Hey There Mister Creepy Eyes...

Hey, hey, hey!

Hope this Tuesday evening finds you doing well...

Not much for me to complain about at the moment aside from the nagging headache that I'm currently hosting...I'm thinking I can thank the ever-lovely Alabama weather for the headache. Crazy swings in temperatures are pretty normal for good ole Bama...but they're still a huge pain. Average temperatures dropped a good 20-30 degrees [brr!] and we're looking at temps climbing back another 20 degrees or so by this weekend...crazy stuff, I tell ya! I really don't mind the cold, [I'm one of the few Bama residents that actually likes the cold...] but I need some semblance of consistency!

Death Note

Still working my way through Death Note...

It's a pretty short series...there are only 37 episodes available on Netflix. [Madoka had 12 episodes and Ouran had 26...] I'm thinking I could probably finish the series in about a week, maybe two, unless I pick up watching Supernatural again....

One of the main reasons that I've waited so long to start watching Death Note is the sheer creepiness of the guy with the crazy eyes in the background of this picture...[I've since learned that his name is Ryuk. He's a shinigami {literally meaning 'death god'} that's gotten bored and decided to toy around with humans for a bit]

Turns out that I rather like Ryuk. He's much funnier than I'd anticipated...not funny enough to completely override the fact that he doesn't have eyelids [which is always creepy. Always.].

I'm trying really hard not to accidentally spoil anything about this series...I spend so much time mindlessly scrolling through Pinterest for anime stuff, that I'll stumble on some of the bigger twists for different series without even meaning to...[it happened when I was looking through some Madoka pins...I managed to accidentally learn about the 'big twist' of episode 3 before getting to watch it...it definitely took some of the 'oomph' out of it]

More anime/life posts soon!

Swiffer Mops Suck...

Over the last couple of years I've lived in a handful of different apartments. Each place was a little bit different, but there was one thing that I kept relatively consistent: I used a Swiffer Vac and Swiffer Mop on the hard floors. 

Looking back, I have no idea why I so stubbornly used the same products...they suck! [And not in the good way that you'd expect a vacuum cleaner should!]

Not too long ago, my mom loaned me a Shark steam cleaner thing [I don't know which model exactly...] and I finally got around to using it on my kitchen floor today...the difference is so great that I'd almost feel justified writing a letter to Swiffer demanding a refund! 

These things are great!

My current apartment has some pretty heinous vinyl tiles in the kitchen. They're this terrible swirl of beige and grey...definitely wouldn't be my choice. For as long as I've been living here, I've always used a Swiffer vacuum to get all of the debris and such and then mopped with a Swiffer mop. 

I will never use a Swiffer mop again.

The steam from the Shark cut through layers of residue from the Swiffer mop's cleaning spray...I had no idea that it even left that much residue! And I also discovered that there was quite the hefty deposit of dirt tracked in by the door. I'd Swiffer mopped the area often and it never improved...so I'd concluded that the vinyl was old and discolored...and I was wrong. Eww. /shudder

So if you've got the ability...go and get one of these Shark thingies for your hard floors! They're amazing! 

Funnies...

This video was posted on BuzzFeed a few weeks ago, but I just now got around to watching it. It's pretty darn funny...

Bonus: The guy in the video (pretty sure he's Eugene Lee Yang) is hilarious (as always) and undeniably handsome (again, as always). He's one of the producers at BuzzFeed and has a ton of videos...

The whole video is chuckle-worthy, at least...but wait until right around 1:46...I literally lol'd!

More posts later. Until then, Happy Sunday!

Boredom...and Vegemite and Marmite....

One of the 'side effects' of being single is having an absurd amount of time on your hands.*

*Disclaimer: the amount of excess free time is purely relative. 

Since I have no significant other vying for a piece of my already limited 'me time,' I've started looking into things for me to do simply because...well, it's what I want to do, darn it!

Sometimes, that leads me to do random things that are absolutely unnecessary...such as the venture that I am about to disclose...

Remember my last post? I'd written about some of the things that I'd done while visiting with my cousin...including cooking an absolutely fantastic batch of Galbi. In said post, I included a link to an article boasting "The World's 50 Most Delicious Foods" or something along those lines.

Also on that list was "warm buttered toast with Marmite," and I've been curious about it ever since...

I'd mentioned it to my sister, and we started looking up Marmite trying to figure out what it tasted like...seems as if the internet is definitively divided into those that love Marmite and those that loathe it. We even went so far as to read articles written about people trying it for the first time, and then their comparisons to Vegemite...

[From what I've learned, Marmite is British and Vegemite is Australian. Though they're similar products, they're certainly not the same...]

Despite the many, many articles on the web warning American palates to be wary of both of these spreads, I can't resist! My curiosity compels me to find out first-hand what these products are like...if for no reason other than simply knowing for myself...

This afternoon, the kiddo and I made a quick stop at my local World Market.

I was kind of surprised to learn that World Market regularly carries both of these products. I don't necessarily shop there on a weekly basis, but I'd say I shop there more than a dozen times a year...and I'd never noticed either of these on the shelves before, but I wasn't looking for them either.

