up this little gem?!

Jungle Conditioner

Unfortunately, I wasn't totally wowed by the solid conditioner. This didn't seem to last as long as the shampoo and it actually seemed to melt in my hands. The Jungle conditioner doesn't cover the hair as well and it leaves my thick hair feeling stringy and hard to manage.

But, one out of two isn't so bad is it?

Sisterhood of the Born To Fit Jeans

2009-08-10T09:08:00.000-07:00

I don't know if you have noticed, but lately there has been a rash of "Gap Born to Fit Parties" popping up everywhere. Not that I am complaining or anything. Ok ok actually I complained a little, because I heard that they gave you free jeans and darn it I like free stuff and there was not a Gap party anywhere within site. That was until the lovely Kristin invited me to hers. These "Born to Fit" parties are brought to the Internet by the same lovely ladies at Brand About Town that supplied my Nintendo Party (still not over how cool that was). Kristin also said that if I had some friends that would like to come and get free jeans, they were welcome to do so...so I brought some, Erin and Carrie in fact.

Here I am the amazing hostess Kristin! This girl just got back from swimming in the Arctic Ocean, yes you read that right, and then came home to host this party like it was no big thing. I swear, she can do it all.

There were yummy snacks and cookies and all sorts of things I should have eaten after trying on jeans, details details.
And then there were the jeans. Oh my. Honestly, I approached the jeans with much trepidation. Jeans shopping is more hellacious for me than bathing suit shopping, now that is saying a lot. After a day of shopping for jeans I usually feel very angry at the fact that I am not taller, skinnier, and unable to fit in any of the 500 pairs of jeans that I tried on.

So I wiggled my way into my first pair of jeans (everyone has a funny little wiggle that they do when they put on jeans right?...right?). And with wide eyed amazement I realized they fit, just like that, it's like they were BORN TO FIT! (So that's why they named them that!) I looked at everyone and said, "These are magic pants! They are like the sisterhood of traveling pants!" And at first everyone just kinda nodded at that Sassy girl that doesn't get out much, but as soon as they put them on too they understood the magic. Let me tell you this, there are very few things in this life that are as great as than getting free jeans, that fit well, on the first try.

And once more, here are my lovely friends thanking their lucky stars that their friend is so obsessed with the Internet.

Kristin, thank you for inviting us to your great party!

Abazias Diamonds

2009-08-07T07:33:00.000-07:00

The Internet has brought so many things we never imagined to our doorstep. You can order food, clothing, books, kitchen appliances, and now DIAMONDS!

Yes, diamonds.

I was contacted by Abazias.com to share this amazing fact with you guys. Now I know what you are thinking, diamonds from a website...I don't know about that.

It's one thing to buy a used book online and a whole other to buy a diamond online.And at first I was skeptical too. That was until I explored the diamond mine that is their website.Their sidebar boasts that they have been featured in magazines such as "Lucky", "Maxim", and "Modern Bride" to name a few. One of my favorite parts of the website is that you can design your engagement ring, which I may be guilty of spending a fair amount of time on (cushion cut...no princess cut...no cushion cut...with a gold band...eh how about platinum...trust me I was on there for a while.). And if you don't know your diamonds from a rock on the ground they have a great section to educate the diamond novice.

And the best part? If you are in need of assistance or a hand to hold as you buy your diamonds, get this, you can call their toll free number and speak to a person...a real live person! So when you are lucky enough to be giving or receiving diamonds and don't want to deal with the stress of over the counter sales people, you can buy your diamonds from your own home at Abazias.com!

*This review was paid for by the lovely people at Abazias.com

Proactiv Anti-Dandruff Shampoo and Conditioner

2009-07-24T18:01:00.000-07:00

Alright, I'll be honest I have a dandruff issue. And having dark brown hair does not help at all.

I was pretty happy with the way Proactiv helped my skin so I had faith that the anti-dandruff shampoo and conditioner would help me out with my dandruff problem.

Well I was wrong.

Not only did it not clear up my dandruff but it made my hair feel nasty. Like I'm talking wiry, greasy, and un-manageable. Even if it did clear up my dandruff I would not be willing to deal with such awful hair as a by-product. Thinking it might have been a fluke I tried the shampoo and conditioner duo a couple more times and the outcome was the same each time.

This product is a no go for dandruff relief.

Speaking of which, does anyone have any good recommendations for anti-dandruff shampoo and conditioner?

Sharing A Little Piece Of Happy!

2009-07-06T08:37:00.001-07:00

Trident asked me to share some "Little Pieces of Happy" with you guys. And really now, who doesn't like sharing happy? So I picked out some of my favorite happy spreaders for you guys!
Thanks Trident!

Bamboo Dog De-Shedding Comb

2009-06-30T14:24:00.000-07:00

Frank has started to shed like a mad man and that means every inch of my clothing is covered in fur; fur of the cutest pup that ever walked the earth, but fur no less. I saw this comb at my local pet store and decided that I would give it a try.

Thankfully it took no more than one stroke to realize that this comb was the real deal. Not only did it get the loose surface fur but it got nice and deep and got tons the other fur that was waiting to attack my next black outfit.

I totally recommend this de-shedding comb if you have a dog or cat that has a knack for shedding. You can find out where to get it here!

Flying Duck By Hyper Products

2009-06-23T13:37:00.000-07:00

Frankie recently hurt his leg (oh and for those of you just tuning in, Frankie is my adorable english bulldog.)

See told you he is flippin adorable. Well anyway, Frank managed to tweak his leg and the vet ordered that he be confined to small spaces (i.e. his crate and such spaces). Well as you can imagine this made me really sad, so what does any guilty mom do? Buy their baby new toys!

I headed to Target's dog isle and bought Frank a "Flying Duck" by Hyper Products.

Frank has a love for ducks. He has 3 stuffed ducks that he plays with constantly. I really like the duck by Hyper Products because it seemed to be made out of a nylon-like material which seemed like it would last longer than the plush ducks that he already had.

Well I was wrong. I gave Frank this duck and he LOVED it! However, he was able to tear open both wings and take out squeakers that were inside. This is really scary because if he put those squeakers in his mouth he could have easily choked on them. This freaks me out like no other.

So unfortunately I don't recommend this product to other dog owners because of the choking hazard, which is a shame because Frank really liked playing with this toy.

Elvis Candles

2009-06-03T21:45:00.000-07:00

When I went to Memphis, to Graceland more specifically, I picked up these awesome candles and I have to admit that they are hands down my favorite souvenir that I returned with (and believe me, I bought MANY souvenirs) aaand they may even be my favorite candles....ever!

The first candle is called "Jail House Rock" scented candle. At first I was all, "ew a candle that smells like a jail house...sick". But then I cracked open the container and oh my goodness beautiful Cinnamon/Vanilla goodness filled my nose. I kid you not it smells sooooo goooood. I think it compliments cooler weather and a cup of cocoa. The smell makes you want to cuddle. And it has glitter in it...I love glitter.

The next candle is called "Aloha from Hawaii/Burning Love" candle. This candle packs a beautiful smelling punch. It is Mango and Strawberry scented. It is the perfect scent for a BBQ, warm summer night or a night in the dead of winter when you want to be reminded of just what summer is again. I am burning this candle now, it also covers up dog farts wonderfully!
Both candles fill your home with such powerful, yet not over powering scents that may even encourage you to sing their praises (the King would be proud). And if you are not an Elvis fan (GASP!) you can just tear off the label and enjoy these candles. I was kinda reluctant to burn these candles because they smelled so good and I didn't want to run out of them. But now I have found them on the internet net and am toying with the idea of stocking up on them. You can find the candles here and here.

Photos brought to you by ShopElvis.com

J.R. Watkins

2009-04-25T21:15:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'll admit it, I was attracted J.R. Watkins all purpose cleaner because of the packaging. Yup, I fell in love with the clear bottle and the olden timey label. At first I told myself just to grab the Windex like usual, because hello!, not a good idea to buy stuff because of what it looks like. I read the label and saw that it was all natural and not tested on animals, and get this, reasonably priced ($5.99 for a 24 0z bottle)! So I decided to give this new all purpose cleaner a try.

I got this pretty little bottle home and literally used it for all purposes! It works on the mirrors without leaving streaks, it works on counter tops, on on the bathroom floor after the pup has an accident...I could keep going on but I am feeling like you get the picture. And let me tell you the lemon scent smells awesome! Which I think is muuuuuch better than a chemical smell any ole day. I mean really, who wants to smell chemicals after you are done cleaning your house?

Being so pleased with the all purpose cleaner I decided to buy the Aloe and Green Tea dish soap. Again, totally pleased. It bubbles nicely and gets the dishes nice and sparkly-with of course a delicious scent.

I am so happy with the two J.R. Watkins products I have purchased that I cannot wait to try the rest (and they have tons of products, they even have spices!). In other words I totally would not mind it at all if J.R. Watkins sent me some more of their products to try. DO YOU HEAR ME MR. J.R. WATKINS?

Earth Friendly Tumbler

2009-03-23T00:00:00.000-07:00

When we last spoke about re-usable drink holders I was all about the Sigg. And to be honest, I still do love my Sigg but I needed an update on my drink holder for many reasons. The main reason being was that the Sigg became increasingly stinky with fewer and fewer uses between each wash, the next reason being was that I enjoy hot beverages and the Sigg was not hot beverage friendly.

So I figured that Starbuck's would have a nice array of tumblers that would be hot and cold drink friendly and I was right. I picked this lovely little 16 oz number.