I'm a little bit concerned about the jar of Vegemite...I found it one of the aisle end caps...the one designated for "Foods on Sale Because They're Nearing Their Expiration Dates!!" That's why the jar has that nice discount sticker on the label...I did check the date though, and it's says Oct 30, 2014...sooooo, it should still be okay, right?

I did try to find a jar on the regular shelves, but wasn't able to find a single one. [Wonder if that's an indication of the how much I should expect to like it...]


I'd originally planned on trying both of these out this evening, but I wound up getting in a dinner-time showdown with the kiddo and don't much feel like it anymore. I'll definitely be getting around to it soon though...after all, I've only got 15 more days of non-expired Vegemite goodness!

Have you tried either of these?

Stupid Monkeys....

Sunday greetings to you all! I hope you're all having a great day so far...

I'm sitting at home with my kiddo debating on when to leave to go help one of my best friends with moving/getting situated at his new apartment. He's been moving all weekend, and I'm really hoping that he gets everything all wrapped up either today or tomorrow...moving sucks. Even more so when people that have given you a verbal commitment to help back out of said commitment and leave you hanging...[that's what's happened to my buddy...and it isn't the first time either...I think I'm going to have to strongly suggest to him to make better friends...] 

Monkeys Are Creepy.../shudder

How does that saying go? "Not my circus, not my monkeys" or something like that. I'm not crazy about the idea of going to help, but I talked to him earlier today and he sounded quite distraught about the whole ordeal...soooo, SuperTammy to the rescue! Again. 

This leads me to another concept that I find simply baffling. 

Why is it that so many people seem to be alright with the notion of being un-dependable? This issue is just the tip of the proverbial 'why people suck' iceberg...but, c'mon. If you tell someone that you're going to help with something, then do so! It seems like there are fewer and fewer reliable people...

/siiiiiiiiigh...okay, I've got to get myself and my kiddo ready to go help out...more posts to come later...

Online Retail Therapy Fail...

I remember reading somewhere that window shopping [even the online variety] can stimulate the same areas of the brain that light up with all sorts of happy chemicals whenever you make an actual purchase...

This is great news for those who are firm believers in retail therapy but don't exactly have bank accounts with limitless funds! [*ahem* such as myself]

Chemical Happiness!!

A brief Google search didn't bring up the article that I was thinking of, but I'm pretty sure that all of the 'feel good' stuff that comes from shopping is thanks to our little pal dopamine.

[Psychology Today - Dopamine]

Anyway...I was doing a little online window shopping while texting my cousin [it's like we're virtually shopping together! /sigh...I really need to get out more]. I've learned that there's a ton of stuff out there to buy, and most of it is way overpriced.

Devastatingly expensive item number one:
Star Quilted Bedding from Pottery Barn.

$159 plus shipping for a Full/Queen quilt in any of the available colors. Oh wait...the brown quilt is $129. But still. That's ridiculous.

I've been wanting to get one of these quilts for my kiddo since he was about two years old. Over the span of almost four years, the price has never dropped on these quilts!

Devastatingly expensive item number two:
Holtom Storage Bench from Pier One

$349.95 plus shipping...or you could save the shipping fees if you have the item shipped to a store for you to pick up rather than have it delivered.

This isn't really the exact sort of storage bench that I'd want for myself, but it's kind of close, and a definite indicator of how expensive these things can be. Why must you be so expensive, storage bench? Why?!?

Devastatingly expensive item number three:
Elin Tower Bookshelf from World Market

$149.99 plus shipping. Plus a $30 delivery surcharge, as if that's really necessary.

I saw this bookshelf in one of their stores this past weekend...I think I like it because it isn't a typical bookshelf, but it doesn't seem like it's a very practical design. I think it would serve much better as a piece of accessory furniture rather than a functional bookshelf...or maybe I just have too many books. [pfft! nah. there's no such thing as too many books!]

Devastatingly expensive item number four:
Verona Six-Shelf Bookshelf from World Market

$249.99 plus shipping. Add an additional $70 surcharge for delivery. What?!?

This actually makes me kind of sad. Unlike the other bookshelf I posted, I could see these shelves being extremely useful and I love the design. Is there any reason it should be so expensive though? I understand that 'you get what you pay for' and if you want better quality furniture that it's foolish to not expect a heftier price tag...but I'm under the impression that a good bit of the furniture from World Market isn't exactly heirloom quality. If these shelves are made from whatever faux-wood that makes up those cheapo accessory pieces that can be found in catalogs [Think companies like Brylane Home...] then it's certainly over-priced!

I'm going to go on record as saying that this evening's online window shopping session was not successful in producing feel-good amounts of dopamine...quite the opposite actually.

But maybe now is one of those times when I should be optimistic and try to enjoy the things that I have right now...and look forward to getting some of the things that I want when I grow up! [hehehe]

Cleaning and Depression...

Hey guys, hope you're having a fantastic Sunday morning...

I've made it my mission to get some serious cleaning accomplished today. Between working and parenting/entertaining my kiddo, it seems to me that clutter tends to accumulate way too quickly...my living room can go from company host-worthy presentable to "what happened in here?!?" in about two afternoons!