I liked the look of it and the amount of beverage it could hold. Not only is it cute but it is made from 28% post consumer recycled content! And as a pat on the back there was a coupon for a free drink because I was saving the earth with my purchase. Also, when you bring in your cup to order a drink you get a discount (I think it is somewhere around 10 cents, but still a discount is a discount).

If you are interested you can get it here

Country Bob's Barbeque Sauce

2009-03-18T10:10:00.000-07:00

Country Bob's contacted me about testing out some of their All Purpose Barbeque Sauce-heck yeah I would! The sent me some bottles of their All Purpose Sauce. I put it on some chicken and then some meatballs, and then a number of other things!

I shared it with my family and they all liked it; and I have some picky eaters in my family.

I am eager to try some of their other flavors, like the All Purpose Spicy Sauce! I recommend the All Purpose Sauce for, well, all purposes! It is for sure a barbeque sauce for all barbeque lovers. You can find some here!
Thanks Country Bob's for sending me some of your yummy sauce!

Suze Orman: 2009 Action Plan

2009-03-16T00:00:00.000-07:00

My least favorite word right now? Economy! oof!

But let's face it we need to take a long hard look at ourselves (our bank accounts) in the mirror. We can't dance around the topic anymore can we?

I know I can't. But I didn't know where to start.

That's where Suze steps in:

As you may remember I am huge fan of Suze Orman. She is honest, tough, but always fair. Suze saw that we all needed some guidance when it came to our current economic situation so she quickly put together "Suze Orman's 2009 Action Plan".

I sped through this book so quickly it's not even funny. There were many times when I wanted to turn away, shut the book and go on living blissfully unaware. But I knew I had to forage ahead, this was important. I learned many helpful tips from Suze (once again) and it was especially helpful because she had our current situation in mind.

And like last time Suze offered this book free on the Internet for a few days. While it isn't available now I still have a copy saved on my desk top and I am willing to share. So e-mail me if you would like me to e-mail you a copy!

Anything Ken Can Do, Barbie Can Do Better!

2009-02-18T00:00:00.000-08:00

Growing up I had a plethora of Barbies, I went to the Barbie Museum in California, and had drove around the neighborhood in my Power Wheels Barbie Corvette (Oh how I wish I could still fit in it). I loved Barbie and I had many reasons for doing so. My main reason for being a Barbie girl was the hope she instilled in my young mind, with Barbie as a role model I could be anything. I would walk down the Barbie isle in amazement as she would don a space suit, a veterinarian's lab coat or look stunning in floor length ball gown. Barbie was an example to me and other girls, that you could be feminine and smart and pursue your dreams, whatever they may be. And while Ken was a part of the picture, he wasn't the entire picture. The emphasis wasn't on him, it was on Barbie and her dreams. That's such a wonderful message for 11.5 inches of doll dontcha think?

Even though my Barbie days are far behind me, she is still inspiring young girls. In fact, this year is Barbie's 50th Anniversary of inspiring fun and dreams. There are numerous celebrations taking place to honor this blonde icon; Stila is getting All Doll'd up with their new line of "Barbie loves Stila" cosmetic collection, Mercedes Benz is sponsoring a Barbie fashion show at New York's fashion week and, get this, a REAL Barbie Dream House is being built in Malibu and Barbie's birthday party will be held there (the little girl in me is squealing with delight!). To get in on the Barbie fun check out Blogher for more special offers!

For more info on Barbie's 50th Anniversary Celebration you can visit Barbie's All Doll'd Up blog (http://www.barbie.com/alldolldup), it's the place to celebrate fifty years of fun, fashion and friends. Read about everything from the most talked about runway moments, hottest parties, chicest trends and more. Check out exclusive video content, photo galleries and all the latest must-have goodies! Become a Barbie fan on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/barbie) for even more of the hottest buzz surrounding Barbie's 50th - and follow Barbie's tweets at (http://twitter.com/barbiestyle.)

What is your favorite Barbie memory?

Heart Shaped Measuring Cups

2009-01-26T11:49:00.000-08:00

Ever since I melted my old measuring cups in the dishwasher I was in search of some new ones with a little more pizazz. I originally wanted these measuring cups made out of bone china. But then I said, who am I kidding? I am clumsy, those darling geese would not last more than a week in my kitchen. So I kept looking from some adorable plastic ones and behold I found these:

They are adorable and make me smile whenever I use them. Who knew a measuring cup could do that? Oh and yes, most importantly they work well.

So there you have it, adorable measuring cups that I love and recommend a million times over.

I purchased mine at Target for $2.50 (they were in the dollar spot area). If you don't have a Target nearby (gasp!), you can find them here for waaay more money, but I would probably still buy them for $14.

The Glimmer Palace

2009-01-15T10:24:00.000-08:00

I received this book from Blogher as one of the many free give aways. I love give aways, especially when books are involved.

I started this book without having any idea what it was about which is a rare occurrence for me.

The book follows the life of Lilly Nelly Aphrodite from her time as German orphan, maid, wife, show girl in early 20th century Berlin. The book does a wonderful job at chronicling the friends, lovers, and opportunities that wove themselves in and out of Lilly's life.

The Glimmer Palace has a total of 400 pages and I usually avoid books this long because I tend to lose interest after page 300. However, I was interested in The Glimmer Palace all the way to end mainly because the author did a great job at chronicling Lilly's life so that the reader felt involved in the story but a the same time able to step back as an observer of a pretty fascinating life.

The main thing I enjoyed about his book is how it reminded me that humans are incredibly resilient and that each one of us lives a multitude of different lives in one lifetime.

Totally recommend this book even if you don't get it free like I did.

Rating:Watermelon!

Seeing Me Naked By Liza Palmer

2009-01-09T12:34:00.000-08:00

When I am up to my ears in text books it is so important that I make time for really fun books too. Well my dear friend Carrie bought me the book, "Seeing Me Naked", for Christmas. Carrie had been raving about this book so I was so glad that I had the chance to read it.

"Seeing Me Naked" is about a twenty something woman, Elizabeth Page. Elizabeth is doing her best to make a name for herself as a chef, however it proves difficult when she has to come out of her father's shadow. There is so more to this story, family relationships, finding your own voice, and making the choice that feels right-regardless of the odds against you. There is truly something that many women could relate to, I know I did. I loved the character of Elizabeth so much that I wish that her character would have her own series of books!

I totally recommend this book. I finished this book in two days, and if that's not an endorsement I don't know what is!

Dare I say it...I rate this book watermelon!

Cold-Eeze

2008-12-21T09:01:00.000-08:00

This may be the time of year for holiday cheer but it also happens to be a time for nasty colds. There have been about three times this season where I felt a cold creeping up on me, the aches, the stuffy nose, the sinus headaches-you get the idea. But thankfully I was introduced to Cold-Eeze this year!

Cold-Eeze shortens the length of the common cold and reduces the severity of symptoms. Sounds too good to be true doesn't it? Well I have used it three times this year when I felt a cold creeping up and it stopped the cold dead in it's tracks each time.

Cold-Eeze is all natural and uses zinc as it's main ingredient in fighting colds. (Be warned, the zinc can make your tongue feel a little numb for about ten minutes after you suck on the lozenge) Some people say that it may be the placebo affect in action and I say if it is then I don't care. But I honestly believe that cold-eeze works and I invite you to try it the next time you are feeling the symptoms of cold coming on.

(You can download coupons, get more information, and find out where you can buy cold-eeze at their website here.)

Britney Spears: Circus

2008-12-02T00:00:00.000-08:00

She's baaaack.
Ladies and gentlemen, Britney Spears is back!
Today Britney releases her sixth studio album. This album, Circus is different than the rest because it is her official "Comeback album". Last year she did release "Blackout", a surprisingly good attempt at jump starting her career again, but due to personal issues, it never really got the attention it deserved.

Circus, appropriately named after the type of year she has had, does not disappoint. While Blackout was a manic (and incredibly sexual) attempt at a comeback, Circus sounds as though each track was carefully selected.

My Fave Songs on Circus:
-Circus: Really catchy chorus and makes me want to shake my bootay.
-Kill The Lights: Fun, sounds similar to Pussy Cat Dolls.
-If U Seek Amy: I am not sure what this song is about, but it is so dang infectious. Oh wait I get it "IF U SEEK AMY"...say it slow, clever Britney, very clever.
-Unusual You: Not quite a ballad, not a fast beat-but somehow it works. Very mellow, sounds very different from the rest of the album.
-Blur: With lyrics like, "Can't remember what I did last night, everything is still a blur", I have to guess this is about that time in Britney's life that we all wish we could forget. Again, this one is mellow, very mid-nineties Madonna sounding.
-Lace and Leather: This is a funky song, funky in the good way-like funkay.

Songs I Could Have Done Without:
-Out From Under: This ballad kinda killed the momentum of the album.
-Shattered Glass: It's just okay, and the chorus will stick in your head in an annoying way. Trust me. Like shattered glaaayyaasss, glaaayaaass
-Mmm Papi: This song is just bizarre and her voice sounds really forced and annoying.
-Mannequin: It's just okay, not great, not bad.
-Baby: Not.another.ballad

Overall not bad at all. I could have done without any of the ballads. I probably don't need to say this but ballads are not Brit Brit's strong suit.

If you have long been a fan of Britney, you will be pleased by her newest cd. If you have never been a fan, you could probably find a few songs that will compliment your work out play list perfectly. And if you haven't picked it up already I suggest picking up Blackout to compliment the comeback effort.
Images courtesy of Google Images.

OPI Nail Polish, Excuse Me I Mean Nail Lacquer

2008-11-06T00:00:00.000-08:00

Lately I have been obsessed with painting my nails. It's like I don't feel fully dressed without some nail polish. I went for a manicure a while ago and they used OPI nail laquer, a color called "Aphordite's Pink Nightie". I really liked the way the color popped on my nails and how thick the color went on, oh and the cute name didn't hurt either ;)I went for another manicure months later (I don't get manicure's very often) and I chose another color called "Tropical Punch". This color too went on thick and vibrant-this is when I decided to invest in some OPI polishes myself.

I have

Big Apple Red

Magala Wine

Tropical Punch

The less than desirable thing about OPI polishes is that they are a little hard to find. If you know of a local salon that sells the polishes then you are in luck; if not you might be searching for a little bit. Luckily there is a great OPI vendor locator on their site (you can access it here)

One other thing that I wish was different about hte OPI polishes is that they have an "extra wide brush" Which I think is something they pride themselves on but I think it makes it a little tricky to paint your nails with.

But other than that I absolutely recommend OPI nail lacquers. Whether it is the gorgeous colors, their quirky names or the great price ($8-which may seem like a lot but the lacquer is a very high quality), you can't go wrong!

Timbuk2 Laptop Bag

2008-11-03T00:00:00.000-08:00

Before going to BlogHer in July I quickly realized that I needed a laptop bag to carry around my new computer. I wanted a something cute but functional and that is harder to find than you think. Jon directed me to the Timbuk2 website, where he bought a messenger bag a couple years back. I browsed the selections and found the Marina Computer Laptop Bag.

I loved it's unusual shape and flashy colors (I got yellow). It arrived less than a week after Jon ordered it for me. It was slightly more bulky than I had imagined but I still loved it. It had plenty of storage places and a safe little area for my laptop.

The inside of the bag is a soft, thick, felt like material. The bag has a pocket on the front that zips shut. The front pocket also has a cell phone holder and pen holders. You can fit quite a bit in this trendy little bag. The only negative thing about this bag is that the handles are very thin and made of strong material. Normally this wouldn't seem like a problem, however when the bag is filled completely the weight of the bag will pull the straps down onto the shoulder, thus digging the bag into your shoulder-ouch!

If you are interested in this bag you can find it here, and guess what it's 50% off!

Honey Lust by Mac

2008-10-30T00:00:00.000-07:00

I am not really a make-up girl. Growing up as a dancer I was slathered in makeup from a very young age so I didn't ever have that pubescent urge to put on make-up during my off time because I had been doing it for shows for years already.

This can prove to be a little tricky for adult Sarah because I can't really get away with walking into work without a stitch of makeup on. People might think I was sick or something. My day to day makeup routine is very simple with very few bells and whistles.

When my friend Serina suggested I buy MAC eye shadow in the color called "Honey Lust" I was skeptical. I usually bought my eyeshadow at the local drugstore or Target. But I bought it anyway and tried it out the next day.

To my pleasant surprise the Honey Lust was the perfect addition to my make-up regimen. I love the way the flecks of gold are picked up in the light making me look all goddessy. It works great as a highlight to other eyeshadow or on it's own for a summery look.I appreciated the fact that I didn't have to reapply, because if I did I wouldn't have done it anyway. But most of all I love Honey Lust because it is the perfect color to go with any outfit; if I am feeling lazy I just whip on some of this eye shadow and I am ready to go!

As you can tell I recommend this eyeshadow!

You can get it here for $14.50

Spicy Red Kitchen Grips Oven Mitts

2008-10-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

So I have a little issue with obsessing over decisions that really don't matter.

Picking out an oven mitt was one of those things that don't matter that kept me standing in the oven mitt section for somewhere around 35 minutes.

I am trying to get better at this but you see it's hard especially when it is your first apartment and you want everything, including the oven mitt to be just right...well at least it was hard for me.

Moving on.

I knew that I wanted a red mitt because that was my chosen "color scheme" for the kitchen. I also knew that I did not want the olden timey cloth mitt because it just didn't seem safe.

So I settled on the Spicy Red Kitchen Grips oven mitts. I liked it because one side is made of black grippy rubber and the other side is like wet suit material.

(Excuse my messy mitt, they obviously get used a lot)

Once I got them home I loved using these oven mitts because they covered my wrist so I wouldn't have to worry about things splashing on my arms. Splashing also wasn't a problem because they are water resistant as well! The black grip side proved to be very helpful for not only grabbing hot stuff, but for opening stubborn jars etc. I have had them for about nine months and they are in heavy rotation at our house.

The downside to these oven mitts is that they lack finger dexterity because the material can be a bit rigid. This cumbersome material proves to be a problem when you are trying to grab a pan or pot by the handles because it can be hard to fit the finger area in the handle. Another down side to these mitts are that the two different materials are stitched together and if you grab something at the wrong angle the stitching can separate slightly and burn the fingers behind the stitching. I had this happen once and it was a very unpleasant surprise!

Overall I do enjoy these Mitts regardless of the negatives. Even though the Kitchen Grips do have some down sides, their upsides make up for it all.

You can find them here or at your local Bed Bath and Beyond

They are $30 for two mitts.

Shopaholic By Sophie Kinsella

2008-10-13T00:00:00.000-07:00

When I went on my trip to Memphis I wanted something fun to read that would keep my attention on a five hour flight. I had heard some good things about the Shopaholic series and I had seen some previews for the movie coming out and I was intrigued.

Shopping is one of my all time favorite past times so I was excited to read about the story of Rebecca Bloomwood, self proclaimed Shopaholic.

The book starts out as many "chick lit" books start out. You get to know the character, flaws and all. The book doesn't skip a beat in explaining how deep of a hole Rebecca Bloomwood's shopping obsession has gotten her in. She can't avoid a sale, fabrics, price tags and credit card balances fill her thoughts when she should be have her mind on her work. Oh and get this she works at a finance magazine!

Rebecca is a loveable character but she becomes increasingly frustrating when she can't stay out of her own way when it comes to controlling her finances. If Rebecca should go left, she goes right; time after time. While these frustrating fiascos can get a little old, the ending of the book will make all right in the world.

If you are looking for a well written, easy read, this is the book for you!

Rating: Peach

The iphone

2008-10-08T17:29:00.001-07:00

Dearest iphone,

I just thought I should let you and everyone else know how much I love you. I am not afraid to show it either.

You go above and beyond the role of a normal phone. I don't know how I ever managed with my old Razr cell phone.

I love how if Jon has a mathematical question as we drift off to sleep (which has actually happened), I can grab you off the night stand and find out the answer in no time flat using your handy dandy calculator.

I love how when I am getting dressed in the morning how I can press your weather button and instantly know the weather forecast, therefore knowing what to wear for that day.

I appreciate how my calendar is at the touch of a button and you sync with my computer. Oh the simplicity of it all.

Your camera takes surprisingly great photos for a camera on a cell phone; but that's just it, you aren't your average phone you are so much more!

Because of you I can twitter at all hours and not need access to a computer. I can write down a quick note when I don't have a pen or paper handy. I can even find a great restaurant within my price range with a shake of your "urban spoon" application. And iphone you can always show me exactly where I am and how to get home when I am lost thanks to your GPS feature.

Oh iphone, you are so much more than a phone; you are a technological wonder that lives up to the hype. I would recommend you to anyone that is intrigued by your powers.

Ocelo Sponges

2008-09-29T00:00:00.000-07:00

There is nothing worse than a scummy, stinky sponge. In fact the smell of a nasty sponge is indescribable and oh so unique. As you can tell I hate that smell so I invested some time into finding a sponge that wouldn't make me gag. Picture me in the "sponge isle" in Target for a good fifteen minutes up to my elbows in sponges.

And then I found these:

The Ocelo sponges claimed to resist odors so I was wiling to try. At $2.49 for four sponges I was more than willing to give them a try. I put one by the sink, used it to clean off a bowl that wasn't dishwasher safe and some other odds and ends throughout the week. At the end of the week, when a normal sponge would be reeking, the ocelo sponge didn't smell at all! I kept the sponge in rotation for a couple more weeks and still, no stink!

Another thing I love about the sponges are that they are self drying. You just squeeze the excess water out of them when you are done and they are bone dry within a half hour.

As you can tell I recommend these sponges.

You can buy them here or at Target and there is a coupon for them here.

Suite Francaise

2008-09-26T07:28:00.000-07:00

Suite Francaise is a moving novel about the German occupation of France during WWII. The book looks at this time in history from many different perspectives which is why I enjoyed it so much.

One specific point in the book that touched me was the moment in which the Parisians realized that they must leave their homes in order to stay safe. I found it interesting how people were forced to pick and choose which belongings they were going to bring with them. Often times there was not much room for many belongings but pepole would still focus on those things that they couldn't fathom leaving behind.

Full confession: I didn't finish this book. My main reason for not finishing this book is that I am working at my internship right now and I hear a lot of "heavy" stuff all day and it was hard for me to read about something so serious at night when I was relaxing. But otherwise, this is a beautifully written book that, for as far as I read it, totally recommend.

Zivio vs. Motorola-When Headsets Collide

2008-09-22T00:00:00.000-07:00

Another lovely give away at Blogher was the Zivio Bluetooth headset. California has a new law in which all drivers must wear a bluetooth headset if they want to talk while driving so I was so excited when I found out I would get one for free. The Zivio has a neat little extendable arm so that the microphone comes up to your mouth-thus cutting out on the outside noise.