CLEAN ALL THE THINGS!!!

Truthfully, I don't mind cleaning all that much. I actually sort of like it! I think it's because cleaning is a task that renders immediate results...I know that if I put, say, an hour's worth of effort into cleaning up clutter, that within that hour, the clutter will be gone. Much, much more gratifying than other things...like exercise. I can exercise for an hour a day, and it would be weeks before there are any noticeable changes. Weeks! /sigh...so, yeah...lots of cleaning will be done today.

Plus, keeping a 'clean home' does wonders for helping to combat depression. I know myself, and I know that on my personal depression scale, I'm doing okay right now...but, I know what's coming.

I know that I'm a few 'bad days' away from hitting some potentially dark lows, and for the sakes of myself, my kiddo, and my family...I need to try and stave the beast off. I've learned the hard way that nothing truly good ever comes from my bouts of depression and I owe it to the people that care about me to put some effort into managing my depression.

I know that the concept of [ decluttered house = decluttered mind ] might sound far-fetched to some that aren't familiar with the idea, but I promise that it's an actual phenomenon.

How Keeping A Clean House Helps Depression

There are several articles on it floating around the internet, here's the link to one of them. Check it out!

Stupid Wandering Thoughts...

Ugh.

What a stupid, crummy, bah humbug day.

You might wonder, "Why are you having that sort of a day?"

And you're surprised, why?

I'd reply, "I did that incredibly foolish thing where I let my mind wander, unchecked, to thoughts that open up old emotional wounds. Again. I know it's a stupid, masochistic thing to do, and I let it happen anyway...which kind of adds another layer of "duh stupid!" to the already crappy hurt feelings. /sigh"

Yeah, yeah, yeah...look at me with all of the condescending tones that you want...you won't make me feel worse than I already do, trust me.

Tiny Death Star...

Hey, guys! Hope you're having a good morning!

No more cough drops!??! 

I apologize for my lack of posts over the last several days...I've been rather occupied with some visiting family and trying my darnedest to kick the cold bug that's been bothering me. After going through almost two whole bottles of DayQuil, I think I've finally gained the upper hand and have even (/gasp!) started to feel a bit better! Crossing my fingers that I'm back to 100% very soon!!


What else has been going on lately...

Umm...oh! My Tiny Death Star has grown to over 25 floors!

I'm not terribly certain if that's an actual milestone or not...but it's something, right?

Tiny Death Star is a game that my sister downloaded on her phone to entertain my kiddo while she kept him for me for a few hours a week or so ago...and of course, I downloaded it onto my own phone later on that same night!

It's very time consuming and mildly entertaining...but when I'd told my sister of my Death Star exceeding 15 floors just before the weekend, she laughed and said that hers still had only 6 floors...bringing to light that I tend to my Death Star WAY more often than I probably should.

I can't help it, though! Every time I tend to my Death Star (replenishing stock in the various stores, collecting items from recon droids, rearranging the work/living situations of my captive 'bitizens'...) I receive a menacing notification from The Emperor sternly reminding me that some other floor or bitizen needs my attention...and it must be reconciled quickly before Darth Vader is made aware!

...

Maybe I should delete the game from my phone after all...I'm not going to let some tiny Sith lord push me around!

(Or maybe I'll just turn of my notifications! hehehe)

Well, I'd better go...Darth Vader has noticed that the Cantina has run out of food I've got lots of work to do!!

I said I wanted a LARGE french fry!!

Balloons and Potatoes....

Yay! Balloons!

Woohoo!! My lovely little blog hit 500 views today!

Now, I have no idea if this is actually something to celebrate  (I'm sure there are tons of amateur blogs that pull over 500 views daily...), but I'm kind of excited about it!

[At this point, I'll note that about half a dozen or so of those views can be attributed to me trying to tinker with the formatting...before I realized that I could turn off the option to 'track my own page views.' Oops..]

What else is note-worthy so far about today.../ponder

Derp...

Oh! I've come to the revelation that some people have social skills that rival that of a potato. Yes, yes, I know that by knowingly choosing to have male best friends, I signed up for a lot of facepalm-inducing social interactions...but c'mon!!

Isn't it 'common sense' that most conversations, even via text message, warrant at least a tiny bit more than a 'K' response?? (I hereby submit a motion to rename that which is currently known as 'common sense' to something more fitting such as 'ultra-rare smarty smarts!')

For anonymity sake, I won't elaborate on why I feel compelled to compare one of my dearest friends to a potato...but, those that do know who I'm talking about, please do feel free to pelt him with tater tots. Frozen or thawed, doesn't matter...

Not much else new to write about...

I started doing some research on some of the private schools in my area...it's a pretty short list to look at. Especially if I start cross-referencing the private schools that are available with the private schools that I can afford...hahaha yep...that amounts to zero schools!

/shrug oh well, doesn't hurt to look, right?

You guys have a good afternoon! I'm off to sit in carpool-lane traffic and drain my cellphone battery by listening to audio books and trolling through Pinterest! Hazzah!