The Zivio was really easy to set up on my phone and it everyone said they could hear me clearly-perfect right? Not so fast. Well the extendable arm started to have some trouble after about a month of extending and retracting it. Sometimes the little arm would fall completley out of the headset and dangle by its wires next to my face. Needless to say this was really frustrating.

About a week after the dangling act the wires started to fray and the headset stopped working all together. So I trashed the Zivio and traded up for a Motorola H12 Bluetooth headset.

I loved the retro look and the sleek design of this headset, plus it came with a bunch of accessories like a protective traveling case and a charging dock (above). The motorola headset may not have the fancy extendable arm but the quality is so good that it doesn't need it. Sure there are less buttons, bells and whistles than the Zivio, but it makes it easier to use.

Overall the Zivio is a no go but the Motorola gets a thumbs way up!

Sensibly Sassy Interviews Richard Murphy

2008-09-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

Richard Murphy, author of Confessions of a Contractor was kind enough to give me a quick online interview the other day. And now for you reading pleasure my interview with Richard Murphy:

1. How much of Henry comes from things you have actually experienced?

That’s a popular question. The book isn’t a memoir; it’s fiction that was inspired by my experiences. I encountered a lot of strange things working in other people’s homes over the years, but I was also very respectful of my clients privacy. I should probably just leave it at that.

2. Is there more in store for Henry-as in a "sequel"?

That depends on how well the book does. I’d love to follow Henry around on another adventure, but right now we’re just trying to get people to read this one, which has been challenging because as you said in your review, some people think the book’s cover is misleading. I suppose if enough readers and bloggers get behind it there’s always a chance for another installment. That’s the great thing about a book. Readers have all the power.

On another front, CBS has acquired the rights to this story, so right now I’m writing a one-hour pilot based on the book.

3. How did you make the leap from contractor to author? Was it a difficult leap?

Yes, very. I’ve always written. In fact, unlike my lead character it was the reason I moved out here. But it took me fifteen years just to get a literary agent to call me back, so while I was waiting for the phone to ring, I renovated houses and apartments. After I finally got an agent to sign me, I wrote studio films for about four years. While I was incredibly grateful for the opportunity, most of them got dragged down in development, which caused me to step back and stock in my life. That’s when I decided to approach this story as a novel.

4. What was it like to walk into a book store and see your book on the shelf?

Surreal, yet incredibly rewarding. Seeing something I wrote on a shelf other than my own gave me a sense of completion that has eluded me for years.

5. Do you have another book in the works? If so can you clue us into what it is about?

Yes. I’m starting to outline another novel now. I can’t really say what it’s about, other than it centers on three very different relationships, and how those relationships are all affected by the same decision

Confessions of a Contractor by Richard Murphy

2008-09-15T00:00:00.000-07:00

I picked up the book "Confessions of a Contractor" at Blogher as one of the many books we were given for free. The bright red cover and the slinky lingerie immediately made me guess it to be sensationalized fluff. And as I quickly read through the first fifty or so pages, well let's just say it starts with a bang.

After reading this particular "scene" in the book I figured this book would be appropriate for a bubble bath read. So I placed it in a stack of books to read and forgot about it for a while.

After having a stressful week I decided I needed something light to read so I grabbed this book off of the stack. A couple pages past the hot and heavy beginning the book actually surprised me. No longer was this book a Desperate Housewives deja vu, but a very well written story about a contractor, named Henry.

As salacious as the opening pages might have been, the rest of the book proved to have more to it. Murphy had a way of expressing Henry's thoughts in a way that sort of snuck up on you. Henry's thoughts were deeply personal and unexpected which really packed a punch to the reader when you didn't see it coming. Murphy beautifully expresses how the things that we believe make us who we are, are also the things that may hold us back from truly becoming ourselves.Many of the paragraphs led me to setting the book down on my lap and really thinking about my view of Henry's predicaments (which ranged from women, money, family ties, pets and even deportation).

Like I said, looking at the cover a reader probably expects something with little substance. And while there are some very racy scenes in the book, there is so much more. This book was a very well written and quick read.

Oh and P.S. this book has a really fun website check it out!

Official rating: Watermelon!

Trudeau Pot Clip Spoon Rest

2008-09-02T00:00:00.000-07:00

My journey through all gadgets fit for the kitchen continues with the Trudeau Pot Clip Spoon Rest. This may sound silly but on the rare occasions that I would cook or bake when I lived my parents I would always be agitated by the mess that placing the spoon in the average spoon rest would leave. Sure, the average spoon rest is handy because most pots do not necessitate constant stirring and you have to put the spoon somewhere...but on the way to the spoon rest you leave a trail of drippings (it's the worst when your spoon is covered in spaghetti sauce).

The Trudeau Pot Clip Spoon Rest comes in and saves the day! The pot clip is part metal and part silicone (I just love silicone cooking products) and attaches to whichever pot you may be using at the time.

This way there is no commute for your cooking utensil and no messy trail showing where your spoon has been. I was a little worried that the spoon could teeter off of the spoon click-but nope, it just stays put right where you want it.

At $6.95 this is one gadget that is worth every penny! You can find them HERE

My Friend Cindy

2008-08-25T00:00:00.000-07:00

Since all things kitchen are new to me I really enjoy bringing a little fun into the un-known with me. I would like to introduce you to a little lady I like to call Cindy, also known as a "Vigar Scrub Brush by Brite"

I always thought that scrub brushes were a little un-necessary; that was until I moved out and realized that dishes really do need to be scrubbed before being put into the dishwasher.

Go figure.

This little lady has a cute little face and a scrub brush for hair, and I thought I had wiry hair.

Here she is in her holder that sits by our sink:
From the side:

She didn't want you to see this, but she did some nude modeling before she struck it big:

Here she is in action:

Before I received this sassy little scrub brush as a gift I was using some run of the mill, palm held scrubbers. With the other scrubbers I had to re-scrub stuck on food before putting it in the dishwasher. With this girly scrubber I am able to get stubborn food off in one swipe. It might be because she has a sturdy handle or because she has really thick bristles atop her head; or maybe it's the perfect combination of both. Either way this scrubber has accomplished the task of being both cute and functional.

The scrubber can be purchased at Sur La Table. It isn't on their website but I have seen it in their stores. And since it was a gift I am not completely sure on the price but I am confident in saying it was under twenty dollars.

HerRoom Underwear

2008-08-20T19:59:00.000-07:00

One of the many things given to me during BlogHer was a coupon for free pair of underwear from Her Room (Lingerie We Buy For Ourselves). I picked up these boyshort briefs in black. The undies didn't take long to get to me and I instantly tore open the package-I love free stuff. What I didn't love was the excess of packaging; the underwear were wrapped in layers of tissue paper which was a nice touch but pretty wasteful. Also included in the package were different pamphlets and various papers which I wasn't too keen on-let's conserve people! I kept looking through the packaging for the rest of my underwear...they were microscopic.

I just started laughing uncontrollably, there was no way these Barbie sized "cookie covers" were going to cover one cheek of my back side. I decided to give the ole college try anyway. But when they were snug around my calves-well that is when I really lost it.

But I soldiered on and the underwear magically stretched over my derriere and no, there will not be any pictures of that step in the process. But I was pleasantly surprised. Not only did the underwear fit but they were incredibly comfortable!

As I wore the underwear I noticed that I forgot I was wearing them, they fit like a second skin.I have what I call a "hungry butt", which means that my butt likes swallow whatever fabric is in the vicinity (tmi?) which results in very uncomfortable wedgies. Luckily, these undies stay put regardless of my butt's appetite. They surprisingly cover all the essentials and they...erm, "breath" in all the right areas.

While I was wearing these undies I exclaimed to Jon, "I want to buy a lot more of these!" And he said, "And that's why they sent you a free pair."

Totally recommend this pair of underwear for that "barely there" feeling.

Women And Money

2008-08-18T00:00:00.000-07:00

I discovered Suze Orman by way of her tv show. I never know exactly when it comes on but if I see it, my remote will stop dead in it's tracks. If you are not familiar with Suze, she is the guru of money management, the czar of saving money, the president of punctual payments-she is one smart lady when it comes with financial advice.

Up until recently I was not very comfortable with all matters surrounding money, if someone would mention a 401 (k) my eyes would glaze over, the difference between good debt and bad debt would make my stomach churn, and trying to understand what a FICO score meant made my head hurt. I was not money savvy and I didn't really care. (red flag!)

When I stumbled upon Suze's show I realized that I owed it to myself to be educated about my own money-after all it is my money! Even though I had her support, I was still scared to demystify the task that is figuring out my finances. Luckily, her advice takes a blame free approach; meaning that she let's our past money mistakes or naivete be a way to learn and become stronger in our future.

The book Women and Money discusses head on how women are making more money than they ever have in history and yet they know just as much about their personal finances as they did say, 50 years ago! Suze also discusses her personal mistakes with her own money as well as mistakes her friends have made. This part of the book not only soothes the readers anxiety but also shows the reader that they don't have to stay in the dark about money.

Suze includes the "5 month save yourself plan" which acts as a very encouraging and non threatening outline to getting your finances on track. At the beginning of the "save yourself" chapters, Suze discusses the stepping stones to financial security and get this, you feel like you can actually do it! None of the things she asks you to do feel as though they are out of line, un-attainable or far fetched because she gives you easy step by step instructions.

To me, the idea of this book seemed like it is throwing a lot of information at you and boy howdy is that overwhelming-but here's the catch it isn't! The more I read of this book, the more I felt empowered and educated.

And here is the best part, Suze gave away this book on Oprah's website because she doesn't want women to spend more money. The book has since been taken down from the site but I still have it saved on my desk top, that means if you want a copy all you have to do is e-mail me at SensiblySassy@gmail.com and I will send it to you.

I do not hesitate in recommending this book-it is a very valuable resource for women of all age!

Rating: WATERMELON

Sensibly Sassy Does Travel Tips

2008-08-17T16:39:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was the first weekend in which I was able to sleep in my own bed in three weeks! Thanks to all the "jet setting" I have been doing I was able to compile a little list of travel hints that have helped me stay sane while traveling. Hope they help!

Pack Light, Pack Bright:

I know, I know you might think I am smoking crack with the whole "pack light" tip. But hear me out. Even the most idyllic vacations can be dampened by excessive packing. When I was on dance team we would have intensive dress rehearsals so we knew exactly what to pack once we were on the road or air. We would have to have each detail set in stone, from the size of our false eyelashes to the laces on our shoes. Now you don't have to be so intense but I suggest you do a "mental dress rehearsal" at the very least. I think that packing "options" is where many people (mainly women) go wrong. These "options" may seem as thought they are helpful, but are hardly ever used. And if you decide what you are wearing before you leave you will have much more room in your suitcase for things like new clothes! (Another way to save room: Roll your clothes instead of folding them; it not only saves room but it prevents wrinkles!)

Pack Bright:

Packing bright is helpful for those moments when you are standing at the baggage carousel looking at the fifty millionth black suitcase, wondering if it is yours or not. Having colorful luggage also prevents bag theft. Believe it or not there are creepy people that troll airports snatching luggage. This task will prove harder when your luggage is one of a kind.

Dress For The Weather You Are Going To:

(Excuse my nobby knees)

Luckily, I had this idea before leaving for Arizona. When Jon and I left for Arizona it was a cool 65 degrees out (or somewhere around there) but in Arizona it was a blistering 101 degrees. Planning ahead I wore a dress on the plane and brought a sweater just in case it got chilly on the plane. Once we landed in Arizona I was able to stash the sweater in my bag and not have to sweat through jeans and a t-shirt. It may sound so simple but believe me, it will help.

Also, take a hint from my picture above, nowadays they make you take your shoes off, do yourself a favor and don't wear complicated shoes.

Choose Water:

I know I know, the tiny alcohol bottles are tempting to calm your nerves or "enhance" your flight but choosing water will truly start your vacation out the right way. Dehydration is a pretty common issue for travelers. Between checking your bags, finding your gate, and boarding the plane there is very little time for hydration. Do yourself a favor and make sure you arrive at your destination well hydrated. Dehydration can lead to headaches, drowsiness, nausea, now I don't think that is any way to start a vacation.

Make Sure To Keep Your Medication In Your Carry On:

This is an often overlooked detail while traveling but so so so important. For obvious reasons, if your luggage gets lost that could mean you are without some very important medications for a couple days...big uh oh. Even if your bags get there safely, the temperature underneath the plane can get ridiculously hot, causing the potency of some medications to lessen or become inactive. Yikes!

Learn Your ABC'S ASAP!

Another good habit for international flying is to learn your abc's. Deep Vein Thrombosis (clotting of the veins in the legs) may occur when passengers are cramped and do not move their legs enough on long flights. Other than getting up to use the restroom you can trace the letters of the alphabet with your feet to keep the blood circulating. The risk is rare but I did witness a case of this on one of my Contiki trips and I cannot express how uncomfortable and painful it was for this traveler.

Oily? Use A Toilet Seat Cover:

Full Disclosure: I get really oily when I travel; maybe it's the close quarters or the recycled air but I always come off the plane looking like I am a heavily greased pan. My secret is that I go into the airport bathroom and pat down my face with the rougher side of the toilet seat cover. They are made from similar material as those face blotting pads you carry in your purse. I know it might seem gross, but when you are in a jam they work perfectly.

Free Samples Are Your Friends:

I have always been a proponent of taking the small lotions and shampoos from hotels. Some people think it is taboo and almost like stealing. But think of it this way, if they can use it again once it is used then it is stealing. But once the shampoo is opened they can't reuse it right? Stock up on these little samples because they are really helpful and portable when you are staying somewhere in which samples are not readily available (camping, staying with friends). Also many hotels are getting swanky and using really nice name brands for their free samples (Ex: I have snagged Bulgari products, Neutrogena to name a few).

Get In On The Act:

I know it can be second nature to stay behind the camera when you are seeing the sights, but make sure to get in front of the camera with the landmarks. Anyone can have this picture:

But getting in on the action not only proves you were there, but it makes for a very sentimental souvenir.

Do you have any travel tips to add?

The Virgin's Lover

2008-08-17T16:00:00.000-07:00

In The Company of the Courtesan follows the story of Fiametta Bianchini (the courtesan) and her dwarf companion named Bucino (her pint sized pimp). The story unfolds in Venice of 1572. Fiametta and Bucino have just escaped from a very turbulent Rome (where Fiametta is savagely beaten) and are forced to start their lives over. Bucino enlists a blind healer named La Draga to help Fiametta regain her beauty. Before long Fiametta is back to her regular tricks (pun intended) and life is back to normal for the courtesan and her pimp.

I would love to give you more details but I don't want to spoil it and well, the details left to tell aren't all that interesting. Characters are made to look incredibly important and then they are suddenly out of the story-without explanation-imagine how frustrating that was. The book ended with a very large un-answered question but not in the way that makes you intrigued, but in the way that makes you horribly confused.

The odd thing is that I really liked the two main characters. I wanted to know more about Fiametta and Bucino but was distracted by the revolving door of lesser characters. Overall I was pretty disappointed by this novel. Sarah Dunant is a wonderful historian and a great writer and it seems as though there were a few errors in editing with this novel. If you are interested in Sarah Dunant I highly suggest her novel, The Birth of Venus.

Fragonard's Perfumery

2008-08-17T15:59:00.000-07:00

I have a confession: I am obsessed with perfumes. I have a collection of about 9 different bottles and some other body sprays. I just love smelling good and associating a scent with fond memories.

As luck would have it the two times I visited France, the tour group stopped at a great perfumery called Fragonard. Fragonard is perched high atop charming little cliffs and overlooks the sea. Honestly, you could just sit me in their parking lot and I would be a happy camper for life! But once you go into the perfumery it gets way better! Below I have reviewed the products that I have purchased from the lovely little French perfumery.

Solid Perfumes $36:

These are six little tubs (similar to a tub of chap stick) of solid perfumes. They are waxy and go smoothly onto the skin. They fit in the size of you palm-small enough to slip into a purse or even a pocket! Each of the scents are classic and soo yummy smelling that I have been tempted to taste them. (okay not really...okay maybe a little bit). These would make great gifts for the ladies in your life. They are also a great way to sample the full size spray perfumes in the same scent.

Speaking of the full size scents: On the website you can get the scents come in either glass or aluminum bottles. I have the vanilla (which is absolutely amazing!) in a glass bottle. The negative part about the glass bottles is that the scent will change over time due to exposure to light. They warned me at the perfumery that the aluminum bottles will preserve the scent for far longer. So learn from my mistake, buy aluminum.

VRAI Anti-Wrinkle Face Cream $38: I bought this face cream to use after washing my face in the morning. It has SPF 15 (?) and is lightly scented and not in an obnoxious way. I remember when I ran out of it I scrapped as much as I could out of the tub it came in. It made my sensitive skin feel much softer and smoother.

Essential Care Face Cream $30: Jon actually bought this when he and I went to Fragonard together. Again, it is lightly scented with a hint of almond. Jon loved this product so much that he would often say "I am so glad I bought this!" This face cream is from their product line that uses natural extracts. The rest of the products in this line are realistically priced from $11-$14.

Concierto $34:

The first time I visited Fragonard's the tour guide said "If anyone is buying something for a male in their life, BUY CONCIERTO" I was skeptical and Jon is very particular about the colognes he uses. But when I smelled it I was drooling. I hate when men take a good cologne and douse themselves in it so you can't focus on how good it smells but on a way to find fresh air! Concierto is a subtle smell that even if you wanted to douse yourself in it you couldn't. Therefore all you smell is pure goodness. I know it is hard to buy cologne/perfume without smelling it first, but take my word for it, you will not be disappointed!

Lash Blast Mascara

2008-08-17T15:56:00.000-07:00

My biggest beauty hurdle has always been my eyelashes. They are thick plentiful, dark...and stick straight. I have tried many an eye lash curler which will temporarily curl my lashes (meaning they won't stay curled long enough for me to finish applying the rest of my makeup).

I figured that if an eyelash curler couldn't do the job than it must be the mascara. I tried thegreen/pink mascara tube that everyone uses. I wasn't impressed by the mascara...at all. Mainly because it caused my eyes to swell shut for three days! I looked like Quasimoto! After that traumatic experience I was a little gun shy of mascara for a while.

When I decided to give mascara another try I chose Lash Exact. I liked it because it was hypo-allergenic (which means no swollen eyes), it didn't clump and it was safe for contact lensewearers like myself. However, it did not help my eyelashes stay curled. But I stayed with it anyway, more out of habit than anything else.

But then I saw the commercial for Lash Blast mascara with Drew Barrymore. I figured, "I like Drew Barrymore why the heck not?!"

So I picked up the bright orange tube at my local Target, made sure it was safe for my sensitive eyes and brought it home.

I tried it the next morning and I will be honest I was not expecting much. My eyelashes are THICK and do not bend for anyone. But to my surprise I applied the mascara and curled them and they stayed for longer than five minutes...they stayed curled all day! I was so pleased with the results that I wanted to review it right away for you guys. But I waited just to make sure it wasn't a fluke. So for the past week I made sure the results were consistent. I am pleased to tell you that Lash Blast mascara gets my Sensibly Sassy Seal of Approval. Totally worth your money!

Sigg Water Bottles

2008-08-17T15:54:00.000-07:00

As we all know, Green is the new black. I saw an advertisement for "eco-friendly car paint" right after I saw a commercial for a green version of cleaning product. Yesiree, our country has finally caught on-our earth needs our help, and we can do so by making better choices. I am not going to lie though, sometimes it makes me nervous because I feel as though going green has become just another American fad. I hope I am wrong but I don't want people to forget that making good choices for our earth is something that never goes out of style (there you have it, I have just met my cheesiness quota for today).

But lets face it folks, plastic is a huge problem these days. For instance, did you hear about theGreat Pacific Garbage Patch? Guess what it is made of ? Plastic, mainly plastic bottles. Here is where my product review comes in.

Erin introduced me to the Sigg water bottle when I realized that my plastic Nalgene bottle was sloughing off plastic into my water. As soon as I received her endorsement I headed to Whole Foods and picked up my very own Sigg.
I have this one:

I love my Sigg for so many reasons. Mainly because it prevents the use of pesky plastic water bottles. I also love how it keeps my water cold, holds not too much/not too little amounts of water. The size that I got was somewhere around $20-some say this is expensive but I don't think so because it is re-usable. And don't worry if you want a Sigg you don't have to get one like mine, they have plenty other sizes and colors to choose from.

The only thing that I don't like about my Sigg is that if you leave the top on it for, say overnight, and there happens to be water in it, well it will end up smelling like a swamp the next morning. They are also a little tricky to clean because you can't put them in the dishwasher. But if you put some warm soapy water in it it will smell right as rain.

I really do recommend Sigg water bottles over any other water bottles out there, trust me I have tried them all!

Click

2008-08-17T15:53:00.000-07:00

Now you may be a little confused about my choice to include a movie review with my book review. Well I hadn't anticipated including a review for "Click" in the same post as my review for a book like "Wherever You Go There You Are" but after watching the movie last night I felt compelled. Let me explain:

*Spoiler Alert* Stop reading here if you don't want to know what happens.

Click is about a middle age man, Michael Newman, (Adam Sandler) who never seems to have enough hours in the day to spend time with his family, finish his work, or take care of his health. That is until he happens upon the ultimate universal remote.

This remote allows him to skip through the mundane moments in life and get ahead in business. At first this is just what Michael needs. But soon the remote begins to save his "preferences" and act on instinct. This means fast forwarding through family dinners, disagreements with his wife and in his place is a man that appears to be non-responsive to those around him.

Even though the universal remote helps Michael earn more money at work and not have to deal with the occasional cold, he is missing out and quickly realizes that no amount of money can make up for these lost moments. His life is fast forwarded to his final moments in which he comes to terms with the idea that the moments he manipulated for personal gain are the moments that taught him the most and made his life worthwhile. Luckily, Michael awakes to realize that it was all just a nightmare and he sets out to change his life and cherish his life, as is.

Jon and I sat on the couch for a few moments after the movie ended because we the movie we had just watched was drastically different from the one we had set out to watch. But we both really liked it, in fact we were both a little wowed. While the movie was not the slapstick comedy that Jon and I had anticipated, it did a wonderful job at shaking the viewer awake and reminding us that this moment is all we have and we should appreciate it without pre-tense or agenda. This moment is who we and those we love, are right now. If you have ever watched a child grow you realize how time keeps on truckin' with or without our consent.

Wherever You Go There You Are

2008-08-17T15:52:00.001-07:00

I was introduced to Jon Kabat-Zinn when I took a stress management class two quarters ago. We read his book, Full Catastrophe Living (FCL) for the class.
FCL was more of a manual and a lifestyle plan for living mindfully and different steps to take in order to do so. After taking the class I was lucky enough to see Jon Kabat-Zinn speak at my school. He had me mesmerized for the entire hour and a half. I sat there slack jawed as he said things like, "When you were born your parents saw you as perfect and you still are that perfect being, the only thing that has changed is your view of yourself". (I know right?)

Needless to say I walked out of his talk with a grin on my face and an urge to live even more mindfully; that is what lead me to Wherever You Go There You Are (WYGTYA).

I love this book for so many reasons. Where Kabat-Zinn's first book gave me an outline for living mindfully, WYGTYA, helped explain the rest. For example, where his first book showed the reader how to meditate, the second book not only fine tuned my meditation practice but also helped me incorporate a calmer, and less judgemental way of looking at myself, others and situations-outside of meditation. Kabat-Zinn does his best to make a mindful way of life seem attainable by all readers.

One of my favorite parts of the book were his everyday suggestions for living mindfully. An example of one of these tips is to look at the way in which you meet obstacles with harshness instead of curiosity. This was a big lesson for me because I had somewhere along the line become accustomed to meeting adversity with anger. As Kabat-Zinn explains, obstacles are not always negative, it is often the way in which we look at them that makes them a source of difficulty in our lives.

I am a little sheepish of my review of this book because there is so much more endorsement that I could give this book but I feel like experience is the best way to really appreciate the nuances that this book holds. If you have ever wanted to give living mindfully/meditation a shot this is the perfect book to help you get into the mindfulness groove.

I felt that Click really embodied the message of Jon Kabat-Zinn's book "Wherever You Go There You Are", in a powerful and albeit unconventional way.

Copper Moon Apothacary

2008-08-17T15:49:00.000-07:00

My mom bought me this amazing soap from our local farmer's market. The woman that makes the soap was incredibly friendly and she told us that her Italian grandpa used to say that women were like a mysterious fig...I am not really sure what that means (and neither did she) but it sure is one great smelling soap!

I used it in the shower tonight and my skin is so soft and smells "mysteriously" sweet. It lathered really well and it was gentle enough to shave my legs with. I can't wait to go back to the farmer's market and try some other scents from the Copper Moon Apothecary .
My mom and I finished off the day with lunch at Pasta Pomadoro and browsed the local pet

The Geography of Bliss

2008-08-17T15:48:00.000-07:00

I picked up "The Geography of Bliss" on a whim. The tag line "One grump's search for the happiest places in the world" had me hooked-tag line=mission accomplished. I love traveling and I figured that this book would be good insight into where I would fit in best because I am a generally happy person.

Even though the book is was written by a self proclaimed grump I really enjoyed how each place was highlighted for their strengths and done quite well I might add. There wasn't one place that was visited that the silver lining didn't become apparent. Speaking of places visited, it was quite a list that included: The Netherlands, Switzerland, Bhutan, Qatar, Iceland, Moldova, Thailand, Great Britain, India and America. As you can see happiness is found in some very unique places.

Another thing I loved about this book was that it included many studies that support how humans find happiness and how bad we are at really knowing what happiness looks like to us. For example, did you know that the more choice we have regarding mundane things the less likely we are to be happy? Being a psych student this really floated my ferry. I am not sure how the non-psych reader would take all this information but my best guess is that the way in which it is slipped into each chapter isn't all that annoying and actually pretty interesting. Weiner (hehe) wrote the book in a really easy to read way, almost as though he is having a conversation with the reader.

Overall I recommend this book to kick off your summer reading for those of you that want a little more meat than a chick lit and a little less cerebral straining that some of the classics may give you.

The Ped Egg

2008-08-17T15:47:00.000-07:00

As you may or may not know, I really enjoy "As Seen On TV" products. They are usually pretty cheesy and don't always work right but there is always that chance that you may find one infomercial product that actually does what it says.

Well folks I have found one that works...behold the Ped Egg!

The Back story:
I was sitting at home and I saw this advertisement on tv. Naturally I was intrigued. It is common knowledge that dancers have pretty nasty feet-I am no exception. Whenever I go get pedicures they never sand down my heels enough. (Ew that last sentence grossed me out-sorry about that).

So back to the Ped Egg.

I exercised some restraint and did not order the Ped Egg (gasp). But then as fate would have it, Erin bought the Ped Egg and raved about it. I then decided that I must have one! Erin offered to buy one for me because they had them at the Rite Aid by her work.

A couple weeks later Erin and I met up in the Whole Foods parking lot and I said "You got the stuff?" Erin nodded and handed me the Ped Egg in a plastic Rite Aid bag. It felt like we were doing something scandalous, but then I tossed the Ped Egg in my car and we went into Whole Foods and had some lunch-so much for walking on the wild side.

So anyway....(it's hard for me to focus this morning).
You know when you get into bed and your feet are rough and scaly and they scrape on your sheets? Just me? Well if you have the same problem the Ped Egg solves it! My feet have never been so soft! And what's even better is that I can do it whenever I want and not have to pay for a pedicure.
I would have posted before and after pictures but I didn't want you guys to get grossed out.

My only negative comment about the Ped Egg is that you might want to do it alone because it will absolutely gross the bystander out. I sat down and started to use the Ped Egg and I thought that Jon was going to barf on the carpet; "oh that is the most disgusting thing I have ever seen! Please stop it you are literally grating your feet like cheese!"
So spare your loved ones and use this foot grater by yourself.

Update: No, it does not hurt to use.
Aaaand the Ped Egg can be yours for the low price of $9.99!!

Do you have a Ped Egg?
Have you ever bought an infomercial product?

I Love Everybody And Other Atrocious Lies

2008-08-17T15:45:00.000-07:00

Laughing out loud (LOL-for the cool kids) is one of my greatest pleasures in life. I try to hang out with people that induce side splitting laughter, I watch tv that makes me chuckle but I have never met a book that made me laugh out loud.

That is until now.

The book of short stories, "I Love Everybody (and Other Atrocious Lies)" not only fed my appetite for a well written book but it also made me guffaw in agreement-many times.

Laurie Notaro is probably the funniest writer I have everencountered. Being a (part time) loudmouth girl myself, I can appreciate her frustration at some everydayoccurrences, such as people that walk in the middle of grocery store isles at the pace of snails. However my loudmouth moments are usually awkward . Luckily for Laurie and her readers, her loudmouth moments result in overwhelming hilarity.

I recommend this book for everyone that enjoys laughing (that should be all of you no?). Really, truly, do yourself a favor and pick this book up.

Blik Decals

2008-08-17T15:43:00.000-07:00

Our apartment had a huge bare wall that was too big for a picture to be hung and for quite a while Jon and I had been wondering what we could put there. He found some wall decals on a website for a company called BLIK
They have many fun styles and seemed really easy to apply and were fairly inexpensive-score! So we placed our order and about a month later we received our decals. Even though we were pretty peeved that the decals took forever to arrive we were still really excited to put them up on our wall.

We thought the responsible thing to do would be to draw a diagram of where we wanted the decals to go. The top drawing is mine; we obviously have different visions of what we wanted.

I decided that since Jon had found these amazing decals we should go with his "vision". (He's so darn cute I can hardly stand it sometimes)The first one took a little bit of time but once we got started we were on a roll.
The handy decals can be compared to a large fake tattoo. Once on the wall they look as though they have been hand painted!And when you are ready to take them off they peel off just as easy as they were put on!
And then viola!!!

Bridget Jone's Diary

2008-08-17T15:42:00.001-07:00

My friend Erin suggested that I read Bridget Jones's Diary for my spring break book-being as though I am one of the last people on the planet that has not read it.

Overall I was pretty darn pleased with the book. I was a little hesitant to read the book since I have seen the movie already; I usually like to do it the other way around.

The only thing I can complain about is that at the onset of the book I was distracted by the thought :"Who has this much time to write in a diary". I got over this hurdle by equating her diary to a blog and then suddenly it all made so much sense.

It was a really quick and easy read yet quite enjoyable. Reading the book can give you more insight to the characters in the movie, with a mother like Bridget's it is easy to see why she turned out so neurotic. Also, the book ends quite differently which was a nice little surprise!

Three Cups Of Tea

2008-08-17T15:36:00.002-07:00

Finally a good book! Lately I have been striking out when it came to my reading material. Nothing has stimulated my grey (gray) matter in quite some time. That was all changed when I picked up Three Cups of Tea from the best seller shelf (I am a sucker for the best seller section of the book store).Three Cups of Tea is the story of a man named Greg Mortenson. Greg went to Pakistan with the mission of climbing a mountain, K2, in his late sister's honor. Greg did not make it to the top of K2 and barely made it off the mountain with his life. He was nursed back to health in Pakistan as his ego and his body mended. Touched by the relentless kindness of the people, Greg wanted to make a difference in the lives of those that took such good care of him. He noticed that even though the people of this particular part of Pakistan lived primitively, they didn't need much because they had each other. Upon further inspection he did notice that the children of the village would meet on a particular patch of dirt and write their time tables in the dirt with a stick. These children did not have a teacher, a school house, or even school supplies but they showed up everyday because they wanted to learn.
Inspired by the children Greg promised to build them a school house. This was a very bold promise for a man that had nothing but a mere storage shed to return to in the United States. Greg's dedication to the children of this village resulted in a five room school house with supplies for the children to begin/continue their education. This was just the beginning of what unfolds to be an incredibly inspiring and fascinating story.

To date Greg has built over 50 schools in various parts of the world. He has come in contact with rebel groups that are against little girls going to school, are not accepting of help from Americans and various other issues. But no matter how high the odds stacked against Greg he always persevered and kept the well being of the children in the forefront of his mind.

I am really just skimming the surface of this book. I am failing to mention the romance, intrigue, danger and many other themes that run in and out of Mortenson's journeys. This is a really easy and quick read and I found myself not wanting to put it down many times. If you are needing a reminder of how resilient children are or how pure the human spirit can really be, this is the book for you.

If you can't tell already I absolutely recommend it!

The Virgin's Lover

2008-08-17T15:36:00.001-07:00

If you are pretty sure that I have had this book under the "currently reading" section of the sidebar for nearly three months-you would be correct. I think the combination of having the worst cold in my personal history, moving, and starting school all at once had something to do with the excessive time I took in finishing this book.

The novel begins in the first days of Queen Elizabeth's reign. At the time she is a virginal, optimistic and naive new queen; that is until she meets Robert Dudley, a debonair man of the court. Robert catches the new Queen's eye and the attraction is instantaneous. Elizabeth sees Robert as a strapping, attractive young man and while Robert was equally attracted, he saw Elizabeth as an opportunity to enhance his family's tarnished name.

But there is one catch: Robert is married.

The scandal doesn't stop there but I will because I don't want to ruin the story for you.

Regardless of the book's fascinating plot, it is a very slow story. I would have to say that the plot didn't pick up until somewhere around the 200th page. Once you hit 200 the story picks up and then after a hundred pages it slows down again for about fifty pages and then really picks it up for the last fifty...yes, that is right four hundred pages.

I recommend this book if you are patient or if you love Gregory's writing style. If you have never read a Philippa Gregory book I strongly recommend "The Other Boleyn Girl" before this book.

Robert Le Heros Personal Planners

2008-08-17T15:34:00.000-07:00

I have been looking for the perfect daily planner for some time now and my search is over! This daily planner is designed by Robert Le Heros, made by Quo Vadis.
I was first attracted to this planner because of the pretty exterior. Most planners look a "little too business" for my style. I want the function of a strictly business planner but I didn't want it to look boring. The exterior is soft and "leathery" but as far as I know it is not made of leather. I love the silhouettes of the delicate flowers as well as the lady bug detail in the bottom lefthand corner. There is a bright orange elastic strap to make sure the planner stays shut which is handy because I throw the planner in my purse and back pack quite frequently.

The inside of the planner has seven days split between a two page spread. Each day is divided up by the hour which at first I thought it would be a little too detail oriented but now I love being able to assign a time to the various things I have to do throughout the week.

If you are looking for a planner that is both Sensible and Sassy ;) I highly recommend this planner!
Do you have a product or book you would like me to review? If so let me know atSensiblysassy@gmail.com

Preserve Toothbrushes

2008-08-17T15:33:00.000-07:00

I am always looking for new ways to make earth friendly choices. Preserve products were introduced to me by my friend Carrie when she bought me a Preserve toothbrush a couple years ago as a topper on a gift she gave me. I have been so satisfied with the Preserve toothbrush that I have been using them ever since.

The Preserve products are made out of recycled yogurt cups. They are also fun products because of the looks that people give you when you exclaim "I have a recycled toothbrush!" The toothbrushes have a nice little arch so that you can reach all of your pearly whites with ease and they come in boxes with holes so that it can that can double as a travel case.

I have also used the Preserve razors as well. I do not recommend the razors as highly as the toothbrushes because they aren't as friendly to the user. Thr razors are not infused with aloe nor do they have a fancy handle like most razors do these days. If you are new to shaving your legs, or you are often caught shaving your legs in a hurry, the Preserve razors have the potential to slice you up. I speak from experience. Very painful experience.

If you want to pick up your own tooth brush or razors, you can pick them up at either Trader Joe's or Whole Foods.
I do enjoy the earth friendly aspect of the Preserve company and I am eager to try out the plates, utensils etc.

Do you have a product, book, movie etc. you would like me to review? If so send me an email:sensiblysassy@gmail.com

The 50 Greatest Love Letters of All Time

2008-08-17T15:31:00.000-07:00

I thought I would get into the season and review a book of love letters. My friend Carrie gave this book to me because she knows that I am a hopeless sap when it comes to all things romantic.

I love this book because it shows a variety of love letters throughout history and from multiple sources. For example, there is a love letter from Mozart to his wife Constanze, President Regan to his wife Nancy, and even a fan letter to Elvis Presley from a young admirer. Each love letter is prefaced with a historical background of the writer and receivers of the love letters. If you are a history dork like myself, you will appreciate the historical background because it give you a fuller picture of the life and times of the lesser known lovers.

You have to admit it, romance (in the grand scheme of things) isn't what it used to be. I personally think that technology might have nudged out the old practice of writing doting love letters. Nowadays, you can "shoot an e-mail" to the one you adore whenever you feel; back then people would be separated by long distances for months at a time-therefore the letter had to really drive home the point of how much you love your spouse. Infact, the only downside I can forsee is that you might be tempted to look at your significant other with a sidways glance that says,"why don't you write sonnets to me like American General, George Custer?"

Official Book Review Scale

2008-08-17T15:30:00.001-07:00

There have been a lot of questions regarding how exactly I rate the books I read. Here is the "official" rating scale I use for each book review:

The watermelon is the ultimate rating that a book can receive. Books that receive a watermelon rating have characters that practically step off of the page and a plot that keeps you guessing. Watermelon rated books also have the power to change the reader in some way after reading them, there is a part of the story that stays with them long after the book is finished.

Peaches step up the ratings a notch. Peaches are known for their juicy nature. Books that are rated as peaches are informative with a fairly strong plot and mostly believable characters. But there is still something fairly predictable about the peach.

An apple rating is a very respectable rating. This is obviously one step up from the relaxed rating of a raspberry. A book that gets an apple rating is more complex than it's previous ratings and in a sense has more to offer. Even though the apple rating is considered "middle of the road", in no way does that mean the book is mediocre. An apple rating is respectable because the book manages to contain substance and the ever so illusive "juice" I refer to.

A raspberry rating is appropriate for light reading, such as "chick lit". These books have enough zest to keep the reader interested but aren't the juiciest book you have ever read. Raspberry rated books are enjoyable and quickly finished because of their lack of complexity-but again, still enjoyable reads.

The nut is the lowest rating that a book can receive on my rating scale. Keep in mind that all ratings are based on juiciness. A rating of a nut basically means that the book was boring and dry. However, nuts, like boring books, do supply some amount of sustenance. Reading a boring book is better than reading no book at all in my opinion. So even though a rating of a nut indicates that the book was far from a page turner, it still has some inherent value by being a book to begin with.

Anthropolgie Mugs

2008-08-17T15:30:00.000-07:00

Jon's mom gave us these charming cups for Christmas. Oddly enough, a week earlier Jon and I became enamored with these exact mugs at Anthropologie. In the store we admired how simple the designs were and yet the actual construction of the mug was so chic (I love me some chicness). When we unwrapped these mugs we were so excited to add these to our future cabinets (we had not yet moved). After boxes were packed and unpacked, these cups finally found their spot in our kitchen.

Not only do they look darling (and uhh, "masculine" for Jon's), they work really well too! When I asked Jon how his mug conducted heat and he told me that he drinks his coffee too fast to notice. But I can attest that my tea cup conducts heat very well. I have microwaved water in the cup and the handle was not hot to the touch when I went to take it out and it kept my tea warm. Another nice feature of both cups is that they are much bigger than usual coffee/tea cups but still maintain the style of the daintier cups. The coffee cup and the tea cup are also dishwasher safe. I definitely recommend both the coffee mug and the tea cup for a gift for someone else or for yourself. Here are some more "head shots" of each of the mugs.

Stone Bath Mat

2008-08-17T15:28:00.002-07:00

Jon and I saw this bath mat on the CB2 website. The mat is made of rocks "from the rivers of China" (a.k.a. from the Home Depot of Iowa) and on the website it is shown in a bathroom. I assumed that it would have some absorbent properties (like an absorbent pad below the rocks) due to the fact that it was, like I said, in a bathroom on the website.
Said mat:

When it arrived it was heavier than I expected...waaaay heavier. Also, when I opened the box there was a picture of the mat being used outside and no mention of it being an indoor product (but remember, that's how it was advertised)But I loved the way it looked in our bathroom, see:

Everyone worried it would be uncomfortable but truthfully it wasn't that bad, it felt like getting out of the shower and into a river. But it did not absorb-at all. After a few days of soaking our bathroom floor, Jon and I made the hard decision that the bath mat must go back.

The customer service rep was very accommodating to us. We should get a full refund-in 1 to 2 months. I am still a little apprehensive about sending it back because it looks so very chic in the bathroom. But I guess form is supposed to follow function for a reason. I don't recommend this product for indoor use and I highly suggest that CB2 doesn't either.

The Emperor's Children

2008-08-17T15:28:00.001-07:00

This book was voted Best Book of the Year by Publisher's Weekly, so naturally I was intrigued.

The Emperor's Children was difficult to get into though. The characters were interesting from the very beginning, however, the amount of run on sentences drove me nuts! It seemed as though every other sentence was never ending and it truly distracted me. At one point I stopped reading the book for content, but instead I read it on a hunt for run-ons.

Run on sentences aside, the characters were easy to get to know because they seemed very raw and real; comparable to people you might actually meet. I found the characters charming at first. I also felt that the character development was very similar to the writing style of J.D. Salinger (Catcher in the Rye, Franny and Zooey). These characters were flawed and complex. But as the novel went on the interest in their imperfections waned and they became slightly annoying. I began thinking to myself, "Everyone has issues, make a choice, grow from it!" But I guess that it is not that simple. And I guess that is a sign of good writing, because the author created characters so real that they actually annoyed me. So kudos there I guess

The book ended without a clear cut ending which leads me to believe that there is more in store for these characters in another book. Overall, the book kept my interest while simultaneouslyannoying me.

Nars Blushes

2008-08-17T15:26:00.000-07:00

I have a great product for today's Monday Review, powder blushes by NARS. I discovered these blushes while on vacation with my friend, Serina. Whenever I am on vacation/getting ready to go with friends, I ask them to do my make-up because I have the skills of an 8 year old when it comes to make-up. I mean I don't look like a disaster, but I am not as innovative as they are with a make up brush. So anyway back to the blushes.
The two blushes pictured below are Orgasm (left) (the name alone will make you blush) and Exhibit A (right).
Orgasm is a color that will work on anyone! I have seen this blush on fair skinned people, dark skinned people like myself, and many different hair colors and it looks amazing on everyone. Orgasm gives your cheek the "oh my gosh he's so cute and he's looking at me" blush. There are also a subtle gold sheen that brings out your inner goddess/sun worshiper. And I cannot stress it enough, this color looks amazing on all skin types!!

Exhibit A is a color that was recommended to me because I have somewhat darker skin. I am super conscious of the amount of sun that touches my face-I don't want to look like a leather bag by the time I hit my 30's. Anyway, even though I am the lighter side of dark, this blush is amazing. I had trouble finding a color similar to this one in powder form. Most blushes were in that solid stick, which usually ended up looking streaky or freakishly dark. But Exhibit A is a great color because it gives your skin the look of wind stung cheeks or that rosy glow that a workout would give you. Now I'm not sure but I think this color might be a little overwhelming for lighter skin tones.

The sleek and sophisticated packaging is a plus as well. No matter how dirty your makeup drawer/bag is (I know mine is), NARS products seem to class up the joint quite a bit. I am so pleased with NARS made blushes that I don't anticipate using any others for a while.I highly suggest these as gifts for the girl that has everything. I find that blush is highly over looked, but can make such a difference when the right one is selected. The only glitch is that at $25 each, they are somewhat expensive-but in my opinion, so very worth it. If you aren't in sticker shock click here to check out NARS and their collection of beautiful blushes.

Photo Credit: My Dad, he suggested the scenery to show off these lovely blushes-do I have the best Dad or what? Thanks Dad!

If you have a product/book etc you would like reviewed contact me at Sensiblysassy@gmail.com

Into The Wild

2008-08-17T15:23:00.000-07:00

As you might remember from my movie review of Into the Wild, I loved the movie. There were so many themes from the movie that stayed with me for days after seeing it. But as with most books made into movies, the movie was a mere surface scratch compared to the information contained in the book.

Jon Krakauer did an amazing job at compiling the fascinating story of Chris McCandless. Krakauer showed a very sane and human side to a young man that people were quick to call reckless, insane or just plain ignorant. Yes, having the idea to live in the wild of Alaska does set you apart from most, but as Krakauer's defends, by no means does that make you insane. To be quite honest, I couldn't help but take my psych background for a spin and look for a little pathology influencing this young man. It is one thing to be sick of societies norms, such as McCandless was, but it is an entirely different thing to cut off society completely. So yes, I too thought that Chris was "not all there" for making the decision that he did, which eventually cost him his life. However, after reading the book I am not so quick to judge.

Here is a quote from Krakauer about how he can identify with McCandless's urge to live a different life:
"It is easy, when you are young, to believe that what you desire is no less than what you deserve, to assume that if you want something bad enough, it is your God-given right to have it."

The great thing that Krakauer helped me understand is that some people need to have the sort of life that challenges them daily. For some people it is not enough to live the American dream. In order to find meaning and worth in life, some find it essential to tango on the edge of life and death; each time they defeat death they feel more alive. Krakauer supports this hypothesis by giving numerous examples of people that defied social norms and went into the wild. Sometimes the stories are examples of being ill prepared and sometimes they inspired me to think about how I would like to live my own life a little differently. Granted, I can say with quite a bit of certainty that I would not want to live in those extreme situations but I would like to slow down, listen a little more carefully, enjoy things I already have as they are at this moment instead of worrying about what I want. Even though Chris did take a journey that cost him his life, he lived with a vigor that very few people reach, he had a dream and he lived it.

"Unlike most of us, he was he sort of person who insisted on living out his beliefs" -Quote from a woman that spoke with Chris as he was en route to Alaska.

Even though he did follow his dream, he left a lot of people heart broken when he passed away. Namely, his family was obviously distraught at the loss of Chris; but the book points out that they were not the only ones to be affected by his death. Before reaching Alaska, Chris traveled all across the United States, meeting people and sharing his story with all he met. Krakauer interviews many of the people that shared a moment in time with Chris and all seemed to be profoundly touched by his presence. My take from the book is that each person that Chris met along the way benefited from this young boy's dream; however, I also think that at the end of his life these people taught Chris just how important human relationships are